Business Breakfast: Growing Harrogate property company moves to refurbished office space

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal

Harrogate-based Moda Living, which develops and operates rental properties in the UK, has taken up 4,000 sq ft at Central House on Harlow Hill.

Leeds property investment and development company CEG has agreed a five-year lease with Moda Living for the workspace.

Dan Brooks, director of Moda Living, said:

“As a fast-growing company, we needed space which provides an inspiring, contemporary environment. Central House provides great facilities and a fantastic productive and healthy environment for the team.”

CEG, which also looks after The Exchange on Harrogate’s Station Parade, has managed a £4m investment into Central House, creating a new reception, common areas, café and courtyard.

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  Succession Wealth in Harrogate is to sponsor the Dynamic Leader category of the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, which are sponsored by Prosperis, will take place at the Pavilions of Harrogate on March 9.

The Dynamic Leader category is one of ten prestigious awards to be won on the night.  It recognises those leaders who make a difference, drive change and take their staff with them.

A spokesperson for Succession Wealth said:

“Succession Wealth are delighted to sponsor the ‘Dynamic Leader’ award.

“Within our teams we see the outstanding impact that an exceptional leader can have on their team, the wider business and ultimately our clients, so it’s a pleasure to be able to recognise such talent from across Harrogate.”

The four person panel of judges comprises some of the most influential business leaders in the Harrogate district.

Entries are open – so now is the time to give your team, business or boss the recognition they deserve.

Business breakfast: Experienced lawyer joins Harrogate firm’s life team

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Experienced lawyer joins Harrogate firm’s life team

A new senior lawyer has joined Harrogate law firm Berwins.

Liam O’Neill has been appointed as head of life at the practice, having previously been a partner in another firm of solicitors.

He brings 25 years of experience to the role and is a full member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists as well as STEP, the global body for practitioners helping families to plan for their futures.

Mr O’Neill said:

“I’m proud to have joined such as well-respected team in what is a very progressive firm. Expansion across the region and recent investments made in the business means that Berwins is well placed to thrive in the coming years and I’m excited to be part of that.”

Berwins managing director Paul Berwin added:

“The appointment of such an outstanding legal professional is a significant development for us. Technically excellent, Liam’s deep expertise – particularly in matters relating to will disputes – adds a great deal to an already outstanding department.”

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Profits soar at Harrogate equipment rental company

An equipment rental specialist based in Harrogate has posted strong growth in its sales and profits.

Vp, which has its headquarters at Central House on Beckwith Knowle, recorded increased revenues of £350.9m compared to £308m in 2021.

Its pre-tax profits also rose by 67% to £38.9m from £23.3m.

A formal sale of the company was launched earlier this year, but Vp describes operations as “business as usual” until it has an update for its shareholders.

Neil Stothard, chief executive of Vp plc, said:

“The quality of the recovery in our trading performance is extremely pleasing and these results demonstrate a significant increase in profitability and a material recovery in the quality of those profits. These strong results have been largely supported by the core markets which we serve.

“Over the last financial year, I am particularly pleased with our ESG [environmental, social and governance] initiatives where we have continued to invest in apprenticeships and our employees as well as our commitment to the environment.

“Throughout the year we continued to invest in our ambition to be net carbon zero by 2050 with all our businesses continuing to introduce new greener equipment solutions to their customers.”

New nursery set to open its doors in Harrogate

This article is sponsored by Children’s Corner Childcare. 

An innovative new nursery – complete with a refurbished loft space and a breakfast bar for parents – is opening its doors near RHS Harlow Carr Harrogate.

Launching in April, Children’s Corner will be based at Central House, on Otley Road, making it an ideal location for parents who work at the business park.

It will also serve commuters to and from Harrogate, as well as those living in nearby villages, including Beckwithshaw and Pannal.

Lesley Anne Dawson, CEO and owner of Children’s Corner Childcare, said:

“This purpose-built nursery is the first of its kind in the area. Bright and spacious, the modern open-plan space will allow plenty of opportunities for children to explore.

“Beyond the welcoming reception area are two large rooms divided into nursery and pre-school, with staff and activities tailored to different ages and abilities.

“We also have a beautifully-refurbished loft space that local baby and toddler classes will be using throughout the week. The nursery also benefits from a wonderful outdoor space which will be used for outdoor learning and play.”

The family-run nursery, set to open on April 4, will be able to welcome up to 50 children from aged six weeks to five, from 7.30am to 6pm all-year-round. It will also offer 15 and 30-hour funded places.

Its many stand-out approaches to childcare include a sustainable, eco-friendly ethos, a focus on outdoor learning and flexibility for parents in a modern working environment.

Lesley added:

“We have commissioned sustainable wooden play equipment for both in and outdoors, and lean towards open-ended natural resources to encourage children to create their own play. There is also a covered area to allow for all-weather play and outdoor learning.

“Spending lots of time outdoors has proven benefits to children’s health and development. Our garden is surrounded by mature trees and we will be encouraging wildlife – the animals and insects we share our home with provide endless opportunities for learning.”

To make drop-off run as smoothly as possible, the nursery’s welcoming reception area is aimed at helping to set families up for a happy day ahead.

Lesley said:

“On arrival, children will go in for breakfast and parents can stay for a coffee while they catch up on emails at the breakfast bar.

“There are ample parking spaces right outside. The Children’s Corner operations manager will also be based onsite, so parents always have a point of contact.

“We are keen to be an integral part of the local community and we are offering our lovely loft space to local baby and toddler groups, who will be offering classes throughout the week. We plan to work with local schools to offer wraparound care.”

Lesley said an emphasis was also placed on mealtimes, which is seen as a chance to sit down with friends, develop communication skills and learn healthy eating habits.

She added:

“Our seasonal dishes are always freshly prepared and we explore different aromas, tastes and textures every day, helping young children understand what good food is, how it grows and that it tastes delicious.”

During the pandemic, the nursery, which has six other branches in Leeds, created a unique ‘Flexi-Day Pass’ to support parents who were juggling childcare and working from home.

Lesley said:

“We wanted to offer parents reassurance during a difficult time of uncertainty.

“The pandemic has changed the way we work. Now that many companies are returning to the office or adopting the hybrid approach, we aim to continue to offer flexible childcare with just 24 hours notice.

“Parents book a minimum of three days per month, and can choose those days flexibly. As long as we have availability we will do our utmost to provide the days requested.”

The nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and practices ‘in the moment planning’, which means that children are able to follow their interests.

Matthew Dawson, director of Chidren’s Corner Childcare, said:

“We cannot wait to open our first Children’s Corner nursery in Harrogate.

“Our goal is to offer the highest quality childcare to our families whilst also meeting the flexibility requirements parents need in the modern working environment.

“We want Children’s Corner Harrogate to feel like an extension of your own family and we will be running social events for parents who might not have been able to meet other parents because of the pandemic.

“We are a family-owned and operated business and love having that personal connection to all of the families in our care.”

The nursery is holding a series of open days in March, starting with an exclusive Central House show-round on Friday, March 11, where tenants can drop in for lunch between 12 and 2pm and meet the nursery manager.

It will be followed by two events for parents, who can enjoy a tour of the setting, on Saturday, March 12 and 19, between 10am and 2pm.

Harrogate district small businesses and families prepare to ‘get stung’

The owner of a family-run nursery chain, which is set to launch a new setting in Harrogate, says he is preparing to “get stung” by rising energy prices.

Matthew Dawson, director of Children’s Corner Childcare, said he had already seen a significant rise in energy bills at his six Leeds nurseries over the last 18 months – including almost double in some cases.

The nursery is set to open a branch at Central House, on Otley Road, in April, when the price hike is introduced.

Mr Dawson said:

“We have several utilities contracts due to run out in the coming months and as such are likely to get stung by the ever increasing costs of keeping our buildings warm.

“This is especially important when looking after young children as we do and not something where corners can be cut.

“Our newest site in Harrogate has a number of obstacles in terms of its energy efficiency which are going to have to be addressed.”

Mr Dawson said the nursery was going to have “the most energy efficient heating system we could find” installed to help mitigate rising costs, as well as investing in insulating the building further.

He added:

“This will not only reduce our ongoing energy bills, but also to reduce our environmental impact as well.

“This will come at a significant cost to the business at a time when margins are squeezed ever tighter by other increasing extraneous costs.”

£80 a month more to pay

For Knaresborough family-of-three, the Hobsons, the energy bills are set to go up by at least £80 per month.

Regional sales director Mike Hobson, who lives with his wife Hannah and their eight-year-old daughter Grace, said:

“This isn’t sustainable and it is now eating into other areas of living costs, especially with all the extra expenditure at the moment, including inflation.

“We were paying £160 a month and we are now paying £240 – for a family-of-three, that’s an extra £1,000 a year.”

From left to right, Grace, Hannah and Mike Hobson, from Knaresborough.

However, the price hike is not just set to hit families and homeowners, with the majority of residents across the Harrogate district set to feel the pinch.

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Catherine Aletta, a junior digital designer at Cloud Nine, which is based at Hornbeam Park, rents a two-bedroom flat near Harrogate town centre with her partner.

She said:

“Energy prices are already a big chunk of monthly outgoings. As prices are set to rise even further, we are both concerned that it will have a big impact on us. The monthly bills are already a consideration to our lifestyle and if they do go up, we will have to start looking at how we possibly cut back on other things.

“We are both very conscious of our energy consumption and do our best to reduce our usage to keep the monthly bills manageable. We use the timer to restrict the amount of time the heating is on, we turn off lights as we leave rooms and make sure we don’t leave the TV on when we are not watching it.

“We have lived in our apartment for six months and we have noticed that the prices have already gone up. Obviously we have had the heating on quite a lot in recent months due to the cold weather, but it is a concern for next winter. If the prices go up even further, we will start to struggle.”

Catherine Aletta.

The price rise comes after the energy regulator, Ofgem, lifted the maximum rate that suppliers can charge for an average duel-fuel energy tariff by £693 — an increase of 54 per cent.

This is to reflect the fourfold increase in energy market prices over the last year.