Business Breakfast: Drop-in sessions praised for support to Harrogate businesses

Drop-in sessions to help growing businesses access support have been praised by by participants.

The monthly sessions, held at Co-Lab in Harrogate Convention Centre, are a partnership between Harrogate Borough Council, Ad:Venture and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Specialists from each organisation are on hand to speak to business owners about anything from starting a new venture to accessing grant funding.

Among recent attendees is Lynda Fussell, pictured, whose business Dales Consulting is based in Harrogate. She said:

“I was initially looking at funding and marketing opportunities but the challenge was understanding who was out there and what was available.

“I value the guidance this service offers, the team are approachable, independent and knowledgeable. It’s fantastic to have the support that is provided.”

John Hartley from Forsta Projects in Harrogate said:

“The drop-in sessions, and the Co-Lab workspace, help to bring the local business community together and it provides immediate access to a range of sources of support.

“Our goal was to make new connections and we’ve achieved that – we’ve met some great people.”

The drop-in sessions were launched last summer and have proved popular with local business owners.

Karen Booth, business relationship manager at York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, said:

“I speak to lots of people who are at the early stages of setting up a business as well as established businesses who are looking to grow and develop. I position myself as that critical friend where we can discuss their plans and ideas in a supportive and impartial way.

“Where appropriate I can connect them with other business support services and to our Growth Hub resources, events and webinars.”

The next drop-in sessions will take place on Tuesday, April 18, Wednesday, May 10, and Tuesday, June 13, all between 9am and 5pm. They are held at Co-Lab, which is at Entrance 3 of Harrogate Convention Centre.

For more details of these and other upcoming events, visit the Growth Hub website. 

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Free brownies after Harrogate cafe refurbishment

A Harrogate cafe has reopened after a refurbishment – and is offering free treats to celebrate.

Love Brownies on Montpellier Parade has had a makeover which saw the shop closed for a week.

Now reopened with a new look, it is offering a free brownie with every hot drink bought between Monday and Thursday until the end of March to customers who use the password ‘this brew needs a brownie’.

Owner Lee Teal said:

“We are extremely excited to announce the reopening of our Harrogate store and café. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back in to check out the shop’s new look and enjoy one of our delicious brownies and tasty savoury dishes.

“Our new interior is a true reflection of Love Brownies – it is fun, vibrant and colourful. Being a Yorkshire-based business has meant that our Harrogate store has become a flagship for Love Brownies’ brand future, and we can’t wait for you to see it.”

Love Brownies’ parent company went into liquidation last summer, but the Harrogate branch, which was franchised, remained open.

Mr Teal, who founded the business with wife Chantelle in 2009, told the Stray Ferret at the time that they planned to rebuild the business “from the bottom up”.

Business Breakfast: New partner for Knaresborough accountancy firm

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A new partner has been appointed at Knaresborough-based HPH Chartered Accountants.

Alice Di Domenico joins Adrian Rodaway and Sarah Wearing at the helm of the firm, which has offices at Conyngham Hall as well as in York.

A spokesperson for the company said:

“Alice is the latest to join a succession of partners who have provided accountancy services since the firm’s founding in 1898 and her appointment ensures our ability to look after clients going forward.

“Alice joined HPH in 2016, bringing to the firm a wealth of practical and technical experience, while strengthening our relationship with the next generation of clients; her colleagues within the team value her sunny disposition.”

The company said Alice was bringing a fresh look at its services and a desire to drive it “forward into the 21st century”.

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Harrogate firms vie for digital awards

Two Harrogate firms have been shortlisted in the Leeds Digital Festival Awards.

Co-Lab Harrogate, based at Harrogate Convention Centre, is nominated in the facilitator of the year category, against NorthInvest, Propel@YH and Sarah Tulip.

And FinancialForce EMEA, on Cardale Park, is competing for the international award against Scaled Insights, Glean, Abstract Tech and COVVI Hand.

The awards will be handed out on Thursday, September 29 at Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds.

Business Breakfast: Ripon Farm Services opens new branch in Malton

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Ripon Farm Services has opened a new branch near Malton.

The company, which supplies agricultural machinery, has moved into a depot at the 30-acre Eden Business Park.

It becomes the firm’s twelfth branch it has opened in the UK.

RFS has taken possession of a high-quality 22,000 sq ft building at the multi-million pound business park, which is located immediately off the A64 by the Pickering Road (A169) junction by Eden Camp.

Richard Simpson, commercial director of RFS, said: 

“The opening of our new Malton depot is a major milestone for Ripon Farm Services and signals our intention to ramp up the investment in our long-term future.

“This new building reflects the importance we place on serving the North and East Yorkshire farming, equestrian and ground care communities. We will be providing the full range of services that you would expect from a John Deere main dealer and will also be moving our Ifor Williams trailer dealership into our new depot.

“In addition, we will have a huge range of ground care equipment for both Groundscare professionals and homeowners alike. We can’t wait to get going.”

RFS has now started trading from the Malton depot and are organising an open day for all their customers on Thursday, October 27, between 12pm and 8pm.

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Harrogate businesses set for Digital Festival dates

Harrogate law firm Berwins will host four events as part of Leeds Digital Festival later this month.

Its experts in digital and business law will speak about Giving Data Proper Respect on September 19, realising the Value of Your Intellectual Property on September 22, and Recognising and Recovering Revenue on September 26.

All three talks take place at Platform on New Station Street in Leeds.

Harrogate’s Co-Lab is also hosting an event at its base in Harrogate Convention Centre on September 28. It will focus on ways of raising funds for a tech start-up.

The final Berwins event is completely different: the law firm’s runners will lead a 6km route around the city centre, in partnership with Harrogate-based Up & Running, on September 30.

Tickets for all five events, plus the rest of the 12-day programme, are available from the Leeds Digital Festival website.