Insurance brokers Clegg Gifford opened their office in Harrogate yesterday with their superhero mascots in tow.

Clegg Gifford moved into the former Skipton Building Society office on Princes Street and launched with a party, inviting clients and local businesses.

It took just five weeks to get the office, which underwent a full refurbishment, ready for opening.

The move into Harrogate has employed four people so far but the office has the capacity for up to 15.

Toby Clegg, CEO of the Clegg Gifford group, told the Stray Ferret:

“We like to have fun. Insurance is not the most exciting topic but we’re different, we like to bring a bit of fun and put our people at the forefront.

“We find that approach gets a better outcome for our customer and ultimately makes them happier. We have always had a book of business here through our Westminster Insurance so we are building on that good foundation.”

Read more:

• Digital marketing conference to be autumn highlight of business calendar
• New muffin cafe opens in Harrogate

Scott Markham, branch manager at the new Harrogate office, said:

“We’ve had a fantastic turnout today, it’s just what we’ve been hoping for. It’s a fabulous location and well appointed.

“It’s about creating a really warm welcome, we want to be at the centre of the community as friends and neighbours with our potential clients.”

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club!

The second in our series of networking events in association with The Coach and Horses in Harrogate is an After Work Drinks event on February 23 from 5.30pm. Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district, get your tickets now by clicking or tapping here.

Leeds-based law firm, Jones Myers, has appointed Brittany Dyer as a children law paralegal in its Harrogate office.

As part of the children’s department, Ms Dyer will deal with all aspects of private and public children law.

Jones Myers partner, Kate Banerjee, who leads the department of 13, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Brittany to our growing team as we continue to further develop and expand our bespoke services”.

Ms Dyer’s arrival follows the appointment of Neil Dring, who joined the Harrogate office in the role of senior solicitor and consultant.

Ms Dyer said:

“Jones Myers is a niche and highly respected family law firm which leads the way in areas including international child abduction and is at the forefront of new areas of law.”

Jones Myers launched in 1992 and has won the award for Family Law Firm of the Year North three years consecutively form 2020-2022.

The image shows (left to right) Brittany Dyer, Lisa Russell, Emma Weatherill, Neil Dring and Kate Banerjee

Read More: 

• Business Breakfast: Six Harrogate firms report post-pandemic growth
• Hot Seat: leading a £274m Knaresborough green energy firm

Harrogate insurance company acquired

 PIB Group Limited has acquired Jigsaw Insurance Services Plc, which has its headquarters in Harrogate.

Jigsaw, formed in 2000 and now employing more than 130 employees, specialises in motor, breakdown and pet insurance.

Neil Richards-Smith will continue in his post as managing director.

Mr Richards-Smith said:

“The values that we hold dear to us for our customers and people are well aligned to those of PIB, so we already have a huge amount of synergy and similarities that we feel makes the perfect match”.

Nick Mountifield, chief executive for schemes and affinities division at PIB, said:

“Over the past 20 years, Neil and the team have built an excellent business and earned a loyal customer base. Their deep expertise in their specialist areas is an obvious draw for PIB as well as their genuine concern for their people, customers and integrity that is firmly engrained in their culture.”

This article is sponsored by A-Plan Harrogate

A-Plan Harrogate has celebrated its one-year anniversary, having opened the new branch while the nation was deep in the pandemic, lockdown, and furlough.

Despite the initial opening being delayed due to construction work grinding to a halt during the first lockdown, the high street insurer was determined to see the business open and thrive.

Branch Manager Chris Bishop recalls the journey from the temporary opening in 2020, to a more permanent reopening this year, to celebrating their one-year Birthday with some Fat Rascals from Bettys Harrogate. And of course, the community support that keeps his team committed, and Harrogate town centre thriving.

Opening and closing, and opening again

“Opening a new high street store during a pandemic probably didn’t make sense to some. Particularly as so many large household retail brands closed their high street stores for good. However, despite the challenges of opening, closing, working from home, and reopening again, we knew that this would be a service that many local people would want to see return to the high street. After all, A-Plan has been supporting high streets and local communities since it opened its first branch in Oxford almost 60 years ago. So you could say we’re very well-rehearsed at it!”

Chris continues :

“And now, more than ever, I really do feel that there is a need for that personal connection and the reassurance of speaking to a real person to help them find the right insurance, rather than filling out an online question set. One thing that became clear at the start of the pandemic was that clients were fed up of waiting hours to have their call answered, yet on average we’re still answering calls in under 20 seconds.

“It was a great feeling finally getting the keys to the store last year – and we managed to time our opening in-between lockdowns, so we were able to celebrate with an appearance by Deputy Mayor Councillor Zoe Metcalf, and a representative from Saint Michael’s Hospice who we continue to support. We even had a visit from ‘the Trotter’s van’ which drew a lot of attention outside our store!

“We were open for just six weeks before closing again due to the second lockdown, but we kept building the business by working from home. Unfortunately, face-to-face meetings came to a swift halt, but we were available on the phone for anyone that needed us. We do go into things a little deeper to ensure our clients get the cover they need, so we still built up a good rapport via telephone. And it was great to see so many of the people we spoke to ‘pop in’ when we reopened! It was a great feeling returning to the new store once lockdown lifted. It does feel as if the entire community has really pulled together to support each other, and that has been reflected in the footfall in the centre too.”

An active part of our community

“It has been important for us to work with independent businesses and charities in the area and we started that from our very first day. In addition to supporting Saint Michaels Hospice, we continue to support the Harrogate Theatre, and work closely with the Harrogate Outdoor Bowls Club.

“Our team also enjoyed wearing pink, baking cakes, and fundraising for Breast Cancer Awareness, and we ran a Free Coffee Friday offering A-Plan thermos mugs filled with coffee from our neighbouring, independent coffee shop which was very well received.

“There is a real drive to engage in activities, and that was very prevalent at the recent A-Plan sponsored Harrogate bonfire, which saw over 12,000 people attend and record fundraising for the Friends of Harrogate Hospital. We also ran a competition to win free insurance!

“Harrogate is a great place to work, so we also continue to support our local business community, having recently hosted a B2B networking event in our meeting room with a view to host more events in the future.”

A helpful addition to the high street

“It is clear from the reception we have enjoyed that A-Plan is a helpful addition to the high street, with local people not having had a more personal ‘branch’ service in the area for over four years. It has been encouraging to see footfall increase over the last few months, and to see Harrogate thriving after being mentioned for it’s incredible ‘bounce back’ in the news recently. This is an amazing testament to the local community and people in the area, everyone has pulled together, and you get a real sense of that.”

To find out more about A-Plan and the services available, contact the Harrogate team directly on 01423 647220.

This article is sponsored by A-Plan

The opening of A-Plan Insurance’s first ever Yorkshire branch in Harrogate could not have come at a better time. As the coronavirus pandemic leaves many feeling isolated, A-Plan’s personable approach and support for the local community is heartening.

As a broker, A-Plan provides a tailored service with high standards of personal care to its clients, ensuring that policies are properly explained and meet your specific home or car insurance needs.

No transactions are done online, so whether you’re able to attend the new Princes Street branch in person (which is fully covid-secure and open during this lockdown), or prefer to speak to an advisor over the phone, you are guaranteed a personal service.

Despite being a national firm, A-Plan’s service is refreshingly local. All of the staff live in the area, so have the knowledge of local streets, properties and risk areas to ensure your quote is personal to you – and not just based off an internet search.

A-Plan Harrogate was opened by the Deputy Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Zoe Metcalfe

Branch Manager Chris is Ripon born and bred, and after two decades working for A-Plan elsewhere, has returned to God’s Own County.

Chris said:

“I am excited to be coming back to my Yorkshire roots and bringing the A-Plan experience to the north of the country.

Harrogate’s a vibrant town for both business and pleasure and I can’t wait to introduce my young family to everything the town has to offer.”

All of the advisers at Harrogate’s A-Plan branch are fully qualified with a CII (Certificate in Insurance); they work and build relationships with over 30 insurance providers at a time, but as they aren’t paid commission you get impartial advice and the very best price for your individual needs.

Buying insurance has become an impersonal experience; price comparison websites expect you to do all the work, and you can’t always be completely sure that the cover meets your specific needs. If your home, vehicle or other item is out of the ordinary it can be very hard to be sure you’ve bought the right product for your requirements.

Read More: 

• 20 Harrogate district charities awarded £415,000
• Huge bears brighten up Ripon for Christmas

Unlike some call centre systems, there are no time-targets for A-Plan staff, and they genuinely care about you. Branch manager Chris once arranged for a staff member to make a two-hour round trip to deliver documents to a customer without access to a printer, and makes it his personal mission to ensure every client receives the first-class service they deserve.

That person-centred approach carries over into A-Plan’s support of the local community. Chris and the team have launched a scheme in support of Saint Michael’s hospice, where a £50 donation is activated if you mention the charity when taking out a new car, van or home insurance policy, providing much needed support to the Harrogate based charity. The branch is also supporting the Harrogate Theatre Emergency Appeal and has sponsored 2 seats for when this valued venue reopens to the community.

To speak to A-Plan Harrogate about your insurance needs, you can call the local branch on 01423 647235 or visit them at 10 Princes Street, Harrogate, HG1 1NH.