Farm Dairy retains title of Knaresborough’s best businessThe Farm Dairy retained its title of Knaresborough Business of the Year at an awards event that celebrated the town’s independent traders last night.
The deli, cheesemonger and sandwich shop took the title at Knaresborough Business Collective‘s inaugural event last year.
The team retained it at a sell-out awards event at the Worlds End Pub following a public vote.
The Farm Dairy celebrates. Pic: Brian King
Natalie Horner and Annie Wilkinson-Gill organised the awards for the collective, which was set up to stage events and promote the town’s businesses.
Speaking about the Farm Dairy afterwards, Ms Horner said:
“They have a huge fan following in town and a massive customer base, they are such lovely ladies and I think not only provide a great service but also have time for anybody who goes in there.
“They’ve built great relationships with most of Knaresborough over the years.”
Five businesses or individuals were shortlisted in each of the 18 categories.
Freedom Performing Arts, which has just expanded into new premises at the former Castle Girls School, won two accolades for favourite class or workshop and favourite inspirational business.
Number Thirteen won favourite coffee shop, Mother Shipton’s was named favourite attraction, Harriet’s claimed the favourite retailer award and Claire Baxter Art Gallery received the accolade for favourite new business.
Claire Baxter Art Gallery is the town’s favourite new business.
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List of winners
Knaresborough Business Of The Year Farm Dairy
Favourite Female Led Business Sheer Bliss
Favourite Male Led Business Tommy’s Barber Shop
Favourite Family Run Business Greenwood solicitors
Favourite Healthcare Business The Crystal Buddha
Favourite hair and beauty clinic Divine Hair
Favourite Retailer Harriet’s
Favourite Place To Stay Custard Creams cottage
Favourite Attraction Mother Shipton’s
Favourite Coffee Shop Number Thirteen
Favourite Place To Eat Two Brothers
Favourite Place to Drink So! Bar
Favourite Tradesman Brian King
Favourite Class or Workshop Freedom Performing Arts
Favourite Party Provider Painting Pots
Favourite New Business Claire Baxter Art Gallery
Favourite Member of Staff Connie Li (Yorkshire Trading)
Favourite Inspirational Business Freedom Performing Arts
Here are some photos by Brian King from last night’s event.
Knaresborough businesses prepare for glittering awards nightKnaresborough Business Awards will celebrate the town’s commercial heroes this weekend.
The event, organised by Knaresborough Business Collective, will take place at the Worlds End Pub at Bond End on Saturday night. Tickets sold out in 48 hours.
Five companies have been shortlisted in each of the 18 categories, which range from favourite attraction to favourite coffee shop.
The most prestigious category is Knaresborough Business of the Year, which was won by The Farm Dairy last year. The deli, cheesemonger and sandwich shop on Market Place is among this year’s nominees.
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, who organises the event with Natalie Horner, said the awards had generated an “amazing response”.
“We feel it really is a wonderful way for the gorgeous businesses of Knaresborough to get together, and for the Knaresborough community to vote for their favourites.
“It’s also a wonderful way to promote the businesses Knaresborough has to offer.”
Like last year’s inaugural event, the event uses local suppliers: flowers have been provided by River and Rose, balloons by Balloons and Confetti, brochures by Sid Horner and Sons, the desserts are from the Black Mulberry, and the trophies are from Wayne at If.
The collective, which was formed in 2022, consists of Knaresborough business owners who work together to promote the town and its businesses.
Here are some photos of last year’s awards, taken by Brian King.
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This year’s shortlisted businesses and individuals are:
Knaresborough Business Of The Year
Freedom Performing Arts, Farm Dairy, Wild Thing, Wildstyle tattoo and Greenwood solicitors
Favourite Female Led Business
Freedom Performing Arts, River & Rose, Sheer Bliss, The Lash Gallery and Kat’s Dogs
Favourite Male Led Business
The Music Bank, Wildstyle Tattoo, Barber Asylum, Zig Zag and Tommy’s Barber Shop
Favourite Family Run Business
Two Brothers, Greenwood solicitors, Sid Horner and Son, Hirst Bakery and Hutton Butchers
Favourite Healthcare Business (not hair & beauty)
Castle Clinic Chiropody by Louise, The Crystal Buddha, Natural Choice, Sarah Chisem Podiatry
Favourite Hair and Beauty Clinic
Aimed Health & Beauty, Kelly Teggin Hairdressing, Orchis Escape, Swish Beauty and Divine Hair
Favourite Retailer
Wild Thing, The Clothing Store, Harriet’s, Stomp and Sheer Bliss
Favourite Place To Stay
The Groves Inn, Gallon House, Custard Cream Cottage, Teardrop Cottage and Newton House
Favourite Attraction
Mother Shipton’s, Blenkhorn’s Boats, the Kiosk at Conyngham, Knaresborough Rescue and Knaresborough Painting Pots
Favourite Coffee Shop
Number Thirteen, The Black Mulberry, McQueens, Cafe Nero and No Place Like Home
Favourite Place to Eat
Two Brothers, Farm Dairy, So! Bar, Six Poor Folk and Carriages
Favourite Place to Drink
The George and Dragon, Six Poor Folk, Blind Jack’s, Half Moon and So! Bar
Favourite Tradesman
Neil Watts, TG Plumbing, Thistle Handyman Services, Dave Bebb DB Roofing and Brian King
Favourite Class or Workshop
Clubbercise with Gilly, Freedom Performing Arts, Bounce with Georgina Sands, Emergy Fitness and Wellbeing and Judi Does Yoga
Favourite Party Provider
Painting Pots, Rascals Entertainment, Bórn of the Forest, Petite Boutique and Studio 3
Favourite New Business (last 12 months)
No Place Like Home, Number Thirteen at Silver Street, Berry’s Tavern, Claire Baxter Art Gallery and Lawai Spice
Favourite Member of Staff
Connie Li (Yorkshire Trading), Lindsey Ruthen ( Farm Dairy), Maisie Withnell (The Clothing Store), Tom Robson (Vapour Worx) and Miles Lazenby (Berry’s Tavern)
Favourite Inspirational Business
The Crystal Buddha, Painting Pots, Sid Horner and Son, Freedom Performing Arts and Greenwood solicitors
Discussions revive idea to create Knaresborough BIDDiscussions have begun about reviving the idea of creating a business improvement district in Knaresborough.
Traders in Harrogate and Ripon both voted to have BIDs but Knaresborough firms rejected the idea by 80 votes to 73 two years ago.
However, a Facebook group called Get the BID for Knaresborough back on track has been set up.
Supporters say the move would boost trade and improve the town centre. Opponents say a BID is unnecessary and would reopen wounds.
If a BID is created, town centre businesses with rateable values above £2,500 would pay levies that would generate about £140,000 a year for schemes that increase town centre footfall.
Neil Smith, a disabled former taxi driver who set up the Facebook group, said the BID could improve the town’s notoriously difficult parking and lead on issues such as street cleaning and floral displays.
Mr Smith said his experience as a Blue Badge holder had highlighted how acute town centre parking problems were for people with mobility issues and a BID could push for solutions.
He said:
“If people can’t park, businesses will fail because of lack of footfall.
“If I was a business owner in Knaresborough and could have things like better parking, cleaner streets and a more appealing town centre all for a £1 a day I’d be all for it. Who else is going to do these things?”
‘We don’t want this to happen again’
Knaresborough Business Collective, which was formed in 2021 in response to the failed BID vote, runs various town centre initiatives such as supplying hanging baskets and Christmas trees and organising annual awards.
It published a social media post this week saying there was no need for a BID, and questioning whether another ballot so soon was appropriate. It added:
“It is less than two years since a no majority was received, if a yes majority had been achieved we would not be allowed a revote for five years. I believe the same should be the case now.
“The town was massively divided after BID and we really don’t want this to happen again.”
The post urged businesses to contact Knaresborough Town Council with their views on a second BID vote.
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Peter Lacey, an executive member of business group Knaresborough and District Chamber, said:
“Chamber has neither initiated nor can comment on an official basis as to whether it would be in support of rerunning the BID process in the town at this time.
“We are focussed on promoting our great town, addressing concerns about the recent installation of electric vehicle charging points in the town in as constructive way as possible, and preparing to work collaboratively across the town to attract new investment through North Yorkshire Council’s shared prosperity funding.”
Ripon prepares to party after Knaresborough celebratesRipon is preparing for a bank holiday street party after Knaresborough took centre stage yesterday.
Knaresborough Spring Fayre saw thousands of people visit the sun-bathed Market Place.
The activities included a free petting farm, a free craft tent, fairground rides, a spring window competition, a magician and an appearance by the Easter bunny.
It was the second time the spring fayre has been staged by Knaresborough Business Collective, which was set up by a group of small businesses to make the town centre more vibrant.
Yesterday’s event certainly had the town buzzing for the entire six hours from 10am to 4pm.
Collective member Natalie Horner said:
“It was such a brilliant day and a huge success for both the event itself and the shops in town too.
“The weather was lovely and it was so nice to see so much community spirit and joy in town.”
The Nailery won the spring window competition.
The forecast looks a little less kind for tomorrow’s street party on Kirkgate in Ripon, but spirits will no doubt be equally high.
Kirkgate will be closed to traffic from 10am to 4pm while residents and visitors enjoy live music, al fresco dining and entertainment.
The event is part of the Totally Locally scheme being adopted by traders and Ripon Business Improvement District to encourage people to spend with independent businesses in the city.
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Knaresborough all set for Winter Fayre tomorrow
Christmas festivities continue in Knaresborough this weekend with a Winter Fayre in the town’s market place.
Tomorrow’s event, organised by Knaresborough Business Collective, follows on from the success of the Spring Fayre in April.
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, and Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, founders of the business group, said the event would feature a host of attractions.
They include children’s rides, a Father Christmas grotto, reindeer, face painting, Punch and Judy shows, live entertainment and music, food and drink stalls and free craft workshops, as well as a local artisan market.
The fayre will be opened at 10am by town crier Roger Hewitt and will continue until 4pm.
To accompany the event, the group is also hosting a Christmas window competition, which will see businesses in the town create displays with a festive theme. Prizes will be awarded to the top three best dressed windows.
Ms Horner said:
“We are so excited to be doing the collective’s fourth window competition this year, they have been a huge success and make town look fantastic.
“Knaresborough’s window displays have been such a hit they’re actually becoming a tourist attraction that people are travelling to town to see.
“They will contribute to a fantastic atmosphere for our Winter Fayre on Saturday – an amazing fun-filled day for all the family.
“We have so many things planned including fairground rides, reindeer, Santa’s grotto, a mulled wine tent, free craft workshops, face painting and local artisan market. After the success of the Spring Fayre we are so excited!”
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Knaresborough set for Winter Fayre and Christmas window contestA Winter Fayre and Christmas window competition is being held in Knaresborough in December as part of continuing efforts to boost the town.
The event, which is being organised by Knaresborough Business Collective, follows on from the success of the Spring Fayre in April.
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, and Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, founders of the business group, said the event would feature a host of exciting attractions.
They will include children’s rides, a Father Christmas grotto, live entertainment and music, food and drink stalls and craft workshops, as well as a local artisan market.
The fayre will take place on December 10 from 10am until 4pm on Knaresborough Market Place.
To accompany the event, the group is also hosting a Christmas window competition, which will see businesses in the town create displays with a festive theme before December 9. Prizes will be awarded to the top three best dressed windows.
Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:
“We are so excited to see all your fantastic efforts for Christmas. Knaresborough’s window displays are becoming a tourist attraction for visitors. They are so fantastic, and of course everybody wants to get their hands on one our prestigious trophies!”
The Winter Fayre will take place the week after the Knaresborough Christmas Market weekend on December 3 and 4.
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Hairdresser’s spooktacular display wins Knaresborough Halloween contestThe spooktacular display at Claro Hair Stylists in Knaresborough has been crowned the winner of the town’s Halloween window competition.
The impressive window on the High Street includes potion bottles, cauldrons and spell books, which have been created by owner Sue Orr.
The competition, organised by Knaresborough Business Collective, is being run alongside the Halloween scarecrow trail.
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, who launched the not-for-profit business group with Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son said:
“Sue was thrilled to have won.
“This is our third window competition through the business collective and the turnout has been great. Lots of businesses decorated their windows in the run up to Halloween. It really creates a buzz in town and people love looking at all the displays.
They all looked spectacular, especially alongside the scarecrow trail, which has done so well and brought a lot of people into Knaresborough. We’ve sold hundreds of maps for the trail. We did have some vandalism on the first night, but since then it’s more than made up for it.”
The Halloween scarecrow trail runs until Sunday.
Knaresborough gets into the spirit of Halloween with spooky window displays and scarecrow trailKnaresborough businesses are gearing up for Halloween with a spooky-themed scarecrow trail and window decoration competition.
Scary displays are already starting to appear in shop windows in the historic market town, including Sid Horner and Son and Claro Hairstyles.
The competition, organised by the Knaresborough Business Collective, is being run alongside the Halloween scarecrow trail, which starts on October 21.
Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, who launched the not-for-profit business group with Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, said:
“We are running the competition following the huge success of our spring and jubilee window competitions.
“It is aimed at making the town look amazing for our exciting scarecrow trail. The trail will feature 28 scarecrows around Knaresborough, which people can find on a map.
“They are all sponsored and made by businesses and they will all be themed based on what would suit their business. For example, we have a hairdresser doing an Edward Scissorhands scarecrow.”
The entrance to Sid Horner and Son, which has an impressive spooky Halloween window display.
Ms Horner and her team have been working on a Halloween window at Sid Horner and Son for the last few weeks and is inviting people to have a look.
She said:
“We are a bit tucked away on Finkle Keep. It is made from old printer parts and has lots of little surprises.”
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Business is booming in Knaresborough as empty shop units continue to fillKnaresborough has seen a stream of new businesses opening in the past year despite the challenges posed by the cost of living crisis.
Recent additions include The Secret Bakery and River and Rose and last week high street bakery Greggs confirmed it was opening a branch in the town.
There are currently only six empty units available compared a peak of more than 40, according to the two women behind the Knaresborough Business Collective.
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, and Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, who launched the not-for-profit venture in January, said there were a number of reasons why Knaresborough was so attractive to businesses.
Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:
“There is a lot of new energy coming into the town. More than 12 business have opened here this year.
“I think we have a lot to offer, because we are a tourist destination as well. We bring a lot of tourists in for a good half of the year and the other half sees locals use a lot of the businesses.”
Annie Wilkinson-Gill (left) and Natalie Horner.
Ms Horner added:
“Most of the businesses are quite unique. We offer a lot as a town. You can get everything here. I also think after covid a lot of people wanted to support local.
“You get amazing customer service in Knaresborough. When customers walk in, staff know them by name. All that helps to make it a community. We also have the market on a Wednesday.”
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The women, who set up the collective to stage events and be a voice for businesses, have both had a presence in the town for more than a decade.
During this time they have seen the town experience struggles with shop closures and empty units.
However, in a post-covid world, they believe there is now more support than ever for local businesses, including amongst the business community itself.
Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:
“As well as the people who live here, the shops all support each other. We all know the importance of keeping each other going. We have all got the same goal.
“I have got the most amazing group of friends in different businesses. It’s a really lovely town full of lovely people.”
Red telephone box in Knaresborough transformed into tourist information hubA red telephone box in Knaresborough Market Place has been transformed into a tourist information hub.
Knaresborough Business Collective signed the lease on one of the three traditional K6 phone boxes this week.
It is aimed at being more easily accessible than the town’s existing tourist information centre, which is located in the Courthouse Museum.
And to help it stand out, it has been covered in pink flowers by Louise Ford, from 4 Seasons florist.
The business group, which was formed to encourage more people into town to spend money in local shops, requested the lease earlier this year.
Natalie Horner, one of the founders of the Knaresborough Business Collective, said:
“We have been putting on a lot of events and noticed that advertising to tourists was difficult, as the current tourist information office is not easy to locate and is only open infrequent hours and days.
“For a tourist town like Knaresborough, we thought it would be great to have something local and central that is open all day everyday to display local event information and flyers, posters and leaflets for local attractions and what to do, where to stay and where to eat etc.
“We are hoping this will be a welcome addition to Knaresborough Market Place.
“Lou, from 4 Seasons florist, has decorated it to draw some more attention to it and we are working on shelving for inside as we speak.”
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Florist Ms Ford, who completed the floral display this week, said there was even a family link with Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect who designed the red telephone box.
She said:
“He’s actually a very distant relative of mine. I wonder if he’d approve of this one being adorned by my flowers?”
Knaresborough Business Collective is now calling for any flyers for events or tourist attractions to be dropped off at Sid Horner & Son, on Finkle Street, or the Crystal Buddha, on High Street, so they can be put on display.