Claire Baxter gallery wins Knaresborough Feva window contest

The winners of this year’s Knaresborough Chamber Feva Window Competition have been announced.

Claire Baxter Artist and Gallery was awarded first prize for its display, which included handmade crayons.

Judges described the display as an “outstanding effort”.

Clare Baxter’s creative winning effort.

Meanwhile, Painting Pots was awarded second place and River and Rose came in third place for its intricate viaduct themed floral display.

Winners of the competition were decided by a panel of judges following a public vote.

Many businesses in Knaresborough were decked in Feva pink for the 10-day arts festival, which ended on Sunday.

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Business Breakfast: Knaresborough business meeting to give town projects update

A Knaresborough business meeting is set to give an update on a number of projects in the town.

Knaresborough and District Chamber will meet tomorrow (August 2) at The Mitre pub at 7pm.

The meeting will include a chance for networking and new businesses to introduce themselves.

It will also include updates on electric vehicle parking spaces, Feva window competition and the Christmas market.

For more information on how to attend the event, visit the chamber website here.

Harrogate hairdresser shortlisted for regional award

A Harrogate hairdresser has been named as a finalist at a regional awards ceremony.

Joseph Ferraro of Joseph Ferraro Hair has been shortlisted for the North Eastern Hairdresser of the Year title at HJ’s British Hairdressing Awards.

The ceremony, which will be held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London in November, aims to celebrate the creative and technical skills of stylists from across the United Kingdom.

Mr Ferraro is one of just six finalists, each shortlisted having submitted four photographic images demonstrating the breadth of his hairdressing expertise.

He said:

“Our industry is full of such talented creatives, so to be shortlisted alongside names I admire so much feels very special.

“I’m incredibly proud of my collection and hope the judges will see the passion and time that has gone into creating it.”

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Business Breakfast: road train on Knaresborough Chamber meeting agenda

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

Members of Knaresborough’s Chamber of Commerce will discuss plans for a road train in the town at tonight’s monthly meeting.

On the agenda this evening is a discussion about vacant shops in the town, the changes to local government with the incoming unitary authority and the land train.

The train is likely to run from Conyngham Hall car park to York Place car park, which would also ease pressure on town centre parking.

In recent weeks the Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Knaresborough Town Council have agreed to work together to build a business case for a road train.

The meeting at the Mitre starts at 7pm.

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Review website award

Dacre, Son & Hartley estate agent has won Feefo’s prestigious Platinum Trusted Service Award for the second year running.

The award recognises exceptional customer service ratings and reviews posted on the Feefo review website. Feefo is the world’s largest provider of verified reviews.

Dacres, which has 20 offices across West and North Yorkshire including Harrogate, Wetherby, Knaresborough, and Pateley Bridge, secured Feefo’s highest platinum award for the first time last year, which followed the company winning gold awards for the three previous consecutive years.

Last year clients reviewed Dacres more than 250 times on Feefo, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5, which was up from 4.8 in 2021.

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacres said:

“Receiving this award, which crucially is based on genuine client reviews, and pushing our average rating up to 4.9 is a major achievement and speaks volumes about our exceptional standards of customer service and care.

“It also demonstrates the ability of our whole team to always respond to current market conditions and combine unrivalled marketing advice with a completely personal service, in order to deliver the best possible results for buyers and sellers alike.

his is one of the key reasons why we’ve been so successful in Yorkshire’s property market for more than 200 years and continually work with generations of the same families time and time again.”

 

Harrogate district business groups cautiously welcome mini-budget

Business groups in the Harroagate district have broadly welcomed today’s financial measures introduced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

Mr Kwarteng announced a mini-budget in the House of Commons this morning.

It included cutting income tax, stamp duty and reversing the rise in National Insurance contributions and corporation tax.

Mr Kwarteng also lifted the cap on bankers’ bonuses and heralded the measures as a “new era” for the UK economy.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said he welcomed some of the measures.

He said:

“The UK’s economic situation is very fragile, we are technically in recession, inflation is putting pressure on household budgets and an increase in interest rates will put a strain on many homeowners’ budgets.

“The aim of this emergency budget is to stimulate the economy by cutting taxes and giving people more money in their pockets.

“The scrapping of the national insurance rise and reversing the increase in corporation tax is certainly good news for businesses large and small.

“Employees across the board will benefit from the NI reduction, as well as the cut in the basic rate of income tax, but the latter won’t be felt until after next April. Cutting the cap on bankers’ bonuses is a contentious issue for some, but it is designed to attract the brightest and the best in the industry to the UK.”

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Ripon BID welcomes corporation tax move

Lilla Bathurst, manager at Ripon Business Improvement District, said it remained to be seen if the planned tax cuts will work.

She said:

“Ripon BID welcomes the scrapping of the planned increase in corporation tax and the reduction of national insurance contributions  and the relief this will bring to businesses and employees.  It remains to be seen if these tax cuts will generate sufficient growth to off-set the tax the Chancellor has given up.

“Ripon BID is disappointed that the government did not follow the recommendations set out in the BusinessSOS campaign, supported by over 150 Business Improvement Districts including Ripon BID.  We asked for a package of measures including business rates relief and a reduction in headline VAT rates for retail, leisure and hospitality.

“The previous announcement of support for businesses energy bills was welcomed but as stated previously we feel did not go far enough and uncertainty remains.”

Knaresborough chamber warms of business failures

Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce said it welcomed the cut in corporation tax, but added that this winter will still be difficult for many businesses.

Chamber executive member Peter Lacey said:

“I like to be positive, but can’t say I’m confident that we’ll not see business failures in the coming months.

“We’re committed to supporting the businesses of the town and its surrounding area but recognise that we’ll need to redouble our efforts in the current economic climate.”

Nidderdale chamber: measures ‘give confidence’

Meanwhile, Tim Ledbetter, chair of Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, said:

“We welcome measures announced by the government today, whilst reserving judgement on many of them until the finer detail has been analysed.

“The measures will hopefully give confidence to the public and businesses who understandably have had their confidence rocked by events, not just in this country but from around the world.

“I suppose with the cancellation of the planned rise in duty on beer, wine and spirits people can at least either celebrate or if disappointed with the measures drown their sorrow.”