Knaresborough business group folds

Knaresborough Business Collective, which was set up to encourage more people to visit the town, has folded.

The group, which was established in the wake of the vote not to create a Knaresborough Business Improvement District, announced the news on social media today.

Founders Natalie Horner and Annie Wilkinson-Gill said “the time has come to say enough is enough”.

The duo organised numerous initiatives for the town including Christmas trees for traders, a scarecrow festival and business awards.

Their decision followed the theft of 20 Christmas trees last week, which Ms Horner described as “absolutely sickening”. Her own printing business Sid Horner and Sons was burgled six days earlier.

It prompted numerous messages of support from people saying how grateful they were for all that the two women have done for the town.

Peter Lacey, from Knaresborough Chamber, thanked the group for all its “hard work for the town”.

The collective’s demise may reignite calls for another ballot on whether to establish a BID.

Ms Horner and Ms Wilkinson-Gill said on social media:

“This was not an easy decision, and one not taken lightly by either of us. We have powered through adversity, harassment, theft, abuse, criticism, vandalism, complaints, slander, all of which has crossed the line to personal attacks on our own businesses and characters.

“We did what we did because we love Knaresborough, it’s businesses, it’s community, it’s residents, but we could only handle so much when we are doing every part of it voluntarily. We have neglected our businesses, our families, our homes and our health, both mental and physical, and the time has come to say enough is enough.

“We have achieved so much over the last few years, and while we loved it, every single thing we have done has been met with some form of negativity or been destroyed. We both have strong shoulders and thick skin but it is too much for two people to take. We have six young children between us and five businesses. It feels as though what turned from people being grateful soon became what people just expected.”

The post said Ms Horner, who runs printing firm Sid Horner and Sons, had lost lost thousands of pounds by printing items for free and Ms Wilkinson-Gill had paid her own staff to work at events.

It added the two women will still do things for town on a personal level, including the Knaresborough Business Awards.

Knaresborough Business Awards

Knaresborough Business Awards. Pic Brian King

They will also spend funds accrued on CCTV cameras for traders “as our parting gifts for town”, with any money left being split between local charities.

The post concluded:

“Thank you to everybody who has helped us, thanked us, supported us and volunteered, we are so grateful and think Knaresborough really is the best place, not just all the wonderful businesses but the people who make it what it is.

“We are proud of what we have achieved in just a few years and hope if anything comes of this it is that everybody supports each other and their businesses.”

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Pop-up shop offer proves a hit with Knaresborough businesses

A pop-up shop on Knaresborough High Street has proved so popular it has been booked up for the rest of the year.

The owners of Sid Horner and Son decided to offer their former premises as a pop-up for a week at a time to help boost the town’s independent businesses.

After offering the shop at £250 a week including all bills, the company was inundated with interest and, within two days, had filled the calendar until 2024.

Owner Natalie Horner told the Stray Ferret:

“Knaresborough is thriving at the moment, with less than a handful of empty units and lots of new businesses opening.

“We know lots of people want to open a shop in Knaresborough and so want this to be an opportunity for independent businesses to test the water before signing in to big leases.

“We think it will be a great addition to the high street as well as a fantastic opportunity for businesses to trial opening a shop, and hopefully some will go on to open full time in town.”

Mrs Horner said the people who had signed up would be offering a range of products including homeware, clothing, stationery, swimwear, and eco and sustainability items.

The shop, which was previously used by Sid Horner and Sons before becoming a chiropodist’s treatment room, is currently undergoing renovations, including colourful paintwork outside,

The first pop-up is expected to open in mid-September.

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Knaresborough gets into the spirit of Halloween with spooky window displays and scarecrow trail

Knaresborough 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 fill

Knaresborough 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.”

Knaresborough chamber president hits out at ‘anti-BID activists’

Steve Teggin has criticised “anti-bid activists” as he steps down as president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade.

In a letter he described as “frank and honest” to businesses ahead of the chamber’s AGM tomorrow, Mr Teggin said he felt “totally shamed and embarrassed” by the activists in the wake of the vote against setting up a Business Improvement District.

He said he had “failed” the town by not delivering the BID and said a small minority opposed to it had infected others.

The letter said:

“I should have steered the BID working group and task force in a much more positive way particularly when it came to dealing with trolls and anti-bidders, allowing this very small minority of businesses that only want to take and not give back to infect others.”

Mr Teggin, who has been chamber president since 2015 and a member since the 1970s, said he had delayed his retirement as president in the hope of helping to establish a BID and securing a “great trading future” for Knaresborough.

Instead he said he would leave the chamber “with a divided business community who will have no representation for the whole of the businesses in our town.”

80-73 votes against BID

The vote to create a BID, which would have seen businesses pay a compulsory levy to support initiatives that increased footfall in the town, was lost by 80 votes to 73. Harrogate and Ripon traders have both voted in favour of setting up BIDs.

The benefits of a BID, said Mr Teggin’s letter said, would have included:

“Not just saving our market but to expand it, help finance our now extinct tourist information hub, support our endangered library etc, all of which and much more for the cost of which is the equivalence to a couple of cups of coffee a week.”

He said the voices of those against it were louder than those in favour and other businesses were taken in by them. He added:

“I have been totally shamed and embarrassed by this group who along with fellow business owners we will have to depend on to represent our town traders so what does the future hold?”

“Not the way to bring the town together”

Natalie Horner, from printers Sid Horner and Son, had previously raised concerns about the BID. In response to the letter she said:

“That letter was not the way to bring the town together to move forward.

“Knaresborough did not want a BID and we are not a struggling town as it is made out we are, business is better than ever and we will be perfectly fine moving forward and have much more to offer as a town than those with Bids so personally I am not concerned.”

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Ian Gill, owner of independent bar Six Poor Folk, said:

“I’m committed to this town, and I voted for the BID because it was my contribution to see the town develop further. I am sad we didn’t get it, but business will continue and the town will go on as it did before.”

Mr Teggin had been due to retire two years ago but stayed on during the pandemic, but now, at 67, he said he felt it was the right time to step down.

He insists he will still be involved in the town and the Chamber but will take on a “behind the scenes” roll.