Business Breakfast: Harrogate IT company reports improved revenues

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate-based IT company has reported improved revenues in its full-year report.

Redcentric, which is based on Otley Road, generated total revenue of of £141.7m for the year ended 31 March 2023 — up from £93.3m the previous year.

The company made three acquisitions over the last financial year, which included deals for 4D Data Centres, Sungard Consultancy and Sungard Data Centre.

A further two deals were struck for Piksel and 7 Elements in the previous year.

As a result of the acquisitions, Redcentric has added more than 600 customers to its data base.

Peter Brotherton, chief executive at the company, said:

“The integration of the five acquisitions undertaken in the last two financial years is now largely complete, with the savings pertaining to the remaining energy conservation measures and closure of the Harrogate Data Centre to be realised before the end of the current financial year.

“The acquisitions have resulted in a significant increase in revenues and much improved organic growth. Improvements in profitability will follow in FY25 once the synergy and energy efficiency programmes have been completed and the much reduced electricity commodity prices take effect.”

Growth Hub to host business peer support groups

York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub is set to launch a peer support group for businesses next month.

The organisation will host three sessions in September, which aim to partner business leaders with each other to offer structured and collaborative support.

The initiative will include a peer-to-peer support programme hosted by Pro-Development on September 22 and RTC North will host a forum on September 27 in Harrogate.

Meanwhile, a women peer-to-peer group hosted by Yorkshire in Business will also be held on September 27.

Jenn Crowther, chief executive of Yorkshire in Business, said: 

“Think of it as having your own professionally facilitated informal board. 

“Women Connect is designed for businesswomen invested in developing their business and helping others to do the same.”

For more information on the events, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.

Read more:

 

Business Breakfast: Scheme offers Harrogate entrepreneurs chance to access £2,500 grants

Budding entrepreneurs in the Harrogate district are being invited to sign up for a business support scheme with the chance of accessing £2,500 in grants.

The free scheme is being run by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub and is called the Strive Live Start-Up Incubator.

The programme includes live online training, personalised one-to-one advice and on-demand online learning for those wishing to start their own business.

The scheme lasts for seven weeks and will start on September 12, 2023.

It will include sessions held online during the evening, featuring access to more than 20 interactive e-learning modules and a supportive network of like-minded peers. 

Daniela Genova, the founder of Cafe Lago di Como in Harrogate who has taken part in programme, said: 

“Strive is an amazing place to learn absolutely everything you need to know about business. 

“But most importantly the team work very hard and they are always available for any questions or concerns. We really enjoyed it and we have learned a lot from the project.”

For more information on how to sign up for the scheme, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.

Harrogate lawyer awarded industry qualification

A partner at a Harrogate law firm has been awarded a coveted industry qualification.

Haroon Quayum, who works in the LCF Law family business unit, has achieved an advanced certificate in family business governance, which is recognised by the professional body the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

Haroon Qayum, LCF Law

It means Mr Quayum is able to offer further technical advice, such as helping family businesses plan for succession.

He said:

“Having been through the examination process and passed this qualification, I have been able to expand my technical knowledge, develop my professional competence and build on my experience and skills that I have developed over my many years in practice, helping families plan for succession, as well as identify and define appropriate governance structures.”

Read more:

 

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. 

Read more:

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: Harrogate law firm opens new office in Hull

The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. The event will be a celebratory night with prize draw and afterparty. Richard Flinton, the chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council is the guest speaker. Early bird ticket prices are available until February 9 and available to buy here. Bring your team, network and have fun. 

A Harrogate law firm has expanded and opened a third office in Hull.

Truth Legal, which is based on Victoria Avenue, has also employed two new lawyers to staff the new office on Bond Street in the city.

The Hull base will be overseen by Frances Ledbury, specialist immigration lawyer, and Olivia Pickering, an experienced paralegal.

The new office joins Harrogate and Leeds as Truth Legal’s locations.

Georgia Parkin, managing director at the firm, said:

“2022 was a great year for the business, our most successful to date during which we celebrated our tenth anniversary.

“To kick off 2023 with the opening of a new branch gives us the best possible start to the New Year. We’ve experienced a rapid period of expansion, particularly over the past three years, opening successful immigration law, family law and business services departments in that time.

“A real upturn in demand for our services prompted the decision to open in Hull, offering the East Riding and Lincolnshire greater access to a dedicated, specialist legal team with a proven track record.”

Harrogate entrepreneurs to be offered business advice

Start ups in the Harorgate district are being offered free support through the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub this March.

As part of the Strive Incubator programme, 30 entrepreneurs with a business idea will be able to access one-to-one advice and a series of workshops covering over 20 topics, from finances to marketing.

Delivered primarily through weekly live training sessions with regular one-to-one advice and on-demand online learning, the incubator programme is designed to make it easy and exciting to start a business.

Andrew Raby, manager of the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, said: 

“The StriveLive start-up incubator provides a hugely valuable programme of support to our local entrepreneurs allowing them to scale their ideas and make a tangible impact upon our local economy. 

“We are very much looking forward to supporting all the entrepreneurs as they progress through this year’s programme.”

Daniela Genova, founder of Cafe Lago di Como in Harrogate who took part in the scheme, said: 

“Strive is an amazing place to learn absolutely everything you need to know about business. 

“But most importantly the team work very hard and they are always available for any questions or concerns. We really enjoyed it and we have learned a lot from the project.”

The Strive project is commissioned by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub and supported by City of York Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

The next scheme will start on March 16, 2023.

For more information on the scheme, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.

Read more:

 

Business breakfast: Solar plans for business park near Harrogate

Now is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. Businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district can enter our awards free of charge and get recognition from our panel of top judges. Entries close at 5pm on January 16. Get your entry in now! 

A business park between Harrogate and Ripon hopes to install solar panels in a bid to reduce its energy bills and carbon footprint.

Oakwood Park Business Centre has applied for planning permission to create the ground level panels on grass at the north-eastern end of its site.

Acting for owner Alan Cryer, in planning documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, Arrowsmith Associates said:

“The applicants intend to begin generating electricity to supply the business park and (when possible) feed into the national grid.

“Recent increases in fuel and power costs have intensified their desire in this regard and this application therefore seeks permission for a proposal to install photovoltaic cells (and associated infrastructure) to facilitate such electricity generation.”

The plans are for three rows of photovoltaic panels set away from the business park’s office buildings.

As an all-inclusive serviced office provider, Oakwood Park covers the cost of energy supplies to its buildings for occupants.

Its Fountains Road site, near Bishop Thornton, began as a family home and furniture business, and has been expanded over the years to offer more space for tenants.

The application documents added:

“The granting of permission for this small renewable electricity generation scheme will ensure the continued support of this business site in a rural area, encouraging the retention of office space on site and the potential growth of businesses on site in key sectors.

“This in turn ensures that the site continues to provide an alternative to town centre business sites, supporting the aim of providing a diverse range of sites.”

To view the application, visit the planning pages of Harrogate Borough Council’s website and use reference 22/04725/FUL.

Read more:

Free advice for new businesses

Free support is on offer to new and growing businesses to start the new year.

Harrogate Borough Council’s economic development unit is working with the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub and Ad:venture to deliver three drop-in sessions.

Taking place at HBC’s Co-Lab workspace in Springfield House, above Harrogate Convention Centre, they will offer support to anyone with an idea for a new business or questions about running and growing an existing business.

Anyone seeking help to set up, buy or access finance for a business can call in between 9am and 5pm next Wednesday, January 18, or on February 15 or March 15.

Alternatively, for advice outside these times, email the business team.

Meanwhile, a series of free marketing masterclasses is on offer through York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Delivered by Intandem Communications, they will help business owners plan their marketing for 2023 to enable them to reach their target audience.

The webinars begin in late January and places can be booked via the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website.