A panel of four leading business people faces a tough task today as judging takes place in the first ever Stray Ferret Business Awards.
More than 100 entries have been submitted across 10 categories, highlighting the strength of the business community in the Harrogate district.
The four judges are Marcus Boardall, CEO of Reed Boardall, Black Sheep Brewery CEO Charlene Lyons, Cloud Nine founder and CEO Martin Rae, and James Farrar, COO of York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (pictured).
They will meet in central Harrogate to spend today going over all the entries, selecting those most deserving of our 10 awards.
From growing businesses to the up-and-coming stars of the future, the categories are designed to allow businesses to showcase their strengths. Each is sponsored by a leading local business, and the headline sponsor for the awards scheme is Prosperis.
The shortlists will be announced this Friday, January 20.
The spectacular awards ceremony takes place on Thursday, March 9 at Pavilions of Harrogate. To book your tickets, click here.
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New appointments boost Harrogate law firm
Managing partner Stephen Hopwood, centre, with, from left, Stuart Farrar, Helen Ramsden, Kate Develly and David Leuchars.
A Harrogate law firm has begun the year with a series of appointments and promotions.
McCormicks Solicitors has added David Leuchars to its corporate and commercial department, assisting its head, James Towler in business law matters.
Stuart Farrar joins the residential conveyancing team, bringing more than 40 years’ experience, while Kate Develly has been offered a training contract in the crime and fraud department.
She joined McCormicks just over a year ago and has recently become accredited to advise clients at the police station. Her former role has been filled by Helen Ramsden, who has been promoted to criminal law executive.
Managing partner Stephen Hopwood said:
Business Breakfast: Harrogate IT company posts improved revenue in interim results“It is always good to welcome new talent to the team and these appointments and promotions will help to bolster some very busy departments.”
Now is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. We are encouraging businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district to enter for our awards and get recognition from our top panel of judges. Entries close on January 16.
Harrogate IT service provider Redcentric has posted improved revenues in its interim results.
In the six months to September 2022, the company’s total revenue grew by 38.8% to £61.5 million.
The figure is up from £44.3 million in the same period in 2021.
The results come as the company, which is based on Otley Road, acquired both Sungard Availability Services Ltd the entire issued share capital of 4D Data Centres for £10 million last year.
Peter Brotherton, chief executive officer at the company, said:
“The last six months have been a transformational period for the business, with three acquisitions completed. These acquisitions, together with the two acquisitions completed in the previous financial year, have significantly enhanced our product offerings, and substantially increased run rate revenues from c.£90m to c.£150m.
“The integration of the businesses acquired in the last six months is progressing well, with annualised savings of c.£10m already realised and initiatives underway to deliver a further c.£7m of annualised savings.
“The outlook for organic growth is also favourable, with positive net new business achieved in each of the last six months to 30 November 2022.
“We look forward to building on the success of the last six months and to fully capitalise on the very significant opportunities resulting from the enlarged customer base and increased breadth of products and services.”
Businesses invited to bid for £7m net zero grant schemes
Businesses are being invited to apply for new grants aimed at net zero projects in North Yorkshire.
The move comes as the county is set to be awarded £7 million worth of funding as part of a devolution deal from government.
York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership is running two grant schemes.
One is a £1m project development support scheme, which is aimed at supporting net zero ideas so they are ready to take to investors.
The second grant stream has £6 million of funding and is aimed at delivering net zero projects.
Applications and expressions of interest are open until midday at February 6.
For more information, visit the York and North Yorkshire LEP website here.
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Hot Seat: Why 2023 will be economically ‘huge’ in the Harrogate district
Next year will see the start of seismic political changes in North Yorkshire.
On April 1, seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, will be abolished, along with North Yorkshire County Council. and be replaced by a new unitary authority called North Yorkshire Council.
These changes will pave the way for something potentially even more significant in 2024, when North Yorkshire is likely to elect a mayor and become the 11th place in England to get a combined authority.
Words like ‘combined authority’, ‘devolution’ and ‘mayor’ don’t slip down as easily as mulled wine at Christmas and the temptation is to ignore them.
But James Farrar, chief operating officer of York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, thinks the political changes will bring economic benefits — especially to those who grasp the significance of what’s going on. Mr Farrar says:
“This is huge. There will be significant investment on an ongoing basis right across North Yorkshire.”
Mr Farrar, who is from Huby and went to primary school in North Rigton and secondary school in Harrogate, heads one of 38 local enterprise partnerships.
LEPs sit between local and national government to stimulate economic growth. York and North Yorkshire LEP, which employs 40 staff, is mainly funded by £375,000 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and £250,000 from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
It invests in capital infrastructure that provides conditions for growth, such as the upgrade of junction 47 on the A1(M) at Flaxby. It also invests in skills and business support.
Right now, devolution is by far the biggest game in town.
James Farrar
Mr Farrar, who has worked in economic regeneration for two decades, pinpoints two major benefits — long-term funding and a closer dialogue with national government. He says:
“Currently organisations are constantly bidding for funding from government for one, three or five years. When you are constantly bidding it’s very hard to take long-term strategic decisions. Thirty-year funding gives certainty. Having been stuck in a cycle of short-term bidding, it will make a massive difference.
“Also, areas with mayors have a constant dialogue with government. It will put us round that top table. There will be an ongoing, permanent relationship between North Yorkshire and Whitehall.”
Mr Farrar describes the proposed 30-year, £540 million devolution deal, which is expected to be ratified in the new year, as “a really, really good deal compared to what other areas got at the beginning”.
It will mean an £18 million a year mayoral investment fund, plus there will be separate funding for specific areas such as transport. He says it will “enhance rather than erode” the powers of North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, which will continue to handle areas such as highways and planning.
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The creation of a mayoral combined authority has led to fears too much power will be concentrated in too few hands.
The authority will be chaired by the mayor and have two members each from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council plus the chair of the LEP.
Mr Farrar says the fact the mayor will need re-electing to maintain office will act as a democratic check on his or her power.
‘Be on the front foot’
Mr Farrar, whose brother still farms in Huby, acknowledges people will only value devolution “when they see real change” but he insists it’s coming.
He also thinks businesses and councils need to be ready.
“My message to any area is it’s important to be clear about your priorities. Think about what investment they need to make sure town centres are vibrant, what will make businesses want to relocate there and what are the barriers to that.
“My experience is that places with a plan attract investment. If you wait for the money you will be waiting a long time. Be on the front foot.
“We have some amazing towns in North Yorkshire but they are going through a lot of problems and change. Their USP is the quality of places and if they get this right they will see significant progress.”
Mr Farrar also predicts a “big change in agriculture because of environmental changes and leaving the EU”, which will have a particularly significant impact on rural North Yorkshire and further reshape the county’s economy.
But he insists the outcome of all the changes will be worth it, with more prosperous towns and a more politically tuned in county. He also reiterates a point he made in a speech to Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce last month — that there are successful businesses in York looking to relocate and alert nearby towns in the Harrogate district could benefit.
The LEP is based in York and Mr Farrar says:
Knaresborough urged to ‘think big’ to maximise growth opportunity“York is constrained by its geographical size. We have businesses wanting to grow and we don’t want them to move outside the area. Whether it’s Knaresborough or Boroughbridge in the Harrogate district or somewhere else like Selby and Easingwold, there are opportunities to be part of that growth.”
Experts have urged Knaresborough to ‘think big’ to help the town’s economy make the most of upcoming major political changes.
They said the town needs to focus on something eye-catching and big — such as a cliff lift — to maximise the potential of North Yorkshire devolution.
Knaresborough and District Chamber of Trade invited the experts to talk about how to seize the opportunities presented by the creation of a combined authority and mayor for North Yorkshire and York in 2024.
The changes will bring £540 million into the county over a 30-year period and see transport, skills and education decision-making powers devolved to the mayor from central government.
James Farrar, chief operating officer for the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said town centres would be a major focus of whoever is elected mayor because the county does not have a large urban city.
He recommended the town focus on securing funding for one major, eye-catching initiative that would appeal to the whoever is elected mayor.
“Town centres will be important to the mayor and the places that do well will be the places that have a plan.
“Don’t wait for the money — get on the front foot. Have a clear plan and understand your priorities.
“Think about the one thing you want in Knaresborough.”
This week’s chamber meeting. Pic: Charlotte Gale
Mr Farrar added many businesses were looking to move out of York because there was no more space to expand and towns like Knaresborough could take advantage.
Alan Reiss, director of strategy for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, told the meeting devolution “massively amplifies the voice of a region” and that North Yorkshire looked like securing a “great deal” financially.
Christian Spence, an economist from Open Innovations, a not-for-profit organisation that uses data to help people make decisions, told the meeting the Knaresborough area was growing rapidly but not in the town centre itself.
By contrast, he said growth had doubled in the south of Knaresborough and Follifoot, over the last 10 years.
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Peter Lacey, an executive member of the chamber who owns a nationwide consulting firm, said Knaresborough had lots great ideas but needed to find a common purpose.
He was one of several people at the meeting to suggest a cliff lift could be the big idea that levered funding into Knaresborough. He said:
Business Breakfast: Experts to discuss Knaresborough’s economic potential“We’ve got some great companies based here, but to date there’s been little joined-up thinking about how we can all add to the wellbeing of local residents, the community and how we see the future of the town as a thriving centre of innovation and growth.”
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Knaresborough’s potential for economic development will be the subject of a business meeting on November 9.
Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce has invited two senior regional business experts to the event at Knaresborough Rugby Club on Hay-A-Park Lane from 530pm to 7pm.
They are James Farrar, chief operating officer of the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Alan Reiss, director of strategy for West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Delegates will have first sight of data about Knaresborough’s economic future, which has been compiled by Leeds not-for-profit organisation Open Innovations, which was commissioned by Knaresborough Connectors to provide insights and intelligence.
Peter Lacey, chamber executive member and owner of a nationwide consulting firm based in Knaresborough, said:
“Economic development is crucial for a town like Knaresborough, bringing together all the skills and opportunities across the town and local district.
“We’ve got some great companies based here, but to date there’s been little joined-up thinking about how we can all add to the wellbeing of local residents, the community and how we see the future of the town as a thriving centre of innovation and growth.”
Further details of the event, which the chamber has organised in association with Knaresborough Voice and Knaresborough Connectors. are available here.
Success for Harrogate solicitor
The crime department at McCormicks Solicitors of Harrogate has extended its ability to assist people who are interviewed under caution with the admittance of criminal law executive Kate Develly as an accredited police station representative.
It means Ms Develly can assist not only those interviewed by police but also by other bodies, such as the Department for Work and Pensions, HMRC or the Environment Agency.
The accreditation scheme covers publicly funded criminal defence work and accredited representatives are usually called to a police station to advise and assist people who would otherwise have no legal representation.
Head of the crime department Peter Minnikin said:
“Kate’s accreditation brings the total number of the team who can act in legally-aided police station visits to seven and comes at a time when we have been exceptionally busy so is very welcome.”
Ms Develly joined the criminal team last year.
McCormicks was the only Harrogate firm to be ranked for general crime and fraud in the latest edition of the UK Legal 500, a leading guide to the legal profession.
A1(M) junction 47 upgrade at Flaxby completed
Long-term work to upgrade junction 47 on the A1(M) at Flaxby has now been completed.
The project, to improve infrastructure before more houses are built in Knaresborough and Green Hammerton, is at least £2.3 million over budget and took seven months longer to complete than planned.
The original budget was £7 million. This had increased to £10 million by September and the final cost has yet to be revealed.
The A59 corridor has been identified in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, as an area of rapid increase in residential and business growth.
Work on the junction began in September 2020 and this week became fully operational. The traffic lights have been switched on for the first time and all lanes are now open.
Three of the four slip roads, on and off the roundabout, have been widened to increase capacity.
Traffic signals are now in place on the roundabout to manage traffic flow and a T-junction has been added between the A168 and A59 to help drivers on the York side turning onto the A59.
A lane has been added to the west of junction 47 between the A1 and Flaxby roundabout so there will be two lanes in each direction between those two roundabouts.
Rapid growth
Barrie Mason, North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director for highways and transportation, said the rapid growth in the area meant the works were essential.
He said:
“This important scheme has the aim of supporting the future growth and prosperity of Harrogate and Knaresborough. We anticipate significant residential and commercial development along the A59 corridor, resulting in many more people using this key link road.”
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The council attributed the delays to the discovery of great crested newts, which must be legally relocated, covid and poor ground conditions.
Mr Mason added the traffic lights will need to be monitored to ensure the timings are right and reduce queueing. He has asked motorists to be patients whilst the final adjustments are made.
The project has been supported by £2.47m from the government’s Local Growth Fund, secured by York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, along with contributions from the county council, National Highways and developer Forward Investment LLP.
David Dickson, chair of the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership infrastructure and joint assets board, said:
Two North Yorkshire recovery plans launched to save tourism“This project is a real boost for the York and North Yorkshire economy. By improving east-west connectivity, the much improved junction unlocks the opportunity for further economic growth across the region.”
Two county-wide recovery plans are set to be put in place to help tourism and hospitality as the industry faces a battle to recover from coronavirus.
Analysis by the York and North Yorkshire Enterprise Partnership has forecast 20,000 jobs losses and a drop in value of 40% across the sector this year as a result of the pandemic.
The industry in the wider-county, which is worth around £9 billion a year, has taken a hit due lockdown as hotels, attractions and the hospitality sector have been closed for the past three months.
It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement today on the two metre distancing rule and further relaxing of restrictions.
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Bosses at the North Yorkshire LEP have launched an economic recovery plan for the region which will focus on getting people back to work, greater digital connection and safer, greener public spaces.
David Kerfoot MBE DL, chair of the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
“The Covid-19 pandemic has bought challenge in one way or another to every single one of us, yet it has undoubtedly impacted heaviest on those in our society who already had the least.
“It is absolutely crucial that this vision is realised. We must ensure those who have previously been left behind aren’t pushed further into the margins.
“We must seize the incredibly unique opportunity we have to grow and strengthen our economy, whilst positively mitigating against climate change.”
Meanwhile, Welcome to Yorkshire has also launched its own recovery plan to help the industry and its 225,000 employees.
The organisation has said it will offer regional support for businesses, introduce a Yorkshire gift card for customers and launch a marketing campaign for the county.
The move comes as owners of firms in the Harrogate hospitality sector have urged for clarity on the one metre rule in order for hotels, bars and restaurants to reopen.
But some restaurant owners have warned that some in the industry may not survive.
David Straker, co-owner of popular Harrogate restaurant William & Victoria told The Stray Ferret that the situation is perilous for many restaurants in the town.
He said:
“It’s hard. It’s really, really hard. We’re fortunate here as we own our property and we have a fantastic loyal clientele which is absolutely paramount to a business.”