This story is sponsored by the Bettys and Taylors Group.

A number of highly sought-after career opportunities have become available at Harrogate’s most famous employer. 

Bettys is looking to fill a number of vacancies in the kitchen at Bettys Harrogate as well as having both front of house and back of house roles available within the four other branches located in York, Ilkley, Harlow Carr and Northallerton

New recruits can expect a competitive salary, pension, a fantastic working environment and excellent training. 

One person who has already taken advantage of that offer is Cameron Latimer, who is a catering assistant at Bettys’ flagship branch in Harrogate. The 21-year-old left King James’s School in Knaresborough to join another company in the industry, before moving to Bettys in 2021. He said: 

“The training is very thorough. Over the last 18 months I’ve really progressed, both in my job and as a person. I’m more outgoing and feel I can take control in the kitchen and lead others. I’ve been trained on every section and now specialise in preparing the hot food. In September I was promoted to shift leader, and later I aim to become a team leader.” 

Colleague Roisin Roddam, 24, has already progressed even further. She started at Bettys straight from school and has worked her way up to become deputy catering manager at the RHS Harlow Carr branch. She said: 

“Bettys really look after their staff and there’s loads of opportunities for career progression. There are loads of benefits, and the training is really good too. It’s very practical and hands-on, and you even get one-to-one training, so you’ve always got someone there helping you.” 

Roisin Roddam, deputy catering manager at Bettys’ RHS Harlow Carr branch.

Cameron said: 

“I’d definitely recommend working at Bettys. The conditions are second to none and the managers are very supportive. The staff are all friendly too – we’re all one team, front and back of house – and if something needs doing, we’ll all pitch in and sort it out.” 

Asked what advice she would give to prospective applicants, Roisin said: 

“Just apply. It’s an amazing company to work for, and there are lots of opportunities to move upwards or sideways, for example into the bakery or the Taylors factory.

“Everyone gets on really well. I really like all my team, and we do a lot of socialising outside work, so we get to know everyone very well. It’s absolutely brilliant.”

New apprenticeship opportunity in Bettys Café Tearooms

An iconic Harrogate brand

Bettys was founded in 1919 by Swiss confectioner Frederick Belmont and is now the most famous name in Yorkshire’s hospitality industry. More than a century later, it is still an independent family firm and continues to win numerous awards, including Food & Travel Magazine’s Specialist Retailer of the Year earlier this year. 

Along with Taylors of Harrogate, the company behind the iconic Yorkshire Tea brand, it is part of Bettys & Taylors Group, which employs more than 1,500 people, most of them in Harrogate. This month, Bettys & Taylors won one of the first ever King’s Awards for Enterprise for International Trade.

Find out more: 

If you’re interested in applying for a job at any of Bettys’ branches, check the vacancies page on the company website. 

The owners of Knaresborough’s Riverside Cafe have sold the business after 13 years.

The independent cafe, situated under cliffs alongside the River Nidd on Waterside, is a favourite haunt for numerous tourists and cyclists, as well as local people.

Partners Phil Smith and Tim O’Hara will serve their last coffee and cake as owners tomorrow before Michael and Louise Bland, who own Vivido Bar and Restaurant on Cheltenham Crescent in Harrogate, take over.

The cafe is expected to close for a week before reopening, with the previous owners helping out for a short period.

Mr Smith said it felt like the right time to go, adding:

“We had no experience in catering when we took over but we have worked hard and learned by our mistakes to make it a successful business.

“It’s a beautiful place to work, overlooking the viaduct, and we have made lifelong friends.

“But it’s grown and grown and has become a bit of a monster.”

Mr Smith said regular customers from Wakefield, York and Lincoln were due to visit today to bid farewell and he expected tomorrow to be emotional.

But he said Mr and Mrs Bland would “breathe new life” into the business and he and Mr O’Hara would support them before taking life easier. The six staff will stay on under the new owners.

Read more:

• Public meeting to save River Nidd in Knaresborough from ‘ecological disaster’
• Knaresborough town crier Roger Hewitt to retire

Ms Bland, who lives in Leeds, said she and her husband had been friends with Mr Smith and Mr O’Hara for years and they “fell in love with the place” when they visited and later jokingly said they would like first refusal if the cafe ever came up for sale.

Vivido celebrated its fourth anniversary last week and Ms Bland, who lives in Leeds, said the Italian and Mediterranean venue was now running well and she and her husband were excited by the prospect of operating daytime and nighttime businesses.

She said she hoped to reopen the cafe next week but no date has yet been finalised. Ms Bland said:

“It’s a successful business so the plan is not to change too much. We need to have a little time to see how things work and we will only change things if we feel it can be improved.”

Harrogate’s catering companies are set to miss out on huge amounts of income this festive season with the loss of company Christmas parties.

Businesses across the Harrogate district are preparing to reopen next week under tier two restrictions. This mean only people in the same household can mix together indoors.

Catering companies like, Kings Catering and Harrogate Food and Drink (HGFD), rely on Christmas party bookings. But this year they have had to adapt in order to stay afloat.

Each has forecast huge losses as they prepare to miss out on another busy season for events.

Both companies are hopeful next year will allow them to cater events more frequently. Photograph: www.hgfd.co.uk

Ian King, owner of Kings Catering, says his company could lose out on up to £70,000 in turnover during December:

“Last Christmas we did around 8,000 Christmas dinners for parties and this year we can’t do anything like that. We’ve had to diversify and start delivering meals to houses for people to enjoy and then they’ve been getting on zoom to eat them with their friends and colleagues.

“Covid has had a huge impact we’re set to lose £70,000 in December in turnover. We’re working so hard to keep going, it’s our 24th anniversary soon and I want to be here to see our 25th year.”

Read more:

• District pubs were left disappointed today after “praying for tier one”.
• New tiered system could see some bars and pubs in Harrogate have to close for good due to financial strains.

HGFD caters for events and weddings but after losing out on a lot of trade this year was hoping to cater for Christmas parties too. Co-owner, Andi Aikman, is determined to be positive after putting his company into “hibernation”. He said:

“We have lost out on quite a lot this year. We are going to fight for this, we’ve had to hibernate the company and I think it could be a while before we’re back to where we were.

“We’ve had to diversify to do other things to survive, so we’re doing some little things. We have to try and keep busy to keep our staff employed, we can’t just give up.”