Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Ripon Farm Services has opened a new branch near Malton.
The company, which supplies agricultural machinery, has moved into a depot at the 30-acre Eden Business Park.
It becomes the firm’s twelfth branch it has opened in the UK.
RFS has taken possession of a high-quality 22,000 sq ft building at the multi-million pound business park, which is located immediately off the A64 by the Pickering Road (A169) junction by Eden Camp.
Richard Simpson, commercial director of RFS, said:
“The opening of our new Malton depot is a major milestone for Ripon Farm Services and signals our intention to ramp up the investment in our long-term future.
“This new building reflects the importance we place on serving the North and East Yorkshire farming, equestrian and ground care communities. We will be providing the full range of services that you would expect from a John Deere main dealer and will also be moving our Ifor Williams trailer dealership into our new depot.
“In addition, we will have a huge range of ground care equipment for both Groundscare professionals and homeowners alike. We can’t wait to get going.”
RFS has now started trading from the Malton depot and are organising an open day for all their customers on Thursday, October 27, between 12pm and 8pm.
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Harrogate businesses set for Digital Festival dates
Harrogate law firm Berwins will host four events as part of Leeds Digital Festival later this month.
Its experts in digital and business law will speak about Giving Data Proper Respect on September 19, realising the Value of Your Intellectual Property on September 22, and Recognising and Recovering Revenue on September 26.
All three talks take place at Platform on New Station Street in Leeds.
Harrogate’s Co-Lab is also hosting an event at its base in Harrogate Convention Centre on September 28. It will focus on ways of raising funds for a tech start-up.
The final Berwins event is completely different: the law firm’s runners will lead a 6km route around the city centre, in partnership with Harrogate-based Up & Running, on September 30.
Tickets for all five events, plus the rest of the 12-day programme, are available from the Leeds Digital Festival website.
Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm shortlisted for property awardBusiness Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Berwins up for award
Berwins’ residential property team has been shortlisted as finalists in the 2022 Yorkshire Legal Awards.
Judges said they were impressed by the way Berwins’ property team supports clients, offers high levels of service and uses an innovative digital solution to ensure this is both monitored and maintained.
Commenting on the development, Head of Residential Property, Jo Randall said
“I’m thrilled that the team has been recognised in this way.”
“We understand that the process of moving home can be a stressful one and, through years of experience, have seen the difference that genuine care and high service standards can offer.
That is why we never fail to place a real emphasis on how we deliver legal services, not just what we deliver.
To see that approach validated by being shortlisted for such a prestigious regional award is particularly pleasing.”
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Fund raising for Tech businesses
Co-Lab in Harrogate is to hold a free workshop to help tech companies access funding for business growth, product development or new services.
The workshop on September 28 is described as a “practical and delivered by the funding experts from NorthInvest, who work with tech and digital start-ups, mentors and investors in the North of England”.
Hosted at Co-Lab, the workshop is part of the company’s celebration of the Leeds Digital Festival. To register click here.
A series of free virtual events is being organised to boost digital and technology businesses across the Harrogate district.
Harrogate Digital is staging a week of online events, covering everything from digital connectivity to delivering complex projects. Each event will be delivered by experts in their fields.
Forming part of Leeds Digital Festival, it runs from September 28 to October 1.
Alistair Forbes, who works with Harrogate Borough Council to support local business growth, said plans for a full day of Harrogate talks had to be put on hold in March because of the coronavirus crisis.
However, the new online-only programme, spread over a week, has more speakers than the original and will allow for a larger audience.
He said:
“The original idea was to run an in-person event as part of Leeds Digital Festival in March. The majority of speakers were all signed up to have a day of talks in a venue in the town centre. We just had to postpone that.
“We did consider an in-person event, because there will be some held as part of Leeds Digital Festival. But being online makes it much more accessible.”
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Harrogate Digital was founded in 2017 with the aim of supporting tech businesses in the district to grow, helping bring the best professionals to the area, and offering networking opportunities between businesses in the sector.
It is run by Martin Whincup from law firm Berwins, tech entrepreneur and business mentor Sanjay Parekh, and Mr Forbes, in his role as SME growth manager for Harrogate Borough Council and Leeds City Region LEP.
Prior to the covid lockdown, Harrogate Digital held various events, including one in 2019 focused on women in technology at the Everyman Cinema
He said:
“It was a relatively quick and easy thing to set up, with the intention of not trying to replicate something already started, but with the goal to create a dedicated network for people that work in digital, technology and creative. That didn’t really exist in Harrogate.
“There are lots of great networking groups, but they’re quite general and don’t necessarily fulfil the needs of digital and tech businesses.”
Incubator hub
Having spent three years working with businesses in the sector, Mr Forbes will use the week of events at the end of the month to outline the next steps in Harrogate Digital’s plans.
It will be rebranded as Co-Lab, a new community for tech people and businesses which will offer advice and support to tech businesses. Plans to refurbish Springfield House within the Harrogate Convention Centre site and turn it into an incubator hub have been delayed by the venue’s use as a Nightingale hospital, but Mr Forbes said he is hopeful that the hub will open in the first half of 2021.
Funding of £500,000 has already been secured for the initial plans through Leeds City Region business rates pool. Any further funding achieved will be used to expand the support programme offered by Co-Lab.
Mr Forbes said demand for support from new and growing businesses has been high over the summer, giving him hope for the future of the district’s economy.
“We have had all sorts of different enquiries and ideas come forward from existing businesses I was already working with for new businesses or divisions.
“There are also people who have been made redundant from previous roles and want to start up a new tech-related business. That appears to be as strong as ever.
“Harrogate has been well-known as a place to start a business even if it’s based from home, but there has been a resurgence over the summer in terms of people with new ideas and starting businesses.”