Success Stories at Sycamore! ARE YOU A NEW OR EXPANDING BUSINESS? In the current difficult economic climate, companies at Sycamore Business Park are flourishing. This is due, in no small way, to the requirements of individual businesses being appreciated and understood by Colin Stamp, the owner of Sycamore. He can tailor a package to your needs, combining low rent and a flexible lease backed by financial incentives, making it easy to move your business to a new home. In the last 12 months, Colin has added High Speed Fibre Optic Broadband to the park as he considers this an essential tool for successful businesses today. With a beautiful rural location, ample free parking, and excellent access to A1 and all surrounding areas, where else would you want to call home?
Come and flourish at Sycamore Business Park. Tel: 01661 853952 / 07802 390794 www.sycamorebusinesspark.co.uk
Bottling a Successful Business at Sycamore Business Park
An absorbing hobby turned into a full-time business for an artisan drinks maker from Harrogate after her fruit liqueurs proved to be a winning formula at last year’s country shows. Twenty six year-old Rachel Ellis had been making fruit liqueurs for family and friends for years and lucky recipients enjoyed the gifts immensely. She was frequently told that she should turn her hobby into a business. Inspired by this encouragement, Rachel decided that 2011 would be the year to test the market and the feasibility of starting her own business. After researching the licensing and legal regulations for distillation, Rachel targeted the end of the year to launch her first range of liqueurs. However, her business plan progressed rapidly and she decided to seek consumer opinion at the Otley show in May. Rachel took samples of her liqueurs for visitors to taste and comment on. To gauge response she had two bins for the empty tasting glasses – one for ‘yes I like it’ and the second for ‘it’s not for me’. The response was an overwhelming ‘Yes!’ Having been given the seal of approval by potential customers, Rachel’s business, The Little Red Berry Co. was launched.
The process of making fruit liqueurs for commercial purposes is regulated in the same way as other food processing and manufacturing and Rachel needed to find and equip commercial premises. Nothing, of the right size at the right price, was available in Rachel’s home town, Harrogate, but the Harrogate Economic Development Unit gave her details of Sycamore Business Park, a rural site at Copt Hewick just outside Ripon. Rachel said: “I knew as soon as I went to visit Sycamore that it was the place to launch my business. Not only did it have a unit of the right size and budget, it had a really nice, friendly and supportive feel. It is a community of small businesses, many of which have started here from scratch, like me. Colin Stamp, who owns the park, has been very flexible in accommodating what I need from business premises right now and I know that in time, if I need additional or larger premises, there is room to grow here. As I plan to sell to outlets across North Yorkshire it is important that I have good accessibility to the major road networks. Here I am only two minutes from the
A1M and with fibre optic broadband on site, Sycamore Business Park gives me more than most city centre locations.” The Little Red Berry Co. has become a member of Deliciously Yorkshire which Rachel hopes can support her plan to sell to restaurants and hotels as well as through retail outlets, at country shows and online. .............................................................. The Little Red Berry Co.’s fruit liqueurs will be stocked in Fodder at The Great Yorkshire Showground. They are also available on www.loveyourlarder.com The Little Red Berry Co. can be contacted on info@thelittleredberry.co.uk For more information visit www. thelittleredberry.co.uk
For advertising contact Christine on: 01609 777401 | www.jkanorth.com
Ripon & Masham infocus
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