Two small businesses at Bedale Station are steaming out of the pandemic.
Designer gift retailer Plewsy and the station’s café Platform One are both benefiting from the re-opening of the Wensleydale heritage railway after developing their business models during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Richmond MP Rushi Sunak visited both enterprises to hear how they were growing and recruiting additional staff as the economic recovery gathers pace.
Mr Sunak said: “Small enterprises like these are the engine of our economy in North Yorkshire so it is great to hear how they are developing and investing in their businesses as we emerge from the difficulties of the last 18 months.
“I was delighted to hear that they both received Government economic support to help them through this period.”
At Platform One Mr Sunak spoke to Tracey Spellman and her partner Ian Morrison about how they had taken on the café just weeks before Spring 2020 lockdown.
Ms Spellman told him how with the café closed they changed the way they operated and starting delivering afternoon teas to customers which then developed into a bespoke cake-baking enterprise.
She said: “We did receive grant support but we also had to do something else. The afternoon tea delivery business created the cake-making opportunity and we now also offer deliveries of grazing boards.
“The last year prompted us to broaden our business and although the café is up and running again we’ll be maintaining these services and seeking new opportunities.”
Ms Spellman said she had just recruited a new employee to help serve the growing numbers of customers in the café.
Just a few yards away graphic designer Fiona Fawcett explained to Mr Sunak how her luxury greetings cards and homewares business had grown online.
Originally established at her Scruton home in 2015 with support from the Princes Trust she had taken studio space nearby and then in June this year took on the unit in what is the Craft Yard at Bedale Station.
The retail space was opened as a ‘pop-up’ sideline but following the re-opening of the railway footfall has been so good she is to retain it.
Mrs Fawcett said: “Online sales are our core business. We now supply 500 retail outlets in the UK, Europe, the US and Japan but our own retail outlet is doing well too.
“The heart of what we do is my love of illustration and our commitment to UK-based suppliers. Everything we sell is made in the UK.”
The success of the business means she is now recruiting a studio co-ordinator to work alongside her and her business colleague Rosie Hoare who looks after new business development.
Be the first to comment