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How to Start a Business in North-Yorkshire

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in North-Yorkshire

Starting a business in North-Yorkshire

If you are thinking about starting a business in North-Yorkshire or would like to grow your existing business, we would love to help you.

Start Your Own Business in North-Yorkshire contains resources and the information that will help give your venture the best chance of success. It also highlights organisations who offer friendly advice and the services that you are likely to need as a new startup or local business owner.

Grants | Networking groups | Business advice | Mentoring | Co-working spaces

Starting a business in North-Yorkshire

Local help for startups

There is plenty of help for startups in North-Yorkshire but where can it be found?

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If you're considering starting a business or already running one in North Yorkshire, this section is designed to provide you with valuable information and resources to support your entrepreneurial journey.

Located in the North East of England, North Yorkshire offers a diverse and vibrant business environment, complemented by its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

Demographics of North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is the largest county in England, covering a vast area of over 8,000 square kilometers. It is home to a population of approximately 600,000 residents. The county features a mix of urban centres, charming market towns, and picturesque rural communities, making it an attractive location for various types of businesses.

Major Towns and Cities in North Yorkshire
  • Harrogate : Harrogate is a beautiful spa town known for its elegant architecture, gardens, and vibrant culture. With a population of around 75,000 residents, Harrogate offers a thriving business community, particularly in sectors such as hospitality, tourism, professional services, and digital innovation.
  • Scarborough : Scarborough is a popular seaside resort town with a population of over 60,000 residents. It attracts tourists from around the country, creating opportunities for businesses in the hospitality, leisure, and entertainment sectors. Scarborough also has a growing digital and creative industry presence.
  • York : York is a historic city renowned for its medieval architecture, rich heritage, and world-famous attractions such as York Minster and the Shambles. With a population of around 210,000 residents, York has a strong economy driven by sectors like tourism, retail, professional services, and technology.
  • Northallerton : Northallerton is the county town of North Yorkshire, with a population of approximately 16,000 residents. The town serves as an administrative and business hub, supporting various sectors, including retail, healthcare, professional services, and agriculture.
Local Authorities in North Yorkshire

To effectively navigate the local business landscape in North Yorkshire, it is essential to be aware of the local authorities that oversee various aspects of business operations. Here are some key local authorities in North Yorkshire along with their website links:

  • North Yorkshire County Council : North Yorkshire County Council is the primary local authority responsible for delivering a range of services across the county. Their website offers information on business rates, planning and development, licensing, and economic growth initiatives.
  • Harrogate Borough Council : Harrogate Borough Council oversees local services in the Harrogate area. Their website provides resources and guidance on starting a business, planning applications, and local regulations.
  • Scarborough Borough Council : Scarborough Borough Council is responsible for local government services in Scarborough and the surrounding areas. Their website offers information on business support, licensing, planning, and tourism initiatives.
  • City of York Council : City of York Council is the local authority for the city of York. Their website provides guidance on starting and growing a business, planning applications, and economic development initiatives.
  • Hambleton District Council : Hambleton District Council covers areas such as Northallerton and Thirsk. Their website offers business-related information, including licensing, planning, and economic development opportunities.
Business Support Organisations in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire provides access to several business support organisations that can assist you in your entrepreneurial journey. Consider exploring the following resources:

  • North Yorkshire Business Support : The North Yorkshire County Council's business support webpage offers a wealth of resources, including advice on starting a business, funding opportunities, networking events, and training programs.
  • Harrogate Business Support : Harrogate Borough Council provides a range of business support services, including access to funding, networking opportunities, and advice on business planning and growth.
  • York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub : The Growth Hub offers a one-stop-shop for business support in York and North Yorkshire. They provide guidance on funding, skills development, innovation, and accessing local business networks.
  • Scarborough Business Support : Scarborough Borough Council's business support webpage offers information on funding opportunities, training programs, and access to business networks specific to the Scarborough area.
  • Make It York : Make It York is an organisation dedicated to promoting and supporting businesses in York. Their website offers resources, events, and networking opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

We hope this comprehensive guide serves as a valuable resource for starting or running a business in North Yorkshire. Exploring the websites of local authorities and business support organisations will provide you with further information, guidance, and assistance. Best of luck with your entrepreneurial endeavours in the beautiful county of North Yorkshire!

Local partners

We are happy to promote anyone who is prepared to offer friendly support to local start-ups.

Our local partners have been kind enough to help us and are keen to help you too.

Free Startup Resources

Getting it right from the start can help to prevent problems later.

To help you with this we have created a vast selection of resources and they are all completely free!

FREE startup workshops

If you are thinking about starting a business, our FREE three-hour ONLINE workshop is definitely for you!

Open to everyone, our sole aim is to increase your chances of success. We do that by explaining:

The reality of running a business; the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them; which legal status is likely to be most suitable; funding, grants and managing your money; business planning and cashflow forecasting; finding and keeping customers.

Latest articles

You don't know what you don't know!

The prospect of starting a new business can be incredibly exciting but should be approached with care. You have probably heard scary stories about how many start-ups fail in the early stages. You can make sure that you are not one of them by learning as much as possible before you launch. Over the years, we have collected lots of articles which will show you what has worked well for other start-ups and the putfalls to avoid.

Free Startup Guide

Start Your Own Business in 2021

Download the 2024 edition of our Free Start Your Own Business guide

An interactive step-by-step guide which also includes all of the most important subjects covered in an easy-to-read way with links to useful online articles and relevant contacts.

The idea of starting your own business can be incredibly exciting and who can blame you for being tempted?

However, the sad truth is that far too many new enterprises fail in the early stages. Our aim is to make sure that you don't become one of them.

This guide explains the key start-up subjects in simple English.

There is also plenty of help available in the area and much of it is free - please do make the most of it.

Read more about what our Free guide contains and how you can download it.
Starting a business in North-Yorkshire

Key Contacts in North-Yorkshire

'You don't know what you don't know' is a phrase that is so applicable to starting a new business.

North-Yorkshire is a great place for start-ups but your chances of success are dramatically improved if you make the most of the support that is available locally. Click on logos to visit their websites.

Funding

Wattsford Commercial Finance
Wattsford Commercial Finance is an Independent Specialist Consultancy, providing Commercial Finance and Business support to clients throughout the whole of the UK who wish to access finance and funding to grow their business. Whether your business is well established or a new start we can help you with Commercial Mortgages, Property Development Finance, Business Loans,Short Term ‘Bridging’ Finance, Factoring, Equipment Leasing and advice on Grant Funding and how to secure funds via the Government Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (EFGS). Wattsford Commercial Finance are genuinely independent, wholly impartial and offer straightforward honest advice, given freely and without obligation. Through our established Lender Partner Network we manage senior level relationships with over 250 alternative lenders’ and offer our clients a true whole of market proposition. Our lending and funding partners rely on us to introduce new and well qualified business opportunities for underwriting approval. These include High Street Banks, Merchant and Challenger Banks, Private Funding Groups, Investment Trusts and high net worth Personal Investors who are all keen to lend on the right proposition. When your own Bank has been unable to offer the finance or at the terms you need, then Contact Us. We will quickly assess all the available options for you and do everything possible to find a workable and affordable business solution, tailored for your business. Time and again we prove to our clients that we can secure funding where others fail and in the majority of cases our advice and support will save you significant amounts of money over the course of the loan. The vast majority of specialist lenders in the current marketplace only accept qualified and packaged mortgage and loan proposals from Specialist Brokers who are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority such as ourselves.
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Web design

Liam Pedley Design
Expert web design and results-driven digital marketing across Yorkshire. Expand your online audience through responsive website design, content marketing, SEO, PPC and digital design. All tailored to your business and delivered through an honest and personal service.
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Web design

HarryAdney Internet Services
Reliable, professional and affordable web design, hosting and domain name registration. We have a package to suit every budget - if nothing seems to fit, just get in touch and well build a personalised package just for you! Our infrastructure uses fast SSD to make your website display faster on Dell and Cisco hardware. 99.99% Uptime Dell & CISCO Hardware OnApp Cloud-Powered UK Hosted servers Daily Backups Firewall Security Protection SSD-Powered Packages from
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Advice

Business Starts North East and Yorkshire
Business Starts provide a well-qualified and accredited business advisor to business owners who want to start, grow, access funding, manage projects and plan for success. Some of our programmes are government backed and structured, others are independent, flexible and tailored to you. Business Starts will not only help you access funding but will help you use and manage if for the best interests for your business. Based in Birtley and Northallerton, we work with local clients across the North East and North Yorkshire, including Durham, Darlington, Northallerton, Hartlepool, Peterlee, Saltburn, Redcar, Thirsk, Bedale, Catterick and Harrogate. We also work on government funded programmes across England, Scotland and Wales.
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Property

Bradley Mason LLP
Bradley-Mason LLP are an experienced team of commercial property surveyors operating across all areas of the UK, offering a wealth of specialist building consultancy and project management skills for commercial property transactions and building projects. Visit the website for full details of our services and get in touch to find out how we can help.
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Accountancy

Inglis Chartered Accountants
Inglis Chartered Accountants are a proactive, professional and practical firm of accountants based in York. We specialise in taking the pain of numbers away.
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Networking

The Lonely Middle Club - From Startup Hive
Starting a business is exciting, and succeeding is rewarding, but what about the bit between? You know, that bit that’s full of self-doubt, endless repetition and feelings of being out of your comfort zone? We call it ‘The Lonely Middle’ and it’s one of the hardest parts of creating a successful business. We know, we’ve been there. So, we created The Lonely Middle Club to help you through it. Each month you get exclusive content to help give you the knowledge and inspiration to succeed. Plus, you get access to a private members-only Facebook group where you can get advice and network with small business owners who are going through similar challenges to you. If you want even more, you can download our 51 worksheets, guides, and journals all designed to do one thing, and one thing only… help you get through ‘The Lonely Middle’ and achieve your business goals. Visit our website today to join the club and benefit from our members price lock and full no questions asked money-back guarantee.
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Start-up articles

100's of free startup articles

We have created a collection of 100s of startup articles to help anyone with whatever stage they are on with their business journey. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone before you and we can learn from what they got right and avoid the things that have been proved not to work so well.

You can see the full list of 'articles' at: How to start a business