Ingleton bucking national trend for businesses (From Craven Herald)

Ingleton bucking national trend for businesses

12:10pm Sunday 12th February 2012 in Skipton & District

Businesses in a North Craven village say a focus on niche markets means they are bucking the national trend.

Vintage memorabilia, specialist foods and quirky catering are being offered by traders who hope to increase Ingleton’s popularity as a hip hotspot for weekend tourists.

Cake designers Frumenty and Fluffin have moved into a Main Street building with six times more space to meet growing demand for their vintage-themed treats.

Shirley Dixon, 53, and daughters Lesley Pelter, 32, and Samantha Sherwin, 25, have seen their bakery Business boom since it started three years ago.

They expanded their services to offer extravagant wedding cake designs, as well as vintage tea cups, plates and saucers.

Mrs Dixon said: “People aren’t reporting good trade nationally and we’re excited that we’re bucking the trend. We want this as a weekend destination for people, so we’ve tried to find our own niche.”

Meanwhile, neighbouring greengrocers Greengages has been taken on by a husband-and-wife team who hope that a focus on gluten-free will win them new custom. Vince McKenzie, 52, and wife Hazel Smith moved from Lincolnshire to develop the business.

Mr McKenzie said: “We saw the business was for sale and decided to move here because it’s such a great area. The strong state of businesses on the high street gives me confidence.”

Fellow business entrepreneur Gaynor Brown, 49, who runs Ingleton’s Old Bank Emporium, said the town was marketing itself on its individualism.

She said: “Everyone wants to make this a good weekend destination by giving their shop an edge. We’ve found nostalgia has been a really popular theme.

“Since I opened this business, in April last year, 25 dealers have moved in, trading nostalgic pieces, and they are doing well. Now we’ve started running vintage fairs in Kirkby Lonsdale too.”