Settle Country Store began in 2018, when the directors of Settle Coal embraced the opportunity to start a new business venture that they felt would support the local community. Just four weeks into their redundancy from a similar business, directors at Settle Coal contacted Rosie and David Elms - tentatively inquiring whether they would be interested in managing a new Settle Country Store.

The work began immediately upon their acceptance of the exciting prospect. It was a fortunate situation, in that an old storage unit owned by Settle Coal on the nearby industrial estate lay largely unused and so was the obvious place to situate the business. Manager David says, ‘it was a mad eight weeks pressure wise; we washed, we painted, we hoovered, demolished walls and effectively created the entire shop in four weeks.’ 

David has had a varied career, ranging from sheep farming to lecturing, though his true love lies within the equine world. He partly attributes the success of the agricultural store to the fact that each employee has their own specialist subject area. As well as the breadth and depth of knowledge that the staff bring to the table, they say that ‘every customer is an individual, so we will ensure the products they buy are best suited to their needs - we want to make sure our customers know that we respect them.’

The business is an integral part of the local farming community, as it is the only agricultural store in this part of North Yorkshire. Like all new businesses, Settle Country Store has faced challenges which set them back at times, yet in relation to this, David says ‘hurdles can feel like barriers, however you can always go around them or even over them’.

In light of the shop approaching its six year anniversary next year, the days where the staff used an upturned wooden pallet as their desk are difficult to remember; especially when one stands before the new, purpose-built building which provides a perfect environment for their products. A new upstairs, housing clothing, footwear and equine necessities, is a visual indicator that the company is growing from strength to strength.