THE business climate in Otley continues to show positive signs of growth despite the current recession and cost-of-living crisis.

Across the town, a number of businesses are flourishing including Boroughgate’s artisan Underground Bakery whose specialist sourdoughs sell out so early, owners Ashley Leese and Marcus Fisk have had to facilitate a new production facility in nearby Bradford to cater for the high demand.

Neighbouring Simon & Becky have been so successful they took their stall on the town’s three-times-a-week market and have turned it into bricks-and-mortar high-end grocers and deli that's a huge favourite with locals.

Becky Fishwick of Simon & Becky said: “Otley has been a fantastic town for us to set up a business in. There is both a thriving market and a buoyant high street and that helped us move from one to the other with ease. It’s been incredible to see how supportive and helpful the local community have been in our journey as a business, and we look forward to continuing to serve Otley’s residents and visitors for many years to come."

Several other new openings have also shown encouraging growth. Bridal shop In Love Club is on a mission to dress the region’s brides in gowns by rising designers such as Nikeen Asar and Bon Bride. Shadow Brewing has moved from a home-brew garage operation to a thriving tap room with strong community links, and Manor Square’s Functional Drinks Club has gained national recognition since its opening in summer 2023 thanks to its range of specialist non-alcoholic drinks and kombucha, as well as regular tasting sessions and guest talks.

Functional Drinks Club’s Kevin Gillespie said: “I set up in Otley as I wanted to be close to home, support the community I live in and help people who want to go alcohol free or improve their gut health. The response to the shop over the past eight months has been amazing with people travelling from as far afield as York and Sheffield to buy our products and bringing new footfall into Otley.”

This upward trend on the high street is backed up by statistics from a recent benchmarking survey by People and Places Insight that showed visitor and shopper football numbers in Otley to be 70 per cent higher than the national small towns average, the highest number since Otley first commissioned town centre performance benchmarking in 2020.

The People & Places research shows that three-quarters of the town’s shops are independent to Otley, 14 per cent higher than comparably sized towns across the country.

Otley’s positive business environment is extending beyond the traditional high-street too, with the town home to several online retailers offering nationally exclusive brands and/or thriving mail-order services such as those provided by specialist hobby store Modelsport, and Glide & Slide, the exclusive UK supplier of high-end Strolz custom-made ski boots.

Resident businesses of edge-of-town business parks such as Wharfebank Mills are also showing positive signs of growth. Digital marketing company Apollo 3D which specialises in 3D virtual tours has increased its staff by almost tenfold since its launch in 2017, while classic car restoration specialists Classic Car Lab receives commissions from around the country thanks to its collection and drop-off service.

The good news for Otley businesses shows an increasingly positive trend since People and Places Insight were first engaged to benchmark the town’s performance. Past successes include Otley receiving a perfect recommendation score from visitors and residents in 2023 when more than 600 respondees were asked if they would recommend an Otley visit to their family and friends. All those asked responded positively.

The People & Places benchmarking survey was commissioned for the fourth year running by Otley’s Town Coordination Group.

Chair of Otley Town Council’s Trade and Tourism Committee Cllr Paul Carter (Lib Dem, Manor Ward) said: “Otley continues to buck national trends in so many different metrics: higher footfall, more demand for car parking and vacancy rates holding up. These are all good news for the town, but we are keenly aware of potential challenges down the line so we will continue to work hard with Otley BID, businesses, residents, and visitors to make Otley a town that continues to grow in a positive and sustainable manner.”

Chair of Otley BID Katie Burnett added: “Over the past seven years, Otley BID and the town’s other organisations such as Otley Town Council have worked hard together to provide a platform in which businesses can thrive. We’re increasingly encouraged to see so many of them doing so, from companies with a large national presence to our ever-increasing number of independent businesses that choose to make Otley their home.”