Ilkley town centre is bucking the economic trend with the arrival of a Shoreditch fashion and lifestyle brand and an award-winning food business this week.

Ilkley couple Hailing and Tim Harper have chosen The Grove as the base for a new branch of their London shop, Foxbat.

Taking on the former Arthur English lighting shop premises, Foxbat Ilkley will host three floors of fashion, accessories, furniture and art, with an emphasis on natural and luxury materials.

Foxbat’s signature silk kimonos and wraps will be complemented by a range of unique fashion, bags, scarves, pashminas and jewellery, all sourced by Hailing.

The former cellar at 4 The Grove houses the furniture collection, featuring Foxbat’s collection of home accessories, from its bestselling Union Jack range to handcrafted silk embroidery paintings.

Hailing said: “At Foxbat we wanted to do something very different from the high street chains – combining high quality materials with attractive pricing. By sourcing the finest natural materials ourselves, such as silk, lambswool, cashmere, fur and leather, we are able to maintain the highest quality while cutting out the middle men and passing the savings on to our customers.”

The couple’s original business was founded in London in 2009, and has been featured in many national newspapers and magazines.

The shop opens today.

Meanwhile, an award-winning food business specialising in handmade frozen meals was due to open at the Moors Shopping Centre, South Hawksworth Street, yesterday.

All the food sold is produced at the Cook Kitchen in Kent and, in keeping with the aim of looking and tasting home-made, the name of the indiv-idual chef is printed on the packaging.

The Ilkley shop is a franchise owned by Helen Foggit who also runs a Cook shop in Harrogate.