Independents hail vital opportunities presented by Great Yorkshire Show

Nigel Tyas Ironwork is one of more than 1,000 businesses showcasing their products at the Great Yorkshire Show, proud to be featured at one of the region’s flagship events.

Entrepreneurs and craftspeople across the vast spectrum of businesses appearing at the show have spoken to The Yorkshire Post about their love of exhibiting at the annual event, and the vital opportunities it presents.

Mr Lowe said: “I used to come here shoeing horses and making shoes, so to come with a business and be selling products that are still handmade means a lot to me.

“I’ve been to other shows around the country, and the Great Yorkshire Show is still one of the best. For us to be here and be able to show what we do, it's fantastic.”

Though Nigel Tyas Ironworks is only in its second year showcasing at the event, Mr Lowe feels that it is now a key event in the business calendar.

It was only once he and his brother took over the business, filling the shoes of the eponymous ex-blacksmith Nigel Tyas, that the company began to exhibit at the show.

Mr Lowe added: “It's a great audience, and it's such a varied mix of people that come to events like this. They're not all going to be your customers, but they all get to see the great things that you make.

“For us, it's about getting the brand out there and letting people know that we produce hand made, high quality goods, and we do it locally.”

Mr Lowe’s sentiments are echoed by Yorkshire businesses across the event.

Chris Black, managing director of Leeds-based juke box manufacturer Sound Leisure, said he sees the show as an opportunity to exemplify both the region and the nation’s manufacturing skills.

He said: “The main reason we’re here is that we’re a manufacturer. We’ve been based in Yorkshire since 1978, so we like to promote manufacturing as much as promoting ourselves.

“We hear so often that people don’t make anything in the UK anymore, so we try to support events like this because we want to show people what is being made. We’re a Yorkshire-based business, and proud to say we are, and we promote that all over the world.

“We think it seems right that for somebody who is shouting about being from Yorkshire to come to what is, as far as we’re concerned, the best show in the UK, which takes place in the best county in the UK.”

Sound Leisure employs around 70 people and exports to 40 different countries.

James Mason, chief executive of West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, also noted the importance of the Great Yorkshire Show to local businesses, describing the event as Yorkshire’s “window to the world.”

“We know that Yorkshire people are known for their personality and hospitality," he added, “and that's what you get. In a world of business where social media and online shopping mean anyone can compete, this gives firms the opportunity to demonstrate their unique selling point, which is, in many cases, their personality.”

For Natalie Stapleton, owner of McNair Shirts, the show also offers an opportunity to meet customers face-to-face.

She said: “It's an honour to be here, and we see so many of our customers. What’s really interesting is that you have families and friends getting together from all over the country and all over the world to meet each other.”

McNair shirts, which produces garments made from merino wool near its Slaithwaite showroom, has been exhibiting at the show for over half a decade. The only downside, for Ms Stapleton, is that having a stall minimises how much she can experience the show’s wider events.

“One day, when I’m retired, I’ll come and have a really good look around. I would love to properly see the animals, but because we’re a small company, we don't get many chances to leave the stand,” she said.

This, however, does little to diminish the enjoyment Ms Stapleton takes from exhibiting at the event. “It's a great forum,” she added, “and to be able to present a Yorkshire product here at the Great Yorkshire Show, I don't think there's a better place.”