Shops boost for Yorkshire

Pontefract-based Easby's of Yorkshire is in talks to open two shops, in Commercial Street, Leeds and Harrogate, over the next six months.

The company also plans to open a store in Huddersfield by mid-October.

Graham Easby, the company's owner, predicted that around four jobs would be created in each store.

But he warned that cutbacks in public sector spending would encourage consumers to "keep their hands in their pockets".

He added: "I don't see much growth but I see margins being squeezed."

The company, which employs 12 staff and has an annual turnover of around 500,000, stocks products including South Yorkshire piccalilli and cold-press rapeseed oil from West Yorkshire.

Easby's currently has three stores, in Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds. Mr Easby confirmed that two stores – in the St John's Centre, in Leeds, and Harrogate – had closed recently. Only one member of staff had taken redundancy as a result of the closures, he said.

He added: "All our products are supplied by Yorkshire companies. We are bringing Yorkshire's local produce to the high street."

The company has also recently secured catering contracts with the Crown Prosecution Service and Aedas Architects in Leeds.

Mr Easby said the company was also doing work with the NHS and carrying out a number of smaller one-off contracts.