Yorkshire Payments launches EPOS division to help SMEs

Card king: James Howard is looking to expand the business with the creation of the EPOS division. Picture: Tony Johnson

Brighouse-based Yorkshire Payments has invested £200,000 to launch a new Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) division.

James Howard, founder and managing director of Yorkshire Payments, told The Yorkshire Post: “It’s just a natural fit for the till systems and card machines to talk to one another.

“We recognised that a lot of SMEs are still using an old school analogue style system or paying a lot of money for a really bespoke system from a large multinational.

“We have a product that is suitable and cost effective for SMEs, predominantly high street businesses, where they can continue to sell products but it gives them more accurate data on stock and inventory.

“It allows them to record the VAT correctly. With things like Making Tax Digital coming in, it just gives them some transparent information that they can work with.”

The concept has already been rolled out to Halifax tourist attraction Piece Hall and proved successful, according to Mr Howard. He added: “We’ve had a number of enquiries already.”

The high street has taken a battering in recent years with many retailers shutting up shop completely.

The founder of Yorkshire Payments wants to make life easier for retailers and believes that despite the high street’s struggles, it’s not failing, and that the current difficulties are not going to impact demand for its EPOS system.

Mr Howard said: “I don’t necessarily think it’s failing. A lot of the large corporates are coming out of the high street but a lot of independents are setting up.”

He added: “We’re giving businesses the innovation that they didn’t have previously.

“Nobody can put their finger on a clear definitive reason why the high street is not succeeding but we feel that we’ve got some technology to help businesses to grow and prosper on the high street.

“High streets are changing. It’s not necessarily what it used to be, I’ll absolutely accept that, but if you look at smaller town centres they are becoming more niche and boutique.”

Yorkshire Payments was established in 2013 and today the business employs 39 staff. Mr Howard hopes to extend that number to 45 over the next year. The firm is also looking to move into Brighouse town centre with a showroom displaying its technology.

“We will continue to focus on providing Yorkshire businesses with cost-effective access to card payment solutions and chip and pin terminals through our core offering, but our EPOS division marks the next phase of growth for the business, following a successful last financial year,” Mr Howard said.