I have been a Chamber member since 2011, on the management group since 2013, a Vice President 2015 & 2016 and President Y/E May 2018. I lead for Chamber on the development of Harrogate BID (Business Improvement District).
My business background: I'm a qualified optometrist. I opened my first opticians practice in Leeds in 1988 and have owned 7 practices in North and West Yorkshire, East Lancashire and Manchester. In 1997 I opened one in Harrogate at the top of James Street. In 1999 I bought out a competitor trading from where Betty’s now have their shop and in 2007 relocated it further down Parliament Street when Betty's expanded. In 2016 I sold my Harrogate practice to Bayfields Opticians and my other practices have now also been sold. The decision to sell was multifactoral but driven primarily by my wife's deteriorating health.
I continue to own a commercial property in Harrogate including some holiday apartments.