Many of us harbour a fondness for a simpler time, before i-pads and email, traffic and Twitter.  Averil Thornton has made a living for some years in celebrating the bygone halcyon days of the Victorian era.  Her new business, Vintage Images Collection, was founded in June this year after spending 15 years publishing a nostalgic Yorkshire based magazine with worldwide appeal.

Pursuing what began as a hobby through her work as an Editor, her time is now spent responding to the demand for Victoriana in print. Based online at www.vintageimages.info her e-bay store offers a unique range of evocative Victorian images as prints and new postcards.

Entirely unique, none of these original designs collected from Victorian pictures and books dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s have been re-printed anywhere else
since.  Averil painstakingly put the collection together after years spent trawling antique shops, fairs and second-hand bookshops for a personal collection which she now shares with other enthusiasts.

A rural Yorkshire lass herself (circa 1946), Averil spent over 25 years in the marketing, publishing and media industry, a career which she was able to continue despite become disabled in the 1990s.  Now with new husband Dan, who is also disabled, she looks forward to a bright future – trading in the pastoral past which is her passion.

From trade cards, old packaging and book illustrations,The Vintage Images Collection began with over 150 images and is continuing to grow all the time.  Each 6 x 4 postcard is also available as an A3 or A4 print and glowing feedback from customers on the quality and speed of service is helping to spread the word.

New artists working in the same style are added to the collection regularly to keep it fresh.  A recent addition is an exclusive range of 7 x 5 fine art postcards featuring images by the late Michael Herring whose work is in demand from collectors worldwide, and a collection of nostalgic golfing images by Kevin Walsh will shortly be available.  Averil welcomes other artists to submit their work for inclusion in the collection, and is developing new ranges including Art Deco, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s images.

Not all of Averil’s customers are internet savvy, so the Vintage Images Collection is also available as a regularly updated printed catalogue, available on request from 01507 522888.

Although the business is in its infancy, orders are coming in from all over the world for these specialist items which make perfect gifts for anyone with a passion for our
Victorian and Edwardian heydays.  The collection is grouped into themes for ease if searching through the 270+ images; Children & Animals, Flowers, Birds, Farming, Fashion, Harvest, Nursery, Seaside and Romance to name but a few.

Averil is also developing a bespoke side of the business in response to demand for special requests to incorporate the designs into wedding stationery and dolls house miniatures.

As people are becoming increasingly interested in researching their own genealogy, their sense of that heritage is heightened by the images Averil offers. “We’re really delighted with the level of interest we have generated already”, explains Averil “and it’s very rewarding work researching original designs to add to the collection and
responding to enquiries from customers who are so thrilled to have found us.”

Air filtration experts D & E Filtration Services are increasing their position as market leaders in the industry with the acquisition of a filter manufacturing company in Leicestershire. 

In a deal signed and sealed on 8^th November after a lengthy planning process, Standard Air was acquired by D & E to consolidate the strengths of the two complementary businesses.

D&E Filtration Services has a reputation for conducting cost-saving air conditioning cleaning and maintenance contracts nationwide.   The new expansion means their customers’ replacement filter requirements can now be largely fulfilled in-house, leading to greater efficiency and further cost savings passed on to their customers.

Standard Air has been supplying filters to D&E and their customers for many years. Ratifying the arrangement through the buy-out ensures Standard Air will gain from the improved management structures and business impetus of its new owners. 

Sales Director Mark Bamforth will be responsible for running the new division and the continuing development of the D&E Filtration Services brand as a manufacturer and supplier in new markets.

“While we plan to continue to allow Standard Air to continue to run in its own right, as a sister company to D & E Filtration Services it will strengthen the position of both businesses”, he explains. “It will enable us to increase our competitive edge and develop our expertise in the field of air filtration with our own manufacturing division to complement the established maintenance, cleaning and service work.”

Graham Cameron, who established Standard Air twenty years ago, will remain in the business working alongside the new team at the helm.

He commented “We’re looking forward to formalising our long-standing relationship with D & E Filtration Services and to their partnership in the growth it will generate.”

Newly merged law firm AWB Charlesworth Solicitors of Skipton and Keighley is casting its social and business network wider with a regular informal meeting for local professional contacts on Friday lunchtimes.

Featuring take-away ‘fish n chips’, the events will provide an opportunity for lawyers at the firm’s Skipton office  to entertain an interesting mix of guests including local associates, intermediaries and clients.

Commercial partner Umberto Vietri explains “The idea sprang from our recent launch event which provided a chance for the partners to meet each other’s contacts and get to know people face to face informally.  Our lives are all driven by the speed and convenience of emailing and phones, but there is no substitute for actually meeting people.  A relaxed get-together on a Friday lunchtime seemed a great idea for ensuring we all get a break while meeting up with old friends and some new faces.  The fish and chips will make a change from traditional corporate entertaining fayre, and as one of the nation’s favourites, should certainly be well-received”.

Formed by the three-way merger of Armstrong Wood & Bridgman and Umberto Vietri Business Lawyers, both of Keighley, with Charlesworth Wood & Brown of Skipton, AWB Charlesworth Solicitors is a dynamic new force in the area for commercial and private client law services.

Grassington House Hotel has scooped another award in recognition of the sterling efforts of their dedicated team.

The Small But Special Accommodation accolade was won by the boutique Dales hotel as part of the annual Yorkshire Life Food & Drink Awards 2011-12, which celebrates the best of Yorkshire’s culinary prowess.

Owners John and Sue Rudden travelled to the lavish award ceremony luncheon held at Hotel du Vin in Harrogate on Monday 19^th September along with prestigious nominees from around the county, and were delighted to win their category.

Grassington House had been able to show the panel of judges a consistently high level of food and accommodation quality backed by independent recommendations on TripAdvisor and other sites.  The beautifully refurbished bedrooms reflecting Georgian splendour with contemporary interior design were acknowledged along with the emphasis on home produce.

Where many restaurants pay lip service to locally grown produce, John Rudden has flung himself headlong into the fully fledged ‘field to fork’ experience. His pride and joy are his own beloved pigs, hand reared on a small-holding at the top of the village and served in the restaurant as rare breed pork. Freshly laid eggs from their own hens and ducks are served at breakfast time and used in all the recipes. Everything is made from scratch by the chefs; from the bread and cakes through to the jam, ice cream and chocolates. 

Sue Rudden commented “The award would not have been possible without the hard work, commitment and dedication of all our staff.  Having worked in every area of the industry I know how every single member of staff contributes to make our hotel what it is today, they have all made sacrifices in their lives to help us get this recognition and this award is for them, not just for John and I.”

Utopia at Broughton Hall was the fitting venue for a champagne reception to celebrate the three-way merger and launch of forward-thinking new law firm, AWB Charlesworth Solicitors.

The event provided an opportunity for clients and associates of the three former firms to meet the enlarged team set to become a dynamic new practice in the area for commercial and private client law services.

Formed by the joining of Armstrong Wood & Bridgman and Umberto Vietri Business Lawyers, both of Keighley, with Charlesworth Wood & Brown of Skipton, the new practice aims to build on the strengths of the original firms while expanding their horizons and specialisms for a stronger future.

Endorsed by the Lexcel standard accreditation from the Law Society (which shows that after thorough examination the practice has met impressively high management standards) AWB Charlesworth Solicitors presents an impressive portfolio of specialist skills covering all aspects of  Company & Commercial, Commercial Property and Litigation, Wills, Probate & Trusts, Residential  Property and Family Law.

The Chris White Jazz Trio provided entertainment at the evening event as more than a hundred guests enjoyed champagne and canapés, along with Timothy Taylors as a good Yorkshire alternative.  Senior partners Martin Wood, Alan Davidson and Umberto Vietri addressed the guests, thanking existing clients and looking forward to forging new relationships with their increased expertise.

Classic cabinetmakers Royal Oak Furniture have made a radical departure from their traditional style with a brand new contemporary range called POP.

Mark Kent, whose father Paul started the Yorkshire Dales business in 1977, has injected some charisma of his own into the new collection.  Although inspired by designs from the 1950’s, the new range is brought bang up to date with the use of today’s striking colour palettes.  It moves away from the recent trend of square clean furniture to combine stylish turned legs and curves with varied geometric lines.

Made in solid wood, the range demonstrates the skill of these world-class craftsmen whose brand was originally founded on oak and is established as one of the finest UK cabinetmaking firms.

Mark explains “We have always worked in a variety of timbers, with cherry, mahogany and walnut alongside as many as fifteen different oak finishes in all our ranges, but many of our designs have ultimately been geared towards oak.  The POP collection not only lends itself to lighter woods, it will also work well with a darker wood such as walnut.  We are demonstrating how working with paint techniques can really contrast with and complement handmade wood furniture.”

The furniture is available in four colours as standard, but customers can commission any colour they choose, with endless options in terms of paint colours and timbers used; or without paint at all.

Mark says “The paint colour can be garish by itself, but the wood acts as a natural softener which makes the furniture eye catching without being overly extrovert”.

The furniture features beautifully crafted cut-out handle pulls on the sideboard pieces, with concealed soft closing runners on the large drawers and soft-close hinges on the doors. The legs on the occasional tables and cabinet units are hand-turned.

Adjustable dovetailed boxes can be positioned anywhere within the framework of the versatile bookcase shelving unit.  Each box has an ingenious groove cut in its base to locate it onto the adjustable shelf studs and the boxes can be painted to contrast with the timber frame, or left natural.

The sofa cushions are upholstered with a fabric to match or complement a chosen paint colour.

Oak asserts itself within the POP range in the solid oak occasional table tops. While they may appear lightweight, with an under chamfer these are robust pieces of furniture for modern day living.

A dining set and desk unit are currently being developed to further enhance the new range which comprises; sofa, occasional tables, shelving unit, sideboards, TV units and a 12 drawer chest. Standard colours are apple, mulberry, midnight and pebble.

Smart tailored clothing makes an instant impression.  When you’ve chosen everything yourself from the style and fabric to the colour of the lining and had it tailor-made to fit you, you feel like a million dollars – and look like it.   Thankfully it doesn’t have to cost a million dollars.

Rahila Abbas of Pins Bespoke Tailoring has been making and fitting suits for the smart people of Yorkshire as a mobile service for a number of years and is now establishing the service in her own fitting studio in Skipton.

Celebrating Yorkshire’s wool trade heritage, Rahila works with 100% Yorkshire fabrics woven in our woollen mills.  Worsted, cashmere, mohair, jacquards and tweeds feature among hundreds of different fabrics that clients can choose from at the new studio in the Rendezvous Hotel on the outskirts of the town.

“Every garment is handmade from start to finish in Yorkshire”, Rahila explains. “There is no need for us to import fabrics from abroad when we have top quality materials here on our doorstep.”

The word ‘bespoke’ is from the verb bespeak, meaning to ask for or order something. It is an English term for clothing made at a customer’s behest, and exactly to the customer’s specification. It originates from Saville Row, dating back to the 17th century when tailors held the full lengths of cloth on their premises. When a customer would choose a length of cloth, it was said to have ‘been spoken for’.

From business suits to smart-casual jackets, evening or shooting wear, Rahila’s bespoke garments all feature a level of quality over and above off the peg garments available from retailers.  With an eye for smart contemporary styles as well as traditional lines, she helps clients to find a look to suit them – if you’ll pardon the pun.

“We are all different, not just in terms of our own likes and dislikes, but no two bodies are the same, so expecting a standard size shop garment to completely fit is unrealistic.  Most likely it might be tight here or baggy there, the sleeves a bit too long or a little short.  People generally ‘make do’ and compromise as long as they can fit into something.  We are about creating garments that fit the individual from top to toe.  No compromise!  It’s not just a case of us making comfortably fitting suits, it’s about enabling you to make the most from what you wear so that when you walk into a room people notice you.  We give people an edge.”

“Often when clients first come to Pins, they don’t really know what they want, so during the initial consultation we establish the type of garment and the intended purpose, then suggest options which will complement the client’s figure and personality.  Clients can choose the style elements down to the very last detail, right down to pockets, buttonholes and stitching.”

To ensure a perfect fit, many measurements and figuration details are taken initially, with a second fitting after the cloth has been cut and loosely stitched. Clients can either visit the Pins studio or Rahila will offer fittings at home or their office if that is preferred. From start to finish the bespoke service is generally 5-6 weeks.

Pins clients include professional businessmen and women, bridegrooms, ushers and country gentlemen.  Well-dressed figures at the races, summer balls and shooting parties may well have been attired by Pins.

Alongside bespoke tailoring, Rahila also offers formal menswear hire at the Pins studio.  This service is popular for weddings and school proms.  The garments available include suits, waistcoats and kilts, with smart accessories including silk ties, cummerbunds and handkerchiefs.  Rahila explains “For people who only want a formal outfit once in a while this is the most sensible option.  Fashionable styles are changing all the time, so hiring enables the occasional suit wearer to look up to the minute, rather than bringing out a suit that has been gathering dust in the back of the wardrobe for years since the last time.”

Tailored alterations and repairs are offered as a service for clients with clothes they have bought elsewhere. “Often a client will have garments which are still perfectly serviceable but there’s just something ‘not quite right’.  We can sort out those little niggles – shortening sleeves, adding a tuck and so forth, which make such a difference”.  Over and above the service offered by dry cleaners, clients try the garments on while Rahila ‘Pins’ them to fit.

A collection and delivery service is available on all the work undertaken by Pins, which is perfect for the busy professional, but with easy parking at The Rendezvous, many clients may prefer to call in anyway.  The kettle’s usually on.

Matthew Mason of John Mason Printers in Skipton has expanded his tree planting initiative with 450 new trees, enlisting the help of Craven College students to plant them.

Inspired by his love of wildlife and the Yorkshire Dales, and to balance the ecological equilibrium of the family printing business, Matthew first started his project to plant a tree for every customer three years ago.

Simon Midgley, Manager of the Centre for Rural & Equine Studies at Craven College helps to co-ordinate the ongoing project which he believes gives the students a range of experience in the real world and helps to build links between the college and the community.

The first batch of trees, planted on land at Embsay belonging to Matthew’s neighbour, John Edwards, have now reached 12 foot high.  In total the plot is now home to 2350 trees planted for the scheme which aims to restore some of our native deciduous woodland.

The trees are a varied mix of ten species including oak, hornbeam, sycamore, ash and beech as well as hawthorn, holly and blackthorn.

Matthew explains “Our customers are really interested in the scheme; it helps them to feel they are giving something back to the environment and we will be providing certificates to endorse their support in the initiative”.

Colin Speakman, Chairman of the Yorkshire Dales Society, whose magazine The Dales Review is currently printed by John Mason printers, said “There is little doubt that both for biodiversity and for reducing our Carbon Footprint, the Yorkshire Dales needs more native trees.  We warmly applaud this project, by John Masons Printers, Corporate Members of the Yorkshire Dales Society, in making such a fine contribution to protecting the Dales and working with young people to achieve such a worthwhile aim.”

Yorkshire interior design company, The Secret Drawer is working hard to preserve the environment with a number of eco-friendly initiatives.

In the Skipton workshop at the heart of the cabinetmaking activity on which the company was originally founded, not a scrap of wood goes to waste, with customers’ old kitchens, waste wood and cardboard all used to fuel a huge wood burning stove which heats the spacious workshop.

Working from seasoned timber to produce fine furniture, the cabinetmaking and finishing team benefit from a clean working environment thanks to an innovative extraction system used to collect all the waste products from their work. Shavings and dust are extracted, collected and stored for use by a local farmer for livestock bedding.

The timber comes from another eco-conscious Yorkshire company, John Boddy, who are committed to supplying timber and wood products sourced from forest areas certified under environmental schemes.

For 2011 The Secret Drawer is also planning to help to replace the timber used to create new furniture by offering customers the opportunity to have a celebratory tree planted in their garden on completion of any new project.

In Ilkley, the interior design side of the The Secret Drawer business continues the eco theme.  Offering the full range of Farrow & Ball paints and wallcoverings, the company assures customers that all the paint finishes used in their homes are eco friendly.

Oil based paint finishes have been replaced with a new eco friendly formulation specially created to deliver the same performance and appearance. The new paint range is better for both customers homes and the eco-system, combining the environmental qualities of a water-based system with the performance benefits of the traditional oil-based products. With reduced drying and recoat time and no odour or toxins, these new eco friendly paint finishes offer a ‘green’ alternative whilst still creating the distinctive Farrow & Ball look.

Richard Mason, the award-winning cabinetmaker who founded The Secret Drawer explains, “Most people have heard about our signature speciality, the unique secret drawer built into each piece of bespoke furniture known only by the specific cabinetmaker who made it, but not everyone realises that we champion the environment in everything we do here.  It’s part of our ethos to protect and preserve, creating furniture and rooms which are designed and crafted by hand to last for future generations – and that’s one secret we’re happy to share.”