A Windermere hotel is using its extensive grounds and the backdrop of spectacular Lake District scenery to offer hawk walks for guests and visitors. Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa is working in partnership with Lake District Falconry to offer the intimate falconry sessions which allow participants to get up close to birds of prey and even have them fly to their outstretched gloved hand. Sessions start with the experienced falconers introducing one of the raptors, allowing participants to wear a falconer’s glove and have the bird of prey perch on their fist. This is followed by the opportunity to fly the hawk to and from the glove with expert guidance from an experienced falconer. Mark Needham from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues says: “We’re very lucky to be able to offer our guests some of the best views across Windermere here at Low Wood Bay. So what better place to allow them an even closer step to nature by trying their hand at falconry." “During the hawk walks, there’s a chance to take on the role of the falconer, donning the gauntlet and calling the birds to you. It’s a great way to experience the unique bond between these birds and humans. We have a number of hawk walk packages to choose from, including options to make a day of it with spa treatments and a two-course lunch or afternoon tea.” As an integral part of the sessions, participants will also learn about the behavioural habits of the birds and watch one of the hawks perform a simulated hunt using artificial prey. Stephen Lea from Lake District Falconry says: “It’s great to add such a spectacular venue for our exclusive hawk walk experiences. Low Wood Bay guests can get to know our beautiful hawks and immerse themselves in their world against the spectacular backdrop of Windermere and the Lakeland Fells.”

We are always on the look out for inspirational family business stories to share and this one is just that. Emma Thackray is the co-founder of Hip Hop, a business that was founded after a simple conversation generated an idea that became a business and the rest is history in the making. Paul Andrews spoke to Emma to find out more about the makings of the family business. What was the initial idea for Hip Hop? When Kenny first told me he had tummy issues, I gave him some of my homemade Kombucha which I learned to make when I lived in the US, where Kombucha is super popular. Within a few weeks, Kenny’s IBS was much better so he convinced me to build a tiny microbrewery in my garage in order to start sharing with others. We sold our ‘booch’ on local farmers markets and the feedback blew us away so we decided to take the leap and create a proper grown-up brewery on a beautiful farm in Cheshire. Tell me a little about the history of the business? We started out in farmers’ markets in Manchester and Cheshire in 2018 testing out our favourite fermented food and drink – kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut. We had excellent feedback for all but decided we loved kombucha the most and wanted to focus on that, so we built our brewery in 2019. We’re growing rapidly, and we’ve won awards for our booch – we love it! However, we realised there’s a huge opportunity for a broader range of gut loving drinks, so we have recently launched our CBD kombucha and will soon be unveiling our Apple Cider Vinegar sodas, too. What generation are you and what are your first memories of the family business? My business partner, Kenny, and I set up the business, so this is the first generation of Hip Pop – we hope there will be more! Are there any other family members working in the business? Yes. Kenny’s wife, Kate Goodman, is a drinks expert and has her own chain of wine shops, Reserve Wines. She was also a co-presenter on BBC Food and Drink. Kate and her team taste test for us and advise on flavour development. My husband, Julian, is an engineer and was instrumental in setting up the brewery. He worked with us part time for the first year and we couldn’t have done this without him and Kate. We also rent our space on a family farm, and that family have been a huge support for the business. It’s a three-family endeavour! How important is the business to you? It’s hard to put this into words. It’s everything. It’s like having a child! We are hugely proud of our team and what we produce – it’s our responsibility to get Hip Pop out into the world. What was your journey into the family business and what do you do now? Kenny is a serial entrepreneur and has been since the age of 18. He’s always had an interest in health and wellbeing and was looking to set up a business in this area. I have no business experience. Immediately prior to this I was the director for Dolly Parton’s children’s literacy charity, but I had become obsessed with fermentation when living in the USA. When Kenny tried my kombucha, he loved the taste and it helped his IBS, and the rest is history. What values are important to the family and the business? We have a set of core company values. We recruit according to these, and we expect every member of the team to live them out every day. Some of our values include communicating openly, being curious, having each other’s backs, and not being afraid to fail. We think values are essential because through living them we create brilliant and stimulating work environments where people are encouraged to develop and grow. This, in turn, allows us to attract and retain the most talented and passionate people. Do you build the family ownership into the marketing and brand narrative and if so, how? We always say we are a family business and tend to talk about it the most on our socials. For example, our kids sometimes make an appearance – they are our top tasters. Never mind the drinks experts, if Lottie and Tess don’t like our drinks they aren’t going out! What do you think makes working in a family business special? Any entrepreneur puts themself into their business, heart and soul, but the family dimension makes it extra special because you can share it. Neither of our partners are fully in the family business but they know enough and are involved enough with it to ask questions and they really care. Are there any disadvantages associated with working in a family business? Sometimes it’s hard to leave work at work! Is there a next generation in the wings? Our next generation are all kids – the oldest are 12 and 10. They are that age where they think we and everything we do is massively uncool – ask again in about 10 years! What advice would you give to anyone in the next generation considering joining their family firm? Think about your communication – how you might communicate with another family member or friend at home or in social situations is not always the best way at work. Don’t let things fester, be open and transparent. Similarly, set boundaries between home and work. When you’re running a small business it’s inevitable that you’ll bring things home, be that actual work or simply thinking and talking about the business, but be careful that you don’t completely lose any sense of separation between the different worlds. If you could talk to your younger self before you joined the business, what would you say? Enjoy not working weekends and evenings! I’m joking, sort of. Enjoy the experience, as you’ll look back at yourself and realise how much you have grown as a result of running a business. Go in with your eyes open to the reality and the hard work, but don’t forget to enjoy it too. If you could sum up the family business in three words, what would they be? Exciting. Rollercoaster. Brilliant.

Plenty of new businesses emerged during the pandemic with their eyes set on becoming the next generation of family businesses to make their mark. Paul Andrews spoke to the founder of one such business, Tom Newbold of Tomelier to find out his story. When was the business founded? The business was set up in May 2019. What does it do? We run in-person and virtual wine tasting events. Our point of difference is that all of our tastings are bespoke to a customer’s brief and budget. We source wine from a number of places depending on what the customer wants to achieve in their tasting. Unlike a lot of wine tasting companies, we don’t sell the wines we taste and as such the tasting does not turn into a sales event. This means we can be objective, discussing the shortcomings of those wines if necessary. We’re always open with our customers about where we source the wine from and how much it costs. Tell me a little about the history of the business? The business was originally established as a partnership and we found a niche in the market of offering wine tasting events at corporate venues and conference centres across the Midlands. We had a promising early few months building some good relationships with venues, but as things started to take off COVID hit, putting a stop to all planned events. During lockdown we dissolved the partnership and I took the business on entirely myself. One good thing to come out of lockdown was the development of our virtual tasting packs. We developed a way of sending out 100ml wine samples, securely and safely whilst maintaining the integrity of the wine inside and hosting a bespoke tasting via Zoom. As things have returned to normal we are doing a lot more in-person events again, particularly for social groups at the weekends. However the virtual tastings remain popular with our corporate customers where they may have staff or customers dotted around the country. What was your journey into the business? I worked in the legal industry for a decade but started to fall out of love with it and my long daily commute. When my wife, who is very successful in her industry, fell pregnant with our first child, we decided that I would take responsibility for the majority of childcare. I left my job and had a fantastic few months off with our baby daughter. During this time I took a wine qualification, mainly because I liked wine and wanted to test my knowledge. I really enjoyed the course so decided to look for a job within the industry which would give me access to further educational opportunities. I ended up working in wine retail which worked well with a pre-school age child to look after and gave me access to further education. During my time in retail I realised that what I loved most was talking to people about wine, helping them understand a little bit more about what they were drinking and giving them some tips to make better choices. Out of this the idea of the tasting business came about. What values are important to the family and the business? There are definitely a lot of shared values between how I run the business and how we live as a family. Honesty is a key value for both, whether that’s giving customers honest and frank appraisals of the wines or whether it’s encouraging our children to tell us how they feel and to admit to their mistakes. Enthusiasm is also very important. Our daughter does a lot of activities and we’ve always told her to give it her all in whatever she does. Similarly, when I’m running an event I always do my best to show my enthusiasm and passion for the industry to my customers. I want them to go away having had a great time and wanting to go out and explore the world of wine further. Do you build the family ownership into the marketing and brand narrative and if so, how? My wife is very important to the business. Whilst she has her own career she is always offering help and advice on how to build and develop Tomelier, she definitely has a better business brain than I! My love for wine really started on our honeymoon and a visit to the beautiful Hunter Valley in Australia and she is more than happy to be dragged around vineyards and wineries to do some tasting! Part of the brand is to show customers our understanding and knowledge of wine, as well as offering tips on what to buy. In this day and age this takes place across social media, and quite frequently our posts feature that family connection, perhaps by featuring a wine we particularly enjoyed at a family meal or talking about an issue important to us as a family, such as environmental change. What do you think makes working in your own business special? There is so much! When it’s your business you have complete control over the direction you can take it, yes there are higher risks involved in that but everything that has been built has come from decisions that I have made. It’s also great being able to be in total control of balancing my work and family life. I can take my son swimming on a Monday, my daughter to dance classes on Tuesday, and plan my working day around this. It does mean that there will be times that I have to work in the early mornings or late at night, but when it’s your own business that doesn’t matter. Are there any disadvantages associated with working in this business? Most customers want to have their tastings on a Friday and Saturday evening. This means I can’t be as spontaneous with my social activities as I once was. But to be honest having a young family prevents a lot of spontaneity anyway! Talk to me about how family was key in the decision behind establishing this business? Working in retail worked well when my daughter was at nursery, I could have days off in the week to look after her which was fantastic. However, retail means working on Saturday and when she reached school age my employer wouldn’t offer me the crucial work-life balance that I’ve come to realise is one of my non-negotiable life wants. Building my own business gives me complete control over when and how I do things with my family. Have you taken any particular steps in terms of governance to help protect the business for the future? My legal background has meant I’ve been fastidious in setting up my governance processes and I have taken on a financial advisor to support my business planning. As the business grows I would love to take on more advisors who could offer experience and connections to support my future goals. Is there a next generation in the wings? My daughter has just turned six and she’s definitely showing an interest in what I do. She has her own ‘tasting pack’ of different flavoured juices so she can run tastings with her friends and family, and loves being given the responsibility of choosing the wine for Sunday dinner, she typically manages to pick out the fancy ones! She has been accompanying us on vineyard visits since she was six months old and is pretty engaged with the process. At the moment her ambition is to be a cross between a teacher, astronaut, doctor and wine taster! What advice would you give to anyone thinking of leaving their career to start a new business? Go for it! But make sure you prepare, understand both the industry and the wider issues of running a business. Above all, talk to people and seek help. There are a lot of organisations out there designed to help new businesses. We received some invaluable free advice from our local Chamber of Commerce. I’m perhaps guilty of not seeking or listening to advice enough, but I’ve never received advice from anyone who was not just trying to help. If you could talk to your younger self before you started the business, what would you say? Take the chances and opportunities that come your way. I’m a little too risk adverse and on reflection may have missed out on some opportunities to push the business on further. If you could sum up the business in three words, what would they be? Bespoke, fun wine-tastings (yes I’m hyphenating wine-tasting!)

Dina Foods, which celebrates its 30th birthday in 2022, specialises in authentic, handmade Mediterranean foods, including artisan flatbreads, savouries and confectionery. Their well-equipped manufacturing facilities in Park Royal, London, operate to the highest safety standards and are constantly audited by BRC, IFS and third parties. The company proudly holds the highest accreditation for food safety including BRCAA+, IFS Higher Level and is Sedex Registered. The London-based family company is operated by the three Haddad brothers with the business being a leading supplier both in the UK and internationally. Paul Andrews spoke to Mr Suheil Haddad, Managing Director and founder to find out more about their family business journey. When was the business founded? March 1, 1992 What does it do? Dina Foods is a multi-national supplier of Mediterranean foods, including artisan flatbreads, savouries and confectionery. Tell me a little about the history of the business? My brother Amin Haddad and I first came to the UK early in the 1970s, with Fadi Haddad and Samir Haddad joining us in the 1980s. We set up one of the first Lebanese restaurants in the country, Fakhreldine in London’s Mayfair. It could accommodate up to 220 covers and very quickly Fakhreldine became a destination venue, the place to eat for authentic, tantalising and traditional Lebanese food. Soon after, we also opened Lucullus, a seafood restaurant in Knightsbridge; Noura, a Lebanese deli and shop in Knightsbridge; and Adonis in Fitzrovia, a casual dining Lebanese restaurant. One of the unique concepts behind Fakhreldine, was that as soon as a guest arrived the kitchen would be alerted and the chefs would produce on demand warm, freshly baked Lebanese bread – Khobez. This would be produced in the on-site special flatbread oven so that it would be ready for guests when they sat down at their table. The Khobez would then be served with olives and salad, followed by a mezza spread. Each guest dining at the restaurant would be treated as part of the family, eating the fresh authentic food and be part of the unique Lebanese hospitality in the heart of London. More and more customers asked where to buy the Lebanese flatbreads to take home, as they could not get them anywhere else. When we sold Fakhreldine in 1990, our vision was to be able to deliver the flavours of the Middle East straight to consumers’ homes and Dina Foods was launched as a bakery in 1992. As sales grew, we transitioned from being restauranteurs to running Dina Foods full time. It was a steep learning curve, going from restaurants to food manufacturing, we had to learn quickly. Dina Foods now operates from three dedicated factory spaces at the Park Royal estate in North-West London and employs around 160 people. We sell an array of flatbreads, baklawa and savouries such as falafel, across the UK and 18 European countries. Products can be found in restaurants, cafés, supermarket chains, airlines and wholesalers, in the UK and Ireland and around Europe. Are there any other family members working in the business? Yes. My brother Fadi Haddad is manufacturing director and Samir Haddad is engineering director. Our brother Amin, who was a talented chef, has sadly passed away. We also have a number of other family members, including some from the next generation, working with us. As a multi-generational business, what has helped your firm stand the test of time? Dina Foods’ business was built on the foundations of a reputation for quality and service which we had established in the restaurants. We started as a niche business selling the Lebanese flatbread, the Khobez and our now trademarked Paninette® flatbread, and we have grown organically from there. The credibility of the Haddad family name has always been key, customers know they can trust us. There is a very strong work ethic in the business. In thirty years, we have been through a recession but we have always been resilient. Our supplier and retailer relationships are key, and we value our staff. We have 160 staff now, and many have been with us for decades. During covid we did not make any redundancies and looking out for our staff members was a priority. Senior staff members have been with the business on average for 18 years, with all staff encouraged to develop their careers through training. Do you build the family ownership into the marketing and brand narrative and if so, how? The business has been built on the dedication and hard work of the family, and our values of quality, service, integrity and credibility are closely linked to that. Our family heritage and the authenticity of our products is vital to Dina Foods as a brand. What do you think makes working in a family business special? We are all passionate about the business and dedicated to it. It is an integral part of the life of the family. As you are working with your family, the time spent together is a blessing. We always come together at lunchtime and eat together, to catch up and chat. Seeing the business grow over thirty years has been incredible. We feel a great sense of pride when we see our products on sale in the retailers. What are the pros and cons associated with working in a family business? In our family business, we have always stayed close to our roots. Decisions can be made very quickly as there are fewer corporate layers to get through. There are clear lines of decision making, everyone knows who is responsible for what. If someone needs something, such as a new piece of equipment, they can get a prompt result. This also means that we can respond quickly in a crisis, which stood us in good stead over the coronavirus pandemic. Food manufacturing is an around the clock operation. The business has always demanded long working hours, seven days a week. You have to be on call in the night if a machine breaks down. It’s all hands-on deck, everyone lends a hand if a new contract comes on or there is an issue to deal with. We all carry the responsibility for the family, the business and our employees with us in everything we do. Is there a next generation in the wings? The next generation has been steeped in the business since childhood. Members of the next generation are now working in the business, including my daughter Wilda, as Project Director. What advice would you give to anyone in the next generation considering joining their family firm? I believe it is important for the next generation to work somewhere else before joining the family business, to get grounded, to prove themselves in a different environment, and to take their knowledge back into the family business. If you could sum up the family business in three words, what would they be? Innovation. Authenticity. Quality.

Westcombe Group is a leading London property developer, creating contemporary, luxurious homes and commercial properties of exceptional design and specification. Their 50 years’ experience of running a successful property portfolio is testament to their commitment to premium quality and outstanding service, delivering results to meet clients’ requirements and surpass their expectations. Paul Andrews spoke to Vraj Pankhania, the entrepreneur, humanitarian and successful founder of Westcombe Group to find out more. When was the business founded? The Westcombe Group was founded in 1975. What does it do? Westcombe Group specialises in revitalising beautiful Grade I and II listed and historic buildings which have fallen into disrepair, repurposing relics of our past into solutions for the future. The company is driven by providing homes to meet the demands of tomorrow, whilst maintaining Britain’s historic identity through its buildings. Our business model is simple, we purchase old, listed and office buildings which once had a social purpose but now have fallen into disuse. We then provide the necessary investment, care, and attention to re-purpose these properties, converting them into useful buildings such as luxury apartments, affordable housing, offices, and hotels. The design and materials are state of the art, while we ensure that our projects’ locations and finishing touches are characterised by thoughtfulness and precision. We also run the Dholak Partnership Homes; an affordable housing association founded in 2019, set up to help address the ongoing housing crisis. During the pandemic, it housed NHS and other key workers across London. Tell me a little about the history of the business? The Pankhania family originates from the Gujarat region of India. Over 100 years ago the family travelled to East Africa, where I was born. I vividly remember walking to school barefoot while my peers all wore shoes. It is this deprivation that drove me to achieve the entrepreneurial success my family enjoys today. I relocated to the UK in 1969 and was given an initial loan of £5,000 by a British bank in 1975, which I used to buy the company’s first property, a house on Westcombe Hill, South London. As they say, the rest is history! Are there any other family members working in the business? Family plays a vital role in the running of the Westcombe Group. I was keen to ensure that my sons, Kamal, and Sunil understood the importance of hard work, perseverance, and the value of money from a young age – therefore, they have been working in the business since they were teens. They now run the business as Managing Director and Operations Director respectively which is fantastic to see. As a multi-generational business, what has helped your firm stand the test of time? Westcombe’s values, which are ingrained into the fabric of the organisation, have been critical to its financial success and longevity. Family is at the heart of this. Rather than being motivated solely by short-term profits, we think about the big picture – how can we ensure the business is run in a way that is sustainable for future generations. We have never forgotten our humble beginnings. This drives the ethos of wanting to give back and help the communities which our properties home. It is this rationale which was behind the creation of the company’s philanthropic arm, the Westcombe Foundation, in 2008. Do you build the family ownership into the marketing and brand narrative and if so, how? We’re very proud of being a family business and we ensure that the Pankhania family ethos of transparency, trust, and dedication is communicated through our emphasis on building strong working relationships with clients and the communities we support. What do you think makes working in a family business special? Having built the business from the ground up whilst also raising my family, I cannot overstate the immense pride I have in seeing both aspects of my life having flourished and grown together. Passing the business down to my sons means that I can rest assured knowing the values, experiences, and principles of the Westcombe Group – which are the bedrock of the company’s success – will continue to play a fundamental role in the organisation for many years to come. The world has become so fast paced and change is relentless, yet family is one of the few constants left. Combining our ability to adapt and evolve, whilst never forgetting the importance of family, is the reason we have been a success over the last 50 years. Are there any disadvantages associated with working in a family business? As with any business which has a relatively small number of employees, managing personalities and interpersonal relationships is challenging yet critical to ensuring the smooth operation of the company. Now when you factor in our familial relationship, it creates a certain frankness and fire which may be absent in non-family business. This can, at times, cause clashes – however, I truly believe the business is all the better for it. And at the end of the day, when we all sit down around the table for a family dinner, business is left at the office! Have you taken any particular steps in terms of governance to help protect the business for the future? We are currently reviewing our processes internally with the aim of ensuring that our family values of transparency, trust, and dedication are enshrined formally within the company. Is there a next generation in the wings? Absolutely! I have 4 beautiful grandchildren who I’m hoping will step up and drive the Westcombe Group forward for many years to come. What advice would you give to anyone in the next generation considering joining their family firm? Be patient, humble and willing to learn – but also be ready to challenge the status quo. Although the adage ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ still holds firm today, the ability to innovate and evolve is what differentiates a good company from a great one. The next generation is key to this, and I look forward to seeing what new ideas my grandchildren will bring to the Group. If you could talk to your younger self before you joined the business, what would you say? Never take no for an answer. People will doubt and question you and your ideas, however, block out noise, lean on your family support and persevere. If you could sum up the family business in three words, what would they be? Intrepid, trailblazing, and enduring.

Aspiring youngsters seeking to forge a career in the hospitality and catering industry have been treated to a masterclass from two leading UK chefs. Students from the English Lakes Hotels Culinary Academy and Kendal College came together to learn from award winning chocolatier Shona Sutherland and renowned local pastry chef Al Strong. Delivered in partnership with the Masterchefs of Great Britain, the training day included demonstrations on chocolate making skills and techniques, and the creation of a pastry based dessert. Shona Sutherland showed the group of 27 students how to create a multi-layered snack bar and demonstrated the intricacies of cocoa butter decoration and colouring of moulds. In the second masterclass, Al Strong led an interactive session with the group to teach them how to make one of his signature desserts: the chocolate and blackcurrant Nomadic Pastry. The group also learned about new industry insights and career development opportunities during a talk from the Chairman of the Masterchefs of Great Britain, George McIvor, a former CIS Development Chef of the Year. The event was sponsored by Caterite and Bidfood UK and featured additional showcases from industry experts and suppliers. Daniel Winstanley from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues says: “This was a highly valuable educational event for the students and our thanks are due to all the masterchefs for giving up their time to make it all happen and help accelerate our trainees’ career development. “Shona, Al and George all have a wealth of experience in the food and hospitality industries, both in the UK and in international markets, so it was really useful for the youngsters to have time with them.” The English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues Culinary Academy offers trainees a two year apprenticeship, with students training to attain Level 2 and Level 3 NVQ qualifications. The fully accredited course allows the students to hone chef skills whilst earning a wage with the hotel group. To find out more about available jobs, visit here . Shona Sutherland is head chef and owner of Perthshire based chocolate making and patisserie training company Taystful. She has competed in the Culinary World Cup, winning an individual bronze medal in 2018 for her chocolate showpiece. She has also competed as pastry chef for the Scotland team at the Culinary Olympics, with the team picking up two silver medals. Al Strong established Nomadic Pastry from its Kendal base in 2020. He previously ran Macarons, taking the business from a market stall to a full retail and kitchen unit with a high turnover and popular wedding business. He trained at Kendal College and has previously worked for the Samling Hotel in Windermere and Linthwaite House Hotel. He worked in New Zealand through the Bob McGhie Award, with a focus on local produce and zero waste.

We are delighted to announce that Jane Wylie-Roberts of Stafffinders has been included within the inaugural Family Business United ‘Family Business Top 100,’ which recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals and their work within a family business. Recognition in respect of: Inspirational Leadership Champion of Change & Innovation Jane is the CEO of Stafffinders, an award-winning family-run agency, celebrating 50 years in recruitment. ​For over 50 years, Stafffinders has been creating strong and genuine partnerships with an impressive collection of prestigious clients whilst sourcing high-calibre candidates to help them secure invaluable career-enhancing opportunities. Their network of Scottish offices in Edinburgh and Paisley allows their expert recruitment team to identify the best temporary and permanent opportunities available in the current market throughout the whole of Scotland, successfully matching a vast candidate database with like-minded clients. Stafffinders specialise in multiple industries, including Hospitality and Catering, Office Support, Technology and Digital, and Industrial Jobs. Jane leads from the front with a determination and passion to succeed. Her leadership style has enabled the business to fully embody their family business roots to create a successful business with a great culture. Jane is an inspiration to those around her and fully deserves her place in the Family Business Top 100.

We are delighted to announce that Iain Anderson of GAP Hire Solutions has been included within the inaugural Family Business United ‘Family Business Top 100,’ which recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals and their work within a family business. Recognition in respect of: Family Business Steward Inspirational Leadership Champion of Innovation GAP Hire Solutions is the UK’s largest independent equipment rental company, hiring out a range of equipment from our eight divisions to industries including construction, utilities and events. Founded in 1969 by his Dad, Gordon Anderson, the company is still family owned with Iain and his brother Douglas running the business as Joint Managing Directors since 1988 and they are extremely proud to now have four third-generation family members working at GAP. Iain has a really positive leadership style and this is a family company that continues to go from strength to strength as a result. Iain is an active member of the family business community and is always prepared to offer an insight or assistance to his peers. He continues to navigate the business to new milestones and is totally deserving of his place in the Family Business Top 100.

We are delighted to announce that Charlie Harrison of Furniture Village has been included within the inaugural Family Business United ‘Family Business Top 100,’ which recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals and their work within a family business. Recognition in respect of: Inspirational Leadership Next Generation Champion of Change & Innovation Charlie’s Furniture Village career began back in 1999 in a warehouse on Croydon’s Purley Way. where the 16 year old cut his teeth on furniture fulfilment. Grinning and bearing the good-natured ‘boss’s son’ ribbing, Charlie juggled A-levels with the back-room Saturday job that would become so much more. Fast forward to 2022 and Charlie celebrates his 20th anniversary at Furniture Village, having joined the board in 2020 as Commercial Director. Charlie likes to lead from the front with a drive for togetherness, building a strong management team with shared purpose and drive towards the same goals. He is a guy with a big heart and his eye on the future, keeps his head down working diligently behind the scenes, empowering and enabling others to get the credit they deserve. Above all, everything that Charlies does is underpinned by family values. Over the past 20 years, Charlie has made it his mission to ‘deep dive’ into every aspect of Furniture Village, from fulfilment to marketing, HR and procurement. With the encyclopaedic knowledge that he has built up, his natural commercial acumen and a track record of good initiatives and ideas, Charlie is widely regarded as a trailblazer, not just within Furniture Village but the wider industry too. Charlie is already an inspirational and exceptional leader. He fully deserves his place in the Family Business Top 100.

We are delighted to announce that Tamara Roberts of Ridgeview has been included within the inaugural Family Business United ‘Family Business Top 100,’ which recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals and their work within a family business. Recognition in respect of: Inspirational Leader Sustainable Development Ambassador Champion of Change & Innovation Family Business Steward Tamara is the Managing Director of Ridgeview, taking over the helm from her father. This is a pioneering and innovative family business in the Sussex hills and since 1995 has been producing world-class English sparkling wine focusing on quality and sustainability from grape to glass. Tamara leads from the front and has spearheaded significant investment and been instrumental in achieving B-corporation status. As a leader she inspires others and has taken the business from strength to strength, embracing opportunities and adding value each step along the way. Ridgeview is so much more than a vineyard, it is a place to meet, eat and drink with family and friends, to embrace the opportunity to taste award-winning English sparkling wine and to take a moment to celebrate. Tamara is the leader of a fantastic, pioneering family firm with family values embedded to the core and is a worthy addition to the Family Business Top 100.

We are delighted to announce that Stephen Leckie of the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels has been included within the inaugural Family Business United ‘Family Business Top 100,’ which recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals and their work within a family business. Recognition in respect of: Family Business Steward Inspirational Leadership Champion of Innovation Stephen is the Chairman and CEO of the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, an exemplary leader and passionately committed to the hospitality and tourism sector. He has been the leader of 4 star Crieff Hydro since January 1994 which according to independent guide ‘Scotland the Best’ is referred to as “a national institution and still a family business…moving with the times…uniquely good in the world.” Their Family of Hotels started out with Crieff Hydro, Scotland’s leading Leisure Resort. With 215 4 star bedrooms; 55 self catering units, free childcare, 7 food outlets and over 60 indoor and outdoor leisure activities spread out over their 900 acre estate. Now 8 hotels, Stephen’s team of over 1,000 look after up to 3,000 customers a day for business and leisure with warmth and character. Dedicated to growing and sustaining the business – their future is tied up with the success of the towns and regions where they operate and the wider tourism industry. Stephen is a passionate promoter of all three so volunteer leadership across these sectors and geographies. He is a voice for hospitality and a great family business advocate and ambassador. His attention to detail, drive, passion and determination is incredible and he is so deserving of a place in our inaugural Family Business Top 100.

We are delighted to announce that Ian Arbuckle of LINIAN has been included within the inaugural Family Business United ‘Family Business Top 100,’ which recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals and their work within a family business. Recognition in respect of: Inspirational Leadership Next Generation Champion of Change & Innovation Ian is the CEO and Technical Director at LINIAN. He spent his early years on the tools as an electrician and quickly progressed, spending the next ten years in a senior design role within various leading building services consultancies. He founded LINIAN with his sister Lynne and their parents and joined the business full time in 2015 before taking on the CEO role in 2016. At LINIAN, Ian is responsible for the overall management of the companies ensuring that all goals are achieved, adheres to its core values and creates and maintains a working culture that benefits the business and the people. He also appreciates the opportunity to develop new products and make improvements to existing ones alongside his dad, Wes Arbuckle. Ian has a great leadership style and is totally committed to being the best possible leader and mentor to the growing LINIAN team. He is also the driver behind the new LINIAN apprenticeship programme and mentoring and supporting the next generation of talent and increasing the leadership skills of the existing team too. Ian is focused on the future of the business and future generations of the family and the workforce and thoroughly deserving of his place in the Family Business Top 100.