The Little Chocolate Shop is an award winning chocolate business based in Leyburn. It is a great example of a high quality, food oriented company that are a wonderful feature of the constituency.
It is owned by husband and wife team Lorraine and Jim Hogg. In recent years the company has won two Herriot Country awards! The chocolate is hand made, beautifullly presented and taste delicious. The site in Leyburn also contains the factory so visitors can see the cholcoate being made in front of them by skilled cholcoatiers. Of the Little Chocolate Shop's signature products is a chocolate high heeled shoe - perfect for Valentines Day!
The company's products can already be found in lots of independent farm shops and retailers and it also has exciting plans to expand its retail presence across the area. I spoke with Jim and Lorraine about the importance of small businesses like this having good access to finance so they can expand. Also we discussed how we must reform business rates so retail buisnesses like this can thrive and our market towns can remain vibrant.