Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate facts for kids
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Bettys Cafe Tearoom, Harrogate
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| Private | |
| Industry | |
| Founded | Bettys and Taylors Group Ltd: 1962 Bettys: 1919 Taylors of Harrogate: 1886 |
| Founder | Charles Taylor (Taylors of Harrogate) Frederick Belmont (Bettys) |
| Headquarters |
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England
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Key people
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Clare Morrow (Chair of the Board) Andy Brown (Chair of the Collaborative CEO) |
| Products | Yorkshire Tea Taylors Coffee Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms Other products |
| Revenue | £260.6 million (2022) |
| £10.3 million (2022) | |
| Total assets | £138.7 million |
| Owner | Frederick Belmont's family (fourth generation) |
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Number of employees
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1,607 (2022) |
| Subsidiaries | Bettys Taylors of Harrogate Bettys Tea Rooms |
Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate is a famous family-owned company from Yorkshire, England. They are well-known for their delicious teas, coffees, and lovely tea rooms. Bettys tea rooms offer traditional meals with a mix of Swiss and Yorkshire flavors.
Taylors of Harrogate started in 1886 as a family business. They specialized in blending tea and coffee. Their most famous product is Yorkshire Tea. In 1962, Bettys bought Taylors, forming the Bettys and Taylors Group.
Today, the company's brands include Yorkshire Tea, Taylors Coffee, Bettys Tea Rooms, Bettys Cookery School, and Bettys Confectionery.
Contents
The Story of Bettys and Taylors
How Bettys Began
The very first Bettys tea room opened in Harrogate, England, in 1919. It was started by Frederick Belmont, a talented baker from Switzerland.
Frederick arrived in England at King's Cross railway station. He then took a train to Bradford. He didn't speak much English and couldn't remember where he was going.
In 1922, Frederick opened a bakery in Harrogate. This helped him open more tea rooms. New Bettys branches opened in Bradford, Leeds, and York. The York branch, which is the largest, opened in 1937.
What's in a Name?
No one is completely sure how Bettys got its name. The company's website suggests a few ideas.
One idea is that it was named after Betty Rose. She was the granddaughter of the company chairman. She once interrupted a meeting with a toy tea-tray.
Another idea is Betty Lupton, a former manager of the Harrogate Spa. A third possibility is "Betty," a popular musical from 1914. This musical told a "rags-to-riches" story.
Joining Forces: Bettys and Taylors
Taylors of Harrogate was founded in 1886. It was also a family business. In 1962, Bettys and Taylors decided to merge. This created the Bettys and Taylors Group we know today.
New Ideas and Celebrations
In 1986, Bettys by Post was created. This allowed customers to order products by mail. Later, it moved online.
In 2001, Bettys opened a cookery school. It is located near Harrogate, next to their main bakery.
In 2009, Bettys celebrated its 90th anniversary. They offered special afternoon teas with old-fashioned cakes. Waitresses even wore historical costumes.
Bettys Tea Rooms Today
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There are five Bettys tea rooms, and each one has a shop. You can find them in these locations:
- Bettys Harrogate – Parliament Street, Harrogate (opened 1976)
- Bettys York – St Helen's Square, York (opened 1937)
- Bettys Northallerton – High Street, Northallerton (opened 1971)
- Bettys Ilkley – The Grove, Ilkley (opened 1964)
- Bettys Harlow Carr – RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate (opened 2004)
The Famous York Tea Room
The Bettys café in St Helen's Square in York is very special. Its design was inspired by the famous cruise ship, the RMS Queen Mary.
During World War II, the basement "Bettys Bar" became very popular. American and Canadian "Bomber Boys" who were stationed near York would visit it. You can still see "Bettys Mirror" there today. Many of these soldiers engraved their signatures on it with a diamond pen.
Past Locations
Bettys used to have tea rooms in other cities too. From 1930 to 1974, there was a Bettys tea room on Commercial Street in Leeds. There was also a tea room in Bradford on Darley Street, which opened in 1922 and closed in 1974.
In 2021, the Bettys Stonegate café in York closed. However, the shop there is still open. This branch first opened in 1965. It was known as Little Bettys before becoming Bettys Stonegate in 2011.
Bettys has always chosen to keep its branches only in Yorkshire. This helps them make sure every detail is perfect.
See also
- List of tea houses
