Harrogate Bettys shuts down online orders after record-breaking demand from customers

Customers are coming back say Harrogate's oldest - and newest - shops as Christmas season boosts trade

With Covid rules impacting on and off for most of this year, the family-owned tea rooms and shop have had a new focus on online shopping.

But the independent business associated with the finer things in life since 1919 - and Christmas itself - has been simply flooded with an unprecedented volume of orders this festive season.

In the face of booming online demand, by the end of last week, Bettys was posting "It's been a wildly busy Christmas for us and we simply have no more treats to send & no more delivery slots to offer."

Talking today to the Harrogate Advertiser, Bettys managing director Simon Eyles said: "This has been a challenging year for businesses everywhere.

"Like many we had periods of closure when, for the first time in our 100 year history, we have had to shut the doors to our café tea rooms, but online sales have remained open throughout.

"We have seen a change in customer shopping behaviour this year, for obvious reasons, with a lot of people favouring online shopping.

The impact on Bettys online this Christmas has been bigger than we could have anticipated.

"While we know Bettys is a part of many people’s Christmas traditions, we have never seen demand like this.

"Fortunately, our shops are currently open and we have introduced new ways to shop with us, including an order and collect service for people who can travel to our branches.

"And our café tea rooms, apart from Ilkley and Stonegate, are open now, too."

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