Revealed: How Harrogate's Bettys did at Christmas

In the perfect start to its centenary year, figures just released show the numbers of customers visiting Bettys branches grew by 2.4% in the festive season. Despite challenging trading conditions on the high street, customer spend in Bettys branches was also higher than last Christmas.

Online sales also saw strong growth, increasing by 11.1% year-on-year with a total of 55,050 parcels sent through the Christmas period – hampers being some of the biggest sellers.

Bettys’ traditional Christmas treats remained a favourite for customers.In terms of online sales alone, 93,500 Bettys mince pies were sold. In the cafes, tradition reigned with almost 18,000 people taking Bettys’ afternoon tea over the festive period.

Founded in 1919 by Frederick Belmont, a Swiss confectioner, Bettys remains a family business and celebrates its 100th birthday this year.

Bettys’ Managing Director, Simon Eyles, said: ‘‘For one hundred years Bettys has created a distinctive and unique customer experience. Our Christmas demonstrated that a visit to Bettys remains an important part of people’s Christmas traditions. "The vision of our founder, Frederick Belmont, still guides us and, in our one hundredth year, it is wonderful to see that Bettys still means as much to people today as it did when it opened in 1919.”

The Bettys business employs 940 people with 166 working in the Craft Bakery.Its bakery produces more than 200 Yorkshire and Continental specialities and creates million products for the six Bettys Café Tea Rooms and Bettys online shop.

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