Butchers taking Giant leap forward with shop
HREE Huddersfield-based law firms have been recognised for their outstanding performance in this year’s Yorkshire Legal Awards.
Ridley and Hall, renowned for its specialisms including family, private client and property law, was named Yorkshire Small Law Firm of the Year 2019 having previously taken the title in 2013.
Another leading firm with offices in the town, Ramsdens Solicitors which offers a full range of legal services, took the title of Medium Law Firm of the Year for the fourth time since 2011.
In addition, full services firm Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors won the Employment Law Award for the second time in four years.
Now in their 20th year, the awards bring together the region’s legal community to recognise and celebrate its achievements.
The awards were announced in front of an audience of 900 legal professionals at a glittering awards ceremony at New Dock Hall in Leeds.
Emma Pearmaine, managing partner of Ridley and Hall, said: “It’s always extremely satisfying for the team’s outstanding work
TWO former Dragons’ Den contestants have brought their online butchers to the high street with a shop in Honley.
Lamb2ewe was founded by school friends Jack Bostock, 27, and Tom Kitchen-Dunn, 28, last year as an online meat retailer.
The business has done so well that Jack, from Crow Edge, and Tom, from Hade Edge, started looking for a local base to work from.
Tom, who was named Digital Innovator of the Year at the British Farming Awards 2019 last month, said: “Only five to 10% of our trade was local and the rest was national or international.
“We needed a base to work from and it’s nice to have a local footprint.”
When the former Honley village butchers shop, on the roundabout in Moor Bottom, came available the friends knew they had to go for it.
Tom and Jack took their plan into the Dragons’ Den in April this year. The Dragons loved their plan and enthusiasm but said they had come into the den too early.
“It was a fantastic experience,” recalled Tom. “They were so supportive and loved the idea but they said: ‘Lads, you’re just too early for the Den.’”
Undeterred, Jack, who is an experienced shepherd, and Tom, who has a background in digital marketing, started renovating the Honley butchers the very next month.
Soon after the show aired in September, businessman and Huddersfield Giants chairman Ken Davy joined Lamb2ewe as investor to be recognised in this way, particularly by our peers. I’d like to thank everyone at Ridley and Hall whose legal talent and continuing commitment to clients have resulted in us winning this award.
“It’s also fantastic to see three Huddersfield firms standing out from the extremely tough competition in Yorkshire’s thriving legal community – it’s a real achievement and something of which we should all be proud.”
Paul Joyce, managing partner at Ramsdens, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win the award for Law Firm of the Year, for the fourth time.
“It’s a real testament to the consistent hard work and outstanding commitment of all our staff in providing a first class service to all our clients.
“Well done, everyone. Huddersfield is definitely on the legal map.”
Neil Wilson, managing partner of Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors, added: “This is a great achievement for the town and these awards demonstrate the strength of the legal market in Huddersfield making it a force to be recognised through the Yorkshire region.” and chairman. “He really likes what we’re doing,” said Tom.
“I said to Jack: ‘We didn’t get a Dragon but we did bag a Giant!’”
Lamb2ewe prides itself on ensuring a high welfare for the animals and a high quality of meat from trusted local farmers.
They have earned a reputation that has seen them build up an online customer base from all over the world. Tom said: “We have taken orders from France, Italy, Australia, Canada. I think it’s the level of welfare, it’s a trust thing.
“If a farm wants to work with us we’ll say: ‘Fine, do you meet these standards?’ and if they do we’ll go round and look at the welfare of the animals ourselves.
“We’ll go round these farms and spend a couple of hours there, have a cup of tea and thrash it out. Everything we sell in the shop hasn’t travelled more than 20 minutes to get here.
“So when we say local we mean local.
“You can see some of the fields as you drive around.”
The Lamb2ewe shop in Honley opens Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm.
Find out more at www.lamb2ewe.co.uk.