About Us

Who Are We

Yorkshire Trading is a fourth-generation family business, deeply rooted in tradition while embracing the future. We are committed to bringing our customers exceptional products and services. With a team of nearly 600 employees spread between our head office and 34 stores across Yorkshire and the surrounding areas, we've become a trusted presence in communities throughout the region.

We also attend 25 outdoor events during our summer show season, where we proudly promote our Rydale Clothing brand. Our recent investments, including a state-of-the-art, £7 million Distribution Centre and Head Office, allow us to serve our customers more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

What’s In The Store?

We have over 10,000 products in store and online. You can find everything for the family including a large toys section, a crafty haberdashery selection and a full pets range. Plus, we have specific niche collections such as our festival essentials collection that will allow you to conveniently get everything you need in one neat spot. We have products for the home including everyday cleaning and home maintenance products, kitchenware, soft furnishings and decorative items. We also stock outdoor products which includes Rydale equestrian and country clothing, gardening tools, greeting cards and a camping selection. In addition, we have constantly updated seasonal offerings for celebrations such as Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year.

Over the years we have built up a lot of great friends in business which regularly gives us the opportunity to score some incredible clearance deals. We pass this saving on to our customers by offering these big branded products for sale at the best prices you'll find. Every delivery brings new and exciting products to our website and all of our stores for customers to enjoy.

Customer First

At Yorkshire Trading Co., outstanding customer service with a friendly Yorkshire flair is at the heart of everything we do. We pride ourselves on delivering not just products, but an exceptional shopping experience that reflects the warmth and hospitality of our beloved region. Our commitment to service excellence ensures every interaction is positive and every need is met with a smile.

To achieve this, we make sure all of our team members share this same attitude and dedication. Our fun and fulfilling "Famous Five" system instills our core values-friendliness, attentiveness, knowledge, efficiency, and enthusiasm—in every team member. This system is more than just a training program; it's a way of life at Yorkshire Trading Co.

Looking to The Future

As we look to the future, our focus is on innovation and growth. We are investing heavily in modern technology and infrastructure to ensure that we can continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Beyond our physical expansion, we are also committed to nurturing our teams creating opportunities for professional development.

Our goal is to remain a leader in the retail industry while maintaining the family values that have always been at the heart of Yorkshire Trading.

YTC History

Our story began in 1939 with a humble corner shop in Hull, where the first seeds of Yorkshire Trading were sown. However, the onset of World War Il and the devastation it brought interrupted our business. It wasn't until 1954 that our family could return to retail, laying the foundation for what would eventually grow into the company we are today. Over the years, our family business has expanded under the guidance of three generations, evolving from that single corner shop into a thriving enterprise.

Today, we have a team of nearly 600 dedicated employees working at our Head Office in East Yorkshire and across our 34 Yorkshire Trading Company shops.

Brief Timeline

1954

John Nichols opened his first shop.

1975

The family had 4 stores trading in Driffield, Pickering, Hull and Pocklington.

1976

Molly Nichols (John’s wife) focussed on the local market side of the business. She expanded into outdoor shows for the summer months selling high end ladies fashion including brands such as Aquascutum.

1980

John’s two eldest sons, Paul and Robert joined the business helping develop and manage the stores.

1985

The family had 8 stores trading in towns including Louth, Whitby and Bridlington, the company also started to specialise in China and Glassware in a new store in Driffield called James Piper managed by John’s youngest son, Tom.

1991

Paul took control of shows and started to specialise in outdoor wear rather than fashion. Paul also set about altering product ranges to enable the businesses expansion.

1995

Paul, Robert, Tom continued to nurture the business and expanded up to 12 stores trading in towns further afield such as Richmond and Ripon.

2000

After trading under various names such as JC Nichols, Barmy Bobs the business branded itself as the Yorkshire Trading Company as well as becoming a limited company. The three brothers settled into their roles as directions with Paul taking on the responsibility of property, imports and outdoor events, Tom taking charge of buying and Robert looking after maintenance and supply.

2001

The Yorkshire Clothing Company imported its first small range of Rydale Clothing which was initially under the name of “Snow Drop”.

2008

The large store chain Woolworths went bust and a very bold step was taken to in the procurement of 11 new stores.

2010

The Yorkshire Trading Company had grown in scale and began trading in towns stretching as far as Skegness, Melton Mowbray and Cramlington.

Today

Yorkshire Trading Company has grown to 30 stores with a budding eCommerce website. Rydale Clothing maintains its status as the largest clothing operation on the UK show circuit.