GIFT shop owners Andy and Rachael Higgins have expanded their retail interests by buying a health-food store and café.

The couple, who run the award-winning Billy and Bertie’s gift shop on High Street, Skipton, have used funding from NatWest bank to expand their business through acquiring the nearby Healthy Life and Wild Oats Café, which sells a range of natural supplements, vitamins and health foods alongside its vegetarian café.

They are looking to modernise the interiors of the food shop and café, which employ ten staff as well as serving weekend brunches, and expanding the selection on the midweek café menu.

Andy and Rachael, whose gift shop business has been named after their two sons William and Albert, wanted to diversify their business interests and saw the health store and café as a good opportunity.

Andy said: “The gift shop continues to thrive and has been a great success this year.

“We have won a national retail award ‘The Greats’ and have also become a full Cath Kidston stockist but we wanted to do something different and continue to challenge ourselves.

“Healthy Life is already a good business and we wanted to build on the work that is being done there.

“The staff offer excellent advice on health issues and understand the products that are available for their loyal customers.

“The vegetarian café has a great team and is also a success in its own right.”

To fund the acquisition they turned to their NatWest relationship manager Liz Smith, who arranged a loan as part of the bank’s Government-backed Funding for Lending programme Andy said: “We originally worked with NatWest on developing our retail outlet after they were recommended by a colleague and we cannot fault Liz and her support team in any way.”

He added: “Liz has offered excellent advice and guidance throughout our journey and she and her team are very professional to work with which is important to us.”

Liz said: “I was delighted to support Andy and Rachael on the purchase of Healthy Life and Wild Oats Café. They already run a very successful business in Skipton and I wish them every success for the future.”