The next chapter of Indie York: What happened at the 2025 AGM?

We had such a brilliant time at the Indie York AGM & Summer Gathering – thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a special evening.

Hosted by the brilliant Jamie McKeller (also known as Dorian Deathly from The Deathly Dark Tours), the night was full of conversation, inspiration and celebration.

We were joined by a fantastic panel of local business owners and city leaders who shared their experiences and thoughts on the future of York’s independent scene:

Rebecca Layton – Co-owner of Forest & Galtres Lodge
Ben Fry – Co-founder of Potions Cauldron Group
Linda Barrie – Founder of Choc & Co
Stuart Paver – Chair of Pavers Shoes and Make It York
David Skaith – Mayor of York and North Yorkshire

It was a timely reminder of just how vital independent businesses are to the character, resilience and future of our city.

Steering Committee Updates

During the evening, we also carried out the official AGM business. Following a member vote, we’re excited to share a few key changes to the Indie York Steering Committee:

Charlotte Watson, founder of Beyond the Business, is our new Chairperson
A huge thank you to Rebecca Layton, who stepped down after five years as Chair. She now takes on the role of Treasurer, following Andy Masheder, who held the position for an incredible seven years
We’re also pleased to welcome Polly Bennett, founder of Little Vikings, as our new Deputy Chair

We also announced that Indie York now has 300 members – a fantastic milestone for our growing community. And we shared a first look at something new and exciting: the Indie York Loyalty Card, with more details coming soon.

Thank You

A big thank you to the people and partners who made the event possible:

Novotel York Centre, for kindly gifting us use of their lovely space
York St John University, for sponsoring the welcome drinks
Our brilliant stallholders: Nox, Kila Creative Studios, Uniquely Local, and Villains Rum – thank you for adding creativity and energy to the evening

Membership Fee Update – Effective 1 October 2025

At the AGM, members also voted to approve an update to our annual membership fee. From 1 October 2025, the fee will increase from £75 to £100 per year.

This is the first price change in over five years. We’ve made this decision carefully, and like many of our members, we’ve faced rising costs. This small increase will help us continue to support, promote and champion York’s independent businesses in the way we’re proud to do.

Even at the new rate, membership works out at less than £10 a month – and we believe it offers excellent value for what’s included.

Your Indie York membership includes:

A supportive network of like-minded, independently run York businesses
A listing on the Indie York website and a place on the next printed map, with 60,000 copies distributed across the city
Social media promotion – we regularly feature members across our channels, with a combined following of over 26,000
Monthly networking and social events
Representation at key city events such as the York Food Festival and York Christmas Market
Access to the upcoming Indie York Loyalty Card initiative

We're proud of everything we've built together – and excited for what's ahead as we approach our 10th birthday.

Upcoming Member Events

August – Breakfast at Heppni Bakeri, Swinegate
Drop in between 8.00 and 9.30am on Wednesday 6 August
A relaxed morning meet-up with great coffee, fresh pastries and the chance to connect with fellow members. Everyone from your team is welcome.
Please RSVP to hello@indieyork.co.uk so the Heppni team knows to expect you.

September – Early Evening Drinks at The Golden Slipper, Goodramgate
Drop in anytime between 5.00 and 7.00pm on Thursday 11 September. Join us for a casual after-work get-together with other indie business owners.

Thanks again to everyone who came along to the AGM and for being part of the Indie York community.

We're looking forward to what’s next – together.