Ben is thexton armstrong’s Partner for York and Harrogate. He has spent his career opening, running, growing and exiting businesses, having completed his first management buyout at the age of 21. He brings to SME owners the perspective of someone who has carried the risk, the cashflow pressure and the long hours personally.
Ben led the restaurant to a Michelin Bib Gourmand and two AA Rosettes in its first year of trading, with a team entirely under 30. He went on to create In Vino Veritas, a hybrid wine shop and bar in London that expanded to multiple sites, including Westfield, and into wholesale and events, before a successful exit ahead of the pandemic. As General Manager at Hook Norton Brewery he relaunched the offer of a London pub group around craft beer, which remains its defining feature today. Along the way, he has rebuilt a business model after the 2008 financial crisis, handled planning and licensing appeals, and prepared several businesses for sale.
Ben believes success should be measured in quality of life as well as earnings, and that owners often underestimate how expensive growth can be, once the costs beneath headline rates are counted. He is understanding and direct in equal measure, and will tell owners what they need to hear, including the issues they would prefer to avoid.
Outside work, Ben enjoys golf, Formula 1, travel and time with his wife and two young children, and has a keen interest in food and wine. Based in York, he works with business owners across the York and Harrogate areas, and welcomes an initial conversation with any owner who wants a clearer view of where their business is heading.
