BUSINESS is booming in Yorkshire, in spite of doom and gloom stories in the news, according to research by a business broadband provider based in South Yorkshire.

Plusnet Business has launched a new content series, Humans of New Yorkshire, which celebrates the people at the heart of the county's start-up success – and two small traders from York are among the first to feature.

With physical stores in decline and 85,000 jobs being lost from the British high street in 2018 alone, new data has shown that Yorkshire is bucking the trend, with 77 per cent of the county's small businesses predicted to grow over the next six months.

It is now the most entrepreneurial region outside London and the South East, with £41m funding given to start-ups since 2012.

Vintage clothing retailer, Dog & Bone, and quirky plant shop, Botanic, are among those whose stories are being told in Plusnet's new online series.

Dog & Bone, on Castlegate, run by Nicholas Barker, is full to the brim with beautiful, sustainable vintage clothing that attracts customers from far and wide on the hunt for the perfect item.

Botanic, on Walmgate, is the brainchild of ecologist, Emma Grubb, and specialises in succulents and cacti, as well as providing an unofficial 'agony aunt' service for neglected houseplants.

More than one third of the Yorkshire businesses surveyed were less than three years old, with fashion and food and drink proving to be two of the most popular new start-ups.

The study also showed that social media, networking and sheer determination were the biggest factors owners claimed had the most effect on their business's success.

Plusnet's Humans of New Yorkshire series will initially launch with eight businesses from York, Leeds, Sheffield and Huddersfield.

Head of business, Nick Silverwood, said: "Plusnet is a born-and-bred Yorkshire company and we wanted to shine a light on the amazing people that make this area so special.

"As a provider to so many small businesses in Yorkshire and beyond, this is our way of showcasing the amazing people that are redefining the perceptions of our home turf – less flat caps and more flat whites!"

To follow the series go to @Plusnet on Instragram #humansofnewyorkshire