Fashion retailer Morgan Clare has been named as one of the UK's top 50 young entrepreneurial businesses to watch in 1999.

The Harrogate-based company was chosen by Real Business magazine as one of its 50 to keep an eye on this year - "an example of a go-getting business which has potential for serious growth in 1999".

Morgan Clare, which "retails the best of British design for women," is owned by husband-and-wife team, Martin and Su Allard, who launched their first shop in Harrogate in August 1997.

Since then it has bagged several honours, including awards for Best New Store and Best Marketing Campaign at the Draper's Record Fashion Retail Awards.

Mr Allard said: "We have big plans for Morgan Clare in 1999. Our aim is to make shopping as pleasurable an experience as possible. We want to do this by expanding and improving on what we already offer to customers. Growth in a business is about being prepared to listen to new ideas and not being afraid to act on them."

Future plans for Morgan Clare include expanding into menswear and opening further stores in the region.

The couple, who previously worked as buyers for Marks & Spencer in London, chose Harrogate, mainly because Su originates from Yorkshire, and the town had "the right customer base and the right environment in which to establish an up-market ladies fashion business".

Morgan Clare are the middle names of Martin and Su respectively.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.