Leeds United and Sheffield United are both in the Premier League - this is how Yorkshire businesses want to capitalise on their success

Being a stone's throw from Elland Road is the beauty of Graveleys Fish and Chips, says Ina Thompson, who has owned the shop since 2009.

Recent months have been testing for the business, which has been operating for more than 50 years, after it closed its doors for seven weeks and was unable to adapt to online orders until reopening on 11 May.

The Whites' return to the top flight today for the first time since 2004, taking on champions Liverpool in the first of many mouth-watering matches.

And though it could be some time before extra fans are arriving at Elland Road due to social distancing rules, hopes are high that in time there could be an increased footfall in the week, due to bigger Premier League team draws for paying customers and the prospect of an increased appetite from overseas fan and stadium tours.

Mrs Thompson, a 44-year-old mother-of-one, said: “The fans are very loyal so they have been filling up the ground for the last couple of years. We’re hoping though there may be more fans from London or from those that travel from abroad and international interest - that will be the main way for us to increase capacity.”

The shutdown has shown just how deep football's roots have dug into the fabric of our society as the pandemic changed the routine of football fans on match day and the face of town and city centres across Yorkshire, with many independent businesses struggling to survive.

“We did suffer - we had to shut for a couple of months", says Mrs Thompson. "We weren’t able to change to take-away immediately around the uncertainty and we couldn’t buy masks anywhere - we couldn’t be open without any protective gear.

“It was hard, we do rely on football here, that is the beauty of the shop - otherwise it is just any other fish and chip shop.”

When Mrs Thompson and her husband Andrew, who died unexpectedly six years ago, took over ownership, it was a record-breaking opening season due to Leeds gaining promotion to the Championship after a third consecutive season in the third tier.

On the last day of the season the business recorded its best ever takings as they saw an increase of 30 per cent compared with a usual match day, with 900 portions of fish and chips devoured.

She said: “I remember that last game…That is one of the biggest memories of my football life - it just doesn’t compare with anything else.”

The Old Peacock, open on Elland Road since 1826 and the closest pub to the ground, has always proved one of the most popular pre-match watering holes.

And the start of the Premier League can’t come soon enough for Jamie Lawson, the Ossett Brewery co-owner and pub company founder, which has 26 trading pubs across Yorkshire.

Due to lockdown restrictions, which saw venues close down for at least two months and meant The Old Peacock didn't reopen until the end of July, there was a 60 to 70 per cent fall in takings for the Ossett Brewery across all its pubs, compared with the same time last year.

Mr Lawson, 48, said: “Where we miss out on is stand-up drinking, that’s the big effect of social distancing has had on our trade - the fact that you can’t stand at the bar, chat with your friends.

“It’s a big part of British culture and football culture...and until social distancing gets relaxed it’s a tough time for all of our peers in the hospitality sector.”

And for The Old Peacock, which was taken over by the brewery eight years ago, match days at Elland Road are a 90 per cent contribution to the turnover of the pub - with a record Saturday in the 2018-19 season seeing around 7,500 pints sold to customers.

Mr Lawson, 48, said: “The immediate effect of Premier League status will be minimal. There are tough times ahead for us - we are not out of the hot water with The Old Peacock, we need social distancing to be relaxed but obviously like everyone else that needs to be done at the right time for the whole of the country.”

However he added the real opportunity for the business was to capitalise on a vital “mid-week boost”, due to the draw of world class players and teams including the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, rather than Championship sides.

He said: “Playing Championship sides on a cold, windy, rainy night is only going to generate so much success but more fans will come out in greater numbers to watch the big names, irrespective of the day of the week or the weather. Overall there will be a positive uplift."

He added the future focus for the business was capitalising on the time when “social distancing free football” is back up and running, hopefully in the New Year and the potential long-term economic benefits the city could reap.

“It’s fantastic for the city of Leeds because being a modern city in the UK you need a Premiership football team these days - it’s almost like the two come hand in hand and it will bring more people to the area.

Elsewhere in Leeds city centre, Sally Lackey, the General Manager of Harvey Nichols in Leeds, one of seven branches in UK outside of its flagship Knightsbridge branch, said Leeds United played "a huge role in driving the local economy, especially on match days".

She added: “The players and their families, the club staff, the fans and the visitors to Leeds United have long been loyal customers of Harvey Nichols, so we look forward to the club's continued success and to extending a very warm welcome to the many visitors we hope Leeds United will bring to the city in the future.”

Since Sheffield United returned to the Premier League last season after a 12 year absence, the club has reportedly benefited from additional revenue of at least £170m across last season and the next two, according to professional services firm Deloitte.

Promotion to the Premier League will account for the major revenue increase, rising to a minimum of around £300m over a five-year period as the Blades avoided relegation in their first season.

In a little over three years, Sheffield United have gone from competing with the likes of Bury and Rochdale on a weekly basis to holding their own against the top clubs in the land and superpowers of world football.

Stephen Bettis, chief executive officer at Sheffield United, told The Yorkshire Post the club's first year in the Premier League had been "a great success".

He said: “Despite the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, we have reunited valuable real estate with the club and also made plans for improvements, both at Bramall Lane and our training base at Shirecliffe. Additionally, we have made significant investments to the playing operation, including record transfers and new contracts for key players and management.

“It has been an interesting and challenging time being part of the Premier League phenomenon and long may it continue.”

Since the return to top flight football a popular London Road business and firm favourite for Sheffield United fans reported a 50 per cent increase in business on weekend match days due to top flight football.

The Cremorne, a pub based half a mile from Bramall Lane, is now relying on an influx of customers over the upcoming season, which kicks off for the Blades against Wolverhampton Wanderers at home on Monday, to help after challenging times for the business due to the coronavirus.

Daniel Rae, the general manager of The Cremorne, which has been owned by Andrew O’Hara for the past 13 years, told The Yorkshire Post: “When we got promoted there was a buzz around the city and the town, and around the London Road area especially.

“Premier League status gave business a big boost, it bought a lot more trade in, and a lot more foot fall… we have seen a lot of new faces and have also seen an increase in away fans too.”

He added: “Bramall Lane is iconic in the area - the start of the Premier League will give a boost to the city and it gives us the opportunity to get things going again. I think the new season can help us get us back to where we were before covid and then if we can re-build up over Christmas again.”

Mr Rae, 36, who has been in his role for the past 18 months, said the business recorded its best ever takings on the last day of Sheffield United’s 2018/19 promotion winning season as they served 2,000 customers throughout the day.

He said it had been a testing time for the business, after it closed its doors for three months, with staff placed on furlough, but with restrictions since easing the business now has its sights firmly on capitalising on the start of the new campaign for the Blades.

He said: “We’ve dramatically been affected by coronavirus... There were concerns we might close, like other businesses have had to in Sheffield.

“Fortunately we’ve been able to survive - we have pulled through because of all of the help from the locals.

“We are hoping for an influx after the Premier League starts...We are hoping we can hit record takings this year.”

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James Mitchinson