This article is sponsored by Sounds in the Grounds.

Three spectacular concerts are headed for the stunning grounds of Ripley Castle on 20-22 August.

Audiences can enjoy an evening of internationally renowned tribute performances from their own designated picnic patch – for two, four or six people – which will be socially distanced from others but close enough to share the fun.

What’s more, the patches are pre-distributed – so there’s no need to arrive hours early to mark your spot, only to have someone stand in front of you at the last moment. Tickets start from the equivalent of £29.50 per person when you buy your patch.

The Definitive Rat Pack and One Night of Tina

Sounds in the Grounds at Ripley Castle features three concerts:

• Friday 20 August: The Definitive Rat Pack featuring an uncannily accurate recreation of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr in a sublime evening of swing;
• Saturday 21 August: A spectacular rock ‘n’ rollercoaster ride through four decades of the legendary Tina Turner’s greatest hits in One Night of Tina;
• Sunday 22 August: Killer Queen, who recreate the iconic songs and showmanship of one of the greatest ever rock bands with such electrifying precision audiences may wonder if they’re back in the 80s at a real Queen performance.

Glastonbury favourite The New York Brass Band will get all three parties started as the support act to each concert, performing a different repertoire every night – from jazz to 80s to current hits.

Killer Queen and The New York Brass Band

Audiences are advised to bring their own chairs and picnics, or purchase food and drink on site from one of the vendors – including the Yorkshire Bus Bar.

Organiser James Cundall said:

“I’m delighted that after the success of Sounds in the Grounds last summer, we are back! These picnic concerts are a great opportunity to get together and enjoy a fun night of live music in a stunning setting in a socially distanced way. From the glorious iconic songs of Sinatra to the rock classics of Tina Turner and Queen, I hope we have something for everyone.”

“Importantly it’s an opportunity for both musicians and crew to showcase their talent again after months of inactivity during these difficult times.”

“Our picnic patch concept enables patrons to pre-book their own designated space, thereby eliminating that mad scramble for the best site which often mars an outdoor concert! Our audiences can turn up when it suits them and know they will have a safe and fun evening.”

Get your tickets here.

Six schoolchildren have raised £647 for Saint Michael’s by baking cakes for a street sale in Harrogate.

Louisa (age 9), Chloe (10), Yasmin, Sophia, Annalise (all 11), and Ben (12) sold the cakes along with bric-a-brac to help the local hospice. They even made dog biscuits so four-legged visitors didn’t miss out.

The bake sale has become an annual fixture on Harrogate’s Valley Mount, after sisters Yasmin and Louisa started it in 2015 when they were aged just 5 and 3, along with friends Ben and Chloe.

In 2019 the group was invited to visit Saint Michael’s headquarters at Hornbeam Park to see where their funds had gone — which gave them an extra incentive to continue fundraising.

Yasmin said:

“Saint Michael’s is a really good charity because it helps people who are ill and their families too. We have a charity shop at the end of our street and we wanted to help.

“The first time we only raised £8, and every year we’ve wanted to keep beating how much we raised the last time. Last year we couldn’t do it because of covid, so we wanted to raise even more this time to make up for it.

“Our aim this time was to get £80 – so we’re actually quite surprised, we didn’t think we’d get this much!”

Chloe, Ben, Louisa and Yasmin visited Saint Michael’s to deliver the money.

The youngsters drummed up support for their event by sticking posters on lamp posts and knocking on doors to invite people to sample their baking and make donations.

Saint Michael’s Hospice helps people in the Harrogate district living with a terminal illness or bereavement.

Tony Collins, chief executive of Saint Michael’s, said:

The Watermark Gallery on Royal Parade is set to host its first exhibition since the remaining lockdown restrictions were lifted.

The gallery on Royal Parade was opened just three weeks before the first lockdown in March 2020.

It has been closed throughout the pandemic, but remained open online during the lockdowns.

Now, it’s set to open with an exhibition which celebrates the very best of the British seaside.

From deckchairs and ice cream vans to the much-loved coastline of North Yorkshire, the exhibition features new paintings by Harrogate-born Andrew Morris and Newcastle’s Emma Holliday in two different but complimentary styles.

Emma Holliday’s vibrant paintings capture the light and colour of coastal towns like Whitby, Staithes and Runswick Bay.

Meanwhile, Andrew Morris’s work focuses on the details and typography of the traditional English seafront, which has a striking, cinematic quality.

Also featured is new jewellery from Justin Duance, a specialist in using beach sand to casting jewellery.

Watermark Gallery owner Liz Hawkes said:

“In a year when most people have stayed at home for their holiday, this is a great opportunity to celebrate the British seaside with a lively, colourful exhibition by two very talented artists”.

The exhibition will run until the end of the month.

Read More: 

• First major event at Royal Hall since coronavirus will have restrictions

• Free tours of Harrogate district landmarks during Heritage Open Days

Harrogate Borough Council said the aim of its new leisure company will be to create more active, longer, and independent lives.

It has pledged that Brimhams Active, the new authority controlled company, will be more focussed on overall health and wellbeing.

Some 200 Harrogate Borough Council employees transferred over to Brimhams Active yesterday.  It’ll run 11 leisure venues, including The Hydro in Harrogate, Knaresborough Pool, Ripon Leisure Centre and Nidderdale Pool and is projected to save the council £400,000 a year.

Residents can use the new website to find out more about the services provided by Brimham’s Active as well booking sessions at leisure centres and facilities across the Harrogate district.

Read More:

• 200 Harrogate council leisure staff set to transfer to new company
• Council to upgrade 20-year-old booking system in leisure centre overhaul

Leisure facilities in the district are undergoing something of a transformation with not all of it going according to plan.  There’s to be a £26 million investment in the Harrogate Hydro and a new leisure centre at Knaresborough, which is expected to be financed by borrowing from the government.  Ripon’s new £10.2 million pool and leisure centre is due to open in November. However the project has recently been the subject of serious safety concerns after a report into a hole in the ground which appeared on the site.

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, said:

“The scale of the challenge set for us is more than matched by the scale of the opportunities we have in our grasp. Launching Brimhams Active with a new strategy and investment programme will allow us to transform a conventional leisure service into a leading community focussed health and wellbeing service.

“There is clear evidence that people need to be more active to combat rising obesity levels and prevent ill health due to poor lifestyle choice.

“Our vision and strategy has some clear and achievable objectives. We will help Harrogate district residents of all ages, from all walks of life, live a healthy lifestyle and stay active for longer. We know we can’t do this alone and nor should we. We will work with partner organisations and stakeholders to develop partnerships and facilities to provide a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.”

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains what to prune this summer. 

So, why do we need to do a bit of snipping in the summer? It has loads of good reasons including restricting the size of your plants to ensure they don’t take over, and promoting future flowers and fruits in the year to come. If you think that pruning is a mainly winter or spring job, think again!!

If you want to ensure a good crop of fruit in the next year, trees such as apples, crab apples, medlars (sometimes known as monkey’s bottom and other rude names!) and mulberries all produce a crop on short flowering spurs along the bottom half of branches. By cutting back the vigorous growth made in spring, you will encourage more productive growth to develop, this is especially important with trained fruit trees as these could also outgrow their supports if left unchecked.

The cherry and plum family (Prunus), are particularly prone to a disease called silver leaf. By pruning cherries in summer you can avoid infection as the fungal spores are more prevalent between September and May. Choose a dry sunny day to do this as it reduces the risk of infection even further.

Pruning encourages new growth. Cane fruits such as summer raspberries, blackberries and loganberries produce new canes each year, which will go on to fruit the following summer.  Once they have finished fruiting, the old canes should be pruned out to make space for the new stems.

A wisteria flower needing pruning

Climbing plants including honeysuckle, jasmine, star jasmine and wisteria can become overgrown and tangled by the end of the summer. Pruning the long soft growth back to three or four buds helps to promote flowering buds ready for the next spring. It is also a good time to look at any new shoots that could be trained in to take over older shoots that have started to become bare.

Pruning keeps shrubs in shape and prevents them becoming overgrown with the flowers produced high up in the plant and not always as floriferous as they could be after pruning. Cutting out the flowering stems once they have finished helps to produce new shoots lower down that will go on to flower the next year. Anything that flowers from early winter to late spring can be pruned like this, plants such as deutzia, forsythia, kerria, philadelphus and weigela.

Deutzia flowers should be pruned out in summer

Topiary and hedges can be pruned later on in the summer, so cut back the current season’s growth to maintain shape and size. Shrubs such as beech, hornbeam, box, leylandii, thuja, privet and laurel can all be pruned at this time. It is important to check the hedge or topiary first to ensure there are no active bird nests, especially early on in the summer. Some species may need more than one cut in the growing season, depending on how neat you want these plants to be. Just be careful to watch the weather when you cut: try and avoid hot, dry, sunny days as this can cause your trimmed topiary to get scorched. Conversely, damp, wet days can encourage fungal spores which could infect your plant, so try to stick to a dry, cloudy day if you can.

Box topiary scorched from being cut in hot weather

Have a look at the plants in your garden, are there any mentioned about that you think fall in to the summer pruning category? If so, give it a go!

Fiona’s Five Top Tips for August

• Keep cropping your courgettes to stop them becoming marrows.
• Spend some time checking the ties on any trees you have and loosen if necessary to ensure they do not restrict the trunk.
• Water rhododendrons and azaleas in dry spells as this is the time when they start forming flower buds for next year.
• Support dahlias as flower buds form and start to get top heavy.
• If the weather gets hot, set your lawn mower at a slightly higher level to help keep your lawn greener.

Read More:

• Stray Gardener: To dead-head or not to dead-head?
• Stray Gardener: Flavourful edible flowers

This article is sponsored by Farmison & Co.

New Click & Collect service creates biggest virtual meat counter in the world.

Farmison & Co butchers has opened a new shop on Bondgate Green in Ripon, with a Click & Collect service and free, dedicated parking while you visit. Farmison & Co also offers a huge online range that would need the longest meat counter in the world to display it all.

Britain’s online butcher of the year is piloting its first physical location in North Yorkshire because it sees an opportunity to grow the concept as a concession in high-quality food retailers here in the UK and overseas, that share its passion for better meat.

They’re giving you an exclusive opportunity to be one of the first to shop at cut by Farmison & Co. Get £10 off your first order, when you spend £20 or more* using the code STEAK10.

Shop instore, buy online or click & collect

As much an experience as a shop, Cut is designed to showcase the crown jewels of Yorkshire heritage breed meat and allow customers to select from Farmison & Co’s extensive online range and collect within an hour of placing an order.

Whether you’re rustling up a roast, fancy a quick and easy meal or firing up a last-minute barbecue, this meat will be the talk of the table. The luscious quality simply speaks for itself, especially when paired with chef-prepared blends of spices, seasonings, and marinades.

Farmison & Co’s game-changing ‘saucepan ready™’ range will transform your mealtimes. Ready in minutes, these pouches are the easy way to eat better meat, and just the ticket for pairing with cupboard staples. There are four dishes to choose from; traditional lamb hotpot, authentic chilli con carne, creamy tikka masala, and rich & full bodied beef ragu. Each boasts generous chunks of free range meat.

Cut will be open seven days a week, from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 9.30am-12 noon on Sundays, and a knowledgeable Master Butcher and staff will be on hand to give tips and advice on how to prepare meat and follow recipes devised by Farmison & Co’s in-house Michelin starred chef, Jeff Baker. We understand that trying a new cut can be daunting, so Farmison & Co go the extra mile to help.

The Stray Pets Rescue Club is our monthly profile of animals in and around the Harrogate district, in desperate need of a loving home. Could you help Fudge, Zena or Otis find a new family? 

Fudge – Boa Constrictor

Age: Approx 8 years old

Fudge’s story: Fudge is an 8ft snake who has been living at K’rescue in Knaresborough for a long time now, and all she needs is a loving home. She was signed over by her previous owner because she got too big.

Temperament: As you can see from the photo, Fudge loves coming out of her enclosure for play time. She also enjoys eating her weekly jumbo rat.

Ideal home: Fudge will need an enclosure at least 6ft, around 30°C at the hot end and in the 20’s at the cold end. She will also need a big water bowl to get into.

If your family has space for Fudge, you can visit K’rescue Knaresborough’s Facebook page or call them on 07837 445352.

Zena – American Bulldog

Age: 5 years old

Zena’s story: Zena came to the RSPCA York, Harrogate & District branch via an inspector after her needs were not being met.She has hip dysplasia and spondylosis of her spine – but is on daily pain medication which means she can continue to enjoy life.

Temperament: Zena can find new situations and people a bit daunting, and can be quite shy and timid. Once you’ve earned her trust, she loves nothing more than spending time with you and getting as much fuss as she can.

Ideal home: A family full of patience and understanding to help Zena settle in, and she loves cuddles, food and going for walks. Zena can live with children over 14, can be left alone for short periods, and may be able to live with another dog.

Find out more about Zena and the adoption process at RSPCA York, Harrogate & District branch.

Otis – English Bulldog

Age: Approx 2-5 years old

Otis’s story: Otis has been with Dogs Trust Leeds for quite some time. When he first arrived, his world fell apart and he became anxious, which manifested in humping and lead-grabbing. Otis has done brilliantly in his training, and is more than ready to take the next step into his forever home.

Temperament: Otis has learnt some great coping strategies from the training and behaviour team at Dogs Trust. He is good around other dogs, but will settle best as the only pet initially. He is also worried about heavy traffic, so doesn’t want to live or walk directly on a main road.

Ideal home: Otis will need a family who are interested in training to continue the great stuff he’s already learnt – but he comes with bags of potential. Adopters should live within an hour of the Leeds rehoming centre to be able to go for lots of visits, and need to be aware that Otis has a skin condition and anxiety – so there will be additional veterinary costs.

If your home is missing an Otis, get in touch with Dogs Trust Leeds.

Read More:

• Stray Pets Rescue Club: George, Rupert and Biggie need your help
• Stray Pets Rescue Club: the dog, cats and rabbits hoping you’ll be their new family

Property Gold is a monthly column written by independent bespoke property consultant, Alex Goldstein. With more than 17 years’ experience, Alex helps his clients to buy and sell residential property in some of the most desirable locations in Yorkshire and beyond. In this month’s column, Alex takes a look at where things have gone wrong to leave the UK with so many empty homes. 

There are 648,114 empty homes – let that sink in for a moment.

That is the number the government published in its report from October last year, on the number of uninhabited homes in the UK. Of this, 225,845 were classed as long-term vacant (empty for longer than six months).

The numbers speak for themselves. However, despite this, why are we continuing to build these mass-volume new-build developments? Why do governments and the media continually report that we aren’t building enough houses to meet demand and there is a housing crisis? Why are youngsters struggling to get on the housing ladder?

If you want my opinion, it all boils down to money, plus governments and councils meddling in a world they just don’t understand, nor are qualified to deal with. Their actions over the past 20+ years have had far-reaching implications for us all and we are now on the brink of yet another scandal to hit the new-build property sector and national economy. Like the tragic events at Grenfell Tower just over four years ago and the subsequent cladding scandal, there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight for ridding ourselves of this greenfield-sucking parasite.

As an example, Harrogate Borough Council didn’t have a Local Plan in place for several years. This resulted in the big PLC developers having an absolute field day, with limited barriers to their proposals. However, these key players can walk away at any point, with limited accountability for the hand they have had in altering the face of the district and UK forever.

Overloaded schools, GP surgeries, roads and infrastructure are problems we all now have to endure, through no fault of our own. In Harrogate district in the same 2020 count, there were 2,208 empty properties. Yet sizeable new-build schemes dotted throughout the area are still going ahead, with more still to come.

Read More:

• Property Gold: The butchered landscapes of PLC developments – who’s to blame?
• Property Gold: Cladding scandal – the bigger picture

Every new-build home sold adds more financial fuel to the fire, and we will simply continue going around in circles until all our green space is gone – and then what?

We are already seeing that empty homes bring about ghost blocks and areas, attracting crime, hitting local house prices and the economy. My concern is that a housing bubble is being created once more. The powers running the country have opened a Pandora’s Box and I don’t believe they know how to close the lid.

So who are the fools in all of this? The government, councils, PLC developers, the new home buyers, or us  for not taking a stand when it was needed?

If you have any comments or questions for Alex, please feel free to contact him on alex@alexgoldstein.co.uk

Work has begun on a new mural in the centre of Harrogate. The huge artwork on the alley between James Street and Market Place has been funded by Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID).

The length of the alley will replicate the gateway to the Dales. In preparation for being painted, the wall has been completely repointed. It’s expected the mural will be completed by early August. So far it’s still in the early stages, with just the base coat on the wall – but soon lots more will be added to it.

The painting is the work of Harrogate artist Sam Porter from Mural Minded. Last month, Sam created a ‘joyous’ wall mural on the side of a house in Cheapside, Knaresborough – featuring swallows and butterflies.

BID Manager Matthew Chapman said:

“The artwork is going to improve an area of Harrogate that’s been needing a bit of attention. We’ve been working with a local artist to improve the area through a vision of the gateway to the Dales.”

It’s not the only giant artwork set to give a Harrogate street a makeover. Last month Harrogate residents and businesses were asked to submit ideas to help give Cambridge Place a colourful makeover. 

Read More: 

• ‘Drab’ Harrogate town centre street to get colourful makeover
• 37-year bid to create public footpath in Masham woods rejected

This article is sponsored by Geek Bar

Ever wanted to try a new board game, but not fork out the cash to just use it once? Fancy a night out with your mates where you can actually hear each other? Or just want to meet new people who share your love of geek-dom and games? Geek Bar might just be the place for you.

Geek Bar on Harrogate’s Bower Road is the brainchild of Alan Evans, who runs Harrogate Bartender. He wanted to combine his love of boardgames and geek culture with his background in hospitality.

Alan loved playing board games with his friends in his living room. But when his collection reached over 300 games, he knew it was time to share his passion with the rest of Harrogate – and create a safe space for people to socialise.

“Playing board games is all about bringing people together. I basically opened the bar to get the games out of my living room so girls might be more interested… but then I ended up meeting my now-girlfriend at work, who actually likes games too!”

Alongside popular favourites like Uno, Cards Against Humanity and chess, gamers can also enjoy more specialist games like Catan or Munchkin.

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For RPG (role-playing games) fans, Geek Bar will set you up with a group to play the ever-popular Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) – or you can come as a ready-made group.

With all that gaming, geeks are likely to work up quite an appetite. Luckily, Geek Bar’s menu is full of reasonably priced, food and drinks. Even better, each of the quality American-style items has a geeky name or twist. 

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle hotdog is a fan favourite

Fandom favourites include the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle dog (a hotdog wrapped in mozzarella, pizza sauce and pepperoni), the Tinkerbell cocktail (a pornstar martini with added fairy dust), and the Onion Rings of Mordor!

Wherever possible, each menu item is available as a vegan alternative, and there are plenty of options for kids with smaller tummies.

Geek Bar’s cocktails all have a geeky twist too

After over a year of social distancing, being able to get together with friends (old and new) has never felt more important. To do that safely, all of the games are exposed to UV light for 20 minutes after each use – meaning they are all completely sterile when you pick your game from the shelf.

For Alan, the most important thing about Geek Bar is that it’s a safe place for everyone to get together:

“We really do have a great sense of community here at Geek Bar. Whether you have a young family, are wanting a night out with your friends, sometimes feel socially awkward or are looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly space, we want you to have a great time with great food and great games.”