Calvin Robinson Chief Reporter, Author at The Stray Ferret

Business Breakfast: Spotlight on state of business at Harrogate chamber meeting

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

The current state of business will be in the spotlight at a Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting tonight.

Held at the Double Tree by Hilton in Harrogate, the meeting will hear from Paul Mount, Bank of England deputy agent for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Mr Mount, who lives in South Yorkshire, is one of 12 regional agents who engage with business and public sector leaders to understand the environment they face, and to explain the policy stance and work of the bank.

David Simister, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce chief executive, said:

“We are delighted to have Paul joining us for our November meeting, when he will give an economic update and speak about the true state of business in the UK.

“With the current state of the economy, many businesses are finding themselves under extreme pressure, and in the last week alone we have sadly learned of the closure of a number of Harrogate restaurants.

“With all the resources of the Bank of England at his fingertips, Paul will tell us exactly what the future holds in store for us.”

Doors open at 5.30pm for open networking with the meeting proper commencing at 6.15pm.

Chamber members and first time guests from the local business community are asked to register their attendance in advance on the Chamber website here.

Masham brewery partners with Doncaster Knights

A Masham brewery has announced a partnership with Doncaster Knights RFC.

The partnership will see Theakston become the Knights’ exclusive cask partner for the next three years, with the brewery’s Old Peculier ale having been introduced to the club’s concourse bar, now renamed the Theakston bar.

The high-profile partnership will support the Knights’ ambitions of reaching the Premiership by increasing the team’s visibility throughout Yorkshire and helping to attract more punters into its bar.

The Theakston bar at Doncaster Knights.

It marks the latest partnership for the family-run brewery, which has long supported sport across the region, having sponsored the Voneus Village Cup, the Nidderdale Cricket League and Ripon Rugby Club.

Simon Theakston, joint managing director at Theakston Brewery, said:

“With almost 350 years of combined history, Theakston and Doncaster Knights are two Yorkshire institutions which have not only stood the test of time but evolved in order to find continued success.

“Given our heritage and shared love for God’s Own Country, the partnership made perfect sense.”

Elliott Horan, head of commercial and media at Doncaster Knights, added:

“We’re proud to be Yorkshire’s highest ranked rugby union club and we wanted a partner whose values fit with our own.

“As a brewery with almost 200 years of brewing expertise, and a fantastic range of cask ale products on offer, partnering with Theakston was a no-brainer. We’re really proud to have such a strong Yorkshire brand backing us, helping us to fly the flag for the White Rose and support us as we look to secure promotion to the Premiership.”

Developer appeals council refusal for three yurts in Kirkby Malzeard

Developers have lodged an appeal against a decision to reject plans for three yurts in Kirkby Malzeard.

The proposal would have seen the yurts created on Back Lane North, to the west of Pipistrelle Barn, in a field previously used for grazing sheep.

The application was submitted by Frederick Atkinson to create the yurts, each on raised decking and with its own hot tub along with a ‘services area’ of toilet, sink and shower in a wooden hut.

Harrogate Borough Council turned down the proposal in September.

The authority said the plan would have “an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the Nidderdale Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty”.

However, the developer has lodged an appeal against the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said:

“The subject proposals would see the creation of a small family-run business named ‘Yurts @ Pipistrelle Barn’.

“It is envisaged that the site will provide a peaceful, low impact and eco-friendly retreat, nestled on the edge of a well serviced Yorkshire village, providing the perfect base for future guests to enjoy the best of North Yorkshire.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

First tennis tournament held in memory of Knaresborough headteacher

A tennis tournament created in memory of a Knaresborough headteacher was held for the first time this week.

Knaresborough King James Tennis Club hosted the tournament following the death of John Forster at the age of 85.

Mr Forster, who was headteacher at King James’s School for 16 years, had a passion for tennis and championed the sport to the point where the school’s teams reached national and regional finals.

He was also a founding member of Knaresborough Tennis Club.

The very first John Forster tournament was organised by John’s son Mike Forster.

On setting up the tournament, Mike said:

“Dad loved his sport, being a devoted runner, tennis player and Leeds United fan.

“His contribution to KKJTC over the years is incalculable and I’m absolutely thrilled that the club decided to create this tournament in his memory.”

Although very close-fought, the inaugural event was won by Andy Little and Jeanette Bowden, stalwarts of KKJTC’s mixed teams competing in the Harrogate District Tennis League.

Mike added:

“It was without doubt the best turnout we’ve ever had for a club tournament with dozens of participants, so I’d like to thank everyone who took part for a fitting tribute to Dad. He would have been competing if he could.

“He was always passionate about getting people involved in sport, especially pupils from local schools, and he would have been very pleased to know that the tournament will be contested every year now.

“We are proud that our club reflects my dad’s principles of being friendly and welcoming to all standards of player, so if anyone would like to join us, do please get in touch.”

Celtic gold ring found in Knaresborough expected to fetch £30,000

A gold ring owned by a Celtic leader and unearthed in Knaresborough could be sold for up to £30,000.

The Iron Age jewellery dating back to 110BC was discovered in the town in 1994.

It is set to go to auction next week and is valued between £24,000 and £30,000.

The ring’s distinctive abstract design is linked to the Iceni tribe, which ruled a large part of East Anglia before the Roman invasion.

Experts believe the ring to have been worn by a chieftain from the Corieltauvi tribe, which ruled parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire.

Nigel Mills, consultant from Noonans auctioneers, described it as an exciting artefact to examine.

He said:

“It is the most exciting ring I have had the pleasure of examining and is likely to have been worn by an Iron Age chieftain from the Corieltauvi tribe which inhabited Yorkshire at that time.”

The ring has been in private collection ever since it was discovered 28 years ago.

The North Yorkshire coroner declared the ring a stray find and therefore not treasure under the Treasure Trove law and it has been kept privately ever since.

This will be the first time the historic ring has been to auction.

It is set to go under the hammer on November 16.

Head chef admits assault and knife offence at Harrogate restaurant

A head chef has been given a suspended sentence for causing criminal damage at a Harrogate restaurant and carrying a knife in public.

Daniel Woodward, 35, of Oakdale Drive, Harrogate, was also charged with assaulting a staff member, racially aggravated harassment and affray.

He appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to all charges.

Woodward had worked at William and Victoria restaurant on Cold Bath Road for three years as a head chef, the court heard.

When he turned up at the restaurant on October 9, another staff member noticed he was “concerned about his girlfriend”.

Woodward was told to calm down and sit upstairs, where he began raising his voice and banging his fists on the table.

Later Woodward was in the kitchen where staff found him swearing and bowls were smashed.

The prosecution said the female staff member became scared as Woodward began shouting and swearing, some of which was racial.

The court heard how staff found Woodward with a chef’s knife “clutched to him” and had “blood on his hands”.

Magistrates were also told how Woodward had assaulted a male staff member and left him with a cut to his right hand finger.

At 2.30pm, police arrived at the scene and took Woodward to hospital. He continued to swear and use racially insulting words.

The officer said Woodward called him a “pig” and repeatedly told him to “f*** off”.

The prosecution said:

“The officer said the abuse that the defendant subjected him to is by far the worst in his seven-and-a-half years in the force.”

‘Sorry for his actions’

Brian Nuttney, defending Woodward, told the court that Woodward had “no recollection of much of what happened”, but was sorry for his actions.

Mr Nuttney said the defendant’s girlfriend was supposed to come to see him the night before, but did not turn up which led to him becoming concerned.

He told the court that Woodward was also offered bottles of wine at the restaurant and another staff member made a remark which “could have tipped him over the edge”.

Mr Nuttney said the defendant had been in care at a young age and had felt abandoned, but had gone on to start a family and train to be a chef.

He said:

“Mr Woodward did not have the best start in life.”

Woodward was given a 21-month total sentence suspended for two years. He was also sentenced to eight weeks and four weeks in prison for harassment and affray, which were also suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to undertake 25 days of rehabilitation and to wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 90 days.

Woodward was also subjected to court costs of £472.

The magistrates also awarded £100 in compensation to William and Victoria and another £100 to the injured staff member.

Furnish and Fettle to close Harrogate showroom at end of the year

The owners of Furnish and Fettle have announced they are to close their Harrogate showroom.

Glyn and Eleanor Goddard said changes in the marketplace with more online shopping and rising costs led them to make the decision to shut the branch on Crescent Road.

The showroom will close at the end of the year.

All staff will be moved to the branch in Wetherby. The business has also taken on additional storage and workshop space at Thorp Arch as part of the move.

Mr Goddard said a significant change in footfall was part of the decision to shut the showroom.

He said:

“Footfall has changed dramatically over the past couple of years and the marketplace has polarised.

“The more price-sensitive shoppers are increasingly turning to the internet, while at the other end of the spectrum are people looking for expertise and service, and these are the majority of our clients.

“With rising costs, it just makes no sense to have two showrooms so close to each other, so we have taken the opportunity of a break in our lease to refocus how we can best serve our clients.”

The business has also invested in new, larger vans to make delivery of larger pieces of furniture easier.

It is also looking to recruit an additional experienced interior designer and a tradesperson to work as part of the installations team.

Mrs Goddard said:

“This is a really exciting time, we have seen a huge increase in the projects side of our business, while the retail side has become a bit of a distraction.

“Both our Wetherby and Pocklington showrooms will continue to display inspirational room sets and will still feature pieces that can be bought there and then, but they will mainly serve to showcase design ideas and our bespoke craftsmanship.

“Yes, it is a bit sad to be leaving Harrogate, especially as we are in such a beautiful building, but our Wetherby showroom is less than 10 miles away and this move just makes sense on every level.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district update

Drivers should be aware of some ongoing roadworks on main routes throughout the Harrogate district this morning.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Drivers should be aware that traffic lights on the A59 York Road near the junction with the A658 near Goldsborough continue to cause delays for drivers during rush hour.

As reported by the Stray Ferret, three-way lights at the junction with the A658 has seen queueing traffic for motorists this week.

Yorkshire Water is carrying out work to lay a new water main for a housing development.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, the work is due to remain until November 27.

Drivers are urged to allow extra time if using the route this morning

Meanwhile, temporary lights are also in place on Otley Road near Killinghall.

The lights are in place as a new entrance for a housing estate is created. The measure is due to end today.

This morning, motorists should expect the usual traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

Drivers should also be aware of temporary lights on the A61 Ripon Road near Kent Road. City Fibre is carrying out work until November 13.

Trains and buses

This morning, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Bus Company is currently reporting no cancellations on its services this morning. You can get updates here.

Business Breakfast: Executive search firm moves to Harrogate’s Windsor House

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

A n executive search firm the global chemical, medical and industrial sectors has moved into Harrogate’s Windsor House.

George Thomas, which was founded in 2018, helps with recruitment for senior management, executive and c-level placements.

The company has joined more than 115 other businesses in Windsor House, the former Grand Hotel, on Cornwall overlooking the Valley Gardens.

Thomas Flaherty, director of George Thomas, said:

“We are delighted to have recently moved into Windsor House, the building is the perfect location for us to operate in and offers us all the facilities we need to run our business.”

Windsor House is undergoing major refurbishment to its ground floor, which is seeing its communal areas modernised and the creation of new co-working spaces.

Karen Winspear, property manager at Boultbee Brooks which manages the building, said:

“We are delighted to welcome George Thomas and his 14-strong team to Windsor House.

“The company, our latest tenant, chose Windsor House because of the quality of office space, affordability, its proximity to the town centre, and onsite car parking.”

Grantley Hall wins best countryside hotel award

Grantley Hall has won a national award for best countryside hotel.

The hotel near Ripon picked up the award as part of the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2023.

Condé Nast set up the scheme to “acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across our recommended properties”.

Grantley Hall posted on its social media:

“This would not have been possible without our loyal guests and our incredible staff.

“Thank you to all who voted for Grantley Hall.”

New Pannal business park rejected

Senior Harrogate councillors have rejected plans for a new business park in Pannal as the proposal was “not viable without significant support”.

Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet last night put the brakes on the proposals for a site off the A61 Leeds Road between the railway line and Crimple Beck.

Councillors also paused plans for a redevelopment of Dragon Road car park in Harrogate and agreed to progress with a housing plan for the Harlow Nursery site provided a new nursery is found.

It comes after council-appointed consultants BDP and Colliers undertook a study to come up with options for three brownfield sites under the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35.

Cllr Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at the council, told a meeting last night he was not comfortable with the standard of the design for the Pannal proposal.

He said:

“The options presented, which aren’t viable without significant support, are not up to a standard design with which I can feel comfortable.

“There seems little hope to producing something to the quality that I believe the site needs. I will therefore propose that we do not progress with options for the site.”

He also recommended that the employment site be removed from the local plan “at the review stage or during the creation of a new local plan on a North Yorkshire Council geography”.

The proposed layout of the employment site along the A61 near Pannal.

An officer’s report said the site could be used for high-tech manufacturing, research and development, or business headquarters. Buildings would be up to three storeys and 5,000m sq in size.

The total office space allocated for the site was 10,000m sq alongside 31,500m sq of industrial space.

The officer’s report acknowledged that any development of the site was likely to take place after Harrogate Borough Council is abolished next spring, when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into effect.

Dragon Road redevelopment paused

Meanwhile, senior councillors also decided to pause plans for development on Dragon Road car park in Harrogate.

The site could be used to create affordable flats or extra care housing.

However, Cllr Myatt proposed that the council should ensure that “adequate parking for Harrogate Convention Centre associated vehicles take primacy over site redevelopment”.

He added that the council should “pause consideration of this site until it is clear that the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment will be able to accommodate exhibition traffic on site”.

The cabinet did, however, approve plans to procure technical drawings and surveys into how infrastructure for the Nidderdale Greenway cycle route, which passes through the car park, could be improved.

Cllr Myatt said:

“We do certainly want to see improvements to the cycle path.

“But greater development isn’t possible until the site’s role as a car park for Harrogate Convention Centre traffic has been explored during Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment.”

Harlow Nursery housing

The council approved plans to press ahead with housing for the site at Harlow Nursery provided a replacement nursery is found.

Cllr Myatt recommended that any sale of the site was “contingent on the relocation of the existing council nursery”.

Consultants hired by the council came up with two options for the site this year. The first option was to build a mix of 57 family homes and flats. The second was to build 62 homes and flats with smaller gardens.

The Harlow Nursery site in Harrogate.

A report before councillors recommended the 62-home option and invites expressions of interest for the land before proceeding to tender for a conditional sale.

Cllr Myatt told councillors:

“On Harlow Nursery, we must make sure that a successful nursery relocation is prioritised and that should be explicitly referenced in our recommendations.”

Harrogate rough sleepers are being offered support, says council leader

The leader of Harrogate Borough Council has assured people that support is being offered to rough sleepers on Oxford Street.

In a statement to last night’s council cabinet meeting, Cllr Richard Cooper said he was aware of concern regarding drinking, street begging and rough sleeping at the back of Primark.

Cllr Cooper said that “to the best of the council’s knowledge” three “entrenched, long-term” rough sleepers have been sleeping in the area.

He said they had been offered various accommodation options, including Fern House in Starbeck, which is the council’s move-on accommodation for rough sleepers, a bed and breakfast in Knaresborough and a two-bedroom council house, but all were turned down.

Cllr Cooper added that temporary accommodation was later accepted, but the occupants left.

He said:

“Unfortunately, that accommodation was extensively damaged by the occupants who had to leave it and are now sleeping rough again.

“I know that caring members of the public are leaving food and coffees behind Primark for the group that are gathered there.

“Now, that is often a much larger number than the three rough sleepers I mentioned earlier.”

Cllr Cooper added:

“I can assure people that many of those gathered there and on Bower Street, where we have seen similar issues, have their own accommodation provided by housing associations or the council, which they can use.

“I can’t fault and would never fault people for demonstrating their compassion. I would just say that extensive support with healthcare, washing, cooked meals and medical support is available a few yards away in the Springboard facility in the Wesley Chapel.

“If people have spare cash to support Springboard, which is run by Harrogate Homeless Project, or Harrogate Street Aid through the various terminals around town, then this may be a more long-term way to provide the help that is required.”

Cllr Cooper, who is a trustee of Harrogate Homeless Project, said the council, along with businesses and other organisations, would continue to support rough sleepers.

He added the help will include drawing up a plan as “a town centre community rather than individual organisations” to identify how to get support to those people.

Concern over homelessness

In August, council bosses raised concern over a “perfect storm” of homelessness in Harrogate due to the cost of living crisis and lack of accommodation.

The authority revealed a “huge” 60% increase in requests for housing help, which has led to more homeless people staying in bed and breakfasts for longer.

The council also said it has had difficulties in moving hostel tenants into permanent housing as cases have been “more complex than normal”.

Speaking at the time, Trevor Watson, director of economy and culture at the council, said these issues combined with a lack of private rental properties in the district were creating a “perfect storm”.

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‘Sorry for his actions’

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Roads

Trains and buses

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Grantley Hall wins best countryside hotel award

Dragon Road redevelopment paused

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Harlow Nursery housing

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Concern over homelessness