Calvin Robinson Chief Reporter, Author at The Stray Ferret

Business Breakfast: Harrogate Town announces community scheme sponsor

Harrogate Town has announced Blossom Homecare as sponsors of its community programme.

The homecare provider, which covers Ripon and Harrogate, has agreed to sponsor the club’s Talk of the Town scheme.

The sessions, which are run by Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation, are aimed at reducing social isolation and improving both physical and mental wellbeing by bringing people together in a welcoming and safe environment.

Joanne Towler, commercial director at Harrogate Town, said:

“The collaboration with Blossom Homecare brings invaluable expertise and resources to the programme. As a trusted provider of homecare services,

“Blossom Homecare can contribute their knowledge in promoting health, well-being, and community outreach. Through their involvement, the partnership can further expand its reach and impact, offering assistance to those in need and facilitating meaningful connections.”

More than 100 businesses sign up to Harrogate College network

More than 100 employers have signed up to Harrogate College’s employers’ network.

The network was set up to help create a direct link between businesses and the college to help tailor work and training opportunities for students.

Danny Wild, principal of Harrogate College.

Now, the scheme has 103 members – a four fold increase since its first meeting in 2021.

Danny Wild, principal at Harrogate College, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the network growing so fast. To have gained more than 100 members in under two years is a real achievement – and a sign that we’re building something special here.

“The feedback we gain from businesses is invaluable and helps us identify and address any gaps in our courses, so we can keep ahead of the curve in terms of meeting emerging training needs.

“Our students also benefit from meeting employers when they come along to support our events, like recruitment fairs, or give guest talks – and this in turn helps them secure work placements or apprenticeships.”

Local firm that employs 1,000 staff set to close

Ilke Homes has told staff not to return to work and is expected to announce its closure imminently.

Numerous members of staff at the Flaxby-based firm, which employs about 1,000 staff, have told the Stray Ferret they were informed of the decision today.

Chief executive Giles Carter is expected to hold a video conference tomorrow.

Senior management have been told to hand in laptops and IT equipment ahead of the meeting.

The Stray Ferret has approached Ilke Homes for comment.

The modular house-building manufacturer told staff 20 days ago not to come into work as it sought a buyer and further investment.

Staff were paid in full on Wednesday and were informed by an email from Mr Carter that the firm continued to “pursue all angles to secure a long-term future for the business”. But no deal has transpired.

Ilke Homes' factory at Flaxby near Knaresborough

The headquarters at Flaxby

Ilke Homes, which is based alongside junction 47 of the A1(M), filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators last week.

The company said the move was due to financial difficulties caused by “volatile macro-economic conditions and issues with the planning system”.

Last week, the Stray Ferret reported the company had been offered to potential buyers for bids over £1, and some major housebuilders had been approached.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Ilke Homes told the Stray Ferret that “talks with potential investors remain ongoing”.

Officials at the firm said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

Ilke Homes was established in 2017 and opened its Flaxby factory the following year. Since then, it built up a client base that included major institutional investors, housing associations, developers and local councils.

Heather Parry steps down from top job at Harrogate’s Yorkshire Events Centre

The managing director of Harrogate’s Yorkshire Events Centre has stepped down after 30 years in post.

Heather Parry was credited with creating Fodder shop and cafe at the Great Yorkshire Showground in 2009 and overseeing the multi-million pound refurbishment of the events centre in 2016.

She joined the events centre after working in London at Earls Court Exhibition Centre.

Ms Parry was soon promoted to managing director of the commercial arm of the showground, overseeing the Pavilions of Harrogate and the Yorkshire Event Centre.

She also led the transformation of a disused area on the showground into what is now the Harrogate Caravan Park, with 67 pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents.

On her decision to step down, she said:

“I am so proud of the things that have been achieved working with an amazing team. When I arrived the income from activities outside the Great Yorkshire Show was £40,000 so we have come a long way to the current £7m. There have been so many highs: from welcoming President Bill Clinton and Sir Elton John, among many others, to creating Fodder and building Hall 1.

“My career here has been wonderfully diverse; with people at the heart of it all; I feel so lucky to have worked with a myriad of clients, dedicated suppliers and a phenomenal team who have been a joy to nurture and develop. After 30 years it is now time to hand the baton on and seek new adventures.”

Allister Nixon, chief executive of the Yorkshire Events Centre, said:

“Heather has had a huge impact on the business, being instrumental in shaping and forming what we are today with vision and sheer hard work. Heather will leave an amazing legacy to be proud of.

“She has been part of the fabric of the society for so many years and I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Heather for her hard work, dedication and significant contributions and wish her the very best in her future endeavours.”

Operations and appointments at Harrogate hospital to be cancelled amid consultants strike

Operations and appointments at Harrogate District Hospital look set to be cancelled after consultants announced strike action.

Members of the British Medical Association voted on Tuesday to walk out for 48 hours in a dispute over pay.

The strike by consultants will take place on July 20 and will follow a five-day demonstration by junior doctors.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said it will have to make changes to outpatient and theatre services on the days of industrial action.

Consultants will carry out what is described as Christmas Day cover, meaning most routine and elective services will be cancelled but full emergency cover will remain in place.

The move come as the BMA urged the government to come forward with a credible offer in order to avert strike action.

Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said:

“Consultants don’t want to have to take industrial action, but have been left with no option in the face of a Government that continues to cut our pay year after year.

“However, it is not too late to avert strike action and the Government simply needs come back to us with a credible offer that we can put to our members.”

In response to the decision, a spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the hospital will draw up plans to ensure “essential services can be maintained on strike days”.

However, they added that some outpatient appointments and operations will have to be rearranged.

The spokesperson said:

“To prioritise emergency care and to keep all our patients safe we will have to make changes to some of our outpatient and theatre services on the days of industrial action.

“As we have during previous strikes we will have to cancel outpatient appointments and elective operations, however we will be re-arranging any postponed appointments as a priority.”

Business Breakfast: Harrogate care company launches new day centres

Staff well-being and culture have rapidly risen up the priority list for many employers. At the next Stray Ferret Business Club we’ll hear from award winning employer, LCF Law, on how organisations can ensure their teams are productive and happy.

The lunch event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate care company has launched new day centres to help combat isolation and improve health and wellbeing.

Continued Care, which has offices in both Harrogate and Ripon, will run the centres from July 3 and offer a free taster session on first visit.

The sessions, which cost £80, will offer people a chance to socialise and make friends, learn new skills, take part in exercise and activities, and even have their hair cut. Two meals will also be provided.

Iona Novak, Continued Care’s social day club manager and wellbeing facilitator, said:

“Since the covid pandemic, we’ve seen an unmet need in the community for things like mobile hairdressers and chiropodists but also for somewhere that people can engage with others and take part in stimulating activities.

“Alongside that, there is a need among carers, who are often family members, for some respite, and they would be most welcome to attend as well.”

The day centres are open to all adults, regardless of whether they currently access care services. People can self-refer or be referred by a family member or healthcare professional.

The centres run every week from 10am to 3pm as follows: Mondays, Westcliffe Hall, Harrogate; Tuesdays, Ripon Community Hall; Wednesdays, Gracious Street Methodist Church, Knaresborough.

For more information, visit the Continued Care website here.

Harrogate beauty brand takes on Yorkshire Three Peaks

Staff at a Harrogate-based beauty brand have raised £2,900 for charity after completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge.

Cloud Nine, which is based at Hornbeam Park, raised the money for The Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides free hair wigs to children undergoing treatment for cancer.

The Cloud Nine team at the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Eight people took on the 25-mile hike on behalf of the company, with a further three offering welcome support to the group on the day.

Hamish Rae, e-marketplace coordinator at Cloud Nine, said:

“The team had an amazing day – it was a challenge both physically and mentally but knowing the amazing work done by The Little Princess Trust made it all worth it.”

Chinook helicopter in near-miss collision over Harrogate

A military helicopter was involved in a near-miss collision with a model airplane over Harrogate.

The UK Airprox Board, which investigates the risk of aircraft collisions, has published a report into the incident, which happened on April 17 this year.

It involved a model aircraft flying directly towards a Chinook helicopter as it prepared to land.

The report said the pilot, who was 150ft above ground level, saw the model aircraft come into “close proximity”.

It said:

“A crewman spotted the model aircraft as it flew directly towards the [Chinook] from the nine o’clock position. As the model aircraft approached, it dived below the [Chinook] either by the force of the downwash or under the control of the remote operator.

“It was the flash of the change in the wing profile that made the aircraft visible as the wing cross-section increased.”

It added:

“Once on the ground at Harrogate, the crew discussed the event and elected to continue with the sortie as it was a model aircraft and had not interfered with the [Chinook].

“The model was described as a green/brown replica historic model aircraft without lights.

“The UK Airprox Board secretariat contacted the local scale-model flying club but efforts to trace the pilot were unsuccessful.”

Despite the crew reporting that the risk of crash was low, the board certified the incident as a B risk rating – the second highest rating.

Seven of 18 monthly incidents were given a B risk by Airprox — all the others were rated lower risk.

The board resolved that safety had been “much reduced” during the incident and had “not been assured”.

It added:

“The board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where safety had been much reduced below the norm to the extent that safety had not been assured.”

Government approves plans for holiday flats at Harrogate Post Office

The government has approved a plan to convert a former Post Office in Harrogate into 23 holiday apartments.

The Post Office on Cambridge Road controversially relocated to WH Smith in 2019 amid claims by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones the service was being “downgraded”. The building has stood empty since.

In December last year, Harrogate Borough Council rejected plans by Leeds-based Priestley Group to convert the building into self-serviced holiday flats with a commercial unit on the ground floor.

At the time, the council cited poor residential amenity, lack of information on waste disposal and “a significant adverse impact on the vitality or viability of the retail offering” as reasons for refusal.

However, the government’s Planning Inspectorate has now approved the plan after Priestley Group appealed the decision.

In her decision notice, Susan Hunt, a planning inspector, said although the apartments would not be suitable for long-term residents, those living in the flats would be “temporary and transient”.

She added that a condition could be set for waste disposal to “appropriately deal with the council’s concern”.

Ms Hunt also said the addition of a commercial unit would add to the vibrancy and vitality of the town centre.

She said:

“I have had regard to the comments that the council’s economic section and the advice from a commercial agent that a smaller unit would be more affordable for and attractive to individual and independent retailers.

“There is a lack of evidence before me to suggest that smaller retail and commercial units would harm the vitality and viability of the town centre. Accordingly, I consider that a variety of sizes of unit would add to the choice within Harrogate town centre.”

The move comes as the developer had previously had plans for 11 flats at the site approved in February this year.

The Stray Ferret asked Priestley Group whether it would now proceed with the latest approval for holiday flats for the site, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Harrogate town council set to be formed as 66% back the idea

Plans to create a Harrogate town council look set to go ahead after a second consultation revealed the majority of respondents support the idea.

Letters were posted to 35,583 homes in Harrogate inviting them to have their say on the subject.

The results, published today, reveal 65.5% said they were in favour of the move — which would lead to the creation of a new council tax charge.

However, just 1,698 responded, which represents just 4.7% of households.

North Yorkshire Council launched the second consultation as part of a community governance review in March.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council.

The areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town council.

The areas in Harrogate which are set to pay extra council tax to fund the town council.

The first consultation in Harrogate, which began in August last year and received only a 3.5% response rate, revealed 75% supported a town council — so support has waned.

In a report due before councillors on Wednesday, a recommendation will be made to refer the responses to full council later this year.

Cllr David Chance, executive councillor for corporate services at the council, said:

“The public consultations which have been carried out in the areas under review have shown that there is support among residents who responded to the consultation for town councils to be created for both Harrogate and Scarborough.

“Full consultations have been conducted to gauge the public’s opinions on the proposals, and the recommendation is now for a full council meeting to discuss the plans for the two new councils.

“If the decision is taken to introduce the town councils for both Harrogate and Scarborough, this will provide more democratically-elected voices for both areas to ensure that the views of local people are heard effectively to help us deliver key services.”

Establishing a town council, with yet to be determined powers, is expected to create an additional annual council tax charge of between £40 and £60 for the homes affected.

The town councils would be formed for administrative purposes from April 2024, and the first elections would be on May 2, 2024, when councillors would be elected for a reduced term of three years. Elections would then take place every four years from 2027.

The parish would be divided into divisions, based largely on the divisions that now apply since North Yorkshire Council was established in the spring.

A total of 19 members would be elected to the town council.

Business Breakfast: Ripon firms share concerns with MP at first networking event

The lunch event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Ripon business organisation held its first networking event this past week as traders shared their concerns with the town’s MP Julian Smith.

Ripon Business Improvement District hosted the session at the Town Hall which was chaired by Stuart Gill of the Newby Hall Estate.

It included a question and answer session with Mr Smith as well as discussion over anti-social behaviour in the city, business rates and banking facilities.

Lilia Bathurst, manager at Ripon BID, said:

“Ripon BID would like to thank all those who attended, Stuart Gill for chairing the meeting and Janet Moore from Wakeman’s House Café who provided the excellent buffet lunch and looks forward to being able to host another networking event soon.”

Knaresborough firm wins award for fourth time

A Knaresborough car finance firm has won an award for the fourth time in a row.

Oracle Car FInance, which is based on Manse Lane, won the best specialist finance provider at the Credit Strategy Car Finance Awards 2023.

Staff from Oracle Car Finance at the ceremony.

Held at Lancashire Cricket Club, the event aims to recognise dealers, brokers and independent lenders in the car industry.

Oracle picked up the award after winning it in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

A spokesperson for the firm said:

“The win is a huge testament to the hard work and dedication that everyone at Oracle Finance put into ensuring that we remain the ‘gold standard for car finance’ – not our words, the words of a number of our lenders on our expansive panel.”

Staff at troubled Ilke Homes told they will be paid this month

Staff at Ilke Homes have been told they will be paid in full this month as the company continues to find a buyer.

The modular housing manufacturer based at Flaxby, alongside the A1(M), filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators last week.

The company said the move was due to financial difficulties caused by “volatile macro-economic conditions and issues with the planning system”.

Staff were told to stay at home on June 9 while the company tried to resolve the situation.

The lack of apparent progress in the 18 days since has heightened concerns but in an email, seen by the Stray Ferret, staff have now been told they will be “paid as normal” this week and that payslips will be available on Wednesday.

The email, sent by chief executive Giles Carter, added the company continued to “pursue all angles to secure a long-term future for the business”.

Last week, the Stray Ferret reported that the company had been offered to potential buyers for bids over £1, and some major housebuilders have been approached.

At the time, any bids for the business were to be submitted before the end of the week, when the firm’s existing backers would decide the firm’s future.

The Stray Ferret asked Ilke Homes today whether any bids for the company had been lodged since it filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.

A spokesperson said:

“Talks with potential investors remain ongoing.”

lke Homes said previously it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

The company specialises in modular housing built in its Flaxby factory and then put together on site in a process that saves time and costs, reduces carbon emissions, and is not weather-dependent.

Earlier this month, the company told most of the nearly 1,000 employees at its 250,000 sq ft factory not to come into work until further notice.

Ilke Homes was established in 2017 and opened its Flaxby factory the following year. Since then, it has built up a client base that includes major institutional investors, housing associations, developers and local councils.

More than 100 businesses sign up to Harrogate College network

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