It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.
Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
Harrogate beauty brand Cloud Nine has appointed a new chief executive.
Danny Emmett joins the company from AO, where he was chief executive for four and a half years.
It means current directors and founders, Martin and Gavin Rae, will become non-executive chairman and non-executive director.
The move comes as Cloud Nine is eying further growth as part of its strategy to double in size and expand into new territories by 2027.
Mr Emmett said:
“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to lead Cloud Nine, an ambitious brand with fantastic products, a unique culture and sustainability at its heart.
“I am looking forward to working with Martin and Gavin and the rest of the senior leadership team, as well as the wider team – all of whom have done a fantastic job of getting the company to where it is today.”
Harrogate clinic to host open evening
A Harrogate clinic is set to hold a beauty evening later this month.
The Harrogate Clinic, which is based on Prospect Crescent, will host the event from 5.30pm until 7pm on June 20.
It will include a chance to explore treatments such as anti-ageing skincare, facial rejuvenation, skin boosters for menopause, hair rejuvenation and women health packages.
For more information on the event and to register attendance, contact Dr Farzana on info@theharrogateclinic.com or call 01423 637172.
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Harrogate junior doctors: ‘We are prepared to continue to strike’
Junior doctors on strike in Harrogate have pledged to continue to stage walk outs until the government comes to the negotiating table.
Members of the British Medical Association are striking for 72 hours as of today after negotiations with ministers over a pay increase broke down.
Doctors based at Harrogate District Hospital set up a picket line on Wetherby Road this morning.
The move comes as the BMA described the latest government pay offer of a 5% increase for junior doctors as “in no way credible”.
It has called for a 35% pay hike in order to meet successive years of below inflation rises.

Junior doctors from the British Medical Association on strike in Harrogate.
Antony Antypas, one of the junior doctors on strike in Harrogate this morning, said some of his colleagues were considering leaving the profession due to pay.
He said:
“We have got to a position where we have lost a lot of our pay.
“There are staff that want to leave their job and go somewhere else. But we do not want to get to that point.”
He added that staff were “constantly fire fighting” against operation waiting lists and emergency department waiting times. He called for a better offer for junior doctors in order to “retain staff”.
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Mr Antypas, who studied at University of Nottingham and is a second year foundation doctor at Harrogate hospital, added that junior doctors would be “prepared to continue to strike” until their demands are met.
The move comes as officials at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has urged patients to attend appointments as normal unless contacted to reschedule.
However, the trust warned that some outpatient appointments may be cancelled at short notice during the three-day strike.
A spokesperson said:
Council to press ahead with Nidderdale Children’s Centre closure“We understand this may cause our patients and their families to worry about how services will be delivered during this period. The safety of our patients is our primary concern and we have developed plans for the proposed action and its impact on our services, patients and staff. We are working hard to prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery.
“To prioritise emergency care and to keep all patients safe, we are having to make changes to some of our outpatient and theatre services on the days of industrial action. We are aiming to keep as many outpatient appointments and elective activity across the three days of strike action, but there is a risk that these may be cancelled at short notice.
“Patients should continue to attend appointments as planned unless contacted to reschedule.”
North Yorkshire Council looks set to press ahead with the close of a children’s centre in Pateley Bridge.
The authority has proposed to close five centres across the county as part of cost cutting measures.
Among them is Nidderdale Children’s Centre, which is based at St Cuthbert’s Church of England Primary School in Pateley Bridge.
The council has recommended consulting on closure of the facility, which it says has not reopened since the covid pandemic.
Instead, officials have proposed giving the space back to the school in a bid to save the authority £13,400 a year.
Council officials launched a consultation back in March over the planned closure.
In a report due before the authority’s executive next week, the council said just one response was received in relation to the Pateley Bridge facility.
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The respondent did not agree with the closure and cited “lack of resources within the locality, requesting that the centre be retained for the development of groups to support children and their families”.
In response, council officials said:
“As evidenced in the report to exec member dated 7 March 2023 there was very little use of the building therefore it would not be financially viable to reopen this building.
“Within the Nidderdale locality there are currently several groups that provide support for children and their families.”
The centre opened in September 2010 as a designated children’s centre. It was backed by £590,715 worth of Sure Start funding from the Department for Education.
The council said it does not anticipate that the government will request any of the money back.
Centres in Eastfield, South Craven, Kirbymoorside and Wensleydale will also be considered for closure.
Senior councillors will consider the proposal at a meeting on June 20.
Business Breakfast: Ripon meat retailer appoints new chief executiveIt’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.
Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
Farmison & Co has appointed a new chief executive.
The online butcher, which was recently bought out by a consortium led by former Asda CEO Andy Clark, has recruited Andy Adcock to take up the position.
Mr Adcock is a former managing director at M&S and has spent 20 years in the food trade.
Mr Clark, executive chairman at Farmison, said:
“I’d like to welcome Andy to the Farmison team – I’ve every confidence he’ll bring even more momentum as we build a sustainable future for our business.”
The appointment comes as the meat retailer has also announced a partnership with delivery service Gopuff.
It means products including bacon, sausages chicken and steaks, will be available for 15 minute delivery in Gopuff’s London delivery area.
New partner at Harrogate’s solicitors
Harrogate solicitors Raworths has announced it has appointed a new partner.
Rachel Mainwaring-Taylor will join the firm’s trusts, wills and estates team as part of a strategic growth plan at the company.

Rachel Mainwaring-Taylor. Picture: Raworths
Rachel joins the firm from London-based Farrer & Co, where she advised individuals, families and trustees on issues including succession, wealth structuring and governance.
Rachel Tunnicliffe, senior partner and head of private client services at Raworths, said;
“We are absolutely delighted to have attracted someone of Rachel’s calibre, contributing further to the strategic growth of our specialist teams across the firm.
“As families become more international, Rachel’s cross-border experience will be a particularly valuable addition to the support which we already offer to our clients.”
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Two men appear in court charged with wounding man in Harrogate
Two men have appeared in court charged with wounding a man in Harrogate.
Adam Fogarty-Walker, 18, of Ash Grove, Bradford, and Joshua Dane Rider, 18, of Fairfield Terrace, Leeds, appeared at York Magistrates Court yesterday.
Both were charged with maliciously wounding a man in Dragon Road car park on Thursday, June 8.
A third man was initially charged by police in connection with the incident, but charges were later dropped.
Fogarty-Walker and Rider were also charged with carrying a kitchen knife in a public place without good reason or lawful authority.
Meanwhile, Rider also faced two charges of having in his possession two wraps of diamorphine and 28 wraps of cocaine with intent to supply.
The cases were referred to York Crown Court where the three men were ordered to appear on July 10, 2023.
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Man admits causing death of woman in car crash near Ripon
A man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a 20-year-old woman by dangerous driving in Ripon.
Harry Elliott, 25, appeared before York Crown Court yesterday after his Audi RS3 crashed into a tree on the B6265 near Grantley Hall in the early hours of December 6, 2019.
Naomi Buckle, who was from Catterick Garrison and was a passenger in the car, died as a result of the crash.
Elliott, of Richmond in North Yorkshire, who initially denied causing death by dangerous driving at a hearing in August 2022, was due to stand trial yesterday.
However, he changed his plea to guilty in court.
He will be sentenced on July 24.
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Business Breakfast: Harrogate directors shortlisted for industry awards
It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.
Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
Two local directors have been named on shortlist for the Institute of Director’s awards.
Astrid Wynne and Rich Kenny, both of Harrogate firm Interact DC Limited, have made the shortlist in two separate categories.
The Institute of Directors 2023 director of the year awards will be held on September 29 and includes nine categories.
Ms Wynne, who is head of partnerships at Interact, has been named in the sustainability category while Mr Kenny, managing director, is up for innovation.
Jon Geldart, director general of the IoD, said:
“Britain’s directors have had to dig deep over the past few years to overcome business conditions which continue to prove challenging.
“These awards are about people, not profits, and celebrating those who celebrate others. It is therefore particularly pleasing to be able to bring together all our finalists to share and celebrate the achievements of innovative directors across the country, for their businesses, the environment and the communities within which they work and live.”
Free business workshop in Harrogate
A free business networking session will take place in Harrogate on Friday.
ActionCOACH Harrogate is hosting a ‘better business’ masterclass at Roosters Brewery at Hornbeam Park from 9.30am.
The session will focus on business coaching and will include tips on marketing concepts, sales promotion and profit building systems.
For more information on the networking session, visit the Eventbrite page here.
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Appeal after golf clubs stolen from car parked at Harrogate guest house
Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after a car was broken into at a Harrogate guest house.
Officers say a golf equipment was stolen from a Volkswagen Polo which was parked at the Camberley Guest House on King’s Road between 5.30pm on Thursday, 8 June, and 7.30am on Friday, 9 June.
In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said some John Letters golf clubs and a Callaway driver were stolen.
Police said:
“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to email Neel.Seth@northyorkshire.police.uk.
“You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask to speak to PC 1442 Seth.
“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230104724.”
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Knaresborough housebuilder up for sale as operations paused
Bosses at Knaresborough-based Ilke Homes are “exploring a sale” of the company as hundreds of staff are sent home.
The company said in a statement today it required additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs.
The firm added new investment was needed to build 4,200 homes.
It added it was looking to sell the firm at a time when “volatile macro-economic conditions and issues with the planning system complicate fundraising and housing delivery”.
The Stray Ferret reported on Friday that several hundred staff at its Flaxby factory close to the A1(M) were told not to come into work until further notice.
They have reportedly been told they will be paid, and will be called back in when the company finds an investor. Managers will continue to work in the 250,000 sq ft factory this week.
The company said in its statement that it operations had been paused “while a strategic review is ongoing”.
It added:
“In 2020, Ilke Homes launched its turnkey development offering, where the company acquires land, secures planning permission and develops the site. This has been complicated by uncertainty over planning policy and rising build costs.
“While having delivered strong contribution margins, Ilke Homes now requires new investment to meet overheads, achieve further scale and become cash flow positive.
“The wider UK housing market has been hit by rapidly rising interest rates, which has reduced demand and resulted in housing starts falling below pre-pandemic levels.
“Official government figures have also revealed that planning applications in England have fallen to their lowest level in at least 16 years, thanks to uncertainty over planning policy and heightened build costs, highlighting the scale of the challenge in improving housing delivery.”
Ilke Homes specialises in building modular homes.
The company builds the homes at its factory on Flaxby Moor Industrial Estate near Knaresborough. The homes are then delivered across the UK.
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Plan to convert former Ripon dentist into flat
A plan has been lodged to convert a former dentist in Ripon into a flat.
The proposal, which has been lodged by Wilkinsons Properties Ltd, would see the former W&B Dental practice converted.
The dentists was formerly based at 12 High Skellgate in the city.
The practice has since moved to Phoenix Business Centre.
Under the plans, the first floor property would be converted into a one-bedroom flat and be accessed from High Skellgate.
North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
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