Harrogate salon to celebrate its 50th anniversary today

A well-known Harrogate salon is celebrating its 50th anniversary today.

Sheila Henry, located on Mowbray Square, was founded by Sheila Morton in 1973 as a hair salon and introduced beauty treatments in the early 1980s.

The current owner, Angela Charlton, joined the business in 1987 and worked alongside Ms Morton until she purchased the business in 2017.

The salon now offers a range of traditional beauty services including massages, nail treatments and spray tanning, as well as more specialised treatments such as electrolysis skin tag removal and laser hair removal.

Customers can expect a free glass of fizz with treatments this week, as well as goodie bags with free samples and sweet treats to celebrate the big birthday.

The salon will also be hosting a prize draw for those that spend over £40 from today until Saturday – with free treatments, vouchers, robes and gift boxes up for grabs.

Ms Charlton told the Stray Ferret:

“We’re all very excited about the celebrations.

“I worked for Sheila for 36 years before I took over the business but she is still a regular client and will be in the salon on the anniversary to celebrate too.

“I feel very proud of the salon and all that it has achieved.”

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Man dies after crash between Harrogate and Ripon

A 59-year-old man has died following a collision on the A61 between Ripley and South Stainley last weekend.

North Yorkshire Police said the crash happened at 5.20pm on Saturday, August 26.

Three cars were involved in the collision, including a dark coloured Suzuki Bandit Motorcycle, a dark coloured Land Rover Discovery and a white Ford Transit Van.

The rider of the motorcycle, a 59-year-old man, died.

Police said the man’s family have been informed and are receiving support from specially trained officers.

The driver of the Land Rover Discovery and the Ford Transit both stopped at the scene to assist officers with their enquiries.

Officers believe that the motorcyclist was travelling with a group of unknown motorcycles immediately before the collision and he was at the rear of the group.

The road was closed for several hours to allow officers to conduct investigation work at the scene of the collision.

In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said:

“We’re appealing for information and witnesses following a fatal collision on the A61 over the weekend.

“We’re now appealing to anyone who may have seen the collision or who may have any dashcam footage of the collision or the vehicles prior to the incident, to come forward.

“Anyone with any information or footage is urged to preserve the footage and contact us on 101 quoting reference 12230161248.

“Alternatively, you can email ross.moralee@northyorkshire.police.uk.”

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Vote for your favourite photo of the week to be included in our 2024 charity calendar: Spring edition

The Stray Ferret is launching an inaugural charity calendar showcasing the very best images from our photo of the week feature.

Photo of the week is published every Sunday to showcase the beauty the Harrogate district has to offer, and now we need your help to decide which images will be included in the spring months of our calendar.

So, whether you’re partial to a warm March sunset or the famous Harrogate cherry blossom, have your say on our competition page to decide which photos will be included.

Take a look at the contenders below and click here to vote for your favourite.

 

Free cycling sessions to improve skills and confidence to be held in Harrogate

Harrogate residents will be able to attend free cycling workshops to improve their skills and confidence on the road in September.

Kate Auld, founder of The Personal Cyclist, has teamed up with the Harrogate branch of Sweaty Betty and bike recycling charity, Resurrection Bikes, to host sessions on basic bike maintenance and necessary skills to encourage a more active mode of travel.

Attendees will be able to borrow bikes on the day and can expect a Sweaty Betty gift voucher.

The sessions come as part of the Big Bike Revival 2023 – a nationwide programme to make cycling more accessible.

It is backed by Cycling UK, which aims to engage with 45% of those defined as non-regular cyclists and hopes to create 50,000 new cycling trips this year.

Ms Auld told the Stray Ferret:

“September’s a great time to get back in the saddle.

“We want to help as many people as possible and give them a boost to their confidence and health, understand their bikes better and enable them to ride more safely.”

Sessions will run at Sweaty Betty on Saturday, September 23, and Saturday, September 30 from 10am -11.30am, as well as Sunday, September 24 from 2.30 – 4pm and Sunday, October 1, from, 11am – 12.30pm.

There will also be a skills session at 6pm on Monday, September 25, at So! Bar on Cold Bath Road.

Sunday sessions will feature mechanic Nicola Doody, from Liv York, a bike store dedicated to women, to provide further insight.

Those interested can email thepersonalcyclist@gmail.com to register, or contact @thepersonalcyclist on Facebook or Instagram.

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Business Breakfast: Mama Doreen’s Emporium to open York branch

Harrogate cupcake company Mama Doreen’s Emporium is due to open a new branch in York.

The restaurant, which serves afternoon tea, brunch dishes and cakes, opened in 2009 on Cold Bath Road, but moved to its current James Street site in 2019.

Now the company is on the hunt for a new general manager to run the York site.

In a social media post advertising the job role, a member of staff at Mama Doreen’s said:

“We are now ready to bring our amazing service, afternoon teas and of course cupcakes to York.”

The opening date and location of the new store have not yet been announced.

Harrogate tea company takes home Great Taste award

A Harrogate-based tea company has been recognised at the Great Taste Awards for its immunity tea.

Thankfully Healthy was one of 4,088 winners of the award, which had been narrowed down from over 14,000 entries.

The tea is made from a blend of herbs including turmeric, cardamom and rose to strengthen the immune system.

The accolade is given to ‘food and drink that delivers fantastic flavour’ and the product was dubbed “a bracing and spicy ayurvedic tea, full of interesting and complementary spices, most familiar from the spice box of India” by the judges.

Dipti Arora, founder, said:

“If you had told me when I first started thinking about my herbal tea business that I would receive a Great Taste award someday, I probably would have said, “only if such a wish could ever come true!”

“But here I am, a one-person team, nurturing my start-up, and this achievement feels like more than just a dream come true.

The judging took place over 89 days, with a panel of over 500 judges, and saw entries from 109 different countries.

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Ex-England player appointed head coach at Harrogate rugby club

Harrogate Rugby Union Club has appointed a new head coach who previously played for England.

Dan Scarbrough has an impressive career, having also played on the wing or as full back for Leeds Tykes, Racing Metro and Saracens.

He will now bring his knowledge and skill to Harrogate RUFC.

His career began in National Division One with Wakefield, during which he scored 17 tries from 46 starts, which led to a prolific try-scoring career.

He played in the England A side that contested the first Churchill Cup, before winning his first full cap against Wales in a 2003 warm up game.

Dan went on to become head coach of Latvia Men’s National Sevens, as well coaching at his own school, Bradford Grammar School, and Yorkshire Rugby.

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The appointment comes as previous head coach, Sam Fox, has “decided to explore new opportunities in his coaching career”, according to the club.

Mr Fox will continue to play for the club but has secured a new coaching role at Pocklington School and the Yorkshire Academy.

Martyn Wood, director of rugby at Harrogate RUFC, said:

“We are thrilled to announce that Dan Scarbrough will be stepping into the position.

“A seasoned and respected figure in the rugby world, having played for Leeds Tykes, Racing Metro, Saracens, and England.

“Dan brings a wealth of experience and a profound understanding of the game.”

Dan has already begun training with the Mens 1st XV whose first match of the season takes place on Saturday, September 2.

Mr Wood continued:

“The club’s management and players warmly welcome Dan Scarbrough and eagerly anticipate an exciting new chapter under his stewardship.

“With his appointment, Harrogate Rugby Club remains committed to upholding its legacy as a prominent force in the rugby community.”

The team is currently playing in the fifth tier of England rugby.

Stray Ferret charity calendar to showcase Harrogate district’s beauty

The Stray Ferret is launching its inaugural charity calendar to raise money for our Christmas appeal and showcase the beauty of the Harrogate district.

As many of you know, we post our photo of the week feature on our website and social media every Sunday, inviting local people to send in their images of the district.

Now, we need your help to decide which photo of the week entries will feature in our calendar!

From cherry blossom on the Stray to furry friends and ferris wheels, the winning images will be included in our 2024 desk calendars.

Keep an eye out for each season’s gallery of shortlisted images and vote for your favourites via our competition page.

Calendars will be available to buy later this year as part of our Christmas appeal.

To send in your entry for photo of the week, email letters@thestrayferret.co.uk .

Firefighters respond to hot tub blaze near Knaresborough

Firefighters from Knaresborough were called to a hot tub that went up in flames near Knaresborough today.

Flames from the wood-fired hot tub, which didn’t have anyone in it, spread to the surrounding canopy on Arkendale Road in Ferrensby.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident report said:

“This was extinguished prior to the arrival of the fire service using five small fire extinguishers, buckets of water and garden hose pipes.

“Crews assisted the owners with damping down the area. The hot tub and canopy were 100% destroyed by fire. The cause of this was a jammed motor.”

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Nidd Art Trail in full swing as local artists begin to open their doors

Local artists, craftspeople and photographers are opening their doors to the public this weekend to showcase work as part of NiddArt Trail.

The trail, run by community organisation Nidderdale Art Trail, aims to highlight both the artistic talent on offer throughout the district, as well as keep community spirit alive.

It originated as Nidd Art Fest, which ran from 1997 to 2008, and has been known as NiddArt Trail since 2009.

Venues in upper and lower Nidderdale, Pateley Bridge, Bewerley, Knaresborough and surrounding villages will house the works of both professional artists, such as Claire Baxter Gallery and JOT’s Gallery, as well as amateur groups such as Pateley Bridge Art Club, which will hold its summer exhibition in St Cuthbert’s School, and Lofthouse Art Group.

A number of community venues will also host featured works, including Summerbridge Methodist Church and Sawley Village Hall.

St Paul’s Art Group will have a variety of mediums on display, including photography and crafts, with some on sale to the public. The work will be held in St Paul’s United Reformed Church, Harrogate, on 26 and 27 August. Refreshments will also be available.

Poetry readings will also take place at Darley Methodist Church as part of the trail. Reverend Alastair Ferneley of Dacre and Alan Jordan, Lay Pastor in the Methodist Church, will be reciting their own poetry on Saturday, August 19, and Saturday, August 26.

Paintings, pottery and photographs curated by local artists will all be housed in St Andrew’s Church, in Blubberhouses, on 19 and 20 August, as well as 26 – 28 August too.

Treasurer Charles Mellor said:

“It’s very much a community event and is made from a mix of talent and community effort.

“There is quite a spectrum of activity this year.”

Some pieces will be available to buy from both the professional and amateur artists, however many choose to simply be involved in the trail.

“I think people just really enjoy being a part of it.

“Many of the groups and venues involved become very enthusiastic about the trail.”

The participating venues are free to attend and will be open at various times from Friday, August 18 to Monday, August 28.

The trail has been available to view online from August 1.

Find a full breakdown of the participating artists and venues, as well as their opening times, here.

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From Jane Austen to beer festivals: what’s on in the Harrogate district this weekend

Summer may be drawing to a close but weekend activities across the district are certainly not.

Whether you’re looking for an evening with Oscar Wilde, a win for the Lionesses, or just a family picnic in the sun, we’ve collated a list of all that’s on offer this weekend in the Harrogate district.

FEVA FESTIVAL – Knaresborough

This weekend sees the final few days of Knaresborough’s FEVA.

The arts festival includes exhibitions, live music and theatre.

An adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility will be held at Knaresborough Castle this evening from 7pm – tickets start at £20.

Knaresborough Library will also host An Evening with Wes Martin – a Knaresborough-based bestselling crime author – and Aubrey Parsons, a vocal performer who has worked for Disney, the BBC and Audible.

Mr Martin will be on hand to answer all questions crime-related, as well as signing books, while Ms Parsons will be reading some of her favourite extracts from The Yorkshire Murders. The event is £5 to attend.

The free Picnic in the Park will take place outside Knaresborough House tomorrow from midday to 5pm.

Simply bring along a picnic and enjoy an afternoon of live music.

Knaresborough Lions’ Beer Festival will also be held at Knaresborough House this weekend and will showcase 25 special beers, as well as wine, cider, and lager.

The beer festival is free to attend and begins this evening at 5pm. It will also run from midday to 11pm on Saturday, August 18, and midday to 5pm on Sunday, August 19.

For a full breakdown of this weekend’s events, click here.

Women’s World Cup Final: England vs Spain

 Sunday sees the nail-biting final between the Lionesses and La Roja.

Harrogate’s own Rachel Daly has helped the team reach their first ever World Cup final and will be supported by many local fans.

Several venues across the district will have live screenings of the match, which kicks off at 11am GMT.

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest – Ripon Spa Gardens

An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest will be performed in Ripon Spa Gardens tomorrow evening.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company, based in in Lincoln, will be putting on the show as part of its Open Theatre Air Tour.

Attendees are encouraged to enjoy a picnic beneath the stars by bringing food, blankets and chairs.

Gates open at 6pm and the show will begin at 7pm – tickets start at £20.90 for adults.

Knaresborough’s Calcutt Gala celebrates 20th year

 Calcutt Gala will be returning for its 20th anniversary on Sunday.

The event, which will be held at Knaresborough Forest Cricket Club, will include a martial arts demonstration, live music, a BBQ and bar, as well as an ice cream van and tombola.

The Cricketers will also be streaming the World Cup final before the gala.

The gala begins at midday and entry is £2 for ages 12 upwards.

All funds raised will be donated to the cricket club.

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