North Yorkshire hospice CEOs warn of worsening funding crisis

The bosses of three North Yorkshire hospices – including St Michael’s in Harrogate – have met with council officials to highlight a worsening funding crisis in end-of-life care.

The chief executives of St Leonard’s Hospice in York, St Catherine’s Hospice in Scarborough, and North Yorkshire Hospice Care – which includes Saint Michael’s and Herriot Hospice in Thirsk – told North Yorkshire Council’s scrutiny of health committee that some services could be in jeopardy if more were not done to close a widening funding gap. 

The cost of providing the services across the three hospice organisations is currently around £20 million a year, and only 27% of that comes from the NHS. The remainder has to be raised through fundraising.  

The CEOs – Tony Collins of North Yorkshire Hospice Care, Emma Johnson of St Leonards Hospice, and Ray Baird of St Catherine’s Hospice – warned the problem stood to get worse as more people from the Baby Boom generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) increasingly needed the hospices’ services. 

Tony Collins told the Stray Ferret:

“We’re planning to extend our existing services, as well as introducing some new services, simply because there’s so much need out there.

“It’s almost harmful to introduce new services that you can’t sustain, so we shall be working very hard to get a fairer funding formula to enable us to do all this.

“The provision of palliative and end-of-life care is statutory, so we’re hoping for an increase in statutory funding from the NHS.

“Over the last year, the increase in our small amount of statutory funding has been just 1.8%, but during that time staff costs have risen by 7% and utility bills have seen double-digit percentage rises.

“Something needs to happen within the next one to two years.”

He said the charity would try its best to raise as much as it could through traditional channels, but that had become increasingly difficult. He said:

“It’s been a really tough year. People have less money in their pockets, and corporate funding has also been pinched. Legacy funding, from people’s wills, is holding its own, but probate can take a long time, so we never know when we’re going to get it.

The chair of NYC’s scrutiny of health committee, Cllr Andrew Lee, said:  

“I think I speak for the whole committee when I say how shocked, saddened and concerned we are upon hearing the situation within our local hospices and the funding shortfall they face. 

“These hospices, and many others, provide a very important and much-needed support network both for patients and their families at a very sad and vulnerable time. 

“We must do all we can to raise awareness and support them to allow them to continue to provide this essential service.” 

The committee heard a number of factors were contributing to the situation, including lack of funding, increased running costs, reduced income from fundraising and differing funding models and contracts that provide income from the NHS. 

Cllr Lee said: 

“The committee and I fully appreciate that the country faces huge financial challenges. The cost of providing services across these three hospices is about £20 million, with more than 70 per cent of that having to be raised through fundraising alone. 

“I shall be highlighting this with my colleagues in the NHS as we need to ensure we are all doing our utmost to support and raise awareness of this situation.”

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Flood warnings tonight for parts of Boroughbridge

Flood warnings remain in place for parts of Boroughbridge this evening, as rainfall brought by Storm Gerrit accumulates on already sodden ground.

A flood warning means that flooding is expected, and people in the area should act immediately to avoid danger.

A flood alert means that flooding is possible, and people should be prepared.

The Government’s flood alert and warning service says that water levels are rising on the River Tutt at Boroughbridge, and warns that further rainfall is expected throughout the rest of the week. It urges: “Put your flood plan in action.”

Photo of flooding at the picnic area between the River Ure and the canal in Boroughbridge.

Parts of Boroughbridge were already under water today, as shown by this photo taken by reader Tony Watson, of the picnic area between the River Ure and the canal.

Boroughbridge Camping and Caravanning site is the subject of a separate flood warning, which says: 

“Flooding is affecting locations near the River Ure, with low-lying land expected to be most affected”. 

It warns: 

“Avoid using low-lying footpaths and any bridges near local watercourses and do not attempt to walk or drive through flood water.” 

It adds that the message will be updated by 9pm tonight (Thursday), or as the situation changes.

Flood alert map of Ripon and Boroughbridge issued by the Government's Flood Warning Service on December 28, 2023.

Flood alerts (orange) cover wide areas of the district in the wake of Storm Gerrit. Flood warnings (red) are currently confined to Boroughbridge.

Meanwhile, flood warning have been removed from some local rivers as water levels fall “below levels of concern”. These are: the River Nidd at Hunsingore; the Middle River Nidd catchment, which includes Thornton Beck, Newton Beck, Oak Beck, Cow Dyke Beck, Bilton Beck, Frogmire Dike and Syke Dike; and the River Crimple catchment, which includes Horn Beck, Clark Beck, Hookstone Beck, Rud Beck, Toad Hole Beck and Park Beck.

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The Harrogate community figures we loved and lost in 2023

Whether you feel the past year has been unfairly hard or gratifyingly rewarding, we are all losers in one sense.  

2023 has seen the deaths of some of the most prominent figures in our community, and we are all left poorer by their absence. 

Here we take a look back at some of the brightest lights that went out in the worlds of business, politics and sport. 

Baroness Masham 

Baroness Masham (main picture) was a Paralympian medallist, disability rights campaigner, and the longest-serving female member the House of Lords has ever seen. 

Born Susan Sinclair on April 14, 1935, she became a wheelchair-user after injuring her spinal cord in a riding accident in 1958. 

In 1959 she married David Cunliffe-Lister, who became Earl of Swinton in 1972, to become Lady Masham. 

She served as a cross-bench peer for 53 years after becoming Baroness Masham of Ilton in 1970. 

Baroness Masham won medals in swimming and table tennis at the 1960, 1964 and 1968 Paralympic games. 

In 1974 she founded the Spinal Injuries Association and remained its president until her death. 

She belonged to various parliamentary committees and last spoke in the House of Lords on February 2 this year.  

Baroness Masham was the aunt of Mark Cunliffe-Lister, the 4th Earl of Swinton and husband of Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, North Yorkshire councillor for the Masham and Fountains division.

She died aged 87 at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton on Sunday, March 12, 2023. 

Guy Tweedy, a Harrogate thalidomide campaigner and trustee of Disability Action Yorkshire, said: 

“Baroness Masham was a formidable woman. She was a trailblazer for disability rights, along with Lord Morris of Manchester and Baron Ashley of Stoke. 

“Without the work of those three we wouldn’t be where we are today with disability rights.”

George Dunnington

George Dunnington was life president of Harrogate Town AFC and had been involved with the club for seven decades when he died this summer. 

Mr Dunnington, 86, was first involved with the club as a player in the 1950s. 

When his playing days ended in the 1980s he helped the club build a new stand, floodlights, terracing, turnstiles and changing rooms with a team of workers. 

A photo of George Dunnington, who died in 2023.

George Dunnington.

Mr Dunnington was chairman from 1986 to 1998, and was then elected club president in 2012/13, before becoming one of the inaugural inductees in the club’s Hall of Fame in February 2023. 

He died on Sunday, August 20, 2023. 

The club said in a statement: 

“George was an inspiration to everyone at the club, his positivity, friendly nature and determination leaving a lasting legacy at the club he dedicated such a big part of his life to.”

David Kitching

David Kitching, who founded the Harrogate firm Kitching Plant Hire, died in August, aged 80. 

David, who was born in Bridlington and brought up in Pateley Bridge, founded the firm as D&S Kitching with wife Shirley in 1967. 

The company began operating out of a small yard and workshop in Darley, where the couple lived. After a stint at Hookstone Park in Harrogate in the early 1990s, it moved to its present location, the former Harrogate bus depot on Camwal Road in Starbeck, in the early 2000s. 

A composite image of David Kitching, founder of Kitching Plant Hire, on the left, and on the right, one of his company's diggers.

David Kitching.

The firm now employs about 20 staff and has more than 400 machines for hire, including diggers, rollers and cement mixers. 

David stepped back from day-to-day involvement with the company a few years ago.

Mr Kitching’s funeral in Birstwith was followed by a celebration of his life at the Wellington Inn in Darley, where guests wore a hint of yellow as a nod to the yellow machinery that contributed so much to Mr Kitching’s life.

Charles Smailes

Charles Smailes was one of the most recognised and well-respected figures in Harrogate estate agency. 

The third of four sons of former Yorkshire and England cricketer Frank Smailes and Dorothy Smailes (née Stubbs), Charles Richard Rex Smailes started his property career in 1963.  

Over the course of 57 years, he made an indelible mark on the property industry, not least by co-founding Feather Smailes Scales (FSS), on Raglan Street, with Jim Feather and Peter Scales in 1994. FSS continues to thrive, now under the stewardship of his son Richard Smailes, along with partners Simon Croft and Dan Brumfitt. 

A photo of Charles Smailes, who died in 2023.

Charles Smailes.

Charles was elected President of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) in 2006 and played a pivotal role in the creation and implementation of the National Federation of Property Professionals (now PropertyMark), a professional body committed to upholding the standards of property agents across the UK. 

He served as an adviser to the then Housing Minister, Yvette Cooper, and even lectured in property auctioneering at the NAEA headquarters in Warwick. 

Charles also became a familiar face on BBC TV’s “Homes Under the Hammer“, sharing his expertise with a broader audience. 

In partnership with Stanley and Audrey Burton, he was instrumental in founding the Harrogate Families Housing Association (now Harrogate Housing Association) in 1968 and led it for more than 25 years, helping to provide high-quality accommodation to vulnerable homeless families in the district. 

Charles died on Monday, October 9, 2023. 

In a website obituary, FSS described Charles as “a true leader and visionary whose impact on Harrogate’s estate agency community will be felt for generations to come”. 

Sylvia Grice 

Over the course of half a century, Sylvia Grice taught an estimated 250,000 people to swim, including Olympic diving champion Jack Laugher.

Sylvia, who lived in Littlethorpe, near Ripon, devoted much of her life to teaching people to swim in a city that has three rivers and a canal. She was awarded an MBE in 2010 and given the Freedom of the City of Ripon in 2019. 

Sylvia learned to swim when she was 15 and got married to husband Jim at the age of 20. 

It was when she used to take her daughters, Helen and Alison, to swim at Ripon’s Spa Baths that she caught the eye of the manager Fred Windsor, who encouraged her to become a qualified swimming teacher. 

A photo of Sylvia Grice, who died in 2023.

Sylvia Grice.

She went on to become an Amateur Swimming Association (now Swim England) tutor and a Fellow of the Institute of Swimming Teachers, and used her qualifications to teach people of all ages and abilities to swim – including her own mother-in-law.

She taught people to swim at Ripon Grammar School and at Ashville College in Harrogate, where she set up Triton Swimmers, and also found time to run the Spa Gardens café, be an active member of Ripon Lions, and raise money for numerous charitable causes. 

When Sylvia died aged 90 on Monday, October 30, 2023, hundreds of people from across Ripon and far beyond paid tribute. One called her: 

“One of the most incredible and impactful women I have ever had the joy to meet.” 

Another said simply: 

“What a Ripon legend.” 

Ian Audsley

Ian Audsley was one of the best-known butchers in the Harrogate area.  

He launched his business in 1970, and his shop on St Winifred’s Avenue West, JE Audsley Family Butcher, became of one of the best-regarded butcher’s shops in the region.  

Photo of Ian Audsley, a well-known Harrogate butcher who has died.

Ian Audsley in his shop, with son John second from right.

Now run by his son, John, it continues to command loyalty among many of its clientele. 

Ian died aged 84 on Monday, December 11, 2023. 

A notice issued by his family said:  

“Ian’s impact extends far beyond the business he founded; it encompasses the relationships he nurtured, the moments he shared, and the lives he touched.

“His genuine kindness, infectious spirit, and commitment to community service have left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

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Consultation on whether to permanently close Boroughbridge sixth form

Boroughbridge High School could close its sixth form permanently, depending on the outcome of a consultation requested by its governors. 

North Yorkshire Council is due to discuss the proposal to change the age range at the school by closing the sixth form at a meeting on Tuesday, January 9. If approved, the new arrangements would come into effect on August 31, 2024. 

The sixth form at Boroughbridge High School has been temporarily suspended since September 2022. 

The school has worked in collaboration with other schools since 2016 to try to maintain sixth-form provision.

Initially, it worked with Easingwold and Thirsk Schools, but this collaboration ended when Easingwold School joined the Outwood multi-academy trust. Since then, the school has collaborated with King James’s School in Knaresborough, and the two schools federated in January 2021. 

But due to the demographics of the area, pupil numbers at Boroughbridge High have decreased by more than 40% – from 756 in 2013-14 to 438 in 2022-23. During the same period, numbers in the sixth form have plummeted by 97%, from 131 to just 4, according to figures published by the council. 

Consequently, the federated governing board of Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School suspended the sixth form at Boroughbridge from September 2022. 

The latest request by the board would make that arrangement permanent. 

A council document published ahead of the meeting notes that “the school population is now stabilising and is projected to increase in future”, partly due to housebuilding in the area. But the school’s the governing body does not feel that numbers would be large enough to attract enough government funding that would enable a financially viable sixth form. 

The consultation as proposed would open on January 19 and close on March 1, and a final decision on the sixth form’s fate would be made by North Yorkshire Council on May 28 or June 18. 

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225 Harrogate district schemes included in council road repair budget

The retaining wall on Briggate in Knaresborough has been added to the long list of road and bridge repairs recommended for approval by members of North Yorkshire Council environment executive.

The work has been budgeted at £150,000 and is one of nearly 1,000 schemes across the county included in the £45.8 million highways capital programme 2024/25. 

The programme includes 225 schemes in the Harrogate district, ranging from the resurfacing of York Place in the heart of Harrogate to patching work right on the district boundary near Angram reservoir at the top end of Nidderdale. 

The cost of the schemes ranges from various road surface patching works in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate at £362 each, to the resurfacing of Ripon’s Market Place at £330,000. 

The schemes also include work on the bridge over Scot Beck at Thornthwaite, and further work on the landslip on the A59 to Skipton, both costed at £100,000. 

The other scheme in our district that has been added to the list is the resurfacing work on Lancaster Park Road in Harrogate, budgeted at £170,000. 

Schemes worth £3.27 million have been deferred to future years from the 2023/24 annual programme. Those in the Harrogate district include drainage projects at Darley and Beckwithshaw (budgeted at £10,000 and £48,000 respectively) and construction work on Oak Beck Bridge in Harrogate, which has a budget of £1.5 million – by far the most expensive of all the schemes across the whole county. 

The Highways Capital Programme covers the whole of North Yorkshire – which consists of Richmondshire, Hambleton, Scarborough, Ryedale, Craven, Harrogate and Selby areas – and is based on a funding settlement of £40.07 million from the Department of Transport. 

The council’s environment executive recommended that the corporate director for environment approve the programme, in consultation with environment executive member for highways and transportation.

The list of schemes is available here.

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Business Breakfast: Contractor appointed to build 37 affordable homes in Ripon

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

The contract to build 37 affordable homes at the Old Goods Yard on Hutton Bank in Ripon has been awarded to a York company.

Yorkshire Housing has appointed York Science Park-based NuSpace Homes to construct the mixed-tenure homes on the site, which was previously home to warehouses used by companies such as Millennium Windows and Power Plastics.

The scheme will provide 37 homes for rent, rent to buy and shared ownership and is being supported by grant funding from Homes England.

Yorkshire Housing is the biggest housing association based solely in Yorkshire, and owns and manages around 20,000 homes across the region, including older people’s accommodation and homes for low-cost rent.

Outline planning permission for the Hutton Bank site was granted in 2021 by Harrogate Borough Council, which was replaced by North Yorkshire Council in April this year.

The site is in an area that is deemed as having high housing demand, and at the time outline planning was approved Harrogate Borough Council said the proposed development would help “regenerate a gateway site in one of the District’s main settlements”.

Demolition of the existing vacant buildings is set to start soon, and construction of the homes is due to start early in the new year.

Sian Webster, director of development at Yorkshire Housing, said:

“We’re really pleased to be working alongside NuSpace Homes to deliver these quality new homes.

“This development will regenerate a disused brownfield site and give more people the chance to have a place they’re proud to call home.

“There’s a need for more affordable homes across Yorkshire, and this scheme takes us a step closer to reaching our target of building 8,000 new homes across the county.”

It is hoped that the first homes will be ready to move into early in 2025, and the site will be completed by December the same year.

Charity given cash from financial services profits

A charity based in Harrogate has received a £1,000 Christmas gift from the Benefact Group.

The British Thyroid Foundation, which is based at Hornbeam Park, was nominated to win a share of £120,000 by members of the public as part of the Benefact Group’s annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

Founded in 1887, the Gloucester-based Benefact Group is an international group of financial services businesses that gives all available profits to charities and good causes.

The British Thyroid Foundation, which supports people to live better with thyroid disease, was one of two causes chosen for Benefact Group awards in North Yorkshire; the other was Fulford St Oswald’s C E Primary School Parent Teacher Association.

Mark Hews, group chief executive of Benefact Group, said:

“We are thrilled to be giving £120,000 to 120 fantastic charitable causes across the country and I’d like to thank every single North Yorkshire resident that took the time to nominate a charity close to their hearts. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.

“Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, Benefact Trust, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give.”

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Children’s Corner is the only double winner at Family Business Awards

This story is sponsored by Children’s Corner Childcare.

Companies from across the region were recognised at the Yorkshire & Humber Family Business Awards last month, but none had a better night than Children’s Corner Childcare. 

The group, which runs 10 childcare settings, including one in Harrogate, all rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, was the only double winner of the evening. 

It not only scooped the Business Services award, but operations manager Nicola Stanworth also won the only individual award of the evening, for Employee of the Year. 

Nicola beat a field of 16 finalists from every sector across the region. She said: 

“I was over the moon – I never expected to be singled out like that for doing what I do. To know that other people recognised all the effort I put in was an amazing feeling. 

“I’m completely dedicated to Children’s Corner. I started working here as a 15-year-old while doing my GCSEs, and had a part-time role here while I was doing my teaching degree at Leeds Metropolitan University. Once I’d graduated, Early Years education called me, and I came here full-time. 

“I have a diverse role, looking after all the operations and logistics, and I never switch off – it’s just how I’m built!” 

Children’s Corner was set up in 1995 by former police officer Lesley Dawson and her husband Allan when they couldn’t find a nursery they liked for their first son. Nearly 30 years later, two of their three sons also now work in the company, making it a truly family-run enterprise. 

A photo of Nicola Stanworth of Children's Corner playing with her children.

Nicola Stanworth was named Employee of the Year at the Family Business Awards.

Nicola said: 

“We treat all the children as individuals and focus on making them independent, to prepare them for their next steps in life. We keep our sites fresh, and replace all the resources regularly, and everything’s included in the price, such as healthy meals, milk and nappies.

“Parents can even keep up to date with their children’s progress with the Children’s Corner app. 

“A lot of people say our nurseries feel like a home from home.” 

Children’s Corner is now recruiting across all its nurseries, and is looking for only the best candidates with a small number of opportunities still available at their Harrogate nursery. 

Children’s Corner Harrogate is currently hiring for an Early Years Educator. Click or tap here to apply.

All the company’s key staff have recognised childcare qualifications however Children’s Corner were also recognised at the House of Commons this year as one of the Top 50 SME’s in the UK offering Apprenticeships with a number of apprenticeship opportunities also available for anyone looking to get into the Early Years sector.

Nicola said: 

“Working at Children’s Corner is fantastic anyway, but in addition to the usual benefits, we offer childcare discount, a four-day working week, and even the possibility of study trips abroad, through our charity arm in Malawi. If you’ve got the skills and qualifications join the best nursery group in the region, get in touch.”

Find out more: 

For more information about childcare with Children’s Corner, go to www.childrenscornerchildcare.co.uk. 

If you’re a childcare professional and are interested in joining the Harrogate team, take a look at our current vacancies. 

Business Breakfast: Boroughbridge man named AA Patrol of the Year

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

An AA man operating from Boroughbridge has been named Patrol of the Year at the breakdown organisation’s annual awards ceremony.

The award is the AA’s highest accolade for its roadside patrols across the UK, and Chris Wood will now spend the next 12 months as the public face of the UK’s biggest drivers’ organisation, representing it within the motor industry and to the media.

Chris said:

“I can’t quite believe I’ve won this award. I was so proud just to be nominated among so many outstanding patrols, so when I heard I’d been shortlisted as one of the finalists I was absolutely gobsmacked.

“To be named Patrol of the Year is unbelievable – it hasn’t quite sunk in yet. I’m really excited to see what lies ahead during the coming year.”

The judging process began in late September with nominations from across the UK, before six finalists were put through intensive technical and driving tests, panel interviews and mock radio interviews at the AA’s head office in Basingstoke in November. The awards were held at Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham.

Dean Keeling, managing director of Roadside Services at the AA, said:

“The AA Awards ceremony gives us the opportunity to recognise the efforts of the AA people who go above and beyond to help others and the Patrol of the Year award is the epitome of this.

“Chris exemplifies the values which set AA patrols apart with the skills to turn around a broken-down driver’s day and get them back on their way despite the challenges of working at the roadside in all weathers.

“His award is a true testament to his hard work, outstanding service and dedication and is a well-deserved accolade. Congratulations to Chris and all our finalists and award winners.”

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Snowplough maker named Bodybuilder of the Year

Ripon-based Econ Engineering is celebrating after scooping a major award at the ‘Oscars’ of the commercial motoring and road haulage industry.

The UK’s leading supplier of winter maintenance vehicles won Bodybuilder of the Year at the Commercial Motor Awards in Birmingham, where the cream of operators, dealers and suppliers competed for the top honours.

Econ, which supplies 85% of the nation’s winter maintenance vehicles from its assembly plant in Ripon, beat Lothian Vehicle Bodybuilders from Scotland and Cambridgeshire-based TVS Interfleet to the award.

A team from Econ was at the Road Transport Ball on Thursday, held at Birmingham NEC‘s, Vox Conference Centre to pick up their award.

Managing director Jonathan Lupton said:

“Words cannot describe how proud I feel right now to have come away with such a prestigious award.

“We know how hard every member of our team works to ensure that we maintain the high standards that Econ are renowned for, and this award goes to each and every one of the Econ family.”

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First Harrogate Self Care Week to take place in January

The first ever Harrogate Self Care Week will kick off the new year, with a programme of free events to boost health and wellbeing.

Launched by Harrogate Business Improvement District, the week, which runs from January 22 to 27, will feature a range of self-care workshops, activities and classes, along with a themed market to help visitors work on their ‘body, soul and mind’, according to organisers.

Harrogate Turkish Baths will get the ball rolling on Monday, January 22 by hosting a free two-hour session in the frigidarium, steam room, heated chamber and plunge pool.

Throughout the rest of the week, the programme will include a mosaic-making event at Artizan, flower-arranging with Helen James, various yoga classes, a dynamic session with Ebru Evrim, gym training with F45 and gong bath therapy.

To close on Saturday 27, a pop-up health and wellbeing-themed market will be held in the Victoria Shopping Centre, with a range of traders and stalls on offer for visitors to explore.

Matthew Chapman, manager of Harrogate BID, said:

“Since William Slingsby discovered the first spring in 1571, Harrogate has been a flourishing spa town that has been supporting both self-care and wellbeing.

“We are proud to be working with BID members and partners on this new campaign to showcase our present day offer, which remains world renowned.”

Harrogate BID has partnered with self-styled “holistic wellbeing warrior” Kitti Johnson for the new event.

A certified yoga instructor, crystal bowl sound healer, reiki and shamanic practitioner, Kitti has taught workshops on energy healing, journaling, anxiety, the chakras and essential oils for a number of years.

She said:

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to raise awareness of all the wonderful wellbeing services and ways that people can look after themselves as part of Harrogate’s first ever Self Care Week.

“We have a wide variety of classes and workshops for people to discover new ways to take care of their wellbeing and to kick-start a healthy, happy mind, body and soul for 2024.”

Further details on the programme are set to be released in the New Year.

Any businesses or independent providers in the BID area wishing to get involved, or anyone looking for further information, should email the BID team.

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Your Harrogate owners have multiplex licence revoked by Ofcom

The company that owns Your Harrogate radio station has had its small-scale DAB multiplex licence for Wetherby and Harrogate revoked after mounting transmission costs made the venture economically unviable. 

But Your Harrogate will continue to broadcast on the local DAB multiplex for North Yorkshire, with no disruption for listeners. 

Nick Hancock, who is content director and one of the co-owners of Your Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret: 

“This is really a back-end issue. It’s a bit like renting a house for ages and then having the chance to buy it. The small-scale DAB multiplex licence for Wetherby and Harrogate would have meant we owned it. 

“The local DAB multiplex actually has better signal strength and better coverage, so the listener won’t notice any difference. It was just an ownership issue.” 

The regulator, Ofcom, awarded the licence in 2022 to Wetherby and Harrogate Local DAB Limited, which is owned by Your Harrogate directors Nick Hancock and Adam Daniel, plus Alan Everard from Wetherby Community Radio and Mark Oldfield, chairman of Harrogate Hospital Radio.

The company, which operates as Your Harrogate, said it had £25,000 set aside to launch the multiplex. In its application it said: 

“Our transmission proposal is one that is realistic, compliant, and economically viable.” 

Small-scale DAB multiplex licences cost just £500 per year, as well as a non-refundable £500 application fee. But other expenses, described by Mr Hancock as “transmission costs”, escalated in the intervening period, ultimately making the project unviable. 

Ofcom may revoke a licence if it believes a service will not launch within 18 months of an award, and after it heard Your Harrogate could not continue with its plans, it exercised this option.

In a statement, it said it would consider re-advertising the Wetherby and Harrogate multiplex licence “should we receive any expressions of interest”.

But Mr Hancock said:

“We were the only people who applied for the licence in the first place, so I’d think it’d be unlikely Ofcom will advertise it again, to be honest.”

Your Harrogate launched in February 2021 to fill the gap in local radio left by Stray FM, where Mr Hancock had been a well-known presenter. Stray, which had covered the district since 1994, rebranded when owner Bauer Media announced it was making it part of the national network Greatest Hits Radio.

Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) radio allows the bundling of a number of radio stations together in a multiplex. Each multiplex can then be broadcast using an individual frequency from a transmitter. A DAB radio can then single out each radio service from the multiplex for the listener. 

This bundling into multiplexes allows for more radio stations and requires less power to broadcast, making it more cost-effective. But it can also give lower-quality sound and the signal can drop out more frequently.

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