Business Breakfast: Boroughbridge firm Reed Boardall returns to profit

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

Boroughbridge‘s largest employer has bounced back from losses to record a £5.5 million uplift in profits.

Reed Boardall, the frozen food distribution business based at Roecliffe, saw profits before taxation rise to £1.4m for the year ending March 31, 2023, despite continued pressure on costs.

The previous year, the group, whose customers include many of the UK’s leading food manufacturers and supermarkets, sustained a £4.1m loss it attributed to covid lockdowns, a cyber-attack and spiralling fuel and energy costs.

Marcus Boardall, chief executive of Reed Boardall, said:

“Given global uncertainty as the Ukraine conflict continues, together with ongoing inflation, pressure on our costs has been unrelenting. In such a challenging environment, the group has once again put in a strong performance, based on its longevity, outstanding reputation in the sector and the skills of our highly trained team.”

He added:

“Having already weathered one of the toughest years in our 30-year history, we are pleased that our latest financial results show the strength of the business as we look forward to further growth. The year ahead looks positive as we continue to prove the success of our single site strategy which enables us to provide an efficient and reliable service to our customer.”

Occupying a 55-acre site, Reed Boardall is one of the largest businesses of its kind in the UK. It has a fleet of 200 vehicles operating 24 hours a day, year-round, and delivers 12,000 pallets of frozen food daily to all the UK’s national supermarkets.

£2 Christmas market rail fares to boost Knaresborough traders

Rail firm Northern is to introduce a special £2 ticket to boost visitor numbers to four Christmas markets across Yorkshire, including the one in Knaresborough next month.

The special £2 tickets, which are available to children for just £1, will be available in each direction on services between Leeds and York to Knaresborough from Saturday, December 2 to Sunday, December 3 in support of Knaresborough Christmas Market weekend.

The lower fare will also be available on services between Hull and Scarborough on November 24-26 in support of Scarborough Sparkle, services between Selby and Beverley on December 6-8 in support of the Beverley Festival of Christmas Made in East Yorkshire Markets, and on services between Leeds and Bradford Forster Square to Ilkley on Sunday, December 17 in support of the Real Food Ilkley Christmas Market.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said:

“We know some of the big cities across our network can get pretty crowded this time of year, so we wanted to do something to encourage people to try an alternative location instead.

“Christmas markets make a huge contribution to the winter economy of local towns and we hope these special £2 tickets encourage more people to ‘go do their thing’ in Scarborough, Knaresborough, Beverley and Ilkley.”

The £2 tickets are only available on Northern services and must be bought three days in advance of travel from the Northern website or app. Tickets can also be bought via telephone on 0344 811 5111.

Knaresborough Business Collective is also organising late night shopping in Knaresborough on December 2 in a further boost to traders.

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Harrogate Town tickets selling fast due to ‘Hollywood factor’

Harrogate Town’s match against Wrexham at the end of the month is already the Wetherby Road side’s fastest-selling game – thanks to what a club spokesman called the “Hollywood factor”. 

Wrexham AFC is owned by A-list movie star Ryan Reynolds and his business partner and friend, fellow actor Rob McElhenney.

The pair bought Wrexham in 2020, and their investment in the club helped it to win promotion from the National League to League Two at the end of last season.

Their involvement with the club has been charted by Welcome to Wrexham, a Disney+ documentary series that will enter its third season next year.

Tickets for the Harrogate-Wrexham game went on sale a month ago – on October 16 – to home supporters who have been to at least one home match this season. Most of them have already been sold, leaving just a few still up for grabs.

Hal Boxhall-Dockree, media manager at Harrogate Town, told the Stray Ferret: 

“It’s the Hollywood factor. People are just more excited about this one – not necessarily our regular fans, but we’ve certainly had more interest from a lot of people who come less often. 

“Some of them will have watched Welcome to Wrexham, which has generated a lot of media hype.” 

All 450 tickets allocated to travelling Wrexham fans have already been sold. According to Colin Henrys, Wrexham’s head of media and communications, this is not unusual following the club’s acquisition by Reynolds and McElhenney. He said:

“This is very much the ‘new normal’. We’ve sold out all of our away league games this season, and you can see from looking through the attendances this season that every team we’ve visited has posted either their highest – or at the very least one of their highest – crowds of the season. This is a continuation of the trend we noticed last season too.”

But asked if Wrexham’s star owners were expected at the EnviroVent Stadium on November 28, Harrogate Town’s spokesman said: 

“I would think it’s very unlikely. I’m not aware of Ryan Reynolds having been to any other away games – but you never know.” 

Whether he makes an appearance or not, the match is unlikely to be a dull affair. Despite a 15-year absence from league football, Wrexham haven’t lost a match in their last 10 league outings and currently stand second in League Two, just behind Stockport County. By contrast, Harrogate are in 14th place, having won half of their last 10 league games. 

Tickets for the League Two clash are scheduled to go on general sale after the weekend, but Hal said: 

“We’ll wait till Monday and then see how sales are going. At this rate, we may not need to release tickets for general sale at all.

“We are down to our last few tickets, so I would recommend people get them now to avoid disappointment.” 

Harrogate Town have two matches to play before they meet Wrexham: a home tie against Swindon Town this Saturday (November 18), and an away fixture against Crawley Town on Saturday, November 25. 

Tickets for all matches are available online only at the club’s e-ticketing webpage.

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Daughter of man, 90, killed on A61 calls for ‘horrendous’ road to be made safer

The daughter of a 90-year-old man who was killed when he was knocked down by a car is calling for better safety measures to be urgently introduced on the stretch of the A61 Ripon Road where he was hit. 

Lucjan Wilk had just got off the number 36 bus when he was struck by a Ford Fiesta travelling towards Killinghall on Monday night (November 6). He sustained multiple serious injuries and died the following evening in Leeds General Infirmary. 

Polish-born Mr Wilk lived with his daughter, Paulina, and her husband in a house near the bus-stop.

She told the Stray Ferret: 

“This road is just horrendous. People come flying down that hill – I don’t think anyone does less than 50mph, and many go a lot faster than that. 

“There’s also no lighting between Harrogate and Killinghall, and not even any on Knox Mill Lane. It’s so dangerous. 

“I don’t think they put the bus-stop in the right place at all.” 

Paulina is now calling on North Yorkshire Council to reduce the speed limit to 30mph between Harrogate and Killinghall, to install proper lighting, and to introduce other traffic-calming measures, such as speed-indicator display signs. She said: 

“It’s a big problem, and I’ve asked the council for more lighting here before, but nobody’s listening. It’s like we don’t exist.” 

Mr Wilk, who came to England with his family in 1978, had lived with Paulina and her husband ever since his wife moved into a care home three months ago.

He had taken the bus into Harrogate every day since then to visit his wife, to whom friends say he was devoted. 

Paulina can see the spot where her father was struck from her kitchen window. She said: 

“I have to pass it every day on my way into town, too – there’s no escape.  

“My dad was a wonderful person, and unbelievably fit for 90 years old. It’s so unfair – he didn’t deserve to die like that.” 

In tragic twist of irony, Paulina used to live on Leeds Road, where she was very concerned about speeding cars “using it as a racetrack”.

She moved to her current address because she thought it would be quieter. She said: 

“I complained to the council about the speeding there, and they contacted me and sympathised, but that was the end of it. A police officer even told me that sometimes it takes a tragedy, like someone’s death, to make them do something. Well, that tragedy has happened now, so I hope something will be done.” 

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Business Breakfast: New outdoor shop opens in Ripon

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

A Trespass and Nevisport store is the latest addition to Ripon‘s high street.  

The outdoor clothing, footwear and accessories specialist, which sells brands including The North Face, Rab and Berghaus, opened its doors on Saturday morning in a prime retail location at Market Place East.  

The premises were previously occupied for many years by Barclays Bank, whose Ripon branch closed in August 2022. 

The Trespass brand was created in 1984 by long-established Glasgow firm Jacobs & Turner Ltd, which still owns it. The first Trespass store in mainland Europe opened in the Netherlands in 2014 and others have since opened in Poland, France, Germany and Austria. 

Nevisport was founded near Ben Nevis in Scotland in 1970 and was acquired by Jacobs & Turner Ltd in 2007. 

New Christmas market at Ripley

Real Markets, which runs markets across Yorkshire, has announced a new Christmas market at Ripley Castle.

Real Markets at Ripley Castle on Sunday, December 10 will feature a “special visitor from the North Pole” and carols from local schoolchildren. Visitors will also have free access to Ripley Castle’s grounds and gardens on market day.

Lucy Allen, director of Real Markets, said:

“We hope our special Christmas market brings a little magic in this fairytale setting. We’re thrilled that our specially curated local market will continue to be in the castle grounds once a month, every month next year too. It offers free access to Ripley castle’s grounds and gardens, so a fantastic day out for all ages.”

Picture of a market at Ripley Castle.

The monthly market at Ripley Castle. Photo: Real Markets.

Real Markets runs a number of long-standing Yorkshire markets, including monthly markets and farmers’ markets in Ilkley, Grassington, Otley and Harrogate, as well as at Ripley Castle on the last Sunday of each month excluding January. Its ethos is to support local, small, specialist and independent businesses to benefit the local community and help local producers thrive.

The Real Markets Christmas market at Ripley Castle will take place from 10am to 3pm on Sunday 10 December. Admission is free.

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Harrogate’s religious leaders issue plea for respect

Religious leaders in Harrogate have issued a plea for tolerance, calm and respect as the conflict in the Middle East continues.

Hasan Muhammad, the imam of the Harrogate mosque, Bernard Cohen, the president of the Harrogate synagogue, and Reverend Alan Garrow, the vicar of St Peter’s Church, met local MP Andrew Jones this morning to discuss the ongoing situation and the positions of Muslims and Jews in Harrogate and Knaresborough and nationwide.

Mr Muhammad, who is the imam of the Harrogate Islamic Association, said:

“It is good to stand together with Mr Cohen calling for peace and understanding between faiths and, specifically at this moment, between their followers.

“Harrogate people are well-known for being welcoming and accepting. These are values we should cherish as we live our lives in respect and understanding and celebrate both what makes us different and what we share. As-salamu alaykum.”

Mr Cohen, who is president of Harrogate Hebrew Congregation, said:

“The imam and I meeting today vividly demonstrates that although being of different faiths there is no difference in our humanity and our values of respect, tolerance, community and a desire for peace.

“We call on everyone in Harrogate and beyond to embrace these shared values and to exhibit them in all they do. Shalom.”

The meeting came after a weekend when hundreds of thousands of people attended a Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) demonstration in London on Saturday.

The march was marred by outbreaks of violence and intimidating behaviour, and the Metropolitan Police said that 145 people were arrested, the majority of them far-right counter-protesters.

Seven of these have since been charged with offences including possession of an offensive weapon and assault on an emergency worker.

Mr Jones said:

“I am grateful to the imam, the president of the synagogue and Rev Garrow for coming together to emphasise a message of tolerance, calm and respect. Islamophobic and antisemitic acts are unacceptable and I am pleased that we seem not to be experiencing an increase in this kind of hatred locally.

“This meeting is important because it demonstrates that whatever our beliefs we are compassionate beings sharing humanitarian values and respecting one another.”

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Car bursts into flames at Harlow Carr

Visitors leaving RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate on Saturday were shocked to see a car burst into flames in the car-park. 

The car, believed to be an 11-year-old, yellow, three-door Vauxhall Corsa, was seen with smoke coming out from under its bonnet, before the fire took hold.

One visitor, Kim Jones, told the Stray Ferret: 

“We were just coming to the exit at Harlow Carr and suddenly a huge plume of smoke appeared in the car-park. Then one of the cars just went ‘whoosh’ and burst into flames. 

“There was at least one explosion – something in the car exploded – but fortunately it didn’t get to the petrol tank.” 

Firefighters were called to the scene at 4.43pm and kept bystanders at a distance while they put out the blaze. 

Ms Jones said:

“I thought it was my car at first, but it turned out to be a car a couple of spaces away from mine. It was quite late in the afternoon, so fortunately there weren’t many other cars there at the time.”

The cause of the fire is not yet known, but the Stray Ferret has contacted North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and RHS Harlow Carr for more information.

Photo of a car on fire in the car-park of RHS Harlow Carr.

Photo: Kim Jones.

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Father Christmas postal service returns, thanks to hospital charity

Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity (HHCC) has announced the return of its seasonal postal service to Father Christmas.

Children can now receive a personalised letter from the man himself, complete with an Official North Pole Certificate and a Christmas colouring sheet selection.

All their parent or guardian has to do is complete the booking form on the HHCC website by Sunday, December 3. The service is free, but the charity welcomes voluntary donations.

All letters will be posted between Monday, December 4 and Friday, December 8 to ensure they arrive before Christmas Eve.

Every child who receives a letter from Father Christmas will also be in with a chance of winning a prize, kindly donated by Imagined Things Bookshop in Harrogate, just in time for Christmas.

Georgia Hudson, volunteer and charity manager, said:

“The HHCC and Volunteer Team are delighted to be able to run the Letters from Father Christmas initiative for the second year running.

“We received some wonderful feedback from supporters last year and hope to continue to bring a smile onto your loved ones faces with some sparkle and excitement from the main man himself!

“Thank you to everyone who is continuing to support HHCC, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”

In addition, any child wanting to post their own letter to Father Christmas can find a template letter here.

These can be posted at the festive post-box situated at the main entrance of Harrogate District Hospital from Friday, December 1.

Children can also hand-deliver their own letters to Father Christmas himself this November, as he is stopping by at HHCC’s Outdoor Pop-up Christmas Market at Harrogate Railway Athletic FC in Starbeck on November 26, from 10am to 3pm. Tickets can be bought via HHCC’s website.

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Business Breakfast: Estate agent’s award win puts firm in top 3%

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

Harrogate estate agent Verity Frearson has won gold at the Best Estate Agent Guide Awards in London.

The EA Masters event is the biggest estate agency leadership conference, exhibition and awards ceremony in the UK, and is attended by more than 1,500 of the leading estate and letting agents and suppliers from across the UK.

Each year, the awards recognise the top talent in the estate agency sector, assessing 15,000 estate and letting agencies across the country. According to a spokesperson, it is the only awards scheme that estate agents don’t pay to enter.

Matthew Stamford, director at Verity Frearson said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Best Agent Guide Award four years in a row.

“The Best Agent Guide is produced by the Property Academy, supported by Rightmove, and is by far the largest and most comprehensive awards scheme in UK agency.

“Winning this puts us in the top 3% of agents in the UK!”

Mr Stamford and fellow director James Verity attended the glittering event held at Battersea Park in London last week.

Mr Verity said:

“Matthew and I were so proud to collect the awards on behalf of our absolutely fantastic team. It’s a testament to all their hard work and dedication to the company and we can’t thank them enough.”

Lawyer up for northern award

Carmelita Ardren, who is head of family at Raworths Solicitors in Harrogate, has been shortlisted for Private Client Lawyer of the Year in the prestigious Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards.

The awards recognise the array of legal talent across the North and are based on The Legal 500’s extensive independent research for its annual directory.

The nomination comes on the back of a raft of inclusions for Raworths’ team members in the latest Legal 500 guide, which describes Raworths’ Family team as “the leading practice in Harrogate”.

Carmelita said:

“I am honoured to be shortlisted for this award and it’s a real testament to every member of the Family team at Raworths, which consistently delivers high-quality client service and a personal approach tailored to each client.”

Raworths provides integrated commercial and private client services and employs more than 70 people at its offices on Station Parade.

The awards will take place on March 13, 2024 at The Royal Armouries in Leeds.

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New cocktail bar opens tonight in Harrogate town centre

Harrogate‘s nightlife will offer even more choice from tonight, with the official launch of a new cocktail bar.

Locus Bar, on Cheltenham Crescent, is the brainchild of Flavia Milovi, who will run it with the help of bar manager Natasha Murray. The launch event starts at 6pm and everyone is welcome.

 

Photo of a cocktail at Locus Bar in Harrogate.

Natasha said:

“We want to give people a reason to get out of their homes and come to a nice, welcoming place that feels just as comfortable, but more stylish.

“We’re strong on wines and cocktails, with a range not just of the classics, but also of some that guests might not have tried before, like the Locus 21 and the Lost in Locus.

“In the future, we have plans to offer meat and cheese platters, live music and even singles nights, and we also have a private function room for hire.”

Photo of a pink neon sign that says 'Locus Bar', at Locus Bar in Harrogate.Locus Bar, which is in premises formerly occupied by Bijou & Wild, is named after a Leeds establishment owned by Flavia’s business partner, Gerti Masllavica, but this is Flavia’s first foray into Harrogate’s social scene. She said:

“We have a lot of friends here, and the people are nice. Harrogate really fits our style of venue, so I very much hope people will come along from 6pm tonight and see what we have to offer.”

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Business Breakfast: LNER orders cleaner new trains

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER), the train operator that runs services between Harrogate, Leeds and York, has named Spanish company CAF as the successful bidder to deliver a fleet of 10 new tri-mode trains.  

The trains will be able to operate in electric, battery or diesel mode, and can help cut emissions and particulates, and lower maintenance and operating costs. 

Battery power reduces the need to use diesel traction in areas such as the Harrogate district, where overhead powerlines are not available. It also reduces noise and vibration pollution, resulting in less disruption for people living near the tracks. 

David Horne, managing director at LNER, said:  

“Successfully delivering this new fleet is an integral part of LNER’s business plan. Our focus is ensuring we create a fleet that truly matches the needs of all our customers, with clear targets on setting new standards for comfort, accessibility, and exceptional customer service.” 

The new trains will be added to LNER’s fleet of 65 Azuma trains and will keep the company on track to reduce its emissions by 67 per cent by 2035 and be net zero by 2045.

LNER operates services between London and Edinburgh on the east coast mainline, as well as connected routes to Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Middlesbrough, Bradford, Skipton, Harrogate, Hull and Lincoln.

Airport cruises towards net zero

The Harrogate district’s local airport has been awarded a five-star rating by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark.

Leeds Bradford Airport achieved a score of 95% – its highest to date – increasing its rating by 79% since taking part for the first time in 2018.

An independent organisation, GRESB provides validated environmental, social and governance data for property and infrastructure businesses globally. To achieve a rating, businesses must complete an online assessment by providing raw monitoring data, as well as submitting evidence, in the form of certificates, policies and procedures.

Tracey Stevenson, sustainability manager at Leeds Bradford Airport, said:

“We are so proud to have seen an improvement to our GRESB score again this year. To rank second out of 10 UK airports is just a testament to how hard we strive year after year to keep improving.

“We see GRESB as a really valuable tool which not only allows us to benchmark our practises against other businesses but to uncover ways that we can improve processes to make the airport a great place for our colleagues and customers.”

Since 2018, LBA has improved energy efficiency both inside the terminal and out on the airfield, reduced the carbon emissions it produces directly by 67%. All electricity currently supplied to the airport is from 100% renewables.

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