This story is sponsored by Yorkshire Radiators.

A family-run company that supplies bespoke radiators direct to the customer has expanded into new, purpose-built premises to meet increased demand. 

Yorkshire Radiators has moved to a two-storey property on the new Harrogate West Business Park, on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate. The carbon-zero unit includes a warehouse, spray booth and showroom all under one roof. 

Clyde Williams, who set up the business with wife Crystal in 2020, said: 

“These new premises mean we’re now like a one-stop for radiators. We source the radiators, powder-coat them at our factory in Yorkshire, and deliver them, cutting out the middleman. We’ve streamlined the process – we get hold of the stock, store it and sell it ourselves – so there’s no wholesaler, and for the customer, that means low prices. 

“We’re able to compete with the internet but with personal service – for example, we do site visits. 

“Our competitors typically charge double the price with an eight- or 10-week wait, whereas we can offer the perfect style of radiator in the colour you want, with a lead-time of just a week. It’s fast service with personal delivery.” 

Yorkshire Radiators offers three different styles of radiator – with round, flat and oval profiles – in a range of sizes, 10 horizontal and eight vertical, and a choice of 12 colours.  

Clyde Williams has been in the radiator business for nearly 20 years.

Clyde said:

“Radiators sold online typically come in black, white or grey, but we can colour-match all five components of the radiator – the brackets, pipe cover, valve, air-bleed valves, and the radiator itself, meaning we can find a solution to suit most households.

“There’s a lot to take into account – the size of the room, the strength of the wall, the location of the pipes, and the levels of window-sills and shelves – so if someone is decorating a room, I always advise they start with the radiators and work around those. We supply two Harrogate-based interior designers – Stylesmith Interiors and Caroline Gardner Interior Design – and that’s how they like to work.”

Yorkshire Radiators has also set up an incentive scheme for local tradesmen, which is good news for them and their customers. Local trades interested in this deal should call 07838497803 or email by tapping here.

Clyde, who is originally from South Africa, has been in the radiator business for nearly 20 years and hopes to grow his company into a national concern. 

He said: “As in any sector, if you offer good service and aim to be the best, you can carve out a business anywhere. That’s what we’re trying to do. We do things properly, we don’t rush things, and the results can be stunning.” 

Find out more:

As the season changes, you may not be thinking about central heating any more, but summer is the time to invest in your home, ready for next winter!

If you’re redecorating a room, moving into a new property, or just want a beautiful new radiator perfectly matched to your décor, drop into our showroom at Unit 9, Harrogate West Business Park, HG3 2FN; it’s open every weekday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (3pm on Wednesdays) and by appointment on Saturdays. Alternatively, visit the Yorkshire Radiators website. 

Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate is appealing for sponsors to support a major new exhibition this summer. 

The show, called Total Recall: Myth and Memory, will feature archive works and new acquisitions, as well as some contemporary works by five young Northern artists.  

Co-curator Joe Nickols said: 

“We are exhibiting some highlights from our collections, including John Piper prints, paintings of Harrogate by  John Atkinson Grimshaw, and intriguing works by Cândido Portinari.

“New acquisitions come from Lisa Dracup, Kate Mellor, Caroline Walker, Dorothy Cross, and Martin Creed. To complement this we are working with five contemporary Northern artists to further the exhibitions resonance to our area and explore how art is developing. These artists are: Sally Barker, Ka Bird, Jill McKnight, K Walker, and Hang Zhang.

“The exhibition is a great opportunity for these new artists to show their work in a public gallery. We are hoping to grow a budget of around £2,000, which will go to support the artists, transportation of artwork, and outreach production costs. The Mercer Art Gallery is striving to be more inclusive and grow engagement with the local community, and this exhibition is part of this progression.”

A detail from plmvlt, a 2021 work by Newcastle artist Ka Bird.

The exhibition, due to run from July 13 to the end of October, will feature some pieces that have been seldom seen, as well as others which may be more familiar to viewers, such as a copy of Work No. 88 by Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed. The work caused considerable controversy and made headlines internationally when it was first unveiled in 1995, as it consists simply of a “sheet of A4 paper crumpled into a ball”. 

Joe said: 

“Some people don’t enjoy that piece, but it does ask a lot of questions. What was it? What memory was inside it? What does it contain?” 

Mercer Art Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of works by Yorkshire-born Martin Creed, in collaboration with Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. 

Creed’s Work No. 370 Balls 2004 fills the entire main gallery at the Mercer. The vast installation features nearly 1,000 balls of different scale, weight and texture. Visitors will also be able to see Creed’s iconic neon Work No. 890: Don’t Worry 2008 alongside Work No. 1340 2012, a large-scale wall painting of diagonal stripes. 

Artist Rooms Martin Creed runs until July 2, and admission is free. 

For information on Mercer Art Gallery and its exhibitions, go to its page on the North Yorkshire Council website. 

Read more:

• Turner Prize winner’s work to go on display in Harrogate
• Just 1% of Harrogate council’s art collection on public display
• New exhibition at Mercer shows work of artists with disabilities

The winners of a new photography competition are to have their pictures included in an exhibition in Ripon this autumn.

The competition, which has been launched by the Skell Valley Project in collaboration with the National Trust, Nidderdale AONB, Ripon Museum Trust and Ripon City Photographic Society, is for people of all ages and abilities.

Entrants must submit impactful images taken somewhere in the Skell Valley that capture its landscape, wildlife and nature or its cultural and historical features. A map of the area is provided with the competition information to locate where photos are taken.

A map of the area is provided with the competition information to locate where photos have been taken.

Stuart Ward, president of Ripon City Photographic Society, said:

“The landscape around the River Skell offers great raw material for taking inspiring photographs – from the wild moorland of Dallowgill at the top of the valley through to rolling farmland in Nidderdale AONB, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal World Heritage Site, Hell Wath Local Nature Reserve and the historic City of Ripon – it’s a photographer’s paradise!”

The Skell Valley Project is a four-year scheme led by the National Trust and Nidderdale AONB to rejuvenate the 12 miles of the River Skell.

The project is working with local partners, landowners, farmers, and volunteer groups to improve the landscape’s resilience to climate change, help nature to thrive, protect and conserve its heritage and increase people’s access to green space following the coronavirus pandemic.

The £2.5 million project is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, European Regional Development Fund, Wolfson Foundation, Royal Oak Foundation and other funders and donors.

Josie Campbell, senior project co-ordinator of the Skell Valley Project, said:

“Whether you’re a smartphone user that takes the odd snap or a more experienced photographer who’s a dab hand with a macro lens, we’re looking for entries from anyone inspired to capture the unique character of the River Skell and its surroundings.”

Competition entrants are welcome to submit a maximum of three photographs to skellvalleyprojectteam@nationaltrust.org.uk. The closing date for entries is midnight on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. For more information about the competition and how to submit photographs, see the National Trust website.

Entries will be judged by a panel including members from Ripon City Photographic Society, Skell Valley Project and Ripon Museum Trust.

The 20 winning photographs will be displayed as part of an outdoor exhibition at Ripon Workhouse Museum between Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, November 5, 2023.

Read more:

• Autumn events focus on ancient trees in Ripon’s Skell Valley
• Objectors clash with Skell Valley Project over Ripon nature reserve
• ‘Legendary’ photographer part of collaborative exhibition in Harrogate

A proposed school for children with autism moved a small step closer to being created in Bilton yesterday (Tuesday, May 30), when North Yorkshire Council accepted a recommendation to consult on the plans.

The matter will now be thrown open for public discussion by stakeholders for a six-week period from Monday, June 12.

The school, at the site of the former Woodfield Community Primary School in Harrogate, would provide school places for children and young people with autism in North Yorkshire. A total of £3.5 million has been earmarked to upgrade the site to enable it to cater for up to 80 pupils with autism aged between 11 and 19.

The potential opening date for the new school is September 2024.

Welcoming the decision, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said:

“I’m delighted that the council is to explore this proposal. The new facility would help meet a rising demand for special school places in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and the surrounding area.

“Currently there are 432 children with the primary need of autism accessing existing North Yorkshire special schools and we are committed to providing further support.”

She added:

“This would provide children and families with a more local offer of provision than is currently available without significant travel.”

North Yorkshire has already announced £20 million of investment in children and young people in North Yorkshire with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including the creation of new places in Special Schools and mainstream SEN Resource Bases.

Since 2016, the number of children and young people with identified SEND and an education, health and care plan (EHCP) has increased by over 110% in North Yorkshire. As this trend continues, it is estimated that the county will need an additional 350 SEND school places over the next three to five years.

North Yorkshire Council said the investment would enable it to find suitable placements for more young people closer to their local communities and deliver better value for children and families from the county, including improving existing provision to create “modern, fit-for-purpose spaces suited to a wider range of pupil needs”.

Woodfield Community Primary School closed at the end of December after years of falling pupil numbers and a sustained “inadequate” rating by Ofsted.

Officers believe the site is suitable for a new special school due to its layout and location in a central part of the county. There are no planned changes to the community library and children’s centre on the same site.

Read more:

• Men in Oatlands live 13 years longer than in Bilton Woodfield, says report
• New school for autistic children planned in Harrogate
• Council to explore ‘alternative educational uses’ for Woodfield school

A primary school between Ripon and Boroughbridge will close this summer due to a decline in pupil numbers, North Yorkshire Council has decided.

Skelton Newby Hall Primary School will shut for good after the council’s executive members approved the move yesterday (Tuesday, May 30).

The school has suffered from dwindling numbers of children for several years and in autumn 2022 had nine pupils on its roll.

By February 2023, just one pupil remained at the school, and all teaching was taking place at Sharow Church of England Primary School, which is federated with Skelton Newby Hall.

Ofsted inspectors last visited the school in March 2020, grading it as “requiring improvement”.

A consultation on the proposed closure was carried out by North Yorkshire Council to allow parents, teachers, governors and local people an opportunity to share their views. A further statutory representation period ended on April 27. Following yesterday’s decision, the school will close on August 31.

The area formerly served by Skelton Newby Hall will now fall within the catchment area of Kirby Hill Church of England Primary School, just north of Boroughbridge.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said:

“North Yorkshire Council does everything possible to support our small schools. However, our priority must be the children’s education and that it remains fit for purpose to give them the best start to their lives.

“Unfortunately, falling pupil numbers at Skelton Newby Hall Primary School have been a concern for quite some time. Pupil numbers determine the school budget and we have a duty to ensure every child has the best possible opportunity to succeed.

“The school’s governing body, staff and parents have been active in their collective efforts to raise numbers at the school over recent years, but pupil numbers have continued to fall.”

Cllr Wilkinson added:

“To close the school has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, but we have to put the education of pupils first.”

North Yorkshire has about 50 schools and academies with fewer than 50 pupils. North Yorkshire Council said it would “continue to lobby the Government strongly for fairer funding for the county’s schools”.

Read more:

• Ripon MP backs villagers’ £250,000 campaign to buy Skelton-On-Ure pub
• ‘Badly let down’ Woodfield school closure confirmed
• Boulder installed at Skelton Primary School

This story is sponsored by Jules B.

One of Harrogate’s most prominent fashion retailers is on the search for two new members of staff.

Jules B, the multi-award winning designer wear brand, is recruiting for the positions of assistant manager and a sales advisor to work in its impressive store on Cambridge Crescent, opposite Bettys tearooms.

Julian Blades, who founded the company together with his wife Rhona in 1985, said:

“We are looking for people who have a friendly personality and the ability to communicate and make our customers feel comfortable while they indulge in a bit of retail therapy.

“It really is a most rewarding job when you can empower people and make them feel good about themselves. It’s very social and the clients we attract are extremely nice, interesting people.

“You will be working in a lovely store , selling beautiful clothes to very nice people…. What’s not to like?”

In addition to a competitive salary, the successful candidates (once they have passed their probation) will be eligible for a clothing allowance and substantial staff discounts. He added:

“It’s very important to have happy staff. That is what we are known for. So we do everything we can to make working for us fun and enjoyable.”

Jules B is renowned for its incredible offer of some of the most desirable labels in the market such as Holland Cooper, Rixo, Haley Menzies, Self Portrait, Oska, and Lurdes Bergada.

We have two different demographics of customer explains Julian, one is a younger fashion forward woman who enjoys more directional collections which are all situated on our ground floor while on the second floor we attract a more contemporary type of customer who appreciates less structured designs.

The company has five retail stores located in Jesmond, Kendal and now Harrogate as well as a highly successful website.

Jules B is the only independent to have won the “Best Independent Fashion Retailer in Britain” award three times and in 2020 Julian and Rhona were awarded the “Drapers Lifetime Achievement Award” at a gala ceremony in London. Julian added:

“Shopping has to be an experience and the atmosphere in all our stores is created by happy and passionate staff.

“So if you want a job that gives you a huge amount of satisfaction and enjoyment we would love to meet you!”

Find out more: 

If you’re interested in either of these roles, or if you just love stylish fashion, visit the Jules B website. You can also apply for the roles here:

• Apply for the assistant store manager role by clicking or tapping here.
• Apply for the sales advisor role by clicking or tapping here.

Artists across the district will be showing off their work over the first two weekends of June as part of the annual North Yorkshire Open Studios (NYOS) event. 

Around 140 professional creatives working in every visual medium will open their studios right across the county, to promote and sell their work direct to the public in what has become one of the major events in the region’s cultural calendar. 

One of them is Boroughbridge-based Andrea Mosey, who started painting during lockdown after finding her daughter’s old art materials. Since then, she has won this year’s British Contemporary Art award and routinely sells her paintings for up to £1,000. Her studio is in the grounds of Newby Hall, and visitors can access it free of charge over the open studio weekends. She said: 

“It’s a lovely light-filled studio with huge picture windows, and I’ll have art for every different kind of budget, ranging from small fine art cards to prints to large oil paintings.” 

Curlew by Jo Garlick, who is based near Masham and will be exhibiting over the first two weekends of June.

Harrogate College will also be opening up for its own NYOS exhibition, featuring new work by students on its two-year, part-time MA Creative Practice degree course. 

Dr Annabel Smith, programme manager in MA Creative Practice at Harrogate College, said:

“Our MA students come from all walks of life and are often retiring or looking at switching direction and wanting to build on previous artist practice. This degree offers them a great way to change pathways and perhaps launch a new career, or just focus totally on their creative practice. 

“The overriding motivation seems to be to grasp the chance of a new start by setting off in a really creative direction. 

“The students consistently impress us by the quality of the art they produce, across so many mediums – and we can’t wait for the public to come and see some of their outstanding work at this exhibition.” 

The NYOS exhibition’s first weekend will take place on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday 4, and the second will be on Saturday, June 10 and Sunday 11. 

The Harrogate College MA students’ work will be available to view on campus each day from 10am to 5pm.

To find out how and where to view work by the 140 other featured artists, visit the North Yorkshire Open Studios website. 

Read more:

• Harrogate galleries collaborate on new exhibition
• Painting, knitting – have you discovered a new lockdown passion?
• Bilton artist sells paintings from his garage to millionaires abroad

Harrogate Spa Tennis Club has unveiled brand-new facilities that it says bring it a major step closer to achieving its aim of becoming a centre of excellence for sport. 

The club already had six tennis courts, but now has a larger pavilion with shop, Break Point café, bar and terrace overlooking the tennis courts, full LED floodlighting, improved parking, and two new padel courts. Padel is a sport similar to tennis but played with a solid, stringless racquet, in an enclosed court like squash. 

The new padel courts are already attracting players from across the region.

Jacqui Collyns, who took over as centre manager in February, said: 

“There’s nowhere like this within a 100-mile radius – Harrogate seems to be becoming the North’s padel capital. We’ve only been open for three weeks and we’ve already got ‘repeat customers’ coming from as far afield as Leeds and Pontefract. 

“This is a real ‘wow’ space. But it’s not just about tennis and padel – we’ve got plans to expand it for other uses too. This is very much phase one. It’s all part of a 10-year plan to turn this club into a centre of excellence for sport.” 

Run as a charity by volunteers, Harrogate Spa Tennis Club is understood to have paid a seven-figure sum for the nine-month programme of improvements through donations, fundraising and a small loan from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). 

The club has a strong sense of community, and provides junior tennis coaching to year groups at Harrogate High School (pictured on the horizon).

Jacqui said: 

“A special mention should go to the volunteers and trustees. They’ve really made this happen, and have just given and given and given. They’ve never had a salary. They really are remarkable people who just want to give something back, and you don’t often get that these days.” 

The club, which is located off the end of Claro Road, offers tennis and padel on a pre-booked pay-and-play basis, and professional tennis coaching is also available. It also provides free coaching to year groups from Harrogate High School, holds weekly tennis fun sessions for children with learning disabilities, and all its facilities are wheelchair-accessible. 

Jacqui said: 

“This club is all about community. It was founded 76 years ago as a club for everybody, and that’s what it still is. Membership costs just £20 a month, and you can bring the kids along too. It’s incredible.” 

Read more:

• New £70,000 tennis courts open in Dacre with free taster sessions
• Ripon Tennis Centre opens new £180,000 padel tennis courts
• Harrogate’s Rossett School could swap three tennis courts for 3G pitch

Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre will be pulling out all the stops to bring a festival feel to Knaresborough on Bed Race day next month. 

As the race gets underway on Saturday, June 10, Henshaws will be celebrating with BedFest, which promises to be bigger and better than last year’s sold-out event. 

Kicking off at midday, BedFest will offer some mouth-watering food options, with wood-fired pizzas, loaded fries and sweet treats, plus pop-up Mexican street food thanks to Paradise Tap & Taco. 

Harrogate Brewery and Knaresborough-based Turning Point will be serving a top range of beers, as well as gins, wine, fizz, cider and soft drinks for the kids. 

There will also be some of the finest local musicians around, across two eclectic stages, including renowned DJ Rory Hoy, acoustic singer Leo Hicks, Yorkshire reggae band Drop Leg Steppers, Hot Sauce, DJ Trev and rapper legend Lence. 

Award-winning DJ Rory Hoy has produced music for film, TV and adverts, including tracks for Disney.

The venue is on the route of the Great Knaresborough Bed Race, which starts at 3pm, following the Dressed Bed parade through town at 1pm. 

Visitors to BedFest will be able to gather at the Arts & Crafts Centre gates to watch the parade, whose theme this year is “That’s Entertainment”, then come back inside the Centre to enjoy the food, drink and music. They can then go back to watch as the beds speed down Bond End before they take on the final challenge of crossing the River Nidd. A wristband will give visitors access from midday right through to 11pm. 

BedFest sponsorship and corporate hospitality packages are now available. Gemma Young, fundraising development manager at Henshaws, said:  

“A real local gem, the Arts and Crafts Centre – available to hire for celebrations and events year-round – offers a unique setting in the heart of Knaresborough. We are looking forward to welcoming friends old and new to share our special and inspiring space.  

“As a small fundraising team, we rely on the support of our fantastic volunteers to deliver our programme of events. If you’d like to find out more about getting involved and supporting a local charity through volunteering, we’d love to hear from you.” 

BedFest promises fun, food and music for visitors of all ages.

Caroline Sullivan, optometrist director at event sponsor Specsavers, said:  

“BedFest represents a fantastic opportunity to come together as a community to raise money for a very important cause. We are proud to have Henshaws as our chosen charity, and the team at Specsavers had a brilliant time volunteering at the recent Beer Festival and are looking forward to being involved in the annual Henshaws Hundreds challenge in June too.” 

Tickets for BedFest are on sale now at Henshaws Bed Fest 2023. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £5 for children (3-17); under-2s go free. Complimentary carer tickets are also available. 

A full programme of Knaresborough Bed Race events is available at www.bedrace.co.uk. 

Read more:

• Beer festival season starts with three-day Henshaws event
• Details of 2023 Knaresborough Bed Race revealed
• Knaresborough junction to be closed from this weekend

The story is sponsored by Ripon Golf Range.

Golf enthusiasts can practice swinging the irons every day of the year following an overhaul of facilities at Ripon Golf Range. 

Until recently, the range, behind Ripon City Golf Club, was only open at irregular times and was closed on Mondays, but a new management team has turned it into a fully automated seven-day-a-week facility, open from 8am to 8pm every day. 

The range has both covered and outdoor bays.

There are nine floodlit covered bays, so you stay dry and comfortable even if it starts raining, plus seven outdoor bays, where you can pitch to three separate greens at different distances. 

A new machine has also been installed, which takes all debit and credit cards, as well accepting digital payment from phones or watches. 

Balls cost £3 for 30, £6 for 60, £8 for 90, or just £10 for 120, and a loyalty card scheme offers 25% discount. 

Anyone wanting to practise can simply turn up, pay for however many balls they want – and drive and chip away. 

Sawley resident Simon G is so impressed with the new arrangements that he’s become a regular customer. He said: 

“I’m very happy with the extended opening hours, and with the ease of being able to practise at my convenience.” 

Players who really want to fine-tune their skills can even opt for tuition from a PGA qualified coach who is on site on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. One-to-one lessons costs £35 for a 30-minute session, or £175 for six sessions. Junior clinics on Sunday afternoons are available at £7 per session. 

Find out more:

For full details of what’s on offer at Ripon Golf Range or to book a sessions with a PGA qualified coach, go to www.ripongolfrange.com.