Business Q&A: Dan Simpson, Harrogate Organics

This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly.  

This week, we spoke to Dan Simpson, co-owner of Harrogate Organics in Harrogate.

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does. 

We sell products that can help solve problems such as sleep, anxiety and stress. Sleep is the number-one wellness product on the planet. If you’re getting sleep, you’re regenerating; if not, you’re degenerating.

What does it require to be successful in business? 

Nerve. It’s cliché, but if it were easy, everybody would be doing it. Everything in business is a test, a lesson, and you just have to hold your nerve and keep persevering.

What drives you to do what you do every day? 

It’s a cheesy answer, but customer feedback. This is the best job in the world, because we get such profound feedback. It’s not unusual for a customer to tell us “You’ve changed my life”.

What has been the toughest issue your company has had to deal with over the last 12 months? 

Finance: the acquisition of capital. Logistics are tough, but the headwinds of opening in a UK business market are really difficult. Banks make it nearly impossible to borrow money to invest in the business.

Business rates are archaic too – it’s just unreasonable the way high-street companies are charged they way they are, compared with online companies.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why? 

I like Harrogate Spring Water and what they’ve achieved. I like the brand and what they’ve done with it.

I admire NEOM too – they have a nice, clean brand.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders? 

I don’t have any. I was a Harrogate boy from the age of nine to 17, but moved to London for four years and then spent the next 20 years away in Dubai. Since I’ve got back, I don’t feel like my feet have touched the ground, so I’m going to abstain from that one!

Photo of Dan Simpson, co-founder of Harrogate Organics.

Dan Simpson

What could be done locally to boost business? 

More could done to market Harrogate externally. We have Harrogate BID and it does things like the Christmas Market very well, but I think more could be done in terms of encouraging more pop-up shops in unused locations. There are loads of small businesses out there that would be fantastic doing that.

Parking too. Not much is done to encourage people to come into town. I know we need to encourage a green ethos – taking the bus and cycling – but the reality is that Harrogatonians are relatively lazy. I don’t mean that critically, but it’s quite a wealthy town, most people have multiple cars, and it’s easier just to drive into town than it is to hop on a bus.

People just don’t want to pay for parking. If they have to, they’ll just shop online. But online is great if you want to buy a spanner, but you need to be able to browse around towns.

The other thing is: business rates have got to go. I wouldn’t usually vote Labour, but it’s in their manifesto, so I would this time.

Best and worst things about running a business from Harrogate? 

The best: the Harrogate name has a respectability about it, which is why we used it in our name. There’s a kudos attached to it.

The downside: it’s a minor niggle, but connectivity. We only just connected to fibre last week, so it shouldn’t be an issue anymore, but it has been a big problem. We’ve had to shut the shop about 10 times over the last two years because the copper wires just couldn’t cope, so we couldn’t run our phones, computers, tills or music.

What are your business plans for the future? 

The next step for us is more of a centralised distribution and logistical solution, because we’re growing at such an incredible rate. We’ll keep the shop because a) we like it, and b) people like to know they’re buying from an actual physical entity, but realistically, we’re going to need a a warehouse so we can get larger volumes of product out.

Once we’ve got to that point, then we’ll start looking at certifications like B Corp.

What do you like to do on your time off? 

Time off? Good one! I work, and at weekends it’s chores – doing things and fixing things. I like golf when I play it, but I played twice last year!

Best place to eat and drink locally? 

There are lots of good places in Harrogate. I like Spice Culture, the Little Ale House and Starling – anywhere independent and a bit different.

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‘I’ll probably lock the door and cry’, says owner of closing Harrogate shop

When Jo Brain opened a sandwich shop on Skipton Road in Harrogate in 1972, she probably little suspected that it would still be serving up bacon butties more than half a century later. 

The Bread Bin became the go-to place for a quick breakfast, brunch or lunch in the New Park area long before “go-to place” was a commonly used phrase. 

After passing through several owners’ hands in the 1980s, it was bought by Jenny Stanley, who in 1991 took on Lesley Smith as an employee. Lesley bought it in 1997, and it is her daughter, Jude Gray, who runs it today. 

But, as reported by the Stray Ferret last week, the Bread Bin’s regular customers will have to find a new place to grab a sandwich, because the local landmark shop is to close within weeks. 

Jude took the decision to shut a couple of months ago. She told the Stray Ferret: 

“Since covid we’ve watched the stock prices go up, and the utilities have all got more expensive. Brexit hasn’t helped. It’s put a lot of importers off bringing produce in, so for example salad is more expensive, and the new import checks coming in will only make it worse. 

“We’ve downsized from six people to three since covid hit, but at New Year we thought it just wasn’t going to get any better.” 

For many who live and work in New Park, it will be the end of an era, and for some, almost the passing of a daily part of life. Jude said: 

“We’ve had some very long-standing customers. It’s quite unusual for a shop like this – usually they rely on passing trade. 

“One man first came in in 1979 when he was a soldier based at Penny Pot. He’s now a pensioner but he still comes in – 45 years later. 

“We don’t tend to know people by name, but we do know their orders. With some of them, as soon as they come through the door we start cooking for them, because we know exactly what they want.” 

The menu offers the old standards – any of the main components of a cooked breakfast, in bread – as well as more recent innovations, such as Chinese chicken mayonnaise and piri piri chicken. And chips, of course. Jude said: 

“It’s a bit of a time-warp, really. Some of the newer places tend to have healthier menus, and I did give that a try, but the customers weren’t interested. They gave it a poke but preferred to stick with their old favourites.” 

With such a loyal customer base, it must be a going concern, so why didn’t she just put it on the market? After all, cafés and eateries are always springing up around town – there must be someone willing to give it a go? But that, it seems, is exactly the problem – there are at least six sandwich shops currently on the market in Harrogate. Jude said: 

“There are so many other cafés up for sale at the moment, and they’re just not shifting. We would have been waiting a hell of a long time to sell it.” 

Instead, Jude plans to convert it into a house, and swap homes with her mum. She said: 

“Mum lives in a lovely little flat upstairs, and we’ll move into that, and my husband’s very into cycling, so downstairs will become somewhere he can keep his bikes. Mum will move into the house we’ve been living in, which is all on one level.” 

The house-swap is about as far into the future as Jude is looking – she doesn’t yet have any firm plans for the future. She doesn’t think she’ll regret saying goodbye to the Bread Bin, and yet shutting up shop for the last time at the end of February – or possibly in March – won’t be easy. She said: 

“I’ll probably just lock the door for the last time and cry. I’ve made more money in other jobs, but this has definitely been my favourite.  

“But it’s for the best. I’m pleased we’ve made this decision.” 

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Why is Harrogate so lacking in fun for young people?

For parents of older children and teenagers it’s a familiar refrain: “There’s nothing to do”. But in the Harrogate district, the kids have got a point: there is very little for them do that’s indoors, legal and affordable. 

There are sporting facilities of course, but most young people’s friendship groups are not based on a single interest such as gymnastics or cricket, and besides, the balance between physical activity and social interaction at sports clubs often tends to be tipped towards sweat rather than fun. For pure, escapist enjoyment, there’s not a lot out there. 

It’s a problem Sally Haslewood is all too familiar with. As founder of family matters website Harrogate Mumbler, she knows very well what options there are for teenagers in the district. She told the Stray Ferret: 

“Harrogate is quite well-served for things for under-12s, but once they get a bit older, there’s very little. There’s really not a lot for them to do other than hang around. 

“The poor kids have got nowhere to go. I grew up in Harrogate, and it’s been a problem here for a long time. 

“When Oxygen [trampoline park] opened in York last week, the reaction on Mumbler was really enthusiastic – it created quite a buzz – but people were also asking ‘why can’t we have something like that here?’. 

Why indeed. Why is there such a dearth of indoor activities for people of pre-drinking age in Harrogate, and – perhaps more to the point – is there any chance of the situation changing? 

Trampolining

A few years ago, it very nearly did. In December 2017, a company called Go Jumpin Ltd was granted planning permission to build an indoor trampoline centre at Hornbeam Park. 

Families around the district cheered, and waited. But in vain. Go Jumpin went bust and was bought out by a firm that decided not to go ahead with the plans. The centre was never built. 

You might think that since then, some other company would have taken up the cause. After all, Harrogate has a far higher average income than most other towns in the region, as well as nearly 7,000 secondary school-aged children. The council was surely onside – it had granted planning permission – and the demand is certainly there. 

In the case of trampoline parks, one big issue is height. Hornbeam Park Developments’ Chris Bentley, who remembers the Go Jumpin episode well, said: 

“The problem is that you need 10-12 metres in height and most large buildings are only six metres at the eaves, so it’s very difficult to find a building with that height.” 

That’s not a problem, though, for pretty much any other indoor leisure pursuit – they tend to be more ground-based – and yet we don’t have many of those either. 

We did have an ice rink over Christmas, and many people – including Sally Haslewood – appreciated the extra dimension it brought to the town’s leisure options. So the Stray Ferret contacted several ice-rink operators and a governing body several times to ask how likely a more permanent, indoor facility in the town might be, but received no reply from any of them. Take that as you will, but it could be interpreted as an indicator of their level of interest in the town.

The outdoor ice-rink at Christmas in Harrogate.

The temporary outdoor Christmas ice-rink in Harrogate. Photo: Smart Avenue Media.

Bowling alleys

Bowling alleys, on the other hand, could be a more likely prospect, and are arguably exactly the kind of facility that Harrogate is crying out for. After all, most operators nowadays don’t just offer bowling, but have other activities on site as well, such as air hockey, crazy pool, ping-pong, batting cages, indoor golf and even karaoke. 

Young people in our neighbouring cities are spoilt for choice: Leeds has two bowling-led leisure facilities, and York has two within a 10-minute drive of each other. Even Skipton has one. 

In contrast, Harrogate did once have a bowling alley on Tower Street that offered a few lanes of kegelbahn – a German nine-pin variant – but there have been no signs of a replacement since it closed a generation ago. 

Gary Brimble, general secretary of industry body UK Tenpin Bowling Operators, suspects it may be a matter of size. He told us: 

“Harrogate’s proximity to Leeds and York is probably the reason why nobody has wanted to open a bowling centre there. 

“The vast majority of the centres run by the two biggest providers, Hollywood and Tenpin, have 24 lanes or more, like the ones those companies have in Leeds. They look for huge spaces of 25-60,000 sq ft, and it takes a lot of catchment to fill that. The same goes for multiplex cinemas, which Harrogate also doesn’t have. 

“But Harrogate might appeal more to smaller providers. Lane 7, Roxy Leisure and Gravity are all expanding rapidly and looking for new sites. They tend to go in with eight, 10 or 12 lanes, coupled with a very good food and drink offer.” 

Lane 7 has 13 venues nationally, and four “coming soon”, including one in York. Owner Tim Wilks told the Stray Ferret: 

“We’ve looked at Harrogate before and it is somewhere we would consider putting a small bowling alley, however, finding the right property with the right rent makes it difficult – it’s an affluent area and with that comes higher rents.”

High rents and no students

This is a factor mentioned by many in the leisure industry: Harrogate just a little on the expensive side. One leisure property specialist told us: 

“The rents in central Harrogate are about the same as they are in Leeds city centre, mainly because it’s a nice place to be, but you’ll probably make half the turnover in Harrogate that you would in Leeds. So it all comes down to: where would a leisure company rather go?” 

The same source pinpointed another factor which weighs heavily with modern leisure companies. They said: 

“One of the problems with Harrogate is that there isn’t much of an after-work corporate crowd or a student population past drinking age. The majority of people over 18 leave, at least for a few years while they’re at university, and that raises issues with staffing: who’s going to work there?” 

A possible solution

Nevertheless, the very fact that at least one trampoline company and one bowling operator have considered opening facilities in Harrogate suggests that the town is not beyond hope, and perhaps the model pioneered by Gravity could offer a solution.

The Wakefield-based company has recently taken over former Debenhams premises in Liverpool and Wandsworth, transforming the town-centre department stores into hi-tech leisure hubs, with e-karting, urban street golf, virtual-reality shoot-outs and alternative-reality ten-pin bowling. 

Harrogate, of course, has a vacant Debenhams – with a multi-storey car-park next door. And, says Gary Brimble, bowling alleys tend to be regarded as a “planning gain”. He said: 

“You don’t get the problems and the concerns from the neighbours that you get with some other types of business, such as casinos or nightclubs, with the noise and people tipping out into the street all at the same time. We tend to be very good neighbours.” 

Sadly, though, that ship may have sailed – the new owners of the Debenhams site have applied for planning permission to convert the building into retail units and flats above. But the principle is still valid, according to Hornbeam Park’s Chris Bentley. He said: 

“If you could find buildings that could accommodate four or five different leisure facilities, plus catering and toilets, that could be good. You’d be hard pressed to find a newbuild in Harrogate to accommodate all that, but if Boots or M&S ever moved out of their current premises in Harrogate, they’d be perfect – you could have multiple operators there: bowling, paintballing, laser, go-karting.

“The same management could look after the whole thing and it would have the same toilets and catering, and you’d get economies of scale, which is what you need in Harrogate.” 

M&S upping sticks might seem like a distant prospect (even if it looks likely in Bradford), but the economic headwinds that are currently giving most sectors such a rough passage appear to be filling the sails of the leisure companies. While many other industries are hunkering down and hoping for better days, bowling operators are enjoying something of a boom. Data from Lloyds Bank shows a massive increase in spending at alleys in December, up by 106% on the previous year – more than any other activity in the ‘non-essential spending’ category. 

Gary Brimble said: 

“Bowling operators have had continued growth throughout the recession, and there is an awful lot of activity in the leisure sector. There are more locations now, and more spending going on at existing locations. They don’t seem to be as affected as some other companies by people tightening their pursestrings.” 

So while the demand is there, and the operators are flush with cash, perhaps one of the smaller operators will meet the demand that has been pent up in Harrogate for decades. In spite of the high rents and the absence of a student population, Harrogate might yet attract an entrepreneurial leisure operator that could give young people a reason to go out on a wet weekend, and “something to do”.

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Business Q&A: Paul Rawlinson, Baltzersen’s & Bakeri Baltzersen

This is the second in a new weekly series of Business Q&A features. 

This week, we spoke to Paul Rawlinson, director of Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersen on Oxford Street, Harrogate. 

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does. 

We have two parts. Baltzersen’s is a Scandinavian-inspired café in the centre of Harrogate serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee and pastries. Bakeri Baltzersen is a wholesale and retail bakery that supplies businesses across North and West Yorkshire and has shops in Harrogate and Wetherby.

What does it require to be successful in business?

We’ve been in business for 12 years and the last four years have been particularly eventful. What it requires is the willingness to consistently turn up and keep moving forward and trying to improve. Ultimately, we want to make things better for our guests and customers, our teams and our family.

What drives you to do what you do every day? 

I look at how far we’ve come as a business and I know we’re not close to where I want to be. Not for the people that work within the business and not on a personal level.  There is so much more to do.

What has been the toughest issue your company has had to deal with over the last 12 months? 

I think it’s the constant change that’s tough to deal with, and that stretches back beyond 12 months – it’s been non-stop drama for four years. With a business that’s open seven days a week and often with someone on duty up to 23 hours a day, there’s always the potential for something to go awry!  

I do think in the last four or five months we’ve seen a lot of businesses, big and small, finally losing the fight, and I always feel for people who’ve given everything they could and not been able to come out the other side.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why? 

In Harrogate everyone knows Bettys – it’s iconic. The longevity of the company, the way they have grown the Taylors side of that business, and the way they walk the talk on sourcing and investing in the supplier side of that business is to be admired.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders? 

I look to colleagues who run businesses locally with a lot of admiration. What people are able to do with relatively modest resources and the venues and experiences they can create is unreal. People like Simon at Starling or Rich and Danni at Little Ale House – they’re working in their businesses and investing back into them to make them better.

What could be done locally to boost business? 

I think it’s a really tricky time and there are lots of different strategies for different businesses – and it’s tough to please everyone. There’s no doubt for Harrogate the conference centre is a point of difference and brings a lot of business to town, so making the best use of that facility is absolutely key.

I’d like to see some action at national level around business rates, and from a hospitality perspective a decrease in VAT could really help.

Best and worst things about running a business from Harrogate? 

I haven’t grown up in Harrogate and I feel privileged to live here, even if sometimes you see and hear people complaining. We’ve always had great support locally and I value that. I think people are willing to pay that little bit more for something they believe is worth it. It does feel like town is very quiet during the week. Sometimes I look at York and Leeds and think I would like a bit of that volume!

What are your business plans for the future? 

We’re in the process of making some big changes to our range of products at the bakery. We’re launching a vegan range, we’ll have some more frequently rotating products, and once that’s sorted we’ll be focusing back in on bread. We’d like to open more retail bakery shops/cafés in the future, but it all takes time! 

What do you like to do on your time off? 

We have two boys under 10, so we spend a lot of time taking them to various sports and activities and generally amusing them. We watched Northern Superchargers [cricket team in Leeds] in The Hundred over the summer, have seen a couple of Leeds Knights ice hockey games at Elland Road this season and a few Harrogate Town games – all great family activities. Spending time with family is the most important thing, and this hasn’t always been easy with a growing business, so I’m conscious I don’t want to lose any more time.

I play padel with friends at Surge in Hornbeam Park, which has been really fun over the last few years.  

Best place to eat and drink locally? 

If we eat out in Harrogate we’ll likely go to Stuzzi or Domo [the Japanese restaurant in the Montpellier Quarter].  

I think we’re blessed with an amazing indie bar scene, so it’s great to be able to visit Little Ale House, North Bar, Starling, Major Tom’s Social, Husk, The Disappearing Chin, Roosters or Cold Bath Brewing Co. I love it when friends visit and I can take them around all of these venues without a brewery tie in sight. A lot of places can’t compete.

I’d recommend everyone to visit Josh and Ellie at their new home for Paradise just near the Jubilee Car Park – it’s another great addition.

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‘Unflappable’ owls wow wedding guests with ring deliveries

Just before Christmas one year, Ryan Stocks received a phone call from an employee to tell him that one of his owls was stuck behind a church organ. 

The owl, who had been on duty at a wedding, had been spooked by something and wouldn’t come down. It had even set off a fire alarm by landing on a sensor. The trouble was, Ryan was in London but the owl was in Hull. 

After dashing up the motorway, he arrived at the church just before it shut, spotted his bird, held out his hand, whistled and waited. Within seconds, the owl glided down and the drama was over. 

Last year, Ryan’s Ripon-based company, Owl Adventures, bought Barn Owl Ring-Bearer, a Durham-based firm that was the first in the UK to hire out owls trained to deliver the rings at weddings, and he’s been busy ever since. 

The ‘Hull incident’ was a rare glitch, he explains: 

“That particular owl, it transpired, would only fly for me. I’d hand-reared it and it had latched on to me probably more than an owl normally would do. So it would fly to anyone, but only if I was present – if he could see me for comfort or confidence. But that’s just an example of how different their personalities are.” 

He adds: 

“The bride didn’t want a refund – she was just so happy that we got the owl down.” 

A former pupil of Ripon City School (now Outwood Academy), Ryan, now an experienced falconer, set up Owl Adventures in 2011 and has 15 birds: three barn owls and 12 others, including a horned owl, steppe eagle, falcon, harris hawks, pygmy owl, Indian scops owl and a white-faced owl. 

He also runs a ‘mobile zoo’, whose stars – snakes, lizards, tarantulas, a tortoise and various creepy-crawlies (his term) – all live in vivariums in his home. 

Ryan and his fiancée Dee, who is, thankfully, as enthusiastic as he is about the whole menagerie, offer several services, all animal-based, including flying shows, visits to schools and care homes. 

They even offer pest control, flying harris hawks to scare off pigeons and seagulls from industrial premises. Clients include Unilever, B&Q and Reckitt. 

But it’s the barn owl ring-bearing service that grabs people’s attention. Not because it’s unique – it may be the first service of its kind, but it’s no longer the only one – but because it’s so magical: owls make people happy.

Ryan says: 

“The best weddings are when people are laughing in the service. When I hear that before I go into the room, I think ‘this is going to be great’. You’re going to get a good reaction. 

“And some of the nicest weddings we do are some of the smaller ones really, in one of the nice wedding venues. Most of the weddings we do are outside or they are in hotels or castles or a specialist wedding venue. Because the people who are going to go for an owl are probably a bit more likely to be people who want a less traditional wedding.” 

Photo of a barn owl flying silently down the aisle as guests look on at a small church wedding.

One of Ryan’s Stocks’ owls earning its keep.

Typically, Ryan will turn up for a wedding an hour early, to ensure that he and the owl can get into position unseen – it’s supposed to be a secret, known only to the groom and best man. 

He’ll then quickly train the owl-receiver to do his bit, and at the right point in the ceremony will slip into the back of the church, and release the owl. The best man, wearing a previously concealed glove, receives the owl, the rings are delivered, and the bride, hopefully, is delighted. 

Some clients ask him to have the owl deliver notes, which isn’t great, he says: 

“They have to be folded up really tiny, because something flat like that will cause a bit of drag on the bird.” 

After the ceremony, Ryan and his owl stick around to entertain guests and be photographed. 

They can do up to three weddings a day in high season, as well as other shows, so he alternates the owls, Juno, Bailey, Sweep and Dusty. They’ve performed all over the UK, and even have a booking in Greece later this year. 

Photo of a happy bridge and groom, who is wearing a falconry gautlet and a white barn owl is perching on his hand.

Photo: Camilla Armstrong.

He says: 

“It feels busy now and it’s winter. Summer frightens me, because we’ll have five things a day sometimes. We might have one pest-control hawk going out to a factory, we might have two static display events, one flying show and two weddings. Logistically, it’s quite a challenge. You just think, ‘please don’t get ill, please don’t have a vehicle breakdown’!” 

Most of the time, the owls behave – Ryan says it’s as if the glove is magnetic – but occasionally things don’t go to plan, as happened in Hull. 

He even had one owl that was agoraphobic, and didn’t like flying outside. 

“We didn’t use that one for weddings – we just found it a suitable home. That’s quite rare.

“We hand-rear them, and have dogs around them, and music and noise, so they’re very much used to noise and distraction. 

“Some of the shows we do – game fairs, steam rallies, dog shows, horse shows, stunt shows – are really noisy, and there can even be people firing guns. And you just think ‘they won’t fly in this’, but they don’t care. They’re so used to people, and things that people get up to, that they’re just not bothered by it at all.” 

You could say they’re… unflappable. But that’s not to say they don’t need looking after. They have a varied diet – cockerel chicks, mice, rats, rabbit, quail, all frozen and delivered by truck – and Ryan checks their health and weighs them daily. He says: 

“They live about three times as long in captivity as they do in the wild. One reason is that they’re not eating any poison or disease in the prey they catch. A pigeon can carry up to 21 diseases, and the poison that can be used against rodents can be dangerous too. 

“The thing about birds is that they don’t look ill until the very end. So capturing things really early, be it bumblefoot or frounce, or one of those common things, is vital.” 

Fortunately, he’s pretty good at that. In fact, when he goes to goes to the vets in Ripon, they sometimes ask him his opinion. 

He says: 

“They invite me into their examination rooms to look at the bird. I feel like a fraud – I’m not a vet! – but I know more about birds of prey than they do.” 

Ryan and his feathered employees are proof, if it were needed, that the science and art of falconry may be ancient, but it hasn’t stood still. In fact, each of the owls is even fitted with a GPS gadget. He says: 

“I hope never to have to rely on it, but it’s a wise precaution – just in case one of them ever decided to make off with the rings!”

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Harrogate surveyors Kempston-Parkes expands offices

This story is sponsored by Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors.

Harrogate’s foremost firm of chartered surveyors is bucking the property market trend and actively growing in response to continued healthy demand. 

While many in the sector are battling falling house prices, subdued trade and high interest rates, Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors has seen no downturn in revenues and is investing in its future. 

To better accommodate its growing team, Kempston-Parkes has expanded into the ground and basement offices of its Princes Square premises after the former tenants moved out. 

Managing director Andrew Kempston-Parkes, who founded the firm from his home in 2011, said: 

“We’re growing as a firm, so when the lease became available, Kempston-Parkes saw it as a great opportunity to secure more space for our expanding team.

“It will give our admin team more room, and occupying the whole building provides us with an even better presence in Harrogate’s central business quarter.”

Mr Kempston-Parkes earned his professional qualifications from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 1997 and founded Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors 14 years later. The firm now employs 14 people from its offices in the heart of Harrogate. 

Find out more:

Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors provide surveys and valuations for all purposes, including purchase, inheritance tax, capital gains tax, matrimonial assessments, boundary disputes and Land Registry plans

To find out more, visit our brand-new website, www.kempston-parkes.co.uk, or call us on 01423 229333.

Christmas was a success, but Harrogate festive switch-on in 2024 unlikely, says tourism boss

Harrogate looks unlikely to host a grand switch-on of its Christmas lights this year, according to the council’s tourism boss. 

The official switch-on of the illuminations was an annual tradition that drew crowds to the town centre and marked the start of the festive season, but it was stopped due to covid and has never been revived. 

Asked by the Stray Ferret if it would be, Gemma Rio, head of tourism for North Yorkshire Council, said: 

“I doubt it. In all the conversations I’ve had with all the partners, I haven’t heard any appetite for a Christmas lights [switch-on]. I’ll be honest – personally, I don’t think we need one. 

“If every one of our partners all of a sudden said they were desperate for one, then obviously we would have to look at it, but at the minute no-one’s suggesting that that’s something they’re chasing.” 

North Yorkshire Council has been conducting an evaluation of Harrogate’s 2023 Christmas festivities, but it appears no concrete conclusions have yet been drawn. 

Asked what would be different this year, Ms Rio said: 

“At this point, it’s too early to say. There are about 12 partners that go into our Christmas offer, and we’re speaking with all of them about what they want to achieve from Christmas 2024, and how to get there. We’ll be able to release some details later in the year.” 

Harrogate’s Christmas attractions drew a mixed response from visitors. Comments on the Stray Ferret’s Facebook page ranged from “better than last year” to “very disappointing”. In particular, the ice-rink in Crescent Gardens attracted much criticism after wind and rain forced its closure several times, and visitors complained about the quality of both the ice and the skates. 

Its operator, York-based Events by Cynosure, said it had no plans to return for Christmas 2024 “due to the losses sustained this year from the weather and lack of footfall in the area”. 

But Ms Rio said that the company and the council were still “in conversations about that”, adding that they hoped to be able to announce more details “in the next couple of months”. 

Overall, she said the council was happy with Harrogate’s performance over the Christmas period. Hotel occupancy in December 2023 was 3% higher than in 2022, and 20% higher than 2021. Of non-residents surveyed by the council, 36% were visiting Harrogate for the first time, which she said suggested that the Christmas offer was attracting new visitors to the area. 

Ms Rio added: 

“We’ve done some consultation with businesses. From both sides – visitors and business – the news is coming back really positively about the Christmas offer. So we’re really pleased.”

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Harrogate firm’s winter sale offers big discounts on bespoke radiators

This story is sponsored by Yorkshire Radiators.

A Harrogate firm that specialises in bespoke radiators has got the new year off to a warm start – by slashing its prices. 

Yorkshire Radiators is offering a huge in-store discount of 25% off all its stock in its Winter Sale, which runs till the end of February. 

The company supplies bespoke radiators direct to the customer, and offers three different styles – with round, flat and oval profiles – in a range of classic and contemporary sizes and a choice of 15 colours, including three new finishes: antique maroon, pearlescent blue and pearlescent copper. 

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

“In our showroom, customers can see colours and shades of radiators that they’d never imagine they’d be able to find. A lot of people are really surprised by the choice. 

“You no longer have to settle for black, white or grey radiators – you can find one here to match any room. 

“And it won’t break the bank. People often think we’re going to be expensive, but we’re not – our prices are well below anything you’ll find on the internet.” 

More than 50 of the varieties stocked by Yorkshire Radiators – including a large number of discounted ex-display models – can be viewed at its purpose-built, carbon-zero unit at Harrogate West Business Park, on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate. 

The premises include a warehouse, spray booth and newly expanded showroom all under one roof, making it a one-stop for homeowners, plumbers and interior designers looking for the perfect heating system delivered with a short lead time.

Find out more:  

To view all our radiator options, drop into our showroom at Unit 9, Harrogate West Business Park, Bardner Bank, off Burley Bank Road, nr Penny Pot Lane, Harrogate HG3 2FN. It’s open every weekday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (3pm on Wednesdays) and by appointment on Saturdays.

Alternatively, visit the freshly redesigned Yorkshire Radiators website, which features all the options and colourways on one easily-navigable site.

Yorkshire Radiators has also set up an incentive scheme for local contractors, which is good news for them and their customers. Local plumbers and central heating engineers can find out more about this deal should call 07838 497803 or email by tapping here.

Business Breakfast: Ripon firm marks 20 years of top farm machinery show

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.

Ripon Farm Services will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of its New Year Show this month.

The event, which is one of the UK’s leading agricultural machinery displays, will be held in the Yorkshire Event Centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate on Wednesday, January 24 and Thursday, January 25, from 10 till 5pm. Entry is free.

Product specialists from Ripon Farm Services, Ripon Ground Care and Ripon Technology will be on hand to provide advice on machine choice, set-up, optimisation and job management. Visitors will be able to explore the latest innovations, speak to experts and see the products up close.

The star of the show is expected to be the new John Deere 300M self-propelled sprayer.

Richard Simpson, commercial director of Ripon Farm Services, said:

“We are delighted to be showcasing the new John Deere 300M self-propelled sprayer, it was first introduced at Agritechnica in November last year so it’s great for it to be taking centre stage at our show in January.

“We can’t wait to welcome our customers and guests for what promises to be a very busy 20th anniversary event.”

A vast range of ground care machinery will be on display, from ride-on mowers through to pressure-washers and hedge-trimmers, as well as parts, tools and store items from brands including Milwaukee, Draper and Portek.

Mr Simpson added:

“Apart from the stand-out John Deere machines, we will be showcasing our high-quality machinery, ground care and parts brands that are including Kramer, Bailey Trailers, Kuhn, Sumo, Dalbo, Ifor Williams, Stihl, Husqvarna and Spearhead.

“This really is the very best opportunity to see all that Ripon Farm Services has to offer in agriculture and turf technology, new and used machinery, parts and services in one single location. We’ll also have some special show offers and a wide range of used equipment deals.

“Our specialists across all sectors will be on hand to answer any questions during the two days, so the event is truly a one-stop shop for farmers and ground care professionals across the north of England.”

Ripon employer grows

Wolseley, the national plumbing supplies firm that employs around 250 people in Ripon, continued to grow organically last year, according to figures published in its latest annual report.

Over the 12 months to July 31, 2023, the company increased revenues by £140 million (8%) to £1.87 billion. This caused a jump in operating profit to £75 million, from £65 million in 2022.

However, profits before tax fell to £73 million, from £146 million in 2022, and the directors have not yet declared a final dividend to shareholders.

The company also increased its number of branches by one to 544, and its employee headcount rose by 234 to 4,720.

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Business Breakfast: Rudding Park to hold Dragons’ Den for local businesses

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.

Rudding Park in Harrogate will be hosting a Dragons’ Den-style event this month to give local businesses the opportunity to pitch their products to key decision-makers at the luxury resort.

The hotel plans to revitalise the range of gifts it gives to VIP guests, and is looking for fresh ideas from the local business community.

Candidates will have three minutes to pitch their products and will then answer questions from the Rudding Park ‘Dragons’ – Matthew Mackaness (managing director), Karen Tyson (resort general manager), Julia Featherstone (head of rooms division), Matthew Wilkinson (head of kitchens) and Nicola Cook (head of marketing).

The Dragons will be looking for high-quality products with links to travel, lifestyle, food and drink, design or well-being. They must also align with sustainability and/or giving back to the community.  

Julia Featherstone, head of rooms division at Rudding Park, said: 

“We always strive to surprise and delight our guests, many of whom return time and time again. Our selection of VIP gifts are given to guests to help recognise and reward loyalty, so we are really excited about this initiative and I am hoping we will discover a range of new, quality products to incorporate into our VIP gifting to really wow our guests”.  

Nicola Cook, head of marketing at Rudding Park, said: 

“I am conscious it can often be quite challenging, particularly for smaller businesses, to get a foot in the door to showcase their products. It occurred to me that a Dragon’s Den-inspired event could be great opportunity for us to discover some amazing products to enhance our guest experience and a chance to showcase some talented local suppliers in a fun and innovative initiative.”  

The initiative also supports the Rudding Park Giving Back initiative, as the Rudding Park Dragons will each have a pot of Rudding Park gift vouchers ready to ‘invest’ in charities nominated by candidates who particularly impress.

Dacres still top in Knaresborough

Dacre, Son & Hartley has once again claimed the top spot as Knaresborough’s best-performing estate agent, an accolade it has now held for more than a decade.

The agent’s Knaresborough office sold more than twice as many homes as its nearest competitor in the HG5 and YO26 postcodes, with a total of 75 sales, according to figures from Rightmove. The other companies in the top five sold 35, 31, 30 and 20 each.

This also means that Dacre, Son & Hartley successfully marketed more than a fifth of the 373 homes that sold during the 12-month period across the two postcodes, which include Knaresborough town centre and surrounding villages including Scotton, Arkendale, Coneythorpe, Flaxby, Goldsborough, Kirk Hammerton, Green Hammerton, Whixley and Little Ouseburn.

Dacre, Son & Hartley has had an office in Knaresborough for 45 years and senior associate, Nick Alcock, who is branch manager at the firm’s Knaresborough office, has worked for the business for 28 years. He said:

“With 52 different companies selling homes in the HG5 and YO26 postcodes in the last 12 months, it’s clearly very competitive, but our dominance in the local area is undisputed.”

Dacre, Son & Hartley was founded more than 200 years ago and is Yorkshire’s largest independent estate agent, with 20 offices across North and West Yorkshire.

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