In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we look at some of the larger companies that ran into difficulties over the year.

What could loosely be termed “economic headwinds” have caused trouble for thousands of companies around the UK in recent years, and in 2023 the storm hit several large local employers. 

Some were rescued, but others sank without trace. Here, we take another look at some of the bigger companies that hit the rocks over the last 12 months. 

Amvoc

Back in March, as many as 230 people lost their jobs after Harrogate telemarketing company Amvoc crashed into administration.  

Amvoc’s clients included some big names, such as BP, Barclays and Virgin Media, as well as the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. 

But administrator Gareth Lewis, of Lewis Business Recovery and Insolvency, said in his report that the company had entered into a company voluntary arrangement in 2017 due to “cash flow difficulties” because of the loss of a major customer and “significant bad debt”. 

Amvoc’s former head office on Cardale Park in Harrogate.

Amvoc paid off the bad debt, but only just in time for the start of the covid pandemic. The company, which had unusually high staff turnover – 20 to 30 employees left and started each month – couldn’t cope with lockdown, and even after restrictions were eased, its offices were closed by Public Health England in August 2020 after 50 staff contracted coronavirus. 

Meanwhile, many of Amvoc’s customers held back on projects due to uncertainty caused by the pandemic, leading to an unsustainable trading position. 

Farmison

In April, high-end butcher Farmison went into administration, threatening the jobs of its 100 or so employees. This time, though, the story had a happier outcome.  

The Ripon-based firm, which was founded by John Pallagi and Lee Simmons in 2011, had an impressive client list that included Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and Michelin starred restaurants. 

Major cashflow problems saw it fall into administration with debts of £7 million, but it was quickly bought out of administration by a consortium led by Andy Clark, former chief executive of Asda, for an undisclosed sum. 

Farmison is now back in business, with a leaner staff of 60 under former Marks & Spencer managing director Andy Adcock as chief executive. It relaunched its Cut by Farmison butcher’s shop at its Ripon headquarters earlier this month, plans to open more shops in a bid to diversify, and aims to increase annual turnover to £20 million. 

Black Sheep Brewery

Challenging economic conditions were also behind the difficulties that corralled Black Sheep Brewery into administration in May. 

The Masham company headed off what it called a “local employment catastrophe” by selling out to London investment firm the Breal Group for £5 million, saving about 50 jobs, including that of chief executive Charlene Lyons. 

Black Sheep Brewery’s CEO, Charlene Lyons.

Ms Lyons said that Black Sheep was not the brewing industry’s first casualty and warned it would not be the last. Speaking in June, she said: 

“In the last 12 months, 45 breweries entered insolvency in the UK, a three-fold increase on the previous year, as the cost-of-living crisis has squeezed household disposable income. 

“This has had an extreme and adverse effect on all brewers’ sales, at a time when their own costs and inflation are high. Black Sheep has not been immune to these factors, leading it to the administration process. It is highly likely that many more will follow in the coming months.” 

Ilke Homes

Around 1,100 people lost their jobs when Ilke Homes collapsed into administration in June, owing nearly £400 million to more than 300 creditors. 

The company, which manufactured modular housing in a huge factory at Flaxby, near Knaresborough, had been toasted as a stand-out success story on the region’s business landscape. 

Established in 2017, it built up a client base that included major institutional investors, housing associations, developers and local councils.  

In 2021, Ilke Homes raised £60 million in investment, and a year later, it raised a record-breaking £100 million from new and existing shareholders, following successive years of triple-digit growth. 

But despite a healthy-looking order book, it eventually ran into financial difficulties it attributed to “volatile macro-economic conditions and issues with the planning system”.   

The company said it needed additional funding to build its £1 billion pipeline of 4,200 new homes, but that wasn’t forthcoming, and so it was forced to fold. 

Most creditors saw little or nothing of their investment, including government-owned Homes England, which is believed to have received just 0.01% of the £68 million it was owed. 

The demise of one of the area’s largest employers was naturally not without drama. More than 600 employees took legal action over the way the redundancy process was managed, hoping for compensation of up to eight weeks’ pay. 

And in August – just two days after the firm’s assets had been auctioned by administrators – thieves stole “a large amount of equipment” from its factory, just off junction 47 of the A1(M). Bizarrely, they even refused to leave the site and continued to load up vehicles, even after the police arrived on site. Investigations are believed to be ongoing.

Read more:

• No 11: Curzon closure does not signal the end of cinema in Ripon
• No 10: Harrogate becomes political battleground in 2023
• No 9: River Nidd pollution and politics take centre stage

As 2023 winds down and we start to look to the year ahead, there are some things we can be fairly certain will come our way over the next 12 months.

North Yorkshire will go to the polls in May to elect its first ever Mayor, and there will probably be a General Election too. One has to be held by January 28, 2025, but sometime in 2024 – May or November, perhaps – seems far more likely.

The Bank of England expects inflation to continue to fall over the coming year, and so too will house prices, according to most forecasters.

Locally, though, individual people in business have their own forecasts – and hopes – for the year ahead. So we asked a cross-section of the district’s business community what their aspirations and expectations are for 2024. From electric gritters to selling beer in Taiwan, here’s what they had to say:

Katie and Paul Rawlinson – owners, Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersen

“Small business owners have to be optimists by nature, so we’ll enter 2024 full of determination to make it our best year yet.

“We’ll invest further in making sure Baltzersen’s can compete with a growing number of really great venues in Harrogate.

“We’re also planning to raise our game in the bakery, Bakeri Baltzersen, with refinements and improvements planned across our whole range of bread and pastry, including a good number of new products and the launch of our first vegan range.”

Photo: Matthew Lloyd.

Annie Wilkinson-Gill – owner, The Crystal Buddha, Knaresborough

“I’m very excited for what 2024 will bring for The Crystal Buddha.

“I have so many things planned for next year, including organising the Knaresborough Wellness Festival on March 24, which is a celebration of lots of lovely local holistic businesses, where anyone can come along and sample what they have to offer!

“We have talks and workshops, stalls and an opportunity to experience a sound bath or aura photography alongside some self-care and retail therapy.”

Simon Eyles – managing director, Bettys

“As with the last few years, I am sure this next year will bring lots of uncertainty, challenge, and change. One thing that is for certain, Bettys will continue to focus on delighting every single customer.

“I’m expecting customers to be increasingly selective in where they spend their money, so we will ensure we provide a brilliant Bettys experience like no other.

“I’m also looking forward to some amazing new menu items and delicious new products from our craft bakery. Look out for those!”

Matthew Chapman – manager, Harrogate BID

“Looking ahead to 2024, as we launch the new objectives within our term 2 business plan of pride in our town, a vibrant town and voice and vision is looking as positive. Dates for events are set, promotional plans for our town taking shape and proactive Harrogate BID teams on the street likely to be expanded.

“Strategically, we would like to see the Government follow up on a policy announced in May 2022 on local leaders being given more power within long-term commercial vacant units.

“We are also keen to continue our positive collaboration with the local authority and future North Yorkshire Mayor as we head towards devolution that should provide more local powers, decision making and funding.”

Zakaria Battal – owner, Kurdish Kitchen, Harrogate

“I think my business will carry on growing in 2024.

“It can be hard to get bookings, and when I do, there’s so much paperwork, but that’s actually good, as it makes me more experienced.

“It also makes it safer for people – I have a five-star food hygiene rating.

“My dream is to open a Kurdish Kitchen restaurant here in Harrogate, so hopefully I’ll get closer to doing that. I’m starting small and slowly getting bigger, one step at a time.”

Sharon Canavar – chief executive, Harrogate International Festivals

“2024 will be the first year we have the Harrogate International Festivals team back up to full strength post-Covid, so I am looking forward to an amazing year of events and festivals.

“We have our usual programmes with one or two very special events including a free light festival across Harrogate town centre, as well as the return of the Spiegeltent – so lots to celebrate.

“We know times are hard for everyone, so I hope that the range of work we do will touch everyone in some way, bringing a little joy or fun into their lives and the community which we serve.”

Richard Bradbury – managing director, T&R Theakston

“At Theakstons, we expect to see continued growth for our major brands like the iconic Old Peculier and some of the new beers which have been going down incredibly well as increasing numbers of pubs and supermarkets choose to stock our beers. Although prices continue to increase, the fact that the rate of increase is much lower than 12 months ago gives us confidence that we can continue to keep our beers affordable for drinkers, wherever they’re purchased. 

“As a business, our focus for 2024 will continue to place beer quality at the centre of everything we do. As a result, we are substantially growing our investment into the brewery to keep this at the heart of our business and honour our commitment to drinkers. 

“Turning further afield, having re-entered the US market in 2023, we’ve been buoyed by the growing worldwide demand for our beers and are looking forward to building new distributor relationships in countries including Poland, Sweden and Taiwan.”

Lee Bellwood – co-owner, Major Tom’s Social

“Being an independent in the bar and restaurant trade is always challenging. With various terrible things happening around the world, I’m happy if we can keep our heads above water. We are in a fortunate situation compared to lots of others. 

“At Major Tom’s Social we are looking at extended opening hours and organising some more social educational events. 

“Hopefully, Harrogate will still attract visitors and tourists even with its dwindling high-street presence.”

Paula Lorimer – director, Harrogate Convention Centre

“Future forward bookings for the year ahead look promising and we are expecting to exceed driving £40 million of economic impact in 2024/25 to support businesses.

“I would like to thank businesses across the borough, especially the hotels and restaurants who support our clients and make event organisers and delegates feel so welcome in our spa town. If Harrogate Convention Centre is successful in making the business case for further investment, then the sky’s the limit to what we can achieve!”

Charlene Lyons – CEO, Black Sheep Brewery

“It goes without saying that 2023 has been a turbulent year, with inflated prices and the cost-of-living crisis impacting us and so many businesses across the Harrogate district. However, Black Sheep Brewery is still moving forwards and we’re hopeful for a much stronger 2024 with some positive changes coming soon. We remain committed to securing local employment as well as continuing to innovate and produce high-quality beers, brewed right here in Yorkshire.

“There have been many positive things that have happened at the brewery in recent months that have helped the team finish strongly for the year. This includes the opportunity to collaborate with and raise funds for Rugby legend Rob Burrow MBE with the launch of ‘Burrow’s Blonde’, a delicious new beer now on tap in your local pub that is already proving to be one our most popular brews.

“In 2024, we also plan on further cementing partnerships with pubs and retailers both across Yorkshire and the wider country, as well as supporting our local communities by renewing sponsorships with grassroots sports clubs such as Harrogate Town AFC.”

Jonathan Lupton – managing director, Econ Engineering, Ripon 

“This year has seen Econ continue to develop and demonstrate the UKs first ever fully electric gritter, the E-QCB, which is currently being used at various sites across the country. A major stride in the push for a more sustainable solution to our nation’s working fleet of vehicles, we look forward to working with councils and contractors in 2024, helping them to cut their emissions footprint. 

“The E-QCB, which has a unique swap-body system allowing it to be used all-year round as a gritter, tipper and caged body vehicle, has already made quite an impact and is a major game-changer when it comes to the environmental impact of fleet operations up and down the UK. We hope 2024 will see us build on that initial success.” 

Peter Lacey – joint managing director, Whole Systems Partnership; executive team member, Knaresborough & District Chamber

“During 2023, Knaresborough & District Chamber, along with other groups in the town, planted the seeds for what I hope will be a year in which we begin to realise the full potential of our fantastic town.

“Securing funds from North Yorkshire Council to explore exciting new ventures will enable us to find our voice for the benefit of businesses and the wider wellbeing of residents and visitors alike.

“The Whole Systems Partnership is in the business of helping the health and care systems across the country to deliver the best possible services for their local populations. For example, early in 2024 we’re looking forward to spreading our wings across the Pennines to help Lancashire County Council work more closely with the different NHS organisations in their area.

“The great thing about being in Knaresborough, however, if that the lessons we learn elsewhere can also be applied in our town, something we’ve supported through Covid and in our support to Knaresborough Connectors in their work to make the town an even better place to live, visit or work in.”

Read more:

• First day of Christmas fayre was Harrogate’s busiest for six months
• New bridal boutique to open in Ripon

A retired lollipop lady who helped generations of children cross the road in Nidderdale has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to child road safety.  

Mary Fisher is one of 83 recipients in Yorkshire and the Humber named in the King’s New Year’s Honours List, which will be published in full later. 

Mary, 88, was persuaded by a local policeman to start work as a lollipop lady outside Summerbridge Community Primary School in 1975. 

She stayed in post for 47 years, carrying out 18,000 morning and afternoon patrols, before finally retiring last December. 

The school paid tribute on Mary’s final day.

During that time, she got to know all the children’s names and saw many of them return years later with children of their own. 

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: 

“Everyone from Yorkshire receiving honour today represents the best in British communities. 

“I send my warmest congratulations to this year’s recipients, all of whom are incredibly deserving for what they have achieved. 

“If you know someone in your community who has done something extraordinary, nominate them for an honour so together we can recognise what they have achieved.” 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: 

“The New Year’s Honours list recognises the exceptional achievements of people across the country and those who have shown the highest commitment to selflessness and compassion.  

“To all honourees, you are the pride of this country and an inspiration to us all.” 

Read more:

• Emotional farewell to remarkable Nidderdale lollipop woman Mary Fisher
• Mary, 87, retires after 47 years and 18,000 shifts as a lollipop woman in Summerbridge
• Is Mary the Harrogate district’s longest-serving lollipop woman?

It’s in the nature of news that a lot of the stories we read are, well, not very uplifting – robberies, redundancies and road accidents are not exactly mood-enhancers. 

But there is another, lighter side to the news, so as we turn our backs on the last 12 months, we thought we’d take one last look at some of the funnier stories that raised a smile in 2023. 

The horse that wasn’t a horse 

Back in January, firefighters were called to rescue a horse from floodwaters near Ripon, only to discover it was a metal sculpture. 

Group manager Bob Hoskins, who works for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, tweeted: 

“An officer trotted off to check out the situation and discovered a statue of a horse in the middle of the field. 

“There was ‘neigh’ further assistance required on this occasion.” 

The silhouette sculpture of a war-weary soldier and his horse was placed in the field in 2018 as part of a programme of events and commemorations to mark the centenary of the Great War.

The bossy steps 

In April, a set of steps at Harrogate railway station came to national attention when All Creatures Great and Small star Samuel West tweeted that he felt “slightly harassed” by it. 

The steps feature various injunctions, such as “Watch your step”, “Keep the left”, and “Don’t use mobile phones on stairs”, leading one X (formerly Twitter) user to call them a “seriously bossy set of steps”. 

Several said they would be too worried about tripping to read all the messages. 

A spokesperson for rail operator Northern said: 

“We carry out regular inspections of the stations across our network and we’ll certainly take this into consideration.” 

The £2,000 cowpat 

In May, a fresh cowpat helped Masham woman Kathryn Driver hit paydirt. 

Kathryn scooped £2,000 when she won Masham Community Office’s Cow Pat Competition, which was the surprise hit of the town’s coronation bank holiday celebrations. 

The competition saw four cows (see main image), named for the occasion Storm Pooper, Harry Plopper, Poo Patrol and Daisy Dung, let out to roam around a fenced-off piece of land. 

The land had been divided into squares, and tickets sold in advance at £1 per square. The winner would be whoever held the ticket corresponding to the square the first cowpat landed on. 

Hundreds of people turned out to watch, and after nearly an hour’s wait it was Storm Pooper who produced the goods on Kathryn’s square. She said:  

“I can’t believe it! It’s amazing. My mum got the ticket for me, so I’m going to use the money to pay for a holiday and take my mum away.” 

The event raised £5,000, which went towards the purchase of Masham Community Office’s building, The Old Police Station, retaining it as a community hub. 

Hayley Jackson, community office manager, said:  

“Who would have thought cowpats would bring the community together like this?” 

Have we got nudes for you 

More than 80 people shed their clothes in July to take part in the first ever naked walk around the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, near Masham. 

The two-kilometre hike for over-18s was one of a series of fundraising Naked Heart Walks organised over the summer by British Naturism, which promotes naturism. 

The walks at stately homes and gardens were advertised as opportunities to let people “feel the breeze on your skin as you raise money for the British Heart Foundation”. 

Sasha Jackson-Brown, estate and operations manager at the Himalayan garden, said the venue’s remote location made it suitable and the event attracted a good turnout, even though “the weather could have been a bit warmer for them”. 

The cow in the park 

In August, people enjoying the sunny weather in the Valley Gardens in Harrogate were shocked to see a loose cow casually ambling towards the Magnesia Well Tea Room. 

Dog-walker Lucy Emma Renshaw-Martin told the Stray Ferret she had no idea how the cow, which appeared to be a Holstein or Friesian, ended up in the park, which is nowhere near any fields. 

That mystery was not solved by a statement issued later by North Yorkshire Police, which simply said that “the cow was reunited with its owner”. 

However, Harrogate Writers’ Circle member Carole Keegan came up with a wordier response, penning a poem to mark the event.

The sleepless celebrity 

TV personality Gyles Brandreth took to Twitter (now X) after enduring a sleepless night on a tilting bed in Harrogate. 

The author and raconteur was appearing in September at the Royal Hall for his one-man show Gyles Brandreth Can’t Stop Talking. 

At 7am the next morning, he tweeted: 

“The view from right here right now… very little sleep on a bed that tilted to the left so that I had to cling on all night. The hotel is in King’s Road but has no number so in the dark we couldn’t find it. Taxi couldn’t find it either. Eventually we did. Rather wish we hadn’t.” 

The bed was so bad, he even tried to book into a different hotel in the dead of night, only to find it was full. 

Mr Brandreth declined to name and shame the establishment to his 208,000 followers. 

After his show, he hailed the “warm and wonderful audience” and said it was “a privilege to be on the stage that both Ken Dodd & Marlene Dietrich once appeared on. Not together. (Though wouldn’t that have been glorious?)”. 

Gyles Brandreth at The Ivy in Harrogate – before his sleepless night.

Read more:

• First day of Christmas fayre was Harrogate’s busiest for six months
• New bridal boutique to open in Ripon

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

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

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

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

Tony Collins told the Stray Ferret:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cllr Lee said: 

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

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

Read more:

• Ukulele group dedicates a year of performances to supporting Harrogate hospice
• Buy a pint of Crimple Valley and support Harrogate hospice
• Harrogate man to shave lockdown locks for hospice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It warns: 

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

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

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

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

Read more:

• River Nidd bursts its banks as Storm Gerrit hits Harrogate district
• Storm Gerrit brings flood risk to Harrogate district
• Flood threat remains after wind fells trees in Harrogate

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

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

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

Baroness Masham 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

George Dunnington

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

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

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

George Dunnington.

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

He died on Sunday, August 20, 2023. 

The club said in a statement: 

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

David Kitching

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

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

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

David Kitching.

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

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

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

Charles Smailes

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

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

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

Charles Smailes.

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

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

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

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

Charles died on Monday, October 9, 2023. 

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

Sylvia Grice 

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

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

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

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

Sylvia Grice.

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

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

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

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

Another said simply: 

“What a Ripon legend.” 

Ian Audsley

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

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

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

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

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

A notice issued by his family said:  

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

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

Read more:

• Baroness Masham dies aged 87
• Harrogate Town life president George Dunnington dies
• Harrogate estate agent founding partner dies
• ‘Remarkable’ and ‘inspirational’ Ripon woman Sylvia Grice dies
• Well-known Harrogate family business mourns death of founder

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more:

• Ofsted says Boroughbridge High School ‘requires improvement’
• Boroughbridge High School agrees to close sixth form
• Knaresborough’s King James’s School rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The list of schemes is available here.

Read more:

• No 12: The Great Wall of Briggate saga in Knaresborough
• Decision day approaches for £630,000 Ripon city centre resurfacing scheme
• ‘Unforeseen circumstances’ delay Oak Beck Bridge replacement — again

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

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

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Charity given cash from financial services profits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: MP visits Harrogate company in support of IT campaign
• Business Breakfast: Boroughbridge man named AA Patrol of the Year
• Business Breakfast: Growth hub hosts business support event at Ripon Cathedral