Business Breakfast: Mother Shipton’s Cave wins special recognition

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10 am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough has been awarded a Welcome Accolade from VisitEngland following its latest VisitEngland Quality Scheme Assessment.

Among the 91 exceptional attractions recognised, Mother Shipton’s Cave is one of only two in Yorkshire to receive the = welcome accolade, acknowledging its commitment to excellence in visitor service. The attraction team’s customer service, professional demeanour, and warm approach were specifically highlighted.

Fiona Martin, owner of Mother Shipton’s, said:

“We are over the moon to have received such special recognition from VisitEngland. Our team are passionate about providing exemplary customer service and preserving the magical story of Mother Shipton for generations.”

This latest achievement, alongside the team’s achievements in various local and regional award schemes, such as Attraction of the Year at the Knaresborough Business Awards, adds to the reputation of Mother Shipton’s Cave as an outstanding tourist destination.

Mother Shipton’s Cave is open every day until November 5, as well as on selected dates throughout November and December for its Magical Christmas Experience. The next family event is Halloween Creepy Carnival, running through October half term from October 28 to November 5.

Harrogate asset management firm wins award

Cardale Asset Management took home the first-place awards in two categories at the prestigious Citywire Investment Performance Awards.

The annual awards showcase the firms and strategies which delivered top risk-adjusted returns over a three-year period.

Cardale, which is based at Cardale Park in Harrogate, won the Aggressive Shortlist award for the performance of its equity model. It also won the prize for the Best Medium-Sized Firm in the UK.

Ian Wood, chief investment officer at Cardale, said:

“We are incredibly proud to win this award. It is testament to our investment philosophy, experience and approach and is truly a team effort.

“We have over 3,000 clients within Cardale Asset Management, with total assets under management of over £2 billion. Our ethos is to provide investment options to a broad spectrum of investors, therefore enabling more people to access the strong performing and experienced Cardale Asset Management team.”

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Greenwoods ‘thriving’ after shocking tragedy, says founder’s daughter

When Greenwoods Solicitors attended the Yorkshire Legal Awards on Thursday, for director Camilla Greenwood it felt as if they had already won. 

It’s been 18 months since her mother, Knaresborough solicitor Lynda Greenwood, tragically died in a fire at her home in Brearton, leaving the firm’s future up in the air. Camilla had a job she enjoyed with Leeds law firm Irwin Mitchell, and the magnitude of carrying on her mother’s legacy was daunting. 

Speaking exclusively to the Stray Ferret, she said: 

“My family home had just burned down, my mum, who was my only relative, had died, and I could barely even feed myself. The thought of dealing with all this – I didn’t know if I had it in me. 

“But then it became a sort of security blanket. This was my mum’s lifetime’s work and she was a pillar of the community. And it wasn’t just about me; it was everyone else who was involved as well – the members of staff, and the clients with ongoing cases.” 

Lynda founded Greenwoods in 1991 and was determined it would be a trusted part of the local community. The firm now has a team of six – Camilla calls it “small but mighty” – and has just appointed a seventh to help it cope with an increase in private client work. Now, Camilla wants to continue the firm in the spirit her mother intended, maintaining the very human ethos that elicited loyalty among clients. 

She said: 

“My mum opened Greenwoods when I was six months old, so I saw it all – I used to do my homework at a desk in the office. I grew up here, so I felt partly raised by the firm, really. 

“You’ve got to carry on. She did that too – she set up this firm so she could have me, so we extend that support to other parents. Our new employee has a little boy, so we’ll alter her working hours so she can take him to school and pick him up – because that’s what the firm was for.

“You don’t have to have one or the other – you can have a family and a career, and we’ll support you with that.” 

The firm, which has a double frontage on Knaresborough’s High Street, applies the same kind of human approach to its dealings with clients. Camilla said: 

“We know that moving house is really stressful, so give us a ring and you’ll speak to the same person every time you call the office – you’re not going to be fobbed off with a ‘press 1 to speak to…’. You’re not a number, and that’s something that has to be relevant to staff and clients.” 

Photo of the team at Greenwoods Solicitors in Knaresborough.

The Greenwoods team dressed for the awards season.

Camilla is soon going to have reason to take advantage of her firm’s family-friendly employment policies, as she’s due to have her first baby at the end of November. She said: 

“Timing is everything, isn’t it?! I found out I was pregnant in the week of the anniversary of my mum’s death. It was very spooky. 

“Just when I thought I was gaining some control and thought I had reins on the situation, here comes generation three!” 

It was a lovely and unexpected twist in the tale of Greenwoods’ survival after such a shocking tragedy, and it seems fitting that Camilla’s daughter will be brought up “in the firm” just as she was. It also feels in some way like a vindication – a seal of approval – on Camilla’s decision to carry on the business. She said of that time: 

“It took a lot of soul-searching, but once I’d made the decision to do it, there was very little that was going to stop me. I needed the ground to stop shaking after the earthquake for me to take a breath and say ‘let’s do this’, and since I made the decision to do it, magical stuff has happened.” 

That “magic” isn’t just confined to the imminent new arrival. Greenwoods has been nominated for several awards over the last few months, and has won some of them, including Family-Run Business of the Year at the Knaresborough Business Awards, which Camilla says was “really special and touching” . 

Now, with a growing team, local praise for the firm’s newly refurbished offices, and a slew of five-star client reviews, Camilla says things are very much looking up: 

“We’re getting recognition from the industry, from clients and from the community. I feel quite emotional about it. I know my mum would be so proud.” 

Greenwoods didn’t win the awards they were shortlisted for at the awards ceremony in Leeds on Thursday evening, but Camilla says it doesn’t matter – the transformation of the firm’s fortunes over the last 18 months feels like a huge win in itself. She said: 

“Literally a couple of days after the fire, I was shell-shocked and one compliance solicitor in London told me I had two options: either close or dispose of the firm. But I thought ‘those aren’t my only options; there is another choice: I do this, I find a way and make it work’ – and I have done.

“We’re not just coping, we’re thriving, and I think that needs celebrating.”

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New café opens in Starbeck

A café in Starbeck has been refurbished, renamed and relaunched following a change of ownership.

The Munch Box – which was formerly the Little Way Café – opened its doors on Tuesday and sells a range of sandwiches and panini, with coffee sourced from Dancing Goat in York. 

Owner Mel Lyons took over the lease on the Camwal Road property in August and has spent the last couple of months redecorating and re-equipping it. She told the Stray Ferret: 

“I gutted the place, repainted it and laid a new floor, so it looks a lot brighter and lighter now. We’ve been pretty busy, and the customer base is building as more of the guys from the workshops along this street find out we’re here.”

Photo of Mel Lyons, owner of The Munch Box in Starbeck.

Mel Lyons, owner of The Munch Box.

Mel is from Winchester, Hampshire, and only moved north at the end of October 2022. She previously spent several years managing coffee shops for Caffè Nero-owned chain Coffee #1, and then managing coach stations in Southampton and Bournemouth for National Express.

She moved north to be with her partner and says the change has been very positive. She said: 

“I love Starbeck. It’s full of characters and has a real sense of community. It’s unpretentious – just a nice place to be.” 

But she’s also having to navigate a few cultural differences when planning her menu. She said: 

“I’m learning quickly. On my first day I made a huge tub of egg mayonnaise. That would have flown out the door down south, but no-one wants it here, so I’ve still got it!

“But breakfast is a much bigger deal up here. Bacon and sausage baps may not be health food, but they’re much tastier than some of the breakfasts I’ve seen.”

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Business Breakfast: Electrical retailer rescues Bake-Off makers

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8 am to 10 am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

The makers of TV’s The Great British Bake-Off were desperately searching for some retro fridges recently and had their wishes fulfilled by an electrical retailer in Boroughbridge. 

Love Productions was combing the UK for a specific model of fridge-freezer but was drawing a blank because it had been discontinued by Italian manufacturer Zanussi. 

Fortunately, G Craggs, which also has a shop in Ripon, had recognised how popular they were and had bought the last ones in January. The production company sought them out and a deal was done. 

Enjoying the moment, the company posted on its Facebook page: 

“To celebrate this wonderful partnership there are complimentary cakes in store for all customers while stocks last. You might even be served by team member Paul Bakes!”, adding: “Yes… that really is his name!” 

New business director for net zero firm

A Harrogate firm that specialises in carbon accounting and net zero delivery has announced a senior appointment as part of its growth strategy.

Rob Conway joins Flotilla to lead sales and business development operations after 15 years’ work with B2B scale-ups.

Flotilla, which is based on Station Parade, works with client companies to reduce their CO2 output, and its science-based carbon reduction service has been recommended by the United Nations Climate Change initiative.

Rob said:

“After a number of years in the tech space, it was seeing the world through my daughter’s eyes and seeing her interest in the environment, combined with ever-increasing extreme weather events globally, that made me rethink my career path. When I saw the role at Flotilla, I knew that this was the right place and the right time to make a meaningful impact through my role.

“By increasing the number of clients we work with, the larger environmental impact we can have.”

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Polish shop in Harrogate moves to bigger premises as demand grows

A Polish deli in Harrogate will relaunch in new town centre premises at the weekend. 

Cracovia, which used to occupy a small shop on King’s Road, will reopen on Saturday in a larger unit on Bower Street. 

Owner Maciek Bujakowski told the Stray Ferret: 

“Our little shop on King’s Road had become slightly too small, so we’re moving to a bigger shop where we’ll have more space. The uniqueness of our home-made products, such as pâtés, meatloaves and sausages, gives us a strength over other shops, so we’ve become quite popular. 

“If you come along on Saturday between 9am and 6pm, you’ll be able to taste different kinds of Polish food and drink, and everybody’s welcome.” 

Illustration of how Harrogate's new Cracovia shop on Bower Street will look with its new signage.

The new shop on Bower Street in Harrogate.

Maciek and wife Kasia not only own the Harrogate shop, but also a restaurant in Chapel Allerton and shops in Armley in Leeds, Acomb in York and Hessle in Hull. In total, they employ 15 people, including four in the new Bower Street shop. 

Originally from Krakow in southern Poland, Maciek began his career with a four-year catering degree and represented his country in international food competitions. 

Photo of Maciek and Kasia Bujakowski, owners of Cracovia Polish deli in Harrogate.

Kasia and Maciek Bujakowski.

He came to England in 2004, moving around the country for various chef positions, culminating in being made executive chef of the Kimberley Hotel in Harrogate. He opened his first shop, Magic Meat – a wordplay on his first name – on King’s Road in 2015 to cater to the town’s then-growing Polish community. 

He said: 

“When we opened our first shop eight years ago, about 80% of our customers were Eastern European and only 20% English, but now the balance is about 50/50.  

“With Polish food it’s exactly the same as with other kinds of foreign food. People come here from other places, local people try our food and like it, and it becomes more popular. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 30 years’ time, you would see Polish restaurants like you see Indian and Chinese restaurants now. It’s just the evolution of knowledge of food, and it’s changing all the time.”

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Business Breakfast: Construction firm hires two new directors

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10 am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate construction management company has made two senior appointments.

Artium Construction, which specialises in design and build projects, has taken on Martin Watson as managing director and shareholder and Joe McDermott as director and shareholder. The pair, both formerly of Leeds-based GMI Construction Group, join Garry Shaw, who was appointed director and shareholder of Artium Construction last year.

Artium Construction currently has an order book worth £12 million for its first year of operation, with projects in Harrogate, Ripon and York. The directors intend to build it into a £50m turnover construction business over the next five years.

Sam Colley, director and co-owner of Artium Group, said:

“Garry, Joe and Martin possess outstanding and pragmatic experience in every dimension of construction. Their reputation as dynamic, conscientious, and results-orientated professionals proceeds them.”

Project services offered by Artium Construction include cost analysis and budgeting, risk assessment and mitigation, programme management, construction co-ordination and delivery, supply chain management, health and safety, and environmental compliance, and delivery of corporate social responsibility requirements.

New workshop for tourism businesses

Tourism and hospitality businesses planning their marketing for 2024 are being invited to a new workshop organised by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

The training is available exclusively to hotels, B&Bs, self-catering operators, wedding venues, restaurants, spas, visitor attractions and events organisers, and will be delivered by Martin Evans of The Tourism Business, a York-based marketing consultancy. Martin has over two decades’ experience working with more than 150 of the UK’s leading hotels, attractions and other tourism operators.

The free workshop,  which will explore marketing and promotional ideas that attendees can put into practice in their own business, will be held place on Thursday, October 26 at Harrogate Co-Lab, next to the Convention Centre. The session will take place from 10am to 4pm and a light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Places are limited so reserving a place is recommended. To sign up, see the event page on the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub website.

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More than 100 of UK’s best artists to exhibit at Harrogate Art Fair

This story is sponsored by Harrogate Art Fair.

More than 100 artists from all over the UK will be converging on Harrogate next month to exhibit their best work at the Harrogate Art Fair. 

The event, on October 13-15 at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Showground, will bring together painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors, ceramicists and selected galleries from all over the UK, offering the best in British contemporary art. Prices range from £50 to £5,000. 

The perfect place to immerse yourself in a world of art.

One of the most popular exhibitors is Jos Haigh. Jos is a painter based in Harrogate and Buckinghamshire whose vibrantly colourful pictures of African animals made her one of the best-selling artists at the inaugural Harrogate Art Fair last year. She said: 

“I’ve been showing my art all around the country for years – at Windsor, Surrey, Manchester and Edinburgh – and Harrogate Art Fair really is one of the best. It’s fantastically organised, everything’s made very easy for exhibitors, and it attracts a lot of the UK’s best artists.

“When I came last year, people were so warm, enthusiastic and interested – I didn’t have to think twice about coming again.”

Although she was born in Goa, Jos’s art is inspired and informed by her childhood in Kenya. But her trips north have provided her with new sources of inspiration. So her most recent paintings include striking images of cows, owls and other British animals.

Artist Jos Haigh, who will be exhibiting her work at the Harrogate Art Fair, with one of her works.

Jos has found inspiration for some of her latest works here in Yorkshire.

 Jos’s spectacular painting of a red kite even features on this year’s general admission ticket. She said: 

“I’ve been enchanted by animals ever since I saw them roaming right next to the road in Kenya, which is why I’ve always enjoyed painting pictures of elephants, giraffes and zebra. But there are so many wonderful animals right here in the UK that it would be a shame not to paint some of them. 

“I just hope that visitors to the Harrogate Art Fair will love viewing them as much as I’ve loved painting them.” 

Harrogate Art Fair is organised by Contemporary Art Fairs. The company also hold art fairs in Windsor and Surrey. 

The fair will be open from private viewings from 6 to 9pm on Friday, October 13 (tickets: £15), and from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, October 14-15 (£8, concessions £6). 

Find out more:

You can book tickets for this event online at the Harrogate Art Fair website.  

For information about exhibiting at the Harrogate Art Fair, visit the website or call 01753 591892.  

You can also see more of the artworks on offer at Harrogate Art Fair on its Instagram page. 

 

Masham community scheme pioneers wool insulation

Sheep’s wool has always been at the heart of Masham’s economy, and now it looks set to be at the heart of a new development in the town and a new initiative aimed at the construction industry. 

Number 15 Silver Street is currently undergoing extensive redevelopments to be transformed into a new community and heritage centre called Peacock & Verity.

It will include a Victorian grocer’s, an Edwardian-style tearoom, a Post Office main counter, and a new heritage centre celebrating the story of Masham. Four apartments will also be created as part of the redevelopment, managed by Karbon Homes and kept exclusively for local people at affordable rents. 

An Edwardian vintage black-and-white photo of Peacocks in Masham.

How Peacock’s looked over 100 years ago.

The 300-year-old building’s refurbishment will also go back to the town’s roots, using sheep’s wool for insulation.

They will also be leading on a new initiative called Sheepish, which aims to get sheep’s wool insulation used in the building of new homes across the country.

Peacock & Verity will be the first test site where contractors and builders can learn how to install sheep’s wool insulation. They will also build a supply chain of farmers, insulation producers and social housing providers, creating a green circle economy based in Yorkshire. 

The project is backed by £38,722 from the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub and £16,000 from North Yorkshire Council, as part of a larger grant of £273,000 towards the wider conversion of the Silver Street site. 

Jan Reed, project manager at Peacock & Verity, said she was excited about the Sheepish project:  

“We didn’t just want to refurbish our own building; we also wanted to do everything we can to share the knowledge and skills to make other buildings more sustainable. 

“Sheep’s wool is the perfect insulator for traditional stone buildings – not only is it a warm blanket, but the wool’s structure helps to wick moisture away and is a natural fire-retardant. And most importantly, it’s environmentally friendly. It lasts for decades and can be composted at the end of its life, unlike man-made insulation which is often full of plastic.” 

The links between Masham and sheep farming go back over a thousand years. Sheep farming is thought to have been introduced to the area by Viking settlers, and Masham is still well known for its annual Sheep Fair which takes place this weekend. There’s even a breed of sheep named after the town.  

Old black-and-white of sheep in pens in Masham's town square.

Masham has long been known for its sheep trade.

Karen Oliver-Spry, hub manager for the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub, said: 

“The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is all about using local assets to create clean energy and to make buildings across the region easier and cheaper to heat – what better way to utilise an often overlooked by-product from the region’s plentiful sheep population!

“Bringing local people and organisations together to reuse, recycle and repurpose materials which otherwise may end up as waste is a huge part of that work and this project could have very interesting implications for improving the energy efficiency of buildings across the North East and Yorkshire and beyond – and we are delighted to be able to support it through our Energy Project Enabling Fund.”

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Miss Yorkshire contestant from Harrogate hopes to inspire others

A young fitness trainer from Harrogate is hoping her tilt at the Miss Yorkshire title this weekend will encourage others battling mental health problems through fitness. 

Chloe McEwen, 21, will be competing in the regional round of Miss England in Doncaster on Sunday, but her immaculate appearance will leave judges none the wiser about her past struggles.

At the age of 16, Chloe was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she endured an arduous eight-month hospital stay, and her weight soared by almost four stone.

But by embracing a healthier lifestyle and a dedicated fitness regime, bolstered by an unwavering support network, she not only regained control of her life but also embarked on a mission to empower others.

Composite image of before and after photos of Harrogate Miss Yorkshire contestant Chloe McEwen.

Before and after photos of Miss Yorkshire contestant Chloe McEwen.

Former Rossett School pupil Chloe now wants to provide support and motivation to those in need. As a Level 3 fitness trainer with clients in a small private gym and classes at a Harrogate health club, she understands the challenges of self-motivation, but believes that simply maintaining discipline, even in small steps, is the key to turning things around. She said:

“The rewards of persevering are immeasurable.”

The problems Chloe had to overcome to achieve her transformation are all too common – 56% of the UK population are now registered with some form of mental health issue, and young people are disproportionately affected.

The Miss Yorkshire contest will take place at on Sunday at the Earl of Doncaster Hotel.

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Top mechanics open Porsche repair shop in Boroughbridge

Two mechanics with finely-tuned skills have opened a specialist Porsche repair shop in Boroughbridge. 

Flat 6 Automotive – named after the six-cylinder engines typically found in Porsches – will focus on fixing, restoring and rebuilding the engines of the German sports cars, but will also take on all kinds of everyday repairs on cars of all kinds. 

Director Richard Nicholson was a workshop manager at an independent Porsche garage for seven years, and business partner Will Mann completed an engineering degree with the McLaren F1 team. They both worked at a local prestige car specialist for several years and have now decided to branch out together. 

Mr Nicholson said: 

“I’d always wanted to work for myself. I had my day job but I was also doing engine rebuilds on the side. I was working till 11 at night, and I was so busy that I thought I should just take the plunge. It was really a hobby that turned into something much bigger.” 

The pair have expanded into a 2,000 square foot unit with three ramps – a fourth is due to be installed by the end of the year – and are building a new waiting area. They have also invested in modern equipment, including £5,000 in state-of-the-art diagnostic kit. 

Mr Nicholson added: 

“We’ve already got customers across Yorkshire and as far afield as Slough and Glasgow and we also prepare cars for sale for a couple of specialist dealerships, so we’ve been very busy since we opened.

“If this goes well, I’d love to grow the company and open new branches. The sky’s the limit.”

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