John Grainger, Author at The Stray Ferret

Unbeatable views for sale as Georgian windmill goes under the hammer

Househunters will be offered the chance of a lifetime next month, when one of the district’s most unusual homes is put up for auction.

Skelton Windmill is a seven-storey property with 360-degree views, which on a clear day take in York Minster, Ripon Cathedral and the White Horse at Kilburn.

The Grade II listed building was built in 1822 for grinding corn and was the windmill for Newby Hall until the First World War. It then remained derelict until it was converted into a home in the 1990s, and is now one of just 140 windmills left in the UK.

Simon Croft, partner at Harrogate estate agent FSS, said:

“This is one of the most unusual properties I’ve ever dealt with. We’ve only just gone live with it, so we’re still gauging interest. We’ll get a fuller flavour when we have our first viewings.

“When people see it, I don’t think they could fail to fall in love with it. It would be amazing as a family home, but it could also make a fantastic holiday let. Who wouldn’t want to stay in a place like that, with such amazing views?”

The Georgian windmill, which stands in open countryside north of Boroughbridge and east of Ripon, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, three reception rooms and a study, plus 70 steps leading to a trap door onto the roof.

It has outbuildings, including an office, potting shed and carport, as well as 0.6 acres of gardens and paddock with orchard and wildlife garden pond.

Skelton Windmill was originally listed for sale with Strutt & Parker in spring 2022 for £925,000, but was reduced to £850,000 and then again in September to £799,950.

The property will be lot 7 in FSS’s online auction at 3pm on Thursday, July 13. Bidding will start at £600,000. Potential buyers should register interest online at least 48 hours in advance of the auction, which can be viewed on the day by both bidders and non-bidders.

Harrogate antiques centre taken over by ‘largest player in the market’

A chain of antiques markets that claims to be the biggest in the UK has taken over premises in Harrogate’s Montpellier Quarter.

Montpellier Mews Antiques Market was sold when its owner retired, and has been bought by Antiques on High, which already has centres in Oxford, Sidmouth, Taunton and Bowness-on-Windermere.

Vincent Page, who co-owns the business with partner Lesley White, said:

“Harrogate is a beautiful place and suits our trade very well. Our initial goal is to bring some new dealers in from the locality, and indeed many from our other stores have already shown an interest, so I don’t think it will take too long.”

Antiques on High operates an unusual business model, which, said Mr Page, works “tremendously well”. Antiques traders can rent a display cabinet in one of its centres for as little as £50 in Taunton or as much as £160 in Oxford, and as part of the deal they must commit to working in the centre for three days a month.

But they may also rent an additional cabinet in any of the company’s other centres for just £10 a month, plus an extra day’s work in their local shop. The business will transport their stock to whichever centre it is to be sold in.

Photo showing a customer buying a piece of porcelain from an antiques dealer at Antiques on High in Harrogate.

To rent a cabinet at the antiques centre, dealers must pay a monthly fee and work there three days a month.

Mr Page said:

“We offer dealers something they can’t get anywhere else in the UK, if not Europe. Convincing them can be tricky because typically, they are very protective of their stock, so the idea of us taking it around the country to our different antiques centres can seem bizarre. But the model works; we’ve opened five shops in six years – and that’s with two years out for covid.”

Harrogate has long been known in the trade as the “antiques capital of the north”, and the antiques market at 11 Montpellier Street has contributed to that reputation. It is currently home to 27 dealers, but Mr Page, who only picked up the keys to the premises on Tuesday, reckons he could accommodate up to 50 if better use was made of the available space.

Photo of porcelain items in a glass cabinet at Antiques on High in Harrogate.

There are currently 27 dealers with cabinets at Antiques on High, but co-owner Vincent Page says it could accommodate up to 50.

Ultimately, he says he’d like to bring more younger people into the antiques trade. He said:

“Traditionally, this business attracts people over the age of 50, and they tend to operate on a one-man, one-shop basis. But there might be loads of people, say, in their 30s who might have been made redundant and have always had an interest in antiques. They could work in the shop for just 10 or 12 days a month and earn a full-time living.

“The antiques business is very unusual. How many sectors do you know where five shops make you the largest high-street retailer in the market?”

Antiques on High has opened five new centres in just six years. Last year in Taunton, Somerset, it opened a 4,000 sq ft shop with an 11,000 sq ft area to host a Monday antiques market, creating what Mr Page claims is Britain’s largest antiques centre.

Choose life at Hampden House, care provider says

This story is sponsored by Elizabeth Finn Homes.

Older people looking for a safe and comfortable place to live in care should look no further than Hampden House in Harrogate, a national care provider says.

Elizabeth Finn Homes operates nine care homes across England and Hampden House, on Duchy Road, is the only one in the North of England.

The purpose-built home has 56 rooms, all with en suite facilities and views over the landscaped gardens or courtyards.

General manager Jane Hooren, who is a Registered Nurse and has been in the health and social industry her entire career, said:

“At Hampden House, we provide the highest level of service and facilities, including award-winning restaurant-style dining, a beauty salon, fully-licensed bar and industry-leading social engagement.

“We strongly believe that residents should retain as much of their independence as possible, and the importance of staying both physically and mentally active is key to achieving that.”

Photo of a nurse and manager at an Elizabeth Finn care home.

Elizabeth Finn Homes attract the very best staff.

Hampden House, which is rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission, provides both nursing and personal care, on a permanent or short-stay basis, as well as offering end-of-life care. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turn2us, a national charity providing practical help to people who are struggling financially.

The home, which enjoys 24-hour-a-day security in one of Harrogate’s most exclusive areas, encourages residents to lead full and active lives, and even offers trips in a specially adapted minibus to places of interest and entertainment, or simply to the local shops – all facilitated by excellent care staff.

Photo of a resident at Hampden House care home in Harrogate, sitting in a wingback armchair, reading a tabloid newspaper.

At Hampden House, residents are encouraged to remain mentally active.

Jane said:

“We seek to employ the best, so we can provide the best, and our employees regularly achieve awards recognising their achievements in customer care and service delivery.

“Along with our excellent staffing levels, Hampden House is equipped with the very best equipment to help my team go about their duties and ensure the comfort and safety of our residents.”

Find out more:

If you or a loved one would like to know more about life at Hampden House, contact Elizabeth Finn Homes on 01423 209 049, or visit our website.

Historic Harrogate house fails to sell at auction

A house once owned by Harrogate’s wealthiest family was up for auction last week, but failed to find a buyer.

Pineheath, a 17,000 sq ft, 40-room house on Cornwall Road, went for sale on Thursday with a guide price of £3.5 million, despite being in a derelict condition.

The house has planning permission for conversion into 12 flats, and the lot included the adjoining former chauffeur’s cottage, which has been refurbished into a pair of semi-detached coach houses yielding rent of £51,000 a year.

A 0.545-acre parcel of land behind the site, on Rutland Drive, is believed to be the last undeveloped parcel on the Duchy estate and was for sale as a separate lot with a guide price of £1.85 million, but also failed to sell.

Simon Croft, partner at estate agent FSS, said:

“We had lots of interest in both lots from developers across the north of England, but they didn’t quite reach the reserve the vendor was prepared to accept. Perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised, given the economic headwinds developers are facing.

“We’re now having discussions with the registered bidders to see if can cut a deal that works for everyone. We’re very close, so we’ll be trying to strike while the iron’s hot and make the sale over the next few days.”

Pineheath was built in the 1890s and from 1927 was the Harrogate home of Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji, an extremely wealthy Parsee shipping magnate who divided his time between India, Windsor and Harrogate. A generous philanthropist, he was knighted in 1922 having apparently donated £1 million to the war effort.

In its heyday as a family home, Pineheath was fully staffed and had gold-plated taps, a centrally-heated garage of Rolls-Royces, and its distinctive glazed cupola is said to have been covered in gold leaf.

Following Sir Dhunjibhoy’s death in 1937, his charitable works were continued by his widow, Lady Frainy Bomanji, who threw herself into civic life, becoming became vice president of the Harrogate Festival of Arts and Sciences, president of the Harrogate Friendship Club and president of the Friends of Harrogate.

Affectionately known as Lady Harrogate, she was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough by Harrogate District Council in 1984. She died in 1986 and the couple’s legacy was continued by their daughter, Mehroo Jehangir, who herself died in 2012.

Pineheath was sold the following year for £2 million to Jason Shaw, who planned to renovate the house and return it to its former glory as a luxury family home. But by that time, it was in need of a lot of work.

Mr Shaw cut down protected trees at the property and was fined £24,000 by a court. He later applied to build two five-bedroom homes in the grounds of the site, but was refused permission three times by councillors, who felt the proposed properties were too big.

He finally obtained the planning consent currently in place, for conversion to apartments, in 2016; it can be viewed online.

Suds With Buds celebrates world’s brewers, street food and live music

This story is sponsored by Rooster’s Brewing Co.

Brewers from across the UK and the United States have been invited to bring their finest beers to Harrogate for Rooster’s Brewing Co’s first ever Suds With Buds festival of beer, street food and music.

The event on Saturday, July 1 will see more than 20 breweries converge on Rooster’s Hornbeam Park home, spanning the brewery and yard, Taproom, beer garden and The Sample Room upstairs.

Tom Fozard, commercial director at Rooster’s, said:

“Suds With Buds is an event we’ve been wanting to put on for several years, but one thing or another has stopped initial ideas from becoming reality… until now! On the back of Rooster’s celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2023, we’re biting the bullet and making it happen.

“Some of the UK’s most respected and talked about breweries will be descending upon our little corner of the world, as well as a handful travelling from much further afield, creating a truly unique, combined line-up of over 100 beers.”

Brewers and food from across the world

Joining brewers from Britain, such as Burning Sky in Sussex and Cromarty Brewing Co in Scotland, will be Colorado brewers Odell Brewing Co and Crooked Stave, and Stiegl from Austria. Some brewers will even be flying in specially to pour their brews in person, including: Jeremy Grinkey, co-owner of California start-up Everywhere; Kevin Smith, head brewer at Bale Breaker Brewing Co in Yakima, Washington; Evan Price, owner of Green Cheek Brewing Co in California; and Jaakko Saivosalmi, managing director of Finnish cider company Brinkhall.

On top of the beers, some of the tastiest street-food the North has to offer will be served up by local legends Paradise Tap & Taco and Jack In A Box, as well as Knead Pitta and the Pizza Bus from further afield.

There will also be live music on a specially-built stage in the beer garden, featuring Sheffield two-piece Hot Soles, Ralph Pelleymounter, David Broad, Ramona Rose, The Silver Reserve and Trainer Trouble.

Tom said:

“To say this is the first event of its kind we’ve decided to put on, we can’t quite believe the quality of the musicians we’ve managed to secure! It really is just a ridiculous line-up.

“As with the previous annual open days we used to host back on our old site in Knaresborough, we’ll have Tony Safari spinning his ever eclectic collection of funky vinyl in The Sample Room throughout the day too.”

Suds With Buds will run from 2 to 8pm on Saturday, July 1. Tickets cost £25 and the price includes a souvenir Suds With Buds glass, as well as an event programme with full beer menu. The price of the tickets will also cover all of the associated costs of putting on the break-even event, including staffing, equipment, the provision of a wellness area, security, the musicians and additional facilities.

Find out more:

To secure your ticket for this unprecedented celebration of modern UK and US brewing and to sample some of the finest beers in the world, some of them never before served on this side of the Atlantic, just head to the Suds With Buds page of Rooster’s website.

Use code FERRET_10 at checkout and save 10%!

Bed race entrants urged to ‘keep your head above water’ when crossing polluted Nidd

Great Knaresborough Bed Race competitors crossing the polluted River Nidd this weekend have been urged by organisers to keep their heads above the water.

Last week a young child was reported to have been taken to hospital with an E. coli infection after playing in the river at Knaresborough.

It came after a report by Professor Peter Hammond, a retired professor of computational biology, last month revealed the equivalent of 317 Olympic pools of raw sewage were discharged into the river at four sewage treatment works in 2020.

Nidd Action Group and Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones are campaigning for a stretch of the Nidd at Knaresborough Lido to be granted bathing water status, to ensure the river is cleaned up.

Saturday’s bed race will see hundreds of competitors crossing the river as part of the course.

Bed Race chairman Martin Brock, of Knaresborough Lions, said:

“It goes without saying that we wish the youngster a speedy recovery from their infection. We know for our teams and the crowds that the river crossing is an integral part of bed race and one that they look forward to every year. The teams recognise when signing up for the event that they are participating at their own risk.

“We will flag at the team briefing about the Nidd, although it is local knowledge that the water isn’t perfect, and that when crossing, you keep your head above water.”

Safety measures

Last year, the Nidd saw 870 sewage dump incidents, according to Environment Agency figures, and recent water testing by researchers from the University of Leeds has shown the harmful bacteria E. coli is at unusually high levels.

E. coli is a bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and even kidney failure. It is found in the gut and faeces of many animals, particularly cattle. Its presence at such high levels in the River Nidd is thought to be caused by either sewage dumps or by run-off from livestock farmland – or both.

Mr Brock added:

“Ultimately, no one is forced to go through the river and we do implement safety measures if teams choose to cross including limiting the number of beds in the river and having divers from the Upper Wharfdale Fell Rescue Association in the Nidd.

“The final decision to cross the river is taken on the morning of the race and if advice is given that it is unsafe, we would cancel the crossing. However, as things stand, with the recent spate of fine weather and a low river level, we are planning for the traditional river crossing on Saturday 10th.”

Harrogate and District Green Party said today the bed race was “an incredible event… being put at risk by Yorkshire Water’s cavalier approach to their sewage problem”.

It accused the government, supported by local MP Mr Jones of “putting profits before people”.

Mr Jones replied by saying recent data showed E. coli levels had drastically dropped and urged the Greens to join the Nidd clean-up campaign. He added:

“Politicians laying blame at one another’s door for a situation that has existed ever since the Victorians built our sewerage system is not constructive.”

The annual bed race was first held in 1966, and sees 90 teams of seven complete a 2.4-mile course around the town. This year’s theme for the pre-race fancy-dress parade is “That’s Entertainment”.

Bilton couple set to celebrate 80 years of marriage

A couple who fell in love as teenagers will become one of Britain’s longest married couples when they celebrate 80 years of marriage this summer.

Roy and Freda Ward, who are both 98, met at the age of 17 when they both worked at the Dorchester Cinema in Hull. Freda was an usherette and Roy was second projectionist and was also responsible for changing the batteries in the usherettes’ torches.

Speaking from the couple’s home in Bilton, Roy told the Stray Ferret:

“I always made sure Freda had the brightest torch!”

Freda said:

“We would always try to get the same day off, and when we did, Roy would take me for a fish-and-chip supper. It was lovely.”

A year after meeting, they planned a June wedding, but the Register Office was bombed, so they had to wait three days, before finally tying the knot on July 1, 1943.

Even when called up to the Royal Navy, Roy carried on as a projectionist with the Entertainments National Service Association, showing films at military bases throughout England. Following demobilisation, he took up plumbing, but carried on working as a projectionist in the evenings.

The couple owned shops in South Cave and Ferriby, Hull for years, before eventually moving to Harrogate in the 1980s, where they opened a greengrocer’s and delicatessen, RP & F Ward, on Skipton Road.

Following retirement, they have kept busy; Freda was going to the local gym until she was 95, and still exercises on her rowing machine, and Roy, a keen chef and bread-baker, only stopped driving last month.

The couple, who plan to celebrate their oak wedding anniversary with family, have three children, Michael, Roger, and Lesley – now all in their 70s – as well as three grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Asked what the secret to a long and happy marriage was, Roy said:

“I’ve no idea – I can’t put my finger on it. But we’re happy, so whatever it is, it must work!”

Freda was more certain. She said:

“We just love each other. We get on wonderfully well, and we never quarrel. We always discuss things first before doing them, so that we know we’re both happy with it. It just works. We’re very happy.”

The Wards are thought to be Harrogate’s longest-married couple since Starbeck couple Ron and Beryl Golightly celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary in February 2021.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average marriage is expected to last for 32 years. Just 16% of marriages reach their 60th wedding anniversary; the figure for the 80th anniversary, although not provided by the ONS, will be far smaller.

Yorkshire Radiators moves to become one-stop shop for home heating

This story is sponsored by Yorkshire Radiators.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo of Clyde Williams, whose company, Yorkshire Radiators, has just moved to new premises on Harrogate West Business Park.

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

Clyde said:

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

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

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

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

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

Find out more:

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

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

Major new exhibition seeks sponsors for young artists

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

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

Co-curator Joe Nickols said:

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

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

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

Metallic fluid-looking pink and white shapes on a black background - detail from plmvlt, a 2021 work by Newcastle artist Ka Bird.

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

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

Joe said:

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

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

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

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

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

Hunt is on for the best photos of the Skell Valley

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

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

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

Map of the Skell Valley, running from Dallow Moor in the west to the city of Ripon in the east.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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