New Harrogate pregnancy and wellness clinic to open

A pregnancy and wellness clinic called Cocoon will open on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate on Saturday (February 3).

The clinic will offer private scans and midwifery care to families in Harrogate and surrounding areas, as well as support. 

Mother-of-two Sam Naughton founded Cocoon after experiencing her own difficult path to parenthood. 

In 2022, Ms Naughton gave birth to son Alby but previously lost her baby, Willow, at 10 weeks, meaning she had many private scans during her pregnancy with Alby. 

This appointment process inspired her to create Cocoon as a means of nurturing parents at every and any stage of pregnancy. 

Ms Naughton said:

“While on maternity leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be a better way. I imagined a clinic that nurtured and supported parents at every stage.

“I wanted to create somewhere that was inclusive and accessible to all families, all emotions and all outcomes.

“We’re also hearing from women who are feeling anxious or worried in the weeks and months after their baby has been born – and this is something we are here to help with.”

A private scan room at Cocoon.

The business will provide ultrasound scans alongside bereavement therapy, life-coaching and mentoring. 

The Cocoon team consists of five specialists, including sonographers and midwifes.

The clinic has also partnered with local midwifery organisation Taking Baby Steps, which will be on-site two days a week to provide support to families pre, during and post pregnancy. 

Cocoon also offers scans throughout pregnancy, starting from six to 11 weeks through to 36+ weeks, as well as gender and 4D scans.

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Work begins to convert Harrogate’s Herald Buildings into flats and shops

Work is underway to convert the Harrogate’s Herald Buildings on Montpellier Parade into shops and flats.

The buildings, which date back to the 1850s, were headquarters to the Harrogate Advertiser for over 100 years until the company moved out in 1990.

They then operated as a Slug and Lettuce pub until May 2021. They have been vacant since.

Yorkshire-based property investment company Rushbond, which acquired the site in 2021, has appointed Ashfield Projects to renovate the buildings.

It will convert the site into four ground floor retail units and five flats, including a penthouse.

The Montpellier area. Pic: Rushbond PLC

The apartments will be marketed by Rushbond’s new housebuilding arm – Fallowdale Homes – and are expected to be ready to move into from spring next year.

Richard Gough, project manager for Rushbond, said:

“We are excited to have begun work on this iconic local landmark.

“The renovations will create a sustainable, long-term use for these significant buildings, offering future generations of people the opportunity to live and work in this locally designated heritage asset.

“We hope that by breathing new life into this historic building, the much loved Montpellier neighbourhood in Harrogate will be further enhanced with new retail spaces to be enjoyed by a growing community of residents.”

The Harrogate Herald buildings. Pic: Rushbond PLC

The Stray Ferret reported in 2022 that Rushbond had applied to convert the building.

These buildings will add to Rushbond’s portfolio. Its previous projects included restoring Leeds Corn Exchange and the northern headquarters for Channel 4

The wider project team for the Harrogate scheme also includes Richard Boothroyd & Associates Ltd, Topping Engineers and HG Consulting Engineers.

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York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority launched today

A launch event for the of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority took place at the Guildhall in York today. We were there — here’s what was revealed about the new authority and the mayor who will lead it.

11.45am: Launch event draws to close

Today’s event is ending. We leave you with photos of two of today’s speakers — Cllr Claire Douglas, leader of City of York Council and Levelling Up minister Jacob Young, who gave a short video address.

The mayoral election is 91 days away. So far the Conservatives, Labour, the Greens and an Independent have put candidates forward.

The new branding

11.40am: How will the combined authority work?

Whoever is elected mayor on May 2 will chair the combined authority board. The board will also include:

11.31am: Combined authority website launched

A website launched today for the new organisation. You can see it here.

11.14am: Harrogate College welcomes change

Danny Wild (pictured above), the principal of Harrogate College, is at the launch. There is provision for adult skills in the gainshare budget — gainshare is the buzzword for new money from central government as part of the devolution deal. Mr Wild said:

“The combined authority gives us a real opportunity to address some of the adult skills challenges we have across North Yorkshire.”

He added conversations were already taking place on how the funding would be allocated and welcomed the fact that decisions previously taken in Westminster were now happening at sub-regional level.

He said this would lead to a more flexible and targeted approach to adult education.

10.55am: How will the money be spent?

The mayoral investment fund is worth £540 million spread over 30 years.

From launch to March 2025, the new combined authority will receive £56 million, which includes £12.7 million for housing to build 700 new homes on brownfield sites, £10 million to support transition to net zero, unlocking economic opportunity, empowering business growth and creating jobs. An adult education budget will also be devolved to York and North Yorkshire.

10.47am: Mayor’s role outlined

Whoever is elected mayor on May 2 will take up the role on May 7. The salary has not been revealed yet. His or her roles (although only four men have declared they will stand so far) will include:

10.39am: Combined authority will be based in York and Northallerton

Now the speeches are over, some interesting details are emerging in the media briefing notes.

The combined authority, which will employ 54 staff, will use offices in York (West Offices, Station Rise) and Northallerton (County Hall).  The Mayor will work from both offices.

10.28am: ‘Region before politics’

Cllr Claire Douglas, the Labour leader of City of York Council continues the heady rhetoric. The word ‘momentous’ is being used a lot.

Cllr Douglas describes the deal as “absolutely fantastic, a historic milestone for our region” and says it is a case of “region before politics”, which reflects how the Labour Council she leads will work alongside the Conservative one in North Yorkshire.

10.21am:  ‘First truly rural and city deal’

Richard Flinton, the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, is standing in for Conservative council leader Cllr Carl Les, who he says is stuck in traffic on the A19.

Mr Flinton says it’s a “strong deal” that will open up more conversations with government. He adds:

“It’s the first truly rural and city deal binging together the largest county with cities like York and binding us together.”

10.15am:  Minister gives video speech

Levelling Up minister Jacob Young gives a short video address in which he talks about transferring power to “god’s own county”.

10.10am: ‘Momentous day’

James Farrar, the interim head of paid services for the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, gets things underway by saying it’s a “pretty momentous day”.

Mr Farrar, who lives near Harrogate, says North Yorkshire has “joined the Premier League for ambition” and says achieving a devolution deal “required political leadership to get us where we are today”.

He adds “half a billion pounds of investment comes along with the mayor”, which will be spent in areas such as transport, adult skills, housing and net zero.

“This is new money we wouldn’t otherwise get so this is quite a moment in time. Public sector finances are under incredible pressure and this is a chance to show real ambition.”

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1,000 sign petition to protect Bilton’s Knox Lane from housing

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to prevent land targeted for homes in Bilton being available for development.

North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee rejected an application by the developer Jomast to build 53 homes off Knox Lane, as reported by the Stray Ferret in September.

Residents have been engaged in a long-running campaign to protect the land from housing. More than 500 objections were made against the Jomast plans.

With the immediate threat of housing removed, the campaign organisation Knox Community Conservation Group is now attempting to protect the land from further planning applications.

It set up a petition to remove the land from the forthcoming North Yorkshire Local Plan, which will replace the current blueprint for where development can take place.

The plan will replace the current Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, which was created by the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, said this month the new plan was expected to be finalised in about four years. He added a call for sites was due to go out to consultation this spring.

Knox Lane

The land off Knox Lane. 

Knox Community Conservation Group campaigners were at Nidderdale Greenway last weekend urging people to sign the petition, which closes on February 5. 

It will then be presented to the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee at its next meeting on March 14. 

The petition says previous site assessments conducted by Harrogate Borough Council of the Knox Lane site in 2013 and 2016 found it to be unsuitable for development because it “would have adverse or highly adverse effects on historic environment, priority habitats and/or species and landscape”.

The group says these concerns remain and has called on people to “preserve and protect” the historic area of Bilton, where a former railway line used to run through.

The photo shows (from left) Margaret Cockerill, Alison Heyward and Jill Harrison all from Knox Community Conservation Group.

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Andrew Jones MP hits back after Lib Dem rival Tom Gordon attacks schools funding

The Liberal Democrat bidding to be Harrogate and Knaresborough’s next MP has accused the government of failing local children after new figures revealed a decline in funding per pupil.

The National Education Union, which is the UK’s largest education union, published a county-by-county breakdown of school funding statistics last week.

It revealed school funding in North Yorkshire was set to fall by £14 million in 2024/25 compared with this year and 286 of 340 schools in the county will have less to spend. The cut will equate to a £188 reduction in funding per pupil in North Yorkshire.

Tom Gordon, who will bid to unseat Conservative Andrew Jones at the next general election, said the Lib Dems were calling for the government to review school funding after the Institute for Fiscal Studies said the purchasing power of school budgets in 2024 will still be about 4% lower than in 2010.

Mr Gordon said:

“This Conservative government has failed North Yorkshire’s children. Parents in our community should not have to send their children to schools which have had their funding decimated by a Conservative government that has lost interest in providing high-quality education.

“Investing in education is investing in our future but this Conservative government has let school buildings crumble and overseen a severe shortage of teachers. Far from preparing the next generation for the future, Ministers have totally abandoned them.

“The Liberal Democrats know that investment in education boosts our children’s futures. The Treasury needs to urgently look at increasing school funding”.

‘Hard facts’

But Mr Jones disputed the figures and said recent investments to local schools and colleges in painted a different picture.

He said:

“Rather than quoting figures produced by a national trade union we can look at some hard facts about local and national investment.

“The effect of educational investment since 2010 is clear in Harrogate and Knaresborough.  Harrogate High School has been completely rebuilt and we are about to see a £20m new campus for Harrogate college.  A new specialist autism school is opening on the site of the former Woodfield Primary School with a £3.5m investment from North Yorkshire Council.

“There is more evidence of local progress.  Look at the new sixth form centre at King James or the new lecture theatre at Harrogate Grammar.

“Rossett School and Bilton Grange have received grants to make classrooms warmer and more energy efficient.

“Just last year local schools received £2.5m to help with energy bills and teachers’ pay increases.”

He added:

“School spending was £35bn per year in 2010. For 2024/25 it is £58.8bn. That is a 68 per cent cash increase. The budget increase in 2022/23 was £4bn, for 23/24 it is £3.5bn. That is 15 per cent in just two years, taking the budget to a record high in real terms and per pupil.

“I am particularly pleased that the funding for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has risen by 50 per cent since 2019/20.”

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Harrogate musical theatre company celebrates 100 years 

Harrogate musical theatre company HOPs is staging a series of celebratory shows and events this year to mark its centenary.

HOPs, formerly known as Harrogate Operatic Players, will perform Made in Dagenham from June 11 to 15 at Harrogate Theatre.

Its other plans include a centenary ball and afternoon tea to allow past and present members to come together and reminisce. 

Made in Dagenham follows sell-out performances of Chity Chitty Bang Bang and Kinky Boots in recent years. Musical director Jim Lunt and director and choreographer, Mike Kirkby, will return for the summer production. 

Mike said:

“HOPs will always have a special place in my heart and after 20 plus years, I am honoured to be back once again as director for this fabulous production.

“I am truly proud to bring this gritty and poignant story, steeped in reality and drama, to the stage.”

HOPs president Christine Littlewood said:

“I have watched so many people come and go over the years all with the same love and enthusiasm for this wonderful hobby.

“The friendships, support, camaraderie and enjoyment never changes and continues with the present membership.”

HOPs president Christine Littlewood

Formed in 1924

The Harrogate Operatic Players was formed in March 1924 and its first performance was Trial By Jury at the Winter Gardens in May 1924. Since then, it has performed almost every year. Its shows have included The King and I in 1966, Oliver in 1974 and My Fair Lady in 1978 and 2019. 

Understandably, the only years missed were 1940-45 during the Second World War. However, they managed to hold restricted performances of ‘Musical Squares – A Covid Concert’ during the covid pandemic. 

The trustees choose shows which accommodate all ages into the cast. 

In recent years, they have made a push to raise the quality of their costumes, sound and marketing. 

For further information on HOPS visit here and for more information on the production visit here.

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Harrogate singer Sarah Collins: ‘What a fantastic surprise and a memory of a lifetime’

Harrogate singer Sarah Collins stole the show on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on Saturday night.

The Stray Ferret reported on Friday that Sarah would be appearing in front of millions of viewers on primetime BBC One.

But in a further twist, she got to perform with LeAnn Rimes at the end of her appearance as the show’s unexpected star.

Sarah’s husband nominated her for the regular unexpected star slot.

Led to believe she was on a trip to London, Sarah was stunned to discover she was actually on stage in front of an audience of 2,000 people at the Theatre Royal on London’s Drury Lane. 

She went on to perform How Do I Live at the end of the show and was surprised again when American singer LeAnn Rimes, who had a hit with the song, walked out on stage to join her.

Sarah posted on her Instagram page afterwards:

“Wow! What a fantastic surprise and a memory of a lifetime. Thank you @leanntimes.”

Speaking to The Stray Ferret before the show was broadcast, Sarah said:

“It was the most amazing experience ever, it was really emotional.

“It is a dream come true, like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from.”

The whirlwind continued today for the singer and mother-of-two when she appeared on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on Radio 2.

Sarah has been singing most of her life from performing in musicals as a child and later joining a band as a teenager to then using music as a form of therapy. 

Shortly after having her daughter in 2012, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and a full recovery was not certain. 

During this time, her parents gifted her the vinyls she grew up listening to and she used music to help her recovery. She later set up a YouTube channel in 2014, which now has 45,000 subscribers. 

Sarah Collins

Sarah set up a Motown and soul band ‘Keep the Faith’ which performed worldwide until her mother became ill four years ago.

She has received support on social media from the likes of Paul Heaton, Billy Ocean and Candi Staton.

Her Big Show appearance is available on iPlayer and can be watched here.

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Woman’s decomposed body discovered at park home in Knaresborough

The partially decomposed body of a woman found at an over-50s retirement park in Knaresborough yesterday is believed to have laid undiscovered for about six weeks.

Neighbours at Nidderdale Lodge Park raised the alarm yesterday when they became suspicious about the length of time since they had seen the woman.

They alerted the emergency services after noting a smell when they lifted the letterbox to check on her welfare.

Bob Frendt, who lives at the 53-home retirement park for over-50s and used to chair the residents’ association, said:

“It’s really sad. It’s awful to think she died like this.

“People look out for each other here. The community spirit is very good but this woman kept herself to herself and nobody noticed she was missing until yesterday.”

Mr Frendt, who is well known for his aid trips to eastern Europe, said police checks indicated the woman’s phone had not been used since December 18, which was 41 days before her body was discovered.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“Police were called by the ambulance service at 10.30am on Sunday, January 28 following the death of a woman in her 50s at Nidderdale Lodge in Knaresborough.

“Officers believe there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

“A file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Nidderdale Lodge Park was established in the 1960s as a caravan park and began providing park homes in the 1980s.

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Police seek man after woman ‘sexually touched’ in Harrogate bar

Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak after it said a woman was “sexually touched” walking through a Harrogate bar.

In a statement today, North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened at Banyan Bar & Kitchen on John Street.

It took place at about 8.30pm on Friday, December 15.

The police statement said:

“Officers would like to speak to the man in the image as they believe he will have information that could assist the investigation.

“Anyone who recognises the person in the image or can help to identify them is asked to email katie.jacobs@northyorkshire.police.uk

“Or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Katie Jacobs or collar number 1131.”

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12230237996.

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New planetarium near Ripon brings the universe to life

Seven miles from Ripon is one of the best kept secrets in the north of England.

Lime Tree Observatory and Planetarium, which is located on a remote farm near Grewelthorpe, provides the kind of experience you previously had to travel hours for.

Here you can see the moon close-up through telescopes and lie on cushions and learn about the solar system while watching an ever-changing skyscape in the planetarium.

The project wasn’t set up by a large private company or a rich benefactor, but by three enthusiastic amateur astronomers who built it from the ground up, with the help of a community-minded landowner.

“It’s a hobby that got out of hand,” says Martin Whipp, who has worked alongside Chris Higgins and John Roberts on the project.

Harrogate Air Cadets in the planetarium this week.

Martin’s passion for the night skies can be summed up by the fact that whenever he goes on holiday, he visits a planetarium. So far he’s ticked off over 100 and although most are better known than his, it’s doubtful whether any is run by someone quite as committed.

The Stray Ferret has been trying to visit since we reported in 2022 that a planetarium, like a distant comet, was heading our way.

It opened later that year at Lime Tree Farm and although the guys love nothing more than spreading their infectious love of astronomy, they were somewhat reticent to invite us because of fears the place could be swamped.

Demand for tickets is already, well, astronomical. What’s more, the observatory is manned entirely by volunteers and only opens on winter evenings when it’s dark enough to stargaze by 7pm or 8pm. Bookings are by appointment-only and all 46 sessions from now until the end of March, when it closes for summer, are sold out.

When tickets went on sale this month for some extra events organised as part of this year’s Dark Skies Festival organised by Nidderdale National Landscape, formerly known as Nidderdale AONB, they were snapped up in a day. Book now and you’re unlikely to get in before March next year.

The planetarium holds 25 people and there is a minimum charge of £100 for eight people. Each additional person costs £12.50. Most bookings are by private groups but some sessions are reserved for individuals who can’t get a group together.

Another reason for keeping things low key is that a large commercial venture wouldn’t sit well with the ethos of Lime Tree Farm, which operates as a community interest company providing activities such as pond dipping, a campsite and stone circles alongside stargazing.

Martin Whipp Lime Tree Observatory

Martin Whipp

Martin Whipp (left) and Chris Higgins play with the telescopes.

‘I’m fascinated by the enormity’

Martin, who lives in Ripon, juggles his hobby with an NHS career in diabetes. He has been into astronomy since the age of four or five. “I’ve just always been fascinated by the enormity of it,” he says.

He joined York Astronomical Society when he was 14 and used to visit Lime Tree Farm, where the landowner — a keen amateur astronomer — invited hobbyists to look through telescopes on a site that is in the Nidderdale National Landscape and on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park which has International Dark Skies status. The only light pollution is from nearby Masham and Ripon.

The observatory opened to the public in 2016, with the purchase of a second-hand 24-inch reflecting telescope from Kent. The telescope is nearly 50 years old now and due to be replaced this year with a computer-driven model which will have far superior optics.

When the landowner said he was keen to find a use for a barn, Martin’s brain went into overdrive. Could it be converted into a planetarium? Even prohibitive quotes of up to £50,000 to build one didn’t deter the gang of three — instead they decided to make their own.

They found a company that sells domes and bought a mould for one section then built the other nine and assembled it. Throw in a sound system, a large screen and astronomy software called Stellarium, plus funding from Nidderdale National Landscape and Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, and after five years of toil the planetarium came to fruition.

Harrogate Air Cadets in the planetarium this week.

The cadets zoom in on the moon and Jupiter.

The presentations can be tailored to the audience: there was a creepy cosmos show at Halloween and a star of Bethlehem show at Christmas. Last year they also had an event that celebrated the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album.

Chris Higgins, who has a PhD in pharmacology and used to have a small observatory in his garden shed at Bishop Monkton, says: “Someone drove all the way from Stirling for it and gave it a five-star review.”

We finally got to sample it this week when Harrogate Air Cadets let us tag on to a visit. We looked through telescopes and learned about constellations and supernovas, Orion and Sirius and got that sense of enormity that Martin mentioned. Did you know you can fit a million Earths into the sun, but the biggest star is a billion times bigger than the sun?

The cadets’ knowledge was impressive, or perhaps mine was awful, as they answered many of the questions posed during the presentation before heading outside to look through the telescopes. We visited on the day Storm Isha was passing and had to wait for gaps in the banks of cloud but the clarity of Jupiter through the lens drew gasps.

The 90-minute session was informative and entertaining — and there’s nothing like it for miles around.

Martin says: “Once we built the dome, we did think that’s really quite incredible.”

That’s an understatement. As local experiences go, it’s out of this world.

Watching the planetarium presentation.

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