Administrators running collapsed Ripon firm Farmison & Co said today it planned to begin the sale of assets.
FRP took charge of the company on Thursday, when it ceased trading and most staff lost their jobs.
Farmison co-founder John Pallagi held talks over the bank holiday with a consortium led by two Yorkshire businessmen about reviving the business.
But there has been no news of a deal since and FRP has now issued a statement clarifying the situation.
The statement outlined the problems that brought down the award-winning company. It said:
“The business recently underwent a fundraising process to secure external investment to support its business plan but did not secure a sufficient level of interest.
“Following a period of significant operational investment, the business has not generated the required level of revenues to sustain its high cost base.
“In recent weeks interest in the business and assets has been explored but a transaction could not be completed, and the directors have therefore placed the company into administration.”
The statement confirmed Farmison had ceased trading, adding:
“Regrettably, the majority of its 75 roles were made redundant. A skeleton staff has been retained to support the joint administrators in fulfilling their duties as they move towards an asset sale, notably the brand, goodwill and intellectual property.”
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Arvindar Jit Singh, partner at FRP and joint administrator of Farmison, said:
“Farmison had made significant investment in recent years in its operations as it aimed to carve out a differentiated brand and offering in the online retail space.
“However, it proved too heavy a burden to sustain without the uplift in sales that it had expected.
“Without a major capital injection, the business could not continue trading and we must now commence an asset sale. We encourage any interested parties to come forward.
“In the meantime, we have a specialist team working with impacted staff to access support through the Redundancy Payments Service.”
Customers and creditors can contact the administrators by emailing farmison@frpadvisory.com.
Starbeck Baths to be closed until late MayStarbeck Baths looks set to be closed for several weeks due to an “unforeseen mechanical failure”.
The Victorian swimming pool closed on Thursday last week. Its website says an air leak in the pool plant equipment caused poor water clarity.
The timing was unfortunate because of the ongoing Easter school holidays as well as the long-term closure of The Hydro in nearby Harrogate for a delayed £11.8 million upgrade.
Brimhams Active, which was set up by Harrogate Borough Council but is now run by North Yorkshire Council, manages leisure facilities in the Harrogate district.
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for culture, arts and leisure, Jo Ireland, said:
“We are working with Brimhams Active to resolve an unforeseen mechanical failure.
“The situation requires the expertise of specialist contractors, and a work schedule has been set to address the issue.
“During the downtime, other important planned maintenance work will also be carried out to ensure the facilities are in top condition when the baths reopen.
“Although we regret any inconvenience this may have caused, we anticipate that Starbeck swimming baths will be back in operation by late May.”
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History group to show archive footage of Ripon and Harrogate
Rare archive footage of the Ripon and Harrogate areas will be shown on a big screen this month.
The event is being jointly staged by Yorkshire Film Archive and Bishop Monkton Local History Group.
A professional film archivist will introduce a series of locally produced films as well as footage from other parts of Yorkshire.
Some were professionally shot, others were amateur home movies but all give an insight into how people lived around here in years gone by.
Work, holidays, leisure, sports, home life, transport and war are among the subjects featured in the films.
Some content was included in four recent sell-out events at the Odeon in Harrogate organised by Yorkshire Film Archive in conjunction with Harrogate’s Civic Society and FIlm Society.
The event will be held at Bishop Monkton Village Hall on April 27 at 7pm.
Clips from some of the films that will be shown can be viewed here.
Tickets are free to Bishop Monkton Local History Group members and £10 to non-members.
They are available from Annabel Alton on 01765 676538 or via email annabel@annabelalton.com
There will be a cash bar selling wine and soft drinks before the event and during the interval.
Read more:
- Odeon packed for 90-minute archive film of Harrogate district
- Knaresborough to host free big screen broadcast of coronation
Harrogate man jailed for assaulting three police officers in Ripon
A man from a village near Harrogate has been jailed for six months for assaulting police officers.
James Ashley Gibb, 34, initially denied attacking three police officers in Ripon Market Place on October 28 last year.
But Gibb, of Ripon Road, Killinghall, changed his plea and was sentenced at Harrogate Magistrates Court last week.
Court documents say he was jailed due to the seriousness of the offence and also “because of different kinds of assaults including biting, kicking and threat of spitting and committed whilst on post-sentence supervision”.
The offence was aggravated by the defendant’s record of previous offending, the documents added.
The incident in Ripon Market Place last year
Gibb also pleaded guilty to using racially aggravated threatening or abusive words.
He was also given a concurrent four-month prison sentence for threatening a person on Station Parade in Harrogate on January 14 this year.
Besides being jailed, he was fined £275.
Cooplands closes Boroughbridge bakery
Cooplands has closed its bakery in Boroughbridge after little more than two years.
The company, which is the second largest bakery chain in the district, opened a shop on the town’s High Street in February 2021.
But a sign appeared in the window recently saying the shop had now closed permanently and the nearest branch was on Beulah Street in Harrogate.
The Harrogate shop
The Stray Ferret asked Cooplands why it had closed its Boroughbridge branch and how many staff were affected.
A spokesperson said:
“Following an in-depth review of the business, we have proposed to make some changes to both our retail and bakery operations, to help better position the business for the long-term and sustainable growth.
“This has been done to ensure that our store estate and broader business are fully aligned with our ‘modern bakery food-to-go retailer’ strategy.
“As a result, we have entered into a consultation process with a number of colleagues. We appreciate that this may be unsettling for colleagues and our priority is to support them fully throughout this process.”
The spokesperson declined to comment beyond the statement.
Cooplands started as a single shop in Scarborough in 1885 and now has more than 160 shops in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the North East.
It was bought in 2021 by the EG Group.
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Knaresborough to host free big screen broadcast of coronation
The coronation will be broadcast live on a big screen in the grounds of Knaresborough House on Saturday, May 6.
Knaresborough Town Council announced today it had secured access to a locally sourced LED screen for what it hopes will be a joyful day of picnics and celebration.
Besides showing the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the free event will also include the broadcast of two family films.
Town councillor James Pickard, chair of the council’s king’s coronation working group, said:
“We are looking forward to welcoming the Knaresborough community and visitors alike to share this once in a lifetime event. It’s not often we get to see a king crowned.
“We hope the day will be a relaxed event where people can simply come and soak up the atmosphere whilst watching the ceremony.
“We plan to extend the day by showing two family films throughout the afternoon. This will be a free local event for the entire community to enjoy.”
Cllr Pickard added the grounds were a natural theatre with scope for catering for large crowds throughout the day, from 10am to 5pm.
He added people were welcome to bring picnics but food and refreshment stalls would also be available.
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Town councillor Hannah Gostlow, who is also a member of the working group, added:
Chocolate and coffee cafe opens in Harrogate“It’s great that both residents and visitors to Knaresborough will have a fantastic opportunity to come together to view the king’s coronation live on a big screen at the iconic location of Knaresborough House.
“The event will give everyone the opportunity to have a memorable experience to mark this exciting and historic event.”
A chocolate and coffee cafe has opened in Harrogate town centre.
The Chocolate Works is situated on Station Parade between the Everyman cinema and restaurant Farmhouse.
It is the third venture of its kind launched by owner Guy Middleton.
Mr Middleton opened his first Chocolate Works cafe in Clitheroe in 2017 followed by a second in Skipton in 2020.
The cafes serve predominantly Belgian chocolate dishes, including hot chocolate, as well as loose chocolate that can be taken away.
They also stock a wide range of coffees and speciality teas plus waffles, ice cream and milkshakes.
The premises was intended to house the vegan restaurant Vertigo, which went out of business a year ago before its Harrogate eatery opened.
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Dashcam footage appeal after serious crash on Leathley Lane
Police are appealing for dashcam footage of a serious collision on the edge of the Harrogate district.
A woman in a green 12-reg Mazda broke several bones and was hospitalised for five days.
The crash happened at 9.20am on Tuesday, March 14 at Leathley Lane near Castley Lane.
According to North Yorkshire Police, three other vehicles were involved: a white 21-reg Ford Transit van, a grey 21-reg Hyundai Ioniq and a grey 10-reg Skoda Roomster.
The stretch of road was closed for several hours while officers investigated and vehicles were recovered.
A police statement said:
“We’re appealing for witnesses to the collision or anyone who recalls seeing the vehicles involved prior to the collision, to get in touch as soon as possible to assist the investigation.
“In particular, we’re appealing for motorists in the area at the time who may have relevant dashcam footage of the collision itself or of any of the vehicles involved prior to the incident.”
You can email Megan.Smith1@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Megan Smith.
Quote reference number 12230046167.
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Late night hit and run in Harrogate district
Police are appealing for information about a hit and run collision in the Harrogate district.
According to North Yorkshire Police, a blue Kia car with an 06 registration collided with a parked car on Millfield Street at Pateley Bridge.
It happened at about 2.20am on Good Friday.
A police statement said:
“The driver of the Kia did not stop and drove to the end of Millfield End before driving away, back up Millfield Street, about five minutes later.
“Both the parked car and the Kia were damaged.
“Witnesses also noticed a burning smell coming from the Kia.”
Anybody with information can email bill.hickson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and select option 1.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Quote reference number 12230061510.
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Ripon prepares to party after Knaresborough celebrates
Ripon is preparing for a bank holiday street party after Knaresborough took centre stage yesterday.
Knaresborough Spring Fayre saw thousands of people visit the sun-bathed Market Place.
The activities included a free petting farm, a free craft tent, fairground rides, a spring window competition, a magician and an appearance by the Easter bunny.
It was the second time the spring fayre has been staged by Knaresborough Business Collective, which was set up by a group of small businesses to make the town centre more vibrant.
Yesterday’s event certainly had the town buzzing for the entire six hours from 10am to 4pm.
Collective member Natalie Horner said:
“It was such a brilliant day and a huge success for both the event itself and the shops in town too.
“The weather was lovely and it was so nice to see so much community spirit and joy in town.”
The Nailery won the spring window competition.
The forecast looks a little less kind for tomorrow’s street party on Kirkgate in Ripon, but spirits will no doubt be equally high.
Kirkgate will be closed to traffic from 10am to 4pm while residents and visitors enjoy live music, al fresco dining and entertainment.
The event is part of the Totally Locally scheme being adopted by traders and Ripon Business Improvement District to encourage people to spend with independent businesses in the city.
Read more:
- Artist ‘delighted’ to open second gallery in Knaresborough
- ‘Intense’ talks to save Ripon firm Farmison after buyout collapses