John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

Hot Seat: navigating choppy waters at Ripon firm Wolseley

Few major employees in the Harrogate district have experienced more turbulent times recently than Wolseley.

The plumbing and heating merchants, which has a £1.8bn turnover, employs almost 5,000 staff globally, of which 270 are based in Ripon and 150 at a distribution centre in Melmerby.

Besides covid, this year Wolseley has been at the sharp end of Brexit and been sold to private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier and Rice for £308 million.

The man navigating the choppy waters is Simon Oakland, who has been chief executive of Wolseley UK since January last year.

Mr Oakland, who has a background in private equity, has been with the company in its various guises since 2012.

He doesn’t hide how difficult the last 18 months have been, particularly for staff in Ripon. The site, which opened in 1971, provides support functions, including accounts, payments, IT support and HR and have such felt the brunt of all the changes.

“As a business we have been through a lot of difficulties. There had been damaging cost cutting measures and we’ve been through a few strategic initiatives that haven’t been successful.”

The company, he says, lost customer focus when it integrated divisions in 2017. But a divisional restructure, completed in July last year, was the catalyst for recovery, he says.

The new suite at Ripon.

The figures back him up. In the financial year ending 31 July 2020, Wolseley lost £250 million of sales. Profit, forecast to be £60 million, came in at £6 million, partly due to covid.

But recently published accounts for the financial year ending 31 July 2021 show £75 million profit – considerably up on the pre-covid £54 million figure of 2019. Mr Oakland says:

“This is the first year of genuine growth since 2012.

“From August 1 last year we have had a strong recovery. The market is strong, but we’ve taken a lot of market share.”

He highlights the acquisition of 32 branches of Graham Plumbers in July as evidence of recovery.

Brexit blues

Brexit has not affected demand but it has disrupted the supply chain by making it harder for small European manufacturers to import into the UK.

It’s also created “real complexity” with exporting products to Northern Ireland, says Mr Oakland. The company now has to provide detailed certificate of origin forms and prove its products to Northern Ireland wont be moved on to the Republic of Ireland. He says:

“The process of importing from Europe is going to continue being a small stone in our shoe.

“The process of moving products to Northern Ireland is going to be very complex. Even with the number of exemptions in place now it’s incredibly complex. If those exemptions come off it will be even more complex.”

Until this year Wolseley was part of a FTSE 100 company called Ferguson PLC, which operates in the US, Canada and the UK. But its demerger from Ferguson and sale to Clayton, Dubilier and Rice led to huge change.

“The demerger caused a lot of work and that significantly impacted teams in Ripon, especially finance and IT. We were fully integrated on IT with US and Canada and had to migrate.”

Private equity firms don’t have the best reputations but Mr Oakland says:

“I spent 20 years in private equity. I get private equity inside and out. There are different styles. Some buy defunct businesses and liquidate stock. At the other end you have firms that understand the sector and try to support and grow the business.”

Clayton, Dubilier and Rice fall into the latter camp, he says, and “bring real strategic insight”. But it wasn’t an easy sell to staff.

“I took the decision in July 2020 to be totally open with colleagues and told them it was likely we would be sold to a private equity firm. They took a lot of confidence from the fact that I have been a partner in a private equity firm. That helped to defuse the uncertainty and the Chinese whispers.

“The real theme was that we would be able to tap into our independence.”

50 years in Ripon

Wolseley was founded in 1887, when Frederick York Wolseley launched the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine. The firm expanded into manufacturing and in 1899, the first Wolseley horseless carriage went on sale in the UK at £120.

It acquired a number of heating companies in the 1960s. Today plumbing and heating account for £1 billion of the £1.8 billion turnover. Your home’s boiler, pipework, bathroom fittings and gas and electricity meters could well have been made by Wolseley.

Part of the refurbished Ripon site.

The company opened its Ripon office on Boroughbridge Road in 1971. The site reopened this year after a £500,000 refurbishment, which included a new learning and development suite for training courses. Mr Oakland says:

“It’s completely transformed the business in Ripon. It was very tired inside.”

Mr Oakland was born in Dewsbury and his grandparents lived in Starbeck. He is based in Warwickshire and says he looks forward to his trips north:

“I love it. It takes me back to the places where I went to as a kid.”

He enjoys food and wine and tries to complete one or two triathlons each year. Training isn’t easy when you’re on the road three or four nights a week but after a period of upheaval, quieter times at Wolseley may be ahead. He says:

“The business is in a really good place now.”

Harrogate student wins global competition for young leaders

Harrogate student Thomas Grattoni-May has been named as one of 100 global winners of a programme launched by Eric Schmidt, the billionaire former chief executive of Google, to identify exceptional young people who help others.

More than 50,000 15-17-year-olds entered the Rise Challenge, which aims to find young people with the potential to tackle the planet’s most pressing challenges.

Thomas’ ‘big idea’ was a global speech and language therapy app for stammerers who have limited access to support.

Thomas, 17, who is in Year 13 at Harrogate independent school Ashville College, has a stammer himself and has been a vocal advocate for the charity Action for Stammering Children. He hopes to bring together charities across the globe to share resources and expertise.

As a winner of the competition, Thomas will receive a lifetime of personalised support. This includes free tuition to any accredited university and a fully funded invitation to an annual three-week summit of winners. This is combined with access to careers advice, mentoring, and access to further funding in a package that could exceed $500,000 in value.

Thomas said:

“I’m feeling ecstatic, and really can’t quite comprehend what it means to be one of the 100 Global Rise winners. It’s just amazing.”

“I have met so many inspirational young people through this competition, and I am so proud and humbled to have been chosen as a winner alongside them.”

Through his application, Thomas submitted 14 video responses to various challenges, and spent more than 50 hours developing his big idea. After being shortlisted in May, the 17-year-old participated in a series of gruelling interviews.

Steven Gauge, chief executive of Action for Stammering Children, of which Thomas is a youth panel member, said:

“Thomas is already a role model for younger stammerers, and this will increase his standing even further as it demonstrates that if you have a stammer there are no limits to what one can achieve.”

“We couldn’t be happier, or prouder of this achievement.”

Ashville College head Rhiannon Wilkinson said it was a “remarkable achievement”, adding:

“To be chosen as one of the Rise 100 Global Winners is a testament to his sheer determination not to let his stammer hold him back and, of course, his tremendous hard work and ability.”

Overgrown play area to be sold off for new housing for disabled people

A disused and overgrown play area in Harrogate is set to be sold off for part of a new housing development for disabled people.

The council-owned play area behind Disability Action Yorkshire’s Claro Road care home will be cleared to make way for three accommodation blocks if the sale and planning permission is agreed.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve the sale for an undisclosed sum at a meeting next Wednesday before plans are submitted at a later date.

A report to the meeting said:

“The purchaser is a non-profit registered provider offering housing management and support services.

“Disposal of this asset will enable the development of an additional block of flats, providing affordable rent, supported living accommodation, for people with learning and physical disabilities.”

The plans include 36 flats with a mix of one and two bedrooms at the site, which is near Claro Business Park and St Roberts Catholic Primary School.

Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, said:

“Whilst we are not the prospective purchaser of this plot of land, we are working in partnership with them.

“Following Monday’s cabinet meeting, and should the purchase be given the green light, we will be in a position soon after to share our exciting plans for the development of our service.”

Guide to fireworks displays in the Harrogate district

Bonfire night is fast approaching so we have compiled a list of events coming up this weekend in the Harrogate district.

Bonfires in Masham and Bilton were cancelled this year but we have still managed to find nine that are due to go ahead either on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Let us know if we have missed your event and we will add it to the list email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or call us on 01423 276197 and we will add you to the list.

Friday 5th November

Knaresborough Cricket Club Fireworks Night

Where: Aspin Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 8EP

When: 6:15pm start, 7pm firework display

Tickets: adult £2, concessions £1

Aspin Park Academy, Knaresborough

Where: School grounds, parking on Manse Lane, Knaresborough

When: 5pm start, 6.30pm firework display

Tickets: Advance online booking – adults £4, children £3, family ticket £12, preschoolers free. On the gate – adults £5, children £4

Ripon Rowels Rotary Charity Bonfire and Firework Display

Where: Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, HG4 1UG

When: 5:30pm start, 7pm fire lit, 7:30pm firework display.

Tickets: adults £6, children £3, family (2 adult, 2 child) £12, under 3s free

Spofforth Village Firework Display

Where: Spofforth cricket ground

Timings: Gates open 5pm

Tickets: Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Tockwith & District Agricultural Society Annual Bonfire & Firework Display

Where: Show field, Cattle Moor Lane, Tockwith, YO26 7QH

Timings: 6pm start, 6:30pm fire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: 13 and over £5, under 13s free

The Tockwith event is back.

Saturday 6th November

50th Annual Stray Bonfire, Harrogate Roundtable

Where: The Stray, Harrogate, HG1 1BJ

When: 6pm start, 6:30pm fire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: free entry, donations welcome

Upper Nidderdale Scouts Group Pateley Bonfire

Where: Pateley Bridge Showground

When: 5:30pm bonfire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: free entry, donations welcome

Wath and Melmerby Community Bonfire

Where: Roger Clarke Motor Engineers, The Sidings, Melmerby, HG4 5EX

When: 6pm bonfire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: £5 per family

Sunday 7th November

Staveley Arms Bonfire

Where: The Staveley Arms, Greenfields, North Stainley, Ripon, HG4 3HT

When: 4pm-6pm

Tickets: £3 per person

Swinton Bivouac Quiet Bonfire Night

Where: Swinton Bivouac, Masham, Ilton, Ripon, HG4 4JZ

When: 6:30pm bonfire lit. There will be no fireworks or loud bangs.

Tickets: free entry, food and drinks available from the Bivouac Café

Starbeck Community Firework Night – Harrogate Railway Sports and Social Club, Friends of Starbeck School

Where: Harrogate Railway Sports & Social Club, Station View, Starbeck, HG2 7JA

When: 5pm start, 6:30pm fireworks

Tickets: under 5’s free, 5 to 15’s £1, over 16’s £2

Cancelled Harrogate Christmas Market finds new home at Crimple

The Harrogate district’s new shopping and dining venue, has agreed to host the cancelled Harrogate Christmas Market.

The Christmas Market Weekend, which will take place on November 27 and 28, will feature over 20 food and craft stalls, children’s activities, a festive animal farm, face painting, treasure trails, wreath making demos and live music.

Brian Dunsby, co-organiser of Harrogate Christmas Market, which was refused a licence on Montpellier Hill by Harrogate Borough Council this year, said:

“I’ve been working closely with Crimple and I am so pleased they have offered a home to many of the stallholders who should have been at the cancelled Harrogate Christmas Market this year.

“It’s been a tough few years for many independent traders so this is great news and in true community spirit. Crimple provides an attractive under-cover heated location for a Christmas Market, right next door to their popular garden centre and their new food hall.”

Harrogate Christmas Market was traditionally held on Montpellier Hill in November and attracted about 80,000 visitors. Since its cancellation the council has announced plans to stage Christmas markets in town and in Valley Gardens.

Crimple has undergone a £4 million refurbishment and now has one of Yorkshire’s largest food halls, 160-seat restaurant, bistro and event space, which is due to open this month, employing over 60 staff.

Crimple

The food hall features more than 50 specialist producers, as well as a 12-metre-long butcher’s counter, a juice bar, bakery, patisserie, deli and cheese counter, fresh fruit and veg, milk float, food to go, in-store produced ready meals, pizzas, fresh fish, a horticulture shop, and a grain store.

Keren Shaw, operations director at Crimple, said:

“Our vision for Crimple is a place which brings people together through a dynamic shopping, dining and lifestyle experience.

“Our Christmas Market Weekend is a fantastic example of this, whether it’s supporting local suppliers, musicians or indeed being able to offer a home to the local stallholders from the much-loved Harrogate Christmas Market.”

Richard Van Opstal, owner of Harrogate-based Woodcutter Creations, said he was “saddened and frustrated” when the Harrogate Christmas Market was cancelled. He added:

“It is great news that Crimple will be working with the original Harrogate Christmas Market organisers and hosting many of us at Crimple’s Christmas Market Weekend.”

The market will take place at Crimple on Leeds Road, from 8am to 7pm on the Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on the Sunday.

Harrogate residents form group to fight £10.9m Station Gateway

Harrogate town centre residents have formed a group to oppose the £10.9m Station Gateway project, which they say will increase traffic and pollution and reduce the value of their homes.

Granville Road Area Residents Association is a long established group representing about 250 homes in the streets close to Cheltenham Parade and Cheltenham Mount.

Members are now setting up a Gateway Action Group to oppose the gateway scheme. They say the consultation has been rushed and fails to take into account their views. They are also upset that a full environmental impact assessment wasn’t deemed necessary for such a major scheme.

Karl Battersby, corporate director, business and environmental services at North Yorkshire County Council, which is leading on the gateway, said it doesn’t think the project will have a significant impact on streets off Cheltenham Parade.

But residents aren’t convinced and formulated plans to act at two meetings at North Bar this week.

Jo Bagley, chair of Granville Road Area Residents Association, said the scheme would push traffic away from the largely commercial Cheltenham Parade into residential areas such as Granville Road, Back Granville Road, Mount Parade, Back Cheltenham Mount and Strawberry Dale Avenue. She said:

“The consultation questions were not relevant for people who live in the area affected. We don’t go into Harrogate — we are in Harrogate,

“A lot of us run businesses and we need to be able to get in and out and I forsee the area being gridlocked.”

Computer data

Colin Anderson, who lives on Granville Road, said his main concern was the volume of traffic that would be diverted on to the narrow Mount Parade if plans to make a section of Cheltenham Mount one way are approved.

He added:

“Traffic will be sitting here with their engines running. Those in charge of the scheme haven’t stood here watching the traffic — they use computer data.”

Traffic on Mount Parade today.

Resident Nick Karpik said those leading the scheme had “manipulated” numbers from the previous consultation to falsely claim the scheme had public support.

Rachel Melvin, who has lived on Granville Road for 28 years, said:

“They are not solving the problem. They are moving it to a residential area and it will increase noise and pollution.”

Ms Melvin added that even if claims traffic would only increase in each street by two cars a minute were correct, that could still amount to more than 2,000 cars per day in the area.

Residents also face the loss of four parking spaces on Cheltenham Parade, for which they have permits. They say this will make parking more difficult, and the knock-on effects of reduced parking throughout Harrogate would encourage more motorists to use the disc zone area in streets outside their homes.

Rachael Inchboard, who is a member of Harrogate Civic Society as well as a local resident, said the gateway scheme would have a profound impact on Harrogate conservation area yet most residents weren’t aware of it until they received letters from the council on October 22 giving them notice of the intention to develop. They now have just nine days until the consultation ends.

The council’s response

Karl Battersby, corporate director, business and environmental services, said:

“We don’t envisage significant impacts on the streets off Cheltenham Parade. Traffic modelling has assessed the potential impact of the proposed changes. In the worst-case scenario, which is the afternoon peak hour, we do not anticipate a significant increase in vehicles on these streets.

“The streets where the greatest increases are predicted in this hour are Bower Road, with an average increase of two or three vehicles per minute, and Cheltenham Mount, with an average increase of one or two vehicles per minute.

“We are in the middle of a public consultation in which we encourage as many people as possible to make their views known. All views will be taken into account before final decisions are made on how we will take the proposals forward.

“In addition to the online consultation – which I encourage people to complete at yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/harrogate – project officers have seen many residents face to face at drop-ins in the Victoria shopping centre. If people have not yet given us their views, I urge them to do so before the consultation ends on 12 November.”

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation is currently taking place on the revised designs. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

Harrogate district schools urged to consider park and stride schemes

Schools are being urged to follow the example of a Knaresborough secondary school by setting up park and stride schemes.

Park and stride schemes incentivise parents to park in designated areas away from the school gates, with students walking the rest of the way.

They aim to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality near school entrances.

King James’s School in Knaresborough introduced a park and stride scheme in 2019. Harrogate Borough Council issues permits to those taking part, enabling them to park for free in York Place car park at certain times.

Carl Sugden, headteacher at King James’s School, said:

“It helps further reduce congestion around our school grounds during drop-off and collection times and, as a result of the park and stride scheme, more pupils have the valuable opportunity to safely walk their last five minutes to school in the fresh air, promoting alertness in support of their learning and a healthy routine.”

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council collaborate on park and stride schemes.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:

“There are many advantages to park and stride schemes like this one at King James’s School. Keeping motor vehicles well clear of school entrances keeps pupils safe, provides a bit of useful exercise, and improves air quality.

“Our road safety and active travel team would be happy to talk to any schools keen to investigate the possibility of introducing a park and stride scheme.”

Councillor Phil Ireland, cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“I hope lots of people take full advantage of this incentive and support our efforts in making the district greener for future generations.”

Any schools interested in learning more about park and stride schemes can contact North Yorkshire County Council via the Open North Yorkshire website, opennorthyorkshire.co.uk, or email opennorthyorkshire@northyorks.gov.uk

One week left to register to vote for North Yorks police commissioner

People in North Yorkshire have a week left to register to vote to elect a new North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

The by-election will take place on November 25 following last month’s resignation of the Conservative commissioner Philip Allott in the wake of comments he made about the murder of Sarah Everard.

The commissioner holds the county’s chief constable and chief fire officer to account.

If you are not currently on the electoral register and wish to vote, you can register here.

Turnout at the last election in May was 25%.

Applications to vote by post must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday 10th, while proxy vote applications must be entered by 5pm on Wednesday 17th.

Janet Waggott, police area returning officer, said:

““Polling cards will be arriving shortly, and I urge all our residents to take this opportunity to have their say on who is elected to this role.

“Covid remains an important consideration and we’re putting arrangements in place to help you stay safe at the polling station; such as hand sanitiser and face masks.”

Further details about voting are here.

The full list of candidates is:

Hannah Barham-Brown, Women’s Equality Party

James Barker, Liberal Democrats

Zoë Metcalfe, Conservatives

Emma Scott-Spivey, Labour

Keith Tordoff, Independent

Roadworks on Harrogate’s Ripon Road delayed for third time

The completion date for the Northern Gas Networks roadworks on Ripon Road in Harrogate has been put back again.

Traffic lights were initially due to operate for four weeks from September 6 on the busy route into Harrogate town centre for what the company described as “essential work to modernise the gas network in Harrogate”.

But they were still in place when a major gas leak, which affected 3,000 homes for 48 hours, occurred on October 15.

North Yorkshire County Council has already granted roadwork extensions until October 22 and October 28.

Now Northern Gas Networks has said it expects work to continue throughout this week.

Scott Kitchingman, business operations manager at Northern Gas Networks, said:

“We had expected to remove temporary traffic lights on the Ripon Road at the end of last week, however we have encountered a delay in completing the final stages of our work and traffic management will remain in place this week.

“We know that no one likes roadworks and we would like to thank everyone for their patience while we complete this essential work.”

Northern Gas Networks said on October 17 it would carry out a “full investigation” into the gas leak but it has not released any details since, despite requests from the Stray Ferret.

Covid poetry raises funds for Harrogate hospital

A book of poetry and photography about covid has been published to raise money for Harrogate hospital.

The book, called Focus on the GOOD, was compiled by author Leah Knight and Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

The charity has been collecting thoughts, anecdotes, stories and photographs from colleagues, volunteers, patients, service users and families about their experiences over the last year. They formed the basis of the book.

Contributors include staff from The White Hart Hotel, Little Dragons Day Nursery, Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, Ashville College, Belmont Grosvenor School, Mike Brown Art, Stacey J Evans Photography and the Cedar Court Hotel.

Author Leah Knight said:

“Focus on the GOOD is filled with poetry inspired by stories of people we can all relate to, which is one of the many reasons it will always hold a special place in my heart.

“I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.”

Sammy Lambert, business development, charity and volunteer manager at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The last 18 months has been filled with much sadness, but there have also been times where we can laugh and smile too.

“This book reflects on what has been gained as well as lost, where hope and positivity overcame fear, and how through challenging times a sense of community spirit has shone through.”

All proceeds from the book, which costs £12.99, will go towards the charity. It can be bought here.

Brexit blues

Read more:

50 years in Ripon

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Computer data

Read more:

The council’s response

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

Read more:

Read More:

Read more:

Read more: