John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

Masham Sheep Fair to go-ahead this month

Masham Sheep Fair is to go-ahead on September 25 and 26 as planned, the organisers announced last night.

The fair, which commemorates Masham’s rich history of sheep farming, is one of the biggest annual events in the Harrogate district.

It provides a major boost for tourism in the Dales town so the decision to proceed, after last year’s event was cancelled due to covid, will be welcomed by many.

Susan Cunliffe-Lister and other volunteers started the sheep fair 30 years ago, initially as a one-off event to raise money for farmers in Africa. It raised £7,950 and became an annual event, raising £159,000 for Yorkshire charities.

We are pleased to confirm that Masham Sheep Fair WILL take place on 25th and 26th September. Full details on https://t.co/XAIl8VVvI5 Click on image for main features pic.twitter.com/3JoJ0Dy4m2

— Susan Briggs (@Dales_Tourism) September 6, 2021

Attractions include sheep racing, sheepdog demonstrations, craft and fleece stalls, Morris dancers, tours of Masham’s Theakston and Black Sheep breweries and a children’s fair.

There is also a large sheep show in which various breeds are judged and supreme champions decided.

Many traditional Harrogate district summer events were cancelled for a second year running this year due to covid, including Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally, Ripley Show and Nidderdale Show at Pateley Bridge, which was due to take place less than a week before the sheep fair.

Travellers depart Harrogate’s Ashville College after fracas leaves man in hospital

Travellers have left Harrogate’s Ashville College following a fracas on Saturday night that left one man in hospital.

Six caravans returned to the playing fields at the fee-paying school last week a fortnight after a previous encampment, thought to be the same group of people, pitched up.

Their presence raised safeguarding concerns that could have disrupted the new school term, which is due to start this week.

But following a disturbance on Saturday night, most of the travellers have now gone — and the few remaining are expected to depart today.

A spokesman for Ashville College said:

“Of the six caravans that returned on Saturday afternoon, just one remains and they are expected to leave this afternoon.

“Their departure follows an incident on Saturday night confined to this group, which resulted in police attending the scene and one man being taken to hospital. There has been a police presence since the incident occurred.

“We would like to emphasise that no member of the school community was involved in any way, and parents and staff have been fully appraised of the situation.”

School reviewing security

The school is now looking at ways to prevent travellers returning a third time. The spokesman said:

“A full review of the site security was already underway, and this process will now be expedited.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the incident was believed to be an altercation between two men at the location.

The spokesman added:

“Both were arrested and bailed pending further enquiries.

“We will be reviewing this tomorrow with the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.”

No staff, students or anyone else connected with the college is believed to have been involved.

Ed Miliband and Kate Vigurs heading to Harrogate for literary festival

Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, historian Dr Kate Vigurs and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, are to visit Harrogate for one of the north of England’s leading literary festivals.

They are due to appear at Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival live event, which is being held at Harrogate’s Crown Hotel from October 21 until October 24.

The line-up also includes BBC Newsnight presenter Gavin Esler, Costa Book of the Year winner Monique Roffey and Channel 5’s ‘Dogfather’ Graeme Hall.

The festival will begin with a literary lunch featuring BBC correspondent and BAFTA award-winning journalist, Paul Kenyon.

Mr Miliband, the MP for Doncaster North, will be following in the steps of his political adversary, former Prime Minister David Cameron, who headlined the festival in 2019, when he appears at the opening night.

Other writers appearing over the four days include Dr Waheed Arian, Robin Ince, Led By Donkeys founders James Sadri and Oliver Knowles, Dr Kate Vigurs, Dr Alastair Santhouse, Amy Jeffs and Melanie King

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, which organises the event, said:

“This festival has become one the country’s most important literary events, which gives an array of writers – which this year features leading politicians, academics, journalists, historians and activists, the chance to share their stories.

“The programme we have curated for this long weekend, set in the wonderful setting of The Crown Hotel, has been designed to entertain, inspire and surprise.”

Zoe Robinson, Raworths managing partner, said:

“Over the years, well-known figures from the world of politics, sport, acting and writing have graced the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival stage, and this year is no exception.”

Further information about the event will be published on Harrogate International Festivals’ website here.

Leading the digital revolution at Bettys

Words like ‘e-commerce’ and ‘digital’ don’t sit naturally with a company steeped in tradition like Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate.

Bettys, which is probably the Harrogate district’s most famous brand, is known for its timeless tearoom experience that echoes of a past dating back to 1919.

But times have changed and when covid forced the closure of its shops the company found it could not meet the online demand for its products.

Samantha Sargison, head of digital and corporate at Bettys, says:

“We forecast ahead and over the pandemic there were times when we were topping out the capacity of the bakery. Customers could not purchase for the next four to six weeks.

“It was disappointing that we couldn’t be there for them when they wanted us but in a way it’s a nice problem to have when you are surpassing demand in that way.”

Bettys, which is still owned by the family of its founder, Fredrick Belmont, hired Brighton-born Ms Sargison to the newly created role in 2017 in recognition of the need to improve digitally.

She had previously worked in London for the likes of Kurt Geiger and De Beers so the transition from selling luxury handbags and diamonds to luxury cakes came naturally.

Bettys has made significant progress in the four years since she joined. Online sales have trebled since 2017 and are 34 per cent up this year already on the figure for all of 2020, despite lockdowns. Ms Sargison says:

“We have more customers than ever ordering online with us. Our e-commerce customer numbers are up 168 per cent versus 2019 and 220 per cent up since I joined in 2017.”

With shops shut during lockdown, necessity became the mother of invention as the company attempted to fulfil demand for its treats in new ways.

It introduced takeaway afternoon teas for collection during lockdown and when the tearooms reopened it started offering ‘shop from your table’, which allows customers to place takeaway orders at their tables and have their gifts packaged when they leave.

There are, however, limits to what Bettys customers would expect. Ms Sargison says:

“Customers won’t be ordering by app like they do in McDonald’s any time soon.”

She’s also adamant that e-commerce will never replace its tearooms in Harrogate, York, Northallerton and Ilkley.

“The tearooms are the beating heart of Bettys. It’s just another means of reaching the customer further afield.”

Christmas hampers

In retail, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Bettys’ Christmas catalogues land on doorsteps at the start of October and the orders will then fly in faster than ever until Christmas Eve.

Hampers are the main Christmas product but tea and scones and the famous Fat Rascals are also big business. The speed of digital growth makes forecasting supply difficult for a business selling perishable goods.

Cakes are made early each day at the bakery in Starbeck and dispatched by 4pm for next day UK delivery. Because Bettys doesn’t add preservatives, some products aren’t sold online because they won’t be fresh on arrival. Others are too fragile to post. Ms Sargison says:

“In some ways we’ve made a rod for our own back by maintaining the tradition of not adding preservatives.”

Eighty-five per cent of online orders are gifts, often bought by tech savvy younger people for older relatives so Bettys’ online offering has to be sharp.

“There’s still a lot to do on improving the website itself. It has massively improved from five years ago but still has a way to go to be as efficient and easy to use as possible.

“Last summer we launched the afternoon tea box. We relaunched the checkout this year. It’s about making sure the service and experience customers get online is the same as they get in the tearooms — service with a smile and a welcoming tone to the copy.”

Starbeck bakery

After months of furlough and working from home, Bettys staff are beginning to return to the office.

For Ms Sargison, who leads a team of 10 staff responsible for business-to-business sales, digital, e-commerce and innovation, this means travelling to Starbeck from Skipton.

Working above the bakery and being entitled to free lunches has its perks but it’s a lot of travelling for a mother living in Skipton with two children.

But she says she feels valued at Bettys, which she describes as the northern equivalent of Fortnum and Mason.

“It’s a family business and you feel it from the moment you join. I have worked for companies where I’ve felt like a cog in the wheel but I certainly don’t feel that here.

“Bettys has got a big vision. The pace might not be the same as it is in London but it has that same drive and ambition.”

Unison in Harrogate ballots council staff over ‘derisory’ pay offer

The Harrogate Borough Council branch of Unison is holding a consultative ballot with members in local government over whether to accept a “derisory” pay offer.

The trade union is recommending members reject the offer, which could lead to another ballot on whether to take industrial action.

Unison is balloting members at Harrogate Borough Council, its new council-owned leisure company Brimhams Active and Ripon City Council.

School staff will be balloted separately by the North Yorkshire Local Government branch of Unison.

Dave Houlgate, Unison’s Harrogate branch secretary, said:

“Council and school workers have been offered a 1.75% pay rise with those on the very lowest pay point being offered 2.75%.

“This is yet another derisory offer which will only compound the local government recruitment and retention crisis and increase the demand for in-work benefit support.

“The fact is that with inflation at 3.8% this is another real-terms pay cut and comes on the back of local government pay having fallen by a quarter since 2010.

“This is a shocking way to treat staff who went above and beyond during the pandemic, kept communities safe, supported businesses, cared for the most vulnerable and ensured schools remained open throughout successive lockdowns.”

Mr Houlgate added women make up the majority of local government employees, and were among the lowest paid in the country. He added:

“It’s time they and the services they provide were properly recognised. Pats on the back and the occasional well done don’t pay bills or feed families.”

“No one wants to take industrial action but sometimes it does become necessary and that may be the case this time.”

The consultation ballot ends on 24th September.

Harrogate Borough Council has been approached for comment.

New signs will ‘make people think twice’ about parking on Stray, says council

New signs on Oatlands Drive in Harrogate will “make people think twice about parking” on the Stray, according to Harrogate Borough Council.

Cyclists have long been frustrated by vehicles parking on the Stray and blocking the cycle lane along the busy road.

It often happens when activities, such as football, take place on the Stray at weekends.

The signs that appeared this week warn that parking on Stray land is an offence and could lead to a £100 fine or the vehicle being removed.

Cars parked on Oatlands Drive.

A council spokeswoman said:

“We continue to work with the county council to try and find a more permanent solution to the parking situation on Oatlands Drive in Harrogate.

“Until this time we have installed signage to advice people, that by parking on the Stray, they are breaching the Stray Act.

“A breach of the act allows the borough council — as custodians of the Stray — to issue a £100 fine to anyone caught parking on the Stray, or to have their vehicle towed away.

“We hope that the signage will make people think twice about parking on Oatlands Drive and allow cyclists to use the cycle path as intended.”

Cycle group welcomes new ‘no parking’ signs on Harrogate’s Oatlands Drive

A cycling group has welcomed new signs on the Oatlands Drive section of the Stray in Harrogate saying it is an offence to park on the land.

Cars frequently mount the kerb to park when activities take place on the Stray, blocking one of the cycle lanes — much to the fury of cyclists.

One side of Oatlands Drive has double yellow lines but the side where vehicles park does not.

Cars mounting the kerb and blocking the cycle lane on Oatlands Drive.

The issue became a particularly sore point this year when proposals to make Oatlands Drive one-way for traffic and improve the cycle lanes were rejected after protests by residents.

So the newly-installed signs, warning that parking on the Stray could lead to a fine or vehicles being removed, has been hailed as a “step forward” by Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, which promotes cycling.

He said:

“The principle of putting signs up is a step forward.

“It’s something that we have been asking them to do for some time. People parking there is forcing cyclists into the middle of the road.

“We support any action which helps improve cycling.”

The Stray Ferret has approached Harrogate Borough Council, which erected the signs, for further details.

Night buses between Harrogate and Leeds set to return

Night buses linking Harrogate with Leeds and Knaresborough are to return in just over a week’s time.

Harrogate Bus Company, which is part of French company Transdev, will reintroduce late night services on Saturday nights on the 36 route linking Harrogate and Leeds on September 11. Covid has affected the service since last year.

Hourly services from Leeds to Harrogate will run on Saturday nights until 3.15am. The last bus from Harrogate to Leeds will run at 2.20am.

Night buses between Harrogate and Knaresborough will also return on Saturday nights, connecting with incoming 36 buses from Leeds at Harrogate bus station.

Rossett School bus services boosted

In another change, students using the bus to get to Harrogate’s Rossett School can get cheaper fares from Monday.

Until now, pupils have paid £14.50 a week to use designated North Yorkshire County Council school buses.

But the council services are now being integrated with the Harrogate Bus Company’s regular service network, meaning the company’s under-19 weekly ticket, which costs £9.60, will now be valid for all journeys on dedicated school buses between stops within Harrogate and Rossett School.

Pupils can also use this weekly ticket for regular buses as far afield as Wetherby, Knaresborough and Harewood.

Steve Ottley, general manager of the Harrogate Bus Company, said:

“Our late night services will make it much easier – and cheaper – for our customers to enjoy all the nightlife of Leeds and Harrogate and then travel safely home by bus with us.

“Our changes to services to and from Rossett School are also great news for parents and students as they will save a third on the cost of travelling to and from school every week compared with the old school-only passes, with free travel seven days a week across Harrogate, Knaresborough and Wetherby thrown in.”

Also from Monday next week, an extra school day-only bus on Harrogate Electrics route 2A will run at 8am from Bilton Community Centre to Harrogate – where the same bus becomes a number 6 bus, so students going to Rossett School can stay on board and get off at Wellfield Court for their school.

New times are also being introduced on dedicated school buses S2, S3 and 620H. Further details are available here.

‘You’re banned’: Harrogate pubs introduce new sanctions against troublemakers

People caught drug dealing in Harrogate venues face 18 month bans in a new list of sanctions that comes into force today.

Harrogate Pubwatch, which represents 38 licensed venues in town, has updated its list of ban tariffs.

The tariffs state how long people caught offending in one venue face being banned from all venues that take part in the scheme.

Members of Harrogate Pubwatch, which includes pubs such as Wetherspoon and Christies Bar as well as hotel bars such as The Crown and the Cedar Court Hotel, share information and photos of troublemakers on an app.

They then have a week to vote on what action to take, with the ban tariffs acting as a guide.

Acts of violence carry a 24-month ban, sexual harassment has a nine-month ban and possession of weapons carries a life ban. Eleven people currently have life bans.

Harrogate Pubwatch ban tariffs

Acts of violence against venue staff, which carries a 30-month ban, has been introduced as a new category following a recent increase in incidents.

Alan Huddart, vice-chair of Harrogate Pubwatch and treasurer of Bilton Working Men’s Club, said there had been four attacks on venue staff in town since pubs reopened after lockdown.

Mr Huddart said he wasn’t sure why staff were being attacked more but the app had proved effective in taking collaborative action to keep venues safe. He said:

“At the moment we have a total of 46 people banned. There have been as many as over 100 previously.

“You could argue that lockdown has been responsible for the number declining but increasing the profile of Harrogate Pubwatch has been effective.”

Harrogate Pubwatch holds quarterly meetings with police representatives.

Harrogate Business Improvement District contributed £2,000 towards the Harrogate Pubwatch app.

Harrogate army sergeant’s desperate bid to help Afghan family leave Kabul

A former British army sergeant major from Harrogate has spoken of his fears for the future of an Afghan family he has been trying to help leave Kabul.

Rob Smith taught locals boxing during a six-month tour of duty at Camp Souter military base in Kabul in 2010. Mr Smith is now head coach at H Hour Amateur Boxing Gym on Harrogate’s Skipton Road.

One Afghan man he coached called Omar died in a car accident last year, leaving a young wife and daughter, two sisters and parents.

Mr Smith says the family are at risk from the Taliban and he has been trying to get then out of Kabul. He said:

“I am very worried for them. I don’t know what to do now or tell the family, as there are no flights out of Kabul.”

Mr Smith has written letters of recommendation to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel, former veterans minister Johnny Mercer and his successor Leo Docherty, and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

He said only Mr Mercer and Mr Jones had replied expressing interest to help.

But with the paperwork incomplete before the British and American departure from Kabul, the situation is now desperate.

Mr Smith coaching in Afghanistan.

Mr Smith said:

“I realise the top tier are under immense pressure to deliver many things. Johnny Mercer and Andrew Jones MPs responded, but my request for help went in too late for assistance.

“No one thought the Taliban would be able to seize control of Afghanistan in such a short period of time, I’m sure evacuation plans for at risk people were in place but in slow time to ensure vetting and other checks took place.

“What many people forget is the percentage of Afghans that can’t read or write Dari/Pashtun, let alone read English and be expected to fill out forms.

“I am just gutted that my friends are not safe, I hope measures are being planned to assist the people at risk left in the country.”

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Starbeck bakery

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