Lauren Ryan, Author at The Stray Ferret

Northern Powergrid to spend £5.5m on more reliable electricity in Harrogate

Northern Powergrid is about to embark on a major £5.5m scheme that will make the electricity supply in the Harrogate area more reliable.

The company, which manages the electricity network for 3.9 million people, has invited Harrogate businesses to meet staff and contractors to discuss the initiative between 4pm and 7pm on Tuesday, March 12 at The Thackwray Suite at the Crown Hotel.

No prior booking is necessary for the drop-in session.

A spokesperson for Northern Powergrid said the scheme would “improve the resilience and reliability of the vital local electricity network”.

It added:

“This work will also create capacity for new developments and low carbon technology connections to support the town’s economic growth.

“We look forward to engaging with local customers to keep them updated about investment in their area. We’re finalising the route and specific details of what will be a significant programme of investment works.”

The announcement comes after James Street and Prospect Crescent were affected by several days of intermittent power cuts last week.

Northern Powergrid apologised to businesses after customers in the HG1 area of Harrogate had their power interrupted by a fault on the underground low voltage cable, resulting in a blown fuse that the company said was difficult to locate.

Northern Powergrid said in a statement:

“Intermittent faults are most often caused by a tiny hole in the electricity cable, which can be located anywhere along the local underground route. This minor damage allows moisture to enter the cable over time, building up to a level which causes a short circuit; which in turn causes the local substation fuse to blow, resulting in a power cut.”

Business Breakfast: Masham brewery set for rebrand

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Don’t miss out and click here to book your tickets now for the awards night on March 14 2024.

Black Sheep Brewery in Masham has announced the biggest rebrand in its 31-year history.

A new design will feature across all Black Sheep beers, including keg, cask, bottles and online merchandise.

Black Sheep was saved from administration last year. Mark Williams, chief executive of new owners Keystone Brewing Group, said:

“With this rebrand, we will ensure to continue Paul Theakston’s legacy, by investing heavily to champion growth and secure our future right here in our ancestral home.”

Black Sheep Brewery has also become the official beer sponsor of Long Course Weekend Yorkshire, which will take place in Masham in September.

Bettys & Taylors go electric with new delivery vans

Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate has taken delivery of its first refrigerated electric vehicles.

The firm behind Yorkshire Tea, Taylors of Harrogate and Bettys Café Tea Rooms, appointed Prohire’s sustainable vehicle hire and alternative fuels division, ProGreen.

The transition from diesel to electric vehicles is part of Bettys & Taylors’ decarbonisation strategy.

Paul Farr, Bettys product director, said:

“Our family business has a long commitment to protecting our planet, and these new vehicles are a positive next step in our approach to reducing our impact on the environment.”

Harrogate business group meets tonight

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting is to be held tonight at the DoubleTree by Hilton Majestic Hotel from 5.30pm to 8pm.

The meeting will focus on Wellbeing in the Workplace, with chamber members and registered guests hearing from expert speakers from Yorkshire businesses. The topic will be examined from the perspectives of law and HR, as well as how it is embedded in a company culture.

Speakers include Iain Jenkins from McCormicks Solicitors, Sarah Darbyshire of HR Solutions Yorkshire Ltd and Clare Nixon of Bettys and Taylors.

Chamber chief executive Martin Mann said:

“Businesses that can demonstrate that they look after their employees’ mental and physical wellbeing are more likely to attract, recruit and retain employees.”

First-time visitors are welcome to attend and all companies are entitled to bring along more than one member of staff. You can reserve a spot here.

Harrogate estate agent wins award

Verity Frearson has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award.

Feefo, which is the world’s largest provider of verified reviews, established the awards in 2014.

Its awards go to businesses that have achieved gold standard for three consecutive years. To do this, businesses must collect at least 50 reviews with a service rating of between 4.5 and 4.9 in a year.

Matthew Stamford, director at Verity Frearson said:

“Maintaining the highest levels of customer service is our priority. The fact that this award is based on feedback from real customers gives us confidence we are providing an exceptional level of service.”

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Harrogate man who thought he was sending explicit images to girl, 12, jailed

A Harrogate man has been jailed after sending explicit sexual images to someone he thought was a 12-year-old child.

Jason Carl Veal, 33, of Harewood Road, thought he was talking to a 12-year-old girl over a social media platform, but was actually talking to an undercover investigator.

North Yorkshire Police said in a press release today Veal sent a friend request to the “girl” via SnapChat in January 2023. He then began sending explicit sexual videos of adults performing sex acts on themselves and encouraged her to do the same.

At one point he believed the girl was at school and encouraged her to use the toilets to carry out the sex acts.

He was arrested by officers a few weeks later and charged with the following offences to which he pleaded guilty:

attempting to cause/incite a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity – penetration
attempt to cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity
attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He appeared at York Crown Court on Friday, March 1 where he was jailed for 30 months. The court also ordered him to register with the police for an indefinite period and issued him with 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Kirsty Sullivan, from the force’s online child abuse investigation team, said:

“Irrespective of who he was really talking to, he clearly believed he was communicating with a 12-year-old and that is of great concern to us. T

“he language he used was disgusting and the images repulsive. The online child abuse investigation team works proactively and sometimes covertly to identify those who pose a risk to children.”

Updated plans revealed for former Harrogate strip club

Plans to convert the former Kings Club strip club in Harrogate into 14 apartments have been revised.

North Yorkshire Council approved plans by Harrogate developer Forward Investments LLP to turn the site into 12 flats last year. But further plans were then submitted for 14 apartments.

Those plans have now been amended to propose converting the former entrance to the club into a shopping unit on Cheltenham Parade, between SOAM Barber shop and Blamey’s Florist. The entrance to the flats would be on Beulah Street.

The building, known as Villa Mercedes, ceased operating as a strip club during the first covid lockdown in 2020 and never reopened.

The 200-capacity venue was set out over two levels and included 25 strip booths as well as a large pole dancing stage.

Documents previously submitted to the council said the use of the site as an adult entertainment venue led to frequent anti-social behaviour issues. Planners concluded that converting the upper floors to a selection of “high-quality” two-bedroom apartments was the only viable economic use of the building.

The amended plans still propose 14 two-bedroom apartments, over three floors.

The new Villa Mercedes apartments floor plan created by J.C Robinson

A planning document says:

“Conversion of first and second floor of former strip club, and formation of third floor to roof void to accommodate 14 apartments with basement storage area, use of 36 Beulah Street as main access, conversion of main entrance to retail unit, and increased retail space to 32 and 38 Beulah Street.”

Today the architectural designer for JC Robinson, which is the firm behind the plans, said:

“On reflection, we felt that the scheme initially approved by the planning department could be improved.

“We are tidying up the access, so this would be off Beulah Street, and then the existing nightclub entrance would become a shop, which is a more prime location for a shop. We are altering the lower roof so that we can provide an extra two flats.”

The deadline to submit comments on the amended plans is March 24.

The proposed site for a new shop.

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Hampsthwaite Village Room’s £100,000 renovation nears completion

A £100,00 renovation of Hampsthwaite Village Room is almost complete.

The building, which dates back to 1890, was initially a reading room.

It was recently used for parish council meetings and various societies as well as private functions and classes such as yoga and bridge. But it had become unfit for purpose, with no disabled access or facilities.

The six-month upgrade has included creating a new kitchen and a disabled toilet, as well as better insulation and solar panels.

Most of the funding came from payments made by developers for building in Hampsthwaite.

In addition, an £8,700 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund paid for the installation of solar panels.

Volunteers have installed a library and more than 1,500 books have been donated.

Dr Mozaffar Nami, a trustee of the village room said:

“The renovations mean a warm and comfortable space where residents can meet to have tea and coffee, borrow books and enjoy participating in activities.”

Cllr Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate on North Yorkshire Council, said:

“This has been made possible by the enthusiasm of a small number of people who were determined to see this village asset remain in use and refurbished for future generations.

“The majority of the funding was generated from the Brookfields housing developments, and this is a good example of new housing being used as a catalyst for investment into the infrastructure of a village.”

Villagers are invited for coffee and cake in the new room at the reopening at 11am on April 27 when the charter mayor for Harrogate and local MP are expected to attend.

The renovation was undertaken by B&N Batty Ltd, and Townscape Architects Limited. The room is soon to have a new website made by Loyalty Matters.

Harrogate restaurant Lucia to change name and reopen under new ownership

Lucia wine bar and grill Harrogate is set to retain its Italian flavour when it re-opens under new management next month.

Lucia, which calls itself “Harrogate’s favourite al fresco Italian restaurant & cocktail bar” will serve its final customers on March 10, before being refurbished and rebranded as Divino Italian.

The restaurant on Ripon Road has been Lucia Harrogate for 10 years and underwent a £750,000 refurbishment in 2021. The venue is set over three floors and serves Italian cuisine and cocktails.

Lucia after the refurbishment.

Lucia has two more restaurants in Beverley and York, which will remain open. The company also owns The Cut & Craft, a fine dining restaurant with branches in York and Leeds, with another one due to open in Manchester this summer.

Darioush Shahidi, operations manager for Lucia, said:

“Lucia is still really successful and is not why it is closing. It was a case of the right buyer with the right offer and that money will be invested into the Cut & Craft restaurants. We thank all our loyal customers of Lucia Harrogate over the years.”

He told the Stray Ferret that staff would transfer to the new restaurant.

The hidden stories behind Harrogate’s newest chocolate shopRipon primary school joins catholic academy

St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School in Ripon has joined the Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust.

The primary school currently has 148 pupils aged three to 11 of all faiths. It was graded ‘outstanding’ at its last Ofsted inspection in 2018.

The trust has 14 primary schools and two secondary schools serving 5,100 pupils across Yorkshire.

They include St John Fisher, St Joseph’s and St Robert’s in Harrogate and St Mary’s in Knaresborough.

Jill Allen, headteacher of St Wilfrid’s, assured the Stray Ferret “there is no problem with St Wilfrid’s and it is not being ‘taken over”, adding:

“We have voluntarily chosen to become an academy and join Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust in order to gain the benefits of being part of a family of schools, mutual support and educational development, sharing of resources and economies of scale.

“The trust ‘family’ of schools shares a common catholic ethos, but each school expresses that ethos in ways that suit its parish and community. Similarly, the schools share good educational practice but adapt the curriculum to their local needs.”

Ms Allen added trust schools retained their unique identify, names, uniforms, crest and links to the community within the trust’s structure.

She said:

“St Wilfrid’s admission policy will not change as a result of joining the Bishop Wheeler Trust and the school will continue to welcome catholics and children of other faiths and none.

“We look forward to the future: working collaboratively with colleagues across the trust will enable our school to continue providing an excellent catholic education for our children.”

Simon McCudden, chair of the governing body at St Wilfrid’s, said:

“We look forward to realising the benefits of being part of the trust and, seeing our school continue to go from strength to strength.”

Diane Gaskin, chair of the trust board, added:

“I am very glad that St Wilfrid’s has joined our successful and growing catholic education partnership. The good education that the school provides, their high standards and their enthusiasm for education of the whole child, are a pleasure to see and support.”

The trust is one of five multi-academy trusts across the Diocese of Leeds and is named after Bishop William Gordon Wheeler, who was Bishop of Leeds from 1966 to 1985.

£20m rebuild of Harrogate College underway

A £20m scheme to rebuild Harrogate College has begun.

The college on Hornbeam Park in Harrogate is replacing its main building and constructing a renewable energy skills hub to ‘future-proof’ the site.

Preliminary work began in February while the full construction phase, in what is currently the campus’s car park, will start in March.

The upgrade will create modern facilities such as a mock hospital ward, digital technology suite, electric vehicle workshop and a construction centre focused on modern building methods.

A total of £16m of the funding has come from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund.

The college aims to move into the new main campus building in July 2025, after which the current property will be demolished.

Danny Wild

Principal Danny Wild said:

“We are really excited to see work on our new campus getting underway. The resulting, purpose-built facilities will allow us to keep producing the highly skilled individuals that our region’s businesses need, now and for decades to come.

“It will also allow us, while building on our close collaboration with local employers, to consolidate our position as the leading local provider of T Levels – the new, work-focused alternative to A levels that are becoming increasingly popular.

“We look forward to showing off the results, which will usher in an exciting new chapter for Harrogate College, its students and the people of North Yorkshire, in the summer of 2025.”

An artist’s impression of the renewable energy technology centre.

The college has pledged to become net-zero by 2035 and will focus on teaching sustainable technology skills. It has teamed up with local businesses including Energy Oasis, which recently trained tutors on how to fit and wire up PV solar panels, so they can in turn teach the students.

Energy Oasis founder Mike Kaye said:

“We are really proud that the college is looking to become a centre of renewable and sustainable excellence.

“This is one of the fastest growing areas in the economy and the more people, whether they are just starting off or looking for a career change, who can be trained up in these skills and deployed into the workforce, the better. By offering comprehensive energy and sustainability courses, Harrogate College is arming students with the necessary skills to lead the way towards a greener future.”

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones said:

“As well as enhancing the facilities available to Harrogate College students, this £20 million new campus will bring many broader benefits to Harrogate, Knaresborough and the wider area.

“With many of the courses set to be on offer at the new campus geared toward sectors where there are currently local skills shortages, the development will provide a real boost to local economies, providing valuable opportunities for our young people and adults.”

The college will run as normal throughout the building phase and students will continue to have full access to all of the existing facilities.

Business Breakfast: I’Anson Bros recruits commercial director as new mill opens

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Don’t miss out and click here to book your tickets now for the awards night on March 14 2024.

Masham animal feed producer I’Anson Bros has appointed a new commercial director.

as the business looks to grow its sales with its new, £20m feed mill and distribution centre.

Andrew Richardson will take up this post at the beginning of March as Waterloo House, the firm’s new production facility prepares to go into production at Dalton Industrial Park, near Thirsk.

The new mill is the largest financial investment in the 120-year history of the company and will more than double production capacity.

Mr Richardson Richardson has extensive experience within the agri, retail, equine/leisure and fuel sectors having previously held the roles of managing director and group chief executive at two other major agri supply companies.

He said:

“I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to be part of such a significant and important project and look forward to working with the team to make it an outstanding success.

“The new mill will deliver real benefits for customers, providing security of supply, the ability to meet growing demand and the development of new products.”

I’Anson managing director Sarah Richardson said:

“The role of commercial director is vital in ensuring we capitalise on the significant investment we have made in developing the new mill. The search to find the right individual has been long and thorough but we are delighted to have attracted someone of Andrew’s undoubted calibre.”

Contract cleaning firm forecasts strong growth

Contract cleaning firm It’s Clean is forecasting double digit growth for the third year running as it marks 25 years.

The business has expanded its management team and moved to larger premises on Harrogate’s Hornbeam Park.

Managing Director David Whan said he expected 2024 to see the same level of growth as the last two years after the firm secured new multi-year office cleaning contracts with two of Harrogate’s biggest businesses.

Mr Whan said:

“Some services are much better from local providers and contract cleaning is one of them, which is why we have focused our growth on a limited geographical area and developing a well-supported and highly trained regional team of cleaning staff and managers.

“We have overcome the recruitment challenges many operators face in our line of work by offering fair levels of pay and working hard to generate a sense of pride in being part of one of the most established and best known cleaning firms in the region.”

Harrogate Law firm welcomes back apprentice

LCF Law’s specialist debt recovery team has welcomed Oliver Wraith back into its team.

Mr Wraith was an apprentice in the debt recovery division in 2019 and completed a level 3 paralegal apprenticeship in 2022. He then left to travel before re-joining LCF Law to continue his legal career.

He said:

“I would recommend apprenticeships to anyone thinking of pursuing a legal career, as you get lots of real experience alongside studying for the qualification.”

LCF Law’s head of debt recovery, Andrew Langton, said:

“It’s great to have Oliver back. When he first started it was just the two of us, and we have now grown to a team of five.”