Lauren Ryan, Author at The Stray Ferret

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.

Harrogate Body Shop survives administrator’s cull

Administrators of The Body Shop said today the Harrogate shop had survived a cull of stores.

Seventy-five UK shops are set to close over the next six weeks, leading to 489 job losses. But 116 stores will remain open, including the one in Harrogate.

The beauty company, which was founded in 1976 by the late Dame Anita Roddick, has been a long-term tenant in the Victoria Shopping Centre. But staff have faced an uncertain future in recent months.

The company was bought by private equity firm Aurelius in November and FRP Advisory were appointed as administrators this month.

Tony Wright, joint administrator, said:

“In taking swift action to right-size The Body Shop UK store portfolio, we have stabilised the business and are providing the best opportunity for this iconic brand to have a long-term, sustainable future.

“The UK business continues to trade in administration, and we remain fully focused on exploring all options to take the business forward.”

Stores in Skipton, York and one in Leeds are also to remain open.

Parking charges set to be introduced at Stainburn Forest

Forestry England has revealed plans to introduce parking charges at Stainburn Forest near Norwood.

The new system planned for the forest will be cashless and use automated number plate recognition.

The proposed charges will be £1.50 for an hour, £3 for half a day and £5 for a full day or £94 a year to join Forestry England to get an annual parking pass.

A spokesperson for Forestry England, which manages the site, said:

“While we understand the fact that introducing a new parking system is never popular or convenient for everyone, the money generated helps us to care for the nation’s forests for the benefit and enjoyment of all. It costs millions of pounds to manage the nations forests and most of our income is self-generated through trading activities.

“Access to Stainburn forest remains free for those who chose alternative transportation methods, ensuring that local residents can still enjoy the forest without charge.”

Stainburn Forest is a popular walking route near Beckwithshaw covering 215.4 hectares. The forest is north-west of Harrogate on the boundary of Nidderdale and has three mountain biking trails.

The new parking charges to be enforced at Stainburn Forest. Image: Katharine Thompson

Katharine Thompson, who lives near Beckwithshaw, saw signs for the new charges.

She said:

“I feel a public forest should be available free of charge. People will park on the road, which is dangerous. I suppose it just feels like nothing in life is free anymore, not even a walk in the woods.”

The forest is just a few miles from Swinsty Reservoir which also saw parking charges introduced last month.

Forestry England has yet to reveal when parking charges will be put in place at Stainburn Forest.

Yorkshire Water apologise after lorries pass Killinghall school

Yorkshire Water have issued an apology after its lorries drove past Killinghall Church of England Primary School during pick up and drop off times last week.

The organisation is currently carrying out work on a £19m scheme to clean up the River Nidd at the Killinghall wastewater treatment works on Crag Hill Lane. Works at the site are expected to continue until Spring 2026.

Since the scheme began last year, the primary school and residents in the village have raised concerns about children’s safety as the volume of heavy goods vehicles increased on Crag Lane.

Last year Andy Wilmer, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said in a statement that vehicles would not be an issue and that site traffic would avoid school drop off and pick up times.

But, residents have said that Yorkshire Water lorries were still passing the school during pick up times. Last week two lorries passed the school between 8:45 and 8:50am.

Killinghall resident, Richard Thompson shared a photo of the lorry and told the Stray Ferret:

“HGVs have been driving past Killinghall CE Primary School during drop-off time for the last two days, despite Yorkshire Water’s recent public undertaking that they would not.

“This has put young children including toddlers at significant risk. The lorry came extremely close to some pedestrians and several parents commented.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson at Killinghall Church of England Primary School said:

“It is an issue we are aware of, lorries are definitely driving past. Traffic is a problem in general down Crag Lane because it’s a narrow street and cars park on the road. Lorries drive past and often go on the verges or resident’s gardens. The main time this is an issue for us is school pick-up times.”

Yorkshire Water has since apologised and said measures would be put in place “to ensure this does not happen again”.

A company spokesperson said today:

“We apologise for the disruption caused by a supplier delivering to our site during school drop off time. We and our contractor at Killinghall are working closely with our suppliers to put measures in place to ensure this does not happen again in the future.

“As part of our work in the area, our education team will be visiting the school to deliver an industry-first Lego blockages programme later this week, educating students on what should and shouldn’t be flushed down to the toilet to reduce blockages in the sewer and how everyone can do their bit to support the environment.”

Killinghall primary school on the junction of Otley Road and Crag Lane

Crag Lane is a narrow country lane connected to Otley Road which runs through Killinghall village. The school is on the corner of the two roads.

The Stray Ferret spoke to local and parish councillors about the issue, who stressed safety measures should be taken seriously.

Cllr Michael Harrison, Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate division said:

“Yorkshire Water committed to avoiding school hours for the largest vehicles to use the lane for these temporary works, and so it would be helpful if residents feedback if this is not being adhered to.”

Cllr Anne Holdsworth, acting chair of Killinghall parish council said:

“The development of the Killinghall Sewerage Works has caused controversy and efforts have been made to introduce safety measures and signage. An approach to Yorkshire Water should provide the measures which have been introduced with cooperation of the Contractors. I would suggest that a record of vehicles that are appear to be ignoring the safety measures in place to protect school children and other pedestrians is noted kept and reported as soon as possible.”

“This project is likely to take many months to complete and currently the need for heavy goods vehicles is for the preparation of the necessary ground works.”

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£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.”

Can you help solve the mystery of the Ripon mural?

A school in Ripon is trying to solve a mystery after discovering a mosaic wall mural dating back 50 years.

Staff at Holy Trinity Infant School found a newspaper clipping shared on social media that showed the artwork and revealed it was made by Ripon College students in 1974.

The mosaic was hidden beneath a cloth for years. When teachers finally removed it this year, they discovered the mural was still there.

Now they are trying to trace the Ripon College students who created it. They would have been aged about 20 when they designed the artwork, meaning many will now be parents and even grandparents.

The school called on the help of Stray Ferret readers to investigate.

Deputy headteacher Amanda Bell-Walker and the pupil governors at the infant site are leading the investigation. Pupil governors are groups of children who meet once a week to share their ‘pupil voice’.

Both the infant and junior school have these groups and Ms Bell-Walker leads the infant governors made up of Ethan, Darcie, Nancy, Archie, Jenny, Fenn, Holly and Parker.

She said:

“We would love to know why they designed and made the mural and ask them if they could help us to better understand the image on the mural. We’d love it they could help us to make some new mosaics.

“The children, staff and visitors all have very different ideas about the mural. Some really like it and some find it a bit old-fashioned. We are very proud of it as a part of our history regardless of whether we all like it.”

The Holy Trinity infant school pupil governors and the Ripon Gazette newspaper clipping showing the artists behind the mural in 1974.

The artwork will now be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Ms Bell-Walker added:

“It is a very big part of our school hall and will stay where it is. We would love it if someone could help us to brighten it up after all these years.”

If anyone recognises the people in the photo they can contact Mrs Bell-Walker here.

Asda to open new Express store in Harrogate

A new Asda Express convenience store is set to open in Harrogate early next month.

The Spar shop at the Esso garage on Wetherby Road is being rebranded by Asda. The Esso garage will remain but the shop will become an Asda Express, stocking up to 3,000 branded and own-label products.

Asda told The Stray Ferret that the new store is expected to open on March 5 as part of an ongoing programme to convert sites acquired from EG Group and Co-Op.

Asda plans to open 110 Express stores in February, of which 109 are former Co-Op and EG Group sites.

The move is part of Asda’s long-term plan to expand into the convenience market and become the second largest UK supermarket.

An illustrative shot of an Asda Express.

Two Asda Express stores opened in Knaresborough, as reported by the Stray Ferret last month. There are also plans to convert two sites in York and Leeds.

Andy Perry, managing director of Convenience at Asda, said:

“This conversion programme is an incredibly exciting moment for our business and accelerates our presence in the fast-growing convenience market. We look forward to bringing Asda’s great value in fuel and groceries to many more communities across the UK.”

Knaresborough restaurant to launch new takeaway venue next month

A Two Brothers grill and pizzeria takeaway is set to open early next month on Chain Lane, Knaresborough.

The business will be based in the former Chilli Hut unit and will be Two Brothers’ second restaurant in Knaresborough, joining their existing venue in Castle Courtyard.

The Italian restaurant was established in March 2018 when the Ravasz brothers, Nandor and Szilard, opened the restaurant with their wives Vivien Kovacs and Eniko Szenasi.

In an update posted on social media by business group Knaresborough Chamber, it was revealed the restaurant plans to open seven days a week from March 10.

Knaresborough Chamber also shared that the new takeaway will offer the same food as the restaurant and potentially additional options.

The statement said:

“With separate premises we can speed both kitchens up so we will be able to offer a quicker service for both sitting in and taking away. At the moment the take away orders are putting pressure on our tiny kitchen, slowing both services down.

“We have still got much to do as the building needs refurbishing and new equipment. We are still deciding if we should open during the day or just at night as we are not sure if there is a market for daytime take away in town.”

The Stray Ferret has contacted the restaurant for further details but have not yet received a response.