Former Ripon Grammar student breaks Atlantic rowing world record

A former Ripon Grammar School student has broken a rowing world record.

Bobbie Mellor, 34, was part of a three-strong female team that rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in 40 days, 10 hours and 51 minutes.

The Stray Ferret reported on the World’ Toughest Row challenge when it happened and now team Wavebreakers is the fastest female trio ever to row across the Atlantic.

The previous record, set in 2022, was 42 days, seven hours and 17 minutes.

The team has raised more than £80,000 for the charity WWF’s climate crisis fund and the United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR‘s climate change charities. Their employer, Vodafone, has offered to double donations up to the team’s target of £140,000.

Ms Mellor who began as a novice was skipper, and she and teammates Hatty Carder and Katherine Antrobus finished 10th overall against 38 crews, including professional rowers.

The race began in La Gomera in the Canaries on December 13 and finished in the Caribbean island of Antigua on January 22.

Ms Mellor said:

“It’s been wild. We had a shaky start but then some magic happened.”

The team had a rocky start, capsising early in the race and battling sea sickness, sleepless nights and waves of up to 10 feet high.

Bobbie Mellor (centre) and her teammates Hatty Carder and Katherine Antrobus

Bobbie’s mother Bridget, from Burton Leonard, said:

“The girls did us proud, showing great resilience, courage and teamwork. I found their arrival very emotional and was so relieved they made it. I always knew Bobbie would be a great skipper, she’s so positive, cheerful and calm. It’s an inspiration to other girls to know anything is possible.”

Ripon Grammar School director of sport Adam Milner said:

“’I know Bobbie, who took up rowing for the first time during lockdown, has joked that her old PE teachers would be shocked at what she’s doing now, since she was never sporty at school.

“But whether you’re naturally sporty or not, it’s all about giving your best, which is what we encourage all our students to do – and Bobbie is clearly a shining example of that.

“We’re all incredibly proud of her achievement, she has given it her all.”

“Bobbie reminds us all that it’s never too late to try something new – it doesn’t have to be as big as a world record, or even winning medals, just being part of a team or achieving your own personal best is something to celebrate.”

For more information about the fundraiser click here.

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Council bids to save £3.2m on free school travel in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire Council has unveiled proposals to reduce spending on school transport by £3.2 million.

About 10,500 of 75,000 pupils in North Yorkshire currently receive free transport, according to a council report. It says the proposals could affect 1,866 children over seven years.

The report says the cost of providing home to school travel is the council’s third largest spending item after adult social care and waste management. It has increased from £20 million in 2015/16 to a forecasted £42.1 million in 2023/24.

It says this is mainly due to an increase in the number of pupils eligible and the rising costs of providing the service.

It plans to run a 28-day consultation from February 5 to March 20 on the proposed changes, which could mainly affect families whose children do not attend the nearest schools to their homes.

The Stray Ferret spoke to Liberal Democrat councillor Barbara Brodigan who represents Ripon Ure Bank and Spa division and is on the the council’s appeals committee for home to school transport.

She said that councillors will not know the exact details of the policy until after the consultation, but “there are very specific guidelines from the Department for Education” for the council to follow.

Cllr Brodigan said:

“We should know imminently but it is difficult to say what the impact will be at this stage, there will be gains and disadvantages.

“We know there are some changes and only funding for catchment areas has been withdrawn. Depending on circumstance it is now only the nearest school that funded transport is provided for.”

Cllr Brodigan said sending children to schools that are not closest to home was often down to “parental choice”.

But she added:

“There are always winners and losers, I’m afraid. The criteria for catchment areas have seen a lot of ambiguity. It is often difficult for parents to understand and there could be anomalies.”

Cllr Brodigan says this has been an issue previously with children living on the borders of towns and counties.

She said:

“Home to school transport is one of the largest parts of the education budget and it is increasing as more rural schools close. The authority still has an obligation.

“There are advantages and disadvantages in the current economic climate when all councils are struggling there are financial impacts.”

What is being considered?

The North Yorkshire Council website states the upcoming consultations should include:

The Department for Education’s 2023 statutory guide for local authorities states a child is eligible to free home to school travel if “they are of compulsory school age, attend their nearest suitable school and live more than the statutory walking distance from that school.”

The guide clarifies:

“Suitable school’ does not mean the most suitable school for a child. Schools are able to meet a wide range of needs. The nearest secondary school to the home of a child of secondary school age, for example, will almost always be their nearest suitable school (provided it would be able to admit them).”

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Major new bar planned for Harrogate’s Parliament Street

A company has revealed £750,000 plans to transform the former Jamie Oliver restaurant on Parliament Street in Harrogate into a large bar.

Newgate Pubs and Bars has applied for a premises licence to open The Mayfair Pub and Kitchen at the unoccupied venue in the heart of Harrogate’s night time scene.

The application is to open from 9am until 1.30am seven days of the week, play live music, have large TVs showing sport and allow dance performances.

Newgate Pubs and Bars, which was established five years ago, already operates bars under the Mayfair brand in Newcastle and Doncaster.

Director Joe Smith, who has been in the industry for 40 years, said although the company was small, it was “growing rapidly” and the Harrogate site would create 35 to 40 jobs.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“Harrogate is a great town to be in and we see it being ideal for us. There is a gap in the market and it ticks all our demographics.

“I’m sure we’ll be well received. Our quality is superb and people will like what we do. We’ll see you soon.”

The building has struggled to find long-term tenants since Jamie’s Italian closed in 2018.

Since then it has operated as Wagyu Bar and Grill and Solita Foodhall but neither lasted long and the unit has been vacant since 2021. Plans to open a Tomahawk Steakhouse never materialised.

Mr Smith said he hoped this would be the right fit and the size of the unit didn’t faze him as the Mayfair in Newcastle was situated in a 12,000 sq ft building and that had worked well.

Parliament Street is home to a number of bars including Mojo, Manhatta and All Bar One. Mr Smith said there was enough trade for them all, adding:

“I don’t like the word ‘competition’, I think we will complement each other. We know our neighbours very well in Newcastle and we’ll fit in beside them here so we can complement each other and work together.”

Mr Smith said the company had looking at multiple sites in north England before choosing Harrogate.

There is no current opening date planned for the venue.

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Reservoir parking charges reignite Washburn residents’ concerns

The newly introduced parking charges at Harrogate district reservoirs this week have reignited concerns about the impact on nearby areas.

The Stray Ferret reported that the new charges by Yorkshire Water for motorists at Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross reservoirs would begin yesterday.

Since we broke the news back in 2022 that charges would be in place we have reported on equipment installation and residents’ concerns about the plans.

Now that the charges are active, concerns remain that people will try to avoid the charges by parking on nearby roads and verges.

The reservoirs are situated near narrow rural roads, which has led to concerns about congestion, danger to pedestrians and blockages to farm machinery.

Victoria Oldham, the last mayor of the Harrogate borough who lives in the Washburn Valley close to Fewston and Swinsty, said she was “not overly happy with the decision”.

She said:

“If people are not prepared to pay they will park on the roadside, and it is very narrow. There is nowhere else unless you live locally”

“It was an issue in lockdown, because the car parks were closed. The roads became impossible to drive on and the police had to be summoned. They destroyed the verges driving there.

“Some people are prepared to take it on the chin. The annual charge sounds reasonable, but many people will be caught unawares and won’t come back. It is a shame, and we would’ve preferred not to, but you pay to visit any attraction.”

The Stray Ferret approached Yorkshire Water for comment on how the new system was working. A spokesperson said the charges had only come into force this week.

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Harrogate and Ripon chefs to appear on BBC’s Great British Menu tonight

Head chefs from Harrogate’s Rudding Park and Ripon’s Grantley Hall will compete tonight in the latest series of the BBC cooking competition, Great British Menu.

The 19th series starts at 8pm on BBC Two, with the north-east and Yorkshire being the first in the series to take part.

Adam Degg has been head chef at Rudding Park’s Horto restaurant since 2022 and Samira Effa, has been head chef at Grantley Hall’s Asian-inspired bar and restaurant EightyEight for two years.

This is Ms Effa’s third time competing on the BBC TV show, having previously taken part in the 2019 and 2020 series.

Ms Effa said:

“The fact that I’ve been asked back again is really humbling.

“The show has a fantastic following with viewers from not just the chef world, but further afield and I love to see it ignite excitement in food for so many people. It really demonstrates that food can bring people together in that shared enjoyment of an experience.”

Simon Crannage, executive chef at Grantley Hall, said Ms Effa would be “flying the flag for Yorkshire”, adding:

“I’m sure it will come across on your screens, but Samira champions Yorkshire produce wherever she can in her cooking, with so many fantastic ingredients coming out of the Yorkshire region to use.”

Samira Effa in her kitchen at EightyEight, Grantley Hall

It will be Mr Degg’s first appearance on the show tonight.

He began his culinary journey aged 16 and has worked in award-winning kitchens throughout his career.

He was recently awarded Michelin green star recognition for sustainable practices for drawing inspiration from the kitchen gardens at the luxury hotel.

Mr Degg commented:

“Great British Menu is without doubt, the single most exciting and terrifying experience of my career to date! Having said that, it’s so important to push yourself out of your comfort zone and I thrived on the challenge.”

The Great British Menu showcases the best of British cuisine and sees top chefs from across the UK create mouthwatering dishes.

The series theme is celebrating the Olympics and Paralympics and is presented by TV chef Andi Oliver alongside regular judges Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona and Ed Gamble.

Tonight’s contestants on Great British Menu.

Tonight will see the two chefs battle it out against each other and Cal Byerley, chef Patron of Pine, East Wallhouses, and Scott John-Hodgson head chef for Solstice, Newcastle for a place in finals week and the chance to devise an Olympic-themed banquet.

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The Mitre in Knaresborough up for sale

The Mitre on Station Road in Knaresborough has been put on the market.

The pub, which is next to Knaresborough Train Station, opened in 1923 and closed last year after trading for approximately 100 years. It has not reopened.

The historic building has four ensuite rooms, a function room a terrace and traditional hand pumps for real ales. The philanthropist George A Moore was born there in 1928.

Market Town Taverns, which operates a chain of pubs covering Yorkshire and the north-west of England, leases the property and is now trying to sell it.

The Stray Ferret spoke to leisure property specialists and surveyors Fleurets, which is handling the sale of the lease on behalf of Market Town Taverns.

The Stray Ferret understands Market Town Taverns had to close the pub before Christmas when the managers and staff left and a new team could not be recruited.

A Fleurets spokesperson said:

“They are selling their lease and don’t have any immediate plans to reopen.

“We hope to have a buyer in place as soon as possible, albeit a sale of a leasehold business is not a quick process.”

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Parking charges to begin at Harrogate reservoirs next week

Parking charges at reservoirs in the Harrogate district are being introduced next week.

The Stray Ferret broke the news in June 2022 that Yorkshire Water planned to charge motorists at Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross reservoirs. Since then we have raised residents’ concerns about parking and in November last year reported the equipment was being installed.

Today, Yorkshire Water announced the fees would start on Monday, January 22. The costs are:

ANPR camera technology will monitor motorists who visit the reservoirs.

Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross are popular recreational sites which local dog walkers visit regularly.

Yorkshire Water said the charges will be reinvested on initiatives including the creation of the company’s first ever in-house ranger team.

The nine-strong team will undertake countryside management and biodiversity projects and “ensure visitors have a positive experience on site”, Yorkshire Water said.

A spokesperson added:

“We looked thoroughly into how people use our sites and we believe a small parking fee and increased security will help to dissuade anti-social behaviour, such as fly-tipping, at our sites but also have a long-term positive impact in terms of the projects we can deliver in the future.

“We’ve also collaborated with local authorities and stakeholders to ensure our visitors are aware of these changes prior to the charges going live, and we’re making it as easy as possible for people to pay, whether it’s via card payment on site, the Ring Go app or even by telephone.”

Blue badge holders

Yorkshire Water urged blue badge holders to apply for their free parking permit ahead of the charges being introduced.

The spokesperson added:

“We want to encourage our blue badge visitors to register and receive a permit. If you don’t have a permit, you will have to pay. It’s easy to apply and you can do so via our dedicated website.”

Blue badge visitors can register on the website and complete the following form. Once accepted, a permit will be issued which is valid for a year, exempting the registered vehicle from being liable to the charges.

Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions will operate the parking meters.

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North Yorkshire Council plans 4.99% council tax increase

North Yorkshire Council looks set to increase its portion of council tax bills by 4.99 per cent in 2024/25 — the maximum permitted before triggering a referendum.

The hike would mean the price paid by an average Band D property for council services would increase by £87.80 to £1,847.62.

The total council tax bill is made up of precepts charged by North Yorkshire Council, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and parish councils. Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has yet to finalise an amount but has proposed increases of up to 9.3%.

The council has also said it needs to make £46 million in savings across the next three financial years.

Of that figure, it expects more than £36 million to come from the impact of local government reorganisation, which saw seven district and borough councils, including Harrogate, abolished last year along with North Yorkshire County Council and the creation of North Yorkshire Council.

It plans to use £6.5 million of reserves to balance its books in the next financial year.

The details are contained in a report by chief executive Richard Flinton and corporate director for strategic resources Gary Fielding to the council’s Conservative-controlled executive next week.

The report says:

“North Yorkshire Council is facing the same spending and funding pressures as most other councils but it is not in financial distress so long as it delivers the savings opportunities arising from unitarization.”

It lists the rising number and costs of SEND provision; extreme volatility and distress in the adult social care market, children’s placement costs, home to school transport services, high levels of inflation and supply chain expectations and workforce retention and recruitment challenges as key financial pressures.

Among proposed savings are changes to home to school transport, meaning families would be given funding for pupils to attend their nearest school rather than in the wider catchment area, and fees and charges are also set to increase to reflect inflation.

Other changes include cutting commissioning costs by reducing, for example, the number of high value care packages, and by bringing together highways services.

Council leader Carl Les said:

“We have always been aware of the benefits of bringing services under the control of one council, and a great deal of work has been undertaken to ensure that these can come to fruition.

“The council is still not a year old, but we can see just what it means to have a single authority to cover the whole of North Yorkshire.

“As a council, we know the financial pressures which taxpayers are facing, and we are committed to ensuring that every pound of residents’ and businesses’ money is used as effectively and efficiently as possible.”

Cllr Gareth Dadd, the council’s deputy leader and executive member responsible for finance, added:

“I would suggest that the proposed savings are among the least controversial of anywhere in the country, and this has been brought about thanks largely to the opportunities of local government reorganisation and also prudent management of our finances over many years.”

Members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive are due to meet on Tuesday, January 23 to discuss the proposed budget.

If approved, it will be considered at a full council meeting next month, before it is adopted by the council.

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Landlord-turned-councillor puts Harrogate pub on market

The Shepherd’s Dog pub on Otley Road in Harrogate has been put up for sale.

Michael Schofield has been the pub landlord since 2013. As a key member of the Harlow Hill community, he embarked on a political career as a councillor two years ago.

He was elected to represent Harlow Hill and St Georges for the Liberal Democrats in May 2022 and became an independent a year later.

Cllr Schofield said:

“We have been here 11 years and I feel I wish to work even more closely with groups and residents in my role as councillor.

“Having returned the pub to near pre-pandemic numbers we feel that the time is now right for someone else to take on the mantel of ‘Custodian of The Shepherd’s Dog’.

“We have had 11 fantastic years here forging new friendships and seeing our children grow up in this fantastic environment.

“We are not in a rush to sell. Sometimes you have to test the market.”

Cllr Schofield has run the pub since February 2013 alongside his wife Donna and their two children.

The pub has been a community hub for years and the family even ran a fruit and veg shop throughout the covid pandemic.

In a previous interview with The Stray Ferret, he said:

“Nothing is stronger than a good community and Harlow Hill is a special community close to my heart.”

The pub is listed for an asking price of £89,995 by business advisors Hilton Smythe, with a £332,000 turnover.

Hilton Smythe says it has “an excellent reputation and regular customer base”, adding:

“As seen by the online ratings and reviews, the business is extremely popular and highly rated within the community.

“Very rarely do pubs of this size come onto the market in this area and we therefore recommend early enquiry to avoid disappointment.”

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Bubble tea shop to open in Knaresborough next month

A bubble tea shop called Mai Tea is set to open in Knaresborough market place next month.

Bubble tea, also known as boba, a Taiwanese variation of tea made by blending tea with milk, fruit and fruit juice and adding tapioca pearls.

The drink comes in many variations, flavours and colours and brings a new texture to tea with tapioca, edible translucent balls.

Bubble tea has been popular since the 80s but has seen a recent resurgence thanks to GenZ culture with the phrase bubble tea having almost 200k likes on TikTok.

Owner, Shun Wang, said:

“Knaresborough is an ideal location for a bubble tea shop since there’s currently none in the vicinity, and I think the residents would appreciate the novelty, especially with the abundance of coffee shops in the area.”

Ms Wang is originally from Guangzhou, China and now lives in Harrogate. When she arrived 24 years ago, she had dreams to open a bubble tea store. With growing interest in bubble tea, she has decided it would be the perfect time to open the store.

She began cooking and baking when she came to England which allowed her “to bond with people and bring joy to not only me but others”.

She now hopes this joy will be shared with Knaresborough through her store. She said:

“The inspiration for bubble tea stemmed from our family’s love for it. I have two adolescent daughters who, along with most of their friends, have a strong affection for bubble tea. I am confident that my business will primarily attract the younger generation, offering a fresh spot for the community to explore and, hopefully, relish. I aspire for the place to be a comfortable and safe environment.”

Ms Wang added that she wants to provide a welcoming place for young people, not only her customers but for employees to.

“I believe as long as you work conscientiously and responsibly, they deserve to get as much as an adult wage. We hope to provide a happy and harmonious working environment for young people.”

She said the store will offer “an extensive selection of flavours, including customisable options”, adding:

“I plan to share my authentic Chinese bubble waffle recipe, hoping others will enjoy it as much as my family does.

“I think bubble tea is often overlooked despite its diverse array of flavours and benefits.”

The average cost of bubble tea and waffles at Mai Tea is expected to be around £5.

Ms Wang said she was initially anxious about opening the store but after seeing positive feedback on local Facebook groups her “excitement has soared”.

Bubble tea facts:

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