Local estate agent Feather Smailes Scales (FSS) has won the British Property Award in Harrogate for its sales department.  

The team was congratulated for its outstanding performance throughout the judging period, which looked at customer service levels.  

Partner Richard Smailes said:  

“I am delighted that we have been recognised by an independent adjudicator as “best in class” and winning the gold award.

“It is testament to my wonderful team who show dedication, hard work and a caring nature at all times and a true depth of knowledge with regard to the housing transaction process. I couldn’t be more proud.” 

The awards were created by a team of former estate agency owners who hope to change the way estate agents are perceived by the public. 

They consider a set of 25 criteria that consumers often overlook, and aim to highlight excellence in different towns across the country. 

Robert McLean, from The British Property Awards, said:  

“Winning agents should be proud that their customer service levels provide a benchmark for their local, regional and national competition”.  

FSS has now been nominated for a number of other national awards. 

Three Harrogate spas nominated for good spa awards 

Rudding Park, Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall and The Swinton Country Club have all received nominations for the good spa awards 2022.  

Rudding Park is nominated for the best destination spa, whilst Swinton Country Club and Grantley Hall are nominated for two awards each. Swinton is hoping to win awards for sustainability and wellness, and Grantley Hall is in the running for wellness and best destination.  

Swinton Estate said it was “delighted” to be nominated for both awards, adding:  

“Wellness and wellbeing, both physical and mental, sit at the heart of our commitment to all guests.” 

The hotel was also the first in the UK to install a biomass boiler, a sustainable alternative for heating water at the spa.  

Last year, Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall won the best spa for fitness and wellbeing, and Rudding Park won in 2020 for the best outdoor facilities.  

Voting is open until 5th June, and the winners will be announced on 20th June at the spa life convention in Gloucestershire.  

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Harrogate-based business Play Outdoors has opened a pop-up shop in Victoria Shopping Centre. The store will be open for 12 weeks and sells paddling pools, water slides and outdoor games, as well as their signature inflatable spas.  

The inflatable hot tubs have proved extremely popular among shoppers on the online site, and can be delivered and installed for free in any HG postcode.  

Owner Mark said:  

“During the lockdown these became a must-have item and their popularity as a must-have garden accessory has continued to soar.” 

The Victoria Shopping Centre has seen a series of successful pop-up shops in the past year. The most recent venture was a digital museum experience, created by Harrogate Business Improvement District.

Harrogate Chocolate Factory to hold networking event  

Local business Harrogate Chocolate Factory, is holding a networking event this Friday 20th May.  

The event is free of charge and will offer coffee and cake, a tour of the chocolate factory, and a chance for informal networking.  

The Harrogate Chocolate Factory is a social enterprise which aims to help young people with learning disabilities and autism gain valuable skills for the world of work.  

The networking event will be held on East Parade next to the Odeon.  

Contact Angela at angela@hs4lc.org.uk to book a place. 

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Ripon paint specialists T&R Williamson have played a part in painting the popular steam train Taw Valley “platinum purple” ahead of the Queen’s jubilee.  

T&R Williamson hold a Royal warrant for their supply of products to the Royal household, used for the Royal mews and Royal carriages.  

Group chairman Abubaker Sheibani said:  

“We are thrilled to have been able to extend this Royal connection to this unique project. It is a fitting and truly memorable way of commemorating Her Majesty becoming the first British monarch in history to reign for 70 years.” 

After a public vote at Severn Valley Railway, it was decided the train will be renamed Elizabeth II during the jubilee celebrations. 

The royal project has also attracted the attention of leading British model company, Hornby, who are producing a collector’s model of the new purple locomotive.  

T&R Williamson, along with Thomas-Howse Paints and Metprint Ltd, have created a “platinum purple” paint tin to mark the occasion. It will be filled with traditional sweets and transforms into a money-box when empty.    

Harrogate estate agent makes historic land sale deal for £4 million

Harrogate estate agent Linley & Simpson has sold a patch of land in North Yorkshire for over £4 million.  

The land in Church Fenton has been bought by Yorkshire Country Properties, which plans to build 50 new homes on the residential site.  

This sale is the biggest this year for the award-winning land and new homes team at Linley & Simpson, and is one of the company’s most significant deals.  

Director David Waddington said:  

“Given the coveted location, there was no shortage of interest among developers in the site, which was sold with full planning permission”.  

The agency says North Yorkshire house buyers are increasingly turning to new builds post-Covid, particularly for family homes in rural areas. They suggest this is also a result of rising energy costs across the country.  

They are hoping this trend will continue, creating more demand among developers for land in prime locations across the region.  

Harrogate Wedding & Events have been awarded the Regional Wedding Award for the Décor category.

Its partner business, DJMikeRobson, won the Regional Wedding Award for the DJ category.

The business, which provides wedding services in Harrogate, won the award for within the Yorkshire and North East region.

It was presented by the Wedding Industry Awards for the year 2022.

The awards bring together businesses in the wedding industry from across the UK and are held every year in London.

Ina Robson, owner of Harrogate Wedding & Events, said:

“We are delighted to receive the award and pride ourselves on excellent customer service. To know this award is also driven from customer feedback, means a lot to us.

“The industry itself has had a very difficult few years, but we are now looking forward to a bright future.

“I would like to thank all our clients and DJs for all of their support over the last year, and for helping to make our businesses a great success.”

New managing director appointed at Ripon BID 

Lindsay Elizabeth Mcphearson Austin has been appointed as managing director at Ripon BID.

News of the appointment was recently published on Companies House.

The appointment replaces former directors Sheila Webb and Sarah Blenkinsop.

There are currently twelve active directors as a part of the Ripon BID.

BIDs, which are funded by a levy on local firms,  aim to increase visitor numbers to towns and cities.

Real Food Harrogate asks for local food producers to join market

Real Food Harrogate market, Crescent Gardens

Real Food Markets is looking for independent food producers to join its Harrogate market.

The not-for-profit organisation operates in both Harrogate and Ilkley and supports local, independent and speciality producers.

Real Food Harrogate is run by a selection of traders and volunteers on Crescent Gardens on the third Sunday of each month from 10-3pm.

Set up in 2022 with the support of Harrogate BID and Harrogate Council, the market has gradually expanded in size.

Now, organisers are looking for local food producers to take part in Real Food Harrogate.

To join their group of traders and volunteers, you can find out more information here. 

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Send us your firm’s business news and we’ll publish it.  Business Breakfast is a daily round-up of all things related to business and the economy in the district. Get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Harrogate Chocolate Factory will be hosting an informal business networking event on Monday.

Coffee and cake will be included, with a tour of the chocolate factory.

The event will run from 9:30am on Monday 25 April and will all be completely free of charge for anyone wanting to attend.

Attendees are free to bring a guest, and are asked to reserve a place by emailing Angela at the factory at angela@hs4lc.org.uk.

Harrogate Chocolate Factory is a social enterprise café launched in 2019. The company sells dark chocolate made from Peruvian cacao beans, and aims to support young adults with learning disabilities and autism to gain vital skills to enter employment.

Elexshow comes to Harrogate

The UK’s largest trade event for electricians, the Elexshow, is coming to Harrogate.

Businesses such as Alltrade, Aico, CK Tools, and Metrel will be at the show, which will be hosted in Great Yorkshire Showground this year.

Exhibitions of equipment, tools, new apps and systems will be available to view for tradespeople in and around the region.

The event spans over the course of two days, from Thursday 28-29 April.

Tickets are available to book online for free, and can be found on the Elexshow website.

Inhealthcare UK raises money for Frank’s Fund 

Inhealthcare UK has raised more than £200 to support a local charity.

The raffle gifted the winner a Bettys Yorkshire Delights hamper.

The company, which provides digital health and remote patient monitoring, donated the money to Frank’s Fund.

Frank’s Fund was set up by the family of a young boy who died from a rare form of bone cancer

Frank’s Fund is a local Harrogate based charity. It was set up in memory of Frank Ashton, a Harrogate schoolboy who died from Ewing’s Sarcoma. The charity aims to raise awareness and funds for this rare form of bone cancer. You can read more about it on a Stray Ferret Charity Corner here.

To date, the charity has raised £299,170.77.

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Bettys and Taylors have won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.

The business, based in Harrogate, is best known for its Yorkshire Tea and Bettys tearooms has a global tea and coffee supply chain which works in partnership with more than one million farmers and workers in 22 countries.

The award recognised the company’s work to integrate sustainability and collaboration with suppliers, partners, and the wider industry, to address social and environmental challenges within the industry.

Amongst these were projects in developing countries to install clean water systems; support tree planting partnerships; improve living and working conditions of workers, and to provide training to women in business management, entrepreneurial, literacy and financial skills.

Planting trees in Kenya Credit: Bettys and Taylors

Keith Writer, Supply Director at Taylors, said:

“Over the last five years, we’ve relentlessly focused on securing quality tea and coffee in partnership with our suppliers on the social and environmental issues they face, alongside addressing the systemic challenges across the tea and coffee supply chain through industry initiatives.

“We acknowledge there is always more to do, however we are honoured to be recognised for our ongoing efforts.”

The Queen’s Awards are presented in four categories and are decided each year by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister and her panel of judges. The winners are announced on the Queen’s birthday, and are valid for five years.

B&T also received a Queen’s Award in 2001, 2007, and 2017 for its commitment to sustainability.

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Harrogate-based S&SA Architects will be expanding the company to Leeds city centre.

The architect practice, which operates out of a head office in Harrogate, will open its new office at Park House in Park Square in April.

The company had continued to grow during the pandemic and received several notable commissions in the healthcare and residential sectors, which created a demand for its expansion.

Inside the new office at Park House Credit: S&SA Architects

It plans to recruit people in roles at all levels, including in apprenticeship and senior positions.

Chris Paraskos, associate architect at S&SA Architects, said:

“We’re incredibly excited about this expansion. The office location is easily accessible for our diverse London and Leeds clients, being only a few moments’ walk from the station.

“It also offers all our staff the ability to work flexibly at home and across both offices. It will encourage collaboration between teams and better wellbeing, which is a part of our cultural response to the changing world of hybrid work post covid.”

S&SA Architects specialises in residential, retail, logistics, healthcare, sports and leisure sectors. Clients include Tesco, Keepmoat, Exemplar Healthcare and Broadacres.

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• Harrogate bakery expands with £250k project

Bakery site Bakeri Baltzersen has begun a £250k expansion project.

The site, in Kettlesing, supplies the company’s sister brands in Harrogate town centre, as well as other, wholesale partners.

The project will involve knocking through to a unit at Springfield Business Park, which will then create triple the floorspace of the bakery.

It will be part-financed by a £20,000 grant from the Product and Process Innovation Fund, a European funding programme. Harrogate Borough Council has also provided a grant of £27,390.

Along with it, more jobs will be created, with a particular demand for trainee bakers, packers and drivers.

Paul Rawlinson, co-director of Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersen, said:

“We are proud to be a part of the Harrogate community. We want to grow our range of products to offer a wider selection, work with more wholesale partners across Yorkshire as we fly the flag for our town, and create new jobs, training and career opportunities for local people.”

The work is expected to be completed in June.

Harrogate woman semi-finalist of Florist of the Year

Helen Pannitt, owner of Helen James Flowers

A Harrogate florist is celebrating making it to the semi-final of the Florist of the Year competition run by Interflora.

Helen Pannitt, who owns and runs Helen James Flowers in Harrogate, has been a florist for 37 years. She has previously won a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

For the competition, she created a hand-tied bouquet, under the theme ‘Inspired by Nature.’

The winner will go on to represent Great Britain and Ireland at the Interflora World Cup in September 2023.

Helen Pannitt, owner of Helen James Flowers, said:

“I simply love competitive floristry and with the curtailment of competitions over the last couple of years due to COVID, it’s great to have something to get the competitive juices flowing again.”

The finals will see participants creating floral designs on the theme of ‘growing together,’ with a final unknown topic that will be revealed on the day.

The winner of the competition will be announced on Sunday 24 April.

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Harrogate sandwich shop Nibble & Nosh has reopened after closing for two years.

The shop is under new management and has returned to its original location at Station Parade having briefly opened last august inside Harrogate Brunch Club.

A new carvery-based menu will be available alongside cakes and freshly brewed coffee.

Steve Butcher, who is both chef and owner of Nibble & Nosh, said:

“After the widespread effect that covid has had on businesses throughout the pandemic, we are very excited to be back, not only in Harrogate but also in our spiritual home at 11 Station Parade. We look forward to welcoming back customers both old and new.”

Nibble & Nosh has also made itself available online for deliveries six days a week.

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Switalskis, a group of three specialist law firms, has appointed Julie Guest as its head of people.

Julie Guest gained experience as a HR professional at CNG  She has also worked in positions with Morrisons, Pinsent Masons and William Hill.

The recruitment is a part of the group’s growth strategy, which has already seen an expansion with the investment of firms Atherton Godfrey and Pryers Solicitors.

Ms Guest said:

“It’s great to join a firm with such a strong focus on its people, culture and values.

“My role will involve further integration of people and systems following the acquisition of Atherton Godfrey and Pryers. I aim to enhance Switalskis’ already strong talent development and create an environment and culture in which everyone is able to flourish.”

John Durkan, managing director of Switalskis group, said:

“Julie brings a wide range of valuable experience to this role along with a proven HR leadership track record.

“She has been responsible for a number of successful change and development programmes within professional services businesses, and I’m delighted she has joined us as our first head of people.”

Julie has 28 years’ HR experience and will take on developing Switalskis’ talent, leadership and inclusion strategies.

Harrogate business leaders encouraged to sleep rough for charity

Business leaders in Harrogate will be joining a ‘sleepout’ challenge to help raise money for charity.

CEO Sleepout UK has organised the event, which will see business execs, directors and CEOs from across North Yorkshire sleeping out to raise money for local charities.

The event will take place on May 19th at Harrogate RUFC.

It is expected that around 40 businesses will participate in this years event.

Ison Harrison Solicitors, Cairns Hotel Group and Harrogate Borough Council are just among a few who will take part.

In previous years, the sleepout raised over £23,000.

Harrogate CEO sleepout at the RUFC launch

This year, the funds raised from the sleepout will be sent to YMCA Ripon, Harrogate RUFC community projects, Trussell Trust Harrogate, Walking With The Wounded and CEO Sleepout with 10% of all funds raised going to the DEC Ukraine appeal.

Bianca Robinson, chief executive of CEO Sleepout, said:

“Harrogate isn’t particularly associated with rough sleepers, but this doesn’t mean that homelessness doesn’t exist. We see people sleeping in cars with their children, on friends’ sofas, or worse; risking exploitation in exchange for a roof over their heads.

“The event is a chance for local people to learn about hidden homelessness in the area and what’s been done to help those at risk.”

CEO Sleepout UK was started in 2013 by Andy Preston, now the mayor of Middlesbrough, and has raised over £2.7m to combat homelessness and poverty.

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