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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Harrogate HR professional appointed at Switalskis
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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Harrogate Lib Dem leader accuses council leader and MP of harassment over ‘threatening’ legal letters
The leader of Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Liberal Democrats has revealed she received legal “threats” from the council leader and local MP over alleged defamatory statements.
Councillor Pat Marsh said one letter from lawyers representing Conservative council leader Richard Cooper included demands for £5,000.
The letters, which Cllr Marsh waived in her hand at the meeting, relate to claims she made that Cllr Cooper was not “direct in condemning” the former North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott who resigned last October over comments he made on the murder of Sarah Everard.
At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting that month, Cllr Cooper said Mr Allott’s previous comments that women needed to be “streetwise” were “very, very wrong.”
Councillor Cooper then repeated his remarks, saying there was “no credible defence” for what Mr Allott said. In an email sent to several media outlets after this, Cllr Marsh claimed “Cllr Cooper’s response did not lead to a direct condemnation”.
The legal letter to Cllr Marsh ended with a demand she pay £5,000 as “an interim payment” ahead of any legal proceedings:
An extract of the letter from a law firm representing Cllr Cooper.
Meanwhile, another letter from lawyers representing Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, demanded an apology from Cllr Marsh. This related to comments she made that a resident had become “caught up” in a “web” of problems because Cllr Cooper is employed by Mr Jones.
At a council meeting last night, Cllr Marsh said she believed the letters amounted to “harassment”. She said:
“I would like to make the chamber aware of two recent legal letters which I felt were threatening – I had one from Cllr Cooper and Andrew Jones MP.
“The legal letter from Cllr Cooper went on so far as to demand £5,000 from me personally.
“These letters made me feel extremely stressed – I considered them harassment and they forced me to seek legal advice to defend myself.”
In response, Cllr Cooper said last night:
“I’m afraid if you say something that is libellous and a lie, then you can expect legal activity.
“I’ve had it in my various roles going back as far as 1996.”
The Stray Ferret understands that neither letter led to any further action being taken against Cllr Marsh.
Calls for ‘positive’ campaign
The revelations came during last night’s meeting as Cllr Cooper made calls for a “positive and constructive” local election campaign ahead of elections to the new North Yorkshire Council on 5 May.
However, the meeting soon turned sour with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats trading blows on several issues, from their records on attending meetings to claims made in their campaign material.
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Later in the meeting, Cllr Cooper, who is not standing in the elections, said:
“I’m not going to get into this tit for tat.
“I tried to do something nice to enable us all to say to the people who will be elected – there will be some Liberal Democrats, some Conservatives – good luck to you, fight for all of us.
“I wish that could have been reciprocated in a rather less hostile way.
“Nonetheless, the sentiments expressed stand and, I believe, irrespective of the comments made, they stand for all of us.”
Cllr Cooper added:
Artizan café in Harrogate expands to second floor“We have worked together on the vast majority of things this council does well over the eight years that I’ve been leader.
“We agree on 99% of things but on the 1% of things we don’t agree about, we can make a hell of a lot of noise.”
Artizan café, which opened on Cambridge Road late last year, is set to expand to an upper floor.
The floor was initially used for offices and storage space. Due to increased demand, it will now be opened up to the public as an extended café area.
Artizan International was founded by Suzie Hart MBE in 2013.
Ms. Hart will be behind the design of the second floor, which will include the same tiles, mosaics and artisan textures on the ground floor.
The café was introduced to help people with disabilities learn hospitality skills and get into the job market.
Anna Maria Wilson, part-time manager at Artizan café, said:
“It was always in the plan. We are definitely doing it sooner than was anticipated because there was that increased demand.
“We have been so busy, that we needed the extra space. It is beautiful up there, and we aim for it to be more of a tranquil and relaxed area for people to enjoy.”
Although the official date is not yet known, the second floor should be open in a couple of weeks for customers to enjoy.
Specsavers Harrogate to join CUES scheme
Specsavers Harrogate is joining the Covid-19 Urgent Eye Service (CUES) scheme
Specsavers Harrogate has announced that it will be joining the NHS Covid-19 Urgent Eye Service programme.
Those with urgent eye health issues can visit the store for treatment under the CUES scheme.
The service was launched to reduce pressure on the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.
Patients with urgent eye issues and in need of treatment will now be able to visit Specsavers Harrogate to have vision checks, which will be covered free-of-charge by the NHS.
Robert May, optometrist director at Specsavers Harrogate, said:
“The Cues scheme has been set up as we have the expertise and equipment in-store to deal with a range of eye-related emergencies.
“We’re seeing around one hundred customers every week through the scheme, which is definitely taking the pressure off the NHS’ services and waiting times.”
You can find out more about the CUES scheme here.
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Lender invests £3m in new Harrogate flats
Marketplace lender Assetz Capital has invested £3m into the development of new flats in Harrogate town centre.
Harrogate-based Tate Estates planned to build 12 two-bedroom apartments at 108 Station Parade by last year.
The development will be situated on 108 Station Parade in Harrogate central
However, the scheme encountered problems due to covid. Lockdowns and construction material shortage disrupted the building schedule.
Ciaran McGivern, relationship director for Assetz based in the north-east, acts as a retained advisor for Tate Estates.
He said:
“I’m delighted to be helping a high-quality client in Tate Estates with their development in Harrogate.
“We hope to continue the excellent working relationship we have established, and this is the first of many successful deals we can fund.”
Rhys Davies, group finance director of Tate Estates, said:
“It was fantastic to get this investment from Assetz on what will be the first in a series of platform development deals.”
It is now hoped the block of flats will be completed in the second quarter of this year.
Harrogate district entrepreneurs boosted by start-up competition
StriveLive, an initiative which helps start-ups, has run a competition to help grassroots entrepreneurs in the Harrogate district launch their business
The StriveLive Harrogate project was funded by Harrogate Borough Council and commissioned by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.
Fourteen local entrepreneurs received help from StriveLive through a series of workshops, advice sessions and challenges over seven weeks.
The candidates then competed to impress business experts for the chance to win £2,500.
Business experts from the National Grid, Buying Hobbycraft, Harrogate Borough Council and YNY Growth Hub were included on the panel.
They awarded prizes to participants in five categories.
Karen Allen from Kidzplay Play Box picked up two awards. She won ‘most customer orientated’ and ‘best business concept’.
Hanna Dilley, founder of Benji’s Bites toddler food, won ‘best marketing,’ with Oliver Brown’s business, Wrapd Studios, winning ‘best branding’.
Ms Allen said:
“Strive popped up on my social media at a point when I was searching for support with the business.
“The company gave me the confidence to move forward, the understanding to face the challenges, and the connections within the local area to continue the support after the course finished.”
Clare Parish, from Four Legs Pet Care, and Graham Dodds, from GMD Home Improvements, both received Strive start-up awards.
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APS partners with Harrogate College on electric car charging course
APS, which runs a national electric vehicle charger repair and maintenance service in Harrogate, has partnered with Harrogate College to set up a training and recruitment programme.
Harrogate College will be introducing the new course to help the borough transition to electric cars.
Principal Danny Wild of Harrogate College said:
“We are determined to support emerging green technologies and have been working closely with local firms so we can provide the appropriately skilled, work-ready students they need.
“The electric vehicle sector is a rapidly growing one that represents a fantastic opportunity for both our students and local businesses.”
Despite having more electric vehicles than any other district in North Yorkshire, the Stray Ferret recently reported how Harrogate is one of the ‘worst prepared areas in the UK’ for transitioning to electric vehicles.
It was estimated that the borough had just one charging point for every 134 electric or hybrid cars.
However, APS Business Development Manager, John Dyson, defended the situation.
He said:
“It is ironic that Harrogate has been criticised so strongly for a lack of action over installing electric vehicle chargers when there actually is so much going on behind the scenes.
“Recent announcements by Transdev, that all Harrogate buses are to be electrified, and Harrogate Borough Council, which is to install 34 charge points in local car parks, gives a taste of just what is on its way.”
The level 3 award in the Installation and Commissioning of Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment will start in September at Harrogate College.
Linley & Simpson fundraise for children’s hospice
In training (from left) Callum Collbeck, Pawel Ziemak, Freddie Purdy, Adam Hughes and Josh Boocock
Linley & Simpson will start a year of fund-raising challenges in support of Martin’s House Children’s Hospice.
The estate agent, which has branches in Ripon and Wetherby, is marking its 25th anniversary by aiming to raise £25,000 for Martin House, based at Boston Spa.
The team has previously managed to raise £100,000 in support of the charity.
As part of the fundraise, they will abseil 50ft down the Cow and Calf rocks at Ilkley Moor. The following week, 40 colleagues will also face a 12k course of mud, ice and obstacles.
Emily Wilkinson, Wetherby Branch Manager at Linley & Simpson, said:
“The work of Martin House has touched the lives of our people in many ways, and we are pleased to be able to ‘give back’ through this initial set of events as well as a host of others that are in the pipeline.”
The challenge begins on June 16, with more information available on the website.
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Flaxby factory could send 300 homes to Guernsey
Flaxby-based modular housing developer Ilke Homes could manufacture 332 homes for a new housing scheme in Guernsey.
They would be built at Ilke’s factory and transported to Guernsey to be constructed on-site.
The Channel Islands Co-operative submitted plans for the development this week and include a car park and supermarket.
Nigel Banks, special projects manager for Ilke Homes, told the BBC:
“We have focussed on having homes that are very well insulated, they are also built using very sustainable materials – we have a big focus on having low emissions to the structures.
“The floors are manufactured then put on a trailer and transported to a harbour, then put on a charter vessel and then transported at night to the location.”
Harrogate BID to host culture and inclusion meeting
Harrogate BID will host a meeting next week at Hustle & Co in Harrogate.
Jane Slimming, founder of Culco, an organisation which helps businesses implement cultural programmes, will be the key speaker at the meeting. She is also CEO of Zeal, a Digital and Creative Agency.
Ms. Slimming is expected to speak about subjects around improving workplace culture and inclusion, the future of the workplace, and recruitment.
Jane Slimming
Harrogate Borough Council has worked closely with the company, helping businesses across Yorkshire. It also funded workshop participation hosted by Culco earlier this year.
Harrogate BID will also hear about plans for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in Harrogate.
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Harrogate district’s monthly business safari to be held
Harrogate District’s Chamber of Commerce is due to hold its monthly Business Safari event.
The members-only speed networking event will be held next week at St George’s Hotel.
You can sign up to the monthly agenda through the Harrogate Chamber website.
Plant competition for school children hosted by Johnsons of Whixley
Johnsons of Whixley in Harrogate is holding a competition for primary school children.
To celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee and gardening, £250 worth of plants will be sent to the winner’s school, including ten plants for their own home garden. Those in second and third place will also win a plant.
Children under the age of 11 can participate by drawing an imaginative Jubilee Garden. The form can be downloaded here.
Children must create a drawing of a jubilee garden as part of the competition
JW is a three-generation run family business which grows and supplies trees, shrubs and plants to UK-wide planting schemes.
The company plays an active part in the community, having collected donations for Ukraine and providing plants to Baby Rainbow Memorial Garden last month.
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Harrogate law firm opens new office in London
A Harrogate-based employment law firm has expanded its offices to London.
Boardside in London is close to St Paul’s Cathedral and the Bank of England. The location will mean it is easily accessible for clients in the city.
The company now has branches in three different regions, with its headquarters in Harrogate.
The firm wrote in its newsletter:
“Almost five years after launching our niche employment law practice in Yorkshire, we are delighted to announce that we now have a presence in the capital.
“We believe that by having offices in the two biggest legal centres (Leeds and London) in the country, it will be easier for us to meet clients from across the UK.”
Boardside is run by owners Richard Port and Nadine Martson.
Support for Ripon businesses
Ripon’s Business Improvement District has appointed the Place Support Partnership to help firm in Ripon save on running costs.
PSP will visit BID businesses to support and advise them on reducing costs associated with utility and trading bills.
Lilla Bathurst, manager of the BID, said:
“The Place Support Partnership offers various services and acts as a savings scheme to support businesses.
“During the consultation process, businesses identified that they would like 10% of their levy to go on business support.”
Ripon BID says it has also worked to make businesses aware of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.
OHLG grants totally £141,342 were distributed to hospitality businesses in Ripon which were negatively affected by the pandemic.
Harrogate BID provided a business grant of up to £750 last month, for qualifying businesses to improve paintwork, signage and accessibility.
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Harrogate Convention Centre to hold board gaming festival
A three-day board gaming festival will take place next weekend at Harrogate Convention Centre.
AireCon 2022, one of the biggest board gaming festivals in the UK, will run from March 11 to 13.
Attendees can expect a wide variety of games, product launches and special guests.
Guests include the creator of popular game CoraQuest and gaming YouTubers.
The festival was founded in 2015 when Mark Cooke set up a private mini-convention attended by friends in his Yorkshire flat. It has expanded each year and moved into Harrogate’s convention centre after selling out a smaller venue in 2016.
Mark said;
“The first public AireCon sold out and the entire venue was full. Every year it just keeps going beyond what we possibly could have imagined.
There’s something about board gaming that brings people together; it breaks down barriers between people, it’s a lot of fun and it’s time away from screens.”
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In 2017 the festival gained support from Nabil Homsi, who owns the board game store Travelling Man. The store now has several branches across the UK.
Travelling Man will provide more than 600 games for the event.
New to this year is the AireBus, a shuttle bus travelling from London to Harrogate with built in board gaming tables.
There are still a limited number of tickets left which can be bought here.