Newsroom, Author at The Stray Ferret

Harrogate restaurant reopens in time for Yorkshire Day

A Harrogate restaurant will be celebrating both its reopening and Yorkshire Day with a make-shift beach this Saturday.

To mark its namesake’s day on August 1, as well as the re-launch of its Scran restaurant, The Yorkshire Hotel has created a beach at the front of the building and is offering a free glass of prosecco for those ordering food.

Its sister property, the White Hart Hotel and Fat Badger pub, installed an outdoor beach earlier this month to celebrate hospitality venues being allowed to reopen. Simon Cotton, managing director of HRH Group, said:

“Since we opened two years ago, Scran has been at the heart of Harrogate’s dining and bar scene, but with our new fresh, contemporary look, we are excited to bring a new concept to our loyal and new customers.”

Dean Sowden and Dario Silviera pictured outside the new restaurant.

The restaurant’s food will be in the hands of head chef Dean Sowden of the former Deano’s, with Harrogate’s barman of the year, Dario Silviera, managing the bar.

Simon added:

“Dean’s food has such a good local reputation that we are delighted he is heading up the kitchen of Scran, and with head barman, Dario at the cocktail helm we have the dream team!”

Screens have been placed around the bar and more space has been created between tables to allow for social distancing. It is recommended that customers pre book.

Harrogate fitness centre responds to craze for new sport

A health and fitness centre in Harrogate has had plans approved to build more padel courts and changing facilities due to increased demand for the sport.

Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre on Hookstone Wood Road offers a range of different facilities including a gym, squash courts, studios and therapy rooms. However, its padel courts are seeing particularly high demand.

The only courts of their kind in the region, they see people travel from Hull, Liverpool and Manchester to play. Padel, a racket sport described as being a mix between squash and tennis, is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

Since reopening the courts on July 4, the Harrogate centre has seen an increased demand from people wanting to use the facilities. The courts are currently booked from 7am until 10pm, seven days a week, until the end of August.

Planning approval has been granted for a new glass-enclosed padel court.

Plans to build another glass-enclosed court along with changing rooms and toilets have recently been approved. The addition will be funded by the centre, the Lawn Tennis Association and Sport England.

James Gaston, general manager at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, told the Stray Ferret that people of all ages come down to exercise:

“The whole point is to try and encourage people to play sports and make exercising cheap for communities. We try and make it so there’s something for everybody here from young people to older people. It’s like a big family.”

The sports centre also has a cafe which serves healthy food and drink.

Leo Campagna, a member at the club who is nearly 80 and plays squash most days of the week, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am nearly 80 and people my age have difficulty keeping fit. When you stop exercising you start to stiffen up and so you have to keep going. I am so glad to be able to play squash again. I come nearly every day of the week.”

Saint Michael’s Hospice receives royal support for helpline service

A Harrogate charity which has been providing a helpline for NHS and care workers has been given a grant to extend its support to “blue light” emergency services.

Just ‘B’, one of the services offered by Saint Michael’s Hospice, has been providing support for people working on the frontline since April. The service provides bereavement, trauma and emotional wellbeing support to key workers, alongside national charity Hospice UK.

The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has granted nearly £1.8 million to charities to support the frontline community. The money will allow Saint Michael’s to extend its support to all emergency service workers for a further two years.

Tony Collins, the Chief Executive of Saint Michael’s Hospice said:

“We are delighted to be able to extend this service to support our colleagues in the NHS, social care sector and emergency services. We know that they have been dealing with some of the most challenging situations imaginable.”

Just ‘B’ is made up of a team or trained and qualified volunteers and staff.

Speaking about the new grant, The Duchess of Cambridge said:

“Over recent months we have all been in awe of the incredible work that frontline staff and emergency responders have been doing in response to COVID-19, but we know that for many of them, their families, and for thousands of others across the UK, the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their mental health.”

The helpline is available to all ages and lines are open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week.

Travel agents in Harrogate advise against holidays in Spain

Travel agents in Harrogate are advising people not to go to Spain in July or August.

Following a spike in the number of covid cases in Spain, the government announced UK citizens returning from the country would have to quarantine for 14 days.

This has prompted Langford Travel Services in Harrogate to urge people not to go to Spain this summer but instead book for next year on a low deposit.

Michael Langford, who owns the business, told the Stray Ferret:

“As a travel agent I am advising people not to go in July and August. You’ll be worried before you’ve booked it, once you’ve booked it and once you’re in the destination.”

Peter Cookson, managing director of Spear Travels, Boroughbridge told the Stray Ferret:

“We are not selling any holidays to anywhere in mainland Spain or its islands because of the new Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice, the fact that most flights have been cancelled and no one can take the risk on their travel insurance.”

Number One Travel says it is up to customers to decide whether to go to Spain.

However, Keith Butterfield, owner of Number One Travel in Harrogate said it was for customers to decide whether to go to Spain.

“It is very much dependent on the client. If they didn’t have to worry about going into quarantine then it’s their decision to go and we wouldn’t stop them booking. We would talk through the rules and make sure they were aware of the regulations.”

Clap for Saint Michael’s Hospice who cared for friend’s “soul-mate”

A Harrogate resident has organised an emotional tribute to her friend who was cared for in her final days by Saint Michael’s Hospice.

Anne Boland lost her “soul mate” Dora Storey this month. Dora was cared for by the home service palliative team at Harrogate-based charity Saint Michael’s.

To say thank you, Anne invited residents from her street to clap for the end of life team when the hearse carrying Dora passed by on Friday.

Both Anne and Dora worked in end of life care for over 25 years. Anne said:

“Dora knew how ill she was and wanted to die at home – she got her wish and for the last weeks of her life received the most wonderful care. We both felt the Saint Michael’s home care service was thoughtful, responsive and that the level of communication between services was extraordinary.

Residents of Poplar Crescent as well as a member of the Saint Michael’s home team lined the street to applaud as the hearse drove past. Anne said:

“I invited the street to come and applaud as I wanted to be able to honour Dora and at the same time, draw attention to the wonderful teams who work in local palliative care.”

Dig out your treasures: BBC’s Antiques Roadshow comes to Newby Hall

BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow has confirmed it will be returning this summer, with Newby Hall named as one of its 8 locations.

Viewers are being asked to contact the Roadshow team with any hidden gems and stories to tell. A form is available on their website where owners can fill out details of their objects.

For the first time in the show’s history, the series will be filmed on a closed set with only a small audience invited. This is to ensure the safety of guests, the production team and the wider public.

Presenter Fiona Bruce has been at the forefront of Antiques Roadshow for 13 years.

“Normally we welcome around 5,000 people to each Antiques Roadshow, but of course in these extraordinary times we will have to do things very differently. We’ve come up with a new way to safely film the show yet still bring you amazing items and stories. I can’t wait to see what treasures you have hidden in your homes.”

The Roadshow normally sees around 5,000 visitors at each venue.

The show was first broadcast in 1979 and has since become one of the most popular programmes on BBC One, with around 6 million viewers tuning in every Sunday evening.

Robert Murphy, BBC Studios Series Editor said:

“To keep everybody safe and comply with current government and WHO regulations, we have planned our filming days very differently this year…Our team of experts are looking forward to seeing your heirlooms and finds, so do go to our website and let us know about your treasures.”

Some of the Roadshow’s most remarkable finds have included a hand written document signed by Elizabeth I and a ring containing a lock of author Charlotte Bronte’s hair.

If you have a hidden treasure you wish to uncover, share your story at www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow.

Newby Hall has been named as one of 8 venues for this summer’s series.

“Newby Hall will be superb” says Harrogate Antiques Roadshow expert

Independent jewellery specialist Susan Rumfitt told The Stray Ferret that she is delighted BBC One’s Antiques Road Show is coming to Newby Hall this summer.

Susan joined the team of specialists on the Roadshow in 2006. As well as being on the show, she is also a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and has her own gallery in Harrogate.

In an interview with The Stray Ferret, Susan reflected on some of her favourite pieces she has seen as well as voicing her excitement for the upcoming show at Newby Hall.

When asked what it is like to work for the Antiques Roadshow, Susan told The Stray Ferret:

“Working for the show is just great fun and although we are all individual specialists with our own areas of expertise, we work really closely as a team, from production, through to camera men, through to specialists. It’s about everyone putting in 100% to get the effects that everybody sees on the television.”

Susan Rumfitt pictured with a client at Buckfast Abbey.

Despite the current climate, Susan said that the show may look a bit different but will still have the superb Antiques Roadshow charm. She told The Stray Ferret:

“From a clients perspective coming to the show, they will still get the same attention as they normally would do. We are all looking forward to doing it in whatever format we are able to. The fact that it is coming back to Yorkshire at such a beautiful spot will showcase our area so well…I am delighted it is coming to Newby Hall.”

Susan was approached by the team at the Roadshow two years before joining, due to her extensive background in antique jewellery. Since then she has seen a number of fascinating pieces, with one of her favourite’s being a gold bracelet originally belonging to Queen Victoria.

BBC’s Fiona Bruce on unearthing treasures on the Antiques Road Show

The BBC’s Antiques Road Show is set to come to Newby Hall this summer – sadly the show is closed to the public due to coronavirus.

In this Q and A presenter Fiona Bruce answers some questions about the fun of uncovering hidden treasures and other memorable moments

What has been your personal highlight from working on Antiques Roadshow?

I feel incredibly lucky to have spent the last 13 years working on the Antiques Roadshow. I love doing it and I’ve had so many highlights from over the years. My personal favourite would probably have to be when a man of the cloth turned up with a painting, which he thought might be a Van Dyck. I looked at it – and I was making a programme about Van Dyck at the time – and I thought it had the look of the genuine article. And so we had it examined and my hunch turned out to be right. It has been proven to be the case and it is now being exhibited as a Van Dyck. I can’t imagine that will ever happen to me again in my lifetime and it’s definitely a highlight for me.

Why do you think the show continues to be so popular?

I think it’s amazing that the Antiques Roadshow is essentially the same as it has been for more than four decades and it’s still hugely popular. What makes it eternally popular is probably what I love about it – that we all hope that we could have something gathering dust on the mantelpiece or in the attic that either turns out to be very valuable, or has an amazing story. It happens week-in, week-out and you’d think that the well would begin to run dry and it hasn’t. We still find amazing things every week. You can never predict what will turn up once a visitor brought along a vanity set that had been on Donald Trump’s yacht. It was as tasteful and restrained as you might expect – that’s to say it was fabulously bling.

What is your earliest memory of the Antiques Roadshow?

I still remember watching Antiques Roadshow as a child with my parents, on a Sunday night, sitting in our 1970s living room. I gradually came back to it as an adult and then I was asked to present it which I had no idea was coming! I was absolutely thrilled. It’s not often that you get asked to work on a programme you’ve watched for so long and genuinely watch at home.

Has any of the experts’ knowledge rubbed off on you?

I’ve certainly learnt more about antiques. I have my own collections. I have paintings. I collect things called “samplers” which are Victorian pieces of needlework usually done by children in a workhouse to show that they have a skill, which can be used in service, stitching household linen or that kind of thing. I think they’re very humble and very beautiful. But our experts are like walking Wikipedias! They’re incredible. And they just fish knowledge out of their brains, which is a marvel to behold.

What is the most surprising item someone has brought to a valuation day?

If I had to pick the most unusual thing that’s turned up in the time that I’ve been working on the show – could it be the man that turned up with an case full of loo chains, just a small sample of his collection? Could it be the man that turned up not once, but twice with a foetal membrane dried onto a piece of A4 paper that had belonged to his great-grandfather. It’s called a “caul” and it used to be a talisman against drowning and it used to have some value! Or could it be the lady who brought along a potty that had a picture of Hitler on the bottom and when you did a little “tinkle” into it, it played its own little tune. And because it was rare, I think it was worth over £1000 from memory.

What are your most memorable moments whilst working on the series?

Some of the most moving stories stick in my mind, many I will never forget, such as the man who brought along a set of GI medals from the Second World War. His story began with his finding a cache of love letters written to his mother by an American GI who had had an affair with her while his father was away serving in the Second World War.

The letters revealed that his mother had had a baby with this man and it became apparent to him that he was that child. He tracked down the GI’s family in Virginia who welcomed him with open arms and filled in the gaps. They told him that his father had agreed to forgive the infidelity and bring the baby up as his own – and indeed loved him as such all his life – and the American GI decided reluctantly to stay away so as not to make a delicate situation even more difficult. The GI’s descendants knew all about the baby being brought up in Britain and were thrilled to meet him at last. It was a very moving experience for all of them.

The man came to the Roadshow with his American GI father’s war medals, which the family had decided should go to his newly discovered son. As the man told me this story he was moved to tears – and who can blame him?

Fiona Bruce pictured outside Castle Howard.

Is there anywhere that you still yearn to take Antiques Roadshow to?

New Zealand! We would find extraordinary things there; I’m sure from antiques belonging to British settlers to Maori culture.

What are your hopes for the future of Antiques Roadshow?

That it continues to be as popular as it is now, continues to find extraordinary items and continues to have a place in people’s hearts.

Tea pots and glass bottles: fascinating facts about the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

This summer BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow will be returning to our screens, with Newby Hall named as one of the eight venues.

This will be the roadshows 43^rd series, but the show may look a little different to previous years due to measures put in place. For Fiona Bruce, this is her 13^th year presenting the show.

Here are 10 fascinating facts you may not know about Antiques Roadshow:

There have been five hosts of Antiques Roadshow; Bruce Parker, Angela Rippon, Hugh Scully, Michael Aspel and Fiona Bruce.
The Roadshow has featured many celebrity owned objects; a diamond bracelet from Rita Hayworth, Marc Bolan’s guitar, even a loo roll rejected for use by the Beatles. A jacket once worn by JFK and valued on the show for £2-3,00,000 will come up for sale in the USA soon.
Legend has it that the greatest let down in Roadshow history was the evaluation of a glass bottle which the owner had paid handsomely for but was in fact an olive oil bottle from Tesco. The embarrassment was not shared on camera.
The highest audience figure for an Antiques Roashow was 15 million in the 1990’s. Even today a loyal 6 million regularly watch the show.
Perhaps the most moving object seen on the series is a small ring that was kept hidden under the tongue of Zedenka Fantlova who survived four concentration camps in World War II.
Graffiti artist Banksy’s donation to a Bristol boys club was valued by Rupert Maas and was later sold for more than £400,000 to a private collector.
The Roadshow has visited numerous international venues including Canada, Australia and major European cities. Even at the Australian events the Roadshow’s most dedicated follower, John Dallimore, clocked up the 9,500 miles to attend.
An important lost work by artist Richard Dadd came to light at the Roadshow in 1986. It was eventually sold to the British Museum for £100,000
A family teapot brought in by avid Roadshow fan Norah Ambrose during the programmes early years proved a life changing moment when she bought her council house on the proceeds of the sale.
Between 15 and 20,000 items are scanned at each show by the experts from which 50 are filmed for inclusion in the two shows made at each location.

The team at Antiques Roadshow invite you to uncover your hidden treasures for this summer’s series at Newby Hall. To get in contact, visit www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow.

The Antiques Roadshow normally welcomes thousands of visitors to each venue.

Cafés in Harrogate say they won’t enforce face covering rule

Café owners in Harrogate have told The Stray Ferret that they won’t be enforcing the new face coverings rule as it should be a “mark of respect” from the customer.

Guidance was released today about the wearing of face coverings, which saw a change for businesses offering a takeaway service.

The new guidelines state that coverings will be mandatory when buying takeaway food and drink but can be removed when seated at a table. However, the government has outlined that it is the responsibility of the individual to wear a face covering, with shops and cafés encouraged to enforce the rule where possible.

The owners of Bean and Bud on Commercial Street in Harrogate said that the new rules are “common sense”. Co-owner Helen Dolby told The Stray Ferret:

“If you’re coming in for a takeaway and there’s other customers around you, then as a mark of respect you should wear a mask but we wouldn’t enforce it. We deal with hundreds of customers a day, people just need to have a bit of common sense and a bit of respect.”

Owners of Bean and Bud, Phil and Helen Dolby.

Similarly, Dan Bell, the owner of Thug Sandwich Company on Albert Street, told The Stray Ferret that he believes the procedures he already has in place are enough but will follow guidelines and enforce the rule.

He said:

“People who are coming in are literally here for less than 60 seconds, they place their order and then they stand outside and I give them a shout when it’s ready. There’s very little risk of infection.

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