Around 140,000 visitors are set to descend on Harrogate next week for the Great Yorkshire Show.

The county’s showpiece agricultural event will take place over four days from Tuesday to Friday at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

There is always so much to see and do. So, as lifestyle editor, I’ve delved into what is on offer when it comes to family entertainment, food and drink and famous faces.

Family

There is plenty of free entertainment at the Discovery Zone.

When I visited the show last year with my three-year-old, we absolutely loved the Discovery Zone.

Slightly off the beaten track, it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary if you’re taking the kids.

The area is described as “offering both fun and learning opportunities for all the family to find out more about food, farming and the countryside”.

This year the Discovery Zone will be showcasing regenerative agriculture, to tell the story of environmental practices that are shaping modern farming.

A wildflower meadow has been created for visitors to enjoy and picnic alongside, and interpretation boards will explain how farmers and landowners carefully manage the land to harness nature and wildlife.

Expect a full array of completely free and interactive activities, workshops and demonstrations for families and young people, from wand and felt making, to meeting reptiles and milking a demonstration dairy cow.

This year there will be a new careers hotdesk, organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and supported by agricultural colleges and vets. There will be an opportunity to ask the hosts about routes into agricultural careers and free goodie bags.

Food and drink

Shaun Rankin, of Grantley Hall.

If you’re into your food and drink, our county undoubtedly has some of the best in the world.

This year foodies are in for treat when the winner of MasterChef 2022, Eddie Scott, and Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen line up with a host of well-known regional chefs to cook up some of the region’s finest produce.

The Great Yorkshire Food Theatre will feature more than 20 chefs, including Callum Bowmer of Horto at Rudding Park, Harrogate, Dragon’s Den contestant Will Chew of Mak Tok, in Sheffield, Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin of Grantley Hall, near Ripon, and Nathan Richardson-Kelly of Castle Howard, York.

Dishes being demonstrated range from steamed rhubarb muthiya to halibut and from chicken pancakes to slow roasted beef.

MasterChef winner Eddie appears on Tuesday at 2pm. While shepherdess Amanda shares some of her favourite family recipes from her bestselling book ‘Celebrating the Seasons’ on the Friday at 2.30pm.

Great Yorkshire Food Theatre host Sue Nelson said:

“We’re thrilled to be hosting some great names who between them exude incredible talent showcasing the best of Yorkshire’s culinary scene.

“It’s a great coup to have got Eddie to appear on his home turf so soon after his MasterChef win and he joins a brilliant gourmet line-up oozing passion and skill.”

The Game Cookery Theatre makes the most of Yorkshire game, including venison, pigeon, grouse and rabbit. The game theatre also features a number of chefs, with host Steph Moon joining forces with grouse expert John Cavana to create grouse nuggets and grouse with black pudding.

New for 2022 is an appearance by Year 8 students from Harrogate’s St Aidan’s High School. They have won the opportunity to cook at the show, with two different forms producing their own game pizzas.

Game Cookery Theatre host Steph Moon said:

“It is fantastic to have a full programme at the show again. We have some new chefs and some young chefs and as always we will be showcasing the very best Yorkshire produce in both theatres.”

Famous faces

Matt Baker.

For many years the Fashion Show brought a touch of glamour to the Great Yorkshire Show.

This year, organisers are trying something different, with a new celebrity chat show being held in its place.

TV presenter Christine Talbot will host the show on the new GYS Stage, which will be staged in the former fashion show building next to grey gate.

Farming celebrities will be interviewed and will then have a chat with fans afterwards in a meet and greet zone.

This will include Countryfile presenter Adam Henson on Tuesday, JLS popstar-turned farmer JB Gill on Wednesday, TV host Matt Baker MBE on Thursday and the Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen on Friday.

The Yorkshire Vet Peter Wright will take to the stage each day of the show.

Mr Wright said:

“We always love coming to the Great Yorkshire Show and have been coming for years, with my family as well as filming. I’m delighted to be taking part in the brand new GYS Stage which will be an exciting new addition to the show.”

In 2021, organisers capped the number of visitors at 104,000 and made the show a four-day event to spread out the number of visitors due to covid.

This year, the show is back to full strength and the last few tickets are available for Friday. Tickets are available here and won’t be sold at the gates.

An innovative new physio and hydrotherapy centre for dogs is set to open in Harrogate next month.

Veterinary physiotherapist Sophie Brook is hoping to launch the facility on Skipton Road at the end of August.

The first of its kind in Harrogate, it will offer physiotherapy, rehabilitation hydrotherapy, fun and fitness swims and puppy confidence swims.

Ms Brook, who owns The Harrogate Vet Physio, has been working on a mobile basis for the last two years, treating dogs and horses.

She has spent that time looking for a suitable location to be able to also offer hydrotherapy, which she currently practises at a centre in Brighouse.

And she finally found the perfect unit at Dragon Court Business Park, which will offer a 6m x 2.5m heated dog swimming pool and a physio room.

Ms Brook, who studied veterinary physiotherapy for four years, said:

“I always wanted a pool because hydrotherapy is so good for dogs. The pool is getting fitted next month and hopefully it will be open at the end of August.

“It can help with problems such as arthritis in older dogs and hip and elbow dysplasia. There are also things like cruciate injuries that be helped through physio and hydrotherapy.”

Ms Brook said the swimming sessions were aimed at helping puppies and dogs gain confidence in the water, as not all are natural swimmers.

She said:

“You would be surprised how many dogs can’t swim. For some it’s not a natural ability. It also helps puppies gain confidence around water so if they fall in, they don’t go into full panic mode.

“I’m really excited to launch the new centre. People in Harrogate are big dog lovers, so it is the ideal place to do it.”

A signed referral form is needed for all of the sessions, including fun and puppy swims, and can be found here.

A historic Harrogate pub with a history dating as far back as 1830 is set to return this month after a two-year hiatus.

The Coach & Horses, well-known for its traditional charm, Sunday roasts and real ales, will reopen on Friday, July 22.

Provenance Inns, which owns the West Park Hotel on the same street, took over the pub in October last year.

It has been closed since May 2020 after previous landlord John Nelson had his licence revoked for breaching covid rules.

The refurbishment aims to add “a touch of modernity to the pub”, whilst paying homage to its heritage.

The first floor has been transformed into a dining room, which overlooks The Stray.

A gastropub-style menu will feature dishes including Doreen’s black pudding scotch eggs, beer battered fish and triple-cooked beef dripping chips, as well as a traditional Sunday roast.

Read more:

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The Coach and Horses burger will see £1 from each sale donated to Martin House children’s hospice, a charity relationship the new owners are keen to foster.

The pub will also offer a selection of pies, while an extensive range of local and international gins will complement a selection of cask ales.

Speaking ahead of the reopening, which will create 30 new jobs, operations manager Chris Cartledge said:

‘’As one of just a handful of Harrogate’s oldest surviving traditional pubs, it’s safe to say that anticipation for the return of the Coach & Horses has been high.

“We’re pleased to say that meticulous care and attention to detail has been taken to ensure the Coach is subtly modernised, whilst restoring original features, where possible, to their best.’

“The new first-floor dining room is the perfect spot to enjoy our hearty and traditional menu, whilst taking in the views of The Stray.

“Along with our fresh food and vast drinks range, we will also be carrying on the tradition of a regular quiz night and of course raffles, all in aid of local charities which we are keen to continue to support.

“We can’t wait to welcome our first guests into Harrogate’s original local pub.”

Two new padel tennis courts have opened at Ripon Tennis Centre following a huge wave of support from residents and businesses.

The £180,000 facility is already proving popular with players, who have been taking advantage of taster sessions with the club’s coaches.

The project was put forward to help boost the Park Lane club’s membership in the wake of the pandemic.

It follows a successful crowdfunding campaign, which saw more than £30,500 raised in 28 days.

Additional funding has also been provided by Sport England, alongside a loan from the Lawn Tennis Association.

Carol Tetlow, the club’s honorary secretary, said:

“We had lost a considerable number of members as a result of the pandemic. Many of them dropped out or didn’t come back, so that meant there was significant financial loss. We also weren’t able to use the indoor courts, so we lost financially from that as well.

“So we were looking at a way to come back bigger and better. With padel being an explosive, exciting new sport, we had a look into that.”

The two courts – one indoor and one outdoor – have been built on derelict land at the centre, which also boasts two indoor tennis courts, six outdoor floodlit courts, a gym and a licensed café area.

The new padel tennis courts at Ripon Tennis Centre.

It is a welcome boost for the Ripon area, as prior to the courts’ construction, the nearest padel options were in Harrogate and Middlesbrough.

Ms Tetlow said:

“We’ve already had lots of enquiries.

“It’s clearly a sport that’s taking off in a big way. Anybody can play it, you can walk on a court and just hit the ball and feel like you’re having a good game.

“It’s good for any ability. It’s also good for any age. Because it’s less running around than tennis, people who are less mobile enjoy it. We have a member who is just over 80-years-old and he had a go and thought it was fabulous.”

Read More:

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Ms Tetlow started playing tennis seven years ago and has been the centre’s secretary for around two years. She offered to take on crowdfunding campaign, which she described as “hard work, but very rewarding”.

“The best thing was going around Ripon’s shops, cafes and restaurants and asking if they would contribute something and so many people said ‘if it’s for Ripon, yes’.”

Ripon Tennis Centre.

The club has recently taken on a new coach, Christopher Stanford, who will teach padel, as well as tennis.

Future plans for the padel courts include kids’ clubs, social evenings and block bookings. An official launch event is also in the pipeline.

Ms Tetlow said:

“At the moment we are just letting as many people play as possible, so they can have a go and see what it’s like.”

A mashup of tennis and squash that originated in Mexico, padel has been described as one of the world’s fastest growing sports.

It is played between four players on reduced-size tennis courts. Competitors use paddle racquets and can bounce the ball off walls.

More people are ditching their cars in favour of electric bikes as petrol prices continue to soar, according to Harrogate district retailers.

As the average cost of diesel has almost hit the £2 per litre mark, people are increasingly looking at more wallet-friendly ways to get around.

Local e-bike suppliers say there has been a notable shift in the number of customers now moving to pedal and e-power, opting to save their fuel for longer journeys.

Kurt Davison, manager of the Electric Bike Shop, on Leeds Road, Harrogate, said:

“We have definitely noticed a rise in sales. This isn’t surprising given that you are looking at £2 a litre for fuel and you also have to factor in road tax and insurance.”

Mr Davison said 65 per cent of journeys made in the UK were less than five miles, so more people were choosing e-bikes for shorter commutes.

He said:

“We hear it a lot from people. The cost of fuel is too high. So they want to use an e-bike to get to work rather than running a car.

“We also recently sold a cargo bike to a family who are using it for the school run.”

Read more:

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Andy Crawley, who has owned Harrogate Electric Bikes – CorCoach, on St John’s Terrace, Harrogate, for 10 years, said he had noticed a rise in the number of returning customers wanting to get back on their bikes.

Andy Crawley, owner of  Harrogate Electric Bikes – CorCoach.

He said:

“They are using their bikes more and I have seen an upturn in servicing existing bikes. They are coming back and saying they haven’t used it for a while and they want to use it more due to the cost of petrol. It hurts when you fill your tank up now!

“I do a lot of conversions where I convert bikes to electric bikes. I have definitely seen a surge in this, as then customers are not having to pay thousands of pounds for a brand new model. The cost of living crisis means many people can’t afford a brand new e-bike.”

He added that many people were still too nervous to cycle on the district’s roads and while improvements have been made, there needed to be a better infrastructure in place.

Tony Robertshaw has owned North Yorkshire Electric Bikes, in Bond End, Knaresborough, for a decade.

He said while his customer-base had always traditionally fallen into an older age bracket due to having more disposable income, he had noticed an increase in younger customers buying e-bikes.

He said:

“People are wanting bikes to commute on, rather than using their cars. Customers do say that petrol prices are too much.

“There are also a lot of benefits to investing in an e-bike. There are the health benefits and the cost benefits.

“Most of my bikes last a good 10 years, so if you work the cost out per year, it is relatively cheap. You would get through £300 of petrol in no time.

“You also don’t have to pay insurance or road tax. So it’s definitely cheaper than running a car.”

Overgrown grass on a community green in Knaresborough was cut this week following complaints from residents.

Homeowners on Appleby Green had described the site as an “eyesore”.

After they raised their concerns with Harrogate Borough Council and contacted the Stray Ferret, the green was finally mown on Monday following a period of more than four weeks.

However, they remain sceptical that the maintenance, which they were promised would be fortnightly, will regularly continue.

The impact of staff shortages on the council’s ability to maintain green spaces, plus its policy to re-wild parts of the district, has divided opinion. Some welcome the return to nature; others feel it looks untidy.

There are 200 houses on the Appleby Green estate, near the Nidd Gorge, with 14 situated around the green, overlooking the area.

Speaking on behalf of a number of homeowners, Stafford Dent said there had been numerous complaints raised over the last three years.

He said:

“It was only last summer when the head of parks and the parks manager visited the site with around 20 residents present.

“A plan of action was agreed with the management team to maintain key areas of the Appleby Estate, including, most importantly, the green.

“It was agreed the green and surrounding areas would be cut every two weeks.

“Unfortunately, Harrogate Borough Council have not kept their promise.

“Our lovely green is becoming an absolute eyesore.”

Appleby Green, before it was cut.

Mr Dent said residents were told by the parks manager that there weren’t enough staff to maintain areas across the district and the teams were working “flat out”.

However, Mr Dent said it had been an ongoing problem over recent years and the council therefore had “more than adequate time to manage staff attrition”.

He added:

“After numerous complaints the residents feel that we are constantly being fobbed off with lame excuses as to why key activities are not carried out on a regular basis.”

‘Striking a balance’

A council spokesman said a programme of work was in place to cut the grass in parks and open spaces, verges and other areas managed by the authority.

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He said this was in addition to maintaining the numerous award-winning floral displays, for which the Harrogate district is well known for and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

He said:

“Like many services across the country, we have vacant positions that is having an impact on our ability to deliver the service as desired.

“Some areas are also being left to grow and not mown as regularly as we want to attract pollinators, encourage biodiversity and create habitats.

“As we’ve said before, this approach is favoured by some and an eyesore to others. So we have to strike a balance to ensure all residents can enjoy the district with the resource we have available.”

Mr Dent said he believed the council had only cut the grass on Monday on the back of “all the noise that has been raised”.

He said:

“I know in a few weeks time we will have the same old problem though, as this is an ongoing issue.

“In addition to sending an email direct to the parks manager, to which I received a response stating that her teams were currently so stretched, I have also logged a formal complaint on the council site. This has been acknowledged by the customer service team and I still await a response.

“It’s the same old issue, not enough staff to cope, but due to this being an issue for a few years, I feel that the management team have had more than adequate time to solve their headcount problem.”

A dog who who ran away in the Nidd Gorge has now been missing a week despite a major search operation.

Emily Watson’s white bichon frise, Molly, was spooked by another dog at 9am last Thursday.

Her last sighting was near the viaduct on the Bilton/Ripley cycle path.

Pippa Kemp, who has been helping Ms Watson with the search, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are desperate now. It’s not just the length of time, it’s how hot it has been and that no one has seen her.”

Ms Watson has put out regular appeals on Facebook to help find the missing dog and a group called Missing Molly has also been set up.

Posters and flyers have also been displayed and given out in the area.

Molly, the bichon frise.

In an outpouring of support, the community has been out in force searching for Molly, who was wearing a purple harness when she went missing.

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Volunteers have also come forward with thermal drones, a dog tracking team and thermal cameras.

Many have continued the search into nightfall.

Residents have also checked their smart doorbells and CCTV cameras for sightings.

And yesterday a search party was given permission to access the sewerage works, near to where she went missing.

Ms Kemp said:

“The experts who have been looking for her said it was unbelievable that she hasn’t been seen, but it does happen.

“We are holding out hope that she is out there somewhere.”

Ms Kemp praised the Harrogate community for their ongoing support.

She said:

“They have been amazing. We have had so many messages from people offering to help.

“Harrogate is unbelievable for pulling together when something like this happens. We are such a dog-loving community.”

The search is continuing today, with another tracker dog going out this afternoon.

Ms Kemp said:

“We just want to get some kind of evidence that she is still in the area. If she has moved about, or if she has been down to the river for a drink. If a scent is picked up today, it will be a recent one.”

Anyone who has seen Molly or who has any information is asked to call her owner Emily Watson on 07852 636641.

People are being asked not to approach her, while avoiding eye contact and sudden movements.

A new Harrogate menopause support group is set to hold a bigger event next week following the huge success of its launch.

Set up by Vic Smith-Dunn through her social enterprise MyLifePool, the group met for the first time at Oatlands Community Centre last month.

Due to demand, the next event, entitled Menopause Matters, will have an increased capacity of 150 and will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel at 7.30pm on Tuesday, July 5.

It will feature a talk by Dr Sarah Hattam, a local GP and founder of wellbeing and performance consultancy Concilio Health.

She will cover the physiological aspects of menopause, along with ways to help stay healthy and understand more about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other options that are available. She will also be sharing how to get the most out of a GP appointment.

Ms Smith-Dunn said:

“At the launch we gathered lots of feedback. We discovered people were struggling to understand what exactly was happening to them, and what their options were, along with wanting to understand more about HRT. I was really keen to address this issue.

“Sarah is kindly donating her time. This means that profits from ticket sales can be donated to local charity Just B, which runs a helpline that is accessible to women who may be struggling through this change.

“Sadly, at our launch event we had to turn so many people away as the venue was too small. Thankfully for this event the Crowne Plaza, on King’s Road, has offered the use of a much larger space so we can accommodate more people.”

Read more:

• New group launches for Harrogate women with menopause
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Ms Smith-Dunn explained that as well as providing “good quality information”, the events also offered an opportunity to socialise.

She added:

“So many women going through the menopausal period are also ‘empty nesters’, which brings its own challenges.

“Friendship and peer support is so important for our mental well-being and having an opportunity to spend an evening with like-minded people is so valuable.”

Tickets costing £4 are available to book here.

For more information about the group, visit the MeNoPause website.

A popular children’s “play café” near Ripon is closing its doors in September.

Little Beans, in West Tanfield, launched three years ago as a role play and messy play café for under six-year-olds.

An announcement on the business’s Facebook page said the venue at Village Farm, on Main Street, would close on Friday, September 2.

Owner Emma Terry wrote:

“It is with a heavy heart that as of September 2, Little Beans will be closing its doors and the Imagination Centre will only be doing private parties and events in external venues.

“This decision hasn’t been made easily and has been taken out of our hands.

“We would just like to thank all of our customers, past and present, who have supported us over the last three years, especially through the biggest pandemic we have ever seen.

“We have made some lovely friends along the way and will truly miss each and every one of you.”

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There will be a number of events taking place at the café over the summer and a farewell party is being planned on September 2.

Ms Terry added:

A top North Yorkshire garden designer is launching a new school at Harewood House which will focus on northern landscapes.

Alistair Baldwin decided to set up the Yorkshire School of Garden Design after realising there were no similar schools in the north.

Opening its doors in August, the facility will offer a range of short courses throughout the year.

These will be aimed at garden design enthusiasts and those wanting to learn more about all aspects of the art, from landscaping to planting.

The school’s flagship professional Diploma in Garden Design, which will be delivered over an academic year, begins in September.

Mr Baldwin said:

“For too long the budding designers of the north have had little local choice when looking for a learning experience to broaden their skills and launch them into the profession.

“More often than not, students have had to make the journey to London to find the right course and I thought that needed to change.

“I have lived and worked in North Yorkshire for over three decades and have developed an acute understanding of how the terrain, geology, even climate and the way of working is very different in this part of the UK.

“The process within which gardens are designed and built in this magnificent landscape is very different to the south. So I want to share everything I have learned over the last 35 years and inspire a new generation.”

Alistair Baldwin. Photo: Eva Nemeth

The school will be based at Harewood House, which has more than 100 acres of parkland designed by eminent 18th century landscape architect Sir Lancelot Capability Brown.

Trevor Nicholson, head gardener at Harewood House, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that the Yorkshire School of Garden design will have its base at Harewood House, which we think is a fitting and inspirational venue for a school, which hopes to train the design professionals of the future.

“I am incredibly excited to welcome guests and inspire them with Harewood’s beautiful landscapes.”

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Mr Baldwin trained in garden design in Leeds. After graduating, he built an award-winning landscape design practice in Richmond, which delivers high-spec public and private gardens throughout the UK, as well as internationally.

Having spent 12 years teaching landscape and garden design at Leeds Beckett University, while also running his practice, he has a wealth of experience in nurturing the next generation of garden design talent.

Mr Baldwin added:

“I am delighted to announce that I will be joined by an eminent team of world class design consultants, who will work with me to deliver the  courses.

“Having a team of practising garden designers, all of whom have experience in creating rich and well-crafted gardens, means that students will get essential practical advice and insight straight from the horse’s mouth.”

The Terrace at Harewood House. Photo: Harewood House Trust and Lee Beal