State of the art: Harrogate’s boom in independent galleries

If you have wandered around Harrogate, you may have noticed a boom in the number of independent art galleries in the town.

In recent years, at least three have launched, including Messums Yorkshire, Watermark Gallery, and Bils and Rye.

And this is in the addition to the established galleries in the town, such as the Mercer, Silson Contemporary, RedHouse Originals and York Fine Arts – to name but a few.

All have proved to be a major draw for both artists and collectors, with many placing an emphasis on promoting Northern talent.

Silsen Contemporary Art Gallery, based at Sarah Collier’s home on Harlow Oval.

Liz Hawkes, director of Watermark Gallery, which opened on the historic Royal Parade in March 2020, said:

“I think there are lots of reasons why Harrogate is great for art. There is the town’s antiques and art heritage.

“There’s also Yorkshire’s art heritage. From Hockney to Hirst, you have got very well-known Yorkshire artists. This area is very well-served by local artists who love to come here and paint, because it’s so beautiful.

“A lot of people also love to visit Harrogate and it’s a very affluent area, with lots of residents who like to buy art.”

Liz, who owns the gallery with her husband Richard, said all the galleries in the town offered something completely different, from ultra-modern contemporary art to traditional Victorian watercolours.

She said:

“You’ve got some fabulous galleries. Each have their own identity.

“We have 57 artists across all media, which is the main point of difference for us.

“Not everybody is always in the market for a painting, but you might pop in for some ceramics or jewellery.

“I think the other thing about us is accessibility. We have really focused on making this gallery accessible to all people. So many people find galleries intimidating.”

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Liz explained that art had become more accessible than ever in recent years thanks to the Own Art scheme. The national initiative makes buying contemporary art and craft affordable by providing interest-free credit for the purchase of original work.

The Watermark gallery is holding six exhibitions this year, with the next, Off the Beaten Track, featuring Yorkshire ceramicist Michele Bianco and Scottish-based Swiss painter, Pascale Rentsch, planned in March.

A number of workshops, courses and lectures will also take place in the studio space at the back of the gallery.

The Watermark Gallery. 

Liz said:

“I think the days of dusty old galleries have gone. The modern gallery is one where things are happening. It’s interactive and fun.”

Johnny Messum, director of Messums Yorkshire, also known as Messums Harrogate and Messums North, agrees that the town is a perfect location to showcase artistic talent.

After an extended stay on James Street following a successful temporary pop-up exhibition in 2020, Messums is moving out of the building at the end of this month.

However, the contemporary art dealer is hoping to find another location in Harrogate and is currently looking for a new site.

Photograph: @messumsyorkshire, Instagram

He said:

“We really want to stay, we just need to find the right venue. We hold very good relationships with our collector base here and have a strong presence in Yorkshire.

“Harrogate is a great place to act as a lightening rod for drawing attention to creativity in the area.”

Johnny said the quality of the art and the number of galleries in Harrogate attracted to people to the town, with many collectors making a special visit.

The gallery’s most recent exhibition, Routes North, has just come to an end, which brought together multiple artists whose work reflects the variety and vibrancy of the region, from Knaresborough to Newcastle.

The exhibition represented the first presentation in the North of this programme, which has been championing emerging talent across Messums sister galleries in London and Wiltshire for the last five years.

It’ also set out to prove that that all roads don’t lead to London when it comes to the quality of work and artistic talent.

Johnny said:

“What’s driving the future of our stay in Yorkshire is that the creativity of the art produced in the area is really exciting.”

Work by Jill Tate and James Thompson at the Routes North exhibition. Photograph: Messums Yorkshire.

Indoor and outdoor half-term family fun across the district

Half-term is almost upon us and the February break can often be one of the trickier holidays to navigate when it comes to keeping the kids entertained.

The weather isn’t always the kindest and it is still too early to bribe them with Easter eggs – even if they did arrive in shops on Boxing Day.

Fortunately there are lots of activities being planned in the Harrogate district, so parents can escape relatively unscathed.

We have put together a list of activities to do with the kids this half-term.

Harrogate Indoor Funfair – February 21-27

Always a popular one with families in the area, the indoor funfair is back at the Yorkshire Event Centre at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground.

With rides and inflatables for all ages, the event offers all the fun of the fair under one roof – perfect if you need to escape the unpredictable February weather.

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Morning sessions run from 10am until 1pm and afternoon sessions from 2pm until 5pm. For the first time, there will also be two 6pm-9pm sessions on the Friday and Saturday evenings.

Tickets on the door will be limited. Book online to avoid disappointment.

Online tickets are £10.99 for unlimited rides per session and can be purchased here.

Fountains Abbey, Ripon – February 19 – February 27

For those little explorers who love being outdoors, a number of activities are taking place at Fountains Abbey.

Children can pull on their wellies and spend a full day exploring, running and playing.

Families will be able to plant their own snowdrop to take home from 11am-1pm on February 19, 21, and 23 and the weekend of 26 and 27.

They can also grab a ‘spring-go’ activity sheet to take with them on their adventures, spotting signs of spring – as they go!

For a full list of half-term events click here.

Birchfield Farm, Summerbridge

This year the popular attraction, set in the stunning Nidderdale countryside, is opening earlier than usual.

Visit the farm this spring and say hello to all the expectant ewes in the barns ready to give birth. If you are lucky, you may even see a lamb being born.

The farmers will be on hand to answer any questions and tell you more about the animals.

For little animal lovers, as well as sheep, there are also piglets, goats, ponies, guinea pigs and donkeys.

After working up an appetite, enjoy a homemade ice cream at the farm’s café – it’s never too cold!

No booking is required and the farm is open from 10am-4pm

Admission is £5 for adults and children – under twos are free.

Stockeld Park, near Wetherby – February 19-27

The ever-popular family attraction is holding a ‘Talking Animals Week’ over half-term.

Visitors can channel their inner Doctor Dolittle to work out the answers to the Enchanted Forest quiz, by listening to the animals.
Ice-skating and the giant maze will be open too, along with the five adventure playgrounds.
There is also a brand new panto featuring Farmer Foster and his animals,
Book tickets here.

Our Planet Your World, across the Harrogate district – February 21-February 26

Two life-size kangaroo impersonators will arrive in Harrogate.

A robotic polar bear and an 18-metre whale are among the attractions travelling round the district as part of an environment-themed week of free events.

Visit Harrogate, Harrogate Borough Council’s tourism body, has organised the week of events named ‘Our Planet, Your World’, to offer activities for families with an over-arching message of protecting the environment.

The events are as follows:

Monday, February 21

Boroughbridge Library, storytelling sessions

10am-1pm

Tuesday, February 22

Masham Town Hall, sea-theme crafting activity

11am-4pm

Wednesday, February 23

Ripon Market Square, animatronic polar bear, interactive art sculpture, face painting, craft activities for children and live music.

11am-4pm

Thursday, February 24

Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

11am-4pm

Friday, February 25

Pateley Bridge play area, environmentally-themed crafting activity for children

11am-4pm

Saturday, February 26

Knaresborough Castle Grounds, Boat About, crafting activity for children, face painting

11am-4pm

Organisers have said some activities are weather dependent so are asking visitors to follow the Visit Harrogate social media channels.

Dads create ‘Dingle Dangle’ toy to make nappy changing a breeze

When Harrogate dad Mark Hamilton had to change his wriggly, screaming seven-month-old daughter’s nappy on a changing table at an airport, he emerged from the bathroom a broken man.

It was at this moment he decided to come up with a solution to make the experience not only less stressful, but actually enjoyable for both parent and baby.

Sixteen months later, after teaming up with fellow dad-of-two Stewart Gold, an American who had moved into the flat above on Otley Road, the Dingle Dangle was born.

Dubbed the “ultimate parenting hack”, the hands-free baby toy – similar to a mobile – is worn on the head of the mum or dad so they can distract their baby while changing a nappy.

There’s no denying wearing a dangling colourful octopus on your head is a talking point – and the duo said it certainly attracts attention.

Stewart, who was a lawyer for 11 years, laughed:

“People will come up to us when we are wearing it and say ‘it suits you’.”

The Dingle Dangle in action.

The clever creation, which features colours inspired by the art deco-style of Stewart’s hometown of Miami Beach, Florida, also has three other functions.

It changes into a portable mobile that can clip onto a cot or pram and transforms into a cute pufferfish rattle and a silicon teether.

This is all anchored from a sensory stick, which features three different fabrics for the baby to touch and interact with.

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But the toy didn’t always look so slick. A number of different prototypes were created before the duo finally came up with the final product.

Mark, who owns his own technology investment banking headhunting business, said:

“I actually got a coat hanger, a GoPro strap and a soft toy and I dangled it from my head. That is how the Dingle Dangle was born and from there it sort of evolved.”

It clearly captured Stewart’s attention, who loved the concept, particularly as his wife was pregnant with his second baby, and it has since become an integral part of the nappy changing routine.

He said:

“You don’t want to pin your baby down when you’re changing them.

“So when I saw Mark putting this thing on his head, I thought this is a pretty awesome idea and how can we make it a complete product.”

Friends and business partners Stewart Gold, left, and Mark Hamilton.

The prototypes were created almost entirely in Harrogate, with contributors including Judit Karsai at the Needle Loft and Daniel Burn Design.

And the Dingle Dangles are already flying out.

Mark said:

“It’s super exciting.

“We are going to see how it evolves over the next six months and if it goes well, we have plans to sell it abroad. We also might eventually create more baby toys.”

Asked whether the two men would have ever envisaged themselves selling baby toys, Stewart laughed:

“Our friends and family are all very supportive, but they also think we are crazy.”

Valentines’ gift ideas at Hotel Chocolat to make hearts soar

This article is sponsored by Hotel Chocolat.

If there’s one thing you can’t go wrong with on Valentine’s Day, it’s a box of chocolates.

Well, unless it’s a box hastily purchased from the petrol station the night before.

But even then, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Fortunately there is no need to get to that stage, as Hotel Chocolat has launched its Valentine’s Day collection for 2022.

There really is something for everyone this year, from a huge heart-shaped box of chocolates (because sometimes we love a bit of nostalgia) to luxury hampers and quirky love potions.

A selection from Hotel Chocolat’s Valentine’s Day collection.

Hannah Cosgriff, manager of Hotel Chocolat Harrogate, which moved to bigger premises on James Street in October 2021, said:

“Typically Valentine’s Day tends to be a last-minute holiday. What we are finding now we have moved to the new site is that, because the café is bringing people in, people are being organised. So actually our sales during January have been up this year.

“This year we also have a lot more new products in the Valentine’s Day range.”

Hannah said her favourite chocolate this year was a limited edition Baklava Selector, inspired by the traditional Turkish treat.

She said:

“It’s in a little pack of six and it’s amazing. It’s a honey, pistachio and pastry blend. It has a real traditional flavour to it, which I actually love. We do a honey and pistachio slab all-year-round which is fabulous, and this is like a deep-filled, soft centre version of it.

“We’ve done a Cherry Bakewell Selector too and it really does taste just like the real thing. They have managed to create the illusion of pastry in the chocolate.”

Hannah has found that there is often no expense spared when it comes to buying chocolates for loved one on Valentine’s Day.

She said:

“I still remember we had one customer come in one year and say they had already got their partner a card for Valentine’s Day and just wanted ‘a little token’ to go with it.

“They asked what our biggest box of chocolates was and they bought one of the Large Chocolatiers Table boxes, which are £120. They are sensational.”

However, she added that there were always people who dashed into the store at the final hour.

She said:

“There are two really distinct groups.

“So you have the people who come in and get everything in advance. Or there is a particular product they know they want to get before it sells out.

“You then get a lull before you get all the people who come in last minute and grab lots of different things like the night before.”

However, it’s not all about the loved-up couples this year. Following a tough few years, which saw us spend last Valentine’s Day in lockdown, Hotel Chocolat has created some ‘With Love’ products that can be bought for any special person in your life – including yourself!

The Just to Say chocolate collection.

Hannah said:

“It’s themed towards Valentine’s Day, but I think it can be anyone you’ve not seen in a while. Or if could be a birthday, an anniversary or a best friend.

“Our Valentine’s Day message tends to be, sharing love with your close ones. It’s not necessarily aimed at romantic partners in particular.

“You can also obviously treat yourself – especially now we have the Valentine’s Day limited edition Selectors.”

When it comes to gifts, Hannah said her top three were the Velvetised Chocolate Tasting Experience, priced at £14.95, which includes two cream liqueurs, a Hotel Chocolate coupe glass and chocolate caramel batons.

She said:

“This is what I want to get for me. I’ve earmarked this for myself. The chocolate liqueurs are fantastic.”

He second choice is the Straight from the Heart box.

She said:

“I’ve always loved it. It just encapsulates that traditional Valentine’s Day feel. I think they are always a really good choice.”

But it’s the special edition Valentine’s Day Selectors that have really captured her heart this year.

She added:

“They are really colourful and nice for a self-treat as you can mix and match. Although obviously I would treat myself to a big box as well!”

My top five picks from the Hotel Chocolate Valentine’s Day collection

It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it. I tried a selection of chocolates from the new collection, here are my favourites:

Amaretto chocolate heart from various selections

The Straight From the Heart selection.

This is available in the With Love Sleekster, H-Box and Straight from the Heart selection. If you’re a fan of the warming almond flavour of amaretto, this is the one of you. As with all the boozy chocolates, Hotel Chocolat certainly doesn’t scrimp on the alcohol, and this one certainly packs a punch in the best way possible. Tastes just like the real thing, with the welcome addition of a chocolate hit. And with it’s pink topping, it looks pretty too. If you would prefer an alcohol-free option, the banana or raspberry smoothie chocolates taste just like you got the Nutribullet out and whipped up your favourite fruity treat. Check out the hearth-shaped white chocolate strawberry mousse too if fruit is your thing.

Love Potions – £15

Not only do the little chocolates taste amazing, they also come in a really cute little potion bottle, which can be re-used. There are six different flavours of chocolate, including You’re Berry Special, Hello Honey and Pistachi-oh! But my favourite actually surprised me as it was a dark chocolate Sour Cherry. It sounds like it could taste pretty bitter, but the white ganache filling resulted in a smooth, decadent treat.

A Dozen Chocolate Little Lovebirds – £8.50

If you don’t want to spend a fortune, but want something cute, these little lovebirds are super sweet in every way. They taste like raspberries and cream and didn’t last very long at home, as the kids took a shine to them. A little bit on the sweet side? Try A Dozen Dapper Dogs – made with 40 per cent milk chocolate – instead. If you like both of these but want something a little more grown-up, I recommend the Just to Say chocolate collection, which includes a variety of chocolate batons with similar flavours. The packaging on all the boxes is lovely by the way – with little heart shapes cut out of the cover, showcasing all the bright colours of the chocolates.

Classic Champagne Truffle Tin – £10

Champagne and Valentine’s Day go hand-in-hand and these super boozy delights come in a re-useable pretty silver tin. What I would say is that if you don’t like alcohol, these aren’t for you. Their strong flavour is a result of using a splash of real Mercier Champagne. Apparently other chocolatiers normally use Marc de Champagne – a fiery spirit made from grape skins and stalks. I’m obsessed with these beauties, but some might find the flavour quite overpowering. I personally love the boozy kick. They also aren’t badly priced at £10 and look more expensive than they are.

Tackling tinnitus: The Harrogate hearing clinic helping sufferers ‘take back control’

For some it can be a ringing in their ear, for others it could be a buzzing or even a hissing noise.

Tinnitus can be a particularly annoying condition as it causes a person to hear sounds that are not generated by the outside world – so the noises can’t just be switched off.

Fortunately, most get used to the sound, with it fading into the background as they go about their daily lives.

But for a small group, it can be distressing, and these people are often told there is little that can be done to help them.

Structured approaches

However there are structured approaches that can give back control.

Speaking ahead of Tinnitus Week, which takes place from February 7-13, Emily Balmer, founder and lead audiologist of The Hearing Suite, Harrogate, said:

“A lot of people say they have got tinnitus and it doesn’t bother them. It’s almost just like the soundtrack to their lives, which is totally fine.

“It’s that little group that it’s bothersome for and is distressing and upsetting for that need help.

“But it doesn’t always have to be distressing. There are things people can do to have it and live well with it.”

Emily, who specialises in tinnitus, explained that all her patients described the condition differently.

She said:

“It’s usually a ringing or a buzzing, but some people do get music. Some people say it’s like a twinkly sound.

“If it’s there and they are happy, we are happy. The only time we would start digging a little bit deeper is if it’s only in one ear, if it sounds like a heartbeat, if it’s stopping them sleeping or driving them to distraction.”

British Tinnitus Association

About 30 per cent of people will experience the condition at some point, according to the British Tinnitus Association, with approximately 13 per cent of UK adults living with persistent tinnitus.

Led by the British Tinnitus Association, Tinnitus Week is aimed at helping people to find out more about the condition, who it affects and ways to live well with it.

Emily said:

“Tinnitus awareness week is really good, because it is run by the British Tinnitus Association and they are amazing.

“They are a charity, they do events which raise awareness, and publish research. If ever there was a cure for tinnitus, it would be them who shouted it from the rooftop.

“While there isn’t a cure, it’s about managing it. There are things you can do, but unfortunately there isn’t a tablet that will just make it go away.”

Take back control

At The Hearing Suite, Emily said she and fellow tinnitus specialist, Laura, work through three main areas to help people take back control:

Education

“Before we can start to manage someone’s tinnitus, we have to understand why it is there. We need to understand what else was happening when it started, how long its been present, how healthy each part of the ear is, and the pitch of the tinnitus itself.

“From there we can decide if we need further investigation from our ear, nose and throat consultant. Then is looking at the resources and learning that might benefit the individual.”

Sound enrichment

“If there is hearing to build back in we always do that first. If we can stop someone straining to hear then it takes pressure from the auditory system. A trial of one of our invisible hearing aids like Lyric is often a great place to start.

“If the hearing is perfect we can start to explore things like ear level maskers with fractal tones or notch therapy.”

Stress management

“We often find that stress is intrinsically linked to tinnitus. Getting people to restart a hobby, or take a little time for them is often hugely beneficial. There is also a strong evidence base for mindfulness and other types of relaxation reducing tinnitus. We tend to recommend based on the motivations and interests of the individual.”

Free events

The Hearing Suite will be hosting three complimentary events during Tinnitus Week.

Emily said:

“The week helps to raise awareness of the condition. Say if someone has tinnitus, when would you be in the circumstances where you would tell someone?

“You might feel like you’re the only person in Harrogate for instance, when actually when you’re in a restaurant, there are probably five other people in there who have got it.

“It’s a bit of solidarity and driving people to good resources.”

Emily carries out a consultation at The Hearing Suite.

The free Tinnitus Week events at The Hearing Suite are as follows:

Tinnitus: An Introduction Monday, February 7, 3pm – 5pm

This event will provide an overview on the subject on tinnitus, including what causes and contributes to tinnitus, how it impacts quality of life, and an introduction to some treatment options.

Tickets available here

Tinnitus and Stress Wednesday, February 9, 1pm – 3pm

Tinnitus and stress are known to be closely linked. This event will offer insights into the relationship between tinnitus and stress, and how stress management can in turn help to reduce the perceived intensity and burden of tinnitus.

Tickets available here

 Tinnitus: Options in 2022 Thursday, February 10, 10am – 12pm

Management of tinnitus often requires a multifaceted approach. This event will provide education on the evidence-based tools and treatment options currently available for tinnitus.

Tickets available here

A Taste of Home: Grantley Hall’s Shaun Rankin and his triumphant return to North Yorkshire

I can still remember watching Shaun Rankin make his famous treacle tart on The Great British Menu in 2009.

I used to be a regular viewer of the BBC 2 series back in the day — and like Greg Wallace, I never forget a good pud.

So I was genuinely looking forward to meeting the Michelin Star chef, who has returned to his North Yorkshire roots at the helm of his eponymous restaurant at Grantley Hall.

I managed to get lost on my way to the Grade II listed luxury hotel, despite being there twice before. And using a sat nav. So we had a good laugh about my terrible sense of direction, before we sat down for a coffee in the dining room.

It was certainly an opulent backdrop for an interview. The sprawling estate on the outskirts of Ripon was established at the end of the 17th century, its Palladian-style mansion boasting a rich history having been home to lords and ladies and hosted countless society dinner dances. So the restaurant, which was once a ballroom, is obviously a grand affair. Definitely Bridgeton territory.

Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall. Photograph: Jack Hardy.

Yorkshire lad

Born in Richmond, Shaun, who turns 50 in March, is a Yorkshire lad.

He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a chef, often cooking with his mother at home in County Durham, where he grew up.

He said:

“Every chef always says their mum was a good cook. And she was. She was a great baker. She was one of those ladies who cooked on a Sunday. I used to help her with her Sunday roasts and make Yorkshire puddings, mash the potatoes and all that kind of stuff at the age of 13 or 14.

“I used to help make scones, apple pies, mince pies and things like that. And those things were used at the beginning of the week. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, all the bakery products were then used to feed you through the week.

“It was quite a simple upbringing. Mum and dad were divorced, so it was only mum that brought me and my brother up.”

At the age of 16, Shaun went to London to complete a three-year apprenticeship at the five-star May Fair, Ritz and Savoy hotels in London.

He said:

“I went to London as a bit of an escape. From the world of simple things really.

“It opened your eyes to luxury, to food, restaurants and the scene of hospitality. Things you’d never seen before in your life. Things you’d only seen on TV or read.

“That’s where I kind of cut my teeth.

“At that age I didn’t know what a Jerusalem artichoke looked like. So it was a learning curve from all aspects — it was life-changing.

” I liked the idea of cooking, so then from there it just became a passion.

“It just becomes your life. You get so enthralled in it all, that you just get carried away with it.”

After completing his apprenticeship, he returned to North Yorkshire in 1992 to work at one of the most prestigious restaurants in the UK at the time, the Black Bull in Moulton, near Richmond.

He said:

“That was a notorious fish restaurant, so I learned lots about fish, lobster, crabs, langoustines. All those really fab ingredients from the coastal areas.

“I was there for about two years and then the head chef said to me ‘it’s time to go’. So he found me a job in Jersey.”

Turning point

Shaun went on to spend much of his career in Jersey, eight years of which were dedicated to the Relais and Chateaux Hotel Longueville Manor. He opened his first restaurant as head chef, Bohemia in 2003, gaining a Michelin Star two years later.

In 2013, after nine years at Bohemia, the rising star went on to open the much-awaited Ormer in Jersey, winning a Michelin Star just four months later. In 2016 he opened its sister restaurant, Ormer Mayfair, bringing the tastes and produce of Jersey to London.

Fondly reminiscing about his time in Jersey, he said:

“That just opened my eyes again to what a different world we live in. Island life. I really fell in love with ingredients.

When you are island-locked, you start to understand exactly what is in abundance and what is sustainable and the carbon footprint of the produce that you use. You’ve got to be shipping in a lot of your meat protein because it’s unavailable on an island.

“But you understand the asparagus grower, the strawberry grower, the guy that grows the watercress, the Jersey Royal is phenomenal, all the vegetables that are grown on the island.

“So you really get a sense of community and you understand what goes into the produce and how hard it is to produce.

“That’s where the whole thing changed for me. As a 22-year-old it kind of clicked. And I knew this was the path, it’s all about ingredients, it’s all about respect for it and you need to try and bring this carbon footprint down.”

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Sustainability

And it is this sustainability approach that he has brought with him to Grantley Hall.

He said:

“The food philosophy has to be that produce is sourced from all around Yorkshire. Of course we go to the coast to get seafood and we go to Scotland to get shellfish, but 95 per cent of the time everything is from a 20 to 30 mile radius and that’s our platform.”

Shaun uses R&J farmers and butchers, from Kirkby Malzeard, and Farmison butchers, based in Ripon, to source meat.

He said:

“All the cattle is full breed and full carcass cut, so that means there is no wastage and that’s really important for us.”

Shaun also uses ingredients from the kitchen garden at Grantley, which supplies 70 per cent of the restaurant’s produce throughout the year.

He added:

“For the rest of it we forage. Things which are around us like rosehips, elderberries, elderflowers, pineapple weed. All these things that are around the areas and local to us. We use those and we create the platform for the dishes.”

Grantley Hall, Ripon

The restaurant is set within Ripon’s 17th century mansion, Grantley Hall. Photograph: Jack Hardy

In fact, if it’s not from the UK, it won’t make an appearance on the menu. This is something he takes a tough stance on.

He said:

“We don’t use olive oil, we use rapeseed oil, we use all of these substitutions all the way through. We don’t use or make pasta, because it’s not what we are.

“Everything is very traditional but reflected in a different modern cooking way and method.

“Hence the menu is called a Taste of Home.”

Taste of Home

And a taste of home it truly is. The current 10-course dining experience, which changes throughout the seasons, features dishes including Bread, Butter, Dripping and Beef Tea, which is bound to evoke memories of a traditional Yorkshire upbringing for many.

And of course the famous Treacle Tart and Clotted Cream makes an appearance.

Shaun said:

“It’s about what a taste of home means. It means that we remember nostalgic parts of our childhood and memories that take us back. It’s led by food and combinations of flavours and textures.

“We take all of the ingredients during the course of the spring and the summer and we will use them in their natural process, but will then savour them and will pickle them, ferment them or preserve them in some way so we can use them in the winter.

“We don’t use things like pineapple, mango or coconut, again we don’t use anything that isn’t from the UK.

“That’s a really strong message for us. For this sustainable carbon footprint approach to this restaurant.

“I’ve been flying this flag since I was 20 in Jersey, and now I am even more determined for it to be that way.

“As a chef, I’m also a teacher, so it’s important to teach my brigade – the chefs that work in the restaurant who are the next generation – that you don’t have to put a menu together with a load of avocados and tuna and passion fruit, pineapple and mangos.

“You can use what is here on the British island really resourcefully. Surely then that generation might change and then the carbon footprint shrinks even further.”

Venison Loin, Blackcurrant and Celeriac from Shaun Rankin’s Taste of Home menu at Grantley Hall.

Passion for design

Shaun said he actually ended up at Grantley Hall thanks to his passion for designing restaurants and concepts.

He said:

“I used to do a lot of consultancy creating and helping hotels and restaurants to achieve what they needed to achieve in London, Jersey and throughout the UK, sometimes even the South of France.”

Two years before Grantley Hall opened, he was introduced to Andrew McPherson, the general manager, and Richard Sykes, the managing director, and joined the team as a consultant, helping to put the concepts and designs together for all the restaurants, kitchens and food and beverage areas in the hotel.

Enjoying his time back in Yorkshire, he was then invited to take over the fine dining and was put in charge of designing the restaurant itself. This involved everything from the credenza units to the soft-closing, velvet-lined drawers, which prevent the clink of the silver-dipped Sheffield cutlery. It’s these little details that help to enhance the dining experience, which, when you are paying £130 per head, is perhaps to be expected.

Shaun said:

“We created everything. We bought the best linen, the best glassware, the best porcelain and crockery.

“Richard and the family honed in on all the local tradesman and materials and again, used everything, as much as possible, from around the Yorkshire area.”

Whisky Sours

Shaun now splits his time between Yorkshire and Jersey, where his two boys, Harry and Ethan, live with their mother.

He currently has a home in Ripon, but before that he lived in Ripley, near Harrogate.

So of course, I wanted to know where his favourite places to eat and drink were in the district.

He said:

“I spent a lot of time at the bar in The Ivy Harrogate drinking whisky sours. The bar is really nice.

“I love Oliver’s Pantry in Ripon. The breakfast is good there and they do a really good club sandwich.

“I go to Three’s a Crowd in Harrogate. I’ve had food a couple of times and it’s tasty. I’ve had Sunday lunch there. I love a roast dinner.”

In terms of what the future holds for Grantley, Shaun said he was looking forward to hopefully having a full year in service at the hotel, following two years of upheaval due to the pandemic.

‘World class’ ambitions

He said:

“Hopefully from now since we reopened, we will get one full year. We will get some momentum.

“We got the Michelin Star in January last year, and the thing about that is every day you need to polish it and keep and eye on it, because you never expect to hold it.

“The ambition for us is the second star in the next few years, so we have to work hard for that. We are constantly working on training and building the team.

“The thing about momentum in restaurants is the more you are open, the better the momentum is. It just becomes more natural and more fluid with everybody and the work, products and service become better. Constantly starting and stopping, you just lose the whole rhythm.

“We are focused on what we do here. The ambitions of Grantley Hall are still yet to be seen. It’s a long journey for Grantley Hall, and for us here and what we want to achieve.

“It really is a world class destination and we want to create a world class restaurant.”

Traditional methods

Shaun then took me on a brief tour of the kitchen – immaculate, unlike mine – which features the Chef’s Table. You can pull up a leather stool and have dinner in the place where the magic happens.

There is also a private dining room, The Dales Suite, which can seat up to 20 people, where you can celebrate special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays and weddings.

Shaun said:

The key message is what we cook here is for a reason. You don’t get fois gras here, you don’t get anything that comes out of France or Italy. Even down to the charcuterie. We brine our own pork collars and make our own hams.

“Everything is traditional, using old methods from the last 200 or 300 years. Salting, brining, curing, preserving fermenting.”

And his favourite dish on the current menu?

“At the moment it’s our Yorkshire venison with blackcurrants and celeriac – both of course grown in our kitchen garden.”

An invitation to Barnard Castle School – educational excellence with ‘happiness at its heart’

This article is sponsored by Barnard Castle School.

As a parent, choosing the right school for your child can be one of the most challenging and important decisions you will make.

It is also a major milestone for your child, therefore their happiness is paramount.

Tony Jackson, headmaster at Barnard Castle School, recognises this and has moved to reassure parents that “enormous emphasis” has been placed on ensuring every pupil feels a sense of belonging at the school.

He said:

“Only then will they come close to maximising their potential.”

His comments come ahead of a series of open mornings being held at the co-educational independent day and boarding school in County Durham, which has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.

The events, which are being held in February and March, are aimed at giving parents and pupils an opportunity to get a feel for the school, inspect the facilities and chat with peers and staff.

Mr Jackson, who has been headmaster at the school, known affectionately as ‘Barney’, since 2018, said:

“It is important your child flourishes whilst at school, which are the most important and formative years of their lives.

“At Barney, our students exceed their academic potential as a result of inspiring teaching, delivered in an easy, open and respectful environment at the heart of which are the caring relationships that exist between the teachers and students.”

Mr Jackson said the school’s recent achievements are a result of the teachers and wider ancillary staff, who spend every day “inspiring, supporting and guiding” pupils.

He said:

“Barney has always possessed a wonderful environment, with happy children and staff at its heart.

“Whilst we are extremely proud of what our students achieve academically, we also recognise the vital importance of preparing the next generation for an ever-changing and increasingly competitive and global marketplace.

“We expect our pupils to work as hard as they can, and do as well as they can.

“However, we tell them that academic success will only open a door; it is what they do when they walk through that door that counts.”

The school has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.

The headteacher said that as a result of this ethos, the school prides itself on its co-curricular activities.

He added:

“It is in these environments that most life lessons are learned. We want our young people to problem-solve, work in a team, demonstrate leadership and have emotional intelligence.

“Resilience and humility must also be at the very heart of our young people. All these attributes are delivered most effectively through extra-curricular activities.

“Be it missing out on a part in a play, or performing on stage, or standing with teammates to defend a goal or a try line; winning and losing.

“All these experiences help develop in our children the attributes they will need, and the more exposure they can get, the better, which is why our activity programme is so varied.”

Beyond the more traditional spheres of music, drama and sport, Barnard Castle School currently offers more than 100 activities to students, which include a bespoke ‘Mind, Body and Soul’ programme for Year 7 and 8s.

Mr Jackson said:

“We often find that a number of our pupils create and lead their own activities as well, demonstrating leadership and innovation.

“We want Barnardians to be the types of people who light up a room when they enter it. This requires confidence, resilience and compassion, all built up over a period of time, and in a variety of ways, both within and beyond the classroom. No leader can achieve anything major without the influence of the staff who make it happen. This is especially the case in our school.

“We tell our parents that our collective role, as parents and teachers, is to arm our children with the tools with which to clear the path ahead of them, not to clear the path for them. This means we have to allow them to fail at times, in a supportive environment.

“If we do that together, we are doing our best to prepare our young people for the challenges ahead.”

Situated on the outskirts of historic market town of Barnard Castle, an extensive transport service is operated from across the North East and North Yorkshire to the school.

Full or flexible boarding options in the school’s friendly, welcoming boarding houses are also provided.

To find out more about what makes education at Barnard Castle School so special, contact a member of the admissions team on 01833 696030 or email admissions@barneyschool.org.uk

Families invited to explore top independent school Cundall Manor

This article is sponsored by Cundall Manor School.

It is ranked in the top nine per cent of independent schools in the UK and is situated in an idyllic part of rural North Yorkshire.

Now, prospective families are being invited to explore Cundall Manor School as it opens its doors for two special events in February and March.

The open days will take place at the “friendly, supportive and caring” school, which offers provision for boys and girls from the age of two to 16.

The first will be held on the morning of Saturday, February 5, followed by another on Saturday, March 26.

Amanda Kirby, who has been the headteacher at the school for almost 10 years, said:

“We hold open days to invite prospective parents to the school with the opportunity to see the school facilities and to get a feel of the Cundall experience. It allows them to meet the pupils ask them questions but also talk to the teachers as well.”

Mrs Kirby said the events provided an opportunity for the school to get a feel for who the prospective families are and in return parents and children are able to inspect the facilities and chat with pupils and staff.

She said:

“Parents can get an insight into our school culture, the curriculum and the type of pupils we produce. It also allows parents to meet our fantastic senior leadership team and they can establish a relationship.”

In terms of what the school has to offer, including state-of-the-art facilities, Mrs Kirby said Cundall Manor is “proof that the world of Enid Blyton can be at one with the 21st century”.

She added:

“Seeing is believing. Rather than driving success we promote success on an individual basis. We are not afraid to push pupils out of their comfort zone, cultivating a ‘yes’ mentality which prepares children to embrace the world and to think and act independently and without inhibitions.

“We possess excellent grass pitches for rugby, football and cricket. We have a 4G astro turf that is used for hockey, netball, football and tennis. We also possess a 20-metre, four-lane swimming pool.

Located in a magnificent 28-acre site in the Vale of York, between Ripon and Thirsk, Cundall Manor School mainly attracts pupils from a 20-mile radius, including the Harrogate district.

Mrs Kirby said:

“We attract pupils from a Harrogate as we have an extensive bus routes and one of the routes goes through the town centre.”

The open days will see parents greeted by some of the school’s prefects, before being accompanied to a welcome tent.

They will then be taken on a tour of the whole school by a prefect and will be invited to ask questions about the school and life from a pupil perspective.

Mrs Kirby said:

“During their tour of school, they will visit our Wild Wood, this will showcase some of the extracurricular activities we offer such as axe throwing, fire building and much more.

“They will then go onto our school field, which is a magnificent 26-acre field containing rugby, football and cricket pitches.

“We also have a new 4G astro turf, which allows us to mainly play hockey, but we also use it for netball and tennis.”

At the end of the tour, parents will be taken back to the tent where they will have the opportunity to speak with Mrs Kirby and her deputies. They will also have the opportunity to talk to the school’s new headteacher, Christopher James-Roll, who starts at the school in September.

Mrs Kirby added:

“Open days give prospective parents the opportunity to see Cundall in ‘full-flow’. We are not just the sum of our stunning surroundings, enriching curriculum, and extra-curricular opportunities. Parents say they can tangibly feel the friendly and purposeful atmosphere when they meet our pupils and staff. It is always wonderful to see everyone engaged in learning activities.

“Pupils lead our tours, giving prospective families a real insight into what it is like to be a pupil at Cundall Manor School. Some of these pupils have been here since they were in nursery and have many wonderful anecdotes of their time at school.

“Chatting over refreshments after the tours allows prospective families to meet with our head, head of admissions and deputies, affording parents a relaxed environment to ask any questions as they arise.

“Families leave feeling they’ve had a snap-shot into life at Cundall Manor School, ready to make informed decisions about the next steps to joining our family community.”

To register for one of the school’s open days click here to fill out a contact form or call 01423 360200.

TikTok famous: 4 videos featuring the Harrogate district’s people and places

After a Russian TikToker racked up a million views with a scenic video of Knaresborough and a clip went viral of Brimham Rocks staff kicking out a mobile DJ, the Harrogate district is becoming a regular feature on the popular social media platform.

Scrolling through an app like TikTok, where millions post videos of dance routines and comedy lip-sync clips, you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see the likes of Harrogate town centre, Knaresborough Castle or Fountains Abbey popping up on screen.

But more and more individuals, and more recently companies, are recognising how much the platform can boost your profile, with one small clip sometimes reaching millions of people from across the globe.

There is no denying that TikTok videos featuring the area are an effective way of showcasing what it has to offer, including places, people and businesses.

DJ Zach Sabri, who is better known as SUAT on TikTok recently went viral with this video filmed at Brimham Rocks.

Harrogate marketing agency Marketing Adventures uses the social media platform to help promote clients.

Creative director Brogan Huntington said:

“As a digital marketing agency with a young, innovative team, we have used TikTok for some time now.

“It is an incredible marketing tool. We use it for the majority of our clients especially in the property and food and beverage industries.

“It has taken some time for Harrogate businesses to become accustomed to the idea of using TikTok in order to promote their business online, as their perception has been that it is a younger audience. Although this is somewhat true, this video-based platform is a great way to build a brand and speak to your clients and your future clients.

“Video is one of our favourite tools to promote business and we have seen exceptional success through via sales videos have produced on social media.”

Read more:

Global hair and beauty brand Cloud Nine, which is based in Harrogate, started using TikTok in 2020 to promote its products.

Naomi Horan, social media and influencer manager, said:

“In 2020 and the year of lockdown, people looked to social media for a sense of release from their mundane work-from-home set up.

“TikTok proved pivotal in becoming both an escape and a source of inspiration, with everything from dance challenges and duets, to food recipes and every day hacks. This month, TikTok has reported over one billion active monthly users – you can no doubt expect you’ll find a percentage of your audience on this platform.

“For Cloud Nine, TikTok is going to become a crucial part of our 2022 plans to engage with our audiences in ways we have never done before.

“TikTok themselves say, ‘Don’t make ads, make TikToks’ – brands need to entertain their audience, build their awareness and in turn, they’ll reap the rewards.”

4 TikTok videos with more than 100k views featuring the Harrogate district’s people and places

Livharlandmusic – Harrogate busking

Liv Harland is from York, but can regularly be seen busking in Harrogate on her TikToks. In fact the singer, who has 1.5 million followers, had some of the biggest live stream moments of the year on the social media site, where she broadcasts herself busking. In 2021 she was fourth, fifth and seventh on the Top 10 list of the most watched live moments by artists on TikTok, alongside Ed Sheeran, Yungblud and Coldplay.

In this live TikTok, one of the many filmed in Harrogate, she clocked up a whopping 4.1 million views singing her version of Runaway by Aurora. In the video she notices a man in the background, who appears to have confused a loaf of bread with a mobile phone. We’ve all been there. It was one of her most viewed last year and features Cambridge Street.

@livharlandmusic

The strangest things happen when I’m busking honestly 😩 #fyp #viral #runaway #livharland #funny #foryou #xyzbca @iamauroramusic

♬ original sound – livharlandmusic

Amealmeal  – Harrogate accent

In this Tiktok video, which clocked up 520,000 views, Mila, a student nurse from Harrogate, has clearly been having difficulty getting others to understand why she doesn’t have a broad Yorkshire accent. All down to how well spoken we are in this town of course! The struggle is real.

https://www.tiktok.com/@amealmeal/video/7023100067812773125?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7033698343524288005

Beauty.spectrum – Visit to Knaresborough and Harrogate

OK, so this one hasn’t quite hit the 100k mark at 20.6k, however this TikTok of a day trip to Knaresborough was also featured on YouTuber Molly Thompson’s weekly vlog back in September, which also clocked up thousands of views. Molly has 130k subscribers to her YouTube channel.

In the vlog Molly, from Beverley, talks about how it has recently become popular for people to go to the town and take photos on the boats while rowing underneath the viaduct. She heads to Knaresborough with her friend for an “Instagram day” — she also has 64.7k followers on Instagram — and films her trip for Youtube and TikTok.

The TikTok video features Knaresborough Castle, the riverside and of course the boats and viaduct. She then heads to Harrogate and buys some donuts from Doe Bakehouse. Filmed on a sunny day last September, Knaresborough certainly needs no filter and looks stunning as always.

@mollythompson

The rest is coming in the weekly vlog tomorrow, but this was SUCH a cute day🥰🥺 #fyp #tiktoktraditions #knaresborough #travel #foryou

♬ Mood (feat. iann dior) – 24kGoldn

 

flyingscotsgirl  – Filming locations for The Witcher at Fountains Abbey and Malhamdale

Cat Thomson’s tours around Yorkshire’s villages, towns and countryside have been a big hit on TikTok. She saw a huge spike in her number of followers after lockdown in 2020, thanks to more people looking for places to stay in the UK.

Now living in Leeds, she regularly visits North Yorkshire and is a big fan of Fountains Abbey, near Ripon.

This video features a list of filming locations for season two of Netflix hit show, The Witcher, starring Henry Cavill. It includes Fountains Abbey, Plumpton Rocks near Harrogate, Goredale Scar and Janet’s Foss waterfalls in Malhamdale.

https://www.tiktok.com/@flyingscotsgirl/video/6901395697682107650?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7033698343524288005

Harrogate vegans on Veganuary, restaurants and why they chose plant-based diets

Whether you are a fan or not, veganism is definitely having its moment.

A record number of people are expected to try to eat only plant-based foods this month as growing concern about the climate crisis heightens interest in the Veganuary movement.

More than half a million people signed up to take part in last year’s Veganuary, about a quarter of whom – 125,000 – were based in the UK. However, the campaign’s research suggests that potentially 10 times as many people participate and a significant number continue with plant-based diets beyond the end of the month.

Vegan options are certainly appearing on more and more menus across the district – with some offering a wide range of options and even separate menus.

However, there is currently only one dedicated vegan café in Harrogate – Nourish Plant Kitchen – and the launch of the town’s first vegan restaurant, Vertigo, has been delayed.

Nourish

Nourish, on Mayfield Grove, opened in August after owner, Hannah Postlethwaite, took over what was formerly the Option Ve cafe.

Aimed at meeting the demands of the town’s growing vegan population, the café serves homemade food, juices, smoothies and raw cakes that are exclusively vegan, as well as refined-sugar free.

Nourish Plant Kitchen, on Mayfield Grove.

Rebz Jack, a baker at the dog-friendly café, has been a vegan for more than five years, a decision she initially made after questioning why, as an animal lover, she was eating animals.

She said:

“At first it was animals. Then it was the health benefits of not eating meat and dairy. It ended up making sense and over the course of two weeks I just dropped it.

“The owner Hannah, who has been a vegan for three or four years, was a vegetarian for a while and then something just clicked.

“I have mostly felt the benefits from a health perspective. When you first go plant-based you can tell by how much weight drops off you. Movement is easier and my knees weren’t as seized up.”

More options

Rebz said it was easier than ever to be a vegan now, as there were so many food and drink options available, with even McDonald’s offering a plant-based burger, the McPlant, which she has tried – and enjoyed!

However, she prefers to cook and eat fresh food, rather than use alternatives, like soy for example, and this is very much the ethos of Nourish.

Bang bang salad and sweetcorn cakes at Nourish.

The chef, whose favourite dish on the menu is mushrooms, thyme cashew cream and truffle oil on toast, said:

“We make sure we offer a nice tasty vegan menu and make everything fresh ourselves. It’s all homemade and healthy and it’s all food that will benefit you.

“You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy it. I think it’s good to see it as nice food rather than just vegan food. There is no pressure to be vegan, if you want to get on board great, if not, then that’s alright too.”

And when it comes Veganuary, she’s a fan of anything that might encourage people to give veganism a go.

She added:

“There will always be some that just do it for the hype, but it’s a great thing for awareness more than anything.”

Read more:

The year of the vegan

Sarah Dickinson is a blogger from Harrogate, known as Sunshine Sarah, and regularly writes about veganism.

She said:

“I have been vegan for three years now and I basically used Veganuary, not once, but twice, to make the switch. 2019 was in my opinion the year of the vegan, it all started with the Greggs sausage roll and hasn’t stopped since.

“A lot of companies, brands, supermarkets and restaurants who brought something out for Veganuary 2019 have continued to expand their range and even make some of their bestsellers permanent because of the rise of consumer interest in these more plant-based options. Even people who have no interest in going vegan are eating or trying these new options, such is their popularity.

“Each January now it seems there’s a war between who can offer the best options to cash in on the vegan market. In my opinion this is great because it means there’s even more choice available, whereas previously options were limited everywhere you went.”

Harrogate vegan blogger Sarah Dickinson.

Sarah said vegan options in Harrogate were getting better, however there was always room for improvement.

Tasty

She listed Hustle & Co, Farmhouse and Nourish as her favourites for offering “tasty plant-based vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options”.

She said:

“There are always new options on their menus and the food is so tasty.

“Pizza Express also have good offerings, but is severely lacking in the dessert department. I would say it’s getting better in Harrogate but it could be amazing given the sheer number of restaurants and places to eat here.”

Vegan Instagrammer Chloe Wright, from Harrogate, whose account @HelloVeganChlo has more than 8,000 followers, said:

“I’ve been meat-free since I was four-years-old and vegan for about four years.

“I think Veganuary is a fantastic campaign and it’s a great way to ease people into a plant-based diet, or to show them that vegan food is delicious.

“I think the vegan offering in Harrogate has vastly improved in recent years, my favourites are Cardamom Black, Gron, Wagamama, Nourish Plant Kitchen, Betty’s, Paradise Tap & Taco, Rudding Park and The Pine Marten.”

A vegan burrito at Paradise Tap & Taco, Harrogate.

Creative push

Jo Hewson, from Harrogate, said Veganuary gives a push to restaurants, supermarkets and food and drink establishments to think creatively about vegan options, leading to more permanent options for vegans as a result.

She said:

“I look forward to it so much, because I know there will be new options for me to try each year.

“I love Nourish Plant Kitchen as our resident vegan cafe, Hustle & Co have some delicious options, Farmhouse is great for variety. Recently I’ve been to Cote Brasserie and they have really shaken up their menu and have some of the best vegan food I’ve ever had.

“When I first became vegan, my options for eating out were limited to chain restaurants like Zizzi or Pizza Express – with one really dull vegan item on the menu.

“But now I am so happy that independent restaurants and cafes are not only catering for us, but being really inventive, trying to offer more than one option, and coming up with really unique and interesting food.”

A marinated smoky soy-infused broccoli and homemade satay sauce goodness grains bowl at Hustle & Co.

Great vegan options

Jasmine Feingold, also from Harrogate, said she believed the town had some great vegan options, listing Farmhouse and Hustle & Co as her go-to places as she could also take her non-vegan friends.

She said:

“Also, it’s just so nice to be able to support local businesses that offer vegan such as Major Tom’s Social, which does such great vegan pizza, great coffee and of course great beer.”

Massive improvements

Rachel Knight, who grew up in Knaresborough but now lives in Harrogate, has been a vegan for four years and said the restaurants’ vegan options had massively improved in that time – particularly in the last two years.

She said:

“If I go out for tea in Knaresborough, I go to the Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria or So! Bar. Two Brothers change everything to suit you and are really helpful about it.

“There aren’t really any places that are exclusively vegan, but most are happy to adapt recipes. It would be good if there were more places that offered a vegan-specific menu, rather than there being just one vegetarian option you can change to vegan.

“I think Veganuary is good as it gives people the opportunity to try it, without committing to going fully vegan. I was only going to try it for a month – I did it in February, rather than January – but I carried on.

“I have felt much better health-wise. If you eat a big vegan meal compared to a meat one you feel much less sluggish. I would definitely recommend it.”