Harrogate-based Cloud Nine sees turnover rise by a third

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Harrogate-based Cloud Nine sees turnover rise by a third

Well-known hair tool brand, Cloud Nine, is based in Harrogate and has this week reported a rise in turnover of more than a third.

The firm, based at Hornbeam Park, said turnover increased by more than a third to £35.7m for the year ending December 2021.

It also posted an operating profit of £9.9m, a 39 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The company employs more than 60 members of staff at its Harrogate headquarters and said the growth was due to significant growth in Australia, new product launches, and global exposure from its Love Island sponsorship deal.

Chief executive, Martin Rae, said:

“This is a very pleasing set of results, which cements our position as one of the world’s leading sellers of hair styling and beauty products.

“Our Australian business, which grew by over 100 per cent on the previous year, plus the launch of several new products has lifted our turnover and profitability. Over the last few years our online growth has been huge, and this remains a major focus area of our business today.”

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Networking Event Harrogate

The next The Northern Affinity monthly event is being held in Harrogate for first time at the new Wizu Workspace  this Friday.

The Northern Affinity describes itself as “a partnership of SMEs and businesses in the North of England who collaborate with shared values and beliefs”.

There are a few places left for guests . The event starts at 9am.

For more information click here. 

13 complaints against Harrogate district councillors this year

This year, 13 complaints were made against Harrogate district councillors and only one councillor was found to have breached code of conduct rules.

The councillors have featured in a Harrogate Borough Council report which details how the complaints made during 2021/22 were investigated and dealt with.

This was councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, whose comments secretly recorded during a conversion with a resident amounted to an “unwarranted personal attack” on other councillors, council officers and Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones.

That is according to a separate report, which concluded that Cllr Marsh “had not treated others with respect”.

Cllr Marsh, who represents the Hookstone ward, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that a complaints panel hearing held in January was “not fairly balanced” because it was made up of two Conservative councillors and one Ripon Independent.

She also said she had a right of freedom of speech and that her comments were “not harmful or disrespectful”.

However, the report concluded that “whilst freedom of speech is important for elected members, there is a need for council to ensure that they do not undermine trust and confidence with ill-judged and inappropriate statements”.

All other councillors involved in the 13 complaints are not named because they are “treated confidentially” unless a panel hearing is held, the council said.

Bullying allegation

There were 11 complaints where a monitoring officer and independent person ruled that investigations were not needed. This included allegations of bullying by a parish councillor.

The report said there had been “historical and ongoing difference of views” between two members of the parish council and that another investigation was “unlikely to resolve the situation”.

A separate complaint alleged that a borough councillor tried to “cajole” the borough council’s planning committee by reading a pre-prepared speech at a meeting.

However, the monitoring officer and independent person ruled that this was “not a cause for concern as it merely demonstrates that a councillor has prepared for the meeting and marshalled their thoughts and arguments”.

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Another complaint claimed that a borough councillor adopted an “unhelpful and obstructive approach” by failing to answer questions during a public consultation.

But this complaint was also not referred for an investigation.

Accusations of lying formed the basis of one complaint which involved a parish councillor who allegedly distributed leaflets containing “inaccurate and misleading information” about a planning application.

This complaint was also closed after a conclusion that there was “no evidence” to support the claims.

No trains in Harrogate and Knaresborough as strike begins

No trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough today as a national strike gets underway.

Harrogate station was deserted this morning with no picketers outside. However, the ticket office was still manned.

The RMT union has called the strike, which is also scheduled for Thursday and Saturday, over pay and conditions.

Thousands of drivers, signal operators and guards will walk out, crippling services.

Timetables published by Northern don’t show any trains on the Harrogate line on Tuesday or Thursday this week and there will be no replacement buses.

The train operator is currently expecting to run limited services on Saturday, although the company has warned of disruption and urged people to seek alternative travel.

LNER will also be running no services to London King’s Cross from Harrogate on all three strike days.

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Some trains are expected to run on non-strike days, however Northern has warned that services could still be affected.

The company is advising passengers not to travel on trains on any day between Tuesday and Sunday.

Sculpture trail opens at Newby Hall

Newby Hall has opened a new sculpture trail.

Newby22 features work from established and emerging artists in the gardens of the stately home near Ripon.

The exhibition includes 40 pieces from 21 artists in a range of mediums from bronze and stone to resins and galvanised wire or glass.

Newby artist in residence during the Queen’s platinum jubilee Freddy Paske and Knaresborough sculptor and prop maker Ben Greenwoodvare among those exhibiting.

Another Harrogate district artist displaying is Joseph Hayton, from Pateley Bridge.

Ruin by Joseph Hayton

Built in the 1690s, Newby Hall is the Compton family home.

Orlando Compton, son of owners Richard and Lucinda, assembled the collection. He said:

“It is thrilling to be able to stage our sculpture exhibition again after the pandemic enforced a two-year break.

“The exhibition features stunning artworks from artists from across the country and we are delighted to be able to showcase their talent to visitors over the coming months.

“This year’s exhibition is truly spectacular and demonstrates why art and culture are such an important part of life’s experiences.”

Blue Marlin by Graham Anderton

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This is the 17th year Newby Hall has held a sculpture exhibition.

It is open to the public until October 3. Admittance is included in the ticket price for the hall and gardens.

All the sculptures are for sale directly from Newby Hall.

 

Harrogate commuters braced for ‘inconvenient’ train strikes

As train services prepare to wind down today ahead of the looming rail strike, the Stray Ferret went to Harrogate station this morning to speak to commuters.

No trains will run between York and Leeds on Tuesday and Thursday this week, which will affect rail passengers in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Further strike action is planned on Saturday and rail operator Northern is urging people not to travel on trains between tomorrow and Sunday.

No replacement buses are being put on.

The RMT union has called the strike over pay and conditions. It will see thousands of drivers, signal operators and guards walk out.

Commuters in Harrogate said they had been forced to change their working days this week or work from home. Some have had to rearrange or cancel meetings.

Kevin Dalton told us:

“I’m not a regular train user as I work from home most of the time.

“But I had a meeting this week and I’ve had to rearrange to today just so I can make it. The idea of driving into Leeds or York for 9am just isn’t worth thinking about.”

For others still having to travel into the office, the additional petrol and taxi fees were a concern.

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Kayleigh, who works at Hornbeam Park and asked not to publish her surname, said:

“I’ve had to arrange for someone to come and pick me up and bring me home each day.

“It is an inconvenience, I work with people from York and Leeds so they’ve either got to work from home or spend two and a half hours on the bus.”

Another commuter, Diane Hitchen, sympathised with the strikers and said the difficulties it is causing highlighted how much rail workers do. She added:

“I have a lot of teacher friends who have taken strike action before so I understand why.

“Clearly rail workers feel they have to make an impact for their requests to be met.”

Northern has said it will publish its Sunday timetable shortly.

Further details on how the strike will affects services are available here.

Boy, 11, and man seriously injured after blade incident in Beckwithshaw

A boy and a man have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a major incident in Beckwithshaw this morning.

Armed officers and a police helicopter were deployed at about 8.20am to a house on Church Row in the village.

North Yorkshire Police released a statement minutes ago saying an 11-year-old boy and 40-year-old man had suffered “serious injuries believed to be sustained by a bladed article”.

Both males have been taken to hospital and police remain on the scene.

The statement said:

“Officers were called to a property in Church Row, Otley Road, at 8.20am today and on arrival found an 11-year-old boy and 40-year-old man with serious injuries believed to be sustained by a bladed article.

“Both males have been taken to hospital.

“The incident is not connected to the nearby school.”

This morning, the Stray Ferret received reports of numerous emergency services vehicles and an air ambulance attending the scene.

A police cordon is in place and the road from the roundabout near the cricket club to the junction with Shaw Lane was closed.

One villager told the Stray Ferret the road had reopened.

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Road closure in Beckwithshaw as emergency services respond to incident

A road closure is in place between the cricket club and the junction of Shaw Lane in Beckwithshaw as emergency services and the air ambulance respond to an incident.

The details of the incident are unknown but reports suggest there are multiple police cars, ambulances and an air ambulance near the village hall, opposite the Smiths Arms pub in the village.

Reports suggest the main scene of the incident is near the mini roundabout close to the cricket club, at the northern end of the village. Police at the scene confirmed there was not believed to be any risk to the wider public or the nearby primary school.

Drivers should avoid the area if possible. Officers said they expected the closure to be in place for some time.

We will update you when we get more information. Anyone with further details can email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

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Business Breakfast: Knaresborough barbers celebrates 20 years in business

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Knaresborough barbers celebrates 20 years in business

Knaresborough barber shop, The Barber Asylum, celebrated 20 years in Knaresborough last week with a day of festivity.

The Barber Asylum, on the High Street, was first opened in Knaresborough on Cheapside by Alex Tabor.

After 20 years Mr Tabor has said barbering has definitely changed, with new styles and trends keeping him and his five staff on their toes.

He said:

“It feels good it seems to have gone really quick. We’ve had customers that have supported us from day one, we’ve got to know them really well. We’ve also watched some of our youngest customers grow up and go off to university.”

The shop is looking to hire one or two new barbers currently:

“Covid was a bit of a nightmare, we lost three members of staff. We’ve just recruited EJ but it’s been really bad getting staff. People have moved out of the industry over covid and there’s probably been a bit of a lag with the colleges getting people trained.”

Mr Tabor also owns Bluebeards Barber Shop on Commercial Street which opened 18 years ago.

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Former Harrogate Convention Centre operations head promoted

A former head of operations at Harrogate Convention Centre has taken up a senior post at Leeds First Direct Arena.

Martin McInulty, who has 20 years experience in the industry, will become general manager at the arena.

He said:

“I have lived and worked in Leeds for over 20 years and I have a real passion for the city.

“I started my events career at Leeds Town Hall in 2000. In this time, I have worked at some of the region’s most iconic venues.”

Harrogate’s roller derby team seeks new recruits

The Spa Town Roller Derby Team is on the lookout for new recruits after covid took its toll on numbers.

The team, which was set up in 2012, is Harrogate’s only roller derby league team and has 19 players.

It is made up of men and women putting on their skates and taking to the floor at Harrogate Ladies’ College each Sunday.

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two five-person teams skating counter-clockwise around a track. In each team there is a jammer and four blockers.

The jammer scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own jammer, in effect playing both offence and defence simultaneously.

The team sometimes competes and is currently at tier 4 of the British Championships. In 2016 to 2020 the team competed in the championships each year and without the disturbance of covid the team could have moved to tier 2.

Gemma Wilson has been a member from the start. She started after the birth of her son when she was living with post-natal depression and said being part of the team “saved” her:

“When I put my skates on I was able to forget everything and just laugh, sweat and learn alongside the team. Some say it’s cheap therapy!

“I am one of millions of people who were saved by the crazy, fast paced sport full of some of the most supportive and incredible people the world has to offer.

“During my time skating I have competed all over the country, travelled abroad, tried out for Team England, have some hilarious after party stories and have made lifelong friends across the globe.”

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Ms WIlson is encouraging people of all ages and abilities to sign up. They began recruiting six weeks ago and are in the middle of teaching new members the basics of contact.

The hope is with more members they can add another session in each week. She added:

“People really can take from it what they want as some just want to have a little slice of time for themselves or get fit whilst having fun, but if players want to then they can compete in scrimmages and bouts against other teams.”

To find out more about joining click here.

Stray Gardener: Top tips for successful propagation

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona gives you her top tips for propagating a new plant. 

 

Softwood cuttings are a great way to get started with propagation and as long as you follow a few simple rules you are guaranteed success.  A wide variety of perennials, deciduous shrubs and some trees can be rooted this way.

Plants such as Osteospermum, Penstemon, Pelargonium, Verbena, Salvia, Fuchsia, Sambucus (Elder), Hydrangea, deciduous Magnolia and more can all be rooted very successfully this way.

Pelargonium

Softwood cuttings are generally taken from spring to early summer, although I have had some success with soft woodcuttings of Penstemon and Pelargonium taken in August or September. They still have time to root before winter and can then be potted on in the spring quite happily.

Try and get your cutting material from young plants, the cuttings will root more easily as they have more natural rooting hormones, however, you can heavily prune older plants, feed and water well, and these can then produce new softer growth that will root more quickly.

When it comes to taking the cuttings, you need to work quickly, soft plant material loses moisture quickly once detached from the plant, so it is important to either get the material into a jar of water or a plastic bag immediately after cutting.  Try and get out of the sun as quickly as possible too, with the early morning or evening the best time to crop from the plants.

It is also important you inspect the plant and chose healthy strong shoots with no evident pests and diseases and preferably no flowers or buds. You need to take off around 10cm of the chosen shoot, although this does depend on the type and size of plant you are working with. Once collected, if you can’t take the cuttings straight away, put them in a fridge to keep them cool.

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When preparing the cuttings, use a sharp knife or pair of snippers, most do best if you cut to the node (found at a leaf joint), as this is where roots will grow from, although some plants such as Clematis do better as internodal cuttings (cut in between two leaf joints), the roots will grow from the internode.

Once you have trimmed to the node, remove the lower leaves and in most cases the tip can then be removed too.  I have found some plants do best if the tip is left in and removed once it has rooted, so it may be worth trying to see if it works for you too! The cutting can then be dipped in rooting hormone powder if you prefer, although a few plants will root perfectly well without it such as Pelargonium.

The cuttings then need to be inserted into a good well-drained propagation compost, make sure the leaves sit just above the compost and do not get buried at all, as this can be a source of rot in the cutting.  Water the cuttings from above as this will settle them in well.

Cuttings in propagator

If you are lucky enough to have a propagator, then place the cuttings into the propagator and keep them semi shaded.  If not, they will root perfectly well placed in a plastic bag that is tied at the top and put on a windowsill out of direct sunlight.  Keep checking the cuttings to ensure they are moist enough, generally three to four weeks is enough to get good roots on a soft woodcutting.  Then it’s just a case of taking them out of the propagator and once you see the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot, get them potted on.

Voila! You have the start of some new plants, have a go, it really is worthwhile.

Five top tips for July: