‘We’ve seen it all’: Harrogate shop employees look back on 15 years in photo shop

After 15 years working together at photo shop Max Spielmann in Harrogate, Alex Hope and Marisa Towler are two of the best known faces in the town centre.

As soon as you step into the shop on Oxford Street, it’s clear why the two are so highly thought of in the town. Beaming with smiles, the pair can’t wait to help and chat with anyone that comes in.

Alex and Marisa have worked at the store for 15 and 19 years respectively, an anomaly in the retail world where many people choose to move on rapidly. They say they couldn’t imagine doing another job.

‘We’ve seen it all’

After years in the same shop, the pair have shared every key moment in people’s lives, from printing baby photos, to school photos, to even wedding photos for the same families.

They say it is a “pleasure” to be trusted with recording people’s memories but said sometimes they can be a little “wild”.

Alex said:

“We could write books and books of the things you’ve seen, we’ve honestly seen it all. When you work with the public’s photos you really start to get an idea of what people are really like.

“We’ve had to tell best men in the past that some photos are just too far to show at weddings, especially from the stag do!”

Since Alex and Marisa started working together, technology has really advanced. From printing camera film to huge canvas prints, the pair have had to move with the times.

Marisa said:

“It’s just really enjoyable and interesting and of course we get on really well. We learn things everyday, the digital world is always changing and we just have to keep up.”

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‘Customers become an extended family’

Alex and Marisa have built bonds with customers, especially regulars. Over lockdown they said it was really difficult not knowing how some people were doing.

They said attitudes have definitely changed: some became more withdrawn after so long indoors whereas others couldn’t wait to be out again.

Some of the gifts collected at Christmas.

Alex added:

“They do become like an extended family, especially those that are in so often after so long you can’t help but get to know them really well. At Christmas it’s lovely when they bring in gifts for us, we are just doing our jobs at the end of the day but it’s so nice to know it’s appreciated.

“That’s why we’ve stuck around for so long!”

Stray Gardener: Create a legacy and plant a tree

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 explains how and why you should plant a tree.

 

One of the most satisfying things to do in life is to plant a tree, not only is it contributing to helping the environment by providing habitats for wildlife, reducing carbon dioxide in the environment and enhancing your local area.  They are great for your mental health, spending time with trees is a very relaxing and mindful thing to do and you are creating a legacy for generations of people for years to come.

But how do you get started?  First of all, it is important you research your trees well and choose one that is suitable for your site.  My heart always sinks when I see a tree such as the majestic monkey puzzle in a very small front garden, knowing it will never achieve its full life span of a 1000 years as it will have to be taken down long before that to avoid damage to the building it is next to.

Trees are best planted from October to April in the cooler dormant period of the year. This also means you can buy a bare root tree which is cheaper and are only available at this time. You can plant container grown trees too with the advantage that these can be planted pretty much all year round, but it does mean a lot more watering to get them established.

Once you are ready to plant, you need to dig a hole at least three times as wide as the pot or root spread and the same depth. Container grown plants benefit from having the roots gently loosened to help them to get established more quickly. It is a good idea to thoroughly soak the roots in a bucket of water before planting, some people also add a special powder with a fungus called mycorrhizae which can help the roots to establish quicker.

The tree can then be placed in the hole making sure that the point where the roots meet the trunk is level with the surface of the soil. You can use your spade placed horizontally across the hole to check if you are not sure the level is right.

Fastening a tree tie to the stake for stability

Then, it is just a case of refilling the hole, firming well and making sure there are no air pockets around the roots that could cause the root to dry out before establishing. Make sure the stem stays upright as you do this.

You may need to add a tree guard or spiral if you think there is a chance that the stems could get nibbled. Very small trees shouldn’t need staking and will grow better without one. Larger trees that may be top heavy will probably need to be staked to support them until they get established, usually this takes around 2 years. The stake is best put in at a 45% angle and the tree tied with a rubber or jute tie which can be screwed or nailed to the stake to keep it in place. Don’t forget to check the stakes and ties regularly and loosen as the tree grows.

A staked Davidia involucrata tree

After that, water well if conditions are dry and then add a layer of mulch around the base of the tree, making sure not to mulch right up to the stem as they can get smothered.

If you know somewhere you could put a tree, why not have a go this weekend and start creating a legacy.

Happy planting!

Fiona’s 5 Top Tips for February

  1. This is the perfect time to start dividing and re-planting snowdrops and winter aconites once they have finished flowering.
  2. Trim back Ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbers that are starting to get too big before birds start nesting.
  3. If possible, Protect early flowering fruit trees such as Apricots from frost with fleece.
  4. Citrus trees can be top dressed with compost or re-potted if required.
  5. Start chitting seed potatoes
Ripon beauty queen qualifies for UK final

Ripon beauty queen Victoria Hind has been crowned Miss North Yorkshire Galaxy 2022 to qualify for the grand final of Miss Galaxy UK in November.

Ms Hind won Miss Harrogate Galaxy last year to reach the UK final and although she didn’t place, she said the experience has made her more determined for this year.

The winner of Miss Galaxy UK will travel to the USA with contestants from all over the world to compete in the Miss Galaxy International final.

Ms Hind said she always wanted to compete in pageants but felt too anxious prior to lockdown. Stepping out on the stage has given her a huge boost in confidence, she added.

Her experiences with anxiety and dyslexia has encouraged her to start discussing the issues on social media.

She hopes to build her platform and talk openly about the challenges she’s faced ahead of the final in November:

“I want to show young children that dyslexia doesn’t have to hold you back, you still can do anything you want to do. If I can show one kid that then it’s worth it.”

Photograph: Brian Hayes Photography

It isn’t always crowns and ballgowns for Miss Hind: during the day she works at Sainsbury’s in Ripon.

The 23-year-old will also continue with her charity duties as Miss North Yorkshire by working with Ripon Food Bank, Saint Michael’s Hospice and Dogs for Good.

Last year, she walked in a Saint Michael’s Hospice fashion show, which raised over £7,000. Her Halloween party for Dogs for Good, which trains dogs to live as assistance dogs in people’s homes, raised £350.

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The Miss Galaxy UK final at the Park Hall Hotel in Lancashire consists of four rounds; an interview round, an evening wear round, a fashion wear round and a swimwear round.

The recent final in November 2021 saw Ms Hind compete against 58 other girls in the 18-27 age category.

 

Killinghall roadwork misery set to continue for extra week

Roadworks at the junction of Otley Road and Ripon Road in Killinghall are to continue for an extra week.

Long queues either side of the village have been a regular site since temporary traffic lights were installed on Monday.

Northern Powergrid wrote to nearby residents before the scheme began saying work would last 10 days until Friday 4 while it excavated a trench and laid cables beneath the pavement outside the Tesco being built on Ripon Road.

But residents have not been informed of further work due to take place from February 7 to 11.

According to the North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, broadband and water works will begin once the current work has ended.

The work by Openreach and Yorkshire Water will again involve three-way traffic lights, which are likely to cause more delays to motorists.

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A spokesperson for Openreach said:

“We have some minor works taking place between 7 and 9 February. This is to lay around 30 metres of underground ducting. To enable our engineers to work safely, we will require temporary traffic lights.

“We will work as quickly as we can do and make every attempt to co-ordinate the timing of our work with other companies to keep disruption to a minimum.”

Traffic in Killinghall this week has been described as “chaos”, with tailbacks of up to two miles reported during rush hours.

Mystery surrounds Harrogate’s wave of smiling graffiti

A wave of graffiti featuring blue smiling faces has been popping up around Harrogate.

Readers of the Stray Ferret have got in touch to say they have spotted the faces at various locations in town, especially in west Harrogate and Harlow Hill.

They all feature a blue outline of a smiley face — but what the face means and who the artist is remains a mystery.

Planters and street signs are among the items to have been sprayed blue.

The planter above, which was installed on Lancaster Road last year as part of the new Beech Grove Low Traffic Neighbourhood, is among the objects that have been targeted.

Harrogate Business Improvement District employed a new street ranger this month to remove graffiti as part of his job keeping the streets clean.

If you know more about the graffiti, let us know at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

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New Allertons hair salon to open on Harrogate’s Montpellier Street

A new hair and beauty salon is set to open on Harrogate’s Montpellier Street next month.

Allertons, which currently has two salons in Leeds and one in Nottingham, will take over the space previously occupied by Lifestyle Lounge.

Founder Nicholas Nicola said he’d lived in north Leeds all his life and always hoped to open a salon in Harrogate because he believed his brand would be well suited to the town.

Mr Nicola said Allertons hoped to bring something “new and fresh” to Harrogate and plans to start welcoming clients by February 22.

The left shows how the shop will look once the re-fit is complete.

The quick conversion of the premises aims to encourage Lifestyle Lounge customers to move their appointments to Allertons.

Mr Nicola said he has invested about £100,000 in the re-fit. The studio will open just one of its three floors at first with four members of staff.

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He added the other two floors will open in the months ahead and the team will grow to 16 staff offering hair and beauty treatments. He said job opportunities were still available:

“We think it will be well received. We aren’t led by fashion but what the clients want from root tints to bright blue. Harrogate already has so many lovely salons and hopefully we can bring something different.”

Harrogate residents launch campaign against Tesco plan

A group of residents whose homes would back onto the proposed new Tesco in Harrogate have begun a campaign against plans for a supermarket and petrol station.

The supermarket chain has applied to Harrogate Borough Council to build the almost 40,000 square feet store at the former gas works on Skipton Road. It hopes it will open next year.

An application was submitted in December after a public consultation showed support for the plans, with more than 70% of 190 people who took part giving a positive response.

But residents living next to the site on Electric Avenue have launched a campaign against the proposals, which they see as a threat to wildlife at the site which forms part of Oak Beck. They are also concerned about traffic.

Resident Jennifer Dance said there are also concerns over the consultation process, as well as the impacts on people’s daily lives:

“To local residents’ horror Tesco quietly held a public consolation and they claimed 70% were in favour of the development.

“However, only two residents on Electric Avenue were approached or consulted.

“They plan to put the delivery road directly behind our property, so everyday we will hear and see delivery vans whizzing up and down the road.

“The proposed site is home to and feeding grounds for lots of wildlife. Many of the animals visit our garden from the site and I have photographic evidence of some.

“I believe sites like this should be nurtured and cherished, not destroyed and replaced with concrete, steel and tarmac in the name of progress, prosperity and profit.”

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Around 20 residents living on Electric Avenue met last night to discuss the plans. They have also launched a petition which has so far attracted more than 330 signatures.

The petition states residents have seen several animals at the site including roe deer, badgers, foxes, newts, frogs, squirrels, hedgehogs, owls, cuckoos and kingfishers.

The petition added:

“We do not need another supermarket in this area, in a five-mile radius from this site there are 14 food stores including Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-op, and express shops.

“We do understand the need to support the new homes being built, but this is not the right location.”

Another petition in support of the development has also been launched, saying there is “significant need” for an additional supermarket in the town.

Tesco responds to residents’ claims 

Tesco was previously granted planning permission to build a supermarket at the site in 2012, but the plans were never brought forward.

It is now proposing a smaller supermarket with a petrol filling station in a development which it said will create 100 new jobs.

The supermarket chain has responded to the concerns raised by residents in a short statement which said it would listen to all feedback.

Tesco also pointed towards an ecological study carried out by consultants which concluded the site is “dominated by habitats not considered to be of ecological importance”. The study also said new habitat creation is proposed to offset the loss of any wildlife areas.

A spokesperson for Tesco said:

“We will consider all feedback received on our application and continue to work closely with Harrogate Borough Council.

“The application was submitted with an ecological appraisal which specifically considers these matters.”

A decision on the plans from Harrogate Borough Council is expected around April.

Pret A Manger set to arrive in Harrogate

The Harrogate district’s first Pret A Manger looks set to open.

The Stray Ferret understands the sandwich shop franchise will open on Harrogate’s James Street in the unit currently occupied by Messums Yorkshire, a gallery curated by artist Johnny Messum.

It is not yet known precisely when Pret will open but it is believed to be some time in March.

Besides sandwiches, Pret is also known for coffee so its arrival will add to the wide range of options available for caffeine fans.

The landlord of the unit was not available for comment but a well placed source told the Stray Ferret that Pret would be arriving soon.

Photograph: @messumsyorkshire, Instagram

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In the last six months, James Street has seen numerous retail units open and close; Hotel Chocolat opened a cafe in October; this was followed by a new yoga studio Ebru Evrim arriving in the former Laura Ashley building. Harrogate Discount Store is due to close this week.

Pret currently has over 450 cafes in England, with 310 of those in London. Currently, the closest to Harrogate is in Leeds.

Harrogate Tap and Taco bar closes pop-up with sights set on permanent home

Paradise Tap and Taco Bar is to close — but the owners have said they are determined to find a permanent home for the pop-up shop in Harrogate.

The Mexican-themed bar initially opened as a three-month pop-up next door to Cold Bath Brewery Co in October 2020. It has survived 16 months but the tenancy is now coming to an end.

Co-owners Ellie Stott and Josh Molloy said Paradise would now go “on tour” as they hatched plans for kitchen pop-ups over the coming months. Paradise is taking over Rooster’s kitchen from Tuesdays to Thursdays until easter.

Ms Stott said:

“After 10 years each in hospitality we’ve made the bar we would want to drink in and I think that’s why we love it here so much. It was a bit of weird timing but we’ve learnt so much doing it through this period, we’re just winging it everyday but it’s going well so far.”

The bar’s current home on King’s Road.

End of a “golden era”

The Harrogate-born entrepreneurs said the pop-up was a “golden era” for them but they are now focusing on finding a permanent home in the town.

The pair say they hope to open a new venue by summer and will spend the time until then developing their menu and hosting pop-ups. Ms Stott said:

“We’re going for a big, long lease, 10 years ideally. We definitely will open this year, ideally summer, it’s just finding the right space. We have regulars that have become friends.”

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The bar serves a variety of Mexican foods such as tacos, burritos and enchiladas as well as craft beers and spirits.

Ms Stott added:

“This is just the beginning. It’s been a really good way to see if this plan works, and it really does. People do like what we’re doing, it can be really overwhelming hearing people’s compliments.”

The bar will close for good on Sunday, February 6 and will hold a closing party the night before.

Pedestrianisation of Knaresborough’s Market Place up for debate

Residents and business owners in Knaresborough are being asked to give their opinions on whether the town’s Market Place should be pedestrianised.

Knaresborough Town Council has begun canvassing opinion on whether to pedestrianise a large section of Market Place.

The current suggestion is for the area from the phone boxes to the market cross to be pedestrianised, which would mean the removal of 14 car parking spaces and cars being prohibited from the loop around the market.

The roads surrounding that section, including the bottom of Market Place, Castlegate and the top area near Caffe Nero would still be available for car use.

Cllr Christine Willoughby said the plans were at “a very early stage” but she hopes people will back the idea. She said:

“In an ideal world, it would be a nice thing to do in the town. I visit large, open markets in foreign cities and just think how nice they are. I’d like to see it happen here, but we have to have support from residents and businesses before taking it to the next stage.”

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Residents are being asked to share their opinions on pedestrianisation in a survey that aims ‘to help share the future of the town’. The survey closes on January 27.

Cllr Willoughby said the town council was conscious of how pedestrianisation might affect businesses on Market Place and it had asked Knaresborough Chamber of Trade to speak to members.

She added the idea had circulated for years but had never come to fruition, but she hoped that with the support of local businesses and residents it could finally happen.

If the town supports the proposal, the next stage would be to contact North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority. It also earns income from the car park.

Paper copies of the survey are also available to collect from Knaresborough Library or by contacting the town council on 01423 864080 or clerk@knaresboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk.