The long standing Managing Director of Rudding Park Hotel, Peter Banks, is to retire after 28 years at the helm.
During this time, Rudding Park has grown from £2m to £28m turnover and has won more than 60 awards.
Mr Banks has also been a contributor to The Stray Ferret – writing about the challenges faced by the hospitality industry – particularly during the covid pandemic.
Peter comments:
“There is no doubt, Rudding Park is my spiritual home and the owners, the Mackaness family and the Rudding Park team will remain lifelong friends. As such, I will not be a stranger as I will no doubt often be found on the golf course in a bid to reduce my handicap!”
Mr Banks plans to continue his career as an advisor, consultant and non-executive director within the hospitality industry.
“I do of course recognise there is an element of irony, having previously described hospitality consultants as being like someone who visits the field of battle after the battle is over and bayonets the wounded!
“However, I thrive on a challenge and am looking forward to helping hoteliers across Europe ensure their properties are profitable, successful and sustainable using the wealth of experience; including the successes (and failures) I have amassed over the years.”
Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park paid tribute:
“Peter and I have been on a roller coaster journey together and Peter has been totally responsible for creating a popular, successful and commercially viable resort. On a personal and professional level, words cannot express my thanks for all he has achieved during his 28 years with Rudding Park.”
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The Stray Ferret is to introduce a small subscription fee shortly after we launch our new website and app in May.
The new website and app will include many features that readers have asked for — more investigations, notifications, more lifestyle content and the ability to comment on stories on the website rather than just on social media.
Subscribers will also benefit from exclusive discounts from local businesses which aim to cover subscription costs and will not be offered anywhere else.
Since 2020, we have taken pride in covering the stories that matter most to residents across Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham and Pateley Bridge.
We passionately believe that a quality, local news service for the area provides an important, trusted platform for debate and information for local people.
The media landscape is financially tough and while we’ve previously adopted an advertising only model, it has not been enough to meet our costs.
We have watched as other local news organisations have cut the number of journalists, lowered the quality of the stories they publish and covered pages with pop-up ads which make it unreadable. We didn’t want to do this.
By paying a small fee you will be investing in an improved news service. By keeping adverts, we can keep the subscription price to readers as low as possible.
We did not take this decision lightly, but we feel this is the only way to keep serving the area to the standard it deserves, by providing a platform to raise awareness about issues that affect local people.
We’ve also moved into Harrogate town centre, so we can help anyone who has problems with signing up to the subscription service, the app or newsletter.
So from May we will be asking readers to subscribe to the Stray Ferret for £4.99 a month. Or you can pay annually at £49.99 which would save you about £10 a year.
In the coming weeks, we will be explaining how the subscription service will work and how to sign up, as well as tackling any frequently asked questions.
We hope you subscribe — by doing so you will be investing in quality, local journalism.
Trees down and flood alerts in Harrogate districtA number of trees have fallen blocking roads across the Harrogate district tonight as high winds and heavy rain continue to batter the region.
This evening, trees have fallen on Valley Drive and in the Oval in Harrogate and on Greyston Plain Lane next to Northern Energy in Hampswaithe.
Flood alerts continue to be in place for the Upper and Lower Nidd and Upper and Lower Ure areas.
The government’s flood alert, last updated at 5.30pm this evening, said river levels remain high on the Lower River Ure. Affected areas include low-lying land including agricultural land and local roads in the areas around Masham, Boroughbridge, Aldborough and Bishop Monkton.
The alert said in the Upper Nidd area which covers Pateley Bridge and Summerbridge rain is falling on an already wet catchment.
The Met Office has issued a yellow alert for wind for up to 11.45pm.
The weather though it set to ease tomorrow.
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Book Club Save the World at Park Playground in Leeds
This article is sponsored by Park Playground.
Who knew a group of eight middle aged women could have so much fun romping around a distant planet, fighting aliens and solving the world’s clean energy crisis in about an hour?
When I suggested a virtual reality experience at Park Playground to members of my Harrogate book club, it’s fair to say they were a little sceptical. This was tech that they’d no idea about but, I successfully argued, would make us pretty cool with our kids and grandchildren.
I had already been to Park Playground on a wet August day with an eleven year old and had a blast…literally. I was convinced Book Club would also find it hilarious.
Group of visitors to Park Playground in Leeds, Photograph provided by Park Playground
Off we set from Harrogate for a night out in Leeds, beginning with our session at Park Playground.
Ahmad was hosting us and we began by taking a virtual lift to the top of a sky-scraper. Once at the top, the doors opened and we each had to walk a plank off what felt like the top of the Burj Khalifa. If you can’t stand heights like me, it’s so real it’s terrifying. I couldn’t do it – but some of my fellow book lovers did it, egged on by the rest of us, shouting encouragement.
So the scene was set for our main session – a journey to a distant planet to collect a crystal which produces clean energy. We fought aliens (big and small) and an enemy army so we had to work as a team. Team work is very hard when you all start acting like teenagers and spend much of the session screaming and howling with laughter.
Our mission was eventually accomplished and we had saved the planet. Pheww. Book Club were awesome!
The technology is so impressive – you feel as though you really are jetpacking and the aliens who come at you are intimidating. It’s serious fun.
Park Playground is not just for the kids – it’s for everyone. I think every Book Club should go – as should every work team.
You enter another world, you are immersed in your new surroundings and it’s one of the best hours I’ve had this year.
Transport yourself to another world for half the price and double the fun, with our exclusive vouchers.
Enjoy 50% off a 60-minute VR experience at Park Playground in Leeds for 4 people!
Business Breakfast: Ripon introduces loyalty scheme to boost Christmas salesAre you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?
The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.
Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.
Ripon BID is to launch of a loyalty scheme to boost the local economy and support the city’s independent businesses in the run-up to Christmas.
Totally Locally Ripon aims to encourage support for local businesses. Residents and visitors who spend money with participating independent businesses will get their ‘Ripon Passport Poster’ stamped. Once they get enough stamps on their passport, they’re in the chance of winning cash or vouchers.
The BID is encouraging businesses to get involved. For more details visit the Ripon BID website.
Ripon’s late night Christmas shopping event is on Thursday 30 November.
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- Knaresborough banking hub officially opens
Masham based W E Jameson & Son Ltd have celebrated success at The Yorkshire and Humberside Family Business Awards 2023.
W.E. Jameson & Son Ltd provide animal feed, farming services and advice to farmers.
Organised by The Family Business Community, the awards were held at The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.
WE Jameson were announced as the winner of the wholesale category.
A spokesperson for the company said:
Tickets for 2024 Great Yorkshire Show set to go on sale“We are delighted to receive this award on behalf of all the staff. The company was founded by Eddie Jameson, a family man, in 1930. He would be very proud that the company still holds true to his family values and has continued to do business with many farming families over the generations.”
Tickets for next year’s Great Yorkshire Show will be available to buy from Wednesday, November 1.
Since 2021 tickets are only sold in advance with visitor numbers capped at 35,000 a day.
Next year’s 165th show will run from Tuesday, July 9, to Friday, July 12. Last year tickets sold out a week before the event started.
The Great Yorkshire Show 2024 will be the final one for current show director, Charles Mills, as he comes to the end of his tenure.
Mr Mills said:
“This will be a very special show for me personally as it will be my ninth and final show as show director.
“Be sure, it will be full of entertainment, superb competition and the best animals in the UK coming together to celebrate farming, food and agriculture.”
Ticket prices for 2024 have risen for adults from £32 this year, to £35, children’s tickets remain at £13 – a family ticket has risen from £80 to £86. Under 5’s are free.
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- Lofthouse Moor owner fined for illegally burning peat
- North Yorks Council warns action to plug £25m black hole is essential