Bettys celebrates new Railway Children movie with steam train display

Bettys Café Tea Rooms in Harrogate has created a new window display celebrating the release of The Railway Children Return movie.

The front window features a biscuit version of the steam train featured in the film, hand-decorated at Bettys Craft Bakery.

As the sequel to one of the most beloved family films of all time, The Railway Children Return stars some of the original cast and is described as “an adventure for a new generation”.

Like the original film, it is set in West Yorkshire with scenes shot in and around the countryside of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway .

The movie is currently playing in cinemas and has received generally favourable reviews with the Guardian concluding it’s “an amiable and ingenious tribute to the innocent, good-natured spirit of the original”.

In partnership with the film, Bettys has created a limited-edition gift box, filled with a selection of treats.

Bettys’ waitress Rose Seddon with the limited edition gift boxes

Read More: 

 

Much loved Harrogate headteacher retires after 18 years

Linda Mortimer, the executive headteacher of Saltergate Schools in Harrogate for the past 18 years, retired today.

Ms Mortimer has worked in primary education for 34 years and today the school said it would like to thank her for all her “hard work, positivity, dedication, devotion and resolve over the 33 years at Saltergate”.

As headteacher Ms Mortimer has seen the introduction of a children’s centre, gateways, nursery, and the atelier area at Saltergate.

More recently in 2015, she was instrumental in the process of federating Saltergate Infant and Junior schools.

Mark Walker, chair of governors, paid Ms Mortimer this tribute:

“As headteacher she has ensured that personal development at Saltergate Schools is exceptional and that pupils benefit from a happy, safe, and caring environment, in which each individual is respected and valued.

“She has always gone above and beyond to ensure that pupils have access to a wide, rich set of experiences and opportunities to develop their talents and interests.”

Deputy headteacher Judith Hollywood added

“The development of our challenging, stimulating, broad and balanced curriculum led by Mrs Mortimer has ensured it is accessible to all and brings out the very best in our children.

“She has always led by example and worked with everyone within the school community to achieve our shared aims enabling us to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

The school said Ms Mortimer will be missed and wished her all the very best for a “long, happy and healthy retirement”.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate’s Odeon cinema bought by property group

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Harrogate’s Odeon cinema bought by property group

Bramall Properties Ltd has acquired the freehold of the Odeon cinema in Harrogate from a property investment fund for an undisclosed sum.

The 1930s art deco style Grade II listed building was put up for sale for £7m in April and is let to Odeon Cinemas Limited on a 25 year lease which was originally granted in 2013 when Odeon sold its freehold interest.

The property includes part of the car park operated by Harrogate Borough Council to the rear of the cinema and the premises occupied by Harrogate Skills 4 Living Centre on East Parade.

The Odeon is in a prominent position within the town and has been acquired as a long term investment by Yorkshire-based Bramall Properties whose head office is in Harrogate. The building has been an iconic part of the town for many years.

Bramall Properties said it has no immediate plans to redevelop the site and it hopes Odeon Cinemas will continue to operate from the location for many years entertaining Harrogate residents with the latest blockbusters.

Read More:

Award for wine created in Harrogate district

James Townsend

James Townsend with Oz Clarke and Susie Barrie at the awards.

A vineyard in the Harrogate district has been awarded the title of best wine in the Midlands and the North region in the WineGB awards.

Dunesforde Vineyard‘s Queen of the North was awarded the accolade by a panel of wine experts including Oz Clarke and Susie Barrie.

Speaking after the award ceremony in London, the company’s head of wine development Peter Townsend said:

“We are delighted to have received this prestigious award from WineGB.

“We are still a young vineyard compared to many in the UK and are immensely proud that our Queen of the North’s first vintage has been honoured in this way.”

The family-run vineyard, based near Upper Dunsforth, was founded in 2016 and grows solaris, bacchus, pinot noir précoce and pinot gris varieties.

Its Queen of the North classic cuvée was named after Queen Cartimandua, leader of the largest and most northerly tribe in England who formed an alliance with Roman invaders in the first century AD.

The wine is made using a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes harvested in the summer of 2018, with only 1,316 individually-numbered bottles produced.

Sneak Peek: The Coach and Horses, Harrogate

The newly refurbished Coach and Horses on West Park in Harrogate opened its doors for the first time this evening.

The much loved traditional pub was bought last year by Provenance Inns, which promised to keep it true to its heritage.

Work to revamp the pub has been extensive: the once central bar has been moved to the back of the ground floor and there is a restaurant on the first floor. In total the pub can seat up to 100 diners and it employs 30 staff.

Staff prepare for the big opening party tonight.

The upstairs dining space and tables.

Read more:

The previous landlord, John Nelson is well-known in the Harrogate area — he was landlord for 33 years and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities.

The new owners want to keep the tradition of raising money for Martin House Hospice. There will be a monthly quiz on Sundays where proceeds will go to the charity and for every burger bought a pound will also be donated.

The Coach and Horses opens to the public tomorrow at 5pm. Normal opening hours are noon to 11pm Monday to Saturday, closing earlier at 10pm on a Sunday.

Map reveals areas which could be served by a Harrogate Town Council

The areas which could pay an extra tax to fund a Harrogate Town Council have been revealed for the first time in a new map.

A consultation on whether to create the new council will be held this summer after the proposal gathered the support of politicians in Harrogate .

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only two areas in North Yorkshire not to be parished.

And although the move has been well supported by councillors, it will be residents who have the final say on whether it should go ahead.

A new map (pictured above) from North Yorkshire County Council has revealed which areas could vote in this poll and ultimately be served by the town council.

These include:

High Harrogate and Kingsley
Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate
Fairfax and Starbeck
Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone
Harlow and St Georges
Bilton Grange and New Park
Bilton and Nidd Gorge
Most of Coppice Valley and Duchy
Parts of Oatlands and Pannal
Parts of Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate

It has been argued that creating a town council will help Harrogate keep control of its prized public buildings and some services such as parks and tourism when the existing county and borough councils are abolished next April.

The existing councils will be replaced by a new North Yorkshire Council which could filter down some powers to all town and parish councils in what has been hailed as a “double devolution”.

Those were the words of councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, who also previously said more than one town or parish council could be created in Harrogate – if that’s what voters wanted.

Read More:

A decision to hold the upcoming consultation was agreed at a meeting of the county council’s executive today when the next steps of the legal process known as a community governance review were set out.

Councillor David Chance, executive member for corporate services, said:

“In the first set of consultations we will consult with the relevant people in the affected areas to gain their views.
“We will then take those views and make recommendations for approval.
“If it was considered appropriate to create town councils, we would then be looking to make such recommendations within a 12-month period.
“And then new town councils could potentially be created in 2024.”

Other services which could come under the control of a Harrogate Town Council include events, markets, play areas, community centres and allotments.

These arrangements are already in place at the likes of Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon City Council which charge £25.27 and £70.77 respectively for their annual parish precepts.

The idea of a Harrogate Town Council has already won the support of members of the outgoing Harrogate Borough Council who made calls for the process to be sped up.

County council leader Carl Les also said he believed Harrogate and Scarborough would both be “well served” by a lower tier of local government.

He previously said:

“I’m a great advocate of parish and town councils.
“That said, it is for the people to decide whether they want them or not.
“I’m very keen that we start the process as soon as possible and we will go to the public in Harrogate and Scarborough at the earliest opportunity.”

Displays aim to help Harrogate regain floral fame

A trail of colourful floral displays has been created in Harrogate in the hope the town will do well in the regional heat of this year’s ‘In Bloom’ competition.

The trail is part of the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID)’s ‘Floral Summer Celebration’ and tells the story of the town centre.

Each of the seven displays has a link to Harrogate’s history, including its retail offering, spa heritage and fabled tea rooms.

They are:

Read More:

To boost the floral theme the BID has also created an indoor exhibition which features the first Harrogate Flower Shower, held in the Sun Pavilion.

In addition, town centre businesses are involved in a shop window competition – designed to catch the eye of the In Bloom judges as they tour the town over the coming weeks.

Harrogate BID Manager Matthew Chapman said:

“Harrogate is renowned as a horticultural haven, and for the next month we are helping the town centre flex its floral muscles.

“Our Floral Summer of Celebration is all about shouting about our fame for hosting nationally-acclaimed flower shows, the fantastic Valley Gardens, and wonderful flower displays.

“In previous years, Harrogate has achieved national and international floral fame in the In Bloom competitions, and we are determined to reclaim our rightful place as the floral capital of not only the north, but the whole country.

“For the last three years, we have funded just short of 200 brightly-coloured barrier baskets and large planters outside town centre shops and businesses, whilst over the last two years, we have worked with Harrogate in Bloom and Harrogate Borough Council in facilitating hanging baskets outside town centre shops and businesses.”

Jo Caswell, Harrogate BID Project Lead, said:

“We are really excited to officially unveil our Floral Summer of Celebration. The trail will take followers to different parts of the town, helping visitors get a real flavour of what Harrogate has to offer.

“And once they have completed the trail, they can then visit the exhibition and watch the fantastic film loaned from the Yorkshire Film Archive, which will also really appeal to residents.”

Meanwhile, Harrogate in Bloom wants the public to nominate their favourite floral exteriors in the town. These can be restaurants, cafes, bars, shops or offices and should be sent to harrogateinbloom@mann.so.

The closing date for nominations is Friday 5 August 2022

Winners will be awarded with a trophy and certificate at the Harrogate in Bloom Awards in September.

In Pictures and video: Steam engine parade in Masham

Last night Masham market square hosted a parade of steam engines as part of the 2022 Masham Steam Rally.  The event in Marfield Fields returned this weekend after a two year absence due to covid.

Hundreds gathered on a perfect summer evening to see a parade of engines make their way from the rally ground into the centre of town.

These pictures and video try to capture the event but do not do justice to the noise and smell of these fabulous machines — both gigantic and small.

It’s a mucky business messing with steam engines!

Here is our Facebook Live as the engines started to arrive into the town centre..

Harrogate Organics expands to larger store in the centre of town

The Harrogate Organics Company has moved from Station Square to a larger premises on Market Place, the former home of the Bobbi Brown Studio.

The company which makes a range of aromatherapy, nutrition, skincare and CBD products launched in July 2020.

In a statement today it said it’s turnover by the end of the year will hit £1million and has seen an increase of over 850% in online sales over the past twelve months.

The new retail store will have a wellness lifestyle bar and treatment room and will open on Saturday 16 July.

Co-founder Dan Simpson said:

“We’re absolutely delighted with the progress we’re making but that has only been made possible by the support we are getting from our amazing customers.  We exist to serve them – to help them live the healthy and happy lives they deserve.

“Our growth means more people are getting access to products that can help aid wellbeing and help with some challenges they may be facing. That, coupled with the incredible feedback and reviews we receive, makes this whole journey we are on incredibly rewarding.”

The company has developed different products that work together to aid wellbeing and help with sleep issues, stress, anxiety and the menopause.

Its bestselling product is the Natural Repair Magnesium Spray, which promotes restful sleep, reduces stress and anxiety and lessens muscle pain and cramps.

Read More:

 

Harrogate jewellery expert sells rare brooch for £80,000

Harrogate jewellery expert, Susan Rumfitt, has sold a rare brooch at auction for around three times its guide price.

Ms Rumfitt, who has written a column for the Stray Ferret and is an expert for the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, sold an intricate micro-mosaic theatrical mask brooch by Castellani of Rome for £80,600.

The piece had been listed under a guide price of £20,000 to £30,000.

Ms Rumfitt said:

“Items crafted by Castellani are a few and far between at auction, so our sale presented a very rare opportunity for collectors to acquire this delightful brooch.

“The house of Castellani is famed for its archaeological-revival designs in gold, gemstone and mosaic, and it was a privilege to share this brooch. The auction saw passionate bidding, with clients from across the globe taking part.”

Made in around 1850 and depicting Bacchus, the brooch reproduces part of a 3rd Century AD mosaic now in the Capitoline Museums portraying theatrical masks which decorated the Thermae Decianae.

Read More:

Susan Rumfitt

For the past decade Ms Rumfitt has focussed on her showroom in Harrogate. Her return to the auction house is in collaboration with Dore & Rees auctioneers in Frome, Somerset.

Ms Rumfitt said:

“The first sale this week was vibrant and exciting, and I’m absolutely thrilled with the results, especially the fabulous price we achieved for the Castellani brooch.

“The sale as a whole was strong with great interest in Victorian jewellery and also the emerald pieces proved very popular. We are now gathering for our next sale in December with some beautiful pieces already consigned.”

 

Knaresborough school pays tribute to former headteacher

King James’s School in Knaresborough has paid tribute to former headteacher John Forster, who has died.

Mr Forster was in charge of the school for 16 years from 1981 to 1997.

The school issued a statement saying how sad it was to learn of his death. Mr Forster had remained a part of the school and the wider Knaresborough community well after he left the school.  The school’s tribute went on to say:

“In his time at the school he was responsible for starting the Knaresborough Fun Run, which ran with great success for very many years. He also established a school farm, complete with pigs and goats, which remained until 2004. His passion for his subject, English, kept him in the classroom, even as a busy headteacher.

“In 1990 he brought back the school magazine, The Chaloner, which had been dormant since 1974. His other great passion, tennis, allowed him to retain his connection to the school beyond his retirement.

“He devoted his considerable energy to the school long after his time as headteacher and we will miss his passion and enthusiasm.”

Mr Forster was also a chairman of Knaresborough Tennis Club, who led the bid to establish the tennis facilities that the school has today.

Read More:

A Passion for tennis

John Forster had a love of tennis.  As headteacher of King James’s School he championed the sport to the point where the school’s teams reached national and regional finals.

in 1985 he enthusiastically supported the founding of Knaresborough Tennis Club and offered the school’s facilities for the club to use.

In 2007, when Mr Forster was elected club chairman he pushed the idea of a new club wholly based at the school.  The courts needed serious improvement but the project got the approval of the club, the school and the Lawn Tennis Association and the newly named Knaresborough King James’s Tennis Club was created.

In a tribute to John Forster, Ian Hargreaves, Knaresborough King James’s Tennis Club membership secretary said:

“John’s perseverance was key in getting the project completed in April 2011 to the satisfaction of all parties. After over 11 years of play on the new courts, club, school and LTA are very happy with the relationship, and optimistic that tennis opportunities in Knaresborough have now been guaranteed for the foreseeable future.

“Had the project not been brought to successful fruition, the club and organised tennis in Knaresborough would probably not have survived. The club has now outgrown its three courts, and four multi-use tennis/netball courts have been upgraded to cater for the increased demand.”

Mr Forster continued as club chairman until 2018 and was a committee member responsible for school liaison until his death.  Mr Hargreaves continued:

“John’s invaluable contribution to tennis did not stop at Knaresborough. He was a councillor of the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Association from 1999 to 2016 and had been president of the YLTA on two occasions. His special responsibility on the YLTA council was tennis in schools, and he was enthusiastic in organising, and persuading others to organise, schools’ competitions across the county.

“John will be much missed by the Yorkshire tennis world.”