Hong Kong residents choosing Harrogate for a new life

It has been a volatile few years in Hong Kong with protests, the jailing of opposition politicians and the closure of media outlets.

Now according to a local estate agent, an increasing number of people from Hong Kong are moving to Harrogate as Chinese rule has led to a crackdown on freedom and democracy.

In January last year, the UK government offered a new visa to residents of its former colony. It expects that 300,000 Hong Kongers will make the move in the next five years. Around 100,000 applied for the visa in 2021 alone.

Three of them are members of a family that moved to Harrogate last year.

Candy Yip and her husband Man Wong, both 44, brought with them bubble tea and opened a cafe called Sweet Pearl House on Commercial Street in January. It also sells traditional Hong Kong egg waffles.

Ms Yip said she wanted their daughter, 16, to have more freedom and a better education than what was possible in Hong Kong.

She said she has been impressed with the town’s safe surroundings and friendly people since making the move.

“Harrogate’s environment is very lovely and I feel very safe when I live here. People are very friendly.

“When we live in Harrogate, we can feel no stress. The people here enjoy their life and I can also feel the relaxing atmosphere.”

More fresh air

Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers above 150 metres in the world with 518.

Space is at a premium and many families live in cramped apartment buildings high up in the sky.

Harrogate’s tallest building is The Exchange on Station Parade which stands at a humble 42 metres.

There is also decidedly less hustle and less bustle than the Asian metropolis, which has almost 8 million residents.

Ms Yip said the lower building density in Harrogate coupled with much more open space makes it an appealing contrast to back home in Hong Kong.

She said:

“I think Harrogate is a popular place for Hong Kongers to live in is because Harrogate has not many tall buildings. It makes people feel more comfortable because Hong Kong has too many tall buildings and here we can get more fresh air.

“Harrogate has lots of countryside and we can also see different kinds of animals such as sheep and horses. It is really beautiful.”

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Global property map

Hong Kong-based newspaper South China Morning Post published an article in March that said Hong Kongers are ‘turbocharging’ the UK’s already red-hot housing market.

David Waddington, director at Linley & Simpson, said since the start of the year the estate agent has seen an increase in people from Hong Kong looking to move to the Harrogate district.

Many Hong Kong exiles have sold their property or businesses in the city before moving to the UK, which means they can afford the district’s high house prices.

Mr Waddington said in one new development in the area as many as 15% of the properties were sold to families relocating from Hong Kong.

“Since the turn of the year we have seen people moving from Hong Kong to start a new life in the Harrogate district in ever-increasing numbers.

“In one new homes development we launched to market recently, three of the twenty properties have been sold to families relocating from Hong Kong.

“Hits on our website from Hong Kong have witnessed a notable uptick too. While Harrogate is a magnet for home buyers from a diverse number of international countries, its name and ‘brand’ is well-known to many in Hong Kong.”

An attractive destination

HK UK Support Ltd is a company that specialises in helping people from Hong Kong relocate to the UK.

Last month it published a Q&A on its YouTube channel with Sue Brandom, inward investment officer at Harrogate Borough Council.

Ms Brandom cited Betty’s, Knaresborough and the Nidderdale countryside as reasons why the district can be an attractive destination for Hong Kongers looking to make the move.

They are all points that are hard to disagree with, although new district resident Candy Yip said Harrogate would be “perfect” if it had just a few more Asian food options.

“I miss my family and friends and also the food in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has more options of food for people such as Korean food. I think if Harrogate can have more variety of food, it will be perfect.”

Spate of deer killed by motorists in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police has issued a warning to motorists after four deer were killed by motorists in the Harrogate district over the last month.

Collisions involving deer usually increase in spring, when young buck roe deer move to new areas.

A police spokesperson said motorists should look out for deer on roads close to wooded areas.

They added if you hit a deer, you should park in a safe place with the hazard lights on and call the police on 101 and not approach the animal.

A spokesperson added:

“So please look out for deer warning road signs and take particular care in forested areas and at ‘peak’ times (from sunset to midnight, and the hours shortly before and after sunrise).”

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Stunning Green win in Ouseburn sets blueprint for future collaborations

New Green Party councillor for the Ouseburn division, Arnold Warneken, said he is looking forward to working with other political parties in the new North Yorkshire Council.

Cllr Warneken beat Conservative candidate Richard Musgrave decisively, by 1,328 votes to 586 in a two-horse race.

There was no Liberal Democrat candidate standing after the party agreed to step aside to help the Greens unseat Mr Musgrave.

In Cllr Warneken’s acceptance speech, he suggested the local Conservative Party had “lost their conscience” and the result sent a message to other parties to work together around a common purpose based on decency.

He said:

“I will work with anybody, whatever their party is, as long as they are honest, transparent, have integrity and tell the truth.”

A blank canvas

Cllr Warneken told the Stray Ferret afterwards that the result has given him hope that environmental issues are now vote winners.

He said:

“There are all sorts of challenges and it’s a blank canvas.”

Cllr Warneken was a Green Party councillor in the 1990s and will join his old friend, the Lib Dem councillor Pat Marsh, in the new chamber.

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Cllr Warneken said he believes he still would have won even if the Liberal Democrats had put a candidate forward, due to his huge majority. He said the Tory candidate was “complacent” throughout the campaign.

Mr Musgrave did not attend the count to hear the verdict.

Echoing the words of Labour’s Margaret Smith during her speech at the election count, after failing to win Oatlands and Pannal, Cllr Warneken said the time had come for a proportional representation voting system.

He said:

“If we had PR we’d have more candidates from minor parties.”

Collaborate

Next door to the count in the Harrogate Convention Centre yesterday was The Assemblies of God conference, where over 500 different churches were meeting.

In previous local council elections, it has felt like most Green candidates haven’t had a prayer of winning.

But Shan Oakes, the local party coordinator, said Mr Warneken’s win was “a real story” locally.

He will join four other North Yorkshire-based Green Party councillors on the new authority.

Ms Oakes added:

“The world is coming to its senses. It’s given us hope.

“We face serious existential issues. We have the climate crisis and we have to green up out town.”

Ms Oakes said she hopes parties can agree to step aside in future, but thinks it will be a tough ask.

“It was a real struggle to get the one that we did.”

What cost the Tories votes in the Harrogate district?

It was a dire set of results on the whole for the Conservative Party in the district.

Several high-profile councillors including Graham Swift, Stan Lumley and Phil Ireland failed to win a seat on the new North Yorkshire Council and became major scalps for the Liberal Democrats.

Out of the 21 divisions up for grabs in the present Harrogate district area, the Conservatives will now have 9 councillors. It means they will be a much less powerful force locally.

The ‘partygate’ scandal involving Boris Johnson has dominated the news for months. But some of the Harrogate district’s winning Conservatives gave diplomatic responses when asked by the Stray Ferret if that had been a factor in the party’s poor performance.

Nathan Hull, the new Tory councillor for Washburn and Birstwith, picked his words carefully:

He said:

“It’s up to MPs to look at how the party collectively operates. I can do nothing about that.”

Cllr Nathan Hull

Mr Hull said he is up for working with other parties on local issues.

“I’m focused on rural issues and schools. I’ll try not to be too partisan. We all want the same thing.”

Andrew Paraskos, the new Conservative councillor for Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale and Tockwith, said he was pleased to win, despite a bad day for many of his colleagues.

Cllr Andrew Paraskos

“It was a mixed bag on the doorstep. It was mainly the cost of living crisis and general unhappiness.”

Paul Haslam, the winning Conservative candidate for Bilton & Nidd Gorge, said he focused on local issues such as the closure of Woodfield school and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Paul Haslam

He said:

“I’m absolutely delighted to have been supported. I will continue to fight for the people of Bilton.”

On why the Conservatives had difficult results. He added:

“It’s a tricky question. The national picture is difficult. On Boris Johnson, there had been feedback on the doorstep that suggested people are not happy.”

On the doorstep

Several of the victorious Liberal Democrats candidates said Boris Johnson was not the main issue from residents on the doorstep.

Rather, they said people were angry at the way the Conservative-led Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council had handled things like housing and the state of Harrogate town centre.

Veteran Lib Dem councillor Pat Marsh, who won Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone, said:

Cllr Pat Marsh

“On the doorstep we didn’t get so much about Boris Johnson. What we got was the state of the town centre, litter, street cleaning and no new investment. What have they done in 20 years?”

Monika Slater, the new Lib Dem councillor for Bilton Grange and New Park added:

“It’s a mix. Boris Johnson played a part but people in Harrogate are really fed up. They see Harrogate in decline and think things need to change.”

Cllr Monika Slater

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Major scalp

Conservative Graham Swift was tipped as a potential leader of the new North Yorkshire Council.

But his defeat now likely spells the end of his political career once Harrogate Borough Council is abolished next year.

Cllr Swift has been council leader Richard Cooper’s deputy at HBC and has been a forceful presence in the council chamber.

He gave a gracious speech that congratulated the new Lib Dem councillor for Coppice Valley & Duchy, Peter Lacey, but he knew the result well before it was announced and looked ashen-faced whilst he sat with other Conservatives.

The independent candidate in the division, Daniel Thompson, won 199 votes. He said he “got what he wanted” with Cllr Swift losing the vote, despite not winning himself.

Cllr Swift declined to speak to the Stray Ferret.

What does this mean for Andrew Jones MP?

Conservative MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, looked on as HBC chief executive Wallace Sampson announced the results.

Daniel Thompson said “look out Andrew Jones” during his concession speech, which reflected the feeling of several Liberal Democrat councillors who were buoyed by their wins.

Phil Willis, the last and only Liberal Democrat MP in Harrogate & Knaresborough, tweeted that the result in Harrogate was “sensational”.

Retiring Conservative county councillor Don Mackenzie optimistically told the Stray Ferret he expects the national picture to be different when the next general election comes around.

“Covid and the cost of living crisis, these things will settle down. When it comes to the general election it will be a much more benign national picture”.

Mr Jones was at the count but declined to talk to the Stray Ferret, waving us away without saying a word.

Andrew Jones MP

Council shares £15,000 anti-terrorism bill for Harrogate Christmas Fayre

Anti-terrorism measures for Harrogate Christmas Fayre cost £15,000, with Harrogate Borough Council paying half.

The inaugural event was run by the council in the town centre in partnership with Market Place, a specialist market company from Greater Manchester.

It saw stalls and stands selling food, drink and gifts around Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent.

The fayre was organised after the original Harrogate Christmas Market, on Montpellier Hill, was cancelled after the council refused to sign off the organisers’ event management plan.

The council had raised concerns with co-organiser Brian Dunsby that the plan didn’t adequately address the threat from terrorists.

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In 2016, terrorists drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, leaving 12 people dead.

Since then, Christmas markets across the UK have beefed up security to thwart any similar attempts.

The Harrogate Christmas Fayre saw temporary bollards on both ends of Cambridge Street and in other locations in the town centre to stop vehicles from entering.

The council’s publicly available list of payments over £250 includes a payment of £7,453.83 to Market Place, which a council spokesperson said was to pay for the bollards. The final bill was split 50/50 with the company.

The spokesperson said:

“As part of the event delivery plan for Harrogate Christmas Fayre, and following guidance and advice from North Yorkshire Police, we wanted to ensure a safe and enjoyable market was delivered, especially following incidents in other cities previously.

“Therefore, to ensure the safety of residents, traders and visitors of the fayre, we agreed to split the costs of anti-terrorism measures with Market Place Europe to mitigate any potential risks.

“As this was organised via Market Place Europe, our share was paid to them rather than the supplier.”

St Aidan’s new 3G pitch set to be open until 8pm

St Aidan’s Church of England High School’s new floodlit artificial sports pitch is set to open from 6pm to 8pm for community clubs to use.

The school has launched a consultation on when the FIFA-approved pitch can be hired, as well as the type of floodlights that will be built.

Last January councillors gave the school permission to build the pitch, despite the council’s own report recommending refusal.

Some nearby residents had complained that the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and the Stray.

However, the application attracted a huge amount of support from Harrogate residents, with some hailing “people power” for helping to influence councillors’ decisions.

Hours of use

The consultation document proposes the pitch will be available from 6pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday.

On Saturdays, it would be available for hire from 9am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

During school holidays, the pitch would be available to be booked from 9am to 4pm.

It says prices will be similar to other council-run facilities in the Harrogate area.

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The school will employ its own staff to manage and operate the facility and a committee will review its hours of use every year.

There has been a lack of 3G pitches available in Harrogate since Harrogate Town were forced to remove theirs following promotion to the English Football League two years ago.

County council says Bilton housing scheme ‘should be refused’

North Yorkshire County Council has said the layout of a 53-home development in Bilton is ‘not acceptable’ and the plan should be refused unless the developer agrees to pay for the widening of Knox Lane.

North East firm Jomast wants to build the homes on a field on Knox Lane in an application that has been reduced from 73 homes.

The county council, which is in charge of the Harrogate district’s roads, has submitted a response to the application as part of the consultation process.

It warned the development does not comply with standards it sets around roads and new housing schemes.

The section of Knox Lane where the homes would be built is narrow and leads towards a popular beauty spot.

Residents have long argued the road is unsuitable for any extra traffic the homes would bring but the developer’s transport report concluded the development would not lead to congestion.

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Paul Roberts, the county council’s highways officer, wrote to Harrogate Borough Council last week and said the development should be refused unless changes are made to Knox Lane as well as private roads within the site.

He wrote:

“The highway authority therefore advise that the application should be refused unless further information is provided by the developer. The layout of the site is not acceptable and will need to be amended to comply with the highway authority guidance/standards.”

Mr Roberts said Knox Lane should be widened to 5.5 metres with a two-metre footpath.

He added:

“This work shall be implemented as part of the project and if the application is approved implemented under a S278 agreement with the highway authority which the authority may wish to lead on.”

Residents’ concerns

The Stray Ferret met a group of Bilton residents in February who raised their concerns about the development and its impact on local roads.

With the busy Skipton Road nearby, and Knox Lane itself a narrow thoroughfare, Bob Wrightson said the roads surrounding the development would soon be gridlocked.

Mr Wrightson said:

“Fifty-two houses — a lot of people have cars, which has not been addressed. There might be another 100 cars using these roads and it will be gridlock.”

In February, Jomast and planning consultants Spawforths issued the following joint statement to the Stray Ferret:

“The planning application is supported by a number of specialist technical reports, including a transport assessment, which demonstrates the proposed development would not lead to any additional congestion of the local roads.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will decide on the application.

State-of-the-art laser treatment in Harrogate can remove lumps and bumps

This article is sponsored by Kliniken. 

At Kliniken – Harrogate’s state-of-the-art aesthetics surgical centre – a brand new laser treatment procedure is launching that removes scars, acne, lumps, bumps and even wrinkles without surgery.

It’s called the Ultrapulse CO2 Laser Treatment and it uses a powerful laser to dramatically improve skin texture, skin tone and fine lines.

What treatments does Kliniken offer?

Kliniken offers several different treatments available to suit your needs.

Skin conditions

At Kliniken we also treat other skin conditions, there are many small things that people find on their body that are not cancerous or concerning but you don’t like the look of them.

These lumps and bumps can affect all parts of the body. When left, they can get bigger and become more obvious, resulting in staring or pointing by strangers and friends or family.

Sadly, these “benign” growths can lead to self-confidence issues or being asked by friends and family to “have those growths removed” or “have it looked at”.

However, due to the effects of COVID, most people are unable to have these growths removed by the GP or in hospital anymore.

At Kliniken, we are able to offer a review by a team of specialist plastic surgeons who can check the growths and if appropriate remove them with the help of a local anaesthetic so that you are seen and treated in one go.

Be your confident self

At Kliniken, Chief Surgeon Mr Mallappa Kolar is looking forward to helping people get back to their most confident, comfortable selves.

The non-surgical procedure takes only around 90 minutes and within 7-10 days patients should see a dramatic difference in their appearance.

Mr Kolar said:

“The experience patients receive when coming to the clinic is that our UK-trained plastic surgeon makes a full assessment of the patient. This includes any relevant history, including reasons for treatment and a thorough examination to talk about all options including using the Ultrapulse CO2 laser.

“Patients have treatment performed and go home the same day, from between 50 minutes to an hour and a half.”

Book your free consultation now to find out how this treatment could help you.

Harrogate cafe offers taste of Turkey

Sirius is a new cafe on Beulah Street that offers homemade food inspired by Turkey.

Istanbul is said to have the world’s oldest cafe culture, and Cuneyt Yazicioglu wants to bring some flavours from his home city to Harrogate.

Dishes at Sirius include kumpir, which is a Turkish jacket potato with a wide range of toppings to choose from.

Homemade sweets include the pistachio-flavored baklava. Turkish coffee and tea are also available.

Inside Sirius on Beulah Street

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Mr Yazicioglu has lived in North Yorkshire for 24 years and previously ran a Turkish restaurant in Ripon.

Pictures of famous Turkish singers, actors and comedians adorn the walls of the cafe, which used to be a card shop and is next door to Costa.

It’s the ‘Turkish breakfast’ that takes top billing on the menu. It’s a twist on the English breakfast and includes feta cheese, olives, Turkish pepperoni and honey.

As well as offering Turkish treats, the kitchen serves English breakfast, sandwiches, pizza, paninis and omelettes.

Sirius is open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week at 9 Beulah Street, Harrogate.

Harrogate’s Coach & Horses pub set to reopen in early July

Drinkers will be able to finally reacquaint themselves with the Coach & Horses this summer after over two years.

Provenance Inns, which owns West Park Hotel on the same street, bought the pub in October last year.

It’s been closed since May 2020 after the previous landlord John Nelson had his licence revoked for breaching covid rules.

Provenance has been busy revamping the bar and kitchen area and reinstating the corner entrance.

The first floor is also being converted into a restaurant area along with staff accommodation and office space.

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Scaffolding outside the building recently came down ahead of the Coach & Horses’ new era.

The company has designed a new logo for the pub but has promised to respect its long heritage with the refurbishment.

Provenance’s commercial manager Anthony Blundell said there is still work to do but he is hopeful the pub and restaurant will reopen in early July.

He said:

“Everyone is eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Coach and no one is more excited than us to get to know some of the previous patrons and, hopefully, some new ones too.”