Debate has continued this week over the future of Harrogate Convention Centre.

After Harrogate Borough Council‘s (HBC) bid for £20 million from the levelling up fund was unsuccessful, council leader Richard Cooper expressed his disappointment.

He said the council will look to bid again in the next round of funding, as part of plans to carry out a £49m improvement to the convention centre (HCC).

It has long been argued that the centre is vital to the economy of the Harrogate district. HBC says it brings around £30m each year to local businesses – though that has fallen from a claim of £60m before the covid pandemic.

The benefit to the hospitality businesses closest to HCC is easy enough to see: guesthouses booked up during major events, and bars buzzing at the end of each day of a conference.

Harrogate BID agrees the centre is essential to the town. Manager Matthew Chapman said:

“Harrogate Convention Centre is a vital component of the local economy, and I’m confident in saying that the vast majority of businesses recognise its importance, not just to Harrogate but the whole district.

“Its exhibitions benefit our shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, guest houses, and many local suppliers.

“Annually, it brings more 150,000 visitors to the district, boosts the economy to the tune of £30m and it supports hundreds, possibly thousands, of jobs.

“Last year, Harrogate BID was happy to back Harrogate Convention Centre in its fight against the development of a rival venue in Leeds.

“Investment is needed to ensure its continued viability which will enable it to compete against venues around the country, securing Harrogate’s position as the conference and exhibition capital of the UK.”

Guesthouses and B&Bs near Harrogate Convention Centre

HCC’s impact further out into the district is less easy to measure.

The Stray Ferret spoke to Jonathan Rose, who owns Kell House B&B in Pateley Bridge with his wife, Heather.

He said:

“Nobody has used us who is visiting the convention centre in Harrogate, as far as I know. A lot of people have gone to Harrogate for different things but not specifically for that.

“I think we’re a little bit too far out if someone is visiting for for business reasons or for exhibitions and so on. There’s so much choice in Harrogate.”

The couple renovated the building in 2021, only opening for a couple of months. Last year was their first full season welcoming guests, so Mr Rose acknowledged it was too early to fully assess the impact of HCC on their trade.

However, Sarah Cannon, who owns The Old Smithy B&B on the outskirts of Knaresborough, said she does welcome some guests who have been to HCC.

Public events like the Knitting and Stitching show in November seemed to bring her more custom, she said, though she has welcomed delegates from trade fairs for groundskeepers, golfers and jewellery specialists.

She said there was also a benefit to other businesses in the area:

“I’ve got a document with all the restaurants in Knaresborough, but also the Guy Fawkes at Scotton because it’s my favourite. I’ll email that out when people book with me in case they want to book a table.

“Generally, my guests either go to the Guy Fawkes or somewhere in Knaresborough. Very occasionally, they say they have gone into Harrogate of an evening, regardless of whether they’re in Harrogate during the day.”

Every news story about HCC brings a range of responses. There are those who would see the site flattened and given over to housing, and others who say there is no option but to keep pushing through the planned redevelopment for the sake of the local economy.

The centre has run at a loss over many years. In the decade to April 2019, it only made a profit in three years: £269,215 in 2009-10, £741,000 in 2016-17, and £3,000 in 2017-18.

Its losses in the other years ranged from £212,631 to £1.2 million. Total losses for the 10 years were just over £4 million.

The question is do the benefits of the HCC outweigh the amount of tax payers’ money that props it up and would investment change that?

Read more:

• New council chief questions future of Harrogate Convention Centre
• Government rejects £20m levelling up bid for Harrogate Convention Centre

Even in a difficult week for HCC, it has had good news: Harrogate Christmas and Gift Fair has confirmed it has agreed a five-year deal to remain at the venue each January. Other multi-year deals have also been done in the last 12 months.

Harrogate Borough Council continues to underpin the centre on the basis of its contribution to the district’s economy.

However, under devolution, its running will transfer to North Yorkshire Council on April 1.

Its chief executive Richard Flinton suggested last week that the new authority will not continue to support a drain on public finances and that it will “consider it again with a fresh pair of eyes”.

His comments came in response to a question from Cllr Michael Schofield, a Liberal Democrat who represents the Harlow and St George’s division on North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Schofield said he was frustrated that there was no open discussion about the future of the centre at Harrogate Borough Council, as councillors and directors “do not wish to engage”. He told the Stray Ferret:

“I firmly believe that there is an opportunity to repurpose parts of the Convention Centre that will bring them an income stream all year round and also attract visitors to Harrogate.

“HCC is a vital part of Harrogate town centre, however I fear current HBC councillors and directors are not looking at the bigger picture.

“Let Leeds push for conferences. Let’s look at re-marketing and look at the markets we can bring to Harrogate. Our offer is so strong as a town that can give the personal touch to emerging markets. The scope is huge if only HBC councillors and directors opened their eyes.

“I see it very much being in partnership with external bodies. I am having quite a heated debate with my party as I believe it can work but my HBC friends are not prepared to open their eyes.”

More than 700 complaints were made against North Yorkshire Police officers in a year, the force has revealed.

The 740 complaints from members of the public were made against 352 individual officers between April 2021 and April 2022.

The statistic has been released by North Yorkshire Police as part of its response to national news stories about David Carrick. The Met Police officer had several allegations made against him over a period of 20 years, but did not face any charges or misconduct proceedings at work.

This week, he admitted 49 charges of sexual abuse, including rape, beginning as early as 2003. He was only arrested in October 2021.

The Met has since said more than 1,600 allegations against more than 1,000 officers and staff were being reviewed as a result of Carrick’s case.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“North Yorkshire Police takes all misconduct allegations extremely seriously and are very aware of the serious damage caused to trust in the police service by recent events in the Metropolitan Police.

“The force has taken a number of measures to improve its already robust vetting process to root out those people who are not fit to serve.

“North Yorkshire Police is one of the few forces that handle complaints independently through the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office to provide an additional level of scrutiny.”

Of the 740 complaints made against North Yorkshire Police officers, the force said there could be several relating to a single incident.

Those complaints did not amount to the same thing as misconduct, it said: some could be about an officer failing to keep a victim of crime updated on progress in their case, for example.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police how many of the complaints were matters of misconduct, or how many related to allegations of sexual offences, abuse, coercive control or other related offences.

We also asked how many complaints were investigated and how many resulted in disciplinary action being taken against the officer, but we had not received a response by the time of publication.

Read more:

• ‘Serious concerns’ over North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue finances, say inspectors
• Met Police serial rapist case ‘abhorrent’, says North Yorkshire chief constable

The force publishes details of gross misconduct hearings on its website. Those cases reveal that, during the same period (April 2021 to April 2022), five police constables, one sergeant and two detective constables were found to have behaved in ways amounting to gross misconduct.

Three of those cases involved inappropriate relationships with victims of crime or other people known to the police. One followed a conviction for possession of indecent images of children.

North Yorkshire Police has been part of a pilot scheme checking all vetted staff against the police national database (PND) every month, aiming to ensure any complaints and contact made with other forces would be noticed by North Yorkshire’s professional standards department.

A recent report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Service highlighted North Yorkshire Police’s efforts in vetting, misconduct and misogyny. It recommended all forces should make use of the PND to check their own officers and staff – and this week, it was announced all forces in England and Wales will begin doing so.

The spokesperson added:

“The vast majority of our officers and staff are honest, hardworking and act with integrity. But we are not complacent and know that there will be a number within our force who are not.

“When misconduct is found, we will take action. We encourage anyone who has any concerns about an officer or staff member they have come into contact with, to please report it to us.”

A group of ice swimmers from across the Harrogate district has come back with top results from the world championships.

Millie Bell, 23, won bronze medals in each of her three events at the World Ice Swimming Championships in the French Alps.

She took part in the 250m, 100m and 50m swims in the 18-24 age group, coming third in each.

She said:

“I wasn’t expecting to get anything. The girls in my age group were pretty fast and experienced.

“I had gone back to the hotel room after one of the races and my friend called me to say I had to come back because I was meant to be on the podium!”

Millie said she had been supported in the competition by her employer, Vp plc in Harrogate. She is now back in training for marathon open water swims in the summer.

Meanwhile, Jacqui Hargrave, 51, came sixth and eighth in her events, which she said she was thrilled with.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“It was absolutely amazing. It was a faster pace than I could ever have imagined.

“I went in having never done this before, expecting not to do anything. To come out with that result was more than I could have hoped for.”

Read more:

• Harrogate district quartet set to represent Britain in world ice swimming
• Starbeck woman, 67, takes on swimming charity challenge

Both Millie and Jacqui said the water was not as cold as they had thought it might be, measuring around 3.7C across the four days of competition.

Millie said:

“It definitely helped mentally knowing that I can swim in colder conditions. It was the perfect temperature for me – which is bonkers!”

Their fellow Harrogate district ice swimmers, Jonty Warneken and Emily Smailes, also performed well.

Jonty came fifth overall in the 100m freestyle para competition, winning his age category, and third overall in the 50m freestyle para category.

Emily, meanwhile, joined Jonty, Jacqui and Lara Fawcett in the Frozen Roses 50m relay, coming fourth against competition that included a four-time Olympian.

Team GB set 32 new age group world records during the championships, more than any other country taking part.

Jacqui said the experience of being in the team at the championships had given her a sense of achievement, even if she never returns.

She added:

“I’m going to do the GB trials next year, then we’ll see if I try for the world championships again.

“It’s getting so much more popular that the level to be able to compete is getting higher. I will give it everything I’ve got, but it might be too high for me.

“If it becomes a Winter Olympic sport, the level will be so much higher again.

“Being able to do it once is such an accomplishment. I’ve ticked a box and been able to do something not many people have done.”

The shortlists for the first ever Stray Ferret Business Awards have been revealed this morning.

They feature some of the leading businesses from across the Harrogate district, as well as the up-and-coming stars of the future.

All the entries were put before the independent panel of judges, each leaders in their field: Marcus Boardall, CEO of Reed Boardall, Black Sheep Brewery CEO Charlene Lyons, Cloud Nine founder and CEO Martin Rae, and James Farrar, COO of York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Tamsin O’Brien, director of the Stray Ferret, said:

“We had well over 100 entries and the judges had a full day of discussion as they worked through each category. There was some heated debate and they had to take some difficult decisions to whittle the entries down and select our finalists.

“For its inaugural year, we were thrilled that the awards attracted such strong entries. I’d like to thank the judges for giving us their time and being so thorough in their deliberations.

“We’re all looking forward to the big night where the winners will be unveiled.”

The businesses and individuals face a nervous wait until the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, on Thursday, March 9. In a spectacular night at Pavilions of Harrogate, the winners will be announced, with each category sponsored by a leading local firm.

Tickets are on sale now for the event, with the early bird price of £85 plus VAT per ticket available until February 9. Tables of 10 are £765 plus VAT.

To book your tickets, click here.

Read more:

• Judges shortlist finalists for the Stray Ferret Business Awards
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm opens new office in Hull

The finalists are:

Best Digital Marketing Campaign sponsored by Next Chapter:

Coach Gym

Ogden of Harrogate

Mumbler

Best Employee Development sponsored by Jones Myers:

Continued Care

Grantley Hall

Howard Conrad

Best Independent Retailer sponsored by York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub:

Cocoa Joe’s

Fodder

TravelGate

Watermark Gallery

Whittams Hire

Business Growth Award sponsored by Raworths Solicitors:

Bamber & Brown

Evolve Psychology Services

Harlow Consulting Services

IDR Law

The Soundproofing Store

TMR Foods

Digital Innovation sponsored by ASE Computer Services:

Re-Macs

Strive Group

Dynamic Leader sponsored by Succession Wealth:

Sarah Jones, Full Circle

Danny Wild, Harrogate College

Andrew Meehan, Harrogate Family Law

Alastair Taylor, NYnet

Ian Baker, The Soundproofing Store

Suzanna Prout, Xenonex

Inclusivity Award sponsored by Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors:

Artizan Café and Creative Space

Horticap

Rising Star Under 30 sponsored by Thompsons Chartered Accountants:

Tiffany Snowden, Blue Willow Heritage

Joe Andrew, Cocoa Joes

Laura Mounsey, Harrogate Family Law

James Owen Thomas, JOT’s Gallery

Sustainable Business sponsored by York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub:

EnviroVent

Full Circle Funerals

JOT’s Gallery

NEOM Organics

Number Thirteen

Resurrected Bites

Source Climate Change Coffee

Unsung Hero sponsored by Big Bamboo:

Chris Ashby, Harrogate BID

Jago Wallace, Himalyan Garden

Kayti Mewis, Mumbler

A major four-day fair in the Harrogate hospitality calendar has signed up to remain in the town for another five years.

The Christmas and Gift Fair, which runs every January, has agreed a contract to take place at Harrogate Convention Centre until 2028.

It typically attracts more than 5,000 visitors and the convention centre said its estimated economic impact for hospitality in the district is £375,000 over the four days of the event.

Convention centre director Paula Lorimer said:

“I am delighted to seal the long-term relationship with Harrogate Christmas and Gift, an important trade show that has gone from strength to strength over more than seven decades.

“Harrogate’s unique heritage in hosting large-scale events and our venue’s central location, premier space, facilities and expertise mean that we attract a constant flow of events that keep our spa town busy all year round.”

The fair took over seven halls from January 15 to 18 this year, with 90 exhibitors. It has been running since 1950 and is organised by Harrogate International Toy Fair Ltd, whose annual nursery fair is also contracted to HCC for the next two years.

Simon Anslow, organiser of Harrogate Christmas and Gift Fair, said:

“Harrogate Christmas and Gift Fair is the most important exhibition in the UK for trade buyers who are buying for the following Christmas. Exhibiters and buyers also love the vibe of Harrogate with its quality restaurants and bars.

“We are delighted in securing a new five-year contract with the Harrogate Convention Centre running from 2024 to 2028.”

Read more:

• Council leader ‘disappointed’ after Harrogate Convention Centre funding refusal
• New council chief questions future of Harrogate Convention Centre

News of the new contract comes on the heels of disappointment for Harrogate Borough Council, which runs the convention centre. The council last night heard it had missed out on investment from the government’s levelling up fund to improve its facilities.

The council had asked for £20 million from the fund, towards its £49 million plans to overhaul the venue.

It has run at a loss for many years, though the council has supported it, arguing it brings benefits to the district’s economy.

Last week, Richard Flinton, chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council which will take on responsibility for the centre, last week said the authority would not take on an “enormous drain on public finances”.

The developers behind a planned new town of up to 4,000 homes said they “remain confident” the project will go ahead, despite one of the landowners pulling out.

Caddick Group, which has submitted plans for a settlement called Maltkiln near Cattal, said it is continuing to work with other landowners and local authorities on the project.

It comes after Harrogate Borough Council announced yesterday it was “pausing” its work to submit a development plan document (DPD) to the Secretary of State for a new settlement in the area because one of the pieces of land was no longer available.

A spokesperson for Caddick Group said:

“As with most large and complex developments, the proposed new settlement at Maltkiln involves several landowners and we have been working with them for a number of years.

“It is regrettable that one of the landowners has now expressed their intention to withdraw their support for the development. However, we continue to have positive relationships with the other landowners and we remain confident that development can progress in accordance with the policy objectives of Harrogate Borough Council’s Development Plan Document for the new settlement.

“The Maltkiln site was established as the preferred option by Harrogate Borough Council based on its location, accessibility and relative freedom from constraints.

“In parallel with the council’s DPD process, we have undertaken thorough community and stakeholder consultation as part of defining our proposals to deliver much needed new housing and associated amenities for this part of North Yorkshire.

“We intend to continue a positive dialogue with all the landowners in the vicinity of our site and any updated proposals will be publicised after we have discussed with the borough and county councils how the amended site area may best be developed in accordance with the proposed DPD.”

Caddick put forward plans last year for two primary schools, a GP surgery and shops as part of its proposal. It also said the homes would be built to “very high environmental standards” with communal air and ground source heat pumps, solar power generation and electric vehicle charging points in every home.

Several “mobility hubs” are planned to offer fast charging for vehicles as well as repairs and storage for e-scooters and bicycles, and flexible working spaces available to hire.

Read more:

• New settlement plans ‘paused’ after land withdrawn near Cattal
• Concern over lack of secondary school at new Harrogate district town

Cllr Arnold Warneken, whose Ouseburn division includes the proposed site, said he was concerned that changes to the land available could impact the viability of the whole development.

The Green Party councillor said he was “not surprised” one of the landowners had pulled out, as any of them could be considering other uses for their land that might be “more viable”. He added:

“I’m not surprised but I’m concerned about the impact that might have on the rest of the development.

“My concern is that the viability would be an excuse for changing the specification to not being an exemplar for carbon neutrality and so on. At some point, we could end up with a developer wanting a standard housing estate.”

Cllr Warneken said he would work to bring together all the affected parish councils in the area again to discuss any changes to the proposals as a result of the piece of land being withdrawn.

A panel of four leading business people faces a tough task today as judging takes place in the first ever Stray Ferret Business Awards.

More than 100 entries have been submitted across 10 categories, highlighting the strength of the business community in the Harrogate district.

The four judges are Marcus Boardall, CEO of Reed Boardall, Black Sheep Brewery CEO Charlene Lyons, Cloud Nine founder and CEO Martin Rae, and James Farrar, COO of York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (pictured).

They will meet in central Harrogate to spend today going over all the entries, selecting those most deserving of our 10 awards.

From growing businesses to the up-and-coming stars of the future, the categories are designed to allow businesses to showcase their strengths. Each is sponsored by a leading local business, and the headline sponsor for the awards scheme is Prosperis.

The shortlists will be announced this Friday, January 20.

The spectacular awards ceremony takes place on Thursday, March 9 at Pavilions of Harrogate. To book your tickets, click here.

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Housing developers partner to begin £16m Knaresborough scheme
• Business breakfast: Solar plans for business park near Harrogate

New appointments boost Harrogate law firm

Managing partner Stephen Hopwood, centre, with, from left, Stuart Farrar, Helen Ramsden, Kate Develly and David Leuchars.

A Harrogate law firm has begun the year with a series of appointments and promotions.

McCormicks Solicitors has added David Leuchars to its corporate and commercial department, assisting its head, James Towler in business law matters.

Stuart Farrar joins the residential conveyancing team, bringing more than 40 years’ experience, while Kate Develly has been offered a training contract in the crime and fraud department.

She joined McCormicks just over a year ago and has recently become accredited to advise clients at the police station. Her former role has been filled by Helen Ramsden, who has been promoted to criminal law executive.

Managing partner Stephen Hopwood said:

“It is always good to welcome new talent to the team and these appointments and promotions will help to bolster some very busy departments.”

Plans to join two public footpaths separated by five metres of land could take a step forward on Friday.

North Yorkshire County Council is looking at whether a public path creation order could be used in the Crimple valley in south Harrogate.

It aims to link up bridleways 61 and 129 via a stretch of former railway line on the Rudding Park estate, creating a circular route near the viaduct.

Although its owners agreed in 2014 the land could be used as a bridleway, the owners of a small stretch of land required to complete the route have objected to the plans.

However, a consultation last year received more than 100 responses in support, including from nearby parish councils. A second consultation, carried out after an error in legal referencing was found in the first, received support from 58 of the same people, as well as four new.

Now, a proposal will go before the county council’s corporate director for highways and transportation, Karl Battersby, and executive member Cllr Keane Duncan, to consider making a public path creation order, which could have to be approved by the Secretary of State.

The report, to be considered on Friday afternoon, said:

“The creation agreement envisaged that the two routes would connect to make a circular route.

“The ‘need’ for the route is satisfied in that it acts to connect existing routes to make a circular route, in the absence of the proposed route the existing routes end in a cul de sac which is an unsatisfactory and illogical position.

“The pre-order consultation responses clearly demonstrated public support for the making of a creation order to connect the bridleways and indicated that the route would ‘add to the convenience or enjoyment of a substantial section of the public, or to the convenience of persons resident in the area’.

“The viaduct is a high value feature of the landscape and enhances the views along the length of both existing bridleways. A circular route would undoubtedly add to the convenience and enjoyment not only of persons residing in the area but also to the wider public of North Yorkshire, surrounding areas and tourists.”

Read more:

• Controversial plan for 35 homes in Crimple Valley rejected
• Consultation on bid to join bridleways in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley

The landowners and tenant farmers of the affected piece of land were among four people to object to the plans during the consultation.

One pointed out that people already divert from the existing bridleways during wet weather to avoid waterlogged stretches, straying onto land used for livestock.

The objections also raised concerns about dog fouling, damage to the land and fencing, and inconsiderate parking nearby, all of which could be exacerbated by creating a new circular route, they said.

One opponent added:

“We have a situation whereby the public seem to treat the fields as parkland, literally wandering wherever they choose, which constantly damages the land by walking over grass used for grazing and twice yearly harvesting for winter feed.”

However, the report due to be considered by NYCC on Friday said it does not expect there to be any “significant increase” in users of the bridleway.

The report also reveals that the Rudding Park estate has said it will withdraw consent for the bridleway on the former railway line if the circular route cannot be created.

If the county council decides to make the public path creation order, it would have to issue a notice of doing so to all local landowners and other organisations affected. If any objections are received, they would have to be considered by the Secretary of State before the order could be confirmed.

Councillors on the new North Yorkshire Council will have a 50% pay rise in April if proposals are approved next week.

The suggested increase has been put forward to “reflect their significantly increased workload” as the new unitary authority takes over from North Yorkshire County Council.

Councillors sitting on NYCC currently receive £10,316 per year as a basic allowance. If proposals are approved, this would increase to £15,500 for the next financial year.

Allowances for special responsibilities – those with portfolios for transport, health and other areas – would also increase by at least 4% under the plans.

The chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), John Thompson, said:

“Councillors volunteer for their roles. They are not employees and are not paid at a commercial rate for their time.

“However, the allowances should not be set at a level which acts as a disincentive to conscientious performance of duties, or which does not reflect the considerable time commitment required for the role.”

The proposed new allowances will be considered by NYCC’s executive next Tuesday, before being put to the full council for a final decision in February.

While Mr Thompson said he accepted that “in absolute terms this may be seen as a large increase”, the number of councillors was reducing from 319 to 90, so there would be savings to the taxpayer.

The cost of basic and special responsibility allowances at present is £2,553,319. Under the proposals it would fall to £1,845,686 – a saving of just over £700,000.

Read more:

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• Levelling up council tax charges over two years is ‘best compromise’

Some NYCC councillors also sit on Harrogate Borough Council, meaning they can claim allowances from both authorities. From April, when the new unitary authority takes over, they will only sit on one council and be able to claim once.

Mr Thompson said the IRP had faced a difficult task in coming to its recommendation.

He added:

“Setting a fair and proportionate basic allowance and special responsibility allowance that reflects the workload of councillors in the new authority has been a complex task.

“The allowances paid in similar local authorities have been reviewed, inflation and cost of living pressures taken into account, information from councillors about their current and future workload considered, along with details of how the new council will work and the services that it will commission and provide.

“When considering the appropriate level for the allowances, it is also important to take into account the need to continue to attract the required calibre of candidate from a diverse range of backgrounds, to stand and serve as a councillor.”

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Carl Les, said:

“I thank the panel for its work and for looking at this issue with independent eyes. It is important that the level at which allowances are set is not a barrier that would prevent anyone from standing for a council position, regardless of such things as age, personal circumstances and whether they are in work.

“It will be a matter for each councillor to decide, at the full council meeting in February, whether to take all, some or none of the proposed allowances.”