Vicky Carr, Author at The Stray Ferret

Ladies’ Day to boost Harrogate footballer’s cancer treatment fund

Two back-to-back football matches will be played at Harrogate Railway this weekend as part of a day of fundraising.

Ladies’ Day will see the women’s reserves play at noon on Sunday, followed by the first team facing Farsley Celtic at 2pm.

Entry will be free for spectators, with a barbecue, raffle and refreshments all on offer as part of the entertainment.

First team coach Rich Burns told the Stray Ferret:

“it’s a celebration of ladies’ football in the club and the region. We’ve gone from one football team to four in the space of two years.

“I’ve been there for 15 years and we’ve only had one senior ladies’ team and various girls’ teams. Since the Euros, where the Lionesses were successful, now the World Cup and the WSL, there’s a real growth and demand for women’s football in the region.”

As well as first and reserve teams, Railway now has an under 18s ladies’ side, offering teenagers the chance to learn, or continue learning a sport they have enjoyed at school.

Rich said it offers a natural pathway into the adult teams too.

And it is for one of the first team players that the day has been organised.

Dee Swales played for the club for around five years, before moving to Farsley Celtic. She returned two years ago, but last year was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Rich said:

“She has been undergoing significant treatment and dealt with the first part really well, but she has unfortunately developed a secondary cancer.

“The NHS doesn’t fund the treatment she needs when it’s for secondary cancer, so you have to raise funds yourself.

“She has been dong loads of stuff and fundraising, but the club really wanted to show our support for this as well.”

Setting a target of £1,000, the club said any money raised that exceeds the amount Dee needs will be split between Macmillan and Cancer Research UK.

Harrogate Railway Football Club on Station View, Starbeck, will host the event

Dee is also planning to join in the fun on the day – though will have more reason than most to play it safe. Rich said:

“She’s a week away from being married. I think the biggest challenge is keeping her off the pitch, because [fiancee] Abi would absolutely kill us if she gets injured for the wedding!”

With women’s football much more popular than ever before, Harrogate Railway are hoping for a big crowd at the event on Sunday.

Rich added:

“Everyone’s aware of Rachel Daly and her ties to the region. She spent a small amount of time with Railway and when she came back from the US during the summers, she used to come to our training sessions.

“It has been really fantastic that the Lionesses have been offering discounted tickets to grassroots clubs.

“We’ve been able to support them a few times and we went to see them at Wembley.

“You don’t get the same level of animosity you can get at the men’s game and it does seem very family-friendly.

“Seeing 87,000 people in Wembley for a ladies’ game was fantastic – it was a celebration of football.”

New owners at long-standing Harrogate fish and chip shop

Two businessmen are hoping to breathe new life into a popular Harrogate fish and chip shop and keep it as a local favourite.

Taru Pahwa and Pradeep Angoor took over Dougie’s on King Edward’s Drive three weeks ago, and said they are already getting to know regular customers.

Taru said:

“It’s good. People are liking it. There are things for us to improve, but we have had a positive response so far, and sales are improving every day.”

Known to friends as Taz and Deep, the pair each own off-licences around Harrogate, including the Number One Shop on Electric Avenue and Harlow Hill Stores on Otley Road.

Dougie’s is their first venture together, but they are old friends and play sports together, which they hope is a recipe for good team spirit.

While Taz works behind the scenes, taking care of supplies, Deep will be in the shop day-to-day, serving customers and managing the small team.

They have already recruited kitchen staff, but are still looking for a couple of people to work front-of-house.

Taking ownership of Dougie’s has been a long aspiration for the pair, who live nearby and first looked at it when it was put up for sale by the founding family around six years ago, after running it for many years.

Taz said:

“We were new and still settling in with our businesses. It wasn’t the right time for us.”

The person who bought it in 2017 decided to sell up this year, and Taz and Deep took their chance this time.

While they have no immediate plans for change, they said they are happy to listen to what locals want. Deep said:

“The first thing we did was increase our opening hours. It was only three-and-a-half days, and now it’s six full days, including Sunday.

“I think people appreciate that. For me, I think it confuses people if you are open a couple of hours and then again later. To keep it simple, we decided to open all day.”

Deep and Taz ready to serve lunch

The hours may be longer, but the menu and prices will remain the same – despite increasing costs in the industry.

Deep said he had heard from his supplier this week that the price of potatoes will be rising by more than 20%, but that won’t be passed on to customers.

He added:

“The support from the community will be really helpful to keep us going, because of the bills and the rent itself – forget about the raw materials.

“We’re happy to take on board any recommendations and requests and work on it.”

Taz added:

“We’re introducing deliveries – in the next couple of weeks, it will be all up and running.

“It’s still early stages. Maybe in six months, a year, because there is no pizza or kebab shop, that’s something we are seriously considering. At the moment, people have to go into town for it.”

As for the name – long associated with decent fish and chips by people in Bilton and beyond – Taz and Deep are happy to honour its founder and keep Dougie’s going for years to come.

Nature-inspired murals brighten up Starbeck underpass

A striking new set of murals aims to bring the natural world into an unloved urban part of Starbeck, its creator says.

Sam Porter has painted three murals to brighten up the underpass near the level crossing.

They feature wild birds and plants, as well as symbols of the area’s history, on three boards put up along the white walls.

Harrogate-based Sam was commissioned by Starbeck in Bloom to do the work, which was funded by Northern Rail.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“The thing I found quite difficult was, I’m used to painting directly onto the walls and you can work with the environment easier.

“It could have spanned through the whole underpass, but we would have had to close the underpass, which would have been a problem.

“But doing this has been really good, because it has added another strand to my work, using panels if people don’t want things directly onto walls.”

Sam said he was fortunate to be offered space to work in the yard at Amara Jane, the furniture shop next to the station, keeping him close to where the paintings would go on display.

He has struck up a friendship with the business owner, Andreas Mandrekas, and has been offered use of the yard again in future.

After years of travelling to Manchester, where he was being commissioned regularly, Sam is happy to have been asked to do more work in Harrogate in recent years.

His murals can now be seen in Cross James Street in Harrogate, as well as on Cheapside and near the Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria in Knaresborough.

He has also created artwork for community buildings, including Aspin Park and Western primary schools.

He will soon be working on a mural for the Kiosk at Conyngham Hall as part of Knaresborough’s Feva Festival.

As part of his work, Sam enjoys researching local history to come up with the designs for his murals.

In Starbeck, he has featured some of the local buildings, as well as the Pump Room in Harrogate. He said:

“When people used to come to Harrogate for the waters, they used to get the train to Starbeck and then get coaches up, because people in Harrogate didn’t want the dirty trains coming into town.

“The workhouse was in Starbeck, so it has always been the more working class area of Harrogate, but a vital part of the whole thing.”

Much of his work has been commissioned to brighten up unloved or troubled areas of towns and cities.

Sam said statistics show levels of crime and anti-social behaviour can be reduced if hotspots are improved, prompting more local pride among the community.

His inspiration comes from the world around him, which he began to appreciate more during the pandemic.

“It was during lockdown I reconnected with nature a lot. There are a few things about that time that I miss.

“Obviously it was grim, but for the first time ever, you were told, ‘you don’t have to do anything and you aren’t expected to do anything’, so I focused in on some things I loved and started looking at nature again.

“I became aware of how lucky we are with what’s around us – so much beautiful countryside.

“I like bringing nature back into an urban environment. I think that’s really what needs to happen in the world, in order to save it. You need to live with nature, rather than keep on harming it.”

Pop-up shop offer proves a hit with Knaresborough businesses

A pop-up shop on Knaresborough High Street has proved so popular it has been booked up for the rest of the year.

The owners of Sid Horner and Son decided to offer their former premises as a pop-up for a week at a time to help boost the town’s independent businesses.

After offering the shop at £250 a week including all bills, the company was inundated with interest and, within two days, had filled the calendar until 2024.

Owner Natalie Horner told the Stray Ferret:

“Knaresborough is thriving at the moment, with less than a handful of empty units and lots of new businesses opening.

“We know lots of people want to open a shop in Knaresborough and so want this to be an opportunity for independent businesses to test the water before signing in to big leases.

“We think it will be a great addition to the high street as well as a fantastic opportunity for businesses to trial opening a shop, and hopefully some will go on to open full time in town.”

Mrs Horner said the people who had signed up would be offering a range of products including homeware, clothing, stationery, swimwear, and eco and sustainability items.

The shop, which was previously used by Sid Horner and Sons before becoming a chiropodist’s treatment room, is currently undergoing renovations, including colourful paintwork outside,

The first pop-up is expected to open in mid-September.

Liquidators appointed at Harrogate conference company

The company behind one of Harrogate’s largest business events is set to be wound up after appointing liquidators this week.

Brand Yorkshire Limited, which runs the annual Brand Yorkshire conference, passed a resolution for winding up yesterday.

It has appointed business recovery specialist firm Leonard Curtis, based in Leeds, to deal with the liquidation.

The company was founded in 2010 and its sole director is Richard Norman.

After being cancelled in 2020 because of the covid pandemic, the Brand Yorkshire conference – held at Pavilions of Harrogate – returned in 2021.

The event was held for the 12th time on October 6 last year.

It featured almost 60 businesses in the exhibition halls, as well as a programme of speakers, and around 1,000 visitors attended.

Until recently, the Brand Yorkshire website was advertising its 2023 event for October 5. However, the website has been taken down, with a holding page saying it is “under maintenance”.

The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Norman but he declined to comment.

Compulsory strike-off action against the company began in February, after the company failed to file its 2021-22 accounts by the deadline of December 31 last year.

However, on March 10, a statement was issued by Companies House which said:

“Action under section 1000 of the Companies Act 2006 has been temporarily suspended as an objection to the striking off has been received by the registrar.”

Family fun and rural education on offer at Tockwith Show

Thousands of people will flock to a field in the Harrogate district on Sunday for the annual Tockwith Show.

One of the biggest agricultural shows in the region, it boasts more than 800 classes, 120 trophies and just over £6,000 in prize money.

Along with providing a family-friendly event, the organising committee is keen to ensure the show serves another purpose.

Show committee chair Georgina Watson said:

“It’s a really important event for the community because, as well as being a fun day for everyone, it provides a valuable educational opportunity.

“Farming has faced many changes and challenges since this event was first held as a horticultural show way back in 1945, but each year since then the show has been able to reflect the importance of the industry in this region, and this year is no exception.”

In the farmers’ market section, demonstrations will be given by experts including BBC Masterchef quarter-finalist Owen Diaram.

With this year’s show themed around pigs, the Harrogate-based private chef will be demonstrating one of his dishes from the show: stuffed pork tenderloin with a deep wood mushroom glaze.

Georgina added:

“Everything is looking good for a great family day out. There’s something in this year’s show for everyone – now we’re just keeping our fingers crossed for a warm sunny day.”

Tickets are £12.50, or free for children aged 12 and under, and available online in advance or on the gate.

Garden near Ripon to open its gates for charity this weekend

Five decades of dedication will be on show in a village near Ripon this weekend as part of the national open gardens scheme.

David and Sally Walden have lived at Greencroft for 49 years, slowly transforming the one-acre garden and adding new features.

For the last 25 years, they have opened the gates to the garden on Pottery Lane as part of the National Garden Scheme, and will do so again this Sunday, from noon until 4pm.

Daughter Rachel Beadle told the Stray Ferret:

“When they bought the property it was just one field going right up to the back of a two-up, two-down house.

“My dad is a builder, now retired aged 80, and mum is the gardener, aged 79.

“They have built and gardened the whole thing over 49 years, adding bits on over the years. Mum spent many, many days mixing cement for dad!

“Dad has built every structure, wall and waterfall, from the log cabin to the the summer house. Mum still gardens the whole thing herself: there are no external gardeners.”

The annual open afternoon always raises money for charities chosen by the NGS. Over the years, Rachel said the couple have raised £35,000 for the likes of Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and the Carers’ Trust.

Entry is £5 for adults, while children go free, and there will be tea and cakes available.

Rachel added:

“My sisters, brother and I are all super proud of them.”

To find out more about the open afternoon, visit the Greencroft entry on the NGS website.

‘Rapid improvements’ help Beckwithshaw school return to ‘good’ Ofsted rating

A village primary school near Harrogate has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted just 19 months after it was found to be failing.

Beckwithshaw Primary School‘s latest Ofsted report reveals inspectors found there had been “rapid improvements” after the previous ‘inadequate’ rating.

The report, published after the end of term following an inspection in July, said:

“Beckwithshaw is a small school with big ideas. Leaders have worked swiftly and tirelessly to bring about great improvement in the school.

“Staff and parents value the changes that have taken place. They recognise that the improvements have led to pupils receiving a better quality of education. This a happy place for pupils to learn.

“Leaders have placed well-being at the heart of what they do for pupils and staff. People care about each other. They are welcomed into school each day with a smile. Courtesy, politeness and respect are modelled by everyone.

“Relationships are strong. This leads to pupils being happy and considerate of others. They enjoy being part of the small school community.”

Inspectors found the school was offering lots of opportunities for reading, from first phonics lessons onwards.

Meanwhile, teaching of maths was found to be “effective”, with teachers adapting the curriculum to suit children’s differing needs.

The report added:

“There is a feeling of positivity in the school, which pupils share. Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils. They have high expectations for the future.

“Leaders have reviewed the curriculum. They ensure that pupils access learning in a broad range of subjects. They ensure that learning is planned carefully for pupils in mixed-aged classes. In some subjects, learning builds progressively from the early years to Year 6. This helps pupils to use past knowledge to learn more.

“Leaders recognise that there is more to do in some subjects to identify the important knowledge they want pupils to remember.”

After the last Ofsted report, Beckwithshaw – which is federated with Ripley Endowed and Kettlesing Felliscliffe primary schools – was put under the leadership of an interim executive board (IEB).

Two interim executive headteachers, Victoria Kirkman and Chris Whitehead, oversaw all three schools.

Mr Whitehead left last October, when the schools were expected to become part of a multi-academy trust (MAT), as required by Ofsted following the ‘inadequate’ rating given to both Beckwithshaw and Ripley.

However, those plans fell through, and the chair of the IEB, Robert Ling, said the schools continued to look for a trust to join.

Miss Kirkman remains in post on an interim basis, along with co-executive headteacher Rebecca Foy. Along with Beckwithshaw’s new rating, Ripley was ranked ‘good’ in May.

While recognising the improvements that had been made, the latest Ofsted report urged the school to make long-term plans. It said:

“The current arrangements for governance have proved to be effective in supporting improvements in the school. However, the arrangements are not permanent.

“The IEB, alongside the local authority, should work with continued urgency to ensure that a transition to a sustainable and high-quality governance model is well managed, and in place as soon as possible.”

North Yorkshire Council has welcomed news of the new grade and sent its congratulations to the school.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, executive member for education, learning and skills, said:

“A huge thank you to the teaching staff, pupils, parents, carers and the school community for their continued support in this remarkable journey.

“I am delighted that Beckwithshaw Primary School is now a school where children can flourish.

“The school leaders have worked closely with the interim executive board (IEB), local schools and the local authority to address previous areas of weaknesses, which has resulted in the Ofsted good grading in all areas.

“Ofsted inspectors praised the school for its positivity and stated that ‘leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils and have high expectations for the future’ and they recognised the effective approach in which maths is taught.

“We are committed to continue developing the best possible provision for the pupils and will work tirelessly to build on these successes.”

Former Harrogate Leon site to become Starbucks

The former Leon drive-through restaurant in Harrogate is set to become a Starbucks.

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to change the signage around the Wetherby Road site to Starbucks branding.

Permission has been given for a total of 20 signs, just over half of which would be illuminated, including ‘totem’ signs, menus and directional signs around the drive-through.

Leon, which opened last June, closed its doors on April 2 with the loss of around 20 jobs.

It was operated by Blackburn-based EG Group, which also runs Starbucks franchises as well as brands including KFC and Greggs.

Currently, the building has been empty for four months and has been stripped of its Leon branding and signage. No date has been given for it reopening as a Starbucks.

The coffee brand has only one existing presence in the Harrogate district, on Cambridge Street in the town centre.

Following the closure of the fast-food restaurant, speculation mounted over whether a Starbucks would open at the site.

The company initially considered opening a Starbucks on Wetherby Road before Leon was announced instead.

Planning documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council in 2019 proposed a drive-thru “to be operated by Starbucks Coffee Company” on the site.

However, following planning approval on appeal, EG Group announced a Leon would open instead.

Residents near to the drive-thru raised concern that the scheme was not as advertised in the initial plan.

The Stray Ferret asked the borough council in April 2022 how the company was able to build the scheme as a Leon drive-thru when the original approval for the site showed a Starbucks coffee shop.

At the time, a council spokesperson said:

“Permission was granted by the Planning Inspectorate for a ‘coffee shop to include a drive-thru’, not specifically for a Starbucks.

“The Inspectorate did not add any conditions to the permission they gave restricting the use of the premises solely to a coffee shop, so it can legally be used for any other use within the same use class, which includes a drive thru food and drink establishment.”

The former Leon restaurant

Harrogate’s Lioness scores final goal in 6-1 win over China

Harrogate footballer Rachel Daly got her name on the scoresheet as England’s Lionesses won a place in the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup today.

The former Killinghall Nomads junior player scored the last of England’s six goals against China, volleying the ball in emphatic style in the 85th minute.

It was the second time Daly had been selected to start in the group stage matches, having been brought on as a substitute in the last 15 minutes in England’s first game, against Haiti.

She made her presence felt, getting involved in some tough tackles as China fought to stay in the competition.

But England were too strong, with Lauren James, Alessia Russo and Lauren Kemp all contributing to the 6-1 final score in Adelaide.

The Lionesses now face Nigeria in the next round, with the match kicking off at 8.30am on Monday.

Daly, who grew up in Harrogate and went to Rossett School, plays for Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League.

She was the winner of the golden boot in the 2022-23 season, but has more often been selected to play in defence for England — a role she again filled today.

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