Harrogate Town has increased season ticket prices for the 2024/25 season.

The club announced that the full price of a ticket will increase to £384 for standing and £435 seated for new adult supporters.

Existing adult season ticket holders will be charged £351 standing and £402 for seated.

The prices are an increase on £349 for standing and £395 for seated, which fans paid in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, the club has offered an early bird window between April 4 and June 5 where season ticket holders can renew at a reduced rate.

New fans can also purchase within the window.

Full price season tickets at Harrogate Town after June 5, 2024.

Existing adult ticket holders can renew at £335 for standing and £383 for seated within the time frame.

Meanwhile, new adult supporters can purchase standing tickets for £367 and seated for £415 in the window.

Prices for concessions have been set at £268 for standing and £307 for seated for existing ticket holders within the early bird period. New supporters will pay £299 and £338.

However, this increases to £281 standing and £322 for existing fans after June 5 and £314 and £355 for new ticket holders.

Prices for under-18s are set at £139 for standing and £177 seated for both existing and new ticket holders before June 5. This increases to £146 and £186 for both groups after that date.

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Meanwhile, under-12s pay £104 standing and £145 seated for existing and new fans in the early bird window.

This increases to £109 standing and £152 seated after June 5.

Tickets for those aged under five years old will cost £40 standing and £45 seated for both existing and new fans.

The club has also offered fans to pay in instalments on tickets to spread the cost.

Match day ticket rises

Town have also increased the prices of match day tickets.

An adult standing ticket bought in advance will increase to £22 or £24 if bought on the day. A seated ticket would cost £25 if bought in advance or £27 if purchased on the day.

Meanwhile, concessions will be priced at £17 standing and £20 seated in advance or £18 and £21 if bought on match day.

Under-18s will cost £9 standing and £12 seated if bought ahead of the game or £10 and £13 on the day.

Those under-12 will be priced at £7 standing and £10 seated in advance or £8 standing and £11 seated on match day.

Children under-5 will cost £3 for both seated and standing in advance or £4 on the day of the game.

Harrogate Town match day ticket prices for 2024/25.

Sarah Barry, chief executive at Harrogate Town FC, said the club had seen overall attendances increase at the EnviroVent Stadium by 20% this season.

She said:

“Our supporters are the heartbeat of this club and you are the most important stakeholders of our club. 

“Your support benefits the entire Harrogate district going way beyond football, as it enables our club and community foundation to achieve our primary objective, to maintain a healthy, happy and connected Harrogate district.”

Harrogate Town currently sit four points off a play off place in EFL League Two with five games left.

This story is sponsored by Great North Auto Services. 

A well known Knaresborough auto repair shop is opening a new site at Hookstone Park, as well as expanding the range of services offered.

Great North Auto Services specialises in a vast variety of vehicle services including offering MOT checks, tyres, air-conditioning, four wheel alignment, repairs and more.

Their new shop will not only offer the same standard of service customers have come to expect but will also have a showroom selling high quality, second-hand cars.

As a business specialising in repairing many different types of vehicles, the team at Great Northern Auto Services felt they could apply this knowledge to ensure customers shopping for a used car can be assured they reach the ‘dealership quality’ that all repairs are delivered to.

(Image: Great North Auto Services)

Managing director Jamie Forster explained:

“Great North Auto Services has proven itself to be a leading garage in the local area.

“Our customers praise our willingness to go the extra mile and provide a reliable service at a good value. Customers want to trust us with their pride and joy – their vehicle.”

Due to their reputation and popularity with not only residents of Knaresborough, but Harrogate, Wetherby and beyond, when an opportunity arose to expand into a unit at Hookstone Park, Great North Auto Services didn’t hesitate.

Since first opening in Knaresborough in 2020, an underpinning ethos for the business has always been to build a loyal customer base who know they can rely on the experienced team to solve their vehicle problems, ‘without the premium price tag’.

(Image: Great North Auto Services)

Jamie added:

“We believe in dealing directly with the customers from start to finish and building a lasting, trusted relationship.

“Without a happy and loyal customer base, we don’t have a business. We work hard to complete every job to the highest quality, and we are pleased when customers drive away happy with the service they have received.”

With the Hookstone Park site due to open in a matter of weeks, 2024 looks set to be a big year for the business – and the team are urging existing and new customers to find out how Great North Auto Services can help them get the most out of their vehicle.

Find out more:

Visit the Great North Auto Services website, call 01423 368060 or fill out an enquiry form and one of the members of the team will be in touch.

A body has been found in the search for missing 25-year-old Leeds woman Molly Ann Garbutt.

North Yorkshire Police joined West Yorkshire Police in the search today after Molly’s black Renault Clio was seen in the Grassington area last night and then found just before 8am today parked near Dibbles Bridge at Hebden, about two miles from Greenhow in the former Harrogate district.

But in a statement tonight, North Yorkshire Police said the search “has been called off after a body was found at around 3.15pm today”.

The statement added:

“While formal identification has not yet taken place, Molly’s family have been informed about the death and they are being supported by the police.

“We ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time as we prepare a report for the coroner.”

RAF Mountain Rescue, Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association and a HM Coastguard helicopter joined the search for Molly, whose disappearance on Tuesday night led police to say they had  “immediate concerns for her welfare”.

Officers urged anyone with information that could assist their enquiries to call 101, select option 4, and speak to the force control room. Quote reference number 12240057708.

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• Missing Leeds woman’s car found close to Harrogate district
• Ex-Tory council leader named Harrogate Homeless Project chief executive

Horticultural charity Horticap celebrated its 40th anniversary today.

The charity, located at Bluecoat Wood Nurseries on Harrogate‘s Otley Road, has helped adults with learning disabilities train in horticulture and outdoor skills since 1984.

Students learn garden maintenance, woodwork and social skills as part of their time at Horticap.

Pupils gathered for today’s birthday celebrations alongside TV gardener and Horticap patron Alan Titchmarsh and His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Jo Ropner.

Alan Titchmarsh with two Horticap students. Pic: Gerard Binks.

They were presented with awards as part of the special day.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones was also in attendance, as was the president of the National Allotment Society, Phil Gomersall, the Knaresborough town crier and Look North journalist Amanda Harper.

The charity is hosting a range of events throughout the year to celebrate the milestone, including a 40th anniversary garden display at both the Harrogate Spring Flower Show and the Great Yorkshire Show.

TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh. Pic: Gerard Binks.

Read more:

• Ex-Tory council leader named Harrogate Homeless Project chief executive 
• Harrogate Town post £2.5 million loss

A resident has raised concerns about litter in Valley Gardens in Harrogate after bins overflowed at Easter.

North Yorkshire Council has been criticised for its decision to reduce the number of litter bins to save money.

It is spending £478,000 on replacing about 1,500 litter bins in the former Harrogate district with 775 larger bins.

The Stray Ferret has covered the issue extensively, with the council saying in January it would review the policy after complaints.

Eileen Dockray, who took the photos accompanying this article on Sunday morning, raised concerns about the impact of the new approach on Valley Gardens.

She said:

“More than half of the bins in the gardens have been removed.

“I am not sure when they had last been emptied but they were not like that on Saturday morning. Monday was very similar after the good weather and families taking advantage of it.”

Ms Dockray added she feared the situation would get worse as summer approaches and visitor numbers increase.

A North Yorkshire Council spokesman denied there was a problem. They said:

“There was not a reduced service over Easter. The bins were emptied as normal with no overflowing bins reported.”

The spokesperson did not respond to our request for details about the number of bins that have been removed from Valley Gardens.

In 2022, smart bins were trialled in the town as a joint venture between the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire Council.

According to a Harrogate borough councillor at the time, the bins used sensors to send alerts when they need emptying to avoid overflowing. Later the same year Harrogate Borough Council installed six smart bins, costing a total of £26,100, in Valley Gardens.

Last year a May bank holiday gathering required a major clean-up operation the following day.

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• Harrogate Town post £2.5 million loss 

Get out and about with our guide of the top cultural goings-on from 5-7 April.

Attend a calligraphy course

(Image: Pixaby)

Handwriting seems to be somewhat of a dying art form, partly due to the rise in technology. Learn the skills of beautiful handwriting at this two-hour calligraphy workshop in Knaresborough.

Aimed at beginners and improvers, you will learn the strokes that are based on ancient manuscripts and get the knowhow to create Celtic designs.

£25, booking is required as spaces are limited, 10am-12noon, April 6, Briggate Art, 9a Briggate, Knaresborough, HG5 8BQ, 07931 778 276, chameleonartclasses@gmail.com.

Meet the artist exploring the life of a curlew

(Image: Paco Valera)

Did you know that the curlew is the largest European wading bird, found on estuaries in winter and the moors in summer?

Head up to the Yorkshire Dales this weekend and meet one of the artists behind the Curlew Calling exhibition, Sally Zaranko.

Sally’s work is shown alongside Paco Valera’s photography as well as experienced and highly regarded North Yorkshire artists including Judith Bromley, Hester Cox and Robert Nicholls.

You can chat, draw and write about the beautiful bird at the event.

Free, 10am-3pm, April 6, Dales Countryside Museum, Station Yard, Hawes, DL8 3NT.

Attempt to grow the tallest sunflower

(Image: Pixaby)

You know warmer climes are on the way when you’re sowing sunflower seeds. And this weekend is the last chance to take part in the Sunflower Challenge at F Tate & Sons in Ripon.

Plant your sunflower seed at the planting table at the nursery, take your seed pot home and then post the results on social media by August 15, tagging @FTateandSons and @RiponBID for a chance to win one of three kids’ gardening prizes.

Free, 10am-4pm, April 6, F Tate & Sons, Larkhill Nurseries, Studley Road, Ripon, HG4 2QR.

Visit Goldsborough Hall gardens

(Image: Goldsborough Hall gardens)

This week is Community Gardens Week for the National Open Garden Scheme, and to mark the occasion Goldsborough Hall is opening its gardens to the public on Sunday 7 April. Visitors can expect to see colourful displays from spring bulbs, the woodland walk and a stroll up the quarter-mile long Lime Tree Walk that is lined by a carpet of more than 50,000 daffodils.

There will also be garden talks in the Kitchen Garden at 12pm and 2pm by Goldsborough Hall’s head gardener, and a plant stall on the terrace too.

£7.50 per adult, children free, 11am-4pm, April 7, Goldsborough Hall, Knaresborough, HG5 8NR.

Last chance to see For the Love of Art at 108 Fine Art Gallery

(Image: For the Love of Art at 108 Fine Art Gallery)

Forming part of 108 Fine Art Gallery’s collections that breathe new life into the stories they tell, For the Love of Art explores personal narratives and shared experiences.

Showcasing the works of artists Paul Wager and Laimonis Mierins, expect to see work that’s from the heart and explores memories and personal connections that have been made.

Free, 11am-5pm, until April 6, 108 Fine Art Gallery, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate, HG2 ONA.

Do you have an event that you’d like us to potentially feature in the future? Drop me an email at francesca@thestrayferret.co.uk

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Former Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper has been named as the new chief executive of Harrogate Homeless Project.

Richard Cooper, who led the council from 2014 until last year, will relinquish his role as office manager for Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones to take up the role on July 1.

He will succeed Francis McAllister, who is retiring after two years in charge of the charity. Its hostel on Bower Street is close to Mr Jones’ East Parade constituency office and Harrogate Conservative Club

In a press release announcing the move, the charity said Mr Cooper began voluntary work at the hostel in 1996 after becoming “drawn by its vision of ending rough sleeping in the Harrogate district”.

It added Mr Cooper continued to support Harrogate Homeless Project during his time as a councillor, and “regularly gives talks on homelessness, rough sleeping and street begging to community groups”.

Mr Cooper said:

“After so many years being closely connected to the homeless project as a volunteer and supporter it feels like a bit of a dream to become the organisation’s chief executive.

“Preventing homelessness and supporting people sleeping rough is a difficult task and I know we have a small and dedicated team of staff, volunteers and donors who have an amazing impact.

“And I have big shoes to fill. Francis McAllister has led Harrogate Homeless Project through a significant period of change and growth. Our Springboard day centre is a hive of activity providing a wide range of support from an array of partners. The team is better-placed than ever before to support clients. Francis has made a real difference to homelessness in our area.”

Mr Cooper’s last working day with Mr Jones, which will be on June 28, will mark the end of one of the most influential careers in local politics this century.

David Thomas, chairman at the project, added:

“I know Richard understands the challenges facing Harrogate Homeless Project. The economic climate remains difficult, there is a shortage of affordable property for rent and support services are stretched.  Our charity has a big job to do to meet these challenges and with his background in the community and decades-long support for Harrogate Homeless Project I know he will be an energetic leader for the Harrogate Homeless Project team.

“We will miss Francis but respect his decision to retire after a lifetime working for local and national charities. He will forever be a friend to HHP and to the many people whom he helped during his tenure.”

Asked how much Mr Cooper will be paid by the charity, Mr McAllister replied:

“I cannot discuss individual salaries but it is at a similar level to our existing CEO and commensurate with CEO roles at charities of a similar size and complexity.”

According to its latest accounts filed with the Charity Commission for the year ending August 31, 2022, no employees received annual remuneration of £60,000 or more.

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This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly.    

This week, we spoke to Mona Norman, managing director of Fogal & Barnes Fine Jewellers on Cambridge Street in Harrogate. 

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does. 

Our boutique on Harrogate‘s main shopping street specialises in engagement, wedding and eternity rings, although we’re also increasingly seen as experts in coloured gems, such as sapphires, rubies and emeralds.

What does it require to be successful in business? 

Fantastic customer service. With the internet now you can buy whatever you want online, so why would people come to me? It’s because we come across a bit more approachable and we offer a personal consultation – 90% of the jewellery we sell is bespoke.

That’s partly why we’ve been shortlisted for Bridal Jewellery Retailer of the Year at the UK Jewellery Awards in London in June.

What drives you to do what you do every day? 

I absolutely love what I do – I eat, breathe and sleep it. I’m so passionate about what we do: making dreams come true. When you see a young girl put on an engagement ring that’s all she’s ever wanted, it’s wonderful – and very emotional. I love our little shop.

What has been the toughest issue your company has had to deal with over the last 12 months? 

The cost-of-living crisis. People are taking longer to take decisions to treat themselves. But we stay positive, and we’re confident that things will change. They always do.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why? 

I love the camaraderie between all the jewellers in Harrogate, like Ogdens and I’Ansons. We all do something a little different from each other, and we all try to help each other.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders? 

My lovely husband, Richard Norman. He does so much for the community and inspires me every day. Giving back to the community is really important to us.

What could be done locally to boost business? 

Harrogate used to be well known for its independent shops, but the other day a visitor to the town said to me, ‘Do you know, yours is the only independent business on the high street?’. The sad thing is that she was right.

We need to chop up some of these big units in the centre of town so that smaller businesses can afford to rent them. After all, why would someone visit Harrogate if there are only big chains here?

There are a few pockets of independent businesses around Harrogate, which is great, but if we don’t use them, we’ll lose them.

Best and worst things about running a business from Harrogate? 

The best thing is all the greenery. We have a beautiful town, and I love living and working here.

The worst thing is that it’s not busy enough. York gets a lot more footfall, and I know it’s a bigger place, but Harrogate’s got a lot to offer too, and we need to emulate York’s success and encourage more out-of-towners to visit.

What are your business plans for the future? 

I work on a five- to 10-year plan. I was going to open more branches, but I changed my mind, so we’re going to keep on doing what we’re doing, in Harrogate. I’m never going to stop working – I just want us to be better and stronger.

What do you like to do on your time off? 

That’s funny – do I get time off?! When I get home, I love to put on Netflix and cook. My favourite meals to make are Middle Eastern, Italian… anything really. I love trying out anything new.

That said, my work is my hobby!

Best place to eat and drink locally?

I love Starling because it’s so laid back and relaxed – and Richard loves the selection of beers. The Little Ale House has a lovely vibe too.

To eat, I love Papa’s on Prince’s Square. It’s a hidden gem with fabulous food and really nice red wine, and it’s not expensive.

• If you know someone in business in the Harrogate district and you’d like to suggest them for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk. 

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Harrogate Town lost £2.5 million last year — more than double the amount it lost the previous year.

The club’s financial statement for the year ended June 30, 2023 appeared on the Companies House website today.

The 12-page statement does not include a copy of the profit and loss account, which it says “the directors of the company have elected not to include”.

But it reveals the club made a loss of £2,475,345 compared with £1,168,631 in 2022.

It also highlights the club’s ongoing dependence on chairman Irving Weaver, who owns 86% of shares.

It says despite the £2.5 million loss and net current liabilities of £2.7 million, the directors have prepared cash flow forecasts “which indicate that, taking account of reasonably possible downsides, the company will have sufficient funds, through funding from its controlling shareholder, R I Weaver, to meets its liabilities as they fall due for that period”.

It adds:

“Those forecasts are dependent on R I Weaver not seeking repayment of the amounts currently owed to him, which at 30 June 2023 amounted to £2,458,074, and providing additional financial support during that period.

“R I Weaver has indicated his intention to continue to make available such funds as are needed by the company, and that he does not intend to seek repayment of the amounts due for the period covered by the forecasts.”

The financial statement added that no interest had been charged on the £2.5 million owed to Mr Weaver — and that the club owed him £4.4 million in 2022.

The statement also revealed the club employed on average 66 staff in 2023, compared with 55 in 2022 — an increase of 20%.

Simon Weaver, Irving’s son, has steered Town to within four points of a League Two play-off place this season with five matches to go.

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Green Party candidate for the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election, Gilly Charters, points to the controversial planning approval of Wetherby Road’s Leon drive-thru, soon-to-be Starbucks, as an example of where things have gone wrong in the division.

Critics say the site, which opened as a Leon in 2022 after the government overturned the council’s decision to refuse it, has increased congestion, contributed to rubbish being tossed out of car windows and has taken business away from cafes in town.

It’s a car-led development that Ms Charters wants to see less of. She favours improving active travel infrastructure so it’s safer and more environmentally friendly to get around whilst improving air quality.

She says streets like Oatlands Drive and Hookstone Road in Harrogate should become a more pleasant place where people can cycle to work, go to school, or meet friends without fearing they’ll be knocked over by a car.

Then there are the potholes, which can make riding your bike in Harrogate akin to navigating a ski slalom.

She said:

“People feel happier with active transport. The potholes are just ludicrous too and it means some people don’t want to be on bikes. It’s a real concern. I’d like to see much slower speeds outside schools. Children and elderly people deserve to be looked after.”

Ms Charters has lived in Harrogate since 1981, including 20 years on Hookstone Drive, but now lives just outside the division.

She was a teacher at King James’s School in Knaresborough for 25 years and now works part-time supporting boys who are struggling with mainstream education.

She’s been spirited by the success of fellow Green Party councillors in North Yorkshire including Arnold Warneken in Ouseburn. He’s been a strong voice in favour of active travel and green policies in Harrogate and the county since he was elected in 2022.

Ms Charters believes that it shows that the Greens are now a trusted electoral force in North Yorkshire.

With the council in the early stages of formulating its Local Plan that will map out where housebuilding can take place across Harrogate for the next few decades, Ms Charters hopes to encourage greener housebuilding, which she said has been a missed opportunity in previous years.

She said:

“People throughout Harrogate are aware of the amount of house building going on. Really good insulation, solar panels and heat pumps have been missed time and time again.

“If we want fuel security, we have to look at these things. If we let builders build on green land, they have to do their bit.”

The by-election will take place on Thursday, April 11. For more information visit the council’s website.

A full list of candidates is below:

• Conservative – John Ennis.
• Green – Gilly Charters.
• Labour – Geoff Foxall.
• Liberal Democrat – Andrew Timothy.
• Reform – John Swales.

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