Harrogate pub to expand accommodation

A pub near Harrogate is set to expand its accommodation offering.

Shoulder of Mutton, in Kirkby Overblow, submitted a change of use application to North Yorkshire Council in January.

It outlined plans to convert a former women’s clothing store on-site, Best Kept Secret, into accommodation. The building is adjacent to the pub.

The council approved the application last Monday (April 29).

The building has been vacant for several months after Best Kept Secret moved into the centre of Harrogate in December.

The pub and on-site properties are owned by Heineken, but business owner Kate Deacon, who has been at Shoulder of Mutton for 20 years, today told the Stray Ferret the converted building will become a “junior suite”.

She said the construction work is “mainly cosmetic”, since the building is already in place, and the room will include a seating area, a super king size bed and ensuite bathroom.

Shoulder of Mutton began offering accommodation before lockdown, which Ms Deacon said has since “really taken off”.

It already offers three rooms in what was formerly a barn.

Ms Deacon said the converted suite will be open for use by June 1.

Read more:

Business Breakfast: Ripon company raise £20k in memory of former director

A memorial fund in honour of former businessman Andrew Lupton is set to beat its fundraising target of £20,000.

Ripon-based Econ Engineering set up the Just Giving campaign to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation following the death of their sales director in 2022.

Mr Lupton, ran the family business alongside his brother Jonathan and was 56 years old when he died of a heart attack. Founded by their father Bill 55 years ago, Econ is a manufacturer and supplier of winter maintenance vehicles.

Econ’s managing director, Jonathan Lupton said:

“We have been proud to partner with the British Heart Foundation and absolutely delighted that we have been able to support them with our fundraising. This is particularly poignant given the sad death of Andrew and we want to do as much as we can to increase awareness of heart disease and raise vital money for the charity, in his memory.

“We may have reached the £20,000 mark, but we are not finished yet. A team of Econ employees will be tackling the Three Peaks in May and we hope people will continue to support the memory of Andrew by donating to their efforts.”

To support the Econ Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge click here.

Investment management and stockbroking firm win management award

(L-R): Charlotte M, Sharon G, James I, Evelyn J, Richard R, Katie J, James W, Mary C, James S. A and Grace P-B.

Redmayne Bentley received the London Stock Exchange Award for Best Execution-Only Stockbroking at the City of London Wealth Management Awards 2024.

This year’s awards were highly contested. The awards were decided by public vote, with over 50,000 cast, the greatest number of votes the process has ever received.

Lawrence Fisher, head of investment said:

“As we approach our 150-year anniversary, this outcome reinforces the success we’ve enjoyed over many years in our industry, rewarding the personal service the firm provides to clients.

Traditional stockbroking is where Redmayne Bentley first began in 1875. Our services have expanded over time however our values remain at the centre of everything we do. This award reflects the excellence and teamwork delivered by Redmayne Bentley colleagues across the firm every day.”

Knaresborough clinic celebrates 20 year anniversary

Staff at Castle Clinic, left to right: Chris Horsman, Anna Mackay, Hilary Clissitt, Brit Watson, Seb Contreras, Sarah Chisem, Jon Rebanks

Castle Clinic has celebrated its 20th anniversary.

The clinic first opened in April 2004 as the vision of acupuncturist, Janice Miller, to bring together a range of therapists and disciplines all under one roof.

Tony Cowley bought the Knaresborough clinic in 2009 and retired at the end of 2022, selling the clinic to osteopath, Seb Contreras, who has worked at the clinic since July 2004.

Mr Contreras embarked on a clinic wide renovation plan refurbishing and adding to the site. The business now offers more than 1200 appointments every month in acupuncture, audiology, chiropractic, physiotherapy, podiatry and osteopathy.

Harrogate bus company announce charity partnership

Transdev bus company collaborates with Yorkshire Cancer Research

Yorkshire Cancer Research has been named as the charity partner of Transdev bus company.

Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said:

“We’re so grateful to have been chosen by Transdev as their charity partner for the coming year. The partnership kicked off with a visit from a Transdev bus and we’re looking forward to many more opportunities to bring the two organisations together to raise awareness of cancer research in Yorkshire.

Transdev will show support for cancer research with activities including training for employees on the signs of the most common cancers, collections at local bus stations and getting involved in Yorkshire Day celebrations. The company will also be adding the charity’s branding to a new bus to help raise awareness of the charity.

Harrogate company wins Broker of the Year

Synergy Car Leasing was named Broker of the Year award as well as the Best Customer Service Award at the Broker News Awards 2024

Ralph Morton, editor of Broker News said:

“Synergy Car Leasing has absolutely nailed customer service. In their category, they were winners by a significant margin with enough points to ensure they also carried off the Broker of the Year title.

“For a leasing business that has also been awarded a Feefo 10 Years of Excellence Award for 10 successive years of attaining the Trusted Service Award earlier this year, it is fitting that they should be recognised with the Broker of the Year title.”

Have some news to share about your business? Send it to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Read more:

Free gym classes for children in Harrogate and Knaresborough this month

Children and young people can access free fitness classes in Harrogate and Knaresborough this month.

The move comes after North Yorkshire Council said this week it hopes to encourage young people to “get active” following statistics released by Sport England.

In a press release, the council said the data showed 2.2 million young people do less than 30 minutes of physical activity per day.

To tackle the problem locally, the authority is offering free fitness classes throughout May at the two Brimhams Active-run leisure centres, which reopened last year following a multi-million-pound revamp.

Children aged six to 12 can take advantage of the offer.

The council’s corporate director for community development, Nic Harne, said:

“We have a wide range of programmes and activities for children in all our leisure centres as we foster increased participation which is not only good for their health and wellbeing but encourages social activities too.

“Those classes range from our learn to swim programmes and junior gym sessions to our new music classes in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

“We also have a range of local sports clubs that deliver variety of sports and fun sessions in our swimming pools and sports halls.”

The council said the ‘Born to Move’ classes will offer sessions merging movement and play to “experience the joy and vitality of moving to music”.

One of the teachers, Zoe Murray, added:

“These are really great classes for getting young people into a group exercise environment and feeling really comfortable with it at a young age. All the kids have a great time.”

The offer is free throughout May and sessions will cost £5 thereafter. Born to Move classes will be broken down by age groups.

Sessions will be held on Fridays at 5pm in Harrogate and 10.30am on Saturdays in Knaresborough.

Read more:

Call to halt succession of North Yorkshire rural school closures

Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative-led North Yorkshire Council to place a moratorium on school closures until the first county-wide Local Plan development blueprint is adopted in 2028.

Members of the 14-councillor political group have tabled a notice of motion for the next full meeting of the authority later this month to highlight “the loss of key facilities from our communities” across North Yorkshire.

The motion follows the council repeatedly launching consultations over the closure of village primary schools, saying Department of Education rules leave it with little option but to recommend they close their doors despite communities developing action plans to rescue them.

Last autumn, the authority’s children’s scrutiny committee heard the succession of rural school closures was “only likely to get worse” with a looming oversupply of places, despite attempts to prevent an increasing number of schools going into the red.

Andrew Smith, the Diocese of York’s director of education, issued the bleak situation facing many communities in North Yorkshire as councillors were told some 16 primary schools had closed in the past six years.

Some of the closed schools include Drax, Horton in Ribblesdale, Rathmell, Ingleby Arncliffe, Swainb, Ings, Burnt Yates, Arkengarthdale, Clapham, Whitby, Kell Bank, Weaverthorpe, Baldersby St James, Harrogate, Hovingham and Skelton.

Councillors heard financial pressures on the county’s smaller schools were rising, with the average school deficit soaring from £16,400 in 2015 to £57,900 last year year.

Meanwhile, the number of primary school age pupils was set to fall in every area of the county except the Selby area and Craven.

The proposal underlines how the closure of rural schools in North Yorkshire has many significant negative social impacts on residents, communities and children – an observation which has regularly been raised by some prominent Tory members of the authority.

The motion states:

“The loss of schools and other associated infrastructure leaves villages without the necessary services to support families now and into the future.”

Liberal democrat councillor for Amotherby and Ampleforth division Steve Mason said:

“The recent news about the potential closure of St Hildas in Ampleforth, following the closure of Hovingham school last year highlights the need for NYC to step in to protect these valued services for the future.

“In the past five years alone we have lost 11 primary schools in North Yorkshire and no doubt more will follow. Clearly something is broken.”

Councillor Andrew Murday, who represents Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale, said the council had a responsibility to support the county’s many rural communities.

He said:

“Primary schools are a vital component of those communities and without them the community gradually collapses. We need the council to rethink its policy otherwise there will be progressive depopulation. Only last month we saw the loss of Fountains Earth School at Lofthouse. It should not be allowed to continue.”

The council’s Conservative leadership have been approached to comment.

Read more:

Kids are using harmful skincare products, warns Harrogate specialistReaders’ Letters: Harrogate’s cycleway extension is an ‘extraordinary waste of public funds’

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.  

 This letter follows news of the cycleway on Harrogate’s Otley Road being extended.

I’d like to echo the furore over plans to extend the cycleway. It is an extraordinary waste of public funds and has created more confusion and danger.

I walk it every day and I fear a cyclist using the path (perfectly legally) will plough into the back of me at 30mph. I’m reliant on their sense of speed, but I may hear the “whoosh” too late as my back is to them.

It’s the minority that cycle a little slower as they hit the dual area of pedestrians and cyclists – but it is not a road.

The joy of a stroll has been taken away. I can no longer amble along this route – it will be lights out for me if I do.

Then there’s the Prince of Wales roundabout. Most drivers don’t even indicate!  This only exacerbates the dangerous lottery of trying to cross the road.

A pelican crossing would surely be a fantastic safety investment and a tiny cost compared to the cycle path.

Shaun Bohan, Harrogate

I can’t help but feel the authorities just want a ‘quick fix’ for our roads…

This letter is in response to several stories about potholes and footpaths poor condition in the Harrogate district.

Further to your stories about the state of our roads and footpaths, one problem is the people repairing potholes have no idea how to do it properly.

It’s not the answer to just pour tarmac in the hole and ram it smooth. It should be dug out, a heavy base put in first, then a topcoat should be applied and sealed with hot tar. That’s how they did it fifty years ago and it worked.

I can’t help but feel the councils and government just want a quick fix to appease the likes of me…

Phil Turton, Harrogate

The plans for Victoria Avenue will only increase traffic in the town centre

This letter is in response to North Yorkshire Council’s decision to scrap plans to create cycle lanes on Victoria Avenue. The move means new measures, such as parking metres and making the Belford Road junction left-turn only, could be put in place. 

There is a simple first principle to managing traffic congestion for a town, which is to direct incoming traffic to peripheral car parks and then when traffic leaves, guide it back out without it passing through the town centre.  The current plans for Victoria Avenue seem to overlook this.

Tower Street has two public car parks with capacity for approximately 400 cars. Although there is signage to these car parks for vehicles arriving from the south, there is currently no signage as to how those vehicles should then exit the town.

The proposal to make the Belford Road junction with Victoria Avenue left-turn only will increase the number of cars that find themselves back on West Park, heading towards Parliament Street, then either cutting down Montpellier towards Cold Bath Road, or looping back round by the station.

There needs to be a sharper focus on the town centre map to plan exit routes from the Tower Street car parks.

Turning right out of Belford Road is actually optimal to take traffic away from the centre and maybe the infrastructure changes should make that easier and safer.

John Wann, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Read more:

Kids are using harmful skincare products, warns Harrogate skin care specialist

A Harrogate mum has launched a series of information sessions following a rise in teenagers and pre-teens using potentially harmful skincare products.

Skin care specialist, Debbie Songhurst was so concerned after her 11-year-old daughter started asking for products which are not suitable for young skin that she is now trying to raise awareness of the issue among children and their parents. She said:

“Although I’m a skin specialist, I wasn’t really aware that children were using these products. I thought, this is quite scary. So I started asking people what products their children were using, then looking into those products and what was in them. I was so shocked at what I found.”

What Debbie discovered was a wide range of products using ingredients that are unsuitable or even damaging for young skin. Many have only ever been tested on adults and contain potentially harmful active ingredients intended for adults only. These include exfoliating acids and anti-ageing properties which can provoke serious side effects on young skin.

But with their appealing packaging and gushing reviews from social media influencers, these products are becoming must-haves for a younger audience. Added to that is the pressure teens and pre-teens feel to aspire to unrealistic images of flawless skin, and to buy products that all their friends are using. Debbie said:

“Children are talking about having ‘problematic’ skin or needing to use anti-ageing or firming products. They are using ingredients that are too strong and not safe for their young skin. This can cause skin irritation, early ageing and premature pigmentation. It can break down the skin barrier and can have long-term implications on their skin.”

“Approach children’s skincare with caution”

Debbie, a former pupil at Rossett Acre Primary School and Harrogate Grammar, trained as a medical tattooist and now works as a consultant for companies such as modelling agencies, educating people on how to look after their skin.

She said concerns around under-18s’ skincare is growing; a recent BBC report highlighted the issue, while the British Association for Dermatologists has warned of children as young as eight using skincare products that could leave them with irreversible skin problems. Debbie said:

“I wouldn’t let my children use the products that I use. Teen and pre-teen skin is much more delicate than adults’ skin and using unsuitable products makes it vulnerable. These products absorb a lot quicker into children’s skin and break down the protective barriers.

“When it comes to children’s skincare, it’s essential to approach it with caution and prioritise safety. Using gentle products specifically formulated for their age group is crucial.”

A ‘minefield’ – with added ‘natural’ confusion

Even with more education, Debbie said it can be hard for people to know exactly what the ingredients on a skincare bottle are, as there are so many different words for the same thing. One lady she worked with was using three different products that were basically all the same.

Adding to the confusion is the myth that ‘natural’ ingredients or products are safer. An example of this is the anti-ageing ingredient glycolic acid, sometimes called sugar cane, which is unsuitable for children’s skin. Debbie said:

“It’s a minefield. So many parents have said to me, ‘My kids are using this product because it’s natural’. But ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean good, and often there are synthetic equivalents.”

Skincare seminar

Debbie Songhurst hosts one of her skincare seminars for teens and pre-teens.

Ingredients to avoid

Although there are so many ingredients out there that it’s hard to be specific, Debbie mentioned the following as being harmful for younger skin:

Recommended skincare routine for teens

While she said it’s not a bad thing to have a skincare routine at any age, Debbie stressed that it’s not necessary for pre-teens and teens to use lots of products. She said skincare for children should be “really uncomplicated” and recommends this three-step routine using products designed for sensitive skin:

Debbie added that other simple things can also help teen skin that’s prone to breakouts, such as changing pillowcases regularly and cleaning your phone as this harbours a lot of bacteria.

She added that if teens have especially problematic skin, they should see a specialist who can devise an individualised approach to address the issue.

Skincare education events

Debbie’s first two teen and pre-teen skincare information sessions, held in Harrogate last month, were so popular that she is planning a third event in June. She is also looking at potentially offering sessions for schools. She said:

“The aim is to raise awareness among children and their parents about the importance of looking at the ingredients in products, like we do with food. I don’t want to scare people; I just want to help them question the benefits and possible problems of putting certain skincare products on their skin.”

The next information session is on Tuesday, June 4, at the West Park Hotel in Harrogate. Book tickets here.

Read more:

Harrogate man, 80, through to the final of Channel 4’s The Piano

A Harrogate man has won a place in the grand final of Channel 4’s The Piano.

Eighty-year-old Duncan captured the hearts of viewers with an incredible love story and won episode 1 of series 2, securing him a spot in the final.

The show sees gifted amateur pianists perform at a street piano in a different railway station each week. It is hosted by Claudia Winkleman and judged by international pop star Mika and Lang Lang, a musician described by the Guardian as “the greatest living pianist”.

The critically acclaimed first series won Best Original Programme at the Broadcast Awards and the second series began on Sunday, April 28.

Duncan first began playing the piano aged four. At a young age he found that he could play the piano by ear and has practised for 76 years.

On the show, Duncan played A Theme for Fran, a romantic song he wrote 30 years ago for his wife. Duncan and Fran first met in 1964 and have been married for 42 years.

Duncan and Fran from Harrogate shared their love story with The Piano’s audience. Image: Channel 4

The pair were both born in Leeds but have lived in the district for many years, first in Birstwith and now in Harrogate. Duncan qualified as a solicitor and played the piano regularly at Betty’s in Harrogate until the covid pandemic.

He was scouted for the second series of Channel 4’s The Piano when a video of him playing was shared to social media.

Duncan has had Alzheimer’s disease for six years, but was only diagnosed with it two years ago, and now uses his musical talent as as a form of medicine.

Duncan and Fran attend a dementia hub in Burton Leonard run by Dementia Forward. The couple play and sing with community groups such as St Peter’s Church market days and at Harrogate’s Christ Church, where each Thursday a pianist with dementia plays. Duncan performs there monthly, and it was a video of this that the producers saw.

The first episode showcased the talented pianists of the North when a piano was installed in Manchester Piccadilly station. The judges said Duncan’s performance was “beautiful” and it sounded “like a piece from another time, very romantic.”

The judges and host of ‘The Piano,’ left to right: Lang Lang, Claudia Winkleman and Mika. Image: Channel 4

Mika said:

“There was one moment where we were able to understand why we are doing this all over again. Where the piano just had its place and music just made sense, and that was during the performance of Duncan.”

In an exclusive interview with the Stray Ferret, Fran said:

“It is an incredible privilege. It was a remarkable experience and it was so lovely listening to the comments of Mika and Lang Lang. It was stunning to listen to the other talent.

“It has given us an incredible experience and an opportunity, given Duncan’s age and Alzheimer’s it shows it is never too late to dream. To hear the feedback from Lang Lang and Mika gave him an extra sense of being appreciated for playing.

“They loved the story as well as his playing. We feel that it will inspire others, no matter their age or condition. It shows people there is always something positive to pull out of life. It’s wonderful.”

Duncan playing ‘A Theme for Fran’ at Manchester Piccadilly Station. Image Channel 4

She added:

“A Theme for Fran was written 30 years ago, but it is still so relevant. Every time he plays it there is such a lot of love, I just have to whizz over to the piano and kiss him. It encompasses everything about him and our romance. It means a huge amount to both of us and to show everyone has made it even more special.

“It shows how magical music is. Music is a bridge that spans over fragmented thoughts and connects with feeling. When he is at the piano he is himself. The piano brings back his sense of self, when he plays there are no lost threads.”

Duncan added:

“Music to me is the most perfect melodies and beautiful harmonies.”

Duncan will play in the series finale at Aviva studios, where tickets have been sold to raise funds to install pianos in every railway station in the country. He added that he is available and would love to play in more fundraising events.

The moment Duncan won the episode and secured a spot in the grand finale. Image: Channel 4

To watch Duncan’s performance on The Piano, click here. The next episode of The Piano will air tonight (May 5) at 9pm.

Read more:

The Harrogate coach representing Great Britain at padel tennis

It was after finding her dad’s racquet as a child that Sophie Cousins first fell in love with tennis

The Ashville College tennis coach has spent her whole life invested in the sport, one way or another.

But it was not until recently that she became immersed in the ever growing sport of padel tennis.

The last 18 months have been a whirlwind for Sophie. From first stepping foot on a padel court for the first time to representing her country at an international tournament.

For her, the sport is addictive and one which she cannot get enough of.

Picking up the racquet

Born and raised in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Sophie was brought up in a sporting family. Her first interaction with tennis came when she found her dad’s old racquet at home.

“I had a very sporting family, so we were always playing games at home.

“I actually found my dad’s old tennis racquet. It was one of those wooden racquets in a press and I asked: ‘what’s this?’ And that’s how tennis started and we used to play all the time in the back garden.”

Her dad took her to a local club and she began to improve.

She began playing in junior tournaments and would travel to places like Solihull, Nottingham and abroad to compete. Among them was the junior Wimbledon pre-qualifiers, which she competed in aged 18.

Sophie would also try to qualify for the Sunday Telegraph Masters tournament, which was held in Boca Raton, Florida, and La Manga in Spain.

“It [the tournament] was such a huge incentive for juniors.”

Read more: 

She grew up watching the likes of Steffi Graf and Rafael Nadal competing at the highest level of tennis. She still points to them to this day as examples of model professional athletes.

When Sophie turned 18, she began competing in more international tournaments and tried to work her way up the rankings.

She enrolled at Loughborough University, but her progress in tennis was halted by recurring knee injuries.

By this point, she also wanted to focus on her degree. As a result, tennis began to fall by the wayside.

“I had worked so hard to get into Loughborough, that’s where I always wanted to go to do sport science. I did not want to be going off playing tournaments at that stage. I wanted to concentrate on my degree.

“I knew I wasn’t going to be playing tennis as a career. I had contemplated going to America and going through that system and getting a scholarship.”

She continued to coach tennis after university and had a stint as an estate agent in London before moving into teaching, first at Harrogate Grammar School and then at Skipton Girls School.

She moved to Ashville College in Harrogate in 2014. It was here some years later where she was first introduced to the growing sport of padel.

Immersed in padel

Padel tennis first came into the picture 18 months ago.

Angela Crossley, a Wetherby-based tennis coach and now Sophie’s padel partner, first introduced her to the sport.

When Sophie joined Ashville, she struck up a friendship with Angela and they would work offering students sessions in the summer and helping to grow the tennis programme at the college.

One day, Angela brought up the subject of padel with her.

“She asked me: ‘Have you tried padel? I think you would be quite good at it’.

“I remember her hitting a ball, it coming off the back glass and shooting about two metres in front of me and I just looked at her and said: ‘What you expect me to hit that?’”

Sophie and her padel partner, Angela, at the World Championships in Spain.

Sophie and her padel partner, Angela, at the World Championships in Spain.

The sport has surged in popularity across the UK. In Harrogate, padel tennis courts have opened at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate Spa Tennis Club and Harrogate Sports and Fitness Club.

Last year, Ripon Tennis Club unveiled two new courts at a cost of £180,000 following a wave of support from residents and businesses.

To date, the Lawn Tennis Association estimates that the UK has 175,000 active padel tennis players.

The interest in the sport is huge, but, for Sophie, the country is still finding its feet competitively.

“Padel has exploded in this country. But everybody is still very much finding their feet.

“Some players have come from squash, they’re a bit more comfortable with the ball pinging off the walls but they’re not as comfortable at the net. Whereas, in tennis we have got more transferability from the volleying and the net gain. But we need to learn to love and embrace the glass a bit more.”

Fast forward to April this year and Sophie was competing for Great Britain at the International Padel Federation’s Seniors World Championship in La Nucia in Spain.

Team GB women went on to finish a commendable ninth place out of 22 countries.

Joined by Angela, the competition was fierce – not least because the European countries had been familiar with the sport a lot longer than the UK.

For Sophie, the experience was vital and one that she hopes will continue in years to come.

“You watch teams from Argentina and Spain who have been playing for years and they know where the ball is going.

“Whereas we are still playing quite reactive. They just read the ball so well because they have played for years.”

‘Prepare to be addicted’

Sophie hardly plays regular tennis competitively anymore, but still coaches from time to time.

Despite tennis taking a backseat recently, she still describes it as a “sport for life” and one that can be taken up at any age.

When asked whether she finds that she enjoys padel more than tennis, Sophie says the mental side of padel is a huge draw for her.

“I enjoy the mental side of it. I enjoy the strategy of trying to work out how to unpick a problem and how you are going to win the point or manipulate the space.

“It makes you think a lot more than tennis.”

She points out that there is more to padel than just playing the game. There is also a social aspect to it, she says, which stems from its growth in Spain and South America.

“I’d definitely encourage people to have a go at padel. Prepare to be addicted.”

If you have any local sporting figures who you think should be featured in Sporting Spotlight, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Did you know there’s a hidden tipi nestled in the woods near Harlow Carr?

Bamber & Brown is in an ideal location for a drink or bite to eat pre- or post-walk through the wooded valley of Birk Crag, but many don’t know that it exists. Until now.

And given the last few weeks the news in the locality has been all about the opening of The Harrogate Arms, which is only open to RHS visitors, this will be welcome news to many.

Other than Betty’s Harlow Carr or The Pine Marten, you might not think there’s anywhere else to eat and drink in the area. But fret not, there is Bamber & Brown.

And even though it’s been open since 2021 and was Highly Commended in the 2023 Stray Ferret Business Awards for Business Growth, you might not have heard of it as it’s still somewhat of a hidden gem to some.

To find it, simply follow the road that leads you to Betty’s Harlow Carr – Crag Lane – and continue, and you’ll find it on the right-hand side. It’s hard not to miss as there’s a huge tipi in the grounds from which you can enjoy food and drink.

Selling freshly brewed speciality coffee from a converted horse box along with other hot drinks, it also serves homemade cakes – its carrot cake is one of the most popular offerings – while ice cream, pastries, smoked salmon bagels and bacon and egg sandwiches are just some of what else is on the menu.

READ MORE:

And if you fancy a tipple or two, its new bar serves wine and beer from another converted horse box.

And from this weekend, wood-fired pizzas can be enjoyed on weekends and special occasions over the summer on its new decking, and it will also be serving its ice lattes and milkshakes that prove popular over the warmer months.

Owner Phillipa Brown has also said she will open for ad hoc warm evenings over the summer – just keep an eye on its social media accounts as for when.

Philippa said of why she decided to start her business:

“I wanted to bring back the historical old tea rooms at Birk Crag in some way  – war veterans used to drink tea on the nearby Crag – and decided a few years ago that now that my children have grown up, to go for it. And since then, it’s just expanded and expanded.”

READ MORE: