Business Breakfast: Harrogate district care firm wins £28m domiciliary care contract

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

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Entries close on January 19, 2024.

A care firm that operates across the Harrogate district has won a seven-year contract worth £28 million to provide domiciliary care on behalf of Sheffield City Council

Springfield Homecare provides care to people who want to keep living in their own homes.

It is part of Springfield Healthcare Group, which operates across Yorkshire and the rest of northern England.

Besides its domiciliary care business, it operates seven care homes including Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate.

Graeme Lee, the group founder and chief executive, said he was delighted with the award of such a major contract. Mr Lee, who lives in Harrogate, said:

“We want Springfield to be the best regional provider of care in Yorkshire and the north-east.”

North Yorkshire Council this month approved Springfield Healthcare’s planning application to convert the grade two listed Grove House into a luxury care home.

Harrogate business support groups to resume in January

New support groups for businesses in the Harrogate district are set to start in January.

The York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub will be hosting peer-to-peer support groups aimed at helping firms grow.

The programme, which is facilitated by Next Step, runs weekly for six weeks and comprises three cohorts, based in either Harrogate or Ripon.

In addition, there is one hour of one to one discussion in advance of the course to assess the business’s needs and two hours of one to one bespoke support.

For more information on the support groups and to apply, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.

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Harrogate restaurant and hotel under new ownership

A Harrogate hotel and restaurant is under new ownership.

The Studley Hotel and The Orchid Restaurant, on Swan Road, have been acquired by local restauranteurs — but their names have not been revealed.

A spokesperson for the Orchid said the new owners, who wished to remain anonymous, have “extensive refurbishment” plans for both venues and want “to make the interiors of the restaurant as good as the food”.

Both sites will remain open during the refurbishments, the spokesperson added.

They also said the restaurant, which serves Asian food, will remain “unchanged” to ensure it keeps its loyal customer base.

Neil Mendoza, the general manager of the Orchid who has been involved with the restaurant since he was 13, said:

“This is a very exciting time for the Orchid.

“I am thrilled that it has been purchased by a family with over four decades of experience as restauranteurs, who share a passion and deep respect for Far-Eastern cuisine.

“Having been a part of the Orchid since my early teenage years, I have built lasting relationships with our valued guests. In the new year, we will commence our refurbishment, redesigning the interiors to celebrate the essence of Far-Eastern and Pan-Asian cuisine, complementing the standard of our exceptional dishes.”

The four-star Studley Hotel will also undergo a makeover, with work expected to finish in spring 2024.

The family behind the acquisition added:

“We feel incredibly fortunate to have acquired this fabulous restaurant and hotel.

“While there are countless Chinese, Thai, and Asian restaurants, the Orchid stands out due to our brigade of chefs, lead by Head Chef, Jim, who has been with the Orchid for 10 years.

“Each of our chefs specialise in different cuisines from diverse regions of the Far East. This is a genuine Pan-Asian culinary adventure prepared by true specialists.”

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Police appeal after second cyclist knocked off bike in Harrogate

A female cyclist has sustained minor injuries following a collision near Asda in Harrogate.

The incident, which took place between 5.15pm and 5.30pm on Friday, December 15, happened at the junction of Bower Road and Haywra Street.

North Yorkshire Police said it is now appealing for the driver of a grey Ford Focus to come forward.

It is the second police appeal involving am injured cyclist issued today.

It comes after another cyclist was knocked off their bike in Knaresborough on Monday.

Regarding the Harrogate appeal, the force said in a statement:

“A pedal cyclist entered Bower Road and was hit by the Ford Focus that had just exited Asda supermarket.

“The driver of the Ford stopped at the scene and spoke with the cyclist, however, they had left prior to police involvement.

“Officers are appealing for them to come forward along with any witnesses and anyone who may have dashcam footage.

“The driver and anyone with any information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident number 12230240822.”

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Cyclist injured after Knaresborough collision

A cyclist has been left with “minor injuries” following a collision with a car in Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident, which happened on Harrogate Road near Mother Shipton’s, took place on Monday, December 18 at 4:45pm.

The force is now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.

It said in a statement today:

“A car collided with a pedal bike which resulted in minor injuries for the cyclist. The driver of the car did not stop at the scene of the collision.

“Officers are now appealing to the driver or anyone with information to come forward. In particular, officers are keen to hear from anyone who has any relevant dashcam footage.

“If you have information, please email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 and speak to the Force Control Room.”

Quote reference number 12230241416 when passing on information.

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Harrogate paedophile jailed for 13 years for historic sex offences

A serial sex offender from Harrogate has been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for twice subjecting a young girl to indecent assault in Northallerton during the 1990s.

John William Marshall, 68, of Fairfax Avenue, was sentenced at York Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of offences at a trial in August.

He has also been made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

A North Yorkshire Police media release today said the bravery of the victim ensured Marshall faced justice, despite the number of years that have passed.

The victim made contact with police in 2019 following publicity surrounding the conviction of Marshall for possession of more than 24,000 indecent images of children, for which he served a custodial sentence and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order. which was due to expire.

Marshall had previously been described publicly by a judge as a “dangerous paedophile”.

The court heard that Marshall had befriended the victim’s family, offering help with their newly acquired computer.

He was subsequently trusted to look after the girl when her parents went shopping.

It was during these times that Marshall sexually assaulted her.

The victim’s parents reported it to police and social services at the time, but no further criminal action was taken due to a series of complications.

Victim thought she would not be believed

Now an adult, the victim’s life had been overshadowed by the thought that she was not believed.

Adam Harland, cold case review manager at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“In coming forward, the victim has now had her voice heard, her evidence believed by a jury, and she has obtained the conviction of the man who had grossly and indecently abused her as a child.

“Sadly, we believe there could be further victims of Marshall out there. We urge them to get in touch, just like the courageous victim in this case has.

“As you can see, time is no barrier to getting justice for victims of child sexual abuse.

“If you have been the victim of sexual abuse, whether it is happening now or in the past, please contact the police.”

Mr Harland added:

“We appreciate that telling the police what has happened takes immense courage and it is never easy reliving extremely distressing experiences.

“We understand this and that’s why we have specially trained officers who will guide you every step of the way and provide access to the full range of professional support services that are readily available.

“In coming forward, we can get you the help you need and ensure offenders like Marshall cannot go on to hurt anyone else.”

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Rare mother of pearl clouds above Harrogate and Knaresborough

Nacreous clouds, a rare and very high cloud formation, covered the Harrogate district skies this morning.

The iridescent clouds, which are also knows as mother of pearl clouds, were spotted by readers just after sunrise.

The Met Office says the clouds, which usually form over polar regions when the sun is just below the horizon, are some of the highest clouds on earth – between 20km and 30km high in the stratosphere.

The sky over Knaresborough this morning. Pic: Emma Meadus

They require low temperatures to form, so are generally only visible when the cold air which circulates around polar regions in the stratosphere is displaced and hovers over the UK.

They are mostly associated with dry and cold weather.

The Harrogate sky just after 9am. Pic: Anna Mcintee.

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Harrogate heroin and cocaine dealer jailed for over three years

A heroin and crack-cocaine dealer from Harrogate has been jailed for over three years.

Scott Bradley, 36, was arrested after patrol officers in Harrogate town centre came across a group of suspicious-looking men, York Crown Court heard.

The group were “huddled” around Bradley in Bower Street in what appeared to be a drug deal, said prosecutor Jemima Stephenson.

Bradley appeared to discard a plastic bag into the hedgerow behind him. He was quickly arrested and searched.

Extra police units were called in after one of the men in the “huddle” walked up to police to try to distract them.

Police seized a tin of white powder from Bradley who claimed it was bicarbonate of soda. They also seized two mobile phones, one of which was “constantly ringing”, some tablets, two sets of weighing scales and £180 cash.

Police searched the vicinity and found a snap bag containing “multiple” wraps of white and brown powder which turned out to be heroin and cocaine.

Bradley refused to reveal his address so his home couldn’t be searched. He was released under investigation following the drug bust on January 2 last year.

In January this year, police were called out to an address in Harrogate on an unrelated matter and Bradley answered the door. He was arrested again and found to be in possession of heroin.

On October 13, he was arrested again following a police response to another “unconnected” matter at a property in Harrogate.

Bradley became “twitchy” during the police search and tried to put his hand in his pocket, whereupon officers found some white rocks which turned out to be crack cocaine in a zip-sealed bag. They also found three wraps containing illicit substances and some weighing scales.

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The drugs found on Bradley during the searches following his initial arrest included heroin, cocaine, crack and cannabis.

Messages on his phones showed he had been dealing cocaine, crack and heroin between Christmas 2021 and his arrest in January last year.

He ultimately admitted three counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, possessing criminal cash, several counts of simple possession of Class A drugs and one count of possessing a Class B drug.

30 previous convictions

Bradley – formerly of Hargrove Road, Harrogate, but currently of no fixed address – appeared for sentence yesterday (Wednesday, December 20) after being remanded in custody.

The court heard he had 30 previous convictions for 60 offences including cannabis production. At the time of his latest drug offences, he was on a community order, imposed in January this year, for burglary.

Defence barrister Jade Bucklow said that Bradley had been using drugs for over 10 years, “progressing from cannabis and alcohol to heroin”.

She said he started dealing to pay off a “large” debt to his drug dealer after he lost his job.

Ms Bucklow said that his dealer had smashed the windows at his then family home and threatened to set the property ablaze if he didn’t pay off the debt.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, told Bradley his offences were “pernicious” because drug-dealing “eats away at society” and led to so much associated crime and collateral damage for those who become addicted.

He added:

“You chose to deal drugs rather than obtain money by legitimate means and if you swim with sharks, you get bitten.”

Bradley was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

 

 

 

RHS plans Harlow Carr service yard redevelopment

The Royal Horticultural Society has tabled plans for a major redevelopment of its service yard at Harlow Carr in Harrogate.

The organisation plans to build a workshop and machinery store, composting store, staff welfare building, events store, poly tunnel and glasshouse on the site.

In proposals lodged to North Yorkshire Council, the RHS said the redevelopment would help to support the “operation of the garden in a highly sustainable way”.

It added that the current facilities at the service yard were “nearing the end of their economic life” and in poor condition.

The site would continue to be used for horticultural support staff at the gardens, the documents added.

In plans submitted to the council, it said:

“As an existing operational site, the redevelopment of the horticultural service yard will improve the functionality and sustainability of the RHS garden. 

“The design of the proposal will support the objectives of the Harrogate Local Plan to support business and tourism expansion in existing locations, whilst respecting and improving the character of the wider landscape and positively enhancing the natural and built environment.”

The Stray Ferret contacted the RHS to ask how much the redevelopment would cost.

In response, a spokesperson for the RHS said:

“The RHS has numerous projects to develop all of our sites. At RHS Garden Harlow Carr, we are improving our existing nursery and staff facilities to make them more efficient, and therefore more sustainable and greener.

“We are unable to give an estimate on costs due to ongoing discussions with proposed contractors.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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Business Breakfast: New Harrogate College campus to include facilities to boost technical skills

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

A new campus building at Harrogate College is set to include a mock hospital ward and children’s nursery to offer more technical skills to students.

Work on the £20 million building on Hornbeam Park is set to start in 2024.

Principal Danny Wild said the new campus would also include a range of digital technology facilities, which will enable the college to offer technical training expertise.

Mr Wild met with North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, and assistant director for education and skills, Amanda Newbold, to explain more about the project this week.

He said:

“The new building will be very much about meeting the skills needs of North Yorkshire, especially in areas where we know businesses are currently struggling with gaps – such as health and social care, construction, digital, hospitality and sustainable technologies like retrofitting.

“We will be focused on working with North Yorkshire Council, and continuing our strong collaborative work with other local colleges and businesses, to develop these in-demand skills. Our new campus will put us in a great place to do so, and to deliver on those new technical qualifications – principally T Levels – that are becoming increasingly popular as other qualifications are phased out.”

Harrogate company makes £10,000 donation to White Rose Forest

A Harrogate company has donated £10,000 to the White Rose Forest.

Belzona, which is located on Claro Road, made the donation as part of its charitable initiatives.

Staff at Belzona making the donation to the White Rose Forest.

Staff at Belzona making the donation to the White Rose Forest.

The firm has worked closely with the community forest, volunteering to collect acorns and grow trees which will be planted in the local area.

Staff at Belzona were able to fundraise £5,000 for the White Rose Forest through a range of events, including climbing the Yorkshire Three Peaks, participating in The Great North Run, and hosting a Virtual Race Night. 

The company’s directors pledged to match the raised amount. As a result, their contribution of an additional £5,000 brought the total donation amount to £10,000. 

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Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal: Dedicate a donation to your loved one

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise money for a minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget who needs our help this Christmas.

Today, we’re urging our readers to dedicate a donation to a loved one.

Many families have lost a loved one to dementia or know someone who is currently living with it – it’s a totally indiscriminate condition.

People are losing their lives to dementia every day and those around them are forced to watch their loved one slip away.

That’s why we’re urging Stray Ferret readers to dedicate a donation to your loved one as part of our Christmas Appeal for Dementia Forward.

All you need to do is donate whatever you can to the appeal. Leave a message when donating and tell us who you are dedicating your donation to.

You can email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with a photo of your loved one, and we will post it on our social media channels.

The Stray Ferret’s founder, Tamsin O’Brien, lost her father to dementia earlier this year. She dedicated her donation to him:

“My wonderful father, David O’Brien, died this year – a few days short of his 93rd birthday. He was the most loving dad and he is much missed.

“In truth though, we lost him years earlier to Alzheimers disease and his last years were very difficult.

“Sadly, my mother also has this awful disease.

“People like my father and mother and their carers need extra support and joy in their lives. Dementia Forward provide this. Please support our Christmas Appeal.”

The Stray Ferret hopes to raise £30,000 for Dementia Forward to fund a new minibus.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our target to buy the charity a new minibus and improving the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

We know times our tough, but please dig deep and give generously. Let’s not forget those who need our help this Christmas.

Thank you.