Wonderful Harrogate panto

Our 40-something son Dan has been over from the States for a few days and expressed a wish to see the pantomime.

The three of us went to Harrogate Theatre’s Dick Whittington and were not disappointed. It’s a treat for all ages, with great sets, music, comedy, dancing and costumes. And the best Dame I’ve seen in ages.

I urge you all to book now!

Barbara Coultas, Harrogate

There has not been a single fine for littering in the Harrogate district over the past three financial years.

The figure was revealed by North Yorkshire Council following a Freedom of Information request by the Stray Ferret after repeated coverage of residents’ concerns about litter.

The council said it is “very fortunate” that most local people choose to do “the right thing” and dispose of their litter responsibly.

It also said dedicating officers to catching and fining people is “very resource intensive” and requires them to “be in the right place at the right time”.

A spokesperson for the council said:

“We have a team who are out every day, in all weathers, keeping the district clean and tidy.

“Dedicating officers to deal with catching and fining people is very resource intensive, and requires us having people in the right place at the right time to catch someone committing an offence within the 505 square miles of what was the Harrogate district.”

The Stray Ferret also asked the council to breakdown any littering fines into specific locations where they were issues – including Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Ripon and Nidderdale. The number remained at zero.

Neil Hind, chairperson of Pinewoods Conservation Group, said litter remains a “constant problem” in the Pinewoods area, and feels there is a lack of enforcement locally:

“It seems clear there is no real enforcement undertaken.

“As such we have taken our own direct action with regards to litter within the Pinewoods that has made a noticeable difference.

“We have a committed group of volunteers who regularly collect litter across the woods to keep the area tidy.”

An ongoing problem

The results of our FOI is likely to upset many people in the district.

Throughout 2021, Pinewoods volunteers urged people to “just use a bin” after a rise in littering, while post-covid parties on the Stray left the land carpeted with rubbish.

More recently the council’s decision to reduce the number public waste bins but make them larger, has also caused concern.

In August this year, the Stray Ferret reported on a call for an urgent review of litter bins in the Jennyfields area after reports of dog poo bags piling up.

In July, we reported on a Starbeck community group which gathered to litter-pick after seeing an increase in rubbish around the area.

The issue of litter is a subject that always raises the public’s blood pressure. It’s likely many residents will struggle to accept the council’s approach and be appalled at a total absence of litter fines.

Read more:

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• Council spends £478,000 on halving number of litter bins

Just three years since its last overhaul, Harrogate’s leisure services look set for another restructure.

With the formation of Brimhams Active, a council-owned company, Harrogate Borough Council officials promised a new dawn for facilities in the district.

This came in the shape of multi-million pound investments in Harrogate and Knaresborough leisure centres – the latter of which is set to open on December 11.

Now, three years on, North Yorkshire Council looks set to carry out another overhaul of its leisure operation.

Bringing services in-house

The council’s plan, which is detailed in a report due before councillors on Monday, would see the entirety of its operators brought in-house over the next four years.

Currently, the county is served by five separate leisure providers – including Brimhams Active in Harrogate – which cover 19 leisure centres, 16 pools and three well-being hubs.

A private company called Everyone Active provides services in Ryedale and Scarborough; Richmond Leisure Trust runs facilities in Richmond and a charity called Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles oversees sites in Selby. Services in Craven and Hambleton are ran in-house.

The Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The council has argued in its report that the current management of leisure is “complex” and bringing it in-house would represent a “bespoke model for the unique circumstances of North Yorkshire”.

It has also promised a “renewed focus on physical and mental health and wider well being”.

The overhaul is expected to cost in the region of £135,000.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, Cllr Simon Myers, executive councillor for culture, arts and housing at North Yorkshire Council, said:

“The strategic leisure review provides us with an exciting opportunity to transform the delivery of our leisure service and improve outcomes for communities across North Yorkshire.

“What we are recommending puts us at the forefront of a national movement to transform services with a renewed focus on physical and mental health and wider well-being.”

Brimhams’ facilities ‘envy of North Yorkshire’

It comes at a time when North Yorkshire Council is shaping its services, such as licensing, planning and housing, following devolution.

However, it also represents yet another service overhaul for the Harrogate district’s leisure services.

In 2020, the Stray Ferret reported extensively on the borough council’s review of its leisure facilities which culminated in the creation of Brimhams Active in August 2021 to run centres across the district.

The company, which is now owned by North Yorkshire Council, recently embarked on £46 million worth of projects at Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre and Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active.

In an interview with the Stray Ferret in September, Mark Tweedie, managing director at the company, described the facilities as the “envy of North Yorkshire”.

Centres in Ripon, Harrogate and Knaresborough also feature Brimhams branding, which could be removed not long after they were put up.

In its report, the council acknowledges that the company’s model is “particularly advanced” and could be scaled up.

However, despite the advanced nature of Brimhams’ operation, the council still plans to streamline its operators and bring them in-house.

The report adds:

“Whilst there is a desire to streamline the current position into a single operating model, this is no reflection on the current provision or providers who deliver much valued and high quality services across the county.”

‘Devil in the detail’

Brimhams currently employs 160 staff and has a turnover of £8.4 million.

At the time of its creation, unions raised concern over the transfer of staff to Brimhams and sought reassures over terms and conditions for leisure workers.

In the end, staff transferred to the company under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, better known as TUPE, on August 1, 2021.

Read more:

• Ripon leisure centre halts price increase due to ongoing work
• Harrogate Hydro delay will see no change in £13.5m project budget, says council
• ‘Our leisure centres will be the envy of North Yorkshire’

Speaking on the fresh proposals, Dave Houlgate, secretary of the Unison Harrogate Local Government branch, said he supports facilities being brought in-house.

However, he added that the “devil will be in the detail”.

He said:

“The key for us is the delivery of quality public services but also improving the terms and conditions and pay for our members who are currently enduring a cost of living crisis.  

“If this proposal delivers on these two things and avoids any compulsory redundancies then we are likely to give it our full support.”

The proposal appears to represent the council embarking on a transformation of its services in its image for North Yorkshire following devolution.

However, it also raised questions over how the Harrogate district’s leisure facilities will look and function in the future.

North Yorkshire Council’s transition overview and scrutiny committee will consider the leisure review proposal at a meeting on Monday (December 4).

The Conservative Party candidate to be the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is prepared to use franchising to improve local bus services.

Bus franchising, which is used in London, Manchester and in numerous cities across Europe, means that bus operators are only able to provide services under contract to the local transport authority.

According to the Urban Transport Group, the current free market method means bus operators are free to run whatever services they like and decide on their own fares and vehicles, resulting in “an uncoordinated network with a confusing array of ticketing options”.

Keane Duncan, the 28-year-old Conservative candidate for the York and North Yorkshire combined authority mayoral election in May 2024, has pledged to assess whether bus franchising is an affordable method to improve transport.

He said:

“Our buses should work better. They need to be available, reliable and affordable. I really want to revolutionise bus services in our region.

“I’m prepared to use franchising, which is a new power the government is handing to the new mayor.

“It’s right that the new power is looked at seriously, it’s right to pursue it and do that with a totally open mind.

“My pledge on day one as mayor is to launch a full assessment of bus franchising.

“That is a pledge not based on ideology but based on what is best for buses and bus passengers across our region.”

Read more:

• Conservatives select highways councillor Keane Duncan to stand for North Yorkshire mayor
• Yorkshire Party mayoral candidate promises free chickens if elected

If Mr Duncan wins the election, he could be the first Tory metro mayor to introduce bus franchising.

Estimated costs for the scheme in Greater Manchester were £135m, and while Mr Duncan said there are no estimations of cost for franchising buses in York and North Yorkshire, the assessment would determine this.

Mr Duncan said:

“It must be cost-effective and it must make sound financial sense.

“I’m not prepared to write a blank cheque and we’ve seen the extreme costs that can come with bus franchising.

“Whatever we do has to command public confidence.”

Once the York and North Yorkshire combined authority is set up, it will have control of a long-term investment fund, with £18m per year of funding promised by the government over 30 years.

Mr Duncan said: 

“That’s immensely powerful, but it’s just the start.

“I need to be very clear that what we’ve got now is great, but I want more over future years.

“That requires demonstration of our credibility, showing that we can get results to government.

“This is the start and I’m very excited by what we’re going to achieve looking ahead into the future.”

Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: 

“I welcome the fact that politicians of all stripes are open to the idea of bus franchising.

“This is not about ideology but delivering a sustainable, affordable network for passengers.

“Private companies will still have a role to play in running day-to-day services under a franchise model, while routes and fares will come under public control.”

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 talked about young onset dementia.

Dementia is often mistaken as a disease that only affects the elderly.

But young onset dementia is robbing people of retirement age – and younger – of their former selves every day.

It refers to those who develop symptoms of dementia under the age of 65, but the Dementia Forward team has helped people as young as 39. Karen Thomas, head of young onset, said:

“Often, GPs don’t recognise dementia in younger people. They can be tested for menopause, or anxiety, or a B12 deficiency.

“It takes some people four years to get a diagnosis – that means vital years of help and life have been cut into.”

Around 5% of those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s in the UK have young onset dementia – but how can they access the support they need if their condition is not recognised?

That’s where Time Out Together comes in.

The Time Out Together group at Castle Howard.

Time Out Together began 10 years ago when Dementia Forward took over a carers’ respite service at Harrogate Hospital. When the team heard the service would be axed, they immediately stepped in.

The group, which is now held every Wednesday in Burton Leonard, supports people living with young onset dementia. It provides a temporary escape from this awful disease and prevents people from struggling alone.

They begin by catching up over coffee and cake, before heading out on their chosen activity. The group has ventured across the district and beyond; they visit the beach, art galleries, nature reserves, they play golf, they go on walking trips, and much more.

Karen said Dementia Forward wants to connect the group with other communities and educate people on young onset along the way. She added:

“The young onset care service is based on the same model as the rest of Dementia Forward, but the advice they’re given is different – it’s much more tailored to their age.”

(L) one member, Mark, with the Nidderdale Llamas.

The team also helps people with legal aid, financial advice, employment and navigating relationships.

Whatever the needs of the person with dementia and their carer, Dementia Forward provides sensitive and specialist care to guide them through a dark time.

Dementia is a multi-faceted disease that affects everyone differently. Those living with young onset dementia can experience memory loss; a decline in co-ordination and movement; they can face complete personality changes and can even become entirely incontinent.

It’s an evil, silent disease that is taking people from their loved ones every day, and without Dementia Forward, many people would be struggling alone.

More than 50 people use the minibus service to access Time Out Together and the charity’s other social groups, which is why we need your help to keep it going.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and improving the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

However, 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.

Please give generously to those who need our help. Click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or a friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

The NHS found that one in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK are living with dementia. If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

A Harrogate charity has raised £75,000 to fund life-saving medical equipment for newborn infants.

Friends of Alfie Martin, which was established in 2002, held its £1Million Ball at the DoubleTree by Hilton Majestic Hotel in Harrogate this month as part of its bid to reach its £1 million fundraising goal.

The charity raises funds to purchase medical equipment for the Leeds Centre for Newborn Care, which looks after around 1,600 seriously ill babies every year.

Around 300 guests attended the event, which included a tombola, silent auction and bingo.

One winner even went home with a diamond necklace.

Fiona Martin, founder of Friends of Alfie Martin, said:

“What an incredible evening with an electric atmosphere for Alfie’s charity. The love and support for Alfie’s charity is overwhelming and so was the amount raised.

“We are so proud and grateful to our amazing supporters and with their support we can continue to make a huge difference to the care of critically sick babies across the Yorkshire region.”

Ms Martin, who lives and works near Harrogate, set up the charity with her husband after losing their son, Alfie.

He was born full-term but needed urgent transportation to Leeds General Infirmary to receive critical care.

After a gruelling wait due to a lack of transportation, Alfie was moved to the Regional Teaching Hospital, where he eventually died.

Friends of Alfie Martin is now the biggest single contributor to the Leeds Centre for Newborn Care.

Most recently, it has provided the unit with heart-monitoring equipment, specialist incubators and mechanical breathing support ventilators.

Committee member Michele Bradley said:

“The list of future requirements for the centre is daunting, but the dedicated committee of volunteers is determined to continue to ensure that other parents do not have to suffer the tragic loss of a child.”

Read more:

• Ripon school to hold ‘Elf Day’ in memory of pupil killed in A61 crash
• Free warm spaces offered in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Food often takes centre stage at Christmas, but there are so many elements to the Christmas meal, it can become overwhelming in the kitchen.

So, this week I thought I’d share some of my festive favourites from local suppliers which will be sure to wow all your guests.

Wine: Ake & Humphris

The turkey may be the main attraction of the table, but we all know the value of a good glass of wine on Christmas day.

Ake & Humphris, in Harrogate, has the perfect accompaniments for you: Kovacs Nimrod Monopole 777 Pinot Noir.

This comforting red has gentle notes of fragrant cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry, as well as exotic spices. The savoury characters add complexity to this intriguing pinot with moderate tannins and good body.

It feels like a warm fire on a crisp evening, and has become a staple in my house every Christmas.

The wine, which has aged for more than 4 years in oak barrels, has a velvety and round finish, making it very moreish!

Luckily for Stray Ferret readers, this beautiful wine is available on your doorstep at Ake & Humphris, on Leeds Road.

You can even get 10% off by quoting code GREATWINEFERRET or by ordering it from their website.

Ake & Humphris also offers a six-bottle hamper, specially curated to compliment the entire Christmas meal.

Enjoy!

Ake & Humphris Christmas wine selection.

Cheese: The Cheeseboard

When the post-dinner lethargy kicks in, many of us just reach for a packaged selection of cheese for our Christmas cheeseboard, but why not make it a talking-point of the meal?

The Cheeseboard, on Commercial Street in Harrogate, will make all your dairy dreams come true…

One of my personal favourites, the Stonebeck, is made locally in Nidderdale by Stonebeck Wensleydale Farmhouse.

The cheese is made from the milk of Northern Dairy Shorthorn cows, a rare breed native to the Yorkshire Dales, and is hand pressed and bound in calico before maturing.

The taste and texture are an expression of the farm: soft and creamy with long, complex and layered flavours.

It’s delicate and rich and is guaranteed to put a smile on your guests’ faces.

Blue cheese is probably the most polarising of the cheeses, but I can guarantee you’ll fall in love with Swaledale Blue.

This pasteurised cheese, which is made by the Swaledale Cheese Company in Richmondshire, has a soft, melting texture that dissolves to cream on the tongue and a taste that is mild with gentle, herbal sharpness.

It is certainly full of flavour, but the peppery hints take the classic Swaledale cheese to a whole new level.

I cannot recommend these cheeses enough and both can be bought at The Cheeseboard. Make sure to get them before they sell out!

Appleton’s Butchers: Pies

I know many of us devote ourselves to one particular butcher, but Appleton’s Butchers has become a local institution for a reason.

Pork pie is something I look forward to every Christmas and the premium quality meat on offer at Appleton’s has me dreaming of it from summertime.

The standout medium lattice pork pie, which is even loved by King Charles II and Phil Tufnell, is a testament to Appleton’s commitment to quality, with a perfect balance of pork and pastry.

It also offers the highest quality locally-sourced beef, poultry and Yorkshire lamb.

It may seem a risk trying a new butcher, but this one will pay off when you taste Appleton’s Butcher’s meat!

You can find them in Harrogate, Ripon, Boroughbridge and Wetherby, or order online here.

Appleton’s medium lattice pies.

Chutney

 Christmas isn’t complete without condiments – and chutney is no exception.

Fodder, in Harrogate, stocks a wide range of flavours that will accompany your cheeseboard brilliantly.

The Christmas Chutney is made from plums, apples, onions and sultanas, while the Boxing Day chutney offers flavours of caramelised onion and cranberries.

Find them in store, just off Wetherby Road.

This story contains sponsored content and links. 

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It’s the Christmas party season, and many of us will remember when a festive do in Harrogate ended, often rather messily, in one of Harrogate’s nightclubs.

The town’s club scene was once so good that names such as Carringtons, Jimmys and Josephine’s live on in fond memories of sticky dancefloors, cheap drinks and great music.

Recollections may be hazy but the love remains for the likes of Legends, Flares, Ministry of Sound, Rehab, The Old Bourbon and the many other nightclubs that have come and gone in Harrogate over the years.

But no more. Next weekend will mark a year since the last club standing, The Viper Rooms, closed its doors. So is this the end of the nightclub in Harrogate and, with it, the end of a guaranteed great night out in the town?

The death of the nightclub

Harrogate is not alone in its declining nightclub scene. Data from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) shows 31 per cent of the UK’s nightclubs closed between June 2020 and June 2023. The report blamed an increase in operational costs, rents, utilities and maintenance, and called for initiatives to help nightclub owners finance their venues.

But even before a pandemic and a cost of living crisis, NTIA research shows that nightclubs were already in decline. Between 2014 and 2019 the number of clubs across the UK fell from 1,924 to 1,446, with Yorkshire seeing a 37 per cent loss.

Jay Smith, the owner of Montey’s bar, says this corresponds to an increase in later bar licences:

“In the halcyon days of nightclubs, bars were open until 11 and then the clubs took over. But as licensing reforms started to take hold and then customer demand followed, we ended up opening later. Now Montey’s is open until 4am on a weekend and we’re not alone. It’s being driven by the consumer and that’s all you can react to.”

Montey’s has just marked its 27th year in Harrogate and Mr Smith says drinking habits have changed during that time.

“People aren’t going out as much as they used to. There’s a whole generation of kids who turned 18 during the pandemic and have never been clubbing. And a large number of our customers don’t drink alcohol. When Montey’s started we had one alcohol-free beer and now we have a whole section on the menu. It’s not a money saving exercise for people either; they are just more health conscious.”

(L) The serviced apartments on the Kings Road site that was previously the original King’s Club, then the Old Bourbon. (R) Best Bar on Parliament Street

Read More:

• Harrogate nightclub Viper Rooms closes suddenly
• Harrogate nightclub owner: ‘Government wants to kill us off’
• Friday night live music returns to Montey’s in Harrogate

Has demand gone? 

With opportunities for clubbing in Leeds and York and the ease and affordability of sharing an Uber back to Harrogate, is there even any demand for a nightclub in Harrogate?

Jay Smith says:

“To be honest, a town the size of Harrogate probably had a disproportionate number of nightclubs a decade or two ago. If we do get another one I suspect it will be a lot smaller. Nightclubs are really expensive businesses to operate.”

So is Harrogate still a great night out?

You’d think not, judging by the negative response on The Stray Ferret’s Facebook page to a story last week about Harrogate’s best venues. “Go to Leeds or York” was the general response to an appeal from a Bath-based events company for someone ‘with a love of partying’ to report on the town’s bars and clubs for a ‘full night out experience’. “Nightlife is dead in Harrogate” was a common refrain.

But Yannis Dervishi, owner of Best Bar on Parliament Street, doesn’t agree. He thinks perceptions changed when The Viper Rooms closed, and that people who think the closure left Harrogate devoid of nightlife, need to get back out on the town and see what’s on offer.

“Viper Rooms closing down took away decades and decades of that location’s history, which promoted the perception that nightlife in Harrogate is lacking, he says.

“However, this is just perception over perspective. Harrogate contains a variety of bars scattered through the town centre and each one is different and unique in their own way. The face of the town’s night-time scene may have changed but it’s not like there’s no music and no dancefloors.”

The rise of the all night bar

The success of bars in the face of nightclubs’ decline was underlined this week when the UK’s biggest nightclub operator, Rekom, announced it’s going to start focusing more on its bars. And last week The Viper Rooms owner Paul Kinsey’s Harewood Group said it had taken over the Pitcher and Piano bar in Harrogate and is aiming to create a ‘great night out’, introducing live music and DJ Christmas party nights.

Mr Dervishi, who has been in the industry for over 20 years and also runs Mykonos and Santorini restaurants, says the demographic has widened at Best Bar since The Viper Rooms closed. The bar, which is open until 6am at weekends and includes a ‘nightclub’ style room with a dancefloor and DJs, attracts between 300 and 500 people on Fridays and 450 to 750 on Saturday.

“We’ve got customers of all ages, from 20 year olds to the over 70s. We didn’t plan for that kind of mix when we first launched, but when Viper Rooms closed we adapted our offering and it just fell into place.”

Mr Smith also thinks it’s unfair to say the town has no nightlife: “We’ve got some really great places to go on a night. Independent bars are on the rise nationally, and in Harrogate we’ve got some really great players.”

He says the loss of nightclubs is a shame, but times have changed:

“My first job in hospitality was as a DJ at Night Out in Knaresborough. It was amazing. I would get there at 10.30pm and by 11 the place would fill up. For those of us who lived through that generation, you’d finish your night in a club. But what nightclubs have become in the last decade is very different to what they were when I was younger.”

Although he thinks the general trend in the decline of nightclubs will continue, Mr Smith is not sure we’ve seen the last of them in Harrogate.

“I still think there is a demand for a nightclub,” he adds.

Do you think Harrogate should have a nightclub? Do you have fond memories or pictures of nights out in a Harrogate nightclub?
We’d love you to share them with us. Get in touch and send us your thoughts at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

A man in his 60s has been left seriously injured after a collision in Harrogate.

The incident happened at 5.30pm on Thursday (November 30) at the junction of Roberts Crescent and Knapping Hill.

It involved a pedestrian and a white Vauxhall van. A man in his 60s was taken to hospital by ambulance where he is in a serious but stable condition.

The van driver, also from Harrogate, is assisting police with the investigation.

Officers have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage of the collision.

A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“Police are appealing for any witnesses to collision or motorists with relevant dashcam footage to come forward as soon as possible.

“Please email Chris.Storey@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2, and ask for Chris Storey. quoting reference number 12230227805.”

Read more:

• Prolific Harrogate burglar jailed for three raids including at restaurant and bar
• Harrogate man jailed for insulting magistrates

Harrogate Town will hope to book a place in the third round of the FA Cup tomorrow when they play four-time winners Bolton Wanderers.

Town will travel to the Toughsheet Community Stadium to take on the League One leaders for a chance to play against Premier League and Championship sides in the next stage.

Wanderers go into the game in form with 38 points from 18 league games.

Harrogate defeated non-league Marine 5-1 in the first round to avoid a potential cup upset. Now they are hoping to provide an upset of their own.

Simon Weaver, Town manager, described the match as a challenge for the players.

He said:

“It’s a great ground to go and play in a FA Cup tie. They are doing fantastically well at the top of League One.

“It’s a big challenge for us, but we plan on enjoying the day.”

Harrogate will be hoping to reach the third round for the second ever time after reaching the stage in 2021/22.

More than 400 supporters will make the 69-mile trip for the second round match.

A chance to play against Premier League sides such as Manchester City and Liverpool in the third round will be up for grabs.

Harrogate Town will kick off against Bolton at 3pm tomorrow.

Read more:

• New Harrogate Town stand to double away capacity
• Season high crowd watch Harrogate fightback against Wrexham
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