Two new bus routes are set to be introduced in Harrogate this weekend.

The Harrogate Bus Company said in a press release the services would provide ‘new and improved links for housing developments and business parks’.

The company, which is part of French form Transdev, said it has partnered with North Yorkshire Council to bring the new 4, which will link King Edwin Park and the Harrogate West Business Park off Penny Pot Lane in Killinghall to the town centre.

It will also serve Skipton Road and Ripon Road.

The new route, which is being funded by the King Edwin Park housing developer, will run hourly from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

In addition, the 6 and X6 will merge to provide an all-day service to Harrogate’s Pannal Ash, RHS Harlow Carr and Beckwith Knowle.

It will operate every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and hourly on Sundays. Extra buses will run every 20 minutes during peak times.

Harrogate Bus Company said it will operate as the current route, but extending to Beckwith Knowle, where there is a business park.

The firm added:

“The route will change on Otley Road and in Pannal Ash so we pick up on the opposite side of the road – this follows customer requests.”

Read more:

• Robbie Williams and The Killers tributes among line-up for Harrogate food festival
• Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone by-election preview: John Ennis, Conservative

Changes to existing routes

Along with the new routes, the Harrogate Bus Company also announced it would be making changes to existing routes. Some of the details at this stage are vague.

These include:

1 Harrogate – Knaresborough: There will be a full timetable change from Monday to Saturday. Buses will still run every 10 minutes.

2 Harrogate – Bilton: Changes will be made to buses at peak times on weekdays.

3 Harrogate – Jennyfield: Changes will be made to buses at peak times on weekdays.

8 Harrogate – Knaresborough – Wetherby: This route will be taken over by 21 Transport on behalf of the council. The firm said Transdev tickets will no longer be valid on this route.

21 Knaresborough – Boroughbridge: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

24 Harrogate – Pateley Bridge: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

36 Leeds – Harrogate – Ripon: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

S1 Ripley – Rossett School: A new school bus will serve pupils from Ripley to Harrogate Grammar School and Rossett School. It added people in Jennyfields who currently use the 620H should switch to the S1.

S2 and S6 Bilton – Rossett School: The S2 and S6 will merge into a single route, which will follow the route of the regular 2 bus around Bilton. A large double decker bus will be provided which is sufficient for all customers, it added.

S8 Woodlands – Rossett School: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

620H Dacre – Rossett School: This route will be taken over by another operator on behalf of the council. Harrogate Bus Company said it does not know which firm will take over, but added it will no longer serve Jennyfields. It advised residents to use the S1 instead.

727H Jennyfield – Harrogate Grammar School

The Harrogate Bus Company, which has not released any further information on the changes, said timetables will be available ‘soon’.

The changes will come into effect on Sunday, April 7.

North Yorkshire Council still feels “detached” from its residents one-year on from its launch, says a House of Lords peer.

The authority replaced the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council in April 2023 with the promise of making savings.

One year on from its launch, the Stray Ferret has looked at whether people feel the council has improved governance in the county.

Among those we spoke to was Lord Wallace of Saltaire, a Liberal Democrat peer, who was highly critical of the move 12 months ago.

At the time, Lord Saltaire told the House of Lords that local democracy in North Yorkshire had been “destroyed” by devolution and described the introduction of a unitary authority as an “incoherent mess”.

He also criticised the number of councillors to residents, which he said made constituents feel detached from their local council.

Read more:

• Local democracy in North Yorkshire ‘destroyed’ by devolution, says peer
• North Yorkshire Council to re-examine planning decisions by unelected officers
• North Yorkshire Council: Five things that have changed in Harrogate

The Stray Ferret asked Lord Saltaire if he still stood by his criticisms 12 months on from the council’s launch.

He said he felt that people feel detached from their local authority and that councillors could not cope with the number of constituents within their divisions.

Lord Saltaire added that a district and county council model still worked, despite being criticised as “inefficient”.

He said:

“We still have county councils and district councils in some places. That in some ways is less efficient, but it does at least give people a connection.

“People do not feel any connection with their local authority.”

Taxi drivers ‘pulling their hair out’

Since its launch the changes in governance in the Harrogate district have been far reaching. Among the most controversial has been taxi licensing.

Under the authority’s harmonisation agenda, the zone which taxis could operate in was widened to county-wide. Previously, cabbies could only trade within the Harrogate district.

However, the council overhauled its licensing policy so that taxis can now operate anywhere in North Yorkshire.

In theory, the move would allow drivers to pick up business across the county.

Richard Fieldman, who runs his taxi in Ripon.

The council argued that the move would provide “flexibility to operate across the county, encouraging environmental efficiencies and creating a wider distribution of wheelchair-accessible vehicles”.

But, Richard Fieldman, who has operated his cab in Ripon for three decades, said he did not feel the move had improved the trade.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I cant comment on what is going on in other areas

“But the drivers in Harrogate are pulling their hair out. They [the council] do not want to know. We have been told that they are on the verge of sending out a new consultation.

“I have encouraged all the drivers to respond to that consultation.”

The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Council for a response and asked how it feels governance has been improved in the county.

Council a ‘watershed’ for public services

At the time of its launch, Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative leader of the council, said the move was a “watershed” for how public services could be delivered to the county’s residents.

Meanwhile, Richard Flinton, chief executive of the authority, said in March last year that “millions” would be saved from the new council.

He said:

“Millions of pounds in savings that will be made by streamlining operations and the delivery of services could not have come at a more important time.

“We are faced with major financial pressures and the new council will need to drive the transformation of services at pace, taking every opportunity to support green economic growth and working with communities and partners to ensure the money of North Yorkshire’s taxpayers is used most effectively.

“Public services could have been placed under even greater pressure without the move to bring together eight councils into one organisation to create the new North Yorkshire Council.

“There is still a lot of work to do to ensure we are able to take full advantage of the opportunities available to bring the most cost-effective way of delivering services for North Yorkshire’s taxpayers, but I am confident that this can be achieved with the experience, expertise and talent we will have available in the new council.”

The Harrogate Food and Drink Festival has announced the music line-up for this year’s event.

The festival, which takes place on the Stray, is set to offer a range of world foods stalls, including Japanese, Italian and British cuisine, as well as independent bars and an ale house.

But food and drink are not all people have to look forward to, as the festival has just revealed the entertainment for the weekend.

Among those set to perform are The Killaz UK, a tribute act for The Killers, saxophonist Will Forrester and Liam Gray as Robbie Williams.

The event will feature a range of musical genres, including acoustic singers, punk-rock bands and blues groups.

Read more:

• Lib Dem mayor candidate pledges support for Flaxby train station
• Workplace safety regulator to investigate Ripon death 

People can also expect live cooking demonstrations, children’s entertainment, comedians and a funfair at the festival.

The Harrogate Food and Drink Festival will take place on June 29 and 30.

The Conservative John Ennis is hoping his previous 12-year stint as a Harrogate councillor will stand him in good stead for the upcoming by-election.

Voters will go to the polls on April 11 following the resignation of Pat Marsh.

Mr Ennis believes his experience means he can better navigate the large Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire Council on behalf of his residents.

He said being a councillor is not for the faint-hearted and requires someone who already understands the intricacies of local government in Northallerton. He added:

 “There is a mystery about the new council with some people perceiving it as being a bit remote.”

Mr Ennis was born in Northern Ireland and had a career in the NHS where he worked in Leeds.

He’s the only candidate standing in the by-election who lives in the division, which he says gives him a better insight into the issues.

Potholes are one of the area’s biggest problems and he said he has experience in battling for repairs.

He also said that residents in Hookstone are poorly served by the number 8 bus route and hopes to lobby the bus operator to make changes if elected.

The Saints area has long faced traffic problems linked to local schools. Mr Ennis said he would be in favour of neighbourhood parking schemes to cut down on parking congestion.

He said:

“There are issues in particular around St Aidan’s. Residents around there say it’s a very dangerous situation with people parking right up to the junctions.”

Nationally at least, there is a sense that the winds of change are blowing, with some people wanting a fresh start and a change from the Tories.

The Conservatives will also face a challenge from Reform UK candidate John Swales who is targeting disgruntled Tory voters.

However, Mr Ennis said he is “not trembling in my boots” about Reform and suggests the party could take votes from all parties.

Despite the Conservatives polling poorly nationally, Mr Ennis hopes his experience as a councillor and promises to tackle nuts and bolts local issues like potholes and parking that will count the most.

He added:

“The division has had a Lib Dem for the last two years so if people want a change, I am a change.”

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 Foxhall.
• Liberal Democrat – Andrew Timothy.
• Reform – John Swales.

Read more:

• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes surprise visit to Ripon
• Lib Dem mayor candidate pledges support for Flaxby train station

A woman was rescued after getting stuck in a muddy bog near Brimham Rocks last week.

Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association was called to the scene on Wednesday, March 27, at around 12.45pm.

Rick Hudson, one of the association’s volunteers at the scene, told the Stray Ferret the casualty had been walking at the National Trust-owned site and became stuck in the mud whilst on her way back to the car park, after the “weather came in quite nastily”.

Mr Hudson added:

“We received an alert from North Yorkshire Police and six team members were called to the scene.

“When we arrived, it was clear the woman was cold and distressed, and was unable to get out of the boggy area.”

Mr Hudson said the woman did not sustain any injuries as a result of the incident.

The association said on social media:

“With assistance she was brought back onto the path and walked back down the track to Fell 2.

“She was driven around to her car parked in Brimham Rocks CP and advised to wait a while before driving back to her hotel in Gargrave.”

The rescue mission took around a total of 15 minutes, Mr Hudson added.

Read more:

• Poll predicts Tory general election wipeout in Harrogate district
• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes surprise visit to Ripon

The Liberal Democrat candidate to be York and North Yorkshire’s first directly elected mayor has pledged to support a station at Flaxby Park, if elected.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister announced the policy as part of her manifesto launch.

The announcement also included pledges to campaign for better services on the Harrogate to York line, a single ticket integrated bus services and converting empty premises above shops into flats.

The Lib Dem candidate’s support for Flaxby Parkway has its roots in a long running saga over the need for a station in the area, which developers Flaxby Park Ltd promised in 2018.

The topic was at the centre of a debate for a new 3,000 home settlement in the Harrogate district, which was subject of a High Court appeal in 2020. The former Harrogate Borough Council later settled instead on an area in Hammerton and Cattal, which will be called Maltkiln.

In her manifesto pledge, Ms Cunliffe-Lister said:

“We need a faster and more reliable service across the north, this is key to delivering economic growth in the region, and I will lobby hard for this. 

“Within the region, I will support Flaxby Parkway station and park and ride, the addition of a second platform at Malton, improvement of access at Thirsk and explore the viability of increasing the service on the York to Harrogate line.”

Meanwhile, Ms Cunliffe-Lister added she would invest in the green energy and bioeconomy sectors to generate growth and to create a catchment wide natural flood management scheme for the Nidd, Ure and Swale rivers.

She also pledged to create flats in empty premises above shops in market towns and to control second home and holiday let ownership with regulation and licensing schemes.

She said:

“Having lived and raised a family in North Yorkshire and run a successful business there for 24 years, many of my policies are based on my experience and legal background. 

“I have also taken specialist advice on some of the more thorny issues, to help establish what the most effective solutions are to the issues we face, that will also deliver the best value for money.”

Voters across North Yorkshire will go to the polls on May 2 to elect the first ever mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on April 16.

Who is standing for mayor?

Pateley Bridge man and former police officer Keith Tordoff will stand as an independent.

The Green Party has chosen councillor and former soldier Kevin Foster as its candidate.

The Conservative Party has picked Malton councillor and ex-journalist Keane Duncan, who is currently in charge of transport at North Yorkshire Council.

Labour has chosen local business owner and chair of the York High Street Forum David Skaith.

Harrogate resident and North Yorkshire councillor, Paul Haslam, will stand as an independent candidate after resigning from the Conservative Party.

Read more:

• York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority launches
• What will the new combined authority mean for Harrogate?
• North Yorkshire mayor to be paid £81,300

A new pizza restaurant is planned to open on King’s Road in Harrogate.

A premises licence has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council by Stefano’s Pizza restaurant UK Ltd. at 144 King’s Road.

The company has applied for the sale of alcohol from 11am until 11pm, Monday to Sunday.

The site was formerly Regal Fruiterers, which was located at the site for 50 years with a neighbouring florist, Regal Flowers.

The fruiterers, owned by Peter and Dawn Weatherhead, moved from King’s Road to Harlow Hill last year.

Mr Weatherhead told the Stray Ferret at the time:

“Regal has been in Harrogate for over 50 years and we’re excited to be writing a new chapter. A lot of our customers live up in the Harlow Hill area anyway, and a lot of the customers we have spoken to on King’s Road have said they’ll follow us up there.”

Read more:

• A59 to be closed at Kex Gill until end of June 
• New ice cream parlour to open in Pateley Bridge 

A new planning application in Harrogate has further highlighted the trend towards town centre living. 

An applicant named as Govind wants to turn the offices on the first, second and third floors of 5 Cambridge Road into three flats.

Each apartment will take up a whole floor and have two double bedrooms – one of them with en suite shower room – as well as an open-plan kitchen, living room and dining area. 

The property stands between William Hill and the Cambridge Café, opposite The Den. 

Changing the use of town centre properties from class E – the term used by planners to denote commercial, business and service usage – to C3, residential, has become increasingly common in recent years.

In 2021, the government introduced a new permitted development right  to allow changes from E to C3 without planning permission in most cases.

The aim was to reverse the decline of town and city centres that have experienced an exodus of retailers and company offices in the wake of covid. The increase in online shopping has led to falling footfall on shopping streets and the trend for home-working has resulted in less demand for office space.

The decision on this latest application, which is being handled by agent Elite Dwellings Ltd, will determine whether the conversion falls under the permitted development rules or whether the applicant needs to give prior notification of development.

The consultation period on the application will run until Monday, April 8, and council planning officers aim to make a decision on the case by Friday, May 3. 

Read more:

• Pat Marsh removed from Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee
• Readers’ Letters: Harrogate is short of social housing – not luxury apartments
• Government approves plan to convert Harrogate offices into flats

Three Boroughbridge pubs have been awarded Cask Marque accreditation.

The award recognises the quality of the beers at the Grantham Arms, Fox and Hounds and Tap on the Tutt, based on temperature, aroma, appearance and taste.

Simon Wade, who owns the pubs, said the accreditation would help put Boroughbridge on the map as a destination for quality ales. He said:

“For all three of our pubs to get the accreditation is incredible. It means we now become part of the national Real Ale Trail which will hopefully bring new visitors to the town. Great credit to our teams at all three venues for keeping on top of cellar management and to our fantastic sponsor Rudgate Brewery.”

The three pubs offer 12 cask ales between them from breweries including Rudgate, Timothy Taylor’s and Theakstons, alongside guest beers on rotation.

Harrogate Healthcare company wins national care award

A Harrogate healthcare company has won a national award.

Vida Healthcare, which specialises in dementia care, won the accolade at the Great British Care Awards.

It won the National Three Rs (Recruitment, Retention and Recognition) award at the event. The company also won the same award last year.

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said:

“We’re over the moon to have won the national Three Rs award at the Great British Care Awards – it’s a fantastic achievement and a reflection of our commitment to nurturing the future of social care talent. As part of our dedication to creating better care for people living with dementia, our long-term mission is to continue to build on our cohort of understanding and professional care workers.”

From left to right: Bernadette Mossman, healthcare director, Jill Young, operations director, James Rycroft, managing director.

Digital agency appoints new director of international

National digital agency idhl has appointed Sam Ogrizovic as Director of International to launch the firm’s first office in the US.

The company specialises in performance media, e-commerce, web development, data and email marketing.

idhl was established in Harrogate in 2000. The agency now operates nationally across the UK with offices in London, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle – employing more than 400 people.

Ogrizovic will hire a team of digital experts in the coming months, with the New York office due to open in summer 2024.

Mr Ogrizovic said:

“I’m an entrepreneurial person and there are few occasions in your career which allow you to work with a business you know well to launch a new territory from scratch. Knowing that I have the strong engine and reputation of idhl behind me is a huge advantage and I cannot wait to get going!”

Ben Wood, CEO at idhl, said:

“Sam is the perfect candidate to spearhead our US office launch, his tenacity and ability to form really strong relationships with clients as we deliver fantastic results for them is second to none. This is an extremely exciting time of growth for idhl, the potential to roll-out our products and services to the US market is huge.

Henshaws College completes outdoor classroom

Henshaws Specialist College has opened a new yurt as part of its Forest School offering.

The move follows a £25,000 donation from Barratt Developments Yorkshire East to fund an outdoor classroom.

The college provides education and care for young people aged 18-25 years old who have disabilities and complex needs.

Gemma Young, fundraising development manager at Henshaws, said:

“With the donation we were able to have a 22 ft yurt with a wood burning stove installed to base the sessions from, so the students can continue to learn outdoors, even in bad weather. We were so pleased to welcome Barratt Developments Yorkshire East to the college so they could see how far their generous donation has gone for our students and facilities.”

Henshaws Specialist College completes outdoor classroom following local housebuilder donation

Skin Clinic shortlisted in The UK Hair and Beauty Awards

Relax & Renew Skin Clinic, Green Hammerton has been shortlisted in the UK Hair and Beauty Awards.

The firm has been nominated in the ‘‘Skin Specialist Of The Year’ category.

The UK Hair and Beauty Awards supports businesses of all sizes, and provide candidates with opportunities in the sector.

Gemma Carlisle of Relax and Renew said:

“This business means the absolute world to me. I only started it 2.5 years ago and it has grown & grown into the thriving business that it is today! This is down to my utter determination and passion but also the support of the local community, that have truly allowed me to make my dreams come true”

Tech business nominated for national awards

Phase 4 Computers has been nominated in the Tech Awards 2024 by Tech for Techs.

The recognition acknowledges commitment to innovation, excellence, and performance in the tech industry.

The company has been nominated for a total of four awards, in the following categories: Tech For Techs Community Expert, Best Use Of Social Media, Best Tech Website (not an online store) and Best Shop Front.

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• Business Breakfast: Titan Private Wealth appoints joint CEO 
• Business Breakfast: Berwins Solicitors continues partnership with Harrogate International Festivals 

This story is sponsored by Robbins Associates. 

Are you seeking a remarkable space for your business to call home?  Look no further than The Lenz, Grade A office space nestled within the heart Hornbeam Park.

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Put your stamp on the second floor

The large, mainly open plan space is a blank canvas suitable for either open plan or partitioned offices; an adaptable layout which can be configured in a way that suits your business.

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Hornbeam Park offers a rare combination of easy access and high specification spaces

Convenience and accessibility built in

From the moment you arrive, either by train at the Hornbeam Park’s on-site railway station or by car, the keypad-controlled entry systems ensure security and exclusivity.

The 13-person lift provides access to the underground car park and all the upper floors.

Join the community

Apollo Capital Group is one of the businesses that rents office space at The Lenz since 2020, and its CEO and founder Andy King has expressed his satisfaction as a commercial tenant of the building.

He said:

“We considered many options when looking for a suitable office and location close to Harrogate, and without question Hornbeam Park offers the very best of both.

“At the Lenz we enjoy a spacious new office, secure, modern, adequate parking, clean and well-maintained commercial areas, internal and external.”

From independent businesses seeking retail space, to those requiring warehouse storage or corporate offices, Hornbeam Park has the capacity to accommodate a vast array of requirements.

The interior of the office space

It’s a destination for both business and leisure visitors alike, with a wide variety of on-site leisure facilities including a Premier Inn, Nuffield Health fitness centre, restaurants such as Fayre Pub, Al Bivio Italian restaurant and much more.

Andy added:

“We couldn’t find another industrial office park anywhere near Harrogate that offers all these facilities.

“The only ‘downside’ is the fantastic Italian restaurant that we enjoy a little bit too much.”

Hornbeam Park also boasts excellent transport links between Leeds, York, Harrogate and even London, due to the railway station, regular bus routes, and its close proximity to A1/M1 motorway.

Find out more: 

If you have any further enquiries, contact Chris Robbins of Robbins Associates at 01423 505501. For all available office space, visit the website or email info@robbinsassociates.net.