Jules B to close Harrogate store

The Stray Ferret understands independent fashion retailer Jules B is set to close its Harrogate store.

The womenswear boutique, which took on the former Jaeger unit on Cambridge Crescent, opened in September 2022.

It is one of five Jules B stores, with two each in Jesmond in Newcastle-upon- Tyne and Kendal in Cumbria.

However, the Stray Ferret today received multiple reports to say that the Harrogate branch will close next week.

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Owners Julian and Rhonda Blades opened the doors of their first womenswear store in 1984, in Jesmond.

The company, which also has an online store, now employs more than 80 people.

It sells a range of high-end brands, including Ganni, Le Specs, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood.

The Stray Ferret has approached Jules B for comment but has not had an immediate response.

Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is coming to an end – get your last minute donations in

The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal will come to an end this weekend after almost two months of raising vital funds for Dementia Forward.

You can still donate to the appeal until midnight on Sunday, January 7.

So far we have raised around £8,000 for the charity, which will go towards funding a new minibus.

Jill Quinn MBE, chief executive at Dementia Forward, said:

“We really value the support that The Stray Ferret and all your readers have given us this Christmas.
“The stories and videos have shone a light on our services, and we really hope that everyone has a good understanding of what Dementia Forward offers to people in the local community, and knows where to turn if they ever they need us.
“It is exciting that we have received enough donations to be able to lease a new minibus for the next two years, so that we can continue to provide vital transport for people living with dementia in the Harrogate District.
“Once again, huge thanks and we wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2024!”

We didn’t reach our target, but we know times are tough and the money raised will still make a huge difference to the lives of those living with dementia and the people struggling around them.

Director of The Stray Ferret, Tamsin O’Brien said:

“We’d like to thank VIDA Healthcare for its wonderful support of our Christmas Appeal. As someone who’s family has experienced the heartbreak of Alzheimers, this was an appeal close to my heart.

“Thank you to everyone who donated. Please give generously this weekend — you never know when you may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.”

The appeal was kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

No Harrogate to London trains over next two weekends

There will be no trains running between Harrogate and London King’s Cross over the next two weekends.

It comes after Northern Rail announced four days of engineering work on the billion-pound East Coast Digital Programme.

LNER, which runs between London King’s Cross and the north east, is among the lines affected.

It will be operating a reduced service starting and terminating at Grantham, with hourly trains running between Leeds and Grantham over the two weekends.

From Grantham, people can get a rail replacement bus to Corby, where they will connect with other operators’ services to and from London St Pancras.

The disruption will be in place from Saturday, January 6 to Sunday, January 7, and Saturday, January 13, to Sunday, January 14.

LNER said there are no planned changes to the regular weekday schedule.

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Free events revealed for Harrogate’s first self care week

Details have been revealed for the first Harrogate self care week this month.

The free events, which will be held from January 22 to 27, include activities ranging from yoga and acupuncture to sound baths and making face masks.

There will be a mixture of workshops and classes, along with a themed market to help visitors work on their ‘body, soul and mind’, according to organisers.

Some of the sessions will be held in a pop-up self care unit on the first floor of the Victoria Shopping Centre. However, others will be held in different venues across the town centre.

Harrogate Business Improvement District announced the initiative last month.

The Turkish Baths will host the launch event on January 22, with a session in the facilities from 6.30pm until 9pm. This is already fully booked.

Also on the Monday, an hour-long acupressure and acupuncture talk and demonstration with Patti Hemmings will be held in the shopping centre unit from 12.30pm, as well as a mosaic making session at Artizan from 5-7pm.

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Kicking things off on the Tuesday, a slow yoga flow for beginners with Michelle Foxall will be held in the shopping centre at 5-6pm. Then, Chantelle Coles will host an intriguing sound bath session, a meditative experience involving bathing in sound waves, in the vacant space between 6-7pm.

Mat pilates with Emma Ryder is the opening event on the Wednesday at 12.30pm. 

Then, staff members at Lush will host a face mask making session in their Cambridge Street store from 5pm. Anyone looking to learn more about Thai Chi can join a beginner class with Alison Newband from 6-7pm. Meanwhile, Ebru Evrim is putting together a yoga and reformer Pilates session at their studio on James Street from 6pm to round off Wednesday’s events.

To open Thursday, a two-hour interactive workshop on doshas will be held from 5-7pm with Green Ayurveda Spa. This will be followed by a circuit session with F45 at its studio in Albert Street from 6.15pm, lasting for around 45 minutes.

On Friday from 12.30pm, Tomm Melody will teach visitors more about ageing and strength.

BID manager Matthew Chapman said:

“Since we launched the Harrogate Self Care Week in mid-December, we’ve had so much interest and positive responses.

“A huge thanks to the many BID members and local providers who are supporting this campaign, which we hope will drive footfall and spend into the town centre in what can often be a quieter month.”

For more information on self-care week and to book places, visit the Harrogate BID website here.

Missing Harrogate teenager found

North Yorkshire Police has said a missing Harrogate teenager has been found.

A police statement today said the girl, who was reported missing this morning, was found “safe and well”.

We have updated this article to anonymise the details of the girl.

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Harrogate hospital cancelled 166 appointments due to December junior doctors’ strike

Harrogate District Hospital was forced to cancel 166 appointments as a result of a junior doctor’s strike before Christmas.

Members of the British Medical Association and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association walked out from December 20.

BMA members demonstrated until December 23, while HSCA members staged action until December 22.

Both unions announced the walk outs amid a dispute over pay with government.

As a result, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust was forced to cancel both outpatient and elective appointments.

A spokesperson for the trust said in total 168 appointments were cancelled between December 20 and December 22 due to the industrial action.

They added:

“We have re-arranged postponed appointments as a priority so that patients can be seen at the earliest available date – many will be within a week or two, whilst others may be a little longer.”

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Meanwhile, the trust confirmed that its current cost estimate for staff to cover the walk outs is £153,000.

The hospital has also been hit by further industrial action in the new year.

Junior doctors who are members of the BMA are currently on strike until Tuesday (January 9).

The union staged the walk out on Wednesday (January 3) in what is set to be the longest strike action in NHS history.

Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA junior doctors committee, said ahead of the demonstration:

“This strike marks another unhappy record for the NHS – the longest single walkout in its history. But as we have said all along, there is no need for any records to fall: we can call off this strike now if we get an offer from Government that we can put to members.

“Doctors want 2024 to be the start of a renewed workforce which can finally provide high quality care for patients again – it is for the Government to put forward a credible offer and facilitate that journey.”

Business Breakfast: Harrogate care group takes on nearly 90 university students

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.

Harrogate care group Vida Healthcare has taken on almost 90 nursing and paramedic placement students as part of a partnership with the University of Bradford.

Since the relationship between the two institutions began in 2020, Vida Healthcare has provided placements for 48 Mental Health and Adult nursing students and 40 trainee paramedics from the university.

These have been at Vida’s three outstanding-rated care homes in Harrogate, which care for more than 200 people living with dementia.

The patient-centred course sees the students undertake hands-on exercises, alongside equal amounts of theory work.

Vida’s healthcare director, Bernadette Mossman, who is leading the initiative, said:

“Our partnership with the University of Bradford allows students to make informed decisions about health and social care.

“It enables them to have a clearer awareness of the opportunities in social care and break down preconceived ideas about the sector.

“Offering students the chance to share best practice and work jointly has been an utter pleasure for us and allowed multi professionals to join our team at Vida, giving them their very own career pathway.”

Ithsham Tariq, Placement Development Officer in the School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership at the University of Bradford, said:

“This has been a very successful partnership which has been built on a shared commitment to educating our future workforce in health.

“Vida Healthcare has shown that they are willing to invest in our nursing students, not only with their time but also their expertise in dementia care.”

Jespers launches Taco Tuesdays

Jesper’s Bar & Kitchen in Harrogate is planning to hold its first Taco Tuesday event of the year on Tuesday (January 9).

Jespers hosted a covert “Secret Mexican Dinner” experience throughout November, after owner Jesper Callisen spotted a gap in the market following the opening of a Mexican restaurant in Harrogate in the summer – and its closure just two days later.

Marketing artwork for Taco Tuesdays, a Mexican-themed evening hosted by Jesper's Bar & Kitchen in Harrogate.

The restaurant is now relaunching the evening, with a refined menu, as Taco Tuesday in alliance with Leeds-based HACIEN Tequila; through January, each guest will receive a complimentary tequila cocktail.

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Person suffers leg injury following Bishop Thornton crash

A person was injured following a crash near Bishop Thornton this morning.

A witness told the Stray Ferret the collision happened at a crossroads on Fountains Road near the village.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue incident log said the collision happened at 10:12am. It said:

“Both Harrogate crews responded to a road traffic collision involving two vehicles.

“All casualties were out on arrival when fire crews arrived.”

The service added that crews helped with “scene safety” and causalities were transported to hospital in an ambulance.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said the injured person suffered a “possible broken leg”.

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Council approves staff accommodation plan at Follifoot equestrian centre

North Yorkshire Council has approved a plan to convert stables at Follifoot Park Riding Centre into accommodation for staff.

The stables that will be converted into a one-bedroom flat are currently home to three horses. The proposal will also see a barn extended to replace the space lost in the conversion.

The family-run equestrian centre near Harrogate has been in operation since 1986 and offers riding tuition for beginners to advanced riders.

It’s also home to the Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group and Follifoot Park Young Riders club.

The centre has 36 stables, an indoor arena, outdoor flood-lit menage, function and teaching rooms, as well as a simulator horse to practice riding.

However in a statement submitted to the council by applicants Mr and Mrs Pedley, it says the business does not offer significant salaries so an accommodation package is important for staff retention.

It will mean staff can be on site around the clock to check on horses and deter thieves.

According to the statement, there was a recent incident at the centre where three men in balaclavas attempted to steal a quad bike and there have been numerous other break-in attempts.

The statement added: 

“The application property would be offered to one of the three full time staff members who currently commute from outside the Harrogate district and cannot afford to move closer due to house prices.

“This would then provide two full time members of staff on site and alleviate some of the pressure of the applicant’s family to cover such a significant operation.”

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Crime commissioner warns council tax hike needed to protect police from cuts

York and North Yorkshire crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has warned residents they would have to pay an extra £20 a year through their council tax to protect the police service from cuts.

Ms Metcalfe, who represents the Conservatives, is currently consulting on what the annual police and fire precepts should be from April.

These are charges that every household pays through their council tax for services.

Around half of the crime commissioner’s budget comes from council tax with a government grant making up the rest.

Currently, Band D households in York and North Yorkshire pay a precept of £295.09 towards the police force.

It’s likely to increase later this year with four options put forward including a precept freeze and increases of 3.4%, 5.1% and 6.8%.

But in a report that will be discussed by councillors in Northallerton next week, Ms Metcalfe said only the highest increase of 6.8%, which would raise an additional £6.2m, could guarantee current service levels.

Smaller increases would lead to reductions unless savings could be found, she added.

However, this year government is only allowing crime commissioners to increase the police precept by up to 4.4%, which equates to an extra £13 a year for a Band D properties.

The report adds that the government has increased this year’s grant for crime commissioners by £150m however the money has been ring fenced to hire new police officers.

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The report says police finances “continue to be exceptionally tight” with staff pay awards and inflation contributory factors.

The bulk of council tax is set by North Yorkshire Council however the authority is yet to say if it will increase its precept this year.

Ms Metcalfe also sets the precept for the fire and rescue service. Further details are available here, with the consultation open until January 21.

Ms Metcalfe said: 

“It is never easy to ask residents for more money, and I know that many individuals and families are facing financial pressures once again this coming year, but our emergency services are also dealing with rising costs as they continue their vital work to keep us all safe.

“And again, this year the decision will be challenging, as I have to balance the burden on taxpayers and the growing demands for services from our police and fire and rescue services, so it’s vital that I hear your views.”

Ms Metcalfe’s role will be taken over by whoever is elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire in May next year.