Police have appealed for help finding a man they want to speak to following a serious assault in Harrogate town centre.

A man was taken to hospital with facial injuries after being assaulted with a glass at Montey’s on The Ginnel.

The incident happened at 1am on Sunday, September 3.

North Yorkshire Police first issued a CCTV image of a man they wanted to contact on September 18.

Officers today renewed the appeal. The force said in a statement:

“If you recognise the man in the image or have any information that could help please email Sam.Clarke2@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Sam Clarke.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote reference number 12230166084 when passing on information.”

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Northern Gas Networks has said roadworks on one of Harrogate’s busiest routes will end in eight days.

Skipton Road has been plagued by temporary traffic lights in recent years while the gas distribution company replaces metal pipes with plastic ones.

But the end is in sight, according to Mark Mawhood, operations manager at Northern Gas Networks.

Mr Mawhood said:

“I can confirm that we are in the final stages of the works in Harrogate. Next week we will begin work at the junction of Bilton Grange Close and Skipton Road.

“We will need to put in place a half and half road crossing on Skipton Rd with two-way lights in place, these works will be completed by Friday, November 3.

“After this section has been completed, the project to carry out essential work to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in Harrogate will come to an end.

“We apologise for inconvenience caused by the number of works we have had recently in the area but due to the mains configurations, the traffic management has been unavoidable.”

Northern Gas Networks also said in a statement its seven-week programme in Harrogate town centre, which is due to end on November 20, “is currently running to schedule”.

Read more:

• Seven weeks of roadworks begin today in Harrogate
• No Christmas lights switch-on event in Harrogate this year

This story is sponsored by LCF Law.

The importance of using a quality conveyancing solicitor in a slowing property market by Lynn Wilkinson, a director at LCF Residential (pictured above). 

It’s no secret that both house prices and sales activity in the property market are under pressure, predominantly due to rising interest rates pushing up the cost of borrowing.  

However, the Bank of England’s recent decision to hold the base rate at 5.25% was a relief for mortgage holders and fuelled optimism that the market could see an autumn pick-up. 

We work with homebuyers, sellers and estate agents throughout Yorkshire and beyond, as well as with nearly every UK mortgage lender, across all price brackets.  

Although it’s certainly true that the market has been more subdued during 2023, and especially in comparison to the furore that we’ve seen in recent years around the pandemic, it’s not all doom and gloom.  

Around Harrogate and North Yorkshire there has been less of a slowdown than in many other parts of the UK. Homes here are still selling and from what we’re seeing, interest rates are having less of a negative impact the higher up the market you go.  

We’re still working on high numbers of transactions in the local area and in the same way that it’s often when market conditions become sticky that a good estate agent really adds value, the same can be said for a premium conveyancing service.  

Where some conveyancers pile it high and sell it cheap, but often with lots of hidden last minute add-on costs, our clients continually tell us that they value having a named point of contact, local offices that they can visit and crucially price transparency, which is especially true during more uncertain market conditions, when every penny counts.  

A deep knowledge of the local market also means we can provide valuable insights into current conditions, helping clients make more informed decisions. Plus, in a slowing market, the risk of a property not selling or the deal falling through can be higher. We help clients minimise this possibility by advising on contingencies and contract terms, as well as identifying and addressing any possible hiccups before they arise.  

Ultimately, in more testing market conditions, the role of a conveyancing firm becomes even more critical in protecting clients’ interests and achieving a successful property transaction. It’s often our expertise, negotiating skills and ability to manage risks that make a significant difference to our clients.  

Find out why clients value Harrogate’s leading conveyancing solicitors at LCF Residential. Click or tap here to speak to the team and get a quote today.

A new hair salon will open in Harrogate next week.

Charlotte Woolley Hairdressing, which is located on John Street, will offer traditional hair services including cuts, colours and hair-up services.

Owner Charlotte Woolley has 20 years of hairdressing experience under her belt and hopes the salon will bring “the ultimate salon experience”.

She told the Stray Ferret she wants the salon to be known particularly for its blow-dries.

She said:

“I’m so excited about it opening.”

“I think there’s a gap in the market for luxury hairdressing here in Harrogate.”

The unit is located in the former art gallery Bills and Rye. Ms Woolley said renovations, which began in August, have cost around £50,000.

Charlotte Woolley Hairdressing will open on Wednesday, November 1.

It will be open Tuesday to Saturday.

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Harrogate’s Christmas lights will be switched on in three weeks’ time — but once again there won’t be an official event marking the occasion.

The event, which traditionally drew a crowd to the town centre to mark the start of the festive season, was halted due to covid.

It has not returned since and Harrogate Business Improvement District confirmed in a social media post the situation has not changed. It said:

“Harrogate BID are excited to announce that the Christmas lights will be switched on from Thursday 16th November in the town centre to kick start the festivities.

“As previous years, there will be a ‘soft’ switch on and no official event.”

The Stray Ferret asked Matthew Chapman, chief executive of the BID, why the big switch-on wasn’t happening this year.

Mr Chapman said:

“Whilst we totally understand and respect how popular the Harrogate Christmas lights switch-on used to be, taking feedback from our members on the return on investment it offered, it was decided to utilise our festive budget in more impactful ways as well as funding events throughout the year such as the Harrogate Celebration of Fashion, Harrogate Music Weekender and recent Britain in Bloom gold award-winning Floral Summer of Celebration.

“As with all projects at Harrogate BID, we are constantly reviewing and will do so again in 2024.”

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• Harrogate district garden waste fees set to increase by 7%

Plans have been submitted to expand Wetherby Services to create 200 new heavy goods vehicle parking spaces.

Rapleys LLP which has tabled a screening application on behalf of services operator Moto Hospitality Ltd for the site off junction 46 of the A1(M).

It would see the site expand to create 200 HGV parking spaces, while the current HGV parking facilities would be replaced with 118 electric vehicle charging bays.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the extension was required to meet demand at the services.

It said:

“The proposed circa 200 new HGV parking spaces form part of an urgently required extension to the existing motorway service area.

“This proposal arises from the need for increased HGV parking capacity at the existing motorway service area.”

The planned layout for the parking spaces at Wetherby Services.

It added that its plan to include 118 electric vehicle charging spaces would align with Moto’s strategy to increase infrastructure at its sites.

The document said:

“Electric vehicles will play a big part in the transition to zero emission transport, but to achieve these targets, it is imperative that suitable infrastructure is provided to support electric vehicles. 

“The proposed development forms part of Moto’s wider strategy to bring EV infrastructure at their services.”

The move comes as Gridserve, a sustainable energy firm in Kirk Deighton, also applied to North Yorkshire Council to install 12 charging bays within the existing services car park.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on both proposals at a later date.

Read more:

• Contractor sought for £3m electric vehicle charging rollout in North Yorkshire
• Knaresborough traders set to escalate electric vehicle parking row
• Plans to install 12 electric vehicle charging points at Wetherby Services

NEOM, the home fragrance brand that has grown to international prominence from its Harrogate HQ, has appointed a new chief executive.

Isabel Malbois, who was previously managing director at the company, takes over from co-founder Oliver Mennell, who will stay on as non-executive chair. Fellow co-founder Nicola Elliott remains as creative director.

Isabel joined NEOM – whose name comes from its founders’ initials – as global commercial director in 2021, after successful stints at L’Oréal, Urban Decay and Giorgio Armani. She said:

“I’ve thoroughly loved working closely with Nicola and Oliver and the passionate and smart NEOM team over the past two years and I’m super excited about my new role as CEO. NEOM is a very much-loved wellbeing brand.

She added:

“I look forward to continuing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Nicola day to day and having Oliver close to the business in his new role as chair to keep driving the company onwards and upwards.”

Oliver Mennell and Nicola Elliott founded NEOM in 2005, launching a range of natural fragrances designed to improve sleep, lower stress, boost energy and lift mood. Within a few years, their products had been adopted by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller and Kate Moss.

Now based at Hornbeam Park, it has achieved B Corp certification – an internationally recognised standard for sustainability – and in its last annual accounts recorded post-tax profits of over £3 million.

Hospital rated ‘good’ by CQC

A mental health hospital in Harrogate has been praised for the “outstanding” caring nature of its staff by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission.

The regulator’s report on Cygnet Hospital Harrogate praised the high standard of care offered at the service and highlighted many areas of positive practice, saying the hospital had embedded a “person-centred” culture.

The service, on Ripon Road, is part of the Cygnet Health Care division, and offers a care service for men and women suffering with acute mental health.

The inspection, which took place in August, looked at all key lines of enquiry: safety, care, responsiveness, leadership and effectiveness. The service was awarded a Good rating overall, with Outstanding in the Caring domain.

Hospital manager Gavin Clark said:

“We’re all absolutely delighted with a good overall from the recent inspection, but to get an outstanding in the Caring domain was the cherry on top.

“That the report recognises the contribution of multiple departments in this – and not just clinical teams – felt a real validation of the entire staff group’s efforts. I feel so proud of everyone and would like to thank all of my staff for their hard work and dedication towards providing high-quality, compassionate care.”

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• Business Breakfast: Harrogate-based Japanese shop celebrates 25th anniversary
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An employee hired using money raised by last year’s Stray Ferret Christmas campaign has been a “godsend”, the founder of Resurrected Bites has said. 

Michelle Hayes said the £30,000 raised by the Stray Ferret’s campaign was more than expected and a “massive bonus”, enabling the charity to take on ex-military man Chris Lidgitt. She said Chris had helped to bring a dose of order and professionalism to operations since joining in April. 

Michelle, who set up the charity in 2018 to combat food poverty in the Harrogate district, said: 

“I was covering more roles than I could reasonably do, so the time had come when we needed to employ an operations manager. Chris came at just the right time – he’s been a godsend. 

“I’d just like to say a huge thank-you to Stray Ferret readers for all the support they’ve given us – not just for the money, but also for the opportunity to showcase how it is for people living in food poverty. It shouldn’t be hidden away – we should be talking about it.” 

Chris previously had a farm shop, and before that ran hotels and pubs, but it was his time in the army that arguably made the greatest impression on him.  

He spent four-and-a-half years as a soldier in the Life Guards, which is part of the Household Cavalry. He said: 

“I loved it, but then I stupidly said I could play the trumpet, so that’s what I did!” 

He played at numerous state occasions, including the State Opening of Parliament, and even played on the Champs Elysées in Paris for France’s Bastille Day celebrations. 

Chris’s role as operations manager for Resurrected Bites is a far cry from playing for presidents, but he says it’s not an easier job. He said: 

“It’s been quite hands-on over the last six months – a baptism of fire. I’ve done everything: worked in the warehouse, in both groceries, and in the kitchen as a chef – just making sure everything is operationally working to a high standard. 

“It’s been a real eye-opener. We live in such an affluent town that you wouldn’t think there’d be so many people in need, but there really are. Hearing the stories of some of the people who use our services can be heart-breaking, but this is a damn sight more rewarding than anything else I’ve ever done.” 

Tackling food poverty in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Michelle set up Resurrected Bites with the aim of reducing food waste, loneliness and food poverty in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

It now runs Give As You Can cafés and shops at Gracious Street Methodist Church in Knaresborough on Fridays, at St Paul’s United Reformed Church in Harrogate on Wednesdays, and at Killinghall Methodist Church on Thursdays. These are open to everyone and visitors are simply asked to pay whatever they feel the food is worth or what they can afford.

The charity also runs a community groceries scheme with bases in Harrogate and Knaresborough for people in food poverty. 

Research shows that one in five children are living in poverty in the Harrogate district, and Michelle says the problem is growing. 

She said: 

“One the one hand, the cost-of-living crisis is really biting, and on the other hand, the amount of food we’re intercepting from landfill is less than it was five years ago. Supermarkets are better now at reducing waste, and some are also giving their own employees first refusal on leftover food. 

“That makes it harder to meet the needs of local people living in food poverty, so we’d really like to find new suppliers who can give us any food that would otherwise go to waste.  

“It costs about £15,000 a month to do what we do, but our income is under £6,000, which means we’re still running at a significant deficit, so we’re also looking for corporate sponsorship and individual donors.

“Winter is coming and we’ll need all the help we can get, so if you can help in any way, please get in touch.”

Read more: 

• Almost 200 people in Harrogate district die in poverty each year
• ‘Heartbreaking’ figures reveal 5,700 children in Harrogate district live in poverty
• Food bank to open in Starbeck as poverty increases

A family-owned golf course which has been on the market since the summer has found a buyer.   

Spofforth Golf Course was put up for sale with an asking price of £2 million and is now listed by agent Lister Haigh as sold subject to contract. 

In addition to what its website refers to as “the north’s premier 18-hole pay-and-play”, the 130-acre property includes a six-bay driving range, clubhouse, greenkeeping complex and car-park, a four-bed detached bungalow, a one-bed stables annexe and a double garage. 

The 72-par Spofforth Golf Course, which lies just west of the village of Spofforth between Harrogate and Wetherby, opened in 1994 as a diversification of Manor Farm, which previously produced cereals and beef.

The house is still subject to an agricultural occupancy restriction stipulating that it must be occupied by someone “mainly employed or last employed in the locality in agriculture”. 

It is not yet known who has bought the property or if they intend to maintain the golf course as a going concern open to the public. 

The Stray Ferret approached the vendors for comment, but was told it was a “private family matter”. 

Read more:

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North Yorkshire Council looks set to increase garden waste collection charges in the Harrogate district by almost 7% next year.

A report to a meeting of the council’s environment executive members meeting on Monday proposes charging £46.50 for garden waste subscription across the county.

People in the Harrogate district paid £43.50 this year, which means they are in line for a 6.89% price hike.

Charges for the often fortnightly roadside collections of 240-litre bins had been frozen for several years for most district and borough authorities and earlier this year council officers said the average cost in Yorkshire and Humber region for garden waste was around £44.

When challenged over the charges, the authority has emphasised the collections are a non-statutory service, and that it is not considered fair “for people who do not use the service to have to subsidise it”.

The officers’ report states the total number of garden waste licences bought in 2023/24 is forecast to be 126,750, generating an annual income of £4.996m, which is £302,000 above the income forecast for the year.

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The report states the extra income is due to Selby district area achieving “an impressive participation rate” of 43% since introducing charges in July with total subscriptions at 18,500, compared to the target of 6,900.

The council has previously warned of the potential to lose some subscribers as a result of its increase in charges.

Nevertheless, the report to the meeting states there has been no impact on the level of subscriptions as a result of harmonising the garden waste subscription charge in any of the former district and boroughs which already charged for the service.

The report states:

“If people choose not to subscribe to the garden waste collection service, experience from other authorities shows that residents tend to compost at home instead as there is no corresponding rise in residual waste tonnages to match the reduction in garden waste tonnages, therefore there is little impact on the environment.”