Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 309 of 1040

Business Breakfast: From apprentice to partner at Lithgow Perkins

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Two new partners have been appointed at Harrogate accountancy firm Lithgow Perkins, a decade after they joined as apprentices.

Tom Rhodes joined the firm in 2012 after completing his A Levels at Rossett School, while Tom Lowry, a former student of St Aidan’s and Rossett schools, joined a year later after changing tack part way through a sports degree. Both progressed through their training and a series of demanding industry exams to become fully qualified chartered accountants in 2020 and 2018 respectively.

Their latest promotion will see them work alongside current partners to help develop the firm’s services and grow its client base. They will also help train the five apprentices currently at the firm.

Tom Rhodes said:

“We’re delighted to be recognised with this promotion which is the culmination of a lot of years of hard work. Lithgow Perkins is a great place to work and we’re very grateful for all the support we’ve had from everyone as we’ve developed our careers in accountancy.”

Tom Lowry added:

“Over the past ten years, we’ve been given some great opportunities to expand our knowledge and skills across all areas of accountancy, as well as developing the softer skills needed for client-facing work. We’re looking forward to helping strengthen and grow Lithgow Perkins for the future by taking a proactive and innovative approach that will add value for our clients.”

Harrogate hotel’s art helps hospital charity

Harrogate’s Cedar Court Hotel has displayed two paintings by local artist Jos Haigh’s- both purchased from Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity‘s art event held in February.

The Exclusive Art Event took place at Cedar Court Hotel and raised in excess of £4,000 for HHCC.

The paintings, Falling (below pictured left) and Forever ( right) continue to raise money for the charity through a featured QR code that encourages guests to donate to HHCC.

All donations to HHCC go towards enhancing the facilities and environment for patients, their families and colleagues across the whole of the trust.

Wayne Topley, Managing Director at Cedar Court Hotel Harrogate said

“Cedar Court Harrogate was very proud to host the charity auction and very pleased to see such a positive response and turn out for the event.

“We went as hosts, but when we saw the quality of what was on offer at the event we soon became customers.”

“We refurbished our lounge last summer and still had left a couple of key spaces in the area for additional artwork, but up to that evening we had not been able to find the perfect fit.

“The quality of Jos Haigh’s collection of work and of course the opportunity to further support HHCC, made the entries into the auction for the two canvas’s a very easy decision.

“The two paintings ‘Falling’ and ‘Forever’ now sit very favourably in our lounge area, and we receive positive feedback on them daily.”

Drug dealer has 16 months added to sentence given for stabbing in Harrogate

A violent drug dealer has been jailed for dealing cannabis – just two months after receiving a long prison term for stabbing a man in Harrogate with a knife.

William Boam, 23, from Harrogate, was driving a Citroen C3 which was stopped by police in Tadcaster in September 2021, York Crown Court heard.

They found six large plastic bags in the glove box containing over 27g of cannabis, along with two mobile phones and cash.

Boam was arrested and bailed, but in March 2022 the fire service was called out to his then home in Knaresborough after neighbours reported smoke coming from the property, said prosecutor Brooke Morrison.

She added:

“When [firefighters] attended they found no fire but found the defendant in his living room with large quantities of cannabis, so they called police.”

Officers arrived and found Boam in the living room surrounded by drug packaging and sheets of “branded stickers”, some of which he had placed on dealer bags. Ms Morrison said:

“Police found a further quantity of cannabis in tubs in the kitchen.”

They found a total 256g of cannabis in the property, worth an estimated £785 if sold on the street. The total amount of drugs seized from both the property and Boam’s vehicle was worth just under £1,000.

Boam was arrested again and, despite the amount of cannabis found at his home, told officers the drugs were for his own personal use.

Ms Morrison said that Boam appeared to be operating a one-man drug enterprise in which he packaged, distributed and sold the drugs on the street.

Boam had 13 previous convictions for 17 offences including drug supply in 2016, producing cannabis in 2017, arson and serious violence.

In March this year he was jailed for two years and seven months for wounding causing grievous bodily harm, assault, carrying a knife and breaching a suspended prison sentence.

That incident, which can now be reported, occurred in October 2022, when Boam was still at large following his arrest for the drug matters and subject to a two-month suspended sentence for assaulting an emergency worker.

The victim was at his friend’s flat in Harrogate when Boam rang the doorbell asking to be let in. They refused but Boam threatened to kick the door, so they let him in.

He started shouting at the named victim who threw him out of the flat. About 20 minutes later, the two friends went to get some beer from a supermarket and, on their return, they bumped into Boam outside a homeless hostel in Bower Street where he was living at the time.

Boam punched and headbutted the victim’s friend and demanded his beer, then put his hand in his pocket “as if to indicate he was carrying a weapon”.

He then pulled a knife out and the victim’s friend ran away, chased by Boam. The victim came to his friend’s aid but as he tried to intervene, Boam “lunged” at him and thrust the knife into his stomach. He then “swung” the knife at him again and caught the victim on the arm, before running off.

The victim was taken to hospital where he had staples to close the stab wound to his stomach wall and three stitches to the wound on his upper arm.

Defence barrister Natalie Banks said that Boam had a “very difficult” upbringing and mental health problems.

Recorder Dapinder Singh KC jailed Boam for a further 16 months for the drug offences – a reduced sentence for reasons of “totality” because he was already serving a sentence of nearly three years for serious violence.

North Yorkshire councillors back £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway project

Senior North Yorkshire councillors have backed plans to submit a full business case for the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive met this morning and voted unanimously to approve the plan, which moves the project a step closer.

Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors voted to support it at a meeting on May 5.

Today’s decision means a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade will be reduced to single lane traffic and James Street partly pedestrianised to encourage cycling and walking.

Station Square will undergo a major overhaul, with the ‘little temple’ outside Victoria Shopping Centre destroyed.

Cllr Keane Duncan, Conservative executive councillor for highways, said today that work on the project is expected to start in winter this year.

However, Cllr Pat Marsh, Liberal Democrat chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee, urged the councillors not to go-ahead with the project.

She said:

“Do not go forward with this scheme. This scheme starts nowhere and goes nowhere.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Duncan confirmed that the council had received a 2,000-signature petition objecting to the plan.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Aldred, who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley, said there had been “a lot of hyperbole” about the scheme. He called for councillors to “focus on the actuality”.

He said:

“The scheme as described does have some benefits.

“I think I am right in saying that there is a small carbon gain.”

Cllr Aldred called for the council to “talk with residents and businesses” when implementing the project.

Meanwhile, Conservative Cllr Sam Gibbs, who represents Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate, said while the scheme did divide opinion, he felt it should be progressed.

He said:

“I am here to get on with this scheme. We cannot kick this down the road any longer.”

The move comes as Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment, said in a report that the project would arrest town centre decline by increasing footfall, even though many businesses remain opposed.

There are also concerns about other aspects of the scheme, including congestion and parking, and the impact on the town centre during construction.

But Mr Battersby suggested the gateway could be the start of a wider town centre redevelopment. His report said the project will “provide a central active travel ‘hub’ from which ‘spokes’ of further improvements can radiate”.

However, Mr Battersby also warned that if the final cost exceeds budget, savings would be made by either reviewing the materials or “descoping” the project.

Harrogate fashion store Jules B seeks staff with style

This story is sponsored by Jules B.

One of Harrogate’s most prominent fashion retailers is on the search for two new members of staff.

Jules B, the multi-award winning designer wear brand, is recruiting for the positions of assistant manager and a sales advisor to work in its impressive store on Cambridge Crescent, opposite Bettys tearooms.

Julian Blades, who founded the company together with his wife Rhona in 1985, said:

“We are looking for people who have a friendly personality and the ability to communicate and make our customers feel comfortable while they indulge in a bit of retail therapy.

“It really is a most rewarding job when you can empower people and make them feel good about themselves. It’s very social and the clients we attract are extremely nice, interesting people.

“You will be working in a lovely store , selling beautiful clothes to very nice people…. What’s not to like?”

In addition to a competitive salary, the successful candidates (once they have passed their probation) will be eligible for a clothing allowance and substantial staff discounts. He added:

“It’s very important to have happy staff. That is what we are known for. So we do everything we can to make working for us fun and enjoyable.”

Jules B is renowned for its incredible offer of some of the most desirable labels in the market such as Holland Cooper, Rixo, Haley Menzies, Self Portrait, Oska, and Lurdes Bergada.

We have two different demographics of customer explains Julian, one is a younger fashion forward woman who enjoys more directional collections which are all situated on our ground floor while on the second floor we attract a more contemporary type of customer who appreciates less structured designs.

The company has five retail stores located in Jesmond, Kendal and now Harrogate as well as a highly successful website.

Jules B is the only independent to have won the “Best Independent Fashion Retailer in Britain” award three times and in 2020 Julian and Rhona were awarded the “Drapers Lifetime Achievement Award” at a gala ceremony in London. Julian added:

“Shopping has to be an experience and the atmosphere in all our stores is created by happy and passionate staff.

“So if you want a job that gives you a huge amount of satisfaction and enjoyment we would love to meet you!”

Find out more:

If you’re interested in either of these roles, or if you just love stylish fashion, visit the Jules B website. You can also apply for the roles here:

Harrogate student among top achievers in national physics contest

A Harrogate teenager attended a national awards ceremony in a historic venue after achieving one of the highest scores in a prestigious physics competition.

Patrick Fleming, a year 12 student at Rossett School, achieved a ‘gold’ in the British Physics Olympiad senior challenge.

As a result, he was one of just five students from around 6,000 entrants to be invited to the annual awards ceremony at the Royal Society in London.

Patrick said:

“Visiting The Royal Society was really inspiring, especially looking around the many portraits of previous fellows and heads of the society since it was founded in 1660.

“It was also amazing to talk to other young physicists and receive such a prestigious award. “

Patrick is currently studying maths, physics, computer science and further maths at A level, and was joined in the competition by a number of other talented students.

The Olympiad, hosted by the University of Oxford, aims to encourage younger students to study physics and recognises excellence among them through a series of competitions.

The senior challenge saw students sit a one-hour paper designed to test their problem-solving abilities.

Rossett School physics teacher Stephanie Hunt said:

“Well done to all our students who took part in the Olympiad, and congratulations to Patrick for his exceptional achievement – we are incredibly proud of him.”

UPDATE: Police find 500 cannabis plants in raid at village pub near Harrogate

Police uncovered a farm of 500 cannabis plants during a raid at a disused pub near Harrogate at the weekend.

Officers swooped on the Star and Garter pub at Kirkby Overblow on the morning of Sunday, May 28, where they discovered the “large cannabis production farm”.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said the plants were at various stages of growth, adding:

“Officers remained at the scene to recover the plants and drug production equipment and to allow crime scene investigators to examine the scene.

“The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made at this time.”

Villagers told the Stray Ferret that police were on site for more than 24 hours after the raid and were removing large numbers of plants from the building.

The pub closed several years ago and was boarded up last year.

Police were seen outside the Star and Garter pub from Sunday morning onwards.

Following the raid, North Yorkshire Police has urged people to report any suspicions of properties being used to grow cannabis.

As well as a strong, sweet smell of cannabis in the area, suspicious signs might include blacked out windows and blocked up vents, bright lights throughout the night, high levels of condensation on windows, noise from fans inside the building, and large amounts of rubbish including compost bags.

The police spokesperson added:

“We’re continuously tackling ‘cannabis farms’ – sophisticated set-ups in houses or other properties, used by organised crime gangs to produce several crops of cannabis over time.

“Cannabis production is extremely harmful to communities, and often used to fund criminal gangs involved in human trafficking, sexual exploitation and the distribution of other drugs including cocaine and heroin.

“Furthermore, the electricity supply may have been tampered with (to bypass the meter), creating a high risk of fire – which could spread to neighbouring properties.”

Harrogate businesses to vote this week on future of BID

Businesses in Harrogate will begin voting this week on whether to continue to fund a town centre group that aims to increase footfall and boost trade.

Currently 462 town centre businesses with a rateable value above £19,000 pay a levy to Harrogate Business Improvement District.

They agreed to do so for five years after a ballot in 2018 and firms are now being asked whether to fund it for a second five-year term.

The BID spends the money on additional services, such as street cleaning and Christmas lights, to those provided by local authorities.

These planters were funded by the BID.

If businesses vote ‘no’, the BID will cease to exist at the end of the year.

Matthew Chapman, chief executive of the BID, launched the organisation’s term two business plan in April at the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.

The plan reveals the BID is forecast to have £510,000 income a year, which it would spend on activities such as its street ranger Chris Ashby, street cleaning, Christmas lights, match-funded grants, street entertainment, targeted free parking and floral baskets and planters.

Ripon, York, Leeds, Skipton, Ilkley, Otley, Bradford and Northallerton all have bids but Knaresborough rejected one.

Council to remain neutral

Five years ago, Harrogate Borough Council voted in favour of the BID when it used its block vote for businesses it ran.

But it no longer exists and North Yorkshire Council, which replaced it this month, has said it will abstain as it wants businesses to decide.

Karl Battersby, corporate director for environment at the council, resigned as a BID director on April 28.

The ballot will run from June 1 to 28 and the result will be announced on June 29.

Pic shows: Dan Siddle, the general manager of the Crown Hotel, and Primark manager Andrea Thornborrow who are the current chair and deputy chair respectively of the BID.

Teachers back plans for specialist autism school in Harrogate

Schools across the Harrogate district have given their backing to plans for a specialist school for students with autism.

The proposal for the site of the former Woodfield Primary School will be discussed by North Yorkshire Council leaders today – and teachers are urging them to support it.

Samina O’Brien, special educational needs coordinator (Senco) and inclusion manager at Ripon Grammar School, said a specialist facility for students with autism across the Harrogate district was badly needed.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We are getting so many more diagnoses of autism and a lot of these students can’t cope, to the point where they stop coming to school.

“When they come back, the school can’t change. The students can’t cope with the routine, the rigidity of the rules, and even when we make allowances they still struggle.”

Mrs O’Brien said schools did their best to help children with autism, but did not receive adequate funding to deliver the right support, such as one-to-one help or quieter rooms to work in.

She said Ripon Grammar School was not as badly affected by the situation as some schools because it was selective based on academic ability. However, she said many autistic students were highly academically able, but were unable to reach their full potential because they could not cope with the school environment.

When that was the case, specialist provision was often a significant distance away, she said, and students were not always able to make the journey.

There were private specialist schools students could attend, but cost was a barrier for most families. She added:

“There’s some stereotyping about the students in North Yorkshire, but the problems are the same wherever you are in the country. They don’t just change because you’ve crossed into an area that’s perceived as more wealthy or more rural.

“We’ve got a few students here who we know would be so much more suited to [a specialist school]. It would still be academic, but we would reduce the amount of stress the students went through.

“Our biggest concern is how unhappy some of those youngsters are. I think it would be so beneficial for all those students that are struggling.

“If this goes ahead, for some parents and more importantly the children, this will be what saves them and puts them back into mainstream where they should be and can thrive.”

The proposal for the former Woodfield site is for a school catering for students aged between 11 and 19. It would have capacity for around 80 children, who would not need to have a formal diagnosis of autism.

Rossett School is also in favour of the proposal. Newly-appointed headteacher Tim Milburn said:

“It is so pleasing to see significant investment being proposed for specialist provision in the area. This is such welcome news for children and families who have been seeking this support for a number of years.

“I will be really interested to hear how the investment will support children and families for whom mainstream education is the most appropriate setting.”

Liz Zoccolan, Senco and assistant headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, added:

“Any increase in provision which will meet the needs of the growing number of students with education, health and care plans is to be welcomed in the area. This would further enable potentially vulnerable young people and their families timely access to specialist support if that is their choice.

“We would be keen to work alongside and collaborate with the proposed provision so that as many students as possible may benefit.”

If the plans are approved by NYC’s executive member for children and young people’s services and corporate directors today, a consultation could be launched in two weeks’ time, running until late July.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate brewery to host international beer festival

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate brewery is set to host 20 breweries as part of an international beer festival.

Roosters, which is based at Hornbeam Park, has announced the line up for the event which will be held on July 1.

The event will feature a combined line-up of over 100 beers from breweries including Burning Sky, Elusive, Brew York, North and Siren.

It will also see live music, with Sheffield’s Hot Soles are confirmed as the festival headliners, having previously supported The Zutons on tour. Ralph Pelleymounter will also take to the stage ahead of touring with Bastille later in July.

Called Suds With Buds, the festival will be held at Rooster’s tap room, beer garden and private function space upstairs at the brewery.

Tom Fozard, commercial director at Roosters, said:

“We’ve wanted to host Suds With Buds ever since we up scaled the brewery and opened the Taproom in 2019, so I’m excited that we’re finally in a position to make it happen.

“The list of breweries joining us and the beers they’ll be pouring is, quite frankly, ridiculous, but the quality of the street food traders and calibre of the live music on the day is equally impressive.

“Hopefully the weather will play its part and the sun will be shining for everyone who joins to enjoy a few suds with their buds on July 1.”

For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, visit the Roosters website here.

Business event to focus on staff retention

Three business groups are set to collaborate to host a series of events aimed at addressing critical challenges facing Harrogate firms.

2Inspire, Business Doctors and Light On Research will host the first event at West Park Hotel on June 6 from 9.30am, which will focus on attracting and retaining talent.

The series is designed to appeal to small, medium and larger sized businesses based in Harrogate and North Yorkshire the event will provide opportunities to network, collaborate, share ideas and hear from industry experts.

Ian Howard, of Business Doctors, said:

“We are delighted to be hosting these free events and look forward to meeting local businesses, understanding the challenges that they face and sharing ways for them to deliver a winning approach to attract and retain the talent they need to succeed in tough times.”

Sigita Russell, of Light On Research, added:

“Staff retention is not just a challenge, it’s an opportunity to create a workplace where employees thrive, achieve their potential, and feel proud to be part of something bigger than themselves.”

For more information on the event, visit the Eventbrite page here.

Artists throw open studio doors for region-wide exhibition

Artists across the district will be showing off their work over the first two weekends of June as part of the annual North Yorkshire Open Studios (NYOS) event.

Around 140 professional creatives working in every visual medium will open their studios right across the county, to promote and sell their work direct to the public in what has become one of the major events in the region’s cultural calendar.

One of them is Boroughbridge-based Andrea Mosey, who started painting during lockdown after finding her daughter’s old art materials. Since then, she has won this year’s British Contemporary Art award and routinely sells her paintings for up to £1,000. Her studio is in the grounds of Newby Hall, and visitors can access it free of charge over the open studio weekends. She said:

“It’s a lovely light-filled studio with huge picture windows, and I’ll have art for every different kind of budget, ranging from small fine art cards to prints to large oil paintings.”

Curlew, a painting by artsist Jo Garlick, who is based near Masham.

Curlew by Jo Garlick, who is based near Masham and will be exhibiting over the first two weekends of June.

Harrogate College will also be opening up for its own NYOS exhibition, featuring new work by students on its two-year, part-time MA Creative Practice degree course.

Dr Annabel Smith, programme manager in MA Creative Practice at Harrogate College, said:

“Our MA students come from all walks of life and are often retiring or looking at switching direction and wanting to build on previous artist practice. This degree offers them a great way to change pathways and perhaps launch a new career, or just focus totally on their creative practice.

“The overriding motivation seems to be to grasp the chance of a new start by setting off in a really creative direction.

“The students consistently impress us by the quality of the art they produce, across so many mediums – and we can’t wait for the public to come and see some of their outstanding work at this exhibition.”

The NYOS exhibition’s first weekend will take place on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday 4, and the second will be on Saturday, June 10 and Sunday 11.

The Harrogate College MA students’ work will be available to view on campus each day from 10am to 5pm.

To find out how and where to view work by the 140 other featured artists, visit the North Yorkshire Open Studios website.

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