Viper Rooms owner says Harrogate landlords need to ‘get real’ with rent

The man who owned Harrogate’s last nightclub has spoken of his frustration at trying to operate in the town.

It is now six months since Viper Rooms was re-possessed by landlord North Yorkshire County Council.

It has remained empty since, despite repeated claims by the council of “significant interest from potential tenants”.

Viper Rooms owner Paul Kinsey said he had been in protracted negotiations over a new lease with the council before it re-possessed the building.

Mr Kinsey added he still owned the fixtures and fittings and had continued to negotiate with the council about re-occupying the site.

But a deal has not materialised and his frustration has prompted him to speak out.

The Viper Rooms unit was part of the grade two listed Royal Baths, which the council bought for £9 million in 2018. The baths also includes the former Potting Shed unit, which has been vacant for five years.

Viper Rooms and Potting Shed

Still vacant: the former Potting Shed and Viper Rooms — both part of the Royal Baths.

Their ongoing closure led Mr Kinsey to claim councillors “haven’t got the commercial experience or knowledge” to run large commercial assets and they were making unrealistic demands on tenants.

He said he spent £370,000 refurbishing the club pre-covid and the council was now requesting £150,000 a year on rent and service charge even though the landscape had changed post-pandemic. He said:

“If they think they can get £150,000, good luck to them. It’s a difficult market. The council grossly overpaid for the Royal Baths without doing proper due diligence. It was a trophy asset.

“I can understand them wanting to get a good deal because of that but they have to get real.”

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‘Crippling overheads’ on Parliament Street

Mr Kinsey, who lives near Wetherby, said he still wanted to have a venue in Harrogate and had his eye on one site.

But he questioned the appeal of the town to leisure operators, adding the main reason he was so keen to return to the Royal Baths was because he owned the fixtures and fittings and had spent so much on refurbishing it pre-covid.

He said many commercial landlords over-estimated the value of Harrogate and pointed to the number of failed ventures on Parliament Street as evidence of “crippling overheads”.

“I don’t think Harrogate is on many people’s target list. You get more bang for your bucks in other places.

“People who don’t know the area believe the streets are paved with gold. There is a good wealth profile but they spend elsewhere — Leeds, London or abroad.

“Look at how many businesses haven’t been able to make it work on Parliament Street. These are good operators, not cowboys, but even they couldn’t make it work.”

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council, which succeeded North Yorkshire County Council on April 1, if it had a response to Mr Kinsey’s claims but it did not issue one.

The Viper Rooms site is being advertised

Asked for an update on the Viper Rooms, which is now being advertised by agents Savills, and the Potting Shed, it said it had nothing to add to its last statement two months ago, when Gary Fielding, the council’s corporate director for strategic resources, said:

“A unit which did house the Viper Rooms is continuing to attract significant interest, and an agent has been appointed to co-ordinate discussions with potential tenants.

“A lease has been signed for the final unit and a dialogue with the tenant is continuing to establish when the new venture will be launched.”

The council’s £9 million spending on the Royal Baths also included the JD Wetherspoon pub and the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant.

Harrogate cricket club captain aiming for success after relegation survival

From surviving relegation to building a young squad, Will Bates has seen a lot in his short time as Harrogate Cricket Club captain.

The 32-year-old captained two sides prior to joining the St George’s Road club.

However, his time at Harrogate has proved pivotal in the two years since taking up the position.

As he sits in the beaming sunshine next to the home pitch, Will reflects on a whirlwind period as Harrogate’s first XI captain.

Formative years in Letchworth

Growing up in Hertfordshire, Will played an array of sports including football, cricket and tennis.

But it was the bat and ball which stuck in the end.

He started playing for Harpenden Cricket Club, before going onto the adults game.

“I played all sports really. Football, cricket and tennis were my main sports.

“But cricket was the one I stuck with the most and enjoyed the most.”

Will started out as both a batsmen and off-spin bowler. However, nowadays, he says he’s more of an occasional bowler and only bowls “if required”.

He describes himself as a “classical batsman”, a contrast to some of his younger teammates who prefer the aggressive technique exemplified by Brendan McCullum’s England side.

Much of his adult career was spent at Letchworth Garden City Cricket Club.

Will describes the seven years at Letchworth as some of his formative years as a cricketer.

“As a club, it was quite formative in terms of my ethos on cricket.

“A few weeks ago they put out a first team and they had an overseas player and they had 10 other players between the ages of 18 and 40. Every single one of them had only ever played for one cricket club and come through the youth system. None of them were getting paid.

“I loved my time playing cricket at Letchworth and that’s the kind of cricket club I want to be a part of up here.”

Captaining Harrogate

Much of the ethos that Will saw at Letchworth has carried over into his time in North Yorkshire.

He moved to Harrogate five years ago to take up a job as a solicitor in the disputes department at LCF Law.

He took on the captaincy two years ago and grasped the opportunity.

“I thought there was a lot that we could do to improve things and we had a lot of young players. I was quite excited.”

Harrogate Cricket Club wins Addison Cup 2021

Harrogate Cricket Club, pictured after their Addison Cup win in 2021.

Despite his excitement, Will was thrust straight into a season where Harrogate found themselves in a relegation battle.

The club stayed up on the last day after beating York. Will scored 90 in a captain’s innings to help see Harrogate over the line.

While the stress of avoiding relegation would be enough for some players to put behind them, Will sees it as one of his best games.

“We needed to win to stay up and York are traditionally our big rivals.

“I got 90 not out in that game when we were chasing about 230. In terms of satisfaction and pressure situation, that would be the one that I pick out.”

Will Bates, Harrogate Cricket Club

Will Bates with his man of the match award after the Addison Cup in 2021.

Among the club’s other achievements in his time include winning the Addison Cup in 2021.

Harrogate eased to victory over Wetherby Carr Manor after scoring 131 for 7 and bowling the opposition out for 99.

Will won man of the match after scoring 59 in his innings.

Building a culture

Since surviving relegation, Will has sought to help the club in its ambition to improve.

One of the aspects of that is bringing young players through and giving them opportunities in the first team.

Will points to wicketkeeper Isaac Light as an example of one of the young players that he and the club are trying to bring through.

He also wants to build a culture at Harrogate which is “close nit” and where players feel invested in the side.

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For Will, this is an example of the setup he says he wants to be a part of – as he had at Letchworth.

The decision the club made over paying players exemplifies that, he says.

“Some teams we play against probably pay most players.

“But we made a conscious decision where we only pay an overseas player. Nearly every team in the division has an overseas player. Then we have one club professional who is Matt Pillans, who used to play at Yorkshire.

“The justification for both those expenses is the benefit the whole club gets from training with them and playing with them.

“They’re not just paid to play cricket and for us to win. We made a conscious decision that we didn’t want a first team where everyone is a paid cricketer.

“We are now seeing the benefit of that policy.”

While Will wants to grow Harrogate beyond what it is, does he have any ambitions?

“To get Harrogate’s first team to reach its potential.

“Although we made progress last year, we did slightly underachieve. It’s hard to say what that is because at the end of the season you know if you have won the right number of games or not.

“But I’d certainly see at as being a top four finish in the league, it could even be better than that with the team that we have got at the moment.”

For Will, he feels he has found his place in Harrogate.

As the club sits third in the league and prepares for another showdown with York this weekend, the team appears to be on an upward trajectory.

Does Will think he’ll still be in Harrogate at the end of his career?

“I can’t see myself playing for anyone else. I probably do feel quite at home here.”

This is the third article in a series of Sporting Spotlight interviews. If you have any local sporting heroes who you think should be featured, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.

25 years for drugs gang that targeted Harrogate

The leaders of an organised crime gang that flooded Harrogate with heroin and crack cocaine have been jailed for over 25 years.

The Bradford gang operated a county line drug dealing set-up known as the Pat Line through which they targeted vulnerable drug users in Harrogate.

They recruited Harrogate drug dealers Natalie Hullah, 33, previously of Harrogate, but now of St Edmund’s Street, Manchester, and Melissa Nicole Barnwell, 49, of Skipton Road, Harrogate, to sell the drugs locally in return for payment in heroin or crack cocaine.

The Pat Line was one of three lines shut down by North Yorkshire Police through a Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Order in 2020.

Qasib Hussain, 25, of HMP Wetherby, previously of Idle Road, Bradford, dictated the movement of large quantities of class A drugs from West Yorkshire into North Yorkshire.

Qasib Hussain

This was done through the use of couriers who travelled from Bradford to Harrogate where the drugs were sold following a bulk text message sent from Qasib Hussain to users in Harrogate.

The Pat Line predominantly remained with Qasib Hussain in Bradford where he conducted his operation but on occasion it was passed to others to manage such as his brother, Aqib Ali Hussain, 24, of Killinghall Road in Bradford.

Aqib Ali Hussain

Aqib’s role included topping up the county line handsets and travelling to and from Harrogate to oversee the smooth selling of the drugs belonging to Qasib.

Hussain Khan, 25, of Greenway Road, Bradford, would step into Aqib’s role if Qasib was elsewhere.

The investigation was able to show that Aqib Ali Hussain had made multiple journeys to Harrogate, including 16 separate journeys over three consecutive days, each one lasting around half an hour before he returned to Bradford.

It showed the top trio were linked to the two phone numbers of the Pat Line through analysis of phone data messages, CCTV of them topping up the phones at local shops, and text messages between the group and their local dealers talking about how much they had made.

Hussain Khan

All five were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs and pleaded guilty in 2021. They were jailed for:

Qasib Hussain – nine years and nine months

Aqib Ali Hussain – six years and nine months. He was also sentenced for an additional two years and three months in relation to another investigation in West Yorkshire that targeted York, bringing the total term of imprisonment to nine years and two months (consecutive).

Hussain Khan – six years and three months

Melissa Barnwell – 16 months suspended for two years, six months’ drug rehabilitation requirement and complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity

Natalie Hullah – 21 months suspended for two years, and must complete 21 days of rehabilitation activity

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‘They flooded Harrogate with drugs’

Detective Chief Inspector Fionna McEwan of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Today’s outcome is a result of a lengthy and painstaking investigation. We are pleased to finally see the results at court.

“They flooded Harrogate with drugs, making money at the expense of local users, the majority of whom were vulnerable due to their socioeconomic background and mental health conditions. They have no conscience and no concern whatsoever for the people they are putting at risk of serious harm. They now have ample time to reflect on their life-choices and the damage it causes.

“Drug dealing and the violence and exploitation that accompanies county lines remains a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police. We are committed to disrupting the offenders and taking those responsible off the streets.

“We urge anyone with information to continue to report information about drug dealing in their area. It’s vital in helping us piece together the bigger picture.

“No matter how insignificant you think the information is, please call us. And if you don’t want to speak to us, you can pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers.”

County lines

‘County lines’ is the term given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers, usually from urban areas, such as West Yorkshire or Manchester, target smaller towns and cities. It takes its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to advertise drugs for sale. Violence and intimidation is prevalent within county lines.

A major concern for North Yorkshire Police is a practice known as cuckooing, which is where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it to store and sell drugs. They often use violence and intimidation to achieve this.

Members of the public provide invaluable information that helps shape our operational activity and we urge residents to look out for the signs of cuckooing in their neighbourhood and report any concerns they have.

Signs of “cuckooing” to look out for include:

Increased callers at a property
• Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
• Different accents at a property
• Increased antisocial behaviour at a property
• Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
• Unfamiliar vehicles at the property
• Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
• Communal doors propped open

 

Knaresborough luxury car dealer faces 16 fraud charges

The owner of a car dealership in Knaresborough has appeared in court charged with 16 counts of fraud amounting to more than £1 million.

Andrew Mearns, 54, is alleged to have committed the offences at Gmund Cars in Knaresborough between August 2016 and March 2019.

Sixteen different victims were named in the charges, with the largest individual fraud said to be worth £220,000.

Mr Mearns, whose current address was given as Colwyn Place, Llandudno, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning to face the charges.

Wearing a white shirt and grey trousers, he spoke to confirm his name and address but did not enter pleas to the 16 counts of fraud by false representation.

Prosecutor Alison Whitely told the court the alleged offences took place over a “considerable period” while Mr Mearns owned and ran Gmund, a company dealing luxury cars.

Magistrates said the case was too serious for them to deal with and told Mr Mearns he would face trial at York Crown Court. His first appearance there was set for June 26.

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Headteachers unite to warn of vaping dangers to children in Harrogate district

Headteachers from across the Harrogate district have issued a joint letter to all parents warning of the dangers of vaping.

The unusual move by secondary school leaders was prompted by “an increase in the number of incidents in our local community”, the letter said.

The heads of Boroughbridge High, Harrogate College, Harrogate Grammar, Harrogate High, King James’s, Nidderdale High, Ripon Grammar, Rossett, Springwell, St Aidan’s and St John Fisher schools have all put their names to the letter, which says:

“We are aware that there have been reports of young people becoming unwell and needing medical attention after using vapes.

“Vapes can come in a variety of different forms, shapes, and sizes. Some common styles of vapes include ones which look like a thick pen or highlighter pen.

“These devices are usually very small and can be concealed on a person or blend in with school/college equipment, therefore they can be easily mistaken or missed.”

Respiratory problems

The letter warns that vaping from a young age may lead to respiratory problems in later life, and recent research shows children could be inhaling unsafe amounts of lead and nickel. There have been reports of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis, being used in vaping, the letter said.

The headteachers also said young people could view vaping as a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes, but the nicotine is still addictive.

The letter points parents towards information from Ash, Kids Health, and West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, and says anyone with concerns can speak to their child’s school. It concludes:

“We are sure that you agree that the possession and use of vapes on any school/college premises is something that we simply cannot tolerate.

“Any student found in possession of a vape will be subject to a serious school/college sanction, including the risk of suspension. Please note that we will report possession of any illegal substances to the police.

“We hope that you welcome this letter in the spirit with which it is intended and that you share and understand our shared concerns about this potentially harmful issue.

“We want to be open about the risks involved and we encourage you to have a conversation with your child about this subject matter.”

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Ex-staff at failed Harrogate firm Amvoc set for liquidation payouts

Staff at failed Harrogate company Amvoc are likely to receive some payment following its collapse, administrators have said.

However, HMRC and unsecured creditors are unlikely to receive any money due to a lack of property.

The telemarketing company, which was based at Cardale Park, collapsed and was placed into administration in March this year.

Staff were left shocked on March 17 when they received a late night email from chief executive Damian Brockway saying “all our offices are closed with effect from tonight”. It went on to blame “covid debts”.

In a report published today, Gareth Lewis, Lewis Business Recovery and Insolvency, said the company would work to make a payment to staff as part of the administration process.

As part of the process, former employees are classed as “ordinary preferential creditors”.

However, HMRC, which is classed as a “secondary preferential creditor”, and unsecured credits are expected to receive no money.

Mr Lewis said:

“A dividend to ordinary preferential creditors appears achievable.

“However, it appears that there will be no property available to enable a distribution to secondary preferential or unsecured creditors.”

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The company owed £1.2 million to HMRC, which included unpaid VAT, unpaid employees PAYE and national insurance, student loan deductions and industry scheme deductions.

In an administrators’ statement of affairs last week, it was also revealed Amvoc owed £546,534.71 to former employees against assets of £302,802.63.

It also has £868,267 worth of unsecured creditors. Among them is Hemel Hempstead-based data marketing firm, Aura Media Group, which is owed £154,467.38.

Mr Lewis said administrators would now work to make a payment to preferential creditors.

High staff turnover and winding up petition

Mr Brockway set up Amvoc, the trading name of A Marketing Vocation Ltd, from a small office in Dacre in 2010. It sold telemarketing services, initially in the legal sector, and grew rapidly, moving first to Pateley Bridge and then to large offices at New York Mills near Summerbridge.

It opened a new head office on Cardale Park in Harrogate in 2015, a facility in Leeds in 2018 and an office in Manchester in 2022.  It also had plans to expand to London.

At the time of its collapse, Amvoc employed 230 staff.

Mr Lewis said in his report that in September 2017, the company entered into a company voluntary arrangement as a result of “cash flow difficulties” because of the loss of a major customer and “significant bad debt”.

He helped the company pay its creditors claims in full with interest, which was completed on March 31, 2020. However, this coincided with the start of the covid pandemic.

Gareth Lewis and Amvoc

Gareth Lewis of Lewis Business Recovery and Insolvency.

Mr Lewis said the nature of Amvoc’s trade was such that it had “high fixed overheads”, a high staff turnover and that it was not equipped for the pandemic.

He said:

“It had a constant high turnover of employees, regularly having 20-30 employees leave and start each month.

“It was not equipped at the outset of the pandemic to facilitate working from home and also could not operate safely in the ‘call centre’ environment.”

In August 2020, despite the easing of restrictions, Amvoc’s offices were closed by Public Health England after 50 staff contracted coronavirus.

Meanwhile, many of the company’s customers held back on projects due to uncertainty of the pandemic. This led to the firm being unable to generate sales from telemarketing.

Between, April 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, Amvoc reported a pre-tax operating loss of £1.7 million.

The following year, the company reported a pre-tax profit of £350,000. However, this was not enough to pay off debts.

Mr Lewis said:

“This was insufficient for the company to meet its debts as and when they fell due, most notably HM Revenue and Customs, who by this stage had increased pressure on the company.”

On March 13 this year, Mr Lewis attended Amvoc’s offices to discuss the company’s financial position.

He then contacted HMRC, who had indicated they would be passing a file to its solicitors to issue a winding up petition. This was formally issued on March 16.

The following day, a company director took the decision to inform staff that the company would no longer be trading.

Staff were told by Mr Brockway on March 17 that all Amvoc offices would be closed.

Amvoc’s clients included BP, Barclays, Virgin Media, Leeds Beckett University, and both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.

Twenty-three former employees found work with Brighton-based One-Family, which was a former customer of Amvoc.

Meanwhile, Law firm Aticus said in the days after Amvoc’s collapse it had been contacted by 145 former employees.

The law firm said it was investigating the circumstances of the company’s collapse and concerns around how the redundancy process was managed, as well as whether ex-staff are eligible to claim for compensation. 

Tories maintain slim majority on North Yorkshire Council after by-election

The Conservatives have maintained their slender majority of two on North Yorkshire Council after a by-election yesterday.

Tony Randerson was elected to the Eastfield division in Scarborough with 499 votes — 46 per cent of the vote.

Liberal Democrat Erica Willett was second with 281 votes and Labour’s David Thompson polled 169 votes to finish third.

It means the Conservatives still hold 46 of the 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council.

The Liberal Democrats are the next largest party with 13 councillors, followed by Labour with 11 and the Independent group with nine.

The Greens have five councillors and there are four unaffiliated independents. There is also one Liberal Party councillor. Conservative candidate Eric Batts received 69 votes in fourth.

The Scarborough by-election was caused when Cllr Randerson resigned from the Labour Party after criticising the party’s direction and leadership under Sir Keir Starmer.

According to his Facebook page, he now represents the Social Justice Party but his affiliation on the ballot paper was left blank.

Richard Flinton, the returning officer for North Yorkshire Council, declared the result at the count in Scarborough.

Emergency services attend crash on Leeds Road in Harrogate

Police and firefighters are at the scene of a traffic accident on Leeds Road in Harrogate after a car crashed into railings.

The incident happened at about 10am at the roundabout where Leeds Road meets St George’s Road.

Debris from the vehicle was scattered on the road.

An eyewitness told the Stray Ferret there were two police officers and two fire crews attending at 10.30am today.

They added it did not appear anyone had been seriously injured.

We will update this story when more information is available.

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‘Staff issues’ forces Killinghall surgery to reduce hours

A village doctors’ surgery near Harrogate is to temporarily close on afternoons due to “staff issues”.

The Killinghall practice is one of three operated by Moss Healthcare Harrogate, which also has sites on King’s Road in Harrogate and in Jennyfields.

It announced on social media the practice on Ripon Road in Killinghall would be affected from next week. It said:

“Please can all patients note that due to staffing issues, from Tuesday 30 May we will be having to temporarily close our Killinghall branch site in the afternoon from 1pm onwards.

“During this time, if you need any assistance then please call: 01423 560261 or visit our King’s Road or Jennyfield Health Centre sites.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

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Hope for tourism boost as John Cleese heads to Comic-Con in Harrogate

One of Britain’s best-known comedy names will be in Harrogate next weekend as thousands of fans descend for the annual Comic-Con Yorkshire.

John Cleese is among the line-up of celebrities appearing at the Yorkshire Event Centre gathering, on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4.

The Monty Python and Fawlty Towers star will be joined by actors from Gremlins, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Netflix hit Wednesday – and the town’s tourism managers are hoping to capitalise on the event.

Destination Harrogate‘s events arm, Events Harrogate, is launching its Town Welcome programme of activity, alongside local businesses, designed to encourage people to explore outside the event.

Attendees at Comic-Con will be able to pick up comic-style guides to Harrogate which will include details about places to visit, discounts to use with local businesses, and even a cosplay competition.

Cold Bath Brewing on King’s Road will be hosting an official after-party for Comic-Con, complete with give specially-brewed beers.

John McGivern, destination events manager for Destination Harrogate, said:

“We’re delighted that Harrogate has been chosen as the location for Comic-Con Yorkshire 2023 and look forward to welcoming this fun and dynamic, family-friendly event to our fantastic town.

“It’s testament to Harrogate’s position as a first class events destination that our patch was picked for Comic-Con Yorkshire.

“Our Town Welcome activity will encourage event attendees to make the most of their time here in North Yorkshire, and offers a great opportunity for our local business community to get on board with extending the Comic-Con party beyond the event itself. We’re really pleased that so many businesses are supporting the Town Welcome programme.”

If this year’s event is a success, Destination Harrogate is hoping Comic-Con organiser Monopoly Events will make it a regular feature in the events calendar.

Heather Parry, managing director of Yorkshire Event Centre, said:

“We are delighted to be hosting Comic-Con at the Yorkshire Event Centre for the first time and we know organisers chose our venue because of its potential for growth.

“Comic-Con will bring thousands of visitors into the area from across the UK which will not only benefit the charity we help fund, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, but also Harrogate and the local area. We are sure this is set to be a spectacular event.”

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