Plans lodged to convert former Parliament Street shop and nightclub into flats

Plans have been lodged to convert a former retail unit and part of a nightclub on Parliament Street into flats.

JC Robinson Ltd has tabled the plans to North Yorkshire Council which would see seven apartments created at the Grade-II listed building.

The proposal would see the former Sofa Workshop, which is next to the now closed Bijouled store, converted.

It would also see the upper floor of the former Moko nightclub and office space adapted to become flats.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the application would cause no harm to the listed building.

It added:

“Subject to further detailing of internal and external works including the design of new window and door openings to the exterior of the building, it is considered that the development can be undertaken without giving rise to harm to the significance of the listed building.”

The move comes as the retail units at the site have been empty for some time.

The Bijouled unit, which would be retained under the plan, closed its doors in February this year.

Meanwhile, the former Sofa Workshop shut in April last year after the company entered administration.

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Nicola Sturgeon visits Harrogate’s crime writing festival

Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited Harrogate today for the second day of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

More than 17,000 tickets have been sold for the four-day festival, which ends on Sunday with a discussion featuring TV historian and author Lucy Worsley.

Today’s special guest is Ann Cleeves, creator of Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez, who was due to be interviewed by Vaseem Khan at 8.30pm.

But the attendees also included Ms Sturgeon, who stood down after more than eight years as First Minister in March.

Arts charity Harrogate International Festivals, which organises the event at the Old Swan each year, uploaded this image of her looking relaxed alongside fellow Scot Val McDermid on its social media sites today.

Ms Sturgeon is no stranger to the festival — in 2019 she interviewed Ms McDermid at the event.

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Two arrested in Jennyfields after police drugs raid

Police arrested two people in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate today on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.

A North Yorkshire Police statement this afternoon said officers attended a property on Norwich Drive after receiving reports of suspicious activity.

A man and a woman were arrested and a suspected weapon, drugs and mobile devices were seized.

The pair remain in custody.

No other details were released.

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Free Digital Marketing Conference to drive up sales and visibility online

Decision-makers from across the district’s business community will be given the key to boosting their online impact this autumn, at the Stray Ferret’s first ever Digital Marketing Conference. 

The free, day-long event will include expert speakers from across the industry, addressing topics including paying to boost social media posts, increasing sales and measuring return on investment. 

The day will be compered by the Stray Ferret’s founder, Tamsin O’Brien. She said: 

“If you’re in business, you cannot afford to ignore the power of digital marketing – because you can be sure your competitors won’t. But many of us weren’t born to it, and for some, it’s completely unknown territory – and that’s where the experts come in. 

“Fortunately, we have a lot of them right here in our district – there’s a lot of know-how in Yorkshire – so we’re bringing together some of the best for the very first time.  

“The Stray Ferret Digital Marketing Conference is a must for anyone in business who’s serious about raising their profile, developing their reputation, engaging customers, or increasing sales.” 

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Tamsin, who was formerly head of BBC Yorkshire, will also be hosting a Q&A session with media-savvy local businesses including: The Glam Hut and Best Kept Secret 

The speakers are scheduled for half-hour sessions and visitors can see as many as they like throughout the day.  

The Stray Ferret’s first ever Digital Marketing Conference is sponsored by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub and Yorkshire law firm Ison Harrison. It will take place on Thursday, September 28 at Pavilions of Harrogate, from 9.30am. 

For a full schedule of speakers and sessions, and to register for a place, go to our dedicated Digital Marketing Conference page. 

 

Former Harrogate council chief executive to take up new role

Harrogate Borough Council’s former chief executive Wallace Sampson OBE is set to take on a new advisory role at a company that provides services to local authorities.

Mr Sampson was in charge of the borough council from 2008 until it was abolished on March 31 this year to make way for North Yorkshire Council.

He will join the strategic advisory panel of Commercial Services Group, which is owned by Kent County Council and supplies services to the public sector including in HR, energy and procurement. According to its website it serves 15,000 customers in over 85 countries.

The company said this week that the three person panel will also include former Harrogate Borough Council councillor for Oatlands, Alex Raubitschek, and the former CEO of Staffordshire County Council.

Mr Sampson wrote on LinkedIn to confirm the appointment. 

He said:

“I am excited to announce that I will shortly be joining the Strategic Advisory Panel of Commercial Services Group.

“I am keen to use my significant local government experience to support CSG as a strategic adviser and to be a critical friend where necessary. CSG are an ambitious company with a strong desire to grow their business within the public sector and I look forward to working with the executive team to support their ambitions.”

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All seven district council chief executives lost their jobs in March due to local government reorganisation. The new council is led by the former North Yorkshire County Council chief executive Richard Flinton.

He received a contractual redundancy payment of £71,633 plus £29,641 for a 12-week notice period he did not have to work.

It was a lower settlement than other chief executives in North Yorkshire. Hambleton District Council faced criticism after offering a £225,000 pay-off for outgoing boss Justin Ives.

Confirmed: Harrogate Hydro to reopen after school holidays

North Yorkshire Council has confirmed Harrogate Hydro will not re-open until after the school summer holidays.

The Hydro is undergoing a £13.5 million refurbishment and will welcome customers back under the new name Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

With schools set to break-up today, many families would have been looking forward to using the swimming pool, which has now been closed for 15 months.

But the Stray Ferret revealed this week that was unlikely to happen.

Nic Harne, corporate director for community development at the council, has now confirmed:

“We had hoped that the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre would be open in late August but, unfortunately, due to unplanned works being required, it will now be early September.

“Refurbishment projects often uncover historic issues that need to be resolved and this complex construction is no different.

The leisure centre in Jennyfields closed in April last year for what was supposed to be a nine-month refurbishment costing £11.9 million.

But January’s scheduled re-opening did not happen. In May, North Yorkshire Council said the cost of the scheme had risen to £13.5 million and customers would be welcomed back in August.

Now the scheme has been pushed back again but there was better luck for leisure centre users in Knaresborough, with news that the town’s new facility has not been further delayed.

Mr Harne said:

“The new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre remains on-track to open in November.”

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Labour overturns huge Tory majority to win Selby and Ainsty by-election

Labour has overturned the largest ever Conservative majority to win the Selby and Ainsty by-election.

In a historic night, Keir Mather defeated Conservative Claire Holmes to become the youngest MP in parliament.

Mr Mather also becomes the first ever Labour MP to be elected in a constituency that includes part of the Harrogate district.

The result was announced shortly after 4am this morning. The turnout was 45%.

Mr Mather received 16,456 votes while Ms Holmes polled 12,295 votes. Green Party candidate Arnold Warneken was third, ahead of Liberal Democrat Matt Walker.

Mr Mather said:

“I want to begin my time as your MP by being very clear: I understand the enormity of what has just happened, I know what an honour this is, and I am humbled by this opportunity to serve.

“We have re-written the rules on where Labour can win.”

The by-election was caused by the resignation of Nigel Adams.

The full results are:

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Harrogate heavyweights out in force at Selby by-election

The by-election may have been in Selby and Ainsty, but the battleground at the count extended to Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Several local political heavyweights were at Selby Leisure Centre in the early hours of this morning, whispering to colleagues in huddles while circling their political enemies.

With Labour expected to win, the political chat was as much about the race to become the first mayor of York and North Yorkshire next year and the Conservatives’ efforts to maintain control of North Yorkshire Council.

Shortly before 1am BBC News interviewed Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, who said Rishi Sunak’s five pledges had chimed with people in his constituency despite these being tough times.

Asked whether the Tories could hold the seat won by Nigel Adams with a 20,000 majority in 2019, he said he travelled hopefully, deftly avoiding a prediction.

The count in full swing at Selby Leisure Centre.

Shortly afterwards Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat who will try to stop Mr Jones making it five in a row at the next general election made an appearance on Sky News.

Kirk Hammerton’s Nick Palmer, one of three Independent candidates standing yesterday, cursed the ‘London media’ for failing to reply to any of their requests for coverage. He told the Stray Ferret:

“They give us wall to wall coverage of Nigel Farage and Huw Edwards and nobody up here gives a damn about that.”

Fellow independent Andrew Gray, from Harrogate, was too unwell to attend. Pateley Bridge man Keith Tordoff, who is standing as an independent at next year’s mayoral election, represented him.

Acting returning officer Richard Flinton announces the turnout was 45%.

The Official Monster Raving Loony party contingent included a dummy but even their humour was beginning to wear thin as the night wore on.

Finally, at just after 4am, Clare Granger, the Birstwith-based North Yorkshire high sheriff rose to announce the result. Neither Labour candidate Keir Mather nor Conservative hopeful Claire Holmes made an appearance until just before that moment.

Clare Granger

Ms Granger had half-joked earlier that she couldn’t fluff her lines because any error announcing the results could only be remedied through the courts.

The unexpected Tory triumph in Uxbridge and South Ruislip led to speculation that the Tories could pull off a second win. But in the end Mr Mather, 25, won comfortably with 16,456 votes compared with Ms Holmes’ 12,295.

Green candidate Arnold Warneken, looking dapper with flowers grown in Little Ouseburn on his jacket, was third, overcoming Lib Dem Matt Walker.

By the time it was all over, the sun was coming up but the shadows had lengthened over the Conservatives in the run-up to the next general election.

Matt Walker

Decision delayed on new homes in Crimple Valley

A decision on controversial plans for houses near a busy road in south Harrogate has been delayed.

North Yorkshire Council had set a target date of yesterday for determining the plans for 17 homes in the Crimple Valley.

However, it has now confirmed the decision will not be made this week.

The council’s assistant director for planning, Trevor Watson, said:

“Our consideration of this application remains ongoing and will not be resolved in time to determine it this week.

“We are nevertheless committed to issuing a decision on the application as soon as is practicable and have informed the applicant of this.”

The plans for seven affordable homes and 10 self-build plots have attracted more than 350 objections from residents.

They focused on the location of the site in the Crimple Valley special landscape area, as well as access to the new homes from the A61 at the bottom of Almsford Bank.

The council’s highways department has also raised concerns about the applicant’s proposal to reduce the speed limit to 40mph between Pannal and Harrogate.

A previous application for 35 homes on the land was rejected by Harrogate Borough Council, whose local plan guiding development in the area did not include the site.

Plans submitted in 2019 for 35 homes were withdrawn, as was a scheme for 65 houses put forward in 2018.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm appoints senior associate

There’s not long to go until the Stray Ferret Business Club’s breakfast event on Thursday, 27 July at Banyan in Harrogate between 8-10am.

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets now by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate law firm has appointed a commercial property specialist to its team.

Claire Baker-Kemp has joined McCormicks, which is based on East Parade, as a senior associate.

Since qualifying as a solicitor, Ms Baker-Kemp has acted for the NHS, a major supermarket chain, the Department for Transport, an international shopping centre developer, financial institutions and local authorities.

She joined McCormicks from an investment company and has experienced in dealing with acquisition and disposal of freehold and commercial leasehold properties, as well as transactional landlord and tenant work.

Peter McCormick, senior partner at McCormicks, said:

“Commercial property has been a busy aspect of our legal work for many years and Claire’s background and experience will undoubtedly prove an asset.”

Harrogate firm sponsors Hull City Ladies FC

A Harrogate law firm has agreed a sponsorship deal with Hull City Ladies FC.

The agreement will see Truth Legal sponsor the club’s away shirt for the forthcoming 2023/24 season.

The firm, which is based on Victoria Avenue, said the move would help grow the women’s game in Yorkshire.

Georgina Parkin, managing director at Truth Legal, said:

“Through this partnership, we hope to not only contribute to the growth of women’s football in the region but also showcase our unwavering commitment to serving clients in Hull.”

Danny Johnson, Hull City Ladies FC managing director, said:

“I’m delighted that the club has formed an exciting partnership with Truth Legal and I’m pleased that Truth Legal will appear proudly on the front of our new away shirt 2023/25.”

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