Staff at the Harrogate branch of stationery store Paperchase face an uncertain future after the company went into administration today.

Sky News reported this morning Tesco was in advanced talks to buy Paperchase’s name and other intellectual property through a pre-pack administration but was unlikely to be interested in any stores — casting doubt over the workforce’s future.

Staff in Harrogate told the Stray Ferret they were unable to comment at this time when we called this morning.

Read more:

• Historic Harrogate hotel closes as staff face redundancy
• Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike

People in parts of the Harrogate district are being urged to sign up for free security checks and upgrades to homes and farms.

Residents in the parishes of Allerton Mauleverer with Hopperton, Kirk Deighton, Kirk Hammerton, Leathley, Long Marston, North Deighton, Sicklinghall and Spofforth with Stockeld are eligible to apply.

They could receive new locks for vulnerable doors, windows, garages and sheds, and alarm systems for farms and small holdings. For homes with suitable WiFi coverage the scheme also includes a RING video doorbell.

Funding for the Protect Your Home was secured last year by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner‘s office, which was awarded £719,590 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

The scheme aims to prevent burglaries in over 1,000 homes and 90 farms along the borders of the Harrogate and Craven district but so far only 422 homes have received a security upgrade.

In the Harrogate district, the take-up has been as high as 46% of homes in North Deighton and as low as 3% in Sicklinghall.

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Now crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe and local councillors are encouraging more people to sign up.

Ms Metcalfe said:

“My office have done really well to secure this funding from the Home Office on behalf of these communities and so it’s really important that the money is used to improve the security of as many homes and farms as possible.

“The more people who sign up in a community the more resilient to burglary that area becomes, and we’ve seen this demonstrated in Cononley when a burglar was captured on seven video door bells, many funded through this scheme.”

The last chance to apply is August this year.

Superintendent Teresa Lam, senior operational commander for Harrogate and Craven, said:

“I would encourage any eligible occupants to become involved in this fantastic initiative to help protect their properties”.

Teachers in state schools in the Harrogate district will strike tomorrow.

It means that schools will either close for the day or see classrooms disrupted if they decide to remain open.

The National Education Union, which is the largest teaching union in the country, is behind the industrial action that will affect schools in England and Wales.

Ninety percent of its 120,000 members voted to strike in a ballot.

It’s the latest strike to hit the UK this winter that has also seen nurses, rail workers, postal staff and paramedics join picket lines.

Why are teachers striking?

Most state school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% pay rise rise in 2022. But with inflation at over 10%, the NEU says this has resulted in a real-term pay cut for teachers.

The union also says teachers have lost 23% in real-terms pay since 2010, which it described as an “unsustainable situation”.

It believes low pay has led to thousands of teachers leaving the profession, including a third of those who have recently qualified.

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said:

“The government must know there is going to have to be a correction on teacher pay. They must realise that school support staff need a pay rise.

“If they do not, then the consequences are clear for parents and children. The lack of dedicated maths teachers, for example, means that 1 in 8 pupils are having work set and assessed by people who are not qualified in the teaching of maths. Anyone who values education should support us in this dispute because that is what we are standing up for.”

Read more:

• Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike
• Nurses and ambulance workers set to strike in Harrogate on same day

How will classrooms be affected?

A final decision on whether a school stays open is up the headteacher, although government guidance says they should take “all reasonable steps” to ensure they do not close.

Teachers are not required to tell the school if they intend to strike but headteachers can ask them in advance to help preparations.

For schools that remain open, other teachers may be asked to cover the classes of those taking industrial action. Classes may also be combined.

The government says if a school possible it should, where possible, provide online learning for children.

What does the government say and will the dispute be resolved?

If the union doesn’t reach an agreement over pay with the government, there are three more days of industrial action planned at schools in Yorkshire on the following dates:

Tuesday February 28
Wednesday March 15
Thursday March 16

But like similar disputes with health and rail unions, the government is so far holding firm against calls to increase teachers’ pay.

The secretary of state for education, Gillian Keegan, wrote in the Sunday Telegraph over the weekend she was “disappointed” that this week’s strike was going ahead but she wanted to continue “constructive discussions” on pay.

Ms Keegan says the government has provided an extra £2bn in school funding, which she believes meets union demands.

There are reports in the media that Ms Keegan will meet with union bosses today in an attempt to avert Wednesday’s strikes.

If the talks are unsuccessful, we will be seeing the highly unusual sight of picket lines outside schools in North Yorkshire this week.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

Boroughbridge based Reed Boardall has been accredited with a Bronze award by the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

The award recognises an employer that has supported defence personnel and inspired others to do the same. Reed Boardall has 23 veterans, serving personnel employed part-time and reservists in its team.

Over the last year, the company has formalised its support of former and serving defence personnel and built links with the prison services to increase the employment of ex-offenders.

It has partnered with organisations such as Career Transition Partnership (CTP), Army Families Federation, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Prison Service and People Plus, as well as charities Veteran into Logistics and Clean Slate Solutions.

Daniel Delacoe-Eyre, a veteran who served for over 17 years in a number of regiments before joining Reed Boardall said:

“As a former soldier and officer myself, I understand only too well the concerns and even fear felt by service personnel as they contemplate leaving the armed forces. It’s vital that businesses do what they can to ensure there is a job for them when they return to civilian life and we have, therefore, embarked on a pro-active campaign to help them transition into a new career in the logistics sector.”

Marcus Boardall, chief executive of Reed Boardall, add:

“We are extremely proud not only to number so many defence personnel among our staff, but also for our efforts to have been recognised with a Bronze Award from the MOD. We will be working hard towards gaining our Silver award next year and even have our sights set on Gold.

“We believe it’s very important that people are given a second chance, whether that’s veterans embarking on a new career, or ex-offenders trying to secure employment and, as a responsible, people-focussed business, we are committed to doing all we can to support this. It’s extremely rewarding to see such talented people redeploying their skills and seizing the opportunity to become part of the Reed Boardall family.”

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Ruth Hansom takes up residency at Swinton Estate 

Swinton Park in Masham has announced that Ruth Hansom will be taking up a six-month residency at Samuel’s Restaurant and launching her first signature menu in April.

Ruth originally from Darlington, trained at Westminster College, followed by a three year apprenticeship at the Ritz under John Williams.

Both a finalist in the Roux Scholarship and winner of a Caterer Acorn Award in 2022, Ruth has become a familiar face on the TV as a finalist on the Great British Menu and regular appearances on James Martin’s Saturday and Saturday Kitchen.

Ruth said

“Swinton is a fabulous environment, aligned very closely to my love of cooking with seasonal, local and regional produce. I’m particularly looking forward to developing a signature menu, encapsulating the flavours of produce from across the Swinton Estate”.

Iain Shelton, chief executive of Swinton Estate said :

“Ruth is an incredibly talented chef and we are looking forward to her developing a menu that demonstrates the amazing produce we have here and reflects the elegance and heritage of the Estate”

Chef Ruth Hansom

The staff of a landmark Harrogate hotel have been left awaiting confirmation of redundancy, as its new owners closed the business and shuttered its doors today. 

The Hotel St George is to be remodelled and reopened as a pub with rooms following a 16-week programme of works, but none of the hotel’s 76 current employees has been invited to remain in post. 

General manager Paul Donkin said the day marked the end of an era: 

“It’s very sad – there’s a lot of upset here today. I came into this job just as lockdown ended, and I had seven weeks to put together a team and get the hotel back up and running. We’ve spent two years building the business back up again, so to see it close is hard to take. It’s very emotional for those of us who have put such a lot into it.” 

The St George Hotel, opposite the Royal Hall on Ripon Road, was bought in February last year by The Inn Collection Group, a Newcastle-based company that also owns the Ripon Spa Hotel, Dean Court in York, and the Black Swan in Helmsley, among others.  

The Inn Collection Group is the hotel’s third owner in as many years. Its previous owner, Bespoke Hotels, acquired it from Specialist Leisure Group, which went into administration in May 2020. 

Mr Donkin said: 

“Why they want to make everyone redundant, only to have to find new staff when they reopen, I don’t know – it makes no sense to me. 

“But to give them their due, Inn Collection Group have followed all the proper procedures and have been very decent about it.” 

Mr Donkin said the blow of redundancy had been further softened for most of the hotel’s employees because he had managed to find them alternative employment. 

He said: 

“The day after I heard the hotel was to close, I emailed the general managers of all Harrogate’s hotels, and they’ve all been fantastic, sending me their vacancy lists and moving heaven and earth to find people jobs. Probably 95% of staff now have new jobs to go to. 

“I always said hospitality was the best job in the world, but in Harrogate it’s even better.” 

The St George Hotel grew out of the Chequers Inn and was renamed after George III’s gift of the Stray to the people of Harrogate in 1778. 

It was enlarged several times during the 19th century and renamed the St George shortly before the First World War. 

It was badly damaged by fire in 1927 and requisitioned by the Post Office and Air Ministry during the Second World War before re-opening as a hotel in 1952. It acquired a spa facility in 1985. 

Read more:

• 76 jobs at risk at Harrogate’s St George Hotel
• St George Hotel in Harrogate to close at end of month
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Ten year 13 students from the St. Aidan’s and St. John Fisher associated sixth form in Harrogate have been offered places at Oxford and Cambridge for September 2023.

The neighbouring Christian schools created an associated sixth form in 1973 to pool resources. With 1,150 students, it is the largest school-based sixth form in the country.

A spokeswoman for St Aidan’s Church of England High School said:

“It reflects their hard work, impressive academic ability and the dedication of their teachers, whose encouragement and support has helped them to make successful applications.”

Each university has made five offers.

Ben Chumas (physics), Ella Colburn, Matthew Featherstone (maths), Euan O’Connell (geography) and Malachy Stockdale (maths) have been offered places at Cambridge.

Thomas Jenner (physics), Isabel Miles (French and Russian), Ben Mitchell (medicine), Manuela Pasman (French and Spanish) and Ben Roylance (history and politics) have been offered places at Oxford colleges.

Read more:

• Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike
• Harrogate school to recruit fourth headteacher in two years

A Harrogate headteacher has said he is torn between his head and heart over this week’s teacher strike.

Children in years seven to 10 and year 12 at Harrogate Grammar School will study remotely from home on Wednesday when the first of four days of planned industrial action take place.

Pupils in years 11 and 13 will attend school as usual and have lessons if teachers are not striking.

Speaking on the BBC News channel today, headteacher Neil Renton said half of the school’s 115 staff belonged to the National Education Union, whose members had balloted in favour of the strikes.

Mr Renton said that as head he was keen to ensure the school stayed open but at the same time he could see the issues teachers faced and he therefore had conflicting emotions between his head and heart.

He said “there are just not enough teachers out there” and added one recent vacancy for an English teacher at the 2,000-pupil school attracted just one application.

Mr Renton, who said the union he belonged to would not be on strike this week, said too many teachers were leaving the profession. He added:

“If this continues and we are not able to work with government and ministers to create an education for the future I would, as an educator, want to take steps to make sure we make a much brighter education for our children.”

Read more:

• Some Harrogate Grammar School pupils to study at home during teacher strike
• Harrogate school to recruit fourth headteacher in two years

Harrogate Borough Council has accepted an undisclosed sum to allow a footpath to be diverted at RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

The horticultural charity wants to divert the public right of way as part of wider plans for its Harrogate site. They include converting the former Harrogate Arms into a café and felling 33 trees to restore historic views.

A report to the council’s Cabinet this week says the local authority has accepted a sum, as landowner, to amend the route — however, the amount has not been released to the public.

The Conservative-controlled council is expected to ratify the decision on Wednesday.

The report says the ” relatively minor alteration” will be on land outside that presently leased to the RHS on which the footpath currently runs.

It adds:

“The RHS want the public right of way relocated in order to facilitate their preferred redevelopment scheme for the former Harrogate Arms public house which will create additional catering and teaching facilities on the site, relocation of the public right of way enables greater integration of this asset with their existing facilities.

“This represents an opportunity to generate an unplanned capital receipt which is financially beneficial and economically advantageous to the council.

“Should the opportunity be missed there is very little alternative potential to generate a similar payment for land in this area. This land offers no identifiable potential for long term capital appreciation aside from the current opportunity presented.”

The existing footpath

The new footpath

The report adds the public right of way will still be accessible from Crag Lane to Cardale Woodland and the changes will improve the footpath for walkers once work is complete.

It says the decision is “separate” to other RHS planning applications for the site but adds:

“Refusal could curtail RHS’ plans to develop a property (the former Harrogate Arms public house) that is currently derelict and which has been vacant for a number of years.”

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Andrew Willoughby, footpath secretary of Harrogate Group of Ramblers, said it did not object to the proposal. He added:

“In order to incorporate the old Harrogate Arms pub building into the RHS Harlow Carr garden site means moving the footpath away from the old car park at the front of the building, and walking around the back of the pub instead.

“The path will then drop towards the beck and cross on a new bridge before continuing through the woods as it presently does. It won’t be the same, but I don’t think it will be any less convenient for people to walk on.”

Police are appealing for information after a crash in Harrogate in which a vehicle failed to stop.

North Yorkshire Police said this morning a black Lambretta scooter and a red 4×4 style vehicle were involved in a crash between 9.45am and 10am on on Saturday.

It occurred on Skipton Road near the Empress roundabout.

A police statement said:

“The red vehicle failed to stop at the scene and continued towards the Empress roundabout.

“The rider of the scooter suffered injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.”

It urged witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage or information to come forward.

You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC1282 BURGESS. You can also email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230016678.

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• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly scores four in Women’s FA Cup

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly continued her fantastic form when she scored four goals for Aston Villa Women in the Women’s FA Cup yesterday.

Villa cruised to an 11-0 win over AFC Fylde to reach the last 16 of the competition.

England star Daly, who started her career with Killinghall Nomads, opened the scoring in the second minute and added a second as her side went 6-0 up after 25 minutes.

She was denied a 13-minute hat-trick when her penalty was saved but still notched a couple more after the interval.

Daly, who played as a defender during England Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory last year, is having a remarkable first season in the West Midlands since her summer transfer from Houston Dash.

Playing up front, she is along with Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw the joint highest scorer in the Women’s Super League with nine in 11 matches — which doesn’t include her FA Cup goals.

She has twice been named Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Month this season.

The draw for the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup takes place at 6.30pm tonight on the BBC’s Sportsday show on the BBC news channel and BBC iPlayer.

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• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly named WSL Player of the Month — again!