Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 459 of 1165

Business Breakfast: Law firm relocates offices in Harrogate

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is after-work drinks at Manahatta, on May 25th at 5:30.

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 family law firm has relocated to new offices in Harrogate.

Barnes Clark Family Law has moved its staff to Windsor House on Cornwall Road.

The company joins more than 110 other businesses at the office building.

Sally Clark, director of Barnes Clark Family Law, said:

“Our new offices reflect our commitment to providing our clients with the best possible legal services in a comfortable setting. We are excited about the opportunities this move presents and look forward to continuing to serve our clients from our new location.”

Karen Winspear, property manager at Boultbee Brooks which manages the building, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Barnes Clark Family Law and their 11-strong team to Windsor House.

“The business has some exciting plans to grow this year and we are well positioned to provide them with the right environment to do that.”

New recruits join Harrogate law firm

A Harrogate law firm has hired three new recruits and qualified two solicitors as part of ongoing growth at the company.

Raworths, which is based on Station Parade, has made the appointments in its private client and commercial teams.

Katie Johnston has joined the trusts, wills and estates team as solicitor, while Lucy Allen also joins as a paralegal.

(Back, from left) Tracy McKenna and Charlotte Newman. (Front: L-R) Katie Jaros, Lucy Allen, Katie Johnston. Credit Rachel Creer.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Newman also joins the team as a newly qualified solicitor, having completed her training contract at Raworths.

Alongside the hires, Katie Jaros has joined the commercial team as a solicitor and Tracy McKenna has qualified as a solicitor.

Rachel Tunnicliffe, senior partner and head of private client services and trust, wills and estates at Raworths, said:

“Our approach goes beyond offering excellent technical legal skills; we actively look to recruit lawyers who can show emotional intelligence too, with the ability to build trusted long-term relationships with clients across all generations.

“Our team is often providing legal advice on very personal family issues, whether that’s helping young adults understand the responsibilities that come with inheriting family wealth or guiding older generations to decide how and when to hand over the reins.

“Communication and sensitivity are at the heart of this, and we’re thrilled to welcome Katie, Lucy, who will join Charlotte as valued members of our team and who all share this ethos and will enable us to continue to grow our client portfolio.”

Cherry blossom in full bloom on Harrogate’s Stray

The cherry blossom on the Stray in Harrogate is in full bloom once again.

The colourful annual display makes walks on Harrogate’s 200-acre parkland even better than usual. Visiting it is a ritual many people engage in each year.

Douglas Young, a photographer from Killinghall who enjoys capturing local wildlife is among those who make the annual pilgrimage.

He captured this year’s cherry blossom beautifully in this well composed photo.

If you have any great photos of the Harrogate district, send them to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Dutch-style roundabout ditched from £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway

Plans to create Harrogate’s first Dutch-style roundabout have been dropped from the town’s proposed £11.2 million Station Gateway.

The roundabouts, inspired by road layouts in the Netherlands, have been in the news this week for their questionable safety record.

Only one currently exists in England — in Cambridge. Data yesterday showed there had been 10 collisions, including three serious ones, in the three years after it was first used in 2019 compared to six minor incidents in the three years before.

However, the number of cyclists using the roundabout has increased by almost 50% since 2017.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed plans in October 2021 to adopt a Dutch-style roundabout outside the Odeon as part of the gateway scheme, which aims to encourage active travel.

The roundabouts contain an outer ring for cyclists and zebra crossings for pedestrians. Motorists have to give way to both.

North Yorkshire County Council, which led on the gateway project before it was abolished and replaced by North Yorkshire Council this month, said at the time the style of roundabout “balances the need for increased protection and priority for pedestrians and cyclists with maintaining capacity for vehicles”.

Junction changes were put forward for the existing East Parade, Station Bridge, Station Avenue and North Park Road roundabout in front of the Odeon cinema.

The Odeon roundabout

The Stray Ferret received numerous emails this week asking whether Harrogate’s Dutch-style roundabout was still due to go ahead in light of the concerns about the one in Cambridge.

We asked North Yorkshire Council whether it still planned to proceed with a Dutch-style roundabout. A spokeswoman replied:

“We took the decision not to install a full Dutch-style roundabout.”

The council later added the decision was made last year.

The fate of the gateway scheme could be decided next week.

North Yorkshire Council’s Liberal Democrat-controlled Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee is due to make a recommendation on the gateway scheme next week.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transportation at the council, has said he will abide by the decision of local councillors.

Donation will improve children’s area at Starbeck Library

A post office has made a donation to Starbeck Community Library to help improve its children’s area.

Andrew Hart and Asma Ola, of Starbeck Post Office and Starbeck Community Group, presented a £500 cheque to Peter Davies, chair of Starbeck Community Library trustees.

The money is set to go towards improvements to the children’s section at the volunteer-run library, including more seating and an alcove.

Mr Davies explained that new projectors would also be bought to help advertise events and information at the library.

He said:

“This has come just in time to do the things that we really needed to do.”

The donation comes as part of ongoing support to the library from Starbeck Post Office and Starbeck Community Group.

Mr Hart said:

“Since we started Starbeck Community Group on Facebook, Starbeck Post Office have put almost £15,000 back into the community in and around Starbeck.

“We want to work with both the residents and traders in rejuvenating Starbeck and helping its many good causes.

“We have some great supporters and volunteers who are working on and planning several projects as we speak.”

Striking teachers hold rally in Harrogate

Dozens of teachers from across North Yorkshire converged on Harrogate today for a rally.

The National Education Union, Britain’s largest teachers’ union, is holding strikes today and on Tuesday as part of its latest wave of industrial action.

The NEU has organised rallies across North Yorkshire on previous strike days but today’s was the first in Harrogate. Teachers from as far as Scarborough took part.

Those taking part near the war memorial told the Stray Ferret their main reason for striking was the “crisis” in education, which had left many schools struggling to get any applicants for some teaching posts.

Today’s strike comes after alll four teaching unions turned the latest government offer of a one-off payment of £1,000 and a 4.3% pay rise, as well as an increase in the starting salary for teachers in England to £30,000 a year by September.

Gary McVeigh-Kaye, the North Yorkshire branch secretary of the NEU who organised today’s rally, described the government offer as “an insult”.

The Department for Education described it as a “fair and reasonable offer”.

Anna Eltringham announced as new Bishop of Ripon

The Reverend Canon Anna Eltringham has been named as the new Bishop of Ripon this morning.

Downing Street announced at 10am the King had approved the nomination of Rev Canon Eltringham, who is currently team rector for Oxted, in the diocese of Southwark.

Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds introduced the new bishop immediately after the announcement to a gathering at St Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

The Bishop of Ripon is one of five episcopal area bishops in the Church of England Diocese of Leeds and has responsibility for a large area, including the Yorkshire Dales and the towns of Ripon, Harrogate, Settle, Skipton, Wetherby and Richmond.

The new bishop in Harrogate today

Revd Canon Eltringham’s consecration will take place on June 22 in York Minster. However, she will not fully take up the post until September.

She will succeed Helen-Ann Hartley, who left Ripon to become Bishop of Newcastle this year.

Before entering ministry, Revd Canon Eltringham worked in strategic marketing, including a role in Croydon Council.

Whilst increasingly involved in church, community and justice work, she discerned God’s call to ordained ministry, following in the footsteps of her father and previous generations in her family.

Revd Canon Eltringham grew up in the west country and studied business and anthropology at the University of Durham.

She plays the saxophone and is married to Nigel, with whom she has two daughters. They enjoy family trips out in her VW T25 campervan and visiting museums, galleries, arts events and the seaside. She also likes creative writing, walks in the country and trying to up-cycle furniture.

She said:

“I have felt drawn back to the north of England for a number of years and have a strong sense of God’s call to this particular role.

“God has laid a number of things on my heart in recent times, including a passion for climate-care and justice; care for the wellbeing of clergy and all God’s people; a vision for a church that serves as much beyond as within its buildings; and children and young people at the heart of it all.”

‘Important rural area’

The Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds said of the appointment:

“I am delighted to welcome Revd Canon Anna Eltringham as the next Bishop of Ripon and to this important rural area that includes the world famous Yorkshire Dales.

“Our parishes and communities, big and small, will greet her with great warmth as her commitment to parish ministry and the environment will be evident from the word go.

“Anna’s pastoral care for clergy and lay leaders is evident from her previous work in the Diocese of Southwark and the wider church. She will greatly support our diocesan mission to encourage Christian confidence across the Ripon episcopal area and beyond.”

Revd Canon Eltringham was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Southwark in 2008 and served her title at Holy Innocents in South Norwood.

She then joined the Oxted team ministry (four churches in Surrey) where since 2019 she has been team rector.

Since 2017 she has also been the Dean of Women’s Ministry, advocating for, and developing the ministry of lay and ordained women in the diocese and advising senior staff on such matters. Anna has also served as an honorary chaplain to the monarch since 2020.

The Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York said:

“Revd Canon Anna’s enthusiasm and love for parish ministry and her ability to connect, having been an advocate for clergy well-being and serving as Dean of Women’s Ministry, will be a great blessing to the parishes and Diocese of Leeds.”

About 500 Harrogate firms set for ballot on whether to keep BID

Businesses in Harrogate will begin voting on June 1 on whether to continue to fund services such as street cleaning and Christmas lights.

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

The BID spends the money on additional services to those provided by local authorities to attract footfall into the town centre.

But its first five-year term is ending and it will cease operating if a majority of businesses vote ‘no’ to another five-year term.

BID chief executive Matthew Chapman at last night’s event.

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

The plan reveals the BID is forecast to have £510,000 income a year — down on current £554,000 a year — because of a recent re-evaluation of rateable values on town centre businesses.

Mr Chapman said the BID, like many businesses, would have to “do more with less” but he maintained the organisation provided a valuable service through activities such as its street ranger Chris Ashby, street deep cleaning, Christmas lights, match-funded grants, street entertainment, targeted free parking and floral baskets and planters.

Street ranger Chris Ashby

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

The business plan says:

“Harrogate BID is needed more than ever before and we ask you to please use your ballot paper to vote ‘yes’.”

Council to abstain in vote

However, the BID won’t be able to call on the local authority to support its bid — unlike five years ago.

Harrogate Borough Council previously used its block vote for businesses it ran to vote in favour of the BID.

But North Yorkshire Council, which replaced it this month, has said it will abstain.

Asked last night how he felt about this, Mr Chapman said:

“It’s a little disappointing but it could also be positive because it will be a true business vote.”

Mr Chapman added he wasn’t aware of any other councils that abstained in BID votes.

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

‘Undemocratic’ to ask Harrogate residents to pay for town council without stating its powers

A consultation about a potential Harrogate town council has been called “undemocratic” because it says residents would have to pay up to £60 a year extra without stating what powers it might have.

North Yorkshire Council is running a second consultation on whether a town council for Harrogate should be created.

Consultation documents say how much residents in band D properties are likely to pay through their council tax to cover services provided by the new town council.

North Yorkshire Council said the town council’s council tax precept would allow for an annual budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.

Knaresborough and Ripon both currently have their own councils that charge a precept to provide services such as allotments, public events and small parks.

However, it is unclear at this stage what services a potential Harrogate town council would deliver.

There would be 19 councillors elected to the town council with elections taking place on May 2, 2024.

‘Unfair and undemocratic’

Speaking at a residents’ meeting last week, Michael Schofield, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harlow and St Georges, criticised the consultation process and said people were not sure what they would be voting for if the town council was created.

He said:

“It’s alright talking about flower beds but we still don’t know what North Yorkshire Council’s executive are going to let a town council have control of.

“It’s unfair and undemocratic not to be told what we going being asked to pay for and voting for. They need to let us know.”

His view is shared by the final mayor of the Harrogate borough, Victoria Oldham, who was the Conservative councillor for Washburn on Harrogate Borough Council until March 31.

Ms Oldham is backing the creation of a town council but said people interested in becoming councillors should be getting around the table with North Yorkshire Council now to discuss what powers it might have.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“There’s no point in saying you’ll have a town council if you don’t say what you’re supposed to be running so those people interested in being on the town council need to be coming together now and putting a plan forward. There needs to be some sort of mediation.

“Saying suddenly you have a town council and not knowing what you’ll be responsible for is going to be awkward.”

In response, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, Conservative Cllr David Chance, said:

“A town council for Harrogate is aimed at ensuring that the views of residents are represented at the most local level and helping to provide the services that are so important to the public.

“We are undertaking a consultation to get people’s opinions on the detailed
recommendations for the town council.

“Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council. When North Yorkshire Council launched on April 1 after the previous eight local authorities in the county merged, a central pledge of this change was to enable town and parish councils to take on greater responsibility if they want and are able to.

“Residents of unparished parts of Scarborough and Harrogate were invited last summer to say whether they wanted to create new town councils. More than two-thirds of residents who responded in the two towns were in favour of the idea.

“We believe that the chance for town councils for both Harrogate and Scarborough will be fundamental in making sure local democracy can be as effective as possible, and I would urge the public to have their say during the latest consultation, which is running until Friday, May 5.“

Residents can take part in the consultation by visiting www.northyorks.gov.uk/CGR. Paper copies are available by calling 01609 536400 or emailing cgr@northyorks.gov.uk.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate mobile company secures Leeds Bradford Airport contract

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is after-work drinks at Manahatta, on May 25th at 5:30.

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 mobile company has secured a contract for communications at Leeds Bradford Ariport.

Mobile Tornado, which is based at Cardale Park, announced the agreement which will see the firm provide push-to-talk over cellular equipment for the airport’s workforce.

The company said the move would help LBA to “improve safety, efficiency and productivity in complex daily operations”.

Luke Wilkinson, global head of sales at Mobile Tornado, said:

“This agreement with one of the UK’s busiest regional airports represents another big vote of confidence in our push-to-talk over cellular platform as an improved radio system for critical communications.”

Damian Ives, chief operating officer at LBA, said:

“Mobile Tornado’s world-leading technologies will help us to manage operations and achieve our ambitions.

“As a regional airport, we plan our development with the local economy, environment and stakeholders in mind and we are delighted to be working with Mobile Tornado, a local company with world-leading technology.”

Bettys and Taylors partners with Woodland Trust

Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate has announced a partnership with the Woodland Trust.

The move will see the company form a tree planting partnership at the trust’s Snaizeholme project in the Yorkshire Dales.

The scheme will see up to 50,000 trees planted as part of the company’s five-year project.

Alice Tollan, sustainable development specialist at Taylors, said:

“As a family business that relies on agriculture for much of our produce, we have a long commitment to protecting our environment.

“Our Trees for Life campaign was launched in 1990 and since then we’ve supported the planting of over seven million trees in both the UK and in tea and coffee growing regions around the world.

“We’re proud to have worked with the Woodland Trust for many years on tree planting initiatives across the UK and we’re pleased to partner together on this latest unique project.”

Pip Greensmith, head of partnerships for the Woodland Trust, added:

“Snaizeholme offers a chance for us to boost biodiversity at a time when the natural world is in crisis.

“Tree planting and habitat restoration will boost the water quality of the river and beck, safeguarding habitats for species such as otter, as well as attracting birds such as herons, grey wagtails, kingfishers and dippers.

“It’s great to see Bettys & Taylors Group invest in nature-based solutions here in the UK.”

Harrogate Town secure English Football League status

Harrogate Town secured their status in the English Football League with a win at Newport County last night.

The 3-2 victory will see Town remain in League Two next season.

It means Harrogate can prepare for a third campaign in the EFL since their historic promotion in 2020.

Financially, it also means the club will continue to receive Premier League solidarity payments, EFL money and potential broadcasting fees if fixtures are shown on television.

The Premier League pays solidarity payments to all EFL clubs, with those in League Two receiving an estimated £450,000 each in recent seasons.

The club plans to renovate its EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road to comply with EFL standards.

It can now proceed in the knowledge that its place among England’s top 92 clubs is safe for at least another year.

Town’s 3-2 win at Newport last night was secured with a goal from Luke Armstrong seven minutes from full-time.

Armstrong’s 16th goal of the season leaves Harrogate nine points above the relegation zone with two games remaining.

Speaking after the match at Rodney Parade, manager Simon Weaver said he wanted the team to continue to build momentum despite securing survival.

He said:

“We said before the game that we want to finish with as many points as possible. We wanted to excite the fans, keep building momentum and end on a positive note for the fans.”

New recruits join Harrogate law firm

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‘Important rural area’

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Council to abstain in vote

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‘Unfair and undemocratic’

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Bettys and Taylors partners with Woodland Trust

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