‘Intimate gem’ Knaresborough pub wins rare award for beer quality

A pub in Knaresborough Market Place has been recognised for serving high quality real ale for three decades.

Blind Jack’s was awarded a certificate by the Campaign for Real Ale last night for 30 years’ continuous appearance in the Good Beer Guide.

The guide, produced annually by CAMRA, is the UK’s premier guide to the best beer in the country.

A total of 24 local pubs feature in the recently published 2023 edition. But it is not believed any can match Blind Jack’s record of being included every year in the last 30.

Christian Ogley and his wife Alice bought Blind Jack’s five years ago from Ian Fozard, the owner of Harrogate brewers Roosters.

Blind Jack's on Market Place, Knaresborough.

Blind Jack’s on Market Place

Mr Ogley said only a handful of pubs in the country could match Blind Jack’s long-term record for consecutive appearances in the ale drinkers’ bible.

He said conditions in the 400-year-old building were ideal for maintaining ale at the right temperature and the pub also kept the quality high by ensuring a high turnover of live cask ales.

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Alun Gauld, chairman of the Harrogate and Ripon branch of CAMRA, presented a certificate to the owners last night. He said:

“Christian and Alice were overjoyed to have their hard work at the pub recognised by CAMRA and the certificate will join the other awards on the pub’s trophy display wall.

“In the pub’s first Good Beer Guide entry back in 1993 it was described as an intimate gem and it remains a gem to this day. “

The certificate presented last night

Mr Gauld said two other Harrogate district pubs had been in the Good Beer Guide regularly for many years — the White Bear in Masham and the One Eyed Rat in Ripon.

But he said he was only sure Blind Jack’s had been listed in the publication every year for the last three decades.

80 bus services in North Yorkshire under threat, says Harrogate district MP

A Conservative MP whose constituency includes parts of the Harrogate district has said 80 bus services in North Yorkshire are under threat.

Nigel Adams, who represents Selby and Ainsty, revealed the number during Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament today.

Mr Adams, whose constituency includes Spofforth and Follifoot, told Rishi Sunak that last month bus operator Arriva stopped the only bus between Selby and Doncaster, leaving 40 Selby College students having to find alternative transport at short notice.

He added:

“Additionally across North Yorkshire about 80 other bus services are now under threat.

“Can he advise what action he will take to ensure that essential bus services are not withdrawn at short notice and ensure that these continue to be operated across Selby district and wider North Yorkshire?”.

Mr Adams said fellow North Yorkshire MP Mr Sunak, who represents Richmond, knew how “crucial” bus services were.

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The Prime Minister replied:

“I’m pleased that the Chancellor has allocated funding for extra bus services across the country and I look forward to working with him (Mr Adams) to ensure that the money finds its way to rural areas like North Yorkshire to provide the connectivity that’s so important for people to have opportunity and get access to public services.”

Buses on a cliff edge?

Today’s comments by Mr Adams will fuel concerns about the future of many rural bus services in the Harrogate district.

Last week Cllr Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transportation at North Yorkshire County Council, said the county’s bus network was “facing a really grave situation”.

He added:

“The message across the county is use it or lose it. We need people to support these services.”

Liberal Democrat councillor for Pateley Bridge, Andrew Murday, said residents of his division faced having just two services a day to Harrogate.

He said:

“We just have to do something about bus services, and encourage more people onto buses. We need to know how we are going to go about discouraging people from driving and encouraging people on to buses, so bus services can thrive.”

Seven months ago the government rejected the council’s bid for a £116m share of Boris Johnson’s high-profile Bus Back Better initiative, saying the local authority’s plans lacked ambition.

 

 

‘Can I watch the World Cup at work?’ — Harrogate lawyer issues advice

A Harrogate lawyer has issued legal advice to companies wrestling with the thorny issue of whether to give staff time off to watch the World Cup.

Football fever is building after England’s 6-2 opening match defeat of Iran on Monday.

Many games are taking place during UK office hours, prompting firms to consider the best way to handle the situation.

James Austin, a partner and employment law specialist at LCF Law in Harrogate, said many firms wanted to be flexible to foster goodwill but “some staff may feign illness or try to book holidays”.

He said it was sensible for companies to inform staff what is allowed and what is expected, adding:

“It’s important to remember that normal holiday rules apply, but businesses may want to relax the rules if they think they will be quieter during certain matches. It could also be a nice way to reward employees who will be grateful and give even more back to the business in return.”

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Mr Austin said no business had to let staff watch matches but if they allowed them to do so at work they “must check that the required license is in place and carry out a risk assessment”, adding:

“Employees of different nationalities must be treated equally as allowing England fans to watch England games but not allowing Welsh fans to watch Welsh games, for example, could lead to claims of discrimination.

“Employees should be reminded that they are still at work, so are expected to behave professionally and that derogatory comments about different nationalities, or sexist or racist remarks will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action.

“Employers should also carefully consider whether to allow alcohol to be drunk during matches viewed in the workplace and bear in mind the problems this may cause.”

Sick leave and working from home

Mr Austin warned companies to be wary of taking action against staff who phone in sick. He said:

“Whilst managers may have their suspicions about an employee being sick on certain match days, whether any action can be taken will depend on any evidence that they were not truly sick.

He added holding back to work interviews, for all sickness absence, can help deter people from feigning sickness.

He also cautioned firms against being heavy-handed against staff working from home who they suspect are tuned into matches.

“If a business chooses to monitor work output via technology and monitoring system logins, they will need to comply with data protection rules including GDPR. This will involve informing staff in advance of what they intend to do and why, as well as how long they will retain any information.

“An alternative approach could be for managers to send a reminder that watching football during working hours is not acceptable and may result in disciplinary action.”

Plea for Harrogate hospital visitors to wear masks after people refuse to follow guidance

Health bosses have issued a plea to visitors to Harrogate District Hospital to wear face masks amid a growing number of people refusing to follow guidance.

Officials at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said they had seen increasing number of people being verbally aggressive towards staff when they are asked to wear a face mask or replace one after removing it.

The plea comes as the hospital has warned that covid remains a “significant threat” and that it is seeing further admissions for the virus and flu going into winter.

Dr Jacqueline Andrews, medical director at HDFT said: 

“We may no longer be at the height of the pandemic, but covid continues to be a threat for the people in our care and we must do all we can to protect them and the staff who look after them.

“Should a patient contract covid from a visitor, it can lead to a prolonged stay at the hospital due to the need for them isolate. This can impact on bed availability for people needing other forms of treatment.

“Wearing a face mask is simple to do and can make a real difference. If you are asked to wear a mask, please remember it is for the protection of the loved one you are visiting. We are merely asking visitors to follow mask wearing guidance in certain areas of our hospital and we will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour towards our staff at HDFT.

“I would also encourage anyone who is eligible to get a covid booster and a flu vaccination to do so to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

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Visitors to inpatient wards are expected to wear masks as part of hospital guidance unless they are exempt.

The Harrogate district covid infection rate is currently 35 cases per 100,000 people.

Harrogate train line blocked due to flooding in morning of travel misery

Rail operator Northern has said all train lines between Harrogate and Leeds are blocked due to flooding.

Persistent rain has fallen this morning across the district, where a hosepipe ban remains in place due to an ongoing drought.

The wet conditions have heightened the usual traffic problems on main routes in and out of Harrogate.

But commuters are worse hit, following Northern’s announcement shortly after 10.30am today.

https://twitter.com/northernassist/status/1595366257821421568

 

Northern said trains running through these stations will be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes.

Motorists have also faced delays on the usual routes. Traffic in Spofforth has been particularly bad due to a vehicle hitting Spofforth Bridge on the A661.

The wall of the damaged bridge in Spofforth.

Four-way traffic lights at the Kirk Deighton junction have also contributed to delays.

The rain is forecast to end this afternoon.

Fire crews tackle deliberate lorry fire on A168 Cowthorpe

Fire fighters tackled a deliberate lorry fire on the A168 near Cowthorpe last night.

Crews from Knaresborough and Harrogate attended the blaze at 11.21pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was inside the trailer of the lorry and the cause was believed to be deliberate.

Crews said the trailer was stationary.

The service added in an incident log:

“Crews extinguished the fire using two breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, small tools and a thermal imaging camera.”

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Listed building in Harrogate could be converted to flats

Plans have been submitted to convert the upper floors of a Grade II listed building in Harrogate into flats.

Five-storey Mercer House towers above the adjoining Mercer Art Gallery in the Harrogate Conservation Area on Swan Road.

Colston Trustees Limited have applied to Harrogate Borough Council to change the use of the site from offices to residential and create two flats.

According to planning documents submitted to the council, the office space has been redundant for over a year, which could leave the building susceptible to water ingress.

The ground floor and basement of Mercer House are occupied by Paul Lown-owned clothing store Prey Four and are not included in the plans.

Mercer House is historically and architecturally significant due to its gable-fronted, white and blue appearance.

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The application seeks to insert new doors, rooflights and an enlarged window. A design and access statement submitted as part of the proposal, says:

“Given the minor internal and external changes required to facilitate residential conversion at Mercer House, and the benefit to the long-term care and maintenance of having the upper floors in active use, this less than substantial harm is outweighed.”

It adds:

“The works, on balance, will both preserve and enhance the historic and architectural interests of Mercer House and special character of the Harrogate Conservation Area.”

 

 

Hospital fundraiser extraordinaire Andy Wilkinson steps down after 45 years

A fundraiser who has helped raise more than £2.7m for Harrogate District Hospital has stood down as chairman of a volunteer group.

The Friends of Harrogate Hospital have generated more than £2.7m over the last 56 years to buy thousands of pieces of equipment for the hospital that could not be purchased through the NHS budget.

Wing commander Andy Wilkinson has been an active volunteer with the friends for nearly 45 years, with the majority of years as the group’s chairman.

Mr Wilkinson has been at the heart of everything from coffee mornings to major events like the Big Picnic.  He said:

“The generosity of everyone has made it thoroughly enjoyable.

“We’ve done our best to raise money to help people.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing it and I hope it can go on from strength to strength.”

In recent years, the friends have funded relatives’ rooms on the children’s wards so parents of sick children have somewhere to stay, as well as on the intensive therapy unit and the stroke unit.

The group has also paid for a light sensory unit, a friends’ garden, and a paediatric outpatients waiting room.

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One of its biggest campaigns saw it raise £330,000 to house an MRI scanner in 2005. More than 1,000 patients have benefited from that every year since. Mr Wilkinson said:

“We’re a good news organisation. And it brings a boost to the staff, to be supported by local people. They know that everybody is backing them.

“We have a hospital that’s one of the best in the country. That’s down to the generosity of the people of Harrogate who have donated.”

Greatest achievement

Mr Wilkinson said his greatest achievement with the friends was helping to set up a volunteer scheme at the hospital, securing a grant in 2008 to employ someone for three years to recruit volunteers.

He has now passed the reins to new chairman John Fox but will stay on as a volunteer. He said:

“I know that the friends are in good hands, John Fox has been a trustee of the friends before we merged with Harrogate Hospital Community Charity, and has been a very supportive volunteer for many years.  John is busy reorganising the voluntary group for the future.”

Mr Fox said:

“We thank Andy for his enduring commitment and dedication to the Friends over many years.  He was also a founder governor of the foundation trust.  His support for Harrogate hospital is just amazing.  I know that the staff have really appreciated his work over many years.  He will be a hard act to follow.”

Sarah Armstrong, chair of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We are extremely grateful for all Andy’s fundraising efforts over many years and his commitment to supporting Harrogate Hospital in making a difference for our patients.”

For more information about the Friends of Harrogate Hospital, contact friendsofhdft@gmail.com

Business Breakfast: Harrogate digital agency appoints commercial director

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

A Harrogate digital agency has announced the appointment of a new commercial director.

IDHL Group, which is based on Otley Road and specialises in e-commerce, digital PR and social media, has appointed Tom Rigden to the newly created role at the company.

Mr Rigden will be tasked with overseeing the company’s web division as part of the new position.

He said:

“Idhl is an exceptionally well-run agency group with a proven growth model. The clear vision and ambition presented to me by the board made it hugely compelling for me to join. 

“I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and energy to the talented team here and am excited about what we can achieve together.”

Dennis Engel, chief executive of the company, added:

“As we continue to see tremendous growth within the digital space, this latest appointment signifies our commitment to bring onboard people that strengthen who we are and what we offer. Tom has the expertise and know-how to bring a new proposition to the business.

“We’re delighted to welcome him to IDHL and to get started on this new chapter within the group.”

Harrogate business event to focus on hospitality support

Support for the hospitality sector in Harrogate will be discussed at a business event this week.

Organised by Philip Bolson of Mr B Hospitality in partnership with York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, the event will hear from experts and politicians on how the industry can grow in the coming years.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and Helen Suckling, partnership and commercial manager at Destination Harrogate, will be among the speakers.

Mr Bolson will also address the discussion, as well as Danny Wild, principal of Harrogate College, and Ross Tatham, general manager of Goldsborough Hall.

There will also be an opportunity for attendees to network and develop contacts.

The event will be held at Goldsborough Hall on Friday, November 25, at 1pm. You can find out more information on how to register here.

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Appeal for pet food donations in Harrogate

There’s been an appeal for donations of pet food in Harrogate as owners struggle to feed their animals.

The call for donations has come from the Harrogate District Foodbank after finding that many pet owners feel they cannot afford to keep their pets with the rising cost of living.

Dog food prices in particular have risen by 40%.

Seeing the appeal, a Harrogate pet shop owner volunteered to collect and deliver pet food donations for distribution across Harrogate district.

Jon Bradley, owner of HG Pets on Cold Bath Road is asking pet owners to come to the store and give unwanted pet food away.

He said:

“We will take any pet food – if it has been sitting in the cupboard because your pet doesn’t like it, we’ll have it. If it is opened, we can tape it up and it can be donated.

The appeal is for all types of small animal pet food –whether that is for a budgie or a dog.”

Mr Bradley said many pet owners are being forced to consider giving away their pets:

“Having got two dogs, I can’t think of anything worse than having to choose between them or myself… I’d put my animal first if I didn’t have a wife and daughter.”

More information regarding food banks in Harrogate district is available on the Harrogate District Foodbank website or via their email at: info@harrogatedistrict.foodbank.org.uk.

If you wish to donate pet food to HG Pets, you can visit them at 47 Cold Bath Road or call at: 07921 169061.

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