A Harrogate training centre for people in the hair and beauty industry has received praise from Ofsted in its latest inspection.

Rating Intuitions Ltd ‘good’, inspectors said the “high-quality training” was delivered by staff who have “care and passion”.

The business has recently moved to a new model of delivering training, with most of its lessons delivered one-to-one or in small groups in the salons where apprentices are training.

Ofsted inspectors said:

“Apprentices studying the level two hair professional standard, who are new to the profession, quickly develop their understanding of the high standards of professional behaviours expected in the salons in which they work.

“They behave professionally, and are mature, polite, courteous and respectful to other staff, educators and clients.

“Educators encourage learners and apprentices to take pride in their work, and this is evident in learners’ well-presented portfolios. They are effective role models and have a wide range of industry experience, which inspires learners and apprentices.

“Educators ensure that their appearance reflects professional industry standards, and this reinforces the expectation of apprentices to adhere to the expected standards of dress code in their salons.”

Inspectors said trainees were quick to improve their skills and were pleased with what they achieved even at an early stage of their training.

Read more:

• Ofsted finds ‘good’ village school near Knaresborough is ‘like a second home’
• ‘Welcoming’ Spofforth school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

However, they recommended staff could do more to develop their other skills, such as by correcting spelling in all written work and giving more comprehensive careers guidance.

The report added:

“Targets set by educators following frequent and comprehensive reviews of work are focused, and apprentices are clear about the progress that they are making.

“Educators clearly identify strengths and areas for improvement, and apprentices know what they need to do next. They share the information with employers in comprehensive reports.

“Apprentices are supported well by their employers, which contributes to the good progress that they make.”

Now based in Wizu Workspace at Royal House on Station Parade, Intuitions was founded almost 30 years ago. It has been run by Michelle Oliver since 2000 and has grown significantly during that time.

Intuitions Ltd has a new home on Station Parade, but delivers most of its training in salons.

Following the challenges of covid, Ms Oliver told the Stray Ferret the new model of delivering training has been well-received.

“We’re enjoying delivering the new model. It’s nice to be able to go into a business and see the learners using their skills in a real setting.

“That’s what we’re here for – to create the hairdresser for the salons. That’s the beauty of apprenticeships: they’re in the workplace, earning money – not much, but it could be £200 a week, which is a lot when you’ve just left school.

“They’re seeing professional people working alongside them and learning from them all the time.”

Ms Oliver said her own experience of working in a salon while training showed her the value of learning how to behave in a workplace and how to engage with clients.

She said she hoped the supportive comments from Ofsted and the professional standards on show from the learners might encourage more people, as well as local high schools, to do more to promote apprenticeships as a potential career path for their students.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Ripon BID is to hold its first Annual Review tonight.

BID chairman Richard Compton of Newby Hall & Gardens, will welcome businesses and give an introduction to the BID, its aims and objectives.

It will be followed by a short presentation by the BID Team on the achievements of the first year of operations and a brief overview of the plans for next year.

The floor will then be opened up to questions. The event is from 6pm-8pm at the Claro Lounge.

Read More: 

• Ripon BID appoints management team
• Harrogate-based Cloud Nine sees turnover rise by a third

Cloud Nine CEO wins award

The CEO of Harrogate based hair and beauty brand, Cloud Nine, has been named as The Most Ambitious Business Leader of 2022 in awards run by LDC, the private equity arm of the Lloyds Banking Group.

The programme celebrates the inspiring leaders behind some of the UK’s most successful and fast-growing medium-sized firms.

Established in 2009 Cloud Nine, at Hornbeam Park, has gone from strength to strength with its turnover now standing at £36m.

The judges commended Martin Rae for his innovative and sustainable approach to business and his ambition to build the biggest electrical haircare brand in the world.

Martin Rae said:

“To be named as the Most Ambitious Business Leader of 2022 is a huge honour. It is also recognition of the efforts of the full team of people at Cloud Nine. It might be my name on the list, but it is not just me who has achieved such success.

“We are a family business and I like to think of the wider team as one big family that operates successfully due to the culture we have created. Long may that continue in the future.

“I would also like to acknowledge the support of our suppliers and customers – without whom we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Martin Rae, CEO Could Nine with his award 

The body of a man found in the River Nidd yesterday has been identified, police said this evening.

Police, ambulance and firefighters were called to Nidd Viaduct in Bilton just before 8am yesterday.

The viaduct bridge was closed while the body was recovered.

Tonight’s update by North Yorkshire Police said:

“The man has now been identified and his next of kin have been informed.

“Investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of his death.”

No further details, including the man’s name or suspected cause of death, have been revealed.

He was described yesterday as a white man who was believed to be in his 40s.

Read more:

• BREAKING: Body found in River Nidd as viaduct remains closed at Bilton
• Councillors vote to defer decision on 53 homes in Bilton

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This first letter relates to this week’s news that the Harrogate Convention Centre will no longer host the 15-day  International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival  after the organisers claimed costs had doubled.  The director of the HCC then responded saying the loss of the festival would a limited economic impact. 

Dear Editor,

We think it is fair to say that figures – and in particular, the costs of “in-kind” services can be interpreted in many different ways.     

Fallacy somewhere,  I fancy! (Ruddigore, W S Gilbert)

We are delighted that CEO Paula Lorimer feels that the town will not miss the Festival.

Still, we know that our thousands of visitors will certainly miss the beautiful Royal Hall, the outstanding hotels, and the fabulous restaurants and facilities.  And so will we!

It’s an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances (The Mikado, W S Gilbert)

However, it’s not all doom and gloom.  We are bringing a fantastic New Year Gala Concert to The Royal Hall on January 7, 2023, and we promise there’s no discount in sight!  The outstanding National Festival Orchestra and international opera stars will perform all those wonderful favourites.

It will be a great way to celebrate the New Year.

You can book your tickets at www.gsfestivals.org or by phone on 01422 323252.

We look forward to seeing everyone there.

 Life’s a pudding full of plums (The Gondoliers, W S Gilbert)

Bernard Lockett, The International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival.

Too much rubbish in the Harrogate district

The council in their wisdom have welcomed with open arms developers to bury the countryside in acre after acre of new homes.

Now surprise, surprise, these new residents are actually creating lots of rubbish and recycling.

The council now reveal they do not have enough bin operatives or vehicles to remove said rubbish etc. More stores etc are creating industrial amounts of waste. Once again, not enough staff to remove it. I am led to believe that not much of the recycling is actually dealt with as it should be.

I suspect when the new council takes over this situation is likely to deteriorate.

William B Thompson, Harrogate 

Read More:

• Stray Views: why build Maltkiln when Flaxby would be better?
• Stray Views: Knox Lane housing scheme ‘lacks detail’

A former teacher turned holistic therapist has launched a new project designed to help children improve their mental health.

Debbie Ross spent many years working as a teaching assistant, nursery nurse and special educational needs coordinator at Spofforth Church of England Primary School.

Among her favourite memories was a trip to Bewerley Park outdoor education centre, when she and the pupils enjoyed a guided meditation session. She said:

“The children are now grown up with their own children, but I’m still in touch with some and they remember doing it. It’s something they enjoyed and they’re now using those skills as adults.”

Now a holistic therapist and reiki practitioner, Debbie, who lives in Ripon, has created her own guided meditations designed to help children aged between five and 12 to relax.

She said each of them encourages the child to visualise a scene and use their imagination to help calm their minds. Debbie has paired each meditation with a crystal to add to the experience.

She said:

“I’m really driven to use crystals with the meditation. They’re very tactile and if the children learn what the crystal can help them with, they have got something to take away with them.

“Some children take the sodalite crystal into school with them because it’s small. They’ve all said it really helps them to stay calm.”

Read more:

• Book collection launched across district to support teenagers’ mental health
• Nidderdale adventure facility says head outdoors to improve mental health

Research has shown that the covid pandemic has had a negative impact on children’s mental health, with one in six having a diagnosable mental health condition in 2021 compared to one in nine just four years earlier.

Debbie said she hopes her guided crystal meditations will help children to develop skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.

She is speaking to local schools about introducing them for their pupils and also hopes to approach hospitals about using them for young patients.

Meanwhile, they are also available on Debbie’s website.

Yorkshire artist Lucy Pittaway is to open a new gallery on Prospect Place in Harrogate.

The award-winning artist is taking over the space formerly occupied by menswear store Austin Reed which closed its doors in 2016 and has stayed empty until now.

The new premises will be Ms Pittaway’s fifth solo art gallery and will offer original works of art as well as prints, homeware and stationery.

Her best known works are her signature sheep art and her work on the Tour de Yorkshire and UCI World Championships in Harrogate.

She said moving into Harrogate was always part of her business plan:

“We evaluated the town as part of our growth plans a number of years ago and just had to wait for the right time.”

The gallery is taking over the corner store that used to be Austin Reed

The store will welcome customers at its opening weekend on Saturday and Sunday, November 5 and 6.

Opening times will follow those of other stores which can be found here.

A gym company from Leeds is set to expand to a second site on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road this year.

North Studio is planning to open in Wellington House, the building that is already home to cycling brand Prologue.

Posting an image of the new premises on Instagram, the company said:

“We are super excited to finally announce our expansion into Harrogate at the end of this year.

“Keep your eyes out for more details over the coming weeks!”

North Studio’s existing Leeds venue in Roundhay offers a strength room with weights and cardiovascular equipment, and a cycling room where spin classes take place.

It also has a more relaxed studio for yoga, pilates and barre classes, and the gym sells shakes, smoothies, teas and coffees on site as well.

Classes are £15 each with discounts available for block bookings, and membership starts from £70 per month.

It is the third business this week to confirm plans to open on Cold Bath Road. A new pet shop will open in the former home of the Refilling Station, while plans have been submitted to create a cafe-bar and record store further up the hill opposite Valley Drive.

Read more:

• Cafe-bar and record store plans submitted for Cold Bath Road shop
• New independent pet store to open on Cold Bath Road

Police have confirmed a body has been found in the River Nidd near the viaduct in Bilton.

The area had been closed off since this morning, with numerous police vans and fire engines in attendance.

North Yorkshire Police has now issued a statement confirming that the body of a man had been seen and reported to police around 8am today.

Officers said the body was that of a white man, believed to be in his 40s, who is yet to be identified. A spokesperson said:

“Please avoid the area at this time.

“Enquiries are ongoing and further updates will be provided when available.”

Anyone with information can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote reference NYP-15102022-0081.

Read more:

• Police close Nidd Gorge viaduct in Bilton
• Arrests in Harrogate and Ripon as police target drug dealing

Halloween is creeping up, with the celebrations and events across the district becoming bigger, better and more ghoulish each year.

This year it falls just after October half-term, so there is plenty going on for little witches and wizards – and big ones too!

So whether you fancy some pumpkin picking on a farm, spooky trails, or haunted houses, we’ve put together a list of five places to enjoy some Halloween fun.

Birchfield Farm Pumpkin Festival – Summerbridge

Birchfield Farm’s Pumpkin Festival is a firm favourite amongst families in the Harrogate district. Is it even Halloween if you haven’t taken a selfie with a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins at the picturesque Summerbridge farm?

You don’t need to book for this one and there are plenty of pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colours to go around and you can visit everyday until October 31.

There are also lots of activities to do on the farm so you can make a morning or afternoon of it.

After you have picked your pumpkin from the patch – and there really is a huge selection of all shapes and sizes – you then have the option of visiting the farm for £5.95 per person. Then take your kids for a homemade ice cream at the farm’s café.

Activities include:

• A huge carving barn where you can create your pumpkin masterpieces
• Bouncy castles
• Play equipment
• A 6-acre maize maze
• A spooky woodland walk
• Animals
• A giant bale mountain

Creepy Castle: The Spooktastic Halloween Trail – Knaresborough

Soak up the spooky atmosphere at Knaresborough Castle – the setting of the new Creepy Castle Spooktastic Halloween trail.

Set in the grounds of the ancient monument, expect to see see wizard magic shows and spooky characters along the way. There will also be face painting, stories in the castle, cookie decorating and more scary surprises.

Halloween Trail – Swinton Bivouac, Masham

Stately Superstitions: Eerie Encounters at the Castle – Castle Howard, York

A new archive dating back nearly 700 years is being made available for residents in the district to research the history of their homes.

North Yorkshire’s county record office said the number of queries it receives about researching house history are second only to those about family history.

As a result, the office is staging an exhibition and online guide that will show people the resources available locally to help them dig into their properties’ past.

Items spanning nearly 700 years, from the early 1300s to the 1970s, will be on display, including historic maps, architectural drawings, old photographs and property deeds.

Some of the items relate to the construction of the Park Place flats on the Stray, and Knaresborough’s High Street and Fisher Gardens in Briggate.

Margaret Boustead, head of archives and record management, said:

“Everybody’s home is unique and each house will have its own story to tell.

“This exhibition is not about country houses or elite residences, it is about everyday homes and what people might be able to find out about them.”

Read More:

• History of Ripon Spa Baths captured as venue prepares for new lease of life
• Fountains Abbey tops survey of UK’s best historic attractions

NYCC’s executive member responsible for the county record office, Cllr Greg White, said:

“Researching house history can tell us so much about the past and the places that we call home. It can also help us learn about the people who lived there and strengthen our connection with our past and where we live.

“Our county record office holds a wonderful range of resources that you can use to start your journey of discovery.”

The exhibition, at the county record office in Malpas Road, Northallerton, runs until Tuesday, January 31 – except between December 24 and January 2.

It is open Tuesday to Friday from 9.30am to 4pm. Admission is free and there is no need to book.

There will also be drop-in sessions on Monday, October 31, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and Wednesday, November 9, from 4pm to 6pm, when archivists will be on hand to answer questions .

The online guide can be found at www.nycroblog.com/house-history.