Harrogate’s Leon drive-thru to open on Friday

Harrogate’s Leon drive-thru restaurant on Wetherby Road will open on Friday from 7am.

The Mediterranean-inspired fast food chain will be open daily from 7am to 10pm, except Sundays when it will be open from 8am to 10pm. It will have 70 covers, including some outdoor seating.

The restaurant has created 20 jobs and will feature digital kiosks.

Alex Parkinson, a Harrogate local who was originally hired by Leon as the assistant general manager at the firm’s Gildersome drive-thru, is leading the team.

The company describes itself as being good for the environment and its menu includes “carbon neutral” burgers, rice boxes, breakfast muffins, egg pots and cakes.

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The opening will end a saga that has gone back several years.

Originally, a Starbucks coffee drive-thru was planned for the site but it was refused by Harrogate Borough Council only for the decision to be overturned by a government inspector.

Concerns remain from residents who live near the site on how the drive-thru will affect traffic on the busy Wetherby Road.

Leon was bought by Blackburn billionaires the Issa brothers in 2021.

Glenn Edwards, Leon’s managing director said:

“Since opening our first drive-thru restaurant last year, we have been eager to grow this style of restaurant in order to  bring Leon to more guests and allow them to experience Leon while on the go – something that aligns with our mission to bring naturally fast food that tastes good, does you good and is kind to the planet.

“Our opening in Harrogate is a massive achievement across all fronts.”

Ex-Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott escapes driving ban

Former Leeds Rhinos head coach and Harrogate resident Brian McDermott has escaped a driving ban after arguing he needs his car to scout players.

McDermott, 52, of Knox Mill Close, was in York Magistrates Court yesterday after being caught driving his BMW above the 60mph speed limit on the A59 close to Bolton Abbey last year.

The coach, who also represented England and Great Britain during his playing career, pleaded guilty but asked the court to waive the three points as it would take him to 12 points and an automatic ban.

In a submission to the court, Mr McDermott said he unexpectedly found himself out of work for 18 months after his previous club Toronto Wolfpack went out of business due to covid in March 2020.

During this time he had been living from savings, which were now close to running out.

In October 2021, he took a job as head coach at Featherstone Rovers who play in the second-tier of the sport.

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McDermott said he drives over 40,000 miles a year for the role, which involves work in the community, travelling to amateur clubs and scouting players.

He said he was the only person at Featherstone able to watch players from other clubs.

Without the car, he said he could potentially lose his job, which would mean he’d struggle to pay child support and rent.

Special reasons

Magistrates said they were satisfied that Mr McDermott had ‘special reasons’ for contesting the penalty points. 

However, they said the reasons given were not appropriate “in all of the circumstances” so they issued the three penalty points, taking him to 12 overall, but allowed him to continue driving.

He was also fined £307 and asked to pay a victim’s surcharge of £34 and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Sir Ed Davey: Lib Dems will target Harrogate and Knaresborough as key seat

The Liberal Democrats are set to make Harrogate and Knaresborough a target seat at the next General Election.

On a visit to Harrogate today, party leader Sir Ed Davey MP told the Stray Ferret the Conservatives had taken local people for granted.

Sir Ed, who was also speaking at the Local Government Association conference at Harrogate Convention Centre, said he would be returning to Harrogate and Knaresborough personally in the run up to the next election.

He said:

“We are going to be working as hard as possible to win this seat. I’m really looking forward to the new candidate being selected very soon.

“I’ll be up here working with them so that we do win this seat.”

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Sir Ed said the Lib Dems’ agenda included tax cuts to tackle the cost of living, better healthcare and “getting tough” on water companies that pump sewage into rivers.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, holds a majority of 9,675 in the constituency.

He has been re-elected three times since winning the seat in 2010.

When pressed on how he could be so confident of winning the seat when voters in Harrogate and Knaresborough have returned a Conservative to Westminster for the last 12 years, he said:

“The Conservatives have taken the people of Harrogate for granted.

“We’re going to work hard to earn their votes. One of my criticisms of Conservative MPs is that they have taken their local areas for granted. It has got to stop.

“We will work tirelessly to listen to the communities, to take up their concerns and be their local champion.”

Last week the Lib Dems overturned a 24,239 majority to gain a seat from the Conservatives in the Tiverton and Honiton.

Besides Harrogate and Knaresborough, the party is also expected to focus on Tory marginals such as Cheltenham and Wimbledon, according to iNews.

The Stray Ferret has approached Mr Jones for comment.

Harrogate choir dropped at last minute by Barry Manilow

Members of a Harrogate choir were left devastated when they were dropped by Barry Manilow just hours before they were due to perform with him.

Love Pop Choir was all set to sing It’s A Miracle and Let Freedom Ring with the American superstar at the First Direct Arena on Saturday.

But about two hours before they were due on stage they were told they were no longer required due to a late change of schedule.

Barry came out and apologised but some singers were in tears at the news after spending four weeks rehearsing feverishly. Many of their friends and families had brought tickets especially for the occasion.

The choir members were allowed to go on stage straight after they received the news to sing their songs alone and received complimentary tickets to the show.

Lauren Elliott, who owns the choir, said:

“Everybody was devastated. They had put so much effort and work into it.

“People were really struggling to sing and in floods of tears so it wasn’t our best sound but I’m proud of everyone for being so brave and singing on that stage anyway.

“It’s a shame they never heard us beforehand because we sounded fab when we were all happy and excited. Maybe if they had they would have changed their minds.”

Ms Elliott has written to Barry’s team asking if he will make a contribution to a fundraising venture it’s doing for Leeds Hospitals Charity.

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The choir have been raising funds ahead of the British Transplant Games in Leeds next month. Saturday’s performance was due to be the climax of a 100 hours of fundraising singing.

Donations van be made here.

Video shows lorry crashing into Harrogate traffic light

A video has emerged of a lorry knocking over a traffic light on Skipton Road in Harrogate.

The footage appears to show a bus being towed at the junction with King’s Road, outside Bilton Working Men’s Club on Monday morning.

The trailer hits the barrier and the traffic light, which is knocked over.

The incident was one of many to cause disruption on Harrogate’s roads on Monday.

You can watch the clip below.

Barry Robertson, from Middlesbrough, uploaded the footage, which was recorded as he was driving through Harrogate.

He said drivers beeped their horns to alert the lorry driver when his vehicle got close to the barrier and traffic light.

He added that an elderly man in a car in the opposite lane where the traffic light crashed was left bemused by the incident.

“It was quite bad.

“There was an old man in the car. I don’t think he realised what happened.”

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Police later attended the scene and the light was moved, but traffic was left queueing for miles in both directions.

The situation was made worse when resurfacing work outside the Leon drive-thru on Wetherby Road caused traffic to queue back onto Skipton Road.

Tributes paid to ‘Mr Harrogate’ Malcolm Neesam

Tributes have been paid to celebrated Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam, who died yesterday.

Mr Neesam, who wrote some of the most authoritative books about Harrogate, died in the early hours of the morning on his 76th birthday.

He was a founder member of Harrogate Civic Society, whose chairman Stuart Holland described him as “an inspirational source of knowledge about our town”, adding.

“Always a gentleman in manner and appearance, Malcolm had an amazing way of recounting our history as a simple story.

“In his work with the civic society — originally the Harrogate Society — Malcolm was instrumental in establishing the listing of buildings in the town and establishing the first conservation area.

“He had an encyclopaedic memory of facts, people and places which made his presentations at meetings fascinating.

“As author of many books about the town, it was Wells and Swells, covering the golden age of Harrogate, 1842 to 1923,  that Malcolm will more recently be remembered for.

“Alongside his research and writing, Malcolm was the founder historian of the Harrogate brown plaque scheme, from presenting plaques on the Tewit Well and Magnesia Well in 1975 to a staggering 92 plaques around the town today.

“The Harrogate Civic Society will keep Malcolm’s name alive by continuing in his footsteps, celebrating our rich heritage and past.”

‘Chronicler of our town’

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones wrote on his Community News website that Mr Neesam made a “profound” contribution to the area. He added:

“As a historian he was the chronicler of our town, and nobody knew more.

“His knowledge had depth and breadth, and he was always so generous in helping others tapping into that well of understanding. Malcolm was also passionate about music, and again his knowledge was huge.

“He cared deeply for Harrogate, its past and its future, using his unparalleled knowledge to inform debate.

“I recall very fondly many long conversations about our area and shared musical interests. As a very near neighbour I would see him regularly, and always enjoyed doing so.

“Malcolm was a Harrogate hero. He leaves a body of work that is impressive and an area much the better for all he did. This is indeed sad news, but we should give thanks as we think about him.”

Freedom of the borough

Harrogate Borough Council awarded Mr Neesam the Freedom of the Borough in 1996 for his services as a historian.

Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“Malcolm had an enthusiasm and passion for the town and in 1996 was awarded the Freedom of the Borough for his services as historian of the town.

“On behalf of the borough council, I’d like to offer our deepest condolences and sympathy to Malcolm’s friends and family during this time.”

‘Forever Mr Harrogate’

Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association and a friend of Mr Neesam, said:

“We will all be the poorer for the loss of Malcolm, ‘Mr Harrogate’, as he has been called. A true Harrogatonian who had a wealth of knowledge about our beautiful town and its history.

“He had a deep and abiding passion for this town and Malcolm knew more about our wonderful Stray, its origins and history, than anyone else. We will miss his knowledge and wisdom immensely.

“He will never be forgotten but be forever Mr Harrogate.”

 

Harrogate marketing agency toasts 20-year longevity with bespoke beer

This article is sponsored by Extreme.

A Harrogate-based marketing firm has shared its 20th anniversary celebrations with clients by creating a bespoke beer to mark its longevity.

Extreme was set up in 2002 by directors Antony Prince and Mark Gledhill and focused on brochure websites and small search engine optimisation projects, before demand increased and the pair hired a range of experts to handle requests for both marketing and development.

Since then the company, which is based at Harrogate’s Windsor House, has gone from strength-to-strength. Their team of 25 in-house experts help business and brands of all sizes, local and international, with every aspect of their marketing.

To celebrate its two decades of success, Extreme teamed up with Harrogate Brewing Co to create “Staying Power”, a session IPA which would help mark the milestone but also represent the agency’s longevity and skills in branding.

Staying Power.

Antony Prince, director at Extreme, said:

“20 years in a fast-paced and sometimes fickle industry is something we’re very proud of.

“We’ve built a fantastic reputation for our creative and technical capabilities and we’ve worked with some amazing brands.”

As well as a celebration of the milestone, the beer was also an opportunity for Extreme to flex its muscles and show its talent in branding.

The idea behind the brand was to create a product which represented endurance but also adaptability.

Extreme used the story of the hare and tortoise, which teaches that self-belief, confidence and patience are the key to longevity and, as such, “staying power”.

As a mark of appreciation, staff at Extreme shared the beer with a host of its clients both old and new.

The design represents adaptability and longevity.

Martha Joyce, Branding and Social Manager at Harrogate Brewing Co, said:

“Working with Extreme to create a bespoke beer for their 20th Anniversary has been an absolute pleasure.

“As a family business with a true passion for beer and brewing, we use only the best ingredients so we can deliver quality craft ales to all our clients.

“By joining forces with the incredible design talents of those at Extreme, we’ve certainly created a beer worthy of celebration and the cause it was created for.

“It’s always a great experience to team up with other local businesses and produce something special to celebrate their achievements. On behalf of everyone at Harrogate Brewing Co, we’d like to congratulate them on their milestone – we hope this beer exemplifies at its best, your true ‘Staying Power’.”

For more information on Extreme and their branding services go to madebyextreme.com.

New data shows Harrogate district visitor economy recovering from covid

The Harrogate district’s visitor economy has yet to recover to pre-covid levels last year, according to figures released yesterday.

The figures show the district attracted 6.47 million visitor numbers, generating an impact of £606 million, in 2019.

In 2020 — when covid struck — visitor numbers crashed to 2.81 million, generating an impact of £279 million, which was a 54 per cent decrease.

Last year, which began with another lockdown but gradually saw the economy open up again, there were more than four million visitor numbers, with an estimated economic impact of £457million, according to the data from Harrogate Borough Council‘s tourism body Destination Harrogate.

Destination Harrogate calculated the figures using data that measures the economic impact of visits to the district and hotel performance.

Gemma Rio

Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, said the figures painted “a positive picture for the recovery of the visitor economy in the Harrogate district”, adding:

“Our destination management plan targets a full recovery of the visitor economy by 2023 and an increase in its value to £836.7 million by 2030.

“With some exciting events and marketing campaigns planned, together with a continued appetite for collaboration across the district, I’m confident that we will continue to see these figures move in the right direction for the rest of 2022 and beyond.”

Data from 2019 shows that on average an overnight visitor stayed 3.3 days and generated £316 for the local economy. In 2021, this rose to 3.5 days and £344.

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According to Destination Harrogate, the 2022 peak season has got off to a “healthy start”, with figures indicating that in March, April and May, hotels were largely fuller and seeing a greater level of revenue per available room than they were in 2019.

Cllr Stanley Lumley

Councillor Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said:

“This is a really positive start to Harrogate’s visitor economy, ahead of the summer season.”

The Crown Hotel

Dan Siddle, general manager of Harrogate’s Crown Hotel and chair of Harrogate Hotel & Tourism Association, said:

“After such a tough period for the hospitality industry, it is wonderful to be enjoying some positivity with increasing occupancy levels across the hotels in Harrogate, and we welcome the work of Destination Harrogate to support this.

“Whilst not yet out of the woods, with challenges still in recruitment and staffing, we look forward to a busy summer season and welcoming visitors new and old to our hotels.”

New partners at Harrogate law firm

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Yorkshire based law firm, LCF Law, has appointed three new partners after promoting Roger Raper and James Austin and recruiting experienced private client lawyer, Haroon Qayum.

The trio will be based across the firm’s Harrogate and Leeds offices.

James joined LCF Law in 2017 and is an experienced employment lawyer based at the firm’s Harrogate office.

Haroon now heads up LCF Law’s personal law team in Harrogate, and is experienced in advising families and individuals on all aspects of private client law, including the drafting of wills and trusts, administration of estates, lasting powers of attorney, inheritance and estate tax planning.

Roger has worked in LCF Law’s disputes team, in Leeds city centre, for nine years advising companies and individuals on all types of commercial disputes.

Simon Stell, managing partner at LCF Law, said:

“James and Roger are long serving members of our team who are renowned for offering high quality, straightforward advice to clients that genuinely adds value. They walk in their clients’ shoes and their combined legal experience and client focussed approach makes them valuable members of LCF Law. It is a pleasure to be able to reward their hard work with these promotions.

“Haroon is experienced in advising clients on all aspects of estate planning and non-contentious private client work. He has previously led a successful private client department, and is a welcome addition to our team, as we attract impressive numbers of new clients throughout Harrogate and beyond.”

LCF Law employs more than 125 people and 24 partners across offices in Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and Ilkley.

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Hairdressing group complete 100km walk

Stylists from the Westrow hairdressing group have completed a 100-kilometre walk, raising over £6000 for charity.

The Westrow team walked for three consecutive days via all nine Westrow salons to raise funds for The Principle Trust, a Skipton based children’s charity.

Dubbed The Great Westrow Walk, the event has already raised £6450 which will fund holidays for sixteen families from the Yorkshire region.

The walkers, aged 18 to 59 years, left the Westrow salon in Skipton on Friday 24 June, calling at branches in Ilkley, Bingley, Leeds city centre (two salons), Westpark, Roundhay and Wetherby, before reaching the finish line at the Harrogate salon on Sunday afternoon.

Marc Westerman one of the founders of Westrow and a patron of The Principle Trust, said:

“We want to thank everyone who supported this event; it was a fantastic way to celebrate Westrow’s 35th anniversary. Every penny raised will help to fund much-needed respite holidays for families across Yorkshire”

The team at Westrow arriving at the Harrogate salon on Station Parade on Sunday afternoon

Harrogate murder trial adjourned until next week

The murder trial of Vitalijus Koreiva and Jaroslaw Rutowicz has been adjourned until Monday due to problems finding a Lithuanian translator.

Mr Koreiva, 36, and Mr Rutowicz, 39, are accused of murdering Gracijus Balciauskas at a flat on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate on December 20 last year.

The trial began on Monday last week at Leeds Crown Court and was set to continue until at least the end of this week.

Mr Koreiva, who is Lithuanian, was due to take the stand this week but his translator is unavailable until Friday and the court has been unable to find another one.

One of the 12 jurors has also caught covid, so Judge Rodney Jameson QC today adjourned the trial until Monday morning.

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The trial began last week with the prosecution giving evidence.

The court heard how Mr Balciauskas’ body was found wrapped in a rug and CCTV footage was shown of the three men buying alcohol in the hours leading up to his death.

This week, the defence began with Mr Rutowicz claiming Mr Koreiva violently killed Mr Balciauskas after a drunken game of chess turned ugly — and then threatened to do the same to him if he dialled 999 for help.