This article is sponsored by The Micro Agency.

A Harrogate company has won an award for digital marketing agency of the year after being praised for its “personal touch”.

The Micro Agency, which is based at Harrogate Business Centre, was awarded the title at the Innovation and Excellence Awards 2022.

Founded by married couple Carly Chaffer and Gary Hartley, the agency was given the award after judges recognised their “personal touch”, “consistency of reviews” and “community feel”.

Judges were also impressed with how the couple managed to retain clients during the covid pandemic. The agency has since looked to grow off the back of this as more companies invest in digital opportunities.

The company was founded three years ago after Carly and Gary decided to leave their previous freelance work behind and team up to launch the agency.

The couple wanted to combine their skills and offer something more personal for clients.

As part of the agency, Carly heads up the marketing side and Gary handles the website design and development.

Together, the couple boast 35 years experience in the industry and pride themselves on being approachable and personable with clients.

‘It was brilliant’

Ahead of picking up the award at a ceremony in December in Leeds, Carly said it was an unbelievable achievement for the couple.

She said:

“It was brilliant to find out the news.

“We know we are not the biggest, but we pride ourselves on getting results and building long-term relationships with our clients.”

But, the couple are no strangers to picking up awards.

Over her 15 years in the industry, Carly was was named as one of the Top 30 Women Under 30 in Digital by global media platform The Drum and was also shortlisted for Young Achiever of the Year at the Sue Ryder Awards.

For the future, the pair hope to continue their personal approach to clients and continue to grow their base.

For more information on The Micro Agency, visit their website.

Films showing archived footage of Harrogate and Knaresborough are set to be screened for the public next month.

Yorkshire Film Archive will show the specially curated films at the Odeon cinema in Harrogate on September 19.

It will feature clips showing Harrogate in the 1930s, the Knaresborough bed race in the 1970s and rare footage of the Odeon being opened.

The collection of amateur, professional and television clips will also show the area’s film heritage, including news footage of the filming of Agatha starring Dustin Hoffman in the late 1970s.

Graham Relton, Yorkshire Film Archive manager, said: 

“YFA hold such an amazing collection of Harrogate and Knaresborough films, meaning that – as always – my biggest curation challenge has been what to leave out! I’m looking forward to sharing old favourites and previously unseen footage from our vaults.

“I believe the screening will really connect with audiences and the icing on the cake would be for someone to recognise themselves on screen as we reveal old footage and new perspectives on these beautiful spa towns.”

A still of Knaresborough Bed Race in the 1970s. Picture: Yorkshire Film Archive.

The screenings have been commissioned by Harrogate Civic Society and Harrogate Film Society.

Screenings of the 90-minute films will take place at the cinema on East Parade in Harrogate at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Paula Stott, from Harrogate Film Society, said: 

“During lockdown, the film society hugely enjoyed a series of online film screenings presented by YFA and, together with Harrogate Civic Society, we are delighted to finally welcome them back in person with a new selection of footage that will appeal to anyone interested in the history and changing face of our town.”

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Stuart Holland, chair of Harrogate Civic Society, added:

“It fits in so well with the civic society strap line of ‘celebrating the past, enhancing the present and shaping the future’. 

“We can learn so much from the past and that helps us shape the future. There is so much passion shown by residents of both Harrogate and Knaresborough to learn more about our history, and I know this screening will not disappoint.”

You can purchase tickets for the screenings at the Harrogate Film Society website.

A new scoreboard at Harrogate Town has been approved as part of the club’s stadium redevelopment.

The digital screen will sit in the south west corner of the EnviroVent Stadium.

Besides displaying the score, it will show substitutions made during a game and other match information, such as transport or safety news.

Harrogate Borough Council has now given approval for the plan.

The EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road is due to undergo a £3.5 million upgrade, funded by chairman Irving Weaver.

A statement submitted to the council said:

“The new scoreboard will complement the stadium and improve the spectator experience.”

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The club has said it is the board’s ambition to create a “sustainable and thriving club, for future generations to enjoy”.

The club also has to abide by English Football League criteria for its ground following Town’s promotion to League Two in 2020.

The proposals include a new seated stand, match day bar and improved ticketing facilities.

The ground on Wetherby Road has been home to the Sulphurites since 1920, but in recent years it has struggled to keep pace with the club’s rapid rise up the divisions into the English Football League.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Harrogate law firm has promoted one of its solicitors to senior associate.

Brian Nuttney has been awarded the promotion at McCormicks Solicitors.

Mr Nuttney works in the crime and fraud department and appears regularly in the magistrates’ courts and police stations across North Yorkshire and further afield.

Partner Peter Minnikin, head of the department, said: 

“Brian is an important part of what is a very busy team – as illustrated by our recent appointments of two new lawyers – and his promotion is well deserved.”

Prior to his career in law, Mr Nuttney was a successful journalist and worked as deputy editor for a number of regional newspapers.

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Linley and Simpson parent company acquires property agency

The parent company of Harrogate estate agent Linley and Simpson has acquired an online property agency.

Lomond Group has bought the multi-regional agent Property Hub Lets and its 700 properties across Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.

The management of the properties will now be transferred over to high street branches, including Linley and Simpson.

Will Linley, co-founder of Linley and Simpson and managing director of the Lomond Group, said: 

“This is the first time we have acquired an agency that operated exclusively online, and are thrilled with the high-quality portfolio we have inherited.

“It represents a perfect synergy for us as we already have a strong presence across the majority of major cities that Property Hub Lets covers. We now look forward to transferring all these properties smoothly and speedily into a number of our local branches.

“This deal is our first multi-regional one in England – and a model we are looking to mirror in future acquisitions.

“It underlines the unique proposition of Linley and Simpson and the Lomond Group, and the strength of our network of regional brands where we are able to link together across huge swathes of the country to accommodate a diverse geographical portfolio. The deal also extends our portfolio reach into Liverpool for the first time.”

Ripon motorists are paying up to 11.2 pence more per litre for unleaded petrol than their Harrogate counterparts, while those driving diesel cars, vans and lorries are paying on average 8 pence a litre more at the pump.

This morning, at the Morrisons Esso station on Harrogate Road a litre of unleaded was being sold at 179.9 pence.

But 12 miles away in Harrogate, Asda’s price for a litre of unleaded had reduced  to 168.7 pence.

It means a motorist adding 40 litres of unleaded fuel to their vehicle would pay an extra £4.48.

On Saturday the Morrisons petrol station in Harrogate was selling the cheapest unleaded in town at 170.4 pence per litre, but by contrast, the petrol station at its Ripon store site was charging 178.9.

Morrisons’ Esso petrol station on Harrogate Road, Ripon, where a litre of unleaded was 11.2 pence more than Asda and 9.5 pence more than at its Harrogate store.

Ripon resident Stewart Readman, who contacted the Stray Ferret to point out the difference in prices, said:

“I have an app that gives details of petrol and diesel costs in the area and further afield and would have thought that at a time when some  people are struggling to get by, that the petrol station operators would be a bit more even-handed when they are in a position to reduce prices.”

When asked how it justifies the price difference between its petrol stations in Harrogate and Ripon, a spokesman for supermarket giant Morrisons, said:

“In the UK petrol prices vary from town to town and even neighbourhood to neighbourhood and we will always strive to be competitive in each local area.

“Occasionally this can mean price differences between different areas open up. We continually review our prices and will look to reduce this difference as soon as we can.”

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Economic growth in the Harrogate district has been slower than regional and national averages since the district took a £438 million hit during covid.

Gross Value Added (GVA) data published by Harrogate Borough Council shows the local economy contracted by 10% – or £438 million – during 2020 and that growth has lagged behind Yorkshire and the Humber and the UK.

GVA measures the value of goods and services produced in an area, and Harrogate’s figure was set to reach £4.3 billion before the pandemic struck.

It now stands at £3.87 billion – down from £4.26 billion in 2017/18.

A council report said economic performance has been “positive” given the impacts of covid and Brexit, but added there are “continuing challenges that need to be addressed” as experts forecast a gloomy outlook with a UK recession on the horizon.

The report said:

“Overall the performance has been positive but key factors that must be taken into account are that of the UK’s exit from the European Union and the covid-19 pandemic.

“Covid-19 in particular has had a significant impact on GVA with the district seeing a 10% reduction in the economy.

“Looking forward post pandemic, forecasts show that job numbers will not return to pre-covid levels and therefore increasing productivity becomes more of a priority than ever.”

Other figures show the total number of businesses registered in Harrogate increased by 4% between 2016 and 2021 – below both the regional and national averages of 8% and 13%.

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In more positive figures, unemployment is low at 3.1% and the council has been keen to highlight its support for businesses during covid when it handed out more than £96 million to firms which were severely impacted by lockdown restrictions.

The report to a cabinet meeting on Wednesday has recommended “closing down” the council’s covid recovery plan, whilst also providing a review of its economic growth strategy which was adopted in 2017.

At the time it was adopted, the strategy identified a low wage economy and high house prices leading to a “brain drain” of people moving out of Harrogate as key problems facing the district.

These issues are still very much prevalent with average salaries of £25,000 below the UK figure of £30,000 and Harrogate house prices averaging £338,786 this year.

The report added:

“Whilst positive progress has been made since the adoption of the economic growth strategy in 2017, there are continuing challenges that need to be addressed.

“In line with national and local strategies, the council will therefore continue to prioritise and support ‘good growth’ in the district, with an aim of embedding a more sustainable and resilient economy.”

Warning: This article contains details some people may find disturbing.

A Harrogate paedophile has been jailed for 14 years for the systematic sexual abuse of a young girl, which a judge described as “unforgivable”. 

Neil Michael Stubbs, 27, was convicted of 13 separate offences following a four-day trial. He appeared for sentence today when York Crown Court heard harrowing testimonies from the victim.

During the trial in April, the jury heard that Stubbs, of Kingsley Park Road, groomed and sexually abused the youngster over a prolonged period.

They found him guilty of all 13 charges including one count of attempted rape of a child under 13, two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, sexual assault, possessing indecent images and several counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecutor Paul Newcombe said that some of the offences, including sexual assault and causing a child to engage in sexual activity, were “specimen counts”, meaning they happened on multiple occasions.

He said that Stubbs would perform lewd acts on himself in front of the girl and got her to perform sexual acts on him on at least six occasions. Stubbs also “pestered” her to send him naked photos of herself. 

On one occasion, he tried to rape the youngster, but she kicked him away. On another, he told her he had a “fantasy of having sex with a virgin” and warned her not to tell anybody about the abuse, and that she had to “take it to her grave”.

‘My mental health has dramatically declined’

Following Stubbs’ arrest, police seized his mobile phone on which they found indecent images of children including some naked photos of the victim, who is from Harrogate but cannot be named for legal reasons. Some of the other images were rated Category A – the worst kind of such material.

Mr Newcombe said it showed that Stubbs had an “unhealthy obsession” with children.

In a statement read out in court, the victim said that Stubbs had “stripped” her of her childhood and she was now living with the dreadful consequences of his wicked actions.

She added:

“Since the sexual abuse my mental health has dramatically declined.

“I’ve suffered from suicidal thoughts and have on two occasions attempted suicide.”

She had suffered from “severe social anxiety” and struggled to leave her house. She found it hard to make friends and trust people, particularly men.

She had sought the help of counsellors and multiple support agencies such as the NSPCC but the abuse still had a “profound” effect on her, she added.

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She said that Stubbs had robbed her of her childhood innocence by putting her through “what I can only describe as “mental torture”.

Her mother, who has also received counselling since the offences came to light, said: 

“The impact this whole incident has had on my family as a whole is monumental.

“The worst thing in the world is knowing that (my daughter) will always suffer for the rest of her life.”

Defence barrister Robert Mochrie said that according to a doctor’s report, Stubbs was on the autistic spectrum, but the same report added that this wouldn’t have reduced his culpability.

He said that Stubbs, who had been brought up in care, was a “social loner” who had previously worked in a shop and had never offended before.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, described the campaign of abuse as a “catalogue of offending” and told Stubbs:

“While you may have perhaps some traits of autism, this does not excuse your behaviour. You know right from wrong.

“You repeatedly abused (the victim). You described to her the fantasy of having sex with a…virgin. That was your fantasy and it very nearly came about.”

Mr Morris said that both the girl and her mother had been utterly “traumatised” and blasted Stubbs for putting the victim through the ordeal of a trial when the evidence against him was “absolutely overwhelming”.

Jailing Stubbs for 14 years, the judge told him: 

“This is a sentence that you richly deserve. This girl attempted suicide twice and has had her life turned upside down by the abuse she suffered at your hands…and it is unforgivable.”

Stubbs will serve half of that sentence behind bars before being released on parole, but the judge ordered that he would serve an extended one-year period on prison licence because he was an “offender of particular concern”.

Stubbs was also placed on the sex-offenders’ register for life and given a sexual-harm prevention order which will last for 20 years and is designed to limit his contact with children. 

No trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough on Thursday amid more national strikes.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport workers’ union and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association are set to strike this week over pay and conditions.

The latest industrial action will see thousands of workers walk out on Thursday and Saturday.

Northern, which operates trains in Harrogate and Knaresborough, has advised passengers not to travel on those days.

As a result of the strike action, no trains will run to Leeds and York from Harrogate on Thursday.

Services are still scheduled to run on Saturday, but Northern has warned that passengers may still face disruption.

Northern said:

“RMT and TSSA unions have called for industrial action on Thursday 18 and Saturday 20 August. We are advising Northern customers not to travel on these days.

“We also expect disruption to services on Friday 19 and Sunday 21 August, especially in the morning. Customers are urged to check before they travel on these days.”

Mick Lynch, general secretary at RMT, said:

“The rail industry and the government need to understand that this dispute will not simply vanish.

“They need to get serious about providing an offer on pay which helps deal with the cost-of-living crisis, job security for our members and provides good conditions at work.”

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Last month, members of the RMT union organised a picket line outside Harrogate train station as part of the ongoing dispute.

The Harrogate district is braced for thunderstorms this week after a yellow weather warning was issued.

The Met Office has warned that the UK will face “hit and miss” storms today.

A yellow weather warning is in place for the whole of England and Scotland on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The warning says that thunderstorms are likely to develop throughout the day, with torrential downpours in some areas and “potential disruption”.

The Harrogate district is forecast light showers this afternoon with more rain on Tuesday.

It comes after a heatwave lasting several days, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees.

Yorkshire Water announced a hosepipe ban for the county last week amid some parts of England declaring a drought. The ban will come into force on Friday, August 26.

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A new shop selling items handmade in Yorkshire is to open in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre today.

Boggle Hole sells items made by about 90 crafters, artisans and designers in Yorkshire.

The shop, run by Mel and Andrew Turner, stocks a wide range of items from jewellery to children’s wear.

Ms Turner is a holistic therapist and Mr Turner served 22 years in the armed services.

The couple already have a similar shop in Northallerton, which they opened in July 2020.

Mr Turner said:

“Harrogate has a good feel about it with the right kind of people to appreciate quality handmade goods.

“There’s something for everybody. We work with 90 to 100 people that make something unique.”

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