Pret A Manger set to open in Harrogate ‘very soon’

Pret A Manger has confirmed it will open a shop on Harrogate’s James Street “very soon”.

The Stray Ferret revealed in January the sandwich shop franchise planned to open in what was at the time Messums Yorkshire, a gallery curated by artist Johnny Messum. The gallery is now closed.

Pret has now confirmed a store, creating 15 jobs, is expected to welcome customers by late spring.

Pano Christou, chief executive of Pret, said:

“We’re excited to be expanding our footprint in Yorkshire as part of our wider ambition to bring Pret to more people.

“Harrogate is a beautiful and historic town, bustling with tourists and a thriving community. We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors alike into our new shop, very soon”.

Pret currently has more than 450 shops in the UK, with the majority in London.

This will be the first Pret in the Harrogate district. It will sell hot drinks, sandwich and grab and go menu.

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Pret will will become the latest in a significant number of new arrivals on James Street over the past few months.

Tom Limbert, director of property consultants Central Retail, which acted for the landlord, said:

“It’s great to finally bring Pret A Manger to Harrogate. They have looked at the town on and off for a number of years but it shows national occupiers still have belief in the town.”

In partnership with The Pret Foundation, the company is also looking for local charities to donate surplus food to at the end of each day. Those interested can contact the foundation on Pret.FoundationUK@pret.com.

 

Candidates revealed for Harrogate council by-election

Three candidates have been revealed for a by-election on Harrogate Borough Council.

Green Party’s Hannah Katherine Gargett Corlett, Conservative Sam Green and Liberal Democrat Chris Knight will compete for the Wathvale ward seat, which is vacant following the resignation of Conservative councillor Bernard Bateman.

Voting will take place on Thursday, May 5 – the same day as elections to the new North Yorkshire Council.

The successful candidate will sit on Harrogate Borough Council for just under a year before the authority is scrapped and replaced by the new North Yorkshire Council in April 2023.

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As well as competing in the borough council by-election, the Green Party’s Hannah Corlett and Liberal Democrat Chris Knight are also standing for the Wathvale and Bishop Monkton division on the new council.

They were named in a list of 77 candidates competing for 21 seats which will represent the Harrogate district on the new council.

The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour Party, Green Party and Yorkshire Party have all fielded candidates for the election. There are also 10 independents in the mix.

The deadline to register to vote for both elections is April 14 – and those who are already on the electoral register should have received a polling card or letter during the last two weeks in March.

Polling stations will open from 7am to 10pm on election day.

Those who are unable to vote in person can apply to vote by post or proxy.

Stray Views: is this rewilding eyesore acceptable for Harrogate?

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.

Is this rewilding eyesore acceptable for our town?

I was interested to read in the Stray Ferret that Harrogate Borough Council has decided to repeat last years exercise of ‘wilding’ the Stray.

The article was accompanied by an attractive picture of wild flowers and grass gently bending in the breeze. It looks idyllic, and just the image that we want to project to encourage people to visit our town.

The grass verge directly in front of 8 West Park (Specialized & OKA) was ‘wilded’ last year and for weeks we had a miserable view of two-metre high weeds, and the odd dandelion amongst the sparse grass.

grass verge

This year, as my images illustrate, it’s going to be another eyesore. The kind of abandoned verge you wouldn’t be surprised to see on a motorway central reservation but not Harrogate, home of the RHS Harlow Carr and Valley Gardens.

This is on the main walking route into our town, passed by thousands of visitors each year and yet the council seem oblivious to this embarrassment of a ‘maintained’ verge. There were no spring crocuses bursting through. It’s pointless the council cutting the grass because there is as much bare earth as grass. Why has it been forgotten?

I broadly support the concept of ‘wilding’. if the preparation has been done it can look really attractive as it does in neighbouring towns.

I anticipate the council’s response i.e. ‘lack of resources due to covid’ and’ budget restraints’ etc but would it cost so much for a rotavator, some weed killer and grass seed? I would gladly pay for the wild flowers seeds!

Please take a stroll past this verge and ask yourself is this acceptable for our town.

Ian Latham, Harrogate

Sort out this traffic light mess!

I agree with Liz Carnell and the appalling situation with traffic congestion on Skipton Road.

The phasing on all the traffic lights from Bilton Lane right through to Claro Road is completely rubbish.

They all need to be adjusted to time and flow with emphasis on ensuring traffic turning into Skipton Road is not then impeded by red lights, which in turn cause log jams such as King’s Road and Woodfield Road into Skipton Road, both of which allow three cars to turn and immediately into red lights.

As always, local authority make changes at will without understanding the situation in the first place and almost always make the problems worse.

Tony Petrie, Woodfield Road, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

English version of Bach masterpiece to be sung in Harrogate

A new English version of Bach’s St Matthew Passion will be performed during Holy Week at St Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

The oratorio will be sung on Wednesday by the choir of St Peter’s Church, Vocalis chamber choir and the professional Harrogate Bach Players.

John Longstaff, director of music and organist at St Peter’s Church, will direct the performance.

Mr Longstaff and Andrew Greenan, the internationally acclaimed soloist singing the bass arias, have translated the 400-year-old passion into English.

Christine Murphy, of Vocalis, said:

“This is an unmissable opportunity to hear Bach’s St. Matthew Passion complete in Holy Week, in a new English translation, which seeks to communicate the text as clearly as possible while respecting Bach’s natural speech rhythms.”

The other professional soloists are the tenors Joseph Doody and James Micklethwaite, who were both born locally, Philip Wilcox (bass),  Jenny Stafford (soprano, pictured) and Heather Lowe (mezzo-soprano).

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St Matthew Passion was first performed on Good Friday in 1727 and has become an Easter tradition.

Tickets cost £15 and are available by calling 07425 161425, via Eventbrite or on the door, subject to space.

Residents on Harrogate’s Duchy Road lose water after pipe bursts

People living on Harrogate’s Duchy Road were without water today after a pipe burst.

Yorkshire Water was carrying out planned work to repair a section of pipe.

But a Yorkshire Water spokeswoman explained things didn’t go entirely to plan. She said:

“During that repair, an unexpected burst happened nearby. This was then repaired live by the guys on site already there.

“It’s unclear how many houses were affected but I can tell you we had five calls from customers.

“This issue should now be resolved, customers may experience low pressure as their water comes back on.”

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#HG1 Apologies if you have no water due to work on #DuchyRoad. We will get supplies back on ASAP and will tweet when resolved. pic.twitter.com/WD9otVNaPE

— Yorkshire Water Help (@YWHelp) April 10, 2022

 

Searching for inner peace with Harrogate’s Buddhists

From the outside, it looks like a normal terraced house on a Harrogate backstreet, but inside its followers practice the ancient and mystical religion Buddhism.

Around 60 people in Harrogate are practicing Buddhists and visit Harrogate’s Dechen Buddhist Centre on Granville Road.

It has a shrine upstairs for meditation and a meeting room to discuss the teachings of the Buddha, a religious leader who lived more than 2,500 years ago in what is now Nepal.

Followers of Buddhism don’t worship a supreme god or deity. Instead, they focus on achieving their goal of enlightenment, or Nirvana, which they say is a state of inner peace and wisdom.

Buddhism has traditionally been most popular in East and Southeast Asia, but its influence is growing in the west.

David Bullock started following Buddhism 14 years ago after a local newspaper article tweaked his interest.

He said:

“I was looking for a religion and I knew Christianity wasn’t the one. I bought the Knaresborough Post one Friday evening and saw an article about a Buddhist Lama that had been to Harrogate. It gave a phone number, I rang that, and got to speak to someone. 

“I’ve never believed in God anyway. If there was a God and he’s as powerful as the Bible leads us to believe, then why can’t he stop all this violence in the world?”

Howard Quinn said Buddhism has helped him come to terms with a traumatic childhood.

He said:

“I gradually realised that was a set of experiences that stopped defining me, and that’s the thing of the teachings, they are about the rediscovery of the heart, it’s not an intellectual process.”

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Inner peace

The Buddha’s most important teachings, known as The Four Noble Truths, are essential to understanding the religion.

These teachings involve discarding negative emotions such as hatred, anger and jealousy.

The centre in Harrogate is visited by Lama Jampa Thaye twice a year. A Lama is a spiritual guide and has the authority to impart the Buddha’s teachings.

Greg Tunesi used to be a regular churchgoer but said joining Buddhism has been a life-changing experience.

“It’s brought a deep and profound inner peace and joy which is wonderful actually.

“Everybody is searching for true happiness and deep peace to avoid pain dissatisfaction and disappointment. That’s a glue that pulls everybody together, but we don’t always behave in a way that facilities joy. We get caught up in everyday stuff.”

In the shrine room.

Meditation is a key aspect of Buddhism and the path to enlightenment.

The centre offers meditation sessions every Wednesday at 10am and 7.15pm and on Saturdays at 11.15am.

Afterwards, they discuss a Buddhist teaching together and how it relates to their own lives and experiences.

Mr Tunesi said:

“Meditation gives us a real opportunity to observe and quieten that busy mind. Many of us think, ‘we are our thoughts’, but we’re much more. Our thoughts are random things that come and go.

“Once we’ve quietened the mind there’s an opportunity to really reflect on an aspect of the teachings and integrate it into our everyday existence.”

Goodness in life

Mr Quinn said many people come to Buddhism after facing trauma, illness or upheaval in their lives.

He said meditation and the teachings help soften the raw emotions that sometimes come with change.

Mr Quinn said:

“We appreciate what we have much more and see the goodness in life in a much clearer way. We spend much more time living in the moment and much less time reliving negative experiences and habits from the past or worrying what might happen in the future.”

Inside the Buddhist centre

Buddhists believe in karma, which is a philosophy that has transcended the religion and is something many of us are all familiar with.

Mr Tunesi added:

“Be kind and don’t be a cause of suffering, if the whole world was operating like that, goodness me, there wouldn’t be so many people tooting their horn if someone has held them up for a second!”

If you’re interested in learning more about the Dechen Buddhist Centre call 01423 881647 or email info@yorkshirebuddhistcommunity.com

Harrogate district MP Nigel Adams to step down at next election

Harrogate district MP Nigel Adams will stand down at the next general election, according to the BBC News.

The broadcaster reported today that the Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, whose constituency includes Spofforth, Follifoot, Huby and Weeton, wanted to spend time on other interests.

The next general election is due to take place in 2024.

Mr Adams was first elected in 2010 and has defended the seat in three subsequent elections.

Last September, he was appointed minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office.

The role does not have responsibility for a specific department but instead helps to coordinate government policy and includes a vote at Cabinet meetings.

A donation to Mr Adams from a Russian businessman came under the spotlight last year. Viktor Fedotov, donated £33,800 to the MP.

Mr Adams was also in the news last year for swearing at anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray outside the Commons.

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Harrogate film to have UK premiere at Everyman cinema

An independent movie created by a young filmmaker from Harrogate will have its UK premiere at the Everyman cinema later this month.

Created on a low budget, Cardboard Fort is a coming of age movie that follows the story of secondary school student Charlie.

The film, which has been directed by Sam Hartshorn, pays tribute to the borough of Harrogate and celebrates the town’s creative talent. It’s due to be shown at the Everyman on April 23.

One of the central characters, Dom, is played by a student from Harrogate Grammar School, and was found by Mr. Hartshorn through a local school performance of Les Misérables.

Regional musicians are also included, with music from Hope & Social, The Superlatives, and Ben Snowden.

It first premiered in Texas at the Austin Film Festival alongside big-budget movies such as Spencer and C’Mon C’Mon.

Sam Hartshorn (left), director with Thomas Sandler (right) director of photography on Cardboard Fort

Sam Hartshorn (left) director, with Thomas Sandler (right) director of photography on Cardboard Fort

Sam Hartshorn, director of the film, said:

“I’m immensely proud of the film. It’s certainly rough around the edges as we shot it for peanuts in an incredibly short period of time.

“As debut features go, I think we’ve created an entertaining comedy that successfully captures how much fun was had behind the camera during production. I’m indebted to all the actors, supporting artists, crew members and post-production team.”

Cardboard Fort received praise from Shane Black, the director behind Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3. 

Tickets can be purchased online at the Eventbrite website.

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Six free or low-cost family Easter holiday ideas in the Harrogate district

The Easter school holidays are almost here, but for many families this means two weeks of the children at home and increased costs of keeping them entertained.

This year in particular most of us are feeling the crunch thanks to a huge rise in the cost of living and soaring energy bills.

We have teamed up with parenting website Harrogate Mumbler and put together six free or low-cost ideas for the Easter holidays across the district.

Kayti Mewis, content creator for Harrogate Mumbler, said:

“You don’t always have to spend a fortune to have a fun day out with the kids. For example, we always enjoy a day at Valley Gardens with a picnic over the holidays.”

 

Free street entertainment in Harrogate town centre – from April 9

Following the success of Harrogate Business Improvement District’s (BID) street entertainers during the October half-term last year, they will be back in the town centre over the Easter holidays.

On Saturday, April 9, Pete and Ged Moss the gardeners will be in town with their ‘Easter Egg Stravaganza walkabout special’.

They will entertain crowds with their musical wheelbarrow, brimming over with colourful Easter eggs of all shapes and sizes – expect lots of audience participation.

On Good Friday, April 15, the Easter Bunny will be taking some time out from his Easter duties to share some early treats with the children of Harrogate. He will be at the Victoria Shopping Centre at 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 3pm.

On Saturday April 16, ‘Val N Halla’ will be travelling in their musical longboat through the town centre. The two Abba-obsessed Scandinavians will bring “entertainment, mayhem and mirth wherever they go”.

 

Peter Rabbit and Friends Easter Trail at Swinton Estate, near Ripon – April 9 to 24

Head to Swinton Bivouac for an Easter adventure with Peter Rabbit and Friends.

Help Peter and Benjamin to save Easter by rescuing all of the Easter eggs from the clutches of the pesky Samuel Whiskers.

Solve the clues to crack the code that will open the chest to rescue the egg – and earn an Easter treat for yourself as well.

There will also be an opportunity to explore the ruins and follies of Druid’s Temple, built in 1820, reconnect with nature in the woodland of Swinton Estate and take in the views over the Leighton reservoir.

Trail maps are £5, with each completed answer sheet earning a prize. All money from the trail goes directly to the Friends of Grewelthorpe School (FROGS) charity.

 

The Great Knaresborough Bunny Hunt – April 9 to 24

Organised and presented by Painting Pots Knaresborough, this quirky event is now in its fifth year.

There will once again be 17 ceramic bunnies hopping into local businesses.

The bunnies are hand-painted in vivid patterns, some inspired by characters or recognisable personalities and products. Painted mostly in house by Laura of Painting Pots, and more recently Natasha Gilyard.

A map with the locations of the bunnies is hand-drawn and painted by local artist Helen Salmons, who is known as The Relentless Crafter, while the bunnies themselves are the handiwork of Natasha Gilyard and Painting Pots’ Laura.

The maps can be purchased for £3 from Painting Pots, Castlegate, and the Oldest Chemist Shoppe, Market Square.

Bunny hunters use the map to find the bunnies, fill in their form and hand them back in to receive a sweet treat, a wristband, sticker and entry to win prizes donated by local businesses.

Over the last four years, The Great Knaresborough Bunny Hunt has raised more than £6,000 for local charities. All profits this year will go to Lucie’s Animal Rescue and Inspire Youth.

The event will be officially launched at the Knaresborough Spring Fayre on April 9, where there will also be the first ever Great Knaresborough Bunny Hunt Parade.

 

Activities at Knaresborough Library – April 16 and April 21

Hoglets Theatre will be performing their play The Sleep Pirates on Saturday, April 16 at 2pm, featuring swashbuckling pirates, flying ships and shooting stars.

The event is aimed at families with children aged four to eight. Places are limited so booking is essential and children need to be library members. Pop in to the library or call 01609 533610 to book your place.

Alternatively, enjoy some arty fun with a print workshop with artist Lana Grindley on April 21 at 2pm.

Children aged 7 to 11 are invited to design and print their own book cover artwork, inspired by their favourite book illustrations. The designs will be displayed at a special exhibition in the library following the workshop.

Book your free ticket here.

 

There are also some great events at places that offer membership. If you are already a member, these events are usually included, or have a small additional price:

The Giant Easter Egg Hunt at RHS Harlow Carr – April 9 to 24

Enjoy a supersized family adventure this Easter holiday at RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

Go hunting for the larger-than-life hand-painted eggs hidden around the garden on ‘The giant Easter egg hunt’, and from Good Friday to Easter Monday meet the Garden Detectives for more family fun.

The Easter egg hunt sees children equipped with an explorer pack. Follow the trail around the garden to find the giant painted eggs. There are fun puzzles to solve and plants and wildlife to spot along the way.

Children will be rewarded with a free chocolate treat after completing the trail.

The event is free to RHS members and children under 5.

Easter egg hunt at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal – until April 17

Pick up an adventure trail for £3 and follow the map to complete 10 fun activities during your visit.

See if you can shake like a squirrel, rise like the sun and listen to nature’s orchestra. Complete the trail and earn your chocolate egg reward at the end.

What life is like ‘Down Under’ in Harrogate, Australia

You can find koalas, kangaroos and kookaburras in Harrogate — a small rural township in Australia that is named after our district’s original one. 

It’s located in the Adelaide Hills on the banks of the Bremer River and is around 55km away from the bustling city of Adelaide.

People who live there are called Harrogations and there are around 300 of them, happily living a more relaxed pace of life than we’re used to here in North Yorkshire.

Things don’t move in a hurry in the Aussie Harrogate and the post is delivered just three times a week. There is one street light and the nearest shop is 14km away, so locals call on ‘good neighbours’ if they run out of any necessities.

The Stray Ferret got in touch with some Harrogate residents Down Under who told us a bit about their town, which has a thriving community that has weathered the changes of time.

 Di Gray said:

“Harrogations can enjoy the isolation, relaxation and calm that our town and surround brings to families and households, animals and local wildlife alike.”

Changing times

Harrogate used to be well-known for its old-style dances, tennis and table tennis clubs.

There was a school, church and corner shop too, which are now long gone.

But the tennis and table-tennis club remain and Harrogations enjoy playing games of ping pong against nearby towns such as Woodside and Nairne.

Harrogate has an annual Christmas party as well as a bonfire night when the whole community comes together.

The town rallied in December 2019 when bushfires enveloped Harrogate, and locals have spent the last few years regenerating farmland and helping wildlife heal from the devastation.

People in Harrogate enjoy a game of tennis.

Pamela Dashwood said she especially enjoys all the wildlife on her doorstep.

“We have a lot of birdlife, sulphur crested cockatoos, corellas, magpies, rosellas and galahs. Plus kookaburras who have the most gorgeous laugh.

“We have lots of kangaroos at the moment and the occasional koala. We do have brown and red belly black snakes in summer but I rarely see them.  We do have lizards in the garden too sunning themselves on the lawn.”

Di Gray added:

“Families have grown and left and some have returned to raise the next generation here. 

“We have all arrived for different reasons and the diversity is part of the charm along with the knowledge that it will never grow too big.”

Who named Harrogate?

Pioneers moved to Australia from Britain in the 19th century looking to find their fortune. Harrogate, Australia historian Shylie McInnes, told the Stray Ferret that three men staked a claim to naming the town.

The first is Thomas Carling who was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in 1820. He arrived in Australia in 1850 and tried his luck as a gold miner before marrying a local woman.

Thomas Carling

He tended to horses in the UK and eventually took up the 700 acres of land that became the township of Harrogate.

Carling won prizes for bushels of wheat grown on his land and his house was said to be filled with gold and silver trophies, cups, medals, diplomas and certificates related to farming. 

An obituary published in the Adelaide Advertiser after his death in 1903 was called ‘Death of a Pioneer’.

It said “the ideal farmer” was “of a reserved nature was genial and hearty with associates, while uprightness and strict integrity were traits of his character.”

A man called Charles Young also claimed to have named Harrogate. He was employed to survey the land that is currently Harrogate by the Britannia Mining Company.

Gold mining greatly contributed to the development of Australia in the second half of the 19th century

Young was from Devon but claimed to have named Harrogate after its UK namesake.

Finally, the politician John Baker, who was born in Somerset, UK, bought the land in 1858 and authorised the township of Harrogate.

He was a major landowner around Adelaide and was the second Premier of the colony of South Australia.

John Baker

In 1869 he bred a thoroughbred racehorse named Don Juan that won the 1873 Melbourne Cup, which remains today one of Australia’s most famous horse races.

Ms McIness said all three men lived in the area around the same time and she has found documents that leads her to believe that they knew each other, but it’s a mystery which man named the town Harrogate as no official records remain.

Intertwined history

In the years those early pioneers were developing Harrogate, Australia around agriculture, Harrogate in the UK was experiencing a boom of its own thanks to the introduction of the railway in 1848. It helped establish the town as a Victorian spa destination.

In the following 170 years, the two towns have developed at different paces, but will always share an obvious connection.

When comparing the two Harrogates, Facebook shows that 1,825 people have ‘checked in’ at Harrogate, Australia — a lot less than the 550,000 that have visited Harrogate, UK.

And whilst Harrogate continues to grow with new housing developments , restaurants and bars — Harrogate, Australia will probably always be content with its laid-back place in the world.