Harrogate nursery currently closed due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’

A Harrogate nursery that has existed for more than 50 years has closed.

Oatlands Pre-School, which opened in 1968, was situated in the former Oatlands Methodist Church on Mount Street and was owned and managed by a voluntary committee.

According to its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2017, it catered for 25 children aged two to five.

Claire Temple, chair of the Oatlands Pre-School and community centre committee, told the Stray Ferret it had closed due to “unforeseen circumstances” and said she was unable to provide any further information at this time.

The pre-school, which it is believed closed in September, operated from 8.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday throughout term times and provided a lunch club.

Ofsted rated the nursery as ‘good’ in 2017 but its website now describes it as closed.

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Planned new Harrogate restaurant and bar applies for alcohol licence

A proposed new bar and restaurant on Harrogate’s King’s Road has applied for a premises licence.

The premises would be situated in Ocean House and the former Ramus seafood shop. If approved, it would significantly liven a part of town not known for its nightlife.

GM Developments, which is based in Leeds, lodged plans with Harrogate Borough Council in October for the scheme.

Under a licensing application, the bar, called Frog, would be open from Monday to Sunday from 10am until midnight.

The application also seeks permission for the retail sale of alcohol on site.

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The new restaurant, which would be based in Ocean House and create up to 20 jobs, would seat 70 people indoors. There would also be a bar, external pavement and courtyard seating.

The business would be managed by Roger Moxham, one of the founding owners of Harrogate’s Cold Bath Brewing company.

Mr Moxham said previously:

“We will serve a diverse array of global meals rooted in Asia and the Americas, which we intend to rotate throughout the year. 

“The menu will be underpinned by a weekend brunch offer all supported by a full range of hand crafted cocktails and beers and an interesting selection of soft drinks, teas and coffees.”

The council will make a decision on the premises application at a later date.

Unemployment in Harrogate district falls despite end of furlough

The number of people receiving out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district has continued to fall, despite the furlough scheme ending at the end of September.

Latest figures by the Office for National Statistics show 2,375 people in the district were claiming the benefits as of October 14.

This is 115 fewer than the 2,490 figure for September 12. The benefits include Universal Credit, which can also be claimed by people who are in work but on low incomes.

The furlough scheme ended on September 30 and supported around 28,600 jobs in the Harrogate district for 18 months.

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The figures appear to have calmed fears raised by the local Liberal Democrats that the scheme would result in up to 3,600 job losses in the district.

Speaking last month, Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition group on Harrogate Borough Council, said the Liberal Democrats both locally and nationally were demanding the scheme be extended to protect jobs.

Will you be going for a spin on Harrogate’s helter skelter?

Have you spotted Harrogate’s new Christmas attraction in front of the war memorial?

Harrogate Borough Council has installed a full-sized helter skelter opposite Bettys ahead of the festive season.

The fairground ride, which arrived last night, will remain in the town centre until January 2.

Rides will operate during the afternoon, subject to weather, throughout November and December.

The attraction is one of various ideas Harrogate BID, Visit Harrogate and the council have organised this festive season, along with Christmas markets, a Santa visit and a Christmas train, to encourage footfall into the town.

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https://twitter.com/Silverginger/status/1460367753660047364

Wanted man could be in Harrogate, say police

A wanted man who breached his conditions of release from prison could be Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police is seeking information on the whereabouts of 24-year-old Joshua David Greaves.

Greaves was jailed in September 2020 for stealing motorbikes and bicycles worth £12,000.

Police say he could be in Scarborough, but also has links to Harrogate and Eastfield.

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Greaves is about 6ft 2, of slim build and has dark brown hair and blue eyes.

A police statement added:

“If you see him, or have any info about his current whereabouts, please call North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference number 12210238354.”

Ofgem appoints company to take on CNG customers

Energy regulator Ofgem has appointed a new company to take on customers of Harrogate firm CNG Energy.

CNG ceased trading this month after 27 years and entered the regulator’s Supplier of Last Resort process.

The SoLR procedure was established as a safety net to ensure that when a company stops supplying energy, affected customers are guaranteed continuity of supply through other companies.

Ofgem has now appointed Pozitive Energy, which is based in Colchester, to supply energy to 41,000 customers of both CNG Energy and CNG Electricity.

In a statement on Pozitive Energy’s website, it said:

“We’ve reached out to all current CNG customers by post and email to let them know we are taking over their supply and what to expect over the next four weeks. We’ve confirmed current rates and how to secure more competitive rates with Pozitive Energy.”

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Meanwhile, Neil Lawrence, Ofgem’s director of retail, said:

“We understand that this news may be unsettling for customers, however they do not need to worry.

“Their energy supply will continue as normal, and domestic customer credit balances as well as some non-domestic credit balances, will be honoured.”

Downfall of CNG

The move follows the demise of Harrogate company CNG, which told its employees about the SoLR process in an email on November 3.

However, the company’s troubles became apparent in October when Paul Stanley, managing director of CNG, sent a letter to customers saying it was exiting the wholesale market.

The company, which is based on Victoria Avenue, supplied energy to about 15 to 20 retail energy companies through its wholesale business arm and also had around 50,000 business customers.

It had been impacted by spiralling global gas prices over the past few months.

About 145 jobs have been lost and staff have been told that wages for days worked this month are not guaranteed to be paid.

 

Petition mooted over Marks & Spencer plans to close Harrogate Oatlands cafe

Marks & Spencer has submitted plans to expand its Simply Food store on Leeds Road, Harrogate and close the cafe.

M&S was granted planning permission to demolish a car showroom and build the store at Oatlands Retail Park in 2012.

It now plans to expand into the adjoining sofa.com unit.

The company actually had permission to occupy the sofa.com site in 2012 but did not want as much space then and chose to sub-divide the unit instead.

A planning document sent to Harrogate Borough Council by commercial real estate agents Avison Young (UK) on behalf of M&S reveals the retailer now plans to expand and ‘remove’ the cafe. It says:

“The current works to reverse the unit’s sub-division reflect changes in consumer demand for food products in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and a wider business strategy by M&S to invest in and expand its food retail offer.”

A Stray Ferret reader got in touch to say the potential loss of the cafe had not gone down well with customers and some were considering a petition calling on the company to reconsider.

An M&S spokesperson said:

“Our expansion plans at M&S Harrogate Oatlands are designed to deliver a bigger, better and fresher new-look food hall for shoppers and mark a significant investment in the local area.

“Whilst these plans involve closing the in-store café, they will allow us to transform the store to deliver the very best of M&S for our customers in Harrogate, with a bigger range of M&S food products than ever before.”

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Harry’s Heroes: listen to inspiring stories and vote for your hero

Former BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration has met six inspirational people from the Harrogate district for his new podcast Harry’s Heroes.

Harry has recorded conversations with finalists Cath Wilson, Greta Knight, Helen Mackenzie, Lauren Doherty, Mark Oldfield and Susie Little who were all put forward by local people who feel their work is extraordinary. Each are doing exceptional things in different ways to help others in the community.

Harry has partnered with sponsor Harrogate Spring Water to champion the work of these exceptional individuals.

You can learn more about each hero and listen to the podcasts by clicking or tapping here and afterwards vote for your favourite. We hope you enjoy listening to their stories and about their work.

The hero who gets the most votes will win a trip to London for a fantastic concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Voting closes on November 28 at 11.59pm. The winner will be announced by Harry Gration the following day on November 29.

Harry said on the launch of his new podcast:

“My final six local heroes have told me their stories, we’ve recorded them and they’re ready to listen to.

“It was an absolute pleasure to meet all of our heroes along with the people who put them forward in the first place.

“I encourage you to take the time to listen to all of their stories, they really are fantastic and very moving.

“I’m delighted to give these individuals the recognition they deserve and hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I did making them.

“You can vote in the form below but before you do, take the time to listen to all six stories.

“I look forward to announcing the lucky winner on 29 November with Harrogate Spring Water.”

Woodfield primary school set to close in September

Woodfield Community Primary School and nearby Grove Road Community Primary School look set to amalgamate next year.

Under plans to be discussed by councillors next week, Woodfield would be effectively swallowed up by the bigger Grove Road, which would operate as a split-site 280-pupil school.

The Woodfield site would initially operate as a nursery for children from both schools while Grove Road would cater for all children from reception to year six.

Then from September 2023, all nursery children and reception pupils would be based at the current Woodfield site, which would eventually accommodate all key stage 1 pupils. All key stage 2 children would be based at the current Grove Road site.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed plans last month to merge the two schools. A meeting on Tuesday next week will see councillors asked to approve putting the wheels in motion.

If approved, a six-week consultation will start on December 2 and a final decision taken on April 19.

The council says amalgamation is necessary because Woodfield has been unable to find an academy willing to take it on since it was rated inadequate by Ofsted in January last year.

But some parents have vowed to fight the move because they feel the school has made significant progress — a view supported by an Ofsted monitoring visit in June, which said ‘leaders and managers are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures’.

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Some parents with more than one child have also expressed concern about having to drop off and collect from both schools, which are 0.6 miles apart.

A report to councillors says:

“The intention is to have a walking bus, across the iron bridge to the back of the Woodfield playing field, that enables parents to drop their child at either school and then children who need to will be able to walk safely to the other site accompanied by school staff.

“We will look at the timings of the school day to ensure that parents who choose to drop off or collect children from both sites are able to do so.

“Grove Road school also have wrap around care provision that will continue to be available from 7:30am to 5:30pm. Other opportunities, including clubs, will be looked at closely across both sites.”

80 fewer primary school places

The report also says that if the proposals go ahead, there would be 350 primary school places available across the two sites compared with the current 280 at Grove Road and 150 at Woodfield — an overall reduction of 80 places.

However, Woodfield only currently has 49 pupils, compared with 92 in January 2019.

The report adds that forecasts suggested “there would appear to be sufficient primary places available in the local area” and cites as evidence declining birth rates in Harrogate district, from 1,425 in 2016/17 to 1,308 in 2018/19.

It says the financial position of schools is “dependent on both pupil numbers and the level of staffing”

Woodfield, it adds, has projected in-year budget deficits of £119,000 in the financial year 2021/22, £103,300 in 2022/23 and £128,400 in 2023/24, and a forecast cumulative budget deficit of £98,000 in 2021/22, £201,400 in 2022/23 and £329,900 in 2023/24.

Grove Road, by contrast, is predicted to make surpluses in the corresponding years.

The report says any deficit on the Woodfield school budget “would be absorbed by the county council”.

It adds:

“A separate HR consultation process for staff and their professional associations will commence in the spring term and the governing
bodies will most likely propose an internal transfer of staff from Woodfield to Grove Road, following Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) principles.”

Disabled people to help run new Harrogate cafe

A new cafe will open in Harrogate next month to help people with disabilities learn skills and get into the job market.

Artizan International will open the South-American themed cafe in the former Game unit on Cambridge Road, just around the corner from its shop on Oxford Street.

The charity has taken on a large space set over three floors. The ground floor will be the main cafe and craft area, the first floor will have more cafe seating and the second floor will be for offices and storage.

With such a big space, the cafe will be run by four to six staff and volunteers who are there to support up to four adults with disabilities.

When it opens the cafe will serve its speciality of Peruvian hot chocolate. All of its coffee, tea and sugar will come from Fairtrade sources. It will also stock a range of soups, paninis and cakes.

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Susie Hart, who founded Artizan International, told the Stray Ferret why she wanted to invest in the cafe:

“We are going to be training young adults. The idea is they get training here and get to a level of proficiency where we could then help them find work in other cafes in town.

“At the minute everybody in the hospitality industry is desperate for workers. Meanwhile there are loads of young people with disabilities who would love to have a job in a local business.

“It really could be a win-win for those who want the work and those who need the workers, it is a really exciting time for the charity.”

Ms Hart was originally planning to replicate the success of cafes she ran in Tanzania which were staffed by deaf people.

She worked with North Yorkshire County Council and found that local deaf people were managing to find work.

However, she found out that there were “countless” young people with other disabilities on the council’s records looking for practical training, work experience and employment.

Artizan International is looking for more volunteers to join the team and help run the cafe, which will be open Monday to Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.

Are you interested? Send an email to Sarah Davis by clicking or tapping here. Alternatively call 01423 561556 more more information.