Plans have been approved to convert a former restaurant in Harrogate into a craft pub.

Husk Beer Emporium, which has a shop on King’s Road, lodged the proposal to change the unit on Station Square into a bar.

The vacant unit was previously home to Greek restaurant Souvlaki and is opposite the Queen Victoria monument.

Now, Harrogate Borough Council has approved the plans.

Danny Duckworth and Tom Gill, who own the Husk Beer Emporium, told the Stray Ferret previously that the aim of the bar will be to showcase the best craft beers from across the UK and abroad.

Husk Beer Emporium owners Danny Duckworth and Tom Gill.

It would also offer live music, meet the brewery nights, food, outdoor seating and an ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of unique beers.

Mr Gill told the Stray Ferret in March that he hopes Husk bar can be part of a Harrogate craft beer trail, boosted by the Station Gateway scheme that would see the outside area at the end of James Street pedestrianised to allow for al-fresco summer drinking.

He said:

“More and more people are seeking places like this out.”

Mr Duckworth added:

“The craft beer scene in Harrogate is buzzing for us to open, we hope they can support us.”

Read more:

• New Harrogate bar for craft beer lovers could be coming soon
• Cosy Club plans new bar on Harrogate’s Cambridge Street

The mental health benefits of gardening are being celebrated at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show which starts tomorrow.

Designers from across the country will be creating a flash of floral inspiration aimed at showcasing the country’s growing connection with plants and flowers.

The four-day event at the Great Yorkshire Showground will feature ‘Grow Your Home’, a colourful installation created by floral stylists from Leeds-based Leafy Couture.

The display, featuring hundreds of blooms around a central courtyard setting, offers visitors a glimpse of the joys which flowers can bring, which was particularly highlighted during the pandemic.

Show director Nick Smith said:

“After a difficult time for many of us, this year’s Spring show concentrates entirely on the positives which plants and landscapes can bring to us all.

“Gardening is the great leveller – from sweeping lawns to a simple window box, we can all benefit from the life-affirming pleasure which plants and flowers can make to our own personal space.”

Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) has chosen the flower show to launch its latest campaign – ‘A Floral Summer of Celebration’.

Between July 15 and August 12, the town centre will be home to a floral trail featuring 10 unique displays, floral-themed shop windows and events starring key speakers from the world of gardening.

Pictured at their art deco-themed flower show stand: From left, Harrogate BID Chair Sara Ferguson, BID manager Matthew Chapman, Blameys florist Fran Addis, BID business and marketing executive Bethany Allen, Blameys owner Ruth Fisher and BID business liaison officer Jo Caswell.

This will be in addition to dozens of hanging baskets outside town centre businesses, the numerous flower beds maintained by Harrogate Borough Council, more than 200 barrier baskets funded by Harrogate BID and some specially commissioned floral street art.

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Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said:

“Harrogate is renowned for its floral displays; it’s the home to RHS Garden Harlow Carr, the stunning Valley Gardens, and of course the Spring Flower Show, which is one of the biggest and best in the North of England, if not the whole country.

“This summer, Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration will see us celebrating our floral excellence and the return of Yorkshire in Bloom after a two-year absence.”

Featuring show garden features, plant nursery displays and floral art, the show will include plenty of colour, style and inspiration.

Local charities will also be showcasing their work, including Jennyruth Workshops in Ripon and Horticap in Harrogate.

This year the programme of live entertainment includes talks and demos across four stages.

A new show, ‘Human Gardener’ will offer a series of fun and engaging sofa conversations with the people behind the plants – from bee inspectors to fungi fanatics.

Over on the Gardener’s Kitchen stage, TV cook and chef consultant Stephanie Moon will create dishes from veg patch produce, with the help of grow-your-own guru Martin Walker. 

Meanwhile, the GROW! Live team will provide answers to  gardening questions, whilst the CREATE! Floral stage will host celebrity floral designer Jonathan Moseley.

Thousands of garden products, handmade crafts, gifts and specialist foods will also be on offer.

Tickets

Pre-booked tickets with a £3 saving on gate prices are available online until midnight tonight.

Thursday to Saturday tickets are £20.50 online, £23.50 on the gate.

Sunday tickets are £18 online, £21 on the gate.

Children under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult. General car parking is free.

The long Easter weekend saw the blooming of Harrogate’s Cherry Blossoms, with the most noticeable lining the footpaths of the Stray.

The 200-acre landscape is now multiple shades of pink after the weekend’s warm weather brought out the cherry blossom trees.

The blooming trees have come just in time for the start of the Harrogate Spring Flower Show which opens at the Showground tomorrow, April 21.

This beautiful picture was sent in by Lizzie Gentry

Photograph: David Simister

This shot was sent in by Margaret Smith from the Tewit Well area of the Stray

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Another blossom picture sent by Wil Lo

Police have confirmed that a 39-year-old man has been arrested following two attempted robberies on Harrogate’s West Park.

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday that officers were called to the area near the parade of shops, close to the junction with Tower Street, where witnesses said a man had attempted to mug several people.

Officers said two woman reported a man had tried to take their mobile phones.

A local resident called police after hearing one of the victims screaming for help on West Park.

Two police cars, two vans and an ambulance were at the scene shortly after 7pm.

Read more:

• Police warning after Land Rover thefts in Harrogate
• Girls aged 13, 14 and 15 bailed after McDonald’s police attack
• Police on West Park after attempted muggings in Harrogate

Officers added there were also reports that an object had been thrown at a woman on Oxford Road.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed this afternoon that a 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of two attempted robberies, assault and a public order offence.

A police statement said:

“The man currently remains in custody and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

“Members of the public are asked to contact officers if they have any information that could assist the investigation. Please call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote reference number 12220066183 when providing any information.”

A leading Harrogate hotelier says new rules which see calories listed on menus are “bizarre”.

Restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 staff must print how many calories are in meals on their menus, websites, and on delivery platforms.

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park, said:

“From an industry perspective, it is bizarre.

“Why is the number 250? It’s an entirely arbitrary figure. Surely it’s nothing to do with the number of people you employ, it’s to do with the number of calories.

“It means a business that might employ 200 people for example doesn’t have to put calories on the menu, which makes no sense.”

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park in Harrogate.

Mr Banks said other problems included it being a huge task to get the calorie information for dishes, making it more difficult to change or update the menu.

He added that guests were also being put off from ordering food.

He said:

“The big one last week was a lady ordered cauliflower cheese and broccoli for her main course. When it was pointed out that these were side dishes, she said she only had a 2,000 calorie daily allowance so couldn’t have anymore.

“This means it is limiting spend in restaurants. We have certainly noticed a decrease in the number of puddings being ordered.”

Read more:

• Pret A Manger set to open in Harrogate ‘very soon’
• Harrogate sandwich shop re-opens after 2 year closure

He stressed that he understood what the Government was trying to achieve and agreed that action needed to be taken to tackle the obesity crisis.

However, he added:

“I’m not sure it’s a very well through piece of legislation. Diners should be given a choice. If they want to see a menu with calories listed then they should have that option. This way it’s forcing it down their throats. It’s really strange.

“It’s another layer of admin, it’s another layer of costs.

Also, how are the Government going to monitor if the number of calories is correct? Is there going to be someone coming around to weigh how many potatoes are in a dish? How are they going to enforce it?”

Members of the F45 Harrogate gym, on Albert Street, have mixed opinions on the new legislation.

Georgina Lambley said:

“Personally I don’t mind it and I find it useful for tracking calories. However, I think it’s detrimental to the mental health of many people such as those battling eating disorders.”

Megan Rose said she had mixed feelings.

She said:

“I understand that on one hand there is an obesity epidemic in the UK and this is another way of tackling that.

“On the other hand, I used to have an eating disorder and would have found it crippling when I was at my lowest. I have heard however that restaurants are still able to offer calorie free menus for those that are prone to disordered eating.”

However, Sarah Hart said it was a positive change.

She said:

“I think it’s a great idea and helps guide choices – thumbs up from me!”

Richard Hall added:

The vast majority of parents have got their child in to their first choice primary school in the Harrogate district, new figures reveal.

Primary school admissions statistics for entry in September show that 96.6 per cent of children have been given their first preference.

The figures published by North Yorkshire County Council also show that 99.5 per cent of pupils got one of their five preferences.

However, some parents have been left disappointed.

Nicola Njie’s daughter missed out on a place at her first choice school of Killinghall and her second of Hampsthwaite. She was offered her third choice of Bilton Grange, which she says is closer to where she lives, but she works full-time at a nursery in Killinghall.

She plans to appeal against the decision, but said she had to explain to her daughter that she “probably wouldn’t be going to school with most of her friends”.

She said:

“I will appeal and see what happens.”

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Stuart Carlton, the county council’s corporate director of children and young people’s services, said every effort was made to accommodate the families’ preference of school for their child.

He said:

“The handful of children not offered one of their families’ school preferences were offered a place at their local school.

“Families can preference any school, and are encouraged to preference up to five schools.

“Where a school is oversubscribed, the admissions criteria for the school determines the priority for places. In most cases, the deciding factor is the distance from home to school.

“We closely monitor developing areas to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the children living in the local area.”

Mr Carlton said parents could appeal here.

Across North Yorkshire, there has been a slight increase of more than one per cent from last year to 96 per cent on the number securing their first choice.

Mr Carlton added:

“We wish all children who start primary school in September all the best and hope they enjoy a happy and exciting start in their new schools.”

Ahead of polling day on May 5, the Stray Ferret will be previewing each of the divisions in the Harrogate district up for election to North Yorkshire Council.

A total of 21 seats will be up for grabs in the district with most of the major parties contesting each one.

Today, we look at the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division which will see four candidates standing for election.

John Ennis, Conservative

John Ennis, who currently sits on both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council, will be standing for the Conservatives in two-weeks’ time.

Mr Ennis said his priorities ahead of the election will be environment and open green space.

He said:

“I live within the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone ward, the only candidate from a major party who does.  I have been a resident for over 25 years, and am Andrew Jones MP’s endorsed candidate for our ward.

“My priority is our environment and precious green spaces, especially the Stray, Hookstone Woods and Panhandle Park.  On my initiative new trees have been planted, ‘heritage’ lampstands installed, seating areas improved, new paths laid for walkers.

“I have a record of getting the small things done that make a difference:  street signs and street lights repaired, potholes filled and roads resurfaced, litter and graffiti removed promptly, anti-social behaviour tackled.”

Mr Ennis added that he believes his 12 years as a councillor at both county and borough level is the “best guarantee of results” for the division.

Anna McIntee, Independents

Local resident Anna McIntee is set to stand as an independent candidate in the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division on May 5.

A mum-of-three, Ms Mctinee will be one of five independent candidates standing for North Yorkshire Council in divisions within Harrogate.

She said she was standing as she believes the town needs “fresh, forward thinking”.

Ms McIntee said:

Helen Burke, Labour

Helen Burke, who has lived in Harrogate for 44 years, is set to stand for Labour in the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division.

Ms Burke, who has worked as a welfare rights worker, said she has spent most of her life working to support people on benefits and “to appeal against unjust decisions”.

She is also a member of the campaigning group Keep Our NHS Public, which campaigns for better resources for hospitals and the NHS.

The Labour Party will be fielding 12 candidates in Harrogate and Knaresborough at the local elections in two weeks time.

Chris Watt, acting chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency party, told the Stray Ferret previously that the party is campaigning on housing, public transport and working with police to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Patricia Marsh, Liberal Democrats

Patricia Marsh, who is currently leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Harrogate Borough Council, is set to stand for North Yorkshire Council.

Ms Marsh has been a councillor for 32 years and lived in Hookstone for more than 40 years.

She said that she wants to listen to and work with local residents to improve not only her ward but all of Harrogate.

Ms Marsh said:

“It is important that more is done to protect our green spaces, fix potholes, make the town a cleaner place and where possible address issues of inappropriate development. 

“There needs to be improved partnership working between local business and the County Council.

“The level of road congestion  and pollution we have to suffer is becoming intolerable. We need an integrated Park and Ride scheme for the town.”

She added that Harrogate would need a new secondary school and that she would campaign for a town council to replace Harrogate Borough Council.

Read more:

• No deals expected between Harrogate district opposition parties ahead of election
• Council chiefs promise ‘seamless transition’ to new North Yorkshire Council
• Full list of election candidates in Harrogate district revealed

Police have been dealing with an incident in Harrogate this evening after a number of people were reported to have been attacked.

Officers were called to the area near the parade of shops on West Park, close to the junction with Tower Street, where witnesses said a man had attempted to mug several people.

A local resident called police after hearing one of the victims screaming for help on West Park.

Two police cars, two vans and an ambulance were at the scene shortly after 7pm.

The Stray Ferret understands a man has been arrested. We will update this story when more information is available.

Read more:

• Police warning after Land Rover thefts in Harrogate
• Girls aged 13, 14 and 15 bailed after McDonald’s police attack

The future of Harrogate’s Woodfield Primary School needs to be treated as a matter of “extreme urgency”, a councillor has said.

Councillor Paul Haslam’s comments come after the nearby Grove Road Primary School announced it had pulled out of a proposed merger with the inadequate-rated Woodfield.

After months of planning, the surprise announcement came last week and a decision to scrap the move was approved by North Yorkshire County Council’s executive today.

Councillor Haslam, who represents the Bilton area and is a school governor at Woodfield, told a meeting that parents and pupils had become very concerned about the school’s future and that the county council now needed to make “some very quick decisions” to offer reassurances.

He said:

“Woodfield is regarded as an area of deprivation, and both the local MP Andrew Jones and I believe that education is a proven way out of poverty and agree that a school needs to remain in the Woodfield area.

“It’s absolutely vital that a school is maintained there in my opinion.

“It’s also a matter of extreme urgency to reassure the existing pupils and their parents.”

Councillor Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education at the county council, also said a final decision on the future of Woodfield would now have to be made by the incoming North Yorkshire Council.

The existing county council previously said it will work with the Department for Education and governors at Woodfield to “re-consider the position for the school over the coming weeks before we are able to comment further.”

The school was rated as inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 when inspectors said pupils were being “let down” by poor leadership and that “too many pupils do not achieve what they are capable of”.

The school then failed to find an academy sponsor, before governors at Grove Road agreed to the proposed merger.

Although some parents objected to the move, the two schools were set to become one in September after a statutory notice was published by the county council.

Read more:

• Woodfield leaders ‘listening to parents’ before deciding school’s future
• Woodfield school parents ‘frustrated and upset’ after merger U-turn

However, Grove Road last week announced it was pulling out of the merger which it said “carries risk” for the future of the good-rated school. The school’s governing body said:

“During the consultation period we have monitored factors such as the level of support for the proposal and the likely demand for school places.

“Ultimately, the governing board have concluded that we must prioritise the future of Grove Road School and so, sadly, we can no longer support the proposed amalgamation.”

Meanwhile, Woodfield’s governing body said it was “saddened” by the decision. It said:

“It has been a difficult time for Woodfield School, and we were very hopeful​​​ that a satisfactory conclusion could be found for the future of the school.

“The school, staff, parents, and governors need a time of reflection before we make any decisions regarding the school’s future.

“We will continue to consult with North Yorkshire County Council regarding any future decisions.”

A Harrogate husband and wife have taken in two members of a Ukrainian family but say the “crazy amounts of red tape” meant it wasn’t an easy process.

David and Clare Price live in North Rigton and, after seeing the atrocities of war in Ukraine, wanted to try and help.

The pair said the most difficult part was finding a family to match with. Mr and Mrs Price spoke to multiple families but chaos at the Polish border meant they’d lose touch with them as they were forced to move.

Instead the pair found a family through word of mouth when a Harrogate-based lawyer who was trying to find homes for her family, heard of their offer to help.

Mr and Mrs Price have taken in a grandmother and young child from one family – the mother and other young child went to another Harrogate home.

The refugees have been living with Mr and Mrs Price for two weeks now.  They have found a Harrogate primary school for the children to attend and are hopeful their three-year visas will be confirmed this week.

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Mr Price said the British government should make the process easier:

“We couldn’t look away from the images on TV, we knew we had to help. We are fortunate to have space in the house to accommodate people but the process wasn’t easy.

“Our government doesn’t make it easy like others, we should be helping as many people as we can.”

Despite the struggles, Mr Price said it hasn’t put him off offering his home to more refugees. He said once their current house guests have found rental accommodation locally they will be looking to house more Ukrainians.

In the meantime, he is showing the whole family around the Harrogate district which they describe as “gorgeous”.

He said Harrogate and Knaresborough, in particular, have numerous support groups set up for refugees to allow them to talk to each other and share any feelings.

Mr Price, an author and public speaker, added:

“You don’t get trained for this, it’s a lot for people to take on because the families you take in need a lot of support. It’s an incredibly heartbreaking time for them.”