Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 808 of 1074

Harrogate school takes legal action after travellers return

Ashville College has said it has commenced court proceedings to evict a number of travellers after they returned this weekend.

About six caravans drove onto Ashville’s sports playing fields, near the boarding houses, on Yew Tree Lane.

It is believed it is the same group that pitched up two weeks ago.

Ashville College said in a statement it is a major safeguarding concern as boarding pupils have now moved back in ready for the new school term to begin this week.

It added it had begun court proceedings to have the group removed.

A spokesman for Ashville College said:

“A group of travellers who illegally moved on to our sports fields two weeks ago have regrettably returned.

“With our boarding pupils now here for the start of the new school year, and day pupils returning in just a few days, this is a major concern for us.

“We have once again called the police, and have alerted our solicitors to begin court proceedings to have them evicted.”

When the travellers arrived two weeks ago, they told school staff they were on their way to a wedding in Ireland after attending the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

The travellers said if the school paid them £5,000 they were prepared to leave immediately without causing any damage.

They left leaving no damage three days later.

The Last Night of the Proms – Ripon style

Ripon will go from rock and pop to pomp and circumstance in its final free mass entertainment event of the summer next weekend.

Organised to coincide with the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the city will welcome fans of the more classical style of music to Market Square on Saturday, September 11.

The event, from 7pm until 11pm, features a tribute act singing songs made famous by Welsh mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins.

Also taking the stage in front of Ripon Town Hall during the evening will be the Dishforth Military Wives Choir.

Live music will be provided by an ensemble of 17 musicians and a fireworks display will provide the finale.

The free weekends of entertainment have been paid for from the Ripon parish precept, which is funded by council tax.

The previous ones brought tribute acts ranging from Queen to the ABBA Forever tribute group.

As well as providing free family entertainment, which has also included fairground rides for children, the intention has been to bring more people to the city centre and drive footfall to benefit local traders.

City council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“They’ve been enjoyable and trouble-free events that have put smiles on a lot of faces.

“You could see that people are delighted to be finally free of the restrictions that were necessary during the covid lockdowns.”

More free events in Market Square are scheduled for autumn and winter.

During the October half term holiday there will be further family-focused activities, followed in November with the switch on of the city’s Christmas lights.

Bringing the curtain down on 2021 will be the famous New Year’s Eve entertainment — an alfresco party that normally sees hundreds of revellers rocking around Ripon’s obelisk.

Why are Harrogate’s historic monuments neglected?

This article is written for the Stray Ferret by the celebrated Harrogate historian, Malcolm Neesam.

Please believe me when I say it gives me no pleasure to bemoan the neglect of Harrogate’s monuments. But when so many people tell me they visit Harrogate to see the town’s buildings and green spaces, it seems foolish to allow some of the area’s most significant structures to appear so shabby. A recent letter of mine about the weed-choked dome of the Tewit Well on south Stray produced a flood of messages of support, all seemingly from people who have Harrogate’s best interests at heart.

The Tewit Well was where modern Harrogate began, following William Slingsby’s 1571 discovery of the mineral qualities of the waters. Before this time, Harrogate was nothing more than a hamlet within the great Royal Forest, but after 1571, Harrogate grew into the sizeable and fully urbanised resort it is today. When Dr. Timothy Bright referred in c.1598 to Harrogate having the “Spadacrene Anglica”, or English Spa, it was the first recorded use of the “Spa” noun in the English language, making Harrogate the first “Spa” in the country. When Dr. Deane wrote his 1626 book on Harrogate’s Spa, he used Timothy Bright’s description “Spadacrene Anglica” as its title

The present “temple” was built in 1808 by Thomas Chippindale as an open cover for Low Harrogate’s old Sulphur Well, and was moved to its present location in 1842, when the Royal Pump Room was built. The open columns of the Chippindale’s temple were then filled in with masonry, to better protect visitors and also the well’s attendant. The historic structure was chosen in 1955 as the subject for a plaque, carved by the National Association of Master Monumental Masons, to mark their conference in Harrogate. The exquisitely carved plaque was fixed to the Tewit Well and unveiled by Mayor Robert Riley on Wednesday September 18, 1955. Two years later, the outside pump was stolen, which introduced a period of neglect, and by 1971, exactly 400 years after Slingsby’s discovery, the neglected Tewit Well was very nearly demolished.

Mayor Riley at Tewit Well, September 1955

But thanks to public protest, and the opposition of the recently established Harrogate Society, the Tewit Well was saved, and in 1973, restoration occurred, the original dome of English Oak and lead being replaced by plastic, which if not authentic, at least followed the design of the original. It was during this restoration that the encircling masonry walling was removed, which restored the original appearance of the 1808 “temple”, but also occasioned the removal of the 1955 stone plaque, which was dumped on the floor of the Royal Baths’ basement, where it probably remains to this day.

Thanks to the Harrogate Society, a new plaque was erected on the restored Tewit Well in 1975, to mark European Architectural Heritage Year, which was this author’s first Harrogate plaque text. It is still there, although as my opening remarks show, the weed-infested building is hardly a good advertisement for Harrogate’s care of its historic monuments.

When council neglect nearly brought about the demolition of the Sun Pavilion in the 1980’s, it was the public who saved the building, thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Anne Smith and the Friends of Valley Gardens. At the time, the wonderful public response was accompanied by the feeling that the council could be relied upon to restore the Sun Colonnade, but this has never happened, and the exposed wooden roof is now decaying. What should be a well-used public exhibition space is instead open to the worst effects of rain, snow and ice. With its roof restored, the Sun Colonnade would be a perfect home for the Christmas Market and other public exhibitions.

Why, oh why, must it be me, and those who are like minded, who have to repeatedly express their dissatisfaction with the slovenly attitude of the authorities towards maintaining Harrogate’s attractions.

Did you know that the Stray Ferret has teamed up with Malcolm to produce audio walking tours of Harrogate? The walks are sponsored by the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) and take you back to the Golden Age of the Harrogate Spa and a walk through the Commercial Heart of Harrogate. Why not take a walk back in time and learn about Harrogate’s glorious past.. They’re easy to do and a great day out. For more information click here.

Leading the digital revolution at Bettys

Words like ‘e-commerce’ and ‘digital’ don’t sit naturally with a company steeped in tradition like Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate.

Bettys, which is probably the Harrogate district’s most famous brand, is known for its timeless tearoom experience that echoes of a past dating back to 1919.

But times have changed and when covid forced the closure of its shops the company found it could not meet the online demand for its products.

Samantha Sargison, head of digital and corporate at Bettys, says:

“We forecast ahead and over the pandemic there were times when we were topping out the capacity of the bakery. Customers could not purchase for the next four to six weeks.

“It was disappointing that we couldn’t be there for them when they wanted us but in a way it’s a nice problem to have when you are surpassing demand in that way.”

Bettys, which is still owned by the family of its founder, Fredrick Belmont, hired Brighton-born Ms Sargison to the newly created role in 2017 in recognition of the need to improve digitally.

She had previously worked in London for the likes of Kurt Geiger and De Beers so the transition from selling luxury handbags and diamonds to luxury cakes came naturally.

Bettys has made significant progress in the four years since she joined. Online sales have trebled since 2017 and are 34 per cent up this year already on the figure for all of 2020, despite lockdowns. Ms Sargison says:

“We have more customers than ever ordering online with us. Our e-commerce customer numbers are up 168 per cent versus 2019 and 220 per cent up since I joined in 2017.”

With shops shut during lockdown, necessity became the mother of invention as the company attempted to fulfil demand for its treats in new ways.

It introduced takeaway afternoon teas for collection during lockdown and when the tearooms reopened it started offering ‘shop from your table’, which allows customers to place takeaway orders at their tables and have their gifts packaged when they leave.

There are, however, limits to what Bettys customers would expect. Ms Sargison says:

“Customers won’t be ordering by app like they do in McDonald’s any time soon.”

She’s also adamant that e-commerce will never replace its tearooms in Harrogate, York, Northallerton and Ilkley.

“The tearooms are the beating heart of Bettys. It’s just another means of reaching the customer further afield.”

Christmas hampers

In retail, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Bettys’ Christmas catalogues land on doorsteps at the start of October and the orders will then fly in faster than ever until Christmas Eve.

Hampers are the main Christmas product but tea and scones and the famous Fat Rascals are also big business. The speed of digital growth makes forecasting supply difficult for a business selling perishable goods.

Cakes are made early each day at the bakery in Starbeck and dispatched by 4pm for next day UK delivery. Because Bettys doesn’t add preservatives, some products aren’t sold online because they won’t be fresh on arrival. Others are too fragile to post. Ms Sargison says:

“In some ways we’ve made a rod for our own back by maintaining the tradition of not adding preservatives.”

Eighty-five per cent of online orders are gifts, often bought by tech savvy younger people for older relatives so Bettys’ online offering has to be sharp.

“There’s still a lot to do on improving the website itself. It has massively improved from five years ago but still has a way to go to be as efficient and easy to use as possible.

“Last summer we launched the afternoon tea box. We relaunched the checkout this year. It’s about making sure the service and experience customers get online is the same as they get in the tearooms — service with a smile and a welcoming tone to the copy.”

Starbeck bakery

After months of furlough and working from home, Bettys staff are beginning to return to the office.

For Ms Sargison, who leads a team of 10 staff responsible for business-to-business sales, digital, e-commerce and innovation, this means travelling to Starbeck from Skipton.

Working above the bakery and being entitled to free lunches has its perks but it’s a lot of travelling for a mother living in Skipton with two children.

But she says she feels valued at Bettys, which she describes as the northern equivalent of Fortnum and Mason.

“It’s a family business and you feel it from the moment you join. I have worked for companies where I’ve felt like a cog in the wheel but I certainly don’t feel that here.

“Bettys has got a big vision. The pace might not be the same as it is in London but it has that same drive and ambition.”

Well known Harrogate clothing retailer moves to new premises

One of Harrogate’s best known clothing retailers, Paul Lown, has just relocated his latest store to Swan Road.

Prey Four opened four years ago on Parliament Street but moved to its new site this week.

The shop sells a range of women’s and men’s clothing and also has an interiors area.

The move was prompted by his previous tenancy coming to an end and Mr Lown admitted he was apprehensive about heading further out of the town centre. But he hoped his committed client base will follow.

He said that after 40 years of trading in Harrogate he has men aged in their 40s coming into his shop who bought clothes off him in their teens.

Inside the shop on Swan Road, across from Fashion House Bistro

Many local residents will remember Mr Lown from his time owning the clothing store Leopard.

Leopard was based in multiple Harrogate units during the 1980s and 1990s, including what is now McDonald’s and the site on which Victoria Shopping Centre now stands.

After leaving Harrogate in the late 1990s for a short period, he returned and went into partnership to open Owl Store in Montpellier. But now he is focused on his own project, Prey Four.

He said the past 18 months had “been like no-one could have predicted” in his long career and that he could now see the high street changing with more people heading to certain shops rather than to browse.

“People aren’t wandering around aimlessly anymore; you know what you’re getting and from where.

“People need to support the independents if they want them to stick around. Whatever they sell, people need to support them. Covid has really hurt all of us.”

The shop has interior pieces for sale downstairs

The Works takes over Harrogate’s former Edinburgh Woollen Mill unit

A new business is to move into the former Edinburgh Woollen Mill unit in Harrogate, a year after it closed.

Discount books and stationery store The Works will make the short trip across the street into the unit, where it is planning to open soon.

The Works has been holding a sale at its current premises on Oxford Street in preparation for the move.

Edinburgh Woollen Mill closed its Harrogate and Ripon stores last October when the clothing company went into administration.

The store was also home to Austin Reed, Country Casuals and Ponden Home Interiors.

Purepay Retail bought Edinburgh Woollen Mill out of administration in January this year, keeping 296 stores and 2,453 on its books.

The Works is closing its current unit down.

However, the Harrogate and Ripon stores were not rescued. As a result, the large unit at 17-19 Oxford Street has been empty for about 11 months.

It is unclear at this stage exactly when the move will take place. The Stray Ferret approached The Works for more details but were told it was “commercially sensitive.”

Ripon company that played key role in covid marks 50 years in the city

It was many happy returns for Wolseley today, as the company marked 50 years in Ripon with the reopening of its headquarters.

The building on Boroughbridge Road underwent a £500,000 refurbishment during lockdown.

While that was underway, Wolseley continued to supply vital plumbing and building materials to the NHS in its fight to save lives and beat the pandemic.

At today’s family open day, Wolseley chief executive Simon Oakland told the Stray Ferret:

“The NHS required critical building materials and parts for the repair and maintenance of hospitals and we provided them throughout the lockdown.”

The Wolseley UK headquarters on Boroughbridge Road.

The Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate was one of the major infrastructure projects the company supplied.

Mr Oakland said:

“We are proud to have been involved in supplying every Nightingale Hospital in the UK and have also supported the UK mass vaccination programme through the provision of refrigeration equipment.”

New training centre

The company, which opened its headquarters building in 1971, has 280 employees based in Ripon, and a further 120 at its Melmerby distribution centre.

The Boroughbridge Road site provides administrative services, including finance and IT support and UK-wide the company has 500 branches with 5,000 employees.

Ripon City Band provided musical entertainment.

At today’s community party to celebrate 50 years in Ripon and the centre’s reopening, head of office and finance director Mark Stibbards, told invited guests:

“We have some people who have worked for us for 40 years and they are part of a great team.

“We employ locally in this area and have throughout our history, supported Ripon charities and other organisations, including Ripon Walled Garden, Ripon Cathedral Primary School and Ripon City Football Club.”

A new training centre on the site will not only develop the talent of the Wolseley team but also provide opportunities for community organisations that help individuals improve their skills and employability.

Farhan, who works in the IT department at Wolseley is pictured with his wife Samera and their six-year-old daughter Maiza on one of the children’s rides.

Today’s celebration event was attended by the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson, representatives from charities, Wolseley employees and their children, former company directors and members of the community.

The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, who cut a ribbon to signal the reopening of the offices, said:

“I was born and bred in this city and have known Wolseley for most of my life.

“The 50 years of investment and employment they brought by selecting Ripon for their headquarters is greatly appreciated.”

Man dressed as giant ovary heads to Harrogate for charity

A man who has become famous for dressing as a giant ovary is heading to Harrogate tomorrow for charity.

Craig McMurrough, who is also known as Mr Ovary, will make his first stop in Harrogate town centre as part of his tour of the north this month.

Mr Ovary has been raising money for charity and awareness of ovarian cancer since he lost his younger sister, Cheryl Earnshaw, to the disease five years ago.

She died just three weeks after her diagnosis.

In the years since Mr Ovary has raised more than £40,000 for cancer charity Ovacome by completing 19 marathons and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

He hopes his bucket collection in Harrogate will take him a step closer to his £100,000 fundraising target and also raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease.

If you miss him this weekend but would like to donate to the cause then visit his JustGiving page here.

Ovarian cancer symptoms include persistent bloating, eating less and feeling more full, abdominal and pelvic pain and changes to urinary and bowel habits.

Mr McMurrough said:

“It means a lot to me to make a difference in memory of Cheryl.”

“The costume makes quite an impression and will help people remember the symptoms I talk about. People even come up to me in the supermarket to say hello, having met me wearing the ovary costume.

“Now that most people in my neighbourhood will have come across Mr Ovary and the message that a cervical smear test will not pick up the disease, it is a no brainer to take him out onto the road.”

Unison in Harrogate ballots council staff over ‘derisory’ pay offer

The Harrogate Borough Council branch of Unison is holding a consultative ballot with members in local government over whether to accept a “derisory” pay offer.

The trade union is recommending members reject the offer, which could lead to another ballot on whether to take industrial action.

Unison is balloting members at Harrogate Borough Council, its new council-owned leisure company Brimhams Active and Ripon City Council.

School staff will be balloted separately by the North Yorkshire Local Government branch of Unison.

Dave Houlgate, Unison’s Harrogate branch secretary, said:

“Council and school workers have been offered a 1.75% pay rise with those on the very lowest pay point being offered 2.75%.

“This is yet another derisory offer which will only compound the local government recruitment and retention crisis and increase the demand for in-work benefit support.

“The fact is that with inflation at 3.8% this is another real-terms pay cut and comes on the back of local government pay having fallen by a quarter since 2010.

“This is a shocking way to treat staff who went above and beyond during the pandemic, kept communities safe, supported businesses, cared for the most vulnerable and ensured schools remained open throughout successive lockdowns.”

Mr Houlgate added women make up the majority of local government employees, and were among the lowest paid in the country. He added:

“It’s time they and the services they provide were properly recognised. Pats on the back and the occasional well done don’t pay bills or feed families.”

“No one wants to take industrial action but sometimes it does become necessary and that may be the case this time.”

The consultation ballot ends on 24th September.

Harrogate Borough Council has been approached for comment.

Drivers defy new ‘no parking’ signs on Harrogate Stray

Drivers have already defied the new “no parking” signs on the Stray despite warnings from Harrogate Borough Council that they risk a £100 fine or being towed away.

Within days of the council erecting the signs on Oatlands Drive at a cost of £63, pictures of vehicles parked right next to them have emerged.

The lack of compliance will add to the frustration of cyclists who are blocked from using the cycle lane when vehicles park on the Stray. This usually happens when activities, such as football matches, take place.

One side of Oatlands Drive has double yellow lines but the other side — where cars park — does not.

We asked the council whether it has fined or towed any vehicles away since putting up the signs but we have not yet received a response.

A council spokeswoman said previously it was working with North Yorkshire County Council to find a “more permanent solution” to the parking problem.

She added that parking on the Stray breached the Stray Act 1985:

“A breach of the act allows the borough council — as custodians of the Stray — to issue a £100 fine to anyone caught parking on the Stray, or to have their vehicle towed away.

“We hope that the signage will make people think twice about parking on Oatlands Drive and allow cyclists to use the cycle path as intended.”

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Christmas hampers

Starbeck bakery

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New training centre

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