The future of a Harrogate tourism body remains unclear as North Yorkshire Council reveals plans to create a new organisation to attract visitors to the county.

Destination Harrogate, which is the destination management organisation for the region, was set up by Harrogate Borough Council.

However, North Yorkshire Council is set to table a bid to government in September for a local visitor economy partnership — which will replace destination management organisations following a review by ministers.

The new body would be responsible for promoting tourism in North Yorkshire and attracting events.

The council has also published a 88-page tourism strategy for the county, which includes aims to grow the tourist economy.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council whether the move would mean that Destination Harrogate is scrapped as a result of the single tourism strategy.

In response, David Caulfield, the council’s assistant director for tourism, said:

“The new destination management plan will bring together all areas of North Yorkshire to provide a single strategy for the council and key partners to support the strong tourism offer within the county to flourish further and offer even greater value to the local economy.

“This will put North Yorkshire in an excellent position in its application to become a local visitor economy partnership.

“All the tourism teams previously within the former district and borough areas, including Destination Harrogate staff, have been brought together as one North Yorkshire tourism team to support the development of the strategy and ensure the strong local brands are represented.

“Given Harrogate’s well-defined tourist offer, we expect the area to be an integral part of the overall framework.

“Harrogate has been identified as among the strongest brands within North Yorkshire along with the North York Moors, the Yorkshire Dales and the coast.”

Questions over future

Questions were raised over Destination Harrogate’s future ahead of the establishment of North Yorkshire Council in April.

At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting in February, Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre, said a government review into destination management organisations would likely mean only such bodies from cities or large regions will be able to receive funding from central government.

She suggested Harrogate would have to amalgamate into a wider, yet-to-be created North Yorkshire destination management organisation to qualify for the funding.

Read more:

• Harrogate council spends £2.2m on new tourism body in first year
• Bid begins to create new North Yorkshire tourism body

Meanwhile, borough council chief executive Wallace Sampson told councillors the new authority could look to “identify savings” with Destination Harrogate after it is handed control of the organisation.

He added:

“[Destination Harrogate] is a discretionary service and against the background of a challenging financial environment for the new council, every discretionary service will be subject to financial scrutiny.”

Mr Sampson warned of the possible pitfalls of Destination Harrogate being merged into a county-wide tourism body, which he suggested could dilute the focus on individual places.

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  and sharing cooking tips– please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.  

What are the makings of a perfect day out?

Everyone has their own idea of what this looks like but for me a perfect day out would start with a sunny day, being outdoors and close to nature, a spot of idyllic shopping, discovering new ideas and having access to stressless parking, great food and drink.

This experience is what Yolk farm, Minskip farm shop and the farm kitchen have to offer to everyone. Yolk farm, which claims to be the world’s first egg restaurant on a real egg farm, is the perfect location for children’s day out where they can feed the pigs and goats and hang out with alpacas before heading in for a bite.

The kitchen offers a lovely, welcoming space and employees who serve you with a smile whilst paying attention to the details. From the egg crates that have been repurposed as the perfect light fixtures to the swinging chairs that take you back to eating on park swings, there’s a lot to desire.

Freshly laid eggs from the farm are used in the kitchen and sold in the farm shop; with eggs collected twice a day, you can’t get fresher than what they have to offer.

After a brief wander in the farm shop we went into the farm kitchen for a bite to eat working our way through three of their amazing dishes. The banoffee buttermilk pancake topped with fresh bananas, candied nuts, whipped cream and toffee sauce was delicious and perfect for banana lovers.

The Get Fresh featuring one of my favourite ingredients, sweetcorn, was sweetcorn fritters seasoned with lime and coriander topped with poached eggs, red pepper, sweetcorn and courgette salsa and a salsa verde that smacked you in the face with the right amount of sharpness. This was topped with ribbons of courgette noodles and a herb salad which brought extra freshness to the dish. With the fritter held together by the barest amount of batter, it felt like ‘health on a plate’ earning the well deserved name – ‘Get Fresh’.

The dish I was obsessing over finally came out and it is their signature ‘what came first – chicken or egg?’ dish. The description of the dish reads like a food poem – crispy fried chicken, hot sauce hollandaise, smoked bacon, maple syrup, house pickles and fried eggs.

The chicken was crispy without being oily and the chicken had the softness, juiciness and melt in the mouth quality of sous vide chicken. Intrigued by how chef Iain Wilkinson (@igwhospitality) got the chicken to be so tender, he shared a few tips with me which included the chicken being marinaded in butter milk and other ingredients for 24 hours as part of the cooking process.

Every bite was unique as it depends on what makes it on to your fork. From crispy fried onions, crispy bacon, chicken, fried eggs, tangy pickles, maple syrup and hot sauce hollandaise, there was no end to customising each bite. The pancakes were the perfect base to carry all the other flavours.

I don’t know what came first but I am definitely glad that both the chicken and the egg ended up on the same plate in their signature dish. I enjoyed the glowing goddess tea – hibiscus, orange and fenugreek – with my food.

I finished my visit with shopping for some of the finest Yorkshire produces you can imagine. The farm shop offers Christmas and bespoke  hampers and gift vouchers to use in the shop, kitchen or for their alpaca experience.

Yolk farm is the vision of people who have a passion for people of all ages to enjoy a revitalising and enjoyable day out.

Nathan George, the general manager was hands-on, pulling out all the stops to make sure all diners had a great experience.

Be sure to try their signature dish when you go and prepare to stock up on the best ingredients and produces.

Thanks for reading my food story; the next one will be on Lavender tea room in Knaresborough.

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• Yemi’s Food Stories: My slow love for avocado

Volunteers lined the banks of the River Nidd and its tributaries this week to test water quality as part of a major clean-up campaign.

Nidd Action Group coordinated the activity as part of a bid to achieve bathing water status, which would require organisations to take measures to improve water quality.

It follows concerns about the state of the river and reports of bathers falling ill at Knaresborough Lido.

Nidd Action Group includes conservationists, anglers, academics and residents. Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones is also supporting the initiative by gathering data on the number of people using the river at the Lido.

On Thursday afternoon, 40 volunteers dipped test kits into the Nidd at various points from the upper reaches at Scar House, north of Pateley Bridge, right down to Moor Monkton, close to where the Nidd joins the River Ouse.

Volunteers learning to take samples last month.

A second round of sampling will take place late next month before a bid for bathing water status is submitted to the government.

David Clayden, chairman of  Nidd Action Group, said this week’s sampling appeared to go well.

He added:

“The weather was kind to us, unlike the previous very wet day. The river was running quite high, but I’ve had no reports of any incidents.

“All the samples in their sterilised bottles have been assembled, along with the documentation and the data collected at the river.

“Samples are being analysed in the accredited laboratory in Lichfield, and further samples will be sent to another laboratory on Monday  for less urgent analysis.

A second round of sampling will take place late next month in the same locations but in different weather and river conditions.

Bilton Conservation Group volunteers sampling at Oak Beck on Thursday.

Shirley Hare and Warren Considine with a sample from Oak Beck.

Mr Clayden said the results would then be shared and “we will identify any inferences that can be drawn, and discuss any actions, beneficial to the river, that might be taken”.

Sampling took place ar Scar House Reservoir, Lofthouse, How Stean Gorge, Low Sikes, Ramsgill, Wath, Pateley Bridge, Glasshouses, Summerbridge, Birstwith, Crag Hill Farm, Ripley Beck, Killinghall, along Oak beck in Bilton, Nidd Viaduct, Knaresborough, Crimple Beck, Little Ribston, Hunsingore and Moor Monkton

Mr Clayden commended the volunteers for their commitment and thanked Yorkshire Dales River Trust, a charity based in Pateley Bridge. for assembling the sampling kits and the Environment Agency staff who also undertook sampling.

Read more:

• Volunteers turn out in force to support campaign for cleaner River Nidd
• Council backs bid for River Nidd bathing water status

Harrogate District Hospital is spending nearly £1.2m on hiring management consultants to develop a culture of continuous improvement, the Stray Ferret can reveal. 

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) signed a contract with KPMG and Catalysis in March, which will run for 18 months to September 2024. 

KPMG is one of the world’s largest multinational professional services companies, and Catalysis is a Wisconsin-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping healthcare bodies become more efficient. 

The continuous improvement programme, called HDFT Impact, will ultimately involve all 5,000-plus employees, who will be encouraged to share their knowledge with each other and come up with ways to improve the way the trust delivers its services. 

In a statement sent to the Stray Ferret, a spokesperson said: 

“It is our aim to embed improvement at the centre of our culture and operating model so we can provide the best quality, safest health and care services for our patients, children and the community; and make HDFT the best place to work for our colleagues.” 

They added: 

“There is no doubt that a steady stream of improvements, both big and small, can have transformational results.” 

In recent years, KPMG and Catalysis have together worked with 16 NHS trusts, including Western Sussex, which became the first non-specialist trust to be rated outstanding in all areas by the Care Quality Commission. 

In other cases, one trust saved £800,000 in theatre efficiencies, one increased surgeries per list by 25%, and another reduced falls among patients by 60%. 

The spokesperson said: 

“Continuous improvement is not a new concept at HDFT. It has been integral in helping us to develop our services and bring improvements for patients and colleagues for a long time – we have been using a lean quality improvement approach for over 10 years.

“We know this approach works and we’ve seen the improvements it can bring for patients and colleagues.” 

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital team take on three peaks to raise money for intensive care facilities
• ‘Beeping’ barriers to be removed by September at Harrogate hospital
• Harrogate hospital cancelled 117 appointments due to consultants’ strike

The HDFT Impact programme is being funded from the trust’s budget to procure and implement a new electronic patient record system.

The spokesperson said: 

“Our EPR project is not just about providing an electronic system, but is an improvement programme enabled by technology to give our staff the opportunity to improve across the whole organisation.” 

In May, it was reported that management consultants were being paid up to £3,000 a day for work within NHS England. At the time, Onay Kasab, national lead officer of trade union Unite, said the health service was being “plundered by private sector profiteers”. He added:

“The money would be much better spent providing a proper pay rise for NHS staff to end the recruitment and retention crisis that is crippling health services.”

HDFT’s deal with KPMG and Catalysis is costing the trust about £2,200 per day for the duration of the 18-month contract.

Asked if there had been any opposition or resistance from hospital staff to the hiring of external consultants, the spokesperson said: 

“As an organisation, the majority of our colleagues are receptive to continuous improvement.

“Cultural change can be challenging, and a small number of people may be sceptical, but we believe that developing our continuous improvement programme is vital in our pursuit of excellence so that we can raise quality, reduce costs, explore better ways of delivering our services, and provide the best possible healthcare for those who need it.

“We hope that as the programme progresses and staff engage in it, all of our staff will recognise the huge benefits.” 

North Yorkshire Council has refused plans for 23 homes in Bishop Monkton amid concerns it would increase the amount of raw sewage released on streets.

The Kebbell Homes development was considered yesterday afternoon at the Skipton and Ripon planning committee at Ripon Town Hall.

About 25 villagers, who appeared to be firmly on the side of refusal, also attended,

A council officer recommended councillors approve the scheme but the committee decided otherwise.

One councillor said having more properties in the village could exacerbate the “abomination” of raw sewage being released into the streets during heavy rainfall.

A decision on the application was deferred at the previous planning committee in June when councillors requested further details from Yorkshire Water on how the scheme would impact on foul water drainage in the village.

Yorkshire Water told the council that “most, if not all” of the “sewage escapes” in the village were caused by residents putting excessive toilet paper, fat, oil and grease down toilets and sinks which caused pipes to block.

However, the water company acknowledged that the sewage system in Bishop Monkton, which is between Boroughbridge and Ripon, was close to capacity.

Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Wathvale and Bishop Monkton, who was on the committee as a substitute, said the village had been blighted by sewage discharges in recent years with its Victorian sewage system unable to cope with more rain brought on by climate change. 

He called on Yorkshire Water to improve its infrastructure before any new homes are built.

Cllr Brown said:

“There’s no question that Bishop Monkton has had sewage on the streets and that’s totally abhorrent.

“I really think this is something that should not be happening in 2023. There are proper grounds for refusal in villages where sewage systems are at capacity.”

Yorkshire Water accused of ‘arrogance’

Yorkshire Water did not send a representative to attend the meeting, which angered Conservative and Independent Group councillor for Skipton East and South, Robert Heseltine. 

He said:

“I am exceptionally disappointed with the response from Yorkshire Water. They are a massive company and it’s not acceptable to democracy. It demonstrates a disturbing amount of arrogance on their part.”

Read more:

• Councillors call for building moratorium in Bishop Monkton over flood fears
• Developer withdraws 88 home plan in Bishop Monkton

The two-storey homes would have had either 2,3,4 or 5-bedrooms. Planning documents attached to the application said the developer hoped the scheme would “integrate with the locality and positively contribute to the community”.

Steve Longstaff, a planning agent on behalf of the developer, said the application met all of the requirements set out in Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan, which is still being used to guide planning applications on the new unitary authority.

He said:

“There are no objections from Yorkshire Water or the lead flood authority. The scheme is designed with current best practice and as such any reasons for refusal on drainage are unsubstantiated and unreasonable.”

Hedgerow retained

Nathan Hull, the Conservative councillor for Washburn and Birstwith and chair of the committee, praised the scheme for including 40% affordable homes which he said could help keep the village alive.

However, he said he would abstain from voting due to the conflicting views and opinions on what the impact the homes might have.

Councillors also objected to the removal of a hedgerow, which some villagers claim dates back to 1816.

After a long discussion with officers over how to word the refusal in the event of the developer appealing, councillors voted to refuse the application by four votes to one with one abstention.

They cited policies in the Local Plan relating to developments not having an adverse impact on the sewage capacity and the removal of the hedge harming the Bishop Monkton Conservation Area.

Kebbell Homes can appeal and the Local Democracy Reporting Service has asked the company for a response to the decision.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has called for police to continue providing traffic management for Remembrance Day parades.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday it will no longer close roads or manage traffic for Remembrance Day parades in the county.

Knaresborough Royal British Legion has said its annual parade along the High Street is in jeopardy as a result of the decision, which could threaten other local parades on November 12 and in subsequent years.

Elliot Foskett, North Yorkshire’s assistant chief constable, said the decision was based on national guidance that will allow police to focus on fighting crime.

Conservative MP Mr Jones today called for a rethink. He said:

“This decision from North Yorkshire Police has taken everyone by surprise. I am both surprised and disappointed.

“Every year in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Starbeck and further afield hundreds line the streets to watch parades to war memorials.  Simply put, it is part of the fabric and tradition of our community remembrance.

“I have contacted Zoë Metcalfe, police, fire and crime commissioner, asking her to speak with the leadership at North Yorkshire Police and reinstate the force’s assistance with closing roads to allow parades to take place.”

Lib Dem leader criticises ‘outrageous’ decision

Councillor Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader in Harrogate and Knaresborough, described the police’s decision as “outrageous”.

She has also written to Conservative Ms Metcalfe.

Cllr Pat Marsh

Cllr Marsh’s letter says:

“This seems a ridiculous decision and I really hope you reverse it, nobody I have spoken to can understand the logic behind your decision.

“Please can you reconsider this so we can all pay our respects safely  to those who gave their lives for our freedom?

“How will we be able to pay our respects to those who gave their lives so we can live freely today? This proposal is outrageous and I wonder where else in the country that people are not bring kept safe as they pay their respects to these very brave individuals who gave their lives.”

Read more:

• Local Remembrance Sunday parades under threat after police withdraw traffic help
• North Yorkshire Police confirms it will no longer manage Remembrance Day traffic

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for rain across the Harrogate district this morning.

Following prolonged downpours, the Met Office said the warning was in place from 11am until 8pm today.

The warning covers most of the eastern half of northern England.

The Met Office said “a few” homes and businesses were likely to flood and bus and train services were likely to be affected.

Drivers were warned to expect spray and flooding on roads and power supplies could be interrupted.

The wet spell is expected to continue until the middle of next week, when temperatures are finally expected to rise.

Read more:

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• Environment Agency investigating possible pollution of Harrogate’s Oak Beck

Kirby Hill and District Parish Council has objected to the latest plans to build a motorway service station near to the village.

Applegreen Ltd has submitted amended plans for the scheme between junctions 48 and 49 of the A1(M) northbound, between Boroughbridge and Ripon.

It would see a Welcome Break built at the site, as well a filling station and 364 car parking spaces created.

The proposal already has outline permission after the government’s Planning Inspectorate approved the plan on appeal in April 2021.

However, the parish council has objected to the proposal on the grounds that the developer was planning “major changes” to its plan.

It added that there was already a service station planned for Catterick and one on the A168 near Thirsk, which it says “plugs the gap” for a motorway service area.

In its objection, which was sent to North Yorkshire Council by parish council clerk, Martin Rae, the authority also called for the proposal to be considered by a planning committee.

It said:

“It [the parish council] also requests that this resubmitted application is dealt with by the planning authority in full committee at Tier 1 level.

“This is because councillors believe that it cannot be considered in isolation in view of the changed wider context in which services have now been approved at Catterick and greater provision of services now exists on the A168 link to the A19 at Thirsk.”

Read more:

• Government approves A1 service station after fourth appeal in 25 years

• Harrogate council paid £45,000 in Kirby Hill and Ripon service station legal fees
• Residents object to latest Kirby Hill service station plans

Applegreen, which is based in Dublin, applied for amendments to its plan, including an extension to the length of the slip roads and increasing the permissible height of the eastern dumbbell roundabout by up to 1.25 metres.

In documents submitted to the council, the company said the changes were “limited design amendments”.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

The move comes after the government approved plans for the service station following a series of public inquiries and planning battles.

In a saga which has spanned a quarter of a century, Applegreen’s application has been before multiple council planning committees, faced four public inquiries and been turned down twice by the Secretary of State and the High Court.

The inquiry, which was held by planning inspector David Rose and streamed onto YouTube, lasted two weeks and included multiple testimonies from residents, campaigners and developer Applegreen.

In a decision notice, Mr Rose said after considering the evidence that the benefits of a service station would outweigh the harm.

North Yorkshire Police has confirmed it will no longer close roads or manage traffic for Remembrance Day parades in North Yorkshire.

Knaresborough Royal British Legion revealed yesterday its annual parade was in jeopardy after police said they would no longer support it.

Vice-chair David Houlgate said the decision “almost certainly means there will be no Remembrance Day parade in Knaresborough as things currently stand” because the legion, as a charity, could not justify the cost incurred by managing traffic itself.

The force said today the ruling applied throughout the county and would enable it to focus on fighting crime.

In a joint letter from North Yorkshire Police and highways authority North Yorkshire Council, assistant chief constable Elliot Foskett said the new arrangements would “be in place for 2023 and beyond”.

The letter, sent to branches of the Royal British Legion, added:

“For many years, North Yorkshire Police has continued to provide a traffic management function to smaller Remembrance Day events like the one held in your community.

“In line with the legislation, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing have stressed that policing should not take responsibility for closing roads or managing traffic, other than in an emergency.

“This is to make sure police resources remain focused on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.

“With immediate effect, North Yorkshire Police has repositioned to fully comply and will not be undertaking routine traffic management for any Remembrance Day events in 2023 and in subsequent years.”

Extra costs

The letter said organisations will now need a temporary traffic regulation order from North Yorkshire Council and will have to appoint “suitably qualified persons to implement associated traffic management i.e. signs and barriers etc”.

Those British legion branches affected now have to decide whether to go down this route or re-route or cancel parades.

Mike Comerford, chairman of the Harrogate Victory branch of the Royal British Legion said the police had not provided traffic management for its parade for many years.

Mr Comerford said the service had been provided recently by Harrogate Borough Council, which was abolished at the end of March, and he would contact the successor authority, North Yorkshire Council, to see if this arrangement remained in place.

Ripon’s Remembrance Sunday parade is managed by members of the armed forces.

Read more:

• Local Remembrance Sunday parades under threat after police withdraw traffic help
• Former Harrogate Leon site to become Starbucks

This year’s Remembrance Sunday parade in Knaresborough may not go ahead after police told organisers they could no longer provide traffic management.

David Houlgate, vice-chair of Knaresborough Royal British Legion, said the charity had been “rocked to the core” by the news.

A letter from the assistant chief constable of North Yorkshire Police told the legion it would no longer provide traffic management because the force needed to ensure it focused resources on tackling crime.

Mr Houlgate said:

“This immediately puts this year’s Remembrance Day parade’s at risk of being cancelled and future ones not happening too.”

It is unclear whether this will jeopardise other local Remembrance Sunday parades or other events which require police traffic management.

Will Harrogate’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations also be affected?

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police to clarify the situation. It said it was working on a statement about traffic management which would be forwarded on.

Mr Houlgate said:

“We were not expecting this and it is a major blow for the town.  There is of course a cost to providing our own traffic management provision so this decision by North Yorkshire Police almost certainly means there will be no Remembrance Day Parade in Knaresborough as things currently stand.

“And it is not just Knaresborough, it appears that North Yorkshire Police have made this decision right across the county.  We are devastated.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough man jailed for strangling former partner
• Dates set for reopening historic hotels in Knaresborough and Ripon

Mr Houlgate added:

“We are a charity and we are focused on raising funds to provide lifelong support to serving and ex-serving personnel and their families.  So even though every year we also lead the nation in commemorating and honouring those who have served and sacrificed, we cannot justify spending funds on traffic management.”

Remembrance Sunday commemorations in Knaresborough begin with a service at St John’s Church followed by the parade, which lasts about 20 minutes, to the war memorial in the Castle Yard.”

Mr Houlgate said:

“Apart from the covid lockdown this will be the first time in living memory the Remembrance Day parade will not happen here in Knaresborough unless there is a change of heart by North Yorkshire Police, which seems unlikely, or something else turns up.”