In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we look at businesses and brands that came and went on our local high streets.

The Harrogate district has seen a range of national and independent retailers come and go on the high street this year.

A cinema in Ripon folded, Harrogate got its first world supermarket, and A-ha’s sound technician even opened a local bar.

And let’s not forget the Rooftop which opened to the public for a grand total of 48 hours…

Today, we’re looking back some standout moments on the district’s high streets.

Came – The Inn Collection Group opened three sites in the Harrogate district

Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough were all in the spotlight following the opening of a new Inn Collection hotel in each area.

The Inn Collection Group, which bought the former Dower House in Knaresborough along with the George Hotel in Harrogate and the Ripon Spa Hotel, markets its venues as ‘inns with rooms’.

All three sites got fresh new looks following multi-million pound makeovers.

The new Ripon Inn, which opened in October, has 58 bedrooms and two bars. The group’s managing director told the Stray Ferret the bill for the site was “close to eight figures”.

The Knaresborough Inn opened its doors in August. It no longer has a spa and gym but boasts 56 rooms compared to a previous 38.

Finally, The Harrogate Inn closed in January for refurbishments. It has a new entrance, a new bar and restaurant, 96 rooms and two new outdoor patio features.

The Knaresborough Inn.

Came – Jollyes pet store opens in Harrogate

A national pet chain, Jollyes, opened on Hookstone Park in September.

The store sells a wide range of pet foods, toys and bedding. It also offers a pet grooming service.

The Harrogate store is one of 95 sites in the UK and the company plans to open another 10 by the middle of 2024.

Went – national retailer Paperchase folds

Paperchase, which had a store on James Street in Harrogate, closed after the company went into administration in February.

As part of the closing down sale, the company sold off cards, gifts and stationery for up to 70% off – with cards going for as little as 10p.

Tesco bought the rights to the brand, entitling it to sell Paperchase items in its supermarkets, but did not buy the stores.

The move affected 106 Paperchase shops and more than 800 staff nationally.

Came – soft furnishing brand Sophie Allport came to James Street

Sophie Allport, an interior furnishing brand based in Lincolnshire, took over the former Phase Eight store in Harrogate.

The Harrogate branch, which opened in November, is the first outside its home county, with other stores in Stamford and Bourne.

It sells a range of homeware, including bedding and crockery, as well as home furnishings, accessories and gifts.

Founder Sophie Allport.

Went – The Rooftop’s two-day tenure in Harrogate

Our next restaurant possibly holds the title for being the most rapid open and closure in recent Harrogate history.

Mexican restaurant, The Rooftop, confirmed it had closed after just two days of trading in August.

Owner Mason Elyas told the Stray Ferret he had been involved in a dispute with business partners and planned to take legal action at the time. However, another restaurant has not yet opened.

Mr Elyas said he had lost £20,000 on the venture but, despite this, hoped to open another restaurant in Harrogate once this issue was resolved.

The restaurant, which was on Cheltenham Crescent, was the third restaurant to open and close in just over a year, following the closure of both Samson’s and HG1.

Came – Harrogate’s first world food supermarket opens

All Nations Supermarket, on Skipton Road, opened in September.

It stocks a wide variety of Asian, African, Middle Eastern and European foods and ingredients – the first of its kind in the town.

The store also has a butchers counter selling fresh meat and stocks halal foods too.

The opening created a real buzz on the Stray Ferret’s social media, with more than 1,000 people reacting to a post about the new venture.

All Nations Supermarket also sells Tik Tok-viral Buldak products, as well as a range of Asian spices, Middle Eastern desserts and even fresh fruit and vegetables.

Went – Curzon closed Ripon cinema

Ripon’s only cinema, Curzon, closed its doors in July this year.

The company said the venue faced “specific challenges” and site was “not suited to the long-term direction we have taken”.

Sterne Properties Ltd, which owns the North Street premises, announced in June it hoped to retain one of the cinema screens to become a volunteer-led community project.

It hopes to have the building back open to the public next year, however, no further developments have been announced yet.

Curzon.

Came – Amy Winehouse’s sound engineer opens record shop and bar in Harrogate

Dave Swallows, who has worked with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Erasure, James and A-ha, opened a vinyl coffee house and bar in May.

AAA (pronounced triple-A) on Cold Bath Road sells clothing and vinyl records, as well as serves coffee, food and alcohol.

Mr Swallows, who is originally from Southend-on-Sea but has lived in Harrogate for 16 years, told the Stray Ferret:

“Last July, I was touring with A-ha, playing Rio de Janeiro and the Hollywood Bowl, and then just two days later I was back here, being handed the keys to this place.”

Maybe one day A-ha will decide to Take On the town for one night only…

Went – Joules closed Harrogate store in second blow to James Street

Paperchase was not the only major retailer to closed its doors in Harrogate this year – as Joules saw the same fate.

The closure, which happened in May, came after the company fell into administration in 2022.

However, Next rescued it by paying £34 million for the business, plus £7 million for the head office.

The closing notice did not state a reason for the decision, but added the nearest Joules store is now Ilkley.

Mint Velvet later took on the former Joules site.

Came – Knaresborough banking hub opened to town

Knaresborough’s first banking hub, Cash Access UK, opened its doors in November.

It is a not-for-profit company set up by 10 major high-street banking providers to protect the public’s access to cash.

The hub, on Bowling Green Yard, offers customers of all major banks and building societies the chance to carry out regular cash transactions, from Monday to Friday.

It also provides a community banker service whereby customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated issues.

Community bankers from Natwest, Halifax, Santander, HSBC and Barclays work on rotation at the hub.

Knaresborough Town crier at the opening of the new banking hub.

Went – Ripon said goodbye to M&Co after 44 years of trading

Retailer M&Co went into administration for the second time last December and subsequently closed its doors in Ripon in April.

The website, brand and intellectual property were bought by Yours Clothing — but the shops were not.

This meant all 170 stores, including Ripon which had been open since 1979, had to close.

Around 1,900 employees were affected nationally.

Came – new bar and restaurant 1858 opened in Knaresborough

1858, Knaresborough’s newest bar and restaurant, opened in the former NatWest site in August.

The venue offers lunch and evening meals, Sunday roasts and drinks.

Kim Lancaster, who runs the venue, said the experience is more like “elegant fine-dining” than a “Wetherspoons quick in-and-out” type experience.

Its name derives from the year in which the building was constructed.

Went – Leon closed in Harrogate after nine month tenure

Fast food chain Leon closed its doors in Harrogate in April.

The drive-through’s closure came just nine months after it opened on Wetherby Road.

Starbucks looks set to open in the former Leon site.

It began advertising for staff in earlier this month after North Yorkshire Council approved plans to change the signage outside.

Came – Mandarin Stone opened Harrogate store

National retailer Mandarin Stone opened its doors in Harrogate in November.

The company, which sells a wide range natural stone, porcelain and decorative tiles, took over the former Lynx Menswear unit on West Park.

The Harrogate showroom is the 15th of its kind and the most northerly Mandarin Stone site.

Director Carl Ryan said the company’s “knowledge, passion and enthusiasm” for the industry set it apart in the market.

The Mandarin Stone team.

Went – Harrogate Tea Rooms closed after 13 years

The Harrogate Tea Rooms, in Westminster Arcade, closed with immediate effect in October.

Owners Carrie and Tony Wilkinson announced the news on social media and said the day-to-day running costs were not translating into profit.

They added they would, however, continue making scones for delivery.

Their post said:

“We are as sad and shocked as some of you will be.

“Our tenancy with the new landlord was up for renewal, but with increased rent, energy and food costs, lower than ever footfall, our out-of-the-way location and possibly the ever increasing amount of new coffee shops near us, it has forced our decision to unfortunately not be able to move forward with the business.

The Harrogate Tea Rooms was featured in The Harrogate Crime Series by Malcolm Hollingdrake.

Mr and Ms Wilkinson said DCI Cyril Bennett, one of the main characters, will live “in our hearts and memories”, and “will forever be drinking tea from a China cup”.

Read more:

• ‘I just want my husband back’ – The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2023
• ‘Without my carer I’d be a mess’ – Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2023

In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we look back at an eventful year for politics in the Harrogate district.

The Harrogate district was a political battleground for much of the last 12 months.

From parliamentary by-elections to council party alliances being formed, the theatre of politics was never far from the headlines.

Perhaps the biggest story of the 2023 was the shaking of the political landscape in Selby and Ainsty.

The constituency, which includes Green Hammerton, Spofforth and Follifoot, found itself at the centre of the national picture as the Tories looked to keep a grip on what once was a safe seat.

The count held at Selby Leisure Centre was the culmination of the downfall of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

The count held at Selby Leisure Centre.

Nigel Adams, a key ally of Johnson and Selby and Ainsty MP, resigned with immediate affect in June amid a flurry of resignations at the time, including former culture secretary Nadine Dorries.

Fast forward to July and the Tories were hoping to hang onto the seat.

Standing in the party’s way was 25-year-old former public affairs adviser for the Confederation of British Industry, Keir Mather.

Mr Mather did the unthinkable and overturned a 20,137 Conservative majority to win.

Political alliances

Away from the national picture, the local political scene was also offering its own drama.

The balance of power at North Yorkshire Council was finely poised in July this year, with the ruling Conservative group having precisely half the 90 seats on the council.

The defection of Cllr Mike Jordan left the Tories looking elsewhere to shore up their grip on the authority.

The party looked to Ripon.

Cllr Andrew Williams had been elected to North Yorkshire Council in the May elections as a Ripon Independent.

Cllr Williams and two other unaffiliated independents agreed an alliance with the Tories in what Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said would “secure the stable and sustainable governance” of the authority.

However, the move was not without controversy. In the wake of the news, Liberal Democrat councillor, Barbara Brodigan, criticised Cllr William’s decision and described him as a “Tory puppet”.

He hit back and said:

“There needs to be stability and governance on the council. With a £30 million budget shortfall to resolve and local government reorganisation in its infancy, the last thing that’s needed is complete chaos in the council chamber.

“That would suit the the Lib Dems fine, but it doesn’t do anything for local residents. I haven’t agreed to do anything else. The only commitment I’ve made is to join a group for the stable governance of North Yorkshire.”

Andrew Jones and Tom Gordon.

Elsewhere, with the prospect of a general election on the horizon, the race to become Harrogate and Knaresborough’s next MP heated up this year.

Tom Gordon threw his hat in the ring for the Liberal Democrats, while Conservative Andrew Jones is hoping to win his fifth election in the constituency.

While further candidates have yet to come forward, Labour appears to have gone cold on its prospects of winning the seat.

This month, it was revealed that the national party had designated it as a “non-battleground” constituency.

The Lib Dems proclaimed this to mean that Harrogate and Knaresborough is now a two-horse race.

2024 will be another battleground year for politics.

Read more:

• Labour overturns huge Tory majority to win Selby and Ainsty by-election
• Harrogate heavyweights out in force at Selby by-election

Thank you for reading and supporting The Stray Ferret. We wish you a very Merry Christmas! 

Our Christmas message this year comes from the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Revd Anna Eltringham. 

On behalf of the whole team at The Stray Ferret we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, peaceful 2024. 

In my last church, when I was a new vicar, I soon learnt there were a few lines in the Christmas Eve Nativity play which I must NEVER contemplate removing.  From the start of the play every single year, the Christmas tree lights would be un-lit and my colleague would explain, again, that one of the first things we needed to do was get the Christmas tree lights working. ‘We must all clap our hands’, she said, which we all did obediently.  ‘Clap harder!’ she’d cry ‘It’s not working…!’ until, as if by magic, the lights would blink into their beautiful, bright display.  ‘Well done everyone.  You know what they say, don’t you?’ – and here comes the punchline – ‘Many hands make lights work!’

I was reminded of those words when I visited the local Re-use and Re-cycling Centre in Ripon recently.  Never have I met such helpful and kind Refuse and Recycling Operatives.  The other day as I said thank you one said ‘That’s ok love – you know what they say… many hands make light work.’ Which they do.

Life is good when people care for each other, are kind and helpful, and pull together in good times and bad.  Sadly, in the world at large and in our local neighbourhoods, it can often feel like we see more that is far from friendly.  Social media makes things worse because it’s all too easy to be very unpleasant about individuals or groups, because we’ll hopefully never meet them in person.

The story of Jesus’ birth is set against a back drop of hatred. King Herod was determined to track down Jesus and snuff out the light he brought into the world.  However, as Mary, Joseph, Inn-keeper, Shepherds, Magi and animals gathered around the baby, some say we observe the first ever church.  A diverse group brought together by God’s love, gentleness and hope in the face of Jesus.

Like trying to make the church’s Christmas tree lights work, we need to work hard and intentionally to be kind, help each other and build up community.  I think, when we do, we see something of God’s light and love, gentleness and hope.  That can happen anywhere, but churches are a place where we can step into it somewhere and I encourage you to step inside your local church to experience it yourself, this Christmas.

Because I have one more ‘thank you’ and that is to all ministers and local volunteers, who work so hard to create beautiful Christmas services and events.  Thank you for making a space where we can glimpse the light and love, gentleness and hope of Christ with and through one another.

Peace on earth!  Goodwill to all!  And may you have a very Happy and Blessed Christmas!

Please give generously to the Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise money for a minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget who needs our help this Christmas.

Today, we learnt about dementia awareness education.

“I just really wanted to know what to do if I came across someone with dementia.”

Fiona Andrews previously worked for the British Transport Police and wanted to direct her efforts to help the community.

During a meeting in 2014, other officers mentioned a lady had got off a train and was confused. She had no ticket and did not know where she was or why she was there. Looking back it was clear the lady had dementia, Fiona said, but 9 years ago this awareness wasn’t the same.

“The conversation came up about what to do about people that come into the train station and clearly have dementia.

“I hadn’t really thought of it before that, but I wanted to be able to confirm these people would be safe when they’re taken off our hands.

“Then, the penny dropped: it’s not about us getting rid of these people, it’s about making others aware of dementia.”

Fiona began learning about dementia and working with various charities to not only educate herself and her colleagues on the disease, but eventually wider community groups.

One of the charities she worked with was Dementia Forward. She added:

“Without a shadow of a doubt Dementia Forward were the best charity out there.

“As soon as I retired, I begged Dementia Forward for a job. Even though it was a small charity back then, I could see just how much of an impact the work was having.

“I offered to sweep floors if it meant I got a job there!”

Dementia Forward’s Young Onset group.

Fiona was offered a full-time role as dementia awareness educator at Dementia Forward in 2017.

Now, various groups approach Fiona and the charity to gain a better understanding of the disease and the support they can put in place.

Fiona will advise them on what dementia is, what the signs are and what families, friends and carers can do to help.

“I will go anywhere and talk to absolutely anyone – I tailored all my education to the environment or group.

“For example, a church group will want to know how to adapt the space accordingly, but I’d speak to people differently in a Tesco or primary school than in the church group.”

Fiona gives people practical information that makes people aware of the changes that dementia can cause, like losing the ability to speak or a decline in mobility, and aims to keep anxieties as low as possible.

She believes a change in attitude is the first step in understanding this awful condition.

“My own father died from Alzheimer’s and, even though I had the experience of it, we still really struggled.

“I try to teach people in a way that I would receive well.”

Members of Dementia Forward’s Hub Club.

Fiona wants people to know that dementia comes in so many forms and isn’t just about memory loss. It’s a disease that affects everything: motivation, compulsion, mobility and social interaction.

As people living with dementia change over time, other people around them need to fit around these changes.

She also holds regular awareness sessions for long-term and new carers. The sessions provide an added layer of support and make them aware of what could come following the diagnosis.

“Sometimes people just want to see they’re not alone. It can be a very lonely disease.

“I’m here to take a bit of stigma away from dementia, to give people a voice and fill the gap between the needs of healthcare and social care.

“A big part of my awareness training is to let people who feel they’re not getting help know that we’re here.”

Fiona and the Dementia Forward team help hundreds of families across the Harrogate district.

But they need YOUR help to continue the vital support on offer and, without it, run the risk of losing the minibus service. We’re still a long way off our £30,000 target and are urging you to please donate whatever you can.

The minibus service allows people to access the support on offer at Dementia Forward. However, Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and tired and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and bettering the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Please give generously to those who need our help this Christmas. Click here to donate – you never know when you, your family or your friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

For those that need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 03300578592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

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 writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food and shares 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.

As wonderful as Christmas Day is, there’s no denying it can be stressful for the designated cook in the house.

But, we can all still enjoy the festivities – even if we’re cooped up in the kitchen for a while.

Today, I’m running you through a few tips which help me keep Christmas running smoothly.

Breakfast

Breakfast is often a forgotten part of Christmas Day.

We all rush downstairs in anticipation, and everyone is looking forward to the main meal later in the day, but breakfast can still be made special without unnecessary hassle.

I’d recommend buying a lovely fresh loaf – perhaps one you wouldn’t usually splurge on – to make bacon sandwiches, or preparing some pancake batter ahead of time. You could also get some good quality orange juice to make mimosas if that’s your drink of choice!

Another nice addition would be a small pie from the butchers – perhaps a good quality pork one – with some tomato chutney to enjoy it with.

That way, it still feels like a special morning, but people can come down and make what they please in their own time.

The (dreaded) turkey roasting

We’ve all had to avert a Christmas Day kitchen disaster at least once in our lives.

I know turkey can seem quite intimidating – especially for first-time Christmas hosts – but following the cooking instructions really is crucial.

Some recipes call for you to roast the bird uncovered, especially if you are cooking bronze turkeys that are reared for tenderness. They cook quickly, so it can be tempting to take it out once they’re golden but, really, it is undercooked inside.

If you do cook your turkey (or goose) uncovered and the crown shows signs of heavy browning, just move it to a lower shelf in the oven and loosely place some foil on the area that’s browning. This will shield it from the direct heat and help the inside to catch up in the cooking process.

If you don’t already own a meat thermometer, I can assure you it will become your best friend at Christmas. Don’t panic, there’s still time to get one on Amazon.

Gravy mishaps

Everyone has their own gravy recipes, but one thing we can agree on is how easy it is to mess it up.

Over-reducing it can lead to it becoming very salty and grainy, but there are several ways to redeem it.

In this instance, it’s moisture that has been lost, which is easy to get back. You can loosen the gravy by simply adding some warm water and keep checking for the consistency and flavour.

If it’s too runny, you can add some corn starch mixed with water or by making a roux.

To do this, just add equal parts butter and flour in a small pan and cook over a low heat until the raw flour taste is gone. It sounds fancy, but it’s very simple.

Then, just loosen the roux with some warm water before adding it back into your gravy. Fingers crossed, this should solve the problem!

Forgetting a part of the meal

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t woken up bolt-upright panicking about forgetting an element of the Christmas meal in previous years, which I’m sure many people can relate to.

Firstly, it’s really not the end of the world if you do.

But if you’re worried about forgetting to cook or serve any part of the dish, why not try using a menu planner? It sets out what you need to do and when to cook each element to ensure is served hot.

I use a planner which has a list of all the dishes in one column. Next to it, I write how long each take to cook and the oven temperature required.

In the final column, I put down the time each element needs to go in the oven, so they all finish at a similar time. It really does help!

Also, make sure to consider the rest time of your roasts. I tend to leave the turkey to rest for around 30 minutes after roasting to let the fibres relax and the juice distribute – otherwise you run the risk of having a dry bird.

Just cover it with foil and place a clean tea towel over this.

Managing stress in the kitchen

There is no shame in asking for help, ever.

So, if you’re feeling the heat in the kitchen, don’t be afraid to ask family members to help. Alternatively, if you don’t want to be distracted in the kitchen – which I can empathise with – delegate some tasks to the people around you.

Finally, don’t panic! It’s supposed to be a day of love and happiness, so just enjoy it. Have a drink and a chat and all will be fine – it’s a labour of love, but definitely worth it.

Whether you’re in or out of the kitchen, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas.

Read more:

• Yemi’s Food Stories: Spice up your Christmas dinner
• Yemi’s Food Stories: My inexpensive kitchen gadget Christmas wish list

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning across the Harrogate district for Christmas Eve.

The forecast shows Masham and Pateley Bridge will see the worst of it, with gusts up to 53mph, while Harrogate will see 51mph winds in the early hours of the morning.

Knaresborough, Ripon and Boroughbridge could see up to 50mph.

The warning, which is active from 8am to 10pm, covers the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland.

It comes just days after Storm Pia brought 60mph winds to the district.

Read more:

• Harrogate district attractions to close amid wind warning
• Trees down as Storm Pia hits Harrogate district

Campaigners have called on North Yorkshire Council to “step up” its divestment from fossil fuel companies.

Fossil Free North Yorkshire, which was set up in 2020, has called on the authority to reinvest its pension fund into sustainable projects.

The fund receives contributions from staff at 160 firms, plus past and present public sector workers.

Campaigners said they had met the council’s pension fund committee on a number of occasions and welcomed a reduction in investments to about 1.8% of the total fund, but argued it still represented nearly £76m.

Read more:

• Harrogate’s Royal Baths: the council’s under-performing ‘trophy investment’
• Harrogate nightclub Viper Rooms closes suddenly
• Viper Rooms owner says Harrogate landlords need to ‘get real’ with rent

Dr Margaret Jackson, from Fossil Free North Yorkshire, said the recent COP 28 meeting in Dubai had signalled a transition away from oil, gas and coal.

Local campaigners wrote to all North Yorkshire councillors calling on them to support the case for divestment by the council pension fund committee from fossil fuels and their reinvestment into sustainable projects.

Dr Jackson said:

“Although the outcome of the recent COP in UAE was felt to be disappointing by many, it did signal, with the ‘transition away from fossil fuels’, the beginning of the end of coal, oil and gas. 

“Pension funds and other investors should take note and move away from these investments before they become stranded.”

In response, Gary Fielding, treasurer of the North Yorkshire pension fund, said the fund had already committed investment in renewable projects.

He said:

“The North Yorkshire Pension Fund has its own responsible investment policy which sets out an approach to managing assets that take environmental, social and governance factors into account in investment decision-making and the role an investor plays as an active asset owner. 

“We are also working with our principal investment manager, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership, on developing targets and policies. As a shareholder of Border to Coast, we are aligned with their net zero target of 2050 or sooner. 

“Our pension fund has also committed further investment to the Borders to Coast Infrastructure Fund, which holds an ever-increasing range of renewable energy investments in the UK and abroad, which includes wind farm and solar power farms, geothermal energy plants and energy from waste facilities.”

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise money for a minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget who needs our help this Christmas.

Today, we’re urging our readers to dedicate a donation to a loved one.

Many families have lost a loved one to dementia or know someone who is currently living with it – it’s a totally indiscriminate condition.

People are losing their lives to dementia every day and those around them are forced to watch their loved one slip away.

That’s why we’re urging Stray Ferret readers to dedicate a donation to your loved one as part of our Christmas Appeal for Dementia Forward.

All you need to do is donate whatever you can to the appeal. Leave a message when donating and tell us who you are dedicating your donation to.

You can email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with a photo of your loved one, and we will post it on our social media channels.

The Stray Ferret’s founder, Tamsin O’Brien, lost her father to dementia earlier this year. She dedicated her donation to him:

“My wonderful father, David O’Brien, died this year – a few days short of his 93rd birthday. He was the most loving dad and he is much missed.

“In truth though, we lost him years earlier to Alzheimers disease and his last years were very difficult.

“Sadly, my mother also has this awful disease.

“People like my father and mother and their carers need extra support and joy in their lives. Dementia Forward provide this. Please support our Christmas Appeal.”

The Stray Ferret hopes to raise £30,000 for Dementia Forward to fund a new minibus.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our target to buy the charity a new minibus and improving the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

We know times our tough, but please dig deep and give generously. Let’s not forget those who need our help this Christmas.

Thank you.

The Harrogate district could see gusts of up to 61mph as Storm Pia moves in tonight and tomorrow.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning from midnight tonight until 9pm tomorrow.

The forecast shows Pateley Bridge will see the worst of the storm, with gusts reaching 61mph in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Winds will reach 54mph in Masham, while Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon will see up to 50mph.

Disruption

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday on the disruption already caused by the wind throughout the Harrogate district — now another local attraction has followed suit.

The National Trust announced on social media today that Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon, will also be closed tomorrow. It said:

“It’s already getting rather breezy here at Fountains. With wind speeds set to increase overnight and throughout tomorrow we’ve made the decision to close the site tomorrow, Thursday 21 December.

“We don’t like to disappoint anyone, but the safety of our visitors and team is always our top priority.”

The charity advised people to “check our social media channels and website” for updates.

It comes after Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough announced yesterday it will close tomorrow, while Harrogate’s RHS Garden Harlow Carr cancelled its Glow event amid the weather warning.

The weather warning is in place for the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Read more:

• Harrogate district attractions to close amid wind warning
• Kidnapped Forbidden Corner owner released after kidnapping