Ferret Unlocked: what you missed in news last week

This past week, the Stray Ferret took a deep dive into local politics.

Carl Les, 75, has been leader of North Yorkshire Council and its predecessor North Yorkshire County Council since 2015. But he is among the few Conservatives which have survived the setbacks the party has faced in recent years.

As Tory MPs fell during the last election and the party’s majority reduced on the council last year, Cllr Les has stood as one of the great local political survivors.

But who is he and what does he know about Harrogate? We spoke to him for a feature length interview this past weekend, which subscribers can read here.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the political spectrum, we took a closer look at Labour mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith’s, record in his first five months in post.

While Mr Skaith has sought to spread his £18 million mayoral investment fund into several areas, he has yet to unveil a flagship project.

The Stray Ferret compared his record to his political counterparts to analyse his performance.

In business news, we spoke with James Barber, who owns James Barber Tobacconist, about the history of the long-standing shop on Cold Bath Road.

Mr Barber told us that it had been a huge gamble to move the family firm to Harrogate — but, as it turned out, he needn’t have worried. You can read more on his story here.

Also in business stories, the owners of Blues Bar on Montpellier, Simon and Sharon Colgan, added another hospitality venue to their portfolio this past week after purchasing Prego café.

But did you know the couple also own venues in Knaresborough, Wakefield, Otley, Leeds and York? We took a closer look at their hospitality empire this past weekend. Subscribers can read the article here.

Finally, subscribers to the Stray Ferret can take advantage of a range of fantastic exclusive offers, discounts and giveaways from local businesses, which we regularly update.

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