Fink grocery store in Boroughbridge sold

Fink grocery store in Boroughbridge has new owners.

Co-owner Hugh Fink announced at the weekend he and Sharon Longcroft, who took over the business when it was the Fruit Basket in November 2013, had sold to London retailers Vikas Patel and Miraz Mehta.

The new owners will take over the shop on Boroughbridge High Street on October 2.

Mr Fink said he will continue to support Mr Patel in the months ahead while Ms Longcroft will focus on her picture framing business.

The Fruit Basket was owned by Chris Thompson for 21 years before it was acquired by Mr Fink and Ms Longcroft a decade ago.

It rebranded as Fink in 2016 and two years later was named local shop/village store of the year at the national Farm Shop and Deli Show in 2018.

Mr Fink said:

“It has been a pleasure to have served the people of Boroughbridge and beyond and we are delighted to have found a buyer with such a strong understanding of the market we serve.

“With his vast retail experience and energy, we look forward to seeing him develop Fink to the next level.”

Mr Patel, who until recently managed a general store in Chelsea, added:

“When my wife Miraz and I came to Boroughbridge, met some of the people and saw the shop, we immediately knew this would be a great place to settle and bring up our son Aarish.

“Having moved from London we know there is a lot to learn but we look forward to meeting new people and learning to speak Yorkshire!”

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The Stray Ferret Business Awards to make its return in 2024

Not even an amber weather warning could stop the Stray Ferret Business Awards in March, with a turnout of nearly 400 people and many smiling faces, we’re looking forward to doing it all again in 2024.

Following the success of our inaugural event, the Stray Ferret Business Awards will be making its return next year – and we’re ready to receive your entries!

Sponsored by local financial advisers Prosperis, the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024 will take place in the Pavilions of Harrogate on Thursday, March 14.

The awards ceremony will recognise businesses of all sectors and sizes to highlight the best and brightest in the Harrogate district’s business community – including Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham and Nidderdale.

The black-tie event will include our all-important awards ceremony, a special Winner’s Lounge sponsored by LCF Law and entertainment throughout the evening

Whether you’ve seen significant business growth, place sustainability at the centre of your core values, or provide great progression for your employees, our awards will shine a light on excellent organisations and individuals.

There are 10 award categories to enter:

Emma Harris, Commercial Manager of the Stray Ferret, said:

“We were blown away by the success of our inaugural Business Awards ceremony earlier this year and hope the 2024 event will not disappoint.

“The Stray Ferret Business Awards highlights businesses that are making a difference in the community, as well as those who have overcome adversity and are going strong.

“We can’t wait to see the entries.

“It is entirely free to enter and the Stray Ferret will showcase the fantastic work of all finalists and winners, so we encourage you to put your business forward today.

“The Harrogate district may be a small part of the world, but includes hugely successful businesses with talented individuals who we believe deserve to be recognised.”

Entries are now open.

*There are still a small number of sponsorship opportunities available, so don’t miss out on showcasing your business to the district ahead of and on the night of the awards ceremony.

For more information on the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024, contact advertising@thestrayferret.co.uk .

Home care provider brings high standards to Harrogate district

This story is sponsored by Vermuyden Care.

One of the region’s foremost home care providers is now bringing its flexible, client-centred approach to the Harrogate district after opening a new base at Boroughbridge. 

Vermuyden Care already has an excellent reputation for its elderly and dementia services in its home area of Doncaster, and now aims to provide the same high standard of home care in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Ripon, Thirsk and Easingwold, from its new premises at Ornhams Hall. 

Director Gary Stapleton said: 

“The difference with Vermuyden is that we are endlessly flexible and willing to go to great lengths to accommodate clients’ wishes. 

“Clients can often feel they’re not very involved in their own care – they feel that things are being done to them, not for them – but we’ve never been like that. 

“For example, some home care companies won’t come out to clients before 8am, but a lot of people who are used to getting up early don’t want to suddenly start having a lie-in just to please their carer. Whatever time you want to get up, we’ll be there.

“Similarly, other companies won’t come out after 8pm, but we think that’s treating clients like children, making them go to bed early. However late you want to go to bed, we’ll be there too.

“At Vermuyden, we are totally flexible. Whatever it is you want, we can do.” 

Vermuyden – pronounced ‘Ver-moy-den’ – specialises in dementia care, but also works with clients with physical and learning disabilities, and offers mental health support. The company provides long-term home care services as well as short-term respite care, and aims to make sure people living in rural areas are not cut off from the help they need.

Vermuyden employs over 100 people, including 15 from its Boroughbridge office. It recruits locally and takes on permanent, experienced staff on high wages, ensuring it only employs the very best carers in the sector. This is important, said Gary, because employees need to be able to provide more than just personal care. He said: 

“The care is the easy part – it’s all the other stuff that’s harder to get right, and we put a huge amount of effort into making sure that we do. 

“We want clients to feel they’re getting the service they deserve.” 

If you’re interested in receiving the very best in personal home care – or you know someone who might be – call us on 01423 800674, or take a look at our website, www.vermuyden.co.uk. 

 

Business Breakfast: Boroughbridge holiday park raises £32,000 for charity

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event tonight (Thursday, August 31) at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A holiday park in Boroughbridge has raised £32,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Old Hall Holiday Park has raised money for the charity for more than 13 years through a range of events including an annual hog roast, live bands, discos, children’s parties and games, raffles and Halloween parties.

In recognition of Old Hall’s fundraising efforts, Wendy Whittle, park manager, and her husband Denis were invited to the charity’s unveiling of two new state-of-the-art helicopters at Nostell Airbase near Wakefield.

Mrs Whittle said:

“The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is such a fantastic cause and one which everyone at the Old Hall supports. 

“We are lucky to have such a wonderful community at the park, with all our holiday home owners joining in our fundraising activities and giving generously.”

Linda Stead, Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s regional fundraising manager for the North and East, said: 

“We are extremely thankful to everyone at the Old Hall Holiday Park for their continuous and unwavering dedication over the last 13 years.

“This remarkable donation is a testament to their commitment to our mission of saving lives across Yorkshire and from the whole team at YAA I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for their invaluable support.”

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Minskip scarecrow weekend set to return

The annual scarecrow competition will be returning to the village of Minskip, near Boroughbridge, for the weekend of September 2 and 3.

The competition sees the village’s main street lined with scarecrows. This year’s theme is 100 Years of Walt Disney.

Debbie Hargreaves, one of the organisers, said:

“It’s absolutely wonderful how so many villagers have made scarecrows in the past and I expect the same this year. The competition has really caught the imagination of the village and the standard is incredibly high.

“It’s great fun and all proceeds from the competition go towards our lovely little church, which, like so many rural churches, is desperately in need of money.”

The competition will be judged by Radio York presenter Elly Fiorentini and the winners will be announced on the Sunday afternoon at 3pm in front of the church. There will be a barbecue, Pimm’s, tea and coffee, tombola and various stalls from noon to 4pm in the church garden on Sunday.

On Saturday, there will be refreshments for sale in the church garden.

Robert Beaumont, senior churchwarden of Minskip Church, said:

“I’d like to thank Debbie and the rest of my church council team for all their hard work, enthusiasm and imagination in creating this fantastic weekend. It will raise much-needed money for our lovely little church.”

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GALLERY: Duck race makes triumphant return to Boroughbridge

Boroughbridge Duck Race made a triumphant bank holiday return yesterday.

All 750 ducks were snapped up as people flocked to the River Ure for the fun.

The first duck race took place in 2019 but, due to covid, had not returned until this year.

Boroughbridge Lions organised the race to raise money for local causes.

Presentations took place afterwards at the Tap on the Tutt pub near the river.

Simon Wade, who owns the pub and was the force behind reviving the event, hopes the duck race will become an annual event.

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Here are some photos from the day taken by Pete Durkin.

Boroughbridge Lions volunteers prepare for the race.

 

Crowds line the bridge over the Boroughbridge to cheer on the ducks.

 

The ducks are released into the Ure.

 

Retrieving the ducks afterwards.

 

The event generated community spirit.

 

Lions members organised the event.

 

A late entry for the race.

 

The Tap on the Tutt was the focal point of duck race day.

Boroughbridge duck race returns on Sunday

A charity duck race will take place over the bank holiday weekend in Boroughbridge.

The first duck race took place in 2019 but, due to covid, has not been able to return until this year.

Sunday’s race is organised by the charity Boroughbridge Lions to raise money for local causes. It will take place from the weir to the bridge on the River Ure.

A total of 1,000 plastic ducks will race for the top prize of £200 cash. The owners of the first 10 to finish will all receive cash prizes.

The race starts at 11am and the winners’ presentation will take place at the Tap on the Tutt at 1230pm.

In a Facebook post about the event, Boroughbridge Lions said:

“Your bathtime duck pal is supporting our local community, you can too for only two Yorkshire pounds.”

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Ducks are sold by the lions club at the Fox and Hounds, Grantham Arms, and the Tap on the Tutt pubs in Boroughbridge.

Purchases can be made on the day at lions stall at the Tap on the Tutt.

Organiser Simon Wade told the Stray Ferret he hoped the duck race would become an annual event that will “grow year by year”.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate Town sign another sponsor

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Harrogate Town have announced a partnership with a Harrogate construction and plant hire firm.

Kitching Plant Hire has over 350 machines to buy and hire, including diggers, excavators, rollers and cement mixers.

The club said the firm’s commitment to innovation and quality mirrored its values.

Matthew Kitching, director of Kitching Plant Hire, said:

“We’re excited about our new partnership with Harrogate Town AFC, being proud supporters, we felt the timing is right to show our commitment to our local club.”

Joanne Towler, commercial director of Harrogate Town AFC, said the company’s support was “instrumental in driving our club’s progress”.

Harrogate and Boroughbridge companies help beautify York 

A  Borougbridge landscape contractor has partnered with a horticultural company in Kirk Hammerton to remodel the grounds of York Museum Gardens.

ATM Ltd, a landscaping, highway and maintenance company, has partnered with Johnsons of Whixley to supply thousands of plants to the 12.5 acre area of land as part of the recent Environment Agency flood defence improvements project.

ATM provided the project with all soft landscaping following engineering work to raise an existing flood bank, while the commercial plant suppliers selected plants to ensure pollination will thrive throughout the year.

The aim of the project is to rejuvenate the gardens, which were first established in the 1830s, and create a fresh and enjoyable space for the public.

Daniel McClaren, contracts manager at ATM Ltd, said:

“The plants were carefully selected with wildlife and seasons in mind. The gardens will be enjoyed all year round. ”

Eleanor Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons, said:

“York Museum Gardens is on our doorstep, so it has been great to visit the site and see the hard work ATM have completed and see the plants thriving.”

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Photo of the Week: Roecliffe Sunrise

This week’s photograph was taken by Pete Durkin, capturing an early morning sunrise in Roecliffe.

Pete Durkin

 

Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.

Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week, we reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.

Missing Harrogate girls found safe

Three missing girls from Harrogate have been found safe.

North Yorkshire Police have confirmed that two 13-year-old and a 16-year-old girl were found in Leeds and returned to their families.

The girls were last seen at 5pm on Thursday (August 10).

A police statement said:

“Protecting vulnerable people is of paramount importance to North Yorkshire Police.”

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