Three Boroughbridge pubs have been awarded Cask Marque accreditation.
The award recognises the quality of the beers at the Grantham Arms, Fox and Hounds and Tap on the Tutt, based on temperature, aroma, appearance and taste.
Simon Wade, who owns the pubs, said the accreditation would help put Boroughbridge on the map as a destination for quality ales. He said:
“For all three of our pubs to get the accreditation is incredible. It means we now become part of the national Real Ale Trail which will hopefully bring new visitors to the town. Great credit to our teams at all three venues for keeping on top of cellar management and to our fantastic sponsor Rudgate Brewery.”
The three pubs offer 12 cask ales between them from breweries including Rudgate, Timothy Taylor’s and Theakstons, alongside guest beers on rotation.
Harrogate Healthcare company wins national care award
A Harrogate healthcare company has won a national award.
Vida Healthcare, which specialises in dementia care, won the accolade at the Great British Care Awards.
It won the National Three Rs (Recruitment, Retention and Recognition) award at the event. The company also won the same award last year.
James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said:
“We’re over the moon to have won the national Three Rs award at the Great British Care Awards – it’s a fantastic achievement and a reflection of our commitment to nurturing the future of social care talent. As part of our dedication to creating better care for people living with dementia, our long-term mission is to continue to build on our cohort of understanding and professional care workers.”
From left to right: Bernadette Mossman, healthcare director, Jill Young, operations director, James Rycroft, managing director.
Digital agency appoints new director of international
National digital agency idhl has appointed Sam Ogrizovic as Director of International to launch the firm’s first office in the US.
The company specialises in performance media, e-commerce, web development, data and email marketing.
idhl was established in Harrogate in 2000. The agency now operates nationally across the UK with offices in London, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle – employing more than 400 people.
Ogrizovic will hire a team of digital experts in the coming months, with the New York office due to open in summer 2024.
Mr Ogrizovic said:
“I’m an entrepreneurial person and there are few occasions in your career which allow you to work with a business you know well to launch a new territory from scratch. Knowing that I have the strong engine and reputation of idhl behind me is a huge advantage and I cannot wait to get going!”
Ben Wood, CEO at idhl, said:
“Sam is the perfect candidate to spearhead our US office launch, his tenacity and ability to form really strong relationships with clients as we deliver fantastic results for them is second to none. This is an extremely exciting time of growth for idhl, the potential to roll-out our products and services to the US market is huge.
Henshaws College completes outdoor classroom
Henshaws Specialist College has opened a new yurt as part of its Forest School offering.
The move follows a £25,000 donation from Barratt Developments Yorkshire East to fund an outdoor classroom.
The college provides education and care for young people aged 18-25 years old who have disabilities and complex needs.
Gemma Young, fundraising development manager at Henshaws, said:
“With the donation we were able to have a 22 ft yurt with a wood burning stove installed to base the sessions from, so the students can continue to learn outdoors, even in bad weather. We were so pleased to welcome Barratt Developments Yorkshire East to the college so they could see how far their generous donation has gone for our students and facilities.”
Henshaws Specialist College completes outdoor classroom following local housebuilder donation
Skin Clinic shortlisted in The UK Hair and Beauty Awards
Relax & Renew Skin Clinic, Green Hammerton has been shortlisted in the UK Hair and Beauty Awards.
The firm has been nominated in the ‘‘Skin Specialist Of The Year’ category.
The UK Hair and Beauty Awards supports businesses of all sizes, and provide candidates with opportunities in the sector.
Gemma Carlisle of Relax and Renew said:
“This business means the absolute world to me. I only started it 2.5 years ago and it has grown & grown into the thriving business that it is today! This is down to my utter determination and passion but also the support of the local community, that have truly allowed me to make my dreams come true”
Tech business nominated for national awards
Phase 4 Computers has been nominated in the Tech Awards 2024 by Tech for Techs.
The recognition acknowledges commitment to innovation, excellence, and performance in the tech industry.
The company has been nominated for a total of four awards, in the following categories: Tech For Techs Community Expert, Best Use Of Social Media, Best Tech Website (not an online store) and Best Shop Front.
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- Business Breakfast: Berwins Solicitors continues partnership with Harrogate International Festivals
Discover your ideal workspace at The Lenz, Hornbeam Park
This story is sponsored by Robbins Associates.
Are you seeking a remarkable space for your business to call home? Look no further than The Lenz, Grade A office space nestled within the heart Hornbeam Park.
A fully glazed, bow-fronted, three-storey office building, The Lenz blends modern aesthetics with functionality, suitable for many different types of businesses – as well as offering competitive rental prices and service charge fees.
Put your stamp on the second floor
The large, mainly open plan space is a blank canvas suitable for either open plan or partitioned offices; an adaptable layout which can be configured in a way that suits your business.
Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, as well as natural sunlight exposure and LED lighting are all carefully designed additions to enhance your sustainability credentials.
Hornbeam Park offers a rare combination of easy access and high specification spaces
Convenience and accessibility built in
From the moment you arrive, either by train at the Hornbeam Park’s on-site railway station or by car, the keypad-controlled entry systems ensure security and exclusivity.
The 13-person lift provides access to the underground car park and all the upper floors.
Join the community
Apollo Capital Group is one of the businesses that rents office space at The Lenz since 2020, and its CEO and founder Andy King has expressed his satisfaction as a commercial tenant of the building.
He said:
“We considered many options when looking for a suitable office and location close to Harrogate, and without question Hornbeam Park offers the very best of both.
“At the Lenz we enjoy a spacious new office, secure, modern, adequate parking, clean and well-maintained commercial areas, internal and external.”
From independent businesses seeking retail space, to those requiring warehouse storage or corporate offices, Hornbeam Park has the capacity to accommodate a vast array of requirements.
The interior of the office space
It’s a destination for both business and leisure visitors alike, with a wide variety of on-site leisure facilities including a Premier Inn, Nuffield Health fitness centre, restaurants such as Fayre Pub, Al Bivio Italian restaurant and much more.
Andy added:
“We couldn’t find another industrial office park anywhere near Harrogate that offers all these facilities.
“The only ‘downside’ is the fantastic Italian restaurant that we enjoy a little bit too much.”
Hornbeam Park also boasts excellent transport links between Leeds, York, Harrogate and even London, due to the railway station, regular bus routes, and its close proximity to A1/M1 motorway.
Find out more:
If you have any further enquiries, contact Chris Robbins of Robbins Associates at 01423 505501. For all available office space, visit the website or email info@robbinsassociates.net.
Cosy Club Harrogate to close on MondayCosy Club in Harrogate will serve its last customers on Monday next week.
The Cambridge Street bar and restaurant will close its doors permanently at 5pm on April 1 after the site did not perform as well as expected.
The first Cosy Club opened in 2010 and the Harrogate venue only opened two years ago.
The Cosy Club brand is run by Loungers Ltd, which also operates the Claro Lounge in Ripon. The chain describes itself on its website as a place for “relaxed dining, drinking and lounging in a fabulous, welcoming setting”.
Cosy Club in Harrogate
Aaron Webb, manager of Cosy Club Harrogate said:
“Our last day will be April 1. The site is too large to make any money and head office told us we are closing. It was poor planning for the location and there are no plans to relocate in Harrogate. It is not ideal.”
The Cosy Club restaurants in York and Leeds will remain open.
Read more:
The Knaresborough shop ‘delivering beeswax products directly from Mother Nature’New owner takes over Deli Bar Harrogate
The Deli Bar in Harrogate is under new ownership.
The business has been at 23 Regent Parade for the last 17 years. Now the lease has come to an end Darren Winder, who has owned the deli since 2006, has decided to step down and Jason Evans has taken over.
The deli offers daily specials, salads, sandwiches, coffee and baked goods to customers in High Harrogate.
Mr Evans said running a deli had been an ambition of his since he was a child, through to his last job as a software engineer
He said:
“It is a childhood dream of mine, I have bored people about it for 30 years. I dreamed of having a slice of heaven and something of my own.
“I always said I’ll do it when I’m older and a friend of mine said recently, ‘Jason, you are older, when are you going to open a business?’ and it just hit me — if I didn’t do it now I’ll never do it and I would rather look back and regret doing it than never taking a chance.
“I said years ago if this place ever came up for sale I would buy it and it did — some things are fate.”
Deli Bar Harrogate
Mr Evans said he wanted to maintain the overall feel of the deli but would also “build on what customers want”, which would involve reviewing the menu and introducing a delivery system through Just Eat.
The deli has created a community over the years. It has built up regular customers and Hayley Francis has worked there for 15 years. Mr Evans said:
“Darren has done a fabulous job, it has a great reputation and we hope to maintain that.
“If you make good food people will come, it is so much more than one owner, it is our whole team. We also try to use local produce because us independent businesses need to stick together.”
The sandwich bar
The interior of Deli Bar.
Read more:
The Knaresborough shop ‘delivering beeswax products directly from Mother Nature’
This story is sponsored by The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co.
The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co is an integral part of a thriving independent business community in Knaresborough, selling a vast array of natural products including candles, wax melts, soaps, lip balms and honey.
But the popular business may not have come to pass, for many reasons – one of which was that founder Michael Landreth was afraid of bees. Luckily, a friend’s form of exposure therapy meant that he soon came to respect the insects, and understand the potential in the produce that they created.
He explained:
“My friend put me in front of his beehives, and I could either run or face my fear. Working so closely with bees now has helped me overcome that fear.”
Michael Landreth
Additionally, if Michael hadn’t decided to take redundancy from his former job during the Covid-19 pandemic, the company may never have flourished into the successful enterprise it is today.
While a period of furlough allowed him to focus on growing The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co, it was still a ‘difficult decision’ to leave his employment and dedicate himself to the business full time, but one he felt he had to make.
According to Michael, this was a risky move that ultimately paid off; today he is the proud owner of 43 beehives and a shop in the historic market town of Knaresborough that boasts an all-natural product range.
He said:
“I wanted to be in a quirky area, and Green Dragon Yard fit in with that quaint, cobbled feel.”
The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co stocks a diverse range of products; from candles made from plant-based aromatherapy oils to beeswax cosmetics such as lip balms and body butters, there’s something to suit many tastes.
The shop interior
Since opening the premises, Michael has been delighted to receive lots of positive feedback from residents and tourists alike.
“The comments I’ve received are mind-blowing – absolutely fantastic. I have some customers who visited from Dublin, and they liked my products so much, they ordered more online when they got home.
“I even have a customer who orders all the way from Singapore.”
While it’s clear his products have established a popularity across the local area – and beyond – since establishing The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co Michael is always looking at ways to push the business on and progress further.
2024 is proving to be one of the company’s biggest years to date; with the creation of a bee-friendly garden, the imminent opening of a honeycomb waffle bar and introducing a children’s education centre all about bees, to name just a few plans.
The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co. products
Michael added:
“People really should pop in a visit the shop, to find out what’s going on, and how we can help them.
“Fundamentally though, we’re delivering beeswax products directly from Mother Nature.”
Find out more:
The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Co. is located 6 Green Dragon Yard, Knaresborough, HG5 8AU. There is also an online store you can purchase products from, available on the website.
Mediterranean café opens in HarrogateA Mediterranean café has opened on Beulah Street in Harrogate.
Tulip Café has set up in the former Sirius Café site and aims to offer Mediterranean flair serving coffee and scones alongside Turkish tea and sucuklu toast.
The owners of Tulip, Aydan Eski and Karen Ula, decided to set up their business venture in the heart of Harrogate.
Ms Eksi, is originally from Bodrum and Ms Ula has always lived in Harrogate with her husband, Mehmet Ula, owner of Woodlands Car Wash And Valeting.
The site has undergone refurbishments costing approximately £5,000, from painting throughout and new signage to upgrading the kitchen equipment.
Ms Ula previously worked at Rosset High School and said the café is not a huge change as she “loves working and talking to people”.
She said:
“We are in a great location, Beulah Street is nice and busy and right in the centre, and there is a great community here. Our products are homemade and we try to source things locally.
“We chose to go Mediterranean because it is huge, we didn’t want to limit ourselves just to Turkish products.”
The café stocks tea from True Tea and its bouquets of Tulips come from Blamey’s Florist of Harrogate.
Alongside the local produce the pair are selling traditional Mediterranean souvenirs including rose jam, olive butter and evil eye jewellery.
Ms Eksi added:
“It was important for us that we didn’t take over retail space, we chose to set up in a café that was already here, and it means it is good for Harrogate and Sirius customers can come back.
“We are trying to get people to try our Turkish foods, such as the suckuk (Turkish sauasage) but of course we have English things too like the the scones.”
Take a look at Tulip Café:
The interior of Tulip Café
Karen Ula making a coffee
Homemade produce on sale
Mediterranean souvenirs on sale
Tulips and muffins in the café
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French brasserie Côte to close Harrogate restaurant
French brasserie Côte is set to close its Harrogate branch in the first week of April.
The restaurant is part of a chain specialising in all-day French bistro cuisine. The company has more than 80 restaurants in the United Kingdom and 2,500 employees.
Côte, which has operated on Albert Street for several years in the former Beales Department Stores unit, will close on April 6. It will result in approximately 20 job losses although staff have been offered placements at other Côte restaurants.
Neighbouring Côte restaurants, including one in York, will remain open.
A Côte spokesperson said:
“The restaurant will close on April 6. Just the Harrogate store is closing, we have reached the end of the tenancy contract and have not found anywhere else to relocate.
“We are trying to find a new location but it will take time, it is unpredictable and we are asking loyal customers to subscribe to our newsletter so we can keep them posted about a new location. We have no further updates at this time.”
Today’s email newsletter read:
“We regret to inform you that our Harrogate restaurant will be closing on the 6th of April. Whilst the site is a permanent closure, we love the city and we have been working hard to find a new location; however, this process takes time, and we want it to be in the right place for our future growth.
“We haven’t been able to find the right spot yet, but we hope to have more news on that in the coming months. We would love for you to remain on our mailing list so we can let you know when we’ve found the perfect place”
Read more:
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GALLERY: A night of celebration at the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024
Last Thursday, March 14, businesses across the Harrogate area came together for a night of celebration at the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024, sponsored by Prosperis.
The awards showcased the diverse range of talented individuals and businesses, and while over 360 guests attended, 14 finalists were ultimately crowned the winners of their categories.
Photographers were on hand to capture every moment of the evening – see if you can spot some familiar faces.
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Michael Law)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
(Image: Gerard Binks)
Read more:
- The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024: meet the winners
- The Stray Ferret is moving into the heart of Harrogate town centre
- Four years for you – an announcement to our readers
A Harrogate restaurant is set to reopen after being closed for several months.
Saranda Bar and Grill has been on Station Bridge since 2018 and offers Greek, Albanian and Mediterranean meat, seafood and à la carte dishes.
The restaurant was forced to shut in October 2023 due to rising costs and issues with staffing.
Now, the bar and grill is set to reopen tomorrow (March 21) much to the excitement of its owner.
Leonardo Mersinllari, who owns Saranda Bar and Grill as well as Espresso House on Beulah Street, said:
“I am really excited to reopen tomorrow and welcome back our lovely customers after a long time away. We’ve not even opened yet but we already have a lot of reservations for the next couple of weeks, so it is great to be back.”
The restaurant won Restaurant Guru awards in 2021 and 2022 for ‘Best Atmosphere in Harrogate.’
Saranda’s website said:
“Saranada Bar and Grill is the perfect place for those seeking a casual, warm, relaxed atmosphere.
“We look forward to welcoming friends, new and old when we reopen on Thursday, March 21.”
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- The Stray Ferret is moving into the heart of Harrogate town centre