Knaresborough businesses are gearing up for Halloween with a spooky-themed scarecrow trail and window decoration competition.

Scary displays are already starting to appear in shop windows in the historic market town, including Sid Horner and Son and Claro Hairstyles.

The competition, organised by the Knaresborough Business Collective, is being run alongside the Halloween scarecrow trail, which starts on October 21.

Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, who launched the not-for-profit business group with Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, said:

“We are running the competition following the huge success of our spring and jubilee window competitions.

“It is aimed at making the town look amazing for our exciting scarecrow trail. The trail will feature 28 scarecrows around Knaresborough, which people can find on a map.

“They are all sponsored and made by businesses and they will all be themed based on what would suit their business. For example, we have a hairdresser doing an Edward Scissorhands scarecrow.”

The entrance to Sid Horner and Son, which has an impressive spooky Halloween window display.

Ms Horner and her team have been working on a Halloween window at Sid Horner and Son for the last few weeks and is inviting people to have a look.

She said:

“We are a bit tucked away on Finkle Keep. It is made from old printer parts and has lots of little surprises.”

Read more:

• Greggs to open shop in Knaresborough
• Business is booming in Knaresborough as empty shop units continue to fill

This story is sponsored by Truth Legal.

A Harrogate law firm is celebrating supporting those most in need of legal advice for 10 years.

Truth Legal, which is based on Victoria Avenue, was founded by Andrew Gray back in 2012.

It was set up to help provide access to justice for those who may find the law difficult to navigate and has prided itself on having a “honest and ethical” ethos.

Since then, Truth Legal has gone onto support people for personal injury, clinical negligence, employment, small businesses and immigration cases and even expanded its client base into Leeds with a new office.

Georgina Parkin, the Managing Director at the firm, said the purpose of the company continues to be helping those people who find the law hard to access. She said:

She said:

“Truth Legal was set up in 2012 with the ethos of providing ethical and affordable access to justice. Access to justice has been reduced over the last 12 years with reductions in legal aid and increased court fees.”

“There has been a lot of changes to various areas of the law over the years, such as legal aid and employment tribunals.”

Georgina, who started out as a trainee back in 2013 before rapidly rising to director, is set to oversee the next milestone in the company’s history.

Truth Legal at their 10 year anniversary celebration.

Along with Louis MacWilliam and Navya Shekhar, Georgina will take on majority control of the firm. Catherine Reynolds will continue in her role as a Director of the firm. Andrew will continue to provide support as a consultant.

Going forward, Truth Legal wants to undertake another ambitious recruitment drive and look at setting up another office.

It also intends to take on more social justice cases and expanding its immigration, employment and clinical negligence teams.

For Georgina, the mission of the firm will remain the same – providing access to justice for those who need it most.

For more information on Truth Legal and how to get in touch for legal advice, visit their website here or call 01423 788358.

Harrogate Borough Council has received almost £500,000 from Harrogate Spring Water since 2017 as a share of the company’s annual turnover, new figures reveal.

The council owns the land where the company is based on Harlow Moor Road and receives £13,000 a year in ground rent.

Harrogate Spring Water also has to pay a percentage of annual turnover to the council. This is known as turnover rent.

The turnover rent agreement was drawn up in the early 2000s when the council granted planning permission to build a bottling plant on land leased to the company.

However, the figure has never been made public.

Two-year battle

For almost two years, the Stray Ferret has tried to find out exactly how much the council benefits from the success of the Danone-owned company.

We first asked the question to HBC in a freedom of information request in January 2021, almost two years ago.

But the council refused to tell us. It said:

“This information is deemed to be of commercial value and, if disclosed, may impact on the council’s ability to negotiate and harm its legitimate interests, putting it in a commercially disadvantageous situation.”

We then requested that HBC undertake an internal review of this decision.

However, Joanne Barclay, acting chief solicitor at HBC, came to the same conclusion, adding “confidence may be eroded if commercial rents were to be disclosed”.

In summer 2021, we submitted a complaint about the council’s decision not to disclose the sum to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

ICO is an independent government body that promotes openness within public bodies.

After a long delay due to a backlog, it investigated HBC’s refusal and asked the council to look again at the Stray Ferret’s question. It has now decided to publish the figures for the last five years.

Read more:

• Harrogate Spring Water reports £23m turnover but still makes a loss

• Campaigner accuses Harrogate Spring Water of ‘greenwashing’ over expansion plans

Finally publishing the figures

Earlier this year, the BBC’s Local Democracy Service revealed that HBC receives 0.5% of the company’s annual turnover.

It estimated the council received £853,033 over an 18-year period, however, new information suggests that is likely to be a higher figure.

Since 2017, HBC has received £495,000.

Company accounts published on Friday revealed turnover has returned to pre-covid levels after dipping significantly due to the pandemic.

Each year, the council has received the following sum from Harrogate Spring Water in turnover rent:

2017  – £92,811.87

2018  – £138,026.18

2019  – £91,153.15

2020  – £152,332.02

2021  – £21,995.79

Global brand

Harrogate Borough Council and Harrogate Spring Water’s histories are intertwined.

Water has been bottled in Harrogate for centuries but in the early 1990s Harrogate Spa Water, as the company was previously known, was selling just 1,000 bottles of water a year.

The company’s fortunes changed in the late 1990s when HBC, run then by the Liberal Democrats, identified an opportunity to explore water resources at the current site on Harlow Moor Road.

Harrogate Spring Water has since gone from strength to strength to become a global brand.

The relationship between the two organisations has come into focus due to Harrogate Spring Water’s attempts to expand its bottling plant into Rotary Wood.

The council has always maintained that its status as planning authority and Harrogate Spring Water’s landlord are separate.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We have had a base rent and turnover rent agreement in place with Harrogate Spring Water Ltd since 2002.

“As with all of our rental agreements, the money generated is used to help deliver valuable front-line services across the Harrogate district.”

Harrogate Spring Water saw sales return to almost pre-pandemic levels last year but still made a loss.

The company, which is owned by French multinational Danone, last week published its latest annual financial report covering the period from December 2020 to December 2021.

During this period, the company reported a turnover of £23m and a gross profit of £6.9m.

However, despite the improved sales figures for 2021, the company still made a loss of £1.3m after costs, expenses and tax.

Bouncing back

The healthy sales figures reflect how the bottled drinking water firm bounced back after its previous report, which covered March 2020 until December 2020, and saw revenue fall sharply.

The decline in 2020 was mainly due to hotels and restaurants that serve its water being closed due to covid.

Turnover in 2021 returned close to its pre-covid figures for 2019/20, when it recorded a turnover of £26.2m in the 12-month period ending March 31 2020.

Harrogate Spring Water declined to make a comment on the accounts.

Read more:

• Harrogate Spring Water investigating new water sources on council land
• Harrogate Spring Water ‘finalising’ latest expansion plans

The Pinewoods expansion

Meanwhile, Harrogate Spring Water is preparing to submit a new planning application to expand its bottling plant in the Pinewoods.

The company was granted outline planning permission to expand to the west of its existing site in 2016, which meant the principle of development had been established but the details had not been agreed.

The reserved matters application provoked a major backlash due to the loss of trees at Rotary Wood. In January 2021, councillors on the planning committee voted overwhelmingly to reject it— against the wishes of council officers who had recommended approval.

The firm held a consultation on plans for its Rotary Wood site this summer and said it would now provide a further update “in the coming weeks”.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Harrogate district estate agents is to plant trees in Nidderdale to offset its carbon footprint.

Dacre Son & Hartley commissioned Mark Shayler, from consultants APE, to carry out an assessment of its carbon dioxide emissions.

The report covered the estate agency’s direct and indirect activities, right down to the impact of employee travel, purchased goods and services, before making recommendations to offset existing levels and setting reduction targets.

As a result, the estate agency has partnered with Make it Wild, a woodland management group, and pledged to plant native trees to offset the 111 tons of CO2 that the independent audit found the company produced each year across its 21 Yorkshire offices.

Head of residential at Dacre Son & Hartley, Patrick McCutcheon, said: 

“At Dacres we wish to play our part in helping to protect both the planet and our environment for future generations and recognise that the current initiative is just a small step on our sustainability path.”

Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Crime commissioner to address Harrogate business meeting

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is set to face Harrogate district business leaders at a meeting next week.

Zoe Metcalfe will address a meeting of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce on October 10 where she will outline her priorities for the county’s fire and police services.

The meeting, which will also be open to first-time visitors, will also hear from former MI5 ‘spook’ Martin Smith MBE, who will focus on the implications of cyber security and hybrid working.

David Simister, chief executive of the chamber, said: 

“We are looking forward to welcoming both Zoë and Martin to our October meeting, when the focus will be law, order and cyber security.

“Policing is always a contentious issue, and whilst Harrogate has a relatively low crime rate compared to other towns in the country only this week did I read that seven bikes had been stolen from a Ripon cycle shop. Businesses are concerned by anti-social activity, theft and a lack of officers on the streets.

“Cybercrime is also a big fear for business, and with the post-covid rise in hybrid working, this is a major priority for businesses, particularly as the criminals get ever more sophisticated.”

The meeting will begin at 6.15pm. Those wishing to attend should register at the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce website here.

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Harrogate district hotels win national awards
• Business breakfast: Ripon firm invests £250,000 in robot laser welder

Knaresborough has seen a stream of new businesses opening in the past year despite the challenges posed by the cost of living crisis.

Recent additions include The Secret Bakery and River and Rose and last week high street bakery Greggs confirmed it was opening a branch in the town.

There are currently only six empty units available compared a peak of more than 40, according to the two women behind the Knaresborough Business Collective.

Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, and Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, who launched the not-for-profit venture in January, said there were a number of reasons why Knaresborough was so attractive to businesses.

Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:

“There is a lot of new energy coming into the town. More than 12 business have opened here this year.

“I think we have a lot to offer, because we are a tourist destination as well. We bring a lot of tourists in for a good half of the year and the other half sees locals use a lot of the businesses.”

Annie Wilkinson-Gill (left) and Natalie Horner.

Ms Horner added:

“Most of the businesses are quite unique. We offer a lot as a town. You can get everything here. I also think after covid a lot of people wanted to support local.

“You get amazing customer service in Knaresborough. When customers walk in, staff know them by name. All that helps to make it a community. We also have the market on a Wednesday.”

Read more:

• Greggs to open shop in Knaresborough
• Knaresborough banking hub could open this year

The women, who set up the collective to stage events and be a voice for businesses, have both had a presence in the town for more than a decade.

During this time they have seen the town experience struggles with shop closures and empty units.

However, in a post-covid world, they believe there is now more support than ever for local businesses, including amongst the business community itself.

Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:

“As well as the people who live here, the shops all support each other. We all know the importance of keeping each other going. We have all got the same goal.

“I have got the most amazing group of friends in different businesses. It’s a really lovely town full of lovely people.”

This article is sponsored by Brunning & Price.

When the opportunity to inject a new lease of life into an historic Harrogate pub arose, Sam Aston jumped at the chance.

The new manager has moved to the town from the Isle of Wight with her six-year-old Bouvier des Flanders dog, Bear.

She will be leading a new team at the 18th century Nelson Inn pub, near Hampsthwaite, which is set to reopen in November.

Sam brings with her a wealth of experience, having been in hospitality her whole life, and she is “chomping at the bit” to get open.

She said:

“I am so excited to take up my new role in this beautiful, historic inn, which dates back to 1776.

“Customers can expect a warm welcome, good cask beers, freshly cooked food, delicious and affordable wine and a good shelf of malt whiskies and gins. A gluten-free menu will also be available.

“I love to try to new food and local beers and gins and I can’t wait until we launch our fantastic new menu.

“I also really enjoy walking with Bear in the countryside, so the location of the inn is perfect as there are so many lovely walks to explore in the area.

“I’m really looking forward to opening in November.”

New pub manager at the Nelson Inn, Sam, with her dog Bear.

The Nelson Inn, just off Skipton Road, was first built in 1776 and was a private house until the early 19th century.

It was given its name following Nelson’s victory during the Battle of Trafalgar.

It has been taken over by Brunning and Price, which has a portfolio of 80 pub restaurants, including the Highwayman in Kirkby Lonsdale and the Bull at Broughton.

A major restoration and refurbishment of the inn is currently underway.

Join the team 

The Nelson is now looking for staff to join Sam and the team, with a range of exciting opportunities available.

They include roles in management, as well as chefs, front of house, cleaners and gardeners.

Part time and flexible hours are available and full training will be offered.

Brunning and Price will be hosting recruitment days at Killinghall Village Hall on Thursday, October 13 and Friday, October 14.

A further open day will be held on October 20.

For more information on the recruitment day and jobs available, email recruitment@brunningandprice.co.uk.

A Harrogate coffee shop has launched a ‘community table’ to allow people to chat to others as fears over the cost of living crisis grow.

Brew Bar, on St Winifred’s Avenue, is also inviting customers to gift a coffee in advance for those who are not in a position to buy a drink.

It comes after what business owner Simon Somerville-Frost described as “a tough few years”.

He said:

“I’m feeling it, like most other people in this world, the daily pressures are visible.

“What a tough few years we’ve all had, and many are feeling nervous about the imminent future, myself included.

“However, it’s normal to feel like this and it is now we rely on those around us.”

To help those  struggling, Mr Somerville-Frost has introduced the community table to Brew Bar.

He explained:

“If you’re feeling low and want to chat to someone, or just want to leave the house to gain some headspace, we invite you to sit at our community table to chat to others in similar positions, make friends and see that things will be ok.

“For those who are in a position who unfortunately are unable to purchase a drink, don’t worry, we want you to be apart of our family and we invite customers to gift a coffee in advance for those who would appreciate receiving it.”

Simon Somerville-Frost

Tucked away on a residential street just off the Stray, the Harrogate cafe became a lifeline for the local community and nearby hospital staff. during the pandemic.

Brew Bar opened in May 2018 after Mr Somerville Frost realised that, after nearly a decade of living in the Saints area, he didn’t know any of his neighbours and felt the sense of community had been lost.

Read more:

• Harrogate cafe a ‘hidden gem’ for locals and hospital staff
• Caffeine boost: The rise of the independent coffee shops in Harrogate

In an effort to put that right, he took on a shop unit opposite his home and soon expanded next door.

Some tried to dissuade him from opening a cafe outside the town centre, but he was confident that it could become the heart of the local community.

And this latest initiative forms part of his ongoing mission to continue rebuild the community network by bringing people together.

Mr Somerville-Frost has previously spoken out about his battle with depression and anxiety after lockdown and how his customers helped him get through it.

Speaking to his customers in a social media post, he said:

“Personally once again, you keep me going, you give me the hope that together things will be ok and for this I thank you immensely.

“It’s not about buying something you can’t live without, it’s about supporting a business and people you don’t want to live without.”

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Two hotels in the Harrogate district have won national awards.

Grantley Hall in Ripon won hotel of the year for 2022/23 at the AA Hotel and Hospitality Awards.

Meanwhile, Swinton Estate near Masham won the sustainable award at the ceremony, which was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Iain Shelton, chief executive at Swinton, said:

“We are delighted to be recognised for the work we are doing and look forward with working with the AA over the next 12 months in championing sustainability and launching their new initiatives.”

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Free course to boost start-up businesses in Harrogate district
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm facilitates Norwich City FC deal

Harrogate firm awarded £762,522 for heat pump project

A Harrogate company has been awarded £762,522 of government funding to carry out a project to make heat pumps cheaper.

GenGame, which is based at Hornbeam Park, has outlined a scheme to use data from smart meters to help optimise the running of a heat pump in a household energy system.

The project comes as part of funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

A total of 24 projects in England and Scotland have won funding in the second round of the Heat Pump Ready programme.

Lord Callanan, business and energy minister, said:

“In light of rising global gas and oil prices, getting low-carbon heating technology into homes is a priority for this government as it will help households ditch the costly fossil fuels that are driving up bills.

“Heat pumps are a proven, reliable technology that uses cheaper renewable energy produced in the UK.”

Harrogate Business Improvement District manager Matthew Chapman will leave the organisation in November to take up a new position at North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Chapman, who took up the role in May last year, was previously Leeds BID operations manager in 2016 before becoming Huddersfield’s BID manager in November 2019.

Businesses within Harrogate’s town centre pay the BID 1.5% of their rateable value a year on top of their usual business rates.

Harrogate BID brings in around £500,000 from local firms, which it spends on projects to improve the town and increase the number of visitors.

During Mr Chapman’s 18 months in Harrogate, BID campaigns include power washing 80,000 square metres of the town centre, painting drab walls with colourful murals and buying over 500 pieces of outdoor furniture for businesses to use.

Read more:

• Electric-powered gritters coming to Harrogate district roads
• Yorkshire Water gives £70 account payments to low-income households

He is set to take up a managerial role within North Yorkshire Council, which is the new council that will replace Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council from April.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson paid tribute to Mr Chapman in a statement and said the search for his replacement had begun.

“Since joining us in May 2021, Matt has been a highly effective, dedicated and extremely popular BID manager. I have certainly enjoyed our working relationship, and that is echoed by all my fellow directors.

“During his time with us, he has become one of the most recognised faces in the town centre. He’s built terrific relationships with the district and county councils, business organisations and business owners and their employees.

“We will be extremely sorry to see Matt go, but the good news for us, and the town centre, is that he will continue to play a role within the organisation, offering guidance and support to the board and BID team, within a part-time role to aid the recruitment process and ensure a smooth transition and handover.

“The BID team is now primed to continue delivering the high impact projects which benefit the town as a whole, and the job of finding Matt’s replacement has now begun.”