Disabled people to help run new Harrogate cafe

A new cafe will open in Harrogate next month to help people with disabilities learn skills and get into the job market.

Artizan International will open the South-American themed cafe in the former Game unit on Cambridge Road, just around the corner from its shop on Oxford Street.

The charity has taken on a large space set over three floors. The ground floor will be the main cafe and craft area, the first floor will have more cafe seating and the second floor will be for offices and storage.

With such a big space, the cafe will be run by four to six staff and volunteers who are there to support up to four adults with disabilities.

When it opens the cafe will serve its speciality of Peruvian hot chocolate. All of its coffee, tea and sugar will come from Fairtrade sources. It will also stock a range of soups, paninis and cakes.

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Susie Hart, who founded Artizan International, told the Stray Ferret why she wanted to invest in the cafe:

“We are going to be training young adults. The idea is they get training here and get to a level of proficiency where we could then help them find work in other cafes in town.

“At the minute everybody in the hospitality industry is desperate for workers. Meanwhile there are loads of young people with disabilities who would love to have a job in a local business.

“It really could be a win-win for those who want the work and those who need the workers, it is a really exciting time for the charity.”

Ms Hart was originally planning to replicate the success of cafes she ran in Tanzania which were staffed by deaf people.

She worked with North Yorkshire County Council and found that local deaf people were managing to find work.

However, she found out that there were “countless” young people with other disabilities on the council’s records looking for practical training, work experience and employment.

Artizan International is looking for more volunteers to join the team and help run the cafe, which will be open Monday to Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.

Are you interested? Send an email to Sarah Davis by clicking or tapping here. Alternatively call 01423 561556 more more information.

Harrogate cafe closes due to temporary staff shortages

A cafe in Harrogate has been forced to close its doors temporarily due a shortage of staff.

Staff at Caffé Nero, on the corner of Cambridge Street and Station Parade, posted a notice in the door this morning to explain why it would not be opening.

This closure highlights the ongoing recruitment crisis in the hospitality sector, which has forced many restaurants and cafes to reduce services.

The Stray Ferret asked the head office of Caffé Nero when the site would reopen. A spokesperson said it would be open “as soon as possible.”

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Meanwhile the notice in the door points customers to the second Caffé Nero site in town, which is a short walk away on Cambridge Crescent.

A spokesperson for Caffé Nero said:

“The store you’re referring to is only temporarily closed due to staff availability and will reopen as soon as possible.

“The larger store two minutes away at Cambridge Crescent is open as usual and trading normally.”

Harrogate town centre Sainsbury’s to open in next two months

Sainsbury’s is planning to open its new Harrogate’s town centre store in the next couple of months.

The supermarket chain had hoped for a late summer opening but only managed to get permission from Harrogate Borough Council in late July.

When the new Sainsbury’s Local shop opens it will create 25 new jobs and also bring the former Topshop unit at 33-37 Cambridge Street back into use after four years.

While there’s not been too much movement at the store in recent weeks, the internal fit out is due to start before the end of November.

The developer plans to split the building into three seperate units. Sainsbury’s would occupy the largest on the left side.

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Skipton Building Society is also planning to move in but it is unclear at this stage which business will take on the third unit.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Property Director, said:

“We’ll soon be moving to the next stage in the fitout of our new convenience store for Harrogate and I’m looking forward to seeing it take shape as it really starts to look like a Sainsbury’s Local.

“It won’t be long now until residents, workers and shoppers in the town centre will be able to enjoy great value, high quality products as well as the improved convenience and choice that a new Sainsbury’s store will bring.”

Mr Dunne added that his team is also in the process of finding a charity to donate excess food to.

Sainsbury’s already has four stores in Harrogate: a large store on Wetherby Road and smaller Local stores on Leeds Road, King’s Road and Cold Bath Road.

Jaeger to return to Harrogate inside Marks and Spencer

Women’s fashion brand Jaeger is set to return to Harrogate with a section inside Marks & Spencer on Cambridge Street.

Jaeger went into administration last year and was then taken over by M&S in January.

Harrogate’s Jaeger store, which was on Cambridge Crescent by the war memorial, closed shortly after the takeover.

But M&S is set to bring the brand back to 12 of its UK stores, including Harrogate, from October 30.

A total of 300 Jaeger product lines will be available to view in M&S, which can then be ordered and delivered either to the store or the customer’s home.

Two full-time and two part-time jobs will be be created.

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New Skipton Building Society branch in Harrogate approved

Skipton Building Society has been given approval to open a new branch on Cambridge Street in Harrogate town centre.

The company, which currently has a branch on Princes Street, will refurbish the central unit of the former Topshop outlet in the town centre.

The units at 33-37 Cambridge Street, which were also occupied by Miss Selfridges, are to be split into three.

Skipton Building Society plans to lease the central unit and refurbish it to include open plan public space, office spaces, toilets and staff space.

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It has also proposed to fit five air conditioning units to the back of the building facing Petergate.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed to the Stray Ferret the proposal will see its current branch relocated.

In documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council’s planning department, which have the scheme the go-ahead, the company said the proposal will ensure the “continued life of the building”.

It added:

“It will also ensure the property does not become unused or rundown which is important for its position.”

In July, the council approved plans for Sainsbury’s to occupy the largest unit on the street.

Harrogate jewellers to relocate to Cambridge Street

Harrogate jewellers Fogal & Barnes will move into a new shop on Cambridge Street next month.

The luxury retailer will relocate from its current location on Oxford Street, where it has been for the past 10 months after initially launching online.

It will move into a unit between Marks & Spencer and Card Factory on Cambridge Street in about three weeks, after shopfitting is complete.

Fogal and Barnes

Fogal and Barnes’ new unit on Cambridge Street.

Richard Norman, who co-owns the business with his wife Mona, said the new shop was a better size and location. He added:

“We need to be in a prime location.

“It also gives us the opportunity to hire more people and we’re looking for one full time and one part-time staff member.”

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In July, Ms Norman was left terrified when specialist police officers took over her shop as part of a VIP training exercise. One officer, wearing a bulletproof vest, blocked the door.

She had not been forewarned about the visit and feared she was going to be robbed.

Durham Constabulary apologised, saying the officers should have identified themselves.

 

New pop-up shop offers small businesses chance to trade in Harrogate

Harrogate businesses are being given the opportunity to rent a new pop-up town centre shop for £400 a week.

Property consultants Barker Proudlove have teamed up with The Victoria Centre in Harrogate for the new venture.

Businesses can rent the space for between one and six weeks and the £400 weekly cost includes rent, business rates, water, electricity and furniture.

The rentable pop-up space is in the former phone shop on Cambridge Street on the outside of The Victoria Centre, opposite Cafe Nero.

It gives businesses the chance to showcase their products and find new customers alongside household brands without incurring high long-term fixed costs.

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James White, centre manager at The Victoria Centre, said

“The pop-up shop provides an opportunity for small businesses to showcase their brands, ideas and test the market place on Cambridge Street.

“It offers a short-term commitment which makes trying new business ideas more attractive.”

Barker Proudlove said the site would be suitable for anyone from florists to bakers and artists.

Jess Swain, from Barker Proudlove, said:

“Harrogate has always been a town that we feel has an incredible support system for small businesses.

“Small businesses bring something incredibly exciting to the typical high street and it is great to see many online-based businesses move into a physical space, even if it is for a short period of time.”

The two organisations hope the space, which will be available in September, will attract a stream of independent businesses.

Harrogate council apologises for fake grass saga

Harrogate Borough Council has apologised this afternoon for not doing a better job explaining its decision to put fake grass  in the town centre.

The statement, which can be read in full below, outlines the council’s reasons for choosing to install plastic grass.

It also reveals the council will place planters with flowers on top of the plastic grass — something it has already begun to do.

Early today campaigners from Extinction Rebellion Harrogate removed fake grass from one of the raised beds in Harrogate’s Cambridge Street, and replaced it with plants in protest at the council’s use of plastic.

The council statement says that although it recognises Extinction Rebellion’s reasons for its action, it would have preferred the group to speak to the council first.

It goes on to explain that the current installation is a trial, and will be removed if it turns out not to “make the town look better and bring more plants into the town centre”.

The statement adds the council has plans to plant trees on three sites totalling 17 hectares.

It says:

“We haven’t explained this well and we are sorry about that. We concentrated too much on getting the trial in place and not enough time explaining the totality of what we were doing.”

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A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion Harrogate explained why it engaged in direct action this morning:

“We felt really shocked and disappointed and just a bit baffled by the fact that plastic grass had been put down in the first place, we’ve all spoken to lots of people, locals and visitors, and they all say it looks hideous.”

She denied the group had committed any legal offences, saying it had not damaged the plastic grass and will return it to the council in due course.

Asked about the council’s statement, she said it was more interested in aesthetic issues than environmental ones:

“What about the micro-plastics that are going to be layered on the soil? All you have to do is to plant plants that are shade loving, they’re ones that members grow themselves. Why bring plastic into the equation?”

“We don’t want Harrogate to be this plastic town and the council seems to be sending out such a strong message that neat and tidy is much better than biodiversity.”

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate removed the fake grass and planted flowers this morning.

Here is the council’s statement in full:

“While we recognise Extinction Rebellion Harrogate’s reasons for removing the artificial grass and installing plants, we would have preferred them speaking to us first so that we could have explained the full scheme and how it enables even more plants right into our town centre.

“Traditionally, we’ve put plants in the beds beneath the trees, but these rarely last very long because the trees soak up all the moisture and nutrients in the soil, leading to the plants looking rather sorry for themselves.

“Inevitably, this means the beds end up being visually dull and nothing more than a magnet for cigarette butts, empty coffee cups and fast-food takeaway packaging. They look a mess and prompt almost as many complaints as we’ve had about the artificial grass.

“The artificial grass is a base for planters that will sit on top of the beds.

“These planters – that have already started to be installed – will have their own water source, separate from the tree roots, so that the bedding plants can thrive on their own. This will result in a vibrant display of colour all year round. Using the artificial grass as a base means we can have more and more plants in our town centre and make the area more attractive.

“We’ve been asked why we didn’t put down stone or bark. We ruled this out because, regrettably, it will be most likely end up being used as an ashtray or messed-up because it is loose. Surfacing with stone, or something more substantial, would also compromise the tree root system.

“This is just a trial though. If, when the beds are fully installed, they don’t make the town look better and bring more plants into the town centre then we will remove them and try something else.

“We share the passion people have for Harrogate’s award winning floral displays and is something we will continue to support.

“We are also have further plans to reduce carbon emissions having recently identified three new council-owned sites, covering some 17 hectares, for new tree planting schemes.

“We haven’t explained this well and we are sorry about that. We concentrated too much on getting the trial in place and not enough time explaining the totality of what we were doing.”

Extinction Rebellion replaces fake grass with flowers in Harrogate

Environmental campaigners have removed fake grass from one of the raised beds in Harrogate’s Cambridge Street, and replaced it with plants.

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate claimed responsibility for the action in a sign posted on the bed reading, ‘Grow plants not plastic’.

The group also posted a poem on the bed titled ‘We Did This’. It reads:

“Just ordinary people

Made this ordinary stand”

The poem goes on to explain what they have done with the plastic grass:

“We haven’t stolen it

You get your plastic back

We have rolled it up and tied it

And put it in a sack”

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It is not known precisely when the group performed the stunt, although it is thought to have taken place last night or early this morning.

The controversial plastic grass first appeared last weekend, and has been widely condemned. Criticisms included the lack of aesthetic appeal and the anti-ecological nature of using plastic grass instead of real plants.

The Stray Ferret has approached Extinction Rebellion and Harrogate Borough Council, which installed the fake grass, for comment.

Harrogate’s new green look has residents seeing red

First there were the planters… now artificial grass is causing anger in Harrogate.

Fake grass first appeared on raised flower beds on Cambridge Street a few days ago. Today workers were tearing out plants and laying more artificial grass on Oxford Street.

It has led to passionate debate on social media about not only the aesthetics of the hyper-green look but also whether it conforms with modern thinking on the use of plastics.

A post by Lizzie Brewster drew almost universal condemnation.

https://twitter.com/HgCatherine/status/1390176171233628160

Andy Dennis replied on Twitter:

“Plastic is not the way forward and normalising this very abnormal product is misguided. This needs to be removed.”

The Little Ale House, which is based nearby, added:

“It’s also visually depressing.”

The Pinewoods Harrogate twitter account noted wryly the bright new look might be part of Harrogate Borough Council’s commitment to be the greenest council ever.

Cartoonist Graeme Bandeira was somewhat blunter:

“What the hell is that?”

Nina Jolly commented that astro turf belonged on sports pitches and nowhere else.

The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council about the artificial grass and will publish its response when received.

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