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.”

Slug and Lettuce closes Harrogate branch

Slug and Lettuce has closed its Harrogate branch permanently.

The chain pub, famous for its cocktails and food menu, has occupied the Montpellier Building on Montpellier Parade for nearly 30 years.

However, it will not reopen with other pubs and restaurants next week on May 17 under the latest easing of lockdown restrictions.

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Today there is no movement at the Harrogate pub and all traces of it have been wiped off the internet.

Slug and Lettuce no longer includes the branch on its list and the pub has deleted its Harrogate Facebook page.

The Stonegate Group, which also owns Yates and Walkabout, revealed the closure. A spokesperson said:

“We can confirm the closure of Slug and Lettuce in Harrogate and the building has been returned to the landlord.”

Beech Grove traffic closure trial could be extended to 18 months

The six-month experimental closure of Beech Grove in Harrogate to through traffic could be extended to 18 months.

North Yorkshire County Council said when the experimental order came into force last month it would be a trial for six months.

But the council’s highways boss confirmed today it has the power to extend the trial from six months to 18 months, meaning it would end in August 2022 rather than August 2021.

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, told the Stray Ferret:

“The experimental traffic regulation order enables us to keep the closure in place for 18 months.

“We are assessing the impact all of the time. If it proves to be highly unpopular then it could still end after six months.

“However, just based on the communication I have received, there has been a big response but I would say that it is mainly positive.

“Those who have complained often say that it is just moving traffic elsewhere in the town.

“But those who are positive say they enjoying how it helps them to walk and cycle more.”

When the order began, some motorists avoided the newly-installed planters by driving on the Stray.

The tyre tracks on the Stray prompted the council to erect a road sign to act as a road block and warning to drivers.

Smarties nursery in Ripley to close next month

Smarties Day Nursery and Pre-School in Ripley is to close next month after operating for more than 30 years.

The nursery currently looks after children aged up to four and also works alongside Ripley Endowed Church of England Primary School to offer a before and after-school club.

The nursery, next to Ripley Store, opened in 1987 and can cater for up to 52 children. It has been under the current management since 2004.

The building itself is part of the Ripley estate and is owned by Sir Thomas and Lady Emma Ingilby.

The nursery has said it is having to close after the owners decided not to renew the lease and use the building for another purpose instead.

Ripley school is in the early stages of planning to provide alternative provision. It has asked parents for their opinions, and hopes to have something in place after the Easter holidays.

Head teacher Ms Lisa Jackson-Ward said:

“Ripley Endowed was devastated to hear the news from Smarties; they have supported school and our parents for many years. Quite clearly, school now needs to work hard to fill the gap Smarties has left.

“It is possible for school to consider a teacher-led nursery provision. This would require some careful consultation with parents and the local authority but is being actively pursued in order to best support our families, the village and future families.”

The nursery has remained open during the current lockdown but will close for good on March 31.

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Bettys to close shops and takeaways ‘until further notice’

Bettys is to close all six of its branches at 5pm tonight because of concerns about the rising number of covid infections.

The closure will also affect its order and collect service as well as takeaways and will be in force until further notice.

Bettys online shop will remain open.

The cafe’s tea rooms were forced to close at the beginning of the third lockdown but management today announced the new measures.

Simon Eyles, Bettys managing director, said:

“Given the severity of the coronavirus pandemic that we are currently witnessing, Bettys has decided to close its Yorkshire branches completely. This means our café tea rooms and now our shops too will be shut until further notice.

“For us all at Bettys, our colleagues, customers and communities are our main priority. We will continue to do what we feel is right to keep people safe and to shoulder our social responsibility as a business.”

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Harrogate shoppers say Debenhams will be much missed

Shoppers in Harrogate have spoken of their disappointment that Debenhams is to close after the company announced it was entering administration.

A failed deal with another major retailer means the company is set to enter liquidation.

The Harrogate store reopened yesterday offering shoppers their usual products at discounted prices.

But staff face uncertain futures as they await news of a confirmed closure date.  The demise of Debenhams came a day after Ripon’s only department store Wrens, announced it would not be opening again after lockdown.  

Shopper Rose Dykes was among those sad to see Debenhams go. She said:

“Debenhams has been here for a long, long time.

“I think it will be really missed in Harrogate.”

Rose Dykes

Rose says the store will be ‘missed’ in Harrogate.

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Harrogate’s Jaeger store faces uncertain future

The future of Harrogate’s Jaeger store is uncertain after the company entered administration today.

Parent company Edinburgh Woollen Mill has so far failed to find a buyer for Jaeger and its sister company Peacocks.

The two companies, which between them have 4,700 staff and almost 500 stores, have both gone into administration.

No redundancies or store closures have been announced yet.

At the end of last month, ‘closing down sale’ notices were displayed on the Harrogate shop front window in Cambridge Crescent.

Today’s announcement is another example of the devastating impact of the pandemic on high street retail. Local businesses had warned of the impact of a second lockdown.

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Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Ponden Homes also went into administration this month. Both had shops on Ripon high street. They also belong to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill group.

Jaeger had not replied to the Stray Ferret by the time of publication.

Covid forces Harrogate and Knaresborough libraries to close

Harrogate and Knaresborough libraries have fully closed after staff at each building contracted covid.

The libraries closed for browsing during the second lockdown but people could still order books and collect them at the entrance.

Library members could also book computers for emergency use.

But it was announced yesterday that both sites have totally closed for an unspecified length of time.

Chrys Mellor, North Yorkshire County Council’s general manager of libraries, said:

“Harrogate is one of two libraries that have closed because a member of library staff in each has tested positive for covid. The second library is Knaresborough.

“The libraries have therefore been closed on a temporary basis while the building is cleaned and staff self-isolate.

“No members of the public have been put at risk of infection.”

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Closing Harrogate teepee after three days a ‘devastating blow’

A Harrogate hotel has said it has been dealt a devastating blow by being forced to close, just days after investing in a new Winter Wonderland Teepee.

The Majestic Hotel on Ripon Road hoped to offer a family-friendly dining experience with Christmas market-style food.

It had taken more that 400 bookings in the last week alone but will now need to close its doors for at least a month.

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Andy Barnsdale, DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa general manager, said:

“Going into a second lockdown is a devastating blow for the hospitality industry, particularly as we are entering our busiest period.

“In the three days that it was open it was a great success. The majority of those visited were Harrogate residents. It offered a bit of winter cheer in these difficult times and the atmosphere was great.”

The hotel had brought back all its staff from furlough in August and has said it will now put the majority back on the furlough scheme.

It will now look at options such as providing rooms for key workers and those who need to work away from home.

Harrogate TSB to close next month

Harrogate TSB will close next month, with the bank attributing the move to a shift in customers to online banking.

The branch on Oxford Street, which was part of the first wave of 82 TSB closures announced last year, will close on November 27 .

TSB has since announced a further 164 branch closures as part of plans to save £100 million by 2022.

When the Harrogate branch closes, the nearest TSB bank will be in Leeds.

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A TSB review into the use of the Harrogate branch found 73 customers visited it regularly each month.

It also revealed weekly transactions had gone up in 2019 compared to the same time in 2016.

A notice in the bank’s window.

Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of TSB, said:

“We are reshaping our business to transform the customer experience and set us up for the future. This means having the right balance between branches on the high street and our digital platforms, enabling us to offer the very best experience for our personal and business customers across the UK.”

Another central Harrogate bank, The Co-operative Bank, is due to close by December 1. The Co-op also blamed a drop in footfall for it closure.