Knaresborough man explains T-shirt tribute to ‘gay icon’ Theresa MayTheresa May reflects on Brexit, ‘macho’ male colleagues and Trump at Harrogate Literature FestivalEx-PM Theresa May to speak at Harrogate Literature FestivalHarrogate hotel opens new caféYorkshire Soap Company wins Harrogate Christmas shop window contest

The Yorkshire Soap Company has won this year’s Harrogate Christmas Shop Window Competition.

The shop on James Street’s woodland-themed window took the medium shop category prize and then claimed the overall title at an awards ceremony at the Crown Hotel last night.

Sophie Likes on Beulah Street won the small shop category and Bettys on Parliament Street claimed the large shop title.

Jane Fletcher, manager of the Yorkshire Soap Company, said it was “an absolute thrill” to win the contest for a first time, especially as it was up against retail giants like Bettys.

She added:

“When people bring children to see the window and you see they are pointing and laughing at it then it is something magical.”

The annual awards, again organised by the Rotary Club of Harrogate and sponsored by Harrogate Business Improvement District, attracted about 30 entrants.

Clare Granger, the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, presented the awards along with Mervyn Darby, president of the Rotary Club of Harrogate and Dan Siddle, chair of Harrogate BID.

Graham Saunders, who organised the judging on behalf of The Rotary Club, said:

“The judges could see the incredible effort those who entered the competition put into their displays, and I’m sure the public also appreciate the work done by business owners to help Harrogate looks its very best for the festive season.

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Matthew Chapman, the manager of Harrogate BID, said:

“Since it featured on the Channel 5 documentary ‘Harrogate: A Yorkshire Christmas’ the shop window competition has continued to thrive, and it’s the businesses who take part that we have to thank for its ongoing success.

“The town centre shops, cafes and hotels have been beautifully presented this year, with the competition giving an incentive for business to go all-out.

Harrogate Christmas Shop Window Competition Results

Overall Winner: ​

The Yorkshire Soap Company, James Street

Large Shop Winner:  ​

Bettys Café Tea Rooms, Parliament Street

Highly Commended: ​Weetons Food Hall, West Park

​​​Medium Shop

Winner:​The Yorkshire Soap Company, James Street

Highly Commended: ​Helen James Flowers, Station Parade and ​Baroque Hair, Kings Road

Small Shop

Winner: ​Sophie Likes, Beulah Street

Highly Commended: ​Imagined Things Bookshop, Montpellier Parade and​​​​Bacchus Wine Bar, Station Parade

Representatives from Sophie Likes collect award for winning the small shop category.

Representatives from Bettys with Clare Granger, Mervyn Darby and (right) Dan Siddle.

Helen James Flowers was highly commended.

 

 

Starbeck tap dancers take part in world record bid

Forty dancers from Starbeck took part in a bid to break the world record yesterday for the largest number of people to perform the same tap routine at multiple venues simultaneously.

Children and adults from Summerbell Dance Academy took to the floor of the Victoria suite at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate as part of BBC Children in Need’s fundraising activities.

The youngest tapper was aged two and the oldest was 86.

They performed a routine they had been learning since September to Wham!’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.

The figures are being collated today to see whether the tapathon world record of 7,596 was beaten.

Regardless of whether the target was achieved, the local dancers managed to raise £380 for Children in Need.

Performing their routine at the Crown Hotel.

Jennie Summerbell, the principal of Summerbell Dance Academy, said:

“It was a national initiative but it gave us a challenge and something to aim for.”

Summerbell Dance Academy, which is based at St Andrew’s church hall in Starbeck, has 200 students.

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Harrogate people given free short stories as literature festival begins

A free short stories dispenser has been brought to Harrogate to mark today’s start of the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.

The four-day festival, which ends on Sunday, takes place at the Crown Hotel. The line-up includes Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Andy McNab, Gaby Roslin, Carrie and David Grant and Sir Vince Cable.

As part of the celebration of books, local residents are being encouraged to head to the Crown Hotel until Sunday to collect a free bite sized piece of literature from the dispenser.

The stories are selected from a range of over 10,000 short works of literature and cover a range of genres, including romance, drama, crime fiction, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, comedy, children’s stories and the classics.

At the touch of a button, visitors will receive a short story that will take one, three or five minutes to read. The story is printed on eco-friendly paper to read straight away or take away and read in a spare moment.

Authors range from Emily Dickinson to Lewis Carrol, Ernest Hemingway and William Shakespeare to contemporary stories by lesser-known authors and aspiring new writers.

The annual festival is curated and produced by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by Raworths Solicitors.

Rachel Tunnicliffe, senior partner at Raworths, said:

“The short stories dispenser allows us to take a moment to celebrate the joy of reading and storytelling, no matter how busy we are. It’s a fun and engaging way to bring great writing and literature to the whole community.”

The photo shows Ms Tunnicliffe and Dan Siddle, general manager of the Crown Hotel, with the short story dispenser.

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Line-up for Harrogate literature festival revealed

The line-up for this year’s Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival has been announced today.

Authors and thinkers will descend on the Crown Hotel in Harrogate for the four-day event produced by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by Harrogate law firm Raworths Solicitors.

Speakers at the festival, which takes place from October 19 to 22, range from leading authors Victoria Hislop, Alison Weir and Andy McNab to ex-cricketer Monty Panesar and media star Dr Hilary Jones.

For lovers of historical literature, Ms Hislop will introduce her new novel, The Figurine and historian and author Ms Weir, author of the Sunday Times bestselling Six Tudor Queens series, will explore the life of one of Britain’s most infamous monarchs, Henry VIII, the subject of her latest historical novel.

Royal correspondent and author Robert Hardman will share insights from his account of Elizabeth II’s reign,Queen of Our Times and ex-England cricketer Monty Panesar will recount stories from his sporting career.

Andy McNab, who has written three best-selling books about his life in the SAS, will give the inside line on his latest fictional thriller, Down to the Wire and comedian Rosie Holt will share the story behind how she became an internet sensation.

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Dr Hilary Jones will join a panel exploring the challenges currently faced by the NHS and husband and wife team Carrie and David Grant tell the tale of their extraordinary family, explored in their new book A Very Modern Family.

Rachel Tunnicliffe, senior partner at Raworths Solicitors, which is sponsoring the event for the 11th year, said:

“This year’s line-up of literary names is outstanding – a true celebration of great books, thinking and writing. We are proud to play a part in bringing such a prestigious event to our town.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said the festival “features a terrific mix of fiction writers, TV broadcasters, sports personalities, historians and journalists, with more thrilling programme announcements coming soon”.

More information is available here.

Learn ‘How to Think’ with Salon North in September

Three expert speakers will be giving talks on How to Think as part of Harrogate’s Berwins Salon North in September.

Berwins Salon North is a cabaret-style series of events sponsored by Harrogate-based Berwins Solicitors, which renewed its sponsorship at the beginning of this year.

Martin Whincup, associate director at Berwins, said:

“We are very excited for our September Salon North, which is set to show yet again that there’s more to thinking than we might think!

“With recent events selling out quickly, it’s great to see the continued enthusiasm of people in Harrogate to come together and learn something new about themselves and the world.”

The speakers, hosted by Salon North founder Helen Bagnall, will have 25 minutes to deliver their TED-style talks at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate. Talks will be spaced by intervals that provide an opportunity for attendants to get drinks and chat.

Comedian, writer and broadcaster Robin Ince, will explore his lifelong love of books and bookshops, and reveal what goes on inside the head of a bibliomaniac.

Sophie Scott, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, will explore how the brain affects our personalities and behaviours.

After a decade of living with panic attacks and anxiety, writer, poet and musician Tim Clare will share his experiences of what did and didn’t work, and how he came to rethink anxiety.

The event is produced by Harrogate International Festivals.

Tickets for the event, which takes place on Thursday, September 7 at 7.30pm, are available from the Harrogate International Festival website or by calling the box office on 01423 562303.

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Businesses vote ‘yes’ to continue Harrogate BID

Local firms have voted overwhelmingly in favour of continuing to fund Harrogate Business Improvement District for another five years.

About 450 town centre businesses were asked to vote on whether to pay a levy of 1.5% on top of their rateable value to fund the BID for a second term.

The result, announced last night, revealed 76% voted ‘yes’.

It means the organisation — one of more than 350 BIDs in the country set up to increase footfall by providing additional services to those run by councils — will continue until at least the next ballot in 2028.

Since it was founded in 2019, Harrogate BID has funded initiatives such as street cleaning, street art and entertainment and floral displays to make the town centre more welcoming.

Street ranger Chris Ashby is part of the BID team.

Its business plan for the new five-year term, which officially starts in January 2024, focuses on three objectives; pride in our town; a vibrant town and voice and vision.

Dan Siddle, the general manager of the Crown Hotel who chairs Harrogate BID,  said:

“The past five years have been quite something. There is no doubt that since Harrogate BID launched, it has comprehensively delivered.

“I am confident that our new five-year business plan and streamlined objectives will help shape the town further over the years to come to ensure Harrogate thrives long into the future.”

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The now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council used its block vote to support the BID in the last ballot.

This time,, its successor North Yorkshire Council chose not to get involved so the vote was a purely business decision.

Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said:

“The fact that businesses voted to retain the BID, without the backing of North Yorkshire Council makes it even more credible.

“Most BIDs have the backing of their local authority as part of the ballot process, which in our case would have added 12 per cent to the result – if nothing else this provides a true representation from the businesses within the BID area.”