Ex-James Bond star Pierce Brosnan spotted in Harrogate bar

Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan was spotted in a Harrogate bar last night.

The Irish actor, who was the fifth person to play 007, was seen having a drink at The Fat Badger on Cold Bath Road last night.

The Stray Ferret was sent a photo of Mr Brosnan enjoying a pint — rather than a martini — at the bar, which is part of The White Hart Hotel.

The 70-year-old played James Bond four times, including in Die Another Day and GoldenEye.

He has also featured in blockbusters such as the Mamma Mia! franchise, Survivor, Laws of Attraction and Mrs Doubtfire.

During his career, he has received two Golden Globe nominations for his performances in The Matador and Nancy Astor, as well as winning the outstanding European achievement in world cinema award at the European Film Awards in 2016.

Mr Brosnan even won a Razzie Award for worst supporting actor for his role in Mamma Mia!.

Pic: Nicholas PJ Snape

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He is not the first familiar face to be spotted in the Harrogate district, which became something of a celebrity hotspot last year.

Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, who rose to fame in Titanic, visited the Crown Hotel at Middlesmoor last May.

Leathal Weapon star Danny Glover dined at Efes Bar and Grill in the summer, while world-famous DJ Calvin Harris was spotted at Wetherby Services in August.

Meanwhile, TV personality and writer Gyles Brandreth bemoaned his poor night’s sleep at a Harrogate hotel following his one-man show at the Royal Hall, and Toyah Wilcox and Robert Fripp praised Bettys’ cake as the “nectar of paradise”.

And Morrissey, enigmatic former frontman of The Smiths, was spotted having a quiet pint at The Harrogate Arms.

Send us your pictures and selfies if you bump into any famous people in the district. Email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Business Breakfast: New chef and manager at Provenance inn

Provenance Collection has appointed two new senior staff at the  Punch Bowl Inn in Marton-cum-Grafton.

Brian Furey is to be the new general manager and Ian Matfin has been appointed head chef.

Provenance Collection has nine sites across North Yorkshire and employs more than 150 people. Last year, The Punch Bowl Inn was awarded Best Food Offer in the Publican Awards.

Brian Furey commented:

“This is an exciting opportunity to work within a team so committed to offering the best in hospitality. Our chefs work with nature, creating seasonal menus, sourcing from local and regional suppliers, this is a family that has a set of values to deliver exceptional customer experience, which is something I live by, too.”

New head chef, Ian Matfin has worked at some of the UK’s leading restaurants including Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, Claridge’s, and more recently at North Yorkshire’s Devonshire Arms.

Mr Matfin said:

“I have worked in kitchens large and small and with all manner of teams and have seen success at its best. Having the skillset in the kitchen is one thing but having the drive and the values of this group is something I am relishing. The field to fork mentality, the access to our own kitchen garden at Mount St. John, the incredible local artisans I get to work with make every day a new opportunity.”

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Fat Badger named county’s best pub

The Fat Badger in Harrogate been named as the best pub in North Yorkshire at the National Pub & Bar Awards.

A total of 94 pubs and bars were recognised as county winners in the awards which aim to highlight the positive and inspiring work being carried out across the UK’s hospitality sector.

General manager of the Fat Badger, Chris Clarke said,
“We’re delighted to have been considered for this amazing award, but to go on and win our county category is just wonderful and a real testament to the hard work all of my team put in to making the Fat Badger the friendly and welcoming place it is.
“The team are buzzing from the announcement and can’t wait until the overall national winner is announced as we really feel we deserve a shot at it!”
Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group, which owns the Fat Badger added,
“I’m so proud that the Fat Badger has been recognised like this.  Whilst I’m probably biased, I do believe we deliver something special in our pub and have made the brand a well known one in recent years with people travelling from far and wide to experience the first class food, ales and of course service that we offer.
“We can’t wait to find out who will pick up the national pub of the year in June, but in the meantime, are delighted to be the overall North Yorkshire winner”.
Clergy race along Kirkgate as part of Ripon’s Pancake Day fun

Clergy raced along Kirkgate today as part of Ripon Cathedral‘s annual Pancake Day event.

The event has become a traditional Shrove Tuesday event in the city, although it was halted during covid.

It sees cathedral clergy, vergers and staff join school children and local residents for races on Kirkgate.

It is one of many Pancake Day events taking place in the Harrogate district.

In Harrogate, the Fat Badger pub is giving people the chance to earn the title of ‘fastest flipper in town’.

The pub is providing pans and pancake mixes for anyone who turns up between 9.30am and 4pm today and fancies trying to complete a short course in the beer garden as quickly as possible while tossing pancakes.

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Ripon Cathedral pancake day

 

Ripon Cathedral pancake day

The Dean of Ripon Cathedral, the Very Rev John Dobson (left), joins in the fun.

Harrogate pub hosts free Pancake Day fun tomorrow

A Harrogate pub is hosting free Pancake Day fun tomorrow that gives people the chance to earn the title of ‘fastest flipper in town’.

The Fat Badger will provide pans and pancake mixes and anyone who turns up between 9.30am and 4pm is welcome to make their own treats and then see how quickly they can complete the course.

The event is being held in the pub’s beer garden on Cold Bath Road, adjacent to the footpath so people walking past can see it.

There is no charge to enter and the winner will receive Sunday lunch for two people, including a bottle of wine, at the Fat Badger.

Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group, which owns the Fat Badger, said:

“The rules are simple; it’ll be against the clock and each person will need to make a regular size pancake and successfully flip it twice to be entered.

“One go per person but everyone can enter for free as it’s just for fun and community engagement.”

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Council paid hoteliers £3,720 to use name Destination Harrogate

Harrogate Borough Council paid hoteliers Simon Cotton and David Ritson £3,720 for permission to use the name Destination Harrogate for its new tourism body, the Stray Ferret can reveal.

Destination Harrogate is the council’s destination management organisation, which promotes the district to tourists.

The council decided to replace its old Visit Harrogate name last year and give the organisation, which is headed up by Gemma Rio, a facelift for 2022.

However, the name Destination Harrogate had already been used by Mr Cotton and Mr Ritson since 2011 for the organisation behind the Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association awards.

Mr Cotton is the managing director of the HRH Group, which owns the Fat Badger, the Yorkshire Hotel and the White Hart hotel. Mr Ritson is the general manager of the Old Swan hotel.

Questions for council

According to the council’s openly available list of expenditures over £250, it paid Destination Harrogate Ltd £3,720 in September 2021.

The council has confirmed to the Stray Ferret that this money was used for the rights to the name Destination Harrogate.

The transaction raises questions about why the council felt this name was worth the money, and why it didn’t come up with a different name that wasn’t already in use, saving the taxpayer thousands of pounds.

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A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said other names were considered but “none reflected the purpose of the organisation as well as Destination Harrogate”.

They added:

“Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association Limited was paid the sum of £3,750 to transfer ownership and control of the business name and the domain name of Destination Harrogate to Harrogate Borough Council, which included the costs for winding up the company known as Destination Harrogate Limited.

“Destination Harrogate was selected as the most appropriate name for Harrogate district’s destination management organisation as it reflects the ambition of the organisation to showcase the district as an exceptional destination to visit, meet and invest. Other names were considered but none reflected the purpose of the organisation as well as Destination Harrogate.”

Typical sum

The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate-based intellectual property solicitor Andrew Clay for his opinion on the deal.

Mr Clay described the sum paid by the council as typical, although he wondered whether it chose the name before realising it was already in use.

He added:

“What is perhaps a little surprising is that before they adopted the brand Destination Harrogate that Harrogate Borough Council didn’t carry out a Google or Companies House search on the words Destination Harrogate. Either search would have revealed the existence of Simon Cotton’s company.

“Had they done that they could have chosen another equally appropriate available name and saved the tax payer several thousand pounds.”

We have published a subsequent article, which you can read here, after HHTA Ltd published a statement.

Police and council to check Harrogate venues comply with outdoor rule

Police and council officers are to conduct checks on outdoor hospitality shelters in the Harrogate district to ensure they comply with government regulations.

Harrogate Borough Council warned of the checks amid concern about whether all of the shelters in the district comply with what is classed as outdoor.

Many hospitality venues have created shelters to take advantage of today’s latest easing of lockdown rules, which allow licensed premises to serve customers outdoors.

Government guidelines say that to be considered outdoors, ‘shelters, marquees and other structures can have a roof but need to have at least 50% of the area of their walls open at all times whilst in use’.

A source close to one small business owner told the Stray Ferret they were ‘surprised’ the council, which is enforcing the national government guidelines, had agreed to some of the structures.

The issue has also raised numerous comments on social media.

A council spokesman said its officers would be carrying out visits across the Harrogate district in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, “to offer support, advice and guidance to businesses and check on compliance with the latest regulations”.

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He added:

“Temporary outdoor shelters are determined by national government advice.

“Any Harrogate district businesses wishing to find out more, or whether planning permission is required, should get in touch and we will be happy to advise.”

Asked to comment on claims some venues breached the guidelines, he said:

“Without knowing the details of the premises who have raised concerns we cannot comment further.”

The council spokesman was unable to say how many venues had applied to erect outdoor structures.

But many large Harrogate hospitality venues, including the West Park Hotel, the Fat Badger , La Feria and Gianni’s Brio Restaurant and Pizzeria, as well as the Fox and Hounds and the Grantham Arms in Boroughbridge have done so.

Perhaps the most spectacular is the Cedar Court Hotel‘s £50,000 tipi, which can accommodate 36 people.

Wayne Topley, managing director of the hotel, said it was built in full compliance with the regulations. He added it could be adapted for weddings and conferences.

“It’s a temporary structure but we hope to use it for a couple for years to come.”

 

 

Harrogate venues double down on outdoor dining

Hotels, restaurants and bars in Harrogate are doubling down on their outdoor dining offering in time for reopening on April 12.

Although hospitality businesses are praying for a great British summer, they are also preparing for rain.

Venues in the Harrogate district had to adapt quickly to covid last year but this year’s roadmap has enabled them to plan to increase their outdoor covered areas based on what they have learned works.

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The West Park Hotel is one of those trying to take full advantage of space, both at the front and back.

As well as using its back courtyard, it is also working with neighbouring shops to bring the pavement in front of the building into use after hours.

In total West Park will have 160 outdoor seats, with many under awnings and marquees.

Cedar Court Hotel Harrogate is bringing back an updated version of its Tipi on the Stray, which will now has removable sides, making it compliant as an outdoor space. It will be able to serve lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

It’s here and we’re taking bookings #Harrogate #Yorkshire … #Podville by ⁦@fatbadgerpub⁩ is taking bookings on a first come first served basis so be quick to secure your spot by calling 01423 505681 now! Full food & drink outdoor #hospitality offering in a unique setting pic.twitter.com/4OjtJJZMyn

— simon cotton (@simoncotton69) March 31, 2021

Instead of last year’s beach, the Fat Badger has now built what it calls “podville” in its rear car park.

Six people are able to book one of 15 pods for £5 an hour Monday to Thursday and £10 an hour Friday to Sunday.

Strayside Sunday: Let’s get Jackie Weaver in to sort out Harrogate Borough Council

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

This week, I thought I would share something from my small but active Stray Ferret postbag. While working away at my kitchen table, my email pinged with a missive from a reader who, to spare blushes, shall remain nameless.

Attached to the email was a photograph of what turned out to be an article from 31st January’s Sunday Times (“The furlough firms that gave money to the Tories”). It turns out that several companies, both major and minor, availed themselves of shedloads of Dishy Rishi’s furlough scheme cash and, during the same period of time donated large sums of money to the Conservative Party.

As I scanned the list a familiar name stood out; The Fat Badger has never been at the top of my list of favoured watering holes, although I understand it is popular with the punters. It seems that the company that own’s Harrogate’s Fat Badger Pub had gifted £18,000 to the party of power all the while participating in the furlough scheme. In the subject heading of my reader’s email it said simply, “Is this right?”

Although The Times piece made clear that no laws have been broken (both individual and company donations to political parties are entirely legal), the answer, of course, in my view is no. All hospitality businesses are going through a torrid time and the furlough scheme is vitally important for their survival. But the issue here is that furlough money is intended to plug the gap in company finances created by the Covid-19 economic downturn. If companies in receipt of furlough monies still have the discretionary funds required to make political contributions, they are in danger of creating the perception that they are accepting furlough funds in bad faith. To avoid such bad ‘optics,’ business owners could and should make political donations in a personal capacity from personal funds, if so minded.

I for one don’t believe in political donations; in my view they should be banned and parties funded by the state to an agreed and equitable formula. I believe that state funding for political parties would be a simple and transparent way to reduce the undue and unwanted influence of those interests with the power and inclination to pay for it.

With the end of the Covid-19 crisis perhaps mercifully in sight, we are hurtling towards an inevitable reckoning for the government. It will be hoping that its success in testing and vaccinations (the latter of which has been nothing short of spectacular) will mask its howlers. Stories of wholesale furlough scheme and government emergency loans frauds are starting to surface. In its rush to do the right thing; to get money to where it was needed when it was needed, the government played fast and loose with the usual rules of engagement. Advantage has been taken.

My vote is that we should send in Jackie Weaver (from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils) to sort it all out. Clearly not a woman to be messed with, Ms. Weaver shot to internet stardom this week for her brilliant handling of a Handforth Parish Council Zoom meeting. More specifically, for her handling of a group of swearing, raging, cackling and spluttering (mostly) men. This Iron Lady for our generation retained an icy calm and was ruthless in her use of the cursor, dispatching several misbehavers to that modern purgatory, the Zoom waiting room. Never has a row over standing orders been more compelling. My favourite line in proceedings was from Aled’s iPad, “she’s kicked Barry out, so I’m leaving.” Who needs Emmerdale?

Ms. Weaver’s matter of fact and straightforward response to the viral storm has been priceless. She can’t see what the fuss is all about. The impression one has is of a group of silly and frustrated men, egos inflated by their minor office holding, attempting to throw their weight about. Our Jackie simply sorted them out and got proceedings firmly on track. It strikes me that if councils were like football teams I would agitate for Jackie Weaver to be transferred to Harrogate. I’m not sure Richard Cooper and his merry bunch at the Borough Council would respond well to Ms. Weaver’s hard-tackling style. She would strike the fear of God in them. And I for one, would pay really good money to see it.

Maybe it was ever thus, that we are governed by ordinary people, doing their best. Mostly decent people who share our flaws, who have some good days and some bad. That’s why we need transparency about how decisions are made in government, especially when it comes
to spending vast amounts of taxpayer money. And it’s why we have rules, because people, human beings, left to their own devices, get things wrong. From the government in Westminster, to Harrogate Borough Council to the Parish Council in Handforth, politicians rise to their relative level of incompetence. We have to keep an eye on them or they will misbehave. Time to send in Jackie!

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

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Do you have a view on this column or is there a political issue you’d like Paul to write about? Get in touch on paul@thestrayferret.co.uk

Police issue £1,000 fine for illegal New Year’s Eve party at Harrogate hotel

North Yorkshire Police has issued a £1,000 fixed penalty notice for a breach of coronavirus regulations at a hotel in Harrogate on New Year’s Eve.

Last week the Stray Ferret published claims that Harrogate hotelier Simon Cotton flouted covid restrictions by holding a party for himself and 10 friends at the Yorkshire Hotel on New Year’s Eve. Mr Cotton has consistently denied the allegations.

The Stray Ferret spoke to multiple sources who allege the party ate on a single table, did not observe social distancing and that speakers were brought in to play music with bar staff on hand to serve drinks into the early hours of the morning.

The party stayed in the hotel overnight and new staff were then brought in to serve the group breakfast on New Year’s Day.

Our sources say some staff were extremely unhappy at being asked to work but feared for their jobs if they refused.

North Yorkshire Police issued the following statement today:

“An investigation into an alleged breach of coronavirus regulations at a hotel in Harrogate on New Year’s Eve has now concluded. As a result, North Yorkshire Police have issued the person responsible for the venue with a fixed penalty notice of £1,000 fine.”

Government covid legislation gives police powers to issue a £1,000 fixed penalty notice for business-related breaches. This is increased to £2,000, £4,000, and £10,000 for repeat offences.

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The Stray Ferret contacted the HRH Group, which owns the Yorkshire Hotel as well as the Fat Badger and the White Hart Hotel, and Mr Cotton for a response but we had not received one by the time of publication.

Mr Cotton has continued to be active on Twitter since the Stray Ferret story broke, including a retweet that paid tribute to the NHS. He has also posted pictures of himself delivering food to customers from the Fat Badger.

Temperature checks introduced for Harrogate drinkers

People entering some popular Harrogate food and drink venues will be required to have temperature checks from today as part of new measures to combat covid.

The Fat Badger pub, the Yorkshire Hotel, the White Hart Hotel and the restaurant Scran will all operate temperature checks.

New machines will instantly record the body temperature of visitors by scanning their wrists.

If anyone’s temperature exceeds 37.5 degrees centigrade, a red light will appear and the machine will beep loudly to indicate a high temperature – one of the main symptoms of covid.

The person will then be asked to leave the building for 15 minutes before having a second test, in case the first result was an anomaly caused by, for instance, carrying heavy shopping.

If their temperature remains too high they will be refused entry.

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North Yorkshire declares covid emergency

Harrogate restaurant reopens in time for Yorkshire Day

Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group, which owns the venues that have installed the new technology, said:

“We think it’s the right time now with covid cases increasing to be stepping up our measures. We want to do it before we are instructed to do so.”

Besides installing the machines, which Mr Cotton said cost several hundred pounds each, HRH Group venues have also required staff to wear face masks in public areas unless they are working behind protective screens.

Who else has tests?

Rudding Park and The Ivy are the only other two Harrogate venues believed to check temperature on entry.

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park, said:

“Guests feel reassured by the machines. You don’t want people with a raging temperature coming in and coughing over everyone.”

David Straker, the owner of William and Victoria restaurant and wine bar on Cold Bath Road, said its current safety measures, which include table bookings and no standing at the bar, were working well. But he added:

“We are always looking at ways we can improve.”

Alan Huddart, treasurer of Bilton Working Men’s Club, said its reopening had gone smoothly and the cost of new equipment, such as temperature scanners, could be prohibitive to some venues. He added:

“We are open to looking at anything but we have had a professional risk assessment done and are following it closely.”