Rate My Takeaway YouTube star back in Harrogate

A YouTuber with nearly 500,000 subscribers returned to Harrogate yesterday to give his verdict on another of the town’s takeaways.

Danny Malin, the man behind Rate My Takeaway, caused a stir when he visited Thug Sandwich Co last month and rated it his “number one takeaway”.

Mr Malin dropped in on Starling Independent Bar Cafe and Kitchen yesterday and, and in his usual style, set up his camping chair and folding table outside on the street to give his review.

The restaurant and bar on Oxford Street serves craft beer, hot drinks and pizza, as well as a brunch menu.

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Staff at Starling said Mr Malin rang in the morning to say he’d be coming and when he arrived ordered a meat sweats pizza and Philly fries. His video verdict is expected to be uploaded on Saturday.

Mr Malin’s reviews can have a significant impact on trade. Thug Sandwich’s glowing rating led to a surge in business and staff at Starling said they were preparing for an influx of customers over the weekend and next week.

James Smith, who works at the Oxfam Bookshop over the road from Starling, took the photo of Mr Malin digging into his food outside the JoJo Maman Bébé shop.

The Rate My Takeaway channel has 498,000 Youtube subscribers and each video attracts from 100,000 to 350,000 views.

Regional Wedding Award presented to Harrogate business

Harrogate Wedding & Events have been awarded the Regional Wedding Award for the Décor category.

Its partner business, DJMikeRobson, won the Regional Wedding Award for the DJ category.

The business, which provides wedding services in Harrogate, won the award for within the Yorkshire and North East region.

It was presented by the Wedding Industry Awards for the year 2022.

The awards bring together businesses in the wedding industry from across the UK and are held every year in London.

Ina Robson, owner of Harrogate Wedding & Events, said:

“We are delighted to receive the award and pride ourselves on excellent customer service. To know this award is also driven from customer feedback, means a lot to us.

“The industry itself has had a very difficult few years, but we are now looking forward to a bright future.

“I would like to thank all our clients and DJs for all of their support over the last year, and for helping to make our businesses a great success.”

New managing director appointed at Ripon BID 

Lindsay Elizabeth Mcphearson Austin has been appointed as managing director at Ripon BID.

News of the appointment was recently published on Companies House.

The appointment replaces former directors Sheila Webb and Sarah Blenkinsop.

There are currently twelve active directors as a part of the Ripon BID.

BIDs, which are funded by a levy on local firms,  aim to increase visitor numbers to towns and cities.

Real Food Harrogate asks for local food producers to join market

Real Food Harrogate market

Real Food Harrogate market, Crescent Gardens

Real Food Markets is looking for independent food producers to join its Harrogate market.

The not-for-profit organisation operates in both Harrogate and Ilkley and supports local, independent and speciality producers.

Real Food Harrogate is run by a selection of traders and volunteers on Crescent Gardens on the third Sunday of each month from 10-3pm.

Set up in 2022 with the support of Harrogate BID and Harrogate Council, the market has gradually expanded in size.

Now, organisers are looking for local food producers to take part in Real Food Harrogate.

To join their group of traders and volunteers, you can find out more information here. 

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Send us your firm’s business news and we’ll publish it.  Business Breakfast is a daily round-up of all things related to business and the economy in the district. Get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Ripon pub set to unveil new £170,000 renovations

The Golden Lion pub in Ripon is set to open a new beer garden after undergoing renovations costing over £170,000.

The pub in Allhallowgate will open the space, which the owners describe as a “secret garden”, this weekend.

Pub owner Nigel Ayton explained:

“We started renovations before Christmas and are set to open this Saturday. We’ve called it the secret garden due to the fact that looking at the pub you would have no idea it had such a beautiful open area at the rear.”

Mr Ayton and partner, Shelly Herron, initially took over The Black Swan in 2019 on a trial tenancy, before taking on a pub in Easingwold.

But due to the location and the distance from their families, Mr Ayton and Ms Herron decided to move back to Ripon after enquiring about The Golden Lion in January 2021.

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Despite initially being told it wouldn’t be a long-term agreement, in October 2021, Greene King announced they would invest £170,000 into the pub.

Mr Ayton added:

“It’s not been the best of starts for us as we decided to go into the pub trade/business in December 2019, only to be faced with lockdowns. But now we feel things have turned the corner and can’t wait to get the Golden Lion on the map.”

Roller skating, Woolies and Carrington’s: Memories of the Harrogate diaspora

For anyone who has moved away from their hometown it will always have a special pull.

There are Harrogatonians living in almost every corner of the globe.

Five of them told the Stray Ferret about why they left, their favourite haunts in Harrogate from back in the day, and whether they would ever return:

Hilary Bottomley: Germany since 1988

I initially left in 1982 to study modern languages at university. It wasn’t until 1988 that I got a job in Germany and moved away from Harrogate permanently.

What I miss most about living in Harrogate are the people and their warm and friendly nature. Germans are much more formal and reserved.

For example, it would be unthinkable to get on a bus here and strike up a conversation with your fellow passengers, whereas that always used to happen to me in Harrogate. Germans find it much harder to let their barriers down.

When I was still at Harrogate Grammar School, I had a Saturday job as a sales assistant at Woolworths on Cambridge Street.

I remember working on the front cash desk and being able to listen to the singles being played at the record counter. The girl who worked on the music counter was a fan of The Police, so even now whenever I hear the song “Message in a Bottle”, I’m immediately transported back to my early days at Woolies.

Meanwhile, down in the basement, the boys who worked in the stockroom would start having loo roll fights the minute they were left unsupervised, so you’d often have to dodge a flying pack of Izal toilet paper whenever you ventured down there.

Cambridge Street in the early 1980s

I also used to love going to Annabella’s nightclub at the base of Copthall Towers (now The Exchange) on the nights when they played rock music and heavy metal.

I was only just 17 and looked even younger, so I went to all the trouble of having a silver pendant engraved with a false date of birth in case my age was ever queried. In actual fact, the bouncers didn’t take their job too seriously and I always got in without any questions asked.

Lisa Sullivan: Florida, USA since 1990

I studied for my A-levels at Harrogate Grammar School. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very academic so I ended up failing my A-level exams, which meant I was unable to go to university in London, as planned.

However, I was restless to leave Harrogate. Fortuitously, a friend from HGS offered me the opportunity to spend the summer of 1990 in the US working at a summer camp. I jumped at the opportunity.

At the end of the summer when it came time to come back to Harrogate, I decided I didn’t want to return home. Instead, I wangled my way into staying in the US. 32 years later I’m still living in America!

Failing my exams at 18 felt like the end of the world. However, if I had passed my A-levels I would have attended university in London and my life would have been very different. I’m a firm believer that when one door closes, another one opens.

I live in Jupiter, which is a relatively non-touristy town on the east coast of Florida. Many well-known people have made it their home over the years like Burt Reynolds, Tiger Woods and Olivia Newton-John. The beaches are unspoiled, the water is aquamarine and there are many restaurants on the water. Dining by the water while the sun is shining is an enjoyable way of life in this part of the world.

Jupiter, Florida

Over the years I have contemplated moving back to be close to family. What stopped me from moving back were my pets: I didn’t want to risk transporting my dogs across the Atlantic.

I’ve been in Florida too long! Sadly, after living in the US for 32 years, I have come to the realisation that the US is my home.

Ms Sullivan today in Jupiter, Florida

I worked at various places around the town, waitressed at Pinocchio’s restaurant and the Damn Yankee; bartended at Legends nightclub, and helped in my parents’ wool and clothing shop on Cheltenham Parade.

When I wasn’t working, I hung out at discos at the Royal Baths, the Chequers pub, or at Picasso’s nightclub. I spent Sunday mornings at the roller skating events in the gym of Rossett High school, watched my school friends breakdance in Harrogate town center, or drove around town in my banana yellow car. Thinking back to those times always brings a smile to my face!

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Graham Steele – Maryland, USA since 1997

I loved the Valley Gardens. My dad used to take me to play on the swings and slides, and as I got older, I played 9 hole golf. This was my weekend treat.

We also used to go to the little pond next to the ice cream stand and play with sailboats. I can still smell the sulphur from the stream that ran down the side of the gardens and the little path that used to run down the side of it. The Pinewoods was also fun too, me and my brother used to ride our bikes up through there and play French cricket.

As I got older I loved the nightlife around Harrogate. Fridays and Saturdays were always buzzing and there were so many unique pubs in such a small square footage.

I enjoyed The Rat and Parrott, West Park and the Blues Bar. Then there was Carrington’s, which was a Harrogate icon for so long. I also loved the uniqueness of the shops around the town, no big chain stores, local and friendly.

When I was younger, Saturday mornings at the Odeon was my highlight, watching westerns or kids shows.

The Crow’s Nest on Knaresborough Road and Graveley’s has some fond memories and of course who can forget Pinocchio’s? Bettys has always been a constant but was too civilized when I was young. Today I order from Bettys every Christmas, it’s my piece of home.

Old adverts from the 1970s

What do I like about the US is it’s so diverse and a melting pot of different cultures, foods and ideas. The US also offers plenty of opportunities to make something of yourself. People here work hard and play hard and depending on where you are there is some beautiful scenery.

Unfortunately, I have not been back to Harrogate much as I wanted, probably about four times in the last 25 years. There was so much to see over here and it was expensive to fly back, especially with two kids in tow, but you cannot touch God’s county.

My favourite memory was going to The Great Yorkshire Show. It was always something I loved to look forward to.

Gemma Abdullah: Cyprus since 2004

I left Harrogate in 2004 after the birth of my daughter and emigrated to North Cyprus to try something new. I had always fancied living abroad, trying a new language and embracing a new culture. When my parents moved over here two years before, it seemed the right time.

A night out in Harrogate circa 1997

Most of all I miss my daughter. She lived in North Cyprus her whole life and is fluent in Turkish. In 2020 she flew back to the UK to further her studies. We are so close and this has been incredibly hard to come to terms with, I miss her desperately.

Living in North Cyprus offers me and my husband a much more relaxed and less stressful lifestyle. It’s a very slow pace here, where you have time for long lazy lunches with friends and family and enjoy a much simpler less fast pace way of life. We have our own olive grove so this has been interesting to learn how to harvest these.

We do still visit the UK regularly. Primarily to see my daughter and family, but also to just get a fix of civilisation for a short while. We tend to come back for Christmas as it’s just never the same here. I couldn’t live in the UK again now, it’s too much hustle and bustle for me.

Harrogate will always hold a very special place in my heart. I have a lifetime of memories from living in Pannal as a child, going to school and college and living there right up to being 28.

School days in Pannal

My Nanna is also born and bred in Harrogate and is now 96. She used to drive me and my brother around the Stray around this time of year to see the spring flowers in all their glory!

My beloved Dad, who sadly died when I was only 7, let me have my first shandy at the Black Swan in Burnbridge.

There is a lifetime of memories!

Susan Croft: Christchurch, New Zealand since 2002

I first left Harrogate when I was 24 but I only moved to Ripon, where I lived for six years with my children.

My family were all still in Harrogate. I moved to Ripon to be near a very dear friend who helped me through my early years as a single parent of two babies. Then I moved to Cambridge when I was 30. This was for my career, a very good move in that respect, but we never felt settled there.

We lived in Cambridge for 12 years and I had met my second husband while living in Ripon, so Cambridge was where we raised our children. In 2002 our children were grown up and had left home and I was a school principal. I didn’t enjoy my work by that time, it was stressful and I missed teaching and teacher training.

We loved the outdoors life and so we decided to go to New Zealand for two years. I got the perfect job there and we love where we live.

We’re right on the ocean, with the water just at the end of our road . We have hills behind our house where we can go walking for hours, and the mountains are our backdrop.

Covered in snow, they look beautiful against the sea and a blue sky. It’s a 90-minute drive to the mountains. Unfortunately a couple of huge earthquakes destroyed the city in 2011 and 11 years on, we’re still in demolition and rebuild mode. It takes a very long time to rebuild a city.

An earthquake destroyed much of Christchurch in 2011. Credit – Wellington City Council

As for Harrogate, I miss my family there, of course. I miss the Valley Gardens, the Nidd Gorge, and the surrounding dales. Until Covid hit, I flew home three times each year, spending about four and a half months in England.

My time there was split between the midlands where our children and grandchildren live and Harrogate. Because of Covid, I haven’t seen my family for two years and the separation is awful. My health is quite precarious and the journey home is difficult for me so once the Covid situation settles down, we will probably move back to England.

Stray Foodie: Taste of India in central Harrogate

This article is sponsored by Deliveree

 

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, Frances visits Cardamom Black in central Harrogate.

 

 

 

Having spent four consecutive years in India cooking with some of the world’s greatest chefs at sophisticated dinners for charity, I came to marvel at the joy of their cuisine.

The combination of texture, colour and warmth is unique. Personally, I tend to err away from very hot and spicy foods, having considered them in the past to kill flavour. I have been wrong. It is all about technique and I would go so far as to say there isn’t another country that produces such flavour in their food made from very little.

So it was with great pleasure that I dined at Cardamom Black in Harrogate with friends. I was at first in awe of the size of the menu! Suitable for everyman’s palate but hard to execute, but they did it.

Whether you want a quick curry after a good night out, British style or you are wanting a more academic supper, it is there for the asking. Being into the creation of Vegan and Vegetarian food at the moment I decided to go with their sensational platter of vegetables. Stuffed, fried and unique – all my party had a great time sampling these delicacies.

My friends had two chicken dishes, one mild and one hot, they were very different and once again all down to the seasoning. The preparation of the rice to accompany them was sensational. One with Lime and Coriander and one with Tamarind. Beautiful flavour. The only slight difficulty I might have had was getting all these flavours together to compliment the chosen dish. It took some degree of concentration.  Having said that, the true Indian style of service was friendly and informative and made you feel at ease.

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I listened to another guest on the night we were there who boasted he had tried every dish on the menu!  He must have been going there for a very long time and he was a very happy man! 

Like all my Indian experiences, Cardamom Black reflects colour, warmth and happiness.

Well worth a visit. All taking place in a converted Methodist Church and theatre. It certainly takes central stage in Harrogate.

Star Rating: 4. This is a place to watch!

Stray Foodie reviews are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years. Frances now runs Paradise  at Daleside Nurseries.

 

 

Want the best of what the Harrogate area has to offer in your pocket? Download our app so you never miss a thing.

 

Michelin-starred chef’s new cafe to open at Killinghall nursery this month

Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins is to open her new Paradise Cafe at Daleside Nurseries in Killinghall this month.

The cafe, run by Ms Atkins, chef Roger Olive and front of house manager John Tullett, will be open six days a week from 9am until 5pm. It will be closed on Mondays.

The trio, who have all worked together for 20 years, have been operating out of a wagon at the garden centre for the last 18 months.

The Paradise Cafe wagon at Daleside Nurseries in Killinghall.

The Paradise Cafe wagon has served its last meal.

The wagon has now finished trading as attention turns to the new venture.

A post on the Paradise Cafe Facebook page said:

“It has taken longer than we anticipated to finish the cafe given the various curveballs we have all been thrown in the last two years.

“From today we are using all our time to be fully prepared for our opening date.”

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The post added:

“To begin with, Friday evening will be open for a series of special dinners, these will be bookings only and there will be more information coming shortly.

“We look forward to progressing our opening times and our takeaway business in the future as we develop.”

 

Gino D’Acampo restaurant in Harrogate set to close

An Italian restaurant owned by Gino D’Acampo will close this month after more than four years in Harrogate.

Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant on Parliament Street is one of five of the celebrity chef’s restaurants to close.

After opening the business in 2017 Mr D’Acampo claimed it was the only “proper Italian” in Harrogate.

His comments sparked a furious backlash at the time from a number of Harrogate’s Italian restaurant owners.

The closures follow the news from the start of the year that his My Pasta Bar chain entered liquidation amid problems with coronavirus.

Piccolino will take on the former Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant in Harrogate, which will reopen after a rebrand on Monday, January 24.

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A spokesperson for Piccolino, which is part of the Individual Restaurants group along with Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant, said:

“This former Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant will become part of the Piccolino family of restaurants on January 24.

“We are thrilled to announce that we will soon be opening a brand new Piccolino restaurant in Harrogate.

“We can’t wait to welcome you through our doors of Harrogate’s brand new Piccolino.”

Giggling Squid sets Harrogate opening date

A Thai restaurant chain known for fresh dishes and bright interiors has revealed the month when it plans to make its Harrogate debut.

Giggling Squid is currently renovating the former Las Iguanas unit on John Street in anticipation of a March opening date.

The restaurant started in the basement of a fisherman’s cottage in Brighton but has since developed into a business with more than 40 restaurants.

When it opens there will be the opportunity to eat indoors, outdoors as part of the alfresco experience or take the food home with click and collect or delivery.

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Andy Laurillard, Giggling Squid co-founder, said:

“Thai mealtimes are energetic, informal, adventurous and where food is celebrated. It’s relaxed and there’s no standing on ceremony.

“We simply want people to have a great time over something tasty. Every Giggling Squid has its own personal touch to it, and this restaurant is no different.”

Giggling Squid Harrogate will be open Monday to Thursday 12pm to 10pm, Friday to Saturday 12pm to 10.30pm and Sunday from 12pm to 9.30pm.

A few restaurants already specialise in Thai food in Harrogate, including Sukhothai, Tah Chang and takeaway service Nakhon.

Free Harrogate buses every Sunday in January and February

Shoppers will be able to take advantage of free buses every Sunday in January and February to give businesses in Harrogate town centre a much-needed boost.

Free buses will be available on the electric services only – on the 2, 3 and 6.

The Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) has once again sponsored scheme, called the Sunday Freeway, after partnering with the Harrogate Bus Company in 2020 and 2019.

Tomorrow also marks the final day of Harrogate BID’s free parking initiative on Mondays to Thursdays after 3pm at the Victoria multi-storey car park.

With coronavirus cases on the rise and further restrictions on the agenda, this free service is expected to entice more visitors into Harrogate.

Back in 2019 the free Sunday buses generated a 90% rise in the number of customers travelling compared with the same period the year before.

Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID chair and business owner, said:

“This is the third time we have partnered with our local bus operator, and on both previous occasions it helped to increase the number of passengers.

“This year, we have chosen January and February, which can be quiet months for the retail and hospitality sectors.

“Harrogate town centre is well worth a visit at any time of the year, and we hope the added incentive of free bus travel will make it even more appealing.”

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The Harrogate Bus Company CEO Alex Hornby said:

“We’re delighted that Harrogate BID are able to again work in partnership with us to support our ‘Sunday Freeway’ on our Harrogate electrics buses.

“Free Sunday travel on our pioneering Harrogate electrics buses will make it easier to support our local economy and help keep our town’s traders in business into 2022.

“It’s been an incredibly challenging time for Harrogate’s businesses, with previous lockdowns and now the prospect of further restrictions.

“More than ever, it’s now up to us all to support them in the vital first few months of the New Year by taking advantage of free travel on Harrogate electrics buses.”

Sainsbury’s sets opening date for Harrogate town centre store

Sainsbury’s has confirmed that its new store in Harrogate town centre will finally open next month.

The Sainsbury’s Local on Cambridge Street will welcome customers on January 13. The supermarket chain had hoped to open in the summer but only received planning permission in July.

The store will create about 25 jobs and some roles are still available.

Surplus food from the store will go to Harrogate District Foodbank, which has partnered with Sainsbury’s to help those who need it most.

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New store manager Simon Wilton said:

“I’m delighted to confirm the opening date for our new store and we’re really looking forward to welcoming customers from next month. My colleagues and I are working hard to get everything ready for opening.

“It’s been a fantastic team effort so far and we can’t wait to bring our passion for food and brilliant customer service to Cambridge Street.”

The development will bring the former Topshop unit at 33-37 Cambridge Street back into use after four years.

The developer plans to split the building into three separate units. Sainsbury’s occupies the largest on the left side.

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