Grantley Hall Hotel and Wellness Retreat enjoyed triple triumph at last night’s Ripon Civic Society design awards, presented by mayor Councillor Eamon Parkin.

Owner Valeria Sykes who has spent more than £70 million creating one of the UK’s most luxurious venues, was among the property developers, architects, representatives from organisations and members of the public, present for the awards ceremony at the Workhouse Museum in Ripon.

Also in attendance were members of the Sterne family, whose long-term investments in Ripon, have added significantly to the city’s retail, leisure and hospitality offer.

Grantley Hall was awarded the Price Flagon for best restored building, the Hazzard Silver Cup for best new building and the Helen Whitehead Award for best project.

Grantley Hall Hotel and Wellness Retreat Picture: Jack Hardy

Before leaving with the three trophies, Ms Sykes told the Stray Ferret:

“I have been involved in the restoration and development of a number of historic buildings in addition to Grantley Hall and it is always gratifying to have work recognised.

“Whether you have a major scheme, or a small private development, design awards give encouragement and help to lift standards.”

Sterne Properties can claim to have its fingers in many pies in Ripon, including Appleton’s, whose upper-crust pork creations can be seen in the window of its distinctive premises on Market Place East.

Robert Sterne receives the Taylor Plate for best contribution to city centre revitalisation

Across Market Square, the company’s latest large development earned the first award of the evening – the Taylor Plate for the best
contribution to city centre revitalisation.

RCS chairman and awards compere Christopher Hughes, congratulated the Sternes for their transformation of the former NatWest Bank building, next to Ripon Town Hall.

He pointed out that as well as creating the space for The Claro Lounge cafe bar to locate in the city, the total refurbishment of the building has also brought stylish apartments with stunning vistas, including  a view of the cathedral.

Ripon Cathedral’s Fallen Angels Project, was among the eight award winners

There was recognition for the cathedral in this special 1,350th anniversary year for the church of St Peter and St Wilfrid – the foundation stone upon which Ripon has been built.

Its intricate Fallen Angels project, which saw repair and refurbishment of medieval misericords in the quire earn the RCS Craftmanship Shield.

Other winners

In addition to their focus on the built environment, the society’s judging panel looked at the natural environment and rewarded the Pennycroft Restoration Project at High Batts Nature Reserve, with presentation of the Younge Rosebowl for best Environmental Improvement.

Mr Hughes said that the work at the West Tanfield reserve has been ongoing for almost 50 years and a programme of continuous improvements has been carried out by hundreds of volunteers.

The Sustainability Award was presented to the developer of The Stoneyard – a residential scheme off Stonebridgegate and, in a moving finale to the evening’s awards ceremony, the John Whitehead award for Civic Excellence, was awarded for the 2018 Armistice Commemorations led by the Ripon Community Poppy Project.

Presentation of the award, in recognition of a programme of activities that marked the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, was held up by covid lockdowns.

Last night, however, Councillor Stuart Martin and Hazel Barker, who set up the Community Poppy Project, accepted the trophy on behalf of the many people involved in the commemoration activities.

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Long before ‘wellness’ became a buzzword, the Victorians were effectively already practising it.

And Harrogate led the way — even back then.

The wealthy and fashionable flocked to the spa town to experience its green open spaces and recuperative and healing powers of spring waters, which were first discovered by William Slingsby in the late 16th century.

Health and wellbeing hotspot

Now, more than a century after the Victorian era, Harrogate Borough Council’s new tourism body, Destination Harrogate, is set to promote the district as a health and wellbeing hotspot once again.

It will draw on the district’s rich spa heritage and accessibility to the great outdoors to attract visitors, events and investment to create a strong local economy.

The approach forms one of three key objectives in a three-year plan, which sets out a vision, priorities and actions that will be put in place to make the district “a first choice destination”.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, explained what this would involve.

She said:

“People have been coming to Harrogate since 1571 to take the waters and have a leisure experience, so that’s not new, but it has developed over the years.

“Now you can still go to the Royal Pump Room Museum and understand the spa heritage and our roots and how we became this great leisure destination, but you can also go to the Turkish Baths, you can go and have an incredible spa experience at Rudding Park or Grantley Hall.

“So the whole district is very good at that traditional health and wellbeing piece.”

Rudding Park Spa.

Wellbeing different for everyone

Ms Rio, who was appointed in October 2020, said one lesson that had been learnt as a result of the pandemic was that health and wellbeing is different to everyone.

She said:

“For some people it is a massage and a jacuzzi, but to others it’s a walk in the Nidderdale AONB, or it’s seeing a show at the theatre, or it’s just being with family around the table at one of our great independent restaurants. So that’s what we are going to try and pull out in our campaign.”

The multi-channel campaign, which will have a digital marketing focus, is being launched in April and will run for most of the year.

Ms Rio said:

“If someone is a really avid walker, we want to tell them that story and plan itineraries for them around walking and country pubs.

“Our supporting campaigns will also try and pick up the same messages.

“Every year Visit Harrogate ran a successful gardening campaign. Our partners loved that campaign, they have seen some great results from it.

“Obviously as a destination, gardening is a real strength of ours as well. We’ve got RHS Harlow Carr, Newby Hall and various places that have great gardens.

“So even our gardens campaign is going to try and link in with the health and wellbeing priority as well.”

RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

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Attracting business events

The focus on health and wellbeing will also be used to attract more leisure and business events, with one of the target sectors for conferences being the medical industry, Ms Rio explained.

She said:

“Where else to hold your medical conference than a destination that has this incredible spa heritage and medical story to tell?

“Where better to base you new health and wellbeing business, or really any business?

“If you want to invest in a place, knowing that you’re going to be somewhere where your employees health and wellbeing will be looked after. A place where their work/life balance will be stronger. It’s much easier to employ people to come and join you if you base yourself somewhere like the Harrogate district.

“It’s a really exciting campaign.”

Collaboration is key

Ms Rio said when the three-year blueprint, known as the Destination Management Plan (DMP), was written, a consultation with residents and businesses was carried out in order to come up with the three main priorities set out in the document.

She said:

“This theme came up over and over again and I think in many ways it’s a bit of a no-brainer. We’ve got the history, we’ve got a great story to tell.

“Health and wellbeing has rocketed as a trend over the past couple of years. Plus we already have strong products, like the Turkish Baths. So it’s not trying to promote something that we are not actually that good at.

“It’s not rocket science what we have come up with. But I think what we have not done as a destination is work together to really push that in the same way that a place like Bath does.

“The story has always been there but we haven’t really taken advantage of it in a way that we can now.

“Everyone is really keen to work with us to see this become a success, and I think as a destination that’s the only way it can work. That collaboration is absolutely key.”

‘Core part’ of district’s identity

Ms Rio said the health and wellbeing campaign will continue to evolve and grow as a “core part” of the district’s identity.

She said:

“Other campaigns will run alongside it to highlight other strands such as retail or arts and culture, but there will always be this golden thread running through it.

“A trip to Harrogate district is good for you, regardless of whether you are into massage, theatre or walking.”

Nidderdale AONB.

One of the main messages that will be promoted by the campaign will be length of stay, which will aim to encourage visitors to come for long weekends or weeks away in the district.

Ms Rio added:

“The way we do that is we try and prepare itineraries. So we are adding some functionality to the Visit Harrogate website this year that makes it easy for someone to say ‘I’m going to go to this experience in the morning, have lunch at this pub, stay at this hotel’. That helps to encourage people to stay longer, which benefits the local economy.”

From facilities designed for the seriously rich to listed buildings of religious and historic significance, the Ripon Civic Society’s design awards shortlist embraces a wide range of architectural splendour.

Grantley Hall, the multi-million pound luxury hotel, fine dining and wellness retreat, is among the contenders in the Best New Building category for the Hazzard Silver Cup.

Grantley Hall is also shortlisted for the best restored building award, where it is competing again, amongst others, St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church at Coltsgate Hill. where renovation was made possible because of the £500,000 raised by parishioners and grant funding.

Opened in 1862, the Grade II* listed building is recognised as one of finest parish churches in England.

The Pugin reredos that provides the backdrop for the high altar at St Wilfrid’s was refurbished as part of the church’s restoration.

St Wilfrid’s is also shortlisted for the society’s Craftsmanship Award, where it again competes against Grantley Hall.

Both face stiff competition in this category from Ripon Cathedral’s Fallen Angels project, which saw the restoration of carvings and canopies in the medieval quire.

Ripon Cathedral’s Fallen Angels project is shortlisted for the civic society’s design awards. Picture: Ripon Cathedral

Grantley Hall is also in the running for The Younge Rose Bowl for Best Environmental Improvement, where it is up against Ripon City Wetlands, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Oscar’s Wood and High Batts Nature Reserve.

Ripon Claro Lounge is shortlisted in the Best Contribution to City Centre Revitalisation category

Contenders for the Taylor plate for Best Contribution to City Centre Revitalisation are the Claro Lounge and apartments in Market Place South, The Magdalens pub in Princess Road and The Water Rat at Bondgate Green.

Society chairman Christopher Hughes, said:

“Our usual biennial awards last held in 2018 have, as a result of covid restrictions in 2020, become quadrennial this year, and whilst we were anticipating a larger-than-usual response we have almost been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of nominations submitted.

“Over the past few weeks our four judges have been considering and fine tuning a list of over thirty submissions, many of which had award-winning potential.

“Finally, and with not a little difficulty, we’ve arrived at a shortlist of which we are extremely proud and which we believe showcases the remarkable quality of projects in our part of Yorkshire”.

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The award presentations will take place at Ripon’s Workhouse Museum on the evening of Thursday, April 7.

The winners of two of the awards — The John Whitehead Award for Civic Excellence and the Helen Whitehead Award for Best Project — will be announced on the evening.

I can still remember watching Shaun Rankin make his famous treacle tart on The Great British Menu in 2009.

I used to be a regular viewer of the BBC 2 series back in the day — and like Greg Wallace, I never forget a good pud.

So I was genuinely looking forward to meeting the Michelin Star chef, who has returned to his North Yorkshire roots at the helm of his eponymous restaurant at Grantley Hall.

I managed to get lost on my way to the Grade II listed luxury hotel, despite being there twice before. And using a sat nav. So we had a good laugh about my terrible sense of direction, before we sat down for a coffee in the dining room.

It was certainly an opulent backdrop for an interview. The sprawling estate on the outskirts of Ripon was established at the end of the 17th century, its Palladian-style mansion boasting a rich history having been home to lords and ladies and hosted countless society dinner dances. So the restaurant, which was once a ballroom, is obviously a grand affair. Definitely Bridgeton territory.

Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall. Photograph: Jack Hardy.

Yorkshire lad

Born in Richmond, Shaun, who turns 50 in March, is a Yorkshire lad.

He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a chef, often cooking with his mother at home in County Durham, where he grew up.

He said:

“Every chef always says their mum was a good cook. And she was. She was a great baker. She was one of those ladies who cooked on a Sunday. I used to help her with her Sunday roasts and make Yorkshire puddings, mash the potatoes and all that kind of stuff at the age of 13 or 14.

“I used to help make scones, apple pies, mince pies and things like that. And those things were used at the beginning of the week. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, all the bakery products were then used to feed you through the week.

“It was quite a simple upbringing. Mum and dad were divorced, so it was only mum that brought me and my brother up.”

At the age of 16, Shaun went to London to complete a three-year apprenticeship at the five-star May Fair, Ritz and Savoy hotels in London.

He said:

“I went to London as a bit of an escape. From the world of simple things really.

“It opened your eyes to luxury, to food, restaurants and the scene of hospitality. Things you’d never seen before in your life. Things you’d only seen on TV or read.

“That’s where I kind of cut my teeth.

“At that age I didn’t know what a Jerusalem artichoke looked like. So it was a learning curve from all aspects — it was life-changing.

” I liked the idea of cooking, so then from there it just became a passion.

“It just becomes your life. You get so enthralled in it all, that you just get carried away with it.”

After completing his apprenticeship, he returned to North Yorkshire in 1992 to work at one of the most prestigious restaurants in the UK at the time, the Black Bull in Moulton, near Richmond.

He said:

“That was a notorious fish restaurant, so I learned lots about fish, lobster, crabs, langoustines. All those really fab ingredients from the coastal areas.

“I was there for about two years and then the head chef said to me ‘it’s time to go’. So he found me a job in Jersey.”

Turning point

Shaun went on to spend much of his career in Jersey, eight years of which were dedicated to the Relais and Chateaux Hotel Longueville Manor. He opened his first restaurant as head chef, Bohemia in 2003, gaining a Michelin Star two years later.

In 2013, after nine years at Bohemia, the rising star went on to open the much-awaited Ormer in Jersey, winning a Michelin Star just four months later. In 2016 he opened its sister restaurant, Ormer Mayfair, bringing the tastes and produce of Jersey to London.

Fondly reminiscing about his time in Jersey, he said:

“That just opened my eyes again to what a different world we live in. Island life. I really fell in love with ingredients.

When you are island-locked, you start to understand exactly what is in abundance and what is sustainable and the carbon footprint of the produce that you use. You’ve got to be shipping in a lot of your meat protein because it’s unavailable on an island.

“But you understand the asparagus grower, the strawberry grower, the guy that grows the watercress, the Jersey Royal is phenomenal, all the vegetables that are grown on the island.

“So you really get a sense of community and you understand what goes into the produce and how hard it is to produce.

“That’s where the whole thing changed for me. As a 22-year-old it kind of clicked. And I knew this was the path, it’s all about ingredients, it’s all about respect for it and you need to try and bring this carbon footprint down.”

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Sustainability

And it is this sustainability approach that he has brought with him to Grantley Hall.

He said:

“The food philosophy has to be that produce is sourced from all around Yorkshire. Of course we go to the coast to get seafood and we go to Scotland to get shellfish, but 95 per cent of the time everything is from a 20 to 30 mile radius and that’s our platform.”

Shaun uses R&J farmers and butchers, from Kirkby Malzeard, and Farmison butchers, based in Ripon, to source meat.

He said:

“All the cattle is full breed and full carcass cut, so that means there is no wastage and that’s really important for us.”

Shaun also uses ingredients from the kitchen garden at Grantley, which supplies 70 per cent of the restaurant’s produce throughout the year.

He added:

“For the rest of it we forage. Things which are around us like rosehips, elderberries, elderflowers, pineapple weed. All these things that are around the areas and local to us. We use those and we create the platform for the dishes.”

The restaurant is set within Ripon’s 17th century mansion, Grantley Hall. Photograph: Jack Hardy

In fact, if it’s not from the UK, it won’t make an appearance on the menu. This is something he takes a tough stance on.

He said:

“We don’t use olive oil, we use rapeseed oil, we use all of these substitutions all the way through. We don’t use or make pasta, because it’s not what we are.

“Everything is very traditional but reflected in a different modern cooking way and method.

“Hence the menu is called a Taste of Home.”

Taste of Home

And a taste of home it truly is. The current 10-course dining experience, which changes throughout the seasons, features dishes including Bread, Butter, Dripping and Beef Tea, which is bound to evoke memories of a traditional Yorkshire upbringing for many.

And of course the famous Treacle Tart and Clotted Cream makes an appearance.

Shaun said:

“It’s about what a taste of home means. It means that we remember nostalgic parts of our childhood and memories that take us back. It’s led by food and combinations of flavours and textures.

“We take all of the ingredients during the course of the spring and the summer and we will use them in their natural process, but will then savour them and will pickle them, ferment them or preserve them in some way so we can use them in the winter.

“We don’t use things like pineapple, mango or coconut, again we don’t use anything that isn’t from the UK.

“That’s a really strong message for us. For this sustainable carbon footprint approach to this restaurant.

“I’ve been flying this flag since I was 20 in Jersey, and now I am even more determined for it to be that way.

“As a chef, I’m also a teacher, so it’s important to teach my brigade – the chefs that work in the restaurant who are the next generation – that you don’t have to put a menu together with a load of avocados and tuna and passion fruit, pineapple and mangos.

“You can use what is here on the British island really resourcefully. Surely then that generation might change and then the carbon footprint shrinks even further.”

Venison Loin, Blackcurrant and Celeriac from Shaun Rankin’s Taste of Home menu at Grantley Hall.

Passion for design

Shaun said he actually ended up at Grantley Hall thanks to his passion for designing restaurants and concepts.

He said:

“I used to do a lot of consultancy creating and helping hotels and restaurants to achieve what they needed to achieve in London, Jersey and throughout the UK, sometimes even the South of France.”

Two years before Grantley Hall opened, he was introduced to Andrew McPherson, the general manager, and Richard Sykes, the managing director, and joined the team as a consultant, helping to put the concepts and designs together for all the restaurants, kitchens and food and beverage areas in the hotel.

Enjoying his time back in Yorkshire, he was then invited to take over the fine dining and was put in charge of designing the restaurant itself. This involved everything from the credenza units to the soft-closing, velvet-lined drawers, which prevent the clink of the silver-dipped Sheffield cutlery. It’s these little details that help to enhance the dining experience, which, when you are paying £130 per head, is perhaps to be expected.

Shaun said:

“We created everything. We bought the best linen, the best glassware, the best porcelain and crockery.

“Richard and the family honed in on all the local tradesman and materials and again, used everything, as much as possible, from around the Yorkshire area.”

Whisky Sours

Shaun now splits his time between Yorkshire and Jersey, where his two boys, Harry and Ethan, live with their mother.

He currently has a home in Ripon, but before that he lived in Ripley, near Harrogate.

So of course, I wanted to know where his favourite places to eat and drink were in the district.

He said:

“I spent a lot of time at the bar in The Ivy Harrogate drinking whisky sours. The bar is really nice.

“I love Oliver’s Pantry in Ripon. The breakfast is good there and they do a really good club sandwich.

“I go to Three’s a Crowd in Harrogate. I’ve had food a couple of times and it’s tasty. I’ve had Sunday lunch there. I love a roast dinner.”

In terms of what the future holds for Grantley, Shaun said he was looking forward to hopefully having a full year in service at the hotel, following two years of upheaval due to the pandemic.

‘World class’ ambitions

He said:

“Hopefully from now since we reopened, we will get one full year. We will get some momentum.

“We got the Michelin Star in January last year, and the thing about that is every day you need to polish it and keep and eye on it, because you never expect to hold it.

“The ambition for us is the second star in the next few years, so we have to work hard for that. We are constantly working on training and building the team.

“The thing about momentum in restaurants is the more you are open, the better the momentum is. It just becomes more natural and more fluid with everybody and the work, products and service become better. Constantly starting and stopping, you just lose the whole rhythm.

“We are focused on what we do here. The ambitions of Grantley Hall are still yet to be seen. It’s a long journey for Grantley Hall, and for us here and what we want to achieve.

“It really is a world class destination and we want to create a world class restaurant.”

Traditional methods

Shaun then took me on a brief tour of the kitchen – immaculate, unlike mine – which features the Chef’s Table. You can pull up a leather stool and have dinner in the place where the magic happens.

There is also a private dining room, The Dales Suite, which can seat up to 20 people, where you can celebrate special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays and weddings.

Shaun said:

The key message is what we cook here is for a reason. You don’t get fois gras here, you don’t get anything that comes out of France or Italy. Even down to the charcuterie. We brine our own pork collars and make our own hams.

“Everything is traditional, using old methods from the last 200 or 300 years. Salting, brining, curing, preserving fermenting.”

And his favourite dish on the current menu?

“At the moment it’s our Yorkshire venison with blackcurrants and celeriac – both of course grown in our kitchen garden.”

The festive season is over, payday seems like a lifetime away and there is often a sense of pressure to make big life changes at this time of the year.

And all of that is made worse by the fact it is still cold, dark, wet and miserable outside, with months to go until summer comes around.

So it is no surprise that Blue Monday – the ‘most depressing day of the year’ — falls in January.

Blue Monday usually falls on the third Monday of January, which this year is the 17th.

It appears to have originated in 2005 after a press release from Sky Travel used an equation to calculate the dreaded date.

So what should we do this year to beat those Blue Monday blues?

Harrogate life coach Lisa Duffield, owner of the Lisa Duffield Centre, has four tips.

1 Comparison is the thief of joy

“I wanted to share a little insight I have found within the clients I work with.

“Individuals that are suffering from what is branded the ‘January blues’ are all so focused on comparison.

“Comparison of this month to last month, this year to last year…

“You and your family’s goals or plans, compared to the family next door, or the family who you spend all your time watching on Instagram that you will never meet. And from this insight I bring you my first pill-free prescription to beat the case of January blues.

“Comparison is the single biggest waste of your time.

“Next time you find yourself comparing yourself to others or your life to others etc. just stop take a breath and if you insist on comparing yourself at all, think about you, how far have you come, what have you learned since yesterday, last year or even an hour ago.”

Harrogate life coach, Lisa Duffield.

2 Make realistic goals

“January blues can also shine through goal setting and unrealistic expectations.

“For some reason many of us believe that when the clock strikes 12 on January 1, you change into a new person, fitter, healthier, wealthier.

“Old traditions even show that we wish our first foot “all the wealth, health and happiness” for the New Year. While this is very kind, it does not mean that you have to become an overnight fitness fad and a self-made billionaire.

“Here comes the second tip, make realistic goals that you know you are able to achieve.

“You may have a big dream and that is amazing, but break it down into incremental chunks.

“Make smaller goals that you know will get to. They could be ‘eat more green veg’ or ‘move for an extra 30 minutes per day’, rather than ‘complete a bodybuilding competition and win in three months’.”

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3 Surround yourself with positivity

“Spend time with those who make you happy.

“Over Christmas many of us spend a lot of time with family and friends, we make the effort to go and see relatives that we haven’t seen since the year previous, or we say Merry Christmas to people in the street and smile.

“This makes us happy because we have also made others feel happy. Why stop?

“You can still spend time with ones you love and you can still engage with people in the street. A simple good morning or hello will work wonders.”

4 Try something new

“Last but not least. We’ve all heard it. ‘Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results’.

“It’s time to try something new.

“If you are looking for a different result in 2022 and maybe you are feeling a little deflated, step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

“You will be surprised the paths this teeny act can lead to, you meet new people, learn and experience new things.”

4 ways to cheer yourself up on Blue Monday – by Nina Meads

1 Go for a walk

Nidd Gorge, is one of the many scenic walks that explore nature in the Harrogate district.

In the Harrogate district, we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by stunning countryside. We really are spoilt for choice and personal favourites are Thruscross Reservoir, Nidd Gorge and Hookstone Wood. You also can’t beat a walk around the grounds at Fountains Abbey or Knaresborough waterside.

So lace up those walking boots and head out into the great outdoors. Fresh air and being amongst nature will boost your mood.

If you’re at work, grab a coffee and go for a stroll on your lunch break.

2 Pamper yourself

Rudding Park Spa.

If you want to really spoil yourself, book into Harrogate’s Turkish Baths or enjoy a spa session at Rudding Park, Grantley Hall or Swinton Park.

If money or time is tight, nothing beats a good bath and a book.

3 Do some exercise and practice mindfulness at a Festival of Wellbeing in Harrogate

A ‘festival of wellbeing’ is being held in Harrogate.

While it’s not taking place on Blue Monday itself, OneWellness, in Mowbray Square, is hosting a second Festival of Wellbeing on Saturday, January 15, to help boost mental health.

The free festival from 9am until 4pm, which is being run in association with Mind Harrogate, Sweaty Betty and Hustle & Co, will offer a range of fitness, nutrition and health classes and talks.

From mindfulness and wellbeing, relax and de-stress yoga, to Pilates, barre, and dance cardio classes, the wellbeing experts at OneWellness have tailored each lesson to suit everyone and help boost physical fitness levels whilst increasing positive wellbeing.

4 Meet a friend for a cuppa and cake

Betty’s Harrogate.

The Harrogate district has some of the best coffee shops and tearooms in the country, including lots of amazing independents and the famous Betty’s.

Arrange to meet a friend for a catch-up and lots of laughs. After all, laughter is good for the soul. Oh and don’t forget the cake. That’s essential.

January can be a pretty depressing month.

Our finances have usually taken a hit thanks to Christmas, we feel run-down due to the impact the festive season has had on our nutrition and sleep and the cold, gloomy days don’t help either.

Add to that the effect the pandemic has, and continues to have, on our mental health, it comes as no surprise some of us just want to lie down in a dark room and hibernate until spring.

If the past year has been a slog, these breaks focusing on nutrition, yoga and mindfulness in the Harrogate district can help restore balance, health and creativity.

It might not be the Alps, but Grantley Hall is set to bring a touch of “chalet chic” to the district with the launch of its new winter drinking and dining venue this weekend.

The luxury hotel, near Ripon, has transformed its summer marquee into a winter wonderland – complete with cozy blankets and sheepskins, twinkling lights, vintage skis and sledges and festive décor.

It is hoped Après at The Orchard will appeal to residents in the local area, rather than just hotel guests, who can combine it with a stroll around the stunning grounds.

Sarah Baines, Grantley Hall’s marketing manager, said:

We want people in the local community to feel like we have an open door and it’s not just an exclusive venue you can’t come and visit.”

Sneak peak

We were invited along for a sneak peak at the new Alpine-inspired winter retreat ahead of a glitzy après-ski night party on Saturday and its launch to the public on Sunday.

If you haven’t visited Grantley yet, it is definitely one for the list. The staff could not be more accommodating and it really is a stunning hotel.

The transformation from a whimsical summer escape to a snuggly winter retreat had just begun when I was shown into The Orchard, a sailcloth marquee located on the West Terrace, boasting sweeping views of the gardens.

The Orchard at Grantley Hall.

Due to an event taking place earlier in the week, the small team was tasked with decorating the venue in just two days. This is no mean feat as it’s a big space. For their sake, I was relieved to hear they didn’t have to cart the huge olive trees out of the marquee, but instead were going to adorn them with twinkling lights.

Up for the challenge

Although a lot of work is involved in the glitzy transformation, the enthusiastic staff were completely up for the challenge. I have no doubt it will look incredible for the glamorous launch party on Saturday, which has around 100 people on the guest list.

Sarah said:

“It’s all very exciting. The thought process for The Orchard was built on the back of al fresco dining, which came on the back of the pandemic.

“We just saw a real opportunity to create a more creative outdoor dining experience. You can just throw the sides open and walk out into the grounds.

“We had the conversation internally about what do we do about it in winter. The Orchard has got a following now and it’s a really nice space and is something we didn’t want to lose.

“This way we can run it all the way through the year.”

Visitors and hotel guests will be able to enjoy some real winter treats from an Alpine-inspired menu including boozy hot chocolates, warming cocktails, a traditional cheese fondue and tartiflette. There is also a melting Valrhona hot chocolate cake with malted milk chocolate sauce and homemade marshmallows on there, which is obviously first on my list.

Cheese fondue for two.

Sarah said:

“It’s a lot more casual than the rest of the hotel. We really do now have something for everyone.

“The menu is a real mix and it includes small plates, nibbles and flatbreads.

“You can splash out and go for it and make it a full celebration, or you can simply come for a flatbread and a coffee. You could even just come for drinks and have a couple of hot chocolates and a wander around the grounds.”

Since opening its doors in 2019, Grantley Hall has quickly earned a reputation as a top destination for the rich and famous.

It is a stately countryside stay, a glitzy resort, a wellness retreat and a foodie haven. And it is without doubt the place to be you want to show off on Instagram.

Read More: 

• Behind the scenes of Harrogate’s new £6m food hall
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The 18th-century mansion, which has been dubbed by guests as “The Ritz of Ripon”, opened as a hotel after a £70m refurbishment.

It boasts 47 rooms, four restaurants, including one with a Michelin star, and 30 acres of sweeping wooded parkland and grounds.

Booking and opening hours

Après at The Orchard is open to the public from Sunday, November 7 until the end of March 2022.

The opening times are:

• Wednesday to Thursday: 5pm – 9pm
• Friday to Sunday: 12pm – 9pm

Bookings can be made online here, via email at dine@grantleyhall.co.uk or phone 01765 620070.

This post is sponsored by Lapicida

Since opening its doors in 2019, Grantley Hall has quickly earned a reputation as a top destination for the rich and famous.

It is a stately countryside stay, a glitzy resort, a wellness retreat and a foodie haven. And it is without doubt the place to be you want to show off on Instagram.

The 18th-century mansion, which has been dubbed by guests as “The Ritz of Ripon”, opened as a hotel after a £70m refurbishment.

It boasts 47 rooms, four restaurants, including one with a Michelin star, and 30 acres of sweeping wooded parkland and grounds.

The Palladian playground also has an elite performance fitness centre, with equipment so plush –  I would genuinely be scared to perspire – and a luxurious spa with two swimming pools. There’s even a nightclub.

Then there are the lavish events that are held regularly at the hotel, for example this month you can attend a champagne party and discover the “floral secrets of the stars” with a celebrity florist. There are also various super car meets across the year, so you can show-off your Lamborghini and swill champagne.

The fact that you can live your best life without leaving the grounds of the hotel, has sparked a property boom in the Grantley area, according to the owner of a Harrogate estate agents.

‘The Grantley effect’

Jeremy Hopkinson OBE, owner of Hopkinsons, said as well as property prices going up, people are also requesting to live within a 20-mile radius of Grantley Hall, making it one of the most desirable areas to live in the district.

He has labelled this ‘The Grantley effect’.

He said:

“We have seen a strong demand for the villages within a short drive to Grantley Hall.

“For example properties in Ripley, Hampsthwaite and the Burnt Yates area, as well as the immediate villages close to Grantley.

“Clients have approached me to see if there are properties that can be offered off-market.

“I have one client at the moment looking for a period family home within a 15-20 minute drive of Grantley.

“The whole Grantley set-up appeals to a wide range and age of buyer. They offer a high quality service and obviously you have got some fantastic bedrooms there as well.

“People are staying for two or three nights at Grantley and then ringing me to see if they can view properties close to it.

“I’ve currently got two local clients trying to find something in the area because they like going there. I’ve also got a couple from London coming to view properties because they have heard about Grantley.”

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Property boom 

Mr Hopkinson OBE said the whole district is currently seeing a major property boom.

He said:

“It’s a very interesting time. Most estate agents are short of properties because they have been so busy.

“In this area there has been a 10 per cent increase in property prices this year – specifically for country homes which are in huge demand.

“People want a change of scenery and more space for everybody. I think they want a view and bigger gardens and are prepared to travel to Ripon or Harrogate and get the train down to London for work.

“There are also more people wanting to move into the area.”

Mr Hopkinson OBE said he had just sold three major properties off-market in the area, including one as a result of the buyers wanting to use the spa at Grantley Hall.

He said:

“It has boosted sales of properties around that area and will continue to do so.

“It’s a very desirable area and people want to be in a short drive of it. This is good news for the local economy basically. They use local producers and employ a lot of staff locally as well.”

Three properties that have sold or are for sale in villages near Grantley

A £1.7million five-bedroom detached home in Burnt Yates that has just been sold by Hopkinsons.

Click here to view the property

A detached five-bedroom property for sale by Hunters in Kirkby Malzeard for £750,000.

Click here to view the property

Nicholls Tyreman is selling this new semi-detached three-bedroom home in Birstwith for £395,000.

Click here to view the property

A luxury hotel in the Yorkshire Dales has for the third time withdrawn an application to operate a helicopter landing pad after being recommended for refusal by council planners.

Grantley Hall – an 18th-century mansion located five miles west of Ripon – wanted permission to use the helipad to fly guests into and out of the five-star venue but concerns were raised over the impact of flight noise on the surrounding countryside.

A decision was due to be made by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee next Tuesday, but after a recommendation for refusal was made the hotel withdrew its application.

Grantley Hall has since been contacted for a comment but did not respond at the time of publication.

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The hotel has withdrawn three applications and had another rejected since first asking for permission to use an existing helipad in 2018.

In documents submitted with its latest plans, the hotel said it wanted to use the helipad to attract top events and that if refused it could lose around £650,000 in income.

It also said it had proposed to restrict flights to no more than three a month after listening to concerns over noise disruption.

Nidderdale AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), Grantley and Sawley Parish Council and several residents objected to the plans, with one local describing the application as “totally unnecessary” and “self-fulfilling”.

The reasons for recommending refusal given by council planners were the impact on the Nidderdale AONB and Studley Royal Park, which is classed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, as well the impact on ecology and biodiversity.

Planners also questioned how the helipad could generate so much income and said the restricted number of flights would still have too great an impact on the area.

A report to the committee said:

“Whilst there are economic benefits to be considered with relation to the local economy, it is not considered that these are sufficient to outweigh the harm created by the proposal.

“Concerns are raised that the content of the business plan does not directly appear to correlate with the small number of flights proposed and it is difficult to assess if the numbers proposed.

“Nor is it considered that the visitors arriving by this manner are likely to be direct spending with other attractions in the area, rather they will fly in and fly out.”

Grantley Hall opened as a hotel after a £70million refurbishment in 2019.

It was once used by West Riding County Council between 1947 and 1974 as an adult education residential college, as well as a training and conference centre by North Yorkshire County Council.

A five-star luxury hotel and wedding venue near Ripon looks set to be refused permission to use a helicopter landing pad at the site.

Grantley Hall – an 18th century mansion which opened as a hotel after a £70m refurbishment in 2019 – wants to use an existing helipad to attract top events including luxury car launches and yachting clubs.

But its application has been recommended for refusal at a Harrogate Borough Council meeting on Tuesday.

After a previous application was rejected in March last year, the hotel said it had restricted flights to no more than three a month to address concerns about noise to nearby residents and animals.

It also said it could lose £650,000 in income if the helipad was not made available to the type of clients that it wants to attract.

However, a council planning officer has questioned how the helipad could fetch that much money and said the restricted number of flights would still have too great an impact on the area. The officer said in a report:

“Whilst there are economic benefits to be considered with relation to the local economy, it is not considered that these are sufficient to outweigh the harm created by the proposal.

“Concerns are raised that the content of the business plan does not directly appear to correlate with the small number of flights proposed and it is difficult to assess if the numbers proposed.

“Nor is it considered that the visitors arriving by this manner are likely to be direct spending with other attractions in the area, rather they will fly in and fly out.”

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Nidderdale AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), Grantley and Sawley Parish Council and residents have also objected to the plans, with one local warning the noise from flights would disturb daily lives and nature. Robert Ash said in a letter:

“Grantley is a peaceful village, much-loved for its tranquillity both by residents and visitors. In these days of mindfulness it is very therapeutic to be able to listen to the countryside rather than intrusive helicopters.

“This is a totally unnecessary, self-fulfilling application which should once and for all be rejected.”

Michelin star

As part of its application, Grantley Hall commissioned its own noise impact report, which concluded restricted flight times and paths would mean access to the helipad would be carried out in the “quietest manner”.

However, the reasons for recommending refusal are the impact on the Nidderdale AONB and Studley Royal Park, which is classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well the impact on ecology and biodiversity.

The planning officer’s report added:

“A temporary permission for 12 months would allow for a more robust assessment of the impacts of the proposal and the viability of the proposed number of flights and hours of operation, however, it is considered that without the ability to adequately control the routes of the helicopters that these impacts would be significantly adverse.”

Grantley Hall has 47 rooms and four restaurants, including one with a Michelin star, as well as 30 acres of wooded parkland and grounds.

It was used by West Riding County Council between 1947 and 1974 as an adult education residential college, as well as a training and conference centre by North Yorkshire County Council.