A weather warning for strong wind has been issued for the Harrogate district.
The Met Office has put the yellow warning in place for Friday (February 17) between 6am and 6pm.
The organisation has said strong winds through the day “may bring disruption to traffic”.
It has also warned that there is a “slight chance” of power cuts and cancellations to public transport services.
Meanwhile, Northern Powergrid has assured people that it is aware of the warning and has measures in place to tackle any disruption to its network.
A statement from the company said:
“Teams are ready to mobilise colleagues and support as this situation develops.
“This weather front does have the potential to have an impact and cause damage to the network, so there is a possibility that there could be disruption to power supplies in at least some parts of the region.
“Relevant teams are on standby and ready to be diverted onto the storm response should this materialise.”
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- Plans for two masts to meet ‘acute need’ for 5G in Harrogate
Harrogate district teachers go on strike — and firefighters could be next
Teachers in the Harrogate district will go on strike today — and firefighters could be next.
The district has seen a wave of industrial action in recent weeks involving rail, postal, nursing and ambulance workers.
Members of the National Education Union, Britain’s largest teaching union, are on strike today in a move that will affect many local schools. Today will also see no Northern train services operate on the Harrogate and Knaresborough line.
Gary McVeigh-Kaye, branch secretary of the NEU North Yorkshire, said picket lines were being organised at Grove Road Community Primary School in Harrogate and King James’s School in Knaresborough.
There is also the prospect of Harrogate district firefighters walking out after the results of a strike ballot this week revealed 88% of Fire Brigades Union members voted yes on a 73% turnout.
The FBU has given the government and employers until February 9 to come forward with an improved pay offer to avert what would be the first nationwide fire strike since 2003.
Read more:
- Why are Harrogate district teachers going on strike?
- Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike
Harrogate is the only fire station crewed 24 hours in the Harrogate district and is likely to be affected by any action.
Harrogate Fire Station on Skipton Road
It is not known to what extent other local fire stations would be involved. Ripon is crewed from 8am to 6pm each day and on call outside these hours. There are 24-hour on call stations at Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Masham and Summerbridge plus a volunteer station at Lofthouse.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said:
“This is an absolute last resort for our members. The responsibility for any disruption to services lies squarely with fire service employers and government ministers.
The government has urged the FBU to “reconsider and keep negotiating” and said it is working to mitigate any risks posed by a strike.
Teachers’ strike: Closures across the Harrogate district
Teachers at schools across the Harrogate district will not be in the classrooms tomorrow in the first of a series of days of industrial action.
The strike has been called by the National Education Union (NEU) in a dispute over pay and conditions.
The union argues a 5% pay rise in 2022 was insufficient to combat the impact of inflation at 10%, leaving many teachers effectively facing a pay cut.
It argues low pay has been a significant factor in many teachers choosing to leave the profession, and has deterred others from joining it. The result, the NEU says, is more pressure on those who remain, particularly since the pandemic.
The union’s points were supported yesterday by Harrogate Grammar School headteacer Neil Renton, who appeared on BBC News to discuss the situation.
He said he was “torn between [his] head and heart”, seeing the difficulties faced by teachers while also wanting to keep the school gates open for pupils.
The issues the NEU raised, he said, affected schools directly too: a recent advert for an English teacher at HGS attracted just one applicant. He added:
“If this continues and we are not able to work with government and ministers to create an education for the future I would, as an educator, want to take steps to make sure we make a much brighter education for our children.”
Read more:
- Why are Harrogate district teachers going on strike?
- Harrogate train passengers braced for further strikes next week
The following schools across the Harrogate district have confirmed some of their teachers will be on strike and released details of how they will operate tomorrow.
The school said it is prioritising students taking exams this summer, and those identified as vulnerable.
Years 11 and 13 will be in school, along with children from other year groups who have been contacted individually.
Remote learning from home will be offered to years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12. Some live lessons will be led by teachers who are not on strike.
King James’s High School, Knaresborough
The school will be open to pupils in years 11, 12 and 13. Other year groups will be provided with online learning.
The school said it would liaise directly with parents of students with an EHCP about the possibility of provision in school.
The school will be open to year 11 and vulnerable students, while all other year groups learn from home.
Years 7 and 11 will be in school, but students are advised to bring additional work and reading material in case lessons cannot be taught by the subject teacher.
Students in years 8,9, 10 and 12 will learn from home, including some online lessons with teachers who are not on strike.
Year 13 students will be able to work in school if they wish, or revise and join live online lessons from home.
Any students with an EHCP, as well as boarders who can’t go home, can go into school as usual. There is also provision for students whose parents are critical workers.
Rossett School, Harrogate
The school is open to students in years 7, 11, 12 and 13.
Where usual subject teachers are on strike, younger students will have lessons covered by members of the school’s senior leadership team. Older students will carry out independent revision or private study in the sixth form centre.
Students in years 8,9 and 10 will have online lessons available to access from home.
St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Harrogate
Years 7 and 11 will be in school, with years 8, 9 and 10 asked to learn at home.
Sixth form students can work at home or use a supervised study area, if they tell the school they plan to do so.
Students in any year group with an EHCP can attend.
St John Fisher Catholic High School, Harrogate
Years 7 and 11 will be in school, with years 8, 9 and 10 asked to learn at home.
Sixth form students can work at home or use a supervised study area, if they tell the school they plan to do so.
Students in any year group with an EHCP can attend and will spend the day doing activities to develop their social skills, life skills and wellbeing. The school said there may not be sufficient staff available to have one-to-one provision for all students.
Details of how other secondary schools are affected will be posted as we get them.
The next strike date to affect the Harrogate district will be at the end of February.
Free security upgrades for some Harrogate district homes and farmsPeople in parts of the Harrogate district are being urged to sign up for free security checks and upgrades to homes and farms.
Residents in the parishes of Allerton Mauleverer with Hopperton, Kirk Deighton, Kirk Hammerton, Leathley, Long Marston, North Deighton, Sicklinghall and Spofforth with Stockeld are eligible to apply.
They could receive new locks for vulnerable doors, windows, garages and sheds, and alarm systems for farms and small holdings. For homes with suitable WiFi coverage the scheme also includes a RING video doorbell.
Funding for the Protect Your Home was secured last year by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner‘s office, which was awarded £719,590 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.
The scheme aims to prevent burglaries in over 1,000 homes and 90 farms along the borders of the Harrogate and Craven district but so far only 422 homes have received a security upgrade.
In the Harrogate district, the take-up has been as high as 46% of homes in North Deighton and as low as 3% in Sicklinghall.
Read more:
- Harrogate’s former Kimberley Hotel being used for drugs and crime, say police
- Harrogate district police inspector reveals local crime hotspots
Now crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe and local councillors are encouraging more people to sign up.
Ms Metcalfe said:
“My office have done really well to secure this funding from the Home Office on behalf of these communities and so it’s really important that the money is used to improve the security of as many homes and farms as possible.
“The more people who sign up in a community the more resilient to burglary that area becomes, and we’ve seen this demonstrated in Cononley when a burglar was captured on seven video door bells, many funded through this scheme.”
The last chance to apply is August this year.
Superintendent Teresa Lam, senior operational commander for Harrogate and Craven, said:
“I would encourage any eligible occupants to become involved in this fantastic initiative to help protect their properties”.
Union predicts some Harrogate district schools will close due to strike
A union official has predicted some Harrogate district schools will close because of the impending teachers’ strike
Members of the National Education Union plan to strike on February 1 and stage further walk-outs in February and March.
Gary McVeigh-Kaye, branch secretary of NEU North Yorkshire, said all primary and secondary schools across Harrogate would be impacted by strike action. He said:
“It is likely that there will be a mixture of full and partial school closures. Furthermore, plans are being made to hold picket lines at schools across the area, though these have not been confirmed yet.”
Mr McVeigh-Kaye said teachers in North Yorkshire were “in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis” caused by a below inflation pay offer, school funding and a shortage of teachers. He added:
“Hardworking teachers have had enough and are now taking the only course of action open to them and withdraw their labour.”
Read more:
- First ever nurses’ strike begins at Harrogate hospital
- Picket line at Harrogate station as latest RMT strikes near end
The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, the local education authority, what impact it expected the strike to have on schools, who is responsible for making decisions on school closures and what measures it was putting in place to cope.
It replied in a statement:
“Information about school staff’s union membership is not retained by North Yorkshire County Council, or schools, in line with national rules on data governance, although we expect to be provided with headline data from the union on overall numbers. It is a personal decision for those members whether they participate in the strike action.
“Individual schools will co-ordinate the impact of any strike action, but we will support them with general guidance on mitigating the impact on pupils where possible, alongside the Department for Education’s own guidance.
“Headteachers will also be provided with advice from their professional associations in managing strike action within the protocols for employers when responding to strikes.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has said she plans to meet union leaders this week to try to avert the strike.
Department for Education guidance says headteachers are expected to take “all reasonable steps” to keep schools open for as many pupils as possible during a strike,
The shortlists for the first ever Stray Ferret Business Awards have been revealed this morning.
They feature some of the leading businesses from across the Harrogate district, as well as the up-and-coming stars of the future.
All the entries were put before the independent panel of judges, each leaders in their field: Marcus Boardall, CEO of Reed Boardall, Black Sheep Brewery CEO Charlene Lyons, Cloud Nine founder and CEO Martin Rae, and James Farrar, COO of York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Tamsin O’Brien, director of the Stray Ferret, said:
“We had well over 100 entries and the judges had a full day of discussion as they worked through each category. There was some heated debate and they had to take some difficult decisions to whittle the entries down and select our finalists.
“For its inaugural year, we were thrilled that the awards attracted such strong entries. I’d like to thank the judges for giving us their time and being so thorough in their deliberations.
“We’re all looking forward to the big night where the winners will be unveiled.”
The businesses and individuals face a nervous wait until the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, on Thursday, March 9. In a spectacular night at Pavilions of Harrogate, the winners will be announced, with each category sponsored by a leading local firm.
Tickets are on sale now for the event, with the early bird price of £85 plus VAT per ticket available until February 9. Tables of 10 are £765 plus VAT.
To book your tickets, click here.
Read more:
- Judges shortlist finalists for the Stray Ferret Business Awards
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm opens new office in Hull
The finalists are:
Best Digital Marketing Campaign sponsored by Next Chapter:
Coach Gym
Ogden of Harrogate
Mumbler
Best Employee Development sponsored by Jones Myers:
Continued Care
Grantley Hall
Howard Conrad
Best Independent Retailer sponsored by York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub:
Cocoa Joe’s
Fodder
TravelGate
Watermark Gallery
Whittams Hire
Business Growth Award sponsored by Raworths Solicitors:
Bamber & Brown
Evolve Psychology Services
Harlow Consulting Services
IDR Law
The Soundproofing Store
TMR Foods
Digital Innovation sponsored by ASE Computer Services:
Re-Macs
Strive Group
Dynamic Leader sponsored by Succession Wealth:
Sarah Jones, Full Circle
Danny Wild, Harrogate College
Andrew Meehan, Harrogate Family Law
Alastair Taylor, NYnet
Ian Baker, The Soundproofing Store
Suzanna Prout, Xenonex
Inclusivity Award sponsored by Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors:
Artizan Café and Creative Space
Horticap
Rising Star Under 30 sponsored by Thompsons Chartered Accountants:
Tiffany Snowden, Blue Willow Heritage
Joe Andrew, Cocoa Joes
Laura Mounsey, Harrogate Family Law
James Owen Thomas, JOT’s Gallery
Sustainable Business sponsored by York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub:
EnviroVent
Full Circle Funerals
JOT’s Gallery
NEOM Organics
Number Thirteen
Resurrected Bites
Source Climate Change Coffee
Unsung Hero sponsored by Big Bamboo:
Chris Ashby, Harrogate BID
Jago Wallace, Himalyan Garden
Kayti Mewis, Mumbler
Judges shortlist finalists for the Stray Ferret Business AwardsA judging panel made up of leaders from top local businesses and organisations have shortlisted finalists for the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023, sponsored by Prosperis.
It wasn’t a simple task, with more than 100 entries across 10 categories, which highlighted the strength of the local business community.
Our four judges were Marcus Boardall, chief executive of Reed Boardall, Black Sheep Brewery chief executive Charlene Lyons, Cloud Nine founder and chief executive Martin Rae, and James Farrar, chief operating officer of York and North Yorkshire LEP.
The judging panel met at West Park Hotel in Harrogate in the morning and debated well into the afternoon.
On Friday, January 20, the Stray Ferret will announce the shortlist for each of the 10 categories.
From growing businesses to the up-and-coming stars of the future, the categories are designed to allow businesses to showcase their strengths.
The glittering, black tie awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 9 at Pavilions of Harrogate. To book your tickets, click or tap here.
More pictures from the judging day:
There were lots of entries for the judges to get through.
Our judges enjoyed debating about each of the entrants.
Marcus Boardall of Reed Boardall and Martin Rae of Cloud Nine.
James Farrar of the York and North Yorkshire LEP and Charlene Lyons of Black Sheep Brewery.
The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.
In these final few days before entries close, we are revealing the last of what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.
The final category up is the Best Digital Marketing Campaign Award, which is sponsored by Next Chapter.
Digital is clearly the way forward. This award recognises the work of businesses that have run incredible campaigns on purely digital campaigns.
Companies looking to enter need to provide information on the digital marketing plan, including its aims and objectives. Also provide statistical information on why the campaign was a success.
Does your business deserve to win the Best Digital Marketing Campaign Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close at 12pm on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!
Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.
Dozens of cars were damaged today and several had to be towed away after a large pothole opened up on one of the main roads into Harrogate.
Drivers travelling towards Harrogate on the A658 at Huby felt the brunt of the impact at rush.
The hole was eventually coned off and traffic lights installed but not before numerous vehicles had been damaged.
David Barker, who lives in Huby, said:
“At the peak of the morning rush hour, 12 cars had stopped at Huby Banks and I’m told three more stopped at the T junction and a couple more before the village.
“The AA have been to at least three cars and the Harrogate local recovery company have taken another three away.
“As the traffic built up in the rush hour cars could not see the hole or avoid it. They were all coming from Pool towards Harrogate.”
Mr Barker tried to report the incident but was batted back and forth between North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, and the police non-emergency number.
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He said several drivers changed wheels before continuing their journeys.
He added:
“The road has in the past ‘blown up’ in this area due to a drainage problem and water is often seen running down the road.
“Much of the problem is many modern cars do not have a spare wheel so if the tyre has come off the rim due to rapid deflation the blow-up repair kit does not work.”
The Stray Ferret has approached the county council for comment.
Cyber-attack contributes to major Harrogate district firm posting £4.1m loss
A major Harrogate district employer has posted a pre-tax loss of £4.1 million after one of its most difficult years ever.
Boroughbridge-based Reed Boardall, which employs 800 staff, grew turnover by 6.2% In the year to March 2022 from £69.8m to £74.1m. But the temperature-controlled food storage and distribution business sustained a £4.1m loss compared with £705,000 profit in the previous year.
The company faced a raft of industry challenges, including rising fuel and energy costs, covid and driver shortages. But it also had to contend with other issues, including a cyber-attack.
Chief executive Marcus Boardall said:
“Our financial performance was adversely affected by Reed Boardall being the victim of a criminal cyber-attack, resulting in our IT systems being out of operation for six days.
“The costs associated with the interruption, loss of revenue and subsequent recovery, were substantial. The situation was exacerbated by bad debt as one of our largest transport customers was placed into administration, although the contract has been taken over by a major retailer.”
Mr Boardall added:
“There’s no question that it has again been a very difficult year for the industry. We have seen the challenges of rising employment costs and inflation forcing up prices for most operators, while coping with continued disruption as a result of reduced staff levels due to covid, along with the problem of driver shortages.
“Looking to the future, the pandemic disruption appears to be settling, and we are starting to bear the fruits of the proactive initiatives we have undertaken to establish our own in-house team of drivers – for example, over the last year, we have trained over 20 new recruits from scratch at our own academy, enabling them to become qualified drivers.”
Mr Boardall said he was “confident that better times are ahead”, adding:
“We have established a strong position in the marketplace and we will continue to prove the success of our single site strategy where we are able to serve all our customers’ needs efficiently.
“I would like to thank our 800-strong team and loyal customers for their continued support as we continue on our growth journey.”
‘Resilient performance’
Based on a 55-acre site just outside Boroughbridge, Reed Boardall has grown to become one of the largest temperature-controlled food distribution businesses in the UK.
With a fleet of 200 vehicles operating 24 hours a day, year-round, it delivers 12,000 pallets of frozen food daily from manufacturers across Britain, Europe and further afield to all the UK’s best-known supermarkets. It also provides blast freezing, picking and packaging services.
Finance director Sarah Roberts said:
“Given the myriad of pressures on the business over the last 12 months, we have once again put in a resilient performance and are pleased to say that we are now on a much more even keel.
“Having completed the multi-million pound expansion of one of our cold stores in spring 2021, we have the largest and most modern facility of its kind in the UK. With a capacity of 168,000 pallets, we have continued to see volumes rise since the year end.
“We have also secured additional business in the new financial year and our ability to adapt to an ever-changing industry is enabling us to attract new customers with very specific requirements while still ensuring their integration into our operations complements our existing customer base.”