An established bakery is set to open a third outlet in the entrance to Harrogate railway station.
The Secret Bakery, which has been based on Knaresborough Road since before the covid pandemic, is hoping to open the doors of its new shop next Friday, August 25.
Owners Jane and James Spencer said they hope it will prove popular with office staff, commuters and visitors to town – and they are looking forward to the Station Gateway project.
James told the Stray Ferret:
“Because of the changes the council is planning, we’re hoping to take the front of the shop out and put concertina doors in.
“Then we could have it open and some pavement cafe seating.”
The couple took over The Secret Bakery in October 2020, after it was originally founded in a domestic kitchen in the Saints area of Harrogate.
Despite the ongoing covid restrictions, James said it was a busy time, as many customers liked to buy from a small business and avoid the supermarkets.
The new outlet on Station Parade will offer the same range of sandwiches, cakes and drinks for which the Secret Bakery is known.
A second baker has already been recruited to increase capacity behind the scenes, and staff from elsewhere in the business will be moving to work in the central Harrogate shop.
The secret bakery on Knaresborough Road
The bakery on Knaresborough Road will remain open, as will a second unit in Knaresborough‘s Market Place, which opened last October.
James said the Knaresborough shop had a strong start last autumn but has been quieter this year, perhaps down to lower than expected levels of tourism across the town.
However, he is hopeful that being in the centre of Harrogate, close to other businesses and transport links, will prove successful.
The unit was previously occupied by a cafe, but closed around eight months ago. James said the owner of the neighbouring shoe repair and key cutting shop had already been in touch to welcome the new business.
Its opening hours will be long than the other two Secret Bakery shops, with James and Jane hoping to catch commuters from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
James added:
“I saw this place originally and didn’t think much of it, but then the cogs started turning. It means we’re in town rather than the outskirts.
“It’s in the process of being refurbished. We weren’t planning on doing much, but then we thought, ‘let’s do it properly before we open’.
“They’re due to finish soon, then we need to get the fridges and things in, and we’re hoping to be open next Friday.”
Read more:
- Plan approved for new cafe on Harrogate’s Cambridge Street
- New Harrogate cafe to offer space for all the family
Remote office to open at Harrogate train station
An office for hire is set to open at Harrogate Railway Station in March.
Sheffield-based Workfromhub has designed the facility to create private working space for an “ever growing remote workforce”.
The start-up company has already introduced hubs in Sheffield and Swinton in Greater Manchester.
People will be able to book the Harrogate hub at a rate of £8.99 per hour for one or two hours or £5.99 per hour for eight-plus hours.
The facilities include space for two people along with internet access, a second screen and desk space.
Neal Byers, founder of Workfromhub, told the Stray Ferret the hub would also encourage people back to railway and bus stations.
He said:
“We are working closely with Northern Rail to help transform underused spaces within stations. We can see the need for people who are on the move to have somewhere private and connected to work from.
“We feel that there are not enough remote working private spaces around to keep up with the demand of a growing remote workforce.
“We also see transport links such as rail stations, park and rides and interchanges, have suffered from covid-19 and are trying to encourage users to come back and use their facilities. WorkfromHub can help resolve both these issues, reimagining underused spaces and creating great places to work from.”
The hub space advertised at Harrogate station.
Those who book will receive a code to enter the facility for their allocated time.
Booking for the Harrogate facility is set to open in March.
Read more:
- Knaresborough business criticises electric vehicle parking ‘madness’
- Harrogate electric buses to be free on Sundays
Stray Views: Turnout for this week’s local election ‘disgusting’
Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Why didn’t many residents in the district vote?
Where is the curious journalism that wants to know why nearly 70% of eligible residents in the Harrogate district could not raise themselves from their sofa to vote? Why are these people so disenfranchised that they can’t be bothered to put an X on a piece of paper and have an influence on the direction of their own lives? Why is it that I haven’t seen a candidate or an activist canvasing in my area since the EU referendum in 2016?
Did people really vote in numbers for the Liberal Democrats because of a strong ideological belief, was it because they had an inspiring manifesto at a local and national level or was it simply a protest vote from an electorate that will never vote Labour? The truth is no one knows because no one bothers to ask us!
Nobody won today, the political class has been an embarrassment for some time and continues hell bent on its race to the bottom in terms of performance, conduct and perception. Beyond this our town lost its council today and probably its unique identity as a result. The Tories will celebrate their success in taking control of the unitary council and will conveniently forget that an overwhelming majority didn’t actually vote for them at all. For that, us the electorate should be ashamed of our apathy, the low turnout was disgusting.
David, Killinghall Moor
Read more:
The wrong platform
Is it not possible for the London train to depart and arrive into Platform 1 at the main Station Concourse. Everyday railway customers struggle with their luggage up stairs or along the platform to queue for the 2 Lifts.
This does not give a good first impression of Harrogate and does little to help the railway customers.
Surely this can be sorted quickly within the busy timetable. Let’s put the travellers first.
Paul Lawrence, Harrogate
Residents are being urged to engage with a consultation to help shape the future of Harrogate town centre.
The Station Gateway project could see funding of £7.8m spent transforming the bus and rail interchange and the public space around them.
Proposals also include reducing Station Parade to just one lane for cars, allowing more space for cycling lanes, to encourage more people to use public transport or to walk or cycle.
The plans have been put forward by North Yorkshire County and Harrogate Borough Councils, in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Craven and Selby district councils, as part of a £31m grant awarded through the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). As well as the Harrogate proposals, the project includes changes for Selby and Skipton’s stations.
North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:
“Improving the gateways to these towns will not only make them more attractive, but will also provide infrastructure for sustainable travel. We have looked at barriers to people accessing public transport, cycling and walking and devised schemes to address these.
“I hope people will have their say through the consultation and take advantage of the online events to learn more and to ask questions.”
Read more:
- James Street pedestrianisation back on the cards in major town centre scheme
- Row breaks out on first day of ‘Station Gateway’ consultation
Public events are being held online for residents to hear more about the plans and to ask questions about them. The Harrogate events take place on Wednesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 10, both at 6pm.
The consultation runs until Wednesday, March 24, and anyone planning to take part is encouraged to engage with one of the online sessions beforehand. To find out more, click here.
Councillor Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said:
“Through the Harrogate Congestion Study, it was clear the community wanted to see improvements to walking, cycling and public transport prioritised. The TCF project is the first step to delivering this and I’m pleased that the hard work and determination of council officers has paid off, and helped secure around £8million for the Harrogate bid.”
The authorities involved have promised that public feedback will be used to help shape the next stage of the plans.
They have already come under fire from business groups, including Harrogate BID, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and Independent Harrogate, who said they money could be better spent improving other areas such as Cambridge Street. However, the TCF can only be used for projects relating to transport.
Retailers on Albert Row, which runs along Station Parade, have also raised concerns about how the proposals will affect the area nearest their businesses, saying they could not fairly comment without more information.
What’s your view of the Station Gateway proposal? Email letters@thestrayferret.co.uk with your thoughts and we may include it on our letters page, Stray Views, published each Sunday.