Boroughbridge based Green-tech has been awarded the title of ‘Employer of the Year’ at the ProLandscaper Business Awards 2024.

Green-tech is the UK’s leading supplier of landscaping and forestry products and is based at Rabbit Hill Business Park, just off the A168 near Boroughbridge.

The ProLandscaper Business Awards recognise outstanding achievements and innovation across the landscaping industry.

Green-tech was among six finalists for the award. The awards ceremony was held in London on April 19.

Green-tech’s managing director Kris Nellist said:

“We are incredibly honoured to be named Employer of the Year at the ProLandscaper Business Awards 2024. Green-tech strives to create a supportive and inclusive work environment where our employees can thrive and reach their full potential. Winning this award not only validates our efforts but is a testament to the dedication and hard work of every member of the Green-tech team for working to get Green-tech where it is today.”

Harrogate law firm promotes new head of family law

Head of family law at LCF Law, Harjit Rait

A Harrogate law firm has announced a new head of its family law department.

LCF Law’s has confirmed that Harjit Rait will lead the department following her promotion. She is a Resolution accredited specialist family lawyer.

Ms Rait said:

“During my time at LCF Law I have been fortunate to help many people at difficult times in their lives. My clients and my work, are both hugely important to me. In my new role I will continue to work with my own clients and support everyone in the family law team, but I will also become more involved with the strategic development of the department, which is something I’m looking forward to.”

LCF Law’s managing partner, Ragan Montgomery, said:

“I’ve known Harjit since our university days, and I can confidently say she has the right personality and skills for the role. She builds excellent relationships with her clients, is a fabulous networker and is very supportive of the development of others. Her talent for forging and maintaining excellent working relationships during her 22-year legal career will stand her in good stead as she continues to build on the successes of our trusted family law team.”

Theakston’s Brewery continues cricket sponsorship

Simon Theakston, chairman of Theakston’s Brewery.

T&R Theakston is set to sponsor the Nidderdale and District Amateur Cricket League for another season.

The brewery has sponsored the league for over a decade. England Test player Jonny Bairstow and Yorkshire players Ben Coad, Jonny Tattersall and Finlay Bean all started their junior cricket careers in the Nidderdale League.

This year marks the 130th anniversary of the league’s founding, making it one of the oldest and largest village cricket leagues in the country.

Chairman of Theakston’s Brewery, Simon Theakston said:

“We’re very proud to be entering our 15th season of supporting the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League. The League, under the expert guidance of Sir Thomas, is the cornerstone of North Yorkshire community sporting activity and has been for very many years. Much like the local pub, the village cricket club holds a significant role as a place to feel welcome, to belong, meet friends and share experiences. With Theakston beers on hand to toast their successes and commiserate any losses, we wish the teams taking part in this year’s league all the best for the season ahead.”

Harrogate Clothes Bank announces new Business Club initiative

Harrogate Clothes Bank

Harrogate Clothes Bank  has announced a new business sponsorship club to help support its operations.

The charity, which offers free secondhand clothes to people in need, is looking for business sponsors who can contribute towards their rent.

Based Hornbeam Business Park, the organisation is looking for sponsors who can each donate, or pledge to fundraise, the equivalent of one month’s rent of its warehouse premises.

A spokesperson for the charity said:

“We are 100% funded by charitable donations and rely on support from businesses and the community. Harrogate Clothes Bank is run entirely by volunteers who sort donations, run our public-facing sessions and fundraising events, as well as provide invaluable behind-the-scenes expertise. We serve Harrogate and the surrounding communities and people find us through organisations such as social services, homelessness housing support, food banks, GPs, churches, schools, colleges, refugees and asylum seeker support groups.”

“We could not continue to run our vital service without this amazing local support.”

Jespers manager celebrates 30 years at the store

Jespers of Harrogate’s manager Lynn Cummings outside the shop in the centre of town.

Lynn Cummings is celebrating her 30th year with Harrogate business Jespers.

She joined the firm as a sales assistant on April 18th, 1994, before being promoted to second assistant retail manager two-and-a-half years later.

In 1997, she was sent to manage the York store, and returned to Harrogate in 1999 to take up the role of manager, which she has held since.

Ms Cummings said:

“I’ve seen a lot of changes at Jespers over the three decades. We had manual tills and I remember all the typewriters on display in the shop window. It was a different type of era, more traditional. We used to do printing, rubber stamps, and we had the pen counter, which was seen as a privilege to be asked to work on. Although much has changed, our traditional values of high-quality products and personal customer service remain. And the pen counter is still here, making us one of the few shops in the north of England to display an extensive range of pens that customers can try out.”

Harrogate Town partner with mental health charity

Wellspring-Pitch Positive

Harrogate Town AFC has embarked on a partnership with North Yorkshire mental health charity Wellspring Therapy & Training

The EFL League Two club hosted Wellspring at one of its popular Pitch Positive sessions held at Rossett Sports Centre.

The Pitch Positive evenings, which involve five-a-side football matches followed by informal group discussions over coffee, tea and biscuits, are designed to promote men’s mental health and wellbeing. Wellspring was represented by interim chief executive Nick Garrett and his colleague Robert Beaumont.

Lee McArthur, activity leader of Harrogate Town’s Community Foundation and one of the organisers of Pitch Positive, said:

“Thank you to Wellspring for your time, expertise, and dedication to supporting those navigating mental health challenges. Your presence truly made a difference and we are immensely grateful for the partnership between Pitch Positive and Wellspring.”

Coffee Lounge launches evening opening hours

Tom Gordon & Leda

Westmoreland Coffee Lounge has announced new evening opening hours.

In addition to their usual 8am-4pm hours, the shop will now be open 8am – until late Thursday to Saturday’s serving a range of alcoholic drinks including wine, spirits and cocktails.

Local businesses and residents from Westmoreland St & East Parade attended the launch event on Saturday 20th April.

Liberal Democrats parliamentary candidate, Tom Gordon, attended the launch evening.

He said:

“It was fantastic to be at the launch for Westmoreland Coffee Lounges new evening opening hours,  and supporting Leda & the team. It’s a lovely little spot to work and relax, and it’s one of my regular places – just round the corner from where I live. Their coffee has always been fantastic, and I can confirm their espresso martinis are great too. I’m so thrilled to see this local business thriving & the fantastic turn out for the launch on Saturday evening.”

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You know how it is — one minute you’re enjoying a street party in Ripon, the next minute you turn around and the Prime Minister is there too.

It actually happened on Easter Monday when Rishi Sunak joined fellow Tory, North Yorkshire mayor hopeful Keane Duncan, in the city.

It was Mr Sunak’s second local visit in as many months, following his trip to Starbeck to support Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones in February. Anyone might think an election is looming…

Who is the man in the background and what was he saying?

Mr Sunak, however, had to play second fiddle to a village idiot in the Stray Ferret reader popularity stakes this week. Our article about the arrival in Harrogate of Andy Smith, a YouTuber who calls himself The Village Idiot, was the second best read this week.

The most popular was a feature about Thompson’s Auctioneers in Killinghall, whose director Kate Higgins talked about the joys of rummaging through possessions and selling them under the hammer.

But perhaps the most bizarre was the disappearance of a 30-foot cockerel in Bishop Monkton. It seems the bird had grown so big it was no longer manageable.

Pic: Bishop Monkton Today

Harrogate’s Tourist Information Office has also vanished from its former premises in the Royal Baths complex. It now exists as what appears to be little more than a desk at the Royal Pump Room Museum. Its apparent downgrading has prompted concerns about whether it will be able to promote local businesses.

By contrast, Harrogate Town has well and truly arrived in recent years. The club is enjoying a golden age under father-and-son owner and manager combination Irving Weaver and Simon Weaver. It’s hard to believe the Sulphurites are in a league above York City, have just thumped Bradford City and are on the fringes of the League Two play-off race.

But newly published accounts this week revealed how much the club depends on Irving. Good luck to Town against Notts County this weekend. Let’s hope the good times keep rolling for a while yet.

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Harrogate Town has increased season ticket prices for the 2024/25 season.

The club announced that the full price of a ticket will increase to £384 for standing and £435 seated for new adult supporters.

Existing adult season ticket holders will be charged £351 standing and £402 for seated.

The prices are an increase on £349 for standing and £395 for seated, which fans paid in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, the club has offered an early bird window between April 4 and June 5 where season ticket holders can renew at a reduced rate.

New fans can also purchase within the window.

Full price season tickets at Harrogate Town after June 5, 2024.

Existing adult ticket holders can renew at £335 for standing and £383 for seated within the time frame.

Meanwhile, new adult supporters can purchase standing tickets for £367 and seated for £415 in the window.

Prices for concessions have been set at £268 for standing and £307 for seated for existing ticket holders within the early bird period. New supporters will pay £299 and £338.

However, this increases to £281 standing and £322 for existing fans after June 5 and £314 and £355 for new ticket holders.

Prices for under-18s are set at £139 for standing and £177 seated for both existing and new ticket holders before June 5. This increases to £146 and £186 for both groups after that date.

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Meanwhile, under-12s pay £104 standing and £145 seated for existing and new fans in the early bird window.

This increases to £109 standing and £152 seated after June 5.

Tickets for those aged under five years old will cost £40 standing and £45 seated for both existing and new fans.

The club has also offered fans to pay in instalments on tickets to spread the cost.

Match day ticket rises

Town have also increased the prices of match day tickets.

An adult standing ticket bought in advance will increase to £22 or £24 if bought on the day. A seated ticket would cost £25 if bought in advance or £27 if purchased on the day.

Meanwhile, concessions will be priced at £17 standing and £20 seated in advance or £18 and £21 if bought on match day.

Under-18s will cost £9 standing and £12 seated if bought ahead of the game or £10 and £13 on the day.

Those under-12 will be priced at £7 standing and £10 seated in advance or £8 standing and £11 seated on match day.

Children under-5 will cost £3 for both seated and standing in advance or £4 on the day of the game.

Harrogate Town match day ticket prices for 2024/25.

Sarah Barry, chief executive at Harrogate Town FC, said the club had seen overall attendances increase at the EnviroVent Stadium by 20% this season.

She said:

“Our supporters are the heartbeat of this club and you are the most important stakeholders of our club. 

“Your support benefits the entire Harrogate district going way beyond football, as it enables our club and community foundation to achieve our primary objective, to maintain a healthy, happy and connected Harrogate district.”

Harrogate Town currently sit four points off a play off place in EFL League Two with five games left.

Harrogate Town lost £2.5 million last year — more than double the amount it lost the previous year.

The club’s financial statement for the year ended June 30, 2023 appeared on the Companies House website today.

The 12-page statement does not include a copy of the profit and loss account, which it says “the directors of the company have elected not to include”.

But it reveals the club made a loss of £2,475,345 compared with £1,168,631 in 2022.

It also highlights the club’s ongoing dependence on chairman Irving Weaver, who owns 86% of shares.

It says despite the £2.5 million loss and net current liabilities of £2.7 million, the directors have prepared cash flow forecasts “which indicate that, taking account of reasonably possible downsides, the company will have sufficient funds, through funding from its controlling shareholder, R I Weaver, to meets its liabilities as they fall due for that period”.

It adds:

“Those forecasts are dependent on R I Weaver not seeking repayment of the amounts currently owed to him, which at 30 June 2023 amounted to £2,458,074, and providing additional financial support during that period.

“R I Weaver has indicated his intention to continue to make available such funds as are needed by the company, and that he does not intend to seek repayment of the amounts due for the period covered by the forecasts.”

The financial statement added that no interest had been charged on the £2.5 million owed to Mr Weaver — and that the club owed him £4.4 million in 2022.

The statement also revealed the club employed on average 66 staff in 2023, compared with 55 in 2022 — an increase of 20%.

Simon Weaver, Irving’s son, has steered Town to within four points of a League Two play-off place this season with five matches to go.

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Harrogate Town are set for a crunch Yorkshire derby today as they take on Bradford City.

The Bantams will travel to the EnviroVent Stadium for the 1pm kick-off off the back of three straight defeats.

Meanwhile, Town will be hoping to kick into form with eight games left as they sit six points off the play-off places .

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver said the club had sold “a lot of tickets” for the fixture and was expecting one of its record attendances.

He said:

“It’s an early kick-off and that is different in itself.

“We have always had good games between the two teams and we’re very much looking forward to this as much as the previous ones.”

He added:

“We need to get this last batch of games off to a positive start and there’s no better game to do that in than against Bradford.”

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The two sides are separated by a single point in the EFL League Two table.

However, Bradford go into the game off the back of three home defeats in a row after a six-game unbeaten run.

Graham Alexander, who took over from Mark Hughes as City manager in November, will be hoping to turn the club’s form around in time to mount a late play-off push.

Town will still be without Lewis Thomas, Sam Folarin and Liam Gibson for the fixture.

Former Harrogate Town player Jack Diamond has been cleared of rape and sexual assault.

Mr Diamond, 23, was found not guilty on both charges by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court this afternoon.

He was charged by Northumbria Police in March last year.

Mr Diamond, of Washington, had his loan spell at Lincoln City terminated at the time of the charges. His parent club Sunderland also suspended him pending the outcome of judicial proceedings.

A statement from Sunderland following the verdict said:

“Sunderland AFC notes the verdict from Newcastle Crown Court today, where a jury has found Jack Diamond not guilty of all charges.

“Following the conclusion of the judicial process, Jack will now return to the Academy of Light and resume footballing activity.

“SAFC will be making no further comment at this time.”

Mr Diamond played for Harrogate on loan during their National League campaign in 2019-20, scoring one of the goals at Wembley that earned promotion to the English Football League for the first time ever.

He returned to the club on loan during the 2021-22 season in League Two of the English Football League.

In his two loan spells, he scored 16 goals in 66 appearances.

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• Former Harrogate Town player Jack Diamond charged with rape
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Harrogate Town will be looking to make it four wins on the bounce as they take on Tranmere Rovers tonight.

Town secured a third victory in three games after defeating play-off chasing Accrington Stanley 2-1 on Boxing Day.

A late winner from George Thomson secured all three points as Harrogate kicked off a busy Christmas fixture schedule.

Now, Town entertain Tranmere Rovers at the EnviroVent Stadium tonight.

Rovers go into the game off the back of a 5-1 thrashing of Salford City on Boxing Day and currently sit 18th in EFL League Two – six points behind Harrogate.

Simon Weaver, Town manager, said following the Stanley game that it was important that fans stick with the team to keep the run going.

He said:

“They [Tranmere] have had a fantastic win today.

“I think on the back of the last four or five home games, there has been that real relationship between the players and the fans.

“When we were 2-0 down against Wrexham, they could see that everyone was trying to get back into it and trying to play the right way. There was some good football as well.

“Since then, the atmosphere has really taken off in the stadium. It really does help.”

Harrogate Town play Tranmere Rovers tonight (December 29). Kick off is at 7.45pm.

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