7 unmissable independent bookshops in Yorkshire

Last week the Stray Ferret explored how many people are rediscovering the joy of physical books – and this reading renaissance goes hand-in-hand with an increase in the amount of independent bookshops on the UK’s high street.

In 2022, the Bookseller’s Association reported a record amount of indie stores opening their doors, a number then surpassed in 2023, with 51 shops starting to trade.

North Yorkshire has always been a hotspot for independent businesses, and bookshops are no exception to this rule – here are just some of the highlights to pop into for a browse.

Castlegate Books, Knaresborough

(Image: Castlegate Books)

Tucked into a corner of Market Place, Castlegate Books has been a firm fixture on the Knaresborough high street since 2008.

Owned by Gary Cooper, the shop stocks new books online and in store, as well as selling a range of greeting cards and postcards of the local area. National book tokens are also redeemable in-store.

According to the Castlegate Books website, there’s over 100,000 titles available online, with free UK delivery offered.

Castlegate Books is located at 13 Market Place, Knaresborough, HG5 8AL.

Reading Roots, Wetherby

Reading Roots

Reading Roots joined Wetherby’s collection of thriving independent businesses in 2022, when Kiera Andrews was visiting family and spotted an empty store in the town.

Located centrally, the shop sells a diverse selection of fiction and a non-fiction books, including travel, sport, history – and a section all about Yorkshire.

The shop even offers work experience placements, collaborating with local schools in the area to inspire the next generation.

Reading Roots is located at 29 Market Place, Wetherby, LS22 6LQ.

Little Ripon Bookshop, Ripon

The Little Ripon Bookshop

It’s Little Ripon Bookshop’s 15th anniversary this year – a true testament to an enduring love of books. A family-run enterprise, it first opened their doors in 2009, and expanded into the shop next door in 2018.

Stocking a range of new releases and old classics, as well as children’s titles and a range of stationary, cards and gifts, the bookshop is a firm fixture of Ripon’s independent retail scene.

It also hosts book clubs for adults and children, plus evening talks by local authors.

Little Ripon Bookshop is located at 12-13 Westgate, Ripon, North Yorkshire. HG4 2AT.

Imagined Things, Harrogate

Imagined Things bookshop in Harrogate

Imagined Things

Imagined Things opened its doors on Montpellier Parade in 2017 to much fanfare and rightly so; it was Harrogate’s first independent bookshop stocking new books in nearly twenty years.

A lifelong bibliophile, owner Georgia worked as a radiographer at Harrogate District Hospital for six years before deciding to pursue her passion for all things literature.

The shop stocks an eclectic range of genres to suit different tastes, and can post books to anywhere in the UK.

Imagined Things is located at 21 Montpellier Parade, Harrogate HG1 2TG.

Criminally Good Books, York

(Image: Pixabay)

Criminally Good Books is a relative newcomer to the York streets, but due to its unique twist of stocking all things crime-related, it has already built up quite the reputation.

The quirky window sticker depicting the classic chalk outline of a body – surrounded by books of course – sets the theme and is an eye-catching to the shopfronts along Colliergate.

Whether you’re a fan of a thriller, or prefer a non-fiction deep dive, there’s a diverse range of authors and subjects to choose from. The first floor boasts an events space, hosting book clubs, author meet and greets, and even a burlesque show.

 Criminally Good Books is located at 14 Colliergate, York, YO1 8BP.

The Stripey Badger, Grassington

(Image: Instagram @thestripeybadger)

If you’re looking to browse the books and have a bite to eat, The Stripey Badger ticks both of those boxes.

An award-winning café and bookshop all rolled into one, it’s located in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales village of Grassington – or as All Creatures Great and Small reboot fans might know it, the fictious Darrowby.

The shop is filled with many different genres, including children’s books, and they regularly host open mic poetry nights, book clubs and more.

The Stripey Badger is located at 7 The Square, Grassington, BD23 5AQ.

Books For All, Harrogate

Books For All

Looks are deceptive with Books For All in Harrogate – while the shopfront gives the impression of being small, there’s actually three floors crammed with a vast array of second hand books.

First opened in 1998, the shop reports to be the oldest, and only, second hand bookstore in the town centre.

It’s estimated they have over 20,000 to choose from – alongside a selection of vinyl and CDs – but they’re always looking for new titles to add to their collection.

Books for All is located at 23A Commercial St, Harrogate, HG1 1UB.

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Town centre living: a welcome trend for Harrogate?

Barely a month passes without a new planning application to create flats in Harrogate town centre.

This week we reported on plans to turn the offices on the first, second and third floors of 5 Cambridge Road into three flats.

Planning permission has been previously granted to create flats in buildings that used to host the Kings Club strip club and the main post office, among others. And, in a few weeks, the former River Island unit on Cambridge Street, will open as Trinity House, a 14-flat development incorporating retail units. It’s hard to think of a more central location.

Town centres are changing from places to shop to places to live — and Harrogate appears to be at the forefront of the trend. Is this good or bad, and what challenges does it present?

Kings Club

The former Kings Club

The Stray Ferret sat down this week with Tariq Shah, chief executive of Vigo Group, the property developer behind Trinity House, and Matthew Chapman, chief executive of Harrogate Business Improvement District, to discuss the trend and whether it posed a threat to retail.

Mr Shah, whose company is based in Doncaster, said Harrogate was particularly attractive to developers because it was seen as a desirable place to live and has good transport connections, which lessened the need for cars in town centres.

He said Harrogate had reasonable short-term accommodation for tourists and conference centre delegates but a shortage of town centre flats for living, adding:

“Harrogate is a town centre in transition. We are seeing more people from outside Harrogate wanting to come here.

“Trinity House has attracted more interest than any other scheme we have done. We would like to do more here.”

Cambridge Street

Trinity House flats will be marketed from £300,000 and although a nice town centre pad might suit some people, what impact will it have on retailers and on people who live here who regard the town centre predominantly as somewhere to shop?

The BID is funded by town centre businesses but Mr Chapman is not opposed to the change.

He said:

“A collaborative approach with landlords and developers is key. If people are willing to put something back into the community then we welcome it. Where I struggle is if buildings are owned by offshore investors, like Debenhams.

“Every town has probably had too much retail space for a long time. It’s an emerging trend but there needs to be a long-term vision for the town centre.”

Besides the 14 upper floor flats, Trinity House includes the existing Body Care shop and has additional room for a storage facility or small dance or yoga studio, as well as a kiosk space for a start-up business wanting a town centre presence.

Mr Shah said his company had agreed to improve lighting at the rear of the building, put up security cameras and create an internal bin storage area to improve safety and appearance and reduce the risk of vermin and fire. He said these were examples of the firm’s commitment to town centre improvement as well as profit.

He added having more people milling around at night added to the vibrancy and created “natural surveillance” at night in empty town centre streets where some people feel unsafe.

Mr Chapman said many of the units being converted to flats were first and second floor offices that had been unused for years, adding:

“If you have spaces that people live in and take pride in, it has to be better than having them crumble away.”

Despite his overall positivity, Mr Chapman said there was probably a ceiling on the trend and there were dangers. For example, he said converting ground floor retail units on the fully occupied James Street to flats “would be seen as a threat”.

Mr Chapman said the system of determining business rates needed reviewing to adapt to the trend, which he said would see an increasing shift towards “experiential activities” in town centres. He added:

“Whether it’s a cool independent retailer or axe throwing, people will want to experience something in town centres.

“Harrogate needs to be forward thinking and unique.”

Health services are being made available in Barnsley town centre.

So what will Harrogate town centre look like in 10 or 20 years?

Mr Shah said besides a more diverse mixture of retail and living, there would be more short-term leases, more leisure opportunities due to the higher population, more food halls and even community healthcare facilities. He cited Barnsley Council’s decision to work with partners to create a health and wellbeing hub in the Alhambra Shopping Centre as an example of how health managers will increasingly take services into towns.

He said:

“When it comes to long-term planning and thinking about these issues on a local level it’s important that a variety of partners are involved in these discussions and that is also a real strength of Harrogate, as a number of organisations are already open to having these conversations about how we can reimagine town centre usage.

“It’s not about drastically changing what is here but everyone working together with what we already have to bring clear economic and social benefits and secure our town centre for the next 30 years and beyond.”

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New mural-filled nursery to open on Hornbeam Park

A new children’s nursery with hand-painted murals is set to open on Harrogate‘s Hornbeam Park.

Nature’s Little Learners, which opened its first site in Starbeck in 2021, will soon welcome children from birth age to four-years-old.

Owner Samantha Williams, who set up the venture with her husband and daughter, said the Starbeck site has been “over-subscribed for a while now” and she wanted to expand locally to meet demand.

The site, which was formerly an office unit in Crown House, offers different rooms catered to age groups, including a baby room, a pre-school room, a toddler room and a garden room.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We’re a toy-less nursery and offer open-ended resources, rather than giving children a one-dimensional toy they get bored of after a few uses.

“We’re inspired by the children – they are at the forefront of everything we do.”

The pre-school room.

Ms Williams said the Starbeck site enrols a lot of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and built a sensory room at the new Hornbeam Site to cater for those needs.

She added:

“It’s all about colour and texture in here. SEND children often get overwhelmed, so a few of them can come in here at one time to relax and regulate their emotions.

“Plus, because they’re not alone, they’ll still be learning in here.”

Ms Williams said the £120,000 refurbishment of the nursery was “inspired by children’s books” as she “wants the children that come here to love reading”.

The baby room.

As well as day care, Nature’s Little Learners will hold football sessions in the garden room, as well as dance sessions and yoga for little ones.

Ms Williams added:

“I’m feeling nervous, but I’m excited to welcome new families and see how the children react to the new space.

“I believe nursery needs to be an extension of home – not a watered down version of school.”

The Hornbeam Park site will also hire around 15 members of staff and can accommodate up to 50 children, she said.

Murals

Ms Williams also hired Sarah Marsh, a mural artist from Boroughbridge, to bring the nursery to life.

Inspired by the characters from some of the women’s favourite children’s books, Ms Marsh painted the walls of each room with a different mural.

These include depictions of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Room on the Broom and The Wonderful Things You Will Be.

Sarah Marsh with her Room on the Broom-inspired mural.

Ms Marsh, who studied art and graphic design when she was younger, said she was made redundant from her previous job in November last year. After this, she took up mural painting full-time.

She told the Stray Ferret the murals took around two-and-a-half-weeks to bring to life, using a mix of emulsion and acrylic paint.

A mural inspired by The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

Ms Williams said she hopes the new Nature’s Little Learners site will be open by early May, but parents can book tours of the nursery now.

The nursery costs £68 per day, which includes three meals plus two snacks, nappies and wipes, she added.

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Discover these quirky Yorkshire cafés for your next coffee stop

Going out for lunch really could be considered a national pastime, but with so many options it can be hard to branch out and try somewhere new.

In January, the Stray Ferret revealed there’s at least 40 places serving coffee alongside cakes, pastries and light lunches in the centre of Harrogate – and that’s not to mention Knaresborough, Ripon and everywhere in between.

If you’re looking for a place with a bit of a difference, the Stray Ferret has compiled a list of some quirky Yorkshire cafés ready to be discovered.

Falling Foss Tea Garden – Whitby

(Image: Falling Foss Tea Garden)

Nestled in the heart of ancient Sneaton Forest, Midge Hall had been derelict for over 50 years before being transformed into the thriving tearoom it is today.

Offering a rustic, al fresco lunch spot with stunning views of Falling Foss waterfall, the menu boasts homemade and locally sourced treats such as sandwiches, cakes, scones, and speciality coffees.

Seasonal opening times are dictated by the elements – so make sure you check the website before setting off on one of the many woodland routes that lead to the waterfall.

The nearest car park is the Forestry Commission Car Park at Falling Foss which is free – but very popular in the summer months.

Falling Foss Tea Garden is located at Midge Hall, Falling Foss, Whitby, YO22 5JD.

 The Winehouse Café – Nun Monkton

The Winehouse Café (Image: Yorkshire Heart)

No, you haven’t crossed the channel to France – you might be surprised to learn that there’s actually a vineyard off the A59, between York and Harrogate.

Yorkshire Heart is a family-run vineyard and winery, overlooking the countryside surrounding Nun Monkton. Customers can enjoy panoramic views of the vineyard, or on warmer days sit amongst the vines themselves to have a bite to eat.

The café itself serves hot drinks, light lunch options such as sharing platters and sandwiches, an assortment of cakes, and a wide range of beers and wines.

Yorkshire Heart also offer afternoon tea packages, vineyard tours and even on-site glamping for those looking for a unique place to stay.

The Winehouse Café is located at The Vineyard, Pool Lane, Nun Monkton, YO26 8EL.

Gatehouse Coffee – York

(Image: Pixabay)

You’re certainly surrounded by history in York, but never more so than when enjoying a cake or a coffee in one of the medieval gatehouses of the city walls.

Despite being part of one of the city’s main tourist attractions, the Gatehouse Coffee is something of a hidden gem, tucked away behind a thick wooden door, up a stone flight of stairs.

Once inside, customers can enjoy a selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes, and toasties, in a relaxed and cosy environment.

On sunny days, you can even venture out onto the rooftop terrace for spectacular views across the historic walls.

Gatehouse Coffee is located at Walmgate Bar, Walmgate, York YO10 2UB.

High Paradise Farm – Sutton Bank, Thirsk

A view across Sutton Bank

Accessible only by foot, bike or horse, High Paradise Farm certainly makes a case for being one of the most remote cafés in North Yorkshire, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit.

With a large outside seating area that customers can enjoy the North York Moors scenery from, it’s a well-known pit stop for walkers and cyclists attempting one of the Sutton Bank bike routes.

The tearoom prides itself on serving locally sourced food – so local in fact, much of its produce is taken directly from the farm.

However due to its isolated location High Paradise Farm opens seasonally, so it’s definitely worth checking beforehand to avoid disappointment.

The tearoom at High Paradise Farm is located in Boltby, Thirsk, YO7 2HT.

The Stripey Badger – Grassington

(Image: The Stripey Badger)

 The picturesque village of Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales plays host to The Stripey Badger, an award-winning café and bookshop all rolled into one.

Well-known for an array of breakfast options, homemade cakes, traditional cream teas and its very own rarebit recipe, customers can pop next door afterwards to peruse the books.

If you think the shopfront looks familiar there might be a reason – in the 2020 reboot of All Creatures Great & Small the shop was transformed into grocers G.F Endleby.

The Stripey Badger is located at 7 The Square, Grassington, BD23 5AQ.

Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Room – Knaresborough

Scarlett's Vintage Tea Rooms Staff next to the cafe

Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Rooms

Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Rooms is a themed café located in Knaresborough, bringing a touch of vintage charm to the historic waterside town.

The décor is an eclectic mix of eras, with a 60s and 70s theme upstairs, and a 1940s feel to the downstairs area.

Known especially for its vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, the menu boasts sandwiches, soups and a large range of cakes – all served on vintage crockery.

 Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Room is located at 3a Green Dragon Yard, Knaresborough, HG5 8AU.

The Wild Plum – Harrogate

The Wild Plum (Image: Ben Bentley)

Homed above boutique dress shop Snooty Frox which is located opposite Oatlands Play Fields, being further out from the town centre hasn’t done The Wild Plum any disadvantages.

The shop staff have to call up to the café to make sure there’s a seat available, and on weekends, it can be so popular that the queue often snakes out of the front door.

Once seated, customers can expect to tuck into a frequently rotating seasonal menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch options, with ingredients sourced from local suppliers but inspired by dishes from around the world.

The Wild Plum is located at 34-36 Hookstone Road, Harrogate HG2 8BW.

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Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election preview: John Swales, Reform UK

Reform UK wants to shake up British politics this year and John Swales believes he can become the party’s first North Yorkshire councillor.

Mr Swales describes himself as one of Thatcher’s children but says that nationally and locally the Conservatives have lost their way.

He says Reform is winning over disenfranchised Tory voters “like there’s no tomorrow”.

He added:

“They are not Conservatives, they are following a globalist agenda around United Nations development goals. We’ve been bombarded with covid lockdowns and massive state control. Something is very wrong at the heart of British politics.”

Reform UK was previously known as the Brexit Party when it was led by Nigel Farage.

Mr Swales says the party has evolved from when it was largely a single-issue proposition for voters.

Locally, he said parking around Harrogate District Hospital is a big problem in the division, with hospital parking fees forcing people to park on nearby residential streets instead.

Mr Swales said:

“I’ve had elderly relatives down at the hospital and paying for parking is a regressive thing to do. I know they say it’s to fund the NHS but how much does it need, what are its priorities?”

He also questions active travel schemes in the town and was against previous council proposals such as the one-way system on Oatlands Drive that aimed to make the area more friendly for cyclists.

He says he’s also against the town’s £12.1m Station Gateway scheme, which he calls a “dog’s breakfast”. He added:

“It will please nobody. I don’t know why they are pushing ahead with it.”

When the division was last contested in 2022, independent Anna McIntee came last with just 167 votes. She ran a campaign that was not too dissimilar to Reform’s platform, voicing concerns about active travel and how the Conservatives had taken locals for granted.

However, Mr Swales says Reform has a raft of policies that are resonating with voters on issues from energy to the cost-of-living crisis. He said:

“We’re a major political party that has pragmatic and common sense solutions for the problems facing the country.”

He added:

“There’s a hubris with the Conservatives who are so disengaged from what’s going on in town. It feels like a change is coming, it’s exciting.”

The by-election will take place on Thursday, April 11. For more information, visit the council’s website.

A full list of candidates is below:

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Did you know there’s a hidden Spa Room in Harrogate’s Turkish Baths?

Everyone knows about the Victorian Turkish Baths in Harrogate, but did you know that there’s more rest and relaxation to be had in the somewhat secret Spa Room?

An overview of the baths

Harrogate is known for its Turkish Baths: visitors and residents alike have flocked to them since 1897. Indeed, residents of Harrogate are lucky to live in a town that still has Victorian baths – only seven that date back to the 19th century remain today. The baths are run by Harrogate Borough Council.

What’s it like to visit the Turkish Baths?

Turkish Baths

(Image: Harrogate’s Turkish Baths)

The baths are a place where you can fully immerse yourself for a few hours of total relaxation with no phones allowed.

Visit the steam room, the three hot rooms that gradually increase in heat all the way up to 70 degrees, the cold invigorating plunge pool to dip into between the rooms – or swim if you’re brave enough, as well as a rest area, and winter garden lounge where you can order food and drink.

This is all to the backdrop of impressive ornate Moorish-style décor, Italian mosaic terrazzo floors, walls of vibrant glazed brickwork and arabesque painted ceilings.

But where’s the hidden Spa Room in the Turkish Baths?

(Image: Spa Room – David Lindsay, photosbydavid.co.uk)

Tucked away around the corner inside the main Turkish Baths, there’s a Spa Room that features a Jacuzzi, aromatherapy steam room, foot spas and cold bucket shower that not many people are aware of.

It can either be booked in conjunction with a Turkish Baths session to extend the time you’re at the Turkish Baths, or it can be used before or after a treatment.

It costs just £10 for 1.5 hours and up to six people can use the room.

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Harrogate Spiegeltent to return after two years

The Spiegeltent is set to return to Harrogate this summer after a two year break.

Harrogate International Festivals has announced the event will be held in Crescent Gardens between June 28 – July 7.

Drag queen Divina De Campo, who appeared on The Voice and the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, opens the Spiegeltent with an evening of cabaret.

The Gypsy Queens and House of Burlesque will also join this year’s line-up. Also making a return is British jazz singer Jo Harrop and Harrogate’s nightclub, Jimmy’s. There are newcomers to the festival including Punjabi Roots, as well as singer Mica Sefia, and the Maxwell Quartet.

The Spiegeltent is one of the star attractions of this year’s Harrogate Music Festival, which begins June 8.

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:

“The Spiegeltent was one of the absolute highlights of Harrogate Music Festival in 2022, so it’s wonderful to have it back – there’s just nothing quite like it.

“We passionately believe that art and culture is for us all and should reach as wide an audience as possible – and that’s what this does. Whether you want to dance the night away at the Silent Disco, be entranced by the sound of South Asian drums, or spend the day making new family memories – there really is something for everyone here.

“The Spiegeltent helps make the Festival a truly memorable celebration of music and the arts. So get the dates in your diary for what is, quite simply, the best party in town.”

The 2024 Spiegeltent line-up includes:

The Spiegeltent will also host a Children’s Festival from Saturday, July 6, to Sunday, July 7, with a programme of family-friendly events set to be announced in April.

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Harrogate village shocked after 30ft topiary cockerel cut down

A village between Harrogate and Ripon has been left in a state of shock after its most famous sight — a 30ft topiary cockerel — was cut down.

Bishop Monkton has crowed about its magnificent bird for more than 100 years.

Standing proudly in front of a 300-year-old home known as Cockerel Cottage, it attracted visitors and even national media coverage.

Photos on local history website Bishop Monkton yesterday show the bird outside the cottage, whose proper name is Burngarth, in the 1920s.

Pic: Bishop Monkton Yesterday

But it disappeared this week, leaving some villagers horrified, and wondering what had led to its demise.

The Stray Ferret spoke to Gary Cross, landlord of the Masons Arms in Bishop Monkton, to find out more.

Mr Cross said the cockerel had been one of the main talking points in the pub in the days since it was cut down on Tuesday.

But he said that, contrary to appearances, it was not an act of wanton vandalism and could even return, Phoenix-like, after its shearing.

Mr Cross said he knows the owners, who we have not named, and understood the cockerel’s size and proximity to the house caused problems including blocking light  and was difficult to maintain. He added:

“It was a pretty big object and attraction. Some residents are very upset about it. But they don’t have to live next to it.

“With the beck flooding, a lot of their garden was subject to flooding and it held pools of water, which was difficult to deal with. The owners have been there two or three years and tried to work with the cockerel but it had just become so big.”

Mr Cross said a leading topiarist was hired to prune the bird down to its roots so it could regrow, although this would take years. He said:

“Some people are being rude and vicious but it has not been butchered, it was carefully cut.

“Most people think it’s a shame but when you pose the question ,’would you want to have to maintain it?’, the answer is usually ‘no’.”

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Local business raises concern about new Harrogate Tourist Information Centre

A Harrogate business owner has raised concerns about the lack of business exposure at the new Tourist Information Centre.

North Yorkshire Council announced in February it would permanently close the former Tourist Information Centre on Crescent Road and re-open in the nearby Royal Pump Room Museum.

The move will enable the council to reduce costs and generate rent from its former premises in the Royal Baths, which has suffered low commercial investment returns since the council paid £9.5 million for it back in 2018.

But the new tourist information section within the pump room is much smaller than the old building, which has raised concerns about its ability to provide the same service and to promote local businesses.

Neil Thomson, owner of jewellery and art shop Inger & Rae and jewellery and gift shop Shine in Westminster Arcade, raised concerns with the Stray Ferret after tourists told him they “struggled to find” the arcade.

Mr Thomson told the Stray Ferret:

“Visitors in the arcade all say how beautiful it is but that they knew nothing about it. There aren’t any signposts despite its architectural significance.

“The arcade also hosts 10 independent businesses, all of which are thriving despite the lack of interest from the council.

“There is a huge unwillingness to even mention places which aren’t council run.”

Inside Westminster Arcade.

Mr Thomson said he approached staff at the Pump Rooms, as well as a local art gallery, requesting to put leaflets about Westminster Arcade on display.

He said both sites told him they “could not give information leaflets to the public”.

He added:

“We wish to promote Westminster Arcade as an important visitor attraction. It is a superb example of Victorian architecture, and the only Victorian arcade in Harrogate.

“Visitors to Harrogate want to be able to access a full range of information when they are here in person, in the town.

“If we all work together, and promote ALL the positive and varied attractions Harrogate has to offer, visitors will have a much better experience and will be far more likely to return.”

Mr Thomson, who also has a shop on King’s Road, said he was also told the new Tourist Information Centre would be manned “only by digital tablets” and there would “not be any staff”.

This only added to his concerns, he said.

The Stray Ferret put Mr Thomson’s concerns to the council and asked if the new site would really be manned digitally.

The council’s corporate director of community development, Nic Harne, today said:

“The staff at the venue are trained to deal with both museum and visitor information queries. Facilities available incorporate leaflet displays, maps and retail with digital touchscreens to follow within the coming weeks, for those who wish to use them.’’

The tourist information section of the pump room.

Mr Harne also said merging the museum and Tourist Information Centre was a “more up-to-date model of visitor service provision”, adding it enabled the council to operate the two services during the same hours.

The council said the new Tourist Information Centre at the Pump Rooms is now open, and the digital screens will be installed in the next few weeks.

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Divino opens at ex-Lucia site in Harrogate

An Italian restaurant has opened in the former Lucia Harrogate site.

Divino opened at 3 Ripon Road last Friday, March 29. The restaurant “is a testament to the rich heritage and impeccable flavours of Italy”, according to its website.

The restaurant’s à la carte menu offers Italian classics with ‘a French twist’, including pasta, pizza and steak starting at around £14.

Lucia wine bar and grill closed on March 10 after trading at the site for 10 years. At the time Lucia operations manager, Darioush Shahidi said the restaurant wasn’t facing difficulties “it was a case of the right buyer with the right offer”.

Giuseppe Gentile, general manager of Divino, said:

“The main changes are that the restaurant has a completely new menu, authentic Italian style with a French twist and the restaurant has been rebranded.

“We decided to open here because we loved the building, loved the interior and loved the Harrogate area.”

Traditional pizza spinning in Divino kitchen

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