Harrogate entrepreneur bags Dragon’s Den deal

A Harrogate woman has received an offer on Dragon’s Den for her hospitality platform, Dinerly.

Marina Prokoiosifi, 23, launched the platform, which allows restaurants to build their own website to use for orders and table bookings. They then pay a subscription fee, ranging from £25 to £65 a month.

She moved to Harrogate from Greece aged 16  and began working as a waitress to pay the bills and eventually dropped out of education at Harrogate College to focus on working in hospitality.

A few years later when the pandemic hit 20-year-old Ms Prokoiosifi was working as a manager at Taverna, a Greek restaurant on Cheltenham Crescent. She thought the restaurant’s website could be improved and the company was paying commission on its orders so she asked her boss if she could improve it and set about the task, launching Dinerly.

She said:

“I wasn’t thinking about starting a business I was just trying to help the restaurant out. I also knew if we didn’t make any money I wouldn’t have a job. It went from there really, the boss called his friend who called someone else and we soon got 30 restaurants.”

Ms Prokoiosifi met her business partner while working at The Whole Caboodle, a marketing company in Harrogate. As the brains behind the idea the business is split 60:40 to Ms Prokoiosifi, with her business partner designing the software for Dinerly.

Marina Prokoiosifi

She decided to take her idea to Dragon’s Den due to wanting a business mentor. She opted for the Greek version of the TV show to launch her business internationally.

Ms Prokoiosifi said:

“The English Dragon’s Den has such a long waiting list because it is so well established. I also think it would be a lot scarier.”

She entered the pitch asking for £30,000 for 4% of her business. Her offer was accepted within five minutes when ‘dragon’ Tassos Economou offered the asking price, making it she says the fastest deal ever in any Dragon’s Den series.

She said:

“At first I was really scared like a deer in the headlights, I was so stressed all day I couldn’t eat or do anything. Then I went in and it was over so quickly I was starstruck and completely taken aback, then I thought ‘what a waste of a day, I was stressed over nothing, just to walk out with the fastest ever deal’.”

She said Dinerly now has 40 restaurants signed up and more than 100 on the waiting list until the business expands. Restaurants in in the UK, Greece, Germany and the USA are currently signed up. Taverna in Harrogate still uses the site.

Ms Prokoiosifi added:

“It has been such a good experience. It has been really eye opening and Dinerly has already grown so much.”

See Marina’s pitch  below:

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Police CCTV appeal after Harrogate Waitrose theft

North Yorkshire Police has issued CCTV images of two people they wish to speak to following a Harrogate shop theft.

The theft took place at Waitrose on Station Parade at approximately 1.15pm on Sunday, February 4.

Officers said spirits and champagne to the value of £887 were taken from the store.

A spokesperson said:

“Please contact us if you recognise the people pictured on CCTV, as we believe they may have information that will assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information is advised to speak to Fiona.Wilding@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 quoting reference 12240022503.

Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Harrogate to Skipton bus suspended due to Kex Gill work

The Saturday DalesBus 59 service between Harrogate and Skipton has been suspended due to the closure of the A59 at Kex Gill.

The service had been following a lengthy diversion around Ilkley after North Yorkshire Council suddenly closed the road last month due to a cracked verge.

But the Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company, which operates the DalesBus, has now called a halt to it.

It said in a statement:

“We’re sorry to advise that DalesBus 59 is currently suspended during the closure of the A59 at Kex Gill for emergency repairs.

“Very few people used the service during the diversion via Ilkley, and the diversionary route is now subject to additional roadworks and delays at Manor Park from March 18.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience caused. A full service will resume every Saturday as soon as the road reopens.”

The DalesBus had been taking a diverted route via Otley and Ilkley, and stopped calling at Blubberhouses or Bolton Bridge.

The closed road at Kex Gill.

The A59 is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton. It is not expected to reopen until after Easter and work is unlikely to begin before the end of March.

In its latest update last week, Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment, said:

“We are currently finalising the programme for the repair scheme, which will include sheet piling and backfilling, to address the slippage and reduce further movement of the carriageway.

“This will involve driving long sheets of interlocking steel into the ground to create a continuous structural wall which provides strength and stability. Once this has been completed, we will be backfilling the excavated area between the sheet piles and the road.

“When we have the final programme and timescales, we will endeavour to update road users.”

This has been met with frustrations from motorists and residents.

 

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How City Plumbing is helping Harrogate to a greener future

 

This story is sponsored by City Plumbing.

A Harrogate plumbing store has recently celebrated its first anniversary – and recommitted to helping residents’ future-proof their homes with energy efficient alternatives.

City Plumbing operates a nationwide network of over 360 branches across the UK and Ireland, spanning the trade, home improvement and DIY markets.

Open to both trades companies and the general public, it stocks a wide product range of plumbing and heating essentials.

From boilers and copper tubing to a bathroom showroom and specific electrical parts from big-brand names, City Plumbing prides itself on supplying most products from its central distribution centre, cutting down on waiting times.

The Harrogate branch – based in Hookstone Park – first opened in 2023, and last month celebrated a successful year of trading.

City Plumbing’s Harrogate branch

‘Be bold, try new things, and create the future’

Not only has it made a name for itself locally as a one-stop shop for customers and tradespeople, but City Plumbing also strives to be at the forefront of greener forms of technology.

After all, a key ethos underpinning the business is ‘be bold, try new things, and create the future’ – and there are a number of services offered to deliver on this promise.

One such service is their in-house design and quote service for air source heat pumps and solar panels, which offers bespoke solutions tailored specifically to your household.

The team also lends their expertise to heat loss calculation – after consultation, they can work out on average how much a home is losing through energy inefficiency, and advise on ways to improve this.

City Plumbing’s bathroom showroom

There’s even a recently expanded range of renewable energy products on offer, including air source heat pumps, solar panels, and underfloor heating, further enhancing the business’ goal of being at the forefront of the latest innovations in the sector.

City Plumbing has previously worked with prominent local businesses such as Yorkshire Energy Systems and Tetley Renewables to supply the aforementioned technology to help them enhance their own renewable energy goals.

The friendly team at the Harrogate branch are always on-hand to answer any questions customers may have about how to start their greener energy journey, as well as tackling any other queries surrounding plumbing and heating.

Find out more:

City Plumbing Harrogate’s store is located at Unit 2B Hookstone Park, HG2 7DB. For more information, visit the website or call 01423 649808.

Trading Hell: Shocking rise in shoplifting in Harrogate town centre

Yesterday, we heard traders concerns that anti-social behaviour and shoplifting are getting worse, but do the official statistics back these experiences?

Our Trading Hell survey showed that traders feel that incidents of shoplifting, drug misuse and general anti-social behaviour are far too common.

Traders also expressed a deep sense of frustration that not enough is being done to make our shopping streets the safe and pleasant places they used to be.

The Stray Ferret has examined official statistics for the “hotspot” areas identified in our survey.

Shocking rise in shoplifting

Among the areas of most concern for traders has been shoplifting, which 78% say is an issue.

The Stray Ferret has found that statistics show a shocking rise in the number of reported incidents to police.

Our research of the force’s own data found that in 2022, 139 reports of shoplifting in the town centre were made.

In the same period last year, this increased by 66% to 232.

Concern over the problem have been heightened following incidents of thefts worth hundreds of pounds on Beulah Street and Commercial Street last year.

Another incident in November 2023 saw a “prolific shoplifter” threaten staff in Asda on Bower Road after staff tried to stop her stealing two bottles of alcohol.

One business owner told us:

“I’ve seen a group of five people coming out of the shop next door with armfuls of hangers, just walking off. Not even running. The security guard couldn’t do anything. They just told him to f*** off.”

Anti-social behaviour

Much of traders concerns centre around anti-social behaviour, a term which often can capture various different issues.

The police define anti-social behaviour as “someone acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people not living in the same household”.

According to the force’s own data, in the 12 months to January 2024, a total of 285 reports were made to police in those hotspot areas.

This compares with 261 incidents in the same period in 2022.

While this is a slight increase, almost every business of the 50 which were surveyed (96%) told us that anti-social behaviour is a problem – only two said it isn’t.

Organisations such as Harrogate BID feel not enough businesses are reporting what is really happening.

One reason is a lack of confidence among traders that the police will act.

One business owner told us:

“Ring for thefts – not interested. Ring for feeling unsafe out the back of our courtyard due to large group of kids smoking weed and intimidating staff, and drunks – nothing done after ringing several times for numerous incidents.”

It means that the true picture of just how much of an issue anti-social behaviour is in the town is unlikely to be reflected in the figures.

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Although shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are among the most concerning issues, there are other offences which crop up in the statistics such as violence and sexual offences.

Last year, a total of 99 reports of violent and sexual offences were reported to police in the “hotspot” areas identified in our survey. This compares to 98 in the previous year.

The most high profile of those incidents was a report of a serious sexual assault in the town centre which saw police cordon off areas of James Street, Petergate and Market Place on October 5, 2023.

Rough sleeping, street drinking and drugs

Among the other areas of concern raised in our survey was rough sleeping (70%), street drinking (74%) and drug taking (66%).

Traders feel that these three issues are part of a wider problems currently affecting the town.

According to police data, reports of drugs, which includes possession, consumption and supply, has fallen slightly from 44 in 2022 to 40 last year.

The force themselves said Harrogate has a “low level” of drug offences for a town of its size.

Paul Rawlinson, who owns Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersens on Oxford Street, told us that the issue of rough sleeping is most pronounced in the summer when it is a “more comfortable option”.

A rough sleeper outside Primark in Harrogate town centre.

A rough sleeper outside Primark in Harrogate town centre.

According to a freedom of information request from North Yorkshire Council, last year three females and 27 males were counted as sleeping rough in the Harrogate town centre area.

The council said all except eight of those were provided with alternative accommodation. 

It added that the rough sleeping count for each year “could represent the same people where accommodation has been secured and then lost”.

There have been flashpoints over the last couple of years where businesses and residents have complained of people sleeping rough causing issues in their area.

In November 2022, concern was raised over rough sleeping, street begging and drinking at the back of Primark on Oxford Street.

At the time, Harrogate Borough Council said three “entrenched, long-term” rough sleepers had been sleeping overnight in the area.

The authority sought to assure residents and businesses that those gathering in the area had been offered accommodation, but was turned down. Those gathered there later accepted support.

Similarly, in November 2023, North Yorkshire Council erected fencing at a pavilion at Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens after rough sleepers occupied the area and returned twice after being dispersed.

The Stray Ferret followed the saga closely after nearby residents, who complained of anti-social behaviour during the group’s encampment. Many sympathised with the rough sleepers but wanted to know what long-term measures would be put in place on the site.

Why the stats matter? 

Whether the statistics reflect the true picture is a significant issue because police crime figures determine how much resource is given to tackling a problem. The figures mean Harrogate is still designated as a low crime area by the police, despite the trader’s experiences.

On Thursday, we will be asking the force whether they could do more to tackle Harrogate’s problems and give confidence to the traders to report crimes.

But there are other agencies who work with the police to support people who traders feel to a greater or lesser extent are involved in some of the town’s issues. Those who help support the homeless and have responsibilities for youth justice.

Tomorrow, we look at the agencies outside of police enforcement who are involved in supporting people considered to be part of Harrogate’s issues.

Another 135 homes off Harrogate’s Skipton Road set for approval

Plans to build up to 135 homes off Skipton Road in Harrogate look set to be approved next week.

Harrogate company Rowan Green Developments submitted plans to North Yorkshire Council for a development on 8.8 hectares of agricultural land at Cow Dyke Farm, between the New Park roundabout and the Curious Cow of Harrogate roundabout.

Up to 54 homes termed affordable would be included.

Council case officer Helen Goulden has recommended members of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee approve the application, subject to 33 conditions, when it meets on Tuesday, March 26. The meeting will be broadcast live online by the council here.

Ms Goulden said in her 34-page report:

“The proposed development will make a valuable contribution to meeting housing need, including the delivery of affordable housing.

“The proposal will have an acceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area and no issues are raised at this outline stage in terms of highway matters, trees, ecology, or amenity.”

The land allocated for the scheme.

Her report added, however, that an outstanding objection from the lead local flood authority still required resolving.

The application, described in the report as “a significant and sensitive development”, received 71 objections and no representations of support during the public consultation phase.

The key concerns include the adverse impact on the character of the area, the visual impact, the loss of agricultural land and the loss of trees, hedgerows and wildlife habitat.

The site, which is included for development in the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, has a long planning history.

A bid for 180 homes in 2018 was refused amid concerns for housing density and further plans were then submitted for 145 homes.

The site is located on two fields of agricultural grassland to the north of the A59 Skipton Road (A59) towards the northwestern edge of Harrogate.

A map showing the site north of Skipton Road.

Killinghall Parish Council said in its consultation response it “neither objects nor supports the scheme” but raised various concerns, including problematic site access during construction.

The council suggested the developer should contribute £1.2 million for funding school expansion and new school places at primary and secondary level in mitigation for the impact of the scheme.

It has also called for an additional £369,000 to be spent on enhancing “various off-site open spaces in the locality and Killinghall Village Hall”.

A design and access statement on behalf of the developer said:

“Cow Dyke Farm will be a special place in Harrogate; strongly rooted in its landscape setting, with a unique character, providing the best of town country living.

“The site presents a wonderful opportunity for the provision of new housing within the wider setting of Harrogate in a site which strongly benefits from its strategic connections to the town and surrounding areas.”

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Four fire crews tackle blaze at Pateley Bridge caravan site

Four fire crews were called to a blaze at a caravan site in Pateley Bridge in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters from Knaresborough, Grassington, Ripon and Harrogate rushed to the scene at 1.12am on Monday, March 18.

An investigation into the cause of the fire at the unnamed site is ongoing, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

A spokesperson added:

“The fire caused damage to a toilet block at the site with an attached workshop also suffering slight fire damage. Crews prevented the fire spreading any further.”

Fire crews extinguishing the flames in Pateley Bridge

Grassington Fire Station posted on social media:

“In the early hours we were sent to a building fire near Pateley Bridge alongside, Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough Fire Station.

Crews worked hard to prevent the fire taking the adjoining building before extinguishing the flames.”

The campsite engulfed in smoke

Grassington fire services at the scene last night

The wreckage at Pateley Bridge Caravan site

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VIDEO AND GALLERY: successful supercar event at Hornbeam Park

Apollo Capital’s supercars event was received with great fanfare by the local community yesterday.

Held at its headquarters The Lenz at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, on 17 March, more than 100 supercars turned up to showcase their impressive vehicles to the public.

It’s the first Supercars and Caffeine event that Apollo Capital and partners Petrolheadonism.club has put on together and all of the profits went to Apollo Capital’s 2024 charity sponsor, Saint Michael’s Hospice.

Founded in 2020 by chief executive Andy King and managing director David Moss, Apollo Capital specialises in funding luxury, classic, super and hypercars.

See our interview with Andy above, along with images of the many luxury cars that were at the event below.

Gallery

(Image: Ferrari F12, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: McLaren 720S, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: McLaren 720S, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Lamborghini Murciélago, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Ferrari F8 Tributo, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Ferrari F355, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Rolls Royce Spectre, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Porsche 992 GT3RS, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: McLaren 750S, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Lamborghini Murciélago, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Porsche 992 GT3 RS, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Lamborghini Huracan STO, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Apollo McLaren 600LT, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Lamborghini Murciélago, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Ferrari F8 Tributo, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: McLaren 750S, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: McLaren 750S, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Rolls Royce Spectre, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: group of supercars, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: McLaren 750S, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

(Image: Porsche 992 GT3 RS, Josh Scoot @ScootSuperCars)

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Harrogate Dog Show to return next month

Harrogate Dog Show will return next month.

Harrogate Business Improvement District announced today the event will be held on the piazza outside Victoria Shopping Centre on Saturday, April 13 at 10am.

Different classes will be judged throughout the day, from dog that the judge would most like to take home to best cross breed.

No pre-booking is required: to register to take part dog owners can simply turn-up on the day from 10am and join in. The event will include a new ‘have-a-go’ mini dog park and dog training workshops with Scott Adair will be held throughout the day.

Today’s announcement also said a star judge, whose identity will be revealed at a later date, will appear at this year’s show.

The dog show first took place during the four-day platinum jubilee celebrations in 2022.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager, said it would be a fun event that contributed to the vibrancy of the town centre. He added:

 “The worth of the UK pet care market was recently valued at £7.2 billon, so while this is a wonderful event that no doubt increases footfall, it also has a hugely positive impact on our local economy.”

Photo (from left): Bethany Allen, business and marketing executive at Harrogate BID with chair Andrea Thornborrow and joint vice chair Sara Ferguson.

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Knaresborough school celebrates 50 years of foreign exchange programme

A Knaresborough secondary school is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foreign exchange programme.

King James’s School launched the exchange programme with its German partner school, Bruder Grimm Gesamtschul in Bebra, in 1974.

It came after Knaresborough was twinned with the town, based in Hesse, back in 1969.

Over the last five decades, both schools have held annual exchange programmes, whereby pupils visit each other at their neighbouring schools to develop friendships and improve language skills.

However, former languages teacher and UK founder of the school’s programme, Alan Hemsworth, said the programme “nearly didn’t happen at all”, adding:

“We had serious difficulties in finding accommodation for all the pupils and only a last-minute appeal in the local paper saved the day.”

Two pupils even stayed in a caravan at the bottom of someone’s garden, Mr Hemsworth added.

This year’s cohort of pupils will visit Bebra this month to commemorate the anniversary, as well as attending a special event in aid of the big birthday.

Pupils will sport hoodies made for the occasion.

Mrs Allison, one of the school’s languages teachers, said:

“Every year, I come across students participating in the exchange whose parents have fond memories themselves of spending time with their German friends.

“The school’s original aims in promoting the exchange were simple but important, and still hold good today: to promote tolerance, understanding and friendship, and a desire for pupils of all ages to learn a foreign language.”

Staff also recounted the days when English and German students would contact each by pen and paper. They said students now maintain friendships over social media and many meet each other virtually before meeting face-to-face.

Headteacher Mrs Martin also said:

“It is a great privilege to take part in these historic celebrations. Good international relationships are as important today as it they were in 1974 and I hope this exchange continues to go from strength to strength, bringing cherished memories and long-lasting friendships for years to come.”

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