Harrogate bathroom retailer creates biggest showroom of its kind in the North

The story is sponsored by Inter Ceramica.

A Harrogate bathroom and tile business that started out in a tiny shop 30 years ago, has begun work on extending its premises, to a super four-floor showroom at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate.

Today Inter Ceramica is an international stockist offering the best and latest in continental bathrooms and tiles from its 6,000sq ft display area.

Rob Challis, Inter Ceramica’s founder, said: 

“Italy has long been known as a global leader in tile manufacturing.

“Their products are supreme, and we’re delighted to have exclusive relationships with top manufacturers. It’s taken 30 years to build, but it’s worth it to guarantee the quality, reliability and continuity of supply for our customers.”

It’s a measure of their popularity that more than 1,000 tons of bespoke tiles arrive at Inter Ceramica’s Hornbeam Park warehouse each year, along with daily deliveries of premium bathroom equipment from top manufacturers including Laufen, VitrA, Roca and Hans Grohe – all beautifully displayed in the stunning showroom. 

A popular and free design service

For customers it’s all about style, inspiration and affordability, says Rob, who’s backed by a highly talented design team. He added:

“Our design service is key to bringing all these elements together, to help customers achieve their perfect bathroom, ensuite or wet room.

“Some are surprised to learn our design service is free. True, there’s a lot of work involved in bringing people’s dreams to reality. But our tiles and bathroom equipment are of the highest quality, so we’ve got to match that with the quality of our design.”

It’s a tribute to the team and quality products that Inter Ceramica can boast thousands of return customers. One of many benefits in being in business for over 30 years is those satisfied customers who offer honest and valuable feedback.

Inter Ceramica has a large selection of tiles, shower heads and much more.

Inter Ceramica works with recommended installers, believing that it’s better and more cost-effective for the customer to deal directly with the installers, safe in the knowledge that Inter Ceramica is working alongside them at all times. 

Inevitably, a prime consideration for the customer is cost and with such a turbulent world economy you’d expect prices to have rocketed but Inter Ceramica has managed to maintain and even reduce prices.

To make customer’s dream even easier to reach, Inter Ceramica has developed a range of finance options including ‘buy now, pay later’ and an interest-bearing finance option for up to 10 years. 

Inter Ceramica is the sister company of Revo Kitchens, which is a German Kitchen superstore also based at Hornbeam Park.  

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You can check out Inter Ceramica’s range of fabulous bathrooms and tiles on their website. Alternatively, you can drop into Inter Ceramica’s showroom at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate. 

 

Harrogate and Knaresborough trains face bank holiday strikes

Passengers in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area are set to face further train strikes this bank holiday weekend.

Members of the ASLEF and RMT unions will be carrying out industrial action tomorrow (August 26) in a dispute over pay.

It means no trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough tomorrow.

This will affect people travelling to York Races for the Ebor meeting, which includes the prestigious Ebor Handicap.

Knaresborough train station rail

Knaresborough station

Northern has also urged passengers to check before they travel on Sunday (August 27) as train services will start later.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: 

“We know these RMT strikes will cause disruption to the general public.

“Whilst this is only a one-day strike, it falls right in the middle of the busy August bank holiday weekend and will impact people trying to get to major events taking place across region, including Manchester United and Everton football fixtures, York Races, Leeds Festival, Creamfields and Manchester Pride.

“The RMT is still refusing to put the latest pay offer negotiated on behalf of train operators to a vote by their members and it is unfortunate that these strikes continue for their second summer.”

Meanwhile, further union strike action will be taken on September 1 and September 2.

Mick Lynch, general secretary at the RMT Union, said:

“The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over pay, job security and working conditions.”

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate IT company reports improved revenues

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate-based IT company has reported improved revenues in its full-year report.

Redcentric, which is based on Otley Road, generated total revenue of of £141.7m for the year ended 31 March 2023 — up from £93.3m the previous year.

The company made three acquisitions over the last financial year, which included deals for 4D Data Centres, Sungard Consultancy and Sungard Data Centre.

A further two deals were struck for Piksel and 7 Elements in the previous year.

As a result of the acquisitions, Redcentric has added more than 600 customers to its data base.

Peter Brotherton, chief executive at the company, said:

“The integration of the five acquisitions undertaken in the last two financial years is now largely complete, with the savings pertaining to the remaining energy conservation measures and closure of the Harrogate Data Centre to be realised before the end of the current financial year.

“The acquisitions have resulted in a significant increase in revenues and much improved organic growth. Improvements in profitability will follow in FY25 once the synergy and energy efficiency programmes have been completed and the much reduced electricity commodity prices take effect.”

Growth Hub to host business peer support groups

York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub is set to launch a peer support group for businesses next month.

The organisation will host three sessions in September, which aim to partner business leaders with each other to offer structured and collaborative support.

The initiative will include a peer-to-peer support programme hosted by Pro-Development on September 22 and RTC North will host a forum on September 27 in Harrogate.

Meanwhile, a women peer-to-peer group hosted by Yorkshire in Business will also be held on September 27.

Jenn Crowther, chief executive of Yorkshire in Business, said: 

“Think of it as having your own professionally facilitated informal board. 

“Women Connect is designed for businesswomen invested in developing their business and helping others to do the same.”

For more information on the events, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.

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Council concedes it should have held public inquiry into Harrogate Station Gateway

North Yorkshire Council has conceded it should have held a public inquiry into the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway.

The council halted the scheme last week immediately after lawyers acting on behalf of local property firm Hornbeam Park Developments launched a judicial review.

Lawyers claimed there were six grounds for challenging the council’s decision.

Among them was the council’s failure to hold a public inquiry before issuing traffic regulation orders for measures such as partly pedestrianising James Street and reducing traffic on a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade to single lane.

A decision notice published on the council website this week confirmed it had “quashed” its May decision to proceed with the gateway. It said:

“The possibility of fully defending the legal challenge was considered and to have this mattered determined by the courts.

“However, due to the necessity of having a public inquiry before confirming the relevant traffic regulation order, it was considered prudent to accept this ground of challenge.”

It added the decision would “avoid any further exposure to costs and time delays”.

‘Dead scheme’

A report setting out what happens next is due to go to the conservative-controlled council’s ruling executive on September 19. However, Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has called the gateway a “dead scheme”.

The legal challenge by planning lawyers Walton & Co also claims the council did not disclose a climate change appraisal that said said drivers would be forced to take longer alternative routes as a result of the road changes and overall “user emissions are anticipated to increase as a result of the scheme”.

A spokesperson for Walton & Co said:

“The claimant’s case put forward multiple grounds for challenge. One such ground included the fact that the climate change appraisal had not been made available.

“The claimant maintains that this still amounts to an error in law, and has reserved the right to take issue both with the alleged defective consultation and also other grounds set out in the claim, should a further decision be taken in the absence of such alleged error(s) being rectified.”

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Harrogate care home given go-ahead to expand to 60 bedrooms

Plans for a Harrogate care home to expand the number of its bedrooms by 20 have been approved.

Apley Grange, which is based on Oatlands Drive, submitted the plans to the former Harrogate Borough Council in December 2022.

The proposal would see the number of bedrooms increased from 40 to 60.

North Yorkshire Council, which took over from the borough council, has now approved the plan.

As part of the scheme, alterations will be made to three of the buildings on the site. A garage will also be demolished as part of the extension.

The Society of the Holy Child Jesus, which runs the home, said in documents submitted to the council that the move would also create 20 full-time jobs and bring the total number of staff at the facility up to 80.

The society added that the proposals would help to “ensure the viability over the next generation” for the home.

It said:

“The stated catalysts present great opportunity to address the issues in a considered and coordinated fashion to deliver a more integrated and responsive care home to meet current expectations and to maximise the potential afforded by available space.”

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First pictures show inside of £13.5m Harrogate leisure centre refurbishment

The first pictures from inside the refurbished Harrogate Hydro have been revealed.

The facility has been closed since April last year as part of a £13.5 million refurbishment project.

It will reopen in two weeks time under the new name Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

Pictures posted on social media by Natalie McGuire, director of business development at Brimhams Active, which runs the facility on behalf of North Yorkshire Council, show how the centre will look.

The refurbishment includes a 400 square metre fitness centre, a new sauna and steam suite, improved reception and café, as well an overhaul of the existing gym, spin, leisure and swimming facilities.

The new diving area.

The leisure centre in Jennyfields closed for what was supposed to be a nine-month refurbishment costing £11.9 million.

But January’s scheduled re-opening did not happen. In May, North Yorkshire Council said the cost of the scheme had risen to £13.5 million and customers would be welcomed back in August.

The centre is now set to open on September 4.

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Harrogate Town want £500,000 for Luke Armstrong, Carlisle manager claims

Harrogate Town have asked for £500,000 for star striker Luke Armstrong, an opposition manager has claimed.

Paul Simpson, manager at Carlisle United, said the Cumbrian side was told the Town forward would be “way out of our budget”.

In an interview with the club website, he also claimed Harrogate asked for bids in the region of half a million pounds for Armstrong.

Addressing rumours that Carlisle were interested in Tyrese John-Jules from Arsenal and Armstrong from Harrogate, Simpson said:

“The second one, we’ve been told that’s way out of our budget. I’m led to believe they’re talking close to half a million for him, and salary wise is way above.

“We like Luke Armstrong. I don’t think you’d need to be a genius to say that Luke Armstrong would be a good signing for Carlisle. But he’s way out of our budget.”

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Armstrong, who scored 16 goals for Harrogate last season, made himself unavailable for Town’s opening day EFL League Two trip to Doncaster.

At the time, Town manager Simon Weaver said the 27-year-old made the request amid “a number of transfer bids from other clubs”.

However, Armstrong has since been involved in Harrogate’s last three league games and started in the trips to Tranmere and Accrington Stanley.

Weaver said previously that Town would require a “significant fee” for Armstrong and a replacement player who is “not just a stocking filler” before he is sold.

He said:

“The offer is still on the table from us for him to sign a new deal, but our position is clear; we have informed him and his agent that two things have to happen before Luke is able to leave the club, we have to do what is best for our club and get a significant fee for him and secondly we need a replacement that is going to make the fans proud.”

Burglars break into home in Burn Bridge

Burglars made off with a number of expensive items after breaking into a home in Burn Bridge.

Police in Harrogate today appealed for information about the crime, which took place at a house on Westminster Crescent.

A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“Between 9:30am on Thursday 17 August and 3pm on Sunday 20 August somebody entered the property and stole a number of high-value items.”

The statement urged anyone who saw anything suspicious or has information about the incident to email Jonathan.Cleary@northyorkshire.police.uk or dial 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Jonathan Cleary.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230156838.

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Concerns over lack of planning applications going before Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors

The chair and vice chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee have raised concerns about the number of applications being decided by councillors after another meeting was cancelled.

In April, North Yorkshire Council created six planning committees organised by parliamentary constituency areas where a group of cross-party councillors meet about once every six weeks to approve, refuse or defer large or controversial planning applications.

Previous planning committees organised by Harrogate Borough Council would regularly have an agenda of three or more applications for councillors to debate.

However, next week’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee has been cancelled, as was July’s meeting, due to a lack of suitable applications.

The issue is countywide and the Local Democracy Reporting Service has reported similar concerns from councillors on the committees in Skipton and Ripon and in Scarborough.

Councillors are able to ‘call in’ contentious applications in their areas so it goes to committee but only if there are sound planning reasons.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough committee chair, Pat Marsh, who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone for the Liberal Democrats, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she wants to see councillors more involved in the planning process. 

Cllr Marsh said:

“My concern for a very long time is the scheme of delegation in which officers make the decisions on certain applications without needing to refer it to committee. 

“I have raised this point at a meeting at Northallerton. I would like the scheme to be reviewed to make sure democratically elected councillors are more involved in planning.”

The committee’s vice-chair, Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, Paul Haslam, said he was awaiting feedback from officers into why the number of applications going to committee has decreased.

Cllr Haslam said: 

“The reduction in planning applications going to planning committee has been reported across the whole of North Yorkshire Council. Clearly this needs to be checked to see whether this is an anomaly with applications or that the process of delegation is not quite right.

“It’s been picked up and is being reviewed currently. Feedback to councillors is expected shortly to tell us what’s changed, why it has changed and what modifications need to be made. Councillor inspection of all council activities is a crucial part of the democratic process.”

Nic Harne, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of community development, said: 

“Under the council’s constitution, there are a range of specified types of applications that need to be considered by a planning committee.

“In addition, if any member believes that an application raises significant material planning issues, they can request such an application be considered by committee.

“Furthermore, senior officers can also refer applications to councillors.

“It is our aim to ensure that all items that should be considered by members are put in front of committees. Since April, all the area planning committees and the strategic committee have met and have considered more than 40 applications.

“We are committed to keeping the scheme of delegation under review and we are carefully monitoring the number of items going to committee and requests for call in by councillors.

“We are aiming to ensure that decisions are made in the right way and will be making recommendations to councillors based on evidence from the first 12 months of the new council.

“As is common in the summer months, delays in getting information from applicants and consultees meant that there were no applications ready to be put before councillors at the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency planning committee scheduled for 29 August.

“As such, the meeting has been cancelled.”

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Memorial service for long-serving Harrogate councillor

A memorial service will be held this week for a long-standing councillor and former Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate.

Jim Clark served for 20 years on North Yorkshire County Council, representing the Harlow Hill division, and was the organisation’s chairman during the covid pandemic.

In this role, at the age of 73, he was among the first to have a covid vaccine in February 2021, wearing a tartan face mask for the occasion.

He was also a Harrogate Borough Council member, representing the Harlow ward for the Conservatives from 1998, and served as its mayor.

Mr Clark took a particular interest in health matters during his time as a councillor, representing North Yorkshire County Council on the West Yorkshire Health Scrutiny Panel.

He called for an enquiry into the Nightingale hospital set up at Harrogate Convention Centre in April 2020, and for staff at Harrogate District Hospital to be allowed to continue to park free in its car park after the initial months of the pandemic.

Professionally, Mr Clark was an accountant, achieving chartered status and being appointed head of entrepreneurial services at Ernst and Young.

He was a keen supporter of the arts, serving as chairman of the Harrogate Theatre board for a decade.

He also took an interest in community organisations, including the Friends of Valley Gardens

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Mr Clark stepped down as a councillor in May 2022 and moved to be closer to family in Scotland, where he died in December.

He left two sons, Andrew and James, a daughter-in-law, Pamela, and three grandsons.

He was posthumously awarded the title of honorary alderman of Harrogate on the abolition of the borough council in March.

A memorial service for Mr Clark will take place at St Wilfrid’s Church on Duchy Road on Friday, August 25 at 2pm, followed by refreshments at the Old Swan Hotel.

The occasion will be a celebration of his life, so his family have requested that attendees do not wear black.

Anyone who would like to attend should contact Andrew Clark on 07710 709172, or by email.