Harrogate fashion store Jules B seeks staff with style

This story is sponsored by Jules B.

One of Harrogate’s most prominent fashion retailers is on the search for two new members of staff.

Jules B, the multi-award winning designer wear brand, is recruiting for the positions of assistant manager and a sales advisor to work in its impressive store on Cambridge Crescent, opposite Bettys tearooms.

Julian Blades, who founded the company together with his wife Rhona in 1985, said:

“We are looking for people who have a friendly personality and the ability to communicate and make our customers feel comfortable while they indulge in a bit of retail therapy.

“It really is a most rewarding job when you can empower people and make them feel good about themselves. It’s very social and the clients we attract are extremely nice, interesting people.

“You will be working in a lovely store , selling beautiful clothes to very nice people…. What’s not to like?”

In addition to a competitive salary, the successful candidates (once they have passed their probation) will be eligible for a clothing allowance and substantial staff discounts. He added:

“It’s very important to have happy staff. That is what we are known for. So we do everything we can to make working for us fun and enjoyable.”

Jules B is renowned for its incredible offer of some of the most desirable labels in the market such as Holland Cooper, Rixo, Haley Menzies, Self Portrait, Oska, and Lurdes Bergada.

We have two different demographics of customer explains Julian, one is a younger fashion forward woman who enjoys more directional collections which are all situated on our ground floor while on the second floor we attract a more contemporary type of customer who appreciates less structured designs.

The company has five retail stores located in Jesmond, Kendal and now Harrogate as well as a highly successful website.

Jules B is the only independent to have won the “Best Independent Fashion Retailer in Britain” award three times and in 2020 Julian and Rhona were awarded the “Drapers Lifetime Achievement Award” at a gala ceremony in London. Julian added:

“Shopping has to be an experience and the atmosphere in all our stores is created by happy and passionate staff.

“So if you want a job that gives you a huge amount of satisfaction and enjoyment we would love to meet you!”

Find out more: 

If you’re interested in either of these roles, or if you just love stylish fashion, visit the Jules B website. You can also apply for the roles here:

 

Business Breakfast: Harrogate brewery to host international beer festival

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate brewery is set to host 20 breweries as part of an international beer festival.

Roosters, which is based at Hornbeam Park, has announced the line up for the event which will be held on July 1.

The event will feature a combined line-up of over 100 beers from breweries including Burning Sky, Elusive, Brew York, North and Siren.

It will also see live music, with Sheffield’s Hot Soles are confirmed as the festival headliners, having previously supported The Zutons on tour. Ralph Pelleymounter will also take to the stage ahead of touring with Bastille later in July. 

Called Suds With Buds, the festival will be held at Rooster’s tap room, beer garden and private function space upstairs at the brewery.

Tom Fozard, commercial director at Roosters, said:

“We’ve wanted to host Suds With Buds ever since we up scaled the brewery and opened the Taproom in 2019, so I’m excited that we’re finally in a position to make it happen.

“The list of breweries joining us and the beers they’ll be pouring is, quite frankly, ridiculous, but the quality of the street food traders and calibre of the live music on the day is equally impressive.

“Hopefully the weather will play its part and the sun will be shining for everyone who joins to enjoy a few suds with their buds on July 1.”

For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, visit the Roosters website here.

Business event to focus on staff retention

Three business groups are set to collaborate to host a series of events aimed at addressing critical challenges facing Harrogate firms.

2Inspire, Business Doctors and Light On Research will host the first event at West Park Hotel on June 6 from 9.30am, which will focus on attracting and retaining talent.

The series is designed to appeal to small, medium and larger sized businesses based in Harrogate and North Yorkshire the event will provide opportunities to network, collaborate, share ideas and hear from industry experts.

Ian Howard, of Business Doctors, said:

“We are delighted to be hosting these free events and look forward to meeting local businesses, understanding the challenges that they face and sharing ways for them to deliver a winning approach to attract and retain the talent they need to succeed in tough times.”

Sigita Russell, of Light On Research, added:

“Staff retention is not just a challenge, it’s an opportunity to create a workplace where employees thrive, achieve their potential, and feel proud to be part of something bigger than themselves.”

For more information on the event, visit the Eventbrite page here.

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Nominations for Harrogate hospital trust governor elections open

Nominations have opened to elect governors to Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust are seeking nominations from members of the public who are interested in representing three constituencies in Harrogate and surrounding villages;  Wetherby & Harewood, Alwoodley, Adel & Wharfedale, and Otley and Yeadon; and Ripon & West District.

Currently, the Council of Governors comprises 26 governors, consisting of 14 public members, six staff classes, and six partner/stakeholder organisations, such as North Yorkshire Council.

Governors provide a vital link between the public, staff and partner organisations, representing the views and interests of local people and making sure they are considered by the trust’s board of directors.

Sarah Armstrong, chair of the trust, said: 

“Our governors play an essential role, providing a bridge between our members, our community and our Board. They help shape our Trust’s future direction and the services we provide.

“Governors serve a term of three years and have key responsibilities including liaising with the Board of Directors and collectively holding them to account for the performance of the Trust.

“They are involved in the appointment of the Non-Executive Directors on the Board of Directors, and helping us to develop our membership.

“They are also responsible for regularly feeding back information about our Trust, its vision and its performance to the constituencies and stakeholder organisations that elected and/or nominated them.

“HDFT is committed to providing the best possible healthcare service for our community and we have a number of exciting projects over the next few years which will help us to further improve on the service we offer. It is an exciting time for our Trust and we would love to hear from anyone interested in becoming a governor.”

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Nominations close on Monday, June 5, and elections will open on Friday, June 23, when voting packs will be dispatched to members.

The final day of voting will be Thursday, July 13, with declaration of results taking place on Friday, July 14.

Anyone interested in standing can obtain more information and a nomination form by visiting www.cesvotes.com/hdft2023, calling 0208 889 9203 or emailing ftnominationenquiries@cesvotes.com.

To be eligible to stand in the elections, nominees need to be over 16, reside in the constituency they wish to represent and be a member of the Trust. It is free to join and an application form is available on the trust’s website.

Stray Views: Harrogate’s Victoria Avenue should be resurfaced entirely

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Victoria Avenue needs the whole road resurfacing not just the potholes. There are many other roads that are in dire need of resurfacing but will miss out on necessary repairs.

Is there an agenda by Highways North Yorkshire to discourage motorists and cyclists from visiting Harrogate? 

Maybe we can encourage Chinese investors to Harrogate, they have built many excellent roads all around the world.

Simon Kirby, Harrogate

Re-wilding should be more than ‘not bothering’

Re-wilding should not just be not bothering. 

Much of the re-wilding on the edges of the Stray, with splashes of colour from such as buttercups, also manage to look good and purposeful. 

The verges on Beech Grove with their proliferation of dandelions and docks, do not.

Chris Graville, Harrogate

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Harrogate’s Rachel Daly wins golden boot

Rachel Daly won the Women’s Super League golden boot today by finishing as the season’s top goalscorer.

Daly was on the scoresheet again in Aston Villa Women’s 2-0 final day defeat of Arsenal Women.

It took her total for the season to 22 — two more than Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw.

The prestigious golden boot is awarded to the league’s top goalscorer and Daly’s total equals the all-time record.

It capped another remarkable week for the England player, who was yesterday named Barclays’ Player of the Season.

Daly, 31, joined Villa from Houston Dash last summer and was a member of the England Lionesses team that won Euro 2022 last summer.

She started her career at Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club and returned to the club this month to open a cafe named after her.

Read more:

 

Harrogate’s Archie Gray set for Euro quarter final with England

Harrogate’s Archie Gray will be part of an England squad aiming to make the UEFA European Championship semi-finals tonight.

Gray featured in England’s last group match against Switzerland, which confirmed their place in the knockout stages.

The Three Lions will take on France under-17s in the quarter finals tonight, kick off is 7pm.

The match can be watched on the BBC website here.

Gray has featured in all three England group games so far against Croatia, Netherlands and Switzerland.

England won the group with two wins and a draw.

Read more:

Gray will be hoping to help his side into the semi finals and onto the final in Budapest on June 2.

Gray completed his GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate last year.

He is also great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

Viper Rooms owner says Harrogate landlords need to ‘get real’ with rent

The man who owned Harrogate’s last nightclub has spoken of his frustration at trying to operate in the town.

It is now six months since Viper Rooms was re-possessed by landlord North Yorkshire County Council.

It has remained empty since, despite repeated claims by the council of “significant interest from potential tenants”.

Viper Rooms owner Paul Kinsey said he had been in protracted negotiations over a new lease with the council before it re-possessed the building.

Mr Kinsey added he still owned the fixtures and fittings and had continued to negotiate with the council about re-occupying the site.

But a deal has not materialised and his frustration has prompted him to speak out.

The Viper Rooms unit was part of the grade two listed Royal Baths, which the council bought for £9 million in 2018. The baths also includes the former Potting Shed unit, which has been vacant for five years.

Viper Rooms and Potting Shed

Still vacant: the former Potting Shed and Viper Rooms — both part of the Royal Baths.

Their ongoing closure led Mr Kinsey to claim councillors “haven’t got the commercial experience or knowledge” to run large commercial assets and they were making unrealistic demands on tenants.

He said he spent £370,000 refurbishing the club pre-covid and the council was now requesting £150,000 a year on rent and service charge even though the landscape had changed post-pandemic. He said:

“If they think they can get £150,000, good luck to them. It’s a difficult market. The council grossly overpaid for the Royal Baths without doing proper due diligence. It was a trophy asset.

“I can understand them wanting to get a good deal because of that but they have to get real.”

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‘Crippling overheads’ on Parliament Street

Mr Kinsey, who lives near Wetherby, said he still wanted to have a venue in Harrogate and had his eye on one site.

But he questioned the appeal of the town to leisure operators, adding the main reason he was so keen to return to the Royal Baths was because he owned the fixtures and fittings and had spent so much on refurbishing it pre-covid.

He said many commercial landlords over-estimated the value of Harrogate and pointed to the number of failed ventures on Parliament Street as evidence of “crippling overheads”.

“I don’t think Harrogate is on many people’s target list. You get more bang for your bucks in other places.

“People who don’t know the area believe the streets are paved with gold. There is a good wealth profile but they spend elsewhere — Leeds, London or abroad.

“Look at how many businesses haven’t been able to make it work on Parliament Street. These are good operators, not cowboys, but even they couldn’t make it work.”

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council, which succeeded North Yorkshire County Council on April 1, if it had a response to Mr Kinsey’s claims but it did not issue one.

The Viper Rooms site is being advertised

Asked for an update on the Viper Rooms, which is now being advertised by agents Savills, and the Potting Shed, it said it had nothing to add to its last statement two months ago, when Gary Fielding, the council’s corporate director for strategic resources, said:

“A unit which did house the Viper Rooms is continuing to attract significant interest, and an agent has been appointed to co-ordinate discussions with potential tenants.

“A lease has been signed for the final unit and a dialogue with the tenant is continuing to establish when the new venture will be launched.”

The council’s £9 million spending on the Royal Baths also included the JD Wetherspoon pub and the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant.

25 years for drugs gang that targeted Harrogate

The leaders of an organised crime gang that flooded Harrogate with heroin and crack cocaine have been jailed for over 25 years.

The Bradford gang operated a county line drug dealing set-up known as the Pat Line through which they targeted vulnerable drug users in Harrogate.

They recruited Harrogate drug dealers Natalie Hullah, 33, previously of Harrogate, but now of St Edmund’s Street, Manchester, and Melissa Nicole Barnwell, 49, of Skipton Road, Harrogate, to sell the drugs locally in return for payment in heroin or crack cocaine.

The Pat Line was one of three lines shut down by North Yorkshire Police through a Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Order in 2020.

Qasib Hussain, 25, of HMP Wetherby, previously of Idle Road, Bradford, dictated the movement of large quantities of class A drugs from West Yorkshire into North Yorkshire.

Qasib Hussain

This was done through the use of couriers who travelled from Bradford to Harrogate where the drugs were sold following a bulk text message sent from Qasib Hussain to users in Harrogate.

The Pat Line predominantly remained with Qasib Hussain in Bradford where he conducted his operation but on occasion it was passed to others to manage such as his brother, Aqib Ali Hussain, 24, of Killinghall Road in Bradford.

Aqib Ali Hussain

Aqib’s role included topping up the county line handsets and travelling to and from Harrogate to oversee the smooth selling of the drugs belonging to Qasib.

Hussain Khan, 25, of Greenway Road, Bradford, would step into Aqib’s role if Qasib was elsewhere.

The investigation was able to show that Aqib Ali Hussain had made multiple journeys to Harrogate, including 16 separate journeys over three consecutive days, each one lasting around half an hour before he returned to Bradford.

It showed the top trio were linked to the two phone numbers of the Pat Line through analysis of phone data messages, CCTV of them topping up the phones at local shops, and text messages between the group and their local dealers talking about how much they had made.

Hussain Khan

All five were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs and pleaded guilty in 2021. They were jailed for:

Qasib Hussain – nine years and nine months

Aqib Ali Hussain – six years and nine months. He was also sentenced for an additional two years and three months in relation to another investigation in West Yorkshire that targeted York, bringing the total term of imprisonment to nine years and two months (consecutive).

Hussain Khan – six years and three months

Melissa Barnwell – 16 months suspended for two years, six months’ drug rehabilitation requirement and complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity

Natalie Hullah – 21 months suspended for two years, and must complete 21 days of rehabilitation activity

Read more:

 

‘They flooded Harrogate with drugs’

Detective Chief Inspector Fionna McEwan of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Today’s outcome is a result of a lengthy and painstaking investigation. We are pleased to finally see the results at court.

“They flooded Harrogate with drugs, making money at the expense of local users, the majority of whom were vulnerable due to their socioeconomic background and mental health conditions. They have no conscience and no concern whatsoever for the people they are putting at risk of serious harm. They now have ample time to reflect on their life-choices and the damage it causes.

“Drug dealing and the violence and exploitation that accompanies county lines remains a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police. We are committed to disrupting the offenders and taking those responsible off the streets.

“We urge anyone with information to continue to report information about drug dealing in their area. It’s vital in helping us piece together the bigger picture.

“No matter how insignificant you think the information is, please call us. And if you don’t want to speak to us, you can pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers.”

County lines

‘County lines’ is the term given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers, usually from urban areas, such as West Yorkshire or Manchester, target smaller towns and cities. It takes its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to advertise drugs for sale. Violence and intimidation is prevalent within county lines.

A major concern for North Yorkshire Police is a practice known as cuckooing, which is where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it to store and sell drugs. They often use violence and intimidation to achieve this.

Members of the public provide invaluable information that helps shape our operational activity and we urge residents to look out for the signs of cuckooing in their neighbourhood and report any concerns they have.

Signs of “cuckooing” to look out for include:

Increased callers at a property
• Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
• Different accents at a property
• Increased antisocial behaviour at a property
• Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
• Unfamiliar vehicles at the property
• Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
• Communal doors propped open

 

Knaresborough salon to hold launch party tomorrow

A Knaresborough salon is holding an official launch party nearly three years after trading began.

Loft, located on Finkle Keep in Knaresborough, began as a lockdown project and opened its doors in late 2020.

Teresa McDowell, who offers laser hair removal treatments at the salon, said the previously derelict building had been transformed into a “quirky and quaint” business.

The salon offers traditional beauty services, such as nails, hair, and massages, as well as aesthetic treatments including Botox and filler. Those that work at the salon are all self-employed.

Ms McDowell said the delayed open day was due to the previous team “not gelling” with one another, but she added the current team was “finally solid” enough to warrant a celebration.

She added:

“We are different to all the other salons in the area.

“The thing I love about the salon is that we don’t follow the trends – we are the trend”.

The open day is free to attend and will include drinks and nibbles, as well as live demonstrations of the services on offer.

Goodie bags will also be available to the first 20 people that attend, as well as discounts for future bookings.

The open day will take place on Saturday, May 27, from 1pm.

Read more:

Ex-staff at failed Harrogate firm Amvoc set for liquidation payouts

Staff at failed Harrogate company Amvoc are likely to receive some payment following its collapse, administrators have said.

However, HMRC and unsecured creditors are unlikely to receive any money due to a lack of property.

The telemarketing company, which was based at Cardale Park, collapsed and was placed into administration in March this year.

Staff were left shocked on March 17 when they received a late night email from chief executive Damian Brockway saying “all our offices are closed with effect from tonight”. It went on to blame “covid debts”.

In a report published today, Gareth Lewis, Lewis Business Recovery and Insolvency, said the company would work to make a payment to staff as part of the administration process.

As part of the process, former employees are classed as “ordinary preferential creditors”.

However, HMRC, which is classed as a “secondary preferential creditor”, and unsecured credits are expected to receive no money.

Mr Lewis said:

“A dividend to ordinary preferential creditors appears achievable.

“However, it appears that there will be no property available to enable a distribution to secondary preferential or unsecured creditors.”

Read more:

The company owed £1.2 million to HMRC, which included unpaid VAT, unpaid employees PAYE and national insurance, student loan deductions and industry scheme deductions.

In an administrators’ statement of affairs last week, it was also revealed Amvoc owed £546,534.71 to former employees against assets of £302,802.63.

It also has £868,267 worth of unsecured creditors. Among them is Hemel Hempstead-based data marketing firm, Aura Media Group, which is owed £154,467.38.

Mr Lewis said administrators would now work to make a payment to preferential creditors.

High staff turnover and winding up petition

Mr Brockway set up Amvoc, the trading name of A Marketing Vocation Ltd, from a small office in Dacre in 2010. It sold telemarketing services, initially in the legal sector, and grew rapidly, moving first to Pateley Bridge and then to large offices at New York Mills near Summerbridge.

It opened a new head office on Cardale Park in Harrogate in 2015, a facility in Leeds in 2018 and an office in Manchester in 2022.  It also had plans to expand to London.

At the time of its collapse, Amvoc employed 230 staff.

Mr Lewis said in his report that in September 2017, the company entered into a company voluntary arrangement as a result of “cash flow difficulties” because of the loss of a major customer and “significant bad debt”.

He helped the company pay its creditors claims in full with interest, which was completed on March 31, 2020. However, this coincided with the start of the covid pandemic.

Gareth Lewis and Amvoc

Gareth Lewis of Lewis Business Recovery and Insolvency.

Mr Lewis said the nature of Amvoc’s trade was such that it had “high fixed overheads”, a high staff turnover and that it was not equipped for the pandemic.

He said:

“It had a constant high turnover of employees, regularly having 20-30 employees leave and start each month.

“It was not equipped at the outset of the pandemic to facilitate working from home and also could not operate safely in the ‘call centre’ environment.”

In August 2020, despite the easing of restrictions, Amvoc’s offices were closed by Public Health England after 50 staff contracted coronavirus.

Meanwhile, many of the company’s customers held back on projects due to uncertainty of the pandemic. This led to the firm being unable to generate sales from telemarketing.

Between, April 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, Amvoc reported a pre-tax operating loss of £1.7 million.

The following year, the company reported a pre-tax profit of £350,000. However, this was not enough to pay off debts.

Mr Lewis said:

“This was insufficient for the company to meet its debts as and when they fell due, most notably HM Revenue and Customs, who by this stage had increased pressure on the company.”

On March 13 this year, Mr Lewis attended Amvoc’s offices to discuss the company’s financial position.

He then contacted HMRC, who had indicated they would be passing a file to its solicitors to issue a winding up petition. This was formally issued on March 16.

The following day, a company director took the decision to inform staff that the company would no longer be trading.

Staff were told by Mr Brockway on March 17 that all Amvoc offices would be closed.

Amvoc’s clients included BP, Barclays, Virgin Media, Leeds Beckett University, and both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.

Twenty-three former employees found work with Brighton-based One-Family, which was a former customer of Amvoc.

Meanwhile, Law firm Aticus said in the days after Amvoc’s collapse it had been contacted by 145 former employees.

The law firm said it was investigating the circumstances of the company’s collapse and concerns around how the redundancy process was managed, as well as whether ex-staff are eligible to claim for compensation.