Staff at the Harrogate branch of stationery store Paperchase face an uncertain future after the company went into administration today.

Sky News reported this morning Tesco was in advanced talks to buy Paperchase’s name and other intellectual property through a pre-pack administration but was unlikely to be interested in any stores — casting doubt over the workforce’s future.

Staff in Harrogate told the Stray Ferret they were unable to comment at this time when we called this morning.

Read more:

• Historic Harrogate hotel closes as staff face redundancy
• Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike

People in parts of the Harrogate district are being urged to sign up for free security checks and upgrades to homes and farms.

Residents in the parishes of Allerton Mauleverer with Hopperton, Kirk Deighton, Kirk Hammerton, Leathley, Long Marston, North Deighton, Sicklinghall and Spofforth with Stockeld are eligible to apply.

They could receive new locks for vulnerable doors, windows, garages and sheds, and alarm systems for farms and small holdings. For homes with suitable WiFi coverage the scheme also includes a RING video doorbell.

Funding for the Protect Your Home was secured last year by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner‘s office, which was awarded £719,590 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

The scheme aims to prevent burglaries in over 1,000 homes and 90 farms along the borders of the Harrogate and Craven district but so far only 422 homes have received a security upgrade.

In the Harrogate district, the take-up has been as high as 46% of homes in North Deighton and as low as 3% in Sicklinghall.

Read more:

• Harrogate’s former Kimberley Hotel being used for drugs and crime, say police
• Harrogate district police inspector reveals local crime hotspots

Now crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe and local councillors are encouraging more people to sign up.

Ms Metcalfe said:

“My office have done really well to secure this funding from the Home Office on behalf of these communities and so it’s really important that the money is used to improve the security of as many homes and farms as possible.

“The more people who sign up in a community the more resilient to burglary that area becomes, and we’ve seen this demonstrated in Cononley when a burglar was captured on seven video door bells, many funded through this scheme.”

The last chance to apply is August this year.

Superintendent Teresa Lam, senior operational commander for Harrogate and Craven, said:

“I would encourage any eligible occupants to become involved in this fantastic initiative to help protect their properties”.

Teachers in state schools in the Harrogate district will strike tomorrow.

It means that schools will either close for the day or see classrooms disrupted if they decide to remain open.

The National Education Union, which is the largest teaching union in the country, is behind the industrial action that will affect schools in England and Wales.

Ninety percent of its 120,000 members voted to strike in a ballot.

It’s the latest strike to hit the UK this winter that has also seen nurses, rail workers, postal staff and paramedics join picket lines.

Why are teachers striking?

Most state school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% pay rise rise in 2022. But with inflation at over 10%, the NEU says this has resulted in a real-term pay cut for teachers.

The union also says teachers have lost 23% in real-terms pay since 2010, which it described as an “unsustainable situation”.

It believes low pay has led to thousands of teachers leaving the profession, including a third of those who have recently qualified.

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said:

“The government must know there is going to have to be a correction on teacher pay. They must realise that school support staff need a pay rise.

“If they do not, then the consequences are clear for parents and children. The lack of dedicated maths teachers, for example, means that 1 in 8 pupils are having work set and assessed by people who are not qualified in the teaching of maths. Anyone who values education should support us in this dispute because that is what we are standing up for.”

Read more:

• Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike
• Nurses and ambulance workers set to strike in Harrogate on same day

How will classrooms be affected?

A final decision on whether a school stays open is up the headteacher, although government guidance says they should take “all reasonable steps” to ensure they do not close.

Teachers are not required to tell the school if they intend to strike but headteachers can ask them in advance to help preparations.

For schools that remain open, other teachers may be asked to cover the classes of those taking industrial action. Classes may also be combined.

The government says if a school possible it should, where possible, provide online learning for children.

What does the government say and will the dispute be resolved?

If the union doesn’t reach an agreement over pay with the government, there are three more days of industrial action planned at schools in Yorkshire on the following dates:

Tuesday February 28
Wednesday March 15
Thursday March 16

But like similar disputes with health and rail unions, the government is so far holding firm against calls to increase teachers’ pay.

The secretary of state for education, Gillian Keegan, wrote in the Sunday Telegraph over the weekend she was “disappointed” that this week’s strike was going ahead but she wanted to continue “constructive discussions” on pay.

Ms Keegan says the government has provided an extra £2bn in school funding, which she believes meets union demands.

There are reports in the media that Ms Keegan will meet with union bosses today in an attempt to avert Wednesday’s strikes.

If the talks are unsuccessful, we will be seeing the highly unusual sight of picket lines outside schools in North Yorkshire this week.

The staff of a landmark Harrogate hotel have been left awaiting confirmation of redundancy, as its new owners closed the business and shuttered its doors today. 

The Hotel St George is to be remodelled and reopened as a pub with rooms following a 16-week programme of works, but none of the hotel’s 76 current employees has been invited to remain in post. 

General manager Paul Donkin said the day marked the end of an era: 

“It’s very sad – there’s a lot of upset here today. I came into this job just as lockdown ended, and I had seven weeks to put together a team and get the hotel back up and running. We’ve spent two years building the business back up again, so to see it close is hard to take. It’s very emotional for those of us who have put such a lot into it.” 

The St George Hotel, opposite the Royal Hall on Ripon Road, was bought in February last year by The Inn Collection Group, a Newcastle-based company that also owns the Ripon Spa Hotel, Dean Court in York, and the Black Swan in Helmsley, among others.  

The Inn Collection Group is the hotel’s third owner in as many years. Its previous owner, Bespoke Hotels, acquired it from Specialist Leisure Group, which went into administration in May 2020. 

Mr Donkin said: 

“Why they want to make everyone redundant, only to have to find new staff when they reopen, I don’t know – it makes no sense to me. 

“But to give them their due, Inn Collection Group have followed all the proper procedures and have been very decent about it.” 

Mr Donkin said the blow of redundancy had been further softened for most of the hotel’s employees because he had managed to find them alternative employment. 

He said: 

“The day after I heard the hotel was to close, I emailed the general managers of all Harrogate’s hotels, and they’ve all been fantastic, sending me their vacancy lists and moving heaven and earth to find people jobs. Probably 95% of staff now have new jobs to go to. 

“I always said hospitality was the best job in the world, but in Harrogate it’s even better.” 

The St George Hotel grew out of the Chequers Inn and was renamed after George III’s gift of the Stray to the people of Harrogate in 1778. 

It was enlarged several times during the 19th century and renamed the St George shortly before the First World War. 

It was badly damaged by fire in 1927 and requisitioned by the Post Office and Air Ministry during the Second World War before re-opening as a hotel in 1952. It acquired a spa facility in 1985. 

Read more:

• 76 jobs at risk at Harrogate’s St George Hotel
• St George Hotel in Harrogate to close at end of month
• Ripon’s Spa Hotel aims to reopen next spring

A Harrogate headteacher has said he is torn between his head and heart over this week’s teacher strike.

Children in years seven to 10 and year 12 at Harrogate Grammar School will study remotely from home on Wednesday when the first of four days of planned industrial action take place.

Pupils in years 11 and 13 will attend school as usual and have lessons if teachers are not striking.

Speaking on the BBC News channel today, headteacher Neil Renton said half of the school’s 115 staff belonged to the National Education Union, whose members had balloted in favour of the strikes.

Mr Renton said that as head he was keen to ensure the school stayed open but at the same time he could see the issues teachers faced and he therefore had conflicting emotions between his head and heart.

He said “there are just not enough teachers out there” and added one recent vacancy for an English teacher at the 2,000-pupil school attracted just one application.

Mr Renton, who said the union he belonged to would not be on strike this week, said too many teachers were leaving the profession. He added:

“If this continues and we are not able to work with government and ministers to create an education for the future I would, as an educator, want to take steps to make sure we make a much brighter education for our children.”

Read more:

• Some Harrogate Grammar School pupils to study at home during teacher strike
• Harrogate school to recruit fourth headteacher in two years

Harrogate Borough Council has accepted an undisclosed sum to allow a footpath to be diverted at RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

The horticultural charity wants to divert the public right of way as part of wider plans for its Harrogate site. They include converting the former Harrogate Arms into a café and felling 33 trees to restore historic views.

A report to the council’s Cabinet this week says the local authority has accepted a sum, as landowner, to amend the route — however, the amount has not been released to the public.

The Conservative-controlled council is expected to ratify the decision on Wednesday.

The report says the ” relatively minor alteration” will be on land outside that presently leased to the RHS on which the footpath currently runs.

It adds:

“The RHS want the public right of way relocated in order to facilitate their preferred redevelopment scheme for the former Harrogate Arms public house which will create additional catering and teaching facilities on the site, relocation of the public right of way enables greater integration of this asset with their existing facilities.

“This represents an opportunity to generate an unplanned capital receipt which is financially beneficial and economically advantageous to the council.

“Should the opportunity be missed there is very little alternative potential to generate a similar payment for land in this area. This land offers no identifiable potential for long term capital appreciation aside from the current opportunity presented.”

The existing footpath

The new footpath

The report adds the public right of way will still be accessible from Crag Lane to Cardale Woodland and the changes will improve the footpath for walkers once work is complete.

It says the decision is “separate” to other RHS planning applications for the site but adds:

“Refusal could curtail RHS’ plans to develop a property (the former Harrogate Arms public house) that is currently derelict and which has been vacant for a number of years.”

Read more:

• RHS Harlow Carr to fell 33 trees as part of plans to reopen Harrogate Arms
• Police seek hit and run driver after scooter rider hurt in Harrogate

Andrew Willoughby, footpath secretary of Harrogate Group of Ramblers, said it did not object to the proposal. He added:

“In order to incorporate the old Harrogate Arms pub building into the RHS Harlow Carr garden site means moving the footpath away from the old car park at the front of the building, and walking around the back of the pub instead.

“The path will then drop towards the beck and cross on a new bridge before continuing through the woods as it presently does. It won’t be the same, but I don’t think it will be any less convenient for people to walk on.”

Police are appealing for information after a crash in Harrogate in which a vehicle failed to stop.

North Yorkshire Police said this morning a black Lambretta scooter and a red 4×4 style vehicle were involved in a crash between 9.45am and 10am on on Saturday.

It occurred on Skipton Road near the Empress roundabout.

A police statement said:

“The red vehicle failed to stop at the scene and continued towards the Empress roundabout.

“The rider of the scooter suffered injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.”

It urged witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage or information to come forward.

You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC1282 BURGESS. You can also email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230016678.

Read more:

• North Yorkshire Police using lie detector tests to target sex offenders
• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly scores four in Women’s FA Cup

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly continued her fantastic form when she scored four goals for Aston Villa Women in the Women’s FA Cup yesterday.

Villa cruised to an 11-0 win over AFC Fylde to reach the last 16 of the competition.

England star Daly, who started her career with Killinghall Nomads, opened the scoring in the second minute and added a second as her side went 6-0 up after 25 minutes.

She was denied a 13-minute hat-trick when her penalty was saved but still notched a couple more after the interval.

Daly, who played as a defender during England Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory last year, is having a remarkable first season in the West Midlands since her summer transfer from Houston Dash.

Playing up front, she is along with Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw the joint highest scorer in the Women’s Super League with nine in 11 matches — which doesn’t include her FA Cup goals.

She has twice been named Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Month this season.

The draw for the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup takes place at 6.30pm tonight on the BBC’s Sportsday show on the BBC news channel and BBC iPlayer.

Read more:

• Petition launched to honour all England Lionesses — including Harrogate’s Rachel Daly
• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly named WSL Player of the Month — again!

The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. The event will be a celebratory night with prize draw and afterparty.

Richard Flinton, the chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council is the guest speaker. Early bird ticket prices are available until February 9 and available to buy here. Bring your team, network and have fun. 

A Knaresborough-based housing developer has appointed a new director to its senior team.

Matthew Gibson has been promoted to land director at Wharfedale Homes.

Mr Gibson joined the firm in 2021 and had been working as land manager within the company.

Previously he has worked with leading listed property companies Barratt Homes, Avant Homes and McCarthy and Stone.

John Edwards, managing director of Wharfedale Homes, said:

“Since he joined us, Matt has been integral to our continued growth and it is testament to his hard work that he has earned this promotion.  

“His new role will help us grow our pipeline of sites and increase the number of completed homes we deliver each year.”

Mr Gibson added:

“I’m really excited to head up the land and planning function and provide strategic input as the company successfully navigates through the ever changing political and planning environment.”

Harrogate firm expands legal team

(Left to right) Brittany Dyer, Lisa Russell, Emma Weatherill, Neil Dring and Kate Banerjee.

Harrogate law firm Jones Myers has expanded its team with the appointment of a new children law paralegal.

Brittany Dyer has joined the company to work within its children’s department.

It follows the appointment of Neil Dring, who was brought in to head the Harrogate office on Victoria Avenue.

Ms Dyer said:

“Jones Myers is a niche and highly respected family law firm which leads the way in areas including international child abduction and is at the forefront of new areas of law. 

“I am very much looking forward to being part of a talented team who are acknowledged leaders in their field.”

Kate Banerjee, partner at Jones Myers, said:

“The reputation of our Department continues to attract clients on a regional, national, and international scale.

“We are delighted to welcome Brittany to our growing team as we continue to further develop and expand our bespoke services.”

Read more:

• Business breakfast: Finalists revealed for first Stray Ferret Business Awards
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate’s Windsor House opens pilates studio for tenants
• Business Breakfast: Bettys of Harrogate wins national retailer award

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.

In reference to the story on changing voting systems, has Cllr Chris Aldred seriously considered the implications of proportional representation? 

I realise the aim is to try and reduce political conflicts, but parties all have different policy aims making agreement difficult. Compromises often are the worst of both. He forgets in countries with proportional representation it can take months for a government to be formed, Germany being an ideal example.

I believe it should be mandatory to vote in elections, also postal votes should be an exception and not the norm

There is no perfect solution and no doubt whatever changes are made there will still be dissenters.

Catherine Alderson, Harrogate

Councillor should be allowed alderman status

From the reports of the council meeting on December 14^th it is clear to me that the councillors attending had not been apprised of all the facts and they were not interested in questioning the report or hearing the real facts.

I have observed at numerous planning committee meetings of over a period of 28 years, that Cllr Pat Marsh always read and assessed accurately plans put before her. 

She addressed persons present in planning meetings to ask necessary questions, courteously and to the point, at very many planning committee hearings at which I was present. 

She has served the residents in her ward without fear or favour for some 32 years and should therefore be eligible to become an alderman. 

In fact, there is no limit to the number of long serving councillors who are eligible to become Aldermen.

Rosemary Carnaghan, Harrogate

Read more:

• Stray Views: Who deserves a pay rise? Councillors? Nurses?
• North Yorkshire councillors set for 50% pay rise from April

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.