Is Harrogate ice cream van the best in the country?

Harrogate ice cream seller John Taylor is in line for another industry award.

Mr Taylor, whose van is parked outside Victoria Shopping Centre most days from March to September, is one of the most familiar faces in Harrogate.

Besides selling in Harrogate town centre, he takes his van to events across the district and to the streets of Harrogate, Ripon and Boroughbridge during summer.

He has now been named in the final three in the mobiler of the year category at the  Ice Cream Alliance‘s Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show, which will be held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate in February.

The mobiler category recognises all aspects of running an ice cream van. Last year Mr Taylor scooped the gold award at the same event for the taste of his Mr Whippy ice cream but he thinks winning the mobiler category would top that.

Although the number of vans has decreased significantly in recent decades, Mr Taylor, who runs C and M Ices, said there were still about 3,000 to 4,000 operating and he was thrilled to be recognised in the top three by his trade association:

“This is our equivalent of the Oscars or the Premier League. It is the highest accolade you can win.”

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The three finalists will go in front of a five-person judging panel.

Harrogate born and bred Mr Taylor, whose family has been selling ice cream since 1889, said 2022 had been a better year due to the warm summer and he hoped to be back outside the Victoria Shopping Centre in spring. He added:

“The weather is our kingmaker. Whatever happens to the economy, and things like covid, if the weather is not good you can’t make a living.”

Harrogate M&S manager calls for longer Christmas fayre to bolster town centre

Retailers and a business group have said the Harrogate Christmas Fayre had a significant impact on town centre footfall.

The fayre, which ended on Sunday after 10 days, included about 50 stalls on Cambridge Street and Market Place.

It was operated by Market Place Europe in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council and Harrogate Business Improvement District.

It was part of a wider Christmas offering that also included an ice skating rink, an après ski bar and a 32-metre ferris wheel.

Although the market stalls have been disbanded, the other attractions will continue into January.

Mark Robson, store manager at Harrogate Marks and Spencer, called for the market to be held for longer next year.

He said:

“I am super positive about the impact of the market, we saw a very clear impact on improved footfall into store and spending.

“All of the comments I heard from customers and my store colleagues were about how good it was.

“My view is that we should aim to do the same again in future years, and ideally for a longer period of time. We should also have confidence to go bolder with future marketing if the event.”

The Christmas Fayre wheel in Harrogate town centre.

The ferris wheel in Harrogate town centre.

Simon Midgley, owner of Starling Bar and Kitchen on Oxford Street, said the market helped to “bolster” business.

He said:

“I think the Christmas market was much better than previous years coupled with the other attractions of the big wheel, ice rink, etc. It made it more of a reason to come into Harrogate from out of town.

“Starling has been nice and busy since reopening four weeks ago and I do believe our business has been bolstered by some trade from those visiting the Christmas market. Bookings in the run up to Christmas look strong for us.”

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Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate Business Improvement District, which was also a partner in the Christmas activities, said: 

“Harrogate’s great all year round offering, plus this year’s fabulous Christmas attractions, has seen town phenomenally busy — and not just at weekends.

“The BID team has been receiving really positive comments, with the general consensus that footfall and spend has been very much up. The manager of one national retailer told me her takings were more than 50% up compared to this time last year, which is fantastic to hear.

“The Christmas fayre has definitely helped with the pull factor, and having it in town for ten days has helped attract shoppers during the earlier part of the week. So too did the BID-funded Candy Cane Express.”

Knaresborough urchins to invade pubs again this Christmas

Pubs in the Harrogate district are set to be invaded by a group of scruffy urchins from Knaresborough this Christmas.

Knaresborough Mummers will perform five-minute plays at pubs around Knaresborough this Saturday before moving on to other parts of the district.

Mummers plays, which date back to the 1700s, were originally performed by peasants and beggars to make money at Christmas and Easter.

Knaresborough Mummers, which was founded in 1974 and performed annually prior to covid, donates proceeds from a whip-round at the end to charities.

They will give a version of the Blue Stots play, which is a Mummers play from the Vale of York traditionally presented by agricultural workers in tattered coats and dirty faces, with trousers tied at the knees to stop rats running up them.

Leader John Burrell said the 10-strong team was anxious to get back to playing in local hostelries again after a break due to covid.

He added re-establishing their 40-year-old tours had not been easy as some pubs have closed and others have changed into restaurants, but gradually a full programme of five tours was put together. Details of venues are here.

Mr Burrell, who used to run a folk music club in Knaresborough, said the group was keen to accept new members.

He said no experience was necessary besides “a sense of humour and not minding going into a pub and acting daft”. 

Money raised from this year’s plays will go to Jennyruth Workshops, Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group, Greatt North Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Martin House hospice.

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Transport chief: Partially repainted Skipton Road bus markings ‘look silly’

North Yorkshire’s transport chief has admitted partially repainted bus stop markings on the A59 Skipton Road in Harrogate “look silly”.

The work was pointed out by local resident Alan Huddart on social media, who criticised it as a sign of “broken Britain”.

The bus stop in New Park is next to Kdcarpets and looks worn and faded.

In the middle, contractors have carried out work to reinstate a trench but appear to have only repainted where the work has been carried out.

Mr Huddart took to social media to ask Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways at North Yorkshire County Council, why the contractor could not have completed the rest of the markings.

He asked:

“Surely they could have done the rest?”

The bus markings pictured this afternoon.

The bus markings pictured this afternoon. Picture: Lisa Galinsky.

In response, Cllr Duncan admitted that the work had left the stop looking “silly”.

He said:

“This really does look silly. Leave it with me.”

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Mr Huddart told the Stray Ferret that the work had yet to be fixed.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council whether contractors would be returning to the area to finish the work.

In response, Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said:

“Utility companies are only mandated to replace lining on the section of road that they have excavated and reinstated.

“However, in this case the bus stop is no longer in use and the lining will therefore be removed as soon as possible.”

No Harrogate and Knaresborough trains for five days as walkout begins

No trains will run from Harrogate and Knaresborough to Leeds and York for five days this week.

RMT Union members will walkout from today until Saturday (December 17) in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The strikes will be the latest to hit the Harrogate district rail network this year.

Northern, which operates services from Harrogate and Knaresborough towards Leeds and York, has warned passengers not to travel as no replacement bus services will be running.

Services will resume on Sunday (December 18), but Northern has urged passengers to check before they travel.

Meanwhile, no LNER services from Harrogate to London King’s Cross will run until Sunday.

A table issued by Northern warning passengers of days with industrial action.

A table issued by Northern warning passengers of days with industrial action.

It said in a statement:

“On strike days, only travel by rail if necessary and if you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead – especially the first and last trains of the day.

“If you do decide to travel, there will be very limited services running across the whole rail network so remember to check your entire journey as other train service providers may be affected.

“There will be no rail replacement buses on strike days for Northern services and some Northern stations may be closed or have reduced hours due to the limited staffing and services.”

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Plan to convert former Harrogate Post Office into holiday flats rejected

A plan to convert the former Harrogate Post Office into holiday flats has been refused.

The Post Office on Cambridge Road controversially relocated to WH Smith in 2019 amid claims by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones the service was being “downgraded”. The building has stood empty since.

Proposals lodged to Harrogate Borough Council by Leeds-based property developer Priestley Group would have seen the building converted into 23 self-serviced holiday flats.

It would also have seen a commercial unit created on the ground floor.

However, the council has rejected the plan on the grounds the scheme would result in “poor standards” of residential amenity.

How the building used to look.

In a decision notice, the authority said:

“The proposal would result in poor standards of residential amenity for the future occupiers of the serviced holiday apartments. 

“The proposed development would have a harmful effect on the living conditions of its future occupiers, with particular regards to privacy, ventilation, enclosing feeling and overlooking.”

It added that there was a lack of information on waste disposal and whether or not the proposal for the retail unit would “result in a significant adverse impact on the vitality or viability of the retail offering”.

The developer said in a statement to the council that the proposal would secure an “active re-use” of the building.

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Two previous proposals to convert the former post office into flats were withdrawn.

In November 2020, Harrogate-based developer One Acre Group submitted plans for 25 apartments and offices on the site but withdrew the application last year.

Its plans had been welcomed by conservation group Harrogate Civic Society although it was concerned about a proposal to build an additional floor.

Meanwhile, in July the Stray Ferret reported that proposals to convert the building into 11 flats had also been withdrawn.

Transport chief still ‘committed’ to Harrogate Station Gateway, despite inflation fears

North Yorkshire County Council remains “committed to moving forward” with Harrogate’s £10.9m Station Gateway project — with work set to begin November 2023.

It follows mounting concerns over the increased cost of building materials and how inflation will impact delivery of the long-awaited scheme.

Conservative councillor Keane Duncan, executive member for highways at the council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the scheme will go ahead but “elements could change” due to inflationary pressures and feedback from the latest public consultation.

Last month, Cllr Duncan sent a letter to David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, that made 10 pledges to the Harrogate business community following feedback.

These included a commitment for the new council to hold a full parking review and for regular meetings to take place during construction between business owners and the building contractor Galliford Try.

Cllr Duncan added:

“I have also made clear that if we need to change elements of the scheme due to inflationary pressures, we will not compromise on quality.

“The third consultation attracted more than 5,000 individual comments. This is a significant response, and it has taken longer than expected to consider all these responses in detail. I feel it is right and proper, however, that they are given the due attention they deserve, and this process can only strengthen the final design.”

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The gateway project has been in development for three years and aims to make the town centre more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.

But measures such as reducing Station Parade to one-lane traffic and a part-pedestrianisation of James Street have proved to be unpopular with some business leaders in Harrogate.

Inflationary pressures

Since the project won government funding through its Transforming Cities Fund with an expected budget of £7.9m, inflation and the cost of building materials have led councils across the country to revaluate major building projects.

Last week, West Yorkshire Combined Authority announced that projects including the Bradford to Shipley Corridor, South East Bradford Access Road, Halifax Station Gateway, Leeds Inland Port were due to be “paused” indefinitely for financial reasons.

Mr Simister told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was unsure if the scheme in Harrogate would be delivered.

A further obstacle was placed in front of the council this year when the property firm Hornbeam Park Developments threatened a judicial review after claiming a council-run consultation on the proposals was “unlawful” — which the council rejects.

Mr Simister said:

“We first discussed the gateway proposals in February 2020, that’s coming up to three years. It’s an awfully long time.

“With inflation rising you wonder about costs. The economy is conspiring against them and there’s also the threat of judicial review.

“I do want to see investment in Harrogate town centre but costs are going up. The council has guaranteed it will be a quality project. They are going to have to do more for less.”

“We are continuing the dialogue with Keane Duncan. I value the relationship we have with him but he does have to listen. Our door is open for him, but we’ll see what happens.”

Key Harrogate infrastructure document will not be scrapped, says council

Work on a key infrastructure document to support a wave of housebuilding in the west of Harrogate will not be scrapped, according to Harrogate Borough Council.

The West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy is being drawn up by the council and North Yorkshire County Council to shape how infrastructure in west Harrogate will cope with up to 4,000 new homes.

It will supplement the West Harrogate Paramaters Plan, which was approved in February.

The borough council has paid £25,000 to consultancy Hyas to produce the document. It was expected in May but is still yet to be published.

The area features heavily in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place. For example, the area from Otley Road towards Beckwithshaw is set to be transformed with over 1,000 new homes.

Other major development sites in the area include Persimmon Homes’ under-construction 600-home King Edwin Park scheme on Pennypot Lane.

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But with shovels yet to be put in the ground for many of the proposed sites, Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association, hopes the infrastructure strategy will ensure investment takes place into roads, schools and healthcare before homes are built.

As part of the delivery strategy, a review of existing infrastructure is being carried out ahead of the document being published in draft form during a public consultation.

With less than four months until the borough council is abolished, HAPARA is questioning if the document will now ever see the light of day.

Last week, the county council announced the new North Yorkshire Council will develop its own Local Plan to replace the one drawn up by Harrogate.

A borough council spokesperson said the parameters plan, which was approved by the authority’s cabinet in February, would still be used as a material planning consideration until the sites covered in the plan are developed.

However, David Siddans, a spokesperson for HAPARA, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the infrastructure strategy has “practically receded from my memory” due to a paucity of meetings with the council.

Mr Siddans said:

“It is now so long since we had an engagement session with Harrogate Borough Council on the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy that it has practically receded from my memory.

“The last engagement session with Harrogate Borough Council was on July 19 following which we were promised a further session in October when it was expected that further analysis work by the consultants had been carried out.  It is now December and there has been no further contact.”

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“Work on the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy continues.

“It is an important piece of work to ensure the effective delivery of infrastructure to support the West Harrogate sites. We will hold further stakeholder engagement in due course.”

Plans resubmitted for Starbeck micropub

Plans to open a micropub in Starbeck are back on the table.

IT consultant Kevin Jones has resubmitted the proposal for the High Street after previous plans fell through.

Mr Jones abandoned a prior attempt to get permission to open a pub at 67d High Street after the landlord offered the space to a different tenant.

At the time, he criticised Harrogate Borough Council for taking six months to consider the plan.

However, Mr Jones has now resubmitted the plan for next door at 67b High Street — which he intends to rename The Office Ale House.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I wanted to open a place where people who are wandering home after work can call in.

“It will be dog friendly as well. It is about getting pubs back to what they used to be years ago.”

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Mr Jones, who lived in Starbeck but has moved to Knaresborough, said he hoped to open the pub in March, if planning is approved.

The pub would included seating for between 15 to 20 people.

It would serve local ales, lagers and have a rotating cask ale on sale. It would be open between 12pm and 8pm during the week.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Harrogate’s special care baby unit receives donated toys

The special care baby unit at Harrogate District Hospital has received a consignment of toys in time for Christmas.

Harrogate Convention Centre donated dolls and a toy kitchen, which were donated by exhibitors at the Harrogate International Nursery Fair it hosted this year.

The convention centre has helped event organisers and exhibitors to donate toys, food and other event supplies and display samples to local schools, hospitals, homeless people and charities over the years.

Sally Baxter, unit sister at the special care baby unit, which cares for sick and preterm infants, said:

“It means so much to the families who have a baby on the unit that also have young siblings.

“The toys will really help make our parents’ experience on the unit so much better in what is a very stressful time for them. Thank you once again, it makes such a difference.”

HCC Toy Donation Harrogate District Hospital

The donated toy kitchen

 This year’s Harrogate International Nursery Fair took up an additional hall at the convention centre. It attracted 140 exhibitors and visitors from over 15 countries.

Event organiser Adrian Sneyd said:

“Harrogate has been home to our nursery trade show annually for over five decades with around 4,000 participants enjoying the town’s hospitality each year.

“We are delighted that our exhibitors have donated toys for the benefit of local families and their babies.”

Paula Lorimer, director of the convention centre, said:

“As a member of the community and especially in this festive season in the midst of the cost of living crisis, we are delighted to do what we can to help make sure those in need can benefit from the event industry.”

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