Harrogate business owner through to The Apprentice final

The owner of a Harrogate business has made it to the final of the BBC’s The Apprentice.

Rachel Woolford, owner of North Studio on Cold Bath Road, is just one of two remaining contestants competing for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment.

The two North Studio sites, in Harrogate and Leeds, currently offer small group fitness classes, including running, reformer pilates, boxing and HIIT workouts.

Over the 11-week series, the 28-year-old has sold and run a tour in Budapest, created a vegan alternative to cheese and even flogged paddling pools on a TV shopping channel.

Now, the Leeds woman has one final chance at convincing the British billionaire she is worthy of the prize money.

But her success has not come without obstacles.

In last night’s episode, the five remaining candidates were interviewed — and their business plans scrutinised — by business tycoons.

Rachel’s plan is to open three more North Studio sites in the north of England.

But Claude Littner, long-term business associate of Lord Sugar, crunched Rachel’s numbers — and not in the way she had hoped.

After failing to turn up with her company’s accounts, Mr Littner told Rachel she had made a “very serious mistake” before the interview had even started.

She told Mr Littner she spent more than £250,000 on both North Studio gyms, funded partly through a bank loan, plus monthly finances spent on equipment. But without the figures in front of him, he responded:

“All I can see is losses, loans. It’s impossible to get any idea.”

Rachel Woolford preparing for her interview. Pic: BBC Pictures.

Before Rachel thought the interviews could get much worse, they did.

Publishing pioneer Mike Soutar bought both website domains Rachel had anticipated on purchasing for her new gyms.

Her business plan included opening a site in Newcastle – or more specifically, Jesmond.

However, Mr Soutar beat Rachel to buying her desired website domain for Newcastle (www.northstudionewcastle.co.uk), as well as the Jesmond domain (www.northstudiojesmond.co.uk) – pointing out two flaws in her business plan.

The interview did, however, resolve in Rachel purchasing both domains from Mr Soutar for £34 plus VAT.

Mike Suter. Pic: BBC Pictures.

But despite the rocky interviews, Rachel was praised for her passion about her business.

Mr Soutar told Lord Sugar there may be financial “difficulties” when scaling her business, but added if it can be done right “she is definitely the person to do it”.

Lord Sugar even created a new tagline for Rachel: “You want people to get ripped in Ripon”.

When asked to convince Lord Sugar why she should be his business partner, Rachel said:

“In the first year, I turned over £85,000. However, for six months of that year, we were closed because of the pandemic.

“Now I’ve turned it into a profitable business, and I’ve got a model there that we can copy to other cities, to other locations, which I believe is successful.

“With your mentorship, I will put my all into this, as I already do. I’m willing to learn and I will continue to put my entire life into it.”

Rachel was the first contestant through to the grand final – and is now just one task away from £250,000.

It will be a battle between fitness and food as she faces owner of family-run pie business, Phil Turner, in next week’s final.

The Apprentice finalists Rachel Woolford and Phil Turner. Pic: BBC Pictures.

The final of The Apprentice will air on Thursday, April 18, at 9pm on BBC One.

You can read our interview with Rachel Woolford here.

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Man arrested after car crash and brawl in Harrogate

A man has been arrested following a car crash and suspected assault in Harrogate last night.

North Yorkshire Police today said two vehicles collided on Otley Road at the junction with Wharfedale Place at around 6pm.

According to a force statement, the two men then got into an “altercation at the scene” and both sustained injuries. The statement added:

“The man in his 30s was taken to hospital for treatment in relation to chest injuries. His injuries are believed not to be life-threatening.

“A man in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of assault and was also taken to hospital for facial injuries.”

Police said an investigation has now been launched.

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World famous orchestra coming to Harrogate

The line-up for this year’s Harrogate Music Festival has been announced today.

The festival, which will take place in June and July, includes a range of live music from classical and chamber to cabaret and jazz.

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra  will launch the festival with an opening night performance at the Royal Hall on June 8.

It will be the world famous orchestra’s first time in Harrogate for more than a decade.

The programme features Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte, Carl Maria von Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No.1 and Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2. Ludovic Morlot will be the conductor for the night, joined by soloist Oliver Janes.

This year’s line-up also includes the Gildas Quartet as well as the Maxwell Quartet, British jazz singer Jo Harrop, contemporary soul singer Mica Sefia, and Bradford-based dance company Punjabi Roots.

Further acts will be announced.

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, the arts charity that organises the festival, said:

 “We are delighted to have the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra launching this year’s summer season. It has such a rich heritage and is one of the most revered orchestras around.

“Harrogate’s audience will be able to get the Proms experience without needing to trek down to London, so this really is an opportunity for classical music fans in the north to enjoy an internationally renowned orchestra performing in a world class venue.”

Tickets are available here.

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Lib Dems win Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election

The Liberal Democrats have won the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election on North Yorkshire Council.

Lib Dem candidate Andrew Timothy finished first with 1,094 votes, ahead of Conservative John Ennis with 768.

It means the Liberal Democrats have retained control of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee. They have seven councillors, while the Conservatives have four and there are two Independents.

The Conservatives remain in control of North Yorkshire Council, with 44 of the 90 councillors. Three Independents who formed a Conservatives and Independents group helped maintain the Tories’ grip on power.

Yesterday’s by-election was called following the resignation of Lib Dem councillor Pat Marsh.

The result, which was declared at Woodlands Methodist Church on Wetherby Road just before midnight, was:

The turnout was 41%.

Mr Timothy left as soon as the count had concluded, declining to be interviewed.

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Harrogate woman admits having custody of dog whilst banned

A Harrogate woman has pleaded guilty to being in possession of a dog whilst disqualified.

Holly Jones, of St John’s Crescent, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday.

According to court documents, the 30-year-old was handed a court order by magistrates in 2019, which banned her from having custody of a dog.

However, she was found to possess one on March 15 this year.

Jones pleaded guilty to the offence.

She was ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 in prosecution costs and a £48 surcharge as a result.

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Details of proposed Harrogate children’s home revealed

Further details about plans to convert a Harrogate house into a children’s home have been revealed.

It comes after Jolyon McKay tabled a change of use application to North Yorkshire Council last month.

It outlined plans to turn Oak Back, a house on Ashgarth Court near Ashville College, into C2 classified housing – which refers to residential accommodation for people in need of care.

The Stray Ferret reported on the plans at the time of submission, which generated some concern among social media followers.

However, an email from the applicant to the case officer was yesterday posted to the planning portal, which paints a clearer picture of what the children’s home would involve if approved.

The applicant said he wanted the home to be a “nurturing environment” for children aged 11 to 18.

The letter added the staff already involved have a “wealth of expertise to ensure the highest standard of care”, adding:

“We have a healthcare recruitment professional with over three decades of experience across various specialties… with a proven track record of successfully managing care agencies covering a wide spectrum of needs…she is committed to delivering exceptional support.”

The document said a retired social worker with “over 40 years of dedicated service in children and young people’s social work” would also be employed, as well as a registered nurse with “extensive experience in caring for young people with complex needs, as well as mental health concerns”.

Mr McKay also said the home aimed to “collaborate closely with local authorities and neighbouring councils” and focus on recruiting local care staff.

The children’s home would be Ofsted registered, the document said, adding it would work to comply with “stringent regulations”. It added:

“We will meticulously craft policies covering various scenarios, including measures for missing children, such as implementing a comprehensive missing persons grab pack.”

The applicant says the overarching goal was to create a “family-style placement home that fosters a sense of belonging and security for the children” by “steering away” from a clinical environment.

Mr McKay said the home’s commitment to safety and supervision was “unwavering”. There would always be a minimum of one staff member present to ensure the wellbeing of the children and maintain a “peaceful environment that respects the neighbourhood”, he added.

In a separate covering letter submitted with the proposal, the applicant said the home would “remain looking and feeling as if it were an average home”.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the application at a later date.

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Review: Unhomely: Three Tales of Terror at Harrogate TheatreCouncil eliminates apostrophes from Harrogate district road signs

North Yorkshire Council is to abolish apostrophes on road signs.

The news comes after a Harrogate resident, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted the Stray Ferret to complain about a grammatical error on the new St Mary’s Walk sign in the town.

He said the sign was “spelled incorrectly with no apostrophe”, adding it had been placed opposite another St Mary’s Walk sign, which is grammatically correct.

The Stray Ferret put the resident’s concerns to the council. A spokesperson said in response:

“Regarding grammar, the council, along with many others across the country, has opted to eliminate the apostrophe from street signs.”

The new format will be “adopted when road signs are replaced”, they added.

The resident responded to the council’s move:

“I do not feel I have been consulted about the council deciding to use poor English language and the council has not responded to me when I raised the issue.”

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St Mary’s Walk is not the only Harrogate road to fall victim to grammatical errors. St Winifred’s Road, on the south side of the town, also has contradictory spellings on signs.

The signs reflect the change of format, meaning the older one includes an apostrophe and another does not.

The contradicting signs. Pic: Google Maps.

A similar initiative back in 2014 which proved less than popular.

The Guardian reported in 2014 that Cambridge City Council’s decision to abolish apostrophes led to a backlash from “self-declared defenders of grammar” who used marker pens to fill in missing apostrophes on road signs.

Work set to begin on Mojo bar extension in Harrogate

Work to extend the bar at Mojo in Harrogate is to begin in the next fortnight.

Voodoo Doll Limited, which trades as Mojo, plans to convert commercial office space on the first floor into a seating area. The extension will add an additional 2,000 sq ft to the bar area.

Construction work is due to begin on the venue on Parliament Street on April 22 and is expected to be complete by the end of May. although, Voodoo Doll Limited told the Stray Ferret it would “prefer not to commit to a specific date at this time”.

Plans were first submitted in September and were approved by North Yorkshire Council in January. In documents submitted to the council, the company said the move would help to cope with demand at the bar.

It said:

“The proposed extended customer floor space seeks to address demand and reflects the success of the business in Harrogate and as such will positively contribute to the character and vitality of the town centre.”

Company director Martin Greenhow said:

“We at Mojo are thrilled to announce our plans to expand our Harrogate site. In response to the popularity of our existing Shuffleboard and beer pong tables, we’ve decided to introduce some exciting new features. While we’re keeping the final details under wraps for now, you can expect to see the very best in competitive socialising coming soon to Harrogate.”

Drawings of the first floor extension, coloured in red

Mojo was established in 1996 in Leeds and has since opened bars in Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. The Harrogate bar opened in 2018 and is now a prominent part of the town’s night scene.

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Silence on Harrogate Starbucks opening date

The new Starbucks site in Harrogate looks ready to open its doors and begin brewing, but its planned opening date is still unknown.

The coffee shop is set to open in the former Leon site on Wetherby Road. The unit was previously a Mediterranean fast-food restaurant and has been transformed into a drive-through coffee shop.

The Stray Ferret first reported that the site would become a Starbucks last August, when North Yorkshire Council granted planning permission to change the branding on the unit.

Photo of the newly installed signage at the new Starbucks drive-through coffee shop on Wetherby Road in Harrogate.

Permission was given for a total of 20 signs to be installed. Just over half of which would be illuminated, including totem signs, menus and directional signs around the drive-through.

Starbucks advertised for new staff  in December and in January the new signage was installed. The only Starbucks in Harrogate is currently on Cambridge Street in the town centre.

Today, the company told the Stray Ferret:

“We look forward to bringing the Starbucks experience to customers in Harrogate in the near future and will be in touch once we have more specific plans to share.”

The move comes as Leon, which opened at the site last June, closed its doors on April 2 with the loss of around 20 jobs.

It was operated by Blackburn-based EG Group, which also runs Starbucks franchises as well as brands including KFC and Greggs.

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