Harrogate Archives - Page 376 of 955

Harrogate primary school launches campaign to fill new library

St Peter’s CE Primary School in Harrogate has unveiled its new library.

The library aims to give children a place to build and nurture their love of reading. It was funded by the Friends of St Peter’s and a grant from local charity the Johnson and Mukherjee Trust. St Peter’s worked with York outdoor play company Playscheme to develop the design.

To celebrate the opening, the school and the Friends of St Peter’s have launched a wish list campaign in partnership with independent Harrogate bookshop Imagined Things, which aims to restock the school library with additional books.

Debbie Phillips, the manager and school’s co-ordinator from Imagined Things, said:

“We love partnering with local schools and encouraging that love for reading within their communities. We’re so excited by St Peter’s new library and can’t wait to help fill it with new books.”

Head teacher Paul Griffiths

Paul Griffiths, headteacher at St Peter’s, said:

“Reading from physical books in an inspiring environment is incredibly important to us all St Peter’s. It is at the heart of our focus on enabling children to become fluent, confident, lifelong readers, giving them access to all the wonderful opportunities available to them now and in the future.

“That’s why we are we are truly delighted to have been able to provide such a wonderful child-friendly and exciting space within our school.”

St Peter’s is a member of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust and is housed in a Victorian building formally home to Harrogate Hospital. The primary school is now looking at plans to further develop its nurture space The Nest.

Anyone can support St Peter’s library by visiting Imagined Things Bookshop on Montpellier Parade to buy a book of their choice that will be placed in the new library, including a personalised note if they wish.

Harrogate entrepreneur bags Dragon’s Den deal

A Harrogate woman has received an offer on Dragon’s Den for her hospitality platform, Dinerly.

Marina Prokoiosifi, 23, launched the platform, which allows restaurants to build their own website to use for orders and table bookings. They then pay a subscription fee, ranging from £25 to £65 a month.

She moved to Harrogate from Greece aged 16 and began working as a waitress to pay the bills and eventually dropped out of education at Harrogate College to focus on working in hospitality.

A few years later when the pandemic hit 20-year-old Ms Prokoiosifi was working as a manager at Taverna, a Greek restaurant on Cheltenham Crescent. She thought the restaurant’s website could be improved and the company was paying commission on its orders so she asked her boss if she could improve it and set about the task, launching Dinerly.

She said:

“I wasn’t thinking about starting a business I was just trying to help the restaurant out. I also knew if we didn’t make any money I wouldn’t have a job. It went from there really, the boss called his friend who called someone else and we soon got 30 restaurants.”

Ms Prokoiosifi met her business partner while working at The Whole Caboodle, a marketing company in Harrogate. As the brains behind the idea the business is split 60:40 to Ms Prokoiosifi, with her business partner designing the software for Dinerly.

Marina Prokoiosifi

She decided to take her idea to Dragon’s Den due to wanting a business mentor. She opted for the Greek version of the TV show to launch her business internationally.

Ms Prokoiosifi said:

“The English Dragon’s Den has such a long waiting list because it is so well established. I also think it would be a lot scarier.”

She entered the pitch asking for £30,000 for 4% of her business. Her offer was accepted within five minutes when ‘dragon’ Tassos Economou offered the asking price, making it she says the fastest deal ever in any Dragon’s Den series.

She said:

“At first I was really scared like a deer in the headlights, I was so stressed all day I couldn’t eat or do anything. Then I went in and it was over so quickly I was starstruck and completely taken aback, then I thought ‘what a waste of a day, I was stressed over nothing, just to walk out with the fastest ever deal’.”

She said Dinerly now has 40 restaurants signed up and more than 100 on the waiting list until the business expands. Restaurants in in the UK, Greece, Germany and the USA are currently signed up. Taverna in Harrogate still uses the site.

Ms Prokoiosifi added:

“It has been such a good experience. It has been really eye opening and Dinerly has already grown so much.”

See Marina’s pitch below:

Police CCTV appeal after Harrogate Waitrose theft

North Yorkshire Police has issued CCTV images of two people they wish to speak to following a Harrogate shop theft.

The theft took place at Waitrose on Station Parade at approximately 1.15pm on Sunday, February 4.

Officers said spirits and champagne to the value of £887 were taken from the store.

A spokesperson said:

“Please contact us if you recognise the people pictured on CCTV, as we believe they may have information that will assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information is advised to speak to Fiona.Wilding@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 quoting reference 12240022503.

Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Harrogate to Skipton bus suspended due to Kex Gill work

The Saturday DalesBus 59 service between Harrogate and Skipton has been suspended due to the closure of the A59 at Kex Gill.

The service had been following a lengthy diversion around Ilkley after North Yorkshire Council suddenly closed the road last month due to a cracked verge.

But the Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company, which operates the DalesBus, has now called a halt to it.

It said in a statement:

“We’re sorry to advise that DalesBus 59 is currently suspended during the closure of the A59 at Kex Gill for emergency repairs.

“Very few people used the service during the diversion via Ilkley, and the diversionary route is now subject to additional roadworks and delays at Manor Park from March 18.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience caused. A full service will resume every Saturday as soon as the road reopens.”

The DalesBus had been taking a diverted route via Otley and Ilkley, and stopped calling at Blubberhouses or Bolton Bridge.

The closed road at Kex Gill.

The A59 is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton. It is not expected to reopen until after Easter and work is unlikely to begin before the end of March.

In its latest update last week, Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment, said:

“We are currently finalising the programme for the repair scheme, which will include sheet piling and backfilling, to address the slippage and reduce further movement of the carriageway.

“This will involve driving long sheets of interlocking steel into the ground to create a continuous structural wall which provides strength and stability. Once this has been completed, we will be backfilling the excavated area between the sheet piles and the road.

“When we have the final programme and timescales, we will endeavour to update road users.”

This has been met with frustrations from motorists and residents.

Trading Hell: Shocking rise in shoplifting in Harrogate town centre

Yesterday, we heard traders concerns that anti-social behaviour and shoplifting are getting worse, but do the official statistics back these experiences?

Our Trading Hell survey showed that traders feel that incidents of shoplifting, drug misuse and general anti-social behaviour are far too common.

Traders also expressed a deep sense of frustration that not enough is being done to make our shopping streets the safe and pleasant places they used to be.

The Stray Ferret has examined official statistics for the “hotspot” areas identified in our survey.

Shocking rise in shoplifting

Among the areas of most concern for traders has been shoplifting, which 78% say is an issue.

The Stray Ferret has found that statistics show a shocking rise in the number of reported incidents to police.

Our research of the force’s own data found that in 2022, 139 reports of shoplifting in the town centre were made.

In the same period last year, this increased by 66% to 232.

Concern over the problem have been heightened following incidents of thefts worth hundreds of pounds on Beulah Street and Commercial Street last year.

Another incident in November 2023 saw a “prolific shoplifter” threaten staff in Asda on Bower Road after staff tried to stop her stealing two bottles of alcohol.

One business owner told us:

“I’ve seen a group of five people coming out of the shop next door with armfuls of hangers, just walking off. Not even running. The security guard couldn’t do anything. They just told him to f*** off.”

Anti-social behaviour

Much of traders concerns centre around anti-social behaviour, a term which often can capture various different issues.

The police define anti-social behaviour as “someone acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people not living in the same household”.

According to the force’s own data, in the 12 months to January 2024, a total of 285 reports were made to police in those hotspot areas.

This compares with 261 incidents in the same period in 2022.

While this is a slight increase, almost every business of the 50 which were surveyed (96%) told us that anti-social behaviour is a problem – only two said it isn’t.

Organisations such as Harrogate BID feel not enough businesses are reporting what is really happening.

One reason is a lack of confidence among traders that the police will act.

One business owner told us:

“Ring for thefts – not interested. Ring for feeling unsafe out the back of our courtyard due to large group of kids smoking weed and intimidating staff, and drunks – nothing done after ringing several times for numerous incidents.”

It means that the true picture of just how much of an issue anti-social behaviour is in the town is unlikely to be reflected in the figures.

Although shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are among the most concerning issues, there are other offences which crop up in the statistics such as violence and sexual offences.

Last year, a total of 99 reports of violent and sexual offences were reported to police in the “hotspot” areas identified in our survey. This compares to 98 in the previous year.

The most high profile of those incidents was a report of a serious sexual assault in the town centre which saw police cordon off areas of James Street, Petergate and Market Place on October 5, 2023.

Rough sleeping, street drinking and drugs

Among the other areas of concern raised in our survey was rough sleeping (70%), street drinking (74%) and drug taking (66%).

Traders feel that these three issues are part of a wider problems currently affecting the town.

According to police data, reports of drugs, which includes possession, consumption and supply, has fallen slightly from 44 in 2022 to 40 last year.

The force themselves said Harrogate has a “low level” of drug offences for a town of its size.

Paul Rawlinson, who owns Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersens on Oxford Street, told us that the issue of rough sleeping is most pronounced in the summer when it is a “more comfortable option”.

A rough sleeper outside Primark in Harrogate town centre.

According to a freedom of information request from North Yorkshire Council, last year three females and 27 males were counted as sleeping rough in the Harrogate town centre area.

The council said all except eight of those were provided with alternative accommodation.

It added that the rough sleeping count for each year “could represent the same people where accommodation has been secured and then lost”.

There have been flashpoints over the last couple of years where businesses and residents have complained of people sleeping rough causing issues in their area.

In November 2022, concern was raised over rough sleeping, street begging and drinking at the back of Primark on Oxford Street.

At the time, Harrogate Borough Council said three “entrenched, long-term” rough sleepers had been sleeping overnight in the area.

The authority sought to assure residents and businesses that those gathering in the area had been offered accommodation, but was turned down. Those gathered there later accepted support.

Similarly, in November 2023, North Yorkshire Council erected fencing at a pavilion at Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens after rough sleepers occupied the area and returned twice after being dispersed.

The Stray Ferret followed the saga closely after nearby residents, who complained of anti-social behaviour during the group’s encampment. Many sympathised with the rough sleepers but wanted to know what long-term measures would be put in place on the site.

Why the stats matter?

Whether the statistics reflect the true picture is a significant issue because police crime figures determine how much resource is given to tackling a problem. The figures mean Harrogate is still designated as a low crime area by the police, despite the trader’s experiences.

On Thursday, we will be asking the force whether they could do more to tackle Harrogate’s problems and give confidence to the traders to report crimes.

But there are other agencies who work with the police to support people who traders feel to a greater or lesser extent are involved in some of the town’s issues. Those who help support the homeless and have responsibilities for youth justice.

Tomorrow, we look at the agencies outside of police enforcement who are involved in supporting people considered to be part of Harrogate’s issues.

Another 135 homes off Harrogate’s Skipton Road set for approval

Plans to build up to 135 homes off Skipton Road in Harrogate look set to be approved next week.

Harrogate company Rowan Green Developments submitted plans to North Yorkshire Council for a development on 8.8 hectares of agricultural land at Cow Dyke Farm, between the New Park roundabout and the Curious Cow of Harrogate roundabout.

Up to 54 homes termed affordable would be included.

Council case officer Helen Goulden has recommended members of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee approve the application, subject to 33 conditions, when it meets on Tuesday, March 26. The meeting will be broadcast live online by the council here.

Ms Goulden said in her 34-page report:

“The proposed development will make a valuable contribution to meeting housing need, including the delivery of affordable housing.

“The proposal will have an acceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area and no issues are raised at this outline stage in terms of highway matters, trees, ecology, or amenity.”

The land allocated for the scheme.

Her report added, however, that an outstanding objection from the lead local flood authority still required resolving.

The application, described in the report as “a significant and sensitive development”, received 71 objections and no representations of support during the public consultation phase.

The key concerns include the adverse impact on the character of the area, the visual impact, the loss of agricultural land and the loss of trees, hedgerows and wildlife habitat.

The site, which is included for development in the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, has a long planning history.

A bid for 180 homes in 2018 was refused amid concerns for housing density and further plans were then submitted for 145 homes.

The site is located on two fields of agricultural grassland to the north of the A59 Skipton Road (A59) towards the northwestern edge of Harrogate.

A map showing the site north of Skipton Road.

Killinghall Parish Council said in its consultation response it “neither objects nor supports the scheme” but raised various concerns, including problematic site access during construction.

The council suggested the developer should contribute £1.2 million for funding school expansion and new school places at primary and secondary level in mitigation for the impact of the scheme.

It has also called for an additional £369,000 to be spent on enhancing “various off-site open spaces in the locality and Killinghall Village Hall”.

A design and access statement on behalf of the developer said:

“Cow Dyke Farm will be a special place in Harrogate; strongly rooted in its landscape setting, with a unique character, providing the best of town country living.

“The site presents a wonderful opportunity for the provision of new housing within the wider setting of Harrogate in a site which strongly benefits from its strategic connections to the town and surrounding areas.”

Four fire crews tackle blaze at Pateley Bridge caravan site

Four fire crews were called to a blaze at a caravan site in Pateley Bridge in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters from Knaresborough, Grassington, Ripon and Harrogate rushed to the scene at 1.12am on Monday, March 18.

An investigation into the cause of the fire at the unnamed site is ongoing, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

A spokesperson added:

“The fire caused damage to a toilet block at the site with an attached workshop also suffering slight fire damage. Crews prevented the fire spreading any further.”

Fire crews extinguishing the flames in Pateley Bridge

Grassington Fire Station posted on social media:

“In the early hours we were sent to a building fire near Pateley Bridge alongside, Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough Fire Station.

Crews worked hard to prevent the fire taking the adjoining building before extinguishing the flames.”

The campsite engulfed in smoke

Grassington fire services at the scene last night

The wreckage at Pateley Bridge Caravan site

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Harrogate Dog Show to return next month

Harrogate Dog Show will return next month.

Harrogate Business Improvement District announced today the event will be held on the piazza outside Victoria Shopping Centre on Saturday, April 13 at 10am.

Different classes will be judged throughout the day, from dog that the judge would most like to take home to best cross breed.

No pre-booking is required: to register to take part dog owners can simply turn-up on the day from 10am and join in. The event will include a new ‘have-a-go’ mini dog park and dog training workshops with Scott Adair will be held throughout the day.

Today’s announcement also said a star judge, whose identity will be revealed at a later date, will appear at this year’s show.

The dog show first took place during the four-day platinum jubilee celebrations in 2022.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager, said it would be a fun event that contributed to the vibrancy of the town centre. He added:

“The worth of the UK pet care market was recently valued at £7.2 billon, so while this is a wonderful event that no doubt increases footfall, it also has a hugely positive impact on our local economy.”

Photo (from left): Bethany Allen, business and marketing executive at Harrogate BID with chair Andrea Thornborrow and joint vice chair Sara Ferguson.

Knaresborough school celebrates 50 years of foreign exchange programme

A Knaresborough secondary school is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foreign exchange programme.

King James’s School launched the exchange programme with its German partner school, Bruder Grimm Gesamtschul in Bebra, in 1974.

It came after Knaresborough was twinned with the town, based in Hesse, back in 1969.

Over the last five decades, both schools have held annual exchange programmes, whereby pupils visit each other at their neighbouring schools to develop friendships and improve language skills.

However, former languages teacher and UK founder of the school’s programme, Alan Hemsworth, said the programme “nearly didn’t happen at all”, adding:

“We had serious difficulties in finding accommodation for all the pupils and only a last-minute appeal in the local paper saved the day.”

Two pupils even stayed in a caravan at the bottom of someone’s garden, Mr Hemsworth added.

This year’s cohort of pupils will visit Bebra this month to commemorate the anniversary, as well as attending a special event in aid of the big birthday.

Pupils will sport hoodies made for the occasion.

Mrs Allison, one of the school’s languages teachers, said:

“Every year, I come across students participating in the exchange whose parents have fond memories themselves of spending time with their German friends.

“The school’s original aims in promoting the exchange were simple but important, and still hold good today: to promote tolerance, understanding and friendship, and a desire for pupils of all ages to learn a foreign language.”

Staff also recounted the days when English and German students would contact each by pen and paper. They said students now maintain friendships over social media and many meet each other virtually before meeting face-to-face.

Headteacher Mrs Martin also said:

“It is a great privilege to take part in these historic celebrations. Good international relationships are as important today as it they were in 1974 and I hope this exchange continues to go from strength to strength, bringing cherished memories and long-lasting friendships for years to come.”

Business Breakfast: Berwins Solicitors continues partnership with Harrogate International Festivals

Berwins solicitors continues its partnership with Harrogate International Festivals with its title sponsorship of Salon North for another season.

The series of speaker-events will make its return later this month, with the next of this season’s talks being held on Thursday April 11 at The Crown Hotel, Harrogate.

At each Salon three guest speakers explore ideas in art, science and psychology. Previous guests include former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger; classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes, zoologist, and science writer Matthew Cobb.

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals which curates and produces the Salon series, said:

“We are thrilled that Berwins Solicitors is continuing its sponsorship of these events and I’ve no doubt the loyal and growing Salon North fan base will be too. Without the backing of Berwins Solicitors we simply wouldn’t be able to stage these wonderfully engaging, enlightening and fun talks, which have been listed in ‘The Top 100 Things to do in the World’ by GQ magazine. We love producing these evenings that help us highlight the cultural prestige of Harrogate. Berwins Salon North has attracted some incredible speakers during its time and we have exciting plans for this year’s programme – watch this space.”

Associate director of Berwins Solicitors, Martin Whincup, said:

“We are delighted to have our name associated with Salon North for another season. Berwins Salon North, which has been a permanent and much-loved fixture on Harrogate’s cultural calendar for many years now, encourages reflection, deep thinking and self-improvement – habits that very much chime with our own – and we are proud to support these truly unique evenings. Each year, the Harrogate International Festivals team conjures up a diverse array of brilliant speakers, and I can’t wait to see who they will be bringing to Harrogate in 2024.”

Entrepreneur expands peer support model for business leaders

Richard Doyle, founded one of the region’s biggest IT businesses Esteem Systems in 1985, growing it to a £30m technology business before selling it in late 2004. He has unveiled plans to expand his latest venture across Yorkshire and the North East.

Having served as a non-executive director on over a dozen boards, Richard developed his own peer advisory board business, Pabasso, which provides support for regional Managing directors and CEOs.

He is now searching for others to help him grow his peer support model and make it accessible across a wider area. Ideally, searching for retired or semi-retired CEOs, managing directors or business coaches who want to run their own peer advisory board on a part-time basis. Those looking for a fuller time commitment have the option of running two boards.

Mr Doyle said:

“I have found it incredibly rewarding working with multiple business leaders helping them on their journey and sharing the expertise and experience of the other board members. By creating a board of business leaders, each with their own diverse businesses and individual challenges, the chair will find themselves at the heart of a dynamic process, facilitating cross-industry collaboration and transformative strategic insights.”

“As the founder of the original Pabasso foundation board, I have been able to use four decades of experience as a CEO and Non-Executive Director to help our members progress. Our mission is to make peer advisory boards one of the key support functions for established business leaders in the UK and I am looking forward to supporting our new chairs/franchisees to develop their own boards and help fuel economic growth in each designated region.”

Each board will operate as a commercial business, supporting up to 12 regional business leaders. Richard has developed the franchise model in collaboration with the Lime Licensing Group. The expansion will create new peer advisory boards including North Yorkshire.

Event management company move to accommodate growth

Impulse Decisions has purchased new offices in Cardale Park in Harrogate as part of significant growth.

Currently based Windsor House its recruitment plans for 2024 mean they will outgrow their current office.

James Marsden, chief executive officer said:

“I am Incredibly proud to have completed on our new Impulse Decisions offices. From humble beginnings in 2010, hiring out a couple of desks in the Additive-X Ltd offices, to the last 10 years in the brilliant Windsor House, to purchasing our very first offices is very special to the team and I.

“Even though we’ve got the keys, the hard work starts here as there is plenty of renovation work to be done until we can fully move in. The new space provides us with the opportunity for growth, allowing us to hit our goals of being best in class for our clients and takes us into the next chapter. Thank you to everyone that worked on getting this deal done at Progeny & the agents at Feather Smailes Scales.”

Libby Addyman, experiences and bookings assistant, said:

“I can’t wait to move to our new office and have a space that truly reflects who we are as a company. The open plan layout will enable us to work more collaboratively whilst offering a range of spaces for focused work, meetings and team building exercises. I’m excited to see what this next chapter brings for Impulse Decisions as we continue to develop and grow as a team!”.

Jack Nelson, designer of the new interior, said:

“Impulse are a unique company, who very much focus on their staff, who have all had input to the new building. The design will very much reflect impulse as a company and brand promoting communal working and a sense of community, whilst providing spaces for focused work and team building exercises etc. It will also enable Impulse to host more external clients/meetings in house as well as networking events in the future. It’s a very exciting project, which we are delighted to be part of.”

The new offices are expected to be ready by June.

Charity ball makes over £70,000

A charity Ball put together by local businesswoman Alice Maguire was held on Friday February 9 at Rudding Park Hotel with nearly 170 guests enjoying a LOVE themed evening all in aid of local Children’s Hospice, Martin House. Organisers have since announced that overall the amount raised for Martin House is in excess of £73,000.

This was the second year the Charity Ball put together after the inaugural event last February. Organiser Alice Maguire put the ball on after a close family member lost their son and she wanted to give something back.

Alice Maguire said:

“I cannot thank everyone enough for all the kindness and generosity in supporting our second Love Ball event. My intentions of organising an enjoyable fun evening whilst raising for this incredible Charity, exceeded anything I had imagined with the amount we have raised the first time to then repeat again this year is just mind blowing. I want to thank all my sponsors and for the generous donations we received before the event that included cash and prizes , without whom the night would not be possible and the great success it was. To Simon Cotton who gave his time and services yet again to be our auctioneer for the night , free of charge. To all my guests for coming along and being so supportive and generous on the night, I cannot thank you enough and really express how grateful I am to you all.”

Regional Fundraiser at Martin House, Rebecca Taylor said:

“The Love Ball was such a delight to be part of. The whole evening was buzzing with so much warmth and excitement. Thank you to all of the guests and businesses involved in ensuring its phenomenal success. The incredible £73,373.35 raised could help to fund a Clinical Nurse Specialist for 18 months, to provide specialist palliative care to children and their families in the place of their choice. Alice is an incredibly valued supporter of Martin House, and we are so grateful for her continued support and commitment to us.”

Plant Nursery collaborates to landscape M8 footbridge

Johnsons Nurseries Ltd, one of the UK’s leading plant nurseries, has completed a project in collaboration with Edinburgh-based P1 Contractors to landscape a new pedestrian and cyclist footbridge across the M8 as part of a £250 million regeneration north of Glasgow.

The £190,000 contract saw Johnsons Nurseries Ltd provide over 30,000 plantsnfor the 58-metre-long footbridge which will form an active travel route between the area of Sighthill and the city centre.

The landscaping work marks the completion of a 30-month build to install the bridge and represents a milestone in the delivery of the £250 million Sighthill Regeneration. It is the biggest project of its kind in the UK outside of London.

Johnsons Nurseries Ltd marketing manager, Eleanor Richardson, said:

“We are known for our expertise in supplying top-grade plants and trees to major construction and landscaping projects, and are proud to be part of this groundbreaking initiative.”