Shop selling handmade crafts opens today in Harrogate

A new shop selling items handmade in Yorkshire is to open in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre today.

Boggle Hole sells items made by about 90 crafters, artisans and designers in Yorkshire.

The shop, run by Mel and Andrew Turner, stocks a wide range of items from jewellery to children’s wear.

Ms Turner is a holistic therapist and Mr Turner served 22 years in the armed services.

The couple already have a similar shop in Northallerton, which they opened in July 2020.

Mr Turner said:

“Harrogate has a good feel about it with the right kind of people to appreciate quality handmade goods.

“There’s something for everybody. We work with 90 to 100 people that make something unique.”

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm appoints new head of estates

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Harrogate law firm has appointed a new head for its estates department.

Harriet Thornton will take the position at LCF Law, where she will oversee an 18-strong team.

Ms Thornton will take up the position as head of estates after initially training at the company as a lawyer.

She said:

“I’m particularly proud of the work I have done growing the firm’s leasehold enfranchisement division, helping both landlords and tenants with lease extensions as well as purchases and sales of their freeholds. We created a fixed fee staged costs model so when dealing with collective enfranchisements for blocks of apartments, every leaseholder knows exactly where they stand.

“Working with developers on projects across Leeds, London, Manchester and Harrogate is also particularly rewarding, as I get to assist them at every stage of the project, from site acquisition through to setting up the estate development and subsequent plot sales. I also help developers with purchase and development finance and always take a proactive approach to every project.”

Simon Stell, managing partner at LCF Law, said: 

“Harriet is a very capable and dependable lawyer who is well-liked by clients and colleagues. Having won and been shortlisted for several industry awards over the years, she has carved out an impressive career, built and enviable client list and led the way in providing first rate services that exceed clients’ expectations.”

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Work starts on Ripon Business Park expansion

Work has started on an expansion of a Ripon business park.

The park, which is based off Ripon bypass, looks set to see a further 25,000 sq ft of industrial and trade units built.

Construction is set to be complete by spring next year and FSS Property has been leading the project as its agent.

Adam Crawfurd-Porter, lead agent for the scheme at FSS Property, said:

“I am delighted to support my clients in developing the site further, ensuring a new provision of industrial units to service the needs of the local area.

“I was confident that the scheme we proposed would solicit good interest but to have pre-let over half of the site before building works have commenced is a great result”

FSS Property is taking enquiries on the remaining units on the site. For more information, visit their website.

Stray Views: Harrogate Station Gateway scheme is ‘long overdue’

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.

Station Gateway is ‘long overdue’

I’ve read the debate and articles, many of them in the Stray Ferret and have become increasingly disillusioned by the negativity. I think it’s now time for those like me who think this proposal is long overdue to say so.

It’s not perfect and personally I would like it to go further, but it goes some way to rebalancing the area in favour of those who choose/have to walk and cycle and to revitalise this area. It will help reconnect the town centre with surrounding communities and better link the railway and bus stations to the town. This type of scheme has been successfully done in other towns and cities and has proved truly transformative.

Station Parade is a ‘great’ example of the type of traffic planning which was inflicted on communities in the last century, across the country. These ring roads were designed to speed traffic through towns but with little regard for the impacts of the surrounding communities or other forms of transport.

With this scheme we now have a chance to start to put some of this right.

Much of the debate has been about how many seconds will be added to journeys and the impact on businesses. With the reduced impact of traffic in this area, better connection of the town centre and a revitalised local area, there must be the potential for a better business environment. There may be some extra seconds on journeys but the bigger picture of improved lives and business success must surely be worth it.

Let’s not also forget that this scheme is being achieved through external government finance, a pretty rare thing these days. If we miss this opportunity and fail to deliver, don’t be surprised if the next time we ask for help there is a sceptical response.

So let’s get behind this scheme and show what we’re capable of achieving.

The consultation closes on 23 August. Have your say, it will be too late afterwards wishing you’d bothered to respond, when the doom merchants talk it out of time. Fill in the survey here.

Ian Brown, Knaresborough

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Relief at Beech Grove LTN end

Thank goodness the boxes are to be removed.

We used Beech Grove to park our car for the last 50 years as it allowed us to walk on the Stray for pleasure or just going into the town centre. Why did Beech Grove almost always have parking space available?

With the boxes installed we had no means of taking pleasure of walking across the Stray.

It is almost impossible to have a walk on any of the Stray as all parking places are occupied nearly all day. This makes the Stray a useless piece of land as the residents of the area plus visitors cannot use it.

Going back to Beech Grove, I have always thought that it should be a one way going up from The Avenue to Otley Road. As a two way traffic route it meant that a lot of speeding took place to get past the cars parked on it.

Allan Campbell, Harrogate

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.

Campaign to promote cycling arrives in Harrogate this month

A campaign for anyone wishing to rediscover or start cycling is arriving in Harrogate this month.

Ten free workshops for adults will take place in Harrogate in August and September as part of the Big Bike Revival 2022; aiming to break down barriers to cycling, improve bike confidence and help people cycle more safely on the roads.

Free bikes and helmets can also be pre-booked in advance and locations include Cardale Park, Hornbeam Park, OneWellness Clubs, on Mowbray Square, St Marks Church and the Great Yorkshire Showground.

Places are filling fast, according to organisers Cycling UK, so anyone inspired to get more active by the Lionesses, Tour De France or Commonwealth Games is advised to book early.

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Workshops will be delivered by accredited British Cycling coach, Kate Auld, from The Personal Cyclist, which is based in Harrogate.

She said:

“These sessions are about encouraging and supporting everyone to try cycling again. I wanted to get behind this important campaign to help everyone rediscover the joys of cycling in daily life; from getting fitter to saving money on fuel.”

According to latest research by Cycling UK, leisure cycling increased from 35% to 55% during 2020 and 42% of people in England own or have access to a bike. In 2020 this rose to 47%.

To book contact Kate on 07779 152750 or email: thepersonalcyclist@gmail.com.

The full programme:

BIKE CONFIDENCE SESSIONS:

SOCIAL CYCLE DATES:

Cyclist suffered ‘serious injuries’ in Harrogate crash

A cyclist suffered serious injuries in a crash with a car in Harrogate yesterday, police said today.

A stretch of Cold Bath Road was closed for hours following the collision at the junction with West Cliffe Grove.

The air ambulance landed on the Stray so paramedics could offer medical treatment quickly.

North Yorkshire Police said it had now traced the driver of a dark-coloured hatchback who they appealed for help finding yesterday.

Officers are now appealing to anyone who saw a white Vauxhall Viva travelling uphill on Cold Bath Road from the direction of the Fat Badger hotel bar roundabout or saw the cyclist travelling in the opposite direction to get in touch.

Cold Bath Road

The scene at the junction of Cold Bath Road and West Cliffe Grove yesterday.

A police statement said:

“The rider of the pedal cycle suffered serious injuries at the scene and was taken to hospital for medical treatment following the incident at around 1.40pm on Friday.

“Police appeal for any witnesses to the collision or anyone who has CCTV/dash cam footage that may assist the investigation to come forward.”

If you can help, contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident 12220142867. Or email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Quote reference number 12220142867 when providing details.

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Hot Seat: The Harrogate man leading the way in luxury care

When Graeme Lee was in his mid-20s, he organised a holiday for 24 people in two chalets in France. Tragically, two of them died on the trip.

Devastated, he took a year off from his job as a senior manager at Marks & Spencer. His sabbatical drifted into a second year until it ended abruptly when his mother fell ill and he rushed home to be with her. Within four weeks she was dead.

Thirty years on, Mr Lee is one of Harrogate’s most successful businessmen. His company Springfield Healthcare has six care homes, a £30m turnover and 1,500 staff, including domiciliary care. It wasn’t university or education that forged him, but those early losses.

He says:

“They were two of the most traumatic things that have ever happened to me.

“I can’t tell you how responsible I felt for what happened on the holiday. One of the girls wasn’t going to go and I lent her the money.

“Those two years away transformed me. I learned a lot about the meaning of life.”

It has been some journey. Mr Lee grew up in a small care home his mum and dad owned in Garforth, West Yorkshire, regularly moving bedrooms to accommodate residents and watching TV with them at night.

He then struck out on his own at M&S until his mother’s death proved a turning point. He says:

“Shortly before she died, Mum asked if I would look after Dad and the business and my two sisters. I’ve tried to do that ever since.”

Care homes are light years away from what they were when Mr Lee was young. He says:

“Care homes in the 1970s had bad reputations. Your grandma would say ‘don’t ever put me into a care home’. That’s driven me over the years. I want to change how older people perceive care homes.”

Harcourt Gardens

Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate

Today Springfield Healthcare, which has six homes providing 500 beds, is at the forefront of luxury care. Think cinema days, rooftop terraces and gin bars.

Harcourt Gardens, which opened close to Harrogate town centre in December, is registered for 115 residents. Its facilities include a cinema room, gym, hairdressing salon and spa, and landscaped gardens. He adds:

“The most important thing for me is that it’s in the heart of the community. Older people want to live in their community.”

Naturally it isn’t cheap — prices in Harrogate start at £1,250 a week. Mr Lee says his company creates an option for people able to afford the choice and provides value for money.

Harcourt Gardens, which employs 50 staff, took more than seven years to go from vision to completion. Covid and a flooded basement added to the delays.

How does he top that? Another site in Harrogate could raise the bar even higher.

‘Holy grail of care’

Graeme Lee at Grove House

Outside Grove House

Three years ago, Mr Lee bought Grove House, a grade two listed building off Skipton Road that was once the home of Victorian inventor, philanthropist and mayor Samson Fox.

Grove House belonged at the time to the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, a fraternal movement. A flag showing the initials GLE hung outside, indicating it was the organisation’s grand lodge of England.

So when Mr Lee, whose car number plate bears the initials GLE after his name, turned up to check out the site, there was a sense of fate. That there is a plaque about Samson Fox near his Harrogate home added to this.

He bought the site for £3 million and now plans to transform it into “the holy grail of care”.

He wants to convert Grove House to accommodate 23 independent living apartments and build a 70-bed care home and eight houses providing supported living for over-65s on land alongside it.

Schoolchildren from nearby Grove Road Community Primary School will be invited to participate in activities alongside residents and use the gardens for study and play. The site will also host an annual garden party for the community.

Grove House

The vision for Grove House.

He says:

“I want to bring Grove House back to life and make it part of the community.

“All of my 28 years in care have led me to this. We are giving back to the community and school. It’s not just about making money; it’s about doing the right things.”

‘Strong regional provider’

Mr Lee, who will be an energetic 57 next month, is eyeing other projects.

He’s bought the former Summer Cross pub in Otley and hopes to get planning permission to convert it into a care home. He’s also looking at a site in Wetherby. But his empire is unlikely to swell much more.

“I don’t want to be the biggest, I want to be the best. I want to be a good, strong regional provider.”

Times, however, are tough. Brexit, he says, has “not had a significant impact” besides the fact that he now employs fewer European staff, but he describes the impact of the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills as “massive”.

“I’ve never known it as challenging in my 28 years. We have increased pay rates by 11% for domcare and fuel allowance by 33% and it hasn’t even touched the sides.”

By contrast, he says some local authorities have only increased the rates they pay private providers by 3%, which he describes as “absolutely unacceptable”.

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The company is also focusing on staff wellbeing and provides a hardship fund for those in need.

The rise in agency staff is another big change in the care sector, which he attributes largely to evolving work patterns.

“Ten years ago, I didn’t have any agency staff. Now people want to work for four to six weeks and then have a month off.”

Care homes are a major part of the Harrogate district economy but most people, says Mr Lee, make the mistake of not thinking about them until there’s a family crisis. Then they are suddenly forced to make rushed decisions. He says:

“There are so many good care homes on your doorstep here in Harrogate. Go and start looking.”

Mr Lee has two grow-up children from his previous relationship. Son Hugo runs a recruitment company and daughter Rafaela is at university. He now lives with partner Heidi and her three boys.

Away from work, he “plays golf, badly” off a 13 handicap, and is a member of Alwoodley golf club in Leeds. He also enjoys mini-breaks.

He’s come a long way but the 1990s are never far from his mind.

He is close friends with the parents of one of the girls who died and he’s still driven by the promise he made to his mum to look after the business and to keep raising the bar on care homes.

“I’m totally committed to providing the holy grail of care. I want it to feel like a hotel when people walk in.”

Harrogate district paddling pools to stay open but flower watering to reduce under hosepipe ban

Watering of public flower displays in the Harrogate district could be reduced over the coming weeks after the announcement of a hosepipe ban later this month.

Harrogate Borough Council said it will be working to reduce its water use in line with Yorkshire Water’s decision, which comes into force on Friday, August 26.

However, the authority said its three public paddling pools will remain open in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens, Knaresborough’s Bebra Gardens, and Borrage Green in Ripon.

A spokesperson said:

“Following the Yorkshire Water announcement about the hosepipe ban, we are looking at what measures we can and should implement to conserve water supplies.

“Unfortunately, this may result in our baskets and floral displays looking a bit the worse for wear but we hope people will understand the reasons why.

“Our paddling pools are currently filled until after the August bank holiday, and we welcome residents and visitors using ours across the Harrogate district rather than their own.”

Harrogate parks staff

Harrogate’s famous floral displays could go un-watered.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire County Council said it would be following the rules when the hosepipe ban comes into force.

Council leader Carl Les, whose portfolio includes emergency planning, said:

“We are looking at our services and where exemptions may apply, and we will be conforming with the rules. We would urge all residents to follow the advice already given out nationally and regionally on how they can conserve water usage, as we will be.

“Let’s also take care in these tinder dry conditions to avoid starting fires, which not only use large amounts of water to extinguish, but can also threaten property and in some cases lives.”

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The hosepipe ban is the first to be introduced in Yorkshire since 1995.

People are asked not to use hosepipes for domestic activities including watering plants or grass, washing cars, filling paddling pools or swimming pools, or cleaning outdoor surfaces.

The activities are still permitted if they are carried out without a hosepipe, such as with a bucket or watering can, or if a water butt is used, for example.

Blue Badge holders, people on Yorkshire Water priority services register and those on the WaterSure tariff for medical reasons are exempt from the ban.

The restrictions do not apply to commercial premises using a hosepipe for essential activities.

Planters moved as Harrogate’s Beech Grove reopens

Harrogate’s Beech Grove has re-opened to through traffic.

North Yorkshire County Council introduced an experimental order in February last year closing the road at the junction with Lancaster Road.

The move was initially brought in as a one-year trial but was later extended to 18 months.

It aimed to encourage cycling and walking and there were suggestions the closure could become permanent.

But the council announced this month the order would end.

The decision proved popular with some residents and motorists, who said it merely increased traffic on neighbouring streets, but upset some cyclists, who had been told Beech Grove would be a central part of plans to create an integrated cycle route between Cardale Park and Harrogate train station.

Today the planters enforcing the closure were removed, two days before the experimental order was due to expire.

A council spokesman said this afternoon:

“Beech Grove and Lancaster Road are now open to vehicles.”

But what happens next is unclear.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said it will review the situation and then “bring forward a detailed and coordinated plan, connecting active travel initiatives such as Otley Road and Station Gateway together”.

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Organisers gear up for first Ripley Show in three years

Ripley Show will make its return this weekend after a three-year break – and organisers say enthusiasm has never been higher.

With a sunny forecast and plenty of advance tickets already sold, the show field at Ripley is set to be packed with visitors on Sunday.

Having last been held in 2019 before the covid pandemic, the show is returning in its familiar format, with livestock and equestrian classes, a companion dog show, and horticulture and craft competitions.

The main ring will feature displays of heavy horses, a hound parade and an “anti-gravity” show from Savage Skills.

Show secretary Tammy Smith said:

“The preparations are going well. We’re all a little bit rusty after three years off and trying to remember what we all should be doing, but everybody’s pitching in and turning up.

“It’s amazing, all the volunteers are incredible – they just arrive and get on with sorting everything out.

“It’s great to be getting back to it.”

Ms Smith said while some of the volunteers had moved on since the last show, there had been a number of new people offering to help and Knaresborough Young Farmers was also bringing its members to keep things running smoothly.

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With the forecast looking sunny and hot, with highs of 30C, Ms Smith said the organisers will be keeping an eye on conditions to ensure animals, exhibitors and visitors were kept safe and well.

Tickets for the show are available in advance on the website, which organisers said will speed up entry on the day.

Some tickets will still be available on the gate at £15 for adults and £6 for children aged between five and 16. Family tickets are available and Ripley Show also offers membership, with benefits including preferential car parking.

Prologue opens ‘luxury showroom’ for bikes in Harrogate

Performance cycling business Prologue is to open the bike equivalent of a “luxury car showroom” in Harrogate tomorrow.

The showroom will display some of the finest quality bikes on the market, ranging in price from £3,000 to £15,000.

The showroom is based in Wellington House, the former hotel on Cold Bath Road.

John and Rachael Reid opened Prologue in another unit in Wellington House in 2014 — the year the Tour de France came to the Harrogate district.

Since then Prologue’s distinctive yellow branding has become a feature of Cold Bath Road. It has a shop selling cycling gear and clothing, a workshop, a bike fitting area and a café open to everyone.

But it doesn’t sell many bikes simply because there isn’t space.

The new showroom, in the former White Stone Ski and Sports Store, will address that by stocking up to 40 bikes.

The white lines of a road have been painted in the middle of the showroom and bikes will be displayed there, as well as hung from the walls to create a high end feel.

Mr Reid said:

“It will provide that same level of experience you get in a luxury car showroom.

“If you’re buying a high quality bike you want to enjoy the experience of going through that process of looking at it and trying it and getting that personal service.”

Prologue

Prologue is expanding on Cold Bath Road.

Harrogate’s cycling hub

Scottish-born Mr Reid, who previously worked in software sales, opened Prologue eight years ago when he was looking for a change of career and lifestyle.

A keen cyclist, he and his wife, who used to work in the same building on Cold Bath Road when it was home to Harrogate Interiors, funded the business themselves.

They now employ eight full-time staff and several part-time and the shop only closes three days a year.

The business has benefitted from a surge of interest in performance cycling and British success in the Tour de France but the couple have worked hard to create a social hub as well as a business.

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They quickly forged links with local clubs Harrogate Nova and Cappuccino Cycling Club, whose members often converge outside. They also host talks on subjects such as nutrition and training and have even hold film screenings.

A launch event for the new showroom at Prologue tomorrow will feature a bike belonging to Tom Pidcock, the Leeds cyclist who represented Team Ineos, the leading British cycling team, at this year’s Tour de France.