Taxpayers in North Yorkshire are set to fund a new tourism organisation in the wake of Welcome to Yorkshire’s demise.

Welcome to Yorkshire entered administration on Tuesday after years of financial and reputational difficulties.

Yorkshire Leaders Board, which represents council leaders and metro mayors, agreed at a private meeting this week there should be a new regional destination marketing organisation funded by local authority grants. A timeline will be agreed in May.

The prospect of local authorities, including North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council, funding another tourism body has prompted concrns.

Stuart Parsons, leader of the Independent group on the Conservative-controlled county council, said:

“North Yorkshire County Council and the district / borough councils have spent vast amounts supporting this organisation with little or no return.

“The idea of setting up another group at this moment is just laughable.”

Welcome to Yorkshire in happier times.

‘Couldn’t organise a tea party’

Cllr Parsons was also critical of the decision by Yorkshire Leaders Board to publish a summary of a tourism report by Merran McRae, a former chief executive of Wakefield and Calderdale councils, rather than the full report. He added:

“We haven’t seen the report and so don’t know just how rotten things were. Also given that the leaders of North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council served on the existing board I’m afraid that I would have no confidence in their ability to organise a tea party let alone a regional agency.

“All previous board members must be prevented from serving on any new organisation as they have failed taxpayers.”

Stuart Parsons

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, was a Welcome to Yorkshire board member for five years until administration. Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, was a board member from 2016 to 2019.

A Conservative county councillor, who asked not to be named, branded Cllr Les’ five years on the board as a “litany of failure”, adding:

“It fits with other issues showing a lack of judgement — the loss-making Brierley Group companies and the £9m acquisition of the Royal Baths in Harrogate.

“Some of the core services North Yorkshire County Council runs are excellent but when it comes to commercial judgement, it’s a series of disasters.”

Read more:

• Welcome to Yorkshire enters administration
• Harrogate council to continue to fund Welcome to Yorkshire

£85,000 a year from county council

The county council paid annual subscriptions of £85,000 to Welcome to Yorkshire.

Carl Les

Cllr Les said the new tourism body would be smaller than Welcome to Yorkshire and focus on strategic marketing to “get people interested in coming to Yorkshire” and leave specific initiatives to other groups.

He said his anonymous critic “doesn’t actually know an awful lot about what has happened” and added “it was a pity they didn’t challenge me face-to-face”.

Cllr Les added he was unable to discuss Welcome to Yorkshire in detail as it was now being managed by administrators.

£62,100 since 2012 from Harrogate Borough Council

Harrogate Borough Council has paid £62,100 from its holiday tourism marketing budget to Welcome to Yorkshire over the last decade — but hopes to get £12,100 reimbursed.

A spokesman added:

“We recognise the need for an organisation that has a Yorkshire-wide focus to help develop the Yorkshire brand in order to attract visitors to the region.

“This enables us to build on the successes of Destination Harrogate, and the reputation we have as an events destination, to drive both leisure and business visitors to the Harrogate district.”

Welcome to Yorkshire chairman Peter Box said in a statement:

“The past three years have been incredibly difficult for board members and staff as we have endeavoured to deal with well-publicised legacy issues.

“These matters, coupled with the impact of covid and the task of securing sufficient funding from the public and private sectors to place Welcome to Yorkshire on a sound financial footing, have made the situation increasingly challenging.”

“It is my sincere hope that the public sector will recognise the value of a new regional destination management organisation to build on the many achievements of WtY.

Council leader Richard Cooper has not responded to a request for comment by the Stray Ferret.

Richard Cooper

Armstrong Watson LLP has been appointed as joint administrators of Welcome to Yorkshire.

County Councillor Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire’s deputy leader for finance and assets, said in a statement:

“This is disappointing news, but we now have an opportunity to work with all our partners across Yorkshire to build a new destination marketing company with a new funding model that will help the whole of Yorkshire punch its weight and build on its globally recognised brand.

“North Yorkshire has seen its fair share of benefits from the work of Welcome to Yorkshire in past years in attracting visitors to the county for world class events such as Tour de Yorkshire and our role in the Grand Depart of the Tour de France. And it’s important to say that all loans made to the Welcome to Yorkshire by the county council have been repaid in full with agreed interest.”

It remains to be seen whether the new organisation, which could be run by many of those involved with Welcome to Yorkshire, will avoid the same mistakes.

Harrogate medical professionals have welcomed new laws which will require people administering Botox or fillers to have a licence.

The government has announced an amendment to the Health and Care Bill which intends to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

It follows an “unacceptable” rise in reports of botched cosmetic procedures in the UK.

Nurse Sharon Bennett, director of Harrogate Aesthetics, on Princes Square, is the chair of the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN).

For years she has played a major role in fighting to push the legislation through, stating that it was “long overdue”.

However, she said the BACN continued to campaign for only regulated healthcare professionals to be able to carry out these procedures.

Only healthcare practitioners

Ms Bennett, who also sits on the clinical governance committee for the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), said:

“We have been part of the advisory group informing government to improve patient safety and to make some form of legislation.

“My personal view is that we don’t need legislation if the government just said only healthcare practitioners can practice. Then there would be no need, because we are all regulated. That would be ideal.

“There will always be rogue practitioners, but they are at least accountable and the regulators can deal with them and get rid of them.

“However, you can currently go anywhere in this area and get an injectable. They might claim they are an ‘aesthetic practitioner’, but might have only done a one-day course and before this they were a taxi driver or something. That’s where the problems lie.”

The “scope and details” of the new regulations will be “determined via extensive engagement including a public consultation”, the Department of Health said.

The scheme would aim to bring in consistent standards that practitioners must meet and set out hygiene and safety standards for premises.

Details on the public consultation on non-surgical cosmetic procedures are expected to be set out at a later date.

Rogue injectors

Dr Claire Seddon, who is a practising GP, runs aesthetics clinics in Harrogate, Leeds and Liverpool.

She said:

“This is great news for our industry. There are so many rogue injectors about who give the ones who work with care, precisions and adhere to guidelines a bad name.

“Hopefully the licence will standardise practice, not just for medical professionals, but also for non-medics.”

Dr Claire Seddon.

Both Ms Bennett and Dr Claire said one of the main issues was the aftercare of the patient and knowledge of how to treat them if there were any complications.

They have both had to correct treatments that have gone wrong, with problems mainly surrounding high-risk treatments such as dermal fillers.

‘We can deal with complications’

Nurse prescriber Ms Bennett, who has had to dissolve and administer antibiotics and steroids for botched fillers numerous times, said:

“When you have got someone lying here, we are not just injecting them. We are watching them and we can deal with anything that happens.

“I have seen someone who has had Botox around their eye, which has affected their smile. That’s because the practitioner came to low. Botox eventually wears off, so you just have to tell them to wait and it will come back.

“With filler you can actually block an artery if you go too deep. What happens then is it restricts the blood flow and the skin can die. You have to then inject something called Hyalase to dissolve the filler.

“If you are with the wrong person, it can make a massive difference.”

They said there are also issues surrounding the prescription of Botox, with rogue practitioners often buying cheap unknown products online from Korea or China.

And current rules mean an aesthetic practitioner does not need any mandatory qualifications, meaning anyone can go on a basic training course and then be allowed to perform the treatments.

This is also the case when it comes to where Botox and fillers are actually administered.

‘People deserve better’

Dr Claire, who has been practising aesthetics for seven years, said:

“People literally do it in sunbed shops.

“One girl who came to me went to someone who was doing it in their house. She got there and the person who was doing it was lying on the sofa in her dressing gown. She then took her into the kitchen where she was in the middle of cooking a meal and administered Botox. She didn’t even have gloves on. That’s what we are dealing with.

“Some beauty therapists treat it like they are doing someone’s make-up, but they are injecting into someone’s face. They don’t have the knowledge or the drugs to treat the patient if there are any complications.

“This will 100 per cent be a good thing for the industry. People deserve better.”

40 years ago two spandex-clad giants came to Harrogate.

The names Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks conjure up scenes of smoky ballrooms and chants of ‘easy easy easy’.

Harrogate’s opulent Royal Hall has hosted ballet, theatre and opera in its 120-year history — but for many people, it’s memories of big blokes wrestling that they cherish the most.

The Stray Ferret uncovered an advert for a tag team contest that involved Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks, which took place on a Monday night in February 1982.

Tickets cost £1.50 but it was £2 for ringside seats, a chance perhaps for the ladies to whack the wrestlers with their handbags.

Other household names such as Les Kellett, Jackie Pallo, Mick McManus and Kendo Nagasaki were also regular performers at the Royal Hall throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

The opulent Royal Hall regularly hosted wrestling. Credit – Jim Counter

“20 stone bull-necked brute”

Big Daddy, who was born Shirley Crabtree, was billed on the card as “children’s favourite, a hero of our time”.

The Halifax man was 6ft 6″ tall and had a record-breaking 64″ chest.

But even he was dwarfed on the night by his ring nemesis Giant Haystacks, who was billed as 6ft 11″ scaling a gigantic 40 stone. 

Haystacks reputedly ate three pounds of bacon and a dozen eggs every morning to maintain his strength. Paul McArtney and Frank Sinatra were fans.

Legend in Harrogate goes that after the match, Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks went for a drink at the cocktail bar in the Traveller’s Rest pub, but they both had to duck through the entry and just about filled the place on their own.

Also on the Royal Hall card in 1982 was Castleford wrestler, the “20 stone bull-necked brute” Mal King Kong Kirk.

But in a sad twist, he died in the ring after a trademark Big Daddy Splash and it was said Daddy was never the same man afterwards.

Read more:

• Harrogate man’s dream of making it as a professional wrestler
• Harrogate-born professional wrestler Bea Priestley joins WWE

Good memories

We asked members of the Facebook page Harrogate, Past, Present And Future if anyone had memories of the night in 1982.

Paul Mitchell said the fans went home happy after Big Daddy’s team won:

“Yes I remember, Giant Haystacks was disqualified before the bout started, so Big Daddy won”.

Jill Rimmel said she used to go to the wrestling at the Royal Hall with friends from work.

“There was a lady that sat ring side with her handbag that lashed out at the wrestler’s, so funny. I could have been there that night, good memories.”

Susan Aspey added:

“My mum used to work at the Royal Hall and I used to go and watch the wrestling sometimes. Jimmy Two Rivers was a favourite there as well.”

A new cocktail bar promising a “sanctuary away from the madness” of Harrogate’s Parliament Street will open on March 18.

Roland’s Bar is situated in the former Moss Bros unit in the heart of the town’s nightlife.

It will be the second Roland’s Bar, following on from the flagship venue in Leeds.

Amanda Keegan, events and marketing manager at Roland’s, said besides cocktails, the venue would serve “the best Guinness in Harrogate” as well as a wide selection of beers, including some from the town’s Cold Bath Brewery Co.

Roland’s Bar Leeds. Pic: Roland’s Bar

Asked what would differentiate it from the many other bars in the area, she said:

“The warm welcome, the high quality of drinks and the easy, relaxed atmosphere. It will be a sanctuary away from the madness.”

Ms Keegan said the family-owned business would decide the opening times next week. She added:

“We hope to bring the same energy, warmth and experience to our beautiful new home on Parliament Street.”

Read more:

• New Harrogate cocktail bar given go-ahead
• Sneak Peek: Cheese, wine and charcuterie bar opens today in Harrogate

Latest figures reveal how dramatically the covid rate of infection has fallen in the Harrogate district over the past month.

Data published by North Yorkshire County Council shows the seven-day rate of infection was 344 per 100,000 people on March 1.

On February 1, when the Omicron variant was rampant, the rate was 1,300 per 100,000 people.

Although the rate continues to fall, there have still been covid-related deaths reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

NHS England figures show that one death was recorded on February 28 and another on February 25.

There have been 232 covid-related deaths at the hospital since the pandemic started almost two years ago.

Read more:

• Harrogate district volunteers wanted to fill sandbags for floods
• Community banking service to open in Knaresborough library

From Tuesday, the rules for people visiting patients in Harrogate and Ripon’s hospitals will be relaxed.

Since December 23, visitors have only been allowed for patients on end-of-life care, patients with a learning disability or severe cognitive impairment such as dementia. Visits to parents or carers of children and birthing partners are also permitted.

But from Tuesday, patients can have one visitor, by appointment, between 2pm-4pm for 30 minutes. Only two visitors will be allowed in each bay at any one time.

The Stray Ferret celebrates its second birthday today.

The website launched on March 4, 2020 — less than three weeks before the first national covid lockdown.

Much has changed since then, and the Stray Ferret has been first with the news that matters to people in the Harrogate district.

In December last year we launched our App which can be downloaded here. The Stray Ferret website and app now attract more than a million page views a month and an average of  210,000 users. We have a very engaged social media following of more than 24,000 who comment on stories, debate the issues we report on and tell us what they think of our journalism.

Readership has grown consistently and we look forward to continuing to serve the people of Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham, as well as all points in between.

Thank you for your support. Keep sending us your news to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

We thought you might be interested to see which stories got the most attention in the past year.

Top 10 most-read Stray Ferret stories

1. Live blog on Jennyfields gas leak
2. Live blog on last month’s floods
3. St Aidan’s school in Harrogate rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted
4. Harrogate Food Hall to close after just six months
5. Guide to fireworks display in the Harrogate district
6. Live blog: Fuel Watch
7. Taylor Wimpey responds to TV report of ‘nightmare’ Harrogate new build
8. Delivery van gets stuck on Harrogate’s Stray after attempting shortcut
9. Harrogate Christmas market cancelled
10. Arrest warrant for former Coach and Horses landlord

Harrogate district residents can apply for grants of up to £1,000 for events that celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

Harrogate Borough Council announced today it has launched a £15,000 community grants scheme to help people enjoy the extended bank holiday from June 2 to 5.

Applications can be made for grants of between £200 and £1,000 for events and activities taking place over the Jubilee bank holiday.

Organisations can also apply for up to £2,000 for legacy projects that must be completed by September 30.

Council leader Richard Cooper said:

“I’m delighted that we can offer grants to help celebrate the Her Majesty The Queen’s platinum jubilee.

“We’re looking for some really creative ideas that will remember the impact this momentous event has across the country. Whether that’s an art project, street decoration or legacy project, we want you to apply before the closing date in April.”

Read more:

• Street party fees waived in North Yorkshire for Queen’s jubilee
• Knaresborough reveals plans to celebrate Queen’s platinum jubilee
• Ripon gala concert will celebrate the Queen’s jubilee

A council press release said applicants must be able to show a clear link to the jubilee celebrations. It added:

“Proposals are welcome from parish and town councils, voluntary and community groups and schools that are wanting to host a community activity or legacy project that benefits the wider community.”

Guidance notes and an online application form are available here.

The closing date for all applications is noon on Friday April 8. Applicants will be notified of the decision the week commencing April 25.

Harrogate Borough Council has approved an application to convert the former Home Guard club in Harrogate into the town’s first mosque.

The building on the corner of Tower Street and Belford Road has stood derelict for several years but Harrogate Islamic Association plans to bring it back into use as a place of worship for Muslims.

The association, which was set up in 2011, has been looking for a permanent home for several years, with previous attempts at securing a site falling through. Around 100 Muslim worshippers currently meet in the Quakers’ Friends Meeting House on Queen Parade.

The association also organises prayer sessions at Chain Lane Community Hub in Knaresborough.

Sustainable travel

The planning application was submitted in December and received 107 letters of support and 68 objections.

Several objections said the Mosque would increase traffic in the area and that there would be a lack of car parking spaces, but these points were dismissed by council officer Arthama Lakhanpall in his report.

He wrote:

“The site is well connected to transport links and lies within a sustainable location for travel and access. It would promote walking, cycling and sustainable travel in this town centre location. It would therefore be accessible.

“There is no requirement for the proposal to provide off-street parking provision, although the site benefits from nearby short stay and long stay parking areas including the West Park pay and display and multi-storey car parks, and on-street parking on Belford Place, Belford Road and Victoria Avenue.”

The council tweeted the news this morning.

We know there has been a lot of interest surrounding planning application 21/04557/FUL (conversion of vacant former home guards club to place of worship).

We can confirm approval was given (subject to conditions) today under delegated powers. pic.twitter.com/BdMBtQXmWd

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) March 4, 2022

The HIA will run religious, community and charitable events at the building. It will also support Syrian and Afghan refugees who have moved to the area.

Read more:

• Malcolm Neesam History: the colourful past of what could become Harrogate’s first mosque
• Harrogate district church leaders back mosque

Whilst the HIA has obtained planning approval, the next stage is raising money to purchase the building from the current owner.

£200,000 fundraiser

It hopes to raise £200,000 and has set up a fundraising page here where people can donate.

Harrogate Islamic Association said:

“We are grateful to everyone in the Harrogate community who supported us, including those at Harrogate Borough Council who engaged with us regularly to alleviate any concerns during the process.

“We view this as a success for everyone in Harrogate, not just ourselves. We can’t wait to welcome one and all for a cuppa.

“Our next step is to raise the balance of funds necessary for us to purchase the property outright. Although we have raised most of what we need, we had a number of pledges that were dependent upon planning permission being granted.

“So for the next 30 days, we will be collecting these pledges, inshallah. We are also re-launching a crowdfunding campaign to make up the difference.”

A YouTuber with 472,000 subscribers has described Harrogate’s Thug Sandwich as “the biggest 10 I’ve given so far, just outstanding”.

Danny Malin, the man behind Rate My Takeaway, visited Harrogate on Wednesday.

Mr Malin has reviewed over 200 takeaways and isn’t afraid of giving an honest opinion but he raved about Thug, rating it the “number one takeaway”. He said:

“It’s slipped into number one for me. I don’t think I’ve tried something so tasty in a while. It’s the biggest 10 I’ve given so far because I can’t stress to you how gorgeous these flavours are.”

Thug Sandwich, on Albert Street, is a popular lunch spot in Harrogate. After calls from his followers to visit, Mr Malin decided to find out what the fuss was about.

He ordered an onion bhaji scotch egg, a pig in duvet, lamb belly fingers and the Reuben and KFCaesar sandwiches.

The much-loved KFCaesar sandwich is the shop’s best seller. After just one bite, Mr Malin said:

“This sandwich is what dreams are made of, I can see why it’s the most popular. It’s so tasty. That is how fried chicken should be.”

The KFCaesar sandwich. Photograph: @thugsandwichco, Instagram

Describing Albert Street as having a “New York feel”, he said the small, independent takeaway was leaps ahead of its big brand neighbours, including Yo! Sushi and Pizza Express.

In just 16 hours the video has had over 67,000 views and in usual Danny Malin style the majority of it is shot with him sitting outside the takeaway at a folding table and chairs.

After finishing his £23 haul, he said:

“If I’m honest, dare I say it, that homemade scotch egg is absolutely outstanding. The sauces are gorgeous and the lamb belly fingers are a dream. I’m dribbling — it’s that good. I must have the best job in the world sampling this food.

“The pastrami in the Reuben has better flavour than the pastrami bagel places in London. It just hits you. Do not let the name deceive you. I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this.

“Get down here and try it out.”

Read more:

• New restaurant to open at former Bistrot Pierre site in Harrogate
• Sneak Peek: Cheese, wine and charcuterie bar opens today in Harrogate

Daniel Bell, owner of Thug Sandwich, said:

“I thought that Danny and the Rate My Takeaway team might pay me a visit at some point with him only being from Leeds. But that still didn’t stop me from being a little starstruck when he walked in after regularly watching his videos for several months.

“To my surprise he said we were the best takeaway he’d ever visited.

“It makes it worth it to hear from someone who has ‘eaten it all’ that we’re doing it right.”

Delays of up to 10 minutes are being reported along Ripon Road through Killinghall and on Knaresborough Road heading towards the Empress roundabout.

Be aware of the three-way traffic lights on York Place which could increase your queuing time after getting over the Empress roundabout.

It may be best to leave a little earlier if possible if you’re driving into Harrogate town centre this morning.

Keep us posted with any traffic updates on our social media channels or via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.