Vegan restaurant Vertigo set to open in Harrogate

A vegan restaurant chain with three sites in Manchester is set to open a fourth site in Harrogate.

Vertigo, which describes itself as a plant-based eatery, has started to fit out the former Stevie’s Bar unit under the Everyman Cinema on Station Parade.

It is unclear exactly when the restaurant will open but the company has said it will be “very soon”.

Although many restaurants have vegan options in Harrogate, it is believed this will be the only dedicated vegan restaurant in town.

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The new venue will have 55 seats and be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Other Vertigo restaurants serve burgers, bao buns, jackfruit and blackbeen chilli, sweet potato dhal, falafel bowls and more.

The Harrogate menu will also include coffee, cakes and natural wines.

Vandals may force Harrogate shop to remove iconic bears

A Harrogate children’s clothing shop may be forced to remove its iconic bears after they became the target of vandals.

Milk and Honey of Harrogate, on Cheltenham Parade, has displayed the bears outside for five years but in the last couple of months they have suffered a lot of damage.

Sarah Elizabeth Wood, the shop manager, takes in the smaller bears overnight and locks the largest bear with a chain locked but even this is not enough to deter troublemakers.

Following the latest attack, which happened just after 3am on Sunday morning, Mrs Wood is considering whether the bears should remain.

CCTV footage from the night showed three people, believed to be teenage boys, attack the bear with a stick before pulling it to the floor and jumping on it.

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Mrs Wood told the Stray Ferret:

“I do think the red carpet and the bears help us get customers because it makes us stand out.

“Everyone who walks past at least comments on the bears or takes a photo with them. So it would just be really sad if we have to take them away.

“I don’t think the bears can take anymore. One more weekend of them being ravaged like that and they will have to go.”

Mrs Wood has tried to repair the broken feet and ears of the bears but she fears that if they are damaged again they may become unstable and fall on people.

She put out a post on Facebook yesterday evening warning that the bears days may be numbered.

The post has had hundreds of reactions, with many people sharing stories of their time with the bears.

Harrogate Clothes Bank to reduce services after losing premises

Harrogate Clothes Bank will be without a permanent home at the end of this week, meaning services will be cut.

The charity provides free clothing for local people in need but its lease on a unit at McCarthy’s Storage World on Ripon Road, Harrogate is coming to an end.

It means the organisation will no longer be able to offer in-person appointments or accept public donations. It will, however, provide home deliveries.

Mike Procter, the charity’s co-ordinator, said the charity was likely to move its stock to a number of temporary locations until it found a permanent solution.

The clothes bank has already called for new accommodation but with no success. It is in need of a 1,200 square foot unit at an affordable rent.

The space also needs to be in an easily accessible location, ideally on a main bus route.

A Harrogate Clothes Bank Facebook post today said:

“Changes are coming at the clothes bank: Saturday 31st July is our last day at McCarthy’s Storage World before we move into temporary premises. Please call in to see us between 10.30 and 12.30 if you need our service, it will be your last chance to visit in person for a few weeks.
“We are unable to accept donations at the moment.”

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The clothes bank, which is run entirely by volunteers, was set up in 2016. Families in financial difficulty in Harrogate can get in touch on Facebook and inform the charity of its needs.

Mr Procter previously told the Stray Ferret:

“There are many reasons why people may need our help, it could be due to long-term financial issues or a crisis situation causing critical need such as escaping an abusive relationship.

“We will continue to help as many people as we can.”

Harrogate woman’s dispute with housing company over ‘unbearably hot’ flat

A Harrogate woman has spoken of her anger at Yorkshire Housing for having to endure “unbearably hot” conditions in her flat since 2011.

Angela Sansom is the leaseholder of a flat on Kings Road in Harrogate. Yorkshire Housing, which is based in Leeds and owns and manages about 20,000 homes in Yorkshire, has the freehold.

Ms Sansom said work carried out on behalf of Yorkshire Housing on the roof and windows of the property in 2011 made the flat unbearably hot, with the temperature often reaching up to 29 degrees centigrade.

She said the regular high temperatures and the time it has taken to resolve the issue has had a devastating impact on her mental health.

Fed up by how long the matter was taking to resolve, Ms Sansom opened an official complaint in June last year.

A surveyor’s report, commissioned by Yorkshire Housing in response to the complaint, recommended measures such as installing trickle vents and heat reflective solar films to reduce the impact of the sun.

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Now Yorkshire Housing has submitted a planning application to amend the initial works. It has admitted two roof vents should have been included in the original work 10 years ago and will now be installed alongside other measures.

Ms Sansom said:

“It has had a massive effect on my wellbeing. I’ve lived in this house for over 20 years so I know it’s the work that caused the problem. It became unbearable.

“It wasn’t getting any better so I knew I had to lodge the complaint.”

Ms Sansom said she was pleased the planning application has been submitted but disappointed by the way the matter has been handled. She said Yorkshire Housing should have done more to support her during the process.

A Yorkshire Housing spokesperson said:

“Work was carried out in 2011 to the roof and windows of one of our properties in Harrogate, this work was approved by planning and was undertaken in full accordance with building regulations.

“We have now submitted a planning application to make amendments to these works and to make sure the leaseholder has a comfortable home and we hope work will begin in the coming weeks.

“Yorkshire Housing is meeting the full cost of all the works undertaken to help support the customers wellbeing and we’re still in touch through a dedicated contact to keep them updated on progress.”

Crimple Valley red kite wood sculpture vandalised

A Harrogate wood carver has expressed disappointment after vandals ripped off the face of one of his sculptures.

Jonathan Sherwood, who operates under the trading name Sherwood Carving, created the red kite sculpture for Harrogate Sports & Fitness Centre.

The artwork stood proud in the Crimple Valley area of Harrogate for just two months before vandals damaged it last Tuesday.

As the missing piece could not be found, Mr Sherwood is going to try and recarve the head this evening. He told the Stray Ferret:

“I always try to make my carvings quite sturdy but unfortunately if someone really wants to do some damage then they are able to.

“Obviously it is disappointing. I was quite surprised to see it like that. I am fully booked with work so I will have to go in the evening to have a look.

“Hopefully I will be able to recarve it by moving the position of the bird’s head slightly.”

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Local resident Mike Ulman found the damage last week and posted pictures of it on a community Facebook page.

The post prompted numerous comments from people sharing Mr Sherwood’s disappointment and questioning the motivations of whoever was responsible.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Monday, it’s Leah with you this morning giving you updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links near you.

The blog, brought to you by the HACS group, will show you where the traffic hotspots and temporary traffic lights are and tell you of any train and bus delays.

9am – Full Update

That is it from me this morning, Suzannah with be back with you tomorrow morning with updates every 15 minutes from 6.30. I hope you all have a lovely Monday.

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but make sure to keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Stray Views: Is Harrogate in decline?

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. See below for details on how to contribute.

Drunken Harrogate? It’s just people enjoying themselves…

I have never before been moved to write re readers letters. However, the superior tone of Tim Emmott’s letter last week really cannot go unanswered.

The tone smacks of so much that is wrong with Harrogate. Namely that those of a certain age and with money think it is quite OK for them to object to normal humans wishing to enjoy themselves. Do they not think other people have money or equal right to enjoy themselves?

The same people call out people for standing within 1.9 metres of people in supermarkets, etc. I could go on. How very dare they think they have a superior right to exist over others.

Mick Marshalsey, Harrogate

But we agree with Tim — Harrogate is going downhill

I absolutely agree with Tim Emmott.

We too have friends that no longer visit when we are in Harrogate. The general view is ‘it’s not what it was’.

Harrogate used to be such a lovely place, where so many people aspired to live. Now we have anti-social behaviour, drunks, litter, vandalism, beggars travelling from out of town, robberies and drug dealers trading around the station.

There’s little or no police presence and no will by the council to tackle these issues. What a sorry state of affairs.

Catherine Tucker-Sykes, Harrogate

Harrogate’s 10-year decline

We have only lived here in Harrogate for 10 years but have been saddened to witness the rapid decline of the town over this time. There are beggars on the streets who enjoy getting together to drink.

Sandra Fielding, Harrogate

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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.

 

Green Shoots: Harrogate district plumber swaps ‘dirty diesel’ for vegetable fat

In this month’s Green Shoots we look at a Harrogate district plumber and heating engineer who has upgraded his “dirty diesel” van to run on a new green fuel made with vegetable fat — and reduced the amount of CO2 emissions it produces by up to 90%.

Alan Marcon owns Green and Reliable Heating in Whixley and clocks up hundreds of miles a month in his VW van travelling around Harrogate, York, Knaresborough, Nidderdale, and Masham installing central heating systems.

After becoming increasingly concerned about his own impact on the environment, he decided to “practice what I preach” and two months ago ditched polluting diesel for hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO).

No modifications to the fuel tank are needed.

A litre of HVO works out at £1.75, which is more expensive than diesel, but its impact on the environment is profound as it helps to combat climate change while making the air cleaner.

He said:

“We need to make change. Diesel is dirty. Our kids, their grandchildren need cleaner air. The quicker we can rid of diesel the better.”

“Our children need cleaner air”

Once touted as a clean fuel by the UK government in the 2000s, the reputation of diesel was irretrievably severed after the ‘dieselgate’ scandal in the 2010s when the carmaker Volkswagon was found to be cheating emissions tests.

Studies have come out in recent years that show exposure to diesel can contribute to asthma, heart disease and several types of cancer.

In a landmark case in December 2020, a coroner said air pollution contributed to the death of nine-year-old Londoner Ella Kissi-Debrah due to her exposure to toxic exhaust fumes near her home by a busy road.

The government will ban the sale of new diesel vehicles from 2035.

Alan said he was 11 when he began helping out at the family plumbing business, but during his early years in the trade his awareness of the damage diesel can do to the body was limited.

He said:

“We need to do something now”.

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Future technology

Before making the switch, Mr Marcon was worried the new fuel might damage his van, but he says the engine is quieter and happier, which should reduce the chance of engine failure or costly repairs.

He buys the fuel in barrels from a wholesale supplier.

2020 was a record year for electric car sales, but the majority of those sold were personal cars such as Teslas.

The switch to electric for fleet and trade vehicles has been a slower process, partly due to the high cost for new vehicles and a lack of government subsidies to encourage businesses to convert.

Mr Marcon sees HVO fuel as the ideal stopgap before the electric revolution takes hold:

“We need to do something quicker. Electric is brilliant but we haven’t got the technology yet.”

Skyfall

The world is changing, and Mr Marcron hopes other tradespeople will get on board with the new fuel.

He lives in Whixley in a house called Skyfall — fittingly, James Bond is set to drive an electric Aston Martin in the next installment of the franchise.

He added:

“After the pandemic more people want to be green. HVO is the perfect solution. I look at Yorkshire and I want to see our cities and towns go green.

Do you have an interesting project or passion that improves the environment and could feature in Green Shoots? Contact thomas@thestrayferret.co.uk

Stray Foodie Review: General Tarleton

Stray Foodie reviews are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This week, Frances reviews the newly refurbished General Tarleton in Ferrensby.

 

Visiting the GT on a hot sunny day produced memories of Provence, on arrival to a quiet car park with hayfields and a gentle breeze. The GT looked well curated. Wafts of lavender and a glass of chilled Rose came to mind. This was everything it was supposed to replicate when Denis Watkins transformed it from an ordinary pub in the mid 90’s.

After much love and dedication given by John and Claire Topham, the GT has always had a great reputation for its food and hospitality. It’s now in the hands of a new father and daughter team, and no expense has been spared on the venue.

As I walked through the door I felt a spacious sense of calm and creativity, everything was aimed at perfection.

Sitting outside on the Terrace on very comfortable rattan furniture, I waited for my young man. Smart waiting staff offered me the Bar and Terrace menu which consisted of a choice of Small Plates, Brunch Plates, Large Plates and Sides.

Mushroom and truffle arancini (top) and smoked mackerel pate croustini (bottom)

All small plates are £5.00, brunch plates £12.00 and large plates £14.00 – £17.00. What an extensive menu. An example of the small plates on offer were mushroom and truffle aranchini with spring onion dip, smoked mackerel pate croustini, herb aioli and basil, confit duck leg Kievs, brown butter hollandaise.

An example of the Brunch Plates were avocado on griddled rosemary toast, poached eggs, pumpkin seed dressing, spinach, cherry tomatoes and garden leaf, eggs benedict with warm crumpets, poached eggs, sliced ham, curried hollandaise sauce and chives.

The Large Plates included market fish of the day served with crushed ratte potatoes, herbs and lemon, seasonal greens and tartare sauce hollandaise or a summer salad of vegetables, feta, nasturtium pesto, pine nuts and mint. Oh what choice! All things to all men.

The Bar and Terrace puddings consisted of brownies, sticky toffee pudding, posset, cheesecake and cheeses. All puddings are between £8.00 and £10.00. What more could you want?!

If you have a penchant for hollandaise sauce and a love of decadent food, this is your place!

The market fish of the day: sea bream

The market fish of the day turned out to be sea bream, a deliciously oily fish usually served with fresh crispy greens. This was slightly different but cooked with care and knowledge. The crushed ratte potato looked like a roast potato, and the seasonal greens as one would have expected to be fresh and light was piece of vintage blanched Broccoli. Once again the hollandaise sauce made its popular appearance here.

The summer salad of vegetables turned out to be red chicory and mature heritage tomatoes with cress. It was beautifully presented, but somewhat lacking was the nasturtium flavour and other vegetables.

Summer vegetable salad

This menu on a busy day is ambitous but I am sure exceedingly popular.

I was told that the beer was superb, Landlords Special, by my young man and there was a comprehensive and good wine list.

Ralph’s Tasting Menu is on offer for 7 Courses at £55.00 which seems to be exceedingly good value. It includes smoked salmon, chicken liver mousse, coronation crab, beef, brioche, strawberries and chocolate. Once again an exciting and complex menu with a lot of work.

The Verdict: 3 stars

Given the shortage of chefs in hospitality at the moment, to produce such a choice of food will require a brigade of many hard working chefs to keep freshness and consistency at the level expected of the atmospheric General Tarleton.

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Delight as Harrogate Parkrun returns after more than a year away

Runners were left delighted this morning as the Harrogate Parkrun returned after more than a year away.

Parkrun, which has events held across the country, fell victim to the covid pandemic in March 2020.

It left runners without the free weekly 5k run on a Saturday morning for 16 months.

The event has seen numerous false starts in returning, including a delay last month after the government pushed back the lifting of remaining covid restrictions until July 19.

But, parkrun returned this morning with hundreds turning out on the Stray to take part.

Walkers, joggers and runners all turned out for the long-awaited comeback.

Ted Welton, event director volunteer at Harrogate Park Run.

Ted Welton, event director volunteer at Harrogate Park Run.

Ted Welton, event director volunteer at Harrogate Park Run, told the Stray Ferret that he was delighted to have the run back.

He said:

“It’s just amazing. We had so many false starts where we thought we were going to come back and it didn’t.

“Now feels like the right time. Outdoor exercise is probably the safest thing people can be doing. We have put in a load of mitigation measures so people are staying apart.

“It’s just awesome to be back.”

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