Thirty members of Crossfit Harrogate will take on the national three peaks challenge this weekend to raise money for four charities.

The super-fit bunch will attempt to scale the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon — in 24 hours.

It involves walking 23 miles and climbing more than 3,000 metres, which is twice the ascent of the Yorkshire three peaks. Participants also have to drive 460 miles.

The challenge will raise money and awareness for Harrogate Homeless Project, Saint Michael’s Hospice, Williams Syndrome Association and Artizan International.

Beth Crewe, who is among those taking part, said:

“The gym is raising funds for four charities, three of which are local, which all have special places in the hearts of the members.

“We decided to take on this challenge to not only push ourselves physically and mentally but to help make a difference to those in need of support from these amazing charities at this difficult time.”

More than £4,600 has already been pledged towards the £5,000 target. You can donate here.

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It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is after-work drinks at Manahatta, on May 25th at 5:30.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate family has launched the UK’s first stocked German kitchen business, called Revo Rapid.

Revo Rapid follows the higher end, bespoke side of the company called Revo Kitchens which opened at the same unit on Hornbeam Park in October last year.

The Challis family has been working on Revo Rapid for the last two years – negotiating a major deal with one of Germany’s largest kitchen manufacturers, while expanding its warehouse facilities.

It means customers can go to the showroom with their kitchen measurements and go home that day with fully built kitchen units ready to be installed.

Revo Rapid and Revo Kitchens are both part of the Inter Ceramica group, which launched in Harrogate more than 30 years ago.

Adam Challis, manager at the Inter Ceramica Group, said:

“By shipping huge volumes directly, we can offer a permanent 60% discount off all kitchen furniture, including our worktops.

“Our team of professionals are always on hand to help with design and offer advice, making sure that our customers get the very best service and support.”

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The initial range of Revo Rapid’s kitchens has seven different door colours, five worktop style and 10 door handle styles.

Mr Challis is the eldest of three children, along with brother Ed and sister Amy, who all work in the business.

His entrepreneurial father Robin set-up Inter Ceramica with his wife Rebecca, and over the years the “Harrogate born and bred” family have all played a part in helping to run the company.

Care company moves head offices in Harrogate

West Park Care has moved its head offices in Harrogate.

The company, which was launched in 2018, was previously based at Spa Bottom Farm near Follifoot but has now relocated to officers behind the Stratstone Mini Garage off Wetherby Road.

Staff outside the West Park Care offices on Wetherby Road.

The move has enabled all the team to be located on the same floor, ensuring all the departments have direct access to each other, and there is room for further growth.

Tom Page, managing director of West Park Care, said:

“We are delighted to be able to expand the business after only a few years, and the additional office space will not only enable this to happen, but also provide facilities for more in depth on-site training.  

“We have created a training room, ensuring that training to use specific equipment can be done onsite as part of the development of the carers we employ, all of whom are on permanent contracts not zero hours. We place as much importance on the benefits to our staff as we do to the individuals we care for. 

“This person-centred approach to the whole business has gained us the reputation that we now thrive on, and we hope to continue our expansion into other areas in Yorkshire over the next few years.” 

An IT firm has laid off 16 staff in Harrogate.

Techbuyer, which refurbishes IT equipment, said in a statement today the job losses were part of a restructuring.

The company, which was founded by Kevin Towers in Harrogate in 2005, is based on Hornbeam Park and operates sites in the United States, Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand.

Chief executive Mr Towers said:

“These decisions have been really hard to make, they have not been taken lightly and have come in the face of market pressures since January. Many other IT businesses, large and small, UK based and global, have had to restructure since then.

“Myself and the management team have explored every angle to avoid this unfortunate situation, but have been left with no alternative but to restructure, including these staff reductions, in order to protect the business moving forwards.”

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The Stray Ferret was alerted to the news by a whistleblower, who criticised the way the company handled the news last week.

Mr Towers said the company had focused heavily on rewarding staff over 18 years, adding:

“As we’ve grown, we have shared our success with very generous companywide bonuses, cost of living crisis bonuses, consistent pay increases, community and charitable donations and more. Unfortunately, during this challenging time, we have had to make some very difficult choices as well.

“I thank everyone for all their hard work at Techbuyer, it is appreciated.  To stress the point, decisions like this would not be taken unless absolutely necessary and I wish all those affected all the best for the future.”

Techbuyer, which employs 203 of its 297 global workforce in Harrogate, works with partners, including manufacturers such as HPE, Dell and Lenovo, to promote the environmental, cost and performance benefits of refurbished enterprise IT hardware.

According to its website, it configures over 5,000 servers every year and erases data from more than 12,000 hard drives every month in the UK.

This story is sponsored by Surge Padel.

The UK’s largest premium indoor padel tennis centre has ‘surged’ in popularity, with players travelling from across the country for games.

Based at Harrogate’s Hornbeam Park, Surge Padel has grown to 1,400 members, with its six courts often fully booked.

Owner and CEO Stuart Perrin said members often play up to four times a week and he puts the sport’s popularity down to its simplicity.

He said:

“You serve underhand and the ball stays in play a lot longer than tennis. It’s a lot less technical, so people of all ages and abilities can play. It’s also super social as you play in pairs. Once you’ve played a few times you just keep coming back.”

A mashup of tennis and squash that originated in Mexico, padel has been described as one of the world’s fastest growing sports.

It is played between four players on reduced-size tennis courts. Competitors use paddle racquets and can bounce the ball off walls.

Since November 2020, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has been the national governing body for the sport when it was officially recognised as a discipline of tennis. This has opened the door for greater recognition, support and funding.

Mr Perrin said:

“Because it is so fresh in the UK, we get people travelling to play. We get people from Middlesbrough and the far side of Leeds regularly.

“There aren’t facilities like this anywhere else, especially fully indoors.

“We have people coming from far and wide. I would say around 900 of our members are from the Harrogate district and the rest are from further afield.”

Surge Padel, which is located above Coach gym, is now a centre of excellence for the UK is fully affiliated with the LTA. It has hosted European Championships and events are held at the club most weekends.

Mr Perrin said:

“We are the largest padel tennis club in the UK and are member based. We’ve only been open since January 2022 and it is now getting really difficult to book a court on an evening, as it’s so popular. If we could have built a bigger site, we would have done!

“We have got a further four centres opening in 2023. One of those will hopefully be in Leeds.

“We offer state-of-the-art facilities at an affordable price.”

Book your court space or join as a member for the best benefits. Find out more and join the fastest growing sport in the UK.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. The event will be a celebratory night with prize draw and afterparty.

Richard Flinton, the chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council is the guest speaker. Early bird ticket prices are available until February 9 and available to buy here. Bring your team, network and have fun. 

A Harrogate law firm has hired a new solicitor in an effort to bolster its disputes team.

LCF Law has hired Will Bates, who has joined the company from fellow Harrogate-firm McCormicks.

Mr Bates has advised companies and individuals on all types of commercial disputes over the last five years since qualifying and has particular expertise in sport related disputes.

He said:

“I wanted to join LCF Law because its disputes and litigation team has a great reputation for being cohesive and effective on behalf of a broad spectrum of clients. 

“The firm is also well-known for encouraging career progression.”

Charles Abraham, head of disputes at LCF Law, said:

“Will will be working on a wide range of commercial disputes, as an Associate solicitor in our six-partner dispute resolution team.

“He has an impressive track-record for getting the best possible outcome for his clients and is also skilled at mediation. He is a welcome addition to our team.”

Harrogate businesses invited to quiz broadband experts

The NYnet connectivity team.

Businesses in Harrogate will have the chance to quiz broadband experts at two drop-in sessions next month.

NYnet’s connectivity team will be at Indulge Café on Hornbeam Park to answer questions from companies and provide information on how to access the company’s high performance full fibre network.

The sessions are open to all businesses in the Harrogate district, including those on Hornbeam Park.

Alastair Taylor, CEO of NYnet, said: 

“These sessions are a chance for local businesses to sit down with our team over coffee and have an informal chat about any issues they might be experiencing with connectivity.

“We can share our knowledge and talk through some of the options for improving their digital performance, including connection to our gigabit full fibre network and applying for match funding through Digital Enterprise.”

The drop-in sessions will be held on Thursday, February 9, from 10.30am to 12.30pm and Tuesday, February 28, from 1pm to 3pm.

Those businesses interested in attending should e-mail sales@nynet.co.uk to register their interest.

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A 13-year-old boy has been charged with stealing a scooter from Hornbeam Park in Harrogate.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday.

He was accused of stealing a Piaggio Zip from the Premier Inn on Hornbeam Park Avenue on December 3 last year.

The teenager was also charged with failing to stop at Park Drive when required to do so by an officer, driving without a licence and without insurance.

The 13-year-old was bailed by magistrates until February 3 for the case to be reviewed by the prosecution.

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This story is sponsored by Coach.

Harrogate’s £1.5m Coach gym is continuing to go from strength-to-strength following its launch in the town a year ago.

The affordable boutique gym boasts more than 200 pieces of state-of-the art equipment, as well as over 200 instructor-led fitness classes across four studios.

Surge Padel, where members can play one of the world’s fastest growing sports, can also be found on the first floor of the building at Hornbeam Park.

Stuart Perrin, owner and CEO of Coach, which opened in January 2022, said:

“Coach is a boutique health and fitness concept, which in a nutshell means everything is very high end. From the fixtures and fittings, to the experience.

“It’s something very different and is the biggest gym in Harrogate by a long way.”

Coach boasts a bar area, which serves bespoke shakes and smoothies. There are also luxury changing rooms, including GHD straighteners and solid oak benches.

The gym itself features a range of equipment – from cardio and resistance machines to free weights, squat racks, battle ropes, tyre flips and a sled.

Mr Perrin said:

“If you’re a real gym-goer, the equipment we have is really quite special. We have the best the brands have to offer, including Nautilus, Schwinn, StairMaster and Concept, all under one roof. We make sure we have the best possible pieces of kit.”

Boutique fitness studios

Coach’s four boutique fitness studios offer something for everyone. They include:

Coach Spin: A spinning studio that can take up to 30 people in a session.

Coach Class: A group exercise studio, which hosts everything from Body Pump to yoga and Pilates. Classes are delivered and programmed by highly-qualified, passionate and respected instructors.

Coach Box: A boxing studio, which can take up to 20 people in a full cardio and bodyweight resistance class, where you learn the fundamentals of boxing in the process.

Coach Evolution: A High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) studio which has 10 treadmills, 10 airbikes and 10 HIIT benches. Coach Evolution is designed using HIIT to give you a full cardiovascular exercise and full-body resistance workout.

Mr Perrin said:

“Within Coach itself we have four studios and we offer a timetable of more than 250 classes a month, which are included in membership if you are on our top tier.”

Coach is offering Stray Ferret readers a free day pass to come and try the facilities, which can be accessed here.

Mr Perrin added:

“Members love the feel, the experience, the quality. Come and try it for yourself with a free day pass.”

Coach Gyms is redefining affordable luxury. Join now from only £18.99 a month. Find out more and join the fitness revolution today!

 This story is sponsored by Coach.

Join the Fitness Revolution with Coach Gyms Harrogate

After operating a health and fitness setting in Harrogate years ago, Stuart Perrin spotted a gap in the market for a luxury gym that doesn’t cost the earth.

The former resident of the town is now the owner and CEO of Coach, the UK’s first affordable boutique gym.

Launching in Leeds in 2020, he went on to open a £1.5m site at Harrogate’s Hornbeam Park in January this year with more in the pipeline.

He said:

“There’s a real gap for a quality product at affordable rates in the town. There was an option to pay a small fortune or next to nothing.

“But there was a huge gap in the middle for people wanting quality but without the high prices.

“Coach itself is a boutique health and fitness concept, which basically means in a nutshell everything is really high-end; fixtures, fittings, experience.

“However, we offer it an affordable price. If you were going to a club like this in London, you would be paying £200 a month. Here you can join for as little as £29.

“It’s something very different and is the biggest gym in Harrogate as well. Since we opened in January, we’ve overtaken every other club from a membership size and perspective quite significantly.”

Coach boasts more than 200 pieces of state-of-the art equipment, as well as over 200 instructor-led fitness classes across four studios.

Surge Padel, where members can play one of the world’s fastest growing sports, can also be found on the first floor.

Mr Perrin added that there was a large focus on providing a female-friendly experience – a segment he feels is under-represented in the current market.

He said:

“Although we’re not a ladies only gym, we are definitely geared towards females when it comes to communication and experience – even down to the lighting.

“The lighting levels in Coach are quite low, a bit like a nightclub. Research went into the exact lighting level we need to achieve to make women feel less self-conscious.”

Since launching in Harrogate on January 21, Mr Perrin said the reception in the town had been “exceptional”.

He said:

“Within that time we have grown the business really fast and it has been really exciting. People come and see the product and unless they want a swimming pool, they wouldn’t join anywhere else. That’s not us being arrogant, I believe the value for money we offer is unrivalled.”

Coach Gyms is redefining affordable luxury. Join now from only £18.99 a month. Find out more and join the fitness revolution today!

Saint Michael’s Hospice is set to hold its annual remembrance service in Harrogate tomorrow.

The hospice, which is based at Hornbeam Park, will hold the event on Saturday (December 11) at Crimple House.

Held every year, the service will feature music, comforting readings and quiet time for reflection alongside the heart-warming moment where the community’s dedicated lights are illuminated together.

Portia Crewe, Knaresborough, has attended the hospice’s Light Up a Life service annually since her father Bill’s passing in 2015.

Bill was cared for by the hospice in the last three weeks of his life.

Bill Crewe and his daughter Portia

Ms Crewe said:

“Since attending the first time, several friends and family now attend, and it has become a staple within our family’s calendar. It was so poignant that we haven’t missed a service since.”

The Light Up Life event at St Michael’s Hospice is now an established Christmas tradition for the Crewe family.

The service will start at the hospice on Saturday from 4pm.

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After making a dedication, people will receive a personalised dedication card in the post with a star to place on the tree and help memories of loved ones shine on through the festive season.

For more information, visit the Saint Michael’s Hospice website here.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

County council-owned technology firm NYnet has announced that Hornbeam Park is set to become the district’s biggest full fibre business park.

The expansion aims to support the local economy with reliable fibre broadband and guaranteed bandwidth.

The company already delivers full fibre to Saint Michael’s Hospice, which is located at the end of the business park.

The project is supported by the Digital Enterprise Grant which plans to match investments made by businesses at the park.

The CEO of Nynet, Alastair Taylor, said:

“The expansion of our network at Hornbeam Park will mean every business on the site can have access to fast and reliable fibre to the premises, at a price not dissimilar to current non-fibre services.

“The investment we are putting into Hornbeam Park and the service levels businesses will be able to access is excellent news for our region and will help to put Harrogate at the forefront of the UK’s digital economy.”

Nynet Limited was established by the North Yorkshire County Council in 2007. All profits from the company are returned to the council to fund frontline services.

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Free breakfast seminars to review agricultural prospects coming to Harrogate

Rural land surveying firm GSC Grays will be hosting a free breakfast seminar to aid farmers this December.

The seminar will take place on December 6 at Pavillions of Harrogate at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

The company will be reviewing the prospects and options for farmers in the area, as well as advising them.

GSC Grays will give advice and support the agricultural industry in the free seminar 

The session comes at a time of need for farmers with basic payment scheme payments ending and inflation rising.

The Harrogate seminar is one of four scheduled across the North of England as part of GSC Grays’ farm business advice service.

The service has been funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the Future Farming Resilience Fund Scale Up Project. This gives organisations like GSC Grays grants allowing them to offer free business advice.

Farmers can register their interest by email or by calling 03333 059059.