In 2008, Claire Baxter was struggling to get a post as an art teacher.

She was pregnant and needed to work.

So to make money, she turned towards her artwork and started to exhibit with the White Rose Artists, hanging her work on the railings in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens hoping for some sales.

National art award

Fast forward to 2022, Claire is a successful artist with her own gallery in Pateley Bridge and has just been nominated for a national art award.

But the mum-of-two, from Bilton, is the first to admit it has not been an easy road to success.

“I had various jobs after university, where I did a fashion degree, and then had jobs in retail. I then became a teaching assistant and then trained to be an art teacher and eventually qualified in 2007.

“In 2008 I still didn’t have a position. I was not long married, I was pregnant with my daughter and did a solo exhibition in a Harrogate nursing home, Larchfield Manor.

“From there I was asked by a lady who was part of a group called the White Rose Artists, and they exhibited in the Valley Gardens on certain Sundays in the summer and would I like to join them. I did that for 10 years. People started to learn that I would be down at the gardens and it helped me to build up a following.”

Inside Claire’s gallery in Pateley Bridge.

‘I worked every hour possible’

Claire, who was born and raised in Knaresborough, did eventually manage to get a teaching post in 2009.

But after her second child was born in 2012, her career as an artist really took off.

She said:

“I worked every hour possible, painting and developing a distinctive style, bagging greetings cards, creating a website and building up social media following, knocking on gallery doors, booking fairs and making new contacts.

“I started to book shows and fairs, taking more commission bookings and built up a following until I was in a position where I could move house and convert the garage into a purpose built studio.”

Read more: 

• Brown plaque to commemorate Harrogate’s royal fashion designer
• Harrogate’s Tewit Youth Band wins flurry of awards

Calendar run

She also remembers personally hand-delivering her calendars to all her customers.

She said:

“I used to announce on social media when I was going to do my calendar run.

“I used to start in Knaresborough at all the addresses of people who had ordered them and for about four hours I would drive the route through Starbeck and back up to Harrogate and home. My car was filled up with calendars and lists of names, a flask of tea and my credit card machine.

“I literally spent all night going from door-to-door. It was things like that which helped me get to where I am today. I used to do shows when I was pregnant and my kids were with me in prams while I was was selling. It has been a self-driven, just chipping away and trying to get acknowledged.”

New gallery

She soon realised she was juggling too much and eventually gave up teaching in 2014, safe in the knowledge she could always go back to it if needed.

She said:

“In January 2019 I was able to take the lease on a gallery in Pateley Bridge. The gallery has been hugely successful and in November 2021, we were able to move to a more prominent position on the High Street, which already has proved to be a huge success.

“It has been a bit crazy as it was never a planned thing to be an artist. It was circumstance, opportunity and hard work that led me that way.”

Claire’s gallery on Patelely Bridge High Street.

Claire is a proud Yorkshire artist and always tried to capture ‘God’s Own County’ in her work, with the real locations and characters all developed through observations. Many of her paintings feature the Harrogate district, which she loves to capture.

Tour de Yorkshire

She was named as the official Tour de Yorkshire artist in 2020, a title she continues to hold despite uncertainty surrounding the cycle race.

She said:

“I finished the work in March 2020 and we went into lockdown.

“Obviously then the Tour de Yorkshire never happened, although the work is complete. In fact lockdown came in the week it was meant to be released to the media. So that was a bit of a blow.

“We don’t know what is happening with the Tour de Yorkshire, so having this national award opportunity is huge.”

National award

Claire is among five finalists in the running for the title of UK’s Most Popular Artist, which has been launched by the Fine Art Trade Guild.

She said:

“I submitted ‘Last of the Summer Wine’, which I painted in oil last year in my usual quirky, fun style. Set in Swaledale, the painting was partly inspired by lockdown.

“It’s a true celebration of getting back out, spending time with friends and enjoying the simple things we had missed.

“The image has proven to be very popular.

“I am absolutely thrilled and very excited to be a finalist. Even if I don’t win, to me, I’ve already won by coming this far. It’s a massive thing for little me.

“I paint because I love what I do and the joy of being able to put my thoughts and visions into the reality of a scene for others to enjoy is very rewarding. I never thought that a national award would be in my reach when I was starting out as it hasn’t been an easy journey.”

Last of the Summer Wine.

Claire has always loved art and studied the subject at both GCSE and A-Level at St John Fisher, before going on to do an art foundation course at Harrogate College.

She said:

“I am actually still in touch with my art teacher from school and it was him who helped me to get some experience to be able to become a teacher myself.

“I don’t think I’ll ever go back into teaching now as I’m just too busy with my art.”

Advice

And her advice for any budding artists hoping to make it a full-time career?

“Build up as much work as you can. Establish your own style and just keep chipping away. It could take a very long time, but it’s worth it in the end.

“It really is a case of not taking no for an answer and it’s sometimes accepting the criticism that you get. It’s really important to listen to the criticism as well as the praise. It’s hard sometimes but you learn from it.”

The award ceremony will take place in Stratford upon Avon on May 13. To vote, click here.

Firefighters from four fire stations were called to a blaze at a house in the Harrogate district last night.

Crews from Knaresborough, Harrogate, Ripon and Boroughbridge were summoned to the home in Brearton just after 10pm.

The house suffered severe fire, heat and smoke damage to the living room, hallway and front of the property, according to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The rest of the property suffered moderate smoke damage.

Brearton is about three miles from Knaresborough.

The fire service’s incident log said “the incident remains open whilst the cause is investigated”.

It added:

“Crews used eight breathing apparatus, four hosereel jets, two main jets, thermal imaging cameras, nine-metre ladder, triple extension ladders, small tools and lighting.”

Read more:

• Firefighters battle large wildfire near Brimham Rocks
• Man suffers serious head injuries in minibus collision in Knaresborough

Spring booster vaccination clinics are set to begin at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground tomorrow.

The centre wound down operations in January following the winter booster campaign.

However, it will now resume clinics after the government announced further booster jabs for those aged 75 and over, care home residents and people with weakened immune systems.

Yorkshire Health Network, which is a federation of 17 GP practices in the Harrogate district, operates the site at the showground.

It will be open from 8.30am until 5.30pm tomorrow (April 1) and will also be accepting appointments for Sunday during the same opening hours.

The Sunday clinic is rearranged from the Saturday opening, which was previously advertised.

Tim Yarrow, operations manager at Yorkshire Health Network, said:

“Anyone who initially had appointments for Saturday needs to come either tomorrow or Sunday at the same time or re-book.”

The clinic will also accept anybody aged over 12 for first, second and booster doses.

Read more:

• Pateley Bridge vaccine heroes treated to thank-you meal
• Harrogate district covid rate almost trebles in a month

Appointments can be made through the NHS national booking system. Bookings are advised — those who turn up for walk-ins should expect queues.

Meanwhile, Homecare Pharmacy Services will continue to offer walk-in jabs at its site on Chain Lane in Knaresborough.

The Chain Lane Community Hub will be open from 8am until 5.30pm tomorrow and 9am until 4pm on Saturday, April 2.

Pateley Bridge Pharmacy has clinics tomorrow from 9am to 1pm and and on Thursday next week from 9am to 1pm.

Have covid rates peaked?

The move to resume clinics comes after covid infection rates rocketed this month. However, the rate has begun to decline.

Latest government figures show the seven-day average rate of infection in the Harrogate district is now 976 per 100,000 people. It was 1,000 on March 25 after starting the month at 342.

Meanwhile, latest figures show Harrogate District Hospital has 30 patients with covid.

NHS England statistics show 235 people who tested positive for covid have died since March 2020 at Harrogate hospital.

Four renovated flats on Knaresborough High Street are to be sold off by Harrogate Borough Council for almost £900,000.

Members of the council’s cabinet agreed to the sale at a meeting last night after the Grade II listed properties were unoccupied for several years before being bought by the council in 2019.

A renovation project also including two retail units has recently been completed and the properties are now on the market.

Cllr Graham Swift, deputy leader of the council, said the authority would not make a profit from the £879,900 leasehold sale and that he hoped more vacant properties in Knaresborough town centre would now be brought back into use.

He told last night’s meeting:

“These are a series of properties that have been neglected by the private equity owners for many years.

“The whole area had been dragged down and many residents were aware of this and very disappointed by the state of the high street.

“It is a listed and very complicated building, and has a number of interesting construction aspects which has made it challenging.

“People can now really sense the improvement of the high street and I’m pretty optimistic that we will see other people who own properties in the area join the bandwagon.”

Read more:

• 36 supported living flats to be built at Claro Road in Harrogate
• Bid to retain Ripon Spa Baths for community use fails

The flats are individually valued between £189,950 and £295,000.

The council will retain control over the freehold of the flats, as well as the freehold of the two retail units that were part of the refurbishment.

Cllr Swift, who is also cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, added: 

“We have done a lot of work in Knaresborough over the last few years including just up the road at Conyngham Hall with an investment in the tech centre which has been extremely positive.

“And I think we can even do work on Knaresborough House in the future which may be something to keep our eyes on.”

A man in his 70s suffered a serious head injury this morning when he was involved in a collision with a minibus on the A59 in Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement this afternoon that the pedestrian was taken to hospital. It added:

“He was conscious and breathing following the incident.”

The A59 remains closed between Bogs Lane in Harrogate and Long Walk in Knaresborough.

The incident occurred near Forest Lane Head at about 9.30am.

Diversions have been put in place while collision investigators examine the scene.

The police statement said:

“Witnesses or motorists with dash-cam footage are asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room. Please quote reference NYP-31032022-0111.

Read more:

• Two cars deliberately set alight in Knaresborough
• Snow affects schools and traffic across Harrogate district

Schools and traffic across the Harrogate district were affected by overnight snow.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather for ice across the district, which was in place until 10am this morning.

You can recap our live blog and updates from the Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham areas this morning below.

10.10am – Picture of Pateley Bridge this morning

Joyce Liggins has sent in this picture from Pateley Bridge of the town covered in snow.

She said:

“We woke up to a covering of snow this morning and it’s looking like there is plenty more to come by the look of the sky.”

9.31am – Met Office weather warning in place until 10am

The Met Office weather warning for ice remains in place until 10am.

Gritters have been out on main roads in Harrogate this morning during the overnight snow.

9am – Readers’ pictures

Stray Ferret readers have sent their pictures from this morning’s snow. Here is a couple they have shared with us.

If you have any pictures of the snow that you would like to share, you can email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or message us on Facebook and Twitter.

Picture from Jackie Bedford.

Picture from Hornbeam Park this morning. Picture from Vicky Galbraith.

8.50am – St Aidan’s in Harrogate open as usual

St Aidan’s Church of England Secondary School will be open as normal this morning.

School is open as usual today. Please only travel if safe. Let us know if your child is not coming in. All students should sign in at reception if late. Many thanks. pic.twitter.com/pXNVZ3vJiO

— St Aidan's (@StAidansCEHS) March 31, 2022

8.36am – Only a handful of Ripon Market traders this morning

Only a handful of Ripon Market traders have set up stall this morning due to hazardous conditions on the roads.

Brian Murphy, stallholders’ spokesperson who runs a fruit and vegetable stall, said:

“Because many of the traders come from a distance and travelling conditions are horrendous coming into Ripon, they decided to turn around and go back home.

“I’m keeping an eye on the weather, but will stay open for as long as I can.”

Brian Murphy at his stall on Ripon Market this morning.

8.30am – Heavy but moving traffic on Otley Road

Traffic is heavy but moving this morning on Harrogate’s Otley Road.

Overnight snow has left some side roads treacherous, but main roads in and around Harrogate have been gritted.

8.15am – Rossett Acre Primary School opening at 10am

Rossett Acre Primary School in Harrogate will open at 10am due to the overnight snow.

If your school is affected by this morning’s adverse weather, get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

8am – Harrogate Grammar School delayed opening

Harrogate Grammar School has delayed the start of the school day due to the adverse weather.

The school will begin lessons from period three. Those pupils already on their way to school will still be accommodated and should report to the Hub on arrival.

7.45am – More pictures from across Harrogate

7.40am – Ripley Endowed Church of England Primary School delayed opening

Ripley Endowed Church of England Primary School will open at 10am due to the overnight snow.

The school said that those pupils who arrived before 10am should use the intercom to be let in.

7.35am – RHS Harlow Carr to open at 11am

RHS Harlow Carr gardens will open at a slightly later time this morning.

The gardens will open at 11am due to the snow in order to allow for the car park and pathways to be cleared.

⚠️ Thursday 31st March

Please note, due to snow, the garden will open slightly later today at 11am. This is to allow our teams time to clear the car park and pathways. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this, please check back for further updates. pic.twitter.com/Yb8tj5DakF

— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) March 31, 2022

7.30am – Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School and Beckwithshaw Primary School to have delayed starts

Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School and Beckwithshaw Primary School will both open at 10am this morning.

If your school is affected by this morning’s adverse weather, get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

7.25am – Traffic moving normally in Harrogate

Traffic around Harrogate Town Centre is running normally at the moment.

Gritters have been down York Place and West Park this morning to clear the roads. However, traffic is expected to pick up in the next hour.

7.20am – Is your school affected by the snow?

If your school is affected by this morning’s adverse weather, get in touch and let us know.

You can email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or on Facebook and Twitter.

7.12am: Weather warning in place until 10am

The @metoffice has issued a yellow #weather warning for #ice from 8pm tonight until 10am tomorrow.

Forecasters say #snow & hail showers could lead to icy surfaces, with possible travel disruption.

Take extra care if out and about.

More: https://t.co/nyJZTWA2Gn pic.twitter.com/s1roUeqCrO

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) March 30, 2022

7.03am: Harrogate covered in snow

https://twitter.com/MrsReedGeo/status/1509405530086948865

6.50am: Harrogate district wakes to blanket of snow.

Here’s the scene on Ripon Road in Killinghall. Send your updates to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Thousands of you have downloaded our app and use it every day. 

For those of you who haven’t, here are the top five reasons people love it and how you can download it today. 

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With vouchers, competitions, local history and great lifestyle features, it helps you to keep up to date with everything local. Our exclusive vouchers are especially great, so download now so you don’t miss out! 

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We don’t use notifications for just anything, however when there is breaking news or a traffic and travel alert in the area, you will be alerted by the push notifications.

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If all that sounds as great as we think it is, you can download the app for IOS and Android here, or search “Stray Ferret” on your device’s app store.

Two major projects to renovate Harrogate Hydro and build a new leisure centre in Knaresborough will get underway next month.

Harrogate Borough Council is behind the plans which will cost around £28 million and see the construction works carried out by Bristol-based firm Alliance Leisure.

The Hydro will get an £11.8 million investment, including a two-storey extension of the building, as well as a new entrance, cafe and reception area.

There will also be a new diving board structure, fitness suite and refurbished changing areas.

The venue will close on April 8 and the project will be phased to allow for the pool hall area to be brought back into use “as soon as possible in early 2023,” the council said.

It also said it anticipated all of the works will be completed by April 2023.

Read more:

• Ripon leisure centre named after local Olympic hero Jack Laugher
• £28m contracts for new Knaresborough pool and Harrogate Hydro upgrades approved
• Harrogate Hydro set to close for nine months

Meanwhile, some grounds works are already underway at Fysche Field in Knaresborough where a new £17 million leisure centre complete with a six-lane pool, health spa and fitness studios will be built as a replacement for the existing Knaresborough Pool.

It will be built behind the existing pool which will remain open during the works before being demolished.

The council said the new leisure centre will take 65 weeks to build with completion in July 2023.

After this, the demolition works will take a further 15 weeks with completion in October 2023.

Proposals for the Knaresborough Leisure Centre.

These proposals were approved last month despite concerns over the environmental impact of demolishing a large building to replace it with another.

However, Jonathan Dunk, chief development officer at the council, described the 30-year-old Knaresborough Pool as “at the end of its working life” and said more swimming space was needed for the town’s growing population.

He previously said: 

“We need to renew rather than refurbish the existing facility because it is old and there is inadequate water space.

“We also want to upgrade to make the most of the energy performance of the new building.”

In Ripon, the opening of the city’s new multi-million pound swimming pool was finally celebrated on 2 March after months of costly delays.

The project was nine months overdue and £4 million over budget, and refurbishment works on the adjoining Ripon Leisure Centre are still underway after the discovery of an underground void prompted the need for an investigation.

The investigation by engineering firm Stantec was due to finish earlier this month and a report setting out what reinforcement works will be required will now follow.

Stantec previously suggested there had been a “significant deterioration” of the ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre and that strengthening works could include steelworks, thickened floors and grouting – the same method “successfully” used to stabilise the new pool.

The Labour Party has announced its candidates in Harrogate and Knaresborough for the upcoming local elections.

Voters will head to the polls on May 5 to elect councillors to the new North Yorkshire Council.

A full list of candidates for each ward including Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and independent candidates is expected to be published on April 6.

The Labour Party has announced a candidate for every ward in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Read more:

• No deals expected between Harrogate district opposition parties ahead of election
• Speculation mounts over Harrogate independent candidates after website set up

Among them include acting constituency party chair Chris Watt, retired teachers and a mental health nurse in the NHS.

The full list of candidates are:

• Geoff Foxall – High Harrogate and Kingsley
• David Crosthwaite – Knaresborough West
• Pat Foxall – Coppice Valley and Duchy
• Edward Clayson – Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate
• Chris Watt – Fairfax and Starbeck
• Andrew Zigmond – Bilton Grange and New Park
• Deborah Anne Havercroft – Bilton Woodfield and Nidd Gorge
• John Adams – Harlow and St George’s
• Andrew Williamson – Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate
• Sharon Calvert – Knaresborough East
• Margaret Smith – Oatlands and Pannal
• Helen Burke – Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone

The move comes after opposition parties indicated they are not expected to agree to a pact ahead of polling day.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Green Party said it had reached out to both the Lib Dems and Labour, however the Stray Ferret understands no agreement has been made.Labour’s list of candidates indicates it intends to fight every ward.

Register to vote

A total of 13 councillors will be elected in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge to the new authority, with an average of 6,194 people to each representative. A further eight will be elected across Ripon, Pateley Bridge and Masham.

Those wishing to vote in the upcoming election have until April 14 to register to vote. You can register here.

Meanwhile, events will be held online for residents across Harrogate and Knaresborough to learn more about the upcoming unitary council.

People will be given the opportunity to ask a panel of senior council officials about the changes and what it means for them.

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, and Neil Irving, from North Yorkshire County Council, will appear on the panel at the event on April 12. You can find more information on how to attend here.

Harrogate district residents are being invited to take part in interactive virtual meetings to learn more about the new North Yorkshire Council.

The new council will start operating in April next year, as part of the largest local government reorganisation since 1974.

The shake-up will see the demise of eight local authorities, including Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council. All the services they provide will transfer to North Yorkshire Council.

Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished next year.

The first locality roadshow is designed for people living in the Ripon and Skipton parliamentary constituency, It will be held next Monday (April 4).

Those living in the Selby and Ainsty constituency are invited to a meeting on April 6 and the virtual meeting for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency will take place on April 12.