When Peter Kavanagh gave up a career in finance to set up a wind energy company 13 years ago, some thought he had lost his marbles. He says:

“A lot of people said to me ‘you are wasting your time, wind turbines don’t generate money, you’re crazy’. I wanted to prove them wrong and it felt like the right thing to do for the next generation.”

Mr Kavanagh, 44, now runs Knaresborough firm Harmony Energy, which employs 33 staff and acts as the ultimate advisor to London-listed Harmony Energy Income Trust PLC, which is valued at £274 million.

The company operates wind, solar and battery energy storage systems and has relationships with companies like Tesla.

It has schemes in New Zealand and France as well as the UK, where one of its projects involves developing a battery storage facility at Wormald Green, between Ripon and Harrogate, which will have the capacity to power 9,000 homes. Work on the site is due to start this year and the firm would like to also build a solar farm there.

Not only has Mr Kavanagh proved the doubters wrong, he has also given investors the chance to behave ethically while generating a return on their money.

But for all the talk of the climate crisis and soaring energy bills, the battle to establish renewable energy has been far from straightforward.

Mr Kavanagh cites connectivity to the grid as the main ‘blocker’. He says a lot of development projects fail simply because the grid is full and they can’t connect.

Grid connection, planning issues and land agreements are the three essential issues when choosing sites, he says. Harmony negotiates sites and employs four project managers plus experts in fields such as law, finance and asset management to oversee progress.

Harmony Energy’s battery energy storage system at Pillswood, near Hull.

There’s also the slight matter of trying to wean the nation off fossil fuel companies, which continue to generate billions of pounds of profit and benefit from relationships built up with government over years.

Harmony has shifted its focus from wind to battery energy storage systems because of a change in the political climate since it was founded. Mr Kavanagh explains:

“Because of planning rules in England it’s almost impossible to build a wind farm in England now.

“In 2016 we were submitting planning for a completely unsubsidised development but pulled it because at the time David Cameron changed the rules on planning which pretty much made that sort of development impossible, which is frustrating because had we and others been able to develop at the time then going into this energy crisis England would have been in a much better position.”

He admits wind is “contentious” but says recent survey since the war in Ukraine started suggests more people support it, adding:

“If I was in government — obviously I’m slightly biased — I’d be saying ‘let’s build as much unsubsidised renewable energy as we can, look at land use, but look at it as a whole’. Even if we used up all the land for large scale solar requirements, for example, the stats published by national bodies say we would only use three per cent of the overall land mass.

“It makes sense because we desperately need energy bills to come down because businesses are going bust left, right and centre.”

Battery energy

Battery energy is the main focus now. So far, Mr Kavanagh has overseen the development of 500 megawatts of battery energy storage systems in the UK with the Harmony group. Harmony is Tesla’s biggest customer in Europe, having been ordering its batteries since 2016.

Harmony’s largest scheme is at Pillswood, which employs a Tesla two-hour megapack system that has the capacity to store up to 196 megawatt hours of electricity in a single cycle. This is enough electricity to power about 300,000 UK homes for two hours.

He says batteries are “the key to unlocking the potential of other renewable technologies, including solar” because they enable electricity to be stored until it is needed by the grid.

Because wind and sunshine aren’t predictable, they produce intermittent energy. Batteries can stabilise and balance this outflow of electricity and ensure it is used more effectively.

Read more:

• 200 acre solar farm could be built near Burton Leonard
• Knaresborough groups seek funding to progress road train idea

Harmony uses lithium batteries, made of 93% recycled content, says Mr Kavanagh.

The company was floated on the London stock exchange in November 2021 with a market capitalisation of £210 million. Its value has since soared to £274 million.

Its latest set of accounts, for the year ending December 31, 2021 showed a £33m profit compared to a £1m loss in the previous year.

Mr Kavanagh acknowledges this financial transformation was largely due to the stock market listing but adds 2022 was “another good year for us” and talks about hiring more staff and exploring new markets in Germany, Italy and Poland.

‘Not all about the money’

It is easy to be cynical about combining ethics and profit but Mr Kavanagh insists he is “100% not all about money”. He says investors appreciate the chance to support renewables and it’s hard to dispute the fact the planet needs change to survive.

He says the company tries to behave ethically in other ways, for instance it did not furlough any staff during covid and refused business rate relief from Harrogate Borough Council during the pandemic.

“I said ‘you should not be handing free rates out willy-nilly. Morally I felt it was the right thing to do and I wish others had done the same because the bill from covid will cripple the economy.”

Harmony, which is based at Conyngham Hall and also had an office in London’s Bond Street, supports various local good causes, including Henshaws, Candlelighters and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. It sponsors the Harrogate 10k race — an event keen runner Mr Kavanagh took part in last year. The firm also has a community fund supporting green schemes in areas where it operates.

Harmony is based at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.

Mr Kavanagh, a father-of-two, also tries to live ethically. His home in Birstwith is “predominantly powered by solar”, he owns an electric vehicle and travels by train when possible.

He also follows a plant-based diet, although this is partly a legacy of being diagnosed with bowel cancer when he was 29.

That experience played a major role in his change of career direction after a decade in finance. He says:

“You can make a return but do it in the right way. That’s the ethos we are trying to get through on Harmony. We are trying to build infrastructure without any support from the UK taxpayers, that’s as green as it possibly can be so it’s not only environmentally sustainable but from a financial point of view.”

Mr Kavanagh is also a director of Jones Food Company, Europe’s largest high care hydroponics facility now majority owned by the Ocado Group, and is an early-stage investor in several green tech companies outside of Harmony.

Despite the challenges. he says the tide is turning and he is optimistic about the future of renewable energy.

“We are minnows compared to big boys like EDF but a key advantage is that we are nimble and can move quickly.

“That’s why our focus will always be primarily on energy storage because it’s such a huge need. Anywhere that has a lot of intermittent energy will require lots of storage.”

He says if you can build a solar farm in North Yorkshire without any taxpayers’ support you can build one anywhere in Europe and it was looking to work with “trusted partners” in new areas on the continent. He says:

“The UK will always be our core market but we see lots of potential in Europe.

“Being a small part of the solution is what drives us. If we can be 10% of the market in 10 years time I will be very happy.”

This story is sponsored by Knaresborough Golf Club.

One of the Harrogate district’s best golf clubs is urging newcomers to take up its winter taster membership before an expected influx of new members in the spring. 

Throughout the winter, Knaresborough Golf Club has been offering a discounted membership rate which is now £125 from February until the end of March.

Anyone taking up the offer who then renews their membership in April, gets the fee discounted from their annual subscription.

The club has three tiers of membership – Gold, Silver and Bronze – which determine when members may play. 

For example, the Bronze annual membership which allows play seven days a week after 12.30pm starts at just £270 for 19 to 23 year olds!

Club general manager Jason Thornton said: 

“We always see a spike in new members in the spring, so now is a good time come along before the rush – the offer only lasts a few more weeks.

“Golf is seeing renewed interest from female members, and we’ve also been getting more enquiries from younger people interested in playing.

“There’s been a real upswing in people joining since the end of lockdown – it’s a great way of exercising and socialising in a socially-distanced way.”

The club has three tiers of membership – Gold, Silver and Bronze – which determine when members may play.

Knaresborough Golf Club was founded in 1920 and for over 100 years has remained true to the original aim of a club run on “modest, unpretentious lines and devoid of class and clique distinction”. 

Its vibrant clubhouse hosts regular events, such as tribute nights, quizzes and games, and diners are drawn by the popular Sunday carveries and “Around the World” evenings, where members get a restaurant passport and “travel the world” through food. 

Jason said: 

“It’s notoriously difficult to get catering right at clubhouses, but now that we have, we are absolutely delighted. Our catering team, led by Gavin and Amie Farrar, do a fantastic job.”

Get that hole in one feeling with the membership taster offer.

Knaresborough Golf Club has recently been carrying out improvements to both its clubhouse and course – which includes one of the longest holes in Europe – all with sustainability in mind.

Single-use plastics are being phased out, new wildflower meadows will allow insect and bird life to flourish, and the club is working towards GEO certification, putting its environmental and social responsibility on a par with world-famous courses such as Gleneagles and St Andrews. 

Jason said: 

“We’ve got a stunning course, a fabulous clubhouse, and a range of affordable membership options.

“Whether you’re brand-new to the game or already smitten by it, the offer at Knaresborough Golf Club isn’t matched by any other club in the area.” 

Find out more:

If you’d like to try out Knaresborough Golf Club’s Winter Taster membership offer, or if you’re interested in annual membership options, visit the club’s website at www.knaresboroughgolfclub.co.uk or call 01423 862690.

The Sustainable Business award is sponsored by York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub aims to provide businesses of all sizes and sectors effective and impartial business support.

As a local organisation, the service provided is tailored to the needs of individuals and their particular region.

This award recognises those businesses that have put sustainability at the top of their agenda by reducing their impact on the environment.

Finalists

Full Circle Funerals

Full Circle Funerals aims to improve the standards and expectations of funeral services.

Full Circle is the first funeral director in the UK to achieve B Corp status – an international measure of sustainability and business for good.

The company led a crowdfunding campaign in 2022, raising over £20,000 to fund research into the environmental impact of certain funeral choices.

It was also named UK Green Funeral Director of the Year in 2021 and 2022.

Sarah Jones, Founder and Director of Full Circle Funerals, said:

“The environment is important to us and to many of the bereaved people we support, which is why it is important to us that we have a sustainable business and share knowledge with others on how to make planet friendly choices.

“Our business was established to be a force for good and it is such an honour to have been recognised locally and nationally as an organisation that puts purpose before profit in everything we do”.

JOT’s Gallery:

JOT’s Gallery in Pateley Bridge is an art gallery dedicated to using recycled materials to showcase the environment.

James Owen Thomas, founder of the gallery, is an ambassador for the Young Tree Champion programme.

James has an artist residency in Fishpond Wood, Bewerley. He leads monthly workshops where he shares his techniques and offers ideas on how to become more creative with recycled materials.

James has also made multiple television and radio appearances discussing his passion for artwork and the environment.

James Owen Thomas said:

“We are all surrounded by the beauty of nature, and this has always been the deepest source of inspiration for me. In my efforts to protect the environment, I always choose to incorporate used materials into my art.

“I hope that my business values will encourage others to creatively recycle and reuse, so we can all do our part to save the planet”.

Number Thirteen

Number Thirteen is an eco-friendly coffee house in Knaresborough.

Everything at Number Thirteen is pre-loved, up-cycled or handmade. From teaspoons to wallpaper – it’s all been sourced from charity shops, auctions and boot fairs.

Supplies are kept local and any spare parts from deliveries, like milk bottles, are washed and reused or recycled, meaning a cup of coffee uses 0% single-use plastic.

The electricity used to power Number Thirteen is 100% renewable, generated from a combination of wind, solar and hydro energy.

Sarah Ward, owner of Number Thirteen, said:

“I wanted to try and create a business that strives to buck the single-use trend, using eco-friendly products that can be recycled or reused. I think we are living in a time where it would be irresponsible to not be aware of the impact we make on the environment.

“I strive to live a sustainable life at home, so why wouldn’t I do it at work too? Creating a business that puts sustainability at the forefront of its values, simply makes me feel better about my business and its overall impact on the environment”.

NEOM Organics London

NEOM Organics is an aromatherapy wellness brand based in Harrogate that has become a national brand.

NEOM is a certified B Corp organisation, an accolade that recognises UK businesses that place sustainability at the forefront of their values.

NEOM measures its significant environmental impacts, include packaging, water usage and ingredient sustainability, in order to establish an entirely green future.

The company has also calculated its carbon footprint and is actively developing a reduction plan.

Oliver Mennell, Co-Founder of NEOM, said:

“The NEOM team are delighted to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Sustainable Business Award. I want to credit the hard work and passion that everyone here has for building a business that doesn’t just look after the welfare of people, but also the wellbeing of our precious planet.

“As we say at Neom: “Let’s build a business we can all be super proud of”.

Source Climate Change Coffee

Source Climate Change Coffee is a conservation coffee company in Harrogate.

Source Climate Change Coffee sources its coffee globally. The company rewards farmers by buying their carbon offsets and then invests these into reforestation activities.

The company recently created a range of coffee capsules, made from entirely plant-based materials that are 100% compostable.

Source Climate Change also supports the Lorna Young Foundation to train farmers on their markets, climate change and sustainable land management practices.

Cristina Tales, Managing Director of Source Climate Change Coffee, said:

“This award recognises the work we have done in our supply chains for coffee.  Source is the only conservation-led coffee company buying coffees from reforestation projects in ecological hotspots.

“Each coffee protects a tropical forest and supports a local conservation project, where farmers are encouraged to focus on organic and sustainable land management practices, as well as plant trees to ensure they have a sustainable source of firewood and building materials. The aim is to reduce their dependency on forests as a resource”.

Resurrected Bites

Resurrected Bites is a food waste organisation, with cafés in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The business collects short shelf-life and excess food from local producers and distributes it via the pay as you feel community cafes.

Any food not fit for human consumption is passed onto livestock and peelings are gifted to allotments to make compost.

Resurrected Bites also uses the café and social media to educate people on climate change. In 2022, the business dedicated a week of its social media posts to educating people on how to reduce food waste at home.

Michelle Hayes, CEO of Resurrected Bites, said:

“Resurrected Bites is passionate about doing all we can to protect the environment.

“The reason I started the organisation is because food waste is such a massive environmental issue and, therefore, sustainability is always at the forefront of our minds when we are deciding how we operate in all areas of our organisation.”

EnviroVent

EnviroVent is a designer and manufacturer of sustainable ventilation systems.

The company has recently moved from two separate sites into one zero-carbon building in Harrogate. The building benefits from low carbon heating and energy sources, as well as solar panels.

EnviroVent has committed to planting 5,000 trees a year in partnership with MoreTrees.

EnviroVent also works with a waste management company to prioritise recycling.

Andy Makin, Managing Director of EnvrioVent, said:

“At EnviroVent, the “enviro” in our name is not just about improving the environment of our customers, but also in improving our environmental impact for the world we live in. We take responsibility to proactively tackle climate change and are committed to achieve Net-Zero targets by 2030!

“The first major milestone for the next stage in our sustainable journey was relocating to our carbon neutral head office. This new self-sustaining building, reduces our environmental impact, utilising greater energy efficient initiatives, including solar panels, the use of additional renewable energy sources e.g. heat recovery units”.

The Stray Ferret Business Award event sponsor is Prosperis. To find more and to purchase tickets for the big night, click here.

Read more:

• Best Independent Retailer Award
• Rising Star Under 30 Award
• Inclusivity Award
• Digital Marketing Campaign Award
• Unsung Hero Award
• A prize fit for a president

Groups in Knaresborough are set to apply for funding to investigate the feasibility of major new schemes for the town, including a road train.

Knaresborough and District Chamber, Knaresborough Town Council and Knaresborough Museum Association will be among those submitting a bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The UK government created the fund for schemes that encourage local investment and regeneration. It replaces European Union structural funds.

Up to £16.9 million is available in North Yorkshire and £2 million will be awarded in the first year of funding, which is due to open for applications shortly.

This month’s Knaresborough and District Chamber meeting heard it was collaborating with other town groups to formulate a bid for about £40,000 to £50,000.

Peter Lacey, executive member of the chamber, said if funding were awarded it would enable the town to undertake research into four priority areas: heritage, connectivity, developing economic data, and street enhancements.

The land train, which would take people up and down the steep slope between the town centre and Waterside, would fall into the connectivity area. He said:

“The fund would finance fuller feasibility and evidence-gathering to build the case for local capacity-building.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough Castle could host more events as new era dawns
• Business case to be drawn up for Knaresborough road train

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

A Harrogate business owner is to donate proceeds from her book to a North Yorkshire charity.

Sarah Jones, founder of Full Circle Funerals on Skipton Road, is set to hand funds raised from her funeral self-help book Funerals Your Way to the Two Ridings Community Foundation.

Two Ridings supports charities and community groups in Harrogate and throughout North and East Yorkshire.

Ms Jones, a long-time supporter of the charity, said:

“Our funeral services have a natural role within the communities where they are based and I have always been extremely proud of the way the whole team embraces this, whether through fundraising, volunteering, partnerships or supporting events.

“By donating our 2023 book proceeds to Two Ridings Community Foundation we can help them to support lots of different hard working organisations that are meeting a need in their own communities.”

Two Ridings Community Foundation CEO Jan Garrill said: 

“We are honoured to be chosen as the recipient of this year’s book sale proceeds and incredibly grateful for the ongoing support we receive from Sarah and her team.

“The money will mean we can help even more grassroots charities and community groups to continue their vital work.”

Knaresborough marketing agency expands international clients

A Knaresborough public relations and marketing firm has secured a new international client.

Allott and Associates, specialises in industry sectors including manufacturing, packaging, technology and logistics, announced the account amid an expansion of its team in 2022.

The company has secured Maltese firm Jekson Vision as a new client and has been tasked with expanding its reach into the UK market.

The agency also won its first accounts in Canada and Japan last year, along with further expansion into the US, Europe, Asia and Australia from its Yorkshire-based head office.

Philip Allott, director of Allott and Associates, said:

“The covid lockdowns caused us to take a more creative approach to pitching and tendering processes.

“Like many businesses we made the best use of Microsoft Teams and, as this has now very much become the norm around the globe, making international connections has become easier than ever for us – and it’s easier than ever for prospective clients to connect with us too.”

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Ripon engineering firm partners with The British Heart Foundation
• Business Breakfast: New café opens on Harrogate’s Cardale Park

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

Econ Engineering has launched a new charity partnership with The British Heart Foundation. The Ripon engineering firm makes more than eight out of 10 winter maintenance vehicles on UK roads.

The charity partnership will run throughout February – National Heart Month – until the end of 2023, with the aim to raise £20,000.

The money raised by Econ will help the BHF to fund research into heart and circulatory conditions such as coronary heart disease, strokes and vascular dementia.

Econ’s involvement with the charity stemmed from the death of one of the company’s managing directors, Andrew Lupton, who suffered a heart attack last year.

Andrew’s brother, Jonathan, who is now the sole managing director of the firm, said:

“We are proud to be partnering with the British Heart Foundation and are looking forward to supporting with its ongoing campaign to beat heartbreak forever”.

Employees will have the opportunity to participate in several BHF-supported health and wellbeing engagement activities, to ensure a healthier workforce.

Read more:

• Knaresborough Castle could host more events as new era dawns 
• Harrogate district school launches parent and baby group to help with cost-of-living crisis

Knaresborough shops encouraged to bring a floral look to the town

Knaresborough and District Chamber is urging shops to order hanging baskets to maintain the town’s floral look this summer.

The baskets are created by Harrogate Borough Council, which waters them twice a week.

For the last decade, the chamber has taken orders for baskets directly from shop keepers. It has subsidised the cost to members and charged non-members the price charged by the council.

But the council has set up an online payment system this year and the chamber is concerned it might lead to a lower take-up.

Chamber member and hairdresser, Kelly Teggin, who was in charge of basket sales last year, said:

“The town looks so lovely when it’s in full bloom. I fear if it’s left to the shop keepers, we may not see as many baskets, so we want to encourage it as much as possible.”

Further details are available here.

Hair & beauty salon, Kelly Teggin, displaying its hanging basket.

Harrogate and Knaresborough firefighters were called out last night to a shed that was set alight on purpose.

The crew was summoned to Dalby Avenue in Harrogate at 4.53am to deal with the incident.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log said:

“The cause was deliberate.”

Earlier in the night, a crew from Harrogate went to Starbeck High Street at 1.14am to a report of a male locked out of his home.

The incident log said:

“The male needed access to medication inside therefore crews used a lock snapper and spreaders to gain entry.”

Read more:

• Harrogate firefighters release images of Blubberhouses collision
• Harrogate district teachers go on strike — and firefighters could be next

Commuters in the Harrogate district are set for further disruption this morning as no trains will operate due to strike action.

Members of train drivers’ union the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) and the RMT union are set to walk out today in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates services between Leeds and York, has confirmed no trains will run throughout the day.

The operator added that some services on Saturday (February 4) after the strikes may be also be affected.

A statement from Northern urged passengers to check services before they travel this weekend.

Meanwhile, LNER has also told commuters to check services before travelling during the strikes.

Read more:

• Union predicts some Harrogate district schools will close due to strike
• Nurses and ambulance workers set to strike in Harrogate on same day

Besides train drivers, nurses and ambulance workers are set to strike in the Harrogate district on Monday.

Unless strikes are averted, the Royal College of Nursing plans to carry out two days of industrial action on February 6 and 7.

Unite has scheduled another ambulance strike in Harrogate on the same day.

Knaresborough Castle could stage more large scale public events in the wake of major political changes.

North Yorkshire Council will assume control of the castle when Harrogate Borough Council ceases to exist at the end of next month.

Councillor Carl Les and Richard Flinton, who will be leader and chief executive respectively of North Yorkshire Council, are due to visit the town on February 15 when they will discuss the future of the medieval fortress.

There was optimism at last night’s meeting of Knaresborough and District Chamber that the change of ownership could herald a bright new era for the castle, which was seized by Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarian troops in 1644 during the Civil War.

Knaresborough Castle, which overlooks the River Nidd, will be the only castle in the county controlled by North Yorkshire Council and there is a feeling among chamber members that the new leadership will be open to fresh ideas — including holding more events at the site.

Chamber member Bill Taylor told the meeting:

“The castle is massively under-utilised. I’ve been in Knaresborough 24 years and can only remember four or five big events.”

Peter Lacey, executive member of the chamber, said the key issue was to extend the lease on the land, which is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster.

Mr Lacey said the current lease is due to expire in about eight years and it was difficult to plan how to use the site until North Yorkshire Council negotiated an extension.

He added Knaresborough had “lots of willing partners” keen to work with the new council on initiatives at the castle and its grounds.

Read more:

• New name and coat of arms for Knaresborough hotel
• North Yorkshire County Council issued legal warning over opposing fracking

Cllr Les has said the new council will champion “double devolution” by giving powers to local areas.

He previously said:

“We believe this double devolution which passports powers from Whitehall to the town hall and the town hall to the village hall is an exciting prospect.

“We are seeking more powers from the government, but we want more powers to be devolved to the very local area as well. We want to bring people together to get more things done at a local level.”

Mr Lacey said:

“When Carl Les says the council has the ambition to be the most local as well as the largest unitary council in the country, we will take him at his word.

“Knaresborough has been a spoke of Harrogate Borough Council for many years and now we want to become our own hub.”

A long-standing Knaresborough hotel is set to be renamed as part of a revamp by its new owners.

The Dower House on Bond End will become The Knaresborough Inn, in line with other premises in The Inn Collection Group‘s portfolio.

The chain is currently carrying out a refurbishment to turn the building into a “pub with rooms”, and has even been given its own coat of arms to fit in with its stablemates.

A spokesperson for ICG said:

“Following the brand style being adopted for all sites belonging to The Inn Collection Group, a new coat of arms has been created for the inn with iconography relevant to the history of both the town and the building itself.

“Made up of a shield flanked by two griffins, acknowledging the links of the building to the Slingsby family, the design sees the left-hand side contain a recurring pattern that combines a historical emblem related to St. Robert of Knaresborough and the white rose of Yorkshire.

“The right-hand side of the shield features further reference to the builders of the original Dower House with a white chevron, and a leopard’s head taken from the Slingsby family crest.”

ICG acquired the Dower House in December 2021 and announced it would close its gym and spa last summer.

A planning application was submitted last year to extend the building and replace its leisure facilities and increase the total number of bedrooms to 57.

The hotel is currently closed while refurbishment work is carried out, with a planned completion and reopening date around the end of the summer this year.

ICG’s marketing manager Zoe Cooper said:

“We’re excited to confirm the new identity of The Knaresborough Inn as its reopening draws closer.

“We have embraced the history of the building and the site, as well as the wider area and we hope the new look will create a talking point that serves as a link to the past while the site embarks on an exciting future.”

The Inn Collection Group has also acquired Ripon Spa Hotel and the St George Hotel in Harrogate in the last two years.

The latter closed for refurbishment this week, with the loss of all of its 76 staff. The company said the work is expected to take 16 weeks.

Ripon Spa Hotel is due to reopen this spring.

Read more:

• Historic Harrogate hotel closes as staff face redundancy
• Dower House renovation set to start — but still no opening date