Yemi’s Food Stories: Pizza Fridays at Yolk Farm in MinskipRoad closed due to crash5 things to do in and around Harrogate this weekend August 31-September 1Minskip scarecrow festival to returnLocal Harrogate expert explains five mysteries of the cheese worldVictory for villagers as industrial development is refused planning permission

Residents have cautiously welcomed the refusal this week of planning permission for a controversial scheme to build an industrial development on their residential cul-de-sac. 

The project, on Hazeldene Fold in Minskip, near Boroughbridge, has been deeply unpopular with neighbouring householders, and many of them lodged objections to the scheme citing concerns about noise, dust and the constant passage of heavy goods vehicles along an unsuitable access road. 

What made the case more notable than most was that there were fears that a buried Roman mosaic could have been disturbed or even destroyed during initial groundworks, which were well underway as early as January 2023. 

As the Stray Ferret reported last year, the developer, Harrogate-based Forward Investment Properties, applied in September 2022 to Harrogate Borough Council for permission to demolish some Nissen huts on the site, and build four light industrial units, a car-park and a turning circle for goods vehicles. 

It withdrew that application, but then applied in October 2023 for retrospective planning permission for the groundworks and to use the existing building as a light industrial unit. 

But North Yorkshire Council’s planning committee this week rejected that application on six counts. A key factor in the decision was the site’s location, which is outside the development limit for Minskip, and therefore considered to be in the countryside, meaning that the development does not comply with the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-2035. 

Local resident Tony Hunt told the Stray Ferret: 

“We’ve not started partying yet, but everybody’s pretty pleased in the Fold, and more widely. 

“In the decision, they said ‘the proposed development would undermine the Council’s growth strategy as set out in the Local Plan’. That would suggest they won’t be able to successfully appeal, but we’ll see.” 

No mention of the Roman mosaic floor was made in the decision. But according to local resident Tony Hunt, it is reported to have been discovered when the huts were built in 1970 but covered over with a layer of sand and plastic to preserve it. The location cross-references on Ordnance Survey maps with a square-shaped earthwork, and a Roman coin hoard was found nearby in the 19th century. 

Forward Investment Properties’ representative, Leeds-based Addison Planning Consultants Ltd, told the Stray Ferret that the Nissen huts were all still standing, so the suspected site of the mosaic floor has not been disturbed by the groundworks. 

Forward Investment Properties is registered with Companies House as a limited liability partnership and its three members, who are brothers, Adam, Tobias and Daniel Ward.

.The Stray Ferret has asked Addison Planning Consultants whether Forward intends to appeal the decision, lodge a revised planning application or abandon the scheme. 

Tony Hunt and his wife Valerie very much hope they’ll choose the last option. Valerie said: 

“It’s been like living with the Sword of Damocles over our heads for the last three years. It’s affected me very badly and made me quite ill. 

“When we moved here we didn’t expect to have to battle against something like this. Why do they want to put something like this in our little cul-de-sac when there are so many other more suitable places they could choose? 

“We’re very happy about the decision, but they keep coming back. They’re very determined.” 

Tony added: 

“This is not over yet, not by a long way.” 

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Business Breakfast: New chef named at Wild Swan in Minskip

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

Matt Turton has joined the historic 18th century Wild Swan inn at Minskip, near Boroughbridge.

Mr Turton has worked at a variety of venues in Harrogate and with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay when he opened his Heddon Street restaurant in Soho.

Alex Bond, who along with Stephen Lennox bought the Wild Swan in 2021, said:

“Matt’s appointment is crucially important for the future of the Wild Swan. He has a superb reputation in Harrogate and the surrounding area and we are in no doubt that he will take the Wild Swan to a completely new level in terms of the quality and the presentation of our food.”

Mr Turton has had stints at the Fat Badger and the Yorkshire Hotel and as head chef at Jesper’s Bar and Kitchen in Harrogate, as well as working on the set of ITV soap Emmerdale.

He said:

“I have had such a wonderful welcome from the village. I am determined to give Minskip and the surrounding district, an inn to be proud of.

“I have completely revamped the menu and am determined to create enjoyable and imaginative food at competitive prices.”

Charity football tournament

Pantera Property in Harrogate raised more than £5,000 for charity by holding a charity football tournament.

The money will be split and donated to Saint Michaels Hospice in Harrogate and The Leeds Hospital Charity’s fund to create The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Centre.

Established in 2016, Pantera Property is a family-run firm of chartered surveyors, with offices in London, Harrogate, Leeds and Essex.

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Car on roof after two-vehicle collision in Minskip

A car flipped onto its roof following a two-vehicle collision at Minskip, near Boroughbridge, this afternoon.

Roads policing sergeant Paul Cording alerted people on social media at 1.20pm about the incident on the A6055, which is the main road through Minskip.

Sgt Cording said one person involved in the collision was taken to hospital with “minor injuries”.

The road reopened at 1.47pm.

No further details, including the status of the other vehicle and passengers, have been revealed.

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Business Breakfast: Minskip bedding company secures £100,000 funding

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Minskip-based luxury bedding company has secured £100,000 worth of investment to help expand the brand.

Floks, which is based at Yolk Farm on Minskip Road, has been awarded the funding from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

The company was founded by Sophie Platts after she came up with the idea for a bedding brand during the covid lockdowns.

The fund is managed by Mercia Asset Management and aims to award companies funding to help with growth.

The investment will help Floks to step up its marketing campaign and develop new products to expand the range.

David Wright of Mercia said: 

“Sophie has a wealth of experience in designer homewares. Floks builds on Yorkshire’s wool trade heritage and fills a gap in the market for sustainable luxury bedding that promotes healthy sleep.

“The funding will help her to expand the business and establish the brand as a market leader in premium British wool bedding.”

Ripon Racecourse nominated for awards

Ripon Racecourse has been shortlisted as a finalist at an industry awards ceremony.

The Racecourse Association’s Showcase and Awards are set to be held on November 23 at Aintree Racecourse.

The event aims to celebrate excellence and innovation in racecourse operations and raceday experience.

Ripon has been shortlisted in both the marketing and racing foundation green categories at the ceremony.

Jonathan Mullin, operations and marketing manager at Ripon Racecourse, said: 

“It’s wonderful for us to be finalists in two categories. We’ve managed to win an award at the last two Showcase Awards, at Hamilton in 2019 and at Pontefract in 2022, which is fantastic for a small independent racecourse and it’s great to be in with a chance once more.”

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Minskip scarecrow weekend set to return

The annual scarecrow competition will be returning to the village of Minskip, near Boroughbridge, for the weekend of September 2 and 3.

The competition sees the village’s main street lined with scarecrows. This year’s theme is 100 Years of Walt Disney.

Debbie Hargreaves, one of the organisers, said:

“It’s absolutely wonderful how so many villagers have made scarecrows in the past and I expect the same this year. The competition has really caught the imagination of the village and the standard is incredibly high.

“It’s great fun and all proceeds from the competition go towards our lovely little church, which, like so many rural churches, is desperately in need of money.”

The competition will be judged by Radio York presenter Elly Fiorentini and the winners will be announced on the Sunday afternoon at 3pm in front of the church. There will be a barbecue, Pimm’s, tea and coffee, tombola and various stalls from noon to 4pm in the church garden on Sunday.

On Saturday, there will be refreshments for sale in the church garden.

Robert Beaumont, senior churchwarden of Minskip Church, said:

“I’d like to thank Debbie and the rest of my church council team for all their hard work, enthusiasm and imagination in creating this fantastic weekend. It will raise much-needed money for our lovely little church.”

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