A new owner has taken over the former iconic Farrah’s Olde Sweet Shop in Harrogate after working at the store for more than a decade.

Natalie Moore said she jumped at the chance when she was offered the opportunity to buy the business on Montpellier Parade.

The 31-year-old is now putting her own stamp on the business, which has been renamed Harrogate Olde Sweet Shop.

And while it is no longer under the Farrah’s umbrella, it still remains one of the largest stockists of the historic brand, which makes the famous Harrogate Toffee.

Ms Moore said:

“We are still the number one customer for Harrogate Toffee. We still have one of the biggest ranges of Farrah’s in the country, including Harrogate Toffee gin.

“Even though it’s no longer part of Farrah’s, it is still the original place where it was sold.”

Ms Moore next to the shop’s large loose chocolate counter.

The 31-year-old started working at the shop as a sales assistant when she left school 13 years ago and was eventually promoted to manager.

The shop was previously run by father and son team Gary and Peter Marston for almost 25 years. Peter still own Farrah’s, which is now exclusively a wholesale business based in Starbeck.

Ms Moore said:

“We will continue to be in-keeping with the traditional side of things, but we are going to be giving the interior a bit of a revamp.

“Overall the shop works well, but it’s just really nice to be able to put my own stamp on it.

“All the staff have been here a long time and I’ve been getting them involved, which is really nice.

“For example we have made some tiny changes to the chocolate counter, but it has really made a difference. We have increased the range and also the way we display it and it looks so much brighter.

“As far as I’m aware, we are the only shop in Harrogate that has a loose chocolate counter. When it’s full on a good day, there are 80 different types of chocolate, which are mostly Belgian. We also have some that are made in England.”

The original team of nine staff will continue to work at the shop and Ms Moore said her family also enjoyed helping out.

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Other plans for the future include continuing to increase the range of sweets and promoting the shop’s gift department, which sells a large range of Harrogate merchandise.

Ms Moore also wants to promote the shop more to the town’s residents.

She said:

“We get customers coming in here who have lived in Harrogate all their life and they say they didn’t know it was here or how big it was.

“Tourism is great for us and always has been, but with everything going on through covid, you realise you want to rely on the customers on your doorstep even more.

“That’s one of my goals. To try and put it on the Harrogate map a bit more.”

One thing Harrogate isn’t short of is independent coffee shops.

Once associated as a trendy hangout for hipsters, now the majority of the population are queuing up to get their caffeine fix – and it better be a decent flat white.

New venues on the scene include Swedish coffee house Fi:k, in the Montpellier Quarter, which has also recently opened a branch in Knaresborough, Cortado, on Leeds Road and Heal, also in the Montpellier. There is also Bamber & Brown, a barista bar at Birk Crag, where you can enjoy an artisan coffee in a tipi, and Constellation Coffee, which opened on East Parade last month. Another Swedish coffee shop, Nord, is also set to open on Otley Road.

But what is it about these coffee shops that everyone is going nuts for? And can the town handle the increasing number?

Opening its doors on Leeds Road in August last year, Cortado is one of the new kids on the block.

Meeting spot

Manager Erin Seelig said:

“We felt like the Leeds Road area was missing the market as most of them are directed towards town and this area really needed something.

“Coffee shops are now slowly starting to expand out into the neighbourhoods, which is great.

“It’s a hub and a meeting spot for a lot of people, especially in Harrogate.”

Erin said she believed each coffee shop in Harrogate had it’s own community and offered something slightly different, with Cortado focusing on takeaways to cater for an increase in the number of people who grab one and go for a stroll.

Find your niche

She said this was a habit that had been formed on the back of the lockdown daily walks.

“We see the same people – and their dogs – every day and for us it’s lovely to serve the community.

“For us we are trying to create our own identity. You have got to find your niche.

“If you look at the coffee shops in Harrogate, some focus on the cakes, some do brunch and they all attract different types of people.”

Manager Erin Seelig at Cortado on Leeds Road.

Erin said customers cared more about the different blends of coffee than ever before and often liked to know where the beans were roasted.

Affordable luxury

She said:

“It’s an affordable luxury and it’s a part of the day a lot of people look forward to as there is also the social element.

“I think there is plenty of room for new coffee shops as Harrogate has a big population of residents, as well as tourists. It’s always nice to have choice, and if one of them is full, you can pick another.

“All the independent coffee shops support each other as well. We get massive support from Bean and Bud, Hoxton North and No.35. They have been in here lots and we go to them. We can share ideas, which is really nice.”

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Matthew Edmonds and Oliver Highland Edmonds launched HealMedical and Wellness Spa around seven years ago and last month they added artisan coffee and gift shop to their business, which is based in the Montpellier Quarter.

Coffee and chat

Matthew said:

“The vision for the coffee shop is to enhance the wellness spa with a relaxing, calm space in which having a coffee and a chat becomes an integral part of your experience.

“The retail gifting area aims to highlight independent businesses who strive to give back, whether it be working with the learning difficulties community or supporting environmental causes. This sums up the ethos of Heal.”

Matthew Edmonds, owner of Heal.

Unique experience

Matthew agreed that all new coffee shops in Harrogate should bring the community a unique experience.

He added:

“This is what we are aiming to do at Heal by also stocking quirky gifts and cards that you don’t see everywhere.”

Heal’s coffee and gift shop in the Montpellier Quarter.

The Crown Hotel in Harrogate has had its operations taken over by a new management company.

RBH has added the historic building to its portfolio of 45 other hotels in the UK.

The Crown is one of the oldest hotels in Harrogate, dating back over 300 years. It has 114 bedrooms and seven conference rooms.

The hospitality sector was hit hard during lockdown, with hotels having to remain closed. But London-based RBH is optimistic booking levels will resume now that lockdown restrictions have eased.

Andrew Robb, RBH’s chief business development officer, said it was “an exciting new chapter for this unique venue”, which is owned by Singapore-based developer the Fragrance Group.

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Mr Robb added:

“Our ethos is very much based on developing and nurturing our people, and this will be extended to The Crown as we look to maximise the potential of the team and in turn offer an outstanding experience to guests.

The covid pandemic has resulted in an exceptionally challenging time for the hospitality sector, however RBH has emerged from lockdown in a strong position and we are eager to help guide The Crown through this period and on to continued success.”

A new travel agent has opened in Harrogate’s Montpellier Quarter.

The Travel Journal opened yesterday on the site of the former Isles of Wonder gift shop.

It has started trading at a time when quarantine rules are playing havoc with many people’s holiday plans.

However Ben Poole, the owner is buoyant about prospects.

Although some travel agents have seen bookings plummet during lockdown, as more customers turn to staycations, Mr Poole said bookings were bouncing back. He said:

“Business has been great for the past few weeks and green shoots are certainly appearing for our industry.

“The surge of high quality last minute bookings to places that remain on the government’s safe quarantine list has been a very welcome surprise as I had written off summer 2020 but I have probably done more business this summer last minute than I would have done any previous year.

“Yes there is a worry destinations could be added to the quarantine list without much prior notice but all my clients are made aware of the risks.”

This new shop is set alongside multiple other independent shops recovering from months of lockdown.

Mr Poole, who has been in the travel industry for 21 years, began his new venture at home in January and has been forced to cope with the impact of lockdown.

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He hopes the pandemic will encourage more people to use travel agents after hearing stories of people unable to get refunds from some online companies.

A pedestrian was left with a serious ankle injury after a collision with a black BMW X6 in the centre of Harrogate.

It happened at the junction of The Ginnel and Montpellier Street on Tuesday at around 4pm.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses, or anyone with CCTV footage of the area, to help establish the full details of what happened.

Anyone with information can call the force on 101, select option2 and ask for Chris Storey, or email chris.storey@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200143779.

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