Stray Foodie: Vista View Bistro at How Stean Gorge, Nidderdale

Stray Foodie is a bi-monthly food review written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. 

In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

 

Vista View Bistro, How Stean Gorge, Nidderdale 

It was a dreak night and I was in one of the most beautiful parts of deepest Nidderdale; How Stean Gorge is a place of such outstanding natural beauty, especially on clear sunny days of which we rarely have. This was not the case on this occasion, as we bumped along a windy road to our destination. Ahead of us rose an amazing, stilted building that towered over dramatic turbulent water with lustrous jungle land and deep vegetation.

A vision of creative owners, Mr & Mrs Stanley Beer who have developed their Gorge with great dedication over many years to its current acclaim. What a beautiful place to live and continue to develop a business. Full of exciting opportunity in this new world of hospitality that we find ourselves in. Exciting outdoor pursuits with fresh, tasty, good food seems to be the order of the day.

The glass viewing area at How Stean Gorge.

My old man and I were there for an early dinner and we felt lucky, as How Stean – as it is known locally – is not often open in the evenings. Like a lot of people, it was the first time out for us for some time. As we entered, the feeling of cleanliness was exemplary and made us feel very safe.

Would you like Frances to review your restaurant or cafe? 

From pop-up to fine dining, Frances would like to hear from you. If you’d like her to write a review on your food, send her an email to: foodie@thestrayferret.co.uk.

My old man’s face was a picture of sheer contentment as he devoured a very beautiful Prawn Cocktail. I examined a starter of vegetables and thought, here we have some style. Jowayne, a young and ambitious Chef has given his food a lot of love shown by a neat, clean hand and a good balance of flavour. Although I would have been happy to see or feel more colour and excitement with the menu. Having said that, to find such honest food in the depths of this fine country is a plus. Maybe I was being over-influenced and relaxed by the Spa-themed music during dinner which was ethereal and stark.

Two Vista View Bistro chefs pictured, including its head chef, Jowayne Marshall (left).

The time to visit is obviously during the day with all the lovely Autumnal hues. You will sit and gasp at the extraordinary views over a glass or savour the very good and satisfying local beef or feel spoilt by what’s on offer on the menu; something for all tastes, I am told. Let’s hope Chef puts his Fruit Mousse Spoon on the dessert menu – something I have come across before – and of course it was well worth the drive up the Dale.

Whenever you decide to visit, which is a must during these times, you will be rewarded by friendly Yorkshire hospitality that stimulates you and gives you the good feeling of being British. My little journey for dinner x2, three courses and a glass of wine each cost £85.20 excluding service. Don’t be afraid, there are more economic ways of enjoying this treasure.

To find out more about Vista View Bistro click here.

To read more about Frances’ fantastic career click here.

North Yorkshire devolution could be ‘at risk’, says county council leader

A devolution deal for North Yorkshire could be at risk and clarity is needed on the future of local government, says North Yorkshire County Council’s leader.

Cllr Carl Les told the Stray Ferret that he was “hopeful” that a deal could still be put on the table.

But he added there were concerns the government is considering delaying publishing a white paper on devolution amid the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit negotiations.

A meeting between Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Mr Jenrick was due to take place today over devolution.

Ministers approached the council leaders in the county in July over devolved powers. Former local government minister Simon Clarke – who resigned earlier this month – made it a requirement to shake up the current council structure ahead of any devolution bid.

Councils were supposed to be invited to submit plans for a restructure of local government on September 7.

Read more:

But Cllr Les said the authority is still waiting for a letter of invitation from ministers to lodge the new authority plans.

Following a meeting with the County Council Network, which represents county councils across the country, council leaders agreed that the current situation “was not helpful”.

As a result, Cllr Les wrote to Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Local Government, last Friday urging him for clarity and to express his “deepest concerns” over a potential deal.

North Yorkshire County Council leader, Carl Les.

North Yorkshire County Council leader, Carl Les.

He said that county council leaders were “despondent” at the current position, with some, including Surrey County Council’s leader, fearing plans for reform were “dead”.

In his letter to Mr Jenrick, Cllr Les said:

“To be clear this is the future and opportunity for more than 800,000 people at a critical moment, as we all strive to drive renewed economies and create jobs for people following the body blow delivered by the coronavirus pandemic.

“As you are aware, and amongst other pressures that we have been dealing with extremely effectively, we have been working hard with your ministers and officials to secure a devolution deal for the benefit of everyone here.

“One that will level up life chances and outcomes for people across the county and seek to end the North-South divide, powering up the North so it can play its full part in the national economy and agenda.

“I am alarmed to hear that this deal could be at risk and want to say to you in the strongest possible terms that it is needed now, more than ever.”

He added that should devolution not be introduced across England, the county would be willing to pilot mayoral authorities for rural areas.

He said:

“I call upon you and the Prime Minister to use all of the innovative thinking at your disposal to consider how our position could fit into a northern concept.

“Should you decide not to introduce devolution deals across the whole of England – I am confident that I, and colleagues across the north would be willing to pilot the idea of mayoral authorities for rural areas here.

“The north has always been willing to be the first to implement new thinking and new ideas. I ask you to keep to your commitment for devolution for the north, follow up on your promises and ask of us, and deliver for all of Yorkshire. Do not leave North Yorkshire and York behind – we need to move on now.”

Cllr Les said he had also sent a private note to both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor over the issue.

Read more:

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government maintained that it will set out “detailed plans” in the white paper this Autumn.

A spokesperson said: 

“We want to decentralise giving more power to local communities, providing opportunities for them to enjoy devolution. There will be no blanket abolishment of district councils and no top-down restructuring of local government.

“The devolution white paper, which will be published this Autumn, will set out our detailed plans and we continue to work closely with local areas to establish solutions to local government reform.”

What was the timetable for devolution?

The two camps – district councils and county council – have to wait for an invitation from government to submit their proposals. 

Once that is done, the government will choose its preferred option and consult with the public, councils and other public bodies on that model. 

Once the minister has received all the responses, he will decide on whether to set up a new authority. 

To do this, the government will have to pass a piece of legislation through Parliament to create the new authority. No new council will be created until it is approved.

Councils do not get another vote on the new authority – the process is handled by Parliament.

While no specific timetable has been set for the reorganisation, government had told council officials that they would like to see a new authority by 2022. 

County council bosses are confident that their model could meet this timescale, but the districts believe it is more likely that a new authority would be in place by 2023. 

Pothole payouts shrink in North Yorkshire

The number of compensation claims paid for potholes in the county has shrunk considerably over the last two years.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed it had paid nine claims worth £5,431 in 2018/19 and just one worth £55 in 2019/20.

By contrast, it paid 36 claims worth £16,435 in 2017/18, 10 claims worth £1,720 in 2016/17 and 27 claims worth £21,876 in 2015/16. The statistics were revealed after the Stray Ferret submitted a Freedom of Information request.

Road users did not know why the number of claims has decreased.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, said roads were in a poor condition, which had caused damage and accidents.

He added:

“A number of cyclists have made claims and been unsuccessful and have given up. Perhaps people think there is no point.”

A spokesman for the Alliance of British Drivers, which campaigns on behalf of drivers, acknowledged potholes were a greater problem for cyclists than motorists but added:

“Councils should do something about potholes because they are a danger.”

A North Yorkshire County Council spokeswoman said it hadn’t changed its approach to contesting pothole claims, and said there were still 60 ongoing cases for 2019/20.

Read more:

 

Home library service maintains morale

The home library service has earned praise in Harrogate for its support for local people as lockdown restrictions are eased.

The service delivers books to those who cannot select them in person, including people with disabilities, illness and caring responsibilities.es.

The service is run by volunteers and was operating out of libraries across North Yorkshire since before lockdown. As libraries began to reopen, the service has also been restarted.

Doris Guiseley, 92, from Harrogate, said:

“I’ve had the service since I was 80 and to me it is a godsend. I’m an avid reader and can get lost in a good book, it’s what keeps me going. I recommend it to everyone I meet and tell them it’s a brilliant service.” 

The Harrogate library volunteers have been praised for their support over lockdown.  

Edith Beckley, a 96-year-old from Harrogate, said: 

“The volunteers have become friends too and when they couldn’t visit they rang me every week during lockdown just for a chat.” 

Read more:

The service has now been adapted to ensure the protection of both volunteers and the community. All books are left in a secure place on a pre-arranged date and quarantined after collection. 

In July, a Select and Collect service was also launched to allow customers to limit contact whilst collecting books. 

County Councillor Greg White, executive member for libraries, said:  

“I would encourage more people to take advantage of our brilliant service. If you or someone you know would benefit please get in touch.” 

People urged to have say on North Yorkshire council reorganisation

District council leaders have urged people in North Yorkshire to have their say on the future of local government and public services in the county.

It comes amid government plans to reduce the number of local councils in England as part of its devolution agenda.

County council and district council bosses in North Yorkshire will this month submit separate proposals on how they want to see local government look.

County council bosses want one unitary authority, which would see the seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, scrapped.

Read more:

But district council leaders have said two authorities – one in the east and another in the west of the county – would work better and claim such a model would save up to £56 million a year.

The west authority would serve Harrogate, Craven, Hambleton and Richmondshire, while the east would cover York, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby.

Now the district councils have invited residents and businesses to have their say on the topic at a series of virtual engagement events, beginning tomorrow.

Speaking on behalf of the seven council leaders, Cllr Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said:

“The reorganisation of local government services may not sound like the most exciting thing on earth, but the reality is that it will affect everybody who lives, works or runs a business in North Yorkshire and York.

“It is not only about how your everyday services will be delivered in the future, it is about the ability of communities to shape the future of where they live, and determine how we can bring new investment, jobs and growth to our region. That’s why it is so important that people have their say.”

The move comes as the PR war over the future of local government is set to heat up this month ahead of a deadline for proposals to be submitted to government.

The trade union Unison, Mayor of Tees Valley Ben Houchen and Terry Collins, the chief executive of Durham County Council are among those who have spoken out recently.

To find out more on the series of engagement events being held by the district councils, click here.

New Harrogate rescue centre rehomes 19 cats

While most independent businesses were forced to close down during lockdown, one local cat rescue has thrived since it first opened in April.

Celia Dakin, owner of Harrogate Cat Rescue, had always planned to open a centre for rehoming stray cats.

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, many national animal charities had to stop neutering feral animals, including cats, and this has increased the number of kittens being born without a loving home. Celia felt this was the perfect opportunity to set up a rescue business.

In just over three months, the rescue centre has rehomed 19 cats and kittens and is currently in the process of homing a further 10 kittens and three adult cats. Celia has always been ‘cat mad’ and has two 11-year-old cats of her own, Geoff and Lady.

Celia told the Stray Ferret:

“Initially, I was approached by a lady who told me that there was a fairly large colony of cats where she worked, and that she had seen kittens. So, I started my rescue.”

Celia runs her business from her home in Harrogate, which has a no-kill policy. This means that no healthy or treatable cats are euthanised or killed even if the shelter is at full capacity.

Read More:

She currently houses a poorly five-year-old shorthair cat, Mack, who tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), an incurable viral infection.

He has a large wound on the side of his neck caused by a cat bite, which has now become ulcerated. He also needs dental surgery to remove his rotten teeth. Despite his tough life, Mack has a friendly nature and is in need of a loving home.

The cat lover currently has 22 cats in foster care, including Emily, a six-year-old Ragdoll and Bengal crossbreed, who was sent to Celia when her owners chose to travel abroad.

The rescue encourages new owners to get their cats neutered at four months old, if they haven’t been already.

Celia said:

“I believe that every cat deserves a chance, as most stray and outdoor cats have been failed by humans. I am active in encouraging co-operation between me and other rescues in Yorkshire, with the aim of working together for the benefit of all cats.”

“Neutering cats is an extremely high priority; unneutered males age quicker and are more prone to disease, as they have to fight for food, females and survival. Unneutered females leave home as their hormones dictate and are repeatedly raped by the unneutered males, leading to multiple pregnancies, causing stillbirth, deformity and disease.”

All cats and kittens that are cared for by the Harrogate Cat Rescue receive a veterinary health check, flea and worm treatment, microchip and at the least their first vaccination. The adoption fee for an adult cat or kitten is £90 each.

To find out more about the adoption process, visit the Harrogate Cat Rescue website.

County council chair urges residents to commemorate VJ Day

North Yorkshire County Council’s chairman has encouraged residents to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Japan today.

Today commemorates the surrender of Imperial Japan on August 15, 1945, which led to the end of the Second World War.

Nationally, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will lead a two-minute silence from 11am at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and the Red Arrows will perform a fly past over Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and London.

The BBC will also broadcast VJ Day 75: A Nation’s Tribute and screens in locations across the country will show a photo montage showcasing living Second World War veterans.

Read More:

It will include the Duke of Edinburgh who was present on board HMS Whelp in Tokyo Bay for the signing of the Japanese surrender.

Cllr Jim Clark has called on residents in North Yorkshire to also commemorate the anniversary.

He said:

“Whatever the reason for perhaps not marking it in the past, for this 75th anniversary I would like each and every one of us to take time to remember the events of 75 years ago in whatever way you feel appropriate.

“Remember all the brave service men and women who made great sacrifices, some the ultimate sacrifice, including those of our great county, so that we enjoy the freedoms we value so much today. Remember also the large number of innocent civilians, including many children, who died because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Finally, I would like to thank all of you who have gone the extra mile over the last few months, both paid staff and volunteers. It has been North Yorkshire communities at their best and once again I invite you to stand together in remembrance and thanksgiving; against hate and prejudice; and to build stronger communities.

“This will allow us all to face an uncertain future with hope and confidence.”

North/south councils would better serve county, says Labour

North Yorkshire would be better served with two unitary councils in the north and south of the county, says Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party.

The local Labour group said while it supports devolved powers for the county, it does not agree with county council proposals for a single authority under restructure plans.

It comes as ministers have set a requirement to reorganise the make-up of local councils ahead of any devolution bid.

But Harrogate’s opposition parties, including the Liberal Democrats, have objected to the proposal for a one unitary council which would see Harrogate Borough Council and the other six districts scrapped.

Read more:

The local Labour group suggested a divided structure which would see urban areas, such as Harrogate and York, under one council and rural areas in the north under another.

It said a plan for a single authority would be too big and remote for the county.

A spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party said:

“Harrogate and Knaresborough Constituency Labour Party welcomes the idea of devolution of powers from central government to York and North Yorkshire as long as the budgetary devolution promises made by central government are adhered to for the foreseeable future.

“However, it totally opposes the idea of one authority based in Northallerton, as this would be too large and remote from the majority of a widely scattered population. There needs to be a geographical as well as economic reality in any proposal.”

Meanwhile, the battle to drum up support for proposals over the future of local government in the county has already started.

Districts leaders, led by Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper, have described county plans as “unworkable”, while county leaders have issued statements with endorsements from the likes of Durham and assurances from government ministers.

The campaigns to gather support are expected to continue for the next few weeks as both camps have until September to submit formal proposals to ministers.

Devolution in other shire counties

Over the Humber Bridge and into Lincolnshire, a similar battle over devolution and government restructure is taking place.

Much like North Yorkshire, the county is made up of a county council and seven district authorities. However, it also has two unitary councils in the North and North East.

As part of a devolution bid, the Conservative-led Lincolnshire County Council and its two counterparts may divide the county up under a proposed restructure.

It could see the county and its residents governed by one council in the north and another in the south.

This, as in North Yorkshire, would see the districts scrapped. As a result, leaders of the seven districts feel aggrieved and have complained of a lack of engagement from county hall.

But the message from government is that any devolution in both of the shire counties will not come until its council structure is changed. 

County ‘way off’ lockdown but ‘stay vigilant’, says public health director

North Yorkshire’s director of public health has called for people to remain vigilant despite the county being “way off” a local lockdown.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant said the average number of cases of coronavirus in the county remains low, with areas like Harrogate averaging around 10 cases per week.

Currently, 736 cases have tested positive in the district, with 2,601 in the wider county according to Public Health England figures.

But recent local lockdowns in Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale have raised concern that similar measures could be taken in the county

Read more:

A local lockdown was imposed in parts of West Yorkshire following fears of a second spike in coronavirus infections. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the prevalence of the virus was “likely to be rising” in England.

But Dr Sargeant said the county is “way off” the rate of cases compared with areas on the government’s watchlist, such as Barnsley. The rate of cases in North Yorkshire is currently at around 420 per 100,000 people, but the South Yorkshire town is nearly double that at 821.

However, Dr Sargeant told the Stray Ferret that people should remain vigilant despite the low number of cases. He said:

“We have to be vigilant because things can change rapidly and it does not take much to import cases from areas like West Yorkshire.

“A lot of this is in people’s control and the virus itself has not really changed. The same things we need to battle it has not changed.”

It comes after, last week, figures from Public Health England showed an increase of six cases in the Spofforth, Burn Bridge and Huby area.

But Dr Sargeant said an increase in testing and the council’s track and trace system has led to the authority tackling cases early.

For him, the method of tackling the virus locally was to test aggressively and investigate further.

Dr Sargeant added that knowing who you are spending time with was a good way of avoiding the virus. He said:

“If you can confidently recount who your contacts are then that is a good start. I would not be confident if you did not know who they were.”

North Yorkshire retains seat at West Yorkshire health scrutiny board

North Yorkshire councillors will still be able to scrutinise hospital services used by residents who travel to West Yorkshire for care.

Cllr Jim Clark, chair of North Yorkshire County Council, has agreed two seats at the West Yorkshire Joint Health Scrutiny panel which scrutinises health services in the region.

Health scrutiny panels look at the hospital services in a region and hold hospital bosses accountable for their performance.

Patients in North Yorkshire often require hospital care in Leeds, such as treatment for strokes.

Read more:

Cllr Clark said the move would allow patients from the Harrogate district to still be represented on the panel and to properly scrutinise the services offered.

He said:

“This is very good news because we want to make sure that we have the authority to scrutinise services that are not provided in North Yorkshire.”

It comes as health services in North Yorkshire have seen a shake up this year. In April, the county’s three clinical commissioning groups in the county merged to create the North Yorkshire CCG.

CCGs are responsible for planning and commissioning care in a local area.

The move comes as part of measures by NHS England bosses to reduce the number of CCGs across the country from 191 to 134.