Parliament Street Archives - Page 2 of 7

Peter Gotthard founder and hairdressing pioneer to attend 60th anniversary party

The man who brought the revolutionary hairdressing techniques of Vidal Sassoon to the north of England in the 1960s will be the guest of honour next month, when the salon he co-founded celebrates 60 years in business.

Peter Harman opened Peter Gotthard Hairdressing at 36 Parliament Street in Harrogate in June 1964, with business partner Gotthard Passager, a Swiss stylist he had met in London.

Speaking exclusively to the Stray Ferret, Peter said:

“In those days, it was fashionable to combine the first names of business partners, so that’s what we did, and Peter Gotthard was born.

“Sadly, Gotthard only stayed a couple of years. He went to Canada and opened an academy in Vancouver – and I was left holding the baby.”

Peter worked hard to build up the business, sometimes doing four or five hair shows a week, “anywhere we could get an audience”, to spread the word.

Peter Harman at work in the 1960s.

It was in the mid-sixties when Peter learned the skills that would put his salon at the forefront of hairdressing innovation and make Peter Gotthard a by-word for cutting-edge style. He said:

“I was inspired by Vidal Sassoon – he changed my life, and I attribute a lot of my success in hairdressing to him. He was a dear friend and completely changed hairdressing with his new ethos.

“I spent a lot of time at his salon in Mayfair in the 1960s, doing advanced courses under his supervision. He threw out the old-fashioned hairdryers and rollers and suddenly it was all about the scissors and the hand-held hairdryer. When I started, it was 100% shampoo-and-sets, but by the ’70s, it was 85% cut-and-blowdrys.

“I was bowled over by Vidal’s way of hairdressing – it was pure artistry. That’s what I was inspired by, and that’s what I wanted to bring to the north of England, which I did.”

In 1966, Peter put on a two-hour show at the Royal Hall in Harrogate, putting the salon’s name in lights: ‘Peter Gotthard Hair Show’. It attracted 950 people, who came just to see his demonstration of the new techniques.

The hard work paid off, and the three-storey Parliament Street premises grew to accommodate 35 stations, with separate men’s and ladies’ salons and a beauty salon.

He opened a second salon on Leeds Road in the 1970s and another on Westgate in Ripon in the ’80s, followed by a fourth on Coppergate in York in the 1990s, and there were as many as “70 or 80” people working in the business.

Peter Gotthard was even invited to become a member of Intercoiffure Mondial, the Paris-based global network of elite salons. Peter said:

“It called its logo ‘the sign of the best hairdressing salons in the world’ and only admitted one member per town.

“When people came to Harrogate from overseas, they recognised the Intercoiffure sign. It was a real mark of excellence.”

In fact, it was one that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher perhaps recognised when she came to Harrogate to give a speech at the conference centre in 1982. She asked Peter Gotthard to supply a hairdresser to style her hair, and Peter still has her handwritten letter of thanks.

A letter sent to Peter Harman by Margaret Thatcher to thank him for Peter Gotthard’s services when she was in Harrogate.

But later, in the nineties and naughties, the hairdressing industry was revolutionised again, this time by technology, when everything became digitised. Peter said:

“I’m a technophobe and I was way out of my depth – it was time to go!”

So in February 2008, Peter Gotthard embarked on a new chapter when Peter sold it to one of his longest-serving employees, Cheryl Byrne. Cheryl had joined the business as a 16-year-old, straight from school, in May 1981 and even met her husband, Patrick, through a Peter Gotthard colleague.

Cheryl said:

“Back in the ’80s, Peter was cutting hair most days. He was quite a perfectionist with extremely high standards, and that become the norm for us all. He was a great role model to follow in business, too.”

Photo of Peter Harman and Peter Gotthard's staff in the late 1970s.

Peter Harman (back row, centre) and Peter Gotthard’s staff in the late 1970s. Note the Intercoiffure logo on the window.

She added:

“The 80s was an exciting time to become a young hairdresser. Styles were moving on from setting to blow-drying and perming, and then colouring hair took over.

“I watched the salon’s hooded hairdryers disappear one by one as blow-drying became so much more popular. But we still have one that we wheel out of the cupboard for our regular weekly clients who have supported the business for so long.

“Cutting skills came to the forefront of hairdressing as we stopped relying on dressing the hair so much. Short shapes and bobs of all descriptions were popular, and creative colouring was exciting through into the 90s and 2000s, when straightening hair became huge in the industry. Some of the styles, such as the wolf, the mullet and the shag, just keep coming around.”

Patrick and Cheryl, who have been married now for 37 years, are carrying on Peter’s legacy from the Parliament Street premises he opened six decades ago. They have nine stylists, three receptionists and an apprentice, and there are an independent beauty business and a tattoo business under the same roof.

Despite the longevity of the business – unparallelled in its sector locally – Peter Gotthard still counts some old friends among its customers.

Patrick said:

“We’ve got some clients who were coming right at the start and still come now – 60 years later. We’ve got at least 20 who have been coming for 40 years or more.

“And we’ve still got some very long-serving stylists. Chris has been with us for 46 years, Cheryl for 43 years, and Linda for 40 years. The average length of service among our stylists is about 15 years. That’s very unusual in this industry.”

Nevertheless, there have been scores of other employees who have gone on to work elsewhere – Patrick says that Peter Gotthard has “probably trained half of Harrogate” – and many of them have set up their own businesses.

Photo of the staff of Peter Gotthard Hairdressing in Harrogate.

Cheryl Byrne (back row, far right) and her staff.

Cheryl and Patrick are hoping that as many of them and Peter Gotthard’s long-standing clients as possible will join them at the salon for the ‘Diamond Jubilee’ celebrations from noon till 4pm on Monday, June 10.

Two guests who are certain to be there are Peter and his wife Brenda, whom he met in 1965, within months of arriving in Harrogate.

Peter, who moved with Brenda back to his home county of Surrey a few years ago after 50 years in Yorkshire, said:

“I loved all my staff, and I love Yorkshire – I like to think I’m an adopted Yorkshireman! But my main reason for coming back up here is to congratulate Cheryl and Patrick and to thank them.

“Harrogate was always the number-one salon and my original ‘baby’, and I’m so thrilled that the Peter Gotthard name is still over the door.

Cheryl and Patrick have kept it up-to-date and modern and it’s still going strong. It’s a fantastic achievement on their part – they’ve done an amazing job.”

Photo of the Peter Gotthard Hairdressing salon on Parliament Street in Harrogate.

The Peter Gotthard salon on Parliament Street in Harrogate today.

After the party, Patrick says it will be business as usual – he and Cheryl have no plans to turn off the lights just yet.

He said:

“Peter was 72 when he retired. I’m 61, so I’ve still got a few years left in me.

“We’re the current custodians of a name that’s been in this town for a very long time and which most people here above a certain age know. Our job is to make sure the next generation know about it too.

“Our ultimate aim is to pass the business on in good shape, hopefully to a current employee, just as Peter did.”

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Plans approved to convert ex-Harrogate shop and nightclub into flats

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to create seven new flats on Harrogate’s Parliament Street.

The scheme will see the former Sofa Workshop unit, which is next to the now closed Bijouled store, converted to living accommodation.

The upper floor of the former Moko nightclub and office space will also be adapted to become flats.

The former Bijouled unit will be retained under the plans.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer, JC Robinson Ltd, said the application would cause no harm to the grade two listed building.

It added:

“Subject to further detailing of internal and external works including the design of new window and door openings to the exterior of the building, it is considered that the development can be undertaken without giving rise to harm to the significance of the listed building.”

Moko closed in 2019 and Bijouled ceased trading in February last year.

The former Sofa Workshop shut in April 2022 after the company entered administration.

Harrogate’s Parliament Street reopens after vandals smash windows

Harrogate’s Parliament Street was closed this morning after numerous windows were smashed in what appeared to be an outbreak of vandalism.

Police and workers were on the site this morning clearing glass off the road.

Two of the lanes had reopened at 7am but the lane where traffic turns right on to King’s Road remained closed while glass was being swept off the carriageway.

Some of the smashed windows.

However, the road was expected to fully re-open shortly.

Police at the incident did not give any details about what had happened.

The Stray Ferret has contacted North Yorkshire Police’s press office for further information but has not. had a response.

We will update this article when we have more information.

Workers sweep up the debris.

Boys arrested after bottles thrown on Harrogate’s Parliament Street

Three boys have been arrested after items including fire extinguishers and glass bottles were hurled on to Harrogate’s Parliament Street today.

Police were called to reports of a burglary just before 2am. Parliament Street was closed and fully reopened at about 8am.

A North Yorkshire Police statement this morning said:

“CCTV in the area showed three young people throwing items from the top floor of the property into the street.

“Items included fire extinguishers, poles and boxes, one of which contained an amount of glass bottles, which smashed across the road.

“Specialist officers, including negotiators were called to the property bringing the incident to a safe conclusion around 6.30am.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were also called out and highways workers cleared debris before the road fully reopened at about 8am. Many windows on floors above the businesses on Parliament Street were broken this morning.

Two lanes of Parliament Street reopened until the remainder of the debris was removed.

The statement added:

“Three boys aged, 15, 16 and 17-years-old were arrested a short time later on suspicion of burglary and affray. They remain in police custody while the investigation continues.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said it was alerted at 2.43am.

“A crew from Harrogate responded to reports of a large number of youths inside an unsafe derelict building, throwing items from the roof.

“Fire crew stood by awaiting instruction form the police. Eventually incident was dealt with without fire service intervention.”

Plans submitted to convert Harrogate Debenhams into 34 flats

Fresh plans have been lodged to convert the former Debenhams building in Harrogate into 34 apartments.

Wetherby-based Stirling Prescient No. 1 Limited has tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council for the site on Parliament Street.

The building has been home to different retailers for more than a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.

A previous application from Stirling Prescient had proposed the demolition of the building to make way for 50 flats. However, this was withdrawn in May 2022.

The fresh plan would retain the site and see the upper floors converted into 34 flats. The ground floor and basement levels would be used as “flexible commercial space” or a “drinking establishment”.

Debenhams on Parliament Street, Harrogate pictured in April 2020.

It also proposes erecting a rooftop extension, plus the removal and replacement of canopies, shop fronts and slate roof, and removal and re-cladding of the facade of the 1960s element of the building.

A secure cycle store and seven car parking spaces are also included in the plan.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the new proposal would help to restore the site.

It said:

“The proposed development is located within the heart of the town centre with excellent pedestrian and public transport links and will provide a high quality and vibrant new residential development.

“The proposed building will create a new focal point along Parliament Street, restoring and sympathetically converting the current buildings on the site.”

‘Substantially revised’ proposal

The move comes as previous proposals to demolish the site were met with opposition.

In March 2022, Emma Gibbens, conservation officer at Harrogate Borough Council, said the demolition of the building would harm the local area.

She said:

“The loss of the traditional building form and architectural detail would be harmful to the street scene and character and special interest of the conservation area, the building forming part of the designated heritage asset in a manner that contributes positively to its character.”

The objection followed similar concerns from campaign group Save Britain’s Heritage, which said the developer had failed to provide “clear or adequate justification” for demolishing the building.

However, Historic England said it supported regeneration of the site but added that there should be a “sensitive conversion” of the two older department store buildings.

Documents submitted to the council as part of the fresh proposal acknowledged that plans to demolish the store were not well received.

However, it added that the scheme had been “substantially revised and positively respond to the feedback received”.

It said:

“The proposals will secure the long-term future of the site which will deliver wide ranging and lasting benefits to the town centre. Flexible commercial space at ground level and new residential development will strengthen the town’s long-term vitality and viability.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plans at a later date.

Long queues in Harrogate as roadworks begin to bite

There were long queues on the roads into Harrogate this morning as a seven-week programme of roadworks got underway.

Four-way traffic lights and lane closures at the junction of Parliament Street and Crescent Road caused the main blockage.

Traffic heading into town on Ripon Road and vehicles heading in the opposite direction on Parliament Street were caught up in the disruption.

On Ripon Road, traffic backed up all the way to New Park roundabout and beyond, with queues almost as far back as Killinghall. Skipton Road was also even busier than usual.

Traffic approaching New Park roundabout this morning.

Here’s what motorists can expect in the weeks ahead.

Crescent Road lane closure and traffic lights

A lane closure will be introduced on Crescent Road and Ripon Road along with four-way lights at the junction of Crescent Road, Parliament Street, Ripon Road and Kings Road for two weeks. The existing lights will be bagged, and temporary traffic lights will be in operation from 7am to 7pm.

Montpellier Road (roundabout) & Montpellier Hill Lane closure

A lane closure will be implemented on Montpellier Road (roundabout) and Montpellier Hill Lane for two weeks.

Cold Bath Road traffic lights and parking suspensions

Multiple two and three-way lights will be introduced on Cold Bath Road for five weeks starting from Monday.

Wellington Square Road closure

A road closure will be implemented on Wellington Square for two weeks.

Northern Gas Networks saud traffic lights will be manned seven days a week between 7am and 7pm “to ensure a smooth flow of traffic”.

Seven weeks of roadworks begin today in Harrogate

Seven weeks of roadworks are due to get underway in Harrogate town centre today.

Some of the main routes in town are likely to be subject to traffic lights and delays.

Parliament Street, Ripon Road, King’s Road and Cold Bath Road are among the roads affected.

The disruption will enable gas distributor Northern Gas Networks to replace metal pipes with plastic pipes.

Cold Bath Road could be the worst affected route, with “multiple lights” operating for five weeks.

The roadworks are the second phase of delayed works that were “paused” a year ago.

Here’s what motorists can expect.

Crescent Road lane closure and traffic lights

Montpellier Road (roundabout) & Montpellier Hill Lane closure

A lane closure will be implemented on Montpellier Road (roundabout) and Montpellier Hill Lane for two weeks.

Cold Bath Road traffic lights and parking suspensions

Multiple two and three-way lights will be introduced on Cold Bath Road for five weeks starting from Monday.

Wellington Square Road closure

A road closure will be implemented on Wellington Square for two weeks.

Northern Gas Networks saud traffic lights will be manned seven days a week between 7am and 7pm “to ensure a smooth flow of traffic”.

Seven weeks of roadworks set to begin in Harrogate town centre

Roadworks are to begin next week on some of Harrogate town centre’s busiest routes.

The work, which is due to start on Monday and last for seven weeks, will see traffic lights on key routes including Parliament Street, Ripon Road, King’s Road and Cold Bath Road.

The disruption will enable gas distributor Northern Gas Networks to replace metal pipes with plastic pipes.

Cold Bath Road could be the worst affected route, with “multiple lights” operating for five weeks.

It is the continuation of road works that were “paused” a year ago following delays.

Northern Gas Networks said last week it would be digging up Skipton Road in a separate scheme over half-term.

Here’s what the company said is involved with the latest work starting next week.

Crescent Road lane closure and traffic lights

Traffic on Parliament Street is likely to be affected.

Montpellier Road (roundabout) & Montpellier Hill Lane closure

A lane closure will be implemented on Montpellier Road (roundabout) and Montpellier Hill Lane for two weeks.

Cold Bath Road traffic lights and parking suspensions

Multiple two and three-way lights will be introduced on Cold Bath Road for five weeks starting from Monday.

Multiple traffic lights will be on Cold Bath Road.

Wellington Square Road closure

A road closure will be implemented on Wellington Square for two weeks.

Northern Gas Networks said traffic lights will be manned seven days a week between 7am and 7pm “to ensure a smooth flow of traffic”.

Scott Kitchingman, business operations lead for Northern Gas Networks, said the work was vital “to continue to maintain a safe and reliable gas supply to the residents of Harrogate” and apologised for any inconvenienced.

He added:

“We completed phase one of this project in autumn 2022. It was a complex scheme during which we faced multiple engineering challenges because of the depth of the gas main.

“This caused a delay to our timescales and meant we were unable to complete the following phase within a reasonable timeframe without impacting customers and businesses during the busy Christmas period.

“Collaborating closely with North Yorkshire County Council, we’ve worked hard to review the remaining work and plan this final phase in a way that minimises impact to residents and local businesses as much as possible.”

Harrogate Mojo plans bar extension

Mojo in Harrogate has submitted plans to extend its bar area.

Voodoo Doll Limited, which trades as Mojo, has tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council which would see additional seating downstairs and upstairs.

The plan includes converting current commercial office space on the first floor into additional seating space.

In documents submitted to the council, the company said the move would help to cope with demand at the bar.

It said:

“The proposed extended customer floor space seeks to address demand and reflects the success of the business in Harrogate and as such will positively contribute to the character and vitality of the town centre.”

Drawings of the first floor extension, as coloured in red.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

The move comes after Mojo was granted an extension to its opening hours at its Parliament Street bar until 6.30am. A council licensing committee approved the move in March.

At the time, Martin Greenhow, managing director of Mojo, told councillors that part of the reason for extending the hours was so the business can recover from the covid pandemic.

He said:

“One of the reasons that we’re here asking for these extra hours is that the business has found challenges since we have returned.

“We have accrued an awful lot of debt in just getting through lockdowns.”

The Mojo chain also has bars in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Nottingham.

New salon opens in Harrogate as longstanding one bids farewell

A new salon will open in Harrogate on Tuesday — days after a longstanding one closes.

Charles Hanson, a unisex salon, will welcome customers in Westminster Arcade on Parliament Street.

Owner Marcus Charles Hanson was previously style director at Dangerfield & Keane on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road, which will close tomorrow after 15 years.

Several staff at Dangerfield & Keane, including owner Gerri Dangerfield, are involved in the new venture.

Charles Hanson’s premises in Westminster Arcade.

Mr Hanson said:

“For my entire hairdressing career, I have wanted my own business. From when I was just a Saturday boy to recent months as a manager and trainer with a loyal clientele, telling clients that my dream was to have my own salon.

“I have worked at Dangerfield & Keane in Harrogate with some of the most talented hairstylists and I have watched them progress through their journeys. After watching them its now time to start my own. I cannot wait to open the doors to Charles Hanson.”

Gerri Dangerfield and stylist Gill Hawley-Jefferson are renting chairs in the new salon. Two other Dangerfield & Keane staff have also transferred to Charles Hanson.

Mr Dangerfield announced in May he planned to close the salon “to address my work-life balance and spend more time with my husband, Andrew”.

The business was expected to continue until October but Mr Dangerfield said on Instagram “while this is ahead of our previous schedule, the time is now right for the next move”.

He added:

“We want to assure you that we are all very excited to be moving to the next chapter of our careers and lives.”

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‘Substantially revised’ proposal

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