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Entries close on January 19, 2024.

Footfall in Ripon city centre bucked the national trend last month, seeing a sharp increase on the previous year, according to the latest figures.

Record numbers were recorded in November 2023, with footfall up 81% on November 2022 and 98% up on November 2021, analysis from data firm Huq shows.

It follows an encouraging October, when footfall in the city was up by 57% on October 2022, 6% up on September 2023 and 62% up on October 2021.

Nationally, footfall tends to drop off after the summer, and this September it was down -2.8%.

Ripon’s vacancy rate of just 9% (empty city-centre ground-floor retail units) is also well below the national average for high streets, which stood at 13.8% at the end of 2022, according to the British Retail Consortium.

The figures were warmly welcomed by Ripon BID (business improvement district), which said in a statement:

“Ripon is going from strength to strength with a full programme of events plus its unique visitor offering of heritage, history, attractions and independent traders all leading to national media recognition and coverage.”

It added:

“With new traders such as Silva Bells, The Portly Pig, Elevate, Peacocks, BUD Floral coming in, expansions to larger premises from Yorkshire Bikemonger, Stuff for Offices and the Easy Learning Shop, together with the new bed stock provided by the recently opened Ripon Inn – the future looks very bright for Ripon.”

Impression becomes Show + Tell

Harrogate-based creative agency Impression Studio has rebranded and is now called Show + Tell.

The growing creative and digital products agency, established by CEO and founder Charlie Hartley in 2009, currently has 17 staff across two agency brands: the newly-minted Show + Tell, and its sister agency, Next Chapter, which specialises in digital marketing. 

The rename and brand transformation was spearheaded by the agency’s Head of Design, Jordan Donnelly. He said:

“The name Impression served us well since 2009, but as the agency has grown and developed and the services we deliver have progressed. It felt like we’d outgrown the name and we needed something that better represented our offering and what we’re about as a collective. 

“Show + Tell does exactly that. We believe in the transformative power of showcasing and storytelling. Our mission is to be the creative catalyst that enables brands to shine through captivating narratives and visually stunning designs. Just as ‘Show’ represents our dedication to presenting your brand’s unique story through outstanding creative and visual design, ‘Tell’ signifies our commitment to communicating it effectively in the digital world through strategy and brand storytelling.” 

Based in Harrogate, the agency works with clients across the UK and globally, including the likes of Bettys and Taylors Group, Omega Funds, Atlas Ventures, O&3 and Northern Energy. 

Charlie said:

“I’m incredibly proud of our growth and success, particularly in the last 2-3 years, and we’ve done a lot of growing up as a business as a result. 

“We’ve invested a lot of time and resources in the agency in recent years, from our outstanding studio space with its custom fit-out to hiring more brilliant people across the business, including in crucial senior leadership roles.” 

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Harrogate BID appoints communications officer
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate carbon accounting firm makes two new hires
• Business Breakfast: Reed Boardall awarded Silver by MOD

Starbeck Working Men’s Club (WMC) has become the latest social club in Harrogate to change its name. 

Now known as the Forest Club, it was founded in 1901 and has played a pivotal role in community life ever since. 

The newly rebranded club does everything the WMC did, but members felt they should move with the times and voted overwhelmingly to rebrand at the club’s annual general meeting back in April. 

The club is working with the CIU (Club and Institute Union) to change the name officially by the end of the year, and in the meantime will be developing a new website, email and logo. 

Club secretary Catriona Patterson said:

“People have an image of what a Working Men’s Club is, and we’re not that – we’re trying to distance ourselves from it. 

“We want to be more family-friendly. We’ve got a large function room, which we’ve used for big family events such as the King’s coronation and a beach party on the August bank holiday. 

“We’re planning to hold another big one on New Year’s Eve, with games for the children and a big screen showing the countdown live from London. People often struggle to get babysitters on New Year’s Eve, so this will allow the whole family to come out and celebrate.” 

She said the name change was a response to a wider cultural shift that has seen many licensed premises – including Working Men’s Clubs – fall victim to the growing trend for home drinking, exacerbated in part by increases in beer duty. She said:

“Covid hit us hard, and habits changed – people just don’t go out as much as they used to – so we had to do something. 

“There isn’t a Working Men’s Club in the country that isn’t struggling, and we need to attract younger members. A name-change will help bring us into a new era.” 

But she stressed that the Forest Club was not about to lose touch with its roots as a Working Men’s Club with over a century of service to the community. She said: 

“We’re rebranding our lounge as the Heritage Lounge, and we’ll be keeping all the old WMC memorabilia there. It’s an important part of our history, and we shouldn’t forget it.” 

The Forest Club’s name change, which reflects its location in the ancient Forest of Knaresborough, is part of a wider trend. Last year, Bilton Working Men’s Club slimmed its name down to simply Bilton Club, and a few months later, High Harrogate Working Men’s Club on Skipton Road rebranded to High Harrogate Bar and Lounge. 

Working Men’s Clubs were first created in the mid-19th century, predominantly in industrial areas outside the south of England, to provide recreation and education for working-class men and their families. 

There are several in our district, including those in High Harrogate and Bilton, as well as Harlow Hill Club, Knaresborough WMC, The Oatlands, and Boroughbridge Social Club. 

The Forest Club will be holding a Disco Inferno night of 70s, 80s and 90s disco classics – for members and non-members – on Saturday, October 28 from 7pm till late. 

Read more:

• Harrogate Working Men’s Club set for major refurbishment and new name
• Bilton Working Men’s Club decides on new name
• Malcolm Neesam History: Harrogate’s thriving working men’s clubs

A doctors’ practice that has been looking after patients in Harrogate for three-quarters of a century will be changing its name in the new year. 

Dr Moss & Partners was founded in 1947 – before the advent of the NHS – and has clinics opposite the convention centre on King’s Road, in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate, and in Killinghall.

From February 1 it will be known as Moss Healthcare Harrogate and have a new logo. 

Dr Moss & Partners on King’s Road in Harrogate.

In a letter sent today to to the firm’s 19,600 patients, senior partner Dr Nick Taylor said:

“Our decision to change our identity reflects the role of modern general practice and the different healthcare specialists patients can now access.

“Our practice now incorporates a much wider range of healthcare professionals and non-clinical staff.

“If you’re unwell, or living with a long-term condition, the best people to help aren’t necessarily doctors.”

In addition to its doctors, the practice now also provides services from nurses, healthcare assistants, advanced clinical practitioners, first-contact physiotherapists, pharmacists and social prescribers.