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Daniel Footwear, a Harrogate-based independent footwear business that was the first in the world to sell Jimmy Choo shoes, is celebrating 30 years’ trading this month.
The company was founded in Leeds by Daniel Buck, and now employs about 50 people at eight shops across the North and in north London, including in its flagship store on Parliament Street in Harrogate.
Mr Buck said:
“In 1993, the Daniel brand was born, with the distinctive Daniel logo adorning the footbed of every pair of shoes. By 1995, sitting alongside the Daniel brand were the likes of Gucci and Prada, and we became the first supplier of Jimmy Choo worldwide.
“Over the past three remarkable decades filled with ups and downs, I have had the privilege of collaborating with exceptional European suppliers and travelling the world to source the finest fashion offerings.
“I am fortunate to work alongside the most exceptional individuals within our company, all working together to make the next 30 years just as fantastic as the last.”
To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Daniel Footwear is offering discounts of up to 30% throughout November in all its stores.
In addition to the Harrogate shop, Daniel has branches in Leeds, Beverly near Hull, Alderley Edge in Cheshire, and four in north London, in Mill Hill, Muswell Hill, Stanmore and Hampstead Garden Suburb.
Local hotels part of Which? recommended group
The Inn Collection Group, which owns and runs the Harrogate Inn, the Ripon Inn and the Knaresborough Inn, has made it onto a list of the UK’s best hotel chains.
The pubs-with-rooms operator is now rated as a Recommended provider by Which?, following a survey of 5,000 people who rated their experiences at 37 hotel chains across the UK.
Revealing its list of the best and worst hotel chains of 2023, Which? said The Inn Collection Group offered inns that were “cheaper, better and with more character” than other leading operators, citing warm welcomes, posh pub grub and a decent beer selection as key features.
The Newcastle-based group was placed third in the small operator listings, with a customer score of 78%, which combines overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend. The highest-rated operator earned an 80% mark.
Kate Bentley, rooms director at The Inn Collection Group said:
“When you look at the scores across the areas measured by the survey, ours are in line or better than the benchmarks set by some of the biggest operators in our industry, so it is a massive endorsement of the hard work our site teams are putting into looking after our guests.”
The Inn Collection Group has 32 sites across the north, 26 of them trading and six undergoing refurbishment.
The group bought the historic Hotel St George, opposite the Royal Hall, in Harrogate in February 2022 and reopened it as the Harrogate Inn this summer. It bought the 15th-century Dower House in Knaresborough in December 2021 and reopened it as the Knaresborough Inn in September; and it bought the Spa Hotel in Ripon in June 2021 and reopened it as the Ripon Inn two weeks ago.
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Ripon Spa Hotel reopening date revealedRipon Spa Hotel is to reopen on October 16 with a new name and look.
The Inn Collection Group, which bought the property in June 2021, revealed the date today.
The historic Park Street hotel, which will be known as The Ripon Inn, has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment.
The Northumberland-based owners, who have over 30 venues, market their properties as “inns with rooms” rather than hotels so the change is likely to be considerable.
With a strong emphasis on dining, the company hopes to attract local people as well as overnight guests.
The Inn Collection Group has already re-opened the St George Hotel in Harrogate and the Dower House in Knaresborough as The Harrogate Inn and The Knaresborough Inn respectively this year.
Ripon Spa Hotel before the multi-million pound refurbishment.
The Ripon venue will hold a VIP launch event on Thursday, October 12 before opening to the public on the following Monday.
The elegant Edwardian 40-bedroom Spa Hotel, which was in the ownership of the Hutchinson family for decades, opened a year after the nearby Spa Baths.
The two buildings, nestling alongside Spa Gardens and Spa Park, were key elements of Ripon’s stylish spa quarter.
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Historic hotels in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough set to re-openThree historic hotels in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough have announced details of when they plan to reopen.
The St George Hotel in Harrogate, the Spa Hotel in Ripon and the Dower House in Knaresborough are all currently closed.
They have been acquired by the Inn Collection Group, which has 32 venues in northern England, and are undergoing major refurbishments.
They have also been renamed as the Harrogate Inn, the Ripon Inn and the Knaresborough Inn.
An Inn Collection Group spokesman revealed today the Harrogate Inn will reopen on July 3. It will have 96 rooms, six more than previously. The six extra rooms are all ground floor suites.
The former St George Hotel, Harrogate
The Ripon Inn will reopen on August 20 with 58 rooms, compared with 43 previously.
The Knaresborough Inn is expected to be the second of the three venues to re-open. A date has not been set but it is expected to be early August. It will have 57 rooms, compared with 38 previously.
The Harrogate and Ripon inns are both accepting bookings now.
The Dower House has a new name and look
The spokesman said:
“The three sites have have undergone significant refurbishment and investment.
“All three will have new look bar and restaurant areas on reopening, and also have had additional rooms added to their stock.”
As part of the reopening activity, all three sites are running a free dinner promotion for guests.
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Ripon’s Old Deanery hotel to reopen under new occupiersRipon’s Old Deanery Hotel is to reopen with a focus on wedding receptions and events.
The historic property, which neighbours and is owned by Ripon Cathedral, closed in March after months of lockdown due to covid.
Now it is being prepared for reopening by new occupiers Layton Hill Hotels Ltd, which operates the Galtres Lodge Hotel close to York Minster in the city’s Low Petergate.
The company was formed in May 2018 by Christopher Layton and Rebecca Hill.
In a social media post announcing their plans for the iconic Grade II listed building, Ms Hill said:
“We’re going to run it as wedding/events venue.
“It has 11 bedrooms, a huge lawn and loads of public rooms – restaurant, function rooms, reception rooms etc.
“Seems we like cathedral cities and the Old Deanery is opposite the beautiful Ripon Cathedral.”
Having obtained the keys for the property, the two Layton Hill directors are organising a deep clean in readiness for an opening date that will be announced later.
Refurbishment work in progress at the Spa Hotel
Across Ripon, refurbishment work has begun at the Spa Hotel, which was purchased in June by The Inn Collection Group.
Headquartered in Northumberland, the group now owns four sites in Yorkshire in a portfolio of 24 locations across the north of England.
The company says that the Spa Hotel:
“Will remain closed while a major but sympathetic refurbishment is carried out to enhance and repurpose the venue and bring it in line with The Inn Collection Group’s award-winning ‘Eat, Drink, Sleep and Explore’ brand.”
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Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, said:
“The Ripon Spa is a fantastic addition to our portfolio of properties. It has huge potential which we have an exciting vision to realise. We’re looking forward to starting that journey while expanding the group’s footprint in Yorkshire.
“The Inn Collection Group excels at revitalising classic, landmark sites like The Ripon Spa and realising their full potential with significant capital spend, detailed planning and care to retain the unique, historic character of landmark sites such as this.”
In a third boost to the city’s economy, café-bar-restaurant operator The Loungers Group has confirmed that its Claro Lounge, currently being fitted out on Market Square South, will open on September 15.
Ripon’s Spa Hotel to reopen following saleRipon’s Spa Hotel has been sold for an undisclosed sum to The Inn Collection Group.
The 40-bedroom Edwardian hotel was on the market for a guide price of £1.5 million.
It has been sold on behalf of long-standing owners the Hutchinson family by Colliers International.
The property agents brought the hotel to the commercial market for the first time since it was opened in 1906.
Julian Troup, head of UK hotels agency at Colliers, said:
“This sale marks a new chapter in the history of the Ripon Spa Hotel, and I look forward to seeing this renowned Yorkshire hotel benefitting from the high-quality of refurbishment for which The Inn Collection Group is synonymous.”
The hotel will be refurbished by the new owners
He added:
“There has been a noticeable change of mood in recent months among potential hotel purchasers.
“Activity has significantly increased, and the Ripon Spa Hotel attracted a good deal of interest from a diverse range of buyers before being secured by The Inn Collection Group.”
Located on Park Street in landscaped grounds of 5.75 acres and including croquet lawns, the three-star hotel was built complete with its own ballroom to accommodate high society in the early 1900s when Ripon Spa was operating in the cathedral city.
It continued to trade successfully long after Ripon Spa closed in 1947, although the hotel’s Turkish baths were eventually converted into The Turf, a popular public bar and bistro with horse-racing décor to complement the hotel’s more formal dining room.
The purchase of the Ripon Spa Hotel by The Inn Collection Group increases to 24 the portfolio of the Alchemy-backed hospitality company, which is based in Northumberland.
Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, said:
“We are delighted to be welcoming the Ripon Spa Hotel into our portfolio.
“Its picturesque location in such a popular part of the UK makes it the perfect fit for The Inn Collection Group. and our offering.
“We’re excited to be furthering our expansion plans with such a great site, and are proud to be continuing to thrive during these challenging times for the hospitality sector.”
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The reopening of the hotel will come as a relief to operators of tourist attractions, as well as Ripon City Council, which was concerned that the property might be sold for redevelopment involving other uses.
Ripon’s Spa Hotel on verge of being soldOwnership of Ripon’s famous Spa Hotel looks set to change hands.
Colliers International, which has been marketing the 40-bed property since spring, reports it is currently ‘under offer’.
While confirmation of the sale to an unknown buyer is awaited, it remains unclear whether the building will remain as a hotel or be redeveloped for another use.
The Stray Ferret approached Colliers for clarification, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The 16,125 sq ft Edwardian hotel was on the market for £1.5 million.
The hotel and its surrounding grounds.
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The Spa Hotel has been closed since March last year, when the first covid lockdown came into effect.
In July 2020, the long-term owners of the hotel, announced permanent closure after failing to attract an asking price of £1.75 million.
At the reduced price of £1.5 million, it was marketed by Colliers for continued use as a hotel.
The agents’ executive summary of the property said:
“This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire a renowned Yorkshire hotel in a desirable trading location.”
The summary added that the hotel, with its range of public rooms, has enjoyed ‘strong regular repeat custom based on its standing in the Ripon area’.
It has hosted business conferences, banquets, annual lunches and dinners and wedding receptions.
At the height of its popularity, the hotel was achieving net annual turnover of up to £1 million.
Its closure, made it the first major victim of covid in the Ripon tourism sector.
The Old Deanery Hotel, which offered 11 bedrooms, a meeting room and facilities for wedding receptions, subsequently announced its permanent closure.
The collective loss of more than 50 bed spaces raised concerns about the city’s ability to accommodate visitors and tourists staying overnight or for longer periods.
With Ripon’s reliance on tourism, city councillors and tourism bosses have been hopeful that the Spa would reopen as a hotel and not be developed for other purposes.
A Stray Ferret reader, who asked not to be named, said:
“It is so important to Ripon that we know as soon as possible if the hotel is sold.
“Importantly, we need to know if it will continue as a hotel, or if the site is being earmarked for development”.