It seemed apt that former Coronation Street actor Tracy Brabin, who is now Mayor of West Yorkshire, starred in this week’s latest episode of the Harrogate Station Gateway soap opera, which saw West Yorkshire Combined Authority approve the business case.

The cost may keep rising and the full plans remain secret, but the gateway reports written by council officers are producing some memorable language. After the original plans were ‘de-scoped’ the latest report says the scheme will ‘mainly disbenefit highway users’.

There appears to be more chance of a cannabis farm being found on Haywra Street in Harrogate than this storyline ending amicably.

Mayor Tracy Brabin

It takes something remarkable to quieten a well lubricated audience of 350 people at an awards ceremony at 11pm at night. But Justin Kitson did precisely that at this week’s Stray Ferret Business Awards when he talked movingly about how Northern Energy had gone beyond the call of duty to help his sister, who worked for the company, when she was terminally ill.

It was the highlight of a fantastic night at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Check out the winners.

Northern Energy celebrates its Employer of the Year award.

The previous night, Knaresborough firefighter Bruce Reid, who is best known for organising free Christmas meals for up to 100 people in the town, appealed to Knaresborough & District Chamber’s for help raising funds to treat his son’s brain tumour. Bruce has raised tens of thousands of pounds for good causes over the years and chamber members agreed to do all they could to help. Donations can be made here.

We report on various attempts by communities to buy pubs, such as the Henry Jenkins Inn at Kirkby Malzeard and the Half Moon Inn at Sharow, but few come to fruition. So it was heartening to report on a successful community campaign to save the Black Swan at Skelton-on-Ure.

The Black Lion pub

This weekend sees the BEAM Light Festival in Harrogate and excitement is mounting for the annual Knaresborough Tractor Run on Sunday. It’s become one of the biggest events on the calendar — do check it out.

Read more:

• Business case approved for £12.1m Harrogate Station Gateway
• Ripon garden centre now equipped to look after hearts and flowers
• Knaresborough hero Bruce Reid seeks help for son

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Business of the Year, which is sponsored by Reed Boardall

This award recognises those businesses who excel in many areas whether that’s commercial success, employee development or support the wider community around them.

These businesses represent true excellence!

Companies looking to enter for the Business of the Year Award need to provide information on how their strategic plans have enabled the business to thrive and what their plans are for the future.

Does your business deserve to win the Best Independent Retailer Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 19. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

Not even an amber weather warning could stop the Stray Ferret Business Awards in March, with a turnout of nearly 400 people and many smiling faces, we’re looking forward to doing it all again in 2024.

Following the success of our inaugural event, the Stray Ferret Business Awards will be making its return next year – and we’re ready to receive your entries!

Sponsored by local financial advisers Prosperis, the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024 will take place in the Pavilions of Harrogate on Thursday, March 14.

The awards ceremony will recognise businesses of all sectors and sizes to highlight the best and brightest in the Harrogate district’s business community – including Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham and Nidderdale.

The black-tie event will include our all-important awards ceremony, a special Winner’s Lounge sponsored by LCF Law and entertainment throughout the evening

Whether you’ve seen significant business growth, place sustainability at the centre of your core values, or provide great progression for your employees, our awards will shine a light on excellent organisations and individuals.

There are 10 award categories to enter:

• Best Employer – sponsored by Jones Myers
• Best Use of Digital – sponsored by A.S.E Computer Services
• Business Growth – sponsored by Raworths Solicitors
• Business of the Year – sponsored by Reed Boardall
• Inclusivity Award – sponsored by Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors
• Rising Star Under 30 – sponsored by Thompsons Chartered Accountants
• Sustainable Business – sponsored by York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub
• Best Independent Retailer*
• Dynamic Leader*
• Employee Appreciation*

Emma Harris, Commercial Manager of the Stray Ferret, said:

“We were blown away by the success of our inaugural Business Awards ceremony earlier this year and hope the 2024 event will not disappoint.

“The Stray Ferret Business Awards highlights businesses that are making a difference in the community, as well as those who have overcome adversity and are going strong.

“We can’t wait to see the entries.

“It is entirely free to enter and the Stray Ferret will showcase the fantastic work of all finalists and winners, so we encourage you to put your business forward today.

“The Harrogate district may be a small part of the world, but includes hugely successful businesses with talented individuals who we believe deserve to be recognised.”

Entries are now open.

*There are still a small number of sponsorship opportunities available, so don’t miss out on showcasing your business to the district ahead of and on the night of the awards ceremony.

For more information on the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2024, contact advertising@thestrayferret.co.uk .

The story is sponsored by WhiteTop Productions.

How does a Yorkshire man in this late 50’s, who works in property, set about a career change to become a voiceover artist?

David Waterhouse recently worked for the Stray Ferret Business Awards in Harrogate voicing up videos of all the finalists and winners for the big night. His voice work is a far cry from his day job in property, but he puts his success partly down to a rise in popularity for his ‘soft northern tones’.

In 2016, David fell into the voiceover industry after requesting to record an advert for his property company on a local radio station. After some pushback from the station, they eventually agreed – and lo and behold a star was born.

After falling in love with voiceover work, David trained with RichCraft in Bath.

His big break came when he was hired by Pixel House Media, who worked with a university in the North East, which turned into a series of voiceover jobs thereafter. Following that, David has also done work for the AA, The Virtual College and many more.

He said:

“I did something for an AA product launch during covid.

“Apparently it was one of the most successful launches they’d had to date”.

David previously owned Angus Roberts, an Ilkley-based lettings agent, and is currently the Director of Fresh Approach Management. Property is still his main occupation, but he hopes that one day voiceover work may become a big part of what he does.

It could be as a VO…but then maybe an MC, for events like the Stray Ferret Business Awards!

David has since launched WhiteTop Productions to further his new career venture and showcase his work.

It hasn’t all been bright lights and Hollywood signs, however, as David has faced challenges in the industry. David described it as “so competitive” and explained “covid brought an influx of artists entering the marketplace, and has driven prices to be even more competitive”.

Despite this, David’s love for voiceover remains a constant. He said:

“I’m not doing this to feed my kids.

“I’m doing it because I love it…and apparently ‘soft northern’ is very en vogue at the moment!”.

Speaking about the inaugural Stray Ferret Business Awards,  David said it was an opportunity for him to showcase his talent to hundreds of attendees.

“I really did enjoy the Stray Ferret Awards.

“I was so proud to be associated with it”.

Visit his website to find more information and to listen to David at work.

Oh, and if BBC Sounds needs a continuity announcer, or a northern bloke on The Archers, David is “definitely available!”

Find out more:

David Waterhouse is professional voice over talent for TV & radio ads, online corporate videos, IVR, e-learning, narration and more.

For more information, go to whitetopproductions.co.uk or for a conversation about your project, call David on 07917 807784. 

Harrogate is forecast to be the second fastest growing town in Yorkshire this year, says the new chief executive of North Yorkshire Council.

Richard Flinton, who is set to oversee devolution in the county from April 1, was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Stray Ferret Business Awards on Thursday.

Mr Flinton told the ceremony at Pavilions of Harrogate that supporting local business would be a major part of the new council’s agenda.

He said:

“Supporting business will be a really big part of the council.

“I have got great admiration for the wealth creators, the entrepreneurs and the talented individuals in this room.”

Mr Flinton will oversee the biggest reorganisation of local government in North Yorkshire since 1974.

The move will see seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, and the county council scrapped to make way for one unitary authority.

Read more:

• National firm acquires Harrogate accountants
• Stray Ferret Business Awards: The winners

Mr Flinton, who is also involved with York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said he wanted to see the new council work closely with the private sector.

He said:

“Our shared aim has got to be to try and create more jobs and wealth.

“I know that growing your businesses is what creates those jobs and that wealth. One of our roles in the public sector is to be able support you through infrastructure, through making sure people have got the right skills and work together to make sure we grow our economy.”

‘A massive opportunity’

Mr Flinton said Harrogate was “an incredibly important” part of the economy of North Yorkshire, adding:

“Ernst and Young are forecasting that Harrogate will be the second fastest growing part of the whole of Yorkshire this year, just behind the city of Leeds.”

He added that there was a “massive opportunity” for Harrogate to be one of the most vibrant towns in the north of England.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards showcased a variety of talent from across the area, and 11 finalists were crowned the winners of their categories.

The ceremony was attended by nearly 400 guests and celebrated the success of businesses from across the district.

You can read more about the winners of the awards here.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards saw 11 finalists, and one very lucky prize winner, crowned the winners of their categories.

The winners shared their reactions in the LCF LAW Winner’s Lounge.

Here is what some of them had to say.

The Golden Ticket Prize

Winner: Millie Rae

Millie Rae, of Cloud NINE, was crowned the winner of our Heads or Tails game, winning herself an overnight stay in the Presidential Suite and dinner at Grantley Hall.

In the LCF Law Winner’s Lounge, Millie said:

‘I’m very, very happy.

“We were playing heads or tails and I changed my mind at the last minute, and I managed to win! I’ll take my boyfriend with me…if he’s nice!”

Dynamic Leader Award – sponsored by Succession Wealth

Winner: Ian Baker, The Soundproofing Store

Ian Baker, founder and managing director of The Soundproofing Store, won first place in our Dynamic Leader Award.

Ian Baker with Clare Frisby (L) and Lawrence King of Succession Wealth (R)

In the LCF Law Winner’s Lounge, Ian said:

“My team put me up for this, I had nothing to do with it and I feel absolutely amazed”.

“I’ve always liked to treat people as you’d wish to be treated yourself — that’s what I always try to do”.

Best Independent Retailer Award – sponsored by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub

Winner: TravelGate

TravelGate is an independent travel agency in Harrogate. The company won the Best Independent Retailer Award.

Clare Frisby (L) with the TravelGate team and James Farrar, of York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub (R)

Melanie and Phil, in the LCF Law Winner’s Lounge, said:

“We are absolutely overwhelmed to have received this award.

It means so much to us – thank you to everybody”.

“There were some fabulous businesses in this category, so it is incredible to recognised”.

Digital Innovation Award – sponsored by ASE Computer Services

Winner: Strive Group

Strive Group is a connected experience agency in Harrogate.

The company took home the crown for Digital Innovation.

Clare Frisby (L) with the Strive Group team and Chris Dickinson of ASE Computers (R)

In the LCF Law Winner’s Lounge, Director Alistair Grant said:

“It felt awesome to be up on that stage and accept the award for the company”.

“There is such strength of talent in Harrogate and we wanted to show the local community the great opportunities here”.

The Stray Ferret would like to thank everyone who entered the awards and everyone who attended our event.

Thank you to all our sponsors, including all the businesses supporting our individual categories, and our lead sponsor, Prosperis.

Keep an eye on our site and social media over the coming days to see more news and photographs from the awards ceremony.