(Image: Denson Automotive)

“Having a camper van means that if people want to pop to Scarborough for fish and chips they can, or if they want to travel up to Scotland for three months, they can do that too.”

That’s the kind of freedom that owning a camper van represents to Linden Kitson, the managing director of Wetherby-based business Denson Automotive. And it seems that the public are in agreement; according to a report by Statista in 2022 the number of new motorhome registrations reached approximately 11,600.

Spurred on in part by the Covid-19 pandemic, people increasingly turned to the kind of nomadic, road-tripping lifestyle that vans can offer – a movement further fuelled by aspirational social media content.

In 2023 the #vanlife hashtag had been viewed more than 12 billion times on TikTok, and there was upwards of 15 million posts using the phrase on Instagram. Travel influencers have made profitable careers out of showing life on the road, including ‘tours’ of their camper van conversions.

So as a region, is Yorkshire reflective of the national trend?

Selling a lifestyle

The interior of one of the vans (Image: Denson Automotive)

When Linden established his business in January 2020, intentional or not, it was auspicious timing to capitalise on the van life phenomenon.

Indeed, Linden believes that Denson Automotive is fundamentally a ‘lifestyle company selling a concept’. When customers arrive at the workshop in Thorp Arch they’re taken to the ‘Dream Room’ to discuss the vision for their new home on wheels.

If they’re going completely custom-made, from counter colours to exterior wrap, every aspect is decided on before the team source the van and start to outfit it. While Denson does accept vans that people bring to be transformed, Linden explained that it’s very rare that people have found one beforehand, choosing instead to trust the team to pick something.

He said:

“It can be hard for the average customer to see the potential in a van, but we know what to look for. We take what people might think are rough and ready builders’ vans and make them into someone’s dream.

“There’s a massive market for budget-friendly camper vans; we feel like we’re really in that sweet spot.”

Linden and his team convert 10 vans a month and while many are straightforward jobs, there’s been a few surprising – and specific – requests.

“One of our jobs was turning a van into a replica of Nigel Mansell’s 1980 racing car. Another lady was really into astronomy and had a wolf and stars across the exterior.”

Before and after (Image: Denson Automotive)

Living the dream

Hand in hand with the idea of van life is the concept of digital nomads – another term for remote workers who can take their job on the road.

More than 72 per cent UK employees said they were planning on working remotely in a different country, so they can both earn money and travel freely, according to research from the Post Office.

Nine in ten respondents said they imagine digital nomadism becoming a key part of the future of work, with 50 per cent citing the reason as wanting to increase their work-life balance and it give them the opportunity to see the world whilst staying employed.

Camper vans can offer a chance at a digital nomad lifestyle (Image: Denson Automotive)

Ferret fun facts

• The concept for the famous VW camper van was initially sketched out by Dutch importer Ben Pon in April 1947, with the first model being released in 1949 at the Geneva Motor Home show.
• It is estimated that there are anywhere between 150 – 545 camp and caravan sites across North Yorkshire.
• The largest motorhome allowed on the road in the UK can’t exceed 12 metres length and 2.55 metres width.

Read more: 

• Weekend walks in North Yorkshire – with a pub en route
• Get on your bike and explore routes for all abilities across Yorkshire
• Discover these quirky Yorkshire cafés for your next coffee stop

National Highways has announced a series of full overnight closures on the A1(M) between Wetherby and Boroughbridge.

Drivers planning to travel on the A1(M) in North Yorkshire are advised to plan their journeys in advance as a bridge is due to undergo essential maintenance from April 29.

National Highways is repainting steel beams on Moor Lane Bridge, which carries the A168 over the A1(M) near Walshford. At the same time, it will be carrying out further maintenance on the A1(M) in this area.

To ensure this is carried out safely, full overnight closures will be in place between junctions 46 (Wetherby) and 48 (Boroughbridge).

Closures and diversions

The overnight closures will begin on April 29 on the A1(M) northbound between junctions 46 and 48 over up to three weeks. During these nights, the southbound carriageway will remain open.

From May 18, this work will switch to the southbound side, with overnight closures on the A1(M) southbound between junctions 48 and 46 for a further period of around three weeks. The northbound side will stay open.

The closures will be in place each night, Monday to Friday, and every other weekend, between 8pm and 6am. The A1(M) will remain open during the day, and no road closures will take place over the May bank holiday weekends.

All work is subject to weather conditions and may be rescheduled if poor weather prevents it going ahead.

Drivers are advised to follow the signed diversion – and not rely on their satnavs. The northbound diversion will be via B1224 and A168, with the route reversed for the southbound work.

Read more:

• £1.3m to be spent resurfacing pothole-ridden roads in Harrogate district 
• Coffee shop on A59 calls for Kex Gill business support

Plans have been submitted to expand Wetherby Services to create 200 new heavy goods vehicle parking spaces.

Rapleys LLP which has tabled a screening application on behalf of services operator Moto Hospitality Ltd for the site off junction 46 of the A1(M).

It would see the site expand to create 200 HGV parking spaces, while the current HGV parking facilities would be replaced with 118 electric vehicle charging bays.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the extension was required to meet demand at the services.

It said:

“The proposed circa 200 new HGV parking spaces form part of an urgently required extension to the existing motorway service area.

“This proposal arises from the need for increased HGV parking capacity at the existing motorway service area.”

The planned layout for the parking spaces at Wetherby Services.

It added that its plan to include 118 electric vehicle charging spaces would align with Moto’s strategy to increase infrastructure at its sites.

The document said:

“Electric vehicles will play a big part in the transition to zero emission transport, but to achieve these targets, it is imperative that suitable infrastructure is provided to support electric vehicles. 

“The proposed development forms part of Moto’s wider strategy to bring EV infrastructure at their services.”

The move comes as Gridserve, a sustainable energy firm in Kirk Deighton, also applied to North Yorkshire Council to install 12 charging bays within the existing services car park.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on both proposals at a later date.

Read more:

• Contractor sought for £3m electric vehicle charging rollout in North Yorkshire
• Knaresborough traders set to escalate electric vehicle parking row
• Plans to install 12 electric vehicle charging points at Wetherby Services

The owners of Furnish and Fettle have announced they are to close their Harrogate showroom.

Glyn and Eleanor Goddard said changes in the marketplace with more online shopping and rising costs led them to make the decision to shut the branch on Crescent Road.

The showroom will close at the end of the year. 

All staff will be moved to the branch in Wetherby. The business has also taken on additional storage and workshop space at Thorp Arch as part of the move.

Mr Goddard said a significant change in footfall was part of the decision to shut the showroom.

He said:

“Footfall has changed dramatically over the past couple of years and the marketplace has polarised.

“The more price-sensitive shoppers are increasingly turning to the internet, while at the other end of the spectrum are people looking for expertise and service, and these are the majority of our clients. 

“With rising costs, it just makes no sense to have two showrooms so close to each other, so we have taken the opportunity of a break in our lease to refocus how we can best serve our clients.”

The business has also invested in new, larger vans to make delivery of larger pieces of furniture easier.

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Reed Boardall awarded top ranking for product safety
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate solicitors funds junior staff development

It is also looking to recruit an additional experienced interior designer and a tradesperson to work as part of the installations team. 

Mrs Goddard said:

“This is a really exciting time, we have seen a huge increase in the projects side of our business, while the retail side has become a bit of a distraction. 

“Both our Wetherby and Pocklington showrooms will continue to display inspirational room sets and will still feature pieces that can be bought there and then, but they will mainly serve to showcase design ideas and our bespoke craftsmanship. 

“Yes, it is a bit sad to be leaving Harrogate, especially as we are in such a beautiful building, but our Wetherby showroom is less than 10 miles away and this move just makes sense on every level.” 

This article is sponsored by Craven-Holmes.

Boroughbridge estate agents Craven-Holmes has been named a finalist in one of the most prestigious awards in the UK property industry.

The independent family-run business is one of 38 agencies shortlisted in the Small Estate Agency of the Year category at The Negotiator Awards 2022.

The winner will be announced at a black-tie ceremony at London’s Grosvenor Hotel on Friday, November 25.

Owner Tracey Wrigglesworth, who bought the agency in 2018, said it was a huge honour to be nominated.

She said:

“The Negotiator Awards are like the Oscars of the industry. Just to be shortlisted is massive.

“The criteria is incredibly tough. You have got to prove your worth.

“When I got the email to say I’d been shortlisted, I’m surprised you couldn’t hear me screaming in Harrogate!”

Tracey, who has more than 20 years experience in the local property market, runs the business with her daughter Mahalah Mulholland. Her friend Pauline Wardman also works at the agency and her son also gets involved when needed.

The sales, lettings and property agency works across the region in the Boroughbridge, Ripon, Thirsk, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Bedale and Wetherby areas.

Tracey and her team have all lived and worked in the area for many years and therefore have an in-depth knowledge of the local market.

Tracey said:

“We pride ourselves on our relationships and our customer service, as well as trust and integrity. We are really proud of what we do.

“We are an independent on Boroughbridge High Street and we are very much a supporter of the local community.

“I’m so proud of what we have achieved. The support that I’ve had has just been lovely with continued repeat business and recommendations.”

Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or letting, Tracey and her team are ready to help. Get in touch by emailing sales@craven-holmes.co.uk or lettings@craven-holmes.co.uk

For more information, visit www.craven-holmes.co.uk

Halloween is creeping up, with the celebrations and events across the district becoming bigger, better and more ghoulish each year.

This year it falls just after October half-term, so there is plenty going on for little witches and wizards – and big ones too!

So whether you fancy some pumpkin picking on a farm, spooky trails, or haunted houses, we’ve put together a list of five places to enjoy some Halloween fun.

Birchfield Farm Pumpkin Festival – Summerbridge

Birchfield Farm’s Pumpkin Festival is a firm favourite amongst families in the Harrogate district. Is it even Halloween if you haven’t taken a selfie with a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins at the picturesque Summerbridge farm?

You don’t need to book for this one and there are plenty of pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colours to go around and you can visit everyday until October 31.

There are also lots of activities to do on the farm so you can make a morning or afternoon of it.

After you have picked your pumpkin from the patch – and there really is a huge selection of all shapes and sizes – you then have the option of visiting the farm for £5.95 per person. Then take your kids for a homemade ice cream at the farm’s café.

Activities include:

• A huge carving barn where you can create your pumpkin masterpieces
• Bouncy castles
• Play equipment
• A 6-acre maize maze
• A spooky woodland walk
• Animals
• A giant bale mountain

Creepy Castle: The Spooktastic Halloween Trail – Knaresborough

Soak up the spooky atmosphere at Knaresborough Castle – the setting of the new Creepy Castle Spooktastic Halloween trail.

Set in the grounds of the ancient monument, expect to see see wizard magic shows and spooky characters along the way. There will also be face painting, stories in the castle, cookie decorating and more scary surprises.

Halloween Trail – Swinton Bivouac, Masham

Stately Superstitions: Eerie Encounters at the Castle – Castle Howard, York

It feels like it creeps up on us earlier every year. Yes folks, it’s the most wonderful time of the year: it’s time to book your Santa visit.

Attractions across the Harrogate district have already started to release tickets.

And while Christmas might still be three months away, it’s advisable to act fast if you want to secure an audience with Mr Claus.

I’ve had the pleasure of taking my boys to meet him a few times over the years at various locations in the area.

Each experience has been excellent and we are definitely spoilt for choice. Santa is clearly a big fan of the Harrogate district.

To help you get organised, here are seven places to see Santa this year:

The Harrogate Father Christmas Experience – Cedar Court Hotel

It’s back and it has been hailed as “bigger and better than ever”.

Last year Father Christmas’s Chief Elf Tinsel, from Enchantica’s, delighted children and grown-ups alongside the big man himself at The Crown Hotel.

This Christmas you can join Santa, Tinsel and all of the Elves at a very magical Elf Village at the Cedar Court Hotel.

And those who are on the good elf list can book places to enjoy two shows this year:

• Elf Training Show – an immersive sing-along elf training experience for the whole family to enjoy.
  Or
• New for 2022 – Code Breakers Christmas show – for ages seven plus to adult – an escape room style family show wrapped up with magic, illusion and festive code breaking challenges to help save Christmas.

Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 27 and you can be among the first to get them by signing up to the mailing list here.

November 26 – December 24. Check here for show dates, times and availability.

Christmas at Mother Shipton’s, Knaresborough

Wander through the winter woodland to see the enchanted Christmas Village, festooned with festive delights and merry displays.

Chief Elf Chestnut will meet little visitors and lead them to see Santa Claus in his cosy Christmas grotto.

Children will be presented with a pack of festive activities and will also be able to listen to tales from Holly Berry, make reindeer food and post a letter to Santa at the North Pole Post Office.

November 26 – December 24. Click here to buy tickets. 

The Magical Christmas Experience – Birchfield Farm, Summerbridge

This hugely popular experience is making a welcome return following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Meet Mother Christmas in her sitting room to check in and collect your sleigh ride tickets.

Then head to the sleigh pick up point to be greeted by Buddy the Elf, who will help you board Santa’s sleigh for your magical sleigh ride .

You will arrive at father’s Christmas woodland grotto where you can sit by the fire and tell him your Christmas wishes.

November 26 – December 23. Click here to buy tickets.

A Porsche driver from Harrogate knocked down and killed a cyclist while scrolling through social media posts on his phone, it’s alleged.

James Bryan, 37, was rushing to get some shopping for his parents during the covid lockdown when his Porsche Carrera 911 ploughed into the back of a bicycle ridden by married father-of-two Andrew Jackson, 36, on the A168 between Wetherby and Boroughbridge, a jury at York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Anne Richardson said that at the time of the collision, Mr Bryan’s Instagram and Facebook accounts were open.

She said Mr Bryan must have been looking at, scrolling through, or reading posts on social media in the moments before the crash at Allerton Park.

She said that Bryan had been taking cocaine and drinking at his friend’s house in Cheshire the night before the fatal collision at Rabbit Hill Park.

Although he wasn’t over the limit for either drink or drugs, there were traces of cocaine in his system.

Ms Richardson said that Bryan, who celebrated his 35^th birthday just two days before the fatal crash, would have been impaired by the drugs in his system and from being hungover and tired from the alcohol and festivities the night before.

‘Incredibly sad case’

Ms Richardson said that forensic analysis of Mr Bryan’s phone showed that at the time of the collision he had his Facebook and Instagram apps open.

He was on the way to drop some groceries off at his parents’ house. They were isolating during the covid lockdown when the accident occurred at about 1.40pm on May 10, 2020.

Mr Jackson was wearing a helmet on a straight stretch of road where visibility was good. Ms Richardson said:

“The front of the Porsche collided with the rear of Mr Jackson’s bike and Andrew Jackson came off his bike, went up in the air and hit his head on the windscreen and roof of the car, and landed on the road behind the car.”

“He was pronounced dead at the scene by an off-duty intensive-care consultant.

“This is an incredibly sad case. A young mother has lost her husband and father to two (very young) children. Her in-laws have lost their only son.”

Mr Bryan, of St Mary’s Avenue, Harrogate, has already admitted that he caused the death of Mr Jackson by careless driving in that he didn’t leave enough room to drive around the bicycle, but he denies causing death by dangerous driving on the grounds that he wasn’t using his phone at the time.

Head injuries

The prosecution insists that Mr Bryan’s driving was dangerous because he “wasn’t looking at the road ahead of him” as his car approached Mr Jackson. Ms Richardson said:

“If he had been (looking ahead of him) he would have had an uninterrupted view of the road (for) over 500 metres.”

Mr Bryan, who had been at a barbecue the night before to celebrate his birthday and set off for home early the following morning, called 999 moments after the accident and told a call operator he thought the cyclist was dead.

Other motorists, including the off-duty doctor and his medically trained wife, were on the scene in minutes and called police and an ambulance, but Mr Jackson had already died from head injuries.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested Mr Bryan, who was “very distressed” and appeared to be in shock.

A roadside drug-impairment test showed that Mr Bryan was positive for cocaine but not over the specified legal limit.

Read more:

• Cocaine dealer jailed for ‘peddling misery’ in Harrogate
• Man to appear in court charged with arson at Knaresborough pub

Subsequent forensic examination of his phone showed that it was unlocked in the moments before the crash and the Instagram and Facebook apps were open.

Mr Bryan was taken in for questioning and told police that after arriving back home from Cheshire he decided to do some shopping for his parents who were shielding because his father had cancer.

He said that Mr Jackson, who lived locally, “came out of nowhere” but then claimed the cyclist had veered into the middle of the road and that he had tried to overtake him, only for the cyclist to “swerve into my path”.

An accident investigator who carried out a reconstruction of the crash said that the bike was not in the middle of the road, but on the edge of the carriageway, near a grass verge, and that Mr Bryan had not tried to move around the bicycle.

Mr Bryan told police he had gone to Cheshire the day before to view a “potential development site” and that he wanted to become a property developer.

In one message found on his phone on the way back from Cheshire, Mr Bryan told a friend he was hungover from the night before and was “concerned about being late for his parents with their shopping”.

In another sent by Mr Bryan to a female friend while he was at the birthday party, he told her: “I’m so drunk I can’t see.”

‘Fit to drive’

Defence barrister Sophia Dower claimed that Mr Bryan was in a “fit and proper state” to drive and was not using his phone at the time of the crash.

She claimed that Mr Jackson’s bike had veered right from the edge of the road into the path of Mr Bryan’s black Porsche, and that her client “didn’t have enough time to react”.

Witnesses including the off-duty doctor and his wife said they saw the cyclist with torn clothes lying on his back in the road.

The doctor said that when he checked for a pulse there was none, and he certified him dead at the scene.

He said that when he told the Porsche driver the cyclist was dead, he “moved backwards, crouched down and put his hands on his head”.

He said Mr Jackson had suffered a serious head injury and his helmet was broken.

The trial continues.

A week on from the last confirmed sighting of missing Harrogate woman Judith Holliday, her family says they hope this weekend will bring the right result in their quest to get her home.

Judith, 73, was last seen on Saturday, August 27, when police believe she got a bus from Harrogate before flagging down a lift to North Rigton.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, her niece Lucinda Edwards said she wanted people to understand Judith as a person and to help ensure she was brought back to her family.

Judith grew up in Harrogate, attending the former Belmont Birklands school. Lucinda said she loves visiting Bettys, as well as going out into the countryside, to places like Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs, for picnics and birdwatching.

She said:

“Judith has a condition which presents like vascular dementia.

“She has fluctuating capacity – she can get a bit confused, but often, she will come across as being as sharp as a tack.

“She can point out family homes from years ago in the villages around here, but her short-term memory is much more of a problem.

“When she gets tired, she gets more confused.”

Judith left the care home where she lives around 10.30am on Saturday, saying she was going to visit Lucinda, who lives nearby. However, she never arrived.

She was seen on CCTV heading from Harcourt Road towards the town centre, as well as at the bus station and in Library Gardens.

The latest sighting on the way to North Rigton was confirmed by police yesterday, after another report was received by someone who thought they saw in Wetherby last weekend.

Lucinda said:

“We’ve had potential sightings at Crimple, in the Saints area, Wetherby, North Rigton, other villages towards West Yorkshire – all on separate days.

“She can’t be everywhere, so we have to verify all of these to be sure they were her. That’s why CCTV is so important.

“We don’t want people to stop looking and reporting possible sightings, but we need evidence. We need to work smartly.”

Community response

The response from the community to Judith’s disappearance has been encouraging to her family. Many people have shared social media posts about her, while local businesses have put up posters to raise awareness.

Posters are also available to take from Jarfull, Porters and Sligsby’s coffee shop in central Harrogate, as the family hope they can cover a wider area with help from the public. Lucinda said:

“We’ve had amazing help. Harrogate is full of really good people and really nice business owners.

“I’m blessed with really good family and friends who know we’re going through a really hard time and are rallying.”

Read more:

• Harrogate woman missing for six days as police remain ‘extremely concerned’
• Reported sighting of missing Harrogate woman in Wetherby

With Judith having been missing a week now, her family is asking people to be vigilant for her when out and about this weekend, and to check CCTV, doorbell cameras and dash cams from across the whole area since the time Judith was last seen.

Judith did not have bank cards or a bus pass with her, or access to a car, but could have been carrying a limited amount of cash.

Lucinda emphasised that Judith could be moving from place to place, even back towards Harrogate. She asked the community to keep looking wherever they were, even if it was not near previous sightings.

She added:

“If you see someone that looks out of place, or asks for help, to use a toilet or for food and drink or shelter, or even transport, perhaps a lift, please report it.

“For all we do a lot to help as a family, Judith has lived a life and travelled, and I don’t know how resourceful she might be in this situation.”

North Yorkshire Police said anyone with any information that could assist with the search should call 101 and quote reference number 12220153505.

Any immediate sightings should be reported via 999.