The Newton House Hotel in Knaresborough has rebranded as Orchard Club.
The 12-bedroom hotel, which is situated in a grade II listed building on York Place, was acquired by Lamb and Flag Enterprise Ltd after former owner Denise Carter retired in 2022.
The rebrand is part of a wider plan to create meeting rooms and other facilities for guests and residents, as well as accommodation.
The Newton House Hotel in Knaresborough has rebranded as Orchard Club.
A spokesperson for Orchard Club said:
“The rebrand was prompted by a desire to see the beautiful buildings in York Place improved and utilised further. It’s part of a long-term strategy on the part of Orchard Club to provide enhanced facilities for Knaresborough.
“Over time, the hope is to create additional bedrooms, a café/bistro and spaces available for community hire.”
One of the redecorated rooms in Orchard Club.
They added:
“The car park in the former Newton House Hotel will be turned into a beautiful orchard-themed garden dining area with a dozen fruit-bearing trees, providing a haven for wildlife and customers alike.
“Car parking will still be provided at the rear of number 9 York Place, which will itself be used to extend and enhance the hotel facilities.”
Each room in the hotel, which is based on a ‘tranquil orchard’ theme, has been renamed and redecorated with a particular fruit.
Richard Venable, director of Lamb and Flag Enterprise, said:
“Orchard Club is set to be a landmark destination for holidaymakers and business people, as well as a popular cafe and bistro for hotel guests and Knaresborough residents.”
The 300-year-old building, which is rumoured to have been built with stone from Knaresborough Castle, became a hotel in 1981.
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Knaresborough Conservative Club submits plan to subdivide building
Knaresborough Conservative Club has submitted plans to subdivide its building to create a “viable and sustainable” club.
The move would see the front of the grade-II listed building on York Place separated from the rear, which includes snooker rooms and toilets.
The proposals would reduce the area for accommodation and create a further unit for community use.
Documents submitted to North Yorkshire Council said the plan is intended to “create a more viable and sustainable conservative club” and secure its long-term future.
The developer said in documents:
“This application is the first phase of a significant project, which in turn can secure the long-term viable use of a much-underutilised heritage asset in a prominent location for Knaresborough’s Conservative Club.”
Both parts of the site will remain in use for the conservative club.
Plans for the future use of the separated parts of the building will be subject to further planning applications.
The developer added:
“The adjacent properties 5 & 7 Newton House and 9 York Place have recently been purchased by a local company Lamb and Flag Enterprises who have agreed to a sale and lease back of 3 York Place to the conservative club, subject to listed building consent to divide the property.
“This will provide the conservative club with significant funds to undertake the separation works and refurbish their retained and reduced premises.”
North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
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Man rescued from public toilets in Knaresborough
A man had to be rescued today when he got stuck in public toilets in Knaresborough.
Firefighters were called to the toilets at York Place car park at 4.46pm this afternoon.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are not known.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report gave only brief details. It said:
“A crew from Knaresborough released a male, unharmed, from a public toilet block, using a door enforcer.”
The public toilets at York Place are operated by North Yorkshire Council.
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- Overheating ice machine caused fire in village pub near Knaresborough
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Knaresborough firefighters had responded to a fire at the Tiger Inn at Coneythorpe early this morning.
Today’s persistent rain also saw firefighters respond to several flooding incidents in North Yorkshire.
One came from a home on Harlow Oval in Harrogate at 2.37pm. The incident report said:
“An officer responded to reports of flooding in the garden, approaching the doorstep. This posed no threat to the property, and no action was taken.”
Cherry trees on Harrogate’s Stray vandalised again
Three cherry trees in Harrogate have been vandalised in the latest incident of its kind on the Stray.
Nearby resident Cheryl Flint was upset to notice the snapped branches on the parkland off York Place this morning.
What appears to be a school tie is hanging from a branch opposite one of the damaged trees.
Another snapped branch
Ms Flint said:
“We wait all year for these beautiful trees to bloom — then some idiots think that it is acceptable for the mindless behaviour.”
The rows of cherry trees are a popular attraction on the Stray, particularly in spring when they blossom. But they have become a magnet for vandals.
The latest damage is less severe than that which occurred in August 2021 when eight trees were affected.
In October 2020, a police officer tweeted about a number of trees “destroyed and killed” on York Place Stray.
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Relaxed, stylish and welcoming: Wizu brings fresh approach to Harrogate business scene
This article is sponsored by Wizu Workspace.
Wizu Workspace, the North’s most exciting flexible workspace provider, has opened its doors at the iconic Royal House, one of Harrogate’s most prestigious addresses.
The spacious period building is the ideal place for any local business looking to grow. The stunning workspace offers private offices, co-working membership, meeting rooms and event space – all available on a flexible basis.
Wizu have created a comfortable, friendly environment that combines modern and traditional elements – perfect for growing small and large businesses alike.
Meet the Wizu team
When you walk through the doors at Royal House, the first people you’ll meet are Kitty Lewis and Grace Franklin, full-time hosts at the Harrogate site.
A beautiful communal space.
They’ll make you feel instantly at home: Kitty’s approach is to focus on customer service and creating a warm welcome. She said:
“I’ve always worked in hospitality, and that’s how I see Wizu. We look after our members and give them the best workday we can – every day.
“Most of our staff come from a hospitality background, which shows in our customer loyalty and retention.”
Among those is Jamie Lea, who brings ten years’ experience in five-star hotels (including The Dorchester in London) to his role as community manager. He said:
“I wanted something where I could use my hospitality experience. So I’ve swapped bedroom guests for office members! I’m still running events and the reception desk, but we deliver service differently to a hotel – it’s much more informal and relaxed.”
A culture of service
Tom Almas, managing director and co-founder, believes that workspace – when done well – can inspire people to enhance their productivity and creativity:
“Many business owners are stuck in soul-destroying, uninspiring workspace, which leads to dull, repetitive workdays for them and their teams.
“At Wizu, we do things differently. We don’t tie people into long leases. We create bright, beautifully-designed workspaces, so our members can stay productive, creative and energised – and go further as individuals and businesses as a result.”
A relaxed and friendly atmosphere
The team work hard to make their members feel at home.
One of the meeting rooms you could take advantage of.
Music quietly plays in the kitchen and co-working space, which Kitty says has “a relaxed coffee shop vibe.” For those who want a quiet space to concentrate, there are private working pods to escape to and get work done.
This approach – to give its members more than an office – is core to Wizu’s design philosophy.
They’ve also created a community where members collaborate and often work together. Kitty said:
“What’s interesting is that our members have set the tone themselves. It’s great to see them chatting and helping each other out.”
Demand for space has been huge
Wizu offer several membership packages, such as ’50 hours for £60′ in the co-working space. Private offices are priced at £300 + VAT per desk/month. Virtual office packages start from £40 plus VAT/month.
Part of the co-working space.
The fees are all-inclusive: there is no need to arrange broadband or cover heating bills. Even the furniture is included.
This flexible, inclusive package is clearly needed in Harrogate: since it opened its doors in the spring, demand has exceeded all expectations.
Over 65% of all offices have been sold, with interest in the co-working space and meeting rooms far higher than anyone predicted.
John Guggenheim, co-founder, said:
“The rising trend of businesses looking to work flexibly, coupled with our knowledge of the North, made Harrogate a perfect fit for us.
“We’re delighted with how we’ve been welcomed, and we look forward to playing our part in growing Harrogate’s dynamic economy.”
This beautiful building, with its quality interiors, professional team and flexible terms, is a fantastic addition to the Harrogate business scene.