New owners unveil Minskip pub’s fresh look

The new owners of a pub near Boroughbridge have unveiled a fresh look in the first part of major plans for the venue.

Three friends from Harrogate and York clubbed together to buy The Wild Swan in Minskip last summer. After running the pub for a few months they closed it in January for a refurbishment.

Supply issues caused by coronavirus delayed the reopening. What was only meant to take a few days ended up taking three weeks but the owners managed to open the doors today.

Diners enjoying The Wild Swan on reopening day.

Owners Stephen Lennox, Alex Bond and Alastair Benham have replaced the greens and yellows of the pub with more muted off-white tones.

While they are keen to make a name for themselves for the menu, which is under the direction of new head chef Liam Philbin, the trio also want to improve the pub in other ways for locals.

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Mr Lennox told the Stray Ferret today:

“The pub side has been improved in a cosmetic way. The restaurant side has had a total renovation with new flooring, new furniture and decorations.

“We’ve also improved the bathrooms and extended the kitchen. From the outside as well you can see the pub has had a refurbishment. We’ve painted the building, installed planters and outdoor seating.

“There wasn’t anything wrong with what it was before but it wasn’t what we wanted it to be. It’s a real freshen-up and brighten-up. We want to keep the country pub feel but put our own stamp on it.”

The dining room has undergone a major refurbishment.

The owners are also planning to convert a building at the back of the pub to make room for a private dining room and a microbrewery with a beer garden connecting the two.

Mr Lennox said he hoped those additional works would be completed by May.

Harrogate district recycling centres appeal for Christmas toys for kids

Harrogate district residents are being urged to donate toys and games at household waste recycling centres in the run up to Christmas.

The aim is to collect 10 tonnes of items, which will be passed on to young people, aged up to 16, who are experiencing hardship this Christmas.

The Re-use Santa Appeal is working with No Wrong Door, which supports young people in or on the edge of the care system at centres in Harrogate and Scarborough, on the initiative.

No Wrong Door replaces traditional council-run young people’s homes with hubs that combine residential care with fostering.

Staff at the county’s recycling centres, which are operated by Yorwaste on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council, will ensure donations are in good working condition before they are delivered to children.

The gifts will be given as part of a Christmas family bag to families in North Yorkshire and York. Surplus items will be distributed to other charities.

There are three recycling centres in the Harrogate district: on Wetherby Road and Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate and on Dallamires Crescent in Ripon. Drop-off points are located by the containers for household reusable items. Donations will be accepted until December 15.

The sites are also taking donations of new or part-used Christmas wrapping paper and tape as part of the appeal.

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County Councillor Derek Bastiman, executive member for waste management at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Christmas is a time of good will. So we’re asking families who can to add a little light to the festive season this year for many children who are less fortunate.

“I encourage people to check their cupboards for any unwanted toys and games and to donate them in the confidence that their items will go to a good home.”

Last Christmas, people donated more than 2,000 games, toys, puzzles and books, including air hockey tables, dolls’ houses, Nerf guns, bicycles and giant teddy bears.

Cllr Paula Widdowson, executive member for environment and climate change at City of York Council, added:

“It’s critical the donations are clean, well-cared for and in full working order. Thank you once again to everyone who supports this appeal.”

Liberal Democrats confirm police commissioner candidate

The Liberal Democrats have announced that a City of York councillor will stand for the party at next month’s North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner election.

James Barker, who stood for the position in May, is set to contest the commissioner role again.

Mr Barker, who served 24 years in the military, has also served as a scout leader and rugby coach.

At the last election, he told the Stray Ferret that he wanted to “explore why” more officers were not on the frontline and pledged to tackle anti-social behaviour in Ripon.

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An election is being held following the resignation of Philip Allott, who stepped down after comments he made on the murder of Sarah Everard led to hundreds of complaints to his office and a vote of no confidence in him.

Voters will head to the polls to elect a new police commissioner on November 25.

The Conservatives have announced Harrogate councillor, Zoe Metcalfe, will stand for the party on polling day.

Meanwhile, Labour have confirmed that 23-year-old student paramedic, Emma Scott-Spivey, will contest the election.

Keith Tordoff, a former businessman in Pateley Bridge, will also be standing as an independent candidate.

Nine jobs at risk as Bettys considers closing shop after 50 years

Bettys managers are considering plans to close one of its York stores after failing to find a “workable option” to keep the 50-year-old store open.

The store, known as Little Bettys, in York’s Stonegate lost its upstairs cafe in March but now the company is looking into the future of the shop too.

When the Stonegate cafe closed earlier in the year 34 employees were affected.

If the shop were to close as well, nine members of staff would be at risk of losing their jobs.

In a statement, a Bettys spokeswoman admitted the store had been the “most operationally and commercially challenging of our branches”.

She added every effort had been made to re-deploy staff elsewhere in the company and a final decision was yet to be reached.

“Earlier this year we took the decision to permanently close the upstairs café, but kept the small downstairs shop open with a plan to look at different options and formats for the building.

“Sadly, to date, we’ve been unable to find a workable option, so we’ve made the team aware of a proposal to close the entire branch.”

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The spokeswoman said none of Bettys’ other tearooms in Harrogate, Harlow Carr, Ilkley, Northallerton and York were at risk of closure.

Earlier this year Bettys said it was facing its worst recruitment crisis in recent years forcing it to close its Harrogate store four hours earlier than usual.

34 jobs at risk as Bettys closes York cafe

Bettys has confirmed that it will not reopen its Stonegate cafe in the centre of York.

Speculation started to grow when it was not included in Bettys reopening map before multiple sources told the Stray Ferret that it was closing with job losses.

The famous Harrogate based company has said that it will reopen the shop but not the cafe at “Little Bettys.”

As a result of the closure there are 34 jobs at risk. Bettys is hoping to redeploy staff where possible.

Simon Eyles, managing director of Bettys, said the closure came with a heavy heart:

“We’ve been welcoming customers to a café on Stonegate for over 50 years. We’re incredibly grateful for the loyalty and kindness of York’s residents and visitors over that time, and for the talent, commitment and dedication of our colleagues at the branch.

“We haven’t taken this decision lightly, but we know it’s the right choice for the long term. Bettys is a 100-year-old family business and our history has shown us that we need to adapt and change.

“You may well know that our Stonegate café is the smallest of our cafés, housed in a unique, historic building, full of charm and quirks.

“This character and layout, much loved by customers, has become an increasingly challenging environment to work in.

“The back-of-house kitchen area is very small and the behind-the-scenes space for our people is very different to the working conditions we offer elsewhere.”

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The Bettys Stonegate is the least commercially viable of the six existing branches, Mr Eyles added.

Many businesses have struggled financially during the pandemic.

Famous names like Debenhams and John Lewis have either had to close completely or reduce store numbers.

As part of its reopening plans the tea house in RHS Harlow Carr will open first for takeaway food and drinks from March 29.

Bettys shops will then open to visitors on April 12, which is the earliest that non-essential shops can re-open under the government’s road map.

All Bettys cafes will then re-open on May 17, except for the Stonegate branch.

Bettys to start reopening from end of the month

Bettys is to start reopening its branches from the end of the month.

The famous Harrogate-based company will re-open its tea house in RHS Harlow Carr for takeaway food and drinks from March 29.

Bettys shops will then open to visitors on April 12, which is the earliest that non-essential shops can re-open under the government’s road map.

All Bettys cafes will then re-open on May 17, except for the Stonegate branch in York, which the company has said is too small for social distancing.

As part of the reopening, Bettys is now accepting bookings for afternoon tea in the Imperial Room in Harrogate and the Belmont Room in York from May 17.

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However, Bettys has warned the dates may change subject to the government’s lockdown rules and road map.

Bettys closed its branches completely in January.

Simon Eyles, Bettys managing director, said at the time:

“Given the severity of the coronavirus pandemic that we are currently witnessing, Bettys has decided to close its Yorkshire branches completely. This means our café tea rooms and now our shops too will be shut until further notice.”

North Yorkshire Police: no action after Sarah Everard vigil in York

North Yorkshire Police said today it hasn’t taken any action against people who gathered at York Minster on Saturday for a candlelight vigil in memory of Sarah Everard.

Met Police chief Dame Cressida Dick has faced calls to resign over its handling of a vigil on London’s Clapham Common on Saturday, where officers handcuffed women and removed them from the gathering.

But there were no similar scenes in York on Saturday night.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Around 150-200 people attended a candlelit vigil outside York Minster on Saturday evening in memory of Sarah.

“Officers allowed people to lay flowers whilst ensuring that the gathering took place in a safe and lawful way.

“No enforcement action was taken against anyone in attendance and most people had left the area by around 6.30pm.

“Our thoughts are with Sarah’s loved ones at this very sad time.”

Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with Ms Everard’s murder.

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Harrogate people don’t have to travel to York for vaccine, say health bosses

People in the Harrogate district waiting for a covid vaccine have been told they can wait for an invite to the Great Yorkshire Showground instead of travelling to York.

The Stray Ferret has received numerous messages from readers asking why they had been invited to be inoculated in York when they lived much closer to the showground.

Health bosses in North Yorkshire confirmed yesterday some people had been offered jabs at the national vaccination hub at Askham Bar in York, which opened on Monday.

The hub is run by the NHS nationally and sends invites to people within a 45-minute drive.

People in priority groups for the first round of vaccinations may also be invited through the national booking system to receive the jab at a pharmacy.

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However, Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at North Yorkshire CCG, told a North Yorkshire Resilience Forum yesterday that patients were not obliged to travel to York for the vaccine.

She said:

“The way that the site is operating is that anybody within a 45-minute drive of the site who has not yet received a vaccination through their local site may receive a letter from the national team to book an appointment.

“If you do get an invitation to that site, you can choose to wait and book an appointment at your local vaccination site.”

Currently, the Harrogate district is served by a local site at the Great Yorkshire Showground and a national hub at York.

Ms Bloor announced yesterday that a further site will be opened in Ripon. However, a location has yet to be confirmed.

The York hub was among 10 sites across the country to open on Monday in an effort to ramp up the vaccination programme.

It will operate seven days a week from 8am until 8pm, subject to the supply of vaccinations.

Professor Mike Holmes, a GP in York, told a City of York Council Executive meeting last week that the new centre will offer up to 8,000 extra appointments in the first phase of the expansion of the site.

The centre became the latest vaccine site to open near Harrogate, with another due to be set up at Elland Road stadium in Leeds.

York vaccination site to offer jabs to people within 45 minutes travel

A national mass vaccination hub is set to open in York which will offer coronavirus vaccines for people who live within a 45 minute travel time of the city.

The centre will be opened at Moor Lane car park in the city and first vaccinations are set to be given on Monday.

Nimbuscare, an organisation representing 11 GP practices in York, will run the centre. The NHS will send out letters to invite people for appointments.

The site will become the latest vaccine site to open near Harrogate, with another due to set up at Elland Road stadium in Leeds.

Currently, vaccines are being offered to people in the Harrogate district at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

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Professor Mike Holmes, a GP in York, told a City of York Council Executive meeting yesterday that the new centre will offer up to 8,000 extra appointments in its first phase of the expansion of the site.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson set a target for all the high priority groups to be offered a vaccine by February 15.

The rollout of the programme will see mass vaccination centres set up across the country.

But, a local care boss in Harrogate said the lack of communication on the programme has left her “frustrated”.

Health officials have urged people in the Harrogate district and across North Yorkshire to be patient as they rollout the vaccine.

Former Yorkshire pub of the year could be turned into a home

A former winner of the Yorkshire Pub of the Year title could be turned into a five-bedroom home.

The Crown Inn pub in Great Ouseburn won the prize at the White Rose Awards in 2011 but plans have now been submitted to convert it into a family home.

The proposals include four first-floor bedrooms, two with en suites, as well as a guest room on the ground floor. There would also be a cinema room and a single garage, with the proposals including creating a two-storey extension.

The full details can be viewed on the planning section of the Harrogate Borough Council website, using reference 20/04342/FUL.

The pub has been vacant for several years, closing in June 2016. The village, which is five miles from Boroughbridge, is currently served by one pub, the Lime Tree on Branton Lane.

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In October plans were submitted to convert the Green Tree pub in nearby Little Ouseburn into housing. The pub, which is on the main B6265 from Green Hammerton to Boroughbridge, closed in late 2019.