Now is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. Businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district can enter our awards free of charge and get recognition from our panel of top judges. Entries close at 5pm on January 16. Get your entry in now! 

A business park between Harrogate and Ripon hopes to install solar panels in a bid to reduce its energy bills and carbon footprint.

Oakwood Park Business Centre has applied for planning permission to create the ground level panels on grass at the north-eastern end of its site.

Acting for owner Alan Cryer, in planning documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, Arrowsmith Associates said:

“The applicants intend to begin generating electricity to supply the business park and (when possible) feed into the national grid.

“Recent increases in fuel and power costs have intensified their desire in this regard and this application therefore seeks permission for a proposal to install photovoltaic cells (and associated infrastructure) to facilitate such electricity generation.”

The plans are for three rows of photovoltaic panels set away from the business park’s office buildings.

As an all-inclusive serviced office provider, Oakwood Park covers the cost of energy supplies to its buildings for occupants.

Its Fountains Road site, near Bishop Thornton, began as a family home and furniture business, and has been expanded over the years to offer more space for tenants.

The application documents added:

“The granting of permission for this small renewable electricity generation scheme will ensure the continued support of this business site in a rural area, encouraging the retention of office space on site and the potential growth of businesses on site in key sectors.

“This in turn ensures that the site continues to provide an alternative to town centre business sites, supporting the aim of providing a diverse range of sites.”

To view the application, visit the planning pages of Harrogate Borough Council’s website and use reference 22/04725/FUL.

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Free advice for new businesses

Free support is on offer to new and growing businesses to start the new year.

Harrogate Borough Council’s economic development unit is working with the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub and Ad:venture to deliver three drop-in sessions.

Taking place at HBC’s Co-Lab workspace in Springfield House, above Harrogate Convention Centre, they will offer support to anyone with an idea for a new business or questions about running and growing an existing business.

Anyone seeking help to set up, buy or access finance for a business can call in between 9am and 5pm next Wednesday, January 18, or on February 15 or March 15.

Alternatively, for advice outside these times, email the business team.

Meanwhile, a series of free marketing masterclasses is on offer through York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Delivered by Intandem Communications, they will help business owners plan their marketing for 2023 to enable them to reach their target audience.

The webinars begin in late January and places can be booked via the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website.

A charity worker from Harrogate has set herself 20 fundraising challenges to mark her upcoming 20th anniversary with children’s hospice Martin House.

Mary Newbegin will have been employed in the care team at Martin House for two decades on August 1.

She has been busy this month and last ticking off the challenges, which have so far generated almost £2,000 for the organisation.

They range from completing 20 aerial yoga poses to walking The Ullswater Way to learning to crochet and paddle board.

One of the challenges, organising a yoga fundraising event, will take place at 10am tomorrow on the Stray, next to Oatlands Drive.

Learning the aerial yoga poses.

Ms Newbegin, who plans to retire next year, said:

“The idea evolved as I have in the past taken part in several fundraising events for Martin House.

“These have mostly been running, including the Great North run, which I’ve done about 12 times and on occasions three-legged, and the York Marathon.

“My knees no longer thank me for running so I was trying to think of something more creative as I really wanted to do something before I retire.

“I am excited about all my challenges but most anxious about those with heights involved as I’m not so good with heights.”

You can donate to the cause here.

Abseiling in Ilkley

How Stean Gorge has reported a bumper year for sales amid the UK’s boom in staycations as the owners continue to look for new buyers.

Like many attractions, coronavirus has been difficult for How Stean Gorge. But now winter is firmly out of the way the owners have said the phones have been off the hook.

That interest has also resulted in more bookings overall. There has been a two-fold increase in May 2021 when compared to the same time in 2019.

Ann and Stan Beer, who have owned How Stean Gorge since 2007, said:

“After a long and hard winter, negotiating lockdowns and Covid restrictions, we’re set to have our best year yet.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook, and bookings have increased two-fold.

“We’ve pro-actively moved facilities, built new ones, and employed new staff to meet the public’s demand for outdoor adventure.”

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The adventure facility offers abseiling, gorge scrambling, caving, canoeing and a high wire via a rare ferrata course as well as an upper pathway and caves.

How Stean Gorge’s unique geography also allows for rock sports and paddle sports.

Owners Stan and Ann have updated the site frequently over the years, expanding the camping, adventure and dining range.

Last year ahead of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, they also opened Vista Bistro with glass wall and floor panels over the gorge.

Stan added:

“We’ve made our biggest profit yet this year, with the largest pre-bookings for activities.

“All our outdoor activities have been in huge demand, particularly the gorge walking and water sports.

“There’s been an increase across the board, from the number of school trips we now support to hen and stag-dos due to the backlog of weddings.

“There’s just a massive appetite out there to embrace life, get into the great outdoors and experience adventure again.”