A new 80-seat independent restaurant with a cocktail bar and terrace will open in Harrogate on Friday.

The Stray Ferret revealed last week HG1 Grill and World Bar was to open in the building formerly occupied by Samsons and Le Bistrot Pierre on Cheltenham Crescent.

New owner Jas Gill has confirmed the venue will open in two days time.

Ms Gill, who is from a property background, has assembled a team including head chef Javier Oitana, general manager Jerome Lacheure and bar manager Joe Oliver.

Customers are able to visit for drinks or to sample the menu.

The grill will provide a wide range of international options and the bar will offer live music and DJ sets as well as cocktails.

Ms Gill said:

“We’ve assembled a team that is passionate about food and what we are trying to achieve.”

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Allotment show set to draw keen growers to Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

The best of the Harrogate district’s allotment produce will be on show in the town’s Valley Gardens this weekend.

The annual Harrogate District Allotment Show will see keen growers submit the results of their hard work for judging.

Taking place for the 61st time, the event is held in the Sun Pavilion and is free to attend. Judging will be held on Sunday from 10am before the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Cllr Victoria Oldham, officially opens the show.

It is organised by Harrogate and District Allotment Federation, which has 16 member allotments in its group, sharing tips and knowledge to improve their results.

Secretary Angela Dicken said:

“Entries are slightly down on last year, but I think that’s to do with the weather. We will be a bit weather-hit this year, particularly because the entries had to be in 10 days ago when it was very hot.

“The entries for the flowers show have been quite badly hit. But we have still got a good selection for judging and for people to see.

“There are some people who enter every year, but we always get some new allotment holders entering too. Sometimes people think you have to be a real expert gardener to take part, but really you just need some nice veg.

“I would always encourage people to come and have a look if they are thinking of entering next year, to get an idea of what it’s all about.”

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As well as viewing the exhibits, visitors can buy cakes, produce, plants and books donated by plot holders from across the district. A tombola and raffle will be held, alongside stalls from local organisations and charities.

Live music will be provided from 1.30pm when Stray Horns take to the bandstand.

Produce from the show will be donated to food waste charity Resurrected Bites, while proceeds from any sales will be given to Woodlands Community Garden.

Ripon’s annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display is in doubt because of safety concerns about letting off fireworks behind the town hall

Ripon City Council, which has staged New Year’s Eve celebrations on the site since 1985, is exploring other options after being advised it can no longer set off fireworks on land behind the town hall.

It could spell an end to any further fireworks displays taking place in the Market Square.

Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“Following the redevelopment of the Claro Lounge (pictured below) next to the town hall and the flats above, which have balconies to the rear, the fireworks company have advised that it is no longer safe to discharge fireworks on the land behind the town hall.

“Harrogate Borough Council has been asked for permission to use part of the car park behind Sainsbury’s but this request has been refused. Discussions on this are ongoing.

“It may well be that as a result we are not able to find a suitable safe location to discharge fireworks from at future Ripon City Council events.

“I am currently exploring the possibility of having a laser light display for New Year’s Eve and will provide an update when I know whether this will be possible, or if we have managed to find a safe location to set the fireworks off from.”

Fireworks displays provided the finale to the Yorkshire Day weekend event concert on 31 July (pictured above) and the Last Night of the Proms concert in September.

On New Year’s Eve, there will again be free live music on Market Square from 9.30pm, with performances from the Big Boyband Reunion and Oasis tribute acts.

While Santa was busy all afternoon, his reindeer also attracted a great deal of attention.

After the switch on, the musical entertainment continued, with a tribute act (pictured below) signing the chart-topping hits of girl bands.

They were followed by a Beatles Tribute act, who provided a fab-four finale to the day’s festive fun.

The organisation that licenses music has asked Ripon City Council to pay a fee for staging an outdoor carol service that was attended by about 20 people.

PPL PRS sent the council an invoice for £1,505 for 45 public events that took place last year.

One of the events was a Christmas Eve carol service on the Market Square.

The costing for the afternoon carol service was based on a notional 750 people attending. But the council is disputing the claim.

Councillor Andrew Williams, the chair of the council’s events committee and leader of the council, told the Stray Ferret:

“There were fewer than two dozen people present because of the poor weather, so heaven knows where they got that ridiculous figure from.

“With so many other important things that we are having to deal with at present – such as the coronavirus crisis – receiving an unexpected bill that just doesn’t stack up has sounded a sour note with the council and we are challenging the invoice.

“If necessary, we are prepared to make a song and dance about this!”

Carollers beware – singing on Ripon’s streets could prove costly

Cllr Williams also queried whether the bill should have been sent in the first place.

He said:

“The public events involving music that we staged in the city during 2019 were all at venues or on land owned by Harrogate Borough Council and they hold the required licences.”

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PPL PRS is a joint venture between the UK’s two music licensing organisations — PPL and PRS for Music

A spokesperson for the organisation said:

“In the instance of a live carol concert, providing the material used falls within PRS repertoire and the event has no admission cost,  the fee charged is based upon the maximum capacity of the venue, in this case 750 people.

“If the venue is operating under a reduced capacity figure, the organiser can declare this to us and an adjustment in the cost can then be made at the point of the next review. If this information is not submitted to us the event would be charged at the capacity figure.

“We have previously been in touch with the customer in question to request the correct information from them, and we would be more than happy to speak with them to resolve any issues they have with regard to the music licence invoice and attendance figures/events.”

With regard to how it gathers information used in drawing up invoices, PPL PRS said it uses “online research and historical information provided by the customer to establish events taking place, the capacity of the venue, admission cost, and the expected attendance”.

The Den bar on Cambridge Street will host a night of live music and food in Harrogate on Sunday December 27.

The bar, which recently reopened after refurbishment, has teamed up with Fashion House Bistro on Swan Road for the ticket-only venture.

Chefs from the bistro will cook food for the event, which will start at 6pm. Tickets are £60 per couple.

Singer and pianist Dan Burnett will perform a selection of blues and soul classics from 7pm. He will be followed at 8.30pm by Biz Denton on vocals and guitar and Jason Odle of “Ont’ Sofa” ont’ drums, who will play two sets.

The fixed menu consists of six tapas dishes.

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Rob Taylor, from The Den, said:

“The event is strictly limited to socially distanced tables of two, and will provide a relaxed and enjoyable evening of post-Christmas entertainment.

“2020 has been a very difficult year for everybody, and in particular for those in the hospitality trade. David and I are really looking forward to jointly hosting this event.”

A Harrogate venue is set to restart live music performances after lockdown forced an early curtain for its concerts in March.

The Wesley Centre, on Oxford Street, will be hosting three socially distanced concerts between now and early January. 

Susan Tomes will be the first pianist to play as the season reopens on November 2, giving a recital of music by Scarlatti, Debussy, Janacek, Chabrier and Billy Mayerl.

Susan Tomes, the first pianist to play at the Wesley Centre since March.

Normally able to hold about 450 people, there are only 76 seats available for the socially distanced performances. 

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Peter Hirschmann, who runs the Patrons scheme for the Wesley Centre, said:

“Our immediate reaction for ticket sales is that they’re going very rapidly, which is very reassuring. At first we didn’t know how many people would want to come, due to many of our supporters being elderly or vulnerable, so we’re starting out cautiously.

“Live music is back in Harrogate, which is what really matters. Our concert organiser, Andrew Hitchen, had a great response when he emailed supporters about the concerts starting again.”

Tickets can be purchased for £10 by telephoning Andrew Hitchen on 01423 883618 between 6pm and 8pm.

Live music fans will flock to a field near Topcliffe this weekend – but the Deer Shed Festival will have a very different feel compared to previous years.

Organisers have set up a socially-distanced weekend called Base Camp, with an on-site radio station delivering live music, comedy and more direct to people’s tents.

The 320 family pitches will be a far cry from the 11,000 attendees at last year’s event – and even the 2,000 who came to the first festival 11 years ago. Director Kate Webster told The Stray Ferret:

“It’s nice that we have been able to do something. All the people here have been to Deer Shed before and a lot of them are just happy to be out of their houses.

“It has been harder organising it because we’re having to do it on fewer staff, but there’s a lot less to do then usually when we have five stages.”

Socially distanced camping spaces, each with a portable toilet

Each pitch is 15m x 15m and has its own portable toilet, with water for washing. The Baldersby Park site near Topcliffe will also offer acres of outside space for families to enjoy.

Food and drink will be on sale from stands, but ticket holders are being asked to bring their own food and drink, including alcohol which will not be sold on site. Tickets were only offered to previous festival attendees, and the event is sold out.

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The event was originally planned to take place as usual this weekend, but plans were put on hold after the coronavirus lockdown came into force. Organisers have now created a programme for radio, including everything from live music to Q&A sessions.

They are also encouraging people to explore the surrounding area and local visitor attractions during the weekend.

As the first campers arrived on site today, Kate added:

“People are arriving a lot slower than they normally do for a festival weekend. Normally, they arrive an hour earlier than they’re meant to because they’re so keen to get in.

“This has been a lot more casual – people rolling up and slowly putting tents up. It’s a different atmosphere.

“We have got a few caterers and a bit of space, but we didn’t want people to get confused that it’s a festival. It’s not – it’s a camping event. You’re camping with like-minded people who go to Deer Shed and enjoy live music as a family.”

Although the full festival this year has not been possible, Kate said all the headliners and most of the line-up have been transferred to next year’s dates, July 30 to August 1.