‘Just use a bin’: volunteers appeal over increasing litter in the Pinewoods

The amount of litter in the Pinewoods is increasing, according to a local conservation group.

Over the weekend, volunteers from Pinewoods Conservation Group photographed piles of bottles, cans and plastic left in the 96-acre Harrogate woodland.

Neil Hind, chair of the group, called on people visiting the area to take their rubbish with them:

“Unfortunately litter picking has now become the norm for our group to help conserve the Pinewoods.

“We have amazing volunteers supported by local schools, youth groups and companies who ensure that the increasing amount of litter is collected and disposed of.

“However, these efforts would be unnecessary if people just used a bin or took their litter home with them.”

Read More: 

Mr Hind said litter has always been a problem in the Pinewoods but it became worse during lockdowns — and improvements haven’t been seen since restrictions eased.

Although volunteers are often out collecting litter, he said their efforts should “be unnecessary” because the mess damages wildlife and looks unpleasant.

Get set for delays on major Harrogate roads

Harrogate drivers can expect delays on some of the town’s busiest roads in the weeks ahead.

Gas works on Ripon Road and internet line fitting on Leeds Road beginning this week are set to cause headaches for motorists in the town.

There are also ongoing construction works on Skipton Road, close to the Ripon Road junction, which could cause further problems in the north of the town.

With schools set to return tomorrow, expect delays on these routes.

Leeds Road: September 6-13

Credit: Google Maps

Temporary lights have been causing significant tailbacks today on Leeds Road, around Firs Crescent, in Rossett Green.

The two-way traffic control signals are in place while CityFibre carries out work.

As part of an agreement with North Yorkshire County Council, the works are due to be finished by 3:30pm each day.

Read More: 

Ripon Road: from September 8 for approximately four weeks

Credit: Google Maps

From Wednesday this week, Northern Gas Networks has said it is carrying out “essential work to upgrade the gas network” on Ripon Road.

Throughout the planned four-week project, temporary traffic lights will be in place opposite the Co-op filling station.

Scott Kitchingman, business operations manager for Northern Gas Networks, said:

“We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during these essential works. However, it is vital we complete them in order to continue to maintain a safe and reliable gas supply to the residents of Harrogate.”

Skipton Road near the roundabout with Ripon Road: until June 2022

Credit: Google Maps

Works are also ongoing on Skipton Road, near the roundabout with Ripon Road.

North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out full construction work, including bridge dismantling and waterworks, as part of a project to replace the Oakbeck road bridge and footbridge with a new culvert.

Multi-way signals are due to be in place, which may cause further delays nearby to the Ripon Road gas works.

Retirement party between the tills for Asda colleagues of 33 years

Two colleagues who started working at Asda Harrogate at the same time 33 years ago have shared a retirement party between their favourite tills.

Sheila Fitzsimmons and Jean Lofthouse always served next to each other on checkouts five and six.

Their Asda colleagues decorated the tills with balloons and bunting for the celebration marking their departures.

Debs Harpin, customer trading manager at Asda Harrogate, said:

“Sheila and Jean were so popular with colleagues and customers, and had a lot of regulars who they had a good rapport with. They were always so friendly and happy and never had the Monday morning blues!”

Customers who had got to know Ms Fitzsimmons and Ms Lofthouse over the years brought in gifts and colleagues came in on their day off to wish the pair good luck.

Neil Barker, a service host at Harrogate Asda who worked with the pair for about five years, said:

“I’d really like to wish them good luck and thank them for everything they’ve done for us. It was really nice to give them a proper send off, they’ve been here a long time so it was great to make them feel appreciated.”

Read More:

 

Jespers of Harrogate reopens after two-month refurbishment

Jespers of Harrogate reopened this morning following a shop refurbishment.

The pen and stationery store celebrated its 120th anniversary this year. The front of the shop has been remodelled, with the famous pen range relocated to the back of the store.

Shop manager Lynn Cummings said she was “amazed” by the transformation:

“We’re 120 years old this year, so we thought it was time to give the store a makeover and update what we have here. It has completely transformed the front of the shop.”

The luxury pen range has been given a new home at the back of the shop

The refurbishment of the Oxford Street shop comes two years after the business was taken on by new owners. The Jesper family retired and sold the company in 2019.

Ms Cummings added:

“Our new directors are very keen to keep the ethos that the Jesper family started and created, but also build on that with new products and lines.

“We’ve still got the lines we had, including an extensive range of writing implements from Montegrappa, Waterman, Parker, every brand that you can think of.

“We’ve also developed a whole new area to promote our personal care products. We deal with the likes of Bentley Organics, Watkins soap, Floris, and Edwin Jagger.”

In addition to stationery and personal care products, Jespers also has an art department and a variety of children’s creativity kits and jigsaws.

The personal care range.

When the store closed on June 25, the refurbishment was planned to take three weeks. That time was extended as it became clear more work was needed. But Ms Cummings is excited to be back open to the public.

“As these things go, older buildings spring up surprises and we were closed a bit longer than we wanted.

“We’re very much looking forward to reopening here at Jespers, and seeing our loyal customers and inviting new customers into the store.”

Stray Gardener: Dividing herbaceous perennial plants

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains how to divide your plants and why it’s beneficial. 

As we start to ease towards the autumn, the cooler and wetter weather gives us an opportunity to think about dividing some of our herbaceous perennial plants. This is the time of year I start eyeing up the plants around the garden to decide which ones could do with a little TLC. For most perennials, it’s a way to not only rejuvenate plants but it also gives us a chance to reduce clumps where plants are starting to out grow their space and also a way to increase the number of plants you have at a fraction of what they would cost if you bought them in.

Primula is best divided directly after flowering. Persicaria is very easy to divide.

There are a multitude of different plants that can be divided in the autumn, although it is a good idea to check before you start as some plants such as agapanthus and several of the grasses are best left until the spring as they divide more successfully then. Some spring flowering plants such as irises and primulas are best divided in June and July as soon as their flowers have finished, as this is when they tend to produce their new roots. Plants such as persicaria, anemone, aster, phlox, geranium, salvia and alchemilla (lady’s mantle), will all divide very successfully in the autumn. The secret is to make sure they are watered well once divided and are kept damp until they start to establish.

Dividing Persicaria – use garden or hand forks back to back to help divide them.

The technique of dividing is easy. Simply lift the plant out of the ground gently with a garden fork, and shake off any excess soil to be able to see the roots clearly. Some plants will divide themselves rather conveniently as you lift them and then it is just a case of teasing them apart with your hands. Some plants have a much denser root ball, which may need two forks which can be placed back to back in a convenient gap and gently levered apart to divide. This can be done several times depending on the size of the clump.

Hosta is best divided when the leaves have died back and you can see the growing pints more easily.

Occasionally some plants may need an axe or a spade to cut them apart. Quite a few of the grasses and bamboos tend to need this treatment to divide them more easily. It is best to aim to get between three to five growing points at least for each division, to ensure the plant will establish well in the ground.

Once you have finished dividing your clump it is important to get them planted as soon as possible. If it is a dry, sunny day, it’s worth having some sacking or a tarpaulin to cover them up with to keep them as moist as possible until they are replanted. They should be planted at the same depth as before adding garden compost, leaf mould or other soil conditioner to the planting hole. Don’t forget to water them in well when finished!

Heuchera should be divided regularly to keep them in good health.

If you are not quite ready to put them in their final position, it is worth potting and storing them in a sheltered position – making sure to water them regularly until you need them. It also gives you an opportunity to have spare plants ready and waiting for other areas of the garden, or to share with friends.

Fiona’s 5 top tips for September:

Read More: 

 

Four Afghan families resettled in Harrogate district so far

Four families from Afghanistan have been resettled in the Harrogate district following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Afghan workers and their families are those who qualify for the Government’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). They all arrived this month.

The scheme is for people who have supported British efforts in Afghanistan, including working as interpreters for the UK’s armed forces.

In June, senior Harrogate borough councillors agreed to offer resettlement to 19 Afghans, which amounts to four families.

The families are receiving support to help them to integrate and live independently. This includes English lessons where required, school places and routes to employment that make use of the professional skills they bring.

Read More: 

North Yorkshire people have been thanked for their generous donations of goods for Afghan families arriving in the county.

Donations of clothes, toiletries and other items have flooded in – and charities now have more than they need. People who wish to are now being asked to show their support in other ways, as North Yorkshire County Council stressed that the families are being well catered for and the support they need is in place.

Cllr David Chance, North Yorkshire County Council executive member for stronger communities, said:

“We saw an outpouring of donations for the Afghan families, which is unsurprising from the people of North Yorkshire, and we thank them for that.

“We now have more donations than these families need. Fortunately, they are being well-catered for through tried and tested systems established over a number of years by the county council and partners, including district and borough councils, volunteer and community groups and the Refugee Council.

“If people still want to show their support, we would encourage them instead to make a financial donation to national charities involved in refugee resettlement.”

What happens next?

The government has also recently announced a wider Afghan refugee scheme – the Afghan citizens’ relocation scheme. This is aimed at providing protection for vulnerable people fleeing the Taliban.

A decision on a commitment to that scheme within North Yorkshire and the Harrogate district is yet to be made.

It comes as British military forces have entered the final stages of evacuating people from Kabul airport. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said around 800 to 1,100 eligible Afghans will be left behind in the country – but that they can be processed for the UK’s relocation scheme if they can get to another country. The ARAP scheme will remain open indefinitely.

Police take down ‘county lines’ drug deal phone line advertising to Harrogate addicts

Police in Harrogate have taken down a “county lines” phone line used to advertise drugs to local addicts.

Drug dealers in Leeds and Bradford used the line to advertise crack cocaine and cocaine for sale in Harrogate. It was known as the “Danny” line.

Phone lines like the “Danny” line allow out-of-town heroin and cocaine dealers to send mass text messages promoting their drugs for sale, and when and where they can be picked up.

When a mobile phone is seized from suspected drug dealers, numbers and associated contacts can be reactivated within hours. However, taking down the whole line and removing the number from circulation permanently means drug dealers can no longer advertise.

The line was taken down after officers applied to Newcastle County Court for a Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Order (DDTRO) on Wednesday.

Read More: 

County lines is where drug dealers from urban areas exploit vulnerable people, including children, and force them to deal drugs in smaller towns and cities.

Inspector Penny Taylor of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“These orders are a helpful disruption tactic to interrupt the flow of drugs. The orders allow us to take down the line and remove the phone number from circulation permanently, meaning it cannot ever be reactivated on another device, depriving the dealers of the key means to sell their drugs.

“Drug dealing and the associated exploitation of vulnerable people is a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police and we will continue to target dealers who prey on the vulnerable and cause misery in our communities.”

The action is part of a wider Harrogate-based investigation into drugs supply known as Operation Network. Since August 2020, Operation Network has seen 18 people arrested.

Property Gold: What next for the phenomenal Yorkshire property market?

Property Gold is a monthly column written by independent property consultant, Alex Goldstein. With more than 17 years’ experience, Alex helps his clients to buy and sell residential property in some of the most desirable locations in Yorkshire and beyond. This month, Alex discusses buoyant Yorkshire property market – and what might happen next. 

There have been moments nothing short of insanity in the Yorkshire market recently, with exceptionally high prices being achieved, sealed bids, jaw-dropping competition and no let up.

As we exited the lockdown earlier in the year, the market very quickly (and as predicted) got instantly back up to speed. We then had the Chancellor’s ‘brain wave’ of overlaying a SDLT holiday – sending market activity through the roof. I have never experienced anything like it during my 19 years in the industry.

However, whilst the SDLT break provided a sharp shock to the market, the pace wasn’t just down to this. A positive from Covid (yes there are some!), was that it forced buyers to really analyse what they wanted. Companies realised that they could make substantial staff savings by having a remote workforce, family-work balance became more prominent and those in the cities realised they could be based further away from the office. As a result, Yorkshire has taken advantage.

Whilst we always had a strong local market, we now have large amounts of money being poured into the area from those relocating from London and the Home Counties, but also those based internationally. As I write, I have clients based in Singapore, the US and France – they are all Yorkshire ex-pats looking to ‘come home’ having been couped up in city environments.

Read More: 

So with all this recent activity, what do I think the market landscape looks like into the near future? Most importantly, myself and no one I have spoken with is predicting a price crash or correction. I have long said that the gap between the North and South was closing and this is proof. The prices we have seen, now provide a new benchmark for the area and I feel that we will now see a steady and reassured step forward onwards from this.

Currently there is a shortage of stock in the market, however this is down to the school holidays and people quite understandably wanting a break. Come early September I feel the market will be back on and whilst not at the same raucous pace, the outlook only looks positive.

However, in order to secure your next home, everything comes down to your buying position – and being ‘Under Offer’ doesn’t have the same clout it once did. With legals and banks taking ever longer, vendors and estate agents are shying away from the associated risk and delays, to opt for buyers that are ready to go. The only question you need to ask yourself is when you are going to join the foray.

It’s an exciting time to be in the Yorkshire property market and this is the start of the wave!

If you have any comments or questions for Alex, please feel free to contact him on alex@alexgoldstein.co.uk

Stray Pets Rescue Club: cats Leah and Sox and Cynthia the dog need a loving home

The Stray Pets Rescue Club is our monthly profile of animals in and around the Harrogate district, in desperate need of a loving home. Could Leah, Cynthia or Sox find their new family with you? 

Leah – Short Haired Cat 


Age: Approx 6 years old

Leah’s story: When Leah came to Harrogate Cat Rescue, she was terrified of humans and it became clear she had been abused. Through care and patience she is now affectionate once she gets to know you.

Temperament: Leah may be a little nervous at first, but loves being stroked and fussed and will always come for her favourite Dreamie treats.

Ideal home: Leah will ned a safe place while she settles into her new home, like a covered bed. She has never been outside so needs to remain as an indoor cat.

To find out more about Leah and how you can help, contact Celia at Harrogate Cat Rescue on 07749 461042

Cynthia – dog


Age: Approx 2 years old

Cynthia’s story: Cynthia arrived at Miss Mollies Rescue from Romania where she had been rescued from the streets.

Temperament: Before arriving in Harrogate, Cynthia hadn’t had any training and was very anxious. She’s now gained her confidence, can do basic commands and walks well on a lead.

Ideal home: Cynthia’s new home needs a nice garden, and children must be over 12. She can be homed with another dog, and will need an owner who is around a lot of the time with the patience to help her gain more confidence.

If Cynthia could become part of your family, get in touch with Miss Mollie’s Rescue. 

Sox – Short Haired Cat 


Age: 7 years old

Sox’s story: Sox is looking for a long term foster home. Although he is fit and well, he does have epilepsy, which is controlled by medication. He hasn’t had a seizure for over a year though, so it’s well controlled.

Temperament: Sox is a happy, friendly boy who has lived with a calm dog before.

Ideal home: Sox needs a long term foster home; all of his veterinary bills will be covered by Harrogate Cat Rescue, who will also fully support the fosterer. Once he’s settled in, he will be able to have a wander outside in a safe environment.

If you could be a foster carer for Sox, contact Celia at Harrogate Cat Rescue on 07749 461042.

 

Read More: 

 

Stray Foodie review: DOMO Japanese Cuisine

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, she was impressed with Harrogate’s DOMO Japanese Cuisine. 

A good friend of mine whose culinary expertise I have great respect for told me I should visit Domo Japanese Cuisine on Montpellier Walk here in Harrogate. He had a fabulous takeaway as a birthday treat at home, so intrigued, I made my way to Domo. Domo is on the site of what was Lord’s Restaurant, which then became Van Zellers Restaurant. Tom having a terrific reputation as a chef and was lorded by the eminent food critic Marina O’Loughlin.  Much has changed since then, as one would expect, and the style is now dark, atmospheric and simple. It makes a nice change from so many overgilded establishments.

This is an authentic Japanese restaurant and before the pandemic Japanese style of food was very in vogue amongst the great chefs of our country. As all chefs tend to do to cement their own style and identity, they play with styles and tastes. With the very warm weather that we have had recently, there were two little tables and chairs outside, one of which my young man and I took watching the world go by. Interestingly enough we watched Fisk, the fish restaurant opposite, fill quickly and easily.

It was a warm summer lunchtime as we studied the menu and on offer was a Bento Box. The choices of chicken, salmon, spicy BBQ beef or sushi, all served with a miso soup came in the form of a Bento Box.

The spicy beef bento box

There was of course an extensive menu with the style of dishes you would expect.

My young man chose the spicy beef bento box at £9.50 and myself the spicy tuna with sesame and ponzu with a bowl of rice at £14.00. The charming lady taking my order explained to me that the tuna would be rare – and I would have been disappointed had it not been so! The arrival of this dish was beautifully presented and the flavours were sensational. It reminded me of a dish that I experienced in a Michelin Starred restaurant that was beautifully crafted – but it didn’t have the wow factor I was experienced Domo. This was a lovely dish and if this is an indication of all the other dishes on offer, Harrogate is a very lucky place!

Frances’ spicy tuna with sesame and ponzu, with a bowl of rice

While on the subject of how food should be cooked, often the opinion of the chef seems to differ from the opinion of the guest. As we always ask guests how they would like their red meat cooked, perhaps we should do the same with fish?

My young man’s Bento Box came with the miso in a lovely little bowl and was once again so refreshing and stimulating to the palate. The actual box contained tofu, rice, sushi, BBQ beef and a little salad. At £9.50 for the complete meal, it was excellent value.

We were left feeling that we had a healthy and satisfying lunch and look forward to revisiting.

Stray Foodie reviews are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years. Frances now runs Paradise Food at Daleside Nurseries, alongside fellow Michelin-starred chef Roger Olive and front of house manager John Tullett.  

 

 

Read More: