Harrogate district residents aim to raise £250,000 to buy village pub

Residents in Skelton-on-Ure are aiming to raise £250,000 to buy their village pub, which has been shut for three years.

The Black Lion, on Skelton Lane close to Newby Hall, between Boroughbridge and Ripon, was bought in December 2019 by Admiral Taverns.

However since then it has stood derelict, leaving locals questioning its future.

The pub was put up for sale in June after its owners said it did not have a “long-term sustainable future”.

Admiral Taverns, which owns 1,600 pubs across the UK, said selling was the only option.

However, a group of residents are now calling on people to pledge to buy a share in the pub in order to raise funds to buy and revitalise it.

Sandy Delf, one of the residents involved in the Black Lion Community Hub and Pub, said:

“The ultimate aim is to open up a welcoming community pub and hub for the village and wider community.”

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The group, which has received support from rural community charity the Plunkett Foundation, aims to raise £250,000 in order to access government match funding as part of the community ownership fund.

Shares in the pub cost £250 each and are open to people and businesses to submit an expression of interest.

The Black Lion pictured prior to its closure.

The Black Lion pictured prior to its closure.

Mrs Delf said the venture was “especially vital in the current and recent past economic climate”, adding:

“Rural communities have particularly suffered from isolation and mental health issues as services such as public transport have become ever more diminished.”

The pub was recently listed as an asset of community value by Harrogate Borough Council.

The listing means residents have more time to raise funds to buy the property.

For more information on how to pledge a share in the pub, visit the Black Lion Community Hub and Pub website here.

People waiting up to an hour for 101 calls to be answered, says North Yorkshire Police

People are waiting for up to an hour for a 101 call to be answered, a senior North Yorkshire Police officer has said.

Mike Walker, assistant chief constable at the force, told a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner public accountability meeting that the figure was “not acceptable”.

He said that the force had an average answer time of eight minutes and 47 seconds for October 2022 – four times the national standard.

The target for police force’s across the country is to answer 80% of non-emergency calls within two minutes.

ACC Walker said the long waiting times for 101 was the reason why the force’s abandonment rate was so high. This refers to the number of people giving up.

He said:

“On a daily basis we look at that from a chief officer team and I know there have been people waiting between half an hour and an hour on 101 on some days.

“It’s just not acceptable and this is why we have an abandonment rate of 20%. We should not be having more than 5% on 101.”

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ACC Walker told the meeting that Humberside Police had agreed to carry out a peer review of the force’s call handling and help them improve.

He added that the police were keen to improve the call times and return the control room to an “outstanding” rating.

Zoe Metcalfe, Mike Walker and Mabs Hussain, deputy chief constable, at the public accountability meeting.

Zoe Metcalfe, Mike Walker and Mabs Hussain, deputy chief constable, at the public accountability meeting.

He said:

“We know how we need to achieve that.

“It’s a question of putting the right plans in place and having the relevant discussions and then, over the next 12 months, it’s a question of getting back to where we need to be by serving the public of North Yorkshire with an outstanding control room.

“That needs to be the aim.”

Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said the aim needed to be “a lot quicker than 12 months”, but added she accepted that “these things take time”.

The move comes as concerns over the length of time it takes to answer 101 calls has been a long-running concern across the county.

Ms Metcalfe’s predecessor, Philip Allott, was told by North Yorkshire county councillors last year that the non-emergency line was “not fit for purpose and it hasn’t been fit for purpose for the last eight years” and that “the phone just doesn’t get answered”.

Flaxby Park withdraws appeal over 350 eco lodges refusal

The owners of Flaxby Park Golf Club have withdrawn an appeal over a decision to refuse plans for 350 eco lodges and a hotel on the site.

In March, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the proposal on the grounds that it would cause an “unacceptable” impact on the environment. The site is close to junction 47 on the A1(M).

Last month, Flaxby Park Ltd took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate – which deals with planning disputes.

In documents submitted to the inspectorate, planning consultants Lichfields, which lodged the appeal on behalf of the developer, said the reasons for refusal were “unfounded”.

It said:

“The appellant will show that the council’s reasons for refusal are unfounded and that there are no technical issues arising from the proposed development, which cannot be addressed by appropriately worded conditions or Section 106 planning obligations.

“The appellant will therefore submit that planning permission should be granted for the development proposed by the appeal without delay.”

However, Flaxby Park Ltd has now withdrawn the appeal. A public inquiry into the case scheduled for January 31, 2023, has been cancelled.

An aerial computer generated image of the proposal. The A1 (M) is to the east and the A59 is to the south.

An aerial computer generated image of the proposal. The A1(M) is to the east and the A59 is to the south.

The Stray Ferret approached both Flaxby Park Ltd and its agent Lichfields to ask why the company made the decision and if it still intends to propose a new scheme for the site.

But we did not receive a response by the time of publication.

The move raises questions over the future of the former Flaxby Golf Course site, which has been closed since 2014.

History of the site

In 2008 The Skelwith Group bought the site from farming family the Armstrongs for £7m. It published plans for a 300-bedroom five-star hotel on the site that it touted as the future “jewel in Yorkshire’s tourism crown”.

But the plans never materialised and in 2016 the company went out of business.

Flaxby Park Ltd, a company made up of businesswoman Ann Gloag and regeneration specialists Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner, bought the 260-acre golf course site from administrators in 2016.

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Its original proposal for the site was to build 2,750 homes and a rail link at Goldsborough. But these plans ended after the council chose the Cattal and Green Hammerton area as the site for a new settlement in the district instead.

In October 2020, the developer challenged the council’s decision in the High Court but was unable to overturn it.

Risk that Harrogate hospital home care service could ‘distort the market’

A plan by Harrogate hospital to introduce a home care service in a bid to free up bed space could “distort the market”, says a councillor.

Cllr Michael Harrison, who is cabinet member for adult care at North Yorkshire County Council, said the authority had already had to prevent one social care provider from folding this week.

It comes as officials at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust revealed in September that they want to trial the service as the hospital was unable to discharge medically fit patients because of a lack of private care services.

However, Cllr Harrison told the county council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee last week that there was a risk the move could cause problems because the health service would be competing for staff with other providers.

Cllr Harrison said:

“I do think there is a real risk of distorting the market.

“Already this week, the county council have stepped in to prevent one domiciliary care provider from folding and I know that we are working on over 30 packages of care that have been handed back this week.

“The pressures out there are very tangible.”

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, speaking at Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, speaking at Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of the hospital trust, said it was not the intention for the hospital to take work away from private care providers.

He added that he was aware the move could look critical of the care sector, particularly because the health service has been “well funded for some years”.

He said:

“We are absolutely not trying to be critical or trying to take any work away.

“We are just trying to find a solution. We are working well with the team at the county council to work this through rather than doing anything that would upset that.

“We are really aware of the issues, but we are just trying to collectively make it better.”

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Mr Coulter added the hospital was already carrying out interviews for the service, but stressed that it would still be a pilot at this stage.

He said:

“I know there is some concern that we could distort the market because the NHS pays a bit more than other areas, that is an issue.

“But, at the moment, we have said this is a six-month pilot and we will see how it goes.”

The trust’s home care service will initially run as a six-month trial and cost around £146,000 to provide care for 36 patients.

If the trial is a success, it is estimated around 15 patients who otherwise would be stuck in hospital could be moved back into their own homes each day.

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district update

Motorists should be aware of upcoming roadworks on the A1(M) which may cause delays for those heading north towards Leeming Bar.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

National Highways is set to carry out patching repairs on the southbound carriageway between junction 49 (Dishforth) and junction 51 (Leeming Bar) from Tuesday next week until mid-December.

According to the organisation, during full closures a local signed diversion will be in place using the A6055 which runs parallel to the A1.

Meanwhile, ongoing works on Station Road in Goldsborough may cause delays for drivers this lunchtime.

Station Road in the village is closed while a new electrical supply is installed for a new housing development.

The work is due to continue until December 16. Bus services through the village have also been diverted as a result of the roadworks.

Motorists should expect the usual traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

Trains and buses

This morning, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal.

Harrogate Bus Company is currently reporting no cancellations on its service this morning. You can get updates here.

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Nearly half of Harrogate council meetings cancelled in November

A lack of Harrogate Borough Council business has led to nearly half of meetings being cancelled this past month.

The authority will be abolished in four months time and replaced by North Yorkshire Council.

The cancellation of so many meetings raises questions over how effective the council will be in its final days.

It had been due to hold 13 meetings in November — not including informal meetings — which included senior cabinet member meetings and a planning committee.

However, five of those meetings were cancelled. Last week the council did not hold a single meeting.

Just three public meetings were streamed live onto the council’s YouTube in November.

This included a cabinet meeting, where senior councillors made a key decision over the progress of three strategic housing sites.

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The Stray Ferret asked the borough council why so many meetings had been cancelled and why so few meetings had been streamed for the public to watch.

A council spokesperson said:

“Provisional dates for meetings are added to the calendar at the start of the municipal year. 

“Should these not be required, as there are no items to bring to said meeting, then they are cancelled.”

The authority is due to hold 12 meetings in December—- one of which has already been cancelled.

 

 

New book reveals history behind Valley Gardens trees

A Harrogate woman has co-authored a guide to trees in the town’s Valley Gardens.

The book, by Jane Blayney and Simon Hill, documents 30 species of trees in the gardens and looks at how they make the area special.

The authors describe the shape, bark, leaves, flowers and fruit of each species and reveal how they were introduced to the British Isles. They also highlight some of the pests and diseases that threaten survival.

Among the trees included in the book are Horse Chestnut, Weeping Willow and Atlas Cedar.

Ms Blayney, who co-authored the book with president of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, Mr Hill, said the book was a labour of love during the pandemic.

She said:

“I have lived many decades in the Valley Gardens area.

“However, until I became chair of the Friends of Valley Gardens I did not realise the wealth and variety of the trees within the gardens.”

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Ms Blayney added she hoped the book will help more people to “realise the enormous importance of trees” and allow them to explore Valley Gardens with greater insight.

She said she was also grateful to Cllr Jim Clark, former chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, who helped to fund the book.

The 72-page guide also includes a foreword from Martin Fish, president of the Friends of Valley Gardens.

The book is currently available for £7.50 at the Valley Gardens website. You can find out more information on how to order a copy here.

Harrogate hospital pledges ‘minimal disruption’ as nurses’ strike looms

People who need care at Harrogate hospital should continue to come forward despite the threat of industrial action, health officials have said.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said it has yet to be notified officially that its nursing staff will strike next month.

It comes as the Royal College of Nursing confirmed a national walkout will take place on December 15 and 20 over a pay dispute with the government.

A spokesperson for the RCN told the Stray Ferret exact locations for the strikes will be revealed next week and that next month will be the first phase of industrial action.

They added:

“Not all members at employers where there is a mandate to strike will be called to strike on these first two dates. 

“Phase one could be just the beginning of a longer period of strike action.”

Despite the threat of a walkout, officials at Harrogate hospital have urged people to continue to come forward for care if they require it.

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The trust said that those who have an operation on the planned strike days will be notified if their treatment is affected.

A Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said:

“While pay is a matter for government and the trade unions, we value our staff and want to see a resolution as soon as possible to ensure we can continue to focus on delivering world class patient care to all those who need it.

“We understand the importance of good pay and conditions for individuals and their families, as well as wider NHS staff retention and recruitment.

“We are working to ensure there is minimal disruption to patient care and that emergency services continue to operate as normal should any strike action take place, and have tried and tested plans in place to manage any disruption.

“We are committed to keeping disruption to services to a minimum, and any members of the public that need care should continue to come forward as normal.

“If you have an appointment or operation that is scheduled on a proposed strike day we would kindly ask you to be patient and we will notify you as soon as possible if strike action at HDFT is confirmed and your treatment will be affected.”

1,300 people waiting a year for operations at Harrogate hospital, says chief executive

Harrogate District Hospital has 1,300 people waiting more than a year for an operation.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said the number of patients waiting was a legacy from the covid pandemic.

The trust estimates that it currently has a total waiting list of 25,000 people – an increase of 7,000 before covid.

Mr Coulter said part of the reason for the increase is because the hospital halted some operations during the pandemic.

He told a Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency meeting of North Yorkshire County Council yesterday:

“We never ever had people waiting over a year for planned care at all in Harrogate.

“Most people were seen within four months. That was the majority.

“We now have 1,300 people waiting over a year for their operation or their treatment. We did go over two years in some cases, but that has now come down.”

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Mr Coulter told the meeting that the hospital expected to have no patient waiting more than a year for an operation by the end of 2023.

He added that the trust board had approved an increase in capacity at the hospital to help deal with the long waiting list.

The £14 million project will see two additional operating theatres, two procedure rooms and a 12-bed ward for patients who require extended stays in care built on the site.

The trust also hopes the project will help to “future proof” the hospital for a growth in population and changes in demographic in the district.

Mr Coulter said:

“We will be going through that process next year to get us some more capacity on the site.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district update

No trains will run from Harrogate and Knaresborough to Leeds and York tomorrow amid further strike action.

Northern, which runs services from Harrogate and Knaresborough, has warned passengers not to travel as it will not be running any rail replacement services.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic and travel update.

Roads

Ongoing works on Station Road in Goldsborough may cause delays for drivers this lunchtime.

Station Road in the village is closed while a new electrical supply is installed for a new housing development.

The work is due to continue until December 16. Bus services through the village have also been diverted as a result of the roadworks.

Drivers should also be aware that National Highways is to carry out patching repairs on the southbound carriageway between junction 49 (Dishforth) and junction 51 (Leeming Bar) from Tuesday next week until mid-December.

Meanwhile, motorists should be aware that traffic lights on the A59 York Road near the junction with the A658 near Goldsborough continue to cause delays for drivers during rush hour.

The three-way lights at the junction with the A658 has seen queueing traffic for motorists over the last few weeks.

Yorkshire Water is carrying out work to lay a new water main for a housing development.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, the work is due to remain until November 27.

Motorists should expect the usual traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

Trains and buses

Commuters should be aware of planned industrial action on the railways tomorrow (November 26) as the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLF) plan to walkout.

It will see no Northern services operating on the day. The train operator has warned it will not be running any rail replacement buses.

LNER, which operates services to London King’s Cross, has asked passengers to check train times before they travel.

This morning, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Bus Company is currently reporting no cancellations on its service this morning. You can get updates here.

The bus company has announced that the 21 at Goldsborough will be diverted from today due to electrical works on Station Road in the village until December 16.

The service will miss stops towards Knaresborough at Princess Mead, War Memorial and Greystone Farm.

It will also miss stops towards Boroughbridge at Princess Mead, Midgely Land and Nr Roundabout.

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