Craft beer lovers in Harrogate can rejoice as a new town centre bar is set to open today.

Husk Beer Emporium and Bar, which is situated on Station Square, will showcase local and UK wide beers.

Joint owners Danny Duckworth and Tom Gill opted for the venture as a natural progression from their shop on Kings Road.

Mr Duckworth told the Stray Ferret that the pair felt the time was right to move towards opening a bar.

He said:

“We have had the shop for three years and we like to think that has created the awareness of world beer in Harrogate.”

Food, drink and an ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of beers

The bar will sell food and drink, including a draught line with everything from German lager to hazy pale ales.

For Mr Duckworth, part of the reason for setting up to bar was to create a place which will also offer affordable, interesting beers.

Three of the draughts on sale will be under £5, enabling people who may not normally opt for a craft beer to be able to try them.

Those who are enthusiastic about their beers will also be to try the “Aladdin’s cave” of unique brews downstairs.

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Customers will be able to design their own grilled cheese sandwiches, while cocktail lovers can sample a range of drinks.

Dogs and children will also be welcome in Husk.

In the long-term, there is also an ambition to put live music on for those who like songs to go with their craft beer.

Crucially for Danny, the aim of the new bar is to create a place for everyone to drink – not just beer enthusiasts.

He said:

“We wanted to create a place where we would want to drink.”

Husk Beer Emporium and Bar will be open from midday today.

People across the Harrogate district will be asked from today for their views on a historic £540 million devolution deal for North Yorkshire.

In August, county council leaders agreed the long-awaited deal with ministers to devolve more powers, including an elected mayor, to North Yorkshire and York.

The deal will see £18 million year worth of funding devolved to the county over 30 years.

Now, as part of the process to bring more powers to North Yorkshire, the public, businesses and charity organisations will be asked for their thoughts on the deal.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said: 

“We really need the public to come forward and give us their views on what is important to them and how devolution can benefit communities and businesses across York and North Yorkshire.

“The chance to secure these decision-making powers and millions of pounds in funding from the government is set to prove a life-changing opportunity for more than 800,000 people who live and work in York and North Yorkshire.

“Devolution will give local leaders the chance to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing people in York and North Yorkshire – whether that be providing more affordable housing, improving skills and education for better job opportunities, boosting transport infrastructure or tackling the climate crisis.”

Pictured: Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Greg Clark MP and Cllr Keith Aspden, leader of City of York Council sign the document.

Meanwhile, Helen Simpson, chair of the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: 

“This is a historic moment for York and North Yorkshire and creates the opportunity to deliver long-term investment to support business growth.

“I’d like to invite business leaders across the region to contribute to this consultation.”

Consultation on the deal will run until Friday, December 16. People can have their say at the York and North Yorkshire Devolution website here.

What is in the deal?

As part of the devolution deal, a mayoral combined authority would be formed with a directly-elected mayor by May 2024.

It would mirror similar arrangements in the Tees Valley, where Conservative mayor Ben Houchen oversees the combined authority.

Read More:

• Have devolution fears that Harrogate will be voiceless come true?
• Mayor for North Yorkshire agreed in £540m historic devolution deal
• North Yorkshire’s devolution deal: What’s in it and how will it work?

While the planned North Yorkshire deal brings £540 million worth of investment funding, it is lower than the original £750 million requested by local leaders.

However, more power over skills and transport will be devolved.

It will see whoever is elected mayor and the new combined authority have control over the adult education budget and the ability to draw up its own transport strategy.

Control over bus franchising has also been granted to the county and the power to set up Mayoral Development Corporations, which have the power to buy land for housing or employment to regenerate a defined area.

Much of the deal echoes what was given to Tees Valley in 2015, where mayor Houchen has since exercised his economic development powers to buy Teesside International Airport and Redcar Steelworks.

Roadworks on main routes in Harrogate and near Pateley Bridge are set to start next week.

Meanwhile, drivers should be aware of works which may cause delays in Harrogate this morning.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Work to to reconstruct the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge, is expected to start on Monday (October 24).

The scheme requires the road to be closed and a diversion will be in place via Pateley Bridge; the B6451 Dacre; Menwith Hill Road; Duck Street and Greenhow Hill village. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the remainder of the work.

Also, lights will be installed on the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley. The road suffered a landslip during storms in February 2020 and a weight limit has been in place since.

It was expected that the work will be carried out until December 9.

Further roadworks will be implemented on Wetherby Road in Harrogate from Monday as temporary traffic lights are put in place.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, maintenance work will be carried out by Northern Gas Networks until October 28.

Meanwhile, traffic is moving as normal in the Harrogate district during rush hour this morning.

Motorists should be aware of temporary traffic lights which are expected to be put in place on Skipton Road.

North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out work to replace light columns on the road. According to the authority’s roadworks map, the lights will be in place until October 25.

In Harrogate town centre, long-term work on Crescent Road means motorists are unable to turn left at the Parliament Street junction. Traffic coming the opposite way on Ripon Road is unable to turn right.

Trains and buses

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

The Harrogate Bus Company is currently reporting cancellations on its 7 and 36 services this morning. You can get updates here.

Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister today after just 44 days in office.

See how the Harrogate district reacted to the news this afternoon.

5.01pm – Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems still searching for candidate

The lengthy process to find a prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough remains ongoing.

The local party called today for an election but as yet it doesn’t have anyone to take on Conservative Andrew Jones.

It said in June it had started the process but four months on the matter remains unresolved.

David Goode, chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems, said

“We are moving at pace to select a parliamentary candidate. It is a rigorous process for a target seat but be in no doubt we are planning to fight Harrogate and Knaresborough to win at the next election, whenever that maybe. We need a MP who will work for us, not just trot along behind the government.”

Monika Slater, a Lib Dem who represents Bilton Grange and New Park on North Yorkshire County Council, said

“Boris Johnson failed our country and Liz Truss trashed our economy.

“People in Harrogate and Knaresborough deserve better than this incompetent and chaotic government, which has sent mortgages spiralling while our NHS services are stretched to breaking point.

“The Conservative party have proven time and time again they are not fit to lead our great country.

“This country needs a general election and Andrew Jones and other Conservative MP’s cannot prop up more chaotic Governments.

“At the next election people across Harrogate and Knaresborough will be backing the Liberal Democrats to get a fair deal on the NHS and the cost of living instead of more Conservative chaos.”

4.35pm – Andrew Jones MP: Truss departure ‘inevitable’

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has published a statement on his Community News website.

Mr Jones said:

“As difficult as today is for her it has, I’m afraid, been inevitable and it is the national interest that matters.

“It was an enormous and unforced error to bring forward the mini-Budget without an assessment by the Office of Budget Responsibility and an accompanying statement on departmental spending.

“It was a mistake for her to surround herself with just supporters and not form a broader-based team.

“Ms Truss began to undo the damage with the appointment of Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor who jettisoned a lot of the mistakes she had made, calmed the markets and emphasised the need for stability.

“But the personal damage to her was done and too severe for her to have any hope of recovery.  It has felt in parliament that over the last week her authority had been seeping away. That is why she had to go.”

Mr Jones, who said there was “plenty to be positive about here in Harrogate and Knaresborough” when the government announced its mini-budget last month, did not reveal who he supports as a successor.

But he said whoever it is “needs to bring on board all the talents available to them, adding:

“Our politics and our country need a period of calm stability and I look forward, at last, to that being delivered.”

4.17pm – Could North Yorkshire be home to the Prime Minister by next Friday?

Richmond MP Rishi Sunak is the clear bookies’ favourite to succeed Liz Truss as Prime Minister. Oddschecker currently has him at 10/11, with Penny Mordaunt second favourite at 11-4. But the odds against third favourite Boris Johnson have been slashed to 9-2.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith both supported Mr Sunak in the leadership contest against Liz Truss.

3.50pm – Nigel Adams ‘not doing any media at the moment’

Minutes after posting that none of the local Conservative MPs had replied to us, one of them responded. But it isn’t exactly hold-the-front-page stuff.

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams’ senior parliamentary assistant emailed to say:

“Nigel is not doing any media at the moment.”

3.41pm – Silence from Harrogate district MPs

We asked the three Conservative MPs whose constituencies include parts of the Harrogate district whether Liz Truss was right to resign and who they supported to be her successor.

We asked Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams to reply by 3.30pm today. So far none has replied.

3.06pm – Are local opposition parties ready to fight an election?

Local Liberal Democrats and Harrogate supporters have been quick to call for an election but would they be ready to fight one?

Currently only the Green Party has a prospective parliamentary candidate to take on Andrew Jones in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

We have asked the Liberal Democrats and Labour for details of their search to find PPCs and will report their responses.

2.50pm – Yorkshire Party calls for end to ‘London-centric’ politics

The Yorkshire Party says ‘Yorkshire has been left to fend for itself’.

As the government continues to collapse around Liz Truss, Yorkshire is left to fend for its self.

Time to end London-centric politics and join the Yorkshire Party
🔽🔽🔽https://t.co/0VNZi4oC2C https://t.co/XceLR3ASNE

— Yorkshire Party (@Yorkshire_Party) October 19, 2022

2.33pm – Tories ‘have lost mandate to govern,’ says Green PPC.

Paul Ko Ferrigno, the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Green Party in Harrogate and Knaresborough, has added his voice to calls for an election. He said:

“The Conservatives are unable to govern themselves and have lost any mandate to govern the country.

“People are worried about the cost of fuel and the cost of energy and rising mortgage rates and rising inflation and their dwindling quality of life.

“We don’t need another week of Tory navel gazing, we need a General Election and a government that puts people first.”

2.11pm – Ripon-based Lib Dem leader in House of Lords calls for election

Dick Newby, the Liberal Democrat peer and party leader in the House of Lords, has tweeted for an election.

The Conservatives no longer have any shred of credibility left. Their MPs should do their patriotic duty and call a general election. https://t.co/i7iTru5ReT

— Dick Newby (@RichardNewby3) October 20, 2022

2.05pm – Harrogate Labour campaigner calls for election

Chris Watt, local Harrogate Labour party campaigner, has also called for an election.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“The Tory government are a shambles. They’ve trashed the economy and presided over 12 years of stagnation.

“They can keep changing their leader but we need a change of government.

“The choice is clear: more of this incompetent Tory government, which the MP here has consistently supported. Or a Labour Government led by Keir Starmer. We need a General Election now so the people can decide.”

He has also been tweeting:

The Tories can keep changing leader but we need a change of Government and a General Election now. @UKLabour stands ready to serve.

BBC News – Liz Truss resigns as prime minister after Tory revolthttps://t.co/CyaXUp9Lky

— Chris Watt (@ChrisWatt4) October 20, 2022

2pm – Call from Liberal Democrats for General Election

Skipton and Ripon Liberal Democrats have called for a General Election following the departure of Liz Truss.

Surely, there must now be a General Election? https://t.co/pCdfk0EhUV

— Skipton and Ripon Liberal Democrats 🔶 (@SkiptonRiponLD) October 20, 2022

1.55pm – Harrogate politicians reaction

Following the announcement of the resignation of Liz Truss, the Stray Ferret has contacted the Harrogate district’s three Conservative MPs for their reaction.

We have also contacted opposition parties for their thoughts on this afternoon’s news.

A man has been arrested following two burglaries in a village near Boroughbridge

North Yorkshire Police said they responded to a report of a man breaking into a house in Marton-cum-Grafton in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The suspect broke into the house while the owner was asleep, but later fled after the occupant woke up and startled them.

The man was later arrested after officers found them in a hedgerow nearby.

Later, police received reports of garden tools being stolen from a property nearby.

A man in his 40s from Barnsley was arrested on suspicion of burglary. Enquiries are ongoing for both incidents.

Read more:

• Railings to be installed on Harrogate’s Bower Street
• Harrogate councillor calls for officer to be sacked over abusive Twitter account
• Man appears in court charged with Bower Street wounding

North Yorkshire health bosses are urging people to get their flu and covid vaccines ahead of the winter period.

NHS officials say they are preparing for a busy winter of respiratory illnesses, which may overwhelm hospitals.

Dr Bruce Willoughby, Harrogate GP and part of the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, said he expected to see more cases of covid in hospitals in the coming weeks.

He said:

“Health and care services in North Yorkshire and York, like everywhere, are already extremely busy. We do expect to see more cases of covid in the coming weeks as people mix freely again and spend more time indoors as the weather gets colder. The risk of catching covid is highest indoors and in crowded places.

“More people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the pandemic. The best time to have the flu vaccine is in the autumn or early winter before it starts spreading. 

“You can help though. Your actions during the pandemic made an enormous difference and we need people to look out for each other in the same way again.”

Louise Wallace, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, added that there was also a risk of a wave of flu hitting hospitals.

She said:

“We expect to see a wave of covid in North Yorkshire during October/November and possibly another in January.

“There’s also the risk of being hit with a wave of flu cases at the same time so it’s particularly important that people take up the offer of vaccinations as soon as they can.

“Please also remember the basics – hands, face, space and fresh air. They protect against covid, flu and lots of other nasty viruses that can make you feel quite unwell.”

Read more:

• Harrogate care costs climb to £54,000 a year as ‘colossal’ price rises bite
• Hospital ‘not anticipating’ service cuts due to energy price surge

People aged 50 and over, pregnant women, carers, frontline health and care workers, care home residents and people of all ages who are vulnerable are eligible for a covid booster jab now.

Those who are able to book their vaccinations can do so via the NHS website.

Most groups are eligible for a flu vaccine and have been offered a free vaccine. People do not need to wait to be invited for a flu jab and can book at their GP surgery.

Two Harrogate district MPs voted against a motion to ban fracking last night amid a chaotic night in the House of Commons.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tabled the motion as part of an opposition day debate to introduce a law to ban fracking in the UK.

Conservative MPs were whipped to vote with the government in what was seen as a test of confidence in Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, and Julian Smith, Skipton and Ripon MP, voted against the motion. Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate, did not vote.

Mr Adams was one of 40 Conservative MPs who did not take part.

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP launches ‘non-political’ fact-checking service
• Harrogate business chief: government’s economic credentials ‘in tatters’

The government won by 319 votes to 228 – however the night descended into chaos amid allegations that Tory MPs were “bullied and manhandled” into supporting the Prime Minister.

Confusion arose when Graham Stuart, climate minister, told the Commons before MPs entered the voting lobby that “obviously, this is not a confidence vote”.

The move led to whips trying to get their own Conservative MPs to vote against the opposition motion.

Charles Walker, a Conservative MP, described what he saw as “inexcusable” and said there was “no coming back” for the government.

Following the vote, Labour MP Chris Bryant urged the deputy speaker of the House of Commons to investigate the claims.

He said:

“I urge you to launch an investigation into the scenes outside the entrance to the No Lobby earlier. 

“As you know, members are expected to be able to vote without fear or favour and the behaviour code, which is agreed by the whole House, says that there shall never be bullying or harassment of members.

“I saw members being physically manhandled into another Lobby and being bullied.”

Speaking about the allegations, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg told Sky News that to “characterise it as bullying was mistaken”.

Controversial parking charges at Harrogate district reservoirs are set to include season tickets, Yorkshire Water has confirmed.

The company is to introduce payment machines and automatic number plate recognition at Swinsty, Fewston and Thruscross car parks.

Yorkshire Water said previously that the revenue generated will help to pay for an in-house rangers team, which would undertake maintenance jobs and tackle anti-social behaviour at its sites.

Proposals for parking machines at both Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs have been approved by Harrogate Borough Council.

While no date has been confirmed for when charges will come in, Yorkshire Water said they will include season tickets for one or multiple sites.

A spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“There will be an option for visitors to purchase a ‘season ticket’ for the year which can cover just one car park or all car parks in the Washburn Valley, obviously this will work out cheaper than ‘pay as you go’ option, depending on how frequently people visit.

“The prices for the season tickets will be £30 per annum for a single site and £45 per annum for multiple sites. Blue badge holders, as previously stated, will be able to park free of charge.”

Read more:

• Parking meters installed in Ripley car park
• Reservoir parking costs could cause ‘tremendous problems’ on nearby roads
• ‘Serious concerns’ over Swinsty Reservoir parking charges plan

Car park users will be able to pay via card payment on site, by using the RingGo app or telephone.

The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3 and an all day pass for £5.

Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions, based in York, has been appointed to operate the parking meters. 

While the company said the charges will help to avert anti-social behaviour, Washburn Parish Council and local residents previously raised “serious concerns” about the impact of parking charges on local roads.

The council wrote to Harrogate Borough Council to object to the plans at both Swinsty and raised concern that the charges will “lead to unsafe conditions on local rural lanes”.

Drivers should be aware of upcoming roadworks on Skipton Road in Harrogate.

Meanwhile, long term works in Harrogate town centre remain in place this morning.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Traffic is moving as normal in the Harrogate district during rush hour this morning.

However, motorists should be aware of temporary traffic lights which are expected to be put in place on Skipton Road.

North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out work to replace light columns on the road. According to the authority’s roadworks map, the lights will be in place until October 25.

Temporary traffic lights on the A61 near Daleside Nurseries in Killinghall remain in place. Drivers should expect delays in the area this morning.

The lights have been put in place by Yorkshire Water and are expected to end today.

In Harrogate town centre, long-term work on Crescent Road means motorists are unable to turn left at the Parliament Street junction. Traffic coming the opposite way on Ripon Road is unable to turn right.

Work to to reconstruct the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge, has been delayed and is now expected to start on Monday (October 24).

North Yorkshire County Council said this is so the authority can “finalise legal arrangements around access across private land to facilitate the work”.

Read more:

• Council sets aside contingency ‘sum’ to cover Kex Gill costs
• Cost of North Yorkshire unitary authority’s new council tax system soars

The scheme requires the road to be closed and a diversion will be in place via Pateley Bridge; the B6451 Dacre; Menwith Hill Road; Duck Street and Greenhow Hill village. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the remainder of the work.

Also, lights will be installed on the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley. The road suffered a landslip during storms in February 2020 and a weight limit has been in place since.

It was expected that the work will be carried out until December 9.

Details of the scheme are here.

Trains and buses

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

The Harrogate Bus Company is currently reporting cancellations on its 7 and 36 services this morning. You can get updates here.

County council bosses rejected a suggestion by Harrogate Borough Council to allocate contingency funding to the town’s £11.9 million Station Gateway project.

According to a North Yorkshire County Council report, the borough council was consulted on the use of surplus money from on-street parking charges – known as civil parking enforcement.

The county council manages on-street parking across North Yorkshire and collects fines which are enforced by the districts.

The county council estimates it will allocate £3 million in funding to projects and services over the next three years and consulted the borough council on the matter.

Trevor Watson, director of economy at Harrogate Borough Council, said in a letter that part of the money could be allocated to the gateway scheme.

He said:

“With inflation rising it would be prudent to budget for additional match funding from civil parking enforcement surplus expenditure.”

Mr Watson also suggested the funding could be used to develop mitigation measures as part of the west of Harrogate infrastructure plan and as “top-up” funding for cycling schemes on Victoria Avenue and at Pannal.

However, county council bosses turned down the gateway idea and said that “it would not be possible” to match the funding.

Read more:

• Council warns of ‘high risks’ as Kex Gill cost soars to £69m
• County council ‘monitoring’ major projects amid soaring inflation
• Ripon MP warned councils are facing ‘enormous’ costs as inflation rises

It added it could not do so “as the surplus is fully committed for the continuation of delivering services and projects”.

The Stray Ferret asked the authority whether it had identified any other areas for contingency funding for the gateway scheme.

We had not received a response by the time of publication.

Inflation hits major projects

The move comes as the county council is facing higher costs for major projects amid rising inflation.

In August, the council’s realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill increased in cost from £61 million to £68.8 million.

The council put the increase down to rising inflation affecting construction costs.

Gary Fielding, corporate director at the county council, warned councillors that the “burden of risk” for major projects will fall on the authority amid the current economic climate.

Mr Fielding said in August that the authority continues to “monitor costs and market conditions when embarking on projects”.