Calvin Robinson Chief Reporter, Author at The Stray Ferret

Harrogate hospital to demolish RAAC-riddled building next month

Harrogate District Hospital is set to demolish a building riddled with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) next month.

Officials at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the hospital’s therapy services department would be flattened to make way for a new facility.

The building is due to be demolished in late June after it was found to contain RAAC, which is a lightweight material that can collapse.

Matt Graham, director of strategy at the hospital trust, confirmed that it had secured funding from NHS England to press ahead with the plan.

Mr Graham said the building will be replaced by a new day case surgery and imaging building, which should begin construction in September.

He said:

“We have secured the required funding from NHS England to demolish our therapy services department building and replace it with a new day case surgery and imaging building. The demolition is set to begin in late June.

“Demolition should be completed by early September, and construction of the replacement building will then begin. The new building will include two new operating theatres to increase the number of elective operations per year, a dedicated ward to support the new theatres, and enhanced X Ray, CT, MRI and ultrasound services.

“This will help to further improve on the high quality healthcare service we provide to our community.”

Mr Graham added that the majority of the services in the current department would remain on the hospital site. However, podiatry and speech and language therapy services will move to a new location in Harrogate.

The trust confirmed in September 2023 it had found RAAC on the Harrogate site, including in the roof of the hospital.

The material, popular between the 1960s and 1980s, was compared to “chocolate Aero” and made headlines after it was found in public buildings across the UK.

The hospital bid for £20 million from government to help eradicate RAAC across the hospital site as part of a trust-wide project.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive at the hospital trust, told the Stray Ferret previously that £9 million of the funding would go towards the demolition of the therapy services department.

Developer to seek costs over Knox Lane housing appeal

A developer behind an appeal to build 53 homes on Knox Lane in Harrogate will seek costs from North Yorkshire Council.

Councillors on the authority’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee rejected plans for the homes off the street in the Bilton area in September last year.

Teesside developer Jomast has appealed to the government’s Planning Inspectorate after it said the plans were recommended for approval by council officers on four separate occasions.

A public inquiry into the matter is due to be held on July 23 and is expected to last for five days. A venue is yet to be confirmed.

The Planning Inspectorate will then make a decision at a later date.

Knox Lane

Meanwhile, the developer has applied to be awarded costs as part of its appeal.

In documents submitted to the government, Patrick Stone, of planning agent Spawforths which is representing Jomast, said the authority “demonstrated unreasonable behaviour” during the planning process.

He said:

“The council acted unreasonably in overturning the professional judgement of the case officer that the application was assessed to be in line with local and national policies and recommended for approval.”

The move means the council could face high costs if it loses on appeal.

The council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee rejected the application in September 2023.

A 45-page report by council case officer Andy Hough before the meeting said the application was “considered to now be in compliance with development plan policy” and should be approved.

But councillors cited concerns about land contamination and the lack of a travel plan to go against Mr Hough’s recommendation. The site is alongside a narrow cul-de-sac and not close to a bus route.

Cllr Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, spoke on behalf of residents at the meeting. He said:

“There have been over 500 objections to this application from residents. Not because they are ‘nimbys’, but because they believe the council is making a mistake.”

Could Labour target Harrogate and Knaresborough at the next election?

Shortly after his victory speech, newly elected Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith acknowledged how unusual it was for the party to win in a traditional Conservative heartland.

“North Yorkshire is not an area we normally do well in,” he told reporters huddled around him in Harrogate Convention Centre last week.

Labour leader Keir Starmer hailed it a “historic victory” for his party.

It was certainly a notable success given the traditionally Conservative voting nature of North Yorkshire, in particular in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

But does this mean Labour will begin to target the seat at the next general election?

Could Labour target Harrogate?

When the Stray Ferret spoke to Mr Skaith prior to his election win, we asked him about the fact that Labour does not perform well in Harrogate.

Mr Skaith, who was born in Harrogate, acknowledged that the town was traditionally Liberal Democrat and Conservative, but said it was a target area for his mayoral campaign.

“Certainly it is a key area for me personally because it is where I’m from and it is my hometown. It is a place that I love and I want to see it succeed and thrive.”

While the mayoral campaign may have proved successful for Labour, the party’s prospect of winning a seat in the House of Commons in the area remains difficult.

In general elections, the party’s highest vote share in Harrogate and Knaresborough came in 2017 when it managed 20% — but still finished third, well behind the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.

Every election since and before then has seen Labour record 10% or below for vote share as the party barely managed to reach 10,000 votes in all but one poll since 1997.

But the victory in the mayoral election appears to have galvanised the party and raises questions over whether it will commit more campaign resources to Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Andrew Williamson, treasurer of Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party, said the victory for Mr Skaith proved people locally had switched from Conservative to Labour.

Mr Williamson added that the win also showed there were no “no go” areas for the party.

He said:

“Labour winning in Harrogate and Knaresborough and in Rishi Sunak’s backyard is a seismic result. Even the local Tory MP acknowledged that Labour did incredibly well in the area.

“So many people told us they voted Labour, many for the first time and including many former Tory voters.

“They said they were impressed by Labour’s positive vision for our area and were pleased to see our new mayor, David Skaith, campaigning in Harrogate with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, demonstrating that there are no ‘no go’ areas for Keir Starmer’s changed Labour Party.

“It’s clear that people want change for our area. It’s time that we got the chance to elect a new Labour government and Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party will be working hard to deliver that fresh start.”

‘A two horse race’

However, if you ask other political parties in contention for the constituency – Labour do not factor into the equation.

The Stray Ferret reported in December 2023 that the national Labour Party designated Harrogate and Knaresborough a “non-battleground” seat.

The party published a list online of 211 seats which it considers to be non-target constituencies.

Andrew Jones and Tom Gordon.

Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the constituency, claimed the move proved that the contest is a “two-horse race”.

Mr Gordon’s latest newsletter, delivered after the mayoral election., reinforced the claim that “no other result is possible here” besides a Tory or Lib Dem win.

Labour has also yet to confirm a candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough despite the fact that a general election must take place before January 2025. By contrast, the Lib Dems confirmed Mr Gordon as its candidate in February 2023.

The opinion polls in recent months have swayed in the Lib Dems favour and painted a glum picture for the Tories.

However, Andrew Jones, the current Conservative MP, has his sights set on five election wins in a row.

Mr Jones has a 9,675 majority to defend and told the Stray Ferret in May last year that he had “no hesitation” in putting his name forward again.

“The election is about who offers the best future – will it be Rishi or Keir Starmer. The answer is Rishi. Who will be the best local champion? Me.”

Perversely, a resurgent Labour Party may help Mr Jones if it takes votes off the Lib Dems. But how hard Starmer’s party will contest Harrogate and Knaresborough remains unclear.

Whatever it chooses, the election in Harrogate and Knaresborough is shaping up to be the closest for years.

What did police and fire commissioner Zoe Metcalfe achieve?

After two-and-a-half years in office, police commissioner Zoe Metcalfe bowed out from public life this past week.

On Monday, the position of North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner was abolished as powers were transferred to the newly created Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

The decision spelt the end for Ms Metcalfe’s £76,300 a year role, which she was elected to in November 2021 after succeeding fellow Conservative Philip Allott.

Her tenure saw a strategy for violence against women and girls introduced, plus a drive to improve call handling times.

But it also saw Ms Metcalfe oversee a controversial plan to cut the number of overnight fire engines in Harrogate from two to one.

The Stray Ferret requested an interview with the former commissioner to discuss her tenure, but a spokesperson for her office said she was unavailable due to “the volume of her commitments in her final few days”.

In this article, we look at Ms Metcalfe’s time as commissioner and analyse her performance.

999 calls

During her campaign to become commissioner, Ms Metcalfe pledged to improve the performance of North Yorkshire Police – in particular call handling.

The issue was encapsulated by the public routinely complaining about long waits for emergency calls to be answered.

Police reported in January 2023 that fewer than half of 999 calls were being answered on time.

North Yorkshire Police force control room

Between November 2021 and November 2022, only 44% were answered within 10 seconds. The national target for forces is 90%.

Ms Metcalfe made improving response times one of her priorities and announced a £2.5m investment into the control room, which included hiring 50 more staff to ease pressure.

By January this year, the force met the national target for call handling times.

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who sits on the North Yorkshire police, fire and crime panel that scrutinised Ms Metcalfe’s performance, pointed to the area as a sign of improvement.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I would say that commissioner Metcalfe has definitely outperformed the two previous occupants of the role. Although, to be absolutely honest, this is rather a low bar to set.

“I do appreciate the transparency and commitment Zoe brought to the post. Under her watch performance has improved, notably in the outcome of recent inspection reports for both services, the performance of the police control room, where thanks to additional funding she has invested, call time answering has improved significantly.”

However, despite strides in improving the police force, the fire service proved a more contentious service to handle.

Fire cuts opposition

In May 2022, Ms Metcalfe unveiled her risk and resource model, which set out how the fire service will deploy its resources over the next three years. It puts the emphasis on fire prevention, especially during the day when most fires occur.

The plan, which covered the three years from 2022 to 2025, included a proposal to reduce the number of fire engines operating overnight at Harrogate and Scarborough fire stations from two to one.

The move was met with criticism from the North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union, which warned that such a decision would lead to a “second-rate emergency response service that will put lives at risk”.

However, in an interview with the Stray Ferret in June 2022, Ms Metcalfe disagreed with the union’s criticism.

She said:

“From everything I’ve seen I’m confident that won’t happen.”

Ms Metcalfe also argued that the proposals meant more resources for fire prevention.

The move came at a time of a bleak financial picture for the service.

Harrogate fire station on Skipton Road.

In January 2022, the Stray Ferret revealed that North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service faced having to borrow up to £31 million to fund new equipment after the government abolished its capital grant.

At the time, Steve Howley, secretary of the North Yorkshire Fire Brigade’s Union, said the service was “struggling to buy the basics”.

He said:

“The government needs to start taking fire and rescue seriously and fund it appropriately. The firefighters of North Yorkshire are staring down the barrel of a gun, either cut firefighter jobs to pay for basic provisions or fail to have adequate facilities or equipment.

“Neither option provides the public of North Yorkshire with the protection they deserve or require.”

The Stray Ferret approached North Yorkshire Fire Brigade’s Union for comment, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Meanwhile, Ms Metcalfe told councillors during public meetings that she would lobby government for fairer funding, but this appears to have not had the desired effect.

In February, the commissioner recommended to increase the council tax precept for the fire service by 2.99% because it was the maximum increase permitted by government without a referendum.

Cllr Aldred said he felt that the commissioner could have done more to pressure ministers to come up with a better model for financing rural fire services.

He said:

“I do think the outgoing commissioner could have put more pressure on central government for more funding for the North Yorkshire fire service.

“The national funding model always works against a large rural fire service, who rely extensively on volunteer fire fighters and often have to travel large distances to reach fires in England’s largest geographical county.”

The trials and tribulations which come with scrutinising and commissioning police and fire services now lie with David Skaith, the Labour mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Stunning Northern Lights display lights up Harrogate skies

The Harrogate district was treated to a stunning display of the Northern Lights last night.

The aurora borealis was visible across the country last night.

Readers from across the district shared their pictures with the Stray Ferret of the natural light display which left sky watchers in awe.

You can enjoy some of the spectacular photographs below. Share your pictures with us via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Justina Halfpenny at Knox Mill Lane.

Syd Bell at West Park.

Emma Pittard at Almscliffe Crag.

Molly Fetherston at Grantley Hall.

Julie Valentine in Harrogate.

Helen Baxter in Knaresborough.

What did police and fire commissioner Zoe Metcalfe achieve?

After two-and-a-half years in office, police commissioner Zoe Metcalfe bowed out from public life this past week.

On Monday, the position of North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner was abolished as powers were transferred to the newly created Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

The decision spelt the end for Ms Metcalfe’s £76,300 a year role, which she was elected to in November 2021 after succeeding fellow Conservative Philip Allott.

Her tenure saw a strategy for violence against women and girls introduced, plus a drive to improve call handling times.

But it also saw Ms Metcalfe oversee a controversial plan to cut the number of overnight fire engines in Harrogate from two to one.

In this article, we look at Ms Metcalfe’s time as commissioner and analyse her performance.

999 calls

During her campaign to become commissioner, Ms Metcalfe pledged to improve the performance of North Yorkshire Police – in particular call handling.

The issue was encapsulated by the public routinely complaining about long waits for emergency calls to be answered.

Police reported in January 2023 that fewer than half of 999 calls were being answered on time.

North Yorkshire Police force control room

Between November 2021 and November 2022, only 44% were answered within 10 seconds. The national target for forces is 90%.

Ms Metcalfe made improving response times one of her priorities and announced a £2.5m investment into the control room, which included hiring 50 more staff to ease pressure.

By January this year, the force met the national target for call handling times.

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who sits on the North Yorkshire police, fire and crime panel that scrutinised Ms Metcalfe’s performance, pointed to the area as a sign of improvement.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I would say that commissioner Metcalfe has definitely outperformed the two previous occupants of the role. Although, to be absolutely honest, this is rather a low bar to set.

“I do appreciate the transparency and commitment Zoe brought to the post. Under her watch performance has improved, notably in the outcome of recent inspection reports for both services, the performance of the police control room, where thanks to additional funding she has invested, call time answering has improved significantly.”

However, despite strides in improving the police force, the fire service proved a more contentious service to handle.

Fire cuts opposition

The plan, which covered the three years from 2022 to 2025, included a proposal to reduce the number of fire engines operating overnight at Harrogate and Scarborough fire stations from two to one.

However, in an interview with the Stray Ferret in June 2022, Ms Metcalfe disagreed with the union’s criticism.

She said:

“From everything I’ve seen I’m confident that won’t happen.”

Ms Metcalfe also argued that the proposals meant more resources for fire prevention.

The move came at a time of a bleak financial picture for the service.

Harrogate fire station on Skipton Road.

At the time, Steve Howley, secretary of the North Yorkshire Fire Brigade’s Union, said the service was “struggling to buy the basics”.

He said:

“The government needs to start taking fire and rescue seriously and fund it appropriately. The firefighters of North Yorkshire are staring down the barrel of a gun, either cut firefighter jobs to pay for basic provisions or fail to have adequate facilities or equipment.

“Neither option provides the public of North Yorkshire with the protection they deserve or require.”

The Stray Ferret approached North Yorkshire Fire Brigade’s Union for comment, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Meanwhile, Ms Metcalfe told councillors during public meetings that she would lobby government for fairer funding, but this appears to have not had the desired effect.

In February, the commissioner recommended to increase the council tax precept for the fire service by 2.99% because it was the maximum increase permitted by government without a referendum.

Cllr Aldred said he felt that the commissioner could have done more to pressure ministers to come up with a better model for financing rural fire services.

He said:

“I do think the outgoing commissioner could have put more pressure on central government for more funding for the North Yorkshire fire service.

“The national funding model always works against a large rural fire service, who rely extensively on volunteer fire fighters and often have to travel large distances to reach fires in England’s largest geographical county.”

The trials and tribulations which come with scrutinising and commissioning police and fire services now lie with David Skaith, the Labour mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Government approves 23-home plan in Bishop Monkton

The government has given the go-ahead for 23 new homes in Bishop Monkton despite concerns over drainage and sewage from residents.

Kebbell Development Ltd tabled a plan to build the houses on Knaresborough Road in the village, but it was refused by councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s planning committee in August last year.

The developer took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, the body which deals with planning disputes, and argued there were “no material considerations that indicate planning permission should not be granted”.

However, in December, Bishop Monkton Action Group urged the government to throw out the appeal.

In a 26-page letter of objection submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, the campaign group said the scheme would “threaten the sustainability of our village”.

The group said it had concerns over the impact on drainage and sewage, as well as a “historic lack of investment” in the area’s sewer system.

Now, planning inspector T Burnham has approved the scheme on appeal.

In a decision notice published yesterday, the inspector said the proposal would have “no unacceptable impact on the local sewerage system”.

However, they noted that a loss of hedgerow on Knaresborough Road would have an impact on the Church of St John the Baptist, but it would be “less than substantial”.

The inspector said:

“I have afforded the less than substantial harm to the setting of the designated heritage assets considerable importance and weight.

“Nonetheless, that harm is outweighed by the substantial economic and social benefits of delivering 23 dwellings, which would be enjoyed by many people over the years, a proportion of which would be affordable dwellings on a site which is allocated for residential development.”

The inspector also awarded partial costs against North Yorkshire Council for “unreasonable behaviour that has resulted in unnecessary and wasted expense in the appeals process”.

North Yorkshire combined authority advertises for £125,000 chief executive

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is advertising for its first chief executive, who will be paid a salary of £124,656.

The organisation, which was launched in February and commands public funding of £540 million over 30 years, is currently led by James Farrar, interim head of paid service.

A notice on the authority’s website advertising the role closes on May 12, with interviews due to take place on June 3.

The role requires the candidate to have “strong commercial skills, business acumen and experience of operating in a business development role”.

The chief executive will also be required to work closely with the newly elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and council leaders from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.

Meanwhile, the combined authority is also advertising for a director of resources, who would be paid a salary of up to £105,000.

David Skaith signing the Declaration of Acceptance of Office with James Farrar, Director of Economy & Interim Head of Paid Service, and Rachel Antonelli, Head of Legal & Interim Deputy Monitoring Officer at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

David Skaith signing the declaration of acceptance of office with James Farrar, director of economy and interim head of paid service, and Rachel Antonelli, head of legal and interim deputy monitoring officer at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The move comes as David Skaith was sworn in as the new mayor yesterday.

Mr Skaith also signed the declaration of acceptance of office, which formally recognises the mayor’s responsibilities for the police and crime commissioner role.

He said:

“I’m honoured to take on the role of mayor for York and North Yorkshire. I’m looking to bring together York and North Yorkshire as one.

“This new role of mayor, and the combined authority, presents a great deal of opportunities to the region. We can attract new investment, and tackle keys areas such as affordable housing and transport. This is just the start, and I’m looking forward to working with partners, businesses, and communities.”

Zoe Metcalfe departs as crime commissioner

Zoe Metcalfe’s term as North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner ended at midnight last night after the role was transferred to the new Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Labour’s David Skaith, who won the inaugural mayoral election on Friday, will now take on responsibilities for policing and crime.

Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative who held the post since November 2021, was the final directly elected commissioner for the county.

She was elected after the departure of Philip Allott, who succeeded fellow Tory Julia Mulligan — the county’s first commissioner from 2012 to 2021.

David Skaith, newly elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire who will take on the commissioner’s responsibilities.

Ms Metcalfe pledged to tackle issues such as violence against women and girls.

She also oversaw the controversial introduction of the risk and resource model for the fire service, which included plans to cut the number of overnight fire engines based in Harrogate from two to one.

The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Ms Metcalfe to reflect on her tenure as commissioner, but a spokesperson for her office said she was unavailable due to “the volume of her commitments in her final few days”.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Metcalfe said it had been an “absolute privilege and pleasure” to represent York and North Yorkshire.

As I step down from my role as Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner at midnight, it has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to represent the communities of York & North Yorkshire. Congratulations to @DSkaith and best wishes for your term in office.

— Zoë Metcalfe (@zoe_metcalfe1) May 6, 2024

The commissioner’s office has now been rebranded the York and North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning after the mayoral election.

Mr Skaith is expected to make a decision on whether to appoint a deputy mayor to take on policing and crime powers.

The Harrogate coach representing Great Britain at padel tennis

It was after finding her dad’s racquet as a child that Sophie Cousins first fell in love with tennis

The Ashville College tennis coach has spent her whole life invested in the sport, one way or another.

But it was not until recently that she became immersed in the ever growing sport of padel tennis.

The last 18 months have been a whirlwind for Sophie. From first stepping foot on a padel court for the first time to representing her country at an international tournament.

For her, the sport is addictive and one which she cannot get enough of.

Picking up the racquet

Born and raised in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Sophie was brought up in a sporting family. Her first interaction with tennis came when she found her dad’s old racquet at home.

“I had a very sporting family, so we were always playing games at home.

“I actually found my dad’s old tennis racquet. It was one of those wooden racquets in a press and I asked: ‘what’s this?’ And that’s how tennis started and we used to play all the time in the back garden.”

Her dad took her to a local club and she began to improve.

She began playing in junior tournaments and would travel to places like Solihull, Nottingham and abroad to compete. Among them was the junior Wimbledon pre-qualifiers, which she competed in aged 18.

Sophie would also try to qualify for the Sunday Telegraph Masters tournament, which was held in Boca Raton, Florida, and La Manga in Spain.

“It [the tournament] was such a huge incentive for juniors.”

She grew up watching the likes of Steffi Graf and Rafael Nadal competing at the highest level of tennis. She still points to them to this day as examples of model professional athletes.

When Sophie turned 18, she began competing in more international tournaments and tried to work her way up the rankings.

She enrolled at Loughborough University, but her progress in tennis was halted by recurring knee injuries.

By this point, she also wanted to focus on her degree. As a result, tennis began to fall by the wayside.

“I had worked so hard to get into Loughborough, that’s where I always wanted to go to do sport science. I did not want to be going off playing tournaments at that stage. I wanted to concentrate on my degree.

“I knew I wasn’t going to be playing tennis as a career. I had contemplated going to America and going through that system and getting a scholarship.”

She continued to coach tennis after university and had a stint as an estate agent in London before moving into teaching, first at Harrogate Grammar School and then at Skipton Girls School.

She moved to Ashville College in Harrogate in 2014. It was here some years later where she was first introduced to the growing sport of padel.

Immersed in padel

Padel tennis first came into the picture 18 months ago.

Angela Crossley, a Wetherby-based tennis coach and now Sophie’s padel partner, first introduced her to the sport.

When Sophie joined Ashville, she struck up a friendship with Angela and they would work offering students sessions in the summer and helping to grow the tennis programme at the college.

One day, Angela brought up the subject of padel with her.

“She asked me: ‘Have you tried padel? I think you would be quite good at it’.

“I remember her hitting a ball, it coming off the back glass and shooting about two metres in front of me and I just looked at her and said: ‘What you expect me to hit that?’”

Sophie and her padel partner, Angela, at the World Championships in Spain.

The sport has surged in popularity across the UK. In Harrogate, padel tennis courts have opened at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate Spa Tennis Club and Harrogate Sports and Fitness Club.

Last year, Ripon Tennis Club unveiled two new courts at a cost of £180,000 following a wave of support from residents and businesses.

To date, the Lawn Tennis Association estimates that the UK has 175,000 active padel tennis players.

The interest in the sport is huge, but, for Sophie, the country is still finding its feet competitively.

“Padel has exploded in this country. But everybody is still very much finding their feet.

“Some players have come from squash, they’re a bit more comfortable with the ball pinging off the walls but they’re not as comfortable at the net. Whereas, in tennis we have got more transferability from the volleying and the net gain. But we need to learn to love and embrace the glass a bit more.”

Fast forward to April this year and Sophie was competing for Great Britain at the International Padel Federation’s Seniors World Championship in La Nucia in Spain.

Team GB women went on to finish a commendable ninth place out of 22 countries.

Joined by Angela, the competition was fierce – not least because the European countries had been familiar with the sport a lot longer than the UK.

For Sophie, the experience was vital and one that she hopes will continue in years to come.

“You watch teams from Argentina and Spain who have been playing for years and they know where the ball is going.

“Whereas we are still playing quite reactive. They just read the ball so well because they have played for years.”

‘Prepare to be addicted’

Sophie hardly plays regular tennis competitively anymore, but still coaches from time to time.

Despite tennis taking a backseat recently, she still describes it as a “sport for life” and one that can be taken up at any age.

When asked whether she finds that she enjoys padel more than tennis, Sophie says the mental side of padel is a huge draw for her.

“I enjoy the mental side of it. I enjoy the strategy of trying to work out how to unpick a problem and how you are going to win the point or manipulate the space.

“It makes you think a lot more than tennis.”

She points out that there is more to padel than just playing the game. There is also a social aspect to it, she says, which stems from its growth in Spain and South America.

“I’d definitely encourage people to have a go at padel. Prepare to be addicted.”

If you have any local sporting figures who you think should be featured in Sporting Spotlight, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Read more:

Read more:

Could Labour target Harrogate?

Read more:

‘A two horse race’

999 calls

Fire cuts opposition

Read more:

Read more:

999 calls

Fire cuts opposition

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Picking up the racquet

Read more:

Immersed in padel

‘Prepare to be addicted’