Harrogate election hustings: three parties confirmed already

Three parties have confirmed candidates already for the Stray Ferret election hustings in Harrogate.

The hustings will be held at the Wesley Centre, Oxford Street, on Tuesday, April 26, from 7pm until 9pm and is free for people to attend.

It will give local residents the chance to quiz candidates ahead of local elections on May 5.

The elections will be the last before North Yorkshire Council replaces North Yorkshire County Council and seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council.

The hustings was announced yesterday and so far Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Independents have said they will send representatives to take questions.

The event will focus on the future of Harrogate.

The candidates confirmed so far are:

The Green Party has also indicated it will be sending a candidate — the Conservatives have yet to respond.

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You can book your free ticket here.

If you would like to submit a question to the candidates, send it to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with the subject heading ‘hustings question’.

We will also invite questions on the night from the audience.

Rodent droppings found in kitchen of Harrogate care home

A Harrogate care home has been put in special measures after inspectors found rodent droppings in the kitchen and some medicine practices were found to be “unsafe”.

The Care Quality Commission inspected Mary Fisher House care home on Cold Bath Road in February.

In a report published yesterday, the care regulator rated the home as “inadequate” and placed it into special measures.

The inspection found that parts of the home, which provides personal and nursing care for up to 24 people, had “not been well maintained and were unsafe”.

Bedrooms “smelt strongly of urine” and there was evidence of rodent droppings in the kitchen.

On occasions, residents had either been given medication late or had not been given any.

It said:

“Medicines practices were unsafe.

“There were occasions whereby people who used the service had received their medicines late or had not been given them, as there were none left. Sufficient and timely actions were not taken to address this.

“A medicines policy was in place, but staff practice was not always in line with this. Staff who administered medicines had not always been trained.”

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Inspectors also found that staffing levels at the home were unsafe, with some reporting that there “wasn’t always enough staff to meet their needs in a timely manner”.

However, the report did find that staff were polite with people at the home and “worked hard to try and meet there needs”.

‘Fallen below standards’

In a statement, the home said it regretted that it had “fallen below the standards expected of us”.

The home, which is run by Svivekcaregroup Limited, said:

“Areas for improvement were identified in the recent inspection and we are committed to working closely with the CQC and North Yorkshire County Council to ensure changes are made quickly to redress this situation.”

Rachel Bowes, North Yorkshire’s assistant director of adult social care, said: 

“The CQC inspection identified some serious failings but we are confident management at Mary Fisher House want to take swift and meaningful action to improve the service they offer.

“We fully intend to support them in that and look forward to seeing progress. We were also pleased to see the CQC report highlighted the fact that staff at Mary Fisher House worked hard to meet the needs of people in their care and people were able to speak freely when the inspection took place.”

Harrogate bookshop Imagined Things set to move

An independent Harrogate bookshop is set to move this year in an effort to improve business.

Imagined Things, in Westminster Arcade, will move to new premises on Montpellier Parade.

Georgia Eckert, owner of the business, said she felt it was time for a change.

Ms Eckert said the new premises will be more visible, have more storage space and also be more accessible for disabled customers.

She said:

“I’m hoping that it will mean that a lot more people will find us.

“It is quite a popular area.”

The current store on Westminster Arcade.

The current store in Westminster Arcade.

The Montpellier outlet has a better layout, Ms Eckert added, and will be easier for customers to find.

She said:

“We are quite tucked away at the moment.

“We often have to explain to people how to find us.”

Ms Eckert hopes the move will also allow her to give staff more hours in an effort to grow the business.

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The bookshop has been in Westminster Arcade for five years and has acquired a loyal customer base.

Ms Eckert and her three members of staff are set to pick up the keys this month and are aiming to open the new store in June.

A crowdfunding campaign has also been set up to help fund the move, which has so far reached £3,000 of its £30,000 target.

Mrs Eckert said she was grateful for all the people that have helped and has offered rewards, such as merchandise bundles, in return.

Review into how Harrogate’s ‘underused’ Stray can be better used for events

A review is to be launched into how Harrogate’s “vastly underused” Stray can better be used for events.

The town’s popular Valley Gardens and other green spaces will also be included in the review, which aims to ensure the district “is gaining maximum social and economic benefit from these assets.”

As one of Harrogate’s best known landmarks, the Stray is 200 acres of parkland that sits on the edge of the town centre.

Despite its prime location, it is rarely used for large events as it is protected by legislation.

The Stray Act 1985 states that the parkland can only be used for events on 35 days a year, and it is Harrogate Borough Council that decides which events can go ahead.

The council, which will be abolished next year, is now planning to launch a review this year into how the Stray can be better used, although this won’t include a change in legislation.

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Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Chris Aldred said the Stray is “vastly underused” by people in Harrogate and that they should be encouraged to use it more often through events.

Cllr Aldred said:

“A lot of people do not use it for more than dog walking.

“It is a vast space in the centre of town.”

The Stray is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, and Harrogate Borough Council has responsibility for protecting and managing the parkland.

Damage during cycling event

It was infamously used during the UCI Road World Championships in 2019 when parts of the Stray used as a spectator area for the cycling event were badly damaged during heavy rain.

The race organisers Yorkshire 2019 later contributed £35,500 towards the repair costs, with an extra £95,000 of council cash being spent on upgrades.

Before the event could be held, the government had to grant permission for the Stray to be used for events beyond the permitted 35 days a year.

This was also the case for the Tour de Yorkshire in 2016 when Harrogate hosted part of the cycle race.

The new review into how the Stray can be better used will be led by the council’s tourism body Destination Harrogate, which has an overall aim to position the district as a “first choice destination for tourism, large-scale events and investment”.

Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, told Tuesday’s meeting: 

“There are so many beautiful spaces across the district that we want to make sure we are working with our partners to utilise effectively.

“Some of our actions are already well underway, but we haven’t begun this review yet.”

John McGivern, events manager at Destination Harrogate, also said: 

“When we do take this work action forward, it will be based on what we can do within the existing parameters.

“There is legislation in place that we have to work within, so it will be about making sure within that legislation we are making the best use of those spaces in the most commercial and beneficial ways.”

Harrogate Election Hustings: your chance to quiz the candidates

The Stray Ferret is hosting an election hustings in Harrogate ahead of a crucial polling day for the town.

In what will prove to be the biggest change in local government in North Yorkshire since the 1970s, this is your chance to grill candidates standing in Harrogate on the future of the town.

The elections on May 5 will be the last before North Yorkshire Council replaces Harrogate Borough Council and the six districts.

It will leave Harrogate without a town council and raises questions over the future of the town itself.

Those attending the hustings will be standing for the new council and will answer questions on behalf of their party locally.

This is your chance to put questions to candidates on the issues that matter to you, whether that be housing, highways or the local economy.

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The Stray Ferret Hustings: 

The hustings will be held at the Wesley Centre, Oxford Street, on Tuesday, April 26, from 7pm until 9pm and will be free for the public to attend.

All parties including Labour, Conservative, the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and the independents have been invited to attend the event.

Four out of five of the parties have indicated their intention to take part – the Conservatives have yet to respond to the invitation.

Confirmation of the candidates attending the hustings will be made closer to the date.

If you would like to submit a question to put to the candidates, send it to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with the subject heading “hustings question”. We will also take on the night from the audience.

To book a tickets for the hustings click here.

Harrogate tourism boss questioned over £6,000 spend on snow globe and social media influencer

The head of Harrogate’s tourism body says it will continue to use social media influencers and new marketing campaigns after facing questions over the spending of almost £6,000 of taxpayers’ money.

Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, was quizzed by members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission last night.

It came after £5,220 was spent on a giant snow globe at London’s King’s Cross station and £700 was paid to a travel blogger to promote Harrogate at Christmas, as first reported by The Stray Ferret.

Ms Rio said the marketing methods were a “toe in the water” as part of a new tourism strategy and that similar campaigns would run again.

She said:

“We’re absolutely delighted with the snow globe.

“Not only was it great for us to be reaching out to new markets in the south-east, but it also generated a lot of interest from our stakeholders locally.

“Those stakeholders have since come to ask to buy into our campaigns which will further extend our reach.”

Council leader Richard Cooper also defended the snow globe, which promoted train services to Harrogate. He said one was also used in Leeds and “a number of other locations across the district”.

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This followed questions over how many visitors came to Harrogate as a result of the snow globe and if the £5,220 was well spent.

Ms Rio said the visitor numbers were “difficult to monitor” and that there was a greater focus on creating a “sustained brand profile” which would promote the district over a long period of time.

She said:

“Place marketing generally is rarely intended for immediate conversion.

“We could have very well hit our target market, for example, a woman in her 50s in King’s Cross station going to work.

“She’s seen the snow globe, interacted with the Visit Harrogate team, picked up a leaflet and been impressed, but the reality is she’s actually already booked all of her festive plans.

“So when she sees our gardens campaign in the spring, or an article we’ve placed in the travel pages of The Telegraph, she will continue to be impressed by Harrogate and she may well come in Christmas 2022 or have a summer holiday in 2023.

“That’s how we manage all of our place marketing.”

Bristol-based blogger Heather Cowper, who runs Heather on Her Travels, was the social media influencer paid £700.

Heather on her travels

One of the Instagram posts.

After visiting Harrogate, she published an article listing “11 fun things to do” in the district and there have since been questions over how many people actually saw the content online.

Defending the £700 spends, Ms Rio said: 

“We chose Heather Cowper because her following is largely made up of women in their over 50s, which is a key target market for us.

“£700 does sound like a lot of money when it’s reported that it only got two shares. The reality is that the campaign actually got over 10,000 views on Instagram.”

Ms Rio added: 

“We will continue to look for digital influences that align with our target markets and we will monitor their return on investment.

“We have to ask our residents, business and councils to have a little faith that everything we’re doing is resulting in those visitor numbers.”

Plan to demolish Harrogate council depot buildings for car parking

A plan to demolish buildings on a Harrogate Borough Council depot to make way for car parking space looks set to be approved.

The borough council plan would see six buildings on the Claro Road depot site flattened in order to create space for bin lorries and other council vehicles to park.

As part of the plan, 10 electric vehicle charging points would also be implemented in an effort to encourage the use of electric and hybrid cars.

A total of 47 car park spaces would be created, along with 36 for council vans and 36 for bin lorries. 

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The council also plans to build a new toilet and shower block on the site.

Officials at the authority have recommended that the plan is approved a planning committee meeting on Thursday, April 21.

A council report due before councillors next week says that the proposal would have a “positive impact” on the local area.

It says:

“The proposed development will have a positive impact on the character of the area and will have no significant impact highway safety, or residential amenity.”

Council officials added that the introduction of electric vehicle charging points would help to improve the “sustainability of the site and help reduce greenhouse gases”.

Driver stopped on A1(M) after failing to pay at three petrol stations

Police arrested a driver on the A1(M) near Allerton Park after they filled up at a petrol station without paying multiple times.

The motorist was stopped after they failed to pay at Exelby Services on the A19.

Once stopped, police discovered that the driver had also not paid at two other petrol stations at Wetherby and Scotch Corner in the last month.

Officers from North Yorkshire Police also discover that the driver was wanted by Police Scotland for dangerous driving.

[1 of 2] This driver filled with ⛽️ at @ExelbyServices #A19 & left without paying. We stopped him at #AllertonPark #A1M/#A59 It turns out he has also done this twice previously at #Wetherby @bp_UK & #ScotchCorner @ShellStationsUK in the last month Arrested x 3 #Bilking #MOWP … pic.twitter.com/7NS8fek0rV

— David Minto (@TC174_NYP) April 12, 2022

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Government rejects expansion of Follifoot business park

The government has rejected an appeal for a business park in Follifoot to expand onto green belt land.

Harrogate Borough Council initially rejected a bid to build two new buildings at Follifoot Ridge Business Park, which would have created space for five commercial units.

The development would have taken place on a small strip of land alongside existing units (pictured above), which were previously allowed because they were classed as farm conversions.

The site owners said the new units would help to meet demand from businesses for more space. Following the council’s refusal, Uffa Kirkby appealed to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

But Robert Walker, the planning inspector who oversaw the appeal, said the harm to the green belt was not outweighed by the economic benefits of the scheme.

In his decision notice, Mr Walker said:

“Based on the evidence before me and for the reasons outlined above, I cannot be satisfied that the overall benefits clearly outweigh the substantial weight given to the harm to the green belt by reason of inappropriateness.

“I have come to this conclusion having regard to the importance that the government places on making efficient use of land and building a strong, competitive economy.”

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In June last year, the council’s planning committee said the proposal was “inappropriate” and harmful to the green belt.

However, ahead of the appeal, the developer argued that the scheme was not inappropriate and disagreed with the authority’s conclusion.

How the business park would look with the commercial units built on the green belt land.

How the business park would look with the commercial units built on the green belt land.

The business park’s planning agent, ID Planning, said in a statement of case:

“The appellant disagrees with the reason for refusal based on the development being inappropriate as the site is not brownfield land.

“The appellant considers that the site is brownfield land but notwithstanding this considers the development comprises limited infilling.”

It added that the scheme had economic benefits and would not have an “impact on the openness of the green belt”.

“The development provides clear economic benefits set out in full in the planning statement and supported and acknowledged by the local planning authority which further support the appellants case for planning permission to be granted.”

All Creatures Great and Small donates food to Knaresborough charity

The producers of All Creatures Great and Small have donated fresh fruit and vegetables to a Knaresborough community grocery.

Playground, which produces the hit Channel 5 television series, got in touch with Resurrected Bites to offer the food from its set at Grassington.

The production company sought out the community grocery to offer the fruit and vegetables instead of letting them go to waste.

Resurrected Bites, which is a charity, collects surplus food and distributes it to people in need.

Michelle Hayes, chief executive of the organisation, said:

“We have had donations from food photographers before, but this is our first donation from a film set.

“We love that Playground sought us out to donate the fruit and veg used in the filming of All Creatures Great and Small rather than just binning it at the end of the day.

“We hope that other businesses with food surplus will be inspired to offer us their food rather than binning it as we are struggling to meet the demand for food via our community groceries and ‘give as you can’ cafes and shops.”

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Resurrected Bites currently runs community groceries at Gracious Street Methodist Church in Knaresborough and New Park Community Hub on Skipton Road in Harrogate.

All Creatures Great and Small was commissioned for a fourth and fifth series back in January. Filming began on the new series last month.

Based on James Herriot’s books about life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s, the programme has proved a success and attracted millions of viewers.