End of an era: Harrogate working men’s club folds after 108 years

A Harrogate working men’s club has closed after more than 100 years.

The National Reserve Club, on East Parade near the town centre, formally dissolved with the Financial Conduct Authority at the end of July, according to recently published documents.

According to the FCA, the organisation had been registered as a working men’s club since July 11, 1913, when it was known as the Harrogate Battalion National Reserve of the West Riding of York Club.

However, a formal resolution was passed by members in October last year to dissolve the club.

The special resolution said:

“It is with a heavy heart I inform all members that the proposal to dissolve the club was a 93% unanimous decision in favour of the committee’s recommendation from October 1, 2020.”

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The club, which had 28 members at the time of closing, donated its remaining cash to charity.

Although the closure of the National Reserve Club represents the end of an era, the district is still served by working men’s clubs.

Clubs are registered with the Club and Institute Union, which represents more than 1,600 societies across the country.

According to the CIU website, nine clubs are affiliated with the union in the Harrogate district.

In Harrogate itself, punters can find clubs in Oatlands, Starbeck, High Harrogate and Bilton.

The town also has the Londesborough Club on Bower Road and Harrogate Traders Hall on Westmoreland Street.

Knaresborough has two social clubs and Boroughbridge also has its own members’ club.

Meanwhile, Ripon has a Conservative club and Pateley Bridge has its own club on the High Street but these two are not affiliated with the CIU.

Look for an in-depth history of working men’s clubs in Harrogate written by historian Malcolm Neesam this weekend on the Stray Ferret .

No covid deaths at Harrogate hospital for four months

No covid-related deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital for four months.

The last time a death was recorded was on April 11.

Currently, seven patients are being treated for covid at Harrogate hospital.

The Harrogate district has recorded another 69 covid infections in the last 24 hours, according to latest Public Health England figures.

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Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day rate is now at 280 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate stands at 265 and the England average is 302.

It means the number of covid deaths at the hospital since March 2020 remains at 179.

Elsewhere, 123,470 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 108,039 have had a second dose.

Business planning contract awarded for £47m Harrogate Convention Centre upgrade

A business planning contract has been awarded for the redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre in another step forward for the potential £47 million project.

Trevor Watson, Harrogate Borough Council’s director of economy, environment and housing, approved the contract on Tuesday following a competitive tender process during which the council only received a single bid for the business planning works.

The value of the contract and the bidder are not yet known – and both will only be made public once papers have been signed by both parties.

A council spokesperson said: 

“This decision, to award a contract to support the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment project, marks a significant step forward in our major investment.

“Harrogate Convention Centre makes such a significant contribution to the district’s economy by bringing visitors and investment.

“And this investment will deliver a major component of the Harrogate town centre masterplan and will be key to the district’s covid-19 economic recovery plan.”

The business planning works include the creation of a full business case, as well as assessments of the economic impacts of covid on the events industry.

It was estimated before the pandemic that the convention centre attracted more than 150,000 visitors a year with an annual economic impact of £35 million.

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However, covid has now raised questions over how the industry can bounce back to pre-pandemic levels and what risks this could mean for the £47 million redevelopment.

Final decision due next year

A final decision on the project will be made by councillors next year and the council has yet to put forward any funding proposals, although it has said the business case would play a key part in supporting bids for government cash.

Rebecca Micallef, economy and transport officer at the council, said in a report: 

“Harrogate Convention Centre is a vital economic driver for the Harrogate district and wider region, providing a unique offer for the conference and exhibition market.

“Funding has not yet been identified for the delivery of the proposed redevelopment and this work will play a crucial part in supporting bids for external funding.

“The work will look in detail at the wider economic impact of the  redevelopment proposals on Harrogate, the district and beyond and help us to better understand the implications of Covid-19 on the industry and therefore the case for investment.”

The convention centre was used as an NHS Nightingale hospital for almost a year.

In July last year, the council said the 40-year-old venue was in “critical need” of an upgrade to keep its national appeal and that without investment its maintenance costs could reach £19 million over the next two decades.

Before this week’s contract agreement, a separate £1m contract was awarded to design firm Arcadis in March and the company is currently drawing up design proposals.

Plans to rebuild the convention centre could involve three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 sq m hall and a refurbished auditorium.

Around £20 million would be needed to complete a first phase of redevelopment, with another phase later.

Harrogate motorists face eight-mile diversions due to road closure

Motorists face significant diversions for five weeks from Monday due the closure of a busy road near Harrogate.

North Yorkshire County Council will close the B6161 to carry out work on Pot Bridge in Beckwithshaw. The work will strengthen the arch of the bridge and repair the parapet and surrounding walls.

It means motorists will incur eight-mile diversions via Beckwithshaw, Norwood and the A59, adding about 15 minutes to their journeys.

Cllr Stanley Lumley, member for the Pateley Bridge division on the county council and chair of the transport committee, said:

“The scheme will be welcomed by commuters and residents as the road has become increasingly busier with those seeking alternative routes to the centre of Harrogate.

“The repairs to this well-used bridge are part of our extensive programme to maintain and improve the county’s roads.

“We appreciate the closure will be an inconvenience to many however I would ask the public for their cooperation while the work is ongoing.”

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The roadworks are the latest set of delays for motorists who will also have to contend with a temporary traffic lights on Otley Road from Monday.

More lights will appear slightly closer to the town centre when Northern Powergrid begins work to divert underground cables at the junction with Harlow Oval for 11 days.

Masham’s Black Sheep Brewery signs renewable energy deal

Black Sheep Brewery has signed a three-year deal with a biogas company to create renewable energy.

The Masham-based brewery has made the agreement with Warrens Group, which recycles food waste into energy.

Warrens Group will buy items such as spent grains, hops and yeast, as well as food waste from Black Sheep’s visitor centre restaurant, and use them to make biogas and fuel its fleet of gas-powered vehicles.

The partnership aims to support sustainability at Black Sheep and create a new income stream from the by-products of the brewing process.

Warrens Group, which has a recycling facility in County Durham, uses a process called anaerobic digestion to produce gas, which is then used as fuel, either for grid resources such as heat and electricity generation or as biofuels for vehicles.

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Black Sheep said the deal will support the brewery’s ambition to use 100 per cent renewable energy in the production of its range of beers and lager in line with the retail and wholesale industries’ targets for reducing environmental impact from within its supply chains.

Dan Scott-Paul, head brewer at Black Sheep Brewery, said: 

“Demonstrating that 100 percent of our brewing by-products will support renewable energy generation is an important part of our contribution to an environmentally conscious food and drink industry.

“It also puts us on the road to our ambition of brewing using only renewable energy, some of which will be generated by the waste products we provide.”

Views wanted on future of Starbeck and Knaresborough outdoor gyms

Harrogate Borough Council has launched a consultation on the future of free outdoor gyms in Knaresborough and Starbeck.

The authority recently removed equipment at Knaresborough House and Belmont Park, which it installed in 2011 at a cost of £9,000.

It said the equipment, which included a cross country skier, push up/dip station, seated chest press and leg press, had reached the end of its life and was “in danger of causing injury”.

Council officials want to replace the kit with similar equipment.

A public consultation has been launched online and will close on Sunday, September 26.

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A post on the council’s Parks and Environmental Service Facebook page said:

“This consultation will gather opinions from local residents to help us create the most suitable design for the fitness area.

“The public consultation report will be used to create a wish list for the design brief, which will influence the final decision.”

You can give your views on the future of the outdoor gym areas in Starbeck and Knaresborough here.

Harrogate district TV and radio coverage disrupted by mast fire

A fire at a transmitter in North Yorkshire is affecting television and radio coverage in the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were called to Bilsdale mast near Helmsley this afternoon after reports of smoke coming from the area.

Readers of the Stray Ferret have got in touch to report that the issue has affected television coverage in the Bilton area and north of the district.

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North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service said six appliances and two water bowsers were in attendance at the fire this afternoon.

A spokesperson for the service said:

“Crews are working hard to control the fire in difficult circumstances – it is unclear at this time if any of the centres transmitting capability has been affected or the cause of the fire which will be investigated in due course.

“NYFRS ask that members of the public do not go near to the site, particularly as this area has limited access and we need to be able to move vehicles and people around to help fight the fire.”

Harrogate district reports another 60 daily covid infections

The Harrogate district has recorded another 60 covid infections in the last 24 hours, according to latest Public Health England figures.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day rate is now at 289 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate stands at 269 and the England average is 296.

However, Harrogate District Hospital has not reported a covid-related death in nearly four months. 

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The last time a death was recorded was on April 11.

It means the number of covid deaths at the hospital since March 2020 remains at 179.

Elsewhere, 123,394 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 107,875 have had a second dose.

Free public wi-fi to be rolled out in Ripon

Ripon is set to get free public wi-fi as part of a roll out of the infrastructure across North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council are behind the project, which aims to boost digital connectivity.

The county council is introducing free public wi-fi to 16 market towns.

The borough council put froward £300,000 to include Ripon in the scheme, which will be the first town in the district to receive free public wi-fi. Harrogate and Knaresborough will also be part of the project.

Today’s statement by the county council announcing the news did not say when the rollout would be completed.

Gary Camplejohn, treasurer of Ripon City AFC said the initiative would provide “real benefits” to Ripon. He said:

“Having publicly available free Wi-Fi will hopefully enable locals and visitors to explore Ripon digitally with a view to finding what they need to stay longer and support the local economy.

“From a personal perspective, having free Wi-Fi in the city centre gives me added comfort that my 11-year-old daughter could communicate with relatives via internet communications in the event of her mobile credit running out.”

Cllr Graham Swift, cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the borough council, said:

“It is believed that more than 80 per cent of adults have a smartphone and we all like to have high-speed connectivity wherever we are. That’s why we’re funding this scheme, which is being supported by the county council.

“Providing free wi-fi in public spaces, such as Ripon, supports our economic growth strategy which aims to make the Harrogate district the best place to live, work and visit.”

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, said:

“Our free public wi-fi project is very good news for the local economies of the town centres which are part of this scheme. It provides the opportunity to our residents and visitors to access the internet and to find out what local businesses have to offer.

“Following on from the successful introduction of this free service in Scarborough, Northallerton and Leyburn, Ripon residents and visitors are now able to benefit from this latest investment in North Yorkshire’s digital infrastructure.”

The scheme is partly funded by a £3 million investment from York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership as part of its allocation from the government’s Getting Building Fund.

Call for government to reject controversial Spofforth homes plan

Residents in Spofforth have called on the government to reject a controversial plan for 72 homes in Spofforth.

Yorkshire Housing Ltd has challenged Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to refuse its proposal for the site on Massey Fold.

The developer already has outline permission to build on the site, but councillors turned down an application for appearance and landscaping in November 2020.

An appeal will now go before the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which will decide whether to approve the proposal.

But residents have written to the government to call for the proposal to be thrown out.

Luke Barrett, who lives in the village, said in a letter to the Planning Inspectorate that the proposal was out of character for Spofforth.

He said:

“Spofforth is a historic village with only 500 houses. The entrance to the scheme is at the most historic side with numerous historical or listed buildings.

“The scheme is clearly out of character with this.

“The land presents such a rare opportunity to provide something special that could actually add to the character or beautiful village [sic].

“Unfortunately the proposed scheme does the opposite and detracts from the village. Please protect the village and dismiss the appeal.”

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Meanwhile, Spofforth with Stockheld Parish Council told the inspector that residents were not against more housing, but added that the current proposal was not in keeping with the village.

In a letter, Shirley Fawcett, chair of the parish council, said:

“The community of Spofforth accept the need for additional houses but there is great concern about the design, form and number of houses proposed; the layout and density of the proposed development; and the impact of the proposed development on the character and setting of the attractive and historic village of Spofforth. 

“Indeed, the general consensus of parishioners is that this development would result in the urbanisation of the village, with no sympathy shown to the existing architecture, fabric or heritage of the village.”

More than 300 local people and organisations, including Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, have raised concerns about the scheme.

In its decision notice, the Harrogate council said the plan would have a “detrimental urbanising impact upon the character and setting of Spofforth”.

But, in a statement of case by planning lawyers Walton & Co, which is representing the developers, said the “solitary” reason for refusal was “expressed in generic language”.

It said:

“It is therefore unclear which particular aspect of the layout or design of the proposed scheme is considered to give rise to such impacts, and the assertions made in the reason for refusal are entirely unsubstantiated.”

A decision on the appeal will be made by the government at a later date.