New Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre opens

The newly refurbished Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre opened its doors today after a £13.5 million project.

The facility, which was previously called the Harrogate Hydro, had been closed since April last year as part of a renovation scheme.

Now, the centre off Jennyfield Drive is open under a new name.

The refurbishment included a 400 square metre fitness centre, a new sauna and steam suite, improved reception and café, as well an overhaul of the existing gym, spin, leisure and swimming facilities.

Local man Alan Harwood was among those visiting the newly opened leisure centre this morning.

He told the Stray Ferret he had never been to the facility before, but took up one of the swimming membership offers advertised by Brimhams Active, which operates the site on behalf of North Yorkshire Council, as part of the opening.

Mr Harwood said:

“It looks good. I had never been to the Hydro before but wanted to try it out for swimming.”

The centre is open for swimming from 6.30am until 9pm Monday to Thursday, 6.30am until 8pm on a Friday and 6.30am until 7pm on a weekend.

Meanwhile, the gym will be open from 6.15am until 9.30pm Monday to Thursday, 6.15am until 7.30pm on a Friday and 6.15am until 6.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Prices include £5.45 for an adult swim, but there are also membership schemes available at £33.95 a month.

The centre also offers all inclusive memberships, which includes access to the gym, for £44.95 a month or £35.95 for concessions.

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, said:

“There will be an increase to membership fees, but we are committed to keeping fees as low as possible and we have additional discounts for students, people who are unemployed, disabled or aged over 65.

“The increase delivers an all-inclusive membership fee with access to unlimited swim, gym and group exercise at all Brimhams facilities that remains lower than our 2021 prices, as we temporarily reduced prices upon reopening after covid.”

Harrogate hospital trust paid £4.9m in compensation claims since last year

Harrogate District Hospital has paid out £4.9 million in compensation claims in the last 12 months.

Figures obtained through a freedom of information request by law firm Legal Expert show Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust made the payments during the period July 2022 to July 2023.

The claims covered medical negligence complaints, which occur when a healthcare professional provides substandard care to a patient that falls below the standard expected of any healthcare professional.

However, the trust said some of the payouts were historical claims and were not necessarily claims resolved within the 12 month period.

In total, the trust paid £4,914,799.05 in compensation payouts. In the same time period, the hospital received 28 new letters of claims.

A spokesperson for the trust said: 

“In the event that the care we provide falls below our expectations or those of our patients, we have procedures in place to investigate what has happened, so that we can learn and continuously improve patient safety.

“We treat a large number of patients across the year and the vast majority are positive about the treatment we provide – the number of claims we receive reflects an extremely small percentage of the patients we care for.

“It is important to note that the compensation figure is not only for claims which were resolved over the 12 month period in question, but also includes payments for historic claims which have been ongoing for several years.”

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Ripon woman denies sexually assaulting boy under 13

A Ripon woman has pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to sexual offences against a child.

Denise Povall, 60, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday (September 1).

She denied four counts of inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity with her and a further charge of sexually assaulting a boy under 13 by touching him.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between September 1, 2007, and August 30, 2008.

Magistrates resolved to refer the case to the crown court.

Ms Povall, of Bongate Green in Ripon, was ordered to appear before York Crown Court for a further hearing on October 9.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate restaurant confirms Leeds venue opening date

A Harrogate restaurant has confirmed an opening date for a new venue in Leeds.

Farmhouse, the breakfast and brunch destination owned by Jordan Aspinall, opened in Harrogate four-and-a-half years ago.

It has now acquired the site formerly occupied by ASK Italian on Lands Lane in Leeds.

The restaurant has now said it will open in the city on Monday, September 11.

Area manager Nicole Mangnan said previously that the two restaurants will be run on similar lines, serving customers from 8am to 5pm. 

She added:

“Harrogate has been doing well and we always wanted to open in Leeds.”

Harrogate care group wins industry award

A Harrogate care group has won an industry award after being ranked among the top 20 care providers in the UK.

St Margaret’s Homecare, which is based on Cornwall Road, was given the recognition after being ranked by homecare.co.uk.

The award is based on the home care group’s reviews from the people they care for, plus their friends and relatives.

Ross Kneller, director at St Margaret’s Homecare, said:

“We are humbled and proud to have won this award.

“It’s a testament to the dedication, care and compassion of our care professionals who go above and beyond to ensure that our clients and their families and safe and assured.”

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Lib Dems criticise Yorkshire Water river health team project

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats have criticised a Yorkshire Water plan to set up a river health team.

The company announced this week it was setting up the department as part of a “joined-up, region-wide approach to river health” across Yorkshire.

Part of the remit of the department is to work with community groups to understand what is important to them and develop a way of working together to improve river health.

Yorkshire Water said it would be recruiting 16 new staff to the team, including an environmental investigation lead, river health improvement manager, river health partnership and community engagement advisor. 

However, local Liberal Democrats have questioned whether it is something the company should have been pursuing anyway.

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“Is this not something Yorkshire Water should have already been doing anyway?

“It’s hardly surprising that Yorkshire is faced with polluted rivers when the water company responsible for them has not even had a dedicated team to deal with them – all because the water regulator and the Conservatives have let them off the hook. This sewage scandal must end.

“Yorkshire Water must guarantee that the cost of the new team comes from the company’s eye-watering profits, rather than simply making consumers pay to clean up their mess in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

“I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues are calling for urgent reform of all water companies and a new regulator to hold them to account.”

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Andrew Jones (left) and Tom Gordon

However, Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, described the initiative as a “positive move”.

He said:

“Most of the focus has been on the operation of storm overflows and household waste and these aspects are incredibly important.

“But I hope in addition to addressing this the team will go further and look at rainwater run-off from agricultural land which is often the largest component of river pollution containing animal waste and pesticides.

“I also would like to see the Yorkshire Water’s community engagement team really educating people about what can be put down drains and toilets safely.  One of the reasons we see discharges from the storm overflows is because the sewers become blocked by sanitary products and cooking fat which have been disposed of incorrectly.

“It’s a big job and it looks like Yorkshire Water are assembling a big team. This is good news for Yorkshire’s rivers.”

Kevin Reardon, head of river heath at Yorkshire Water, said:

“We are committed as a business to playing our part to further improve river and coastal water quality around the region. The health of our rivers is a key national conversation, and we all have a lot to do to deliver investment in the areas that will make improvements to water quality.

“We know river and coastal water quality is a key priority for our customers and this new department illustrates our commitment to doing the right thing and working hard, alongside other stakeholders, as we begin our largest programme of environmental investment since privatisation.

“Yorkshire Water colleagues are passionate about the environment and we’re currently recruiting for 16 additional roles to help complete our team, which we believe will make further improvements to river health in the next two years and prepare ourselves for the next investment period 2025-2030.”

Harrogate boy murder: ‘Killers should be named regardless of age’, says campaigner

An anti-knife crime campaigner has called for murderers to be named regardless of age following the conviction of a Harrogate teenager.

Dylan Cranfield, 17, was found guilty of murdering Seb Mitchell, 17, at Leeds Crown Court last week.

Cranfield, who was 16 at the time of the incidentm stabbed Harrogate Grammar School pupil Seb to death with a kitchen knife after a row over a broken mirror at a property on Claro Road.

Cranfield was granted anonymity until the outcome of the trial, when Judge Guy Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, lifted reporting restrictions on the media.

Seb Mitchell. Picture: Sam Mitchell.

Seb Mitchell

Judge Kearl said he hoped it would serve as a warning to other young people about the dangers of knives.

But Theresa Cave, founder of the anti-knife crime Chris Cave Foundation, said those convicted of murder should be named regardless of how old they are.

Ms Cave, who is from Redcar, founded the charity in 2005 after her son Chris was stabbed to death two years prior.

She said:

“I feel very strongly that anyone who murders another should be named regardless of age or gender if they are proven with intent.

“They should also face an adult sentence from the age of 16 as they know right from wrong.

“Murder is the most heinous crime and should be treated as such.”

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Courts have discretionary powers to prevent the media from naming children to protect their welfare. Such orders remain in place until the child reaches 18.

Judge Kearl said the welfare of children had to be balanced against the open justice principle that says the media should be able to report cases “fully and contemporaneously”.

He said the public interest of highlighting the dangers of knife crime meant it was therefore “in the interests of justice to lift reporting restrictions”.

The court will sentence Cranfield on October 4.

Ripon man charged with making 807 indecent images of children

A Ripon man has been charged with making 807 indecent images of children.

Antal Racz, 49, of Alma Gardens, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday (September 1).

Mr Racz was charged with making 431 category C images, 208 category B images and 168 category A images of a child on June 1, 2018.

He was also charged with making nine videos of indecent material of a child on the same date.

Mr Racz spoke in court only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

The 49-year-old was ordered by magistrates to appear before York Crown Court for a further hearing on October 9.

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Harrogate Town striker Luke Armstrong joins Wrexham

Harrogate Town striker Luke Armstrong has signed for Wrexham.

The 27-year-old joined the League Two side on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee on transfer deadline day.

Armstrong, who scored 31 goals in 106 appearances for Town, was subject to a number of offers from clubs at the start of the season.

Harrogate reportedly asked for £500,000 for the striker, who made himself unavailable for the opening game at Doncaster Rovers due to multiple bids being made.

Town manager Simon Weaver said:

“We have reluctantly decided that Luke can go to another club.

“It has taken its time because we wanted to keep him, he’s been a great player for the club and we wanted to look after the club and get a good fee in and we’ve managed to do that, but we wish him well.

“He’s been fantastic and I’m glad for him that he’s got back to enjoying his football at Harrogate Town, in some ways it’s a feather in our cap that a player has enjoyed it so much and felt freed up.

“I think it’s a winning situation for him and for the club because we’ve got a really good fee.

“When a player says I want to go and my heart is elsewhere then you have to take it seriously and consider the affect it might have on the team and himself should it not go his way, so in the background we have been working really hard on bringing in centre forwards.”

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Armstrong will join Wrexham, who have been on the lookout for a replacement for star striker Paul Mullin after he suffered a collapsed lung and four broken ribs during the club’s USA pre-season tour.

Meanwhile, Harrogate made two deadline day signings.

Town signed forward Jeremy Sivi on loan from Championship side Middlesbrough and striker Josh March on a permanent deal from Stevenage.

March scored five goals for Harrogate during the 2020/21 season during a loan spell from then parent club Forest Green Rovers.

Government urged to ‘come clean’ on North Yorkshire RAAC schools

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats have called on the government to “come clean” on which schools in North Yorkshire are affected by dangerous concrete.

The Department for Education revealed this week that 156 schools in England have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

There is concern that those facilities with RAAC are prone to collapse.

Nick Gibb, schools minister, has said the number of schools affected may still increase.

The government has not said when a list of the affected schools will be published.

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said ministers should say which schools in North Yorkshire have been identified as being at risk.

He said:

“The government must come clean about what schools in our area are affected by crumbling concrete.

“Parents, grandparents, guardians and carers of children attending schools in North Yorkshire have a right to know that their children are safe at school.”

Mr Gordon blamed “years of underinvestment by the Conservative government” for “crumbling school facilities”. He added:

“The government has known about this crumbling concrete for years, but time and again has denied our children the money needed to stop schools from collapsing completely.

“Ministers must release information about each and every school that has been affected so far, and also set out a timetable to complete inspections on all other schools suspected to have RAAC.”

Mr Gordon added that he has called on North Yorkshire Council to confirmed if all schools in North Yorkshire have been surveyed for the crumbling RAAC ahead of the new school year.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm to offer free e-commerce legal advice

Harrogate businesses that sell products and services online are being offered free legal advice.

LCF Law, which is based on Station Parade, is offering the advice as part of an online event during Leeds Digital Festival.

The event will be held on September 21 and aims to offer insights into e-commerce regulations and compliance.

James Sarjanston, head of commercial and digital at LCF Law, said:

“We will explore key topics, including consumer rights, marketing to clients, data protection and upcoming legislation, shedding light on the complexities and challenges faced by e-commerce entrepreneurs.

“Through practical guidance, we will provide invaluable knowledge on implementing effective strategies that ensure compliance, safeguard a business and help to foster long-term growth.”

For more information and to register for the event, visit the Eventbrite page here.

Northern appoints new recruitment head

Northern has appointed a new head of talent acquisition.

The rail operator, which runs services through Harrogate and Knaresborough, has appointed Matthew Moxton to the role.

Matthew Moxton, new head of talent acquisition at Northern.

Matthew Moxton, new head of talent acquisition at Northern.

Mr Moxton, who is from Boston Spa and was the company’s legal and general executive, will now be responsible for recrutiment.

Lisa Leighton, people director at Northern, said: 

“Matthew brings with him a wealth of experience from multiple sectors including engineering, construction, logistics and other support functions.

“He has an impressive track record in employee mentoring and coaching as well as developing a high-performance culture and we’re thrilled to add him to Northern’s first class HR team.”

Mr Moxton added:

“I am delighted to be joining the team at Northern. I see a wonderful opportunity to build on the great work that has already started and to enhance the talent attraction and on-boarding within the business.”

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