Woman racially abused in Harrogate Tesco Express

Police have issued an appeal to find a woman who was racially abused at Tesco Express in Harrogate.

It happened at around 10am on Thursday, October 19, at the store on Cambridge Road.

Officers said a woman was reported as being racially abusive and aggressive towards an Asian woman, who is yet to come forward and report the incident.

The suspect is described as a white woman, about 5ft 6, with dark brown shoulder length hair.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Officers are appealing for information to help identify the victim of this abuse and to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email Jacob.higgins@northyorkshire.police.uk

“You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Jacob Higgins.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230198588.”

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Campaign launched against asphalt plant proposal near Knaresborough

Residents have launched a campaign against plans to build an asphalt plant next to Allerton Waste Recovery Park near Knaresborough.

The proposal has been re-advertised after the company making the application, Tynedale Roadstone Ltd, submitted an updated environmental statement to accompany the plans.

As well as the asphalt plant, the application includes plans for a site office, car parking, material storage bays, lighting, hard standing and the removal of trees.

The meeting at Marton Cum Grafton. Pic: Gerard Binks

More than 100 people crammed into the Marton Cum Grafton Village Hall this week to devise a plan to object to the proposal.

Communities Against Toxins has urged North Yorkshire Council to reject the plan amid claims that those living within a nine-kilometre radius of the plant would be affected by numerous potentially harmful pollutants.

Michael Emsley. Pic: Gerard Binks

Michael Emsley, organiser of the campaign group, said:

“There are a lot of concerned residents in the area, and we have decided to make our voices heard.

“Given all the detailed research already done, it is beyond belief that something of this nature and on this scale should be located in a rural area when there are industrial sites available at which the bulk of the risks we have highlighted would be minimised.

“The proposed asphalt plant is going to disperse an awful lot of toxic chemicals into the environment, airborne and waterborne, while some will also be dust particles, which are particularly nasty. It’s an environmental disaster waiting to happen.”

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More than 600 residents have signed up with the group to lobby the council to refuse the plans.

Meanwhile Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, has also voiced his objection to the proposal.

Mr Jones said he had already objected to the plant earlier on in the application process, but felt his concerns had not been addressed.

He said:

“I worked with residents’ groups and parish councils campaigning against the incinerator being built. Part of our objections were the potential for ‘industrial creep’ in the area. This application is precisely that.

“I have already registered my objection when the application was at an earlier stage of the planning process. I have read the new documents the applicants have submitted and I do not believe the concerns I raised have been adequately addressed.”

Both Arkendale, Coneythorpe & Clareton Parish Council and Goldsborough & Flaxby Parish Council have also lodged objection to the plans.

Tynedale Roadstone is part of Durham-based MGL Group and currently operates two asphalt production plants, one in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and another at Barton, north of Catterick in North Yorkshire.

Plan to create 200 HGV parking bays at Wetherby Services

Plans have been submitted to expand Wetherby Services to create 200 new heavy goods vehicle parking spaces.

Rapleys LLP which has tabled a screening application on behalf of services operator Moto Hospitality Ltd for the site off junction 46 of the A1(M).

It would see the site expand to create 200 HGV parking spaces, while the current HGV parking facilities would be replaced with 118 electric vehicle charging bays.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the extension was required to meet demand at the services.

It said:

“The proposed circa 200 new HGV parking spaces form part of an urgently required extension to the existing motorway service area.

“This proposal arises from the need for increased HGV parking capacity at the existing motorway service area.”

The planned layout for the parking spaces at Wetherby Services.

The planned layout for the parking spaces at Wetherby Services.

It added that its plan to include 118 electric vehicle charging spaces would align with Moto’s strategy to increase infrastructure at its sites.

The document said:

“Electric vehicles will play a big part in the transition to zero emission transport, but to achieve these targets, it is imperative that suitable infrastructure is provided to support electric vehicles. 

“The proposed development forms part of Moto’s wider strategy to bring EV infrastructure at their services.”

The move comes as Gridserve, a sustainable energy firm in Kirk Deighton, also applied to North Yorkshire Council to install 12 charging bays within the existing services car park.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on both proposals at a later date.

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Man arrested following Ripon burglary

A man has been arrested following a burglary in the Ripon area.

Matthew Segger, 35, from Darlington, was wanted in connection with an incident in August this year.

North Yorkshire Police had appealed for information about his whereabouts last week.

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Flaxby firm Ilke Homes enters liquidation with debts of £320 million

Collapsed housebuilder Ilke Homes has been put into liquidation.

The company, which was based alongside the A1(M) at Flaxby, ceased trading and entered administration in June, causing the loss of 1,100 jobs and leaving a long list of creditors.

A final report from administrators AlixPartners shows the firm left debts of £320 million.

Among the sums owed by Ilke Homes was to government housing agency Homes England, which had an estimated debt of £68.7 million.

A court order has since been filed to Companies House on October 19 which states the firm will be placed into liquidation.

According to its report, AlixPartners estimated that HMRC, employees and unsecured credits are estimated to receive no money.

Photo of the main entrance to the Ilke Homes factory site at Flaxby, showing chain-link fencing and barbed wire.

Main entrance to Ilke Homes’ Flaxby factory.

Meanwhile, Homes England is likely to receive £82,000 — some 0.1% of the overall debt it is owed.

Employee claims were estimated to be £724,614, while HMRC was owed £2.1 million and unsecured creditors debt at the company totalled £249.3 million.

Catherine Williamson, administrator at AlixPartners, said in her report that during the administration period it was determined there was “significantly less value to be realised than originally anticipated” from the company’s assets.

She said:

“Based on current information, the administrators do not anticipate that any funds will become available to enable any distributions to be made to the preferential or unsecured creditors; however, the likely levels of return are estimated and are subject to change.”

AlixPartners has been appointed as liquidators of the company.

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Shortly after Ilke Homes collapsed, administrators said the firm had “faced the challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

Officials at Ilke Homes said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

Meanwhile, the Stray Ferret reported in August that more than 600 former employees of the company were to take legal action following the administration announcement.

Manchester-based law firm Aticus said it had been instructed by staff members to investigate concerns around how the redundancy process was managed.

Council hires West Yorkshire company to clean Ripon toilets amid staffing issues

North Yorkshire Council has hired a West Yorkshire company to clean toilets in Masham and Ripon amid staffing issues.

Cleaning at public toilets in both areas of the Harrogate district were previously carried out by the local authority.

However, council officials said the service had been “failing” due to a lack of staff and the toilets were at risk of closure if a contractor was not brought in.

As a result, a £32,760 contract has been directly awarded with no competitive tender to Marsden Contract Services.

According to the government’s contract portal, the company is based on Hollins Lane in Keighley although its website says it is based in Skipton.

Karl Battersby, corporate director for environmental services at the council, said the move was necessary as a recruitment process had found “no suitable applicants” to take on the cleaning roles.

When asked why the service was not put out to competitive tender, Mr Battersby added:

“Toilet cleaning has been undertaken in Ripon and Masham by staff from North Yorkshire Council, and previously the former Harrogate Borough Council, but the service had been falling behind due to staffing issues, and our recruitment process had found no suitable applicants to take on the roles.

“A direct award was made with a trusted contractor as the service needed immediate attention.

“Failure to act quickly would have resulted in a fall in cleaning standards or closure of sites and neither of these options would have been acceptable.

“This contract is for one year to help us maintain our services, after which, if needed, we will follow a competitive tender process.”

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate-based Japanese shop celebrates 25th anniversary

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate-based authentic Japanese store has celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The Japanese Shop, which has a distribution centre on Hookstone Avenue, sells a range of Japanese goods including kimonos and dolls.

The business was first based in Westminster Arcade in 1998, but was forced to move online during the 2008 financial crash.

Since then, the firm has gone onto grow its online store and regularly hosts pop up shops at RHS Harlow Carr.

Jez Willard, who founded the company with his wife Hiromi, said:

“We were, and still are, so passionate about Japan and Japanese culture. 

“We feel a very strong sense of duty to offer our customers the combination of authentic Japanese gifts together with a genuinely first-class customer service experience, exemplified by our free gift-wrapping, which is actually common in Japan.”

Law society to host menopause event

Harrogate and District Law Society has partnered with a solicitors to set up an event focussing on the menopause in the workplace.

Called Menopause Matters, the event will be held at Bowcliffe Hall near Leeds on November 17 between 9.30am and 4pm.

It aims to “shed light on the implications, challenges, and nuances surrounding menopause” both in the workplace and in personal lives.

Proceeds from the event, which is in collaboration with Wetherby-based Hartlaw LLP, will go to towards Daisy Network, a charity dedicated to premature ovarian insufficiency, and the Harrogate and District Law Society.

Tickets cost £85 and can be purchased on the Eventbrite page.

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Noise alert as RAF Leeming warns of ‘significant additional aircraft movement’

RAF Leeming has warned of additional aircraft activity which may cause disturbance in the Harrogate district.

In a social media post, the North Yorkshire airforce base, which is 12 miles from Masham and 22 miles from Harrogate, said it will conduct several exercises in the run up to Christmas.

The activity is likely to be heard in nearby Ripon, Kirkby Malzeard and Masham as well as the wider Harrogate district.

The station added “every effort” would be made to keep disturbances to a minimum.

The base said in its post:

“The station is about to enter a period of significant additional aircraft movement, with several exercises operating from here in the run-up to Christmas.

“From the beginning of November, RAF Leeming will host multiple aircraft types for sorties which will include low flying and some periods of 24 hour operation.

“We understand our responsibility as good neighbours to inform the local community of movements which are additional to our normal flying activity and every effort will be made to keep the disturbance to a minimum.”

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Knaresborough reptile centre issues urgent plea for help

A Knaresborough rescue centre has made an urgent appeal for donations and transport as it tackles the cost of living crisis.

Daniel Holmes, who runs Knaresborough Exotic Rescue, said the centre had nearly 150 pets in its care, most of which are reptiles including snakes and bearded dragons.

Mr Holmes said he has been increasingly travelling further afield to rescue pets as people contend with the cost of living and have nowhere to give their reptiles to.

Yesterday, the rescue centre, which does not own a van, rented a vehicle to pickup 12 animals from Burnley and plans to take in an 18 foot Burmese Python from Wakefield on Friday.

The increase in demand coupled with vet bills of £1,000 and electricity charges of nearly £2,000 a month has left the rescue struggling.

Mr Holmes said:

“We are finding that this is coming more as people struggle with the cost of living.”

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Mr Holmes has called for more support for the centre as it takes on more pets during the winter months.

In particular, the rescue has appealed for a van to help take in some of the bigger animals.

Mr Holmes said reptiles are often to first to be given up by pet owners as it is energy intensive to look after them.

He added:

“People seem to forget about the other animals such as reptiles. They are suffering more than cats and dogs.

“If someone needs to save on their energy bills, it’s the tank with the snake in which goes because it takes up energy.”

To donate to the centre, find them on Facebook here or send a donation via PayPal to krescue@hotmail.co.uk.

Business Breakfast: Minskip bedding company secures £100,000 funding

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Minskip-based luxury bedding company has secured £100,000 worth of investment to help expand the brand.

Floks, which is based at Yolk Farm on Minskip Road, has been awarded the funding from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

The company was founded by Sophie Platts after she came up with the idea for a bedding brand during the covid lockdowns.

The fund is managed by Mercia Asset Management and aims to award companies funding to help with growth.

The investment will help Floks to step up its marketing campaign and develop new products to expand the range.

David Wright of Mercia said: 

“Sophie has a wealth of experience in designer homewares. Floks builds on Yorkshire’s wool trade heritage and fills a gap in the market for sustainable luxury bedding that promotes healthy sleep.

“The funding will help her to expand the business and establish the brand as a market leader in premium British wool bedding.”

Ripon Racecourse nominated for awards

Ripon Racecourse has been shortlisted as a finalist at an industry awards ceremony.

The Racecourse Association’s Showcase and Awards are set to be held on November 23 at Aintree Racecourse.

The event aims to celebrate excellence and innovation in racecourse operations and raceday experience.

Ripon has been shortlisted in both the marketing and racing foundation green categories at the ceremony.

Jonathan Mullin, operations and marketing manager at Ripon Racecourse, said: 

“It’s wonderful for us to be finalists in two categories. We’ve managed to win an award at the last two Showcase Awards, at Hamilton in 2019 and at Pontefract in 2022, which is fantastic for a small independent racecourse and it’s great to be in with a chance once more.”

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