Mobile company submits plan for 5G mast on Otley Road

A telecommunications company has submitted plans for a second 5G mast in Harrogate.

CK Hutchison Networks Ltd, which operates Three Mobile, has tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council for land off Otley Road in the town.

It would see the 17m mast built on land near to Swinton Court.

The company said in documents submitted to that authority that the scheme would “assimilate well into the immediate street scene” and would “not be detrimental”.

It added:

“The use of the public highway to accommodate a new telecommunications installation complies with both central government and local planning policy guidance, where the underlying aim is to provide an efficient and competitive telecommunication system for the benefit of the community while minimising visual impact.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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The move comes as CK Hutchison Networks has also appealed a decision to refuse a plan for a 5G mast at Granby Park in Harrogate.

In February, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the plan over concerns of its visual impact on the parkland.

At the time, the council’s case officer, Emma Howson, said the mast would be “highly visible” from the Stray, as well as on Skipton Road and Claro Road.

Now, CK Hutchison Networks has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.

In documents submitted to the inspector, it says it does not accept that the mast would have a “detrimental impact on the street scene”.

Emergency services called after man trapped under car in Harrogate

Emergency services were called to a street in Harrogate today after a man became trapped underneath a car.

North Yorkshire Police, the ambulance service and an air ambulance were called to Winksley Grove at 12.45pm.

The man was freed, checked over and taken to hospital for treatment.

The air ambulance was not needed.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said the man’s injuries were not believed to be serious.

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Business Breakfast: Grantley Hall appoints new general manager

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, 27 July at Banyan in Harrogate between 8-10am. 

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

Grantley Hall near Ripon has appointed a new general manager.

Nuno César de Sá, who previously worked for the Mandarin Oriental group, has joined the hotel after previous manager Andrew McPherson stepped down.

On his appointment, he said:

“I am honoured to become part of the Grantley Hall family. I have been fascinated by what has been achieved at Grantley Hall over the last six years.

“Now that I have been appointed as general manager, it is incredible that I will become an integral part of its future.”

Richard Sykes, managing director at Grantley Hall, added:

“We are thrilled to have Nuno on board as our new general manager.

“As a family-owned business, we understand that out people are the most important element of the hotel as they implement the magic of Grantley Hall to our guests and as Nuno shares many of the Grantley values, we know that he will be a perfect fit.”

Women’s co-working event to be held in Harrogate

A women’s business group is set to host a coffee and co-working event in Harrogate this month.

Women’s Business Club UK will be hosting the session at Manahatta off Parliament Street on July 21 from 11am until 2pm.

The group described the event as a chance for women to “have a natter and settle in for a morning of co-working”.

The co-working session is free, but pre-booking is essential.

For more information on the event and to book a place, visit the Eventbrite page here.

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£250,000 awarded to restore habitat at Nosterfield Nature Reserve

A conservation trust which runs Nosterfield Nature Reserve has been awarded £250,000 to help restore threatened natural habitats.

The 150-acre nature reserve is situated between the Rivers Ure and Swale at West Tanfield, between Ripon and Masham.

It is regarded as North Yorkshire’s premier wetland grassland. However, rare remnant areas of fen and magnesian limestone are in urgent need of attention.

The National Lottery’s Heritage Fund grant will enable Lower Ure Conservation Trust to tackle this by employing three staff and embarking on a project to restore natural habitats at Nosterfield,

The scheme will also improve other areas along the Ure.

Nosterfield Nature Reserve near Ripon.

Nosterfield is regarded as North Yorkshire’s premier wetland grassland.

Simon Warwick, director of the trust, said it was the biggest grant it had ever received. He added:

“Our animals, plants and invertebrate life have been poorly served by us humans in recent years.  We are one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe.

“In our small way, let’s hope this is the start of a fightback in this part of North Yorkshire. We are extremely grateful to the National Lottery players to have received this support.”

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The habitat restoration work will focus on wetland and magnesian limestone, including working alongside English Heritage on the neighbouring neolithic monument, Thornborough Henges.

There will be opportunities for local people to get involved through community planting days, which will be held in autumn 2024 and 2025. 

Work at Nosterfield will include includes a range of priority habitats which will be restored, conserved and re-created as part of the project.

Lapwing are among the species that will benefit. Pic: Whitfield Benson

Species such as Bittern, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Dingy Skipper and Tubular Water-dropwort will benefit from these habitat improvements.

The project, which starts on Monday (July 10) and will last for two-and-a-half years, also aims to connect people with nature by creating a community engagement officer role.

Emma Higgs, project officer at Nosterfield, said:

“One of the most exciting things about the project for me is getting more people involved in securing a future for our wildlife.

“We have some great volunteers  but with more work to be done now  we need more and better trained ones.

“We will be able to employ three new people and one of those roles will be to encourage school children to become involved.”

Simon Warwick and Emma Higgs. Pic: Frank Dwyer

More than 150 Nidderdale children take part in moorland education event

More than 150 children from Nidderdale have taken part in an educational scheme which aims to teach people about moorland landscapes.

The Let’s Learn Moor events are co-ordinated by Countryside Learning, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Regional Moorland Groups.

The scheme saw children from Nidderdale put out wildfires with an argo, rescue a teacher who needed stretchering off the moor with fell rescue, and watch a sheep shearing demonstration this week.

Also in attendance were Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue and the fire brigade from Lofthouse Volunteer Fire Station, which supplements the nearby retained stations of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Almost 12,000 children have now attended Let’s Learn Moor events since the project was launched in 2017 – and more than 2,000 of them attended events across the north of England this week alone.

Curtis Mossop, BASC’s head of education and outreach, said: 

“Nidderdale Moorland Group’s Let’s Learn Moor days are a fantastic example of how multi-faceted our moorland areas are. 

“Hosted by the gamekeepers, but supported by Yorkshire Water, Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue, Lofthouse Fire Station, a local farmer and local beekeepers, the children learn to understand that these are incredibly important ecosystems which require a multitude of management techniques. 

“Who better to teach that than the very people who live and work on the moor.”

Tracy Johnson, from the Nidderdale Moorland Group, said:

“As an organiser it’s s so rewarding to see how excited the children are to learn about what happens on the moors and to have a go at doing things themselves.

“Although for many of them the Yorkshire Moors are not far from where they live, lots of them may never visit them or understand what goes on.”

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Man with MND to begin 100-mile charity trek in Pateley Bridge today

A Green Hammerton man with motor neurone disease is set to take on a 100-mile trek in his wheelchair in aid of charity for a third time.

Ian Flatt, 57, was diagnosed with the condition in 2019 and has already taken on the challenge twice two years ago.

He is raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal, which is hoping to build the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The challenge will see Ian start in Pateley Bridge today before travelling through Bolton Abbey, to Pen-Y-Ghent, and finishing at the highest pub in England, The Tan Hill Inn in Swaledale on Sunday (July 16).

Ahead of his trek, Ian said:

“I feel incredibly passionate about the MND community and the beacon of hope that the Rob Burrow MND Centre has become. I’m also acutely aware that sometimes we face difficult challenges with this condition and in life in general.

“I’d just like to think that our adventures bring a smile to people’s faces alongside raising funds and awareness. Perhaps it will inspire somebody to set aside their worries, to live in the moment and find reasons to laugh.”

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As part of his previous fundraising efforts, Ian has raised more than £35,000 for both of his chosen charities.

Leeds Hospitals Charity launched their appeal for a new centre tailored to the needs for people living with MND and their families in 2019, which has now raised £4.5 million of its £6.8 million fundraising target.

Ian pictured on one of his previous 100-mile trek challenges.

Ian pictured on one of his previous 100-mile trek challenges.

Esther Wakeman, chief executive at Leeds Hospitals Charity, said:

“I am humbled by the commitment Ian has to raise funds for his fellow patients with motor neurone disease.  

“Ian and his wife, Rachael, have been fundraising since we announced our Rob Burrow Centre for MND appeal back in September 2021 and I have been heartened by their resilience and positive attitude.”

Angus O’Donnell, regional fundraiser for MND Association said:

“The work he has done in his local community, to help raise awareness of MND is huge. 

“Without his efforts the MND Association simply would not be able to fund vital research to find a cure in order to achieve our vision – a world free from MND and we cannot thank him enough.”

Mobile company appeals Harrogate 5G mast refusal

A telecommunications company has appealed a decision to refuse plans for a 5G mast overlooking Harrogate’s Stray.

5G is the quickest mobile internet connection available and offers up to 20 times faster speeds than 4G. However, the town is currently poorly served by 5G signal, particularly on its southern side.

CK Hutchison Networks (UK) Ltd, which operates Three Mobile, had planned to build the mast at Granby Park, which is adjacent to the Stray by Skipton Road.

But in February, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the plan over concerns of its visual impact on the parkland.

At the time, the council’s case officer, Emma Howson, said the mast would be “highly visible” from the Stray, as well as on Skipton Road and Claro Road.

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Now, CK Hutchison Networks has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.

In documents submitted to the inspector, it says it does not accept that the mast would have a “detrimental impact on the street scene”.

It added:

“In terms of the discreet location and nature of the scheme proposed, it is considered the apparatus will blend into the existing street scene and the overall scheme represents an appropriate balance between visual impact and operational requirements. 

“The mast is, at 20m, at the absolute minimum height which can be deployed to bring the benefits of 5G. 

“We have also coloured the pole and cabinets grey to help assimilation here.”

The company reviewed other nearby locations including County Square, Devonshire Place, Sanders Walk and Westmoreland Street but discounted them due to their pavements being too narrow to accommodate the equipment.

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate business meeting to focus on cybersecurity

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, 27 July at Banyan in Harrogate between 8-10am. 

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 business meeting is set to focus on cybersecurity.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce will host the event on Monday (July 10) from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Majestic DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.

PC Daniel Fawkes from the cyber crime division of North Yorkshire Police will be the guest speaker for the evening.

PC Fawkes will speak about business protection, social engineering threats and personal security considerations.

Meanwhile, Andy Morrison of Andisa IT Consultants will give a speech on how to implement security strategies.

Meanwhile, the evening will commence with a presentation from Harrogate Skills 4 Living at 6:15 pm, before the keynote presentation from the guest speaker.

For more information on the meeting and to book a place, visit the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce website.

Harrogate district plant nursery launches horticultural training scheme

A Harrogate district plant nursery has launched a 12-week horticultural training course.

Johnsons of Whixley has set up the programme in partnership with Askham Bryan College in York.

The course, ‘An Introduction to Horticulture’, will offer employees from Johnsons the chance to broaden their knowledge in various aspects of horticulture, from plant identification to planting locations and the impacts of plant choices, with a mixture of practical and theoretical tests.

Johnsons of Whixley employees with Askham Bryan college tutors.

Johnsons of Whixley employees with Askham Bryan College tutors.

The weekly sessions will be held from July to September at the college.

Steve Bassford, Askham Bryan curriculum area manager, said:

“The college is looking forward to having the opportunity to deliver the bespoke course and building on already formed relationships.

“Having a positive impact on a local business such as Johnsons of Whixley enables a commercial education partnership which will be mutually beneficial to all.”

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Petition launched to reopen Ripon cinema

A petition has been launched calling for Ripon’s only cinema to be reopened.

The Curzon closed on July 1 after the company said the venue had “specific challenges” and was “not suited to the long-term direction we have taken”.

Sterne Properties, which owns the site on North Street, has suggested the venue could be run as a community project with one cinema screen remaining.

However, a petition has been launched calling for the cinema to be reopened.

Adam Cordiner, who launched the campaign called Save Ripon Cinema, said he was “deeply disappointed” by Curzon’s decision to cease operating the venue.

He added he hoped the petition would help to highlight the community’s love for the site and that an operator would step in to reopen it as a cinema.

Mr Cordiner said:

“The Ripon cinema is treasured by its local community.

“Adored not only by film lovers, but by writers and artists who regularly came to open-mic nights at the cinema to share ideas, discuss topical artistic ideas and to encourage the next generation of thinkers and creators in this important and historic area.”

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At the time of publication, the petition had attracted 48 signatures.

Mr Cordiner added that although there were proposals from Sterne Properties to turn the venue into a community project, he felt there was “no guarantee of this happening”.

He said:

“We love the cinema and want it to be saved. Perhaps another operator may step in if we get some publicity.”

For more information on the petition, visit the iPetition page here.

Black Sheep Brewery makes redundancies at Masham office

Black Sheep Brewery has announced a “small number” of redundancies at its head offices in Masham.

In a statement, the brewery also said three of its pubs in Leeds and York would close with immediate effect.

A spokesperson for Black Sheep said the redundancies would be made in its retail arm.

Meanwhile, The Tap & Kitchen and Mr. Foleys in Leeds, along with The Last Drop Inn in York, will shut following an “extensive review” of the brewery.

A spokesperson said:

“Having recently conducted an extensive review of our business, we have explored every angle to try to keep these locations trading profitably, but without success.

“Unfortunately, the only avenue left for us was the closure of these premises. It is always the last resort for us to make redundancies, and we are saddened to see such dedicated colleagues leaving us, at this time.”

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Breal Capital bought the brewery for £5 million on May 26 as part of a pre-package administration deal.

Teneo Financial Advisory, which was appointed as administrators of Black Sheep, revealed sales fell from a high of £19 million in 2019 to £14 million last year, which resulted in a £1.6 million loss.

It added the company’s performance “suffered during the covid pandemic and trading challenges continued as a result of the current economic environment”.

The move also left creditors, including HMRC and suppliers, owed nearly £3 million.

Following the sale, Charlene Lyons, who was kept on as chief executive of Black Sheep, warned that other breweries faced administration amid the current economic climate.