Beer barrel maker graduates in rare and peculiar Masham ceremony

A curious tradition dating back seven centuries took place in Masham today when, for the first time in a generation, an apprentice barrel maker became a cooper.

Euan Findlay, who started work at Theakston Brewery five years ago, was centre stage for the historic ‘trussing in’ ceremony.

Fellow coopers from across the country gathered in Masham to witness Mr Findlay’s coronavirus-delayed initiation into the Federation of Coopers.

The event, which dates back to the 14th century, last took place more than 20 years ago. It rarely happens because Theakston is one of only two breweries in the UK to still have an in-house barrel maker.

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Most breweries opt for the more modern steel containers these days but Theakston still uses the traditional wooden barrel for its Old Peculier beer.

Starting with the “ringing of axes” the coopers got the barrel into shape with hammers and metal rings before placing Mr Findlay inside.

The last trussing in ceremony happened more than 20 years ago.

They then poured beer and any rubbish lying around over his head before placing the barrel on its side and rolling him around while still inside.

Apprentice Mr Findlay was then unceremoniously sacked in front of a crowd before being immediately re-employed as a fully-qualified cooper.

To celebrate the ritual, the brewery launched Stave Bender, a new pale ale. Mr Findlay had the honour of pouring the first pint.

Talking to the Stray Ferret after the ordeal, he said:

“It was very, very hot to start with. Then it got very loud as they started hammering. They then chucked the rubbish in so it got very cold and messy.

“When they started rolling it around like a washing machine I was just trying to brace for dear life. But now I am onto the next stage of my career.

“The plan now is for me to get an apprentice and pass this tradition onto the next generation.”

Simon Theakston, the joint managing director of TR Theakston Ltd, told the Stray Ferret:

“Well you have watched a very unique and rare ceremony. So now he has finished his apprenticeship his fellow coopers give him a tough old time.

“This is a rite of passage. We are very proud of making our excellent beer and making the casks that it goes into.”

Ripon care home set to close in December

A Ripon care home is to close at the end of the year.

Skell Lodge, which is owned by the Maria Mallaband Care Group, operates from a listed Victorian building on South Crescent.

The care provider told the Stray Ferret the building would “shortly no longer meet appropriate building regulations”.

North Yorkshire County Council and the Care Quality Commission are working with Maria Mallaband to find new homes for residents and staff.

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The company also owns a larger care home in Ripon called The Moors.

The nature of the building problems and when they were discovered is unclear at present.

A spokesperson for Maria Mallaband said

“It is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close Skell Lodge care home.

“We understand that residents and relatives will be concerned and worried by this decision. So we are working closely with the local authorities and commissioners.

“We would like to assure people that we will do our best to provide as much assistance as possible to help with finding alternative placements.”

Richard Webb, corporate director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“We are sorry to hear the decision about Skell Lodge. The future of the residents and the staff is our paramount concern.

“We are working with the care provider and the CQC and will be working with residents and their families to try to ensure the smoothest possible transition for people.”

Bike ride in memory of Harrogate businessman raises £20,000

More than 30 cyclists took part in a 170-mile coast-to-coast challenge to raise money for charity in memory of a Harrogate businessman.

Richard Jones, who was well-known in Harrogate and Wetherby, died aged 51 in January this year with acute myeloid leukaemia, which is a type of blood cancer.

Mr Jones ran design agency Finepoint in Harrogate and audio visual company Clever Association.

He was due to take part in a cycle ride this year, which his friends have now completed as a tribute and to fundraise for Phoenix Health and Wellbeing.

Members of Wetherby Rugby Union Club completed the Way of the Roses cycle route for the challenge.

Richard with his son Frankie at the rugby club.

On day one they travelled 95 miles from Morecambe in Lancashire to Wetherby. On day two they took on 75 miles from Wetherby to Bridlington.

When the group returned, others club members welcomed them with homemade cakes and a barbecue.

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The club has already agreed to do another cycle race next year on September 9 and 10. Proceeds will go to Leukaemia Research.

Gill Trevor, who works for Phoenix Health and Wellbeing, and helped organise the event, said:

“We were delighted with the support from Wetherby RFC, especially with the event being in memory of someone like Richard.

“The monies raised will help so many people with mental health issues, who without our support, wouldn’t have access to our services.”

Since his death, Wetherby Rugby Club has raised £50,000 towards refurbishment of its Grange Park Clubhouse and £11,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

A very good morning to you. It’s Connor covering for Suzannah today. Keep checking back for all of your rail and road updates.

Give me a call on 01423 276197 or get in touch on social media if you spot anything on the roads or are waiting for a delayed bus or train.

The morning blogs are brought to you by The HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

That is all from me this morning. I am heading over to the news desk now. Suzannah will be back with you from 6.30am tomorrow to bring you all the latest on the roads and rail.

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8.30am – Full Update 

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The roads are starting to become busy this morning with delays of up to nine minutes on Google Maps. Watch out around these areas:

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8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning with delays of up to nine minutes on Google Maps. Watch out around these areas:

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7.30am – Full Update 

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7am – Full Update 

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The roads are looking quiet so far this morning, with no hotspots just yet. Spotted something? Give me a call.

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6.30am – Full Update 

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The roads are looking quiet so far this morning, with no hotspots just yet. Spotted something? Give me a call.

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Car stolen from Harrogate home in Hanoi-style burglary

Police have appealed for witnesses and CCTV footage after a car was stolen from a house in Harrogate in a Hanoi-style burglary.

A blue Audi A3 with the registration HV67 CPF was taken from a property on West Cliffe Terrace between 2am and 3am on October 2.

North Yorkshire Police has also said it is keen to trace a man who was in the area at the time of the theft. It is unclear if the force is treating him as a suspect or a witness.

The man who police want to speak to was described as wearing a grey hoodie and black jogging bottoms with short fair hair and a slim build.

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A spokesperson for the police said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, we are requesting that people check their ring door bells or any CCTV within the surrounding streets to West Cliffe Terrace, during the hour we believe this occurred.”

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for PC Smith 143.

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

New paths at RHS Harlow Carr made with recycled plastic

RHS Garden Harlow Carr has replaced a series of paths with a new resin material made with recycled plastic.

The RHS garden in Harrogate, which receives 450,000 visitors a year, has re-used the equivalent of one and a half million plastic straws.

It is part of an ongoing maintenance programme after rain and snow damaged the site, particularly the paths.

RHS contracted resin specialists Oltco, which has headquarters in Cornwall but a base in Harrogate.

The resin paths are made of plastic that is already in circulation, such as straws, bottles and food packaging, sourced from plastic recycling.

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Paul Cook, curator at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, said:

“The new pathways have helped to transform the landscape and we’re excited for our visitors to experience this.”

The new look for the paths in the gardens.

Paul Cowham, director at Oltco Harrogate added:

“I have been regularly visiting the gardens for many years with my family so I was particularly proud to be able to work alongside Paul Cook and partner with Harlow Carr to transform its pathways.”

Harrogate’s ‘significant gambling issues’ made worse by covid

A doctor who leads the NHS Northern Gambling Service has said that people in Harrogate suffer with significant gambling issues.

Matt Gaskell is based at the clinic in Leeds which opened in 2019. Since then he has seen people come to him with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

Some on benefits had lost out around £5,000 but others, who are on large salaries, have run up debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Dr Gaskell contacted the Stray Ferret to encourage people from the Harrogate area with gambling issues to come forward after seeing the problem made worse by coronavirus:

“More people need to know that we have this gambling addiction service on their doorsteps. We have specialist psychologists and therapists.

“As part of our service we can also speak to the family of those who have a gambling addiction.

“People come to us with mental health issues, lots of debts and broken-down relationships. But when work with them often clients have a good outcome.

“It is a hidden addiction which the government needs to treat like other addictions.”

Upcoming government gambling review

His comments came after his meeting with Gambling Commissioner Chris Philip. During the meeting they discussed an upcoming government review into gambling.

The government called for evidence in December 2020, which finished on March 31 2021. A white paper with restrictions on online gambling is expected late this year.

Dr Gaskell added:

“Online casinos and football betting are particular problems. Football has become a billboard for gambling, most can’t watch a game without considering a bet.

“We need a public health campaign in the same way that we have had with smoking and drinking. Often those who are addicted to gambling are at a higher risk of suicide compared to other addictions.

“Banks and gambling firms know exactly how much money people are spending and could stop them building up such debts.”

MPs ‘should not accept bribes’ from gambling firms

The Stray Ferret reported in August that local MP Nigel Adams accepted £6,000 worth of free hospitality tickets to England’s Euro 2020 games from gambling firms.

Mr Adams, who represents Selby and Ainsty, which includes some rural parts of the Harrogate district such as Spofforth and Follifoot, received tickets to three games at Wembley Stadium.

Seven Conservative MPs and two members of Labour opposition leader Keir Starmer’s front bench accepted hospitality tickets to games involving England.

More than most, it was difficult for Dr Gaskell to read that news. He said it was wrong for MPs to take money from gambling firms:

“I believe it is deeply concerning that MPs have taken money from gambling firms when that money has been made through those who have been harmed by it.

“Research shows that 60% of profits come from the 5% who have suffered most harm, I think questions need to be asked about this, it is effectively a bribe.”

The Stray Ferret has put Dr Gaskell’s comments to Nigel Adams MP. He has not replied by the time of publication.

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Do you or someone you know suffer with gambling addiction? Get help by calling the NHS Northern Gambling Service on 0300 300 1490 or send an email here.

Harrogate protesters tell Philip Allott to go over Sarah Everard comments

Protesters braved the rain and wind in Harrogate today to call on North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) to resign over his Sarah Everard comments.

The group gathered near the war memorial at 11.30am to coincide with a public engagement meeting organised by the PFCC’s office, which Mr Allott did not attend.

It comes after Mr Allott said in an interview with BBC Radio York that women “need to be street wise” and that Ms Everard “never should have submitted” to arrest.

Those comments sparked widespread anger. Mr Allott’s name trended on Twitter with calls for his resignation yesterday.

Less than 24 hours later a group of Harrogate residents waved placards and organised a petition to call on the PFCC to step down. They gathered more than 160 signatures in under an hour.

“The Police Fire and Crime Commissioner tells us not to trust the police.”

‘Police need to get to the root of the problem’

Margaret Smith, one of the protesters, told the Stray Ferret:

“I think his comments were totally unacceptable. It was an insult to all women to say that we should be more streetwise to stop this violence.

“It shows what he really thinks. His position is completely untenable, he should resign immediately. This protest should not be necessary.”

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Freya Kesteven also said:

“In my opinion a lot of violence against women and victim blaming starts in schools, I don’t think girls are safe at school.

“The behaviour is not challenged and I think it can lead to extreme incidents like the Sarah Everard case. So I felt awful reading Mr Allott’s comments.”

They urged people passing by to sign a petition.

Hannah Ruddy added:

“I was very, very shocked. I studied criminal law, I would say that I am intelligent and clued up, I keep myself safe. But I would have got in that car.

“What needs to happen is the police need to start getting to the root of all of this, they need to take complaints more seriously.”

A man at the protest who wanted to show support for Mr Allott, but did not wish to be named, said:

“I think the comments were made with good intent. I don’t think he was trying to demonise or victimise women.

“We all have to take more personal responsibility for our own safety. Like Mr Allott I am only saying that in the wider context, not for Sarah Everard’s case.”

More than 160 people signed the petition.

The Stray Ferret approached the PFCC’s office but it did not wish to comment on the protest today but pointed us back to Mr Allott’s apology on Twitter:

“I would like to wholeheartedly apologise for my comments on BBC radio York earlier today, which I realise have been insensitive and wish to retract them in full.”

Harrogate district continues to set new coronavirus rate record

The Harrogate district’s coronavirus seven day rate continues to climb after it hit a record high earlier this week.

According to latest Public Health England figures, the district average has increased to 580 cases per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate stands at 470 and the England average is 339.

However, just nine patients are being treated for coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital. That number has remained much lower during previous waves before the vaccination programme.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for coronavirus have been recorded at Harrogate District Hospital.

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Elsewhere, 128,232 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 120,511 have had a second dose.

North Yorkshire’s director of public health, Louise Wallace, said this week that the spike in covid cases is down to “school-age children”.

She also said it was “quite unusual” that the county’s infection rate had climbed above the England average.

Organiser hails success of first event for Harrogate district climate festival

With therapy sheep, a passive house and plenty of environmental experts on hand – the organiser of the first event as part of the Harrogate district Climate Action Festival has hailed its success.

The three-week festival, which encourages local people to reduce climate damage, kicked off with an exhibition at Harrogate College on Hornbeam Park today.

More than 30 exhibitors were at the free event between 10am and 4pm with demonstrations, live music as well as vegetarian and vegan food.

Holly Hansen-Maughan, partnerships and development lead at the college, told the Stray Ferret:

“We have been extremely busy, people have been coming through the doors since the moment we opened despite the weather.

“The people attending have given us some fantastic feedback and our speakers were great, we hope it enourages people to take action.”

Step inside Pure Haus.

One of the big attractions at the event was a passive house, which Pure Haus built on site for the event. Kevin Pratt, a co-director at Pure Haus, also said:

“Our goal is to revolutionise the way houses are built in the region. There’s a lot of versatility with what we produce, I am really glad that we’re here today.

“There are a lot of misconceptions. There is a slight premium to the material but you get that back.”

On your bike!

Heather and John Rowe, who set up Resurrection Bikes, were on hand to fix up bikes and show off a specially-made cargo bike.

Mrs Rowe told the Stray Ferret:

“We have got this bike because lots of people go to the supermarket and make fairly short trips for a small amount of shopping and that is really bad for the environment.

“It’s bad for people’s health and for people’s wallets, especially with the petrol crisis. So if you have a cargo bike you can use pedal power to get to the shop.”

Tickets please!

Dale French, who was showing off an electric bus on behalf of Transdev and the Harrogate Bus Company. He said:

“I am here to show off our existing electric buses and also to say that we are investing in more electric buses, we want to electrify our Harrogate fleet.

“So this is step one in Harrogate. Then we need to start electrifying Leeds, Knaresborough and more.”

Meet Tiny and Dave.

Cath Wilson, who runs Corn Close Care Farm near Pateley Bridge, brought two sheep called Dave and Tiny to the event. She added:

“We have brought the sheep here today because they are part of our management of wildflower meadows, they graze the land and a byproduct is wool.

“Farming has earned a bit of a bad reputation with the environment. I think because we are small it’s easy for us to be sustainable.”