At more than 14 feet, is this Harrogate’s tallest sunflower?

A seven-year-old Harrogate girl has grown what could be the town’s tallest sunflower.

Eirwen Phoenix started nurturing the 14-foot plant when it was only a few inches tall, as part of a school project with the Kumon Centre in Harrogate.

She kept it on a sunny windowsill at first, tending to the plant every day. Soon it was strong enough to go outside.

After around two months the sunflower shot up and is now in full bloom with multiple heads.

It has grown so tall that Eirwen’s parents are concerned it might become a health and safety hazard.

It just kept growing and growing!

Harrogate experienced quite high winds last night and throughout today. So much so that the sunflower has started to lean quite considerably.

So there may just be a couple of days left to see the sunflower spectacle on East Parade near The Hearing Suite.

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An excited and proud Eirwen told the Stray Ferret:

“This sunflower is big, big, big! So maybe the seeds it will produce might be just as tall, maybe even bigger than this one.

“Maybe if there is less wind next time we can keep it up forever. I am not going to go for double, I want to try to reach 100 feet next time.”

Eirwen had to go upstairs to pose for the photo.

Sarah Phoenix, Eirwen’s mother, added:

“At the end of the summer holidays when Eirwen had to submit the final height to her school we had to get the stepladders out.

“Even then we couldn’t reach the top of it. At that point it was just short of 14 feet and it has grown even more since then as it has flowered.”

New food director as Crimple Hall nears completion of £4m refurb

Crimple Hall in Harrogate has appointed a director of food and drink to oversee a new restaurant as part of a £4 million refurbishment.

The family-owned business run by Graham and Tori Watson is expected to re-open in November.

The 19,525 sq ft food hall, restaurant, bistro and event space will seat over 160 people and offer indoor and outdoor event spaces for weddings, parties and corporate events.

Zak Jones, the former owner of The Chancery and The Clerkenwell Dining Room in London, has been hired to head up the restaurant.

As well as experience of running his own restaurant, Mr Jones has also worked alongside Marco Pierre White as general manager at L’Escargot in Greek Street Soho.

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Alongside the restaurant will be a 7,500 square feet food hall and the existing garden centre. The investment has lead to the creation of 60 jobs.

Mr Jones said:

“This is an incredible opportunity to build a first class restaurant with access to the best produce in the region and beyond.

“We have some really exciting plans for this remarkable venue and, as such, I am now looking for excellent restaurant team members to join me.”

The food hall will be open from 8am to 7pm. The restaurant and garden centre will open between 8am and 5pm – with the bar open until 7pm.

Harrogate district care homes fear job crisis over mandatory jabs

Care homes in the Harrogate district have sounded the alarm over a looming recruitment crisis over mandatory coronavirus vaccinations for staff.

Government legislation requiring all care home staff and volunteers to have had both jabs comes into force on November 11.

With the date approaching, the health watchdog Healthwatch North Yorkshire conducted a survey of 16 care homes in North Yorkshire and York about the impact of the legislation.

Most care homes supported the sentiment but expressed concerns about its impact.

The social care sector was experiencing staff shortages pre-pandemic and there are concerns that after a tough couple of years, mandatory vaccines will create another recruitment barrier.

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One care home told Healthwatch it expected to lose staff; another said it had been forced to turn down candidates and a third said it had created a bureaucratic burden on already overstretched staff.

The Coach House Nursing Home in Ripon said in the report:

“I do not agree with making vaccinations mandatory just for those working in a care home, while leaving it entirely open to any friend or relative of a resident to visit without vaccinations.

“This is yet another recruitment hurdle for providers to try to overcome along with the additional administrative burden in policing, enforcing and maintaining records of compliance.

“The impact of this legislation could be huge and widely felt, restricting agreed contractors, maintenance and servicing personnel, along with the effect on the hospitality side of care homes.”

Ashley Green, chief executive of Healthwatch North Yorkshire and Siân Balsom, Healthwatch York manager said in a joint statement:

“The concerns we’ve heard from care home managers aren’t a surprise, but some are very stark in their warnings of the impact of mandatory vaccinations.

“Care homes we spoke to question the decision where all healthcare staff and care home visitors don’t have to be vaccinated. There was strong sentiment that this is being seen as further unfair treatment of an undervalued sector.

“There is an irony that while almost all the care homes we spoke to recognise the importance of the vaccinations to protect vulnerable people, the new rules might put residents at risk due to staff shortages and low morale.”

Most acute recruitment crisis ever

The National Care Forum, which is the membership organisation for not-for-profit organisations in the care sector, has today written an open later to the government asking for support with what is describes as the worst job crisis in the sector’s history.

MHA, the UK’s largest charity care provider which has two care homes in Harrogate, is among the signatories of the letter.

The letter said:

“This is the most acute recruitment and retention crisis that we are aware of historically.

“It is the result of many years of underfunding in the sector, compounded by a number of other factors.

“That is including some staff exhausted from the pandemic and others moving to the NHS due to different approaches on mandatory vaccine regulations.”

The NCF called on the government to offer a retention bonus to care staff, welcome staff from overseas and launch a national recruitment campaign.

Parents’ tribute to Harrogate girl on acne drug who took her life

The heartbroken parents of a Harrogate schoolgirl who was on an acne drug when she took her life paid tribute to her at an inquest today.

Annabel Wright, 15, was found dead in her room on the evening of May 1, 2019. Her parents discovered her body.

Harrogate District Hospital had prescribed the schoolgirl, who attended St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate, the drug Roaccutane, also known as isotretinoin, to treat her acne.

Giving evidence at an inquest in Northallerton today, Helen and Simon Wright said Annabel was a happy child with no history of depression.

Ms Wright said:

“Annabel was the brightest child. She was easy going, happy and she never had any issues. She enjoyed school and had a great set of friends there.

“I believe that Roaccutane led to her suicide. Normal, happy people like Annabel don’t just commit suicide without any signs or anything leading up to it.”

Concerns about drug’s link to suicide

The inquest heard that in January 2019 Annabel had self-harmed. Mr and Ms Wright discussed the incident with their daughter but did not mention it to the doctor, as they did not think it was linked to her medication.

When Annabel was first prescribed Roaccutane in October 2018, Ms Wright raised concerns about the drug after reading articles online linking it with suicide.

The doctor told Ms Wright she believed there was no causal link between the drug and increased risk of suicide.

Mr Wright said of his daughter:

“She was perfect. We adored Annabel and she adored us, we were a close-knit family.

“My wife and mother-in-law had taken our son out to a young farmers’ club on the day that Annabel died.

“I came home from work late at around 8pm and went to see Annabel in her room when we had a chat about the Spanish exam she took that morning.”

Mr Wright later went downstairs for dinner. When the rest of his family got back they went to check once again on Annabel.

Mr Wright found his daughter’s body and called for an ambulance, which took Annabel to hospital in Harrogate where she later died.

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Parents say risk should have been made clearer

Mr and Ms Wright both said they believed Roaccutane was the cause of Annabel’s suicide and blamed the hospital for not making the risks clearer.

The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust to respond to the Wrights’ claims.

Dr Jacqueline Andrews, executive medical director at the trust, said:

“We wish to offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Annabel Wright.

“Following Annabel’s tragic death, the trust commenced an investigation and our findings have been shared with Annabel’s family and HM Coroner.

“Until the inquest has concluded we are unable to comment further.”

The inquest into Annabel Wright’s death continues.

Samaritans are available 365 days a year for people in need of support. You can call them free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

Longstanding Harrogate restaurant set to make way for pub

A longstanding Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant in Harrogate has closed and could be converted into a pub.

The Ali Raj, on Cheltenham Crescent, was the first Bangladeshi restaurant in town when it opened more than 35 years ago.

After a couple of tough years for the hospitality industry, restaurant owner Abdul Rashid, who took over the business from its original owners, decided to close.

Mr Rashid announced the news on the Ali Raj Facebook page, saying it was the “end of an era”.

The Stray Ferret tried to contact Mr Rashid for comment but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.

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Richard Park, owner of The Little Ale House, which is situated beneath the Ali Raj, has applied to Harrogate Borough Council to change the use of the building from restaurant to pub on both the first and second floors of the building.

Mr Park and his wife Danni opened The Little Ale House in 2016 to recreate a rustic country pub atmosphere in the town centre.

They have been keen to support micro breweries and encourage conversation by shunning TVs and background music.

Knaresborough Audi plans to expand with new repair shop

The Audi dealership at St James Retail Park in Knaresborough plans to expand by building a standalone repair shop.

Plans lodged with Harrogate Borough Council say the repair shop would cater for cosmetic problems like scratches, chips or dents and create 12 jobs for technicians and managers.

Sytner Group, which runs the Audi dealership, hopes to expand to the rear of the site where it currently stores cars.

The repair shop would be constructed using similar materials to the existing dealership, which is made of metallic silver cladding.

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A design and access statement submitted to the council on behalf of Sytner Group says:

“The development will have minimal impact upon the surrounding area and is fully compliant with planning policy.

“The proposals will have no negative social impact but will have a positive impact for the dealership.

“The facility is essential for the continued sustainability of the business at this location. The ability to expand and create employment opportunities is essential to the current and future business models.”

The council’s planning department will decide whether to approve or reject the proposal.

 

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and welcome back to the traffic and travel blog. It’s Connor with you this morning hoping to help you avoid any problems by road or rail.

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 on the traffic and travel news desk. Leah will be back with you tomorrow morning from 6.30am.

The roads are looking quite busy already around Harrogate, Ripley and Knaresborough this morning. There are several construction works ongoing in the area which seem to be causing issues.

Roads where congestion is building:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

The roads are looking quite busy already around Harrogate, Ripley and Knaresborough this morning. There are several construction works ongoing in the area which seem to be causing issues.

Roads where congestion is building:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

The roads are looking quite busy already around Harrogate, Ripley and Knaresborough this morning. There are several construction works ongoing in the area which seem to be causing issues.

Roads where congestion is building:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

The roads are looking quite busy already around Harrogate, Ripley and Knaresborough this morning. There are several construction works ongoing in the area which seem to be causing issues.

Roads where congestion is building:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

Otley Road is likely to be particularly busy as work has started on a new cycle route near Harlow Moor Road.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

6:30am – Full Update 

Roads

Otley Road is likely to be particularly busy as work has started on a new cycle route near Harlow Moor Road.

Road closures:

  • Leeds Road, outside Marks and Spencer – lane closure
  • Rossett Park Road – road closure, plus temporary lights on Leadhall Lane
  • Kingsley Drive, Starbeck – road closure
  • Chestnut Grove, the road rear of Chestnut Grove, and Birch Grove, Bilton – road closure
  • Whiteley Yard, Knaresborough, across from The Crown Inn – road closure
  • Lands Lane, Knaresborough – road closure
  • A1(M) northbound entry slip and southbound exit slip at Flaxby – closure
  • Copgrove Road, Burton Leonard – road closure
  • Luncarr Lane, Copt Henwick – road closure from 08:00
  • Queen Street, Ripon – road closure
  • B6265 Bishopton to Eavestone – road closure. Diversions through Ripon, Glasshouses and Ripley
  • Westerns Lane, Markington – road closure
  • Main Street to Tanfield Bridge, West Tanfield – road closure

Temporary lights:

  • Leadhall Lane in Rossett Green
  • Ripon Road in Harrogate, near McCarthy’s Storage World
  • Green Lane at the junction with Rossett Avenue
  • Otley Road around the junctions for Cold Bath Road and Harlow Moor Road
  • Wayside Crescent just off Wetherby Road, near Harrogate Town football ground
  • Hawthorne Avenue in Hookstone Chase
  • Station Bridge in the town centre
  • Parliament Terrace in central Harrogate, near Five Guys
  • Ripon Road near Co-op petrol station
  • Hollins Lane, Hampsthwaite
  • Fisher Street, Knaresborough
  • Thistle Hill, Knaresborough
  • Blands Hill, Knaresborough
  • Boroughbridge Road, near Scriven
  • A59 York Road, near the Station Road junction
  • Allerton Park Interchange, at the Flaxby junction of the A1(M)
  • Clotherholme Road, Bishopton near Ripon
  • Minster Road, Ripon, outside the cathedral

Trains

  • All services from Harrogate, Leeds and Knaresborough are on schedule.

Buses

  • Harrogate Bus Company is running a reduced timetable due to driver availability. The 36 bus will run every 30 mins between Harrogate & Ripon, and every 15 mins between Harrogate & Leeds.
O2 apologises for network problems in Harrogate

Mobile network O2 has apologised to customers in Harrogate who have been experiencing network issues due to a faulty phone mast.

The company said in a statement today it had ordered a new part to fix the problem but it had been out of stock for a long time.

The Stray Ferret understands that customers of O2 have complained about problems with calls, texts and data for about four months.

However, there appears to be no end to the problems in sight.

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A spokesperson for O2 told the Stray Ferret:

“We apologise to customers who may be experiencing network issues in the area.

“This is due to a faulty unit, which we have requested a replacement for but which has unfortunately been out of stock for a long time.

“We are doing all we can to escalate and progress this, our network team is speaking regularly with the site owners so that as soon as we can, we will have engineers on site to fix the equipment and restore full service for our customers.”

There are other masts serving the Harrogate area. However, the fault has meant that customers are struggling to access 4G speeds.

Dates and locations for new Harrogate Christmas market revealed

The new Harrogate Christmas market is to be held on various streets in the town centre across 10 days in December.

New organisers Market Place Europe will stage its version of the seasonal market from Friday, December 3 until Sunday, December 12.

Stalls will be located on Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent.

Harrogate Borough Council revealed the details in a statement today, which also said that due to coronavirus, there will be around 50 traders with stalls spaced wider than usual.

The original Harrogate Christmas Market had around 170 traders and 55 coaches booked to attend and was expected to attract around 90,000 visitors over four days.

The council is working with Market Place Europe, Harrogate BID and North Yorkshire County Council on the new event, which will take the place of the one traditionally held on Montpellier Hill.

The organisers plan to have a larger number of stalls next year, subject to an improved public health situation.

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However, the Harrogate Christmas Fayre, as the new event is known, still needs to wait to get an approved event management plan.

According to today’s statement, the new event will feature “a number of local traders” as well as those from across Europe. Arts and crafts as well as food and drink will all be on offer.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“As operators of award-winning markets in cities such as Belfast and Glasgow, I’m sure Market Place Europe will bring a first-class offering that truly gets people in the festive mood.

“It’s been a difficult 18 months for everyone and I am confident that by working with them, local partners and stakeholders we will be able to deliver a safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas fayre.

“It will drive visitors to our district’s shops, restaurants, visitor attractions, hotels and B&Bs this festive season.”

Nick Rhodes, chief executive of Market Place Europe, said:

“Extensive research has demonstrated that our events provide additional support to town centre economies.

“As Harrogate emerges from a challenging number of months we are looking forward to bringing a quality family friendly yuletide offering to the town centre.

“We have already had several expressions of interest from a number of coach companies who are keen to bring visitors to Harrogate this Christmas.”

Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for access and member for Harrogate Saltergate, said:

“As always, our priority will be to ensure that the highways arrangements will be safe, with minimal disruption to local businesses and to residents.

“I am sure that the fayre will provide a welcome boost for the town’s businesses and residents after a difficult couple of years.”

What happened to Harrogate Christmas Market?

Harrogate Borough Council refused a licence for the former Harrogate Christmas Market due to concerns about coronavirus, overcrowding and terrorism.

After three weeks of wrangling with the council, co-organiser Brian Dunsby admitted defeat in his battle to hold the event on Montpellier Hill.

It later emerged the council had been engaged in talks with Manchester-based organisers Market Place Europe since March and has now ramped up those discussions about staging an alternative Christmas market in December.

Brian Dunsby, who co-founded the original Harrogate Christmas Market with former mayor John Fox, said:

“We are determined to organise another traditional Harrogate Christmas Market in November 2022 – hopefully in the usual location.

“We also ploughed back over £90,000 into local good causes over the past five years. It will be interesting to see how much the new venture will donate to similar local good causes.”

Coneythorpe pub rises from ashes to reopen after 11 months

A family-run pub in Coneythorpe is to reopen its doors, 11 months after a devastating fire.

Fire crews from Harrogate, Knaresborough and Acomb spent six hours battling the blaze at the Tiger Inn in November.

When the pub reopens on Monday, October 25, owners Ian and Barbara Gill will donate £5,000 to the Firefighter’s Charity as a thank-you.

Firefighters tackle the blaze at the Tiger Inn, Coneythorpe, back in November.

Firefighters tackling the blaze at the Tiger Inn in November.

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The Gills have run the Tiger Inn, near Knaresborough, for 15 years. Mr Gill said:

“As you can imagine, the last 18 months have been extremely challenging.

“We were already struggling with the serious effects of covid last year, when the huge fire struck. As a result we have been closed ever since.

“However, we have been so heartened and encouraged by the support we have received from all our regulars.

“They have given us the strength to carry on and to ensure that The Tiger will re-open in style.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said at the time of the blaze that fire broke out in the pub’s kitchen and the cause was believed to be accidental.

Neighbours said they were devastated and described the pub as a pillar of the community.