Connor Creaghan, Author at The Stray Ferret

‘Crazy’ rush to buy homes in Harrogate as stamp duty holiday ends

Estate agents in Harrogate experienced a “crazy rush” to complete home purchases this week before the end of the stamp duty holiday.

One estate agent told the Stray Ferret yesterday was their busiest day in the last two years while a property expert said the government should have never imposed the holiday.

Completion day is always fraught for prospective home buyers and sellers. However, many will have been particularly nervous this week with £15,000 in stamp duty savings on the line.

From today, the tax free threshold falls from £500,000 to £250,000 and will drop again to the usual rate of £125,000 on October 1.

Richard Smailes, a partner at Feather Smailes Scales, told the Stray Ferret:

“There was a mad rush to get everything completed by the end of play yesterday. We are still seeing plenty of interest and demand.

“Just because the deadline has gone it does not mean that the reasons for moving have gone away. People want more from their homes because they are spending more time there.

“FSS was very busy yesterday, we had an awful lot of completions on the books. We were geared up for it but it was our busiest day in the last couple of years.”

Harrogate Borough Council has also experienced a surge in search requests in recent months.

The local authority has struggled to cope with the demand at times but the situation has improved and the average wait is currently three weeks.

Alex Goldstein, an independent property expert in Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret:

“I said from the outset that we did not need the stamp duty holiday. We already had a very strong market before the tax break came into play.

“So what we have seen over the last year is prices go up significantly in the area. It seems the stamp duty was just added as part of the price of the property.

“This is what happens when the government tries to intervene in the market, it just creates a bigger problem for people.”

What has been your experience? Reach out to tell us your story by sending an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Employee stole from Harrogate garden centre for more than a year

A former employee of a garden centre in Harrogate who stole cash from it for more than a year has been ordered to pay back a sum of money.

Michael Stuart, 64, of Swarcliffe Road, Harrogate, took cash from Crimple Hall on Leeds Road in Pannal between July 2019 and October 2020.

North Yorkshire Magistrates Court, sitting at Harrogate Justice Centre last week, ordered Stuart to pay £500 in compensation to Graham Watson, the managing director of Crimple Hall.

The court also gave Stuart until June 2022 to complete 100 hours of supervised unpaid work.

Crimple Hall condemned its former employee in posts on its social media channels.

The posts said:

“Please meet a Mr Michael Stuart a once trusted and well-paid employee who repaid that benevolence by systematically stealing over a long period of time from Crimple Hall garden centre.”

The company also tweeted that it was taking action to reclaim money that had been stolen.

Long Lands Common set to open to members for the first time

Long Lands Common is preparing to welcome visitors for the first time next month shortly after the expected end to lockdown restrictions.

The group behind the community woodland project has said it will hold an official opening day and meeting on July 24, starting at 11am.

It will still be subject coronavirus regulations.

Around 3,000 people bought shares in the land. The appeal raised £375,000 to purchase 30 acres of land near Nidderdale Greenway and protect it from development.

The committee has said that after the meeting it will ask volunteers to help with a “bio blitz” survey and bulb planting, finishing with a public picnic.

Anyone who would like to attend the opening day has been asked to register their attendance by filling out a small form here.

Secretary of Long Lands Common, Chris Kitson, told the Stray Ferret:

“It will be a great day. This will be the first opportunity for most of the members to see the land and contribute to the area.

“There are plenty of things we need to talk about at the meeting, we need to decide how much we change the land, how much access we have for dogs and more.

“Currently it is just going to be open for members. In order to open for the public we need to change the use of land through planning.”

The future of Long Lands Common, once earmarked for a relief road, finally looks secure for wildlife.

It is first and foremost a nature reserve but the goal is for the public to enjoy it too.

Dishforth farm creates strawberry picking experience for wheelchair users

A farm in Dishforth has created a pick your own strawberry and raspberry experience suitable for older people, wheelchair users and people with prams.

It seems such a simple idea but not many pick your own farms around the country offer it.

Mark and Mary Bean run Beau Fraise’s Fruity Berry Fruit Farm, which can be found on Dishforth Road in Dishforth, near Ripon.

The idea was sparked by Mary’s sister, who uses a wheelchair, as well as some of the farm’s previous customers who struggled with access.

A lot of work has gone into the project.

It has taken about 11 months, 35,000 welds, 70 tonnes of soil, 4,000 strawberry plants and 1,500 raspberry plants but it is now open to the public six days a week. It is closed on Tuesdays.

Mark, who has done the majority of work himself, told the Stray Ferret:

“We have been doing strawberry picking for about 15 years but we decided we needed to make a change for this year.

“This has been a lot of work, a mammoth task really, but it has also been a labour of love.

“People love it, the word seems to be spreading quite quickly and I have lots of messages from people interested. So we have been quite busy already.”

Now the farm is up and running, Mark and Mary are planning to set aside a day a week when only those who are elderly and disabled can go.

The first of those days was held today when a group from Hampden House care home in Harrogate went for a special visit.

Historic Harrogate naturist club holds first open day since covid

An historic naturist club in Harrogate is to hold its first open day since covid.

Valley Sun Club, which dates back to 1937, has a caravan site in a secluded spot on the outskirts of Harrogate.

The club, which is situated on five acres of land, is looking to reach new people in the area during its open day, which takes from 10am on Sunday, July 18.

It hopes that those who have missed the secluded naturist beaches in Europe will try out their Harrogate club as part of the staycation boom.

To protect privacy, the precise location of the club has not been divulged, other than it is on the outskirts of Harrogate.

Those involved also requested to only use their first names.

Anne, who is in charge of membership at Valley Sun Club, told the Stray Ferret:

“Naturism is growing in popularity around the UK but it is probably not as popular as we would like it to be around Harrogate.

“We are just trying to reach out to anyone who might be interested, it might not be for everyone but I think there are lots of benefits to getting involved.”

To book your place, or for more information, contact richardatvalley@gmail.com or call 07340 177142.

As well as sunbathing, the club has boules, miniten, a nine-hole pitch and putt golf course and a bar at weekends with a pool table, darts and karaoke.

Many members have a caravan on site during the summer season, which allows them to stay as often as they wish but caravans are also available for rental.

Harrogate primary school wins £260,000 to improve safeguarding

A primary school in Harrogate has won £260,000 of government funding to improve safeguarding measures.

Bilton Grange Primary School applied last year to the Condition Improvement Fund, which awards grants to schools for capital projects.

A school spokesperson said it was “brilliant news” it had been chosen and more detailed plans on how the funding will be spent would be discussed next week.

Bilton Grange is one of five North Yorkshire primary schools that belong to Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust, which together received £1 million. The other four schools are all outside the Harrogate district.

The CIF fund is designed to keep schools safe and in good working order. This includes health and safety issues, building compliance and poor building conditions.

Aspin Park Academy in Knaresborough got a new roof and fire safety system after it received £500,000 from the fund in December 2019.

The Bilton and Knaresborough schools both worked with Leeds property consultants Eddisons to secure funding.

Since 2016, Eddisons has raised more than £100 million in successful CIF bids on behalf of schools and colleges.

Ian Harrington, building and project consultancy head at Eddisons, said:

“The CIF projects really are essential to creating a better learning and work environment for both students and staff at schools and colleges across the UK.”

Have you seen the Spofforth scarecrows?

Spofforth residents raised £650 last weekend for next year’s platinum jubilee celebrations in this year’s summer solstice challenge.

Villagers created 33 scarecrows as part of this year’s film-inspired challenge. The sale of trail maps, hot and cold drinks, flowers and cakes at the village hall generated funds.

All of that income will go towards preparations for a long weekend of events to celebrate the queen’s 70th year on the throne in 2022.

The top three scarecrows by vote were ‘Wind in the Willows by Michael and Marion Lamb, Up by Chris and Chloe Verity, and Harry Potter, by the Roberts family.

Marie Cousens and Robyn Farmer, who helped organise the summer solstice challenge, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s gone really well. I am amazed by the amount of scarecrows we have around the village and the quality of them.

“We’ve had lots of people coming through, buying tonnes and tonnes of cakes. It’s been cake delight in the village hall.

“It’s the second time in recent times we have done this. Last year’s trail was really good at brightening the spirits of residents. It’s lovely to see everyone out and about.”

More delightful scarecrows:

Harrogate porter’s hands feature on new NHS coronavirus pin

A porter at Harrogate District Hospital has had his hands honoured as part of a new NHS pin to thank staff for their efforts during the pandemic.

Faisal Yousaf, known as Faz, is one of just six people who have taken part in the project to support NHS charities.

TMB Art Metal has developed an initial run of 5,000 of the special fundraising pins. A total of £10 from the sale of each £25 pin will go to NHS Charities Together.

The pins, which are cast in metal from a 1939 Spitfire that flew in the Battle of Britain, are available exclusively by clicking or tapping here.

Colleagues of Faisal put him forward for the project. He was on the frontline in the emergency department and the admissions unit taking patients to and from the intensive care unit.

He works all around the hospital transporting patients, blood supply and equipment, as well collecting items from nearby villages and Leeds.

Faisal said:

“I feel overwhelmed to be a part of this project. I’ve been here for around two years, and to me, my colleagues are not colleagues but friends and family.

“I was seeing first-hand the doctors and nurses who’d been in full PPE for 12, 13 hours coming out of intensive care, their expressions, body language and the scars the equipment made.

“Then in the days and weeks that followed it became a really proud achievement to have all my colleagues around me and to be a part of that team.”

Sammy Lambert, business development, charity and volunteer manager said:

“I am delighted that we are involved in such a monumental project. Faz is an incredible colleague and a real asset to #teamHDFT.

“All of our colleagues across the trust are so grateful to be part of such a lovely initiative to thank the NHS.

“I see first-hand the difference the monies raised through donations from projects such as this can make – thank you.”

Harrogate council tells gran to remove trampoline after noise complaint

Harrogate Borough Council has told a grandmother that she needs to remove her trampoline after a noise complaint.

Angela Hutchinson, who lives on a council estate in the Jennyfields area of town, has until the end of today to take it down.

The trampoline is in the communal garden. Ms Hutchinson believes all the neighbours who share the garden are OK with it.

But a council officer has told her that it has received a noise complaint so she needs to remove the trampoline.

A rather upset Ms Hutchinson told the Stray Ferret:

“So it’s really sad that we have to take this down, just because one person does not like the noise.

“It’s not that it’s every day, but I’ve got to take it down. This is a shame, I wanted to resolve it peacefully.

“I would happily have a conversation with the person who has complained, to make sure it is not used when they are sleeping or anything like that.”

Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed that it has asked Ms Hutchinson to take down the trampoline and said the noise levels are “not acceptable”.

“A trampoline, placed on a communal garden area that is owned by the council, is being used by a number of individuals not associated with the residential property in question.

“It is being used for extended periods of the day, both during the week and at weekends. The noise levels created are also not acceptable.

“Therefore, we have requested that the owner of the trampoline needs to remove it.”

Gallery: sun shines on Harrogate food and drink festival

Harrogate’s food and drink festival returned to the Stray today to become the town’s first major event since the coronavirus pandemic.

The event dodged the bad weather of the last week, as the sun shone on the Oatlands Drive part of the Stray that hosted the event.

The festival will be open again tomorrow to offer people the chance to enjoy international cuisine, independent bars, artisan stalls, live music and a fun fair.

The organisers have once again partnered with the mental health charity Mind, with the Harrogate district team stationed on the exit.

Mike Gibbs, chair of Harrogate district Mind, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s fantastic. We are so grateful to the event organisers who have helped over the years to raise money for Mind.

“Like other charities we are having a tough time with coronavirus. Events like this are going to help save lives.”

Amy Griffin, who is working on the Doe Harrogate stall, told the Stray Ferret:

“It feels amazing, Harrogate is such a great place to be. It feels a bit more normal doesn’t it? Everyone is here.

“We’ve got party rings, rainbows, Victoria sponge cake, the crowd favourite Biscoff and plenty more.”

Adele Wrightson, on the Fire and Dough stall, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is the first time we have been down here, we are from Northumberland. It’s great weather so lovely to have it outdoors.

“It’s odd to have so many people in one place. This is the biggest event we have done in recent times, they have gradually been getting more busy over the summer.”