Two-way traffic lights on Fountains Road look set to remain in place for several weeks.

The lights were installed following several heavy rainstorms in December, as one part of the road (pictured), which runs between Ripley and Sawley, is notorious for flooding.

However, despite recent dry weather, there is no sign of the lights being removed imminently.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council how long the lights were expected to remain, as well as what long-term flood prevention measures will be put in place on the road. A spokesperson responded:

“Before the traffic lights are removed, we must jet the gullies and inspect the carrier drain.

“Officers hope to be on site in the next few weeks.”

The spokesperson did not provide a timeframe and said the authority will “provide an update closer to the time and when works are ongoing”.

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An Amazon MGM Studios production starring Camila Mendes, which was partly filmed in Harrogate, is due to be released next month.

Upgraded, which tells the story of an aspiring art intern who sparks up a romance on a work trip, was shot in the town in the summer of 2022.

A spokesperson for the production company told the Stray Ferret scenes were shot at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel, which “doubles as a posh London hotel”, as well as The Mercer Art Gallery, on Swan Road.

Camila Mendes (L) and Marisa Tomei. Amazon MGM Studios. Credit: Paul Stephenson

It appears the scenes shot in Harrogate will pass off as London in the film. Asked why Harrogate was chosen, the spokesperson said:

“Harrogate a beautiful Yorkshire spa town with lovely architecture that can easily double for London.”

Part of the Stray was also used to film a football match scene.

The crew was spotted filming on the Stray in August 2022.

The Stray Ferret reported on the production at the time of filming after American-Brazilian actress Camila Mendes, the leading lady, was spotted in the town.

Ms Mendes, who starred as Veronica Lodge in Netflix’s Riverdale, is joined by British actor Archie Renaux, as well as Marisa Tomei who featured in the Spider-Man franchise and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Upgraded will be released on Prime Video on February 9.

The trailer is available to watch on Youtube now.

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• Five-day ASLEF strike set to hit Harrogate to London trains

On Monday, January 22, ASLEF announced the planned industrial action had been cancelled. Another planned walk-out, on February 2, is still set to go ahead. 

Members of the Associate Society of Locomotive Engineers and Fireman (ASLEF) Union will walk out at LNER for five days next month.

ASLEF issued a press release yesterday saying drivers will walk out from Monday, February 5 until Friday, February 9.

It added members would also refuse any non-contractual overtime from Wednesday, February 7, to Saturday, February 10.

LNER operates trains between Harrogate and London King’s Cross, which are likely to be affected during the strike, although details have yet to be revealed.

It has been engaged in a long-running pay dispute with ASLEF.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said:

“We have given LNER management – and their government counterparts who hold the purse strings – every opportunity to come to the table and they have so far made no realistic offer to our members.

“We have not heard from the Transport Secretary since December 2022, or from the train operating companies since April 2023.

“It’s time for them to come to the table and work with us to resolve this dispute so we can all move forward and get our railway back on track.”

LNER has yet to comment on the strike.

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North Yorkshire Police officers have now identified the person they wanted to speak with in connection with a criminal damage incident in Ripon.

The Stray Ferret has amended its coverage to anonymise the person in the CCTV image.

The force today said the incident, which occurred at around 4.30am on Christmas Eve (Sunday, December 24), happened at the BP petrol station on North Street.

Officers added:

“We’re asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the person in the CCTV image as we believe they will have information that will help our investigation.

“Anyone with any information is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Quote reference number 12230245400 when passing on information.

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Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a new way for patients to book, cancel or change appointments.

Since December, people are now transferred directly to the department they require, where they can liaise with staff directly.

By contrast, patients were previously directed to a general appointments department, which was run by four members of the medical records team.

A spokesperson for the trust told the Stray Ferret:

“The aim being to improve efficiency and patient experience as those dealing with the calls are experts in the patient pathway for the speciality in question.

“Patients can speak directly with the service they have an appointment with.”

As part of the new system, people still call the same phone number to make an enquiry about their appointment, the spokesperson added, and said the difference being patients now select an option to transfer them through to speciality teams directly.

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However, the shake-up has already proved unpopular with one patient.

The person, who asked to remain anonymous, contacted the Stray Ferret after struggling to change an eye appointment at the hospital.

She said:

“The result is that anyone trying to make, change or cancel an appointment has to go through a series of options to get through to an individual department – eyes for instance – instead of going through the appointments centre as it used to be.

“I tried to do this recently. The phone just rang and rang. No one picked up. I tried again and again with no success.”

After struggling to change her appointment, she decided to go to the hospital to do so. While there, the woman voiced her concerns about the new system to a staff member:

“I was told by a very unhappy member of staff that as well as doing their normal job managing a clinic, they are now having to take all the calls that would previously have gone through the appointment centre.

“I found this very concerning. People are busy. If they try and call the hospital and can’t get through, are they going to be able to keep trying and trying? Or are they simply going to be a “no show” costing the NHS more money in wasted appointments?”

Roadworks on the A61 Ripon Road through Killinghall are set to remain in place for another eight days.

Two-way lights were installed in the village on Thursday, January 11, as Northern Powergrid began nearly two-weeks of cable works.

They had added to delays experienced by the many motorists who use the road at busy times.

A spokesperson for the operator said the work “relates to a fault on a service cable feeding supply to a house”.

They added:

“Engineers have identified a fault under the main road.

“Teams are working as quickly and safely as possible to install the new cable under the road.”

Northern Powergrid said it expects the work to be completed by Wednesday, January 24, adding:

“We apologise to customers for any disruption caused and thank them for their patience.”

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Three nights of flood prevention work will take place at Harrogate train station this week.

In a letter sent to nearby residents, seen by the Stray Ferret, Network Rail said it will be carrying out the prevention works and repairs to the drainage system.

It said the work requires road-rail machinery, which may “cause some some noise whilst in operation”.

A Network Rail spokesperson said:

“Our engineers will be working overnight between Monday and Thursday to investigate and carry out work to the drainage system underneath Harrogate station.

“Teams will be working to restore a foul pipe connection between the platform and the sewage network under the railway line.

“We know that working close to residents’ properties can be disruptive, especially overnight, but our teams will be as sensitive as they can while they carry out the work.”

 The company also apologised in advance for the disruption but said the “work is essential”. It added:

“The team need to undertake the work at night as it is the safest time to access the railway, due to the low numbers of trains that run overnight.”

Network Rail will be working overnight from Monday, January 15 at 10pm, to Thursday, January 18 at 8am.

The company does not expect the works to disrupt regular train schedules.

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Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

Harrogate-based Synergy Car Leasing has appointed a managing director.

Will Voisey, who will be taking on the role, has worked at the company for more than 10 years after starting out as a sales account manager. He brings two decades of industry experience to the role.

Mr Voisey said:

“Synergy has a great team of people and a strong leadership team, and we are well placed to deliver our next stage of growth.

“As a long-standing employee of Synergy, I am excited to be building on our success to date.”

Harrogate travel agent makes first hire since covid

TravelGate, on Harrogate’s Albert Street, has hired Lizzie Anthony as a travel consultant.

Ms Anthony, who previously worked as cabin crew for Emirates Airline, is the firm’s first hire since the pandemic.

Phil O’Boyle, joint founder and director of TravelGate, said:

“Lizzie brings a real enthusiasm, energy and passion for travel. Her previous role as cabin crew for Emirates Airline gave her the opportunity to travel extensively and develop her knowledge of many destinations.”

Northern appoints chief operating officer 

Northern has appointed one of Network Rail’s route directors as its chief operating officer.

Matt Rice, who lives in York, will succeed Tricia Williams, who is stepping into the managing director role.

Mr Rice will lead all Northern service and engineering functions across the north of England in his new role. He said:

“I have spent my career focused on making things better and I am committed to fostering a positive workplace culture for all and delivering great rail services for people across the north of England.”

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Surge Padel, on Hornbeam Park in Harrogate, is hosting a padel tennis speed dating event next month.

The site, which is the largest indoor padel centre in the UK, will play cupid for those in search of love by pairing people up to play a doubles match.

Assistant manager of Surge, Mark Thompson, told the Stray Ferret the idea was born out of a running joke between staff and members:

“We decided to do it because it became a bit of a running joke when we asked our members what they’d be doing for Valentine’s Day.

“Most of them said they were doing nothing, so we thought why not help them while playing padel?”

Mr Thompson said women will be allocated a court and a partner to play a match with.

After 15 minutes, the men will then swap courts, which will give the players the opportunity to mix and meet others.

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Mr Thompson said people of any ability can take part — including those who have never played — and added it may be “more fun if people can’t quite play”.

“There will also be drinks after – we’ll have Prosecco and beers etc. – so people can stay and watch the advanced players and continue to mingle.

“The strapline of the event is ‘you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take’ and it really applies.

“It’s not really about padel, it’s about people meeting each other – and maybe even falling in love.”

Mr Thompson said anyone over the age of 18 is welcome and they will “play sexuality by ear” dependent on the preferences of those that sign up.

He also told the Stray Ferret he “understands some people may be cautious to sign up”, but urged them to take the leap:

“I know it’s a bold move to get on the court and try to meet someone that way. But really, at worst it’s just a good story to say ‘I went to a speed dating padel evening’.

“At best, you might meet the person you’d like to spend the rest of your life with!

“I’d be pretty happy saying I met my forever person on a padel court – take the shot.”

The event costs £20 and will take place on February 16. Call Surge Padel to sign up.

The Harrogate district saw the highest number of arrests in the county once again during North Yorkshire Police’s winter drink and drug drive campaign.

A total of 731 roadside tests were completed in North Yorkshire during December, with 18.5% of those testing positive to being over the limit for drink or drug driving — a 6.9% increase from the year prior.

Of those arrested, 76% were male and 24% were female.

Police attributed the increase to a “more targeted approach to catching drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol”.

The results, which were published today, show 21% of arrests were made in the Harrogate district. Last year 33 of 121 countywide arrests during the campaign were made in the district.

Scarborough (19%) and York (16%) accounted for the most arrests this year after Harrogate.

Police said the reason drivers were stopped and asked to provide a sample including committing a moving traffic offence (522), suspicion (138) and being involved in a collision (71).

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There were no drink or drug related fatal collisions throughout the period of the campaign.

The highest reading taken during a roadside test was 118. The offender was given a 28-month disqualification and a fine at York Magistrates Court.

Chief inspector Alex Butterfield, from specialist operations, said in a statement:

“When it comes to catching those who choose to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the public is key and I want to thank every single person who provided information.

“Serious conversations can be difficult or awkward but they may just save a life.

“I would urge you to start a conversation around driving under the influence with family and friends, especially if you have young or inexperienced drivers in your household.”

Police urged anyone that suspects a person may be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs to dial 101 or 999 if the risk is imminent.