There are fears a Harrogate village bridge may have to close for repairs again — little more than a week after it reopened.

Hampsthwaite Bridge closed suddenly on June 2 for repairs estimated to cost £60,000

it reopened on September 7 but within days one of the parapets has been damaged.

Local resident and retired engineer Martin Weston, who uses the bridge daily, inspected it after seeing a photo on social media of a large agricultural vehicle crossing the bridge and reading comments by concerned locals.

Mr Weston told the Stray Ferret::

“I have inspected the bridge for damage and it showed that the parapet walls have been pushed out and loosened again over a six-metre section and it looks likely that we will face another closure when repairs need to be carried out.

“I have reported the issue to Geoff Howard from Hampsthwaite Parish Council, who I met at the bridge.

“The damage does not appear to be as severe as the previous incident and hopefully subject to the authority inspection team appraising it, it will be kept open at least until repairs are carried out.”

The vehicles squeezes over.

Cllr Howard said the recent closure caused considerable inconvenience and signs clearly showed a maximum width of 6ft 6ins for crossing vehicles.

He added:

“It is astonishing therefore to see the JCB being driven over recently.

“And it is recent because, as can clearly be seen on site, one of the joints broken by the upstream parapet having been pushed out, was pointed with a new mix of unweathered mortar.”

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The historic bridge, on Church Lane, crosses the River Nidd and joins Hampsthwaite and Clint.

Cllr Howard said he’d reported the incident to the parish council and highways authority North Yorkshire Council “and suggested someone in authority needs to have a word with the contractor”.

He added the entire parapet between two refuges had been nudged over by 10mm to 20mm and ought to be inspected by the council.

Cllr Howard said:

“The real issue is that some folk should be so unthinking as to even attempt such a crossing after all the disruption and cost the previous damage caused.”

Former Harrogate pupil George Mills has run the third fastest time ever by a British athlete in the United States.

Competing in the final of the prestigious Diamond League in Oregon on Saturday, he finished in 3 minutes 47.65 seconds.

Not only was it a personal best, it was the fastest run by a British miler since 1985. Only Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe have ever beaten it.

Mills’ performance was hailed as “absolutely astonishing” by track and field website Athletics Weekly but remarkably he only finished third behind Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Mills told his Instagram followers:

“3.47 for the mile and third in the Diamond League final to close out the season

“it’s been a busy last three weeks but I’m pretty happy with the series of races I’ve managed to put together.”

Dad Danny, the former England footballer who lives in Harrogate, replied:

“Huge progress! So proud of how hard you work, how dedicated you are! Enjoy It – you’ll be back to work soon.”

It was Mills’ third sub 3 minute 50 second mile in succession as he ended the season in superb form.

British middle distance running is exceptionally strong at the moment and Mills will hope to join the likes of countrymen and world champions Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr at next year’s Olympics in Paris.

Mills attended Ashville College, Brackenfield School and St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate but spends most of the year abroad now, training and competing.

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The Farm Dairy retained its title of Knaresborough Business of the Year at an awards event that celebrated the town’s independent traders last night.

The deli, cheesemonger and sandwich shop took the title at Knaresborough Business Collective‘s inaugural event last year.

The team retained it at a sell-out awards event at the Worlds End Pub following a public vote.

The Farm Dairy celebrates. Pic: Brian King

Natalie Horner and Annie Wilkinson-Gill organised the awards for the collective, which was set up to stage events and promote the town’s businesses.

Speaking about the Farm Dairy afterwards, Ms Horner said:

“They have a huge fan following in town and a massive customer base, they are such lovely ladies and I think not only provide a great service but also have time for anybody who goes in there.

“They’ve built great relationships with most of Knaresborough over the years.”

Five businesses or individuals were shortlisted in each of the 18 categories.

Freedom Performing Arts, which has just expanded into new premises at the former Castle Girls School, won two accolades for favourite class or workshop and favourite inspirational business.

Number Thirteen won favourite coffee shop, Mother Shipton’s was named favourite attraction, Harriet’s claimed the favourite retailer award and Claire Baxter Art Gallery received the accolade for favourite new business.

Claire Baxter Art Gallery is the town’s favourite new business.

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List of winners

Knaresborough Business Of The Year Farm Dairy

Favourite Female Led Business Sheer Bliss

Favourite Male Led Business Tommy’s Barber Shop

Favourite Family Run Business Greenwood solicitors

Favourite Healthcare Business The Crystal Buddha

Favourite hair and beauty clinic Divine Hair

Favourite Retailer Harriet’s

Favourite Place To Stay Custard Creams cottage

Favourite Attraction Mother Shipton’s

Favourite Coffee Shop Number Thirteen

Favourite Place To Eat Two Brothers

Favourite Place to Drink So! Bar

Favourite Tradesman Brian King

Favourite Class or Workshop Freedom Performing Arts

Favourite Party Provider Painting Pots

Favourite New Business Claire Baxter Art Gallery

Favourite Member of Staff Connie Li (Yorkshire Trading)

Favourite Inspirational Business Freedom Performing Arts

Here are some photos by Brian King from last night’s event.

Tesco has still yet to reveal when work will start on its new supermarket in Harrogate.

The now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council approved plans for a store on the former gasworks site on Skipton Road in February.

The scheme, which will create 100 jobs, also includes a petrol station and 209 car parking spaces.

It was approved despite concerns about the impact on the nearby Jennyfields local centre, which includes a Co-op, medical centre and Post Office.

But seven months on, work has yet to begin on the site near New Park roundabout.

The former gasworks site pictured from Ripon Road this week..

The application was approved subject to conditions, such as a £50,000 contribution to a new bus service from Penny Pot Lane in Killinghall.

The Stray Ferret understands Tesco is still working through the details of the conditions and hopes to start on site in the near future.

But the supermarket still hasn’t given a date.

The council received 82 representations about Tesco’s planning application. A total of 24 were supportive and 57 objected, mainly on the grounds of amenity, traffic, environmental and drainage impacts.

But the council’s planning committee went along with case officer Kate Broadbank’s recommendation for approval.

She said the development would “create jobs and provide social, environmental and economic benefits to the local area” and was “in accordance with the development plan policies”.

Tesco first secured planning permission on the site in 2012 but revived its plans in December 2021.

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Harrogate District Hospital has defended its new parking charges and said the ticketless system is reducing congestion.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust introduced a new system and charges on September 6.

The old entry barriers have been replaced by automatic number plate recognition.

Visitors are now entitled to 20 minutes of free parking. It then costs £4 for up to two hours, £6.50 for up to four hours, £8.50 for up to six hours and £11 for up to 24 hours.

The new prices have attracted criticism on social media, with some complaining £4 is a lot to pay for a visit that might only last for 25 minutes.

Visitors previously received 30 minutes free parking and were then charged £2.60 for up to 90 minutes, £3.80 for up to two-and-a-half hours and £6.10 for up to four-and-a-half hours.

A trust spokesperson said:

“Increasing parking charges is never an easy decision to make, but we have to ensure that our car parks are well maintained and safe for patients, visitors and staff.

“All funds gathered from parking charges are invested back into the delivery of patient care and maintaining facilities, such as car parks across the trust.

“Over the next five years we anticipate that we will need to invest significant sums in our car parks and security, and the revenue raised through car parking charges will help us to fund this work.

The old barrier has been removed.

The spokesperson added the trust chose to keep free parking or concessionary rates for certain patients and visitors including blue badge holders, patients receiving cancer treatment, parents visiting the paediatric ward or special care baby unit, and those in receipt of benefits.

They added:

“Parking is also free for the first 20 minutes allowing for patients to be dropped off and collected without the driver needing to pay for parking. It also encourages drivers from waiting in the car park after dropping someone off, ensuring that other people who require our services can find a parking space.”

The spokesperson said car park management firm Parkingeye had not issued any parking charge notices to date because the hospital was operating a grace period.

He did not say how long this would last.

Asked how the new system was working, the spokesman said:

“The new ANPR parking system is helping eliminate congestion on Lancaster Park Road through the removal of barriers which has improved flow into the hospital grounds.

“We welcome feedback from users so that we can further improve on their experience of our new car parking system.”

The ANPR system will be expanded into the trust’s staff car parks in October, where staff will be charged a monthly fee to use the car parking facilities calculated on their vehicle’s emissions, their pay band and their contracted hours.

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Police closed several Harrogate town centre streets last night for several hours when a distressed man climbed on to a roof.

The man was on top of the Linley and Simpson building at the junction of Princes Square and Albert Street fro about 6.30pm until midnight.

Both streets were cordoned off, as were some other nearby routes, including James Street.

Police in Princes Square.

Crowds gathered in Princes Square and elsewhere last night.

North Yorkshire Police eventually published a social media post saying “our officers are currently speaking to a person in distress in Harrogate town centre” and urged people to avoid the area.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said it responded at 6.32pm. It added:

“Harrogate crew assisted police with a male who had climbed on the roof of a property and refused to come down.”

Albert Street was among the streets blocked off.

The police cordons prevented people from visiting numerous hospitality businesses on a busy Friday night.

Some people were allowed to cross the cordons at certain point to enter restaurants but others closer to the incident were not.

In a social media post this morning, North Yorkshire Police said:

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North Yorkshire Police has urged people to stop sharing footage on social media of the crash that killed 17-year-old Alfie Lovett.

Alfie, from York, was a passenger in a Peugeot 107 which crashed into a wall on Brimham Rocks Road, near Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale, on Tuesday at 6.50pm.

Three other people in the car were left with minor injuries and the driver has been helping police with their enquiries.

The constabulary issued a statement this afternoon saying it was “aware of numerous video clips that are circulating which show footage from the fatal road traffic collision at Brimham Rocks on Tuesday evening”.

The statement added:

“Officers are urgently asking anyone who is in possession of any of this video footage to save it and immediately make contact with the police as this could be critical to the investigation.

“To preserve the integrity of the investigation and out of respect to Alfie’s family officers are also asking that anyone who has any of the footage refrains from sharing it with anyone else other than the police.”

Police urged anyone with video footage to email general.enquiries@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101.

Quote reference number 12230173187.

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A height restrictor costing £3,250 has been installed in the car park at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.

Motorhomes, campervans and caravans often park at the back of the car park overnight even though signs say this is prohibited.

About a dozen vehicles pitched up and stayed for three nights last month.

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West, said it was the largest encampment he was aware of and renewed his calls for North Yorkshire Council  to clampdown on overnight stays.

The council, which owns the large long-stay car park, has now responded — and pledged more changes to the site.

Last month’s encampment

The road leading to the back of the car park.

Steve Brown, the council’s head of parking services, said:

“We are committed to improving the security at Conyngham Hall car park and have recently installed a height restrictor to deter campervans, caravans and illegal encampments.

“During the winter months we will be installing a new pay machine to provide better service to the public as well as a CCTV camera which will provide additional security for the new machine.

“They will be in place for its reopening in the spring.”

Cllr Walker praised the council for responding quickly to his latest request for measures to prevent encampments in the car park.

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A man died suddenly in Harrogate this morning, police have announced.

The Stray Ferret reported this morning North Yorkshire Police had put up a cordon around one of the cabman’s shelters on West Park Stray.

North Yorkshire Police has now confirmed a body was found.

A spokesperson said:

“Ambulance and police were called to the sudden death of a man on Prospect Place, Harrogate, at 7.15am.

“The area was cordoned off while police investigated the circumstances. The fire service assisted in providing a screen around the scene as the man was found in a public place.

“Following enquiries, the death is not believed to be suspicious. The man’s family have not yet been informed.”

Prospect Place is the short road parallel with West Park Stray that passes Hotel du Vin.

The spokesperson said the scene was clear by 8.40am, adding:

“Officers are compiling a report about the death on behalf of the coroner.

“Anyone with information that could assist should call 101, select option 4, and speak to the force control room. Please quote reference NYP-15092023-0075.”

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A Knaresborough woman has said she and other residents on Briggate raised concerns about an old stone wall that collapsed yesterday.

The wall, which was painted by Knaresborough artist Joseph Baker Fountain last century, crashed on to the road at about 2pm. Fortunately nobody was hurt.

Police and council staff responded quickly by clearing away debris and installing traffic lights.

But Catherine Rogerson, who lives on Briggate, told the Stray Ferret she reported the wall to North Yorkshire Council last month because it appeared unsafe.

Ms Rogerson said bricks were clearly moving and the wall was buckling. She added:

“I said it was an emergency and could collapse, causing a nasty accident.

“Several other local people have also contacted them about it. We all stressed it was in a dangerous state.”

Ms Rogerson said a woman at the council said she would report the matter but no action was taken.

Recalling the moment it came down, she said:

“My husband and I were in the kitchen and heard what we thought was a thunderstorm and then we realised what had happened.

“The main thing is nobody was hurt — but it could have been nasty.”

A passing motorist pulled over and the police were called. Lights continue to manage traffic.

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Ms Rogerson said she hoped the wall, which has been a feature of Briggate for many years, would be repaired using the same stone.

The Stray Ferret approached the council for a response late last night and will publish its response when we receive it.