Thousands of people turned out across the Harrogate district today to support the Knaresborough tractor run.

The event, which is believed to be Britain’s biggest tractor run, has become one of the district’s most popular annual events.

Almost 400 tractors, including some vintage open station models with hardy drivers braving the elements, tooted their horns, waved and revved their engines to the delight of the crowds.

Organised by Knaresborough Young Farmers, the event raises money for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Tractors set off just after 9am from the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and headed to Ripley and Knaresborough.

Today’s start at the showground.

The convoy then passed Staveley, Burton Leonard and Markington, Bishop Thornton and Glasshouses before stopping in Pateley Bridge for lunch.

The drivers and passengers then continued to Bewerley, Dacre, Darley, Birstwith and Hampsthwaite before finishing in Knaresborough late this afternoon.

The organisers arranged live tracking of the front and back tractors for the first time, which led to some scammers posting a link online asking people to give bank details to follow a live stream.

Some people reported losses before the organisers deleted the links and issued warnings not to use them.

The number of tractors taking part and the sum raised has yet to be confirmed but the event appears to have been another big success.

Read more:

• Start your engines: it’s time for Knaresborough tractor run
• Knaresborough businesses criticise ‘ludicrous’ empty electric vehicle charging bays

About 400 vehicles are expected to take part in tomorrow’s 25-mile Knaresborough Tractor Run.

The tractors are due to set off from the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate at 9am before snaking around the district.

The spectacular convoy will head to Ripley and Knaresborough before travelling to Staveley, Burton Leonard and Markington, Bishop Thornton and Glasshouses.

It is expected to arrive in Pateley Bridge at midday for a hog roast and then continue to Bewerley, Dacre, Darley, Birstwith and Hampsthwaite before finishing in Knaresborough at 4pm.

The number taken part won’t be known until tomorrow as drivers can turn up on the day.

Participation costs £20 and an extra £10 for each passenger. You can enter here or turn up at the showground.

All proceeds are donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance — a cause close to the hearts of many farmers taking part because of the way it helps people in remote and rural areas.

Last year, a total if 383 tractors took part and the event raised £21,000.for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Although the route uses some minor roads, the convoy takes about an hour to file by and traffic delays are possible for vehicles caught up in the event.

The route snakes around Nidderdale

Tractor Run committee chairman and Ramsgill farmer Steven Brown urged anyone with a tractor, farmer or otherwise, to take part, and anyone without one to turn out to support the event. He said: 

“Come along and join in the fun. We reckon it’s the biggest tractor run in the UK, so the chances of seeing anything similar elsewhere are slim.”

Prizes will be awarded for tractors in three categories: vintage, classics, and modern. 

Read more:

• ‘Britain’;s biggest tractor run’; set to return to Harrogate district on Sunday
• Knaresborough businesses criticise ‘ludicrous’ empty electric vehicle charging bays

Midday on market day in Knaresborough last Wednesday brought a familiar sight — cars struggling to park.

Town centre parking is rarely easy in Knaresborough but the decision to allocate 10 of the 56 parking spaces in Chapel Street car park to electric vehicle charging bays has incensed some businesses.

While vehicles hovered around the car park for a space to emerge, nine of the 10 EV charging bays were empty. Business owners say it’s costing them trade and are calling for a rethink.

We spoke to several who were all at pains to point out they support better infrastructure for electric vehicles, but claim Harrogate Borough Council went too far, too soon by removing so many bays at once and a rethink is required.

The sole vehicle charging in Chapel Street when the Stray Ferret visited last week was being used by Bev Nelson, who is originally from Harrogate but now lives in Sheffield.

Ms Nelson visits Knaresborough every few weeks for a hairdressing appointment at Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty on Castlegate and said the chargers were great for her but questioned whether so many bays were required:

Bev Nelson (seated) and Kelly Teggin

Ms Nelson’s car was the only one being charged.

She said:

“We have a public car park near where I live in Sheffield which has two electric chargers. Ten does seem excessive.”

Ms Nelson pays via an app and hooks up a connection cable she keeps in her car. But although the charging process is simple, it isn’t quick: she needs to plug in for four hours just for 25% charge, which raises questions about the suitability of locating the charging bays in short stay town centre car parks.

Ms Nelson says she sympathised with Ms Teggin and other business owners who are feeling the impact.

Ms Teggin says:

“It’s hitting our shops really hard. I’ve got older lady customers who just don’t come to Knaresborough anymore.”

All the businesses we spoke to said some of the 10 EV bays should be made available to all vehicles until demand caught up with supply. Over time. more bays could be allocated EV-only, they said.

Garry Gilmour

Garry Gilmour, director of estate agents Newby James, said:

“There’s never more than three out of 10 spaces taken. I worked in the motor trade for years and electric vehicles are good but I don’t think they have thought this through.”

No multi-storey car parks

Emma Brierley, owner of butchers Huttons, agreed, saying the current allocation had been done to meet targets for 2038. She said:

“They have taken too many spaces too quickly. There’s not the need at the moment for that many.

“We already lose parking spaces on market day because of the market so with this on top we are 30 or 40 spaces down.  We don’t have any multi-storey car parks like Harrogate or a big supermarket car park like Ripon.”

Emma Brierley

Gill Mitchell

Gill Mitchell, owner of shoe shop Stomp, agreed.

“There’s a massive problem with parking in the town centre.

“Kelly has lost appointments which could be costing her £100 each. You can understand her frustration. It’s not as bad here because customers can come whenever they like.

“I can see both sides of the argument but it is a problem because some customers are saying ‘we can’t be bothered to come in because there’s nowhere to park’.”

Some traders said they weren’t sure whether non-EV vehicles parked in EV bays were actually getting parking tickets.

Harrogate Borough Council did not respond to this point when the Stray Ferret asked.

‘It’s been a big issue for some time’

Councillor Phil Ireland, the Conservative Cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability at Harrogate Borough Council lives in Knaresborough.

Last week he attended an event in Harrogate alongside rugby league legend Martin Offiah to mark the roll-out of 100 electric vehicle charging points in the Harrogate district.

Cllr Ireland said he understood and sympathised with the concerns:

“There’s always been this question of parking availability in the town centre. I know it’s been a big issue for some time”

But he added there were plenty of spaces just outside the town centre, such as York Place long-stay, which has 240 bays and is “grossly underused” although he acknowledged it was too far for some people. Knaresborough, he added, had good buses.

“Market day is always a pinch point. It’s popular and we do our best to keep it that way.

“But we’ve got to persuade people to invest in EV.”

Cllr Ireland said “range anxiety” deterred many people from going electric and the availability of chargers would address this.

He suggested groups like Knaresborough & District Chamber and Knaresborough Town Council could work with North Yorkshire Council, which will succeed Harrogate Borough Council at the end of the month, on issues such as running the market, which could lead to improvements.

Knaresborough market is held every Wednesday.

Net-zero by 2038

We put the traders’ concerns to Harrogate Borough Council.

In a statement, a council spokesperson said:

“To help achieve our net zero-carbon economy by 2038, and to support the demand and rapid uptake of electric vehicles following the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, we are installing almost 100 charging bays across the Harrogate district.

“In response to our ultra-low emission  vehicle strategy consultation, we received significant support for the creation of a public charging network. And thanks to a grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles we have been able to help meet this demand.

“More than 20 chargers will be installed in Knaresborough, including Chapel Street car park which is already being used by both residents and visitors alike.

“These bays, which are for EV charging only, account for less than three per cent of the more than 800 spaces available in Knaresborough, so we are confident that non-EV drivers will still be able to find a space in one of the six car parks in the market town, including York Place which is a five-minute walk from the town square. There is also plenty of on-street disc parking across the town.

“Any EVs who use a charging bay at Chapel Street car park, or any of the charging bays across the district, will still need to adhere to the maximum stay period (four hours) and pay for the amount of time they park for (pay and display), as well as the cost of charging their vehicle. There are no parking fees for charging bays between the hours of 6pm and 8am to help residents charge their vehicles overnight.”

The Harrogate district has woken to its worst snow of the winter. Amber and yellow weather warnings remain in place all morning and roads are treacherous.

Please send news of how the weather is affecting your school, roads and neighbourhood so we can add it to the blog. Email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

12.39pm: Ice warning for tonight

A @metoffice warning for ice is in place across #NorthYorkshire until 10am tomorrow. A warning for #snow and #ice is also in place from 3pm tomorrow until 6am on Sunday.

Please take care when out and about.

Find out more at https://t.co/hUMWZu9ntv pic.twitter.com/6zjLqfCNjJ

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) March 10, 2023

12.08pm: Council says it ‘stood down’ today’s bin collections

Due to the weather conditions overnight, and the sub-zero temperatures predicted tonight and into tomorrow, we have made the decision to stand down today’s (10 March) household waste and recycling collections…

Find out more at: https://t.co/F9iIHqV6GD

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) March 10, 2023

11.42am: Minus nine degrees tonight?

The BBC weather forecast is currently forecasting a minimum temperature of minus nine degrees tonight. The Met Office, however, is predicting no lower than minus four degrees.

Either way, it is going to be cold and with standing snow conditions could be treacherous.

11.31am – Commercial Street in Harrogate ‘passable’

Commercial Street is “open for business” and “passable”, say businesses.

❄️Commercial Street is quite passable & OPEN for business❄️

☕️Don’t forget we’ve got 2 fab indie businesses to keep you warm with delish hot drinks – Bean & Bud and Lilly’s Cafe! ☕️

Find out more on our website https://t.co/UoImSxseXl#shoplocal #indie #Harrogate #snow pic.twitter.com/HWcapDPjsV

— Commercial Street (@Commercial_St) March 10, 2023

11.20am – More Harrogate pictures

More pictures of Harrogate covered in snow this morning on Montpellier and the Stray.

11.10am – Household waste recycling centres reopen

North Yorkshire County Council has announced its household waste recycling centres in Harrogate have reopened.

All of our household waste recycling centres have now reopened, except for #Leyburn. pic.twitter.com/A8Ldz5u5t2

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) March 10, 2023

11.05am – Ripon covered in snow

A nice aerial shot of Ripon market square and the cathedral sent into us by Paul Smith.

10.55am – Picturesque Knaresborough

Knaresboroughphotography has shared this picture with us on Instagram. Perfect for a postcard.

10.45am – Stray pictured in the snow

Ian Wilkie has sent some beautiful pictures of the Harrogate Stray pictured in the snow, along with a snowman.

10.35am – RHS Harlow Carr to reopen at midday

RHS Harlow Carr is set to reopen at midday today. However, play areas will be closed.

⚠️ Garden reopening at 12pm – 10 March ⚠️

We'll be reopening at noon today with a limited route around the garden – play areas will be closed. It will be half price tickets for payers.

Grab the camera and snow boots to enjoy a winter wonderland ❄ pic.twitter.com/S6Yr3HPku5

— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) March 10, 2023

10.24am – West Harrogate recycling centre closed.

The West Harrogate recycling centre at Pennypot Lane is also closed this morning due to snow.

Thornton-le-Dale and West #Harrogate household waste recycling centres are also currently closed due to the #snow. pic.twitter.com/6038uUcNPK

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) March 10, 2023

10.15am – Belmont Grosvenor headmaster gives snowman advice

With pupils learning from home, Nathan Sadler, headmaster at Belmont Grosvenor School, has issued the following advice to parents:

In terms of learning from home, if you get the opportunity with your children, please can you:

• make snow balls
• roll in the snow – make snow angels!
• build a snowman
• sledge
• drink hot chocolate
• HAVE FUN!

Here he is pictured with his family and their snowman.

10.05am – Harrogate recycling centre is closed

North Yorkshire County Council has announced the household waste recycling centre on Wetherby Road is currently closed due to the snow.

The following household waste recycling centres are currently closed due to the #snow:
– #Harrogate Stonefall
– #Leyburn
– #Settle
– #Skipton pic.twitter.com/EfrQRGm9yS

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) March 10, 2023

10am – The view from Pateley Bridge

Joyce Liggins has sent this picture in of Pateley Bridge covered in snow this morning.

9.25am – No waste and recycling collections this morning

Harrogate Borough Council has announced that its waste and recycling teams currently are not collecting this morning.

Due to this morning's conditions, our waste and recycling crews aren't currently collecting.

We are keeping a close eye on the weather and road conditions and will provide an update later in the day. pic.twitter.com/o4pc5wNSGF

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) March 10, 2023

9.15am – Snow pictures from across Harrogate

9am – Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal closed

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal has announced it will be closed today.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is closed this morning due to the snow. Please don’t travel here as the car parks are closed and the paths are not safe. Take care on the roads and keep an eye on the website for all live updates. https://t.co/tyiQ88giPV pic.twitter.com/x0cdXUG7eS

— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) March 10, 2023

8.30am – Full list of school closures

Here is the full list of school closures in the Harrogate district.

6.39am: Bus service cancellations

The Harrogate Bus Company is warning of problems and providing a link to more information.

⚠️ Due to the current weather conditions we have a number of diversions and cancellations in place.

ℹ️ Please see the link for further details: https://t.co/0dCzYc3pFH

We apologise for any inconvenience@MetroTravelNews pic.twitter.com/7VEpbzFYdP

— The Harrogate Bus Company (@harrogatebus) March 10, 2023

6.34am: Pannal school closes

6.30am: Two schools announce closures

Admiral Long Primary School, Burnt Yates and Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith have emailed to tell us they have closed today.

Has your school closed? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will include it in this blog.

A traffic order has been issued for the closure of part of James Street to vehicles as part of the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway.

It is one of numerous orders published today as part of the controversial town centre scheme to boost walking and cycling.

If the proposals go ahead, traffic will be prohibited on James Street from the junction with Princes Street to Station Parade.

Traffic orders have also been published to remove town centre parking bays, reduce Station Parade to single lane traffic and make Cheltenham Mount one-way from its junction with Cheltenham Crescent to its junction with Mount Parade, which are also part of the scheme.

The traffic order at the James Street junction with Princes Street.

Cheltenham Mount would become one-way from Cheltenham Crescent to Mount Parade.

North Yorkshire County Council has yet to give the gateway approval and said the orders were a procedural move that would not prejudice its decision.

Richard Binks, head of major projects and infrastructure at the council, said:

“We are required to consult on traffic regulation orders relating to Harrogate’s Station Gateway. This is a statutory process we have to go through and is a requirement of the full business case submission to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

“This will not prejudice the decision on whether the scheme will proceed. We are committed to pressing ahead with the traffic regulation order as waiting until a decision is made on the scheme would result in further delays overall. A decision on the gateway scheme will be made in May.”

How Station Parade would look

But Judy d’Arcy Thompson, a Harrogate resident and business owner, said it was undemocratic of the council to proceed with the scheme when consultations had attracted more opposition than support.

She was also concerned about the impact of long-term roadworks on town centre businesses and people driving around Harrogate, adding:

“Many town centre businesses struggling back to life after covid would be knocked sideways by this.”

Lib Dems to decide?

Funding for the gateway scheme was secured in March 2020 and so far three consultations have taken place.

The council’s Conservative-controlled executive has now said the scheme will come before its Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee before a final decision is made in May.

Eight of the committee’s 14 members are Liberal Democrats and Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transportation at the council, has said it would be “very difficult for us to proceed” if the committee opposed it.

Committee member Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley — told a council meeting last night he was coming round to support the project.

People have four weeks to comment on the traffic orders, copies of which are available at Harrogate library, the Civic Centre and County Hall in Northallerton.

They are also due to be published here.

Comments should be submitted by April 6 by email to area6.boroughbridge@northyorks.gov.uk or in writing to North Yorkshire County Council, Customer Service Centre, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 5AD.

A TV programme next week will show Jonathan Ross petrifying his pants on a visit to Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough.

Jonathan Ross’ Myths and Legends will feature the presenter travelling the UK on the hunt for incredible tales as old as time.

He visited England’s oldest tourist attraction, Mother Shipton’s Cave, while filming the four-part series last summer.

The episode, due to broadcast on Monday, shows Ross learning about the legend of the Yorkshire Prophetess, who is said to have been born more than 500 years ago and foretold the Great Fire of London and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

During his visit Ross visited the cave’s petrifying well, which can turn everyday items to stone. For centuries it was believed to be magic, but we now know it is due to the unusually high mineral content in the water.

The team at Mother Shipton’s asked Ross if he would like to donate anything to be petrified by the well to mark his visit, and he donated a pair of orange boxer shorts, which he affectionately called his lucky pants.

Visitors can now see Jonathan’s pants hanging from the petrifying well.

Once they’ve fully turned to stone, they’ll be on display in the museum alongside other donated items including Queen Mary’s petrified shoe, John Wayne’s petrified hat, and Bobby Davro’s petrified sock.

Read more:

• Campaign to create Knaresborough Forest Park issues urgent plea for support
• Knaresborough’s Riverside Cafe owners bid farewell after 13 years

A Mother Shipton’s spokesperson said:

“We loved having Jonathan Ross visit us last summer, he was such a down to earth and funny chap – exactly as you see him on television.

“He was genuinely interested and fascinated by the story of Mother Shipton and awestruck by the geological phenomenon that is the petrifying well.

“He also spoke very highly of our beautiful town of Knaresborough and very much enjoyed chatting with the locals in the pub in between filming.

“We are providing him and his team with regular updates on the petrification progress of the bright orange pants he left with us!”

Jonathan Ross’ Myths and Legends airs on Monday at 9pm on More 4.

Ripon Cathedral‘s proposed £6 million building poses a threat to the future of the Old Deanery and should not be approved, it has been claimed.

The cathedral has submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council to create an annex that would include a song school, refectory, retail unit and toilets on Minster Gardens.

The nearby Old Deanery is governed by the Chapter of Ripon Cathedral, which agreed a 20-year lease on the property to Layton Hills Hotels in 2021.

Layton Hills Hotels now holds events at the Old Deanery and plans to re-open it as a hotel and restaurant.

The Old Deanery is just metres from the cathedral.

Now LCF Law, which has offices in Harrogate and is acting on behalf of Layton Hills Hotels, has written to the council claiming the proposal threatens the future of the business.

LCF Law also questions why the Old Deanery does not appear to have been assessed as a site for the new development because, it says, the building has the space and facilities to accommodate such a scheme.

Masterplan

The law firm also claims that since signing the lease, Layton Hills Hotel has seen a masterplan developed by the cathedral six years ago that includes “not only the current development but also hotel and housing on land close by, including in the garden of the Old Deanery on land comprised within the leased area”.

It adds:

“However, in discussions for the lease for the Old Deanery, no mention was made to Layton Hills Hotel about any of these commercial proposals which, if permitted, would be in direct competition with the Old Deanery.

“This is somewhat surprising, not least because the Old Deanery, a grade 2* listed building, would have been available for use by the Chapter to satisfy the alleged need for additional space and facilities.”

The Old Deanery currently caters for events, such as weddings. Photo: Tim Hardy

The letter goes on to say the leaseholders are concerned about what impact drinks receptions and evening events at the new cathedral building might have on the Old Deanery. It adds:

“If Layton Hills Hotel had been notified by the Chapter about its future plans, including the possibility of the development of an events’ venue in direct competition with its business and immediately adjoining it, then it is unlikely that it would have entered into the lease of the Old Deanery as its future is directly threatened by it.

“Layton Hills Hotel are concerned that the proposal may be used for commercial ventures which go above and beyond a visitor facility for the cathedral and will be used to hold events in direct competition to the operation of the Old Deanery.”

LCF Law’s letter also raises wider concerns about the planning application, including the loss of trees in Minster Gardens.

It concludes:

“The proposal will cause significant harm notably through the loss of trees, the loss of open space and the adverse impact it will have on the setting of four listed buildings of great importance.

“It is therefore contrary to both local and national planning policy. It should therefore be refused without an exceptional justification with public benefit at its heart which has not been provided.

“There has been no convincing justification for why the uses must be combined in a single building of such scale.”

Ripon Cathedral says the new building will attract more visitors to the city.

The Stray Ferret asked the cathedral for a response to LCF Law’s letter. A cathedral spokesperson said it didn’t feel it was appropriate to comment on individual responses while the planning process took place.

However, a cathedral website about the project says:

“The proposed new building will provide key facilities to ensure it can continue to play its role in the life of the city, diocese (of Leeds) and region and enable it to host more events, exhibitions, and concerts, which will attract increased numbers of people to the city, to the benefit of all.

“We understand people’s concerns around the removal of 11 trees, but the building will deliver a range of much needed facilities for the people of Ripon and visitors, along with the cathedral community, and the loss of these trees will be offset by the planting of 300 trees at Studley Royal where land has been made available to us.

“Extra storage space will mean that the cathedral will be able to declutter its internal space, which will enable historic parts of the cathedral, currently not viewed, to be accessible to the public.

“There will be an increase in the conservation area and biodiversity of the cathedral estate.”

Railings have been installed on one of Harrogate’s worst streets for crime in a bid to prevent problems.

The railings, which cost £6,000, follow long-running concerns about anti-social behaviour on Bower Street.

Harrogate Borough Council and private owners of the properties affected each paid half of the sum.

North Yorkshire Police recently named Bower Street as one of Harrogate’s crime hotspots.

The street, on which Harrogate Homeless Project is based, often sees people loitering on the steps of the retail unit that was formerly occupied by donut shop Doe.

A Harrogate Borough Council press release this afternoon said “negotiations have taken longer than hoped” due to the land being privately owned.

The railings being installed today.

Councillor Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“All of us who live or work near this location know that it has been trouble for a long time. While the council has worked with the police on the issues, the land is privately owned and installing secure boundaries is the responsibility of the property owner.

“Nonetheless, the council and other partners recognise the impact that anti-social behaviour and criminal activity has on the quality of life of residents, businesses and the wider community.

“That is why we have agreed to help the property owners secure their boundaries and install these railings. I am grateful to the property owners for working with us on this and am pleased to say that said railings are now installed.

The council statement said it had been working with residents and partners to “tackle ongoing issues of anti-social behaviour in this area of Harrogate town centre”.

The measures regular police patrols and targeting individuals who cause harassment, alarm and distress, the release added. Now the railings have gone up.

Read more:

• Railings to be installed on Harrogate’s Bower Street
• Harrogate district police inspector reveals local crime hotspots

Cllr Cooper added:

“We know that securing this area will not immediately solve the anti-social and criminal behaviour problem at this location. Long-term dedicated support is the only way to do that. And we must recognise that the people who congregate in these areas often have complex physical and mental health needs.

“We need to continue to support agencies and schemes like Harrogate Homeless Project and Harrogate Street Aid that provide help to people in need.”

A Harrogate district football team has opened a cafe named after its former player — superstar Rachel Daly.

Nomads Daly Brew Cafe is situated at Killinghall Moor Community Park, which is the home of Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club. A mural of Rachel playing for England is on the wall.

Rachel, who was part of England Lionesses’ success at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 last year, started her career at Killinghall Nomads and still has strong connections with the club.

Her mother, Louise, lives nearby and Rachel did a zoom call with girls during lockdown and has paid for kit.

Mary Beggs-Reid, social media officer for the club, said the club was trying to arrange for Rachel to attend an official opening in the next few weeks, and there was the possibility of England men’s manager Gareth Southgate also attending.

Mary said Rachel was thrilled when the club asked if she would be happy for the cafe to be named in her honour, adding:

“She’s absolutely over the moon about it. Some people get streets named after them but nothing had been done for Rachel.”

Read more:

• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly scores twice as England beat Italy
• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly named WSL Player of the Month — again!

Mary said the club committee got permission from Harrogate Borough Council to build the cafe at its clubhouse, which already had a kitchen. It cost £50,000 which was paid for by club funds and a grant from sports charity the Football Foundation.

The cafe is currently open on Saturday and Sunday mornings and most mornings during the week, but the times are a bit ad-hoc until the cafe officially opens.

Killinghall Moor is popular with dog walkers who can call in for refreshment. There is free WiFi and snacks such as bacon sandwiches as well as drinks. Mary said:

“It’s for the club and the community. Everyone is welcome.”

A Facebook group here has further details.

After winning Euro 22, Rachel moved from Houston Dash to Aston Villa Women, who are fifth in the Women’s Super League. She is the league’s second highest scorer with 10 goals.

Killinghall Nomads, which was formed in 1987, offers football coaching and competition from under-6 to under-16, including dedicated girls’ age groups from under-7 to under-16, as well as a pan-disability section.

King’s Road in Harrogate was closed for several hours last night due to a fire at the former Kimberley Hotel.

Eight fire engines were called to the large site, which has been the subject of drugs and crime concerns lately.

An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said the incident happened at about 11pm.

The eyewitness, who lives and works nearby, said the road was closed until about 2.45am.

The cause of the fire and extent of damage. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said:

“Crews from Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Tadcaster, Northallerton, Skipton and Malton along with the aeriel ladder platform responded to reports of smoke issuing from a disused hotel.

“Crews used 20 breathing apparatus, four hose reel jets, one main jet and lance, lighting, thermal imaging cameras, small tools, door enforcer, hydraulic spreaders, reciprocating saw, drills and a triple extension ladder to fight the fire.

“The fire caused 100% fire damage to the annex measuring 10m by 10m and caused 5% fire damage and 50% smoke damage to the main building.

“One crew is currently still in attendance. The cause is under investigation.”

Read more:

• Harrogate’s former Kimberley Hotel being used for drugs and crime, say police
• Kimberley Hotel owner goes into liquidation amid £3.5m debts