Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre closed this afternoon after a reported fire.

The centre shut at about 3pm and staff and shoppers were evacuated as firefighters were summoned to the scene.

Eyewitness Paul Ivison, from Harrogate, said people were told there had been a small electrical fire in one of the stores, believed to be New Look, but no major damage had occurred.

“Three fire engines arrived but there was no smoke seen.

“About 100 people were outside when all the tenants and shoppers had been evacuated. The whole centre and exterior units were closed.

“Everyone was very calm.”

The shopping centre reopened at about 3.30pm.

We will update this article when more information is available.

Pic: Paul Ivison

Pic: Paul Ivison

Harrogate district councillors are supporting the campaign to make York the home of Britain’s railways.

York is among six short-listed locations chosen by the government as potential locations to be the headquarters of Great British Railways.

The other shortlisted locations include Birmingham, Crewe, Derby, Doncaster and Newcastle.

Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green party councillors from across the Harrogate district joined other North Yorkshire County Councillors in a cross-party show of support at County Hall in Northallerton for York’s bid.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said York’s selection would “be of huge benefit not just for York, but for the whole of the region as well”. He added:

“The bid by York is ambitious and shows the intent in both the city and across North Yorkshire to bring real economic benefits and the prospect of hundreds of new jobs, and could prove to be a defining moment for the region.

“York has a long and proud heritage connected to the railways dating back to the Victorian era, and it would be fitting for the city to be at the forefront of attempts to reform the nation’s rail network in the 21^st century.

1,600 jobs created

Great British Railways will be a state-owned public body that oversees rail transport from next year.

Analysis has shown that the new headquarters would add an estimated £110 million to York’s economy, creating 1,600 new jobs with 320 of those roles in the 700 most deprived communities within an hour’s train journey of the city.

York is already one of the biggest rail centres in the country, with 5,000 employees linked to the industry and major train operators based in the city.

The city is also home to the National Railway Museum, and the York Central project, which is one of the largest brownfield sites in the country, is centred around the city’s railway station.

An artist’s impression of the proposed York Central development.

City of York Council leader Cllr Keith Aspden, said having Great British Railways’ headquarters in the city would open up opportunities across the whole of the region. He said:

“With 700 of the most deprived communities in the UK within an hour of York, the jobs created by locating Great British Railways in York could have a hugely positive impact on the levelling up agenda.

“Our rail heritage, expertise and skills from across the region and strength in innovation makes York the obvious home of rail.

People can vote to choose the town or city they would like to see host the new organisation but the final decision will be made by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps later this year.

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Anglers, Yorkshire Water and Andrew Jones MP are to meet this month to discuss concerns about the quality of water in the River Nidd.

The meeting will focus on the foul smell and state of the river near Darley sewage treatment works.

But it will also consider the wider issue of the Nidd’s health, which is under the spotlight after a spate of young people who swam in it fell ill during last month’s heatwave.

Seven angling groups that fish from the source of the Nidd to where it flows into the Ouse will be represented at the meeting by Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club, which is based in Darley.

The meeting, at Darley Memorial Hall, will also be attended by Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones, Darley and Menwith Parish Council and Yorkshire Water.

Anglers have requested Yorkshire Water provide data about the design and operation of Darley sewage treatment works.

The Environmental Information Regulations provide a statutory right of access to environmental information held by public bodies.

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David Clayden, honorary secretary of Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club, said there were concerns about the amount of sewage being pumped into the Nidd and he hoped the meeting might lead to some answers. He said:

“We are trying to understand why Yorkshire Water think the Nidd is OK when it doesn’t seem like it is to us.”

Mr Clayden added that the river was fishing well but dead trout and grayling could often be seen floating on the surface.

The Nidd is predominantly a fly fishing river containing trout and grayling but the lower reaches contain significant numbers of coarse fish, such as roach and chub.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:

“We’re due to meet with the MP and the local angling group to discuss the operation of our treatment works, as well as listen to any points they would like to raise about the health of the river.”

A group of community-minded children will set up shop in the streets of Harrogate tomorrow to raise money for Saint Michael’s Hospice.

The children will sell cakes they’ve baked along with bric-a-brac for what has become an annual event on Valley Mount.

It was started in 2015 by sisters Yasmin and Louisa Stokes when they were aged five and three respectively. Last year’s event generated £647.

In 2019 the group was invited to visit Saint Michael’s headquarters at Hornbeam Park to see where their funds had gone.

Yasmin and Louisa will be joined at this year’s sale by friends Ben and Chloe Annett and Annalise Plummer-Rooke.

It will take place from about 9am on Valley Mount until the cake sells out.

Presenting a cheque to Saint Michael’s in 2019.

One of the largest annual arts festivals in the Harrogate district is set to get underway.

Feva, the festival of entertainment and visual arts, takes place at a host of venues in Knaresborough from August 12 to 21.

Supported by Knaresborough Town Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Knaresborough Lions and Piccadilly Motors, this will be its 26th year.

The festival traditionally ends with the free picnic in the park in the grounds of Knaresborough House on the final Saturday.

The picnic is due to take place this year but there will also be a folk festival the following day. Street entertainers will perform in Knaresborough throughout the festival.

Headline acts include saxophonist Snake Davis (pictured above), who will be appearing with his Alligator Shoes band at King James’s School on August 16.

A new feature this year is a children’s art day.

About 40 events will take place at more than 20 venues over the 10 days.

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Many shops decorate their windows pink in support of the arts event.

Gwen Lloyd, chairperson of the committee for Feva, which is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers, said:

“The whole ethos of Feva is that it’s a community festival run for the community.

“It encompasses the whole of the town and we try to ensure there are lots of free events.”

Yorkshire Life Aquatic performed dry land synchronised swimming last year.

Residents in Green Hammerton are being encouraged to join a village history and archaeological project after a section of a Roman road was discovered.

Tony Hunt, chair of the Yorkshire region of the Council for British Archaeology, recently spotted what appears to be the missing section of Dere Street, the Roman road that went from York to Aldborough and then on to Hadrian’s wall.

He did so while researching methods of identifying crop marks using multispectral cameras at Hull University.

Mr Hunt presented his findings at a meeting in Green Hammerton this month, which was attended by about 50 residents, along with members of the CBA committee, including Dave Went from Historic England and community archeologist Jon Kenney.

The meeting was shown images of the road and, as a surprise extra, it was also revealed that a previously unrecorded Iron Age settlement associated with the road had also been identified.

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Those interested will now begin preparations for possible field walking, geophysical investigation and, if possible, excavation.

Mr Hunt (pictured above) said:

“The project is open to all and those who have never been involved in archaeology before are especially encouraged.

“By the end, we will have a clearer idea of what people were doing in Green Hammerton in the first century AD and probably the first century BC and the community will have something it can be proud of.

“This road is the Roman version of the M1 — the main arterial route from north to south.

“Every emperor that came to Britain, including Hadrian, would have gone along it.”

To be involved, email chair@cba-yorkshire.org.uk.

Liam Cope has been appointed manager of Harrogate Town’s women’s team, the club announced today.

Cope has previously managed Ossett Town Ladies and been assistant manager at Leeds United Women.

He brings with him a backroom team including a nutritionist and goalkeeping coach, details of which will be confirmed later.

Cope has set his sights on taking Harrogate to the next stage up the football pyramid by reaching the Women’s National League. He said:

“The Women’s National League is somewhere I’d like to be again, I see no reason why Town can’t be playing in that league in the next year or two.

“The team has gone from strength to strength in the past few years and we’re going to give getting to the next level a real good go.”

Cope, who begins his role next week, has already set the ball rolling recruiting players for another season in the North East Regional Women’s Football League, which also includes the likes of Sheffield Wednesday Ladies and York City Ladies.

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He said:

“I’m looking to build a squad of players that are comfortable on the ball, with a good range of passing, technical and tactical ability, but most importantly have the right mentality.

“I want players to be brave on the ball, if a player makes a mistake we move on, but the one thing I will not accept is lack of intensity or lack of effort.

“We are welcoming new players who want to play good football in a positive environment with a coaching team that will support you 100% no matter what.

“If you want to join an ambitious club then this is the place to be.”

Player development

Cope will also play a role in the club’s player development centre, helping nurture young footballers throughout the development stages. He said:

“I know we have a real good programme coming through the girls’ player development centre and that’s something I want to promote and grow.

“The impact of the Euros is going to be huge, to beat Sweden in the manner we did shows the standard of women’s football in this country, if that encourages local talent to get involved at any age then that is a massive positive.”

Cope can be contacted on 07798 841696, or via girls development officer Becky Wilson at Beckywilson@harrogatetownafc.com.

Former Harrogate guest house owner Yoko Banks was told today she would not be allowed to change solicitors again after the latest attempt to recover any gains from her crime was adjourned.

Banks, 74, of Scargill Road, was jailed for three-and-a-half years in August 2021 for renting out her properties to an Albanian drug gang for “industrial” cannabis production “in the expectation of significant profit”.

She appeared at Leeds Crown Court today via a link from New Hall Prison in West Yorkshire for a confiscation hearing.

It was the latest in a series of attempts to recover any financial gain under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

A previous hearing in May was postponed when the court heard Banks intended to appeal her conviction and wanted to leave her legal team in favour of another firm of solicitors.

At the hearing before that in January, the Crown said it was not yet in a position to make a financial confiscation ruling because Banks’ defence team needed more time to delve into her “complicated” accounts and extensive “property empire”.

The court heard today she intended to change solicitors again but Judge Christopher Batty told her there was “absolutely no way” he would permit this.

He told her she either had to stick with current solicitor Sian Barber or “deal with it by yourself”.

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Ms Barber said she had spoken with Banks, who has been granted legal aid, for the first time this morning and had 600 pages of notes to go through.

She added she was due to meet Banks again next month and therefore requested an adjournment.

In adjourning the case until November 4, Judge Batty said it had been a “wretched hearing”.

Michael Bosomworth, prosecuting, said:

“Her case has been dreadfully complicated. Frankly, she has messed everyone around for months.”

London gang

Banks was sentenced in August 2021, after the court heard that a London gang had invested tens of thousands of pounds into three cannabis factories at Banks’ properties on Alexandra Road, Woodlands Road and Somerset Road near Harrogate town centre.

The criminals had even dug a trench outside the three-storey Edwardian villa on Alexandra Road through which they fed electricity cables to the house to power the “highly sophisticated” cultivation system and bypass the electricity grid.

Their plot unravelled when police were called to the five-bedroom villa on September 26, 2020, after reports of a “disturbance” in the street involving what appeared to be two rival gangs vying for the cannabis farm.

North Yorkshire Police has urged people in the Harrogate area to be vigilant after an increase in house and car thefts.

The constabulary issued the alert this morning, saying the number of incidents had risen “over the last few weeks”.

No further details were released.

In a post on social media, the police added:

“Please ensure you keep your homes and vehicles secure.”

Over the last few weeks there has been an increase of theft from insecure vehicles and homes across the Harrogate area. Please ensure you keep your homes and vehicles secure. If you have any information on these crimes call NYP on 101 or crime stoppers anonymously on 0800555111

— North Yorkshire Police – Harrogate (@NYP_Harrogate) July 29, 2022

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A developer looks set to be given extra time to complete a report into ground stability for a 30-house scheme in Ripon.

Wetherby firm Newett Homes received planning permission in February to build 30 homes at Springfield Close. Its previous bid to build 38 homes was refused.

But Harrogate Borough Council‘s decision was conditional on the company producing a satisfactory ground stability report within four months. Ripon is a notorious area for sink holes.

The report has yet to be produced but next week’s council planning committee looks set to grant Newett Homes a four-month extension.

A council officer’s report to the planning committee recommends it awards extra time but adds that if the report is not produced in another four months “the application be refused” due to concerns over unstable and contaminated land.

The report says:

“The applicant been progressing site investigations to determine the ground stability of the site but has been unable to complete the ground stability report within the specified four-month period, due to extensive lead-in times for the various elements of the necessary work.

“They are therefore seeking an extension of time for a further period to allow the works to be completed.”

It adds that given the amount of work that has already been carried out “it would be counterproductive to refuse the application at this stage, as it would result in additional unnecessary work for both the local authority and the applicant and could delay the site coming forward”.

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The report concludes:

“It is therefore proposed to permit an extension of time to allow for the continuation of on-site works required to prepare the full ground investigation report.

“The recommendation is to extend the period to 30th October 2022.”

Councillors will decide on Tuesday next week whether to accept the officer’s recommendation.