Exercise groups have criticised Harrogate Borough Council‘s decision to seal off a popular part of Valley Gardens.
The path in front of the Sun Pavilion is widely used by people taking part in fitness classes, including yoga and tai chi.
But gates have been put up forbidding access.
Michael Constantine, head of operations at Harrogate Convention Centre, said:
“The Sun Pavilion is a privately run venue, we have sadly had to take the decision to close off the gates due to recent vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
“In addition, some of the fitness groups have also caused damage with their equipment meaning the council tax payer has had to fund preventable repairs”.
Exercise groups have reacted angrily to the loss of the facility — and the suggestion they cause damage.
Bridget Tayan, speaking on behalf of Red Orchid Tai Chi group, which uses Valley Gardens regularly, said:
“Ou tai chi group have been practising up there for over 10 years and have never caused damage or inconvenienced anyone.
“Indeed we are often asked questions about the Sun Pavilion by passing tourists.
“I also pointed out that most of our group are in their 60s and 70s and not likely to vandalise anything. I have not had a reply.”
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Ms Tayan said several other fitness groups, including yoga organisations and army-style fitness sessions, along with personal trainers and individuals who liked to keep fit. also used the area when it rained and were “equally dismayed”.
She added:
“I know that many of the Valley Garden regulars are concerned about the gates being locked as it has always been a right of way, apart from when there are functions, which is fair enough.
“Visitors like to stand on the terrace to take photos and it is one of the few places you can shelter if it is raining hard.”
Ms Tayan also suggested the size of the gates was unlikely to deter vandals.
‘Our council tax pays for this’
Comments on Friends of Valley Garden’s Facebook group were overwhelmingly critical of the move.
One said:
“I am a member of a fitness group who use Valley Gardens. We would never cause damage to the gardens and appreciate the beautiful gardens we can look at while at our classes.”
Another said:
“Another example of the short-sightedness of Harrogate council. I’ve exercised here for years, many others do so too. I have never, ever witnessed any damage of any kind. Our council should be facilitating and encouraging outdoor fitness.”
“So we can have a nice amenity just as long as we don’t use it? Our council tax pays for this and we want it back.”
Harrogate district firefighters tackled four “significant incidents” in the space of just over an hour last night.
Two fire engines from Harrogate were mobilised, along with appliances from Knaresborough, Ripon, Boroughbridge and Summerbridge.
The number of overnight fire engines at Harrogate is due to be reduced from two to one under plans by North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe.
Firstly, crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough were called to a fire in the basement of a pub at Bond End, Knaresborough at 2.24am.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log said:
“This was caused by spontaneous combustion of warm laundry in a basket and caused fire damage to the laundry only, there was smoke damage to the entire property.
“Crews used four breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, a thermal imaging camera and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the fire.”
Because Harrogate and Knaresborough firefighters were still dealing with this, crews from Ripon and Boroughbridge had to be drafted in at 2.58pm to a house fire on St Leonard’s Road in Harrogate caused by an electric heater which was too close to combustible materials.
One man had got out of the property by the time they arrived thanks to the smoke alarm going off. The incident log said:
“Crews used four breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, thermal imaging camera and a backpack sprayer to extinguish the fire which was caused by an electric heater too close to combustible materials.”
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The firefighters’ night was far from over.
At 3.11am, firefighters from Harrogate and Summerbridge used hydraulic cutting equipment to extract a man from his car following a single vehicle crash on the B6161 at Beckwithshaw.
Then at 3.38am, an officer and a crew from Knaresborough attended a single vehicle crash on the B6161 at Leathley. A man, believed to be drunk, had broken his nose and was out of the vehicle where he was left in the hands of police.
A Harrogate Fire Station spokesperson said:
“Fire crews in the Harrogate district last night had four significant incidents all at the same time.
“Resources were stretched but able to assist in all incidents.”
The spokesperson said “smoke alarms really do save lives” and the fire caused by the electric heater “is not unique”. They added:
“Firefighters nationwide are warning of the increased risk of fire due to unsafe use of electric heaters as people try to keep down costs during the winter.”
Safety advice from Electrical Safety First if you have an electric heater
- Ensure the device is on a level surface, well away from anything or anyone that could knock it over
- Ensure it is is well away from combustible materials, such as paper, furniture or curtains
- Ensure it is never used to dry clothes
- Ensure it is never left unattended for long periods while in use, or while you are asleep
- Don’t use an extension lead to power a heater as they can easily be overloaded
- Regularly inspect the heater for damage and deterioration
Sneak Peek: The Nelson Inn reopens this week
The Nelson Inn has, for years, been a haven for people travelling between Harrogate and Skipton on the A59.
The pub has undergone several changes of ownership in recent years. But now, after a £1m spruce up in the wake of its summer acquisition by Brunning & Price, it is set to reopen.
Two hundred people have been invited to drinks and nibbles tonight. After another invitation-only event to trial the food tomorrow, the pub on the edge of Killinghall will open to the public at 5pm on Wednesday.
It will serve drinks from 11.30am daily and begin offering freshly-cooked food at noon, right through until 9pm Monday to Thursday, 9.30pm on Friday and Saturday and 8pm on Sundays.
With 156 seats inside and 60 outside, it is another chapter in the long history of this deceptively spacious pub.
Landlady Sam Aston
Landlady Sam Aston, who was previously employed by Greene King in the Isle of Man, has taken charge and head chef Stuart Russell is running the kitchen.
The bar serves a wide range of drinks brewed locally, by companies including Roosters, Turning Point and the Harrogate Brewing Company.
Ms Aston says the building was originally built as a house in 1776 and is believed to be one of many that adopted the Nelson name after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The cosy interior
It is the 82nd pub in the upmarket range belonging to Brunning & Price. Although the layout hasn’t changed a great deal, the refurbishment has given it a cosy and welcoming feel.
The ground floor is dog-friendly and there are two private dining areas. Roaring fires, events such as gin-tasting and afternoon teas are also part of the mix, although the teas aren’t available yet.
The business has created about 30 jobs but the company still hopes to recruit about 10 more staff.
Two thieves have smashed their way into an independent Harrogate shop and stolen cigars and whiskey.
The men, believed to be in their early 20s, used a stone to break a glass panel on the door of James Barber Tobacconist.
It is one of two shops on Cold Bath Road targeted by criminals already this month. In a separate incident last week, a man vandalised the Christmas lights outside hair salon Dangerfield & Keane.
Mr Barber has published CCTV footage of the break-in on his Instagram page in the hope it might lead to an arrest.
The incident happened in the early hours of November 1 and Mr Barber has decided to release the film now because the police investigation has yet to find the perpetrators.
The thieves also smashed a cabinet to get hold of the goods. One left when the alarm sounded.
Mr Barber estimated the crime had cost him £1,000 in repairs and loss of goods.
His Instagram post said:
Man, 23, suffers serious facial injuries in Ripon“Until now these two are still out and about maybe looking for another opportunity to violate another business owner.
“Since it has been more than 10 days, we felt the need to warn all local businesses like us to be vigilant as we believe this can happen anytime. If anyone recognises these two please report it directly to the Harrogate police. Crime No.NYP-01112022-0012.”
A 22-year-old man has been arrested following a disturbance on Ripon’s Finkle Street.
Police were called to the incident at 2.40am in the early hours of Saturday.
The victim, a 23-year-old man was found with serious facial injuries and taken to hospital for treatment.
The 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent, he has been released on conditional bail to allow for further enquiries to be carried out.
Crime scene investigators were summoned and a scene guard was put in place to allow officers to retrieve any evidence from the scene of the incident.
Crime scene investigators at the site on Saturday.
North Yorkshire Police is urging anyone who witnessed the incident but has not yet spoken to police to get in touch on 101. The incident number is 12220200870.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Man suffers serious head injuries on Harrogate’s Bower Street
A 32-year-old Harrogate man has been arrested following a reported assault on Bower Street.
Police were called by the ambulance service at 6.20pm on Saturday after the victim, a man in his fifties, was found with serious head injuries in the street.
The victim was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious condition.
The 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent. He has since been released on conditional police bail to allow for further enquiries to be carried out.
It was revealed last month that railings are to be installed on Bower Street in an attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour.
North Yorkshire Police is urging anyone who witnessed the incident but has not yet spoken to police to get in touch on 101. The incident number is 12220201215
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Three arrested after dozens of bags of cocaine found in Harrogate
Two men and a woman have been arrested after police stopped two cars and found dozens of bags of cocaine in the Harrogate area.
North Yorkshire Police said today two different vehicles were searched.
As well as suspected cocaine, a lock knife was also found in one of the cars and the driver was banned from driving.
A man in his 20s has been charged with possessing a blade and driving while disqualified. He was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class-A drugs.
A woman, also in her 20s was also arrested on suspicion of class-A drug offences.
A second man in the other vehicle, who is in his 20s, was also arrested on suspicion of possessing class-A drugs.
All were bailed following the drug arrests on Thursday to allow the substances to be inspected by a laboratory as part of police investigations.
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Morning ‘traffic chaos’ on A61 between Ripon and Harrogate
Motorists have endured a morning of misery between Ripon and Harrogate this morning due to lengthy delays on the A61.
Roadworks at Bishop Monkton combined with a broken down bus in Killinghall caused a double delay for people using the main route.
Linda Birnie called the Stray Ferret to say it took her an hour and 10 minutes to get from her home in Ripon to Ripley. She said:
“The traffic this morning was absolutely appalling. I would have gone through Knaresborough if I’d known.”
Ms Birnie set off at 8am and shortly afterwards hit a two-mile queue caused by lights near the garden centre at Bishop Monkton.
According to North Yorkshire County Council’s live roadworks map, there are two-way signals there until Friday due to work being carried out by Yorkshire Water.
It always says there are separate roadworks at Wormald Green until Wednesday this week.
Ms Birnie said after getting through that queue, there was a brief period of respite before she encountered another large tailback before the Ripley roundabout due to a broken down bus in Killinghall.
She had travelled to Harrogate because she is a member of the Harrogate Borough Council-owned leisure company Brimhams Active and her yoga class had been moved because of ongoing work caused by ground stability issues at Ripon’s new leisure centre.
Other motorists got in touch to inform us of lengthy delays on the same route this morning.
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A foggy day of remembrance across the Harrogate district
From Ripon Cathedral to Knaresborough Fire Station, people fell silent for two minutes across the Harrogate district today to pay their respects to the war dead.
Thousands of people stood 20-deep in the fog around the war memorial in Harrogate for the traditional parade and outdoor service.
Thousands of people also gathered at Spa Gardens and on nearby streets in Ripon, where services were held at the war memorial and in Ripon Cathedral.
Ripon Spa Gardens
Starbeck observed a minute’s silence at 11am before the main ceremony at 3pm.
Starbeck war memorial
Further afield, Junior soldiers from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College took part in a Remembrance Sunday service at Merville Battery, France, as part of a trip learning about the Normandy invasion.
Junior soldiers from Harrogate in France today. Pic: Matt Allen / MOD Crown Copyright 2022
Besides the formal ceremonies, many people took time out of their day to observe the two-minute silence.
Firefighters at Knaresborough lined up to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Knaresborough Fire Station
It marked the culmination of commemorations, which started with a minute’s silence on Friday. November 11 at 11am.
Pateley Bridge, which traditionally holds its main service on the 11th whatever the day, did so again this year.
Harrogate’s Ashville College also held a service on Friday before students and staff, along with members of the governing body and former pupils, gathered in front of the memorial to hold a two-minute silence and to lay wreaths and poppies.
Of the 300 former Ashvillians called up in the First World War, 38 died in the conflict. Eight of those were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
In the Second World War, 465 former pupils and teachers volunteered for the forces, and of those 59 were killed.
Ashville College
North Yorkshire Police crime scene investigators are attending an incident on the corner of Finkle Street and Allhallowgate in Ripon.
The corner site has been cordoned off with blue and white police tape.
A crime scene investigation vehicle, mobile police office and a further police vehicle and officers have been at the scene.
Police at the scene are not giving any details about the nature of the incident.
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