Members of a military re-enactment group sweltered in 31 degree heat in Boroughbridge on Saturday.
The arming the knight display was part of the launch of the Battle of Boroughbridge battlefield trail.
It was the final event of a programme celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322.
3 Swords re-enactment group demonstrated how mediaeval knights equipped themselves for battle.
Group members took 45 minutes to put on layer upon layer of clothing, maille armour, leather padding, steel plate and helmets, which were almost too hot to handle.
The new battlefield trail has information boards erected at key sites around the town to explain what happened when rebel barons led by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, fought across the River Ure with King Edward II’s forces led by Sir Andrew de Harclay.
Mayor Sean Hynes with the 3 Swords team and Chris Rock and Louise Whittaker, of the Battlefields Trust.
The battle ended in victory for the king’s army after one of the rebel’s leaders, the Earl of Hereford, was killed when a pikeman thrust his spear from beneath the narrow timber bridge across the Ure and Sir Roger de Clifford, of Skipton, was seriously injured.
After an overnight truce, the king’s army entered Boroughbridge and arrested Lancaster, who was taken to his castle at Pontefract for a show trial. He was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered, but received a merciful death by beheading.
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The anniversary celebrations were organised by the Battlefields Trust, Boroughbridge and District Historical Society and Boroughbridge Town Council, with support from developer Miller Homes.
The information boards were illustrated by Chris Rock, Yorkshire region chair of the Battlefields Trust.
Sean Hynes, the Mayor of Boroughbridge, paid to everyone involved during Saturday’s events.
Shop selling handmade crafts opens today in HarrogateA new shop selling items handmade in Yorkshire is to open in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre today.
Boggle Hole sells items made by about 90 crafters, artisans and designers in Yorkshire.
The shop, run by Mel and Andrew Turner, stocks a wide range of items from jewellery to children’s wear.
Ms Turner is a holistic therapist and Mr Turner served 22 years in the armed services.
The couple already have a similar shop in Northallerton, which they opened in July 2020.
Mr Turner said:
“Harrogate has a good feel about it with the right kind of people to appreciate quality handmade goods.
“There’s something for everybody. We work with 90 to 100 people that make something unique.”
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Serious collision causing long delays on A1 at Boroughbridge
Police are currently dealing with a serious collision on the A1(M).
It’s on the northbound carriageway between the Boroughbridge interchange at junction 48 and junction 49 at Dishforth.
Both carriageways closed to allow emergency services and the air ambulance to attend.
The southbound carriageway has reopened but the northbound route remains closed and is causing hour-long delays.
National Highways tweeted at about 5.30pm.
#A1M remains closed northbound between J48 and J49 near #Thirsk #NorthYorkshire after a serious collision. Police investigation is underway. The closure is causing severe delays of over 60 minutes to journeys between J47 and J48. Allow extra time and consider alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/0w8vIC9w3c
— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) August 14, 2022
North Yorkshire Police is advising motorists to avoid the area if possible, saying the northbound carriageway “may be closed for some time”.
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Cyclist suffered ‘serious injuries’ in Harrogate crash
A cyclist suffered serious injuries in a crash with a car in Harrogate yesterday, police said today.
A stretch of Cold Bath Road was closed for hours following the collision at the junction with West Cliffe Grove.
The air ambulance landed on the Stray so paramedics could offer medical treatment quickly.
North Yorkshire Police said it had now traced the driver of a dark-coloured hatchback who they appealed for help finding yesterday.
Officers are now appealing to anyone who saw a white Vauxhall Viva travelling uphill on Cold Bath Road from the direction of the Fat Badger hotel bar roundabout or saw the cyclist travelling in the opposite direction to get in touch.
The scene at the junction of Cold Bath Road and West Cliffe Grove yesterday.
A police statement said:
“The rider of the pedal cycle suffered serious injuries at the scene and was taken to hospital for medical treatment following the incident at around 1.40pm on Friday.
“Police appeal for any witnesses to the collision or anyone who has CCTV/dash cam footage that may assist the investigation to come forward.”
If you can help, contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident 12220142867. Or email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk.
Quote reference number 12220142867 when providing details.
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Hot Seat: The Harrogate man leading the way in luxury care
When Graeme Lee was in his mid-20s, he organised a holiday for 24 people in two chalets in France. Tragically, two of them died on the trip.
Devastated, he took a year off from his job as a senior manager at Marks & Spencer. His sabbatical drifted into a second year until it ended abruptly when his mother fell ill and he rushed home to be with her. Within four weeks she was dead.
Thirty years on, Mr Lee is one of Harrogate’s most successful businessmen. His company Springfield Healthcare has six care homes, a £30m turnover and 1,500 staff, including domiciliary care. It wasn’t university or education that forged him, but those early losses.
He says:
“They were two of the most traumatic things that have ever happened to me.
“I can’t tell you how responsible I felt for what happened on the holiday. One of the girls wasn’t going to go and I lent her the money.
“Those two years away transformed me. I learned a lot about the meaning of life.”
It has been some journey. Mr Lee grew up in a small care home his mum and dad owned in Garforth, West Yorkshire, regularly moving bedrooms to accommodate residents and watching TV with them at night.
He then struck out on his own at M&S until his mother’s death proved a turning point. He says:
“Shortly before she died, Mum asked if I would look after Dad and the business and my two sisters. I’ve tried to do that ever since.”
Care homes are light years away from what they were when Mr Lee was young. He says:
“Care homes in the 1970s had bad reputations. Your grandma would say ‘don’t ever put me into a care home’. That’s driven me over the years. I want to change how older people perceive care homes.”
Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate
Today Springfield Healthcare, which has six homes providing 500 beds, is at the forefront of luxury care. Think cinema days, rooftop terraces and gin bars.
Harcourt Gardens, which opened close to Harrogate town centre in December, is registered for 115 residents. Its facilities include a cinema room, gym, hairdressing salon and spa, and landscaped gardens. He adds:
“The most important thing for me is that it’s in the heart of the community. Older people want to live in their community.”
Naturally it isn’t cheap — prices in Harrogate start at £1,250 a week. Mr Lee says his company creates an option for people able to afford the choice and provides value for money.
Harcourt Gardens, which employs 50 staff, took more than seven years to go from vision to completion. Covid and a flooded basement added to the delays.
How does he top that? Another site in Harrogate could raise the bar even higher.
‘Holy grail of care’
Outside Grove House
Three years ago, Mr Lee bought Grove House, a grade two listed building off Skipton Road that was once the home of Victorian inventor, philanthropist and mayor Samson Fox.
Grove House belonged at the time to the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, a fraternal movement. A flag showing the initials GLE hung outside, indicating it was the organisation’s grand lodge of England.
So when Mr Lee, whose car number plate bears the initials GLE after his name, turned up to check out the site, there was a sense of fate. That there is a plaque about Samson Fox near his Harrogate home added to this.
He bought the site for £3 million and now plans to transform it into “the holy grail of care”.
He wants to convert Grove House to accommodate 23 independent living apartments and build a 70-bed care home and eight houses providing supported living for over-65s on land alongside it.
Schoolchildren from nearby Grove Road Community Primary School will be invited to participate in activities alongside residents and use the gardens for study and play. The site will also host an annual garden party for the community.
The vision for Grove House.
He says:
“I want to bring Grove House back to life and make it part of the community.
“All of my 28 years in care have led me to this. We are giving back to the community and school. It’s not just about making money; it’s about doing the right things.”
‘Strong regional provider’
Mr Lee, who will be an energetic 57 next month, is eyeing other projects.
He’s bought the former Summer Cross pub in Otley and hopes to get planning permission to convert it into a care home. He’s also looking at a site in Wetherby. But his empire is unlikely to swell much more.
“I don’t want to be the biggest, I want to be the best. I want to be a good, strong regional provider.”
Times, however, are tough. Brexit, he says, has “not had a significant impact” besides the fact that he now employs fewer European staff, but he describes the impact of the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills as “massive”.
“I’ve never known it as challenging in my 28 years. We have increased pay rates by 11% for domcare and fuel allowance by 33% and it hasn’t even touched the sides.”
By contrast, he says some local authorities have only increased the rates they pay private providers by 3%, which he describes as “absolutely unacceptable”.
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The company is also focusing on staff wellbeing and provides a hardship fund for those in need.
The rise in agency staff is another big change in the care sector, which he attributes largely to evolving work patterns.
“Ten years ago, I didn’t have any agency staff. Now people want to work for four to six weeks and then have a month off.”
Care homes are a major part of the Harrogate district economy but most people, says Mr Lee, make the mistake of not thinking about them until there’s a family crisis. Then they are suddenly forced to make rushed decisions. He says:
“There are so many good care homes on your doorstep here in Harrogate. Go and start looking.”
Mr Lee has two grow-up children from his previous relationship. Son Hugo runs a recruitment company and daughter Rafaela is at university. He now lives with partner Heidi and her three boys.
Away from work, he “plays golf, badly” off a 13 handicap, and is a member of Alwoodley golf club in Leeds. He also enjoys mini-breaks.
He’s come a long way but the 1990s are never far from his mind.
He is close friends with the parents of one of the girls who died and he’s still driven by the promise he made to his mum to look after the business and to keep raising the bar on care homes.
Planters moved as Harrogate’s Beech Grove reopens“I’m totally committed to providing the holy grail of care. I want it to feel like a hotel when people walk in.”
Harrogate’s Beech Grove has re-opened to through traffic.
North Yorkshire County Council introduced an experimental order in February last year closing the road at the junction with Lancaster Road.
The move was initially brought in as a one-year trial but was later extended to 18 months.
It aimed to encourage cycling and walking and there were suggestions the closure could become permanent.
But the council announced this month the order would end.
The decision proved popular with some residents and motorists, who said it merely increased traffic on neighbouring streets, but upset some cyclists, who had been told Beech Grove would be a central part of plans to create an integrated cycle route between Cardale Park and Harrogate train station.
Today the planters enforcing the closure were removed, two days before the experimental order was due to expire.
A council spokesman said this afternoon:
“Beech Grove and Lancaster Road are now open to vehicles.”
But what happens next is unclear.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said it will review the situation and then “bring forward a detailed and coordinated plan, connecting active travel initiatives such as Otley Road and Station Gateway together”.
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A61 reopens between Ripley and Ripon after Land Rover fire
The A61 has reopened between Ripley and Ripon after a Land Rover caught fire.
Harrogate fire station tweeted about the incident just before 4pm today.
It added:
“The fire has been extinguished but road remains closed due to fuel spillage.”
North Yorkshire Police tweeted shortly after 5pm that the road had reopened.
Thank you for your patience – the A61 south of Ripon has now re-opened in both directions. https://t.co/xdaLIyE7Dg
— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) August 12, 2022
It had earlier warned that the surface was unsafe.
Anyone travelling north on the A61 towards Ripon is asked to come off on Moor Road into Bishop Monkton, then follow Knaresborough Road into Ripon.
The A61 is closed in both directions and is likely to remain so for some time, so please plan your journeys accordingly.
(2/2)
— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) August 12, 2022
Buses were also affected.
https://twitter.com/harrogatebus/status/1558109060712595456
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Prologue opens ‘luxury showroom’ for bikes in Harrogate
Performance cycling business Prologue is to open the bike equivalent of a “luxury car showroom” in Harrogate tomorrow.
The showroom will display some of the finest quality bikes on the market, ranging in price from £3,000 to £15,000.
The showroom is based in Wellington House, the former hotel on Cold Bath Road.
John and Rachael Reid opened Prologue in another unit in Wellington House in 2014 — the year the Tour de France came to the Harrogate district.
Since then Prologue’s distinctive yellow branding has become a feature of Cold Bath Road. It has a shop selling cycling gear and clothing, a workshop, a bike fitting area and a café open to everyone.
But it doesn’t sell many bikes simply because there isn’t space.
The new showroom, in the former White Stone Ski and Sports Store, will address that by stocking up to 40 bikes.
The white lines of a road have been painted in the middle of the showroom and bikes will be displayed there, as well as hung from the walls to create a high end feel.
Mr Reid said:
“It will provide that same level of experience you get in a luxury car showroom.
“If you’re buying a high quality bike you want to enjoy the experience of going through that process of looking at it and trying it and getting that personal service.”
Prologue is expanding on Cold Bath Road.
Harrogate’s cycling hub
Scottish-born Mr Reid, who previously worked in software sales, opened Prologue eight years ago when he was looking for a change of career and lifestyle.
A keen cyclist, he and his wife, who used to work in the same building on Cold Bath Road when it was home to Harrogate Interiors, funded the business themselves.
They now employ eight full-time staff and several part-time and the shop only closes three days a year.
The business has benefitted from a surge of interest in performance cycling and British success in the Tour de France but the couple have worked hard to create a social hub as well as a business.
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They quickly forged links with local clubs Harrogate Nova and Cappuccino Cycling Club, whose members often converge outside. They also host talks on subjects such as nutrition and training and have even hold film screenings.
A launch event for the new showroom at Prologue tomorrow will feature a bike belonging to Tom Pidcock, the Leeds cyclist who represented Team Ineos, the leading British cycling team, at this year’s Tour de France.
Firefighters deal with blaze in planter outside shopping centre
Harrogate firefighters were called out last night to deal with a fire in a planter.
A planter on Station Parade, outside Victoria Shopping Centre, caught fire at about 10.45pm.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log said the fire was smouldering when Harrogate firefighters arrived.
It added:
“Crews used buckets of water and gave advice to on site security staff.”
Harrogate firefighters also dealt with a fire in the open on Jenny Field Drive yesterday morning at 10.22am.
The incident log said:
“This was a fire to a downed tree. Crews extinguished this using a bucket of water and small hand tools.”
The Harrogate district, like much of the country, is currently rated ‘very high risk’ in the Met Office’s fire severity index.
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Refilling Station eco-shop in Harrogate to close
The Refilling Station is to close after three years of trading in Harrogate.
The plastic-free shop attracted a lot of goodwill when it opened because of the way it promoted sustainable shopping.
Customers bring their own containers for products to reduce packaging waste.
The business initially welcomed customers on Grove Road before moving to larger premises on Cold Bath Road.
Owner Kirsty Dodds said it had a core of loyal customers, but wider support had dwindled over the last two years.
She said the Refilling Station did well during covid when people were reluctant to go to supermarkets and it was able to source products, such as flour, which were in high demand.
“When covid was at a peak people described us as a lifesaver but unfortunately many people didn’t stick with us.
“As soon as the supermarkets caught up they went back to their old shopping habits.”
Ms Dodds said she had really enjoyed running the business but the outlook was bleak for independent shops. She said there was a misconception that supermarkets were cheaper and this, combined with their convenience, made it difficult to compete. She said:
“A lot of people have supported us in concept and on social media but not in person. It is sad but we do have staff and overheads to pay.
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Ms Dodds, who lives in Leeds, said the Refilling Station will probably close mid-September but she had yet to finalise a date. She will then focus on another business venture outside Harrogate.
She said she still thought Cold Bath Road was the ideal location for a business like hers. But she feared for the future of independent shops in Harrogate.
“I walked through the town centre recently and yes it was bustling but the shops weren’t that busy and the rents would be far more expensive than Cold Bath Road.
“I find it difficult to imagine a world where independents will survive. A lot will find the next 12 months tricky.
“The outlook is terrifying. I have family too and I feel the pinch. It’s a bleak picture if things keep going the way they are.”