A Knaresborough teenager has been ordered to do 300 hours of community work after pleading guilty to having a knife in Harrogate bar Mojo.
Arterus Moisejevas, 19, was accused of having a flick knife in the venue on Parliament Street on April 10.
Moisejevas, of Colebrooke Meadows, admitted the charge at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday.
He was also ordered to pay a £95 surcharge to fund victim services and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
His case is one of a spate of recent knife crime offences heard in court in Harrogate recently.
Harrogate Pubwatch revealed on Thursday that it had imposed a life ban on someone found carrying a knife in a town centre venue.
The organisation represents about 40 licensed venues in town. Members share information on troublemakers and jointly impose sanctions.
Sadly we have had to impose a lifetime ban on someone found to be carrying a knife in one of our town centre venues a couple of weekends ago. The possession of weapons in Harrogate's pubs, clubs and bars simply won't be tolerated #Harrogate
— Harrogate Pubwatch (@hgpubwatch) April 27, 2022
Police: knives produce ‘false sense of security’
Asked whether knife crime in the Harrogate district was increasing and, if so, what action it was taking, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:
Plans to redevelop Harrogate council’s former headquarters set to be approved“Carrying a knife is a completely false sense of security. Producing a knife does not de-escalate a confrontation, it makes a bad situation worse and drastically increases the chance of you yourself being injured by that blade.
“As part of our efforts to tackle knife crime, we support Operation Sceptre, which is a twice-yearly national coordinated week of activity where police forces across the country help keep knives off the streets and deter people from carrying them, and through information and intelligence, proactively target knife-related offences.
“In July last year, changes to the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 were introduced which mean it is an offence to possess certain items such as knuckledusters, throwing stars and zombie knives, even in private.
“To anyone who is concerned for a friend or family member who they think maybe carrying a knife, please speak to them and explain the dangers. Tell them the safer and smarter thing to do is to put the knife down or come and surrender it at one of our police stations. You could be saving a life.
“Anyone with information on knife crime in their local community can always contact police on 101 or can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.”
Plans to redevelop Harrogate Borough Council’s former headquarters have been recommended for approval next week.
The proposals for Crescent Gardens, which has sat empty for five years, include a two-storey extension, rooftop restaurant, gym and new office space.
The plans have been recommended for approval at a meeting on May 10 after the council’s planning department released a report saying the redevelopment would “increase the vitality of this town centre site and prove beneficial in boosting Harrogate’s economy”.
Harrogate-based property developers Impala Estates are behind the proposals after purchasing the building for £4 million in 2020.
This came after the council moved to its new Knapping Mount headquarters in 2017.
At the time, the council announced it would sell Crescent Gardens to property developer Adam Thorpe who had plans for a £75 million redevelopment including luxury apartments, an art gallery, underground car park, swimming pool and restaurant.
But two years later, Mr Thorpe’s company ATP Ltd fell into administration with debts of almost £11 million, including £24,394 owed to the council.
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Crescent Gardens
Crescent Gardens then went back up for sale and was eventually bought by Impala Estates.
Historic England objection
In the report to next Tuesday’s meeting, the council’s planning department said the latest plans from Impala Estates would “alter the locality but on balance are considered acceptable.”
An objection by Historic England questioned the public benefits and said the roof extension should not exceed one storey. The body also said the plans relate “very poorly” to the existing building.
However, the council has argued this view contradicts a previous assessment from Historic England’s predecessor body, English Heritage, which described the building as “poorly proportioned in classical terms” because it was originally restricted to two storeys.
These comments came when English Heritage refused listed status for the building in 2002.
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Meanwhile, the latest proposals have already won the support of Harrogate Civic Society which described the scheme as “excellent”.
The civic society previously said:
64 sheep worth tens of thousands of pounds stolen in Harrogate district“The existing roof lends itself to a two-storey extension, something that was advocated many times to Harrogate Borough Council, making use of the original design that envisaged future extensions at roof level.
“We are pleased to see that the building will be retained and refurbished as offices, with a restaurant on the roof and meeting rooms within the historic core, as this will retain a degree of public access and use of the building.”
Police are appealing for witnesses after 64 sheep were stolen from a field near Boroughbridge.
Forty-eight ewes in lamb and 16 hoggs were taken from land off the A168 at Marton-cum-Grafton.
It happened between 5pm on April 27 and 7am the following day.
A statement by North Yorkshire Police today said the sheep were worth a total value of tens of thousands of pounds. It added:
“They were stolen from a field on Legram Lane. It is believed a wagon would have been used to take the sheep.
“Officers are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“In particular, they are appealing for information about any wagons in the vicinity in the early hours of 28 April, or anything else that may assist with the investigation.”
Of the 48 ewes, 39 are Beltex and 9 are Bleu du Maine. The 16 hoggs were all young Beltex sheep aged 9-18 months.
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Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Chloe Kinnear. You can also email chloe.kinnear@northyorkshire.police.uk
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220071650.
Calls to move ‘eyesore’ smart bins at Harrogate’s Valley GardensHarrogate Civic Society and the Friends of Valley Gardens have called for new smart bins at Harrogate’s Valley Gardens to be moved.
The bins use sensors to identify different types of waste, as well as how full the receptacles are and whether they have been damaged.
But Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to site two of them immediately outside the main entrance to Valley Gardens, in Harrogate’s conservation area, has been criticised.
Stuart Holland, co-chair of the civic society, said it welcomed receptacles to collect waste and recycling but described the smart bins as ‘eyesores’.
Mr Holland added:
“What is unfortunate is that these particular ones have been positioned in such a way that they spoil the entrance to the gardens and have been laid on a crude base of concrete over paving slabs with no regard for quality of installation.
“This location is at the heart of Harrogate conservation area, opposite a Grade 2* listed building and at the entrance to a designated area of significance.”
A conservation area is defined as an area that has special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is considered desirable to preserve or enhance.
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Some planning applications are rejected because of the impact on the conservation area.
Mr Holland added:
“Valley Gardens itself is Grade 2, included within the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest by Historic England, for its special historic interest.
“The paved area on which the bins have been positioned is land incorporated under the Stray Act and as such is subject to strict controls.
“There is no evidence that these controls have been respected. The civic society would welcome meeting with local councillors to look at satisfactory ways of re-positioning these bins.”
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The smart bins in the play area. Pic: Harrogate Civic Society
‘Consider moving them’
“The existing bins are constantly overflowing, leaving rubbish blowing around; the gardening team had to spend many hours removing the rubbish, and this will now be done by a different team.“The new bins are being trialed in the gardens, and we will be keeping a watching brief.“We are however concerned about the pair of bins at the entrance on aesthetic grounds, as they are in a significant heritage area. We have asked the council to consider moving them inside the entrance, to the area near the signboard.”
Cllr Andy Paraskos, cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling at Harrogate Borough Council, said at the time:
“Understanding when a bin needs emptying or whether it might need inspecting will enable us to make the most efficient use of our resources.
“These sensors will allow us to use the data and focus on those that need to be emptied more often.
“As a result, we’d expect to see a reduction in travel, meaning a saving on fuel costs and a reduction in carbon emissions.”
Firefighters urged people to have their chimneys swept regularly after being summoned to a blaze in Scotton last night.
A crew from Knaresborough dealt with the incident at a home in the village at around 9pm.
Using the aerial ladder platform from Harrogate, firefighters were able to extinguish the flames and make safe the chimney pot.
Harrogate Fire Station said in a social media post the cause is believed to be an accumulation of flammable materials within the flue. It added:
“Please do make sure you regularly sweep your chimneys to prevent fires from happening.
“We recommend that your chimney should be swept at least once a year for smokeless fuel, at least twice a year for bituminous coal, and quarterly for wood.”
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Hot Seat: the Ripon auctioneer bringing a modern edge to antiques
Three years ago, David Elstob had the urge to open his own auction house. It was an ambitious idea for a 34-year-old with a large mortgage and a toddler, but he felt it was now or never.
After cutting his teeth at a site in Bedale, he relocated to Ripon Business Park where he now hosts auctions every four weeks, specialising in fine art, antiques, and silver and jewellery.
It has been quite a journey. Mr Elstob opened in Ripon in December 2019 — three months before the first national covid lockdown.
But although covid decimated many start-ups, it has had a more favourable impact on auctions by hastening the transition to online bidding and more modern digital approaches, which suits a man who is considerably younger than many in the trade.
Online auctions attract more bidders, meaning higher prices and more commission, which explains why many auction houses still operate remotely post-covid restrictions.
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At 37, David Elstob is younger than most auctioneers.
Elstob and Elstob allows bidders back in on sales days but whereas 100 people may have turned up pre-covid, there’s unlikely to be more than 20 these days. Fortunately this is more than offset by the number of online and telephone bidders.
Mr Elstob says:
“We’d love a room full of people again but I don’t think we will ever go back to that.
“Covid has moved things on 10 years. It’s made us work differently — it’s so easy to bid online now.”
£50,000 brooch
As with many things in life, the thrill of live bidding has moved online.
Mr Elstob recalls with infectious excitement hosting the only online auction in Europe one day during the first lockdown in April 2020, when thousands of bidders worldwide competed for 600 lots. Instead of finishing by mid-afternoon as usual, the bids kept coming long into the night.
“It was a phenomenal sale. I don’t think I will ever experience anything like that again. People in Australia started logging on when it got dark over here. I brought the gavel down on the last lot at 9.45pm.”
A Tiffany orchid brooch sold for £50,000, adding to the frisson.
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Like Morphets of Harrogate and Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn, Elstob and Elstob focuses on high-end collectables rather than general items, like Thompsons Auctioneers in Killinghall and Harrogate Auction Centre, which specialise in house clearances.
His most unusual lot? A bull’s scrotum that had been made into a handbag. It fetched £30. Nostalgia-fuelled 1960s and 1970s furniture is currently fetching good money and the market for Chinese porcelain and art remains strong.
Hidden gems
Mr Elstob, who is originally from Bishop Auckland and has a master’s degree in antiques, initially planned to “go down the surveying / estate agent route and quickly realised that wasn’t for me”.
He headed up the sales room team at Addisons of Barnard Castle in County Durham before becoming director at Thomas Watsons in Darlington.
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Outside the sales room in Ripon.
A specialist in 20th century design, particularly the work of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson, who was part of the 1920s arts and crafts revival, he is nevertheless a general valuer, who can call on a range of experts for help.
“It’s like being a GP. I might not be able to give you a figure for everything you bring in but I will be able to say if it’s authentic and point you in the right direction.”
Often solicitors get in touch asking him to conduct probate valuations. One such coin collection in Southport was worth £50,000.
Mr Elstob, who enjoys keeping fit and spending time with his daughter, employs five staff. He plans to conduct more specialist sales and online auctions and to run more eBay themed auctions, which appeal to younger people.
At 37, his youthful vigour makes him well placed to capitalise on the changes to auctioneering. But he remains steeped in the traditions of the trade and the thrill of discovering what lurks in the attic:
Harrogate businessman set to enter Ukraine in £2m aid convoy“My favourite part of the job is being out on the road. You never know what you will find in someone’s home.”
A leading Harrogate businessman is expected to cross the border into Ukraine this weekend as part of a major aid mission.
James Rycroft, managing director of Vida Healthcare, is a member of a team taking eight wagons containing aid worth about £2 million for Ukrainian soldiers and citizens who intend to stay in the country.
The journey has been organised by Yorkshire Aid Convoy, a charity which has been running overseas aid expeditions for more than 30 years.
Mr Rycroft said he was travelling in a personal capacity because he felt the need to help. He said:
“It’s a really awful situation for everyone involved. I wanted to do something meaningful to help rather than just make a monetary donation.”
The convoy is carrying a variety of items, including medical equipment, beds and hygiene products. It is also taking a mobile classroom, which will be left in Ukraine.
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Those involved will meet Ukrainian military administrators at the border, where they will be escorted to a secure hub about 20km inside the border to deposit the goods. They will then immediately turn round and head home.
Mr Rycroft, whose company owns several specialist dementia care homes around Harrogate, said:
“I’m apprehensive but positive as I know we have the right people on board.
“There’s an element of risk but it’s a short sprint into Ukraine then back out again.”
Back in UK on Wednesday
Two people in each of the eight wagons are taking it in turns to drive up to 10 hours a day across Europe.
The convoy, which set off yesterday, expects to reach Germany tonight and Slovakia tomorrow before arriving at the Ukraine border on Sunday. The team expects to dock in Hull on Wednesday morning.
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Mark and Felix Murphy of Yorkshire Aid Convoy.
Mark Murphy, who founded Yorkshire Aid Convoy, said the mission involved travelling about 2,500 kilometres each way.
He initially ran convoys to Romania but the war in Ukraine has changed the current focus. He said:
“We will meet military administrators and get a police escort to a secure hub.”
Parents set for agonising wait over future of Harrogate school
An education leader has indicated there is unlikely to be a quick decision on the fate of Woodfield Community Primary School amid growing frustration amongst parents and children.
The school has offered new admissions in September. But with a huge question mark over its future, and the total number of pupils falling to 37 amid the uncertainty, parents want a quick decision so they can make definite plans.
However, Amanda Newbold, assistant director for education and skills at North Yorkshire County Council, indicated it could be some time before a decision is made.
She said:
“It is anticipated that some time will be required for reflection, discussion and careful consideration of the school’s position between the governing board, the county council and the Department for Education.
“We cannot yet indicate a date when further news will be available, but parents and carers will be informed as soon as possible.”
The Bilton school faces the possibility of closure after nearby Grove Road Community Primary School withdrew from a planned merger three weeks ago. The merger was proposed after Woodfield school was rated ‘inadequate’ by government inspectors from Ofsted in 2020 and no academy would take it on.
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Sarah Preston, who has been a parent to children at the school for 12 years, said clarity was needed rather than the current “mixed messages”. She added:
“This process has caused nothing but worry and stress for parents and children. As a family we are hoping there is some kind of miracle and it doesn’t close and my children can stay there.
“The other day I got am email off the council saying my son has a place in September — how can they say this when no one knows what actually is happening?
“It is absolutely shocking how we are all been treated through this.”
Ms Preston said merger appeared to be a “done deal” until recently and she was now left “praying for a miracle” that Woodfield survives — but if it doesn’t she would rather know soon so she could make alternative plans for September. She said:
“Woodfield school is in a great location for families. There’s a brilliant green area for children to play sport and it’s right next to the library, which is great.
“With more houses being built we need schools.”
Asked what parents should do amid the uncertainty, Ms Newbold said:
Bid to demolish gas holder on Harrogate’s Skipton Road“The ability to look for an alternative school place is a right for parents and carers in any circumstances and at any time.
“In this case, there is no immediate requirement for parents/carers to do anything in respect of a school transfer. Woodfield school will be open in September 2022 and admissions to the reception year have been dealt with in the normal way.”
Northern Gas Networks has revealed plans to demolish the gas holder and three other buildings on Skipton Road, Harrogate.
Notices have gone up near the former gasworks saying the company has contacted Harrogate Borough Council to find out whether it needs permission to carry out the demolition work.
Tesco, which bought the site from Northern Gas Networks for £2.8 million in 2003, has submitted plans to build a new supermarket on the land. A decision has yet to be made.
Mark Johnson, senior projects manager for Northern Gas Networks, which is responsible for distributing gas, said:
“The notice relates to work we are proposing to carry out on our own site, to safely dismantle and remove the existing gas holder located there.
“Because of advances in technology and the enhanced capability of the modern-day gas network, the holder is no longer used so the decision was taken to remove it using specialist teams.
“The application is part of a standard process we undertake with every local authority where we are removing a gas holder.”
Planning documents submitted to the council say “the gas holder is below ground and comprises of an outer tank wall with two inner lifts” and that “the general condition of the tank is believed to be in good order”.
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They add:
“The works will consist of the removal of wastewater, sludge, and any other debris from inside the gas holder, establish site welfare arrangements including environmental monitoring stations, time lapse cameras, erection of temporary traffic management arrangements, erect and maintain temporary Heras’s fencing, erect a scaffolding crash deck to protect the MP/LP regulators on site and agreed ground protection measures to underground pipework.”
The documents say the site “is situated near to a highly populated residential and commercial area” and “it is vitally important that the demolition method statement deploys approved monitor systems for measuring nuisance noise, dust and vibration and will have a provision in place should these levels reach unacceptable levels in accordance with current legislation”.
They add:
“Access to all neighbouring properties, footpaths and roads will be maintained at all times during the works,
unless the works activity presents significant risk that will require a closure.”
It is not known how long the work would take.
Harrogate Grammar School rated ‘outstanding’ by OfstedHarrogate Grammar School has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
The Harrogate district’s largest school announced last night it had retained its outstanding verdict in its first full assessment for 15 years.
Ofsted has yet to publish the report but the school said in a statement that government inspectors had judged the school to be outstanding overall and in all five areas assessed: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and sixth form provision.
Inspectors described the school as “an extremely rewarding place to learn” with “an exceptional curriculum”. They added:
“Effective teaching and assessment enable pupils to learn well. This depth of knowledge is sustained from key stage 3 to the sixth form.
“Through sports, outdoor pursuits and performance opportunities, pupils develop their skills and self-confidence. Pupils are articulate and polite. They are keen to engage in discussion and debate. Teachers make sure that pupils’ views are heard.”
Ofsted described the sixth form curriculum as “exceptional”, offering students “an extensive range of subjects”. It added:
“The headteacher has built a very strong team of leaders at all levels. Leaders demonstrate clear moral purpose in their actions.
“Leaders maintain a constant focus on the safety and well-being of pupils. Pupils feel safe because of the supportive environment built by staff.”
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Headteacher ‘very proud’

Neil Renton
Headteacher Neil Renton praised students, parents, staff, governors and colleagues at Red Kite Learning Trust, which the school is a member of, for the outcome. He added:
“It makes us very proud to see the exceptional commitment that we experience every day from our community, being recognised in this way.”
Six inspectors visited Harrogate Grammar over two days last month.
Tougher regime
Ofsted’s assessment regime has become tougher since inspections resumed after covid in September 2021. Only 50% per cent of schools have maintained their outstanding judgement since then.
In January, Harrogate’s St Aidan’s Church of England High School, which was previously rated ‘outstanding’, was assessed as ‘inadequate’.
Christopher Russell, Ofsted’s national director of education, said:
“There’s no doubt that under the current education inspection framework, outstanding is a challenging and exacting judgement to achieve.”
Paul Cotton, chair of governors at Harrogate Grammar, said,
“The Ofsted report captures so clearly what takes place each and every day at the school. Harrogate Grammar School is indeed an extremely rewarding place to learn.”
Richard Sheriff, chief executive of Red Kite Learning Trust, said:
“Students benefit from an exceptional curriculum at Harrogate Grammar School.”