Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Don’t blame dog mess on long grass

May I respectfully suggest that long grass is not the reason for dog fouling. It is due to irresponsible dog owners breaking the law.

Nigel Heptinstall, Darley

Rossett School is fantastic!

So often the press around schools and education is negative. I just thought I’d like to highlight the fantastic reception my daughter has had at Rossett School since she started there in September 2020.

Written off by her previous school as not academic, she came to the school quite depressed about life. Life at Rossett has utterly changed her into a hard-working girl with an array of options ahead of her.

This is a remarkable turnaround and the school should be applauded for taking in a pupil who had such a low opinion of herself and turned it around inside an academic year. The teaching has been fantastic during a very challenging time for educators and pupils alike. Thank you, Rossett!

Nick Bentley, Harrogate

These bins are a menace

Read more:

• Big blue bins create ‘eyesore’ in Harrogate’s premier shopping area
• Harrogate’s Commercial Street to host dog-friendly day

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Police and council officers are attempting to close two more properties let by landlord John Willis.

North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council have jointly applied to Leeds Magistrates Court for closure orders on 19 and 31 Avenue Grove, Starbeck.

The two organisations can apply to courts for closure orders if they have concerns about antisocial behaviour and criminal behaviour on premises.

The same authorities successfully applied for a three-month closure order on 38 Mayfield Grove, Harrogate, in March. This order expired last month.

All three properties are let by Mr Willis.

A joint statement today by the two authorities said:

“Following concerns about crime, drug use and anti-social behaviour at two multi-occupancy addresses – 19 and 31 Avenue Grove – Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire Police have applied for closure orders.

“Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, a closure order prohibits access to a property for a specified period. Breach of an order is a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment and/or a fine.”

The application was due to be heard on Wednesday but the hearing was adjourned until July 14.

Until this date the two properties have been served with closure notices, which prohibit visitors.

Read more:

• Mayfield Grove: house at centre of crime concerns allowed to re-open
• Calls for ‘dangerous’ Starbeck junction to be improved

Dean Richardson, head of safer communities at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“It is imperative that residents across the Harrogate district feel safe in their homes and community.

“If landlords fail to manage their properties properly, and there is sufficient evidence to support any reports, we will work with the police and partner agencies to explore all legislative options available and act accordingly.”

Inspector Nicola Colbourne of North Yorkshire Police said:

“This action once again demonstrates our commitment to ensuring Harrogate remains one of the safest towns to live in.

“By listening to residents and working with partners like Harrogate Borough Council, we can address concerns head-on while offering the appropriate support to any vulnerable people we encounter.”

Last month Constable Kelvin Troughton, of North Yorkshire Police, told the Stray Ferret there had been a “reduction of incidents” at 38 Mayfield Grove since the closure order was served.

The man in charge of Harrogate District Hospital has said racist abuse isn’t as uncommon in the town as many people think.

Steve Russell, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, was abused in the town centre following England’s 2-0 defeat of Germany on Tuesday.

A woman told him she was “proud to be white and British because we’re better than people like you”.

Mr Russell, who was born in Leeds, grew up in Sheffield and lived in London before moving to Harrogate, said he didn’t think racism was any more prevalent here than other places he lived but added:

“There’s probably a perception that stuff like this doesn’t happen in Harrogate because it’s a nice place, but it does.

“The reason I tweeted about it is because sadly this is something that happens more frequently than people think.

“People have been very kind in their comments in response to what happened. But many were surprised it happened and I’m not. If you talk to other people from ethnic minorities they probably wouldn’t be surprised either.”

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital chief executive racially abused by England fan
• Security guard racially assaulted in Harrogate

Mr Russell, who is in charge of more than 2,000 staff at the trust, was born in the United Kingdom to parents from India and was then adopted.

He said he was “as British as anyone else” but nevertheless experienced childhood racism frequently and although it became less common during his university years and beyond things had “got worse in recent years”.

Racism needs “calling out”

Asked what could be done to prevent it, he said it required people to be “good allies” and to call out racism while not putting themselves at risk of attack.

He admits he was more shaken than he realised by Tuesday’s incident, which happened close to the Odeon cinema. He recalls:

“I was walking home, minding my own business. There were lots of people in town celebrating, which was lovely.

“The woman said it to me just as I was walking past.

“In the moment I was just taken aback. I just put my head down and speeded up walking. It was only when I got in my flat I realised I was quite shaken by it.”

Mr Russell’s tweet has received almost 4,000 likes and has been shared a thousand times. He said:

“I’m really surprised by the number of people who have interacted with it. My tweets are not normally very exciting. They’re usually about what great work my team have done or about my cat!”

Nice. Just walked home in Harrogate. People celebrating the #EnglandvGermany win and a woman slurred ‘I’m proud to be white and British because we’re better than people like you’ at me.

Charming.

— #hellomynameis Steve (he/him) 💙 (@steve_r76) June 29, 2021

The man in charge of Harrogate District Hospital has been racially abused by England fans on his way home tonight.

Steve Russell, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, tweeted about the incident shortly after England’s 2-0 win over Germany.

He said that a woman shouted “I’m proud to be white and British because we’re better than people like you”.

Mr Russell is in charge of more than 2,000 staff who have been at the forefront of the fight against covid in the district over the past 15 months.

He has spoken about racism encountered in previous interviews, saying he had been told to “get back in my banana boat” while at school.

He has also said BAME colleagues deserve to be treated better.

Mr Russell’s tweet to his almost 4,500 followers prompted an avalanche of supportive responses.

One said the comment was “utterly vile”, another said “awful and just plain old barbaric” while another person said he hoped Mr Russell pointed out that most of England’s goals have been scored by Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling.

Nice. Just walked home in Harrogate. People celebrating the #EnglandvGermany win and a woman slurred ‘I’m proud to be white and British because we’re better than people like you’ at me.

Charming.

— #hellomynameis Steve (he/him) 💙 (@steve_r76) June 29, 2021

Read more:

• A year of ‘outstanding care’ under immense pressure at Harrogate hospital
• Harrogate hospital coping well with covid, says chief executive

The Royal Hall in Harrogate is to reopen to the public next week after being closed for more than a year.

The hall will hold an open day on Wednesday, July 7, which will allow visitors to look around the Grade II listed Edwardian building.

The hall, which was built in 1903 and reopened in 2008 following a £10.8 million restoration, held regular guided tours pre-covid. Because social distance rules have not been lifted, tours won’t be available next week but visitors will be able to make their own way round.

One-hour guided tours are due to recommence at 11am and 2pm on August 21.

But Gay Steel, open day coordinator for the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, said the situation would be reviewed after the government decides whether to lift all lockdown measures on July 21, and there was still a chance tours might be available on the second open day on July 27.

Ms Steel said:

“We are looking forward to the prospect of welcoming our visitors back to Harrogate’s glittering palace of gold and hope that you have an enjoyable experience.

“We are just being cautious in our approach as the safety of our visitors and volunteers is paramount.”

Live entertainment is due to return to the Royal Hall on July 31 with a performance from students at Knaresborough’s Freedom Performing Arts.

The 11-day Gilbert and Sullivan festival and a Fleetwood Mac tribute act are scheduled for August, as things gradually return to normal.

Read more:

• Royal Hall roof set for repairs following ‘ongoing’ leaks
• Grantley Hall withdraws helipad plan for third time

Libraries in the Harrogate district are to adopt a wild world heroes theme for next month’s return of the summer reading challenge.

North Yorkshire County Council and the Reading Agency, a charity that encourages reading, hold the challenge annually encourage children aged four to 11 to pick up books.

However, it did not take place last year due to covid.

Children sign up for free at libraries to read six library books over the summer holiday period.

In return they receive stickers to fix environmental problems and other incentives, including a medal and certificate.

This year’s theme also aims to educate youngsters on how they can make a difference to the environment,

A programme of online events for families will support the challenge, including a cartoon workshop, a story hunt and finding out why rubbish isn’t rubbish.

Read more:

• Harrogate phone box transformed into community library
• Harrogate Toy Library receives funding for more baby classes

County councillor Greg White, executive member for libraries, said:

“It is wonderful that we can run the challenge in libraries again this year. Children really missed the free incentives and the advice and encouragement of staff and volunteers last year.

“Signing children up to the summer reading challenge is a great way for parents and carers to help them to maintain their reading levels.

“The wild world heroes theme could not be more relevant as we need all our young people to know how to care for our precious planet.”

Karen Napier, chief executive of the Reading Agency, said the charity WWF-UK was a partner for this year’s challenge. She added:

“We have seen first-hand, via our children’s programmes, that climate change and the environment are subjects that children are keen to explore.”

Children can sign up from July 10.

TV presenter Nick Knowles has hailed the news that thieves have been jailed for stealing bicycles belonging to NHS staff at Harrogate District Hospital.

Mr Knowles, who stars in DIY SOS, offered to buy a new bike for Naresh Gnanasekaran, a doctor at the hospital whose bike was stolen during the first wave of covid in April last year.

Halfords eventually agreed to give Dr Gnanasekaran a new electric bike for free.

Last week John Roddy, 24, from Headingley, Leeds and his partner-in-crime, who could be named for legal reasons, were jailed for stealing bikes worth almost £7,000 from 11 NHS workers in Harrogate and Leeds.

The court heard Roddy had battled drug addiction.

Most of the thefts occurred outside Harrogate District Hospital when staff were having to deal with huge workloads due to the pandemic, said prosecutor Chris Moran.

Mr Moran said one NHS worker in Harrogate had been so “damaged” by the theft of her £400 bike she no longer cycled to work.

Michael Smith, a consultant at the hospital, tagged Mr Knowles in a tweet that contained a link to the Stray Ferret article about the two men being jailed.

Mr Knowles replied that he was glad the men were caught and thankful to the NHS for their efforts over the last 18 months.

I do
Glad your guy got his bike replaced
Glad they were caught
Sad what drugs do to peoples lives and judgement
Thanks to all your colleagues for all you e done over the last 18 months

— Nick Knowles (@MrNickKnowles) June 25, 2021

Read more:

• Thieves who stole NHS workers’ bikes at Harrogate hospital jailed
• Harrogate hospital emergency department treating ‘unsustainable’ patient numbers

Farmers and landowners in Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty can apply for land management grants.

Farming in Protected Landscapes is a government-funded three-year programme to support those who manage land in AONBs and national parks across the UK.

The funding is part of the government’s agricultural transition plan after Brexit and the end of EU subsidies.

Iain Mann, manager at Nidderdale AONB, said:

“Projects will need to deliver a positive outcome in at least one of the four key areas.

“These are: climate, such as flood risk reduction or carbon storage; nature, with improved habitats for biodiversity; people, with better access or engagement with the land; and place, which includes enhancing the character of the land, its historic features, or increasing the business resilience of farms.”

Examples of suitable projects could be action to reduce carbon emissions or use of plastics on farms, enhancing habitat for wildlife, improving access on public footpaths, promoting a series of farm walks, conserving historical features on the land, or farm diversification to provide tourism activities, such as stargazing or dawn chorus walks.

Read more:

• Nidderdale Show in Pateley Bridge cancelled due to covid
• Nidderdale visitors urged to report adder sightings

All farmers and landowners within the AONB can apply – including those from the private, public and charity sector. Other organisations and individuals are eligible too, as long as they are collaborating or supporting a farmer or land manager.

AONB staff will decide which applications under £5,000 to accept.

Grant requests for over £5,000 will be assessed by a local assessment panel, made up of representatives from Nidderdale AONB, Natural England and the farming and land management community.

Mr Mann said farming was “part and parcel of what makes Nidderdale AONB’s landscape so special”.

He added:

“These new grants will help us to collaborate even more with farmers and land managers to protect the AONB’s natural beauty, tackle climate change and safeguard our wildlife and heritage, while sustaining a vibrant working landscape.”

Up to nine cars have been vandalised in the space of a few minutes on the same street in Bilton.

Three young people in hoodies are being blamed for the incident, which occurred at about 5am yesterday on Dene Park.

The Stray Ferret visited the area last night and saw several car windows smashed.

Residents said the youngsters were seen running up the street damaging the cars during the early morning spree and that police had subsequently been in the area taking statements.

The residents added there had been a spate of attacks on homes and cars lately but this was the worst so far.

One Dene Park resident, who asked not to be named, said:

“How do I know it won’t be my front window that gets smashed next?

“This has been going on for a while and we know who the culprits are. It’s very worrying.”

The resident said nine cars had been damaged but another person in the area said they believed the number was seven.

The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire Police about the incident yesterday but has not yet had a response.

Read more:

• Man arrested after four-hour police incident in Bilton
• Self-combusting linseed oil causes freak house fire in Bilton

These colourful images of a field of poppies were shot recently by Knaresborough photographer Dick Lloyd.

Mr Lloyd, who is a keen landscape photographer, captured the wild flowers on land near Staveley, which is just north of Knaresborough.

The birth of his granddaughter Esme prompted Mr Lloyd to take up photography three years ago.

He now focuses on landscape photography in and around Knaresborough, as well as the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

Do you have any fabulous photos of the Harrogate district? We’d love to see them. Send them to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Read more:

• Brimham Rocks photography exhibition inspired by what lies beneath
• Knaresborough Bed Race: A look back at the first event in 1966