Extinction Rebellion replaces fake grass with flowers in Harrogate

Environmental campaigners have removed fake grass from one of the raised beds in Harrogate’s Cambridge Street, and replaced it with plants.

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate claimed responsibility for the action in a sign posted on the bed reading, ‘Grow plants not plastic’.

The group also posted a poem on the bed titled ‘We Did This’. It reads:

“Just ordinary people

Made this ordinary stand”

The poem goes on to explain what they have done with the plastic grass:

“We haven’t stolen it

You get your plastic back

We have rolled it up and tied it

And put it in a sack”

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It is not known precisely when the group performed the stunt, although it is thought to have taken place last night or early this morning.

The controversial plastic grass first appeared last weekend, and has been widely condemned. Criticisms included the lack of aesthetic appeal and the anti-ecological nature of using plastic grass instead of real plants.

The Stray Ferret has approached Extinction Rebellion and Harrogate Borough Council, which installed the fake grass, for comment.

Conservative Matt Scott: litter, schools and transport top priorities for Bilton

Conservative councillor Matt Scott has said he feels “privileged” to represent Harrogate at county level after his by-election win tightened the Tories’ grip on the town.

He was elected onto one of two Bilton and Nidd Gorge seats on North Yorkshire County Council on Friday.

His victory was a major blow for the Liberal Democrats, which had previously won six out of eight county elections in the area in the last 16 years.

It means the Conservatives have strengthened their power on the county council by lifting their total seats to 57 out of 72.

Speaking on Monday to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Scott said he was pleased with the result as he also set out his top priorities for his new term:

“My message to those who voted for me is the same as my message to those who did not vote for me – I am privileged to be able to represent the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division on the county council and will be pleased to help anyone who gets in touch with me.

“I am interested in positive outcomes, not the political allegiance of someone who has come to me for help.

“As a sitting district councillor I will continue to work hard on tackling litter and protecting our green spaces.

“In terms of county council issues I will be doing all I can to support Woodfield Community Primary School. I will also be taking a keen interest in sustainable transport issues as a means of tackling congestion.”

Cllr Scott, who already represents the Bilton Woodfield ward on Harrogate Borough Council and is employed as a caseworker for Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, joins Paul Haslam as one of two Conservative county councillors serving the area.

The by-election was held following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber, whose party previously had a strong foothold during the last four elections.

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Standing to replace him was Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Kempston-Parkes, who was second by a margin of 352 votes.

Mr Kempston-Parkes, a local businessman and former borough councillor, said he was “heartbroken and devastated” by the result but promised the party will come back “stronger than ever”. He said:

“I know we will continue the fight against this stranglehold on local politics – we are certainly not finished.”

Mr Kempston-Parkes also criticised the first-past-the-post voting system, which meant the Conservatives won with 43% of votes. He expressed hopes that other opposition parties could form an alliance to contest elections as one group in the future.

He said:

“Perhaps the Lib Dems, Greens and Labour need to come together and form a progressive way of working in order to give the electorate one clear choice.

“If that had been the case in Bilton and Nidd Gorge, the Conservatives would have come second, which is the really sad thing about this election – the majority of people didn’t vote for the person who won.

“As long as the parties in the centre and to the left continue to stand against each other then the Conservatives will continue to rub their hands in glee and rule in the majority when in fact they are the minority.”

The by-election held last week was the only local council election held in the Harrogate district.

A full election for all seats on North Yorkshire County Council was scheduled to take place but was cancelled because of the ongoing local government reorganisation.

Under the plans, elections to a new unitary council structure – which will replace the current two-tier system in North Yorkshire – could happen in 2022 depending on government approval.

The Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election results in full are:

Matt Scott, Conservatives – 1,991 votes 43%

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrats – 1,639 35%

Tyler Reeton, Labour Party – 434 9%

Anrold Warneken, Green Party – 430 9%

John Hall, Yorkshire Party – 136 3%

Harvey Alexander, Independent – 46 1%

Voter turnout was 37.4% (4,696 votes) and there were 19 spoiled ballots.

Woman died at Harrogate hospital after receiving Oxford-AstraZeneca jab

It has emerged that a woman died at Harrogate District Hospital after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca covid vaccine.

Deaths from the vaccine are exceptionally rare but the Financial Times revealed a 59-year-old woman called Julia began having headaches in mid-March, nine days after receiving her first jab.

She initially thought she was suffering migraines but on March 29 her husband, a retired doctor called Peter, came home to find her in a coma.

According to the FT, doctors at the Harrogate hospital said she had a “catastrophic brain injury” resulting from cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and a very low platelet count — the rare blood condition linked to the AstraZeneca jab. Two days later she died.

According to the government, just over 10 people develop adverse drug reactions for every million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine given.

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A UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency spokesperson said:

“We are saddened to hear about this death and our thoughts are with the family.

“As with any serious suspected adverse drug reaction, reports with a fatal outcome are fully evaluated by the MHRA, including an assessment of post-mortem details if available.

“Vaccines are the best way to protect people from covid and have already saved thousands of lives. Everyone should continue to get their vaccination when asked to do so unless specifically advised otherwise.

“Our detailed and rigorous review into reports of blood clots occurring together with thrombocytopenia is ongoing.”

A Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust spokesman declined to comment.

Three covid vaccines have been authorised for supply in the UK by the MHRA.

Besides Oxford-AstraZeneca, the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been approved for use following reviews of safety, quality and efficacy information from clinical trials.

Further information on vaccines is available here.

LibDems, Labour and Greens in Harrogate district consider collaboration

Informal discussions could take place between the local Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green parties about working together.

The move follows Conservative Matt Scott’s victory in last week’s Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election.

Arnold Warneken, who represented Harrogate and District Green Party, told the Stray Ferret he had approached the Liberal Democrats and Labour about setting up a meeting.

Mr Warneken said co-operation “made sense” and he hoped some form of progressive alliance would emerge.

Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, said collaboration with other parties was “a discussion that needs to be had” and she was open-minded on the subject.

Cllr Marsh described the loss of the seat on North Yorkshire County Council formally held by the Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber as “a huge shock and disappointment”.

Asked why she felt voters had turned against the Liberal Democrats, she said:

“I have no idea. With all the sleaze and cronyism taking place and I am at a total loss to understand why anyone still votes for the Conservatives.”

Asked if she would consider her position as leader following the by-election defeat, she said she had been re-elected two weeks ago and intended to carry on.

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Margaret Smith, chair of Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party, said it was not averse to discussions but its ability to enter into any formal arrangement with other parties would be determined by the national Labour Party. She said:

“It’s about building a progressive alternative and when we agree on issues we would like to work with anyone, irrespective of party membership or support.

“It is a matter of building coalitions, issue by issue, where we agree.”

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Scott, who won 43 per cent of the vote in Bilton and Nidd Gorge, why he felt voters had switched to the Conservatives and what was top of his agenda but he declined to answer.

 

 

Body found in search for ex-Harrogate Town player

A body has been found in the search for former Harrogate Town player James Dean, 35.

Mr Dean, who was with the club in 2008-09, was last seen in Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire at about midnight on Wednesday.

Lancashire Police issued a statement last night saying a body was found in the Moscow Mill Street area of Oswaldtwistle at about 2.25pm yesterday. It added:

“While the body has yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be Mr Dean. His family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this time.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.”

Centre forward Mr Dean, who was born in Blackburn, signed for almost 20 clubs, including Bury and FC Halifax Town, as well as Harrogate, in a career lasting more than 15 years.

Harrogate Town said in a statement:

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of former Town player James Dean at this incredibly sad time.”

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Look inside: Cafe Rita in Harrogate reopens as American diner

A new American diner that sells crocodile, ostrich and kangaroo burgers, as well as more traditional beef burgers, has opened in Harrogate.

The Fabulous 50s Diner opened today on the site of the former Cafe Rita on Bower Road, brightening up the street with its red and white striped walls and chequerboard floor.

Wagdy Mansour ran Cafe Rita with his wife Shirley for eight years and decided to go for something completely different. He said:

“We thought it was time for a change. So we thought about a theme and realised we didn’t have any American diners in Harrogate.”

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Inside the new diner

The brightly lit diner, which has images of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley outside, will open from 9am to 10pm seven days a week.

There are tables outside and it will have four booths inside when it reopens for indoor dining.

Mr Mansour said:

“We have been closed for a year so we are pleased to be open again. It’s a new venture and our customers love it.”

The diner evokes classic American films with seating booths

Huge backlash against ‘cheap and tacky’ fake grass

Harrogate Borough Council has defended its decision to install fake grass in the town centre despite an overwhelmingly negative response.

The Stray Ferret’s article that broke the news yesterday received well over 150 replies on Facebook and nearly all of them criticised the move.

Comments ranged from “it looks cheap and tacky” to “wasting council tax money yet again” to “who actually sat there thinking this was a cracking idea?”.

Some people felt artificial grass undermined Harrogate’s reputation as an upmarket, floral town.

Organisations also spoke out against the move.

Henry Pankhurst, who represents Harrogate Civic Society on planning issues, said:

“I agree with those who dislike the unnecessary production of plastic that damages the environment. We may unfortunately find it displaced and strewn on the ground.

“I would like to see it taken away, it is not an enhancement for the street scene and the conservation area.”

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Harrogate Business Improvement District, which attempts to increase footfall to the town centre, distanced itself from the council’s decision.

Sara Ferguson, the BID chair, said:

“We want to make it clear that the fake grass being ‘planted’ around town centre trees is nothing to do with Harrogate BID.

“We have spent a considerable amount of money installing barrier baskets, placing planters outside town centre businesses, and arranging for hanging baskets to be displayed outside many shops – all done to help build on Harrogate’s reputation as a floral town, and to make the town centre as attractive as possible.”

The Stray Defence Association was concerned about the environmental impact, tweeting:

“Real grass or plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. False turf is a reservoir for not only fungus and bacteria, but also contaminated organic matter.

“It kills healthy soil bacteria, worms and root systems underneath it. Water is not absorbed and runs off.”

The council has so far declined to reveal the cost of the scheme. But a spokeswoman said the move had received “lots of positive feedback”. She added:

“We are testing ways of brightening up Harrogate town centre.

“The trees mean any plants in the beds struggle for light and moisture, so we’re looking at potential ways of keeping the beds neat and tidy without plants in them.

“When summer bedding plants become available, we will place additional planters and hanging baskets in the town centre to add a splash of vibrant colour.”

 

Harrogate’s new green look has residents seeing red

First there were the planters… now artificial grass is causing anger in Harrogate.

Fake grass first appeared on raised flower beds on Cambridge Street a few days ago. Today workers were tearing out plants and laying more artificial grass on Oxford Street.

It has led to passionate debate on social media about not only the aesthetics of the hyper-green look but also whether it conforms with modern thinking on the use of plastics.

A post by Lizzie Brewster drew almost universal condemnation.

https://twitter.com/HgCatherine/status/1390176171233628160

Andy Dennis replied on Twitter:

“Plastic is not the way forward and normalising this very abnormal product is misguided. This needs to be removed.”

The Little Ale House, which is based nearby, added:

“It’s also visually depressing.”

The Pinewoods Harrogate twitter account noted wryly the bright new look might be part of Harrogate Borough Council’s commitment to be the greenest council ever.

Cartoonist Graeme Bandeira was somewhat blunter:

“What the hell is that?”

Nina Jolly commented that astro turf belonged on sports pitches and nowhere else.

The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council about the artificial grass and will publish its response when received.

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Harrogate couple launch oxygen for India appeal

Harrogate couple Kate and Paul Banerjee have launched an appeal to buy oxygen equipment for covid patients in India with breathing difficulties.

Money raised will go to the British Asian Trust, a charity founded by the Prince Charles and British Asian business leaders in 2007 to tackle poverty and injustice in the poorest parts of Asia.

The trust is working with the Swasth Foundation in India, a non-profit healthcare provider, to source medical equipment that is in desperately short supply in the covid-hit country.

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The couple set an £8,300 fundraising target — enough to buy 10 oxygen concentrators.

Since it launched on Monday, the appeal has so far generated £4,995, which is about 60% of the target.

Ms Banerjee said:

“It all started because I know that there’s a lot of people who want to help but don’t know how to do it in a way that will get the money to the people that need it.

“We raised over £10 a minute in the first five hours — it shows the big heart that Harrogate has.”

The couple are not resting on their laurels: they plan to print leaflets and go door-to-door in the next week to raise awareness.

Ms Banerjee said:

“The fundraiser is open-ended. If we reach the target, we’ll see if we can increase it and keep moving. They haven’t reached the peak yet in India and I’m afraid things are going to get worse before they get better.”

The daily number of covid cases of covid in India approached 400,000 this week, amid widespread reports of oxygen shortages.

The oxygen concentrators which the appeal will provide extract oxygen from the air, and are therefore independent of oxygen supplies.

Sale of Ripon Spa Baths to go ahead despite protests

Harrogate Borough Council has rejected repeated calls for the sale of Ripon Spa Baths to be halted while work on the city’s regeneration masterplan is underway.

The council put the historic baths on the market in February in a move which sparked concerns that it could lose its community use if snapped up by a private developer.

Groups including Ripon City Council, Ripon Civic Society and Ripon Together have since made calls for the sale not to be rushed through.

But a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson has now made its intentions clearer than ever. The spokesperson said:

“We have no plans to withdraw the sale of Ripon Spa Baths.

“The building will soon become surplus to our requirements and we do not have the resources to maintain it.

“Selling the baths for redevelopment, subject to planning permission and listed building consents, would allow this local asset to be given a new lease of life, retain its key features and remain as a city landmark.

“Ripon City Council, or another interested party, is welcome to submit a bid.”

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Alternative options

City council leader Andrew Williams told a meeting on Tuesday that it was “clearly inappropriate” for the 116-year-old baths to remain on the market while the Ripon Renewal Project is underway.

The Harrogate Borough Council-led project started in January with a consultancy firm being paid £85,000 to draw up a vision for the future of the city and help it win funding for major infrastructure, planning and community projects.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Cllr Williams also pledged to set up a community working group to think up future uses for the baths, which will reopen on May 14 following months of closures caused by the lockdown and staffing issues.

He said:

“This council needs to take a lead in bringing other groups together to look at alternatives in terms of what the Spa Baths site could potentially be used for.

“With this master-planning exercise going on at the moment, we shouldn’t be taking this building out of the equation.”

The Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said the building was being sold because it will no longer be needed by the authority when the refurbishment of Ripon Leisure Centre is completed later this year.

The multi-million pound upgrades were due to be completed earlier in 2021 but there have been construction and covid delays.

The spokesperson added:

“Our strategy of disposing of assets no longer required means we have been able to invest more than £10m in Ripon.

“The city’s new state-of-the-art, bigger, and better swimming pool and refurbished leisure centre will open at the end of this year”.