John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

Tim Stedman to star in Harrogate panto again

Harrogate Theatre has announced that Tim Stedman will star in this year’s pantomime once again.

Mr Stedman will be making his 24th panto appearance in Harrogate, where he has become a huge fan favourite playing the fool.

He will take on the role of Phillipe Fillop in Beauty and the Beast, which will run from Wednesday, November 27 to Sunday, January 19.

The announcement was met with joy by fans on social media who posted comments such as ‘Tim IS Harrogate panto’ and ‘the man is the very definition of a legend’.

Mr Stedman previously spoke to the Stray Ferret about performing in Harrogate in an interview here.

Harry Wyatt

The theatre also announced Harry Wyatt will return to take on the role of Madame Bellie Fillop the sous chef.

Further cast announcements have yet to be made but Howard Chadwick, who co-starred with Mr Stedman for many years in Harrogate, won’t be back in 2024.

Plans for car wash on busy Harrogate road withdrawn

Plans to build a car wash and valeting station on Skipton Road in Harrogate have been withdrawn.

A planning application was submitted to North Yorkshire Council in December for the facility, which would have been created on the car park of a former builder’s merchants near to Harrogate Fire Station.

Tofan Osman Abdullah, who is based in Leeds, was behind the scheme and planning documents stated that he had experience running a similar business a few years ago.

According to the application, the business would have opened from 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and from 9am to 5pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

A design and access statement attached to the application urged the council to approve the plans. It said:

“There are strong planning grounds to support this application, and to support local businesses. We believe the additional noise would not make a difference in comparison with the very close busy A59 road.”

However, before the application could be considered, the council’s environmental health team submitted a representation that raised concerns about the potential for noise impacting nearby residential properties.

It asked the applicant to produce a report to outline how much noise the car wash might create and how this will be mitigated.

A council officer said:

“The proposed location of the development is right next to a noise sensitive property (79 Skipton Road), and others on Bartle Avenue are in close proximity. There are no details as to the type of equipment to be used on site and the associated noise levels.

“This department has investigated complaints associated with noise from such an activity at properties at a further distance therefore there is the potential for this development to impact the noise sensitive properties in proximity to it.”

A request to withdraw the application was accepted by the council.

18-month Harrogate road closure to end

A Harrogate road that has been closed to traffic for 18 months will reopen in less than two weeks.

Vehicles have been blocked from crossing the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November 2022.

By law, temporary road closures can only last for a maximum of 18 months, which means the route, off the busy A59 Knaresborough Road, will reopen on May 6.

North Yorkshire Council considered permanently closing the road — a move welcomed at the time by the local councillor who said it would end the “Kingsley rat run”.

But this option is no longer being pursued.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director for highways and transport, said:

“The temporary closure of Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane will come to an end on Monday, May 6, once the resurfacing is completed and traffic signals go live.

“We will not be progressing the permanent road closure as part of the developer-funded works.”

The decision to reopen the road means it will once again be an alternative for emergency vehicles when the level crossing barriers are down at Starbeck on the A59.

A 12-month temporary prohibition of traffic order was issued from November 7, 2022, to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

North Yorkshire Council extended the order by six months in November last year to enable Barratt Homes, which built the nearby Kingsley Meadows development, to construct a footway along Bogs Lane to make the area safer for pedestrians.

Mr Mason said:

“The construction of a footway on Bogs Lane will conclude current developer obligations. This is due to be completed for the road reopening, subject to weather conditions.”

Public invited to attend Maltkiln consultation event

The developer hoping to build thousands of new homes between Harrogate and York will hold a public consultation in Kirk Hammerton next month.

Caddick Group says the event on Tuesday, May 7, at Kirk Hammerton village hall will be a chance for the local community to view its proposals for Maltkiln and to speak directly with the team developing the scheme. It will take place between 2pm and 8pm.

A minimum of 3,000 homes and two primary schools could be built near the villages of Cattal, Whixley, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

This month, North Yorkshire Council submitted its Maltkiln development plan document (DPD) to the government’s Planning Inspectorate ahead of an examination.

Caddick says the scheme aims to address the “acute housing shortage” in North Yorkshire.

Proposals are also available to view and respond to on a dedicated consultation website.

An online form for feedback will open on Monday, May 6 and will close on Friday, May 27.

Chris Procter, director at Caddick Group, said:

“We have been liaising with North Yorkshire Council and other key political stakeholders throughout the DPD process, to ensure our plans are able to not only deliver much-needed housing, but are also able to provide a range of housing types and tenures, giving people the flexibility to live where they wish.

“Our revised proposals for Maltkiln will incorporate enhancements to transport infrastructure around the site, as well as bringing forward proposals for onsite amenities and a strategy to deliver biodiversity net gain, to deliver a sustainable and connected community.

“As the DPD process draws to a conclusion, we want to re-engage with the community to seek their valuable feedback on our revised plans.”

Arnold Warneken, Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he hopes people living in the area will attend the consultation as he said there were still unanswered questions regarding the scheme.

The developer still does not own a large section of land around Cattal Station with the council saying it would be willing to use a compulsory purchase order to force through a sale.

He also questioned the timing of the consultation event which is taking place before the DPD examination.

Cllr Warneken said:

“We have not resolved the situation about land. I’m not sure why the consultation is taking place so early in the process. The community will get a chance to respond to DPD, which is the right way to do it. I don’t understand the thinking but I’m not a developer.”

18-month Harrogate road closure to end

A Harrogate road that has been closed to traffic for 18 months will reopen in less than two weeks.

Vehicles have been blocked from crossing the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November 2022.

By law, temporary road closures can only last for a maximum of 18 months, which means the route, off the busy A59 Knaresborough Road, will reopen on May 6.

North Yorkshire Council considered permanently closing the road — a move welcomed at the time by the local councillor who said it would end the “Kingsley rat run”.

But this option is no longer being pursued.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director for highways and transport, said:

“The temporary closure of Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane will come to an end on Monday, May 6, once the resurfacing is completed and traffic signals go live.

“We will not be progressing the permanent road closure as part of the developer-funded works.”

The decision to reopen the road means it will once again be an alternative for emergency vehicles when the level crossing barriers are down at Starbeck on the A59.

A 12-month temporary prohibition of traffic order was issued from November 7, 2022, to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

Mr Mason said:

“The construction of a footway on Bogs Lane will conclude current developer obligations. This is due to be completed for the road reopening, subject to weather conditions.”

Cold Bath Road restaurant asks for outdoor seating until 11pm

La Feria in Harrogate has asked North Yorkshire Council for permission to allow outdoor seating until 11pm between April and September.

The restaurant offers Spanish cuisine from the Andalusia region and opened on Cold Bath Road in 2016 after moving from a smaller premises on Royal Parade.

La Feria, which is the trading name of Whaddya Know? Ltd, had a temporary licence for outdoor seating until 11pm last summer which owner Jeremy Verity would now like to make permanent.

Currently, customers are allowed to sit outside until 9pm.

The building was previously a pub for many years and was known as the Old Tradition, the Honest Lawyer and the Iron Duke.

Councillors on the licensing sub-committee will meet on Friday in Harrogate to consider the application.

The application has received three objections from residents living near the restaurant who all say it should be refused due to noise.

One person said:

“We have a young family and it is important that we are able to live in a peaceful residential environment. If the restaurant was operating as they intended with their new application, we would not have purchased this house. It will significantly impact our peace and quiet and the ability of our young child to sleep.”

Mr Verity wrote in the application:

“We are currently permitted to use the terraced area in front of the restaurant until 21.00 because of an environmental protection condition on our license which prohibits us from using the terrace between 21.00 – 11.00. We would like to remove this condition to be able to use the terrace until 23.00 from Monday to Saturday.

“Realistically, this will only be during the summer months, from April to September, during the lighter evenings. We have successfully operated the terrace area in previous summers until 23.00 through the use of Temporary Event Notices (TENS) and would now like to formalise this activity if possible.”

The meeting will take place at 2pm on Friday at Harrogate’s Civic Centre. It will be streamed live on YouTube.

Empty Harrogate bar unit could finally have a new tenant

North Yorkshire Council says it has accepted an offer to rent out the former Potting Shed bar unit in Harrogate which has stood empty for more than five years.

The unit is next to JD Wetherspoon and is part of the vast council-owned Royal Baths estate. The council had it on the market for £120,000 a year.

The Potting Shed closed in 2019 after less than a year in Harrogate when its parent company went into administration.

The building was previously home to Rift & Co and Revolution and spans 7,000 square feet.

In February, the council confirmed that it had accepted an offer on the former Viper Rooms building, which is also part of the Royal Baths, however, the leases on both units are yet to be signed.

The Grade II listed Baths was purchased by North Yorkshire County Council in 2018 however its value has fallen from £9.5m before the covid pandemic to £7m today, according to a report.

The council’s director of finance Gary Fielding blamed the drop in how much the building is worth on a “general drop in market sentiment” towards the retail and night-time sectors.

The council moved the Tourist Information Centre from the Royal Baths to the Pump Room museum earlier this year which could raise £40,000 a year in rental income.

Mr Fielding said there has been interest in the former Tourist Information Centre office and prospective tenants will be shown around in the next week.

Harrogate’s newest councillor says town ready for a Lib Dem MP

Andrew Timothy says his victory in the Stray, Hookstone and Woodlands council by-election is a sign that Harrogate and Knaresborough are ready for a Liberal Democrat MP.

Earlier this month, Cllr Timothy beat his Conservative rival John Ennis by 326 votes — and with a general election around the corner, he believes the result is a shape of things to come.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Timothy said:

“The result does show that in terms of a general election if people don’t want to have a Tory MP the best way is to vote Lib Dem. The Greens and Labour were far behind.”

He described the first few days as a councillor as a lot like starting any new job. He’s been given a laptop for casework, has Zoom meetings scheduled with the different executive members and will undertake training on things like planning.

He’s only been in position for less than two weeks but he said he’s been busy dealing with nuts and bolts local issues like potholes and grass verges.

Cllr Timothy said:

“I’ve already sent out emails to the council. One was talking about drainage off the Stray and its impact on nearby roads like St James’ Drive and St Winifred’s Road.”

Andrew Timothy (left) pictured at the by-election count.

At 25, Cllr Timothy is now the youngest councillor on North Yorkshire Council.

He moved to Harrogate from the West Midlands a few years ago and the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands he works at Labcorp, formerly Covance, which is a science lab off Otley Road that is controversial due to its use of animal testing for medicines.

Cllr Timothy would not confirm that he works at Labcorp but did offer a comment on animal testing. He emphasised that the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) asks that all medicines be tested on animals before they are used on humans.

At the by-election count at Woodlands Methodist Church, it was evident that the Lib Dem’s prospective parliamentary candidate Tom Gordon was now in charge of the local party, buzzing around with a notebook and liaising with different party members.

Cllr Timothy believes Mr Gordon’s background in the charitable sector means he understands the struggles that people go through day-to-day.

However, Cllr Timothy’s campaign was criticised for a leaflet that incorrectly said the Green Party weren’t standing in the by-election. The matter has been referred to North Yorkshire Police.

Cllr Timothy did not want to go into detail about the leaflet due to the investigation but said it was due to a “clerical error”.

Andrew Jones MP, who will face Mr Gordon for his fifth general election, wrote to Lib Dem leader Ed Davey about the leaflet and he repeated a previously made claim that the local party was now a “rogue political operation.”

Cllr Timothy said Mr Jones’ reaction “shows he’s worried about how the general election is going to go”.

He added:

“He’s focusing on tarnishing us when really he should be making Harrogate and Knaresborough better”.

Cllr Timothy has big boots to fill, replacing veteran Lib Dem councillor Pat Marsh who resigned following controversial comments she made on social media platform X. He said he’s not in contact with her but hopes she’s doing OK.

He said:

“I’m honoured and slightly surprised so many people have put their trust in me. I’m thrilled to get the opportunity. Thanks again to the people of Stray, Hookstone and Woodlands, I won’t let them down.”

Councillors reject last-ditch bid to save Fountains Earth school

Councillors have rejected a bid to ‘call in’ the decision by the Conservative-run executive to close Fountains Earth primary school in Nidderdale.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive met last month in Northallerton to approve the closure following a consultation. It took effect at the end of March.

The school in Lofthouse near Pateley Bridge faced dwindling pupil numbers in recent years and had no pupils on its books.

The school received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted less than two years ago.

At a specially arranged meeting at County Hall, Cllr Andrew Murday (Liberal Democrat, Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale) asked that the decision to close the school be taken again, either by the executive or at a full meeting of the council.

Following Cllr Murday’s request, the children and families overview and scrutiny committee had the power to explore if the executive had all the information available to it when it made its decision.

Councillors heard from Stephen Ledger, a former parent at the school who said Fountains Earth had been the “heart of the community” until 2022.

He then described how “brilliant” permanent teachers left without explanation, which led to the school relying on agency staff. He said it left children “confused and unsettled” and confidence in the school from parents evaporated.

Cllr Stephen Ramsden, chair of Upper Nidderdale Parish Council, pleaded with councillors to help keep the school open for a September 2024 start. He said:

“With good skilled management this situation can be turned around”.

Cllr Murday again called for an investigation to take place first into the leadership of the Upper Nidderdale Federation, which ran the school, related to its academic and financial performance, as well as communication with parents.

He added:

“There is a problem throughout the country in funding rural schools. They are really important parts of the community.”

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire Council’s Corporate Director Children and Young People’s Service, read out a statement that addressed concerns raised.

He said the council did not have the power to investigate the governance of the federation.

Mr Carlton added:

“Due to the remote location of the school it struggled to retain staff. The federation considered the future of the school only after exhausting all avenues to sustain its future. We realise the importance of schools in rural communities, despite this, we can’t keep schools open where there are no pupils on the roll.”

Councillors voted unanimously to reject the call-in request and agreed that the executive had received a thorough report and details from officers before making its decision.

Cllr Heather Phillips (Conservative, Seamer) said:

“This is the end of the matter and the school should be considered closed from the end of this meeting. It was a clear-cut decision made by the executive.”

Heather Peacock (Conservative, Upper Dales) added:

“None of us like to see a school closed but what happened at executive is they had all the information to make its decision.”

Government rejects North Yorkshire’s bid for traffic light funding

North Yorkshire Council’s bid for £965,000 of government money to upgrade traffic lights has been rejected.

Sixty-seven local authorities successfully applied to the Department for Transport’s traffic signal obsolescence grant. North Yorkshire was one of 23 whose bids were rejected.

It means the council will receive the minimum £117,151 awarded to all local authorities, but has missed out on a slice of the extra £20 million available to successful bidders.

Several local authorities received more than £500,000. The highest award, for £2.5 million, was to Tees Valley Combined Authority.

The traffic signal obsolescence grant is targeted at upgrading obsolete traffic signal systems to improve reliability.

It was announced as part of the government’s Plan for drivers in October 2023.

The Stray Ferret asked the council what feedback it received on its application and how many signals will be upgraded with the funding.

A spokesperson said it was “yet to receive feedback”, adding:

“We expect the funding to cover the upgrade of 10 traffic light locations to extra low voltage / LED heads.”

Further details are available in this council report.

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more: