Harrogate man recovers from loss of leg to play international padel tournament 

Harrogate businessman Andrew Simister has recovered from the loss of a leg to take part in an international padel tournament.

Disability Action Yorkshire trustee Andrew teamed up with son Max at the Inclusive Padel Tour competition in Milan last month.

The tour, which involves 60 disabled players across five nationalities, creates tournaments where people with and without disabilities can play together. 

Andrew suffered a broken back in a car accident and had his right leg amputated above the knee in 2022. 

Until the accident, he was a keen sportsman who had taken part in two marathons in New York, played cricket and coached a junior Beckwithshaw Saints football team. 

He was determined and continued to take part in sports after the accident with, as he describes – his “bionic leg”.

Andrew said:

“It was a fantastic weekend. It was incredible to be with so many other players ranging from amputees to wheelchair users.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt part of a community since my accident, and there’s a real sense of family and inclusion.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get out of the group stages this time as the standard was really good.”

Andrew Simister playing padel

Andrew Simister in action

Andrew has exercised as much as possible since recovering from his injuries, and was introduced to padel tennis by friends. 

The Stray Ferret previously reported he was seeking other amputee padel players in June, 2023. He often plays at Harrogate Spa Tennis Club and praised coach Carolyn Rothwell for her advice and encouragement. 

His participation in the event came only months after discovering the existence of the tournament – and then contacting the organiser to become a competitor. 

Andrew is keen to highlight the impact disabilities have on mental as well as physical health. 

He said:

“Lying there, having my leg amputated, thinking my life was over and then accepting what happened and knowing I could recover. My leg had gone. I wasn’t going to die then and I knew it was going to be fine. I liken my situation to having an electric car. The destination is the same, but you have to plan your journey differently.”

“I was a victim of an accident, but I wasn’t going to be a victim.

“Recovery, and I spoke to a lot of people about it, is 20 percent physical and 80 percent mental.”

Andrew plans to travel to all remaining Inclusive Padel Tour tournaments this year with the final competitions taking place in Dubai and Nairobi, as well as continuing advocating for disabled people as part of Disability Action Yorkshire.  

Disability Action Yorkshire, which was established in 1937 and is based in Harrogate, provides services for the disabled to aid them in achieving their aspirations.

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Harrogate gets two new takeaways

Two new food venues are to open in Harrogate.

Pepe’s Piri Piri welcomed its first customers on Knaresborough Road this week while fish and chip shop Portside is preparing to open soon.

The piri piri chicken chain is known for its six different flavours, with options ranging from mango and lime to extremely hot. 

Store manager Rana Hossain said after Thursday’s opening:

“I love the community, the customers were fabulous and polite.

“People seemed excited for Pepe’s coming to Harrogate, and seemed to really like the food.

“I was not expecting the sort of opening we had, to say we had not done much advertising and faced a complicated process in preparing for opening – but I am happy with the team and the nice Harrogate community. 

“We have a big venue and huge variety on the menu.”

Pepe’s in Harrogate

Fish and chip business Portside already has premises in Leeds, Pontefract and South Elmsall. 

The chain offers vegetarian and vegan options, and says it cooks all its fish and chips in vegetable oil. 

Its arrival will increase competition in Starbeck, which already has Bradley’s Fish and Chip shop at 12 High Street, and Drakes on Knaresborough Road. 

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Yemi’s Food Stories: A review of The Curious Cow in Harrogate

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food and shares cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

 

Every time I drove past The Curious Cow, located off the A59 near Harrogate, I made a mental note to drop by and check it out.

This week, that’s exactly what I did.

The bar area was a little noisy as there was a new parents and babies meet-up happening at the time. That is to be expected from an event like that, but I do wish we had been seated in a quieter area.

Once seated, I ordered a virgin mojito, which had the right balance of sour and tart flavours.

Starters

To begin, we ordered the signature sharing platter, which was £18.25. It included baked lamb koftas, buttermilk chicken tenders, crispy coated barbecue cauliflower wings, hummus and flatbread.

I absolutely love both hummus and pesto, but I think the mix of the two was a little overpowering. They both have such powerful and punchy flavours, which I felt clashed a little. However, it was a slight marmite dish, and I think some people would have loved it.

I loved the lamb koftas. They were crispy on the outside, and well-seasoned and juicy on the inside. The yoghurt sauce complimented the meat well, and the salsa brought a lovely touch of heat. This is a starter that I would definitely order again.

The sharing platter

I found the chicken tenders were not so tender. They were a touch dry, felt over-fried and a little over-seasoned for me, unfortunately, although they were compensated by the cauliflower wings, which were a revelation! I could have eaten bowls of it. It was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I almost thought I was eating juicy prawns. They were delicious, especially with the accompanying sauces.

Main courses

For mains, we ordered the pan-fried sea bass, which came with crushed new potatoes, green beans, mangetout, peas, pesto and caper butter.

It was well-plated, and the fish was tasty, but the dressing did leave an oily aftertaste. I think a garnish of sliced lemon to squeeze over the fish would have lifted the dish and cut through the oiliness.

Our second main was the steak and hobgoblin ale pie with a short crust pastry base, caramelised onions and a puff pastry lid. It was served with mashed potatoes, green beans, mangetout, and honey glazed carrots.

The vegetables were well-seasoned and had just the right bite, while the carrots were perfectly caramelised.

The beef was super tender and was served in a rich, dark gravy. The consistency was almost reminiscent of brown sauce. The different types of pastry – flaky and short crust – gave a lovely contrast of textures.

This is a meal made for the pie lovers; it’s everything you’d want the classic pub dish to be.

Pudding

We ordered two puddings to bring our meal to a close.

The first was described as a chocolate brownie crowned with a melting chocolate dome, served with salted caramel sauce and hot toffee sauce.

The dome was a little thick – and required a few whacks of the back of the spoon to break through – but did taste delicious. The sauces were also tasty, but I did feel they weren’t hot enough when served.

The second was a described as warm chocolate brownie with raspberry compote and chocolate blood orange ice cream. However, I couldn’t taste the blood orange in the ice cream and the compote was missing. It was a shame, as I felt it was needed to cut through the rich and dense brownie.

The brownie was a chocolate lovers dream, but, for me, it could have used something like whipped cream or fresh fruit – or the missing compote – just to lighten the taste.

My visit to the Curious Cow was a tale of two halves, with some hits and some misses.

It has a great menu selection, but I do wish we had been offered a quieter area to sit. However, I left knowing which dishes I would definitely order again.

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Harrogate’s ‘biggest dance music festival ever’ coming to the Stray

Record label and house music brand Love To Be is to host a dance music festival on the Stray in Harrogate, on Saturday, September 14. 

In a social media post announcing the event, Love To Be said it would be ‘the biggest dance music festival ever to take place in Harrogate’.

Love To Be, which has been staging events for 30 years, said it would be a full festival production with two arenas, VIP entry and a food court lasting from 1pm to 11pm. It added:

“A massive and unmissable line up of international house music DJs, Vocalists, musicians and performers will be revealed soon

“In our 30th anniversary year we’ll be bringing you 30 years of house plus the sounds of Ibiza!”

The organisers said demand for the Harrogate festival had been “absolutely insane with 1,000 plus sign ups in 24 hours”. They added:

“Our 30th year is looking like our biggest year to date and we can’t wait to create some amazing dance floor moments with you all this year.”

Love To Be began in 1994 at Sheffield’s Music Factory. Its 30th anniversary celebrations also include events at Mint Warehouse in Leeds on February 10 and a ay festival in Sheffield on April 27. 

Other events include headliners including Bez from the Happy Mondays, DJ Grant Nelson and Sheffield talent Adelphi Music Factory. 

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What will the new combined authority mean for Harrogate?

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority had a launch event yesterday in the grand surroundings of York’s Guildhall.

The new public body will see four councillors from York and North Yorkshire work with a newly elected mayor to deliver schemes worth £18m a year related to transport, housing, net-zero and business.

The combined authority era will begin in earnest after mayoral elections on May 2.

But for all the aspirational talk from leaders at the launch about “historic milestones” and “flourishing together”, what will it actually mean for people living in Harrogate?

The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to Cllr Carl Les, Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council and James Farrar, interim head of paid services for combined authority, to try and get a better sense of how the combined authority will work — and how the mayor could use their new powers to improve Harrogate.

Some key decisions will be made in Harrogate

A common criticism of North Yorkshire Council is the location of its headquarters in Northallerton with it frequently being described by Harrogate residents as remote and out-of-the-way.

The combined authority will have two main offices — in York and at County Hall in Northallerton.

Cllr Les disputed the argument that this means even more decisions affecting Harrogate will not be made locally and he insisted the town will have a voice.

As the mayoral role will also include the brief of the current Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe, her office and staff at Harrogate Police Station on Beckwith Head Road will come under the control of the mayor.

Although the crime and fire duties will be led by a deputy mayor who will be appointed after the election.

Cllr Les said:

“Devolution is the holy grail of local government. It’s about moving decision-making away from Whitehall to County Hall and to York. I’ve been around local government for nigh-on 30 years and I’ve never met a councillor who doesn’t believe we can’t make better decisions locally.”

The mayor could help fund the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment.

North Yorkshire Council has a £49m problem with what to do with the ageing Harrogate Convention Centre.

It’s seen seen two funding bids rejected by government to help pay for a planned redevelopment that it inherited from the defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

It was even recently suggested by council chief executive Richard Flinton that the council-run facility could be sold to the private sector.

However, Mr Farrar said the convention centre redevelopment project could win funding from the mayor providing it delivers “good bang for the buck”.

Cllr Les was more enthusiastic about the idea and said “absolutely” when asked if the mayor could help pay for it.

He added:

“That’s a discussion we’d want to have with the mayor, whoever he or she is.”

The launch event today.

The mayor could reverse cuts to Harrogate’s fire service

Conservative fire and crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has faced strong criticism from fire unions and the public over her decision to reduce the number of fire engines available in Harrogate overnight to one.

She also recently announced that from April, four firefighters based in the town will lose their jobs, saving £210,000.

Last month, Ms Metcalfe said she was going to write to local government secretary Michael Gove to plead with him for an increase in funding available to the fire service through council tax.

Cllr Les admitted government hasn’t always listened to the requests of crime commissioners but said that could change with a more high-profile mayor who may be able to negotiate more money for North Yorkshire’s cash-strapped fire service.

Cllr Les said:

“They could [reverse the cuts].  But if the mayor wants to reverse the savings, they have to find the money.”

Mr Farrar added that the budget of the fire service will be “entirely down to the mayor”

More active travel schemes for Harrogate?

Harrogate’s £11.2m Station Gateway has turned into one giant headache for North Yorkshire Council.

The active travel scheme has been drastically scaled-back following opposition from local businesses and the finished version could end up satisfying nobody.

One of the mayor’s responsibilities is to bring forward a strategic transport strategy for the region and Mr Farrar said this could include suggesting new schemes to promote cycling and walking in Harrogate.

He added:

“We’ll be looking at how people move around in Harrogate in an effective way.”

But how will the combined authority be able to succeed where the council has arguably failed?

Cllr Les said:

“The station gateway is a classic example of putting forward a scheme and finding two distinct lobbies in Harrogate where there are well-educated people who know how to put a coherent argument forward.

“Its very clear a lot of people wanted a scheme that’s much more pedestrian and cycle-friendly, other people wanted it to be more business-friendly. We’ve tried to strike a balance, whether we’ve got it right, only time will tell.”

One of the first jobs in the mayor’s in-tray could be repairing the fractured relationship between Harrogate businesses, cycling community and the public sector following the station gateway debacle.

But if he or she decides to encourage more active travel in Harrogate, they could also run into the same problems and divisiveness faced by North Yorkshire Council.

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Rivers Nidd and Ure named among UK’s most polluted rivers

A report from the Angling Trust has found the Nidd and Ure to be among the most polluted rivers in the UK.

The results are contained in the first water quality monitoring network report published by the organisation, which represents anglers.

The report is based on the findings of 641 anglers from 240 angling clubs who monitored pollution on 190 rivers.

Twenty flyfishers from four clubs on the Nidd collected 165 water samples from 13 locations over a period of a year as part of this national project, which the Angling Trust has hailed as ‘the UK’s largest citizen science water testing’ project.

The report found 83% of English rivers now show evidence of high pollution and deteriorating water quality. 

An Angling Trust press release said:

“Mapped catchments with the highest phosphate site averages were the Medway; Swale, Ure, Nidd and Upper Ouse; Severn Middle Worcestershire; Loddon and tributaries; Wey and tributaries; Warwickshire Avon; Ribble; Hampshire Avon; Upper and Bedford Ouse.”

The Ure at Boroughbridge.

The Nidd flows through Pateley Bridge and Knaresborough as well as many villages near Harrogate. The Ure passes through Masham, Ripon and Boroughbridge.

The organisation conducted the Water Quality Monitoring Network testing as part of its Anglers Against Pollution campaign. It also did so because of reduced essential testing from the Environment Agency.

Angling Trust chief executive Jamie Cook said:

“The first annualWater Quality Monitoring Network report proves that across the country rivers are suffering from too much phosphate which is extremely damaging in freshwater.

“We need to see much more enforcement and an update of existing laws to tackle the scourge of river pollution and hold polluters to account.”

The Nidd has been the subject of an ongoing clean-up campaign dating back to the formation of the Nidd Action Group in October 2022.

It organised sampling along the length of the Nidd in August and October last year, which found high levels of phosphates and E.coli in much of the main river and also its becks.

David Clayden, chair of Nidd Angling Group, said:

“Yorkshire Water has proposed to reduce phosphate levels from discharges from its assets, and Nidd Action Group intends to scrutinise the delivery of those improvements and the actual results of their actions over the next several years.”

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has led a campaign for the Nidd to achieve bathing water status at the Knaresborough Lido, which, if achieved, would lead to measures to improve water quality.

Andrew Jones (right) and Environment Secretary Steve Barclay discuss the bathing water status bid.

The application was submitted to the government in October 2023. A decision is expected in spring.

The Stray Ferret previously reported concerns about the Nidd, including reports of bathers falling ill with sickness, as well as wider pollution concerns. 

A report claimed that the equivalent of 317 Olympic swimming pools worth of raw sewage was discharged into Nidd in 2020. 

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New Harrogate pregnancy and wellness clinic to open

A pregnancy and wellness clinic called Cocoon will open on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate on Saturday (February 3).

The clinic will offer private scans and midwifery care to families in Harrogate and surrounding areas, as well as support. 

Mother-of-two Sam Naughton founded Cocoon after experiencing her own difficult path to parenthood. 

In 2022, Ms Naughton gave birth to son Alby but previously lost her baby, Willow, at 10 weeks, meaning she had many private scans during her pregnancy with Alby. 

This appointment process inspired her to create Cocoon as a means of nurturing parents at every and any stage of pregnancy. 

Ms Naughton said:

“While on maternity leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be a better way. I imagined a clinic that nurtured and supported parents at every stage.

“I wanted to create somewhere that was inclusive and accessible to all families, all emotions and all outcomes.

“We’re also hearing from women who are feeling anxious or worried in the weeks and months after their baby has been born – and this is something we are here to help with.”

A private scan room at Cocoon.

The business will provide ultrasound scans alongside bereavement therapy, life-coaching and mentoring. 

The Cocoon team consists of five specialists, including sonographers and midwifes.

The clinic has also partnered with local midwifery organisation Taking Baby Steps, which will be on-site two days a week to provide support to families pre, during and post pregnancy. 

Cocoon also offers scans throughout pregnancy, starting from six to 11 weeks through to 36+ weeks, as well as gender and 4D scans.

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York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority launched today

A launch event for the of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority took place at the Guildhall in York today. We were there — here’s what was revealed about the new authority and the mayor who will lead it.

11.45am: Launch event draws to close

Today’s event is ending. We leave you with photos of two of today’s speakers — Cllr Claire Douglas, leader of City of York Council and Levelling Up minister Jacob Young, who gave a short video address.

The mayoral election is 91 days away. So far the Conservatives, Labour, the Greens and an Independent have put candidates forward.

The new branding

11.40am: How will the combined authority work?

Whoever is elected mayor on May 2 will chair the combined authority board. The board will also include:

11.31am: Combined authority website launched

A website launched today for the new organisation. You can see it here.

11.14am: Harrogate College welcomes change

Danny Wild (pictured above), the principal of Harrogate College, is at the launch. There is provision for adult skills in the gainshare budget — gainshare is the buzzword for new money from central government as part of the devolution deal. Mr Wild said:

“The combined authority gives us a real opportunity to address some of the adult skills challenges we have across North Yorkshire.”

He added conversations were already taking place on how the funding would be allocated and welcomed the fact that decisions previously taken in Westminster were now happening at sub-regional level.

He said this would lead to a more flexible and targeted approach to adult education.

10.55am: How will the money be spent?

The mayoral investment fund is worth £540 million spread over 30 years.

From launch to March 2025, the new combined authority will receive £56 million, which includes £12.7 million for housing to build 700 new homes on brownfield sites, £10 million to support transition to net zero, unlocking economic opportunity, empowering business growth and creating jobs. An adult education budget will also be devolved to York and North Yorkshire.

10.47am: Mayor’s role outlined

Whoever is elected mayor on May 2 will take up the role on May 7. The salary has not been revealed yet. His or her roles (although only four men have declared they will stand so far) will include:

10.39am: Combined authority will be based in York and Northallerton

Now the speeches are over, some interesting details are emerging in the media briefing notes.

The combined authority, which will employ 54 staff, will use offices in York (West Offices, Station Rise) and Northallerton (County Hall).  The Mayor will work from both offices.

10.28am: ‘Region before politics’

Cllr Claire Douglas, the Labour leader of City of York Council continues the heady rhetoric. The word ‘momentous’ is being used a lot.

Cllr Douglas describes the deal as “absolutely fantastic, a historic milestone for our region” and says it is a case of “region before politics”, which reflects how the Labour Council she leads will work alongside the Conservative one in North Yorkshire.

10.21am:  ‘First truly rural and city deal’

Richard Flinton, the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, is standing in for Conservative council leader Cllr Carl Les, who he says is stuck in traffic on the A19.

Mr Flinton says it’s a “strong deal” that will open up more conversations with government. He adds:

“It’s the first truly rural and city deal binging together the largest county with cities like York and binding us together.”

10.15am:  Minister gives video speech

Levelling Up minister Jacob Young gives a short video address in which he talks about transferring power to “god’s own county”.

10.10am: ‘Momentous day’

James Farrar, the interim head of paid services for the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, gets things underway by saying it’s a “pretty momentous day”.

Mr Farrar, who lives near Harrogate, says North Yorkshire has “joined the Premier League for ambition” and says achieving a devolution deal “required political leadership to get us where we are today”.

He adds “half a billion pounds of investment comes along with the mayor”, which will be spent in areas such as transport, adult skills, housing and net zero.

“This is new money we wouldn’t otherwise get so this is quite a moment in time. Public sector finances are under incredible pressure and this is a chance to show real ambition.”

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1,000 sign petition to protect Bilton’s Knox Lane from housing

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to prevent land targeted for homes in Bilton being available for development.

North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee rejected an application by the developer Jomast to build 53 homes off Knox Lane, as reported by the Stray Ferret in September.

Residents have been engaged in a long-running campaign to protect the land from housing. More than 500 objections were made against the Jomast plans.

With the immediate threat of housing removed, the campaign organisation Knox Community Conservation Group is now attempting to protect the land from further planning applications.

It set up a petition to remove the land from the forthcoming North Yorkshire Local Plan, which will replace the current blueprint for where development can take place.

The plan will replace the current Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, which was created by the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, said this month the new plan was expected to be finalised in about four years. He added a call for sites was due to go out to consultation this spring.

Knox Lane

The land off Knox Lane. 

Knox Community Conservation Group campaigners were at Nidderdale Greenway last weekend urging people to sign the petition, which closes on February 5. 

It will then be presented to the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee at its next meeting on March 14. 

The petition says previous site assessments conducted by Harrogate Borough Council of the Knox Lane site in 2013 and 2016 found it to be unsuitable for development because it “would have adverse or highly adverse effects on historic environment, priority habitats and/or species and landscape”.

The group says these concerns remain and has called on people to “preserve and protect” the historic area of Bilton, where a former railway line used to run through.

The photo shows (from left) Margaret Cockerill, Alison Heyward and Jill Harrison all from Knox Community Conservation Group.

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Andrew Jones MP hits back after Lib Dem rival Tom Gordon attacks schools funding

The Liberal Democrat bidding to be Harrogate and Knaresborough’s next MP has accused the government of failing local children after new figures revealed a decline in funding per pupil.

The National Education Union, which is the UK’s largest education union, published a county-by-county breakdown of school funding statistics last week.

It revealed school funding in North Yorkshire was set to fall by £14 million in 2024/25 compared with this year and 286 of 340 schools in the county will have less to spend. The cut will equate to a £188 reduction in funding per pupil in North Yorkshire.

Tom Gordon, who will bid to unseat Conservative Andrew Jones at the next general election, said the Lib Dems were calling for the government to review school funding after the Institute for Fiscal Studies said the purchasing power of school budgets in 2024 will still be about 4% lower than in 2010.

Mr Gordon said:

“This Conservative government has failed North Yorkshire’s children. Parents in our community should not have to send their children to schools which have had their funding decimated by a Conservative government that has lost interest in providing high-quality education.

“Investing in education is investing in our future but this Conservative government has let school buildings crumble and overseen a severe shortage of teachers. Far from preparing the next generation for the future, Ministers have totally abandoned them.

“The Liberal Democrats know that investment in education boosts our children’s futures. The Treasury needs to urgently look at increasing school funding”.

‘Hard facts’

But Mr Jones disputed the figures and said recent investments to local schools and colleges in painted a different picture.

He said:

“Rather than quoting figures produced by a national trade union we can look at some hard facts about local and national investment.

“The effect of educational investment since 2010 is clear in Harrogate and Knaresborough.  Harrogate High School has been completely rebuilt and we are about to see a £20m new campus for Harrogate college.  A new specialist autism school is opening on the site of the former Woodfield Primary School with a £3.5m investment from North Yorkshire Council.

“There is more evidence of local progress.  Look at the new sixth form centre at King James or the new lecture theatre at Harrogate Grammar.

“Rossett School and Bilton Grange have received grants to make classrooms warmer and more energy efficient.

“Just last year local schools received £2.5m to help with energy bills and teachers’ pay increases.”

He added:

“School spending was £35bn per year in 2010. For 2024/25 it is £58.8bn. That is a 68 per cent cash increase. The budget increase in 2022/23 was £4bn, for 23/24 it is £3.5bn. That is 15 per cent in just two years, taking the budget to a record high in real terms and per pupil.

“I am particularly pleased that the funding for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has risen by 50 per cent since 2019/20.”

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