John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

National pet retailer to open Harrogate store this month

Nationwide pet retailer Jollyes is to open a store in Harrogate this month as part of expansion plans.

The store, which will be situated at Hookstone Park, near Morrisons, will open on September 29 and employ 10 people. It will include a grooming spa called the Jolly Groomer.

Jollyes was founded in 1971 and employs more than 1,000 staff at 93 sites, many of which run community clinics offering vaccinations.

The company plans to open 10 more stores by the middle of 2024, taking its total number of sites to 103.

Inside Jollyes. Pic: Professional Images/@ProfImages

News of the Harrogate venture was included in a trading update today that revealed the company recorded sales of £33.7 million in the first quarter of 2024 — 34% higher than the £25.3m figure for last year’s first quarter.

Growth was partly fuelled by an increase in sign-ups to the firm’s pet club, which rewards customers for sales.

Chief executive Joe Wykes said:

“Our performance in our opening quarter of this financial year underlines the effectiveness of the strategy we’ve put in place – delivering exceptional value to our customers, powered by the most knowledgeable colleagues in the industry.”

Memorial stone unveiled in honour of murdered Harrogate police officer

A memorial stone was unveiled this morning in honour of Harrogate police officer David Haigh, who was murdered on duty in 1982.

Father-of-three PC Haigh, 29, was shot by Barry Prudom at Norwood Edge car park in Stainburn Forest.

Prudom went on the run and killed two more people before turning the gun on himself 17 days later after Britain’s biggest ever manhunt, which involved 4,000 police officers.

PC David Haigh was just 29 when he was murdered.

Family members, who return to the site annually to lay a wreath, told the Stray Ferret last year they were in discussions with the Police Memorial Trust, a charity that erects memorials to British police officers killed in the line of duty.

Those discussions finally bore fruit today and numerous relatives, including PC Haigh’s widow Annette Jakes, children, grandchildren and brother, attended the ceremony. Many still live locally.

Geraldine Winner, the widow of film-maker Michael Winner, unveiled the stone at the spot where PC Haigh is believed to have fallen.

Mr Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust, which has now created 57 memorials to officers killed in the line of duty.

Family and representatives of North Yorkshire Police and the Police Memorial Trust at today’s ceremony.

A 58th is due to be unveiled tomorrow in honour of sergeant David Winter, 31, who was shot during the search for PC Haigh’s killer.

North Yorkshire Police representatives, including chief superintendent Catherine Clarke, were also in attendance.

Ms Jakes told the Stray Ferret the memorial “has been a long time coming” but she was delighted PC Haigh’s sacrifice had now been formally recognised.

Youngest son Richard Haigh said:

“I’m really pleased that after all these years we finally have somewhere where we can come and reflect and think about dad.

“It’s somewhere for everyone to see what he sacrificed — how he went to work and never came home.”

A QR code on the memorial stone takes phone users to a page on the Police Memorial Trust website that gives information about PC Haigh.

The memorial stone is situated where PC Haigh lost his life.

You can watch a video of the stone being unveiled on our Facebook page here.

Historic Harrogate jewellers to host Egyptology exhibition

One of Harrogate’s most famous shops is to host an Egyptology exhibition that highlights its links to Tutankhamun.

Ogden of Harrogate‘s Egyptomania exhibition, which opens on Thursday, celebrates 130 years of the family jewellers and the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

James R Ogden, who founded the business in 1893, travelled widely to obtain jewels and the exhibition features his artefacts and letters.

When Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb, he invited Ogden to the Valley of the Kings to value and weigh the gold, including Tutankhamun’s coffin.

The Harrogate jeweller was one of the first people in over 3,000 years to enter the tomb.

JR Ogden, who founded the family jewellers.

Ogden of Harrogate, which is based on James Street, is now run by JR Ogden’s great, great grandsons Robert and Ben Ogden.

Robert Ogden said:

“The history of our business is our cornerstone and we have recently been cataloguing our archive, where we have a vast collection of JR Ogden’s memorabilia, including a remarkable collection of 10,000 lantern slides of his travels to Tutankhamun’s tomb, and artefacts from his expeditions to Ur, Babylon, Palestine, Syria, and Assyria.

“There are also hundreds of letters that are fascinating glimpses of the key characters of that time, and their explorations.”

JR Ogden knew Howard Carter, Lord Carnarvon, Max Mallowan (Agatha Christie’s second husband) and worked particularly closely with the archaeologists Leonard and Katharine Woolley.

Some of these artefacts and letters will be on display for the first time.

The exhibition also includes previously unseen letters of Katharine Woolley, a pioneering female archaeologist, that are of particular interest, as on her death she asked that all her personal documents be destroyed.

Yvonne Nightingale, general manager at Ogden of Harrogate, with some letters from the exhibition. Pic: Lorne Campbell. Guzelian

Ogden made many replicas of the artefacts found at Tutankhamun and Ur and donated them to the British Museum.

The exhibition provides an insight into the social and political context in which archaeology was practiced at that time. JR Ogden collected hundreds of newspaper clippings about archaeological digs, some of which will also be on display.

Egyptology runs at Ogden of Harrogate on James Street, Harrogate, from September 7 to 21.

Harrogate ‘rat run’ to return as road set to reopen

A Harrogate road often used as a cut-through by vehicles is set to reopen to through traffic this autumn.

A 12-month traffic order has blocked traffic at the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November last year.

The route was previously used by some vehicles to avoid congestion on the main A59 Knaresborough Road, as well as by locals.

The traffic order was issued to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

The bridge that divides Bogs Lane and Kingsley Road is to re-open to vehicles.

North Yorkshire Council wanted to make the closure permanent but has been unable to do so and the roads will reopen to through traffic when the 12-month order lapses on November 3.

A council email sent to interested parties said it needed to construct a turning area on Bogs Lane “as a prerequisite to any road closure”.

The email, which is attributed to a ‘development management team’ rather than any named individual, added:

“We have been negotiating with this third party landowner for over 18 months and despite protracted correspondence, there has been no conclusion to the enquiry.

“The local highway authority is now at the stage where we must proceed with an alternative option to create a safe pedestrian environment on Bogs Lane as the temporary road closure expires in November and the occupation of dwellings on the Redrow site will begin shortly after.”

The council now wants to install a pedestrian route between the proposed Redrow site entrance on Bogs Lane and the garage to the east of the railway bridge.

The email added:

“The proposal would create a notional 1.5 metre wide footway on the northern side of the road, which would be slightly narrower over short sections in some places due to physical site constraints.

“This option would require the road to be realigned slightly to the south and reinforced in places in order to retain its current minimal width of 4.8m.

“Discussions are already underway with Network Rail with regards to the proposed footway crossing the bridge deck, as this bridge is a Network Rail asset for which permissions would be required to undertake works.”

The email added the council is talking to Redrow about amending 2017 documents that obliged the developer to construct a footway.

‘The infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear’

Some people welcomed the road closure for making the Kingsley area quieter; others said it added time to their journeys and the detours only increased pollution.

Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on the council, was among those who supported a permanent closure. He said:

“I do see the point, which I understand many of the consultees made, regarding keeping Bogs Lane open to emergency vehicles, which would benefit residents on both sides of the bridge.

“I’m really pleased that, at long last, Bogs Lane is going to get a decent footway, hopefully prior to November 4th, when the Redrow Road Closure expires.

“My main worry is that the infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear when the road re-opens, but I understand traffic lights and traffic calming measures on both sides of the bridge and around the new junction will not make the road any quicker for motorists than using Knaresborough Road.”

Candles to be lit in Ripon for children and mother killed in crash

A Ripon church will open today to let people say prayers and light candles for a mother and her two children killed in a car crash on Sunday.

Holy Trinity Church will welcome staff, parents and children from nearby Holy Trinity School and anyone else who knew those who died.

The church said in a post online:

“A space has been created where people can sit quietly, light a candle and write in a condolence book.

“There will be someone available to pray with you if you would like this.

“If you do come please keep quiet at this sensitive time.”

Police said yesterday three people died in a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker bus on the A61 Ripon Road near South Stainley at 2.20pm on Sunday.

It was the second fatal collision on the road between Ripon and Harrogate on consecutive weekends.

The church said the victims, who have not been named yet by police, were three members of a Ukrainian family living in Ripon.

It said the mother was aged 35 and had lost her husband in February this year.

Her 15-year-old daughter, who had only been in the country for five weeks, and her six-year-old son also died, the church added.

It urged people to pray for the sole remaining daughter and her family abroad.

A fundraising page for the girl has already raised more than £5,000. You can donate here.

No local schools due to close because of crumbling concrete

None of the schools facing closure in England and Wales due to crumbling roofs are in the Harrogate district.

The government said last week 104 schools in England and Wales would fully or partially close due to safety fears connected with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Raac, which is cheap building material popular between the 1960s and 1980s, has been compared to “chocolate Aero” because it contains pockets of air.

Children in North Yorkshire are due to go back to school tomorrow for the autumn term and the government has yet to name which schools are affected.

Stuart Carlton, director of children and young people’s service at North Yorkshire Council, said only one school in North Yorkshire was affected . He said:

“We are aware of one school in the county which has been constructed using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

“Scalby School in Scarborough has been asked to close the buildings affected. The school is required to make suitable arrangements to continue the education of their 1,000 pupils until safety work can be carried out.

“Scalby School is the only one in North Yorkshire on the current Department for Education list of 104 schools affected.”

11-foot sunflower leaves rivals in the shade at Kirkby Malzeard

A 350cm sunflower stood tall at the annual Kirkby Malzeard and District Flower and Produce Show on Saturday.

The sunflower, which is over 11 feet tall, was found to be the tallest in one of many categories judged at the show.

This year’s show, which was the 41st, featured a record breaking number of entries.

The judging included categories for vegetables and fruit, flowers and plants, flower arranging, arts and crasfts, photography, preserves, produce and record breakers.

There were also categories for children and funny shaped fruit and vegetables.

Here are some of the exhibits.

The event began as a marrow competition in the pub in 1982.

Committee member Heather Clark-Kelly said:

“All money raised goes towards being able to fund the following year’s show.

“Its so lovely to have an opportunity for the community to come together, celebrate together and have a bit of fun.”

Harrogate hospital roof contains crumbling concrete

Harrogate District Hospital’s roof contains the type of crumbling concrete that has prompted the closure of more than 100 schools.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed its buildings contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

The material, popular between the 1960s and 1980s, has been compared to “chocolate Aero”. It has led to one hospital using 3,000 steel props to keep its roof up.

A trust spokesperson said:

“We are following HSE and NHS England guidance regarding managing the risk posed by RAAC roofing and are doing all we can to ensure that any RAAC used in our buildings does not pose any threat to the safety of our patients, staff and visitors.”

The trust is the district’s biggest employer with more than 4,000 staff employed across its sites. The main hospital was built in 1975.

The spokesperson added the trust had been undertaking surveys since last year “to identify areas of concern and monitor all RAAC roofing on our trust sites”. They added:

“We have mitigated risks that have so far been identified through remedial work, such as providing additional structural support where it is required. This work will continue to be undertaken to address any further issues that are found.

“The trust is part of an NHS England scheme to eradicate this form of roofing. We have submitted a bid to NHS England for funding so that we can develop plans to remove all RAAC from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust sites by 2030 at the latest.”

Concerns about RAAC were flagged up at a trust board meeting in May this year.

A report by the director of strategy said RAAC roofing had been surveyed and “remedial works were underway and mitigation was in place”.

The corporate risk posed by RAAC was rated at 12 — lower than managing the risk of injury from fire and control of contractors and construction work, which were both rated at 16.

It added failure to manage the risk associated with RAAC could lead to “major injuries, fatalities, or permanent disability to employees, patients and others”.

A financial plan included in board papers said the trust had allocated £700,000 for backlog maintenance but this “excluded any national funding for RAAC”.

Man wanted after woman’s purse stolen in local supermarket

Police have issued a photo of a man they want to talk to after a purse was stolen from a woman in her 80s.

In a statement issued today, North Yorkshire Police said the theft happened at Morrisons supermarket on Harrogate Road in Ripon.

The incident happened at 3.30pm on Thursday, August 3. However, the images have only been released today.

Do you recognise this man?

The statement said:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the man in the CCTV images, as he may have information that will help the investigation.”

Morrisons in Ripon

Anyone with information is urged to email richard.coulthard@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Richard Coulthard.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote reference number 12230144835.

Two children and woman killed in collision between Ripon and Harrogate

Three people, including two children, were killed in a collision on the main road between Harrogate and Ripon yesterday.

A silver Vauxhall Meriva, a blue Toyota Aygo and a double-decker bus were involved in the incident near South Stainley at 2.20pm yesterday.

It was the second fatal collision on the A61 Ripon Road between Ripon and Harrogate on consecutive weekends.

North Yorkshire Police today said a woman and two children from the same vehicle died and appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage. Their names have not yet been revealed.

The force said in a statement:

“The Vauxhall and Toyota were travelling south towards Ripley and the bus was travelling in the opposite direction.

“Sadly, all three occupants of the Vauxhall Meriva, a woman in her 30s, a teenage girl and a six-year-old boy, died following the collision. Their next of kin have been informed and are receiving specialist support.

“The driver of the bus was taken to hospital with leg injuries, some of the bus passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital, and the two people in the Toyota were not injured.”

The road was closed to allow all emergency services to attend to the collision and for investigators to examine the scene. It reopened at around 11.30pm.

Officers are appealing to anyone who saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision or witnessed the collision to get in touch if they have not already spoken to officers.

They are also appealing to anyone who may have dashcam footage of the vehicles travelling along the A61 prior to the collision or of the collision itself, to get in touch.

You can email Julie.brown@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident 12230166439.

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‘The infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear’

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