We want to hear your opinions on all things Harrogate. From public transport to shopping, parking to nightlife.

The town is known for its independent shops and wide range of bars and restaurants, ass well as its beautiful scenery across the Stray and beyond.

But, even without covid, times are changing, and some businesses have struggled. The Stray Ferret has reported on several well-known shops having to close down in recent months, with existing struggles compounded by lockdown.

Our big Harrogate survey is still open to everyone over 18 from across the district who uses the town centre for work or leisure.

By clicking here to complete this survey you have the opportunity to give your views on what the town needs, what it can change and what you love about it.

The survey takes about 10 minutes and everyone who takes part will be entered into a prize draw with free gifts – a Stray Ferret umbrella or a 12 pack of special Stray Ferret beer brewed by Harrogate-based Roosters.

The results will be published on The Stray Ferret website to continue the debate about the future of our town.

From Monday, weddings in England can only involve 15 people but those in the industry in Harrogate say small ceremonies can still be “beautiful”.

New government restrictions this week will limit weddings to a maximum of 15 people, including the couple.

The decision has left venues and wedding vendors struggling. It also means couples have to decide whether to rearrange for a later date or go ahead with a more intimate occasion.

A celebrant and wedding planner from Harrogate both said they hope to encourage couples to continue with their weddings safely. Both agreed that smaller weddings can still be just as special.

Rachael Meyer, humanist celebrant from Harrogate, said:

“It’s tough on the couples and the venues. I feel so sorry for them and everyone involved in the day. But there are ways to have a beautiful day with small numbers. I’ve done several small ceremonies and they were beautiful. Those couples chose to have limited numbers and everyone is completely involved, which is fantastic. It made them rethink why they were getting married.

There is a feeling of uncertainty but love wins and will go ahead even if it is different.”

Laura Lindsay, a Harrogate wedding planner, said:

“It’s disastrous for everyone in the industry. It’s the yo-yo of rules: we can get married, we can’t get married – it’s not fair. Some people could have a small wedding now and big party next year. There’s still some lovely, beautiful, intimate weddings happening.”

Read more:

• The demand for humanist weddings is rising in Harrogate. 
• Harrogate couple has to cancel wedding for the third time following further covid restrictions. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the restriction on numbers was part of a six month plan to curtail the rise in covid cases.

No indication has been given yet about whether the restrictions on weddings will change again before March.

Indoor sports clubs say they can only hope they’ll be able to reopen after changes to government guidelines forced them to close their doors.

Any indoor sport with more than six adult participants has now been banned from today, after being exempt from the ‘rule of six’ introduced last week.

In Harrogate, some indoor sports clubs say the future looks “worrying” as they don’t know when they’ll be able to re-open – or whether their members will return.

Andy Hawkswell, founder of Harrogate Indoor Cricket League, said:

“It was a bit of a shock and of course very disappointing. We had 14 to 16 teams playing in the league this year – the demand was high because the summer season was halved.

“It’s worrying that after having so much time off, they may not come back. For a lot of the players, there is a huge social aspect to the game and they will miss out on that now.

“Unfortunately it’ll probably be a year out and we’ll have to hope there’s enough interest for next year if people return.”

This troop has had to suspend training again with its coach looking for employment elsewhere.

Megan Fairweather runs the Fire and Ice Cheerleading squad in Harrogate. It is a youth team, but some members are over 18 so the exclusions still apply.

The squad was only set up in September 2019, leaving Megan without financial support. She worries that with further delays the members won’t return.

She said:

“We haven’t been open since March – we were planning to reopen this week but we’ve had to cancel that. The government has come out with a list and because cheerleading isn’t registered as an official sport yet, it wasn’t put on the list.

“It’s a lot more complicated because it’s a contact sport. Even if we were to open with just strength and conditioning training some of the troop may drop it because they come to do stunts and they can do those at their gymnastics or dance classes.”

The National Trust has included Ripon’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal in a report published today about links between its properties and slavery.

The report reveals how John Aislabie, who owned the Studley Royal estate during the 18th century, received a £20,000 bribe from the South Sea Company to promote its campaigns in the House of Commons.

Aislabie was eventually expelled from the House of Commons for his links with the South Sea Company, which sold African slaves.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A spokesperson for Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal said:

“Fountains Abbey will be exploring ways to embed the research into what we do and the way we tell the stories of the property.

“We want to give as many people as possible, particularly those whose ancestors may have been enslaved or whose countries may have been colonised, a chance to respond to the report’s findings.

“We are working to share stories of colonialism and slavery at relevant properties but we also want to take time to do this properly and well.”

Read more:

• Fountains Abbey has limited the number of visitors each day to ensure safety. 
• Owners of Newby Hall has said it must “recognise and take serious note” of its slavery connection. 

The trust said this information will be taken forward to offer visitors a more informed visit.

Another North Yorkshire property, Nunnington Hall, was also named in the report.

Ripon Grammar School has confirmed one of its sixth form students has tested positive coronavirus.

It makes it the sixth school in the district to have reported a case, and the first outside of Harrogate.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb sent a letter to parents today saying a “small” number of pupils would be sent home to self-isolate. The precise figure has not been revealed.

The letter said:

“We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus will be a mild illness.

“The small number of children who have been in direct, prolonged contact with the confirmed case will be staying at home for 14 days.”

Two women from the Harrogate district are to swim the English Channel this weekend for charity.

Andrea Stark, from Harrogate, and Jacqui Hargrave, from Knaresborough, have been open water swimming together for seven years. But this will be the duo’s biggest challenge yet.

They are part of a four-person relay team in which each person will raise money for a different cause. Andrea is raising money for the mental health charity Samaritans. Jacqui is swimming for Harrogate-based Saint Michael’s Hospice, which supported her best friend in her final days.

The swim normally takes 15 hours and the rules state each person can only swim one hour before another member of the team takes over. The team has to tackle currents and find their way around shipping lanes – so the swim could be up to 30 miles long.

The team of four are set to embark on the English Channel Challenge on Friday.

Andrea, a nurse at Harrogate Hospital, said:

“We’re beginning to let ourselves get excited but it’s still all very dependent on the weather. We are definitely ready, we’ve done lots of training and swam at Whitby to get used to the current and the temperature.

“It’s taken us 7 years to build up to this. We love it so much and we prefer the open water and the feeling it gives – you’d be amazed at the positive impact it has on your mental health. Our families have been amazing too. There will be times when our bodies hurt but that’s when we’ll think of those charities and it’ll keep us going.”

To support Andrea, click here.

Jacqui, who writes an open water swimming blog, said:

“I am feeling more confident now, I really want to get it done – we all do! It’ll be invigorating and a challenge for us but we’ve done all the preparation and we’ve planned it all out.

“Under a quarter of people succeed but we are all very determined to accomplish this. Our driver is very experienced and understands the water so we’re in safe hands. It’s just about pushing ourselves against the harsh currents and of course the cold. The charities need their work promoting especially with all the uncertainty.”

To support Jacqui, click here.

Read more:

• An ice cream shop in Knaresborough has raised money for the local charity, Frank’s Fund.
• Former Ashville pupil will attempt to swim the channel this month.

The women are due to enter the water on Friday morning but the weather could postpone it by a few days. Their swim has already been postponed once following lockdown.

Richard Powell, a deputy health centre manager from Chesterfield, and Leanne Davis, a paramedic from Rotherham, make up the rest of the relay team.

A Knaresborough ice cream shop has raised £300 for local charity Frank’s Fund.

Castle Creamery is beginning to slow down ready for hibernation in the winter. As one of its final activities, it gave all proceeds from sales between 2pm and 5pm yesterday to the local charity.

Frank’s Fund was set up by the parents of Frank Ashton who died last year from Ewing sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. The money it raises goes towards to Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Simon Lee, owner of Castle Creamery, was introduced to the charity through his daughter who attended St Aidan’s with Frank. He said:

“We’re coming to the end of the season and wanted to do something to raise a bit of money with the stock we have left over. Frank’s Fund is a local charity that we’re happy to support. It was great to see lots of local regular customers who came especially to support Frank’s Fund.

“We opened for three hours and raised, through donations and takings £260, which we rounded up to £300.”

The money will offer the charity a starting point to recover from the amount it lost during lockdown.

Frank’s family are committed to raising money to prevent other families facing what they did. But lockdown has had a huge impact on the charity’s ability to fundraise.

Louise Ashton, Frank’s mother and charity organiser, said:

“We’ve been hit really hard by lockdown – we had lots fundraisers planned that unfortunately had to be cancelled. We had the FiveForFrank challenge recently which was great because we’re raising money and keeping him in people’s memory.

“All the small things really help even just £30 pays for one hour of research. It also helps more people to learn about us in Harrogate.”

Read more:

• An author has written his first children’s book in aid of the cancer charity Candlelighters.
• An art exhibition in Knaresborough is raising money for the Harrogate cancer centre. 

Harrogate Town Football Club has closes its player development centre for two weeks following a positive case of coronavirus.

The player development centre works with children aged between four and 15 to offer football coaching and support. The club was told yesterday one of its members had tested positive.

The club has confirmed only the development centre has been affected and its first team’s game against Notts County tonight is unaffected.

In a statement, Harrogate Town, said:

“Yesterday we received formal confirmation that one member of our Player Development Centre has tested positive for Covid-19.

“All players and staff in attendance who may have come into contact with the player have been informed, and appropriate government guidance followed. As a precautionary measure we have decided to close the PDC for 14 days. There have been no other confirmed cases within the PDC or any area of the club.”

Read more:

• The total cases within Harrogate, since March, has now reached 926. 
• Hotel closes after staff test positive for covid. 

Yesterday, a further seven cases of coronavirus were reported in the district.

In the past week, the Stray Ferret has reported five schools in Harrogate have confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Today the Prime Minister announced that indoor team sport would be banned in an attempt to avoid a full lockdown.

A second consultation will be held over the future of leisure services in the Harrogate district.

After 417 people responded to a consultation which closed earlier this month, Harrogate Borough Council said it will go back to the public – but it has not confirmed when, or what it will ask.

Campaigners in Knaresborough are calling for the council to rule out using the Conyngham Hall site for a new leisure centre,. However, HBC said responses to the survey are being assessed and no decision has been made over where it will be built, with Knaresborough House, Hay-a-Park and the existing swimming pool site all on the shortlist.

The council has confirmed residents will get another chance to express their opinions in a follow-up consultation in the coming weeks. A spokesman said:

“The results will be evaluated and used to inform the various options and subsequent recommendations for the multi-million pound investment in sport and leisure across the Harrogate district.”

Read more:

• Civic society label proposed decision to build at Conyngham Hall ‘cultural vandalism’
• Decision to cancel Knaresborough Christmas Market ‘wasn’t unexpected’

The suggestion of the Grade II* listed Conyngham Hall as a potential spot for the new leisure centre has been met with criticism. The hall itself is used as office space and leased by the council to businesses, while the grounds are popular for leisure activities.

Campaigns to protect the green space have been set up by local residents on Facebook, and by the Harrogate & Knaresborough Liberal Democrats and Knaresborough Civic Society.

Civic society chairman James Monaghan said:

“Knaresborough Civic Society believes that building a new leisure centre and car park on green space at the grade 2 star listed Conyngham Hall would be completely unacceptable.

Our preference is to see the Conyngham Hall site removed from consideration full stop.”

The current site being used for the swimming pool is favoured by local groups over the proposal to build at Conyngham Hall

Mr Monaghan said he was pleased that the council had agreed to consult again and was hopeful that it would give local people a say on the location of the new leisure centre. The civic society’s preference is for the existing site to be used.

He added:

“The proposals for a leisure centre at either Conyngham Hall or on the green space at Knaresborough House would have a terrible impact on the historical character of Knaresborough.”

A 16-year-old girl from Harrogate has been arrested following reports of multiple damaged cars in two streets in Harrogate.

Four vehicles and some sunflowers were damaged on St Andrew’s Avenue and Fairfax Avenue, between 2.15am and 2.40am on Sunday morning.

The girl has been released under investigation as the police continue their enquiries.

Detective Sergeant Alex Jackson said:

“A 16-year-old girl was arrested following reports of cars and sunflowers being damaged in Harrogate and has been released under investigation whilst enquiries are ongoing.

“Anyone with any information, CCTV or dash cam footage that can help our investigation should please come forward and speak to us.

“If there are any further victims who have had their cars damaged in the area recently, please report it to us if haven’t already done so.”

Anyone with information is being asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote the crime reference number 12200165553.

Read more:

• Police are appealing for information after a spate of burglaries took place in Harrogate last week.
• A large-scale cannabis farm has been discovered in a former nightclub in Ripon.