Harrogate beauty queen sets sights on UK crown

A 23-year-old supermarket worker has been crowned Miss Harrogate Galaxy and is now ready to take on other beauty queens in the final of Miss Galaxy UK.

Victoria Hind, from Sharow, near Ripon, was crowned Miss Harrogate in her first pageant last month and will now compete in November’s final.

Ms Hind said she always wanted to compete in pageants but prior to lockdown didn’t think she had the confidence.

After suffering with anxiety for some years, she is hoping this competition will boost her confidence and teach her to “grab every opportunity that comes my way”.

Pageant life is a little different to Ms Hind’s day job at Sainsbury’s in Ripon.

The Miss Galaxy UK final at the Park Hall Hotel in Lancashire consists of four rounds; an interview round, an evening wear round, a fashion wear round and a swimwear round.

If she wins she will have the chance to travel to America to compete in the Miss Galaxy International final next summer.

Ms Hind said:

“I’m really excited, its something I’ve wanted to do for a while but I was too nervous.

“It’s not just a beauty pageant; it’s about girls supporting girls. This gives me a reason to step out my comfort zone.”

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Ms Hind has already made an appearance as Miss Harrogate Galaxy at Ripon Races and is looking forward to attending more events during her reign.

She also plans to use her platform to raise money for the charity Dogsforgood, which trains dogs to live as assistance dogs in people’s homes.

The charity helped find her step-dad, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, an assistance dog so she is determined to raise as much as she can.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Suzannah with you today. Make sure to get in touch if you experience any delays or spot any new roadworks on your commute today.

Ring me on 01423 276197, if it is safe, or get in touch on social media.

Let’s help everyone have a better journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog, brought to you by the HACS Group.

9am – Full Update

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Traffic is building here:

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8.30am – Full Update 

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8am – Full Update 

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Traffic is building here:

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7.30am – Full Update 

The roads are getting a little busier around the usual Skipton Road and Wetherby Road areas but no hotspots yet.

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7am – Full Update 

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The roads are still looking quiet so far this morning. Have you experienced any traffic?

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6.30am – Full Update 

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The roads are looking quiet so far this morning with schools still away for the summer holiday. But, keep an eye on the blog to see how it goes today.

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Music-loving Knaresborough couple nominated for choir award

A Knaresborough choir has sung the praises of two married members worked hard over the last 18 months to keep morale high.

Julie and John Bradbury-Sharp have been members of the Knot Another Choir since it started in 2012.

When the pandemic began the choir were forced to move onto Zoom for rehearsals but Mr and Mrs Bradbury-Sharp were determined to do more for their fellow singers.

The pair started a weekly bulletin that kept the choir up to date on any news and included profiles on individual members.

As a computer programmer Mr Bradbury-Sharp made sure all their zoom sessions ran smoothly and purchased equipment to record sessions for those unable to attend or without wifi.

Mrs Bradbury-Sharp became the point of contact for all members reaching out to several individually.

In the award application some members who had to shield or lived alone said her messages made them feel like they weren’t alone.

Their enthusiasm did not go unnoticed two fellow members decided to nominate the pair for a Hero Award.

The whole choir during rehearsals at Harrogate Railway AFC this summer.

In his testimonial, committee member Will Eastwood said:

“The covid restrictions have significantly impacted my already poor mental health. Without the massive amount of effort and determination shown by John and Julie, I would have lost my one connection with the outside world.”

Run by Making Music, a membership organisation with more than 3,500 music groups, the award celebrates those who have gone the extra mile.

Mr and Mrs Bradbury-Sharp are up against four other nominees.

Julie Bradbury-Sharp said:

“We knew we wanted to keep going and stay in touch so we did all we could to make sure everyone felt connected.

“This award was a huge surprise, John started crying after reading the testimonials.”

Their hard work hasn’t just been during the past 18 months, when John had a heart attack a few years ago he only took one week off from choir.

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The choir is currently on a three week break from rehearsals but is set to return next month with a record 90 members. It has had to open a waiting list due to its new-found popularity.

The members range from 20 to over 70.

Unison awaiting answers over Harrogate council staff using public toilets

The trade union Unison is still in talks with Harrogate Borough Council over some staff having to use public toilets during office hours.

The union first raised concerns in April when plans to move Knaresborough Tourist Information Centre into the Courthouse Museum got underway.

As part of the move, roles are set to be amalgamated — tourist information officers and museum assistants will become ‘visitor experience assistants’ and become part of the council’s new Destination Management Organisation led by Gemma Rio to coordinate tourism.

The museum site doesn’t have adequate on-site toilet facilities, forcing staff to use public toilets on Cheapside.

Unison has argued the situation was never ideal and is now no longer viable as more staff join them.

The council and union representatives have met in recent weeks to discuss alternatives. The union is now waiting for the council to respond.

David Houlgate, Unison Harrogate branch secretary, said:

“We’ve asked them [the council] to identify somewhere for staff to have decent welfare facilities. We both agree Portakabins wouldn’t be suitable.”

The union has said it is also making contact with local organisations to see if it’s possible for staff to share facilities.

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Mr Houlgate added:

“The union understands there won’t be any compulsory redundancies but there may be some voluntary redundancies. We want to avoid any compulsory redundancies.”

‘Not possible to install toilets at museum’

A council spokeswoman said

“The Knaresborough Tourist Information Centre has relocated into the Courthouse Museum at Knaresborough Castle as planned. This coincided with the castle’s reopening following lockdown on July 19.

“The decision to relocate the tourist information centre into the courthouse museum pre-dates the creation of the Destination Management Organisation and the restructure that is currently being undertaken.

“There is no toilet available on site at Knaresborough castle and museum and due to the historic nature of the site it is not possible for us to install one.

“For this reason the staff at the castle are required to use the public toilets in the adjacent car park which are owned, managed and cleaned by Harrogate Borough Council.

“Staff at the Castle have used these public toilets for as long as the site has been staffed. However, we are continuing to explore alternative arrangements within the vicinity”.

You shall go to the Harrogate panto!

Harrogate’s pantomime will be back this year — and the chief executive of Harrogate Theatre hopes crowds will return in number this festive season.

The theatre’s annual pantomime is a local institution, attracting hundreds of people each day ready to scream, “It’s behind you!”.

In just three months the roof work should be complete, new carpets fitted and a cast of actors will be ready to take to the stage on the opening night of Cinderella.

The panto will run from November 24 to January 16 and theatre chief executive David Bown said ticket sales were going well. He hopes to fill as many of the 500 seats as possible each day.

Local people will be pleased to hear panto favourite Tim Stedman will be returning this year along with three other principals and two understudies.

But after a difficult 18 months, Mr Bown is nervous restrictions could change again:

“I’m concerned that there will be reluctance to come back, people may not want to come out in winter. It’s a huge cash cow for us that if that doesn’t deliver it jeopardises lots of other things.

“This theatre has a magic atmosphere so I can’t wait to have an audience in here again.”

Harrogate roof renovation

The 120-year-old venue is currently undergoing a roof replacement.

A major £1 million roof restoration is ongoing but Mr Bown has been assured the builders are on track for a completion date in November.

The theatre will also be applying for the new government-backed insurance scheme to use as a fall back in case it does have to cancel shows.

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The theatre will be asking visitors to show their vaccine record, negative test result or give verbal assurances they do not have any covid symptoms. Mr Bown added:

“It is to reassure the audience we’re doing something to try to keep them as safe as possible. But of course if people still aren’t comfortable I would advise them not to come.”

Knaresborough man turns passion for DJing into radio succcess

During the first lockdown one Knaresborough man and his cousin set up a new radio station to share their passion for DJing.

Andy Bolton from Knaresborough and Alex Render from Hull set up Locked Down Radio on Facebook in April 2020. Over the last 18 months they have moved to streaming on Mixcloud and hit 10,000 listeners in a week.

The pair had previously just played to family or put videos on Facebook but set up the radio station whilst they were stuck at home.

In the daytime Mr Bolton works as a high school teacher and Mr Render as a plumber but at night they stream live to hundreds of listeners as Rebs and Rendez.

The pair have now pulled together a rota with 30 international DJs. There are dance and house sets as well as themed nights such as Rock night.

Mr Bolton said:

“It was my cousin who set up the Facebook page after saying I should put my DJ videos out there. We got family involved at first then wanted to be a little more professional.

“We want to keep growing. We have loved everything we have done so far and are extremely proud of what we have achieved, we still don’t even know where this will take us, but we have some big ideas!”

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The pair said setting up Locked Down Radio has become a passion project for them and a way to bring the family together with a promotion team now on board the men are hoping to keep growing.

Their first live event will go ahead in Hull this weekend.

A website has now been launched with hopes of developing this to broadcast live on the site.

Bid to bring Harrogate district empty homes back into use

A senior Harrogate councillor has agreed to offer taxpayers’ cash to buy three empty homes and bring them back into use.

Councillor Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing and safer communities at Harrogate Borough Council, signed off a decision at a meeting yesterday to make offers for the homes on Greenfields Drive and Electric Avenue in Harrogate, and Beech Lane in Spofforth.

If agreed by the owners, the council will appoint an independent valuer to provide a market valuation of the properties before selling them on the open market.

But if the offers are ignored or refused, enforcement action will be taken through compulsory purchase orders.

Councillor Chambers said:

“Empty properties are a blight for communities and the council will use all available power to bring them back into use, including assistance and enforcement action when necessary.

“Enforcement is the last choice and we have a range of options available to homeowners to assist them in returning their property to use.

“This includes the Empty Homes Loan made available last month. Owners with a property that has been empty for six months or longer can apply for a loan to undertake essential works on a property to return it to use.”

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811 empty properties in Harrogate district

There are currently 811 properties across the district that have been empty for more than six months – a figure which has risen from 774 in May.

Of the latest figure, 215 have been empty and unfurnished for over two years, while 31 have been empty for over ten years.

The council has previously admitted there is a “desperate” lack of affordable homes in the district and said it was working hard to bring empty properties back into use.

It has also set aside around £2.5m to purchase these properties from their owners.

There are numerous reasons properties can lie empty. In some instances, landlords cannot afford to renovate their property to sell or rent out.

Properties may also have been inherited and the new owners don’t know what to do with them, while others can also fall below safety standards which means they sit vacant until the problems are fixed.

As well as carrying out compulsory purchase orders, councils also have powers to charge an additional 100% council tax on properties that have been empty for two years.

Empty dwelling management orders can also be issued for long term empty properties that are attracting vandalism and causing a nuisance to the community.

Police boss ‘confident’ officers have a grip on crime in Ripon

North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has expressed confidence that officers have a grip on crime in Ripon after another spate of incidents.

Mr Allott said he hoped an increased police presence in the city would send a message that “crime will not be tolerated”.

He also urged more residents to “break silence” and report anything suspicious.

In recent weeks there has been a spate of crime, including a teenager being robbed at knifepoint, with a 17-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man later being charged.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Allott said:

“I want to reassure the community in Ripon that police are on top of this.

“Officers know who the perpetrators are, they have made arrests, they have got a grip on the situation, and I am confident of that.

“One of the problems we have in Ripon is sometimes a wall of silence by certain families and that makes it quite difficult to apprehend people.

“The police will still get those people. It just takes a bit longer.”

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Other incidents in recent weeks include a 16-year-old boy being chased by a group believed to be around the same age. This is believed to have happened in the Southgate area in the early hours of August 18.

The night after, two men were arrested in connection with an incident on Bondgate and a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of affray after a separate incident on Mawson Lane.

Step-up patrols

It has prompted police to step up patrols once again. This was done earlier in the year after city councillors held a meeting with former Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan.

Mr Allot, who replaced Ms Mulligan in May, said he hoped to meet with councillors in the coming weeks to offer more reassurances and also discuss other plans to tackle crime and help repeat offenders.

He said:

“Police are being extremely effective… but there are some fundamental issues which have to be addressed here.

“We try wherever possible to avoid putting young people through the courts system because we know that tends to lead to a downward spiral.

“But in some cases, this is not always possible because of the seriousness of what is involved.

“Policing can put a sticky plaster on the problem, but unfortunately history tells me in Ripon that every so often a small number of members of the community spill out and cause trouble.

“Our aim is to stop that happening and break this repeated offending.”

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, I’m up bright and early with you again to make sure you have a smooth a journey as possible this morning.

Any delays? New roadworks? Let me know by calling me on 01423 276197 or commenting on social media.

Let’s help everyone have a better journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog, brought to you by the HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

That’s me done with the traffic blog for today, Connor is back with today.

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8.30am – Full Update 

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8am – Full Update 

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7.30am – Full Update 

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The computer system is yet to show any areas of slow traffic this morning. Have you experienced any? Let me know.

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7am – Full Update 

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The roads are still looking quiet this morning. It is likely to pick up in the next hour or so so keep checking in.

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6.30am – Full Update 

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The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

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Bishop Monkton exhibition tells village pandemic story

Villagers in Bishop Monkton have shared their pandemic stories in a new exhibition opening this weekend.

The exhibition, organised by the village’s Local History Group, includes more than 400 pictures, videos and written reflections on life over the past 18 months.

The collection includes words and pictures about the village community support network that was set up, people’s own experiences after catching covid and the difficulties faced by those having to shield.

The pictures also include the brighter moments such as when the community came together for VE Day or covid-safe carol singing.

Curator of the exhibition, Colin Philpott said:

“Right back when the pandemic began, we realised we were part of probably the most dramatic and frightening news event that most of us had ever experienced. We wanted to keep a record of how it affected our village.”

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The free exhibition, which will be held in Bishop Monkton Village Hall, will be open 10am-12.30pm and between 2-4.30pm on August 27 and 28. It will also open from 10am-12.30pm and from 1-3pm on August 29.