Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Suzannah with you today. Give me a ring and let me know how your commute was this morning, any delays?

Our computer system sometimes misses things so if you spot roadworks or get stuck in a jam ring me on 01423 276197 or get in touch on our social media.

Let’s help everyone have a smoother 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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That’s it from me today, I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Enjoy your day.

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8.30am – Full Update

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Traffic is building here:

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8am – Full Update 

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Traffic is building here:

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7.30am – Full Update 

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Traffic is building here:

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7am – Full Update 

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The roads are still looking quiet so far this morning. They normally get busier in the next 30 minutes so make sure to keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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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.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Boulders installed to stop illegal traveller site in Knaresborough

Harrogate Borough Council has said large boulders will be installed at the site on Hay-A-Park Lane to try and prevent future illegal encampments.

The council has said the boulders are a temporary measure.

At the beginning of the month a large number of caravans arrived on Knaresborough’s rugby fields off Hay-A-Park Lane. The travellers were given an eviction notice by the council and left a week later.

A large amount of rubbish and human excrement was left at the site. Local residents called for volunteers to help with the clear-up but they were met by the police and told to stay away because of the threat to human health.

A council spokesperson said the site was cleaned by a group of council staff over “a couple of days” and added:

“There was numerous items of rubbish including furniture and white goods.

“A temporary solution of large boulders will be installed to prevent illegal encampments.”

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The council has not confirmed where the boulders will be placed but it is likely they will be put in the gap between the hedges in front of the gravelled entrance.

No further information was given on permanent measures.

Starbeck food retailer fined £500 for messy bins

A Starbeck food retailer was fined £500 at York Magistrates Court in a case brought by Harrogate Borough Council after it failed to tidy up its kerb-side bins.

Good Food GF Limited was taken to court by the borough council after local residents complained about its untidy bins.

The company was served a Section 47 notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 by the council in November to ensure its waste was stored correctly.

Under the act, the council can insist that commercial or industrial waste is stored correctly to make sure it doesn’t cause a nuisance.

The order was served after a visit to the premises on Starbeck High Street. The council advised business owner Andrew Daly to replace a damaged bin and removed loose bags left either side of the bin.

However, a month later the bin hadn’t been replaced.

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The council issued Good Food GF Ltd a £100 fixed penalty notice. Mr Daly failed to pay the fine despite numerous requests.

The council said it then saw court as the only resolution. On July 16, the company was fined £500 and ordered to pay £125 as a contribution to the council’s costs.

Councillor Mike Chambers, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communities, said:

“Good Food GF Ltd and Mr Andrew Daly had numerous chances to address the concerns of local residents and the borough council.

“Failure to address something which could have been resolved quite easily has resulted in a significant financial penalty. And I’m afraid Mr Andrew Daly has only got himself to blame.

“The direct action of the council’s environmental health and legal teams, following concerns from local residents, has led to this prosecution and I’d like to thank both officers and residents for helping to address this matter.”

Rossett Adult Learning returns to pre-pandemic levels with 160 courses

After 18 months of online classes and a reduced timetable, Rossett Adult Learning will return to pre-pandemic levels for next month’s new autumn term.

The adult learning centre, which is a division of Harrogate’s Rossett School, has been providing courses since the 1970s.

It has operated online with just 70 classes during the pandemic but it today announced it will be back up to 160 courses next month.

About 75% of courses will now be held in-person at the school and some 25% will remain online.

Courses include art, music, exercise, history and languages and cover a diverse offering, including ukulele for beginners, tai chi, furniture restoration and French culture.

The centre welcomed 4,500 to 5,000 students a year pre-covid.

Melissa Horberry. manager of Rossett Adult Learning, said:

“After a tough past year where the centre, tutors and students have had to adapt to a different way of learning, we are now excited to be offering a range of courses online and back in the classroom.

“We have missed seeing our students in the centre on a weekly basis but have been encouraged by the feedback that we have received from our online students on how they have enjoyed their continued learning in the past year, especially during the lockdown periods.”

Class sizes can vary from 15 for arts and craft courses to up to 25 for the evening pilates classes.

The centre also offers 56 language classes offering eight languages at all levels, beginners to intermediate.

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Classes range in price; a 10-week language course costs £95 and a five-week crafts course costs £63.

Profits from the classes go to Rossett School.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Suzannah with you on this rainy Tuesday morning. The roads have been a little quieter in the last few weeks but make sure to let me know if anything slows you down.

This blog, brought to you by the HACS Group, brings you live travel updates until 9am.

Were you stuck in a jam? Are there some new roadworks on your route? Let’s help everyone have a smoother journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog.

Please give me a call on 01423 276197 or join our Facebook group ‘Harrogate district traffic and travel’ to give any updates.

9am – Full Update 

That’s it from me, Connor will be back with you tomorrow morning.

Roads

Traffic is building:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads still remain quiet so far this morningIf you spot anything on your commute give me a call and let me know.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

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

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

The Harrogate Clinic staff go litter picking to ‘spruce up’ Harrogate

Staff at The Harrogate Clinic were out litter picking in Harrogate town centre yesterday after seeing an increase in discarded rubbish.

The colleagues said they have seen an increase in litter since lockdown was loosened and finally decided something had to be done.

In just a few hours the team collected bags of rubbish filled with food packaging, wine and beer bottles and drug paraphernalia.

Walking into work each day, Dr Shoreh Ghasmi, says her and her colleagues often comment on the amount of litter and wanted to get a group together to tackle it.

Dr Ghasmi said:

“We wanted to take it upon ourselves to do something. We are so lucky to work in such a beautiful town and its really disappointing to see some people take it for granted.

“We are just wanting to give it a bit of spring clean.”

The litter pickers in Harrogate yesterday.

The team, from The Harrogate Clinic on Prospect Crescent, have said they plan to make this a monthly scheme with other local businesses already saying they want to get involved.

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Knaresborough Beer Festival is making a comeback next weekend

Knaresborough Lions’ Charity Beer Festival is back this year after a year away with members eager to raise as much as they can for charity.

Coronavirus cancelled the 2020 festival but this year the Lions are back with their charity beer festival next weekend, Friday August 20 to August 22.

In previous years the festival has raised up to £4,000, with 80% of the funds staying locally. The Lions distribute the funds to numerous community and charity causes as well as to individuals and families identified by social services as in need of extra support.

The pandemic meant a number of the group’s usual events, including the Bed Race and Christmas Market, couldn’t go ahead so they’re hoping to make up for it this year.

The beer festival will be held in the assembly rooms inside Knaresborough House. Numbers will be regulated indoors so there is no overcrowding.

Mike Pyle, president of Knaresborough Lions said:

“There will be a running barbecue operated by Andy from McQueens, with separate vegan and street food on the Friday evening and all day on Saturday. Sunday, as ever, is pot luck day to see what’s left.

“The town feels like it is ready for a party and in conjunction with feva we are delighted to bring our beer festival back.”

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The Saturday afternoon section of the festival will run alongside the feva festival‘s Picnic in the Park.

Organisers promise there will be something for everyone with beers like Bad Kitty, Ay Up, Pale Rider, Screech Owl and Strength in Numbers as well as prosecco, wine, soft drinks and ciders.

Entertainment will be provided by Chorus Crew and Paul Watson on Friday. Saturday afternoon will be devoted to feva’s line-up in the gardens, with Paul Mirfin and Paul Watson playing later.

Sunday afternoon visitors will be entertained by the Tewit Youth Band.

The beer festival runs across the weekend; 7-11pm on Friday, 12-11pm on Saturday and Sunday from midday.

Swift action led to Harrogate shop thieves being caught this afternoon

Harrogate police were able to respond swiftly to a shop theft this afternoon after an officer walked into the shop soon after it happened.

The Harrogate police officer happened to be heading into the M&S BP garage in Pannal this afternoon for a coffee when the shop worker told him three men had just driven away with stolen food and drink.

Officers were able to quickly apprehend the three men in a van on Park House Green.

The three men were dealt with using the community resolution disposal procedure which is used for low-level crime such as minor theft and criminal damage.

A release by North Yorkshire Police explained the method:

“By encouraging suspects to face up to the impact of their behaviour and to take responsibility for making good any harm caused, a Community Resolution can reduce the likelihood of their reoffending. There must be an acceptance of responsibility on behalf of the suspect to undertake a Community Resolution response.”

The suspect’s van was also seized for being un-taxed.

The three men will now have to pay for the items stolen, which added up to around £30.

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83 covid cases reported in the Harrogate district today

A further 83 cases have been reported in the Harrogate district today, the highest number in just over three weeks.

Today’s cases take the district’s total since March 2020 to 12,122, according to latest Public Health England figures.

Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating seven patients for covid.

However, no covid-related deaths have been reported at the hospital for four months. The total remains at 179.

The last time a death was recorded was on April 11.

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The district’s seven-day case rate has dropped slightly today to 268.6 per 100,000.

It is slightly above North Yorkshire which stands at 266.8. The England average is 306.5.

Elsewhere, 123,626 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 108,804 have had a second dose.

Image gallery: Knaresborough Feva festival gets underway

Knaresborough has been taken over by festival fever this weekend as feva gets underway.

The annual festival showcases artists, musicians and community groups across the town.

This year sees its return after last year’s covid cancellation. It is the 25th anniversary of the event which began yesterday and will continue until next weekend.

Local residents are invited to the town to attend numerous events including art exhibitions, outdoor music contests and multiple workshops.

One of our journalists headed to Knaresborough today to capture the atmosphere. Have you got any pictures of the town dressed up in pink for feva? Send them in to us via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Yorkshire Life Aquatic gathered a crowd on the Market Place today

Their comical and musical act went down well in Knaresborough

The team behind the Knaresborough Museum were excited to hold a pop-up ahead of opening the centre next year. (Left to right: Sam Roberts, Clare Joia, Kathy Allday and Suzanne Coulson)

Members of the public were eager to read about the upcoming museum project

The Holy Trinity Church lit up pink for feva. Photograph: Richard Maude

Even Knaresborough’s bollards are getting into the feva spirit

Shirley Vine has been exhibiting her watercolours in the festival for 15 years. You can find her at 8 York Place

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