Suzannah Rogerson, Author at The Stray Ferret

Princess Anne to visit Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show

The Princess Royal is to attend this year’s Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate.

Princess Anne will attend on the first day of the four-day show, Tuesday, July 12. She has visited the show numerous times, most recently in 2018.

She is patron of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society and the Shorthorn Society of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and will be attending to celebrate 200 years of the Shorthorn breed.

The Tuesday will include a celebration day of the Shorthorn breed. Some 200 Shorthorns will participate in a parade at the showground.

Show director Charles Mills said:

“We are honoured that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will be visiting the Great Yorkshire Show and I shall be proud to accompany her throughout.

“This will be a very special year for the Shorthorn breed and a what better way to mark the anniversary than with a visit from their patron and a wonderful royal visitor.”

The farming and countryside showcase expects to welcome around 35,000 visitors each day to watch competitive classes, animal showcases and to sample to local produce in the food hall.

Climate change should be top priority for new councillors, says Harrogate group

A environmental campaign group has written to every new county councillor in Harrogate urging them to put the climate crisis at the top of their agendas.

Zero Carbon Harrogate said it wanted to work with the district’s 21 new members of the new North Yorkshire Council on issues including transport and housing to ensure Harrogate becomes “climate ready and resilient”.

It comes after the campaign group helped produce an online showcase of candidates’ views on climate change ahead of the May 5 elections.

Zero Carbon Harrogate’s chair Jemima Parker said:

“We have a strong track record of working collaboratively with councillors from across the political spectrum and hope we will be able to do so in the future.

“We were encouraged that the pre-election survey responses show that all the parties have proactive climate policies, with the differences between them being in the speed and scale of their ambition to move to a low carbon economy.

“Local residents and businesses will see the greatest benefits the faster we can transition away from fossil fuels, as the current energy crisis is demonstrating.”

During the survey, aspiring councillors were quizzed on issues including how the new council should tackle the three biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions – transport, agriculture and domestic energy.

The responses are still available online at nyclimatecoalition.org.

As well as areas such as transport and recycling, responsibilities for the new councillors will also include decisions over the extent to which Harrogate’s greenfield sites should be developed for housing – an issue which has generated significant controversy in recent years.

Ms Parker said a first step towards tackling issues like this would be for the new councillors to be trained in carbon literacy in order to raise their awareness of the urgency of climate change.

“Transport is the key area under the current North Yorkshire County Council’s control and developing an integrated low carbon transport plan would be a big step forward.

“From next year, the new North Yorkshire Council will have oversight for planning applications.

“Ensuring best practice for all new developments and refurbishments to reduce energy loss and generate renewable energy will be vital for future homeowners and for lowering energy costs to benefit the local economy.

“There is also an urgent need for our existing homes across the county to be refurbished – or retrofitted – to save energy and reduce people’s energy bills, this work needs to be supported and funded.”

Harrogate council gives £37,000 grants for jubilee events

Harrogate Borough Council has given a total of £37,000 to 46 different community groups to fund events and legacy projects for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

The four-day weekend from June 2 to 5 will be marked by numerous events across the district.

The money issued by the council has helped to hold events in towns and villages such as Ripon, Skelton-Cum-Newby, Little Ouseburn and Bishop Monkton.

Organisers of Bishop Monkton’s platinum jubilee celebrations said the money has helped them expand on their initial plans:

“We are now able to make two films – one using archive footage and interviews with long-standing residents and a film of this year’s celebrations in the village.

“In addition, the grant is enabling a time capsule project involving Bishop Monkton Primary School where everyday objects from 2022 chosen by school pupils will be buried near the village hall for future generations to discover.”

In Skelton-cum-Newby, the parish council said the grant will enable its celebrations to be “truly memorable”:

“We are now able to engage a professional artist to supply music on the day and have ordered commemorative mugs for all our children in the village to mark a reign which will most likely never be repeated again.”

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“Her Majesty The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee and it is therefore only right we recognise this momentous event in such a way.

“I’m sure that the residents – young and old – who are involved in the festivities of these 46 community groups will remember this event for many, many years to come.

“And of course, there are events happening all across the district. Not least, a four-day event across Harrogate town centre that will truly bring the community and visitors to our wonderful town together.”

It’s live! Boundless Networks is ready to install full fibre broadband in your home

This advertorial is sponsored by Boundless Networks

Boundless Networks is now connecting customers to its Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband, with speeds of up to 900Mbps, in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Now, you may be thinking “I already have fibre broadband, what is the difference?” but it is likely you just have Partial-Fibre broadband rather than Full Fibre.

Partial-Fibre broadband takes a fibre cable to a local cabinet but only uses a copper cable to your home, copper is not able to deliver the fast speeds reached on full fibre networks.

Using CityFibre’s FTTP network, Full Fibre from Boundless is future-proof and its technology is capable of much faster speeds so your broadband connection is ready for the future and not just today.

Why choose Boundless?

Boundless Networks is different to the big guys with real people delivering excellent customer service. There are no hidden fees either, Boundless will always be upfront about how much you’re going to be paying.

Unlike larger companies, they don’t sentence you to a contract for years. Instead, they believe in just providing a good service. Offering a rolling monthly contract and saying that people stay because they want to; not because they have to.

The product speaks for itself, with a top package of 900Mbps you can rely on Boundless to give you fast and reliable broadband. If something does go wrong, simply give customer service a call and, with their customers being 358% more likely to recommend them to friends and family than the industry average, they will be sure to work all avenues until your broadband works again.

The Boundless customer service team are always on hand to help

Stress-free installation

Once ordered, installations dates are typically available within six days, but if you aren’t quite ready you can book your installation over a month in advance.

You can choose the date and time of the installation and will get a text from the engineer with an estimated arrival time. The actual installation is stress-free for the customer and once completed you will be fully functional and able to connect.

Customer testimonial

Don’t just take it from Boundless themselves, Graham Allwood was the first person to get connected with Boundless on CityFibre’s FTTP network. Here are some questions Boundless put to Graham:

Why did you choose Boundless Network?

“They were a local business offering something others do not, namely a one month contract with the aim of good service in order to keep customers.”

Have you noticed an improvement in your broadband speed?

“Yes. The speeds are fantastic. I cannot fault it one little bit.”

How was the installation process?

“Installation went smoothly. They turned up when they said they would, very polite and kept me informed every step of the way. As it was a new install, they were often asking me my preference for where I would like the new cable to be placed.”

What is the customer service like from Boundless?

“Not had to use it much, but on the few times I have, they were responsive and quick to resolve my questions.”

What would you say to someone thinking about upgrading their broadband with Boundless Networks?

“Go for it! It’s nice to see a local business trying hard to improve customers experience with such a unique package. I would definitely recommend Boundless Networks should anyone ask me.”

As the network is still being built, more and more homes are connected on a weekly basis. Click here to check your availability now.

Knaresborough man to open cafe and physio rooms in old Natwest building

A Knaresborough man is set to turn the former Natwest building on the high street into a cafe and physio rooms.

Mark Holmes is a sports therapist, working out of clinics in Knaresborough and Harrogate but with planning permission approved he can now move his business into the previously unused building.

The size of the building allows for three treatment rooms, a takeaway hatch and a cafe fit for 50 covers.

Mr Holmes said the main driving force behind the cafe was to give people in Knaresborough a bigger space to go for food, he said in Harrogate there are so many places for people to choose from and he felt this was missing in Knaresborough.

As a well-known town landmark, Mr Holmes has chosen to reflect the building’s history and the year it was built and call the cafe 1858.

Hoping to open in July, Mr Holmes said:

“Knaresborough has lots of beautiful tea rooms but I just felt we needed a bigger cafe in town, rather than people feeling like they had to go to Harrogate for that. The ethos is to introduce something new to Knaresborough offering a fusion between healthy and traditional food.

“Also, as a parent, I wanted a place big enough for pushchairs. I love where I live but I felt Knaresborough was missing somewhere like this.”

The physio rooms are separate to the cafe area and the plans also include a bike storage area in a former safe and outdoor seating at the back of the building.

Mr Holmes said the coffee he will serve will be the one he developed alongside Sheffield Hallam University.

After years working with athletes he decided to make his own performance coffee, Amunra Coffee, which he said has up to 200mg of caffeine per cup compared to 90mg in normal coffee.

Stray Pets Rescue Club: Do you have space in your heart for Trix, Rupert or Dapple and Tricky?

The Stray Pets Rescue Club is our monthly profile of rescue animals in and around the Harrogate district, searching for their forever family home. This month Trix, Rupert, Dapple and Tricky are looking for a home.

Trix

Age: Eight months old

Trix’s Story: Trix was born with a congenital defect of her sternum, Pectus Excavatum. This required very specialist surgery and repeated operations to try and correct the defect so that she could breathe more normally.

Temperament: Trix has now been given a new lease of life and has now been able to play and run around like any other kitten, with lots of rest in between.

Ideal home: She needs an adult only home where someone is around most of the time. Trix would enjoy the company of gentle cat companions and although she will be timid to begin with once she gets to know you she is very affectionate.

Could you give Trix a loving home? Get in touch with Harrogate Cat Rescue.

Rupert

Age: three-years-old

Rupert’s story: Rupert is a sweet boy who came into the care of RSPCA after his owner could no longer meet his needs.

Temperament: This sweet pup is friendly and likes to be out and about meeting people and other dogs but he isn’t too leen on being left alone. He will need to be at home most of the time while he learn it’s ok to be left alone.

Ideal home: He is a very active dog so needs equally active adopters to give him the exercise he needs. Rupert will need a home where there is a secure fully enclosed garden with a six-foot fence. Rupert could live with another dog after a successful introduction at the centre and could live with children aged 10 years and over.

Could Rupert fit in with you and your life? Get in touch with RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch.

Dapple and Tricky

Age: Adult

Dapple and Tricky’s Story: Dapple came to the centre as an unclaimed stray, she had an injury to one of her toes which unfortunately was too old to be fixed so she had it amputated. Tricky is a sweet little rabbit who was born at the centre after his mum and dad were not wanted by their previous owner any longer.

Temperament: Dapple has great character and is a cheeky, happy girl but is also quite independent and likes to keep herself to herself and does not enjoy much handling. Tricky is a young, cheeky and playful little boy. These two rabbits have been bonded here at the centre and they love each other so much.

Ideal home: They would be suitable to live with children aged 14 years and over. Their home needs a hutch that is a minimum of six-foot with an attached run of a minimum eight-foot.

If you have space for these furry friends, get in touch with RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch.

North Yorkshire leadership to be discussed at local Tory AGM today

North Yorkshire’s Conservative councillors will gather today for their annual general meeting with discussions on who will lead the new authority on the agenda.

After losses across the county, the Conservatives now hold 47 out of 90 seats on the new unitary authority, North Yorkshire Council.

Despite having overall control, the Conservatives have a greatly reduced majority. Whoever leads the new authority will face the challenge of dealing with a larger group of opposing parties.

Cllr Carl Les, the current leader of North Yorkshire County Council, has confirmed he intends to stand as leader once again but his position is by no means certain.

There’s also deputy leader, group secretary and whip roles to be filled.

Councillors have had to put themselves forward ahead of the meeting and it will be down to those at today’s AGM to vote them in.

Talking about Friday’s results, Cllr Carl Les said:

“It has been a sizeable event for us in terms of seats, we’ve gone from 55 out of 72 to 47 out of 90. The council will look very different.

“Whenever you have an election, people often bring up national matters and this time there were a lot of matters on a national level such as Partygate.

“I wish people were more concerned about looking at what we do locally rather than on national issues.”

He said moving forward the main aim would be to work collaboratively with new councillors to ensure a “smooth transition” as devolution gets underway.

“We have to work together as a group, it’s vitally important. Whatever party you are there’s always difference between us but there’s an awful lot that binds us together.

One of the main things is ensuring a smooth transition from eight divisions to one. When it comes to things like bin collection local people shouldn’t feel a difference.”

Three men charged following Harrogate drugs bust

Three men were charged last night following a police operation targeting suspected cocaine dealers in Harrogate.

Four men were arrested on Thursday when officers seized suspected cocaine, bulking agent, cannabis, cash, mobile phones and drugs paraphernalia.

It followed an investigation by North Yorkshire Police’s organised crime unit into a gang suspected of bringing cocaine and cannabis into Harrogate and the surrounding area.

The arrested men included one aged 22, from London, one aged 34 from Portsmouth, and two aged 37 and 40 from Harrogate.

The police today said three of the four men have been charged with supplying cocaine and cannabis.

The 22-year-old was also charged with assault of a police officer and the 37-year-old was also charged with two counts of assault of a police officer.

The three men will appear at York Magistrates’ Court today.

The fourth man, aged 40, has been released on conditional bail.

Yesterday, Detective Inspector Fionna McEwan, of North Yorkshire Police’s organised crime unit, said:

“The latest action follows six months of painstaking information gathering behind the scenes.

“This work is not always visible but I can assure local people that we continue to work hard to disrupt organised crime and relentlessly pursue those believed to be involved.”

Future of Harrogate district McColl’s in question

McColl’s has been placed into administration raising questions about the future of its stores in the Harrogate district.

The McColl’s Retail Group made the formal announcement today saying that reduced consumer spending and the impact of increased costs had impacted the businesses.

The Harrogate district’s stores are on Royal Parade, Otley Road and King Edward Drive in Harrogate and Bondgate in Ripon.

Morrisons had offered a deal to save the failing company, but in the past few minutes it’s been reported that the owners have appointed administrators.

The stores in Harrogate and Ripon could face closure.

The statement from McColl’s said:

“Whilst the constructive discussions with the company’s key wholesale supplier to find a solution with them to the company’s funding issues and create a stable platform going forward had made significant progress, the lenders made clear that they were not satisfied that such discussions would reach an outcome acceptable to them.

“In order to protect creditors, preserve the future of the business and to protect the interests of employees, the board was regrettably therefore left with no choice other than to place the company in administration.”

It also said the administrators intended to sell the business to a third-party purchaser “as soon as possible.”

Read more:

Dog stolen during Jennyfields break-in

A Harrogate resident is appealing for information after their beloved dog, Biscuit, was stolen during a burglary at their home on Branham Drive.

Biscuit the dog is a white and tan American Bulldog and has a white-tipped tail.

The burglary took place on Wednesday, May 4 between 9.30pm and midnight when the owner was away.

North Yorkshire Police said several other items were taken during the break-in and has asked anyone with information on the burglary or Biscuit’s whereabouts to contact the police.

The police said Biscuit is considered one of the family and is keen to reunite it with its owner.

If you have information call 101, select option 2, and asking for PC Craig Brogden on extension 30116 or email craig.brogden@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Or, to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The reference number is 12220075872.