North Yorkshire Police has arrested 27 people during a national week of action to tackle county lines drug dealing.

County lines involves drug dealers from larger cities dealing drugs in smaller towns, often exploiting vulnerable people in the process.

It’s been a constant problem in Harrogate and Ripon with gangs from West Yorkshire targeting the towns.

The national week of action, between October 3 and 9, was coordinated by the National County Lines Coordination Centre.

Harrogate Arrests 

On Monday, officers arrested a 33-year man in Harrogate who was suspected to be delivering drugs from his vehicle. He was found to be in possession of approximately £1,500 worth of cannabis and approximately £500 of cash.

On Friday, officers suspected that a drug deal had just been conducted in a vehicle in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate. One man was arrested, but the passenger managed to flee from the police. After a chase and extensive area search, officers successfully detained and arrested a 48-year-old man on suspicion of supplying a class-A drug – suspected to be heroin.

Later that night officers arrested a 31-year -old man from Manchester on Wetherby Road in Harrogate. He was suspected to be in the area dealing drugs. Officers conducted a search of the man and his vehicle and located approximately 30 individual packets of suspected cocaine.

Officers said across North Yorkshire it had arrested 27 people on suspicion of drugs offences. Two bladed weapons were recovered as well as over £5,000 in cash and £10,000 in what is suspected drugs. It also made 60 welfare visits to vulnerable people

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The force’s operation expedite team, which is responsible for tackling county lines, was on the streets stopping people and vehicles that are linked to the supply of drugs. The force said Harrogate’s Neighbourhood Policing Team as well as licensing officers from North Yorkshire County Council were also involved.

Specialist dogs were used to disrupt the supply of drugs linked to the night time economy in Harrogate and Ripon.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Simpson who supported the coordinated the week said:

“Although this is a fantastic set of results from the last seven days, it’s important to stress that this is very much business as usual for North Yorkshire Police.

“Out teams are out and about conducting warrants and intercepting the supply of drugs, week in week out.

“Drug use has serious implications on people’s health and impacts on the quality of life for communities.

“We will not tolerate the use of drugs in our county. I would urge anyone with information about drug dealing in their community to call us on 101, we treat every piece of information as important.”

Look out for the signs: 

Cuckooing is the term given when drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it at a base to sell and store drugs, often using violence and intimidation to achieve this.

Cuckooing victims are often drug users themselves, or people who are vulnerable due to a mental or physical disability, their age or lifestyle, such as sex workers and single mothers.

Signs of cuckooing to look out for include

• Increased callers at a property at all times of the day or night
• Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
• Different accents at a property
• Antisocial behaviour at a property
• Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
• Drug-related rubbish – small plastic bags, syringes
• Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
• Unexplained or untreated injuries

Children are groomed and exploited to deal drugs on behalf of organised criminals. These are the signs to look out for:

• Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area
• Unexplained money, clothes, or mobile phones
• Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls
• Relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups
• Leaving home / care without explanation
• Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries
• Carrying weapons
• Significant decline in school results / performance
• Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks
• Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being
• Travelling long distances on public transport – is it term time? Should they be in school? Are they paying high cost fares with cash?

Police Advice:

Anyone with concerns about county lines is asked to speak to their local police on 101 or call 999 in an emergency.

If you’d rather stay anonymous you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you are a young person who is worried about being involved in county lines, or knows someone who is, you can speak to an adult and let them know how you feel.

You can also contact www.fearless.org who allow you to pass on information about crime anonymously.

You can also contact Childline on 0800 1111 – they are a private and confidential service where you can talk to counsellors about anything that is worrying you.

Harrogate’s first Lidl supermarket is due to open on Knaresborough Road tomorrow.

Work began on the store in February this year on the site of a former car dealership.

The much anticipated store has a 1,263 square metre sales area, an in-store bakery and 94 parking spaces.  The company says the store has created 40 new jobs.

To celebrate its opening tomorrow, Lidl said it is offering bargains on some products including bluetooth speakers, fan heaters and heated under-blankets.

The new store will be open daily from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

A spokesperson for Lidl GB said:

“It is fantastic that we are able to open our doors and welcome everyone into our new store in Harrogate.

“We have received overwhelming support from local residents, and we would like to thank all those that have played a part in delivering this new store.

“We now look forward to serving our multi-award winning products to everyone within the local community.”

The new Harrogate store is part of Lidl’s current expansion plans – it is now the sixth largest supermarket in the UK.

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A campaign for speed limits to be reduced from 30mph to 20mph has been backed by Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors who have called for the changes to be piloted in larger areas.

The slower limits were described as a “popular” way to make roads safer at a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

However, not everyone is in support of the ’20s plenty’ campaign, with some councillors raising questions over enforcement and the costs involved.

The area committee voted nine for, two against and with one abstention in their calls for the county council’s executive to agree to test out 20mph limits in towns and villages.

But the authority is already standing firm in its belief that the lower speed limits work best in a more targeted approach, such as outside schools.

Allan McVeigh, head of network strategy at the county council, told the meeting that 20mph limits should only be introduced where they are “appropriate for that part of the network”.

He said:

“The county council is committed to making the network safe and accessible for all road users, and will continue to engage with local communities

“Introducing a 20mph speed limit or zone to a road where drivers do not already conform to lower speeds will likely result in poor compliance and consequently understandable local complaints.”

Mr McVeigh said the costs of introducing lower speed limits across the Harrogate and Knaresborough area would exceed £1 million, although he added this could be more as roads where drivers regularly exceed 24mph would require more measures than just signage and road markings.

These extra measures could involve speed bumps and chicanes which councillors admitted are not always popular.

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Across North Yorkshire, more than 100 parishes have voted for default 20mph speed limits across built-up areas.

Campaign supporter Malcolm Margolis said that targeting schools only “achieves little or nothing”:

“People need to be able to walk and cycle safely from home to school, and to friends, relatives, play areas and other destinations.

“The 30mph limit was introduced in 1935 to tackle a spate of road casualties – I hope you agree it is no longer fit for purpose.

“Please support the default 20mph to make our communities safer and better places to live.”

Ouseburn councillor Arnold Warneken also said it was “inadequate” to have the lower speed limits on just some streets and that questions over enforcement are a “smokescreen” for not introducing the changes on a wider basis.

He said:

“The same problems exist whether you are enforcing 30mph or 20mph.

“There are problems, I acknowledge that, but I don’t think we should let that stand in the way of doing what is right.”

Earlier this year, the county council’s executive approved a policy to introduce 20mph speed limits on a “targeted, evidence-based approach”.

This followed a review by the authority’s Transport, Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee which will revisit the issue in January.

A new independent pet food shop is to open on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate this month.

HG Pets is taking the space previously occupied by the Refilling Station, which closed in August this year after three years of trading.

The new store will offer a full range of traditional dog and cat dry foods and a couple of ranges of raw food.

There’ll also be a range of toys, beds, leads and collars — plus flea and tic treatments and shampoos.

Owner Jon Bradley told the Stray Ferret:

“I’ve been looking for premises to set up either a pet shop or garden centre for 20 years but never had the opportunity financially to do it.

“I recently left the company I was working with and was able to set this up and do something I wanted to do.”

Mr Bradley, who owns a Dalmatian and a Labrador, thinks there is a market for higher quality dog food in Harrogate — a town of dog lovers:

“I think the main thing is that we are independent and that we’ll offer quality and value.

“We’re going to offer ranges that are different to the national pet retailers such as raw food and offer unique products which are better quality. They’re value for money as they last a lot longer.

“I’ve lived in Harrogate for nearly 20 years – my wife was brought up here and we know that Harrogate is a dog loving town and people are willing to spend on their dogs as long as they get quality.

“I think there is space for us in the independent dog retail and food market  Some of the offer pet stores offer different products– half of our store will devoted to feeding.”

HG Pets will also offer a delivery and subscription service. The store is set to open on October 29.

The new store’s logo 

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Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Ripon BID, in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council, is to fund free car parking on selected dates in the run up to Christmas.

The aim is to encourage shoppers from further afield to visit Ripon for all their Christmas shopping needs.

Free parking will be available from 3pm-6pm on the following Fridays November 25 and December 2 , 9 and 16  in the Cathedral, St Marygate & Marshall Way car parks.

The BID is also sponsoring live seasonal music in the Market Square on the above dates between 3- 6pm to add to the festive spirit.

Councillor Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said:

“I am delighted that Harrogate Borough Council can support Ripon BID to offer free parking in Cathedral, St Marygate and Marshall Way car parks between 3pm and 6pm on the four Friday’s running up to Christmas.

We want to encourage people to shop locally and I hope that scheme gives them a good incentive to do so.”

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Harrogate estate agent, Verity Frearson, have sponsored of one of the town’s junior football teams.

The company is sponsoring Pannal Ash’s U11s Jaguars and Leopards teams.

Thanks to the deal, the young players, who play in the Harrogate and District Junior Football League, are now sporting new kits for the 2022/23 season bearing the company’s name.

Verity Frearson Director, Matthew Stamford, said:

“We are delighted to sponsor the U11s teams.

“Our company’s link to Harrogate stretches back 100 years, and whilst our association to the football club is more recent, it is nevertheless a strong one.

“We were asked if we would consider sponsoring the teams, which we jumped at the chance to do. It is so important that companies support local grassroots clubs, as often they are the ones that train the talent of the future.”

Pannal Ash’s U11 team, Jaguars, sport the new Verity Frearson kit

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Tonight the North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, the new County Commander for North Yorkshire and Harrogate’s Chief Inspector will all take questions from members of the town’s Chamber of Commerce.

Zoe Metcalfe, Superintendent Teresa Lam and Chief Inspector Alex Langley have been invited to talk to business leaders against a backdrop of concerns about town centre crime and anti-social behaviour and a proposed reduction in night time fire cover

The meeting, which is open to first-time visitors, will also hear from former MI5 ‘spook’ Martin Smith MBE, who will focus on the implications of cyber security and hybrid working.

The event is at Ashville College’s Soothill Hall. Doors open at 5.30pm for open networking with the meeting proper commencing at 6.15pm.

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Employees at Johnsons of Whixley have recently become mental health first-aiders ahead of today’s World Mental Health Day.

Dave Barrett and Eleanor Richardson recently completed a two-day mental health course and became mental health first aiders.

Johnsons said it considers mental health and employee well-being in the workplace a priority. The first aiders will be the go-to contacts for anyone who is going through some form of crisis or mental health issue at work.

Retail unit manager, Dave Barrett said:

“ I think it’s more important than ever to make sure that everyone’s mental health is taken as seriously as their physical health. It became apparent more than ever during lockdown the fragility of everyone’s mental health and the impact this can play on our everyday lives.

I wanted to educate myself, so I can understand not only how to care for myself but also for others around me, both at work and at home.

The fact that 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health issue in any given year shows that people’s need to understand and offer help is so important.”

Office and marketing manager, Eleanor Richardson added:

“I hope people will feel comfortable coming forward and talking should they want to; Dave and I now have the tools, training and knowledge to actively listen to their situations and to help them.”

Dave Barrett and Eleanor Richardson of Johnsons with their certificates as mental health first aiders

A pupil of Ashville College in Harrogate has won the Harrogate in Bloom award for his flowerbed design to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Children from schools across the town took part in the competition to design the flowerbed in Valley Gardens.

Jack Baier’s winning entry of more than 3,300 plants won the top award.

At the ceremony, year 7 Jack was presented with the Hammond Mann Trophy by former Yorkshire Agricultural Society chief executive Nigel Pulling.

The evening was attended by more than 60 guests, including the mayor of Harrogate, Cllr Victoria Oldham, and was the culmination of Harrogate BID’s Floral Summer of Celebration.

Jack’s colourful, winning design

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Other winners on the night included Helen James Flowers, Horticap, the White Hart Hotel, and Vivido.

To create the flowerbed, Harrogate Borough Council’s park and gardens team planted 800 Super Olympia Pink Begonias, 1,100 Super Olympia Red Begonias, 650 Non-Stop Yellow Begonias and 800 Mambo Mid Blue Petunias.

Pam Grant, Harrogate in Bloom President, said:

“We were delighted with the response to this particular competition category, and congratulate Jack on his winning design.

“Once translated from paper to flowerbed, it looked absolutely stunning, and was a fitting floral tribute to honour our dearly departed Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”

When Ella Davis began posting pictures on Instagram of her work to jazz up a new build house in Killinghall last year, she had no idea where it would all lead.

Fast forward 18 months and @ellashausofcolour has twenty thousand followers and Ella has won a Yorkshire blogging award.

I just wanted to take pics of my journey and it grew from there. The idea was to document my journey.  M job role at the time was in social media and I wanted combine that work with my journey with house.

“I opened up an Instagram account and started posted pictures — it has followed how my taste has developed and how the house grew with it.”

Ella describes her interior design style as “eclectic maximalism” — that means everything is bold, bright and colourful and there’s lots of it.

New builds are famous for being boxy and bland — Ella was simply “not down for it”.

“It was bland. I thought I would be more into dark and moody interiors and I soon realised I wasn’t — my sofa is bright orange. I have 3 gallery walls in my house.

“I have a big thing about buying decorative accessories from local businesses so everything is unique.”

One of Ella’s Instagram posts

Alongside her colourful design journey was another journey of discovery — that of becoming a serious blogger. She said it’s been a surprise that her following has grown so quickly:

“I literally just thought I was documenting it for myself.

“Last November I had one thousand followers and now, in less than a year, I have gained another nineteen thousand. There are now many different businesses (30 of them) that want to work with me.  If you hit the criteria (that means a certain engagement rate and your posts fit their style) the interior design businesses find you and want to work with you.”

Ella doesn’t charge for her collaborations –she sees it as a hobby, not a job, and it can be stressful.

“There have been times when being an interior influencer is intense — you have to be constantly updating and it can be quite pressurising. I have worked with two different paint projects and next week I am working with another paint company.

“I love it but if you are sent 10 litres of paint there’s a lot involved!”

Last week Ella was rewarded for her hard work when she won the Most Creative Feed category in the People’s Choice Awards which celebrates bloggers, influencers and YouTubers in Yorkshire . How did she feel about the recognition?

“It was very surreal — just to be nominated. It was the Most Creative Feed category and people nominate you for your photo skills and how creative your home is and my name popped up which was bizarre. I sat there at the award ceremony last Friday and it was the last category to be called and suddenly my name was called!

“I do it because I love it, I love my house — it is something that reflects me and my personality. So when other people like and I win an award it’s surreal. I don’t do it for clout – I do it because I like it”.

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Model boating enhances Valley Gardens and should stay, says the charity that works to protect the park.

The comments from Friends of Valley Gardens (FOVG) come after a local model boating club told the Stray Ferret that plans for a fountain in the boating pool would end their hobby.

Claro Marine model boating club said water from the fountain would damage the expensive boats and members would have to go elsewhere if the fountain was installed.

The council had said that Friends of Valley Gardens supported the fountain, which is designed to improve water quality.

So the charity has found itself unwittingly in the middle of a watery controversy. In the past 24 hours, a large number of people have posted comments on its social media pages wanting the model boats to stay.

One of its four trustees, Andrew Jordan, told the Stray Ferret no one wants the model boaters to leave:

“Boating really enhances the Valley Gardens. The model boats are stunning – you can see the time and effort that goes into them. Going by the comments on our Facebook site today, there are a lot people who want it to stay.

“The whole purpose of the boating pond is model boating – I know Harrogate Borough Council wants to reduce costs but before the scheme goes ahead they’ll have to get the agreement from the boaters.”

He said when the council sent the charity a letter a month ago outlining a proposal for a fountain at one end of the pool, they assumed the model boaters would also be contacted and thought it was an early consultation – rather than a done deal.

They gave it approval but with lots of qualifications:

“We looked at it and we didn’t think the original plan would work. There wasn’t enough depth of water for the scheme they were proposing. We thought it was just an idea.

“From a maintenance and purification of water point of view, the fountain is a good idea but it has to be the right fountain for the site and for the other users of the boating lake.”

The charity is now urging the council to talk to Claro Marine model boating club and find a solution that works for all involved.

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