Wetherby Road newsagent to be converted to hairdressers

The closure of another newsagent during the pandemic has raised concern about the loss of these local community stores.

A planning application has been lodged to change the use of Wilkinson’s newsagent, at 137 Wetherby Road, near Woodlands junction. The newsagent, which closed last year when the owner Alan Wilkinson retired, will become a hairdresser and beauty salon with five treatment rooms.

Councillor Pat Marsh, whose ward the newsagents is located in, recalls that the building was used as a sweet shop as far back as 1956, when she moved to the area. It has been a newsagents since at least 1977.

Read more:

Cllr Marsh said that the shop had been a “wonderful asset to the community”:

“There is a problem in Harrogate about a lack of small community shops – but where does the blame lie? It lies with us, we do our shopping in the supermarkets, it’s just the way life has turned.”

Last year also saw the closure of the newsagent at Harrogate railway station, run by Brian Moses. This reflects a national trend of declining numbers of newsagents, driven by lower tobacco and newspaper sales.

The application also includes the demolition of a garage on the premises and an increase in the number of parking spaces, from three to five.

The planning officer will make a decision on the application by 27th May.

Council hopes to reopen Ripon and Starbeck Baths next month

A senior Harrogate councillor says he hopes Ripon and Starbeck Baths will reopen next month.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport at Harrogate Borough, said the swimming pools were currently closed despite a government go-ahead to reopen because of staffing shortages and “challenges” around social distancing.

He added the council is “hoping” they can reopen in May, although Knaresborough Pool will stay shut due to maintenance problems.

“We are hoping to open Ripon Pool in May and providing we have got staff availability, very soon after that we will be opening Starbeck,” he told a meeting last night.

“Staff shortages are a problem – there was no point recruiting stuff during the pandemic for obvious reasons and now we are on a campaign to recruit.

“We do hope to open the pools as soon as possible… providing nothing changes with government guidelines or we have any serious staffing shortages.”

Under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, swimming pools and gyms were allowed to reopen on 12 April when the Hydro in Harrogate and Nidderdale Pool in Pateley Bridge welcomed back customers.

Knaresborough Pool has been closed since the end of last year and will remain shut longer as repairs due to be carried out by specialist engineers from Spain have been halted by travel restrictions, the council previously said.

It said there is an “ongoing” issue with the pool filter and that it was trying to find a UK-based firm to fix the problem.

Read more:

It comes as the council is pushing ahead with plans to demolish Knaresborough Pool and build a replacement leisure centre at the same site, while a major refurbishment of Ripon Leisure Centre is due for completion “before the end of the year,” councillor Lumley said.

After construction delays, the “multi-million pound” Ripon project had previously been scheduled for completion in November, and the final costs are not yet known.

The upgrades are being carried out as a replacement for the 116-year-old Ripon Spa Baths which has been put up for sale for an undisclosed sum.

The move has been met with opposition from residents and councillors, with councillor Pauline McHardy last night making calls for the sale to be withdrawn while work on the city’s regeneration masterplan is underway.

“This is a golden opportunity for Ripon to try to maintain and hold onto the swimming pool site to be used as something else,

“It’s no good us trying to come up with ideas of what it can be used for if you are going to sell it from right under our noses.”

Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, responded:

“This council several years ago made a commitment to spend considerable sums of money in investing in leisure facilities in Ripon.

“We have to fund that and one of the investments we have made very clear now for several years is the sale of the current swimming pool.

“It will definitely be available for commercial use or for bidding for public use. The Ripon Renewal Project is full steam ahead and all ideas are extremely welcome.”

Stray Foodie recipe: Spring Vegetable & Herb Delice

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

“I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.”

 

Since outside hospitality has been allowed, Harrogate has got back it’s great vibe!

There are so many small hospitality businesses popping up, exciting delis with pavement seating springing up everywhere. On a grander scale, astro turf is making an appearance as never before.

Don’t forget with the amenities that are locally offered, takeaways are also still a safe option to be enjoyed within your bubble in this lovely weather. It has been a saving grace giving hospitality a kick start back in to life again and I think we are all looking forward to 17 May when we can safely enjoy what we do so well locally, with all our super hostelries and eat indoors.

For the moment outside dining can be enjoyed by us all, and in warmer climates lighter food is favourite. This week’s recipe is a Spring Vegetable and Herb Delice. I like to think all my recipes are versatile and this dish is great to go with a BBQ when entertaining. You essentially make the base cake and pile it high with vegetables with a little chilli aioli to finish off. It suffices as an accompaniment or a dish in its own right.

Spring Vegetable & Herb Delice

Frances’ spring vegetable and herb delice

You will need:

Method:

Cut the cabbage into 4 and season and oil it.

Place in the oven at 200c for 20 minutes. The cabbage should be crunchy.

Remove the outer burnt leaves and chop the centre of the cabbage finely.

Add the goats curd or cheese.

In your food blender whizz your green crumb with your parsley and tarragon (or any other fresh herb you have to hand).

Add the egg to the cabbage mixture, and season with the chilli powder and nutmeg.

Place in a silicone lined cake mould, approx. 120cm.

Place in the oven for 25 minutes at 160c.

Remove from oven and top the cake with fresh vegetables, herbs.

Pipe on chilli aioli, mayonnaise or spiced yoghurt.

 

Harrogate smart parking scheme set for extension after trial success

Harrogate’s smart parking scheme looks set to be extended until at least 2023 after positive results from a two-year trail.

AppyParking – which uses sensors to give app users a real-time map of available spaces – was said to be the first of its kind in any UK town when it was launched in 2019.

The app allows motorists to pay for the exact minutes they are parked and now looks set for an extension. Council figures showed there is strong support for it to be made a permanent solution with 93% of users saying they found it easier than pay and display.

This is according to a report to a North Yorkshire County Council meeting on Friday which also says there has been a boost to the economy with some users spending up to 50 minutes longer in the town.

Jon Savage, project manager at the ncounty council, said in the report that given its success there is a recommendation for AppyParking to be extended between two to four years in Harrogate and that it could also be introduced in other North Yorkshire towns.

He said:

“Smart parking is more convenient for the customer, increases dwell time in Harrogate town centre and enhances its offer.

“The recommended option to put in place a smart parking provision on a medium-term basis maintains delivery of the identified benefits and enables planning for a longer-term, scalable solution.”

There are more than 2,200 sensors with a lifespan of 10 years installed at on-street and off-street parking bays in Harrogate but it is only proposed to extend the scheme for an initial two-year period because of plans to end North Yorkshire’s two-tier councils.

By 2023, the county council and seven district councils could be abolished under government proposals to hand over control of all services including parking to a new unitary structure.

Mr Savage said the planned changes have caused “uncertainty” over the future of how parking will be managed and that a review of AppyParking would be needed at a later date.

Read more:

At Friday’s meeting, councillors will be asked to support the proposed extension before Harrogate Borough Council will look to appoint a new contractor to run the system at an estimated annual cost of around £18,000.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the county council’s executive member for access, said he hoped councillors would support the scheme which he described as a “great success”.

He said:

“AppyParking is convenient for users but also for us as the local authority as it means we don’t have to go around collecting as much cash from ticket machines.

“The great benefit to users is being able to visually check if parking spaces are available even before they reach Harrogate, plus it can all be booked and paid for from inside the car.

“Anything that can make parking more convenient is always good news for the town.”

Cllr Mackenzie, who represents the Harrogate Saltergate division, also said the scheme had shown parking remained a priority for the council as it pushes ahead with other plans to support cycling and walking.

“We always encourage people not to bring their cars into town if they are taking short journeys but we also understand the importance of having parking spaces available.

“North Yorkshire County Council clearly supports active travel schemes and projects like the Gateway transformation but nevertheless I still hear what businesses are saying in that around 90% of their customers travel by car.

“We have to have these arrangements in place for this, especially for people who are travelling long distances.”

Will Lightwater Valley ever reopen rollercoaster The Ultimate?

Lightwater Valley theme park near Ripon opened this weekend after more than four months of lockdown. But much-loved rollercoaster The Ultimate, the longest in Europe, remained shut.

Now doubts have been raised as to whether it will ever re-open, as the park re-orients towards a younger audience.

Lightwater Valley welcomed back families and children with new rides such as Go Safari, Hot Air Balloons, and Treetop Trails saying it was wonderful to have visitors return.

However a spokesperson for the park said:

“Whilst the Ultimate will remain at the Park it will not run for the 2021 season.  This is part of a wider development plan for the Park where Lightwater Valley are re-calibrating the visitor experience to more fully encompass families with younger children. Their aim is to offer an exciting, new series of fun adventures and entertainments for an audience which has so often been overlooked.”

 

Read More: 

 

The last few years have seen ups and downs for Lightwater Valley, even before being forced to close because of the covid pandemic.

Lightwater Valley’s strategic report for 2019-20 revealed how an accident in May 2019 accident on the Twister ride was a major reason for a significant fall in visitor numbers.  The company was later fined £350,000 for health and safety breaches.

Following the incident the company said it had :

“Undertaken a root and branch review of all its Health and Safety procedures and controls and implemented a range of new initiatives to maximise safety for customers and staff as well as ceasing operation of all the major ‘thrill’ rides.”

 

Stray Foodie recipe: Mushroom Tart with Lovage

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

“I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.”

 

There used to be a time where, when dining in expensive and elegant restaurants, the waiter would provide you with a stool to sit your grand handbag on! In certain circles it was, of course, most important that the handbag was an exclusive design. With times changing and with outside dining only at present, restaurants are using every inch of fresh air space that they have. When all the excitement has died down will your designer rug replace the handbag stool?

These are exciting times in the hospitality industry, apart from restaurateurs fighting for survival and needing all the support they can get, and Café culture is developing in all shapes and sizes. I am so looking forward to sampling some of these imaginative venues and I am sure great seasonal offerings will blossom out of this.

Seasonal Lovage

Fresh asparagus is now beginning to appear alongside the first shoots of lovage. Lovage is such a valuable addition to the garden: it is a fiercely strong perennial whether wild or cultivated, and when in flower, its seeds make a great garnish. Its leaves are a terrific flavour and its roots braised in a cream sauce make a fabulous accompaniment. It is a very English plant with great historic culinary interest. Beware a little goes a long way!

For a warming and delicious dish to eat late at night after the pub, try an asparagus and lovage soup, followed by a delicious mushroom tart. Make the soup using just the stalks, and keep the tips to garnish the tart along with bacon or salad.

 

 

Morel Mushrooms

For the Mushroom Tart you will need:

Method:

In a small saucepan melt the butter and soften the shallots until translucent over a medium heat.

Slice the flat mushrooms and add them with the morel mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 – 7 minutes until the pan is almost dry.

Add the cream to the pan and reduce the volume by ¼ over a medium heat.

Allow to cool slightly.

Add 18ml of the juice from the dried mushrooms and the 5 egg yolks and blend until smooth.

Place the mixture into your pastry case and bake in the oven for 5 -7 minutes until set at 150c.

Frances’ mushroom tart

These can be made in advance and heated through, making them very versatile with whatever you serve with it at that time of night!

Read More:

 

Half-a-million pounds to offset environmental damage of new Kex Gill road

More than half-a-million pound is to be spent on tree planting and environmental projects to offset the “irreversible” damage of a new major road linking Harrogate and Skipton.

The £60m carriageway is to be built as a replacement for the landslide-prone Kex Gill section of the A59. The road has a history of causing unsafe driving conditions and delayed journeys, as well as high maintenance costs.

Construction could begin by autumn and is subject to an agreement with the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which is to be given just over £590,000 for projects to protect and enhance the area over the next 30 years.

Iain Mann, manager of Nidderdale AONB, said the area’s management board initially opposed the road realignment project but later “reluctantly” accepted it was the “only viable option” to overcome the problem of landslides.

He said:

“The Nidderdale AONB joint advisory committee has always acknowledged the importance of finding a sustainable, long-term solution.
“It is clear that the construction of the new road will cause a permanent and irreversible impact on the AONB. Some impacts can be mitigated within the project boundary and others will be addressed through the off-site mitigation fund.
“We have worked very constructively with the county council on the development of the off-site mitigation fund and we have agreed in principle to manage the delivery of this fund.
“It will be used to pay for a significant amount of biodiversity and landscape enhancements in the surrounding area, such as the creation of new woodland, improving riparian habitats, enhancing moorland and planting new hedges.”

Read More: 

National conservation bodies The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Natural England also raised concerns over the project, as well as minerals company Sibelco which asked for a government review of the plans but was refused.

Officials at North Yorkshire County Council – which is overseeing the project – previously said the impact on the landscape and wildlife was acknowledged, but extensive planning had not found a better way to re-route the road which is a key east-west link.

Where it runs through Blubberhouses Moor, the road has been hit by regular landslides – most recently in 2018 – which have resulted in closures and diversions through other North Yorkshire towns and villages.

There have been five major landslides at Kex Gill since 2001, with one incident closing the road for eight weeks.

The county council has already agreed to provide about £4m towards the £60m realignment project, with the rest being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Announcing the funds in January, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“I know that residents have been frustrated by frequent road closures at Kex Gill caused by landslips in the area.
“Our funding will go a long way towards addressing those problems, making journeys more reliable for people travelling between Harrogate and Skipton.”

Another day of just one covid case in the Harrogate district

For the second consecutive day the Harrogate district has seen just one person test positive for covid.

It brings the total number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus to 7,585 since the start of the pandemic.

There have been no deaths of covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital.  It is now 13 since days since a death of coronavirus has been recorded at the hospital.

Read More: 

The 7-day rate of cases per 100,000 in the district stands at 14.9 – latest data up to April 8.  The average rate for North Yorkshire is 20.2.

Tomorrow sees the next stage in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown with opening of non-essential retail, hairdressers, beauticians and caravan and camping sites.

 

 

Stray Gardener: Blossom Beginnings

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight.

Fiona has worked in horticulture for over 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. 

 

April is the month of abundant blossom. It’s the month to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful colours produced by so many different trees, shrubs, plants and bulbs. Not only that, blossom signals the start of the growing season. Those beautiful flowers are not just beautiful for the sake of it, they need to attract insects in to begin the process of pollination.

In Japan, the Hanami festival is hugely popular and involves people holding parties beneath the flowers of Sakura trees (Cherry) when in full flower. They even have blossom forecasts to ensure no one misses when the flowers are at their best. Depending on the weather conditions, cherry flowers tend to only last one to two weeks, so it’s so important to take time to admire blossom in the spring as it can be gone as quickly as it came. Of course, once it’s gone, you then have the anticipation of how much fruit is going to be produced later in the year, ready to be harvested.

Alongside Cherries in their many forms, Blackthorn or Sloe, is one of the first native trees to produce their flowers, and many hedgerows surrounding the Harrogate area start to turn white with their blossom. Damsons and plums, closely follow their blackthorn relative, again with wonderful, delicate white flowers. These are fruit trees worthy of a place in anyone’s garden. If the flowers don’t get damaged by a sharp, late frost, they go on to produce an abundance of fruit useful for puddings, jams, and gin!

Cherry blossom and damson blossom

Alongside these beauties come Pears and Apples. The UK has hundreds of Pear and Apple cultivars and not only do the fruit differ from one cultivar to another, but so do the apple and pear blossom. If you get the chance to visit an orchard with many different varieties, take the time to look at them closely to really appreciate the differences in petal colour, shape and even the fragrance that comes from them. There are several local gardens such as Harewood House, Beningbrough Hall, Harlow Carr, Newby Hall and of course Rudding Park Kitchen Garden, that have good collections of apple and pear trees well worth looking at more closely.

Apple blossom

Apple and pear blossom are both edible too, but I always find it really difficult and time consuming to pick, knowing that I am potentially taking away a beautiful apple or pear to be ready later in the year; I find the process of thinning out Pears and Apples very difficult too, even though it does mean the fruits will be larger and of better quality!

Back into the hedgerows later in May and June and you find Hawthorn and Elderflower coming in to their own. Hawthorn flowers are also known as the Maytree and once played an important part in May Day festivities. Elderflower especially is another fantastic edible plant we can use, with the flowers being used for cordial and champagne. The scent from an elderflower on a warm June day can almost be too much, with the powerful, heady scent of nectar packing a punch.

Get yourselves out there and have a look at the gorgeous spring blossom this year, its well worth the effort!

Read More: 

 

Hot tub industry bubbles up as lockdown eases

The hot tub industry expects to see another boom as the national stay-at-home order is lifted, and firms in Harrogate are already getting booked up.

As of March 29, the rule of six was reintroduced, allowing two households or six people from different households to meet outdoors.

Since people have been allowed to share their gardens with friends and family once more, hot tubs have been in huge demand.

Hot tub hiring businesses have become a big part of garden entertainment.

Bubble & Chic Hot Tub Hire in Harrogate was only established last month after owner Janie Carr decided to change career due to the pandemic.

Since its first booking on March 25, inquiries have not stopped. Ms Carr said:

“I posted an advertisement on a Facebook group on Thursday and by Friday I was inundated with bookings for the next four months. I even have full bookings for August bank holiday already.”

Read more:

However, starting a new business during the grip of a pandemic is not without its challenges. She added:

“Lockdown has massively impacted the garden entertainment industry as I have been unable to get stock to hire out. A particular gazebo I use to put over the hot tub has been out of stock for months and others seem to be out of stock or have long delivery times.”

Harrogate Hot Tubs has encountered the same issue, with products to clean the hot tubs increasing in price. But this hasn’t stopped the Jacuzzi boom.

Paul Underwood, owner of the business, said:

“We had around four bookings in January 2020, this January we had over 100. Lockdown has definitely increased business for us, almost six-fold.

“We’ve had to turn down over 100 bookings since January as we’re fully booked, but we are expecting to see a further increase of bookings in summer with people maybe not wanting to go on holiday.”