Just two positive covid cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district today, according to latest Public Health England figures.

It takes the total number of infections since last March to 7,699.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate stands at 13.7 per 100,000 people. This is a reduction from yesterday’s figure when it was 16.

The North Yorkshire average is 21.5 and the England rate is currently 21.3.

Read more:

• Harrogate district first covid vaccine doses near 100,000
• Harrogate businesses frustrated over delayed covid restart grants

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

The last death at the hospital was recorded on April 11, according to NHS England statistics.

It means the death toll at the hospital since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

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

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

If you have the room, courgettes, pumpkins and squashes are well worth growing, producing tasty fruit with a variety of uses in the kitchen. May is the perfect time to get these plants growing.

Why not grow pumpkins for lanterns at Halloween? Any pumpkin variety will do, with ‘Jack O’ Lantern’ being a good option if you want the authentic orange skin. Squashes are a much better option for cooking as they have a very sweet, full flavour. ‘Crown Prince’, ‘Honey Boat’ and ‘Harrier’ are all varieties that I have tried with great success, even if I do say so myself!

Squash plants can be grown up frames

Pumpkins and squash do need a bit of room to grow, but are fantastic for covering areas of soil to keep down weeds, so if you have an area of ground you struggle to keep under control, this may be the option. However, for smaller areas they are great for growing up trellis or supports, especially a variety called ‘Uchiki Kuri’, a very decorative squash that also tastes fantastic.

Courgettes don’t tend to trail, so can be a good option for a smaller garden or for a container on the patio, producing large amounts of fruit from one plant. Cultivars such as ‘Midnight’, ‘Defender’ and the yellow ‘Gold Rush’ are a good option for containers and the open ground.

Cold frames are useful to harden off plants ready for planting out

Seeds are best sown inside in early May on their sides and singly in pots or large module trays, and planted out in late May/early June. Any earlier and they could be damaged by late frosts and bad weather. It’s advisable to harden them off gradually before planting out. A cold frame or other container that can be covered over at night will do. As long as they are all planted in good, moisture retentive compost or well-rotted manure, and are kept well-watered and fed, you can’t go too far wrong.

It’s a good idea to protect with cloches when first planted to guard against frost and cool weather. They also need to be protected against slugs when first planted.

Recycled factory lampshade used as a cloche for protecting the planted squash

Five more tips and tricks for your garden in May:

• Keep up with weeds. Try to get them before they flower and seed to help break the cycle. Consider where to remove weeds from: are there areas you could leave to encourage wildlife?
• Plant out dahlias later in the month, either in large pots or the ground. Keep some horticultural fleece handy to cover them with if a late frost is forecast.
• Keep sowing salad leaves successionally to ensure you have a good supply of leaves all summer long.
• Plant out bedding plants no earlier than the third to last week in May. It may even be beneficial to wait until the beginning of June if you know you are in a particular area for frost.
• Ensure peas and beans are properly supported when you plant them. We use twiggy branches from trees and shrubs for a decorative and practical look.

Read More: 

• The Stray Gardener: Blossom Beginnings
• The Stray Gardener: Mulch, mulch, mulch

A guide book that celebrates the rich history of Harrogate’s Valley Gardens is now on sale.

The book covers the history of the park from its early days in the 1860s, when it was known as Bogs Field, to the fight to save a deteriorating Sun Pavilion in the 1980s and 90s, to the restoration of the Japanese Garden in 2016.

It has been a labour of love for co-authors Jane Blayney and Anne Smith.

Ms Smith is a former journalist and founded the Friends of Valley Gardens (FOVG) group in 1986. She was its chair until 2009.

Ms Blayney is also a former chair of FOVG and said documenting the history of the cherished space is important for future generations.

Valley Gardens is a magnet for sunbathers on sunny days

Ms Blayney said:

“We decided to put together the book so people visiting the town can buy a memento from when they visit.

“It was a really good team job. We had a lot of fun researching it.”

The book costs £5 and is printed in glossy full colour. It’s available to purchase in Harrogate Waterstones, RHS Harlow Carr and Harrogate Tourist Information. It’s also available to buy online here.

Read more:

• Harrogate group unveils plaque to thank organ donors
• Malcolm Neesam History: Harrogate’s once lively street theatre scene

The book’s introduction is written by Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam, who also helped with fact checking.

Stories include the battle to restore the King Edward VII Memorial Gate, which was donated in 1911 and dedicated to those who died in the First World War.

In 1994, when a new hall was built for the Conference Centre, Harrogate Borough Council sold the gate to a scrap metal merchant who then sold it on to a farmer.

FOVG bought the gate back from the farmer so it could be restored and returned to the park. The gate was formally opened in 2018 for the 100-year commemoration of the end of the war.

The book is not for profit and all money raised will go towards printing a second run.

Ms Blayney said “we are very lucky” in Harrogate to have a place like Valley Gardens.

“It’s somewhere where you can take the family for nothing. Older people can sit and enjoy the sunshine, others can skateboard or use the boating pool.”

The Stray Ferret and the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) have worked with Malcolm Neesam to produce two fantastic history audio tours of Harrogate. Both last about an hour and are easy to do. The first will take you back to the golden age of Harrogate’s Victorian Spa days and includes a stop at Valley Gardens, the second will take you through the heart of the shopping district, stopping to learn about historic buildings as you go.  To take a look click here. 

Popular tourist attraction The Forbidden Corner will use cutting-edge 5G and augmented reality technology to create a new digital quest adventure.

The quirky labyrinth of tunnels, grottos, mazes and follies sits within a four-acre garden near Leyburn, just north of the Harrogate district.

The attraction is taking part in North Yorkshire County Council’s Mobile Access North Yorkshire Project (MANY) by using 5G technology to turn its popular brass rubbing experience into an interactive experience.

5G technology delivers high-speed and more reliable mobile internet access. Augmented reality often works through a mobile phone or tablet and superimposes digital data and images onto the physical world.

Johnny and Wendy Reeves, who have managed the Forbidden Corner for over 20 years, said the technology will reward returning visitors.

“Our customers are loyal. But we want to exceed their expectations and offer them more so they can experience something different every time whilst rewarding loyalty.

“It is exciting that the 5G network, which MANY will bring, will enable us to develop this type of adventure”.

Read more:

• Yorkshire Dales see big increase in holiday accommodation plans
• Three Ripon museums prepare for reopening

Katherine Pearson, managing director of Flo-culture, which is providing the technology, added:

“A 5G network will allow us to immerse visitors at The Forbidden Corner in a real-time augmented reality experience. The uniqueness of The Forbidden Corner will be brought to life in a totally new way.”

The Forbidden Corner was dreamed up by landowner, Colin Armstrong, who originally built it as a private folly. It was opened up to the public in 1994.

North Yorkshire County Council will offer food vouchers to parents who need them during May half-term.

The council has begun sending out supermarket vouchers to schools, including academies, as well as early years providers, childminders and care leavers in North Yorkshire.

The vouchers are worth £15 per child for the week.

The scheme is an extension of the government’s Covid Winter Grant Scheme that provided the vouchers to parents and carers in receipt of free school meals.

NYCC has received up to £338,000 which it estimates will benefit up to 20,000 children across the county.

Stuart Carlton, corporate director of children and young people’s services, said:

“The funding will ensure children in receipt of free school meals – and families who are struggling to provide food for children during the pandemic – can continue to cover the cost of food or other essentials such as utilities over the May half-term holiday.

“We estimate the latest round of funding will benefit up to 20,000 individuals across the county.”

Read more:

• Harrogate shop ‘blown away’ by free school meals support

• What is the situation in the Harrogate district on free school meals?

To qualify for free school meals a parent must apply to North Yorkshire County Council with evidence that they are receiving a benefit, such as Child Tax Credit, Income Support, or Universal Credit.

The Stray Ferret revealed in December that since January 2018, the number of children in the district receiving free school meals has increased by more than 58%.

The issue of free school meals rocketed up the political agenda last year following a high-profile campaign by Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford.

A Starbeck business owner has called for urgent action on a derelict high street building that he says is damaging the image of the area.

A fire ripped through the former McColl’s supermarket in July 2018, but almost three years later, the Victorian-era building is still a burned-out shell with much of its roof missing.

Andrew Hart is the owner of Starbeck’s Post Office which stands opposite the building. He said he has grown frustrated with progress to refurbish it and said it’s holding the wider area back from redevelopment.

He said:

“Anyone driving to Knaresborough or visiting Starbeck are looking at this great eyesore. It’s a shambles.”

“We are being rejuvenated in Starbeck with new shops and bars opening but this is putting off investment.”

Mr Hart said the building reminds him of a World War II bomb site and has become “the disgrace of Starbeck”.

He added:

“We have customers coming to the post office who say the building looks disgusting. It’s having a detrimental impact on my business.”

Read more:

• New Starbeck bar and cafe granted planning permission
• ‘Quirky’ Starbeck mural could see Marc Almond floating on a teabag

Mr Hart called on Liberal Democrat councillor for Starbeck, Philip Broadbank, to push the landlord of the building to submit redevelopment plans.

Cllr Broadbank told the Stray Ferret that pre-application talks between the landlord and Harrogate Borough Council took place last week.

He said architect drawings involve creating new retail space on the ground floor and flats above it.

He said:

“I’ve been in discussions with planning enforcement at Harrogate Borough Council if the plans don’t progress. This would involve tidying the site up so it looks better.”

Cllr Broadbank expects a formal planning application to be submitted by the landlord imminently.

A political row has broken out after a Liberal Democrat campaign leaflet accused the Conservatives of “hypocrisy” and “tricking” voters ahead of the Bilton by-election.

Voters will go the polls tomorrow to elect a new county councillor in the marginal Bilton and Nidd Gorge division.

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, the Liberal Democrat candidate, has distributed two leaflets to residents that make several claims about the proposed Knox Lane housing development.

Housing developer Jomast is behind the proposals, which would see 73 homes built on a green field in Bilton.

The development is still to go before Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee, when 12 councillors will vote on the plans.

However, the site is allocated for 52 potential homes in Harrogate district Local Plan, which sets out where development will occur in the district until 2035.

Cllr Matt Scott, who is standing for the Conservatives in Bilton and is a current HBC councillor, voted for the Local Plan before it was adopted in March 2020.

In the leaflet, Mr Kempston-Parkes claims the “Conservatives pretend to oppose the Knox Lane development while secretly voting for it”.

In another leaflet, he alleges the Conservative-run council proposed the development.

The Liberal Democrat leaflet

The second Liberal Democrat leaflet

Read more:

• What the Bilton by-election candidates say on the big issues
• Bilton by-election: What issues matter most to voters?

In response, Harrogate & Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones MP intervened with a leaflet of his own.

It called the Liberal Democrat literature “grossly misleading” and said he was “disturbed” by some of the claims made.

He said:

“I like to see positive and constructive campaigns based on a record of local action. I don’t approve of US-style attack-ad politics.”

Andrew Jones’ leaflet

The Bilton and Nidd Gorge election follows the death of Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber.

It is the only local council election taking place in the Harrogate district tomorrow.

Anti-social behaviour, dog fouling and traffic congestion were the main issues Bilton residents said they wanted their new councillor to tackle after tomorrow’s by-election.

Voters will choose a new North Yorkshire county councillor for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division following the death of Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber.

It is the only local council election taking place in the Harrogate district.

We asked each candidate how they would respond to the issues raised by residents. For more information about each candidate visit here.

Anti-social behaviour

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrat:

“I have always found Bilton to be a safe place to be, somewhere I would be happy to walk home to on a night time. 

“It is a place lived in by honest, good people. They need the support of our council, our police and other residents when things go wrong.

“Personally, I would like to see increased numbers of police community support officers and police in our area.”

Matt Scott, Conservatives:

“I am aware of recent reports of anti-social behaviour and am working with fellow councillor Paul Haslam and Harrogate Borough Council’s safer communities team to ensure information is shared.

“I have noticed more police on the streets of Bilton recently, which I believe is down to increased reporting because police resources are concentrated when and where more incidents are reported.”

Tyler Reeton, Labour:

“I believe we need to create a ‘warning system’ so anti-social behaviour doesn’t spiral out of control and therefore, I would create a forum between the police, council and the public.

“This will offer the opportunity for residents to express concerns which can be addressed by our amazing local police team.”

Arnold Warneken, Greens:

“One thing Bilton has in its favour is a strong community spirit and that will be an asset in overcoming the problems of anti-social behaviour.

“I don’t think the answer is just more police, it’s about policing differently, with everyday police presence on the streets and active engagement of these officers with schools and community groups, including a reinvigorated Neighbourhood Watch.”

John Hall, Yorkshire Party:

“Are we doing enough to provide out of school activities such as sports clubs? This would be my priority. We need to work with schools and the local police and target with mobile CCTV in trouble areas”.

Harvey Alexander, Independent:

“There is an old saying: ‘The devil makes work for idle hands’. Anti-social behaviour is mostly caused by people who are unemployed, who feel that they do not have a stake in society. The best way to deal with the anti-social behaviour is for the council to bring manufacturing jobs to the Harrogate area.”

Traffic congestion

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrat:

“Firstly I would not have allowed thousands of houses to be built on the Skipton Road and in Killinghall and Hampsthwaite.

“For this senseless over-development, we have to thank this Conservative concrete council who failed to put in place the right type of local development framework. This allowed the developers free reign.”

Matt Scott, Conservatives:

“With the relief road rightly defeated, options to accommodate more cars are limited though in the greenway we already have a direct cycle and walking route into town from Bilton, which is accessible from several points.

“Free bus passes are provided for senior citizens by the county council to give another alternative to car travel.

“We also need to work with schools to encourage participation in ‘walking buses’ where children walk to school in a parent-led group. We all need to think about the journeys we make and whether we could make them in a more environmentally-friendly way.”

Tyler Reeton, Labour:

“I will support implementing a park-and-ride scheme to connect Bilton to the rest of Harrogate through Skipton Road. This park-and-ride scheme has to be a genuine green alternative, which is affordable and accessible for residents to consider for travel to work and leisure.”

Arnold Warneken, Greens:

“The Yorkshire rail improvement survey found that over 700 people would use the train every day if Bilton station were re-opened, but that the location made the necessary engineering works too difficult. That’s the kind of initiative I want North Yorkshire County Council to be looking at. Yes there will be tough decisions and money will need to be spent but doing nothing is not an option”

John Hall, Yorkshire Party:

“I would like to see a full review of public transport in and around Harrogate. This would include more buses with affordable fares in all parts of Harrogate including Bilton. I would also support the proposed new railway station in Bilton.”

Harvey Alexander, Independent:

“The easiest way to reduce congestion on Skipton Road would be to syncronise the traffic lights and to adjust their timing according to the flow of traffic at different times of day.”

Dog fouling

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrat:

“I would propose the reintroduction of the dog license.

“The proceeds would be ring-fenced to hire more dog wardens, increase surveillance in known fouling areas and prosecution of those dog owners who do not clean up after their pets.

“Firstly a warning, secondly a hefty fine (with naming and shaming) and finally the confiscation of the dog and its re-homing.”

Matt Scott, Conservatives:

“Following a resident on Tennyson Avenue getting in touch with me, I met with Harrogate Borough Council’s dog warden to discuss the issue of dog fouling.

“We put penalty notice stickers on lamp posts and visited a few hotspots residents had let me know about. I have informed the street cleansing team about the hotspots and will include them on future litter picks I hope to organise as restrictions on gatherings ease.”

Tyler Reeton, Labour:

“I believe signs are a great way to create awareness of not picking up dog mess but rather than create generic signs, I would like to work with local primary schools and social enterprises to put this measure in place. Each primary school can have their own project – recycling point, bin or rubbish point.”

Arnold Warneken, Greens:

“In certain locations it is acceptable to ‘stick and flick’ as dog mess is a food source for so much of our wildlife. I’d like to see more hedgerows along our grass verges, lining every street. They’d discourage people from parking on the verges and dog owners could simply scoop their pet’s mess under the hedge, providing an increased source of food that is almost guaranteed to bring a hedgehog to every street.”

John Hall, Yorkshire Party:

“Mobile CCTV can also be used to identify dog owners who allow their dogs to foul pavements and walkways. In addition, anyone walking a dog off the lead or who fails to show that they are unequipped to pick up dog mess would face a £100 fine.”

Harvey Alexander, Independent:

“The council should use CCTV to discover the culprits and prosecute them.”

The people of Bilton head to the ballot box on Thursday to elect a new county councillor for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division.

The election is being held following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber.

We spoke to different Biltonians to find out what are the issues that matter to most them.

We will ask each candidate standing in the by-election what they will do to tackle the issues raised and publish their responses tomorrow. Read more about each candidate here.

Debbie Dilasser moved to Bilton with her family in 2006.

She said she “loves living here” but that anti-social behaviour is an increasing problem. She thinks community wardens could be employed to talk to young people who might be mixed up in bad behaviour.

She said:

“Anti-social behaviour is definitely on the increase. There are a lot of suspected drug deals happening on back streets.”

Ms Dilasser said she wants to see councillors active in the local community.

“Councillors should be representative of their constituency and unsettle the status quo.”

She said due to the proliferation of new housing in Harrogate, Bilton gets “short-changed” when it comes to infrastructure. She also thinks councillors can do more to improve other things such as street lighting.

“There’s not a lot of space. Schools and doctor’s surgeries are all full.”

“Street lighting around here is quite bad. If I come back home late at night they are not very good at all”.

Read more:

• Bilton by-election: every candidate announced

• Local elections 2021: Everything you need to know in Harrogate district

Steve Pepper is a retired businessman and ran the Bilton community and police group until 2010.

He said safety is an important issue to him and praised the late Geoff Webber for his contributions on the issue.

He said:

“Geoff Webber always supported the group and turned up at every meeting.

“We got some good advice from him. He was a typical local councillor and if we can find someone like that who can represent our community on the council then I’ll be happy.”

Mr Pepper said national issues such as the government lobbying scandal won’t be playing on his mind when he votes. He said the national political parties “are all as bad as each other”.

He is proud of the Nidderdale Greenway but said dog fouling is an increasing problem and more action needs to be taken to clean the popular cycling and walking route up from discarded poo bags and mess.

“If horses eat dog poo it can cause them problems. Why people don’t take their bags home, God only knows”.

Andrew Castelow lives in Bilton with his family and said environmental issues are important when he votes in local elections.

He said he was proud of the local efforts to create Long Lands Common and the fight to protect Nidd Gorge from a new “relief road”.

North Yorkshire County Council rejected the relief road proposal in 2019 and Mr Castelow said he hopes the controversial issue doesn’t come back on the table in the future.

“I can’t see the relief road idea coming back as an issue in the next year or two, but in another five years it depends on how rapidly things change with people working from home.”

He said anti-social behaviour and crime is not an issue in the part of Bilton where his family lives, “and long may that continue.”

Congestion on Skipton Road is a long-standing problem and he would like to see more bus services to help encourage car drivers off the road.

“Congestion is an issue. It would be more helpful to see more local bus services”

“The town has done a commendable job getting electric buses, but we have to walk further than we’d like to our nearest stop.”

Harrogate Town are heavy favourites to beat Concord Rangers at Wembley Stadium in the final of the 2019/20 FA Trophy this evening.

It will perhaps be one of the most unusual English cup finals to ever take place, as Harrogate Town are no longer a non-league club but are playing in one of non-league football’s showpiece events.

The game was supposed to take place last year but was delayed due to the covid pandemic.

Concord Rangers play in the National League South, which was cancelled in January due to the pandemic. It means they’ve not played a competitive fixture since January 2.

Forward Alex Wall was their top scorer in the league with seven goals in 11 fixtures.

Experienced winger Danny Green is another player to watch and comes with football league pedigree. He played most of his career for league clubs including Dagenham & Redbridge, Charlton, Luton and MK Dons.

Read more:

• BT Sport to show Harrogate Town’s Wembley final for free
• Kids’ football camps kick off half term at Harrogate Town

Manager Simon Weaver told the Stray Ferret his squad won’t be taking the opposition lightly.

He played a weakened team against Cambridge United on Friday night to rest some of his key players ahead of the final.

He said:

“We’ve seen hundreds of teams bitten by smaller clubs. People expect us to win but it’s not as easy as that. This group of players won’t take things lightly.

But we have a strong resolve and belief we can win.”

The game kicks off at 5.00pm and will be shown live on BT Sport, with the channel deciding to show the game for free both online and on TV.