Sixteen-year-old St John Fisher Catholic High School student and talented footballer Archie Gray enjoyed jubilant scenes in the Leeds United dressing room yesterday after the club secured their Premier League status.
But the celebrations didn’t last long as he had to be at school for 9am this morning to sit a geography GCSE.
Archie was an unused substitute in Leeds United‘s dramatic win over Brentford yesterday.
He’s in year 11 at the Harrogate secondary school and is still two years from legally being able to have a celebratory alcoholic drink with teammates.
Less than 24 hours after celebrating survival in Brentford with star internationals like Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips he was back in Harrogate to sit in a silent exam hall for his GCSEs.
St John Fisher deputy head Matthew Flanagan said Archie’s quick progress in his football career has been a “fantastic achievement”.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“From the school’s perspective, what impresses us about Archie is not just his sporting aptitude. He is polite, engaging and has a real humility about him.”
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The midfielder is yet to make his debut for the first team but scored a wonder goal for the under-23 team against rivals Manchester United earlier in the season.
In April he also captained England under-16s at a tournament in France.
Mr Flanagan called him a “wonderful ambassador” for St John Fisher.
“There is no sense of arrogance, he is popular with his peers. He’s a nice young man who deserves all the accolades and success that will come his way.”
Archie is highly rated by the club and was just 15 when former manager Marcelo Bielsa put him on the bench for a Premier League game.
He’s the great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.
Green Shoots: Ethical raw dog food brand founded in TockwithWe love our dogs in the Harrogate district, and increasingly owners are wanting to feed their four-legged companions more nutritious and organic meals.
One company making inroads in the market is Naturaw, which was founded in Tockwith in 2015 and has built a name offering ethically sourced and sustainably packaged dog food.
It’s grown from a small operation in Marston Moor Business Park to an annual turnover in the millions.
Its products are sold by more than 160 UK retailers and supplied directly to dog owners online.
Chris Broadbent, director, said Naturaw’s green credentials are its “raison d’etre” and help it stand out in a competitive market.
There is no plastic in its packaging and the meat they use comes from animals reared on high welfare farms.
A growing market
The UK dog food industry is worth £1.5bn a year but the market is dominated by brands selling processed wet and dry food on supermarket shelves.
Raw food is still a relatively small piece of the pie, worth £100m.
Naturaw’s core range of products includes chicken, duck, venison, beef and lamb meals. They are made up of 80% meat, 10% offal and 10% bone.
Naturaw’s raw chicken meal. It costs £2.80 per pack.
It’s more expensive than traditional dog food but Mr Broadbent said it’s in-keeping with what a dog is designed to eat. Raw food is said to give the dog’s coat a healthier glow.
Mr Broadbent said:
“The dog has really become part of the family and more thought is going into giving them healthier food.”
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Plastic-free
Anyone who regularly buys pet food will know how much plastic packaging can end up in the bin.
When Naturaw was formed in 2015 founders Jess Warneken and Tom Johnson wanted to ensure it sold a plastic-free product.
The company recently achieved the prestigious B-Corp certification after a rigorous 18-month audit.
It means Naturaw is recognised globally due to its high social and environmental performance.
The tubs are made from fibre from carbon-positive forests in Scandanavia and the food is wrapped in wool, rather than polystyrene.
The lid is made from plants and the text on the packaging is even printed with vegetable ink.
It’s all compostable too, so you can throw empty packaging on with your garden waste.
Fierce debate
The debate over raw dog food has been fierce within the veterinary profession.
Unlike commercial food, raw meat products are not pasteurised to remove bacteria.
Some vets believe this bacteria can pose a risk to the dogs, whereas others say it is perfectly healthy.
Mr Broadbent said there has been some “scaremongering” about raw food.
“Some say it will turn the dog into a rabid animal and start baying for blood. There’s an awful lot of misinformation, so it’s about education.”
Growth
Last year, Naturaw expanded its premises and moved into the Thorp Arch Estate near Wetherby.
Mr Broadbent said he hopes the company will continue to grow as more consumers look to ethical products when it comes to their pets.
Naturaw co-founders Jess Warneken, Tom Johnson and their baby Etta
He said:
‘Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!’: Knaresborough’s town crier ready for special jubilee weekend“We’re all proud of our little business. Our ‘green-ness’ does make sense to the consumer, and the fact we have the B-Corp certification is a big feather in our cap.
“But ultimately its about the dogs, and the most healthy diet for them.”
What makes a good town crier?
Knaresborough’s Roger Hewitt says surprisingly, it’s not all about how loud you shout:
“You have to shout but a big voice is not enough. You have to be able to write your own stuff, it has to be engaging. It’s all about intonation, accuracy, engaging your audience and doing your best. It’s a good thing that volume isn’t the main thing!
The town crier is gearing up for a busy four-day weekend in early June, with the town’s Platinum Jubilee committee organising a huge list of events to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
Mr Hewitt says he’ll available whenever his town needs him.
One of his most important jobs will be leading a flag procession from the Market Place to the grounds of Knaresborough House for the Jubilee Garden Party.
He’s also written a special message to deliver on market day that pays tribute to Her Majesty.
Service to the town
Mr Hewitt has lived in Knaresborough for 45 years and has been the town crier for 8.
He dons his 18th-century-inspired robe, laces up his boots and rings his bell every Wednesday at the market, with one week off a year in between Christmas and new year.
The role is organised by the Knaresborough Chamber of Trade & Commerce and Mr Hewitt joked the unusual role came about through a promotion.
“I was the Chamber’s Santa Claus at the market, they said ‘you’re used to wearing silly costumes’, and I was asked if I’d become the town crier.”
Long lineage
Knaresborough’s town crier lineage goes back to 1680.
In the old days, they would inform the townspeople of the latest news, proclamations, bylaws and any other important information, as at the time most people were illiterate and could not read.
“The town crier was the local literate, then it went to hell when it came to me!”
Mr Hewitt’s role today is not too dissimilar to how it was hundreds of years ago, although he quipped that today, most locals tend to get their news from the Stray Ferret.
He called Sid Bradley, who was the town crier in the 1980s and 1990s, “absolutely brilliant and the town crier that everybody would have liked to be.”
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Photo credit: Charlotte Gale
Former teacher
Mr Hewitt is well known to pupils of Harrogate Grammar School where he was a legendary chemistry teacher from 1991 until he retired in 2014.
He said his experience managing teenagers in the classroom has made him an even better town crier.
“Being a teacher helped tremendously.
“Somebody said to me recently, you don’t shout, you talk loud.
“That comes from teaching, particularly being a science teacher. When there are practical experiments going on in the classroom you can’t shout.”
Mr Hewitt has had a few unusual run-ins during his time as a town crier, including an encounter with a hen party that he called “the most harrowing day of my life”.
Good for the town
Hopefully, Mr Hewitt will be entertaining and informing visitors to Knaresborough for years to come.
He added:
Harrogate Borough Council leader reshuffles top team“People come up to me and say ‘can I take your photo?’ I say yes, it’s complusory.
“Everytime they take a photo they take a bit of Knaresborough away.”
Harrogate Borough Council’s Conservative leader Richard Cooper has made changes to his top team, 10 months before the local authority is abolished.
Cllr Cooper has appointed Cllr Sam Gibbs, who represents Harrogate Valley Gardens, as cabinet member for the environment, waste reduction and recycling brief on his six-person cabinet.
Rebecca Burnett, who represents Harrogate St George’s, has been appointed chair of the planning committee, which makes decisions on major housing and development projects.
Ed Darling, who was elected in Knaresborough Castle, is the new chair of the 12-person licensing committee, which can grant or refuse alcohol and Hackney cab licences.
Sam Gibbs
Cllr Gibbs, who has represented Valley Gardens since 2018, will replace Cllr Andrew Paraskos.
Collecting household waste is one of the council’s biggest responsibilities and this year it will be trialling wheelie bins for housing recycling.
According to the Richmond Conservatives website, Cllr Gibbs is employed as the constituency agent for Chancellor and Richmond MP Rishi Sunak.
He is also a county councillor, winning the Valley Gardens & Central division in this month’s local elections.
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Rebecca Burnett
Rebecca Burnett replaces Cllr John Mann as chair of the planning committee.
Cllr Burnett has been a councillor since 2014 but will be stepping down from local politics when the council is abolished in April 2023.
She was the cabinet member for planning from 2015 until 2020, during the formation of Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which allocates over 13,000 new homes for building in the district up to 2035.
Other appointments
Ed Darling will become the new chair of the licensing committee, replacing Cllr Victoria Oldham, who will become the council’s final Mayor.
The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Gibbs, Cllr Burnett and Cllr Darling for comment but none responded.
The committee memberships will be confirmed at next week’s full council meeting. Read the full list here.
‘Where’s the infrastructure?’: New councillor queries 480-home Bluecoat Wood planQuestions remain about how an extra 480 homes near Harlow Hill will impact roads, schools and doctor’s surgeries, according to the new councillor for the area.
Homes England last week submitted plans for the development at Bluecoat Wood opposite Cardale Park.
The site covers 28 hectares of largely green fields and the homes would wrap around horticultural charity Horticap.
The proposals include new cricket and football pitches.
A mix of one, two, three, four and five-bedroom houses are proposed for the site. Homes England says 40% of the houses will be allocated as “affordable”.
“Fed up with housebuilding”
Michael Schofield is the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harlow & St George’s on North Yorkshire County Council, after being elected this month.
The councillor, who is also the landlord of the Shepherd’s Dog pub, claims there is “no provision” in the plans for services that residents will use.
Cllr Schofield said:
“Don’t get me wrong, the idea of playing fields and a cricket pitch is great, but you do have to think about extra traffic and infrastructure.
“There’s no provision for services. I’d like to see more planning for residents.
“Yes the homes look attractive, but there’s no clear plan for infrastructure. I don’t want them to do anything until they have one.”
Cllr Schofield said there is strong feeling locally about the scale and speed of housebuilding.
“I see residents out walking their dogs and it’s the main issue people are telling me, they are fed up of seeing building site after building site.”
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Last month, a separate application was submitted by Anwyl Land and national housebuilder Redrow Homes for 780 homes on fields opposite Bluecoat Wood on Otley Road.
At Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association‘s (Hapara) AGM in April, the group’s secretary David Siddans said residents are bracing themselves for “15 years of disruption” due to the sheer number of homes that will be built in phases around Otley Road.
Hapara has been highly critical of the delayed West Harrogate Parameters Plan (WHPP), a document drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council that is supposed to address the infrastructure associated with the different housing developments.
A final version of the plan has yet to be signed off by the council.
The plan will also be supplemented with an ‘infrastructure delivery document’ to nail down the infrastructure requirements in greater detail, but it’s yet to see the light of day.
‘Pause a decision’
Mr Siddans called on Harrogate Borough Council to pause any decision on Bluecoat Wood until the infrastructure delivery document is published.
He said:
“Hapara accepts that the principle of development on this site has been established through the Local Plan process, but considers it essential that the proposals are considered in the wider context of the whole western arc expansion, particularly regarding infrastructure provision, sustainability, landscape protection and adherence to net zero carbon targets.
“Low building density, high-quality design and appropriate housing mix with tree-lined streets are also matters that we will be looking at in our response. That is why no decisions should be made on this application or any of the adjacent sites until the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan is finalised, including the detail of the infrastructure delivery plan.”
Mr Siddans’s words were echoed by Cllr Howard West, chair of Beckwithshaw and Haverah Parish Council.
He said:
“The parish council’s standpoint is that the application should not even be logged, let alone considered, until the infrastructure delivery plan part of the WHPP has been finalised and approved.”
Homes England
A planning statement by Homes England says the development has been guided by the WHPP.
It says the sports pitch will be used by local schools, improving facilities for the area’s children.
On transport, it says the development will eventually link up with the Otley Road Cycle Path and an existing bus service to Cardale Park.
Thieves attempt break-in at Harrogate’s Marks & Spencer“The site has a good level of accessibility with Harrogate town centre, via a comprehensive network of footways and cycleways and is within a short cycling distance of Harrogate town centre.
“There are existing bus services which are accessible from the site and offer a relatively frequent level of services and Harrogate Rail Station, Hornbeam Rail Station and Pannal Rail Station which can be accessed as part of a multi-modal journey to [and] from the site.”
Thieves attempted to break into the Harrogate Marks & Spencer store on Cambridge Street on Friday night.
It follows other town centre businesses reporting similar incidents to the police in recent months.
Burglars raided Browns jewellers in January, which is close to M&S on nearby Beulah Street.
Last week, the antiques shop 27 West Park was also targeted over night, but thieves left empty-handed after they failed to get in.
An M&S spokesperson said:
“We are supporting the police with their investigations into an attempted break-in at our Harrogate store on Friday night.”
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Leeds United legends reminisce with Harrogate dementia residents
Leeds United legends Eddie Gray, Tony Dorigo and Paul Reaney have visited a care home in Harrogate to reminisce about their playing days with residents who have dementia.
The ex-players were at Vida Healthcare’s new facility Vida Court on Beckwith Head Road.
The trio spoke about highlights from Leeds games over the past few decades and major career moments.
Staff also set up goals in the garden for residents to have a kickabout with the players.
It’s 50 years since Eddie Gray and Paul Reaney won the FA Cup as part of Don Revie’s famous side, and 30 years since Tony Dorigo won the First Division title under Howard Wilkinson.
Several players in the Don Revie team have suffered from dementia in recent years, including Jack Charlton and Gordon McQueen.
Sharon Oldfield, home manager at Vida Court, said:
“Activities like this are so important for our residents and they had a fantastic time meeting Tony, Eddie and Paul and sharing a pie and pint with them.
“Wellbeing and life enrichment is crucial to the lives of our residents. This special day was all about reminiscence and nostalgia, and it brought back special memories for everyone in attendance.
“Events and visits like this are crucial for encouraging residents to remember moments in their lives, and building strong bonds with staff.”
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A resident with Paul Reaney
Harrogate Town‘s EnviroVent Stadium is to undergo a £3.5m upgrade, which will include a new seated stand, match day bar and improved ticketing facilities.
Chairman Irving Weaver is footing the bill, which the club said in a statement will help the board’s ambition of creating a “sustainable and thriving club, for future generations to enjoy”.
The new stand will increase the ground’s capacity above the current limit of 5,000 fans. It will replace the Myrings Terrace and will be able to hold 2,000 fans.
A new bar will please fans, who have been unable to get a drink at games since they were promoted to the English Football League in 2020. This is because away fans are now segregated in the Myrings Terrace, which includes the 1919 bar.
Also planned is an extension of the corporate hospitality area, with more space for diners.
Home since 1920
The ground on Wetherby Road has been home to the Sulphurites since 1920, but in recent years it has struggled to keep pace with the club’s rapid rise up the divisions into the English Football League.
Fans were banned from a pre-season friendly against Sunderland last summer after North Yorkshire County Council found 17 “unacceptable risks” at the ground, which were related to fan safety.
Problems with the ticketing system also left some fans unable to attend a home match against Stevenage in September.
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Chief executive Sarah Barry said the club had listened to feedback from fans, which has helped to shape how the money will be spent.
She added that she hopes the investment, which will include an improved ticketing system, will improve the matchday experience.
Ms Barry said:
Siblings, 11 and 7, get creative to protest against new Knox Lane houses“This is a really exciting time for our club. It’s now two years since we were promoted to the EFL for the first time in our history. As we come out of the pandemic and get back to regular fixtures and crowds, the time is right for us to invest in our future.
“Our proposals stem from listening to feedback from fans in a number of areas. Easier ticketing, better flow through turnstiles and an improved refreshments offering are some of the suggestions that have been made and have been taken on board.
“We want to enhance the match day experience for our loyal and dedicated supporters who make this club. We’ve seen bigger crowds, welcomed more young families and teenagers to the EnviroVent Stadium lately and we want to sustain and grow this, retaining and attracting our committed supporters of the future.”
Two creative siblings have put up posters and written poems to protest against a housing development on Harrogate’s Knox Lane.
North-east property developer Jomast wants to build 53 homes on a field off Knox Lane in a green corner of Bilton that residents cherish.
Jasmine Stoyles, 7, and her brother Francis, 11, both go to Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School in Bilton.
They live close to where the homes could be built and enjoy admiring the deer, birds and other wildlife in the green fields.
But they fear the idyllic scene won’t be there when they grow up.
Mum Caroline said the threat of development inspired the kids to get their pens out and protest. Over the weekend they put up posters and poems on trees and a notice board nearby.
Jasmine’s poem says it’s a “horrible sight looking at concrete and cement” and Francis’ poem pleads “see the trees that grew up there, soon it will be all bare”.
Ms Stoyles said:
“We just appreciated all through lockdown how many people come here. It’s a lovely place to be.
“To lose that connection to the countryside would totally change the nature of the area.”
Jasmine’s poem is below:
“Spring is a lovely time, but not when people are killing nature,
“People do not care about nature anymore because they are looking at their toes,
“Wrens and other birds are going to lose their homes because they are cutting down the trees,
“It is a horrible sight looking at concrete and cement,
“Nothing can replace Harrogate’s space.”
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Starbeck dad says ‘unreliable’ buses are making daughter late for school
Starbeck dad Gordon Schallmo has criticised Transdev‘s “unreliable” Number 1 bus service, which he said is regularly making his daughter late for school.
Mr Schallmo’s 14-year-old daughter is a pupil at King James’s School in Knaresborough.
Each morning she gets the number 1 from Starbeck, which is one of the company’s busiest bus routes in the Harrogate district, running up to seven times an hour.
But well-documented staffing issues have forced the company to cancel services, sometimes at short notice.
Mr Schallmo said his daughter is currently late for school at least once a week after buses failed to turn up.
He said:
“Its hit and miss when they arrive. She’s often been left standing there.”
Can’t all fit on
The number 1 route is served by single-decker buses.
But with schoolchildren sharing the bus with rush-hour commuters, it means if a bus doesn’t turn up they can’t always all fit on the next one.
Mr Schallmo added:
“It’s not good when I have to run her in and call the school to say she will be late again because the bus hasn’t turned up.”
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Transdev has had difficulties hiring new bus drivers since the covid pandemic.
The company recently launched a campaign offering qualified drivers a £1,000 bonus if they joined.
Mr Schallmo said he was also frustrated to see the company recently increased the cost of a weekly ticket on the number 1 from £4.30 to £6 whilst offering a service his daughter can’t rely on.
He said:
“It’s getting beyond a joke. I know they have bus driver shortages but they don’t seem to be doing anything about it.
“What frustrates me is they don’t have an answer. It’s been terrible.”
Transdev’s response
Steve Ottley, general manager at The Harrogate Bus Company, which is a division of French firm Transdev, said:
“Firstly, it’s disappointing and we apologise that Mr Schallmo believes we haven’t given him an answer he would like but we would invite him and anyone else who may wish to, to engage with us via email to customer.services@transdevbus.co.uk or via many other contact points as found at harrogatebus.co.uk.
“We fully realise how frustrating it is for our customers on the occasions when we are unable to provide the high standard of service expected. We are doing a lot behind the scenes to respond to current industry-wide challenges around recruitment and retention of drivers — including by offering increased salaries to new and existing drivers, and by promoting opportunities to join us on the front of all our buses, on billboard advertising and via social media.
“This approach is already delivering positive results – we currently have 15 new colleagues preparing for new driving jobs in Harrogate at The Academy, our own in-house training facility in Starbeck.”
Mr Ottley also explained why the company has increased its prices:
“Everyone will be aware that the price of almost everything is rising at the moment, especially fuel and energy, and unfortunately, we are also not immune to these increased costs — price changes are a common factor across many businesses at the moment. Along with many other transport operators across the country, we have now reached a point where we need to ask our customers to share some of this with us.
“We have held prices down for a while now. This will be our first fares change since September 2019 – and our tickets are still good value, especially compared with other forms of transport, including the car.
“These changes will allow us to continue recovering from covid, increasing timetables back to pre-pandemic levels, investing and improving wage rates — all after almost three years of holding down fares. We’ve also taken this opportunity to simplify our ticket range where we can to make travel easier, while still offering flexibility to our regular customers.”