Harrogate BID launches £750 grant scheme to help businesses

Harrogate Business Improvement District has opened its 2022 Town Centre Improvements grant scheme.

Qualifying businesses will be able to claim match-funded grants of up to £750 for making a variety of upgrades, including paintwork, signage and accessibility, which are designed to make Harrogate town centre safe, clean and welcoming.

Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said:

“Harrogate BID is keen to support levy-paying businesses in making improvements to their street frontages, the accessibility of their premises and the gateways to the town centre, by providing financial support through match funding.

“We know that businesses in the town centre are facing unprecedented pressures, and we want to ensure that Harrogate remains a desirable place to do business by helping them deliver an aesthetic ‘Welcome to Harrogate’.

“These grants, which help support one of the key objectives in our business plan, namely Safe, Clean and Welcoming, can be used for a variety of different projects.

“As long as the work enhances a façade, or makes it more accessible for disabled customers, we will consider it. As there is a limited budget for the 2022 Town Centre Improvements grant scheme, they will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.”

Businesses should submit their request for grant support to Harrogate BID via email to: info@harrogatebid.co.uk including a brief description of the proposed work.

Grantley Hall restaurant launches new menu

The Orchard restaurant at Grantley Hall near Ripon has launched its new spring/summer menu.

It offers light, alfresco lunches in the sunshine and cocktails that overlook the manicured grounds of Grantley.

“The Orchard’s spring and summer menu compliments the change of the seasons by offering light and refreshing options, such as an array of succulent seafood dishes, with everything from king prawns and Whitby lobster to chargrilled swordfish – all cooked to perfection by our talented chefs.”

Other options include dry-aged steaks and broad bean, garden pea, mint and Yorkshire feta salad.

 

 

 

Harrogate district train station parking review a ‘lost opportunity’

A review into car parking at train stations across the Harrogate district has been criticised as a “lost opportunity”.

Transport officials at North Yorkshire County Council launched the review to look into where parking could be expanded in order to encourage the use of public transport and stop parked vehicles spilling over onto residential streets.

The findings were discussed at a meeting today when councillor Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said he was “disappointed” that residents were not asked where they believe investment is needed the most. He said:

“There doesn’t seem to have been any discussion with any user groups.

“I would have thought they might have been able to share some very important information – we need to know what our customers want.”

Cllr Haslam said while the review was “very measured,” it was a “lost opportunity” to also look into how access to train stations can be made easier for those travelling on foot or by bike.

He told today’s meeting of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee:

“I would have hoped this review could have looked at safe and secure storage for bikes, bus stop provision and other access in terms of cycle routes.

“Train stations are going to be what we will call transport transition hubs in the future and we have to facilitate these changes so people can get off their bike and onto a train, or out of their car and onto a bus.”

His comments were backed by councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, who added:

“We must look at other means of connecting people to railway stations and not simply in their cars.”

More parking at Pannal

The review highlights how new car parking will be built at Pannal train station as part of the ongoing housing development at the former Dunlopillo site.

Construction work has yet to start on the car park and it is unclear when this could begin.

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Cattal train station has also been identified for improved parking as part of a 3,000-home settlement which is planned for the area because of its railway links.

There are no plans to upgrade parking at train stations in Starbeck, Knaresborough or Weeton, as well Harrogate which a report said already has extra capacity at the Victoria multi-storey car park.

Another area which has been identified for potential improvements is Hornbeam Park train station where previous proposals to expand the car park were met with concerns that it could encourage more car journeys on the already congested Hookstone Road.

Traffic impact

Graham North, strategic support officer at the county council, told today’s meeting that extra car parking had been considered again, although it could have had a “significant” impact on traffic.

Mr North also set out some of the reasons why parking upgrades are needed at other train stations, but can not be achieved.

He said:

“The Harrogate line has had significant improvements in frequency including the recent improvements between York and Harrogate.

“We have also had modern rolling stock, station improvements and the introduction of the LNER services to and from London which are all potentially increasing demand for rail travel.

“The rail industry has looked at each station to identify any land available for car parking close to stations and whilst some land has been identified the cost to purchase, access to and from the sites and the poor business cases have meant that these were not developed further.”

Rossett School pays tribute to ex-student Sam Gibson, 24

Rossett School has paid tribute to Harrogate man and former student Sam Gibson, who has died in a car crash.

Police officers responded to reports of a vehicle leaving the road on the A59 near Upper Poppleton, between the junctions of Newlands Lane and Hodgson Lane, at about 7am on Sunday.

They discovered Mr Gibson’s grey Peugeot 208 car, which had left the road and landed on its roof.

The 24-year-old was certified dead at the scene.

Rossett School described Mr Gibson as a popular student who was a regular in theatrical performances.

A school spokesperson said:

“Sam was a popular student in both the lower school and in the sixth form.  A leading light in the performing arts, he performed and supported other students in classic productions such as ‘Oliver!’ when he was here at Rossett.

“He will be remembered as someone who was a friend to many; a champion for those less fortunate than him and an active fundraiser for charity. The thoughts of the whole Rossett community are with Sam’s family at this difficult time.”

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Roadmap to new North Yorkshire Council will ‘hold feet to the fire’ on promise of better services

A new roadmap for the creation of a single council for the whole of North Yorkshire will “hold feet to the fire” on the promise of better services, a senior Conservative has said.

Cllr Graham Swift, deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, was one of several members of a new executive board that today approved an implementation plan for the new North Yorkshire Council set to take over from April 2023.

He said while he previously supported a rival vision for two new councils split on an east/west basis, he believed the plan would ensure the single council meets the overall aims of saving money and streamlining services.

Cllr Swift said:

“Today we have got a document in the public domain which I find extremely exciting because it starts to lay out the principles of what the new council can be.

“This is a document which can be used to display with confidence the plans that our councils have, but it will also keep our feet to the fire.”

Major change

The move to a single council will mark the biggest change to local government in North Yorkshire in almost 50 years, and will mean the existing county council and seven district and borough councils are scrapped.

It is linked to a devolution deal with government which said millions of pounds in funding and decision-making powers could only be devolved to North Yorkshire if a unitary system is introduced.

North Yorkshire County Council had proposed the single council plan, while the district and borough councils except Hambleton, which rejected all options on the table, made a bid for two councils split on an east/west basis but failed to win government support.

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These opposing views were described as an “elephant in the room” at today’s first meeting of the new executive board which is made up of 17 county, borough and district councillors from across North Yorkshire.

But members said they were willing to put their previous preferences aside in order to plan for the transition to the new council.

The implementation plan sets out how elections to the new council will take place in May, followed by the appointment of a new council chief executive by autumn and a corporate management team by January 2023.

Residents will be a priority

Almost all remaining staff will then be transferred across on April 1, 2023, as all services from bin collections to business support, and social care to highways, come under new control.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, told today’s meeting that while the transition of services and staff would be a challenge, the needs of residents would still be a priority.

He said:

“We are trying to create a strong council that will be able to meet the huge challenges that will hit the communities of North Yorkshire in the years ahead.

“There will be further austerity and that will need to be tackled by local government and other public services.

“We are finding there are growing numbers of people that need the protection of council services and we expect those challenges to rise over the coming years.”

Harrogate council conservation officer ‘cannot support’ Debenhams demolition

Harrogate Borough Council‘s conservation officer has objected to the demolition of the former Debenhams building on Parliament Street.

Wetherby-based property company Stirling Prescient is behind a proposal to demolish the three buildings that Debenhams was situated in and replace them with 50 flats and two commercial units.

The site on Parliament Street has been home to different retailers for over a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.

But the developer has said there is no market for the building to be reoccupied as a department store, and the 1902 and 1920-era buildings should be torn down.

‘Harmful to the streetscene’

The council’s objection was submitted last month by Emma Gibbens, principal conservation officer.

Ms Gibbens wrote:

“The loss of the traditional building form and architectural detail would be harmful to the streetscene and character and special interest of the conservation area, the building forming part of the designated heritage asset in a manner that contributes positively to its character.”

Ms Gibbens added that the developer needed to prove that the demolition was justified.

She wrote that redevelopment of the site was possible in a way that did not involve the demolition of historic buildings.

She added:

“If demolition can be proven to be required, then a revised scheme would be required for a replacement building; otherwise, the historic buildings should be retained and the later parts replaced with buildings that enhance the conservation area.”

The council’s planning committee will decide on the proposal but the objection by a senior council official is a blow to the developers.

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The council joins two influential heritage groups in submitting objections to the plans.

In January, Save Britain’s Heritage said the developer had failed to provide “clear or adequate justification” for demolishing the buildings.

The public body Historic England has also submitted an objection to the plans. Whilst welcoming the regeneration of the site, it said there should be a “sensitive conversion” of the two older department store buildings.

But the demolition has been supported by Harrogate Civic Society, which said it accepted the building was “very difficult to convert in a logical and practical way”.

However, the group objected to the height of the replacement building, which it said was “overpowering.”

Strengthen the town

A view of the new apartments on Parliament Street.

A CGI view of the new apartments on Parliament Street.

The developer Stirling Prescient said in planning documents that there was no scope to convert the building into smaller units “due to its internal layout and the age of the building”.

Stirling Prescient said:

“The proposals as a whole will strengthen the town’s vitality and viability, increasing footfall and contributing to the local economy.

“The proposal represents a sustainable form of development and therefore benefits from the presumption in favour of sustainable development, meaning planning permission should be granted without delay.”

 

Harrogate student scores wonder goal for Leeds youth team

St John Fisher Catholic High School student and Leeds United player Archie Gray scored a wonder goal at Elland Road last night in front of almost 10,000 supporters.

The 16-year-old midfielder scored the third goal as the club’s under-23 team beat rivals Manchester United.

Gray is the great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

Highly rated by the club, he’s already featured as an unused substitute twice for the first team in the Premier League aged just 15.

Leeds director of football Victor Orta has compared Gray to a young Sergio Aguero and former manager Marcelo Bielsa said he will eventually achieve elite status in the game.

Take a look at his goal last night, which was struck from 35 yards.

🤯 "You beauty! Archie Gray take a bow!" pic.twitter.com/MOOdhg9VdU

— Leeds United (@LUFC) March 15, 2022

St John Fisher has also sent its congratulations to the young player:

Huge congratulations to Year 11 student Archie Gray who scored for the @LUFC under 23 team last night. https://t.co/6HaRJ3bwnU

— St John Fisher Catholic High School, Harrogate (@sjfchs) March 16, 2022

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Harrogate district covid rate more than doubles in 12 days

The rate of covid in the Harrogate district has almost doubled in just 12 days.

Latest data published by North Yorkshire County Council shows the seven-day rate of infection was 691 per 100,000 people on March 13.

On March 1, the rate was 343 per 100,000 people, the lowest it had been since September 2021.

The Harrogate district has the highest infection rate in North Yorkshire. Ryedale is the next highest at 632. The England average is 661.

The government no longer publishes daily data on how many people have caught the virus.

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Instead, it publishes the number of infections over the past seven days. In the Harrogate district, this was 1,207 people, a rise of almost 50% on the previous week.

NHS England figures show that the most recent covid-related death took place at Harrogate District Hospital on February 28.

There have been 232 covid-related deaths at the hospital since the pandemic started almost two years ago.

Whole of Harrogate’s Bogs Lane now to be resurfaced

North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to resurface the whole of Bogs Lane.

Previously, the council said it would only lay fresh tarmac on the stretch of road from the Forest Lane junction of Knaresborough Road to Henshaw’s College. Work began last week.

The road, just off the main A59 Knaresborough Road, is in a busy residential area that has been affected by numerous new housing schemes.

However, following requests from resident Malcolm Binks and Starbeck Liberal Democrat councillor Philip Broadbank, the county council has now agreed to resurface the whole stretch of road.

Cllr Broadbank said that this will now include the section from Henshaw’s College to the low bridge that connects Bogs Lane to Kingsley Road.

He said:

“The road’s been in a very poor condition for a long time. It beggared belief the county council didn’t decide to do it until now.”

The councillor said the resurfacing work should be completed by the end of this week.

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Harrogate student busking for Ukraine

Upsetting TV images of the war in Ukraine inspired Harrogate Grammar School sixth form student Sarah Castillo to go busking to raise money for the British Red Cross.

The 18-year-old is a regular busker in Harrogate and performs with her microphone and speaker at a spot outside Holland & Barrett on Cambridge Street.

Sarah raised an impressive £285 in a couple of hours last Saturday and is well on her way to raising her target of £500. All of the money will be donated to the Red Cross Ukraine humanitarian appeal.

She said:

“I just felt really upset watching the TV and seeing all the people suffer, they are not supposed to be experiencing things like this, especially the children, I felt like i had do something”.

Sarah likes to sing songs by Adele, The Beatles and Billie Eilish and will be back singing in Harrogate town centre from around 11am this Saturday.

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Beckwithshaw primary school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted

Beckwithshaw Community Primary School has been rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.

The 75-pupil village school on Church Row had been consistently rated ‘good’ by inspectors since 2002 but its latest Ofsted report means the school has now been placed in special measures.

Inspectors found pupils enjoy coming to school, show good levels of concentration and listen to instructions.

They praised the school for its phonics programme and said pupils read with confidence and understanding.

But the report, which was published on Friday, criticised the learning curriculum at the school as “not fit for purpose” and “poorly planned”.

It said this has led to pupils not doing well in a range of subjects.

‘Leadership vacuum’

An interim executive headteacher and interim head of school took up their posts at Beckwithshaw in October 2021.

But the report said a “leadership vacuum” over a period of time has had a negative impact on the quality of teaching at the school. It said staff have suffered from excessive workloads and low morale.

It said that new subject leaders are aware of the “deep-rooted problems” with the school’s curriculum.

However, they “lack the training they need” to make the required changes to raise standards.

Here is how the inspectors came to the overall ‘inadequate’ rating:

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Special measures

The inspection took place over two days in December last year when inspectors observed lessons, spoke to pupils informally and had meetings with school leaders.

The report said the inspection took into account the covid pandemic and how it impacted the school.

Beckwithshaw has now been placed into special measures to drive up standards.

Special measures schools are given details on how they must improve and are regularly monitored to check that they are on track. Another inspection will take place within 12 months.

The report says:

“In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.”

The school was rated ‘good’ at its last full inspection in 2012. A short inspection took place in 2016 that said the school “continues to be good”.

Beckwithshaw is currently part of a federation of three schools, along with Kettlesing Felliscliffe Community Primary School and Ripley Endowed C of E Primary School.

The school’s response

Robert Ling, chair of the interim executive board at Beckwithshaw Community Primary School, said:

“There are clear areas identified by Ofsted where Beckwithshaw Primary School can be improved and we do have a strong team around the school driving improvements at pace including the interim executive board.

“Inspectors acknowledged that the school has strengths: that pupil’s behaviour and attitude is good; that they happily play together; that they behave well in lessons and understand the importance of tolerance and respect and that children are well safeguarded.

“The phonics programme is planned well; it enables staff to support pupils to develop their phonic knowledge and skills effectively. Pupils learn how to match letters to sounds and blend them in words. The books given to pupils to practise their reading are well matched to their phonics knowledge. They read them with confidence and understanding.

“Pupils’ with an education, health and care plan are supported more effectively because they receive individual one-to-one assistance.

“We are now taking swift action to secure good leadership and improve curriculum planning across all areas of school life.

“We are proud of our pupils at Beckwithshaw and inspectors praised their good behaviour and willingness to learn. They deserve the highest standards of teaching and learning and good quality leadership and we are taking firm steps to put these in place.”