Harrogate Borough Council has said it asked the Royal British Legion if it had any objections before placing a large helter skelter next to the war memorial.
The attraction appeared on the grass in front of the memorial on Tuesday. Harrogate BID, Visit Harrogate and the council hope it will encourage footfall during the festive season.
The Victorian-style ride has received some online criticism from residents who say it is disrespectful because of its close proximity to the memorial and its appearance just two days after Remembrance Sunday.
Others say the war dead would have wanted life to continue as normal and welcomed the idea of children playing on the rides.
A council spokeswoman told the Stray Ferret that it had chosen where to put the helter skelter “very carefully”. She added the council had received six complaints from residents about the structure.
The spokeswoman said the council asked the Royal British Legion if it had any objections beforehand, adding the charity did not but asked the council to monitor anti-social behaviour caused by the attraction.
Read more:
- Will you be going for a spin on Harrogate’s helter skelter?
- TV acting school for children opens in Harrogate
The spokeswoman said:
“We considered the location of the Helter Skelter very carefully and as part of our pre-event planning we consulted with the Royal British Legion on the proposed site. We received no objections but agreed with their only request that we are vigilant for anti-social behaviour in the area, which we are happy to do.
“We will monitor any anti-social behaviour caused by the attraction over the period and will act accordingly.
“The council have received half a dozen complaints in relation to its location, however we have also received a significant number of positive responses towards our Destination Christmas campaign.
“This includes many positive comments on Facebook from veterans and those whose relatives fought for the country, who are hugely supportive of what we are doing.”
A suspected ‘boy racer’ crashed into two parked cars near Harrogate’s Asda supermarket in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
A bystander took photos of the aftermath on Dragon Parade near to the roundabout at around 2am and sent them to the Stray Ferret.
The resident said he left his house nearby after hearing a loud noise coming from the road. He said the people inside the car that crashed “did a runner” and nobody appeared to be hurt.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said no arrests have been made related to the incident.
Read more:
- Ferrari towed away in Harrogate in police supercar clampdown
- Police have ‘public duty’ to tackle noisy cars, says commissioner
There has been a longstanding issue of fast and loud cars driving through the town. Asda car park is regularly used as a meeting place for boy racers.
North Yorkshire Police launched “Operation Chrome” this summer to target speeding and illegally modified vehicles.
Superintendent Steve Thomas said:
“We are taking a zero tolerance approach to this dangerous behaviour.”
Do you think enough is being done to combat boy racers in Harrogate? Contact us on letters@thestrayferret.co.uk and give us your views. We publish Stray Views every Sunday evening.
CNG employees in ‘horrible situation’ regarding redundancy payouts
Employees of the collapsed Harrogate energy firm CNG have described the uncertainty over redundancy pay as a “horrible situation” with Christmas just around the corner.
About 100 staff and chief executive Paul Stanley discussed the insolvency programme at an online meeting yesterday
Two different CNG employees, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret that staff had hoped to receive clarification about redundancy pay but were left disappointed.
They said staff had previously been told they would be paid redundancy by the company but that this was withdrawn. They were then told it would be paid by the government, but at yesterday’s meeting, they were not given answers on when this will be and how much they will receive.
One employee said:
“This is a huge kick in the teeth for those who have stayed loyal to CNG for many years”.
Another employee described the atmosphere of the meeting as “cold”. They added:
“We were plainly made to feel like a nuisance”.
Read more:
- In Depth: Why Harrogate success story CNG ended in collapse
- Ofgem appoints company to take on CNG customers
CNG ceased trading two weeks ago due to spiralling wholesale gas prices but administrators are yet to be appointed.
According to CNG’s annual accounts from October 2020, the company had, at the time, £36.7m in cash reserves.
Questions were put to Mr Stanley at yesterday’s meeting about what had happened to this money. One employee said Mr Stanley “swiftly avoided the question”.
The Stray Ferret approached CNG for a response but we did not receive one at the time of publication.
Professor Brian Cox has filmed part of his new BBC series about the mysteries of the universe at Fountains Abbey and Brimham Rocks.
In the episode, which airs next week, the physicist explores the phenomenon of black holes whilst using the two National Trust sites as a visual backdrop.
Prof Cox walks around the ruined monastery of Fountains Abbey while discussing how black holes decay. Brimham Rocks and the Nidderdale landscape are used to emphasise the vastness of space.
The episode is due to broadcast on BBC2 next Wednesday (November 24) and is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer here.
Fountains Abbey tweeted that it was delighted to welcome the professor:
1/2 We were delighted to welcome @ProfBrianCox here on some very chilly days earlier this year to film for his new series 'Universe'. The upcoming episode The upcoming episode was filmed within the ancient abbey ruins and explores the amazing mysteries of black holes. pic.twitter.com/jOccODeO0l
— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) November 17, 2021
Read More:
- Ripon alleys rejuvenated with overnight deep clean
- Ripon wine experts share top picks for your Christmas gifts and pairings
Two Harrogate district soldiers killed during World War One have finally been laid to rest today with full military honours.
Their bodies were among nine sets of human remains found during civil engineering works in the Belgium town of Beselare three years ago.
Archaeologists from the Flanders Heritage Agency subsequently discovered the remains of the trench, a bomb pit and a separate bomb pit outside the trench.
Eight of the nine bodies found inside the trench are believed to have died at the same time as the result of an explosion in October 1917. The ninth was found separately.
Through a combination of military research, anthropology and DNA, Ministry of Defence ‘war detectives’ managed to identify seven of the nine soldiers by name.
The men included 21-year-old Lance Corporal Stanley Blakeborough from Pateley Bridge and 28-year-old Private Harry Miller, who worked as a farm labourer in Burton Leonard.
Read more:
- Story of the lone Japanese First World War soldier buried in Ripon
- Wreaths laid at newly restored Harrogate war memorial
An eighth casualty, who remains unknown, is believed to have served with the same regiment (11th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers) whilst the ninth and final casualty is unknown by name or regiment.
The service in Belgium today. Credit: Ministry of Defence
Nicola Nash, from the Ministry of Defence said:
“After working on this case for nearly three years, it gives me an immense feeling of pride to see these men finally being laid to rest. It has been wonderful to share this emotional day with so many of the family members, who have travelled as far as Australia to attend.
“The sacrifice these men made will never be forgotten.”
Today’s service was organised by the MoD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre and was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Tyne Cot Cemetery near Ypres in Belgium.
The MOD war detectives also traced the relatives of some of the men, with five different families attending the service.
The Duke of Kent attended the service in his capacity as the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Harrogate Male Voice Choir returned on Saturday evening for its first performance in two years.
The choir has existed since October 1969 but members were forced to practice over Zoom during the pandemic.
Members performed at a charity event at St. Mary’s Church, Boston Spa in aid of Martin House Children’s Hospice. They raised £1,050 for the charity.
The choir sang renditions of Amazing Grace, Bring Him Home and In Flanders Fields, among others.
It was the debut of the choir’s new musical director Richard Kay, who has been a member of York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir since 2002. He also sang a range of songs solo during the evening.
Choir member Lawrie Coulthard said:
“It was a wonderful experience for both the choir and audience.
“This was the first time for some years that our performance included solo items – the audience really enjoyed them!”
Read more:
- Music-loving Knaresborough couple nominated for choir award
- Plan to convert Ripon Cathedral Choir School into townhouses
Watch ex-Harrogate Town footballer’s reaction after winning £1m on lottery
A video has been posted online that captures the moment former Harrogate Town defender Terry Kennedy finds out he’s scooped £1m on the National Lottery.
The clip, which has over a million views on Twitter, shows Mr Kennedy in his work canteen holding his lucky ticket and shaking his head in disbelief whilst on the phone to lottery staff.
When he is told he’s won £1m his workmates erupt in cheers.
Mr Kennedy began his career at Sheffield United but made most of his appearances as a footballer in the sixth tier of English football, including playing 31 times for Harrogate Town in the 2017/18 season when he scored 9 goals.
Watch the video below:
https://twitter.com/notpotmongs/status/1460349225825443846?s=20
Read more:
- Hot Seat: Harrogate Town’s new CEO aims to take club to new heights
- Harrogate firm EnviroVent sets 2030 net-zero target
A 45-foot long ‘communications container compound’ could be built at RAF Menwith Hill.
A planning application submitted to Harrogate Borough Council by the Ministry of Defence, which owns the site, says the new building would cover 464 square metres and help ‘meet the operational output of the station’.
There are no other details about what work would take place within the new building. The plans also include provision for a large fuel tank.
Built in the 1950s on the edge of Nidderdale, Menwith Hill is the United States’ largest overseas surveillance base.
Giant radomes, or ‘golf balls’, are a distinctive feature of the site.
Read more:
- Menwith Hill involved in ‘significant number’ of deadly US drone strikes
- Upset and anger at plans to remove MP’s memorial tree at Menwith Hill
Recent expansion
There have been several planning applications to expand the base in the past couple of years.
Last year the MoD was granted planning permission to build three more radomes.
In February, the council also approved plans for another radome as well as an electrical substation.
Separate plans were submitted to add a new visitor centre, vehicle canopy and changes to the road junction on Menwith Hill Road.
Last month, a new report alleged the base provided intelligence for American drone bombings campaigns in the Middle East, including the high-profile assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
The number of people receiving out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district has continued to fall, despite the furlough scheme ending at the end of September.
Latest figures by the Office for National Statistics show 2,375 people in the district were claiming the benefits as of October 14.
This is 115 fewer than the 2,490 figure for September 12. The benefits include Universal Credit, which can also be claimed by people who are in work but on low incomes.
The furlough scheme ended on September 30 and supported around 28,600 jobs in the Harrogate district for 18 months.
Read More:
- Major drop in applications for social care jobs across North Yorkshire
- Fears for thousands of Harrogate district jobs as furlough ends
The figures appear to have calmed fears raised by the local Liberal Democrats that the scheme would result in up to 3,600 job losses in the district.
Speaking last month, Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition group on Harrogate Borough Council, said the Liberal Democrats both locally and nationally were demanding the scheme be extended to protect jobs.
Plans have been submitted to demolish the former Franklyn Metal Works on Strawberry Dale Square so it can be replaced with housing.
Developer Hodgson-Jones Developments is proposing to build three four-bedroom houses on the site, which was most recently used by the builder’s merchant Wrayways until May 2020.
For 60 years the site was home to Franklyn Metal Works before closing in 1992.
Planning documents say the buildings should be demolished as it would need substantial investment for it to be reused for commercial purposes.
The plans include five car parking spaces and three electric vehicle charging points.
In 2018, planning permission was granted to demolish some other buildings on the same site to build five homes.
Read more:
- Planning backlog blamed on staff shortages and 20% rise in applications
- Council accused of ‘whitewash’ over investigation into ‘massaged’ planning report