10,000 Harrogate district children took part in Walk to School Day

Over 10,000 children across the Harrogate District did not travel to school by car on Friday for the second-ever Harrogate District Walk to School Day.

Instead of their usual drive to school, pupils were encouraged to walk, cycle, scoot or take public transport.

Zero Carbon Harrogate, the charity that coordinated the day, said 44 primary and secondary schools signed up to take their stand against the climate emergency.

This is a 42% increase in uptake since the first Walk to School Day in June this year.

Birstwith Church of England Primary School was the district’s ‘Zero Hero’ primary school winners with 91% of children taking part.

Harrogate High School won the secondary school prize, with 85% participation.

Find the full results table here: https://www.zerocarbonharrogate.org.uk/school-leaderboard.

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Jill Collins, headteacher of St. Robert’s Catholic Primary School said:

“The children and families in school are good walkers anyway, but when it comes to Walk to School Day they always make an extra effort walking, scooting, biking, even jogging in and the dog sometimes comes too.

“The children are so enthusiastic about helping the environment and know that we can all make a difference, even by taking simple steps such as walking to school.”

Fiona Jones, events manager for Zero Carbon Harrogate, added:

“This is the first Walk to School event exclusively for our district’s community and it has had a huge impact from being a co-ordinated effort – streets were noticeably quieter during the school run on Friday. The enthusiasm and positivity from schools, especially the children, has been fantastic.

“As regular half-termly events, these are not just about a single day in time, but about building positive transport habits that become a daily occurrence. These are the significant changes that will really make a difference.”

 

Boroughbridge man bids to open micropub in town

A man in Boroughbridge has said he has spotted a gap in the market for a micropub that sells high-quality local cask ales.

Paul McCusker, who has run several pubs in West Yorkshire and currently works behind the bar at another pub in Boroughbridge, wants to convert a former hardware shop on Horsefair into a micropub called the Borough Tap.

He hopes he can be pulling pints there by Christmas.

Mr McCusker said that whilst there were places like the Grantham Arms known for excellent food, the town lacked a specialist alehouse that could tap into an expanding population.

He said he wants the pub to showcase the many local breweries on Boroughbridge’s doorstep, including Roosters, Bad Co and Turning Point.

“There’s no other pub that will do this and there’s a gap in the market.

“There’s so much local produce that can be showcased.”

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Mr McCusker is yet to receive planning permission for the pub but next week Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee will decide whether to grant the venue an alcohol licence.

He said if all goes to plan, he wants to grab “the bull by the horns” and open it before the end of the year.

He said his goal was to get the Borough Tap House into CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide.

Mr McCusker added:

“I’ve run pubs that have got in the Good Beer Guide. It’s hard to get to that standard but it’s like The Bible and people look to it for guidance, although word of mouth is still the best recommendation.

“I want people to say they had a cracking hour in my pub.”

Exhibition brings Harrogate’s LGBTQ+ stories to the forefront

Pride in Diversity launched its Speaking Out exhibition last night, which gives a voice to Harrogate’s LGBTQ+ community.

The project has been in the works since 2019 and includes oral history recordings, loaned objects and photographs.

But rather than presenting the exhibition in the form of a sterile gallery, it has been designed to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes and start conversations. The displays include a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone to listen to human voices.

Pride in Diversity’s chair Leonora Wassell was delighted to see the exhibition, which had to be paused due to covid, finally launch at Cold Bath Brewing Co on Kings Road. It will move between locations in Harrogate,

Last night’s launch coincided with National Coming Out Day and Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Rev Wassell said:

“We are speaking out about who we are.

“People who commit hate crimes are bullies and cowards. That’s why we’ve come out with these stories. We disempower them. If we stand together our bullies go away.”

Leonora Wassell

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Harrogate Museums is a partner on the project. Karen Southworth, a curator at the museum, said it was important to document the voices of a community that has been marginalised in Harrogate.

The museum is in the Royal Pump Rooms and is operated by Harrogate Borough Council.

Ms Southworth said:

“These stories were completely absent in the museum. But we’re now living through a revolution for representation.”

Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, also attended the launch. She said:

“We have supported the LGBT community since the start. We are out there for our community and we are proud to be here.”

Matt Walker and Cllr Pat Marsh.

The exhibition will go on display in the Victoria Shopping Centre from Friday for one week before it moves to Harrogate Library and then Geek Retreat on Oxford Street.

If you’d like the exhibition to be featured in your space, email pid.hg1@outlook.com

Ripon MP Julian Smith calls for police commissioner Philip Allott to go

Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith has said North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott “should go” over comments he made in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder.

Mr Allott has faced calls for his resignation after saying Ms Everard “never should have submitted” to arrest by killer police officer Wayne Couzens.

Conservative Mr Allott, who was elected in May, also said women needed to be “streetwise”.

He later apologised for his remarks, but indicated he would remain in post.

MP Julian Smith, a Conservative himself and former chief whip, has now spoken out saying Mr Allott had lost the trust of women.

He tweeted on Monday:

“Recent comments of the NY Police & Crime Commissioner were completely unacceptable.

“Prior to Thursday’s Police & Crime Panel meeting to discuss the PCC’s future I believe the PCC has lost trust of women and victims groups & should go.”

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Mr Smith’s tweet was supported by North Yorkshire’s former Conservative PFCC Julia Mulligan who replied: “Thank you Julian for speaking out.”

The North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel will meet on Thursday with discussion of Mr Allott’s comments forming part of the agenda.

He is expected to face questions over his remarks made to BBC Radio York on 1 October – the day after the sentencing of Wayne Couzens, who tricked Ms Everard by falsely arresting her for a breach of covid guidelines.

Mr Allott told BBC Radio York:

“A police officer can’t just arrest you. There has to be a reason. So, Covid for example I would classify as a summary offence, it’s not an indictable i.e. sent to prison or potentially go to a Crown Court.

“So women first of all just need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested.

“She should never have been arrested and submitted to that.”

Mr Allott has since repeatedly apologised.

In one apology, he said on Twitter:

“I would like to wholeheartedly apologise for my comments on BBC Radio York earlier today, which I realise have been insensitive and wish to retract them in full.”

The Stray Ferret also asked Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and Nigel Adams MP, whose Selby constituency includes part of the Harrogate district, if Mr Allott should stay in his role but we did not receive a response.

Memories of Scar House reservoir wanted as it celebrates centenary

People are being invited to submit memories, photos and documents relating to Scar House reservoir, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

When the reservoir was built, it was seen as one of the most ambitious civil engineering projects in Britain.

It was the focal point of the Nidd Valley reservoir scheme, and had a huge impact on Nidderdale, with hundreds of workers moving to the area to work on the scheme.

A temporary village called Scar was built to house the workforce and their families during the construction of the reservoir from 1921 to 1936. At its peak, the village housed 1,250 people.

The village had luxuries, such as flushing toilets and a 600-seat cinema. It had its own tennis courts, a fire brigade, hospital and fish and chip shop. A 13 mile (21km) light railway from Pateley Bridge was also installed.

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Elizabeth Bishop, information officer at Nidderdale AONB, said:

“As the village buildings were sold off and dismantled in the 1930s, nothing much remains of this special place. It would be fantastic if more information came to light on this anniversary to help tell more of its fascinating story.”

The reservoir, which supplies water to Bradford, is now owned by Yorkshire Water.

Lisa Harrowsmith, lead surveyor at Yorkshire Water, said:

“We would love to hear from you if you have family members who were involved in the construction at Scar House, or were affected by it. We’re looking for stories, photographs and any memorabilia relating to the construction or early years of the reservoirs life, to help us celebrate its 100th anniversary.

“The world is very different to when work began to build Scar House 100 years ago – but despite the reservoir’s age, it continues to play a key role in the water process.”

If you’d like to get involved in marking the centenary or have information you’d like to share, contact Nidderdale AONB at nidderdaleaonb@harrogate.gov.uk

Killinghall residents worried about ‘dangerous’ mole traps

Residents in Killinghall believe several poorly signposted mole traps placed around a new housing estate could hurt dogs or children.

Moles are among the UK’s most elusive mammals. They spend most of their lives underground, leaving only molehills as signs of their presence.

About four weeks ago, eight traps appeared on the Cricketers View development after the number of molehills increased.

Some traps were set-up close to footpaths used by families and dog walkers. They were marked with small white sticks, which residents believe are inadequate because they are easy to fall over, making them harder to see.

White sticks have been used to mark the traps.

Modern mole traps are legal and have a spring inside them that crushes and kills the mole when it enters.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said the traps were “dangerous” and could hurt more than just moles.

They said:

“At the moment residents are furious over mole traps that have been left around Cautley Drive in KIllinghall. These are up and down some of the main walking paths and sit close to where some of the kids play football and they’re only marked with a nondescript white stick.”

“Some holes have parts of the traps sticking out of the ground and when they’re set off they look less than safe for dogs and small children.”

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The RSCPA does not recommend the use of traps and says if you have moles in your garden, removing or flattening the molehills will solve any unsightly problems. Frequent lawn mowing, children playing and other noisy activity can also help to deter them.

A spokesperson for First Port, which manages the estate, said:

“We have been in regular contact with residents, as well as our pest control contractor, to resolve the issue of moles at Cricketers View. “We have been assured that the working parts of the traps are buried safely underground, with white sticks visible to indicate their locations. Following feedback from residents, our contractor will also be covering the top part of the traps throughout the remainder of their use, which we hope will provide further reassurance.”

Some residents have approached Harrogate Borough Council with their concerns about the traps.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesman said it was looking into the matter.

Harrogate cycle group accuses Tesco of greenwash

Harrogate District Cycle Action has accused Tesco of greenwash over claims that its proposed new supermarket will reduce car journeys and CO2 emissions.

A Tesco online consultation about its plans to open a supermarket on Skipton Road closed yesterday.

The consultation website claims the new supermarket would reduce car journeys across Harrogate because residents in all the new homes on Skipton Road and Killinghall would have less distance to travel for shopping.

It adds:

“This new supermarket will help create more sustainable shopping patterns in Harrogate and reduce the number of long car journeys across the town.

“We anticipate a reduction in CO2 emissions from the shorter trips customers will be making.”

But HDCA, which campaigns for better cycling provision in the district, said on its website:

“That is greenwash, and based on nothing more than a far-fetched hope, or the desire to say something about sustainability without doing anything about sustainability.

“While some people might make shorter trips to Tesco, it is equally likely that other people will drive to Tesco from the other side of town, going further than before.

“The plans put forward by Tesco are totally car-centric. Doing the same as before will get the same result as before: ever more traffic.”

 

How the site would look

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Better cycling access

Plans for the new store include a petrol station, 200 parking spaces, 24 cycle spaces and a new roundabout on Skipton Road. Tesco says 100 new jobs would be created.

HDCA said segregated, protected cycle tracks on either side of Skipton Road, linking up to the new housing estates, would improve cycle access to the supermarket. It would also like to see the number of car parking spaces reduced.

The Stray Ferret asked Tesco to respond but we did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Tesco previously said:

“Our new proposals will deliver a much-needed new food store for the north of the town. This will reduce the number of long car journeys across Harrogate and we anticipate a reduction in CO2 emissions from the shorter trips customers will be making.”

Consultation ended 

A public consultation on the new Tesco ended yesterday. A full planning application is expected to be submitted before the end of the year.

Despite opposing Tesco’s bid to build a new supermarket on the site in the 2010s, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce told the Stray Ferret the housing landscape in the area has now changed and the supermarket could reduce traffic across town.

The Stray Ferret also spoke to Claire Lewis, who has run Number One Shop on Electric Avenue, near the proposed new supermarket, for the last seven years with her husband. She opposes the plan and fears the new supermarket, which would be built behind her small shop, could destroy trade.

Tonight’s BBC drama Ridley Road shines light on Pateley Bridge fascist

A new BBC One drama about neo-Nazis in 1960s England features a notorious fascist from Pateley Bridge.

Ridley Road, an adaptation of a novel by Jo Bloom, broadcasts tonight at 8pm. It is the second of four episodes.

The series tells the true story of the anti-fascist organisation 62 Group, which took on fascists led by Colin Jordan, who died at home in Pateley Bridge in 2009.

Racial hatred

Mr Jordan, who is played by the actor Rory Kinnear, was an admirer of Hitler who he called a “messiah” and “saviour”.

An obituary in The Independent described Jordan, who lived in Pateley Bridge for many years until his death aged 85, as ‘the grandfather of post-war National Socialism in Britain’.

It said he was involved with several fascist and racist groups, including the League of Empire Loyalists, the British Movement, the National Socialist Movement and the White Defence League.

He was jailed several times in the 1960s and in 1965 issued a racist pamphlet called The Coloured Invasion, which railed against black people, Asians and immigration.

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A Harrogate court report in York Press in 2000 said Jordan, then 77, had been charged with distributing material intended to stir up racial hatred.

All the offences were alleged to have been committed at various locations in North Yorkshire between March 1993 and March 1999. However, a judge ruled that a serious heart condition made him unfit to stand trial.

Jordan also appeared in court charged with stealing three pairs of red knickers from Tesco — he was found guilty and fined £50.

Crime commissioner asks for full report on Harrogate police incident

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has asked North Yorkshire Police to provide him with a full report of an incident in which police officers appear to knee and punch a man in Harrogate.

The Stray Ferret obtained the clip that was filmed on October 1 by a concerned bystander. It shows four police officers attempting to hold the man down while he shouts “get off”.

One officer then appears to knee the man in the head before another officer appears to punch him in the stomach three times.

North Yorkshire Police said the man was making threats to kill but the force’s Professional Standards Department was reviewing the conduct of the officers involved.

Mr Allott, who is under pressure following controversial comments about the murder of Sarah Everard, told the Stray Ferret he has asked North Yorkshire Police to provide a full report on the circumstances of the incident.

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A spokesperson for the College of Policing, an arms-length body of the Home Office which sets standards for key areas of policing, said it would not comment on specific incidents but any use of force must be “necessary, proportionate, justifiable and legal”.

The spokesperson said:

“In general terms, when it comes to use of force, officers and staff would be expected to exercise their professional judgement to make decisions based on the circumstances they were faced with.

“The use of force/restraint must be necessary, proportionate, justifiable and legal. All officers are required to account for and justify their actions using the National Decision Model.”

Police stop suspected poachers near Knaresborough

North Yorkshire Police officers stopped suspected poachers in Knaresborough in the early hours of this morning.

The force was contacted by members of the Rural Watch scheme at 11.15pm last night. They suspected poaching was taking place in a Subaru Forester on land at Arkendale, near Knaresborough.

Poachers normally travel in groups with dogs, using 4×4 vehicles. They typically hunt brown hare or deer.

The Subaru became stuck in the mud before making its way across farmers’ fields and onto the roads.

Officers stopped the vehicle and found two male occupants inside. They also noticed a large amount of blood.

After letting the men go, the suspects became stuck for a second time in the evening and the vehicle was seized. Enquiries are ongoing.

Inspector Clive Turner, of North Yorkshire Police’s rural taskforce, said:

“Our officers, some of whom have farming backgrounds, know the terrible impact poaching can have on rural communities.

“Farmers and landowners are often intimidated or even threatened with violence if they challenge offenders, leaving them feeling vulnerable to further crimes, particularly in isolated areas.

“On average, we’re called to more than 50 incidents of suspected poaching in North Yorkshire every month. Incidents tend to increase significantly from August onwards, during and after harvest time.”

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