There was an emotional return for visitors and staff at Starbeck Baths today, as it finally reopened following the easing of covid restrictions.

The pool, which was built in 1870, had been closed since December 2020 despite the government allowing pools to reopen on April 12.

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the site, said the delay was due to staffing problems as well as social distancing restrictions.

The Stray Ferret visited this afternoon and spoke to staff as well as local resident Jean Padgett, who has been a regular swimmer at Starbeck Baths for over 40 years.

She described the baths as “small, warm, and ideal”, adding:

“I have missed this so much. I live locally, so if they close this it’s like signing my death warrant. My fitness has dropped over the last 18 months.”

There were murmurings in Starbeck that Harrogate Borough Council would never reopen the pool.

Ms Padgett added:

“I’d be devastated if it was closed.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough and Starbeck pools to reopen this month
• Calls for ‘dangerous’ Starbeck junction to be improved

Sarah Bowyer, who has worked at the baths for 26 years, described today as “emotional”.

She said the morning session was well attended and she was expecting to see more familiar faces in the coming days and weeks.

She added:

“We’ve had lots of phone calls from regulars.”

The baths are used not only for exercise but also for socialising too. Ms Bowyer said it was a lifeline for many residents in Starbeck, particularly older people who live on their own.

Jenny Paish worked at the baths for 30 years before recently retiring. She was helping out today and agreed it was a vital part of the community.

She said:

“It’s like a big family, it’s been massively missed.”

The parent of a diver who uses The Hydro has expressed frustration that two diving boards have been out of action for over six months, forcing members of a local club to travel to West Yorkshire to train.

Olympic divers such as Jack Laugher trained at the Harrogate Borough Council-owned pool but aspiring athletes have been unable to use the boards since November last year.

The pool, which caters for high board and springboard divers, reopened on April 12 but diving remains affected after the council found cracks in the concrete that supports the boards during a routine inspection.

Neil Blackburn told the Stray Ferret that his 11-year-old daughter is part of the Dive Harrogate club that trained twice a week at the pool pre-covid restrictions.

He said divers have been forced to train in Shipley, near Bradford, and believes there is “little appetite” to get the Hydro diving boards fixed. He estimates the cost of repairs could be a quarter of a million pounds.

Mr Blackburn said:

“The club are really good at keeping us informed and they have full backing of Swim England, but it does appear there is little appetite to get the concrete towers repaired from either the Hydro or the council any time soon.

“As always this appears to be about funding and it’s starting to become a worry that they may not bother at all. The estimate for the repair is £250k. For a club which has produced divers who are currently in Tokyo for the Olympics this seems a real shame.”

Read more:

• Harrogate Hydro set for 420 solar panels on roof
• Harrogate diving talent ready for Olympics

A council spokesman said:

“Unfortunately, during a routine inspection of the diving board platform at The Hydro in Harrogate, cracks in the concrete were discovered.

“A further independent survey was carried out to establish the stability, integrity and durability of the diving structure.

“Results show that the diving platform should not be used until work has been carried out.

“We are exploring possible options and will have an update in due course.”

An intrepid cat from Scotland sneaked inside the sheep trailer of a farmer visiting the Great Yorkshire Show — but escaped and is now missing on the showground site.

David Mitchell, who was showing sheep at the show, arrived in Harrogate on Wednesday after driving over 200 miles. When he opened the trailer, the cat bolted and disappeared.

He tried looking for the cat, named Puss, but had to return to Scotland on Friday without her to tend to his farm in East Ayreshire. He subsequently posted an appeal on Facebook.

There has been a sighting of the black and white feline around the old viaduct but the animal is believed to be frightened and hungry.

Read more:

• Stray Mogs: Explaining a cat’s ‘If it fits, I sits’ mentality
• WATCH: The best bits of the Great Yorkshire Show 2021

Helen McCallum, a volunteer at Harrogate Cat Rescue, told the Stray Ferret that she had asked staff at the showground to put a plan in place to catch the missing moggy.

She said she’s spoken to the farmer, who is “very worried” about Puss.

She added:

“It might be a mouser but I don’t know whether it knows how to hunt. It needs food.”

Have you seen Puss? Contact Helen on 07845 755405.

North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) is proposing to build a 7km segregated walking and cycling route between Knaresborough and the new Flaxby Green Park.

The county council has bid for £1.55million from the government’s Active Travel Fund to develop four schemes in North Yorkshire that improve walking and cycling infrastructure.

It proposes spending £50,000 on a feasibility study for the proposed route, which would run alongside the railway line and connect the town to Flaxby Green Park, a new employment site that is set to open on the junction of the A59 and A1.

The council said it would link to wider plans to build a cycle route all the way to York.

If NYCC decided to move forward with the scheme, it would have to bid for more money from government. An NYCC spokesman said the estimated costs of the route are unknown at this early stage.

The other scheme in the Harrogate district is to the west of Ripon where the council proposes to spend £550,000 on footway widening, crossing facilities and traffic calming measures.

Two other proposals are road improvements in Craven and a new walking/cycleway between Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside.

A decision on whether the council has been successful in its bid is expected in the autumn and funds must be spent before March 2023.

Read more:

• The woman shaping the Harrogate district’s roads
• Controversial Oatlands Drive active travel scheme scrapped

It is not the first time NYCC has bid for money from the Active Travel Fund.

Ministers awarded £1,011,750 last year to help fund three potential schemes in Harrogate plus one in Whitby, despite the authority bidding for more.

It includes plans for cycle lanes and junction upgrades on the A59 between Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as a scheme on Victoria Avenue in the town centre.

Meanwhile, a proposal to make Oatlands Drive more friendly to cyclists met with fierce backlash from local residents.

The plan originally included a scheme to make the whole of Oatlands Drive one-way. However, this was dropped in March after 57% of respondents to a council consultation opposed it.

The scheme moved forward and included making nearby St Winifred’s Road and St Hilda’s Road one-way, but this was similarly unpopular with residents.

In May, the council decided to withdraw the scheme altogether from its bid.

Instead, the council has commissioned an ‘Oatlands Constituency Feasibility Study’, which it says will “reassess opportunities” for infrastructure improvements across a wider area than the government scheme allows.

The new owners of The Coppice guesthouse on Studley Road have reopened it with a twist – it will be the first in Harrogate that caters primarily to coeliacs.

Coeliac disease is a condition where the immune system attacks human tissue when the body eats foods containing gluten, which can include bread, pasta, and cereals.

Coeliacs have to follow a strict diet but finding hotels that offer an exciting menu of appropriate food is difficult, as Joel Thompson and Mindy Shergill discovered on a road trip a couple of years ago.

The couple are both coeliacs and moved up to Harrogate earlier this summer after pursuing careers down south in HR and publishing respectively.

Joel said:

“We went on a very beautiful road trip of northern England and Scotland. It was our first experience driving through the country. 

“But even if you get basics right, you’re not being spoilt or celebrated with choices that you do get with. You feel like a burden.

“So we had a desire to set up a gluten-free guesthouse.”

Mindy said non-coeliacs will be welcome too, but every ingredient that will come from the kitchen will be gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.

She said there is often a lack of understanding about the condition:

“A lot of people are undiagnosed, it can affect you quite badly. Symptoms vary – it can get quite serious and you have to be quite strict.”

Read more:

• ‘We’re not giving up on our Harrogate B&B dream’
• Andrew Jones calls for long-term support for ‘severely impacted’ Harrogate events sector

They will cook up everything you’d expect from a four-star B&B, including continental breakfasts, porridge and cereals, but all no ingredient will contain gluten.

They may even open up their kitchen for gluten-free takeaways to non-hotel guests if the demand is there.

Joel said he believes their refurbished Coppice is one of around 12 gluten-free hotels in the country, and he hopes he can win everyone over with his nutritious and unique fare.

“It might enlighten people. We’re very good at making gluten-free food, we might convert a few people!”

The guest house is open for bookings now. To enquire, contact info@thecoppiceharrogate.com or call Joel on 07858 840789.

Harrogate Town have signed two more players ahead of their second-ever campaign in League Two.

The former West Ham left-back Lewis Page has joined Simon Weaver’s squad after spending last season at Exeter City in League Two.

Versatile midfielder and former Liverpool youth player Nathan Sheron joins after four years with League One outfit Fleetwood Town.

The 25-year-old Page signed for West Ham aged nine and made his first-team debut in July 2015, playing in a Europa League qualifying round.

He was unable to break into their Premier League team and has since played for Cambridge United, Coventry City and Charlton Athletic.

He said:

“I would say I’m the ‘modern day’ type left-back. Obviously I pride myself on my defending, I try to do that first and foremost but then getting forward is a bonus.

“I like to get forward a lot and put crosses in and try and affect the game by making assists.”

Read more:

• Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver signs new contract
• Harrogate Town manager looks up to ‘principled and honest’ Gareth Southgate

Twenty-three-year-old Sheron signed for Liverpool aged seven and spent 10 years in the Anfield club’s famous youth system before joining Fleetwood in 2016.

He said:

“I’m an honest player and I’ll play wherever the manager puts me. I wear my heart on my sleeve and won’t shirk out of a tackle so hopefully I can play as many games as possible and try to kick us up the league.

“It’s an upcoming club so hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”

Weaver had already bolstered his squad with five new signings: Mark Oxley, Rory McArdle, Luke Armstrong, Danilo Orsi and Alex Pattison.

Town welcome Premier League team Newcastle United to the Envirovent Stadium for a pre-season friendly on Sunday.

Conservative MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, has called for long-term support for the events sector, which he said has been “severely impacted” by covid in Harrogate.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Jones said it was “fantastic to see” the Great Yorkshire Show taking place this week but warned that the events industry will take some time to get back on its feet.

He mentioned Harrogate International Festivals, which is due to host the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival next week. The charity’s chief executive Sharon Canavar told the Stray Ferret last month she has had to make some “nerve-wracking” decisions due to uncertainty over when restrictions will be eased.

Mr Jones said:

“There are other important events and event organisations, such as Harrogate International Festivals, that have been severely impacted.

“I am aware that we have talked about this sector before, but events and circumstances are evolving, so could we have please a further debate on long-term support for the events industry? It adds so much to the quality of life in the United Kingdom and it may need extra help in the future.”

Read more:

• First events at Harrogate Convention Centre to be government pilot

• Andrew Jones MP should be ‘shaking in his shoes’, says local Lib Dem leader

Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg responded by saying that the Harrogate Convention Centre is to host two test pilot events for conferences next week, which will help inform how the sector moves forward.

He added:

“The government know how badly the sector has been hit by the pandemic and will continue to encourage and engage with people to monitor the situation and try to support a recovery plan.

“I accept that this will be a longer-term effort, but I think that beginning to get back to normal from Monday will begin to be helpful.”

Back in February, Mr Jones also called for a debate on the sector which he said was “central to the economy” of both Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The Hydro swimming pool in Harrogate is set to have 420 photovoltaic solar panels installed on its roof to produce renewable energy for Harrogate Borough Council.

The council, which owns the facility, this week submitted a planning application for the panels. It says they will help to improve energy efficiency and cut emissions at the ageing facility, which replaced the old Coppice Valley pool when it opened in 1999.

The council successfully bid this year for funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy‘s public sector decarbonisation scheme, which will help fund the panels.

A total of £1.8m will be spent at The Hydro to install the solar panels as well as replace gas boilers with air source heat pumps and put in place new energy monitoring and control systems.

Read more:

• Harrogate diving talent ready for Olympics

• Council to upgrade 20-year-old booking system in leisure centre overhaul

An council spokesperson said the council didn’t anticipate it would have to close the pool whilst installing the solar panels.

Kathryn Daly, head of place-shaping and economic growth at the council, previously said:

“We have ambitious plans to ensure our own operations and buildings will be clean, efficient and have a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

“This government funding provides a significant step to allow us to achieve this.”

The Stray Ferret is running a live blog of the Great Yorkshire Show brought to you by Lister Haigh. We will keep updating this page with stories from the showground throughout the event. 

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, lit up the Great Yorkshire Show today.

The royal couple arrived at lunchtime and were greeted by visitors at the sell-out event.

This year’s show will run for an extended period until Friday. It will mean that the maximum capacity of 26,000 a day can spread out for social distancing.

Visitors are encouraged to take a lateral flow test before they arrive to prevent the spread of the virus.

4.30pm – a bird’s eye view of the show

The Stray Ferret took a trip in the Ferris wheel to get a bird’s eye view of the showground before heading home. Thanks for joining the live blog today.

4.00pm – The world’s largest combine harvester

There are some expensive machines at the show, including the world’s largest combine harvester which will set you back a cool £625,000. Prince Charles stopped for a look earlier today, but a man from John Deere told the Stray Ferret afterwards that small scale farming is more of his thing.

3.40pm – Charles and Camilla set to leave Harrogate by helicopter

A crowd has gathered on the Stray to bid Prince Charles and Camilla farewell after their trip to today’s Great Yorkshire Show.

3.25pm – Gin makers at this year’s show

The Great Yorkshire Show is not just about agriculture and cattle, it also hosts some of the plenty of hospitality exhibitors.

The Stray Ferret caught up with some of them today.

2.41pm – Marching through the show

A marching band is currently making its way through the Great Yorkshire Show this afternoon.

1pm – The Royal couple have begun their tour of the Showground

12.45pm – Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive at Great Yorkshire Show

Prince Charles paid a surprise visit to the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate today.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, wowed onlookers when they arrived shortly before 12.30pm on day three of the sell-out event.

There have been several visits to the show by senior royals in recent years. In 2008 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh met exhibitors and inspected livestock.

12.10pm – Clementine the goat scoops award

Ripon farmer Emily Turner has won ‘Best Female Kid’ with her Golden Guernsey Goat Clementine.

10.54am – Only Fools and Horses’ Boycie visits the show

Boycie from the iconic show Only Fools and Horses was at the show this morning.

John Challis, who played Boycie, was signing copies of his new book and posing for pictures with visitors.

John Challis, who plays Boycie in Only Fools and Horses, at day three of the Great Yorkshire Show.

10.27am – ‘Athletic’ and gladiator-like ferrets

Simon Whitehead brought his rabbit-hunting ferrets along to the show.

They may look cute, but he described them as “athletes and gladiators”.

9.50am – Sun is shining on the showground

Visitors are gathering at the show this morning.

Temperatures are expected to reach 21 degrees today with sunny intervals and gentle breeze.

8.30am – A recap of a second glorious day at the show

As visitors are set to arrive for day three, here’s a recap and some pictures of day two at the show.

Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club have appointed former player Sam Fox as their new head coach.

The club, which is currently in its 150th year, plays at Rudding Lane after moving from their old home on Claro Road in 2014.

In September they will begin a new campaign in the semi-professional league National 2 after being promoted last season.

Fox previously spent two years as head coach of the club’s academy.

He said:

“I am incredibly excited to be coming onboard as head coach for the 2021-22 season. It’s a hugely exciting team with lots of talented young players coming through the academy as well as a strong core of senior players to drive us forward.

“After the past 12 months I know everyone is itching to be back and have a ball in hand. We understand the challenge of going in to National 2 this season and are working incredibly hard behind the scenes to ensure we bring everyone back in, in a safe way.

“I’m very excited to get started and back out on field and look forward to seeing everyone back down at Rudding Lane soon”.

Read More: 

• Harrogate rugby league club raises money for South Pacific island
• Harrogate Railway organises ‘rugby prom’ for charity

Harrogate RUFC director of rugby David Doherty added:

“Sam is a wonderful coach and we are delighted to announce his appointment. His philosophy and passion for the game aligns perfectly with the HRUFC core values and our belief in supporting people reach their potential.”