Vicky Carr, Author at The Stray Ferret

Plans submitted for redevelopment of Bewerley Park

Plans have been submitted to create a new, modern outdoor learning facility at Bewerley Park, near Pateley Bridge.

The proposals include two new accommodation blocks, a changing and wet suit drying room, and a central ‘hub’ space.

Each accommodation block would include 12 en-suite dormitories – seven with six beds and five with eight beds – and eight single rooms for staff.

The two-storey ‘hub’ would have space for lessons, dining, games and indoor sports, as well as a reception and kitchen facilities.

The new, larger buildings would be built in the same part of the site as the current smaller dormitories and would be centred around a courtyard. The project would be completed in phases, with the first accommodation block built before the old rooms are demolished.

The proposed new buildings at Bewerley Park

In a supporting statement, North Yorkshire County Council‘s agent, Align Property Partners, said:

“Simply, the design and layout of the current buildings do not meet the demands and function requirements of a modern outdoor education centre.

“The size and layout of the existing dormitories are inflexible in terms of varying occupancy and limit the potential use of the centre. For this reason, a new dormitory block is proposed in the first phase.”

As well as catering for schools and other groups, the plan references including facilities for campers, with a shower and toilet block. This, it says, forms part of the business plan: NYCC has emphasised the need for Bewerley Park to be sustainable without relying on funding from the taxpayer.

The residential centre had faced an uncertain future last year when owners North Yorkshire County Council said it was running at significant loss and its accommodation was not up to scratch.

However, after extensive support from schools and individuals, the county council decided to invest in the site for future use.

Full details of the planning application can be found here. Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision about the proposal on a date to be confirmed.

Woodfield leaders ‘listening to parents’ before deciding school’s future

Parents at a Harrogate primary school facing an uncertain future have spent the day meeting with governors and the headteacher.

Woodfield Community Primary School opened its doors for parents to ask questions after a planned merger with Grove Road Community Primary School fell through.

The proposal had been put forward after Woodfield was placed in special measures by Ofsted two years ago. Governors had been unable to find a multi-academy trust to join, as required by Ofsted, and an announcement was made yesterday that the planned merger had also fallen through.

Cllr Paul Haslam, who has been a governor at the school since early 2019, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is bitterly disappointing. The school has got the best teaching it has had for many years.

“The calibre of the teaching and learning of the children can’t be faulted, in my opinion.

“I believe it’s more to do with Grove Road feeling they don’t have the resources in order to accomplish what the amalgamation set out to do, rather than anything else. We’ve all got the children’s interests at heart.

“We’re listening to parents rather than telling them what to do. It’s about having an ear.

“Let’s get through this stage and understand what this stage is; listening to parents and their concerns will help us formulate what we do in the future.

“We will come to a conclusion based on what parents tell us and what all parties believe is right.”

Cllr Haslam said the governors had written to all parents about amalgamation being dropped before the news was announced publicly.

“We view this as a very urgent situation that needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. We will be doing everything we can in order to expedite and get information for people.

“We’re challenged with the Easter holidays – the governors were 200% behind the fact we had to offer to sit with the parents today.

“We didn’t want them to go away worrying about this. Obviously, they will worry, but we are giving them an opportunity to talk about this.”

After the merger proposal was initially announced, North Yorkshire County Council and leaders from both schools held two online public meetings in January for parents to ask questions.

Asked what would happen if the planned amalgamation fell through, Andrew Dixon, strategic planning manager for NYCC, said they “would have to consult on a school closure”.

However, Cllr Haslam said today that he wanted to reassure parents:

“Until further notice, the school continues to operate exactly as it is. That’s the legal obligation of NYCC – we have to operate the school as is.

“The first and most important thing is that the children are the centre and the core of everything that we as governors do. That’s our utmost consideration at all times.”

Woodfield was rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted in March 2020, but monitoring visits by inspectors have since found that improvements are being made.

They particularly praised the efforts made by the school’s new leaders and governors to identify the work needed to improve and how they can be evaluated.

Harrogate returns to list of UK’s best places to live

The Sunday Times has identified Harrogate as one of the best places to live in the UK.

The newspaper’s annual Best Places to Live list, published today, names the town as one of nine places in the north and north-east of England, and 70 nationally, which are among the most desirable.

Judges cited the town’s schools, parks, shops, cafes and restaurants as among its attractions, describing it as “all the fun and fresh air of Yorkshire without any of the gritty bits”.

They listed an average house price of £390,000, which they said had risen by 20% in the last two years.

The Times and Sunday Times property editor Helen Davies, one of the list’s judges, said:

“The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place.

“For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling. Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?

“Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH [working-from-home] revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.”

Ilkley has topped the Sunday Times Best Places to Live list for 2022, though Slaithwaite in West Yorkshire was named as the best place to live in the north and north-east of England.

Also on the list for the region were Leeds City Centre, Cawthorne in South Yorkshire, Hovingham and Great Ayton in North Yorkshire, Tynemouth in Tyne and Wear, and Morpeth in Northumberland.

Harrogate last appeared on the list in 2016. In 2020, Ripon was featured, while last year Masham was singled out as one of the top places to live.

Property website Rightmove has frequently listed Harrogate as one of the happiest places to live in the UK.

More dubiously, a BBC Two programme named it as the country’s “porn capital” in 2010, with more people browsing for explicit content than anywhere else. Three years earlier, it was identified as the second-worst place for problematic drinking in a study conducted by the North West Health Observatory at the Centre for Public Health.

Future of Woodfield school uncertain as Grove Road merger dropped

A proposed amalgamation of two Harrogate primary schools is set to be shelved.

The plan would have seen Woodfield Community Primary School close and become part of Grove Road Community Primary School, which would be based across the two sites from September.

However, governors at Grove Road have withdrawn their support for the plans.

It leaves the future of Woodfield hanging in the balance, with its governors saying they need time to consider what will happen next.

They said:

‘’We are saddened to hear about Grove Road’s decision to withdraw support for the amalgamation.

“It has been a difficult time for Woodfield School, and we were very hopeful that a satisfactory conclusion could found for the future of the school. The school, staff, parents, and governors need a time of reflection before we make any decisions regarding the school’s future.

“We will continue to consult with North Yorkshire County Council regarding any future decisions.’’

Some Woodfield school parents spoke out against the merger.

The proposal had been met with shock and disappointment from some residents, who said they valued the school and did not want to see it closed. A consultation was held for parents and the wider community to enable the schools and North Yorkshire County Council to gather people’s views.

However, the county council is now proposing that the amalgamation should not proceed, with a decision to be made by its executive on April 19.

The merger was put forward after Woodfield was rated inadequate by Ofsted, forcing it to look to be taken on by a multi-academy trust. Ofsted inspectors found the school was making progress, but no academy could be found to take Woodfield on.

Today, Grove Road’s governors said in a statement:

“When first approached about the amalgamation the leadership and governors could see the potential benefits of the proposal for the communities of both schools and were supportive of the consultation. However, a change of such significance also carries risk.

“During the consultation period we have monitored factors such as the level of support for the proposal and the likely demand for school places.

“Ultimately, the governing board have concluded that we must prioritise the future of Grove Road School and so, sadly, we can no longer support the proposed amalgamation.”

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for education and skills, Cllr Patrick Mulligan, told the Stray Ferret in November that the council would have liked to give Woodfield school more time, but its hands were tied by national policy.

He also said the process could be a “downward spiral”, with a poor rating resulting in fewer applications and admissions, then a struggle to make the school viable.

Today, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of children and young people services, Stuart Carlton, said:

“Any proposal to expand a school onto an additional site is a significant change with challenges that should not be underestimated. So, while we are disappointed the proposal is no longer supported, we fully understand why Grove Road governors now have that view.

“I would like to thank the leadership and governors of both schools for their efforts in working with us on this amalgamation proposal.

“We will now need to work alongside the Department for Education and governors at Woodfield primary to re-consider the position for the school over the coming weeks before we are able to comment further.”

Local solicitor identified as victim of fatal Brearton house fire

The woman who lost her life in a house fire in Brearton at the weekend was a prominent local solicitor.

Lynda Greenwood, 67, has been identified locally as the victim of the fire, which gutted the village home late on Saturday evening.

She founded Greenwoods Solicitors in Knaresborough in 1991.

The company has confirmed on its website that it will continue to provide legal advice and support to clients, but asked people to bear with the staff during a “very difficult time”.

After posting the news of Ms Greenwood’s death on its Facebook page, the firm received dozens of tributes from friends and clients.

One said:

“Shocking devastating news. A strong intelligent lady with a huge heart, tremendous sense of humour and thirst for life. Gone far too soon. She will be missed immensely.”

Another added:

“We only heard tonight and cannot express how sad we are to hear the tragic news. Lynda was a fab solicitor and a lovely lady – she will be sadly missed by us all. Our sincere condolences to those closest to her.”

Ms Greenwood grew up in Knaresborough, attending King James’s School while it was still a grammar school in the 1960s. She went on to complete a law degree at Kingston University and practised in Surrey, where she became partner in a law firm.

After having her daughter, she set up Greenwoods Solicitors in her home town. She specialised in commercial property, lasting powers of attorney, wills and probate.

North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have launched a joint investigation into the fire which claimed Ms Greenwood’s life. Neighbours in the village called firefighters around 10pm on Saturday but, despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and speak to the force control room, quoting reference 12220056029.

Harrogate council to create specialist public toilet with £40k funding

A new Changing Places toilet will be created in the Harrogate district after the council was awarded funding for the project.

Harrogate Borough Council has been given £40,000 to deliver the facility, which offers specially adapted facilities for people in wheelchairs and with very limited mobility.

The funding is part of a national £23.5m investment from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It will see the total number of Changing Places toilets across England increase from 1,300 to more than 1,800.

They are expected to be installed in public parks, tourist attractions, museums, art galleries, cathedrals, shopping centres, libraries and other public buildings.

Ministerial disability champion Eddie Hughes MP said:

“People with severe disabilities and their families or carers should not have to think about whether there are suitable toilet facilities when they go out shopping, plan a day out or travel.

“That is why it is great to hear that our funding will help provide over 500 new Changing Places toilets in England enabling them to go about day-to-day activities like the rest of the population with more dignity and freedom.“

Changing Places toilets feature adaptations including hoists and changing benches. They also have enough space to move wheelchairs around all the furniture and for carers to support people using the room.

There are existing Changing Places facilities at Harrogate and Starbeck libraries, the Hydro, Morrison’s and the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate. In Knaresborough, they have been installed at Gracious Street Methodist Church, Knaresborough Pool and Henshaws Arts and Craft Centre.

There are no city centre facilities in Ripon, but there is a Changing Places toilet at Lightwater Valley theme park.

The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate Borough Council where the new facility would be installed, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Harrogate petanque club prepares to move home

After 10 years in its town centre location, Harrogate Montpellier Petanque Club is set to expand to a new home this year.

The club has been based at the pierhead bouledrome close to Bettys since it was founded in 2012.

However, with a growth in membership and a change in the way people are playing, it has outgrown the site and has ambitions to develop further.

Club chairman Nigel Clay told the Stray Ferret:

“Petanque has been a life-saver for a lot of people during covid. It was something you could do which was relatively safe: it was sociable but at a distance.

“It has changed the pattern of play – it has been far more informal and become far easier. Rather than just the fixed times organised by the club, people have formed a WhatsApp group and are meeting up whenever they’re free.”

The sport – also known as boules – is closely associated with France. However, it has origins in ancient Greece and is widely played in south-east Asia.

The Harrogate club was set up by Nigel after he moved to Harrogate in 2009, having established petanque terrains near his previous home in Leeds.

The new location for the Harrogate Montpellier Petanque Club

With club membership now around 50 – just a small percentage of the number of people who have used the terrains over the years – a larger site is needed to add to its existing four pistes. Expecting to outgrow the pierhead, Nigel had already been researching potential locations before covid struck.

Now, over the coming weeks, 10 pistes will be built on the current car park at Pannal Ash Junior Football Club near Almsford Close in Harrogate. Not only will this provide more playing space, but the clubhouse facilities – including a kitchen and toilets – can also be shared by petanque club members.

The central terrain in Harrogate has proved a good way to drum up interest in the past, with passers-by often stopping to ask about the game, and Nigel hopes the new suburban location will continue the club’s growth in the coming months.

Surrounded by family homes and adjacent to a primary school, the terrain will welcome players of all ages – and the open surroundings will allow people to come and watch. Both he and the football club hope the site will become more vibrant over the coming years.

“They share our vision of providing a community resource for residents. It’s like the pierhead: if it’s standing there doing nothing, what is it?

“If people see us playing and ask questions and you say, ‘come and have a game’, it develops interest.”

Nigel said as well as being accessible to people of all ages and levels of fitness, one of the most appealing aspects of petanque is its affordability. A set of boules costs around £20 and will last for many years.

For anyone wishing to join the club, membership costs a similar amount, and playing time is limited only by daylight and weather conditions.

And there is good news for the many people who have enjoyed seeing the town centre pistes in use: they will remain in situ for both club members and the public to use whenever they want.

Harrogate shop closes as sofa company enters administration

The Harrogate branch of Sofa Workshop has closed after the company entered administration yesterday.

The Parliament Street shop is no longer trading and the company’s website has been closed, after administrators PriceWaterhouse Cooper were appointed.

The administrators said one shop in London would remain open for up to 14 days to sell remaining stock. The company’s order book has been sold to Timothy Oulton United Kingdom Ltd, also owned by parent company Halo, so any outstanding orders will be fulfilled.

Toby Banfield, joint administrator and PwC partner, said:

“Unfortunately, given the sustained level of losses, the directors had no option but to appoint administrators to protect the creditors of the company. Sadly, this has resulted in 77 redundancies having to be made today. We will do all we can to support workers impacted by the administration.”

It has not been confirmed how many jobs have been lost at the Harrogate shop.

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‘Over the moon’ as sale completes on planned Harrogate mosque

A new mosque will be created in central Harrogate after the sale of the former Home Guard club completed today.

Harrogate Islamic Association has collected the keys for its new Tower Street premises after raising the £500,000 needed to buy the now-dilapidated building.

However, the hard work is not over: the group will continue to raise funds throughout Ramadan, which started today, to fund the renovations needed to bring the property back into use.

Zahed Amanullah, a member of the association, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are just over the moon — we’re so excited.

“Other communities in Yorkshire are looking this way and are really impressed with what they have seen.

“It’s a great example of how to establish a community within a wider society that is really harmonious and supportive.”

Mr Amanullah said Friday prayers for members of the association had been celebratory, with many having moved to Harrogate a decade or more ago and been searching for a place for a mosque ever since.

Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission in March for changes to the building to create a place of worship.

HIA then began a crowdfunding campaign to raise £200,000, alongside loans, to complete the purchase and to carry out repairs. Mr Amanullah said the first priority was to repair the roof and ensure the building was water-tight before any further work was carried out.

Zahed Amanullah of Harrogate Islamic Association

Then, he hopes some space can be refurbished and opened later this year while the remainder of the building is renovated. He added:

“There are some real architectural surprises in there – we’re looking forward to having a good look around. We had just one or two walks through the building in total darkness so far!

“We’ve had people offering in-kind support. That alone is hugely helpful — we’ve got tradesmen and women offering their services.

“We’ll be using an architect, and we’ll be working with Harrogate Civic Society on our plans.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming people into the building. We will have some sort of public open house when it’s safe to do so.”

Delight as Summerbridge school rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted

A Nidderdale primary school has been rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.

Inspectors visited Summerbridge Community Primary School in February and have now given the ‘Good’ rating across all five areas assessed, as well as for its overall effectiveness.

They highlighted pupils’ behaviour and concentration, after-school clubs and residential trips, and the ambitious learning opportunities, as among the areas where the school performed well.

The inspectors’ report said:

“Leaders want the best for pupils at this small village school. The school has a caring ethos where pupils are taught to develop skills and knowledge to maximise their potential… Positive relationships between staff and pupils are evident throughout the school. Pupils feel safe, happy and well cared for.”

The report praised the school’s teaching across numerous subject areas, as well as the special educational needs and disabilities provision. It also recognised the leadership team’s effectiveness, and said staff were positive about their jobs and enjoyed working at the school. It added:

“Staff feel valued and say that leaders are considerate of their well-being.”

To improve further, the school was advised to offer staff the opportunity to refresh and update their knowledge of the method chosen to teach phonics, and to support subject leaders to ensure staff understood how best to deliver lessons that match the intended learning outcomes.

Reacting to the new Ofsted report, headteacher Nick Coates said:

“I am delighted with the outcome following a four-year journey of hard work by everyone involved with the school.

“The parents, the governors, the staff, the local authority and of course the children have all had a significant part to play in the success of the school and given the challenges of the last two years, this hasn’t always been easy, but we are thrilled that all our hard work has paid off and has been recognised by the inspection team.”

At its last inspection in 2018, Summerbridge Primary School was rated as ‘Requires Improvement’.

Mr Coates became headteacher in September 2016. He has also been headteacher at Darley Primary School since January 2009 and the two schools have formed a federation, with a total of 160 pupils.