Uniting Harrogate’s town centre businesses with a common voice is one of the biggest challenges facing Harrogate BID as it approaches its second anniversary.

With numerous groups and organisations representing different elements of the town, the BID hopes it can find common ground and bring different factions together to make progress for the benefit of all.

However, even within its own membership, there is no consensus on what the town centre needs. BID ambassador Jo Caswell said it is surprising how wide the range of opinions is on matters like pedestrianisation.

“It’s very mixed. A lot of it is to do with the demographics of the outlet and their customer base and what suits them as a business.

“We’re here to get feedback and put all that information together and put some kind of strategy together as a consequence of it. We’ve been very proactive – I’ve got a good feeling about what Harrogate BID will deliver if we know it’s the right thing that the retailers and general public want.”

Having been in post for five weeks, with the official title of Harrogate Host, Jo has spent a lot of time going from business to business, finding out what they need to make their lives easier in such difficult times.

A Harrogate resident for more than 20 years, she feels a sense of loyalty to the town and is enjoying being able to “put something back” by supporting the town centre. But she has been surprised by the lack of a sense of community across the town centre.

“There’s not as much of a community hub as I thought there would be. Why that is, I’m not sure.

“In a way, that excites me, because I think the initiatives that we’re putting forward are addressing that directly: networking with the councils, meetings with the homeless project. Our responsibility is to bring all those people together, give a bit of cohesion to it and represent those views.”

Harrogate BID’s new project manager, Dawn Gennery

Jo will be joined by a second Harrogate Host next week, as well as project administrator Dawn Gennery, who is supporting acting BID manager Simon Kent in his work.

Alongside liaising between organisations and business owners, the BID is aiming to provide a practical boost for local businesses over the coming months. A £100,000 investment is being made in Christmas lights – compared to around £30,000 raised in previous years through donations – to drive visitors into the town centre.

With retail and hospitality facing the most challenging times in most businesses’ histories, the BID is also working on more schemes to increase footfall and improve the environment of the town centre over the coming months. Measures including additional street cleaning and new planters to brighten up shop frontages through the winter months.

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Since it was launched in early 2019, Harrogate BID has faced its own challenges. Board members have come and gone – including the resignation of its first manager after less than four months last year, and the departure of four board members including the chairman in April, citing undue influence from local authorities and an inability to make progress on important projects.

Jo recognises the challenges still facing the organisation, but said the reception so far for her proactive approach has been reassuring.

“Generally, I’m finding it very positive. Because Harrogate BID has been quite invisible so far, there’s a bit of scepticism sometimes, but when you talk things through and talk about initiatives, I’ve had very little negative comeback.”

North Yorkshire Police has released video of a high speed case through Knaresborough to catch a man on a stolen motorbike.

This week, Craig Hindson, from Ripon was jailed for 6 months and given a 15-month driving ban. The court had heard that he was driving like a “lunatic” of speeds of up to 80mph in built up areas to escape the police on an uninsured Kawasaki motorbike.

An image taken from the police video of the pursuit of Hindson

Sergeant Julian Pearson of North Yorkshire Police’s Road Policing Group condemned Hindson’s dangerous driving, he said:

“Hindson showed no regard whatsoever for other people’s safety. Such dangerous riding won’t be tolerated in North Yorkshire and I hope he uses the time in the prison to reflect on his actions, the danger he put other road users in and the potential fatal consequences of riding at such speeds.”

Craig Hindson

During the chase, Hindson taunted the pursuing officer by slowing down and “waving with his hand, indicating to pull over” – only to drop down the gears and speed off again.

The video shows how the police vehicle managed to prevent Hindson pulling onto the A1 and instead the Kawasaki was forced into a dead-end, where it came to a halt and Hindson was arrested.

A leading Thalidomide campaigner from Harrogate has paid tribute to Sir Harold Evans, the newspaper editor who championed the cause of the drug’s victims in the early 1970s.

Sir Harold – known as Harry – a former editor of the Northern Echo and the youngest editor of the Sunday Times, has died at the age of 92.

He was instrumental in exposing the Thalidomide scandal, which saw thousands of babies in the UK born with severe disabilities after their mothers were given the drug to cure morning sickness.

Thalidomide victim Guy Tweedy, who lives in Harrogate, became a good friend of Sir Harold, and last saw him at his New York club in July 2019. He said:

“I am very sadden by the news of the passing of my dear friend.

“He was an icon. The world’s greatest journalist, and Harry was, and will always remain, a hero of Thalidomiders worldwide.

“What he did for Thalidomide survivors and their families in the UK was enormous. He trod where no one else did. If it wasn’t for him fighting against the establishment, and having the courage to expose this horrendous scandal, we would never have got any justice at all.

“We owe him a huge debt of gratitude that sadly we will never be able to repay. I hold him up in complete veneration and consider him one of the greatest men of all time. My thoughts are with his wife, Tina, and his family at this very sad time.

“I lit a candle to his memory, which is standing in front of a portrait that I had commissioned of him a few years ago. God bless you, Sir Harry.”

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Some of the biggest names in literature, politics and broadcasting will be streamed directly into people’s homes thanks to the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.

Usually held in the town in October, the event has moved online this year and will see interviews with Simon Mayo, Jeremy Vine, Rory Bremner, Jess Phillips MP and more.

From Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 17 events will be held online – all free for the public to attend. Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said

“2020 has been a journey of discovery and adventure, a theme that trails through our programme. For Harrogate International Festivals, reinvention has come out of necessity to ensure survival of our arts charity and to continue in our mission to bring the very best of our events to audiences.

“Whilst there is no denying that this is a hugely challenging time for the Festival, and for artists, through our exciting digital weekend of events, bottling a taste of our usual Festival, we support authors, creators and suppliers and bring them together with audiences as community in a celebration of literature. For we have never needed stories that explore what it means to be human, more than we do now.”

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Among the novelists taking part are Bernard Cornwell, Lee Child, Ken Follett and Natalie Haynes. Former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and bestselling author Ariana Neumann will share their memoirs, while Hugo Vickers discusses the story of Gladys Deacon, Duchess of Marlborough.

David Lammy MP, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and Loyd Grossman are also included in the line-up.

Raworths managing partner Zoe Robinson said:

“The content and delivery may have gone digital, but the inspiration that literature brings will continue to shine through.

“We are once again delighted to be partnering with Harrogate International Festivals and sponsoring the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival – established as one of the leading literature festivals in the UK.”

The Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival will be streamed through the Harrogate International Festivals website.

The headteacher of one of the largest primary schools in Harrogate has called for extra road safety measures outside the building to help parents and children comply with social distancing.

Tim Broad, headteacher of Western Primary School, said some people were taking risks crossing the busy Cold Bath Road at pick-up and drop-off times to avoid crowding at the nearby pelican crossing.

Mr Broad has asked North Yorkshire County Council to provide a temporary lollipop person outside the school, but the local authority has so far not agreed any action.

Mr Broad, who has worked at the school for 20 years and has been headteacher since January, said:

“This is the first time I can remember feeling deeply concerned that we could have a road traffic accident.

“The first week back was chaotic. We had a meeting on the Friday evening and changed the system as best we can.

“But we still have some children and parents trying to cross the road where it isn’t safe.”

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Western has 500 pupils, including its nursery intake, and the sheer volume of pedestrian traffic creates a social distancing hazard compounded by the narrow pavement outside the school and the busy road.

The school has introduced staggered start and finish times and uses three entrances and exits and to ease congestion.

But concerns remain, hence the school’s request for a temporary crossing patrol or signs urging drivers to slow down.

Mr Broad said the council had been responsive to the school’s concerns but it was proving frustratingly difficult to get action.

The Stray Ferret approached North Yorkshire County Council for comment but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

Plans to pedestrianise Montpellier Parade and allow bars and cafes to put tables there may not get off the ground because they appear to contravene the Stray Act.

North Yorkshire County Council told the Stray Ferret on Wednesday it was was considering a request by Simon and Sharon Colgan, the owners of the Blues Bar, to close the highway.

But although Montpellier Parade is a highway it still forms part of the Stray, which is covered by a 1985 Act of Parliament.

The Act says the 200 acres of Stray land should not be used for commercial gain.

Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, which upholds the Act and safeguards the Stray against building, said individuals were free to enjoy a drink on the Stray but commercial gain was prohibited. She added:

“Presumably Harrogate Borough Council will have to do what the Stray Act dictates.”

Read more:

• Council considers plan to pedestrianise Montpellier Parade
• Blues bar denied permission to keep tables on the Stray

A spokesman for HBC, which is responsible for management of the Stray, said: “Montpellier Parade is part of the Stray. We will consider the recommendations provided by the highways authority.”

A spokeswoman for NYCC, which is responsible for highways, said it was still investigating the possibility of closing Montpellier Parade.

The Colgans sent their request to NYCC after HBC ordered it to remove tables from Stray land opposite its premises.

From Monday, weddings in England can only involve 15 people but those in the industry in Harrogate say small ceremonies can still be “beautiful”.

New government restrictions this week will limit weddings to a maximum of 15 people, including the couple.

The decision has left venues and wedding vendors struggling. It also means couples have to decide whether to rearrange for a later date or go ahead with a more intimate occasion.

A celebrant and wedding planner from Harrogate both said they hope to encourage couples to continue with their weddings safely. Both agreed that smaller weddings can still be just as special.

Rachael Meyer, humanist celebrant from Harrogate, said:

“It’s tough on the couples and the venues. I feel so sorry for them and everyone involved in the day. But there are ways to have a beautiful day with small numbers. I’ve done several small ceremonies and they were beautiful. Those couples chose to have limited numbers and everyone is completely involved, which is fantastic. It made them rethink why they were getting married.

There is a feeling of uncertainty but love wins and will go ahead even if it is different.”

Laura Lindsay, a Harrogate wedding planner, said:

“It’s disastrous for everyone in the industry. It’s the yo-yo of rules: we can get married, we can’t get married – it’s not fair. Some people could have a small wedding now and big party next year. There’s still some lovely, beautiful, intimate weddings happening.”

Read more:

• The demand for humanist weddings is rising in Harrogate. 
• Harrogate couple has to cancel wedding for the third time following further covid restrictions. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the restriction on numbers was part of a six month plan to curtail the rise in covid cases.

No indication has been given yet about whether the restrictions on weddings will change again before March.

Indoor sports clubs say they can only hope they’ll be able to reopen after changes to government guidelines forced them to close their doors.

Any indoor sport with more than six adult participants has now been banned from today, after being exempt from the ‘rule of six’ introduced last week.

In Harrogate, some indoor sports clubs say the future looks “worrying” as they don’t know when they’ll be able to re-open – or whether their members will return.

Andy Hawkswell, founder of Harrogate Indoor Cricket League, said:

“It was a bit of a shock and of course very disappointing. We had 14 to 16 teams playing in the league this year – the demand was high because the summer season was halved.

“It’s worrying that after having so much time off, they may not come back. For a lot of the players, there is a huge social aspect to the game and they will miss out on that now.

“Unfortunately it’ll probably be a year out and we’ll have to hope there’s enough interest for next year if people return.”

This troop has had to suspend training again with its coach looking for employment elsewhere.

Megan Fairweather runs the Fire and Ice Cheerleading squad in Harrogate. It is a youth team, but some members are over 18 so the exclusions still apply.

The squad was only set up in September 2019, leaving Megan without financial support. She worries that with further delays the members won’t return.

She said:

“We haven’t been open since March – we were planning to reopen this week but we’ve had to cancel that. The government has come out with a list and because cheerleading isn’t registered as an official sport yet, it wasn’t put on the list.

“It’s a lot more complicated because it’s a contact sport. Even if we were to open with just strength and conditioning training some of the troop may drop it because they come to do stunts and they can do those at their gymnastics or dance classes.”

A Harrogate couple have cancelled their wedding plans for a third time after the government further restricted the number of guests that can attend.

Ali Farr and Ben Cross, who both work for the NHS, were initially set to tie the knot on May 1 at the St George Hotel in Harrogate. However, lockdown struck and their big day was cancelled.

They rearranged for New Year’s Eve, only to discover afterwards that the St George Hotel was going into administration.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa

Still hoping to get married in 2020, they booked the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa for December 31 – the day they’d been due to marry at the St George and 12 years exactly since they met.

However, Tuesday’s announcement that they would only be able to have 15 people at the wedding instead of 30 prompted them to cancel for the third time. Ms Farr said:

“We didn’t really expect the numbers to go down yesterday, I was quite surprised that it didn’t stay at 30 and then we were hoping it would at least be 60 by Christmas so Ben and I have taken the decision again to move the wedding.

“We are now trying to work with our suppliers and venue to get a new date for next year but I’m not even sure if that will be able to go ahead at full capacity.”

Read more:

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The couple initially planned to invite more than 100 guests from as far away as Singapore and Australia.

With coronavirus cases in the district rising, Ms Farr, a community nurse in Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, is now preparing for a busy winter at work:

“As a community nurse I know that our workload gets busier over this period and with cases on the rise I imagine it will have added pressures on the service as we still have patients with other illnesses, not just covid, to care for.

“The winter months will be testing for the service but the community teams are very resilient and work well under pressure. The nurses and healthcare support workers just keep going no matter what they are faced with.”

Montpellier Parade in Harrogate could be closed to traffic and used instead for outdoor drinking and eating.

North Yorkshire County Council told the Stray Ferret it was considering a request by the Blues Bar to close the highway.

It is the latest twist in the saga in which Simon and Sharon Colgan, the owners of the Blues Bar, have been battling to maintain more outdoor space to compensate for a reduction in indoor capacity post-lockdown.

The bar’s indoor capacity reduced drastically from 80 to 25 when it reopened in July due to social distancing.

Harrogate Borough Council temporarily allowed the bar to have tables on the Stray to help business.

Read more:

• More than 2,000 call for council to leave tables outside Harrogate bars
• Blues bar denied permission to keep tables on the Stray

But the borough council insisted the tables were removed on Monday to “prevent damage to the Stray and also reduce the risk of injury should it become wet and muddy”.

Now North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for highways, is offering a lifeline.

Melisa Burnham, the county council’s highways area manager, said:

“We have received a request from the owners of the Blues Bar to close Montpellier Parade.

“We have not made any commitment to close this road as further investigation and relevant consultation with the emergency services and adjoining businesses still needs to take place.

“If practically feasible, necessary temporary traffic regulation order requirements would mean that this could be a number of weeks before it could be delivered.”

Any closure at this stage would be temporary, but Ms Colgan said Montpellier Parade was hardly used by traffic and pedestrianising the street would benefit the town as a whole as well as the Blues Bar. She said:

“It would create more areas for outdoor eating and be a popular area for people in the town centre.”