Harrogate aspiring actor thrilled to hit his Drama School fundraising target

An aspiring actor from Harrogate has achieved his fundraising target to go to a prestigious drama school – with help from Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe.

Harry Pritchard needed to raise £13,799 in order to pay the fees for LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), where he won a place earlier this month for a year-long course.

The former Harrogate Grammar School student’s cause was given an incredible boost this week by actor Russell Crowe. The Oscar-winning actor not only shared Harry’s fundraiser, but donated £2,741 – almost enough to pay the deposit for the course by this Thursday’s deadline.

This morning Harry hit his target and tweeted his thanks

We’ve done it!! I still can’t believe it. There are so many people to thank but I have to say a massive thank you to  @russellcrowe and @TerryGeorge for everything over the past week and thank you to the 244 donors who have helped make my dream a reality.

Russell Crowe also tweeted his delight at Harry hitting his target:

Congratulations Harry.

Looking forward to hear of your success.

thank you to everyone who got involved and gave this young bloke a lift and a helping hand , you are all lovely and brilliant

Get Harry to LAMDA Drama School https://t.co/HigNzD6Hul

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) August 29, 2020

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Harrogate council leader fails to answer questions about Cllr Samantha Mearns

Harrogate Borough Council and its leader have remained tight-lipped about Cllr Samantha Mearns and a police investigation into missing Porsche cars worth more than a million pounds.

Cllr Mearns was company secretary and a person “of significant control” in Knaresborough based Gmund Cars Ltd until December 2018. The company, which was run by her husband Andrew, went into administration in July 2019. There has been a subsequent police investigation into allegations that the ownership of Porsches were transferred without the owners’ permission.

Cllr Richard Cooper, the leader of Harrogate Borough Council, made Cllr Mearns the chair of the General Purposes Committee which oversees the conduct of councillors. She chaired her first meeting in June 2019.

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Richard Cooper whether he has confidence in Cllr Mearns, when he was first made aware of the allegations and whether he has ever asked Cllr Mearns about her role at Gmund Cars Ltd.

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We gave him a full day to respond to our request and we also gave Harrogate Borough Council two days to respond to a similar line of questions. Cllr Mearns is a case worker for Andrew Jones MP. He has also refused to answer the Stray Ferret’s questions.

Anthony Place, one of the six alleged victims of Gmund Cars Ltd, lodged a complaint about Cllr Mearns to Harrogate Borough Council in June 2019.

The authority’s monitoring officer, Jennifer Norton, assessed the complaint and said it would not be something she could take further because the councillor was “not engaged in council business” so the rules of the code of conduct did not apply.

North Yorkshire Police is investigating the allegations and arrested a man in his fifties in July last year. He has not been charged and the force released him under investigation.

Fairfax residents call for support after weeks of disturbances

Residents in the Fairfax area of Harrogate who witnessed a police raid this afternoon have called for more support after weeks of disturbances.

The council flat several police vans attended appears to have suffered extensive damage. All of the windows are broken.

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Some of the people living nearby told the Stray Ferret suspect that the man who lives in the council flat has mental health problems and is not getting the support he needs:

“It’s been going every night for about two weeks. The police take him to the hospital but there is no Briary Ward anymore. They leave him at the hospital but he just walks home and starts again. They don’t do anything to help, it takes too long for them to take any action.”

The windows are broken at the council flat.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Shortly after 11am today, police were called to an incident at residential flats in Harrogate. A man was arrested for criminal damage and is now in police custody.”

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust is responsible for mental health services in the district. The Stray Ferret has approached the trust for comment following the calls for support from residents.

A spokesperson said for the health trust told the Stray Ferret:

“Whilst we can’t comment on individual cases, anyone that previously received care at The Briary Unit, Harrogate is still able to access full mental health support through their care team or our crisis services. Our inpatient facilities that were previously at The Briary Unit transferred to our new state of the art hospital, Foss Park in York and anyone requiring hospital admission would be admitted to this site.”

The Briary Unit at Harrogate District Hospital closed its doors in April this year for the final time as adult inpatient mental health services transfer to York. The trust said that it would be spending more money on community-based care.

Harrogate sculptor helps Johnny Vegas with new TV show

Comedian Johnny Vegas was in Harrogate this week to meet expert sculptor Steve Blaylock, who helped out with a new TV show.

Steve told the Stray Ferret he has been sworn to secrecy about when and where the show will air, but said it will involve Vegas creating sculptures from different materials.

Steve said that he enjoyed spending time with a kindred spirit at his studio on Skipton Road:

“He brought the materials and we spent the whole day just brainstorming and chatting and talking about each other’s lives, which was a bit bizarre. When he walked in it was like a friend who went to art college had just come back to see me.

“We had so many similar personal experiences growing up. We were both bullied at school and we both had to become the class clown, but I didn’t follow my clownship into stand-up like Johnny.”

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Like Steve, Vegas has a degree in ceramics and he enjoyed fooling around with several of the sculptures at the studio, including a giant-sized garden spade.

Johnny Vegas with one of Steve’s spade sculptures.

Steve said:

“He’s an extremely artistic person, so being with somebody who has a creative mind who can see things that normal folk can’t was wonderful.”

Since setting up Studio Blaylock 23 years ago, Steve has had many commissions from TV companies, including the BBC who asked him to sculpt a 6ft tall Blue Peter ship in 1999.

Harrogate Town could be heading to Wembley….again!

Harrogate Town are one game away from playing at Wembley for the second time in two months — and this time fans would be able to enjoy a special day out.

The government confirmed that last season’s FA Trophy final at Wembley will go ahead on September 27 as a pilot event for the safe return of fans to sporting events.

Town are due to play Notts County, who they beat in the National League play-off final 3-1, in a one-legged semi-final with the winner going on to play the winner of Halesowen Town vs Concord Rangers. A draw will take place to decide whether Town’s semi-final will take place at Doncaster Rovers, which will be hosting Harrogate Town until their new grass pitch is laid, or Notts County. The date is to be confirmed.

The government has not said how many supporters Town could bring if they reach the final, but non-league grounds were opened last weekend with an initial 15% capacity, which will rise to 30% from Monday, August 31.

As Wembley has a capacity of 90,000, it could potentially mean all Town fans who want to attend would be able to if the government allows the stadium to be 30% full.

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It was uncertain whether the FA Trophy would be finished when the season was curtailed in March due to the lockdown. The government warned that the fans pilot could not happen if coronavirus rates rise.

Harrogate Town supporter Rob Nixon told the Stray Ferret that having another chance to go to Wembley would be a “dream”.

He said:

“Being able to go watch us play at Wembley would be a dream for all town fans, especially after missing out last time round. We still have a tricky tie against Notts County to negotiate, but it’s a huge incentive for the players knowing that they’ll get to play in front of a crowd this time if they win.”

On Tuesday, Harrogate Town supporters were able to watch their team play in person for the first time since March as Brighouse Town allowed 100 Town supporters to attend a pre-season friendly, which ended 0-0.

‘Devastated’ organisers confirm Harrogate Christmas Market cancellation

Harrogate Christmas Market 2020 will not go ahead after officials raised concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus.

The Stray Ferret reported last week that the market would likely be cancelled, dealing a blow to local businesses which benefit from the influx of up to 60,000 visitors.

The event’s vice-chairman, Steve Scarre, said:

“Harrogate Christmas Market would not have been possible without the Herculean efforts of organisers Brian and Beryl Dunsby and all the other volunteers. I know that Brian and Beryl are devastated to have had to cancel this year’s event, but to compromise the safety of visitors, stallholders, local businesses, contractors, volunteers, and residents would be unthinkable.

“I know that the local retail and hospitality businesses really look forward to the market, as it’s held during an otherwise quiet month. Our hearts go out to them, as the cancellation comes on top of a difficult and in some cases disastrous trading period over the last twelve months.”

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This week, Harrogate Borough Council officers met with the director of public health for North Yorkshire to set out precautions and questions for the event organisers.

Key elements included social distancing at two metres, controlling the number of people at the event, and contact tracing for all visitors. There were also concerns about visitors arriving from areas with higher infection rates.

With such an open event on the Stray near the Montpellier Quarter, where people are usually free to wander in and out through multiple entrances and aisles, the organisers said they cannot meet the requirements and have now cancelled.

It is the first time that the four-day event, which has been running annually since 2012, has been called off.

To try and mitigate for the loss of trade that the 180 local and regional businesses which had already signed up to the event, the organiser are preparing to set up a virtual market on a new website. It will also feature local businesses which have supported the market.

Knaresborough Christmas Market will still go ahead this December after organisers found ways to ensure visitor safety.

Stray FM broadcasts its final shows before national take-over

The Stray FM brand will disappear from the airwaves this weekend as owners Bauer Media merge it with national station Greatest Hits Radio.

The station, which was founded in Harrogate in 1994, will lose its local presenters in favour of national programming, with one regional drive time show each day.

it means familiar voices on the airwaves, including breakfast show presenter Nick Hancock, will today give their final broadcasts to audiences across the Harrogate district. Community groups have expressed their sadness at the loss of the station’s local support for many vital events and services.

John Fox, who has worked with Stray FM over many years to fundraise for Harrogate’s Christmas lights as well as organising the Volunteer Oscars, said the loss will be felt by many in the community.

“It’s very sad. It was the best local radio and part of the community.

“They supported small organisations and individuals, and they were also there when the community needed them for inclement weather like snow or flooding. They’re the ones who got us to work and home again. On top of that, they were committed to supporting local businesses – they were passionate about it. It’s a great loss.

“I was overjoyed when we got the licence for a local station – I felt Harrogate was on the map with its own proper radio station. This is a sad day for Harrogate.”

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After news of the closure was announced in May, the Liberal Democrats set up a petition to save it, gaining 2,000 signatures in the first week. Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, voiced his concerns about the planned changes and said he “cautiously welcomed” Bauer’s response to a letter he sent.

In it, Bauer promised that Stray FM would still cover local news and issues with a local team of journalists, and would have “improved options” for businesses to target audiences through advertising.

However, the company has not yet confirmed what the new local team will look like and how many, if any, of the local events covered by Stray FM will continue to receive the same level of support. A spokesman told the Stray Ferret it will continue to support Bauer’s national charities and will launch a new Getting North Yorkshire Back to Work campaign. She added:

“We have made no decisions as yet on buildings, however the station will retain local content and services and a presence in Harrogate.”

Will Smith, Nick Hancock and Sarah Barry of Stray FM at Knaresborough Bed Race in 2017

Will Smith, Nick Hancock and Sarah Barry at the Knaresborough Bed Race in 2017

Stray FM broadcast live from many events, including Bilton Gala and the Knaresborough Bed Race. Kevin Lloyd, bed race chairman for Knaresborough Lions, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is terrible news for us and other charities and organisations across the district. As a community-focused radio station, they have been fantastic advocates for all kinds of causes from their local heroes awards to the incredible support that they have given us over the years in making the bed race the highly successful and much-enjoyed event that it is today.”

Harrogate railway station newsagent to close

It will be the “end of an era” for veteran newsagent Brian Moses who, with a heavy heart, will close the Bookstall newsagent at Harrogate Railway Station after 30 years due to the financial impact of covid-19.

Brian won the title of UK newsagent of the year in 2016 but he said running the business is not viable in the current economic climate.

He said with trains quiet and commuters from Leeds still working from home, he can’t see trade returning to what it was before covid “for a long, long time”. A changing market has also seen magazine and newspaper sales decline over the past few years, with more and more people reading online.

Brian, who is 65, has worked in newsagents in Harrogate since he was 15 but fears there will be none left in the town in just a decade.

He said:

“Many of the other newsagents that are remaining in Harrogate are up for sale and I fear for the news trade over the next ten years.

“It’s not the way I intended to go out but it’s time to let go. It wasn’t an easy decision but financially it had to be.”

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The Bookstall has been a vital pit stop for commuters taking the train from Harrogate and Brian has seen famous sports stars, TV presenters and his fair share of ex-Leeds United footballers stop in for a packet of mints, a bottle of pop or a crossword puzzle book.

But he said his most memorable customer was Prince Charles who bought copies of Horse and Hound and Country Life magazines when the Royal Train passed through Harrogate.

Brian has racked up more than 50 years in the trade as, before taking over the Bookstore in 1989, he helped his own father run a newsagent on St Winifred’s Road.

Brian said news has been “a real family affair” as his son Paul also run the shop but will now move on to pastures new.

He said he will miss the customers but is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Mandy, who recently retired as a nurse from St Michael’s Hospice after 24 years.

He said:

“I’ve done 5 AM starts for the last 50 years, so that will take a long time to get out of that.

“But I’ll miss the banter and the ‘good morning’ from the little old lady to friends who come in, discuss sports and have a craic. I’ll miss my regulars.

“It will be sad but things have got to move on. I’m the first of many that will be going in Harrogate, it’s a changing world.”

The Bookstall will close this Saturday.

Harrogate NHS dental patients ‘not told’ about proposed closure

Patients at an NHS dentist in Harrogate have complained that they were not told about its proposed closure.

The patients claim Chatsworth House Dental Centre on Kings Road did not send letters to many of those who would be affected.

Under the proposals, patients would need to travel 1.7 miles to the practice on Starbeck High Street – a six-minute drive or more than 30-minute walk.

The Stray Ferret has taken the concerns of patients to both Chatsworth House Dental Centre and Target Dental Group. Both pointed to the other provider for a comment.

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One of the patients who has, along with her partner, been at Chatsworth House Dental Centre for more than 25 years said :

“I am in desperate need for a check up so I have been keeping a close eye on them but I had no idea about the proposed closure. It came as a bit of a shock because I have been there so long. Harrogate seems to be building a lot of houses but is not keeping up with vital services like dentists. It is quite frustrating.”

Chatsworth House Dental Centre has not formally approached the NHS with its proposal and it is unclear what the timescale is for the closure.

In the letter to patients, the provider said the merger would create a hub of dental services and “create an even greater patient experience”.

“Starbeck Dental Centre is situated in a modern spacious building. It is able to offer a broad range of services alongside full disabled access, modern facilities and easy access via public transport.”

How easy is it to get an NHS dentist in Harrogate?

The proposed closure of Chatsworth House Dental Centre will likely prompt fears about NHS dentist spaces in Harrogate.

Of the 11 NHS dentists in the town, only the Harrogate Dental Centre on Hookstone Park is advertising for new adult NHS patients. South Park Dental Practice is also advertising for child places up to the age of 18.

Currently, NHS dentists are not taking on any new patients because of the coronavirus pandemic. That could change by October, depending on guidance at the time.

Harrogate hospital removes coronavirus pods after half a year

Harrogate District Hospital has removed its coronavirus pods from the front of the building after half a year.

The hospital removed the assesment pods today and said they have not been necessary for several months.

A spokesperson said that they have been prominent but added that the hospital has been able to care for patients inside for a while now.

“Thank you to all colleagues involved in setting them up, and ensuring they’ve been safely removed.”

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It also comes a month and a week after a coronavirus patient last died at the hospital. The fact that the hospital has now removed the pods is a visual sign that the hospital is moving in the right direction.

The hospital reported its first covid-19 death on March 20 and the most recent – the 82nd – on July 19. That patient died four days earlier on July 15.