Harrogate Borough Council is considering a major £46.8 million investment in the Harrogate Convention Centre.

The council will ask the cabinet next week to spend £1 million on detailed design and project work. The majority of that £1 million will be borrowed. It is unclear how the council will fund the full refurbishment.

Harrogate Convention Centre is now over 40 years old and the council has acknowledged that the infrastructure and equipment are both reaching the end of their useful life.

Council documents estimate that without investment, it would cost £19 million in long term maintenance costs and the “venue will not survive.”

It is also unclear when the project would start as the NHS has extended the Nightingale Hospital contract over the past few months.

The Prime Minister recently confirmed it could stay until March 2021, though no agreement has been reached with the NHS.

Read more:

• How long Harrogate’s Nightingale will remain in place
• Why some councillors think Harrogate should be compensated for the Nightingale
• How the extension of the Nightingale contract is a “huge blow” for local businesses

The council is proposing to refurbish the conference centre, auditorium and two of the main halls. They also plan to divide the space known as Studio 2 to create “breakout facilities” for up to 1,850 delegates.

Plans also include “refreshing the look” of the outside of the building and improving access between internal spaces. To improve the centre’s energy costs the council also plans to improve the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The second phase of the plans also proposes demolishing a part of the site to make way for a new 5,000 square metre events space. The report assumes a three year delay between the first and second phases.

The centre’s managers said they are moving away from focusing purely on exhibitions to include large national association conferences, attracting more than 500 delegates. They said this will increase the £35 million economic impact brought to the town by the venue.

Paula Lorimer, the director of Harrogate Convention Centre, said:

“Our exciting plans will reinvigorate and re-establish the convention centre. My ambition is for us to return to the top tier of conference and exhibition centres in the UK as we attract new – and bigger – events in the future. This will have a significant, positive, impact on the local economy.”

The number of people who donated organs after they died at Harrogate District Hospital fell from six in 2018/19 to four in 2019/20.

The figures were included in the NHS’ annual Transplant Activity Report and show that those who died donated eight kidneys, three livers and one pancreas to the hospital.

Organ donation law changed in May this year to an “opt out” system.

This means that if you are not in an excluded group, and have not confirmed whether you want to be an organ donor – it will be considered that you agree to donate your organs when you die.

Nationally 1,580 people donated at least one organ after they died, a fall of 1% from last year, which the NHS attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.

Across the UK, the number of people whose lives have been improved or saved by organ and tissue donation this year is 3,760.

There are currently 3,108 people in the UK awaiting an organ transplant.

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To coincide with the release of the report, staff at Harrogate District Hospital have shared their own organ donation experiences and encouraged family members to talk to each other about donating organs.

Sarah Whitton, project manager for the programme management office and digital delivery team at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT), lost her younger brother in 2017.

She said:

“Gavin was one of the kindest people I know, so it seemed fitting that his final act of kindness after a tragic accident was to improve, if not save, the lives of five others.

“He had shared his organ donation wishes with his wife which made the family decision so much easier. Losing him has been life changing for our family but we take great comfort in knowing that he lives on in others.”

Beverley Harrison, complementary therapies co-ordinator at HDFT, received an organ donation in 2012 when her liver deteriorated due to auto-immune hepatitis.

After being told she had days to live, the donation saved her life.

She said:

“When it comes down to it and you have 48 hours left to live, you have to hope that people have already had that conversation with their relatives. It can happen to anyone, so it is vital we all have these conversations now.”

Zero Carbon Harrogate is screening an award-winning climate documentary online tomorrow.

2040, which is directed by and stars Australian Damon Gameau, explores what the world might look like if measures are taken to protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

The screening will take place at 7pm and will be followed by a short Q&A session via zoom.

The panel will include the chair of the Harrogate Climate Coalition, Cllr Phil Ireland, the chair of Zero Carbon Harrogate, Jemima Parker, and the chair of Zero Carbon Harrogate Natural Climate Solutions, Ian Fraser.

Read more: 

• Harrogate to become a haven for renewable energy 
• Yorkshire Water introduces new technology to cut greenhouse gases 

The film explores a number of themes, including female empowerment, regenerative agriculture and renewable energy.

2040 aims to encourage people to take responsibility for the world to “secure it for generations.”

The event is free but donations are welcome. To book tickets visit their website.

Andrew Jones and Julian Smith both voted against protecting the NHS from any future trade deal with the United States or other country.

Last night’s amendment to the Trade Bill, which failed by 251 votes to 340, also included a provision to ensure the NHS principle of being “free at the point of delivery” was not compromised by any future trade deal.

The Trade Bill lays out what trading relationship UK will have with other countries post-Brexit. The amendment was submitted by Green MP Caroline Lucas and was backed by Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer.

Included in the failed amendment were attempts to protect NHS staff from having their wages or rights cut as the result of a trade deal, protections around the pricing of medicines, and stopping confidential patient data being sold off to private companies.

Trade minister Greg Hands told the Commons that the NHS “remains protected and will never be on the table at any trade deal”.

Read more:

• MP supports Harrogate business woman who’s had no income during crisis

• Harrogate MP votes against financial support for migrant abuse victims

The campaign group We Own It said the MPs who voted against the amendment have “handed the NHS to Donald Trump on a silver platter”.

During the 2019 General Election, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn produced a leaked document which claimed that the NHS was ‘on the table’ in future trade talks with the United States. This was denied by prime minister Boris Johnson.

When he visited the UK in June 2019, President Trump said that the NHS could form part of trade negotiations between the two countries.

Earlier this week, Andrew Jones, the Harrogate & Knaresborough MP, praised the new rainbow tribute in Harrogate to key workers.

The Stray Ferret contacted both Andrew Jones and Julian Smith to ask why they voted against the amendment last night but neither had responded at the time of publication.

North Yorkshire Police has called for a Harrogate pub’s licence to be removed after it came under fire for breaching lockdown rules.

The Coach and Horses was told by Harrogate Borough Council that its licence was under review after people gathered outside the pub on West Park drinking which breached coronavirus guidelines.

The pub was issued a prohibition notice by the council on May 31 for “repeatedly breaking the rules”. Officials said around 75 customers were in the area drinking at one point.

People gathered outside the Coach and Horses back in May.

Now, police have called for the pub to be stripped of its licence in the interests of public safety.

Councillors on the borough council’s licensing committee will decide on the future of the pub’s licence on Wednesday.

Read more:

• Harrogate pub could be shut down over lockdown breaches
• Harrogate pub owners said they followed government guidelines
• Why did the council serve The Coach and Horses with a prohibition notice?

In a letter to the council’s licensing committee, Jackie Allen, police licensing officer, said the Coach and Horses did not comply with coronavirus regulations.

It said:

“It is believed that if the premises are allowed to retain a premise licence this will have an adverse effect on the local community…

“It is the view of North Yorkshire Police that the premises licence should be revoked and would respectfully direct members to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 ‘it shall be the duty of each authority to which the section applies to do all it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area.’”

The force said it received 14 separate reports from members of the public between May 30 and June 2 over customers drinking from open containers outside. Police say this also breaches the pub’s licence.

Housing developers in the Harrogate district will have to pay more money for schools, doctors surgeries and roads after the council identified a £98m infrastructure shortfall.

Harrogate Borough Council will introduce a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in October to complement Section 106 agreements that are agreed between the authority and developers.

Both are designed to pay for infrastructure that might be affected by new housing. For example, as part of a recent planning application for 170 homes on Kingsley Road, Harrogate High School asked for a Section 106 contribution of £307,435.

Unlike Section 106, CIL contributions will be calculated by floor space, meaning a housing development in central Harrogate, Knaresborough or Ripon would be charged up to £50 per square metre. Developments outside of town centres will not be subject to CIL charges.

Retail developments would also be subject to CIL contributions of up to £120 per square metre.

Read more:

• Burton Leonard residents ‘about to erupt’ over housing development

• Harrogate loses ‘feel good factor’ due to new housing

Harrogate Borough Council published its long-awaited Local Plan in March that includes a pipeline of over 13,000 new homes from 2014 to 2035 across the district.

To introduce the CIL, HBC has to demonstrate to central government there is a shortfall in funding between the cost of infrastructure needed to support development – which the council has estimated is over £98m over the next 15 years, including £42m for schools.

HBC will publish a list of infrastructure it intends to fund via CIL before the end of 2020.

A parish or town council with an adopted neighbourhood development plan will be eligible to receive 25% of the CIL receipts generated.

Harrogate could become a haven for renewable energy and some villages could even come off the grid and power themselves, according to the managing director of a local energy firm.

Mike Kaye, managing director of Energy Oasis, said the Harrogate district could make greater use of solar panels and wind turbines.

Read more:

• When Extinction Rebellion held demo on a Harrogate roundabout
• How the call for a climate emergency fell on deaf ears

Renewable energy is a big issue at the moment: Harrogate Borough Council aims to have a net zero-carbon economy by 2038. Pressure groups, such as Extinction Rebellion, have been campaigning locally for more to be done to combat the climate emergency.

Reducing wasted energy will be essential to achieving these aims.

Small villages, such as Marton-cum-Grafton, are ideally placed to come off the grid completely, according to Mr Kaye.

“It would be difficult to take the whole of Harrogate off grid but there are some small villages which could power themselves quite easily. It just takes some solar panels and wind turbines. That way you have power generating all year round. I think that with enough political will the whole of Yorkshire could become carbon neutral in a few years.”

Mr Kaye added that more energy-efficient council buildings would save the taxpayer millions of pounds each year.

His firm has already replaced the lighting at the council’s Springfield Avenue car park, which Mr Kaye claimed saved £14,000 a year.

Six weeks of roadworks began this morning on the Leeds Road roundabout, leaving the area gridlocked throughout the day.

The works will be in place until August 28 to allow Northern Powergrid to carry out cable overlay works.

Two of the roundabout’s six exits on Langcliffe Avenue and Park Drive have been closed and traffic lights are in place on the others. This left many commuters stuck in traffic or having to take long diversions.

The roadworks are set to stay along Leeds Road for six weeks.

Similar works are taking place along Skipton Road over a 12-week period. Those works are in order for Northern Gas Networks to replace the old metal pipes running along the road. Richard White, business operations lead for Northern Gas Networks, said:

“This investment will ensure residents and businesses in Harrogate continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply for decades to come.

“We appreciate that no one likes roadworks, but we will be doing everything possible to complete this work as quickly as possible, while maintaining safe working practices.”

Read more:

• Whinney Lane will be closed for seven months to allow for two construction sites to be worked on.
• A ‘green’ car club has launched in Harrogate where you can hire low-emission vehicles by the hour.

The works come following several quieter months on the roads as many people worked from home. Following the Prime Minister’s announcements suggesting that people can return to work, the next six weeks are likely to involve much longer commutes.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council for a comment on the works, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, has praised the new rainbow tribute to key workers above the Stray’s cabman’s shelters.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Jones revealed a private donor and local electrical firm had paid for the tribute.

He then called for a debate on how to celebrate the efforts of key workers.

“Our key workers have kept the nation going throughout lockdown and I want to see local and national celebration of that,” he said on Thursday.

Read more:

• How local bus companies can transport key workers with a government grant
• When the Harrogate district commemorated the work of key workers
• 8,000 Easter eggs donated to children of key workers in Harrogate district

The tribute to key workers in Harrogate.

In response, Harrogate & Knaresborough Liberal Democrats tweeted the MP had “made a career out of refusing our key workers the pay rise they deserve”.

They added: “Many feel unwelcome in the country they call home. But sure, we all love rainbow lights.”

Players at Harrogate RUFC say it is “great” to finally be able to get back on the pitch.

The club is having to train in much smaller groups with the players focusing specifically on their fitness and ball skills. Despite not being able to play competitively yet, the players are getting match fit for when the time finally comes.

The players have enjoyed getting back into the swing of things.

Director of Rugby at Harrogate RUFC, David Doherty, told The Stray Ferret:

“It’s brilliant to have the players back. It’s obviously challenging given the government guidelines, but the boys have embraced it.”

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Training takes place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with both the men and women playing in small ‘pods’ with no contact.