Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 195 of 1130

New bus service set for Harrogate’s Wedderburn Road

A new bus service is set to once again serve Wedderburn Road in Harrogate.

The X4, operated by Connexions, will offer two return services a day from Monday to Friday.

It will depart from Harrogate Bus Station to Wedderburn Road, via Wetherby Road, and will return to the bus station via Knaresborough Road.

The X4 will leave Harrogate at 10.30am and 1pm, and will return from Wedderburn Road at 10.42am and 1.12pm, Monday to Friday.

A Connexions spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the X4 service will begin operating on May 20.

They said, due to “registration reasons”, the service will be free to ride between May 20 and June 3. After that, the £2 bus fare cap will apply.

The spokesperson added:

“We wanted to give people in that area a service since they didn’t have one.

“I just hope as many people use it as possible to make sure it keeps running.”

The service is funded solely by Connexions, the spokesperson said.

The news comes after the 104 service, which ran between Wedderburn Road and Harrogate town centre, was scrapped in November 2018.

Nearby residents and councillors have since called for the service to be reinstated, as one local told the Stray Ferret the removal of the service was like a “slap in the face”.

Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, responded to the news:

“It has been many years since there was a bus service from Wedderburn Road into town. Local councillors and I tried repeatedly to persuade bus companies to re-instate a service.

“Whilst this is a low number of services per day I hope that residents are able to use the service and demonstrate to the operators that there is demand for the service to grow.”

Historic Harrogate Arms reopens for first time in a decade

The Harrogate Arms Café has opened to the public today.

The site, which sits in the Royal Horticultural Society Harlow Carr Gardens, has been closed since 2014.

It was originally built in 1844 by the then-owner of the estate, Henry Wright, along with a Bath House.

During its time, it has seen many guises, including a hotel, Thai restaurant, nightclub and pub.

However, after the RHS bought the site in 2014, it set out to restore the two historic buildings.

Today, it reopened for the first time in a decade as a café.

The Harrogate Arms Café.

Conservative councillor of Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate and mayor of Harrogate, Michael Harrison, cut the ribbon alongside Clare Matterson, the director general of the RHS to mark the occasion.

The RHS was granted listed building consent in 2019 and has since spent “several millions” on the renovation process, head of site Liz Thwaite said.

Liz Thwaite.

Ms Thwaite told the Stray Ferret:

“The RHS didn’t have the internal funding for the works back in 2014, but by 2019, when we got the building consent, the funding was then in place internally.

“There has been a lot of unforeseen issues along the way and things popped up that we didn’t expect, like bats roosting and wet weather.”

Inside the café.

Ms Thwaite said the horticultural charity decided to take on the project to “link both the Harrogate Arms and the Bath House back to their historic landscape”.

It wanted to give visitors a garden café, as well as the teahouse and Bettys, and offer “more space” to enjoy the gardens, she added.

A spokesperson for the RHS said at the opening sustainability is “at the core” of the charity and has been central to the renovation process.

They added the café will not offer plastic water bottles or single-use coffee cups, and uses Brazilian coffee from “one of 200 regenerative coffee farms”.

The coffee kiosk.

Ms Thwaite told the Stray Ferret:

“We’re feeling really, really excited about the opening.

“We had hoped it would open sooner, but due to weather issues it hasn’t been possible. But nevertheless we’re still so excited.

“I think customers are going to be delighted with it and it will help grow visitors and memberships to the site. People can walk around the garden and have a lovely coffee or lunch here.

“It will showcase what we grow, as well as offer an important message to encourage people to grow their own produce.”

The RHS hopes to use locally sourced produce at the Harrogate Arms Café, and will source a lot of ingredients from the Harlow Carr kitchen garden.

The charity is also undertaking 2-acres of landscaping works around the café, which includes planting mature tree and digging swales to manage rainfall.

The Harrogate Arms Café is officially open to the public.

It offers indoor and outdoor seating, as well and breakfast, lunch and all-day menus. The cafe will be open during summer garden operating hours (9.30am to 6pm) every day.

Police to carry life-saving nasal spray to prevent drug overdoses

North Yorkshire Police officers are to begin carrying a life-saving nasal spray to tackle the effects of opioid overdose.

The force has joined 28 other UK police forces by rolling out the spray to response and neighbourhoods policing team officers in the initial phase. The scheme will be gradually expanded over a few years.

More than 250 frontline officers have volunteered to carry Naloxone.

Naloxone, which is safe to use, will be administered by officers via a nasal spray, which is easier to use than the injection-based variant.

Assistant chief constable Catherine Clarke said:

“Naloxone is the emergency antidote used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. If administered within 15 minutes, Naloxone can restore normal breathing to a person if it has slowed or stopped.

“The main cause of premature death among people who use drugs in the UK is drug overdose. Many of the reported deaths could potentially have been avoided if Naloxone had been administered, which buys more time for medical intervention by ambulance and hospital teams. This really is a life saver.”

Someone who experienced this first hand is Harrogate woman Emma Plant.

Her life was saved by the kit after she accidentally overdosed and was revived with naloxone. Ms Plant was a heroin and cocaine addict for 10 years. She said:

“It just spiralled out of control, I actually used to go over quite a lot and my friends would call the ambulance.”

She experienced an overdose in a shared household. A man in the house found her unconscious and used the naloxone to revive her.

Ms Plant said:

“He used the Naloxone on me and saved my life. What he said to me is that I’d gone blue, I wasn’t breathing, I was gone, and I didn’t believe it. Now I think about it I think, wow, he actually saved my life. I could’ve not been here today if it wasn’t for him having that naloxone on him.”

Ms Plant is now clean and employed as a community engager with Red Rose Recovery in Harrogate. She is also part of the new Peer 2 Peer Naloxone Guardians who will be distributing more Naloxone in the community.

North Yorkshire Police’s harm reduction officer Danny Stannard delivers the first Naloxone training sessions to frontline officers.

As a member of the North Yorkshire Drug and Alcohol Partnership, the force says it has a part to play alongside emergency services and community partners in preserving life and reducing harm for substance users.

A consultation on a draft North Yorkshire substance use (drugs and alcohol) strategy ends on April 30, 2024.

Public health experts and national organisations including the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and the Independent Office of Police Complaints (IOPC), will support the police in using naloxone.

Click below to watch Ms Plant’s story:

Police release CCTV image after Harrogate shop theft

North Yorkshire Police has released a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to regarding a Harrogate shop theft.

The incident happened on March 17 at approximately 6pm at the One Stop Shop on Knaresborough Road.

Officers said around £140 worth of goods were stolen, including coffee and body sprays.

The force added:

“Please contact us if you recognise the man on CCTV, as he may have information that will assist our investigation.”

To contact the police email hazel.simms-willimson@northyorkshire.police.uk, call 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Please quote reference 12240047925 when passing on information.

Harrogate primary school appoints new headteacher

A Harrogate primary school has announced a new headteacher and deputy-head teacher.

Hookstone Chase Primary School has appointed James Hughes as the new headteacher and Hannah Norton as the new deputy headteacher.

Mr Hughes has been acting head since October 2023. He has worked in primary schools for 18 years.

Before starting at Hookstone Chase, he held the position of deputy headteacher at nearby Willow Tree Primary School for 13 years.

Mr Hughes said:

“I am thrilled to become the new Headteacher at Hookstone Chase Primary School and am committed to unlocking the potential of every one of our young learners.

“Alongside Hannah and our talented staff team we will nurture academic excellence and strengthen connections with our local community to cultivate a vibrant and diverse learning environment.”

Ms Norton joins the school from New Park Primary School, also in Harrogate, where she was assistant headteacher and special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO).

Hookstone Chase Primary School

Hookstone Chase Primary School is part of Northern Star Academies Trust, a partnership of 15 primary and secondary schools across North and West Yorkshire, five of which are in Harrogate.

Harrogate High School, New Park Primary Academy School , Starbeck Primary Academy and Willow Tree Community Primary School are also in the trust.

The trust’s CEO, Jenn Plews, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome both James and Hannah to their new roles at Hookstone Chase Primary School and to support them as they lead the school into this new chapter.

“As a growing Yorkshire Trust we put people at the heart of everything we do and know that excellent education starts with excellent teachers. We take great pride in being able to provide career advancement prospects within our Trust partnership and are so pleased that both James and Hannah are taking the next step in their career at Northern Star.”

Hookstone Chase Primary School is also looking for a volunteer governor. If you would like to find out more about the role contact governance@nsat.org.uk.

Harrogate district braced for further rail strikes

Passengers are set to experience rail disruptions next week and into the Early May Bank Holiday as unions carry out further strikes.

Train union ASLEF has announced its members will carry out “action short of strike” between Monday April 29 and Saturday May 4 in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates stations in Harrogate, Starbeck and Knaresborough, has warned passengers to expect late notice cancellations during the time period.

On its website, the company said:

“If travelling with Northern, or connecting onto other services across the country, check before you travel as industrial action may affect multiple parts of your journey.

“Between April 29 and May 4 (during ‘action short of strike’) we expect some late notice cancellations to services, particularly the first and last services of the day.

“The majority of services will be running as planned on these days, but please check before travelling, as close to the time as possible as short notice cancellations are likely.”

There are also disruptions predicted between May 6- 11 due to ‘action short of strike’ called by ASLEF, meaning almost two weeks of disruptions with a strike on Thursday May 9.

Passengers also faced disruptions on the last bank holiday, over Easter weekend.

Access is a ‘shambles’ at purpose-built Harrogate flats, says disabled resident

A brand-new block of flats that was described as “setting the standard” for assisted living facilities when it was opened this month is “an absolute shambles”, according to a resident who moved in last week.

St Roberts Grove, which offers residential care and support to people with a range of disabilities, was described as “what the future of care looks like” by Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones when he cut the ribbon on the Claro Road facility in Harrogate this month.

But new resident Nick Moxon, 35, has highlighted one of the building’s shortcomings by filming himself trying to get into the lift he needs to use to reach his first-floor flat.

As shown in the video, which Mr Moxon shared with the Stray Ferret, he has first to go through a door and turn immediately right, stopping on a very small landing at the top of a flight of stairs. Then, he has to reverse his wheelchair and press the button to call the lift, before edging forward again to allow the first door to close behind him.

Once the lift has come and the door opened for him, he has to reverse through 90 degrees into the lift. But the passageway is so narrow that the manoeuvre requires a lot of shunting back and forth, and in the video clip he shared, the attempt is in vain because the lift door ‘times out’ and closes automatically, meaning that Mr Moxon has to start the process all over again.

He said:

“I can use the lift, but it usually takes me a few goes. We tenants were only allowed to see inside the building a week before we moved in, and when I saw the lift, I thought ‘why on earth have they done that?’”

Mr Moxon, who previously praised the spaciousness of the flats themselves, said that the problems at St Roberts Grove aren’t just confined to the lift:

“The flats are lovely, but the corridors and doorways you have to use to get to them are too narrow. In some places, two wheelchairs going in opposite directions can’t get past each other. Some people’s wheelchairs are too big to access all parts of the building, and some people can’t work the lift to see their friends because they have limited mobility in their hands.

“We were sold this idea of the building being completely accessible, allowing people to live independently, but it’s not – it’s an absolute shambles. It’s completely unacceptable for a 2024 building. The person who designed it just hasn’t put any thought into how wheelchairs can get about.”

The £7.5 million St Roberts Grove development was built and is owned by Sheffield-based Highstone Housing Association, which specialises in supported living accommodation for vulnerable adults, in partnership with local authorities across Yorkshire. The new facility has 35 accessible flats and on-site support staff is run by Disability Action Yorkshire.

Two of three planned blocks have been built, and the third, due to be built on the site of Disability Action Yorkshire’s current care home, is expected to be completed by spring 2026.

Mr Moxon said:

“Far from the promise of increased independence, the layout of the two current blocks of flats deeply undermines the overall objective of the project, which should ensure that disabled persons should be allowed to dream and aspire to achieve their potential, and not be hidden by archaic and outdated attitudes obviously held by the architect who was in charge of designing our new homes.”

Mr Moxon has contacted Disability Action Yorkshire about the accessibility issues at St Roberts Grove and has presented a list of recommendations to Highstone Housing Association, which has said it will consider the matter carefully.

He added:

“I had a constructive meeting with Highstone and we’re trying to find an amicable solution. Watch this space.”

Andrew Jones MP and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson cut the ribbon at the opening.

The Stray Ferret asked Andrew Jones MP if he stood by his comment that St Roberts Grove was “what the future of care looks like”. He replied:

“The future of disability care is modern, flexible, aspirational accommodation which gives disabled people the chance to have their own tenancy, their own property and their own front door just the same as everybody else.”

He confirmed Mr Moxon had contacted him about the issue, but said the correspondence was confidential.

The Stray Ferret has contacted Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, for comment but not yet had a response.

Mr Jones added:

“I feel sure that Disability Action Yorkshire will want to work constructively with any tenant who raises concerns. I understand though that the chief executive is unable to comment until next week.”

Public invited to attend Maltkiln consultation event

The developer hoping to build thousands of new homes between Harrogate and York will hold a public consultation in Kirk Hammerton next month.

Caddick Group says the event on Tuesday, May 7, at Kirk Hammerton village hall will be a chance for the local community to view its proposals for Maltkiln and to speak directly with the team developing the scheme. It will take place between 2pm and 8pm.

A minimum of 3,000 homes and two primary schools could be built near the villages of Cattal, Whixley, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

This month, North Yorkshire Council submitted its Maltkiln development plan document (DPD) to the government’s Planning Inspectorate ahead of an examination.

Caddick says the scheme aims to address the “acute housing shortage” in North Yorkshire.

Proposals are also available to view and respond to on a dedicated consultation website.

An online form for feedback will open on Monday, May 6 and will close on Friday, May 27.

Chris Procter, director at Caddick Group, said:

“We have been liaising with North Yorkshire Council and other key political stakeholders throughout the DPD process, to ensure our plans are able to not only deliver much-needed housing, but are also able to provide a range of housing types and tenures, giving people the flexibility to live where they wish.

“Our revised proposals for Maltkiln will incorporate enhancements to transport infrastructure around the site, as well as bringing forward proposals for onsite amenities and a strategy to deliver biodiversity net gain, to deliver a sustainable and connected community.

“As the DPD process draws to a conclusion, we want to re-engage with the community to seek their valuable feedback on our revised plans.”

Arnold Warneken, Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he hopes people living in the area will attend the consultation as he said there were still unanswered questions regarding the scheme.

The developer still does not own a large section of land around Cattal Station with the council saying it would be willing to use a compulsory purchase order to force through a sale.

He also questioned the timing of the consultation event which is taking place before the DPD examination.

Cllr Warneken said:

“We have not resolved the situation about land. I’m not sure why the consultation is taking place so early in the process. The community will get a chance to respond to DPD, which is the right way to do it. I don’t understand the thinking but I’m not a developer.”

What’s new for the 2024 Harrogate Spring Flower Show

Above image: making seed bombs, Meadow in my Garden

Harrogate Spring Flower Show is back and is taking place this week over four days from Thursday April 25 to Sunday April 28. It is one of the most popular events in the area, attracting up to 90,000 visitors each year.

Get garden inspiration aplenty thanks to plant and floral nursery displays, garden designs, talks and demonstrations. There will also be stalls selling everything you could possibly need to make your garden the sanctuary you’d like it to be – the perfect inspiration as we (hopefully and eventually) head into warmer climes.

And this year visitors to Harrogate Spring Flower Show can partake in a complimentary class led by seasoned plant experts.

All you need to do is head to the Plant Workshop stand in the Grand Floral Hall and sign up. But be warned: places are limited to one class per person, are subject to availability and are sure to go fast.

Create a mini spring floral arrangement

Leafy Couture

Arrange a spring flower posy at this workshop by Leafy Couture.

Attendees will learn about the flowers that will be used for the posy that will likely be a mixture of double, frilly and parrot tulips, ranunculus, blossom, wallflowers and foliages, and then be shown step-by-step how to arrange them.

Every day, 11.15am-12 noon.

Make seed bombs

Meadow in my Garden

Meadow in my Garden is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that promotes gardening for wildlife.

Its workshop will impart some useful tips about flower meadow creation including seed selection, methodology and maintenance, and will provide a breakdown of the best way to produce seed balls to become a guerrilla gardener.

Every day, 1.15pm-2pm.

Read more:

Dive into the art of mossarium crafting

York Terrariums

Learn all about the history and science behind these self-sustaining ecosystems before getting a chance to build your own.

The workshop by York Terrariums will start with a short introduction explaining the history and science that goes into building a terrarium, from the different plants you can use to why activated charcoal is a special ingredient.

Then you can roll up your sleeves and create your own, filling a terrarium jar with various plants, pebbles, and moss.

At the end of the session, take away the miniature garden home and watch it develop over the next few months and years.

Every day, 3.15pm-4pm.

Make sure you check out… the Houseplant Zone

Image: Pixaby

Looking for new houseplants? Then head to the Houseplant Zone, also new for 2024.

Featuring a backdrop based on the fabled Hanging Gardens of Babylon created by Leafy Couture Flowers, here you’ll discover perfect plants for every corner; whether it’s a shady hallway yearning for greenery or a sun-drenched windowsill begging for life.

Any finally…

A visual of Harrogate Hospital’s show garden

The long-awaited show gardens are back for 2024. Featuring inspirational garden design, they will also showcase local organisations’ work through horticulture, including Horticap, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

It will also host the Creative Borders category, supported by the Association of Professional Landscapers, that will have innovative ideas and creative concepts for the smallest of spaces.

Read more:

Former Harrogate Arms to reopen as café tomorrow

The historic Harrogate Arms is set to reopen as a café tomorrow.

The grade two-listed building, which closed a decade ago, will finally be brought back to working order.

Originally built in 1844 by Henry Wright, the then-owner of the estate, the Harrogate Arms and Bath House were set in pleasure gardens, which are now part of The Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden Harlow Carr.

The Harrogate Arms had several faces during its time, including a hotel, inn, nightclub, restaurant and pub, before closing to the public in 2014.

But the RHS was granted listed building consent in 2019 to convert the site into a café.

The horticultural charity today said it has been “working hard to restore the premises”, which will offer indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a menu focused on “seasonal ingredients”.

It added the café will offer a breakfast, lunch and an all-day menu, along with artisan coffee.

The new landscape of RHS Garden Harlow Carr by planners Gillespies.

In a press release, the RHS said:

“Each day will feature a special menu utilising produce directly from our Kitchen Garden to champion the use of fresh ingredients.

“It will also showcase some fantastic ways for preserving foods from the garden from the summer so they can be used in the colder and less productive months. Think anything from pickled cucumber to chilli oils and kimchi!”

New jobs will be created as part of the café opening, the charity said, adding it hopes to use as much locally sourced produce as possible.

Liz Thwaite, head of RHS Garden Harlow Carr, also said:

“We can’t wait to re-open this building which holds so many memories for members of the local community and really look forward to welcoming them back to the brand new Harrogate Arms Café.

“This project has been a long time in the making, as we wanted to create something fresh and exciting for our visitors that celebrates our rich heritage.”

The Harrogate Arms Café will open to the public from around 11am tomorrow (April 25), an RHS spokesperson said.