Harewood Bridge to close again for repairs

Harewood Bridge near Harrogate is due to close for one or two nights this week for repairs, leading to 15-mile diversions.

Traffic was unable to cross the bridge for four weeks during the summer holidays to allow Leeds City Council to carry out maintenance work on the grade-II listed structure.

Now the road is set to be closed overnight on Wednesday (October 18) and Thursday (October 19) between 9pm and 5.30am.

The closure will be in place while the council upgrades the surfacing on the road.

Cllr Matthew Robinson, who represents Harewood ward on Leeds City Council, said in a post on his Facebook page:

“You will recall that essential maintenance works were completed on the Harewood Bridge over the summer holidays.  As part of these works a specialist contractor was required to apply a small area of upgraded surfacing at the south end of the bridge and these works were unable to be undertaken at the time but we have now been able to arrange this.   

“We plan to do the works on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th October with overnight closures from 8pm to 5.30am. It may be that the works are completed in one night but this will depend on the weather conditions.”

The grade-II listed structure carries the A61 Harrogate Road over the River Wharfe and is a busy route between Harrogate and Leeds.

A diversion will be in place for drivers on the A658 Harrogate Road and A659 Arthington Lane to rejoin the A61.

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Leeds Bradford Airport announces £100m terminal regeneration plan

Leeds Bradford Airport has announced a £100 million plan to regenerate its sole terminal.

The project will see a 9,500 sq. metre, three-storey extension to the existing terminal, alongside a significant refurbishment of the current terminal building.

It will also create additional aircraft stands, more seating, faster security, new shops and eateries, and a larger baggage reclaim area and immigration hall, as well as improved access for passengers with restricted mobility.

The project would help the airport decarbonise its operations and meet its net zero ambitions with the installation of new heating, lighting and machinery, including new baggage belts.

Vincent Hodder, chief executive of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: 

“This announcement marks the beginning of a new era for Leeds Bradford Airport.

“This investment will give us the infrastructure needed to deliver an outstanding customer experience, support the growth of our airline partners, enhance connectivity for business, investment and trade and provide the airport that Leeds, Bradford and Yorkshire have been waiting for.

“LBA is a key asset for our region and our community, our investment enhances and supports broader investments underway in Leeds and Bradford creating new jobs, new opportunities and shared benefits for our community.”

Inside the new Leeds Bradford Airport terminal.

Inside the new Leeds Bradford Airport terminal.

The airport has appointed Belfast-based Farrans Construction to deliver the first phase of the project, which will see the terminal extended.

LBA estimates that the scheme has the potential to create 1,500 new direct jobs at the airport and 4,000 new indirect jobs, as well as contribute a total of £940 million to the local economy.

Work will start on the terminal in autumn this year and is expected to be compete in 2026.

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Harrogate athlete Cal Mills wins at Yorkshire Marathon Festival

Elite Harrogate runner Cal Mills won the 10-mile race at yesterday’s Yorkshire Marathon Festival in a blistering 50 minutes and 18 seconds.

Over 10,000 people took part in the festival, which was part of the Run For All series of events established by Leeds fundraiser Jane Tomlinson. The series has now raised more than £10 million.

Cal, 23, led more than 2,500 entrants home in the 10-mile competition, finishing nine seconds ahead of second place and just three seconds off the course record.

He is no stranger to winning big races, having finished first at the Brighton half marathon in February.

Cal takes the winner’s spot in the middle of the podium.

Yesterday’s event, which took place in and around York, marked the 10th anniversary of the Yorkshire Marathon Festival. It featured a marathon, marathon relay and 10-mile races.

Serious runners were joined by fun runners and famous faces, including British rugby league coach and former professional player Jamie Jones Buchanan and comedians Rob Deering and Paul Tonkinson.

Harvey Gration, son of late BBC Yorkshire broadcaster Harry Gration, started the marathon and then took part in the 26.2-mile marathon.

The fastest male in the marathon was Joe Sagar in 2:24:10 and the first woman home was Melissah Gibson who clocked 02:40:41.

Mike Tomlinson, chief executive of not-for-profit events company Run For All, said it was “a truly spectacular day and an amazing atmosphere from start to finish”.

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Harrogate estate agent founding partner dies

A founding partner of a Harrogate estate agents has died.

Charles Smailes co-founded Feather Smailes Scales, which is based on Raglan Street in the town.

Mr Smailes had more than 30 years experience in the local property sector.

He set-up FSS with Jim Feather and Peter Scales in 1994.

He was appointed president of the National Association of Estate Agents in 2005 and was also the first chairman of the board of the National Federation of Property Professionals.

In a post last night on social media, FSS said Mr Smailes died on October 9. It added:

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our founding partner, Charles Smailes.

“Charles’ legacy will continue as we, as a firm carry forwards the values and principles that he held so dear.”

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Knaresborough father fights for autistic son to join twin brother at SEND school

A Knaresborough man has raised concerns following ongoing issues with North Yorkshire Council about his autistic son’s education.

Stephen Coe’s twin sons, Magnus and Felix, are both autistic and have been given an education, health and care plan (EHCP) – which supports those with special educational needs (SEND).

After completing mainstream primary school, Mr Coe hoped the 12-year-old twins would both be accepted into The Forest School, in Knaresborough, which only caters for those with special needs and an EHCP.

However, he was shocked to discover only Magnus had received a place.

Following an assessment of Felix’s standard assessment tests (SATs), North Yorkshire Council found him to only have mild learning difficulties and he was too able to attend a special educational needs and disabilities school, Mr Coe added.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“Magnus was accepted into The Forest School, and he loves it.

“The council, however, told us that Felix is too able to attend Forest, despite his SATs results actually being worse than Magnus’s.”

Mr Coe also said the council suggested Felix would be able to attend King James’s School in Knaresborough, despite the school saying it could not cater to his needs.

“I have had to take unpaid leave from work to look after Felix, as I refuse to send him to a mainstream school that has said since October 2022 that they cannot meet his needs, following multiple assessments there – a decision that, we as parents, support.

“King James’s has been honest and fair throughout.”

The Forest School has since told Mr Coe that it is now full and could not give Felix a place.

Felix has been out of full-time education since July this year. Although his father is trying to provide him with sufficient at-home education, he added “quite frankly, I’m not a teacher.”

Mr Coe added:

“All I’m asking is for my son’s rights to be observed – he needs stability.

“Other than the staff King James’s, not one person that has made this decision for him, has even met him in person.”

The council awarded £700 in compensation for “mismanagement of process” following a complaint by Mr Coe but he is now escalating it to a tribunal.

He will face the local authorities next February.

North Yorkshire Council told the Stray Ferret that “all SEND admissions follow the national requirements outlined in the SEND Code of Practice 2015.”

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Plan to build nine flats on on site of former Harrogate council building approved

A plan has been approved to build nine new flats on the site of a former council office in Harrogate.

The site at 18 Victoria Avenue was previously home to Victoria Park House, which was demolished in December 2021.

Planning permission was granted in late 2018 for an office building to be built by new owner Hornbeam Park Developments. The plans proposed using the original facade, and the stonework was retained to do so.

However, plans have been submitted by Long Marston-based Echo Green Developments, through agent Savills, to create nine residential apartments on the site.

The developer argued that attempts to market the building for office use had failed over a number of years.

Plans for apartments on the site of the old Victoria Park House

Plans for apartments on the site of the old Victoria Park House.

Now, North Yorkshire Council has approved plans for the flats to be built.

In documents submitted to the authority, the developer said the plan will help to meet the need for accommodation in the area.

It said:

“The proposal will be a high quality apartment building in keeping with the Victorian villa’s of the area which will revitalise the site and provides an enhancement to the public streetscape.

“The proposal will provide much needed residential accommodation to the area.”

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Knaresborough man set for third trip to South Pole

A Knaresborough man is set to embark on his third trip to the South Pole.

Gerald Draycott, who is originally from North Wales, previously worked at Menwith Hill before moving to The Hague and then back to Scriven to continue his work as a satellite engineer.

He was invited on a work trip by explorer, Robert Swan OBE, and was asked to install a satellite at the summit of the South Pole alongside 160 other people.

It was used to broadcast images and information of the Antarctic online and raise awareness of the significant environmental impacts the continent has on the world.

Mr Draycott added:

“We wanted people to understand the significant impact the Antarctic has on the rest of the environment.

“The animals and nature there, the ice caps and the O-Zone layer are all so important and, by installing the satellite, we could broadcast this back home for people to really understand.”

Those on the trip were broadcasting live on Facebook, calling families, and sharing images on social media to spread awareness thanks to the vessel, he added.

Mr Draycott and crew on the first expedition.

In January of this year, Mr Draycott was invited back to Antarctica by Mr Swan to complete a 70-mile trek to the South Pole.

The explorer had attempted the walk before but injured his hip 90 miles before the finish line, so invited a group to complete the walk with him.

Mr Draycott added:

“It was a 60 nautical mile trek — which is 70 regular miles — to the pole while pulling my sled.”

The trip took 10 days to complete and temperatures  reached -33 degrees celsius.

“It was really overwhelming; you look out and see literally nothing but white.

“Your mind begins to play tricks on you because there’s just nothing to take your mind off what you’re doing.”

Gerald Draycott

His workplace, SES Satellite, sponsored his second trip to the summit.

“Because it’s so clear, you can see for about 25 miles ahead of you.

“We could see the pole and thought, ‘that’s not too bad’, but realised it was still another three days of walking away.

“It was an absolutely amazing experience though and it’s such a story to tell. You really find out who you are on a trip like that.”

Now, Mr Draycott is planning his third trip in 2025 and is looking for companies in the Harrogate district to sponsor the expedition.

He aims to walk 1,130km across 60 days from the Hercules Inlet coast to the South Pole.

The satellite connectivity means sponsors would get social media and online coverage along the way, and would be a great way to put something unique back into the area, he added.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate digital agency to expand

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10 am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Harrogate creative agency, Impression Studio, has announced ambitious plans for growth that will take the agency and its sister business, Next Chapter, to £1m turnover by the end of the financial year 2025.

 The creative agency and digital products agency has 17 staff across two brands; Impression and sister agency, Next Chapter, which specialises in digital marketing.

The business is looking to create 5 additional positions across the board.

CEO and founder Charlie Hartley said:

“We’ve experienced encouraging and sustainable growth within the last 2 years, expanding our international client base and spreading our wings further throughout the UK with the addition of FLOCC earlier this year, which has given us access to exciting businesses in East Anglia.

“Of course, we’re Yorkshire born and bred and we’ve been thrilled to grow in our home county, with the addition of 3 new team members recently and exciting projects like Betty’s and Taylors Group, the company behind the iconic Yorkshire Tea brand. We have ambitious plans to ramp up our sales and marketing activity significantly and hope this will help us reach the £1m turnover mark within the next couple of years, as well as grow the team. It’s an exciting time and we have brilliant people on the journey.”

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Grantley Hall to host recruitment event

Luxury hotel Grantley Hall, near Ripon, is to hold a recruitment night on Monday, October 23.

The ‘Come join our Party’ event marks a fresh approach by the hotel to recruitment.

The hotel says the night promises an ‘unforgettable experience for attendees’ and includes a cocktail masterclass, canapés, mini-massages and the opportunity to meet senior staff  to hear about the different events that are held at Grantley Hall.

In March, Grantley won the Employee Development Award at the Stray Ferret’s Business Awards.

Grantley Hall general manager, Nuno César De Sá, said:

“We’re excited to open our doors to potential team members and showcase the incredible opportunities available at Grantley Hall.

“Our ‘Come Join Our Party’ event is not just about recruiting, it’s about inviting individuals to be a part of a remarkable journey, where they can flourish personally and professionally.”

The event starts at 4pm. For further contact: careers@grantleyhall.co.uk.

Harrogate girl to represent Great Britain at European tennis final

A Harrogate girl will represent Great Britain at a European tennis final following her success in the county round.

Roberta Gaskell, 12, won the U12’s match at the Babolat Cup UK 2023 last month – a tournament she has won every year since she was 8 – and will compete in the final in 2024.

The Harrogate Grammar School pupil played against 15 others representing UK counties.

Roberta also received the opportunity to train at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca for one week.

In addition, she was awarded a 12-month sponsorship contract with Babolat UK Hardware and will be kitted out with rackets, strings and other equipment.

The dates of the training camp have not been confirmed yet, but Roberta’s mother said she will “hopefully get to meet Nadal”.

Mel Gaskell told the Stray Ferret:

“She was amazing at the county competition; she kept her cool and did so well.

“The ironic thing is I nearly didn’t take her to the tournament!”

Roberta will compete in the The Babolat Cup European Masters, which will take place at the All in Country Club, in Lyon. It will see players from the UK, Spain, Holland, Italy, France and Germany go head-to-head.

Her tennis career began when she was 5 at The Academy in Harrogate, which was taken over by David Lloyd in 2017.

Roberta now trains three times a week at Leeds Beckett University and is ranked 47th in the UK for her age, according to the Lawn Tennis Association.

Her mum added:

“She’s such a happy little soul and she’s loving tennis.

“We think of her like a little racehorse.”

Roberta helped her school tennis team reach the regional stage last week.

She also plays rugby and competes in tetrathlons, which involve shooting, swimming, running, and riding.

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Stray Views: Dog attack victim says Harrogate owners need to control their pets

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Nearly daily the news reports serious dog attacks and fatalities. Almost dying because of a dog attack myself, I know how serious the dog problem in the Pinewoods and Valley Gardens could be. I was about seven years of age, just playing in the street with friends when I was attacked by a Spaniel, a neighbour’s family pet.

In my experience, most dog owners are responsible by always keeping their dogs under close control and removing their dog deposits. Most days, dogs running wild and even out of sight of their owners can be seen in these locations. Poo bags are being left on the ground or hanging in trees which is a health risk and another sign of irresponsible dog ownership. This is bad enough, but my main concern is lack of effective control of their dogs by some owners which could result in a serious incident with life changing consequences. I have owned dogs myself in the past and I know how attached owners are to their dogs. I am sure most owners feel their dogs are harmless and they would never attack anyone. The owners of the dog which attacked me, said the same thing.

I am asking all dog owners to consider what I have said and to keep their dogs under close control, in their sight at all times and to remove their dog deposits. I would like to thank the council’s dog warden who has been very helpful in recent years with dog problems in the Pinewoods and Valley Gardens. Having said that, as the council must accept some responsibility for the safety of visitors to these areas, I am calling on them to take note of this very real threat and to take action to prevent irresponsible dog owners.

Lyndon Wallace, Harrogate

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Bog Lanes closure

Would be interested to find out from the council/NYCC whether the road will be one way or two way when it reopens. Looking at the finished junction to the new housing estate, any vehicle wishing to turn left as they exit the new development on to Bogs Lane is going to find it impossible. 

I can only presume that the final decision when its announced will be a permanent closure to through traffic. Personally, I think a closure would be the best outcome. 

The increasing numbers of pedestrians and cyclists using the road, and the width of the roadway, necessitate its permanent closure on health and safety grounds alone. But is this yet another case of public bodies reluctant to make a decision?

Stephen Huxley, Harrogate