Harrogate Grammar School head says 20mph zone should include Otley Road

The headteacher of Harrogate Grammar School has said a section of Otley Road should be reduced to 20mph to improve safety for schoolchildren.

North Yorkshire Council announced last week speed limits will be introduced outside seven schools in Harrogate under plans for a “landmark” 20mph zone across Pannal Ash and Oatlands.

The move followed repeated calls from headteachers and parents to introduce lower speed limits around schools following high-profile collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians. This included an incident this year that left two schoolchildren in hospital.

The seven schools Harrogate Grammar School (HGS), Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.

The 20mph zone by HGS will be introduced on Arthurs Avenue and its surrounding side roads.

But the headteacher of Harrogate’s largest secondary school Neil Renton said the zone should be extended to include the busy B6162 Otley Road, which is a key route in-and-out of town and currently has a limit of 30mph.

A statement was read out on behalf of Mr Renton at a meeting of councillors on the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee on Thursday.

He said:

“I absolutely support the landmark scheme put forward and hope this pioneering initiative will also include Otley Road. A large number of students leaving the site at start and end of school would make it entirely sensible to reduce the speed limit on Otley Road.

“Our staff see the need for this daily when supervising children. As a school we fully support reducing the speed limit for the safety of children in our community and hope you will also include Otley Road.”

Read more:

Officers published a report ahead of the meeting that said due to national and council policy as well as “the volume of traffic” on Otley Road it would not be possible to introduce a 20mph speed limit.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Bilton Grange and New Park, Monika Slater, asked the council’s chief highways officer Melisa Burnham if she was aware of how other cities had “circumvented” national guidelines to introduce 20mph limits on A or B roads.

Ms Burnham said: 

“We do look at examples in best cases across the country, so yeah, the team certainly have the knowledge but whether it’s something we can look at for the specifics here I’m not sure. 

“We do have that policy in place for a reason and we do have to adhere to it. It’s about that consistency across not just Harrogate but across the county as well.”

Police officer bumps into shoplifting suspect in Knaresborough McDonalds toilets

A police officer bumped into a suspected shoplifter when he used the toilets at McDonald’s in Knaresborough today.

The roads policing officer was on routine patrol at St James Retail Park when he and colleagues were alerted to a theft at a nearby store just before 1pm.

Three suspects were detained within five minutes after a member of the public directed officers to four people running from the store.

Police at the scene today.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“There was one outstanding suspect and extensive police resource which included a police dog unit, roads policing officers and response officers were sent to the area.

“One of the officers who was assigned to the search needed to use the bathroom, so he made a quick trip into the nearby McDonalds.

“The officer couldn’t believe his luck when he walked in and spotted a person who matched the description of the outstanding suspect.”

Two men in their 20s, a 19-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and are currently in police custody.

Read more:

 

Harrogate set to host three-day music weekender

Harrogate Business Improvement District is preparing to host the town’s first three-day music weekend.

Harrogate Music Weekender will include live performances, street entertainers and special offers to drive footfall to the town’s hospitality venues.

The weekender, from Friday, October 13 to Sunday, October 15, will begin with an Ibiza-themed event at The Yorkshire Hotel, followed by singo bingo — a mixture of bingo and music — at The Crown Hotel the following night.

With more acts to be revealed, visitors can also expect live performances from local musicians and artists at The Den, Piccolino, and Revolucion de Cuba.

A walking DJ booth and immersive street performances will also be on offer over the weekend.

The BID, which is funded by a levy paid by town centre businesses, organises initiatives that boost the town centre.

BID members in the hospitality industry told the organisation trade dips between summer and Christmas – leaving them with a gap ahead of the festive season.

It hopes the event will combat this by encouraging locals and tourists to spend more time in the town centre.

The weekend will be soundtracked by a range of music from rock and acoustic to live DJs and throwback hits.

Bethany Allen, business and marketing executive at Harrogate BID, said:

“A number of our BID members fed back to us that October can sometimes be a bit of a challenging gap between the summer and Christmas.

“With the confidence of a new five-year term, the BID team set about launching a new fun and exciting campaign that will showcase Harrogate in a different light.

“We are very excited to launch the first ever Harrogate Music Weekender and, with around 30 venues showing interest in being involved, it should be a weekend to remember.”

Bobs Cormack, manager at The Den, added:

“It’s awesome to see our town rallying behind musicians, especially the venues that are taking on the challenge of hosting live music for the first time.

“I’ll, of course, be busy down in The Den – I’m very jealous of everyone who gets to explore the town centre, catching the fantastic acts along the way. It’s going to be an incredible weekend.”

The two opening events are ticketed and bookings can be made online.

The rest of the events are free to attend.

Read more:

 

No date for Harrogate horticultural nursery move

North Yorkshire Council has said it does not know when a planned relocation of Harlow Nurseries will take place.

The site on Nursery Lane is where the council grows flowers for its displays across the district. It also sells plants to members of the public to bring in revenue.

However, the land it’s on is allocated for housing in the council’s Local Plan and a 62-home scheme is planned.

Harrogate Borough Council, in one of its last acts before being abolished to make way for the new unitary authority, proposed buying land to the north-east of Harrogate to relocate the nursery.

But since North Yorkshire Council took over in April, there has been no public comments on the move.

North Yorkshire Council has now confirmed the sale did go through.

But it added that a review of horticulture across North Yorkshire is underway and the move can not progress until that review is completed.

Read more:

A Harrogate Borough Council report did not disclose its specific location, citing a confidentiality exemption, but did say the land is in the former Killinghall and Hampsthwaite ward and is valued above £250,000.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for highways and transportation, Barrie Mason, said this week: 

“While the purchase of land in the former Killinghall and Hampsthwaite ward was completed earlier this year by the former Harrogate Borough Council, there is currently no date for the nurseries to move.

“This is due to a review of horticultural provision across North Yorkshire following local government reorganisation.

“The nurseries remain located at Harlow Hill which, in accordance with the Local Plan, is allocated for housing.”

No resolution in sight for rough sleeping den in Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens

The occupation of the pavilion in Harrogate‘s Crescent Gardens by a group of rough sleepers shows no sign of ending.

The rough sleepers, who have refused offers of accommodation, have been living in the pavilion for 12 days.

The Stray Ferret first reported concerns about anti-social behaviour last week.

Nearby residents continue to express frustration while police and council officers say resolving the situation is complex.

North Yorkshire Council told the Stray Ferret last week the people in the pavilion had been “offered accommodation daily”.

In an update yesterday, Andrew Rowe, the council’s assistant director for housing, said:

“We continue to work with our partners to tackle this complicated issue.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police, which had not previously commented, said:

“Local officers and PCSOs have attended the location regularly and will continue to engage with the individuals going forward.

“Homelessness is a complex issue that requires the input of a number of local partners to resolve.

“We are committed to working jointly with partners, local businesses, and residents to find a solution for everyone involved.”

Nearby residents remain frustrated by the apparent stalemate.

Kirk Wilber-Moran, who wrote a letter to us expressing his concern last weekend, said this morning:

“Whilst the amount of people there has reduced the armoury of belongings and/or rubbish has doubled, if not tripled, since the weekend.

“We still have people using the bandstand as a hangout base to congregate and drink and are there into the late evening. Still lots of noise and yesterday a woman aggressively shouting at people walking through the gardens.

“Nothing seems to be happening and no one seems to care as it’s not on their doorstep.”

Read more:

 

New head begins at Harrogate school

A new head teacher has started at a Harrogate school.

Phil Soutar has taken the helm at Ashville Prep School, a fee paying school for children in years one to six.

The school also announced today it has become a member of the Independent Schools Association, which represents the heads of about 650 independent schools.

Mr Soutar, who is national chair of the ISA, said:

“I look forward to leading the prep school on the next phase of its development journey, and sharing my vision for the year ahead when our focus will centre on optimising creativity, excellence and opportunity for every pupil.

“Becoming a member of the ISA will help us deliver these aims by opening up a greater range of activities and creative experiences for our children.”

Mr Soutar was previously head at Rosemead Prep School and Nursery in Dulwich, South London.

Being part of the ISA enables pupils to take part in regional and national events for sport, art, music and drama and gives teachers access to courses and continuous professional development.

Ashville Prep School is part of Ashville College, which is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged two to 18.

It consists of Ashville Acorns pre-prep, and Ashville’s prep school, senior school and sixth form.

Read more:

 

Council confirms Harrogate bridge is damaged again

North Yorkshire Council has confirmed a historic bridge in a Harrogate village has been damaged — just days after it reopened.

Grade two-listed Hampsthwaite Bridge, which was initially constructed in 1598, closed suddenly on June 2 for £60,000 repairs.

it reopened on September 7 but concerns were raised when a photo appeared on social media of a large JCB crossing the bridge.

Phil Richardson, the council’s bridges manager, said today:

“One of the parapets on Hampsthwaite Bridge has been damaged and we are currently considering what action needs to be taken.

“We will be carrying out a thorough inspection of the bridge and will update the public as soon as possible.”

The council’s inspection confirms the findings of local resident and retired engineer Martin Weston, who checked the bridge after reading concerns about the JCB crossing.

Mr Weston told the Stray Ferret the parapet walls had been pushed out and loosened over a six-metre section.

He reported his findings to Hampsthwaite Parish Council, which forwarded them on to North Yorkshire Council, which is the highways authority.

Read more:

 

Business Breakfast: Care recruitment event to be held in Harrogate

A recruitment event for the care sector will be held in Harrogate.

Yorkshire Care Alliance, a charity which was launched to help recruit staff, is set to host a workshop on September 26.

The event will take place at Pavilions in Harrogate from 10am until 11.30am.

Facilitated by Nick Bramley from Impactus Group, the workshop will focus on the challenges care companies face both recruiting and retaining staff.

Nick Swash, chief executive of Yorkshire Care Alliance, said: 

“There are so many challenges facing not only care companies, but unpaid carers and the whole industry.

“No one organisation exists to take on these challenges and look for solutions. We have set up the Yorkshire Care Alliance to fill this void and bring together people from across the whole sector to help address the problems.

“It is all about working together, positivity and finding solutions together. This is why we launched with six free sessions across the region, each covering different topics such as CQC inspections, insurance and recruitment.”

Harrogate independent nursery makes new appointments

A Harrogate independent nursery has appointed new senior staff.

Magic Tree Nursery, part of independent Harrogate prep school Belmont Grosvenor, has appointed a new head and deputy head of early years to lead the nursery.

Mother-of-two Hayley Thompson, 37, and Sarah Birt, 27, have been appointed to the roles.

The pair will be tasked with leading a new ‘curiosity approach’ to early-years learning and development.

Nathan Sadler, headmaster at Belmont Grosvenor School, said:

“There have already been a number of changes in our early years department over the summer, and we are excited about the future as we help build strong foundations for our children to thrive in an ever-changing world.”

Read more:

 

Latest £100,000 Harrogate cycle plan branded ‘a waste of money’ — by cyclists

Plans to spend £100,000 on making a minor Harrogate road better for cycling have been branded a waste of taxpayers’ money.

North Yorkshire Council revealed this month it wants to upgrade Nursery Lane into an off-road leisure route.

It was one of 10 proposals put forward costing £585,000 to reduce congestion in west Harrogate.

But the no through road off Otley Road is already tarmacked and gets very little traffic, prompting cyclists to question the merit of the scheme.

A meeting of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee heard a statement from David Mitchell, of Harrogate District Cycle Action, which said spending £100,000 on Nursery Lane was “not sensible because it would not make a meaningful difference to the cycle network”.

Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, told the meeting the cycling community had told him the proposal was “a complete waste of money because that lane is already safe”.

Read more:

The Hedgehog Cycling website has also been highly critical of the scheme. A blog post, which does not identify the author, said:

“Nursery Lane is already fine as it is. There is very little traffic, no through traffic, and a sealed surface. There is absolutely no need for a cycle track. Spending £100,000 on it would be an outrageous waste of public money.

“Nursery Lane could be a useful cut-through from an Otley Road cycleway to Harlow Moor Road – but there would need to be an Otley Road cycleway. As it is, North Yorkshire Council is intent on building ‘ribs but no spine’ which is brainless.”

Cyclists’ frustration is compounded by the council’s failure to deliver on schemes such as the Station Gateway, Otley Road cycle path, Beech Grove and Victoria Avenue, which were supposed to form part of a connected route.

Mr Mitchell also criticised another of the 10 proposals, which is to spend £25,000 on a review of cycle route signs.

He said signs were improved in 2014 and cyclists “need safe cycle routes not more signposts”. He added spending £25,000 “presumably to consultants WSP would be a waste of public money”.

Discussing Nursery Lane at last week’s meeting, the council’s area highways manager Melisa Burnham said “there’s certainly been a historic desire from locals to see that widened and improved to improve the links that side of Harrogate”.

Ms Burnham said the transport measures had been compiled by an officer group that took part in community engagements, including one with Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association in May.

She said that meeting included representatives from the local cycling group.

Traffic lights at the junction of Cold Bath Road, Otley Road and Arthurs Avenue.

The council has also faced criticism about the biggest of its 10 proposed schemes, which is a £200,000 upgrade of the traffic lights at the junction of Otley Road, Cold Bath Road and Arthurs Avenue.

Arnold Warneken, the Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, told last week’s meeting the proposal was “sustainable for cars but not sustainable for active travel and the environment”.

Mr Burnham said the signal upgrade would relieve congestion, which was a “key objective” of the funding and the junction improvements “would create a safe space”.

New national retailer set to open in Harrogate

A new upmarket national retailer is set to open a store on Harrogate’s West Park.

Mandarin Stone, which sells natural stone, porcelain and decorative tiles for homes and businesses, will open in the former Lynx Menswear unit.

Helen Cox-Rawnsley, a director of Montpellier Property Consultants, announced today it had let the site.

The site of the new store.

Mandarin Stone already has showrooms in 15 locations, mainly in southern England and Wales.

The family-run business, which is based in Monmouth, announced last week that its pre-tax profit for the year ended 31 December 2022 had increased to £7.5 million, compared with £6.9 million the year before.

Alma Small, managing director of Mandarin Stone who founded the business more than 30 years ago, said the company continued to grow “despite the challenges and uncertainty within the building sector”.

The company’s website says it has “the most innovative and exciting wall and floor surfaces to the UK market, placing Mandarin Stone at the forefront of interior design”.

Read more: