A Harrogate village bridge is to fully close tomorrow for five weeks of repair work costing £60,000.

North Yorkshire Council closed the grade two listed Hampsthwaite Bridge suddenly on June 2.

It quickly re-opened to pedestrians and cyclists but has remained closed to vehicles.

Now it is expected to be fully inaccessible until September.

The bridge, on Church Lane, has three arches spanning the River Nidd.

Councillor Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said:

“On inspection of Hampsthwaite Bridge, our engineers found that the parapet has been pushed out over the edge of the bridge deck and this has damaged several of the corbels that support from beneath.

“These need to be repaired and 15 metres of the parapet taken down and rebuilt using hot mixed lime mortar.”

The bridge, which links Hampsthwaite with Clint, is popular with pedestrians, dog walkers, cyclists and runners.

Cllr Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents Hampsthwaite on the council, said:

“We appreciate the disruption the closure is having on road users so please be assured that our engineers have been getting plans in motion to carry out the repairs as quickly as possible.

“We will keep the public updated on the works as they progress.”

Read more:

• Call for speed bumps on Pateley Bridge High Street
• Hampsthwaite garage resubmits plan for new MOT building

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.

Can anyone tell me how any individual whatever political persuasion elected to this office can manage, in their day to day work, all the duties it entails? Highways, Education, Housing, and Police Fire and Crime Commissioner!

The announcement is that the Conservative candidate is also Executive Councillor for Highways, representative for Norton, and Deputy Editor for the Daily Star! All presumably at some fantastic rate of pay. It is bureaucracy gone mad.

Will he resign his position as Norton representative or does that exclude him from becoming Mayoral candidate? It is a complete mystery to me as how local government has gone to such a multi layered institution costing us all much more money and not really seeing results.

We need transparency of what they propose and what they actually achieve, not just a bunch of statistics which, let’s face it, anyone can manipulate.

Best of luck to whoever is finally elected, they will need it.

Sandra Theoblad, Ripon

Unimpressed with Yorkshire Agricultural Society

I would like to echo the comments of other local dog owners concerning the current fencing off of land by the YAS next to the showground. Having walked our dog twice daily through the fields, this is a huge disappointment and loss.

The YAS chairman talks of providing “kilometres of permissive paths” when the reality is a very short section from Hookstone Wood to the car park by the top showground gate.

There was no consultation or advance notification at all and it is a great shame to see the approach taken by YAS, which is particularly inconsiderate to local residents who put up with traffic chaos when big events are held.

Thoroughly unimpressed.

Catriona Cooke, Harrogate 

Read More: 

• Conservatives select highways councillor Keane Duncan to stand for North Yorkshire mayor
• Harrogate dog-walkers shocked by new barbed-wire fencing at showground

Thank you for the music

A gym in Harrogate has offered a free programme to help people suffering from chronic pain.

The six-month programme is based at the Nuffield Health gym in Hornbeam Park.

The programme is funded by the Nuffield charity and is worth roughly £1000 for each participant. It was designed by GPs, physiotherapists, and emotional wellbeing clinicians across the UK.

The course is run three times per year and can accommodate up to 60 participants at each start.

It is open to anyone who has suffered from pain and stiffness around a joint, lower back and neck pain, arthritis, gout and other conditions for more than six months. Participants can be referred to the programme by their GPs or can complete an online self-referral form.

Rehabilitation specialist at Nuffield Harrogate Melanie Hook said:

“At the charity we recognise there’s a need to support people living with chronic joint pain, affecting more than 8.75 million people in the UK and has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The programme aims to empower and enable individuals with chronic joint pain to self-manage their condition and pain symptoms.”

For the first twelve weeks participants are expected to meet twice a week for a group workshop and an exercise session guided by joint pain experts.

Some of the exercises covered include joint strength training, flexibility training, yoga, and swimming. Full gym access is also provided for the entirety of the programme.

After this participants are moved to the next unsupervised phase where they can apply what they learnt in weeks 1-12 individually at the gym.

Those who have completed the programme have reported significant improvements to their pain levels and overall quality of life.

One participant said:

“I feel I have benefited enormously. I feel much stronger. I’m walking better. And my pain has reduced to the extent that I don’t need to take pain relief as much.”

Ms Hook added:

“Our program has been a huge success and since our start, we have had hundreds of participants go through the programme.

“Some stay on at the gym and others have gone away and kept up with their activity in other areas of their lives.”

To find out more click here.

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The combined cost of three public consultations about the creation of Harrogate Town Council is likely to be £140,000, a senior Conservative councillor has said.

This week at a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council, councillors debated proposals to create a town council for Harrogate.

The council would be similar to parish councils in Knaresborough and Ripon but as yet, it has not been confirmed what services it might deliver.

In a second public consultation held earlier this year, residents backed the creation of two councillor wards arranged by the current 10 North Yorkshire Council divisions. Saltergate would have had one councillor.

However, Conservative councillors said they didn’t want to proceed with this model and instead wanted to see single councillor wards based around the 19 former Harrogate Borough Council boundaries.

Councillors ultimately voted by 49 to 32 to back these plans with another public consultation now legally required. It means the new council is not likely to be formed before 2025 — a year later than originally planned.

During the debate, councillors raised concerns about the cost of holding another consultation.

Read more:

• In numbers: Harrogate town council consultation response
• Third consultation to be held on creation of Harrogate town council

Later in the meeting, Liberal Democrat councillor for High Harrogate and Kingsley, Chris Aldred, asked the Conservative executive member for corporate services, David Chance, how much the previous two consultations had cost and how much it would cost to “yet again” go out to the public.

Cllr Chance said that £45,270 was spent on the first consultation and £46,486 on the second with the money spent on printing, postage costs and digital marketing.

He said if the council decides to proceed with a third consultation that would be similar in form the the previous two, it would cost another £48,000.

Although he added that “there are other ways of carrying out this consultation at a much lower cost” but did not give any specifics.

Some rural homes in North Yorkshire could face years of poor broadband, a public meeting in Masham heard this week.

Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who cited rural connectivity as a key issue during her successful campaign this year to represent Masham and Fountains as a Liberal Democrat on North Yorkshire Council, organised the meeting.

Representatives of NYnet, the North Yorkshire Council-owned company set up to increase digital connectivity in the county, said 895 premises in Masham and Fountains currently didn’t have access to super-fast broadband.

They said the third phase of Nynet’s Superfast North Yorkshire project, which is due to end in March next year, should reduce this number by 594, leaving 301 homes unable to get 30 Mbps — the speed required to be classed ‘superfast’.

Robert Ling, speaking at the meeting.

Robert Ling, director of transformation at the council, said superfast coverage across North Yorkshire was expected to be 97% by March.

Mr Ling said this represented significant progress “but this is cold comfort to people here who don’t have it”.

Project Gigabit, the £5 billion government programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband, would reach more homes but Mr Ling admitted there was no timeframe on when all premises would be reached.

Many of the 40 people who attended the meeting at Masham Town Hall expressed frustration at the WiFi they received.

Masham Town Hall. Pic: David Dixon

One said it was a “dreadful service that’s not fit for purpose” and another commented that their WiFi frequently went down whenever it rained hard, making it difficult to run a business.

Mr Ling said because Project Gigabit was a government scheme, and this dependence on central government along with other factors such as cost made it difficult for NYnet to accurately predict what will happen after March next year,

NYnet chair Peter Scrope said the organisation would probably have to run its own project to help the hardest to reach homes.

NYnet chair Peter Scrope

Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said she hoped to arrange a follow-up meeting in March to discuss progress.

Afterwards, she told the Stray Ferret she would like to see the re-introduction of a government voucher scheme that enabled people to install their own gigabit-capable connections at reduced cost. She added:

“This is a matter of concern to many people and there is a great deal of doubt about what is being delivered and what the solutions are.”

Read more:

• Masham councillor to hold public meeting on poor rural broadband
• Masham brewery Theakston returns to profit
• Fears for rural transport as Masham and Ripon minibus service is scrapped

The Selby and Ainsty by-election this week delivered a historic result for Labour and a blow to the ruling Conservative government.

Keir Mather became the youngest MP in parliament at just 25 after overturning the 20,000 majority held by the Tories.

It means Mr Mather becomes the first ever Labour MP to be elected in a constituency that includes part of the Harrogate district.

But, what does this mean for Harrogate and Knaresborough ahead of an upcoming General Election?

Tactical voting

Labour was the main opposition in Selby and Ainsty – however the same cannot be said for Harrogate.

Amid the fallout from the results last night, John Curtis, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, told the BBC that, as with other by-elections, voters opted for “whichever opposition party appeared best able to defeat the local Conservative candidate”.

Should this be replicated in Harrogate at a General Election, it would be the Liberal Democrats and their candidate Tom Gordon.

Currently, they need to make up a 9,675 majority held by Conservative MP, Andrew Jones.

Should they unseat the Tories, it would likely require some Labour voters switching to the Lib Dems in order to vote tactically.

People are sick & tired of this Conservative Government, & they are voting them out.

Another huge historic swing & win for the Lib Dems in Somerton & Frome for @SarahDykeLD proves that in blue wall seats, like Harrogate & Knaresborough, where the @LibDems are 2nd we can win. pic.twitter.com/pzo0o4Vvuj

— Tom Gordon (@tomgordonLD) July 21, 2023

As with the Somerset and Frome election on Thursday, which the Liberal Democrats won, Mr Gordon believes this can be replicated in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

He told Sky News:

“We have seen that people are not overly enthusiastic about Keir Starmer and Labour here [in Selby] in general.

“But they will vote for the second placed party who is best positioned to get rid of the Conservatives.”

Despite Mr Gordon’s confidence over the prospect of unseating the Conservatives, the political forecasters paint a different picture.

The chances of winning in Harrogate and Knaresborough, according to Electoral Calculus.

Electoral Calculus, which uses past voting figures, polling trends and party support to predict the average outcome of seat, has Mr Jones winning a fifth consecutive election with a 56% chance of winning.

By contrast, the Liberal Democrats have 24% chance of winning and Labour 19%.

Mr Jones told BBC News on Thursday that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s five pledges had chimed with people in his constituency despite these being tough times.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats will have work to do to replicate Selby and Ainsty in Harrogate ahead of the next polling day.

Read more:

• Labour overturns huge Tory majority to win Selby and Ainsty by-election
• Harrogate heavyweights out in force at Selby by-election

The Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration has come into bloom across the town.

Harrogate BID has coordinated the floral celebration following success in Yorkshire in Bloom 2022.

Harrogate won overall winner in the Yorkshire Rose Town/City Centre BID category and was a finalist in this year’s RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals.

The event is in partnership with local florist, Helen James Flowers, who was recently awarded a gold medal in the Floristry Awards category at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

The event will showcase several floral installations around the town, with help from Harrogate International Partnerships, RHS, Harrogate in Bloom, and North Yorkshire Council. These include props, an interactive floral trail, and a shop window competition.

The aim is to mark the town’s international links including the twinning of Harrogate with other towns such as Luchon in France, Barrie in Canada, and Wellington in New Zealand.

The shopfront of Helen James’s store on Station Parade.

The Yorkshire Air Museum, in York, has donated a wicker airplane from Canada to feature in the display, while Harrogate’s own Resurrected Bikes has provided bikes to form part of the display also.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager, said:

“We are proud to be recognised as a finalist for the Britain in Bloom UK finals, especially as we are the only town in Yorkshire that made it through to this stage in the competition.

“The Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration will feature unique, vibrant and eye-catching floral displays, each telling a story of how international relations have flourished to bring together the very best of our respective cultures. From a giant Buddha to a floral musical wall, there will be plenty of exciting things to see and experience!”

Parts of the floral trail can be found near Nicholls Tyreman on a corner of Princes Square , Bettys, and the Victoria Shopping Centre.

The event draws on international links.

Helen James, from Helen James Flowers, said:

“We are so honoured to be involved with this special event, which aims to celebrate the town’s beauty and horticultural heritage through an array of stunning floral displays.

“We can’t wait to see the reaction from residents and visitors, as well as welcoming the Britain in Bloom judges.”

The Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration will be on display from Friday July 21, to Friday August 4.

More information on the event can be found here.

Read more:

• Businesses vote ‘yes’ to continue Harrogate BID
• Harrogate florist strikes gold at Chelsea Flower Show

A local boy has cut his hair as part of a fundraiser for a mental health charity.

9-year-old Felix cut off his long hair earlier this week to help raise money for Mind in Harrogate District.

The fundraiser was set up by his family in May and aims to raise enough for a new mental health service for local children.

It aims to raise £10,000 and was launched in memory of Felix’s much-loved great uncle, Dave Keeton.

Mr Keeton took his own life in April this year. He was an educational psychologist, who worked with children and young people for most of his life, so the family felt that it was fitting to raise money for services directly supporting them.

According to Tina Chamberlain, CEO of Mind in Harrogate, 72% of young people in Harrogate District have experienced mental health issues since the pandemic.

She told The Stray Ferret:

“The lack of essential mental health services for young people means that when they eventually pluck up the courage to seek help there is often a lack of adequate support and long waiting lists.”

On their Just Giving page, the family added:

“Opportunities for young people to meet and build relationships face-to-face have disappeared as youth centres and swimming pools have closed, fuelling an epidemic of loneliness.”

The new proposed support service will attempt to alleviate this problem. It will integrate programmes like Drawing and Talking as well as support groups for issues like post-covid anxiety.

The family hope this will provide an effective way for children and young people to process emotional pain or trauma.

In the last week, the fundraiser has seen a huge boost thanks to Felix’s haircutting event generating an extra £2,500 in donations. It is now only a few hundred pounds away from reaching its £10k target.

Felix’s Grandfather, John Barnes told The Stray Ferret:

“The event has worked wonders to raise money and awareness of the issue. Our fundraiser is now well ahead of target thanks to Felix and we’ll be asking him for more creative ideas”

Felix’s mother Suzannah Hepworth commented:

“I am hugely proud of Felix. We were totally blown away by his decision to voluntarily sacrifice his hair as it’s is such a big thing for a nine-year-old to do”

“Felix’s hair is a huge part of his look and his vibe, so to him, cutting it is the biggest sacrifice he could’ve made to show how much he cares and get people to donate”

If you would like to donate or find out more please click the link to the fundraiser here.

Read more

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Insurance brokers Clegg Gifford opened their office in Harrogate yesterday with their superhero mascots in tow.

Clegg Gifford moved into the former Skipton Building Society office on Princes Street and launched with a party, inviting clients and local businesses.

It took just five weeks to get the office, which underwent a full refurbishment, ready for opening.

The move into Harrogate has employed four people so far but the office has the capacity for up to 15.

Toby Clegg, CEO of the Clegg Gifford group, told the Stray Ferret:

“We like to have fun. Insurance is not the most exciting topic but we’re different, we like to bring a bit of fun and put our people at the forefront.

“We find that approach gets a better outcome for our customer and ultimately makes them happier. We have always had a book of business here through our Westminster Insurance so we are building on that good foundation.”

Read more:

• Digital marketing conference to be autumn highlight of business calendar
• New muffin cafe opens in Harrogate

Scott Markham, branch manager at the new Harrogate office, said:

“We’ve had a fantastic turnout today, it’s just what we’ve been hoping for. It’s a fabulous location and well appointed.

“It’s about creating a really warm welcome, we want to be at the centre of the community as friends and neighbours with our potential clients.”

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  and sharing cooking tips– please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.  

My mum introduced me to avocado over four decades ago and I wondered what she loved about a tasteless, mushy mess that discoloured quickly, or so I thought.

She loved telling us the story of how she introduced avocado to her village. As a young woman, she lived with a family in Lagos which was then Nigeria’s capital city, and they had access to imported fruits.

She discovered avocado and decided she wanted to grow them, so she took some seeds back to her parents who planted them. Other farmers took advantage of the seeds with many deciding to grow them.

Avocado is also known as butter or alligator pear and they grow well in warm climates; they are packed full of monounsaturated fatty acids and rich in many vitamins, minerals and fibre. It’s a food to add to your arsenal for weight loss.

My mum simple ate the avocado with a sprinkle of salt; it was so uninspiring that I never bothered with it after the first time I tried it.

Fast forward a few decades; the humble Avocado had become the new kid on the ‘superfood’ block. Avocado toast, the toast of all sandwiches, was pricey and the environmentalists were calculating the distance an avocado travelled and the impact on global warming.

It became the bourgeois thing to eat with Oprah famously having her own avocado farm. Every diet needs to include avocado a few times a week; I had to get on board somehow and give avocado another try so I began to look for ways to enjoy them.

It took a few attempts of guacamole until I got to like it and now, I am at a stage where I can say I enjoy it especially for brunch where I pair it with toasted sourdough, poached eggs and smoked salmon, grilled kippers, pan-fried salmon or prawns.

Avocado, flat mushrooms, sautéed kale and eggs 

I enjoy avocado paired with a simple but well flavoured dressing of ratio 1:1 of lemon juice to olive oil, a pinch of gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) for aesthetics and flavour, freshly cracked black pepper and smoked sea salt. Mix well and drizzle over sliced avocado.

I also pair my avocado with rib eye steak, flatbread, and salads. I use crushed and seasoned avocado as a topping for sweetcorn fritters finished with sweetcorn and smoky bacon-grilled pepper salsa.

Avocado, poached eggs, smoked salmon and samphire 

Avocado mousse is perfect as a light and aerated toping for more elegant dinner. It can provide an air of mystery as diners wonder what is under the light and delicate green cloud. Anything from scallops, prawns and grilled fish to crispy pancetta and chorizo crumps would be perfect underneath the cloud.

It is also great for making vegan or vegetarian desserts.

I am not a huge fan of bananas as I find the flavour too overpowering especially when it is very ripe so banana cakes or breads are a no-no for me. I eat the odd banana when it still has a little bite to it. This also means that banana based smoothies are off the menu so I replace the banana with avocado to get a rich and thick smoothie.

The avocado is undetectable in the smoothie and this was my starting point of introducing them to my diet.

Here’s my recipe for Pineapple Smoothie:

Add 500g of pineapples to a blender

Add 1 medium avocado to the blender

Add a whole lemon (washed) and half the juice of a lime

Add a few fresh mint leaves and a thumb size of fresh ginger

Top with some water (for a less sweet version), or apple or pineapple juice

Blend together until smooth; taste and adjust the sweetness and texture; you can also add some cucumber slices

Serve poured over some ice for a refreshing smoothie.

I hope you give avocado a go and find ways to include them in your diet.

This weekend, I am doing three chef demos at Yorkshire Dales Food Festival and I am at Yolk Farm and Minskip Farm shop on Saturday, July 29. Drop by and come say hi if you’re in the area.

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