Major new exhibition seeks sponsors for young artists

Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate is appealing for sponsors to support a major new exhibition this summer. 

The show, called Total Recall: Myth and Memory, will feature archive works and new acquisitions, as well as some contemporary works by five young Northern artists.  

Co-curator Joe Nickols said: 

“We are exhibiting some highlights from our collections, including John Piper prints, paintings of Harrogate by  John Atkinson Grimshaw, and intriguing works by Cândido Portinari.
“New acquisitions come from Lisa Dracup, Kate Mellor, Caroline Walker, Dorothy Cross, and Martin Creed. To complement this we are working with five contemporary Northern artists to further the exhibitions resonance to our area and explore how art is developing. These artists are: Sally Barker, Ka Bird, Jill McKnight, K Walker, and Hang Zhang.

“The exhibition is a great opportunity for these new artists to show their work in a public gallery. We are hoping to grow a budget of around £2,000, which will go to support the artists, transportation of artwork, and outreach production costs. The Mercer Art Gallery is striving to be more inclusive and grow engagement with the local community, and this exhibition is part of this progression.”

Metallic fluid-looking pink and white shapes on a black background - detail from plmvlt, a 2021 work by Newcastle artist Ka Bird.

A detail from plmvlt, a 2021 work by Newcastle artist Ka Bird.

The exhibition, due to run from July 13 to the end of October, will feature some pieces that have been seldom seen, as well as others which may be more familiar to viewers, such as a copy of Work No. 88 by Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed. The work caused considerable controversy and made headlines internationally when it was first unveiled in 1995, as it consists simply of a “sheet of A4 paper crumpled into a ball”. 

Joe said: 

“Some people don’t enjoy that piece, but it does ask a lot of questions. What was it? What memory was inside it? What does it contain?” 

Mercer Art Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of works by Yorkshire-born Martin Creed, in collaboration with Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. 

Creed’s Work No. 370 Balls 2004 fills the entire main gallery at the Mercer. The vast installation features nearly 1,000 balls of different scale, weight and texture. Visitors will also be able to see Creed’s iconic neon Work No. 890: Don’t Worry 2008 alongside Work No. 1340 2012, a large-scale wall painting of diagonal stripes. 

Artist Rooms Martin Creed runs until July 2, and admission is free. 

For information on Mercer Art Gallery and its exhibitions, go to its page on the North Yorkshire Council website. 

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Stray Views: Concern over potential accidents on Boroughbridge Road

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.

As a long-term resident of the Boroughbridge Road area I am ‘pre-warning’ of a potential major accident in the stretch between Stockwell Road junction and Bar Lane Roundabout.

Forgive my ‘remembrance’ but the last time I consulted the Highway Code it stated that “bar special circumstances”, it is illegal to park within 10m of a junction.

There is a constant presence of vans, cars, trucks and 4WD monsters parked on Boroughbridge Road opposite to Somerley Lane, Norwood Court, Norwood Close and even Chain Lane.

Which means that traffic emerging from these roads has to take account of the fact that heavy traffic headed towards Boroughbridge has to divert to lane two to avoid the illegally parked traffic and the traffic heading Knaresborough bound has to both award the turning traffic and the oncoming traffic.

As a vast amount of this traffic is HGV and white vans, there will be a major disaster.

In any event parking on the pavement is also illegal. A good case for lots of yellow lines.

Maurice Johnson, Knaresborough

Motorbikes on the Greenway

Just a quick note to inform that there are now regular instances of motorbikes being ridden on these paths. We back onto the paths at the top end of Bilton Lane and almost daily hear and partially observe the mask-wearing so-and-so’s disregarding other users. Usually in small groups, particularly in the evening.

Would be useful to get this on the police radar before any person or pet are injured.

Richard Chester, Harrogate

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Harrogate man given suspended sentence for threatening to kill policeman

A Harrogate homeless man has been given an 18-week suspended prison sentence for threatening to kill a policeman.

Ryan Hopper, 20, admitted the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Harrogate on Thursday.

Hopper, of Harrogate Homeless Project on Bower Street, threatened the officer on Rudbeck Drive in Harrogate on May 14 this year.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting the same officer on the same day on Dalby Avenue.

Court documents said he was given a custodial sentence because of his previous record and the fact the offences were committed while he was subject to a community order. He was also fined £240.

However, the prison sentence was suspended for 18 months because there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”, the documents added.

Hopper received a community order on January 5 this year for affray, possessing class B drugs, possessing an offensive weapon and threatening violence on Bower Street.

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Pioneering young Harrogate barrister appointed judge

A Harrogate barrister has been announced as the youngest ever black and minority ethnic crown court judge in the UK.

Ayesha Smart, 34, can now sit as a Recorder in crown courts across the north east of England.

As well as being the youngest non-white person to take up the role, she will be the third youngest person from any background to be selected.

The process of becoming a judge is complex, involving two sets of exams, a role play exercise and an interview – and the final approval has to be given by the King.

Ayesha told the Stray Ferret:

“Everybody says it takes several goes at the process to get through, so I thought I would give it a go and at least I know what it’s like.

“I anticipated I might be one of the youngest ones in the exams, so I assumed I wouldn’t get anywhere. It was a bit of a nice surprise when I got it!”

Ayesha, who lives near Killinghall, attended Ashville College when she moved to Nidderdale with her family when she was 14.

She went on to study A levels in biology, chemistry and maths, as well as music which she sat early, at St Aidan’s and St John Fisher Associated Sixth Form, before completing an undergraduate degree in medical sciences at the University of Leeds.

Her first professional job was as a pathologist at Harrogate District Hospital, but she decided to turn to the law and completed a conversion course in Leeds.

Quickly securing a pupilage place to complete her training, she was called to the bar in 2014, and has since been working in crown courts around Yorkshire.

Her appointment as Recorder, confirmed on Wednesday this week, means she will undertake an induction before sitting in the role for at least 30 days a year.

Ayesha says she is not nervous about the appointment, adding:

“I come from a science background before I went into law. For me, analysing things and coming to a decision is the bit I find easier.

“For the induction course, we get packed up in a group of other Recorders. Having to do it all in front of them will be slightly nerve-wracking!

“I’m kind of excited – I just want to get going.”

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To begin with, Ayesha will continue to work as a barrister part-time. She can then decide whether to continue the dual role or move to be a full-time judge.

She hopes she will help the justice service to tackle a huge backlog of cases that has built up in recent years. She added:

“One of the two-day trials I’m working on, the earliest date we could get for the trial was next October. That’s how backlogged everything is at the moment.

“If one of my trials [as a barrister] collapses and I end up with a bunch of dates free, they may say, ‘we’ve got some cases you can hear’.”

And that is not the only way in which Ayesha hopes to make a difference.

As a pioneering BAME woman, she is aware that her presence will be noticed by the people in front of her.

She said:

“The bar, as a profession, is all old, white, posh people. At least with people like me coming through, it’s a bit more representative of society.

“So many defendants aren’t white. If they see people more like them, it just helps in giving a better perception of fairness.

“Having somebody slightly younger probably helps as well – a more modern way of thinking rather than an old-fashioned approach to everything.

“The drug sentencing guidelines, they’ve had to put a reminder to judges that Blacks and Asians typically get a harsher sentence and ask them to remember that.

“Having someone who appreciates cultural differences and biases, you are a bit more alive to making sure people are treated equally.”

See where your councillor spent their locality budget

North Yorkshire Council has revealed the spend for councillor’s locality budgets for the last financial year.

Each councillor on the authority is given a budget of £10,000 to spend in the area they represent.

The money is spent on small schemes which “promote the social, economic or environmental wellbeing of the communities they represent”.

This can include items for local charities, maintaining public footpaths and cleaning memorials or attractions.

Projects and activities can include services provided by the council provided that these are additional to normal service levels and do not create an ongoing expenditure commitment for the council

Here is a breakdown on what councillors in the Harrogate district spent in the last financial year.

Cllr Chris Aldred – High Harrogate and Kingsley

£2,000 Provision of essential items for the Winter Warmth Project / Harrogate District Foodbank

£1,000 Fund the purchase and planting of new trees on the Stray in Harrogate / Harrogate Borough Council Parks and Environmental Services

£750 Fund the children’s visit and travel costs to the Elf Village in Harrogate / Grove Road Community Primary School

£2,000 Purchase and installation of LED lighting at Harrogate Community House / Harrogate & District Community Action

£3,000 Provide a contribution towards the creation of the sensory garden / Harrogate Neighbours

£1,250 Fund the Willow workshop, Willow planting and pond development at the school / Northern Star Academies Trust at Harrogate High School

Cllr Margaret Atkinson – Masham and Fountains

£1,090 Fund the rent increase and purchase of projector and trolley / Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA).

Cllr Atkinson died last year while serving as a councillor

Cllr Philip Broadbank – Fairfax and Starbeck

£5,000 Fund phase two of new playground equipment at the school / Willow Tree School Parent Teachers Association.

£5,000 Fund the replacing of the door to the ground floor side entrance at Harrogate Community House / Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA).

Cllr Barbara Brodigan – Ripon Ure Bank and Spa

£1,195 Purchase of tools, equipment and a customised picnic bench / Ripon Community Link.

£500 Fund the cutting of the grass verges and planting flowering bulbs along Ripon by-pass / Ripon Rotary Club.

£500 Fund the venue hire and equipment for the 5th Poetry Festival in Ripon / Ripon Poetry Festival £1,000 Fund the provision of financial literacy advice and guidance for the community hub / Ripon Community House.

£2,500 Fund the services of a youth leader at the drop-in sessions / Ripon YMCA.

£1,000 Fund the materials for children’s workshops and activities in Ripon Library / Ripon Theatre Festival.

£1,000 Fund the wool and fixings for the knitted displays around Ripon / Ripon Community Poppy Project.

£1,009 Purchase of a digital printer for the students / Evolve.

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Cllr Nick Brown – Wathvale and Bishop Monkton

£2,000 Provision of a traffic management scheme with a 40mph speed limit in Cundall Village / Cundall and Norton le Clay Parish Council.

£2,000 Purchase and installation of a VAS for Sharow Village / Sharow Parish Council.

£1,500 Fund the purchase of materials and equipment for the creation of a Garden of Sanctuary/Bishop Monkton CE Primary School.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Marton Le Moor Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Hewick and Hutton Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Roecliffe and Westwick Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Wath and Norton Conyers Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / North Stainley with Sleningford Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Cundall and Norton Le Clay Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Langthorpe Parish Council.

£312.50 Purchase of food, refreshments, prizes and decorations for the village community Coronation event / Rainton with Newby Parish Council.

Sam Gibbs

Councillor Sam Gibbs (centre) at the installation of tree lights in Harrogate

Cllr Sam Gibbs – Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate

£1,500 Fund the coach hire for the ladies’ team away games / Harrogate Rugby Club.

£3,000 Fund the materials to carry out building and plumbing repairs and install LED lights / Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA).

£4,000 Purchase and installation of ‘ball catch’ netting and a rope barrier / Harrogate Pythons RUFC £1,500 Fund the Pikorua sculpture in the New Zealand Garden in the Valley Gardens in Harrogate /Harrogate International Partnerships.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow – Knaresborough East

£1,000 Provision of weekly food supplies from Fareshare / Resurrected Bites.

£1,000 Fund the staffing costs for the kiosk at Conyngham Hall / Chain Lane Community Hub. £1,250 Fund the purchase of a replacement cooker for the Wellbeing Hub’s kitchen /Knaresborough Wellbeing Hub.

£750 Provision of funding for the festive tea party, catering and Christmas project / Knaresborough Lions Club.

£1,000 Fund the purchase of replacement benches for Jacob Smith Park, Knaresborough / Friends of Jacob Smith Park.

£1,500 Fund the support for the running costs of the Junior Youth Club / Inspire Youth Yorkshire. £1,000 Installation of a defibrillator and cabinet in Old Scriven Village, Knaresborough / Scriven Parish Council.

£2,500 Provision of 4 Vehicle Activated Speed signs for Knaresborough / Knaresborough Town Council.

Cllr Michael Harrison – Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate

£500 Purchase of reusable plastic glasses for the event in July / Hampsthwaite Feast.

£1,000 Fund the restoration of the flagpole at the village church / Hampsthwaite PCC.

£1,160 Fund the improvements to PROW 15.65/18/1 at Crag Lane Killinghall to improve safety and accessibility / NYCC PRoW.

£1,340 Provide a contribution to the operational costs of the No 24 Winter Bus Service / Dales & Bowland Community Interest Co.

£750 Fund the preparation of drawings for the expansion project / Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall.

£300 Fund a contribution to the running costs and white goods replacement / Hampsthwaite Village Room.

£3,950 Fund the resurfacing of the public footpath in the churchyard forming the Medieval Way/Hampsthwaite – Thomas a Becket Church.

£500 Fund a contribution to the cost of various potential initiatives in the parish / Killinghall Parish Council.

£500 Fund a contribution to the cost of the digital champion / Nidderdale Plus Community Hub.

Bilton and Woodfield Community Library

Bilton and Woodfield Community Library

Cllr Paul Haslam – Bilton and Nidd Gorge

£2,558 Fund the room hire and volunteer costs for the weekly support group / New Beginnings.£3,438 Provide a contribution to the running costs of New Park Grocery / New Park Resurrected Bites.

£749 Fund the purchase of essential cleaning products and accessories for the River Nidd water improvement project / Bilton Conservation Group.

£750 Fund 6 months of rent for Dean Park Community Group / St Johns Church Bilton.

£345 Purchase a replacement folding table and banner for the library / Bilton and Woodfield Library.

£2,160 Purchase fleeces for the volunteers and 2 months fresh fruit & veg / Harrogate Foodbank.

Cllr Peter Lacy – Coppice Valley and Duchy

£1,500 Purchase soft furnishings and equipment for the ‘Warm & Well’ space / Coppice Valley Primary School.

£1,500 Fund the Pikorua sculpture in the New Zealand Garden in the Valley Gardens in Harrogate /Harrogate International Partnerships.

£1,500 Fund the trip to Harrogate Theatre for pupils to see the pantomime / Coppice Valley Primary School.

£1,000 Purchase a vehicle activated sign for the village / Duchy Residents Association.

£2,960 Purchase of furniture and fittings for Birk Crag Girl Guiding Centre / Birk Crag Girl Guiding Centre.

£982 Fund the plants, materials and labour for the Bog Garden at Coppice Valley Primary School / Horticap Nursery.

£558 Fund the cost of converting Harrogate Community House to high quality LED lighting with individual controls / Harrogate & District Community Action.

Cllr John Mann – Oatlands and Pannal

£1,000 Fund the WOW walk to school scheme / Oatlands Infant and Junior Schools.

£4,000 Funding of the general running costs for Oatlands Community Centre / The Trustees of Oatlands Community Centre CIO.

£1,500 Purchase and installation of a commemorative bench for Queen Elizabeth II / Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council.

£3,500 Fund the re-furbishment, replacing and provision of additional lights within the 7-8 trees on the Green / Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council.

Cllr Pat Marsh – Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone

£300 Purchase of training balls and match balls, with any remainder put towards coach transport to away matches / Harrogate Rugby Club.

£500 Fund the minibus hire and activities to support people with Dementia / Dementia Forward.

£300 Purchase of gardening equipment for junior school children / Hookstone Chase Primary School £380 Purchase a speed radar gun / The Langcliffe Community Group.

£1,000 Fund the WOW walk to school scheme / Oatlands Infant and Junior Schools.

£2,000 Fund the purchase and installation of LED lighting at Harrogate Community House / Harrogate & Area Council for Voluntary Service Ltd.

£500 Fund the heating costs for the Warm Wednesday community club / Oatlands Community Group.

Cllr Andrew Murday – Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale

£1,500 Fund the co-ordination of the community transport service/Nidd Plus Partnership.

£750 Fund the accommodation, transport, catering, tutors’ fees, venue hire, music purchase and hire for the winter residential course / Vacation Chamber Orchestras (VaCO).

£1,500 Fund the winter Sunday service on bus route 24 between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge/Dales & Bowland Community Interest Co.

£1,000 Purchase and installation of a servery with disabled access in the foyer of the Playhouse/Pateley Bridge Dramatic Society.

£725 Purchase of materials to enclose the kitchen in the workshop / Nidderdale and Pateley Bridge Men’s Shed CIO.

£1,000 Fund the purchase of materials for the redecoration of the Pateley Playhouse / Pateley Bridge Dramatic Society.

£1,000 Fund the maintenance of the Christmas lights / Pateley Bridge Town Council.

£1,000 Fund the resurfacing of the courts at Dacre Tennis Club / Dacre Tennis Club.

£1,000 Purchase a replacement oven for the village hall kitchen / Dacre and Hartwith Village Hall.£525 Fund a contribution towards the Digital Champion Coordinator’s salary / Nidderdale Plus Community Hub.

Cllr Andrew Paraskos – Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale & Tockwith

£300 To purchase a replacement battery for the defibrillator / Wighill Parish Council

£1,000 Fund the materials and hire of the petting farm for the show / Tockwith and District Agricultural Society.

£500 Fund the printing of the parish and village Christmas edition of the magazine / The Church of the Epiphany.

£300 Provision of an ice cream van for the pupils on the last day of term / Tockwith CE Primary School.

£1,000 Fund the replacement and installation of new equipment for the play area / Kirkby Overblow Summer Arts Festival.

£300 Fund the coach hire for the ladies’ team away games / Harrogate Rugby Club.

£400 Fund the purchase of a Christmas tree and refreshments for the carol service / Kirk Deighton Parish Council.

£1,000 Purchase and install a second defibrillator at the other end of the village / Kirk Deighton Parish Council.

£300 Fund the room hire for the weekly sewing and chatting club / The Crafty Hens.

£800 Purchase and install a new notice board for the village / North Deighton Parish Council.

£300 Fund the production and printing of the by-monthly parish magazine / Wighill Parish Council. £300 Purchase of food for the Christmas Party / Tockwith Community Hub.

£1,000 Purchase and installation of a white gate on the verge next to the highway / Sicklinghall Parish Council.

£1,000 Purchase and install a new defibrillator / Little Ribston Village Hall Committee.

£500 Fund the purchase of a new bench for Follifield Play Area / Follifoot Parish Council.

£1,000 Fund the installation of a new bench / Tockwith with Wilstrop Parish Council.

Rossett Acre Primary School

Rossett Acre Primary School

Cllr Michael Schofield – Harlow & St Georges

£450.99 Purchase a hammer drill, dummy CCTV camera, promotion table, cloth and printing / Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA).

£875 Purchase 6 copies of each of the Phase 2 Phonics Books so to provide “Guided Reading” in Reception / Rossett Acre Primary School.

£1,500 Fund the swimming for the pupils at the school / Rossett Acre Primary School.

£5,000 Fund the installation of strengthened glass on the balcony at Harrogate Cricket Club / Little Crickets Nursery.

£400 Purchase sensory equipment to aid in the development of children at the nursery / Little Crickets Nursery.

£750 Funding the Green Elf production for the children to educate them on and around ecological issues / Rossett Acre Primary School.

£1,024.01 Fund the Year 6 pupils’ residential trip to East Barnby / Rossett Acre Primary School.

Cllr Monika Slater – Bilton Grange & New Park

£1,872.84 Purchase equipment for the polycom system to evolve the digital activities / Open Country .

£476 Fund the van hire and fuel for the Jamboree trip / 16th Harrogate Club Scout Group.

£5,000 To extend the footpath from Redhill Road up to the corner of Knox Avenue / NYCC Highways. 

£302 Fund the purchase of a wheelchair ramp and kitchen equipment for the Big Breakfasts / Bilton Community Centre.

£1,500 Purchase of 13 new mattresses / Harrogate Homeless Project.

£849.16 Fund the purchase of 3 x eDNA bacteria testing kits from Nature Metric / Bilton Conservation Group.

Cllr Matt Walker – Knaresborough West

£2,000 Fund the printing costs of the Harrogate District Breakfree Pack / Open Country.

£500 Fund the purchase of a lawn mower cartridge to rake the grass / Crown Green Bowling Club.

£1,000 Fund the purchase of flags and bunting for the Arts Trail and Entertainment / FEVA.

£500 Purchase of garden supplies for the creation of the community garden at Conyngham Hall/Knaresborough Connectors.

£1,000 Provision of weekly food supplies from Fareshare / Resurrected Bites

£1,000 Fund the purchase of replacement benches for Jacob Smith Park, Knaresborough / Friends of Jacob Smith Park.

£1,000 Purchase a new cooker, hood and extractor fan for the Scout Hut / 1st Knaresborough Scout Group.

£2,500 Provision of 4 Vehicle Activated Speed signs for Knaresborough / Knaresborough Town Council.

£500 Fund the coach hire and entrance fees for the day trips / Harrogate & District Over 50s Forum.

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Cllr Arnold Warneken – Ouseburn

£400 Fund the materials for the Jurassic beach at the show / Tockwith Show.

£684 Fund the cleaning of the village war memorial and plaque / Kirk Hammerton Parish Council.

£715.20 Provision of a solar pavilion clock / Whixley Cricket Club.

£992.75 Fund a contribution towards the production of Treasure Island the panto / Badapple Youth Theatre Group.

£1,000 Purchase and install a parish council noticeboard / Nun Monkton Parish Council.

£672 Fund the groundworks and labour for the Parish Woodland Restoration project / Marton cum Grafton Parish Council.

£2,141.90 Fund the purchase of materials and tools for the wildlife haven at Goosemoor Nature Reserve/Cowthorpe Community Forum.

£2,250 Fund the supply and installation of a defibrillator at Prince Rupert Drive Tockwith / Tockwith with Wilstrop Parish Council.

£500 Fund the purchase of food and drink for the Green Hammerton Warm Hub and Support Hub /Green Hammerton Parish Council.

£644.15 Purchase a memorial bench for former councillors / Tockwith with Wilstrop Parish Council.

St Wilfrid's Procession

St Wilfrid’s Procession

Cllr Andrew Williams – Ripon Minster and Moorside

£2,500 Fund the services of a youth leader at the drop-in sessions / Ripon YMCA.

£1,000 Fund the support for the scouts to attend the 25th World Scout Jamboree / 6th Ripon Scout Group.

£500 Fund the travel and venue hire costs for the concerts / Vacation Chamber Orchestras (VaCO).

£2,000 Fund the children’s activities on Ripon Market Place / St Wilfrid’s Procession Committee.

£1,000 Funding towards events and staging of the Poetry Festival / Ripon Poetry Festival.

£1,000 Funding towards the events and activities at the library / Ripon Library Volunteer Management Group.

£2,000 Fund the fireworks finale at the coronation event / Ripon City Council.

Cllr Robert Windass – Boroughbridge and Claro

£2,500 Fund the repair and refurbishment of the clock in the Church Tower / St Bartholomew’s Church Arkendale.

£1,953 To purchase and install a defibrillator for Flaxby / Goldsborough & Flaxby Parish Council.

£3,000 To purchase and install VAS units and laptop computer within the village / Staveley & Copgrove Parish Council.

£2,000 Purchase and installation of an outdoor canopy for the outdoor learning area / Scotton & Lingerfield Primary School PTA.

Junior soldiers to march through streets of Harrogate

Junior soldiers from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College will take part in a parade through the town centre next weekend.

The Freedom Parade will take place on West Park and Montpellier Hill.

The event allows junior soldiers to exercise their right to the Freedom of the Borough of Harrogate.

It was last held in May 2019 and saw hundreds of soldiers march through the town centre.

The closure means that West Park, Parliament Street and Montpellier Hill will be closed from 11am until 12pm on Sunday (June 11).

The streets will reopen as soon as the parade has passed.

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The Harrogate charity that resurrects old bikes

In an era when back street bike shops are being replaced by high performance showrooms, a Harrogate charity keeps cycling affordable.

Resurrection Bikes was set up nine years ago by John Rowe, a cycling enthusiast who still leads the venture.

The basic idea remains the same: people donate bikes, which are resurrected back to life and sold in good condition for about half the price of a similar new model.

For people who enjoy cycling and don’t want to spend vast sums, Resurrection Bikes has been a godsend, particularly since the demise of Ace Cycles on King’s Road, which was one of the last old school bike shops.

Ace Cycles owner Tony — a legend in local bike repair circles — helped set up the organisation.

About 1,500 bikes are saved from the scrapyard and donated each year. Thirty volunteers restore and sell half at the charity’s workshop and the other half are given to the Margaret Carey Foundation, which runs bike maintenance workshops for young people at risk of crime.

Resurrection Bikes

The charity’s Harlow Terrace home

Mr Rowe started the venture almost by chance. His daughter needed to raise £7,000 for a charity gap year so he started fixing cycles to generate funds and “the bikes wouldn’t stop coming”.

He carried on to raise money for charity, supporting Harrogate charity Artizan International and local legend John Shackleton, who buys old ambulances, stocks them with aid and drives them to countries in need. Last year £53,000 was raised.

Overheads are minimal as Resurrection Bikes is based on Harlow Terrace, just off Cold Bath Road, on land donated by the adjoining Kairos Network Church.

Resurrection Bikes

The bikes for sale

People used to be able to turn up and browse the bikes but since covid viewings are arranged by appointment only. All bikes are listed on the charity’s website.

Many basic bikes cost between £50 and £150 but there are some higher end models too. Recent offers include a Cannondale Synapse full carbon road bike, worth about £3,000 new, offered for £1,500 and a never-used Brompton fold-up bike up for grabs at £1,000.

Mr Rowe isn’t aware of anywhere in North Yorkshire, besides one operation in York, that provides a similar service. Customers travel from as far as Manchester to buy bikes they’ve seen online.

Resurrection Bikes

Besides helping people cycle and raising money for charity, Resurrection Bikes also helps volunteers learn about bikes. Mr Rowe says:

“We are a kind of men’s shed. People join us for all the reasons they join a men’s shed. We are welcoming and fun.”

Few organisations have done more to promote cycling and the good news is Mr Rowe, a retired project manager, has no plans to stop. He says:

“I love it. We have fun in a workshop and I love playing with bikes. What could be better?”

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Man denies wounding Harrogate pub landlord

A man will face trial at crown court after allegedly assaulting the landlord of a pub in Harrogate.

Christopher Roy Adamson, 30, of Woodfield Avenue, Harrogate, is alleged to have been at the Claro Beagle in Coppice Gate when the incident happened shortly after 10pm on April 9 last year.

Mr Adamson appeared at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court today to face a charge of wounding landlord Alan Hutchcraft, leaving him in need of hospital treatment for cuts to his head.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to that charge, as well as one of damaging Mr Hutchcraft’s glasses, said to be worth £485. Mr Adamson will now face a jury at York Crown Court.

He was given unconditional bail to make an initial appearance in York on Monday, July 3.

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Buy a pint of Crimple Valley and support Harrogate hospice

A Harrogate man with a lifelong career in beer is brewing up a project to support the hospice that cared for a relative in his final days.

Mark Noble has paired up with Bosun’s Brewery to create Crimple Valley IPA, which will be sold in aid of Saint Michael’s Hospice.

Mark’s father-in-law was cared for at the hospice, on Hornbeam Park, until he died two years ago. Mark said:

“It’s a fantastic place. They really cared for him. He went very peacefully and calmly in there. It was a very dignified end to his life.

“The hospice have chosen the pump clip and design — they’ve incorporated the viaduct across Crimple, which is one of the last things people there see.

“It’s a beautiful view and it has made a really nice design.

“We’ve chosen an IPA because they’re popular beers at the moment. It’s 4.2% so not too strong and palatable for most people.

“It’s a pale colour with fruity notes. The key thing is it’s brewed locally.”

The IPA will be officially launched tomorrow (Saturday, June 3) at Bosun’s beer festival at its tap room in Sandbeck Park, Wetherby.

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Mark, who spent his career working for large breweries before retiring briefly at Christmas, set up The Crafty Caskman in January and is working independently this year to sell beer into bars and restaurants on behalf of Bosun’s and several other local breweries.

He hopes to do the same with the Crimple Valley IPA and has already found it a spot on the pumps at the Shepherd’s Dog on Otley Road, Harrogate.

For every pint sold, 15p will be donated to Saint Michael’s Hospice, making each barrel worth £10 to the charity.

Mark said:

“The more we can sell, the better. It’s still early days, because it’s not officially launched until Saturday, but people are saying they’re interested in having it.

“Next week I’ll be out there promoting it to pubs, hotels and restaurants. I want to get it in as many places as possible, and I hope people will look for it when they’re out.

“The way they economy is, there’s less funding going towards charities, but everyone still finds the time to go and have a pint. If you have a pint of Crimple Valley, you’re doing something you enjoy and also contributing to a good cause.”

Any pubs, hotels or restaurants interested in buying Crimple Valley IPA to support the fundraising can email Mark Noble for more details.

Police launch investigation after trespassers enter Harrogate Spring Water

Police have launched an investigation after trespassers broke into Harrogate Spring Water‘s headquarters last night.

A source told the Stray Ferret protesters attempted to enter the building on Harlow Moor Road and “antagonised staff”. They added those responsible wore GoPro cameras and flew a drone over the site.

However, nobody appears to have claimed responsibility for the incident and no footage has emerged.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said today:

“North Yorkshire Police were contacted yesterday evening to reports of people trespassing on a business premises on Harlow Moor Road in Harrogate.

“The incident had occurred prior to the report being made and an investigation is now underway.

“Anyone with any information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police by calling 101, select option 1 and ask for the Force Control Room. Please quote reference number 12230099981 when passing information.”

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A spokesperson for Harrogate Spring Water said:

“We cannot comment at this time since the incident is currently being looked into by police.

“We can confirm that no-one was injured during the incident and no damage has been made to the site.”

Harrogate Spring Water said in March it was “reviewing plans” to expand its bottling plant at its headquarters off Harlow Moor Road, in the Pinewoods.

The plans, which would involve felling trees in a public woodland planted by schoolchildren, have proved controversial.

It is not known whether yesterday’s incident was related to this.