Hammering can’t hide how far Harrogate have come

Ten years ago today, Harrogate Town played Stockport County in the National League North.

Their next fixtures were against Histon, Stalybridge Celtic and Gainsborough Trinity.

Last night they entertained Blackburn Rovers, one of only seven teams ever to win the Premier League, in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

It was another one of those occasions that highlighted how far the club has come.

Full stands and optimism before kick-off at Wetherby Road.

Manager Simon Weaver, who was in charge back in 2013 and has since overseen the side’s rise to the English Football League, spoke before the match about relishing the underdog tag and taking the game by the scruff of the neck.

It was, in theory, Town’s first ever competitive fixture against a Championship side but in reality it was anything but as Rovers’ movement caused problems from the start and within 13 minutes they had opened up a 2-0 lead.

Business was brisk at the pie stall.

A rare Harrogate attack.

Their supremacy came despite the absence of most first team regulars, including 19-year-old Harrogate-born Harry Leonard, who scored in Rovers’ 2-1 defeat of West Brom in the opening match of the season.

Town also left out many first team players, a perplexing decision given the opportunity at stake — not to mention the ticket prices. They had a few chances, hitting the woodwork after about half an hour, but the atmosphere soon muted and by half-time they were 4-0 down.

Town star striker Luke Armstrong was brought on but a penalty extended Rovers’ lead to 5-0 and when it became 6-0 with more than 20 minutes another milestone loomed in the shape of a record defeat in the club’s league era.

The start of a busy night for the scoreboard.

When it became eight, the gallows humour set in with the home fans chanting ‘this is embarrassing’. The Beatles sang about 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire — there appeared to be more than that in the Harrogate defence.

The 2,653 crowd will have swelled the club’s coffers — but a historic night ended in painful fashion.

Most fans realised this was a milestone match in the club’s history and a place in the last 32 alongside the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal was always as likely as a super blue moon. But the 8-0 scoreline left little scope for pride on what should have been a celebratory night.

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Business Breakfast: Boroughbridge holiday park raises £32,000 for charity

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event tonight (Thursday, August 31) at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

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

A holiday park in Boroughbridge has raised £32,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Old Hall Holiday Park has raised money for the charity for more than 13 years through a range of events including an annual hog roast, live bands, discos, children’s parties and games, raffles and Halloween parties.

In recognition of Old Hall’s fundraising efforts, Wendy Whittle, park manager, and her husband Denis were invited to the charity’s unveiling of two new state-of-the-art helicopters at Nostell Airbase near Wakefield.

Mrs Whittle said:

“The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is such a fantastic cause and one which everyone at the Old Hall supports. 

“We are lucky to have such a wonderful community at the park, with all our holiday home owners joining in our fundraising activities and giving generously.”

Linda Stead, Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s regional fundraising manager for the North and East, said: 

“We are extremely thankful to everyone at the Old Hall Holiday Park for their continuous and unwavering dedication over the last 13 years.

“This remarkable donation is a testament to their commitment to our mission of saving lives across Yorkshire and from the whole team at YAA I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for their invaluable support.”

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North Yorkshire Police improve 999 answer times

North Yorkshire Police has recorded an improved 999 call answer time performance, according to latest figures.

The force answered 83% of calls in July 2023 within the national target of 10 seconds. By comparison, just 44% were answered on time in November 2022.

There has been a 30% increase in the number of emergency calls made to the force control room in the past year.

This month, police recorded the highest number of 999 calls made in any August in history with 10,800 calls — 400 more than the same time last year.

The improvement comes after Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner awarded the force control room £1.8 million a year to improve response times.

The money was earmarked to fund the appointment of 36 additional communications officers, 12 additional dispatchers, six established trainers and two additional police inspectors.

Superintendent Fee Willey, who heads up the force control room, said:

“In the control room we’ve changed our ways of working. We looked at all our processes to see what was stopping our people being efficient in their roles – what were they doing and how were they doing it. We stripped away anything that was not relevant or slowed them down.

“We found that our trained and highly-skilled call handlers were being restricted by the number and complexity of the forms that they needed to complete for every single call that they received.

“We kept any mandated question sets, but beyond that we gave the call handlers freedom to follow their own initiative, while still being able to refer to question sets if needed. This has resulted in a much speedier process to dispatch officers to incidents while still providing a succinct level of information to the attending officers.

“And the more efficient that the force control room is in performing its role, the quicker that officers can be dispatched to scene.”

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Review: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap celebrates 70 years

Lauren Crisp is a book editor, writer and keen follower of arts and culture. Born and raised in Harrogate, Lauren recently moved back to North Yorkshire after a stint in London, where she regularly reviewed theatre – everything from big West End shows to small fringe productions. She is now eager to explore the culture on offer in and around her home town.  You can contact Lauren on laurencrispwriter@gmail.com 

The West End met West Yorkshire last night as Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, the world’s longest-running play, hit the stage at Leeds Grand Theatre. The show’s 70th anniversary tour is taking the production to more than 70 venues countrywide, meaning us northerners finally have the opportunity to don our detective hats and guess whodunnit.

It is the early 1950s, and newly married couple Mollie and Giles Ralston have just opened a guesthouse in the countryside outside London. As the pair prepare for the arrival of their first visitors, a newsreader on the wireless reports on a brutal murder in the capital. None the wiser, the Ralstons rally, as one by one, their eagerly anticipated guests arrive at Monkswell Manor.

But, as a snowstorm cuts them off from the outside world, the suspicion and intrigue mounts: could the killer be among them? The scene is set for one of Christie’s classic closed-circle mysteries.

The tour’s staging is a no-expense-spared affair: the set is masterful, with its intimate, wood-panelled drawing room; a fire roars in the hearth, as, outside the window, snow falls thickly; scattered trinkets and nick-nacks on side tables place us firmly in the past, as does costume. In the ornate surrounds of Leeds Grand Theatre, where chairs gently squeak under the weight of their occupants and a chandelier glitters overhead, the play feels quite at home.

Yet, the set’s cosiness is challenged by a mounting sense of isolation and unease, thanks to the play’s eight-strong and triumphant cast. Each member so impeccably drawn in the first instance by Christie’s imagination, the actors make their characters their own, with a clear understanding of their unique roles: each distinct and each crucial to the successful telling of the tale.

I understand now more than ever this iconic play’s longevity: a quintessentially British whodunnit, devised by the Queen of Crime, whose flawless recipe for murder mysteries, which made her the best-selling novelist of all time, is just as perfect a concoction on stage as in the pages of her novels. With its tight structure, ingenious clues and final outrageous twist, The Mousetrap is a must-see. Beyond that, my lips are sealed.

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is on at the  Leeds Grand Theatre until September 2.  

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Councillor says Harrogate McColl’s closure has led to resurgence for independents

The closure of the McColl’s convenience store on Harlow Hill in Harrogate has led to a resurgence for independent retailers in the area, according to the local councillor.

McColl’s on Otley Road closed last year after national chain Morrisons bought the company and said it would be shutting over 100 loss-making stores.

The shop was a Co-op for many years before being sold to McColl’s in 2016 as part of £117m deal for 298 stores.

However, McColl’s struggled with competition from independent shops nearby, as well as the Co-ops further down Otley Road and in Pannal.

McColl’s was close to the greengrocer Regal Fruiterers and Harlow Stores, and the area also features Nord Coffee House and the Sandwich Deli.

But this month North Yorkshire Council spelled the end of the building as a shop when it approved its conversion into a three bedroom flat.

Independent councillor Michael Schofield, who is also the landlord of the The Shepherd’s Dog pub on Harlow Hill, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the shop’s closure has had a positive effect on independent retailers in the area.

Cllr Schofield said:

“Whilst it is not good to see people losing their jobs when a business closes I believe it has helped create a resurgence for our independent retailers.

“We have seen Regal Fruiterers move into the area and a revamped Harlow Stores with longer opening times, both of which have actually helped drive an increase in footfall on Otley Road and enrich the community spirit.

“It is a shame that no-one could see the potential in the old McColl’s site for other outlet purposes such as a chemist, however the building requires a lot of work on its internal structure and therefore probably proved to costly for any interested business.”

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Council paid out £385,000 in pothole compensation claims last year

North Yorkshire Council paid out £385,000 to motorists last year in insurance claims due to cars being damaged by potholes and road defects.

However the amount has fallen sharply from the year before when £1.03 million was spent on compensation by the highways authority.

The figures were published in the council’s quarter one performance report, which was discussed at a meeting of the Conservative-run executive in Northallerton yesterday.

Motorists are able to claim compensation if they are able to prove that damage to a car was caused by a pothole on council roads.

During the last financial year, 282 new claims were received which is the second lowest amount since 2012/13.

David Staveley, the Conservative councillor for Settle and Penyghent, said it was a “myth” that councils are paying out millions a year in claims.

North Yorkshire has one of the largest road networks in the country with over 9,000 km of roads and the council’s executive member for transport and highways, the Conservative Keane Duncan, said:

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Cllr Duncan said:

“In terms of dispelling the myth of millions of pounds being made out in compensation, the annual figure is around £375,000. For a highway network the size of ours, we’re quite comfortable with that figure.”

Figures supplied to the Local Democracy Reporting Service show there were 3,714 reports of potholes across North Yorkshire in 2022/23, the highest number since 2018/19.

During last year, the council spent almost £6.5m repairing roads in the Harrogate district and £2.5m in Craven.

Thieves steal ‘large amount’ of equipment from Ilke Homes’ factory

Thieves have stolen a “large amount of equipment” from Ilke Homes factory in Flaxby.

The modular housebuilder, which employed 1,150 staff, went into administration in June. Nearly all staff immediately lost their jobs.

The equipment was stolen two days after it had been auctioned by administrators to realise the value of assets on behalf of creditors.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“North Yorkshire Police is investigating a report of a break-in at a large industrial premises near the village of Flaxby in North Yorkshire.

“It was reported that on August 19 a large amount of equipment worth thousands of pounds had been stolen from the premises.

“The investigation is ongoing at this time. No arrests have been made.”

Ilke Homes’ factory is close to junction 47 of the A1, about two miles from Knaresborough.

Ilke Homes’ site near the A1(M).

Administrators AlixPartners commissioned Hilco Valuation Services to auction items including electric hand tools, travelling cranes and tipping skips.

The Stray Ferret asked AlixPartners for details of the value of stolen items and whether the site maintained on-site security.

It declined to comment beyond a statement that said:

“We can confirm that there was a break-in and subsequent theft at a property relating to the Ilke Homes administration.

“The administrators are now working with insurers and all related parties to minimise any losses incurred.”

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Ilke Homes, which was founded in 2018, reported a pre-tax loss of £34m in its latest accounts.

It claimed to produce operationally zero-carbon modular homes from its Flaxby site.

Police urged anyone with information about the break-in to dial 101 and quote incident number 12230156480

Vandals smash windows of 15 buses in Tockwith in £100,000 attack

The windows of 15 buses have been smashed in an attack causing £100,000 of damage in Tockwith.

North Yorkshire Police said yesterday the incident occurred at Tockwith Airfield, on Southfield Lane between 10pm – 9am on the evening of Monday, August 21.

Police are now appealing for witnesses and information.

The force said in a statement:

“We’re now requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, we’re appealing for information from anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the surrounding area at the time of the incident and/or if anyone has any CCTV.”

The runways of the former airfield, which was previously RAF Marston Moor, are now used for driving education courses and specialist training.

Connexions Buses, which is located on Southfield Lane in the village, told the Stray Ferret none of its vehicles were damaged in the incident.

It also posted on Facebook “the companies that it involved have worked very hard to replace almost all of them already”.

The companies have not been named.

Police urged anyone with information to email chloe.winter-atkinson@northyorkshire.police.uk or dial 101 and ask for Chloe Winter-Atkinson.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12230158082.

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Firefighters rescue 16-year-old dog in Harrogate

Harrogate firefighters rescued a 16-year-old dog that had got stuck on a path yesterday.

A crew from Skipton Road were summoned to nearby Dene Park in Bilton at 9.43pm last night.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report, the dog was too frail to stand.

It said:

“Fire control received a call from a resident who was concerned for the safety of a 16-year-old dog who was unable to get up and was laid in the middle of the path.

“The caller stated the dog was very old and his owner was also an elderly gent.

“Other residents were unable to lift the dog and take him back home. A fire crew from Harrogate attended whilst still maintaining their availability and assisted by lifting and carrying the dog back home to his owner.”

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Rachel Daly and Erling Haaland win player of year awards

Harrogate-born Rachel Daly was named PFA women’s Players’ Player of the Year last night.

The Aston Villa and England player was chosen from a shortlist of six at a ceremony at the Lowry Theatre in Salford. Chelsea’s Lauren James was named Young Player of the Year.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland took the men’s award at the same event. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka was named Young Player of the Year.

In a tweet last night, Daly said she was “feeling beyond grateful” to have won the award, which was voted for by her peers.

https://twitter.com/RachelDaly3/status/1696619128289644693?s=20

It is the latest success for the former Rossett School student, who in just over a year has won Euro 2022 with England, won the Golden Boot for being the Women’s Super League top scorer and played in the World Cup final.

Daly’s achievements have, however, been completely overlooked by North Yorkshire Council, which still has no plans for a civic honour.

The Stray Ferret is backing Killinghall Nomads‘ campaign for this to change. Daly started her career with the club. You can sign a petition supporting this here.

Rossett School, which has said it will rename its sports pitches in honour of its former pupil, has also joined calls for the council to recognise Daly.

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