Police reveal reason behind Harrogate pub closure

North Yorkshire Police has revealed why a Harrogate pub was forced to close.

The Stone Beck at Jennyfields stopped serving customers on August 4.

A police spokesperson said:

“The pub has closed because it does not currently have a designated premises supervisor appointed, which is a legal pre-requisite for alcohol to be sold lawfully at a licensed premises.

“Without a designated premises supervisor, a pub cannot legally sell alcohol.”

A designated premises supervisor has day-to-day responsibility for running business that sell or supply alcohol.

Last week landlord Phill Kirby told the Stray Ferret the pub had closed due to a “licensing issue” and would open in “due course”.

North Yorkshire Council, the licensing authority, said it had “no current actions on this premises”.

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Students collect A-level results at Harrogate district schools

Hundreds of students across the Harrogate district have collected their A-level results this week.

The teenagers, whose education was severely disrupted by covid as they prepared for their GCSEs, are now preparing for the first steps in their careers, via further education or work.

Nationally, the number of the top A* and A grades have dropped after rising in the pandemic. However, 79% of students in the UK still got into their first choice of university.

At Rossett School this year, 38% of grades were A* to B, and 21% A* or A, while there was a 100% pass rate in BTEC subjects. of which 78% were graded ‘merit’ or above.

Newly-appointed headteacher Tim Milburn said:

“We’re seeing similar results to those of 2019, which reflects the national picture and is remarkable given what these students have faced over the last three-and-a-half years.

“We are so proud of all our students today. They have shown resilience and versatility in navigating the challenges of the last few years, and their fantastic results are thoroughly deserved.”

Among the outstanding individual results was Kenneth Burt achieved two A*s and two As in physics AS level.

Beth Cannings will use her three As and an A in the extended project qualification to study medicine at Lancaster University..

And Jamie Tucker is set to read biochemistry at Birmingham University after achieving an A* and two As.

Amy Beardmore, Beth Cannings and Jamie Tucker collect their A level results from Rossett SchoolAmy Beardmore, Beth Cannings and Jamie Tucker collect their A level results from Rossett School

Harrogate Ladies’ College today celebrated an increase in its top grades compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The percentage of A* and A grades was 41%, an increase of more than 17% compared to 2019.

More than half of the A* grades were in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.

In five subjects, including further maths, students acheve a clean sweep of grades at A* to B.

Elsewhere, 75% of French grades were A*, 85* of geography grades were B or above, and in creative arts, 90% were A*-B.

Sylvia Brett, principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College, said:

“These are an exceptionally good set of results across a huge range of subjects and the class of 2023 should be so proud of everything they have achieved.

“They have shown a huge appetite for hard work and incredible resilience.  It’s very rewarding to see them propelled into the next exciting stage of their lives.

“Today is about celebrating their personal achievements – however big or small.  We have watched with pleasure as these incredible young women have fulfilled their potential in an inspiring and supportive environment.“

Among the high achievers was Sophie McHugh, who achieved an A* and three As, securing her place to study engineering at Durham University.

Eve Brasher’s A* and two As will see her go on to study law at the Newcastle University.

Exeter University is the chosen destination for Lucy Thomson, who also secured an A* and two As, and she will study international relations.

And Ukrainian twins who were separated from their family thanks to the war have gone on to achieve top grades, as reported earlier today by the Stray Ferret.

Students celebrate A-level results at Ripon Grammar School

Ripon Grammar School, meanwhile, was celebrating after 82.5% of results for its 149 students were at A*-B.

That figure matches last year’s total, despite grades declining nationally, and there were a total of 98 A* grades across the year group.

Four students achieved four A* grades apiece, while Ben Statham was the top-performing pupil with five A*s.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said:

“While the national figure for A*-A has fallen from 45% to 27%, RGS has maintained its high percentage of A*-A grades, which I think reflects the integrity of our procedures in previous years.”

At King James’s School in Knaresborough, 120 students collected their results, though the school has not published details of the grades achieved across the year group.

The school said 93% secured a place at university and the proportion getting their first choice was “in line with 2019”, with “only a handful” were waiting for places through the clearing process.

Harrogate Grammar School has not released details of its results, but said in a statement the current students “faced the pressure of taking formal exams for the very first time” after having GCSEs cancelled in 2021.

The school said 81% of students applied to university and 70% of those had achieved their first choice, with 91% getting a place somewhere.

St Aidan’s and St john Fisher Associated Sixth Form said around 90% of students had secured a place at their first or second choice university.

The sixth form has not published details of its results, but said in a statement they were “in line” with those achieved in 2019.

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New roadworks revealed for Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon

Details of upcoming roadworks for Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon have been revealed.

Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire Council, posted details of scheduled resurfacing schemes on his Facebook page.

The information is set out below with details of where and when each scheme will take place and the accompanying plan to manage traffic.

North Park Road, Harrogate

Monday, August 21 to Friday, September 1 (7pm to midnight)

21st, 22nd, 24th, 25th 29th – traffic management – combination of two-way lights and road closure during working hours

23rd, 30th, 31st and 1st Sep – traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

A61 Leeds Rd, Harrogate

(Prince of Wales roundabout to St Georges Rd roundabout)

Monday, August 29 to Friday, September 15 (7pm to midnight)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

A658 Harrogate Road, Harrogate

Thursday, September 14 to Friday, September 22 (9pm to 5am)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained.

High Bridge, Knaresborough

Wednesday, September 20 to Friday. September 29 (7pm to midnight)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

B6163 Briggate, Knaresborough

Friday, September 29 to Monday, October 9 (7.30am to 5.30pm)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

Dragon Road area, Harrogate

(Dragon Rd / Back of Dragon Rd / Dragon Terrace / Rear of Dragon Terrace / Dragon Ave / Dragon Parade, Mornington Terrace / Mornington Terrace)

Monday, October 9 to Wednesday, October 11 (7.30am to 5.30pm)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

Coppice Way, Harrogate

Thursday, October 12 to Wednesday, October 18 (7.30am to 5.30pm)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

Harewood Road, Harrogate

Thursday, October 19 to Friday, October 20 (7.30am to 5.30pm)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

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Priest Lane, Ripon

Monday, October 23 to Tuesday October 31 (7.30am to 5.30pm)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

A61 Dallamires Lane, Ripon

Monday, October 30 to Friday, November 3 (7pm to midnight)

Traffic management – road closure during working hours. Access for residents will be maintained

 

Station Gateway: Andrew Jones calls for funding to be switched to ‘other projects’

Andrew Jones has called for government funding for the Harrogate Station Gateway to be reallocated to other projects.

The Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough said North Yorkshire Council should not waste time trying to keep the project alive, after it today announced it was “rescinding” its decision to proceed.

That announcement came following a legal challenge from Hornbeam Park Developments, which had applied for a judicial review of the way the Station Gateway project had been managed.

Mr Jones said:

“The key consideration is that the latest challenge means that the deadline to spend the cash allocated to this area is certain to expire.  It is time therefore to stop spending public money trying to drag what is effectively a timed-out dead scheme – the good parts regrettably and the bad too – over the line.

“The council must start talking to government about retaining the funding and re-positioning it to other projects in Harrogate and Knaresborough.  I am happy to help with that process.”

The project has been controversial, with business organisations raising concerns about its impact on footfall and therefore the viability of town centre shops.

The £11.2m scheme was to be funded by the Transforming Cities Fund, and would have seen Station Parade narrowed to one lane around the bus and railway stations.

A bus lane and cycle routes would have been introduced, as part of plans to encourage more active travel.

It would also have included the pedestrianisation of the eastern half of James Street, and changes to Lower Station Parade, with a bus lane added on its eastern side.

‘Flip-flopping’

At a meeting of Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee in May, business owners raised concerns about the impact of the loss of 40 parking spaces and potential queues of traffic through the town centre.

After three hours, the committee voted by eight to three in favour of supporting the scheme.

All five Conservative councillors and most Liberal Democrats voted for it,

Liberal Democrat leader and committee chairman Cllr Pat Marsh said councillors had been given a free vote on the issue.

The public gallery at the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee meeting in May

However, Cllr Marsh then went to the meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s executive to plead with its members not to proceed with the scheme.

The next month, the Lib Dems withdrew all its councillors’ support, citing the lack of meaningful engagement with businesses and local residents over their concerns.

In today’s statement on the issue, Mr Jones took aim at the Lib Dems for “flip-flopping” on the project:

“Of course, consistent political leadership is critical when managing major investment and the majority group on the Harrogate and Knaresborough area committee has been unable to provide that.

“Whether or not one supports the gateway project in total, in part or not at all such weak local leadership presents difficulty when we look to attracting future investment.”

Looking to the future, Mr Jones said there were elements of the Station Gateway project that could be carried forward into a new scheme.

He also said he had asked North Yorkshire Council to address concerns over other parts of the plan.

He added:

“There are parts of the scheme I think that are welcome – the emphasis on sustainable transport, tidying up the area as you come out of the bus and train stations, the improvement of the public realm, changing the crossing arrangements on Lower Station Parade, improving the shabby one arch and so on.

“There are elements of concern too such as the narrowing of Station Parade for a short stretch outside the bus station and how deliveries to businesses will work and I have consistently asked the council to address these concerns.  It is clear that significant numbers have not been reassured by the explanations that have been given.”

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Harrogate cancer charity pays tribute to ‘staunch supporter’ Sir Michael Parkinson

Harrogate-based Yorkshire Cancer Research has paid tribute to Sir Michael Parkinson, who died last night.

Sir Michael became a patron in 2016 following his experience with prostate cancer.

He supported the charity’s aim to address inequalities in cancer diagnosis and treatment in Yorkshire after he was successfully treated.

At the time, he said:

“I believe that everyone should have an equal chance of living a long and healthy life, so I am delighted to support the work of Yorkshire Cancer Research and help them address these unacceptable inequalities.” 

Sir Michael also helped with fundraising and awareness-raising.

Promoting the charity’s work.

Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said:

“Sir Michael was a staunch supporter of equality and equity for people with cancer, no matter who they are or where they live.

“By speaking out about his own personal experience, he played an important role in both raising awareness of cancer and raising funds for vital research into the disease.”

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Yorkshire-born Sir Michael visited Harrogate many times and often made a beeline for Graveleys of Harrogate.

He once said his perfect day out in Yorkshire would involve “watching Joe Root score a century in an Ashes Test at Headingley and then a big plate of fish and chips at Graveley’s seafood restaurant in Harrogate”.

Asked to name his favourite Yorkshire restaurant in the same interview with the Northern Echo in 2017, he said it was “a toss up between Graveleys and Bettys tea room in Harrogate“.

Graveleys re-opened in Harrogate in February this year after a three-year absence.

Owner Simon Pilkington said today:

“Sir Michael was a regular visitor back in the day when Yorkshire were playing at Headingley or he was appearing in Harrogate.

“He very much kept himself to himself but chatted occasionally to my father.

“But he did love his Yorkshire fish and chips from Graveleys!”

 

Secret Bakery set to open new shop in Harrogate station

An established bakery is set to open a third outlet in the entrance to Harrogate railway station.

The Secret Bakery, which has been based on Knaresborough Road since before the covid pandemic, is hoping to open the doors of its new shop next Friday, August 25.

Owners Jane and James Spencer said they hope it will prove popular with office staff, commuters and visitors to town – and they are looking forward to the Station Gateway project.

James told the Stray Ferret:

“Because of the changes the council is planning, we’re hoping to take the front of the shop out and put concertina doors in.

“Then we could have it open and some pavement cafe seating.”

The couple took over The Secret Bakery in October 2020, after it was originally founded in a domestic kitchen in the Saints area of Harrogate.

Despite the ongoing covid restrictions, James said it was a busy time, as many customers liked to buy from a small business and avoid the supermarkets.

The new outlet on Station Parade will offer the same range of sandwiches, cakes and drinks for which the Secret Bakery is known.

A second baker has already been recruited to increase capacity behind the scenes, and staff from elsewhere in the business will be moving to work in the central Harrogate shop.

The secret bakery on Knaresborough Road

The bakery on Knaresborough Road will remain open, as will a second unit in Knaresborough‘s Market Place, which opened last October.

James said the Knaresborough shop had a strong start last autumn but has been quieter this year, perhaps down to lower than expected levels of tourism across the town.

However, he is hopeful that being in the centre of Harrogate, close to other businesses and transport links, will prove successful.

The unit was previously occupied by a cafe, but closed around eight months ago. James said the owner of the neighbouring shoe repair and key cutting shop had already been in touch to welcome the new business.

Its opening hours will be long than the other two Secret Bakery shops, with James and Jane hoping to catch commuters from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

James added:

“I saw this place originally and didn’t think much of it, but then the cogs started turning. It means we’re in town rather than the outskirts.

“It’s in the process of being refurbished. We weren’t planning on doing much, but then we thought, ‘let’s do it properly before we open’.

“They’re due to finish soon, then we need to get the fridges and things in, and we’re hoping to be open next Friday.”

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Ukrainian twin sisters in Harrogate excel in A levels

Twin sisters at Harrogate Ladies’ College are celebrating top A level grades today – from their home in Ukraine.

Diana and Sofiia Shypovych, from Cherkasy in Central Ukraine, achieved A*A*A* and A*A*A respectively.

The sisters arrived at Harrogate Ladies’ College to study as boarding pupils in September 2021. But just a few months later, Russia invaded Ukraine and the girls found themselves unable to return home to their parents.

Sofiia said she was delighted with her results:

“I am so happy about my results – and I am so grateful to my school for supporting me through the last two years. It was difficult being away from my family, but school actively promotes inclusion, diversity and being yourself. That really helped me.”

Diana added:

“University will be our next exciting chapter. Despite everything that has been happening in Ukraine, school has given me and my sister the confidence to mature into independent adults through the opportunities, challenges and freedoms it has offered. Living at school showed us the importance of contributing to the community and respecting our shared responsibilities.”

Following the invasion of their country, both sisters ran campaigns in Harrogate to fundraise for Ukrainians and helped Ukrainian families on the Homes for Ukraine scheme to settle into the community. They were also voted by their fellow pupils and teachers to be prefects at the school during their time in the sixth form.

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Sylvia Brett, principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College, paid tribute to the sisters’ hard-working ethos and commitment to school life against the backdrop of war in their home country. She said:

“We’re incredibly proud of all of our pupils, but Sofiia and Diana deserve special recognition for the circumstances under which they’ve been studying for the last two years. Being here at the time of the outbreak of the war and knowing their family and friends were facing real dangers, was extraordinarily hard for the girls but they never lost focus on their studies or their optimism for the future.

“They are truly remarkable young women who always looked out for others in school and organised events such as the Ukraine Cultural Day to help us all understand and support their country.”

The sisters chose to return to Ukraine after finishing their exams this summer to await their results with their family and friends, despite ongoing security concerns. Cherkasy lies 200km south-east of Kyiv and the region is still frequently subjected to missile attack by Russia.

Speaking from Ukraine, the girls’ mother, Iana Shypovych, said she was thrilled by their results:

“When our then 16-year old daughters left Ukraine to study in Harrogate we were a little worried about how they would adapt to living so far away from home, but our concerns never came true. When the war broke out we were truly grateful that they were safe and being cared for. They were so warmly welcomed and supported by the school staff and the people of Harrogate.”

Harrogate Ladies’ College achieved 41% A*-A grades across the board – a 17% increase on the comparable figures from 2019.

Ripon man jailed for two crazy police chases

A man high on cocaine rammed his car into a police vehicle, ripping off its registration plate, during a death-defying chase through Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Craig Harper, 34, reversed his Vauxhall Astra into the police car, causing the two vehicles to become “wedged” together, York Crown Court heard.

He then stepped on the accelerator, moving the car back and forth, which caused the front of the police vehicle to lift up and its registration plate to fly off.

Prosecutor Beatrice Allsop said that Harper — who was 16 times over the specified limit for cocaine — was on bail at the time and banned from driving, having been arrested and charged with dangerous and drug-driving following a previous police chase on New Year’s Eve 2022.

That first chase occurred in the early hours of December 31 when two traffic officers on the A59 Harrogate Road in Knaresborough were radioed by a colleague telling them that a man in a VW Golf had failed to stop for officers in Harrogate.

They drove to the location in Bogs Lane and saw the Volkswagen driving towards them with its light off. Three males were inside the car which sped towards the A59 towards Knaresborough.

Harper went along Bogs Lane.

Harper took a roundabout on the A61 the wrong way then headed towards Ripley, South Stainley and Ripon.

Ms Allsop said the conditions were so wet there were “large areas of standing water” on the road. Harper lost control on one of these pools of water and veered across the centre white lines before careering off the road and “rebounding” back into the carriageway.

Undeterred, he stepped on the gas again, heading towards Ripon at speeds of up to 75mph while cutting corners, driving on the wrong side of the road, speeding round blind bends and at one stage narrowly avoiding an oncoming vehicle.

He then revved up to about 80mph in a restricted speed zone and overtook a line of cars near a bend as he bombed down the A61 and into Ripon.

He sped down Harrogate Road, a 30mph zone, at double the speed limit and into Ripon town centre, shooting through red lights and going the wrong way around a roundabout. He then sped down a one-way street near Ripon Cathedral, shot through red lights again and went down another one-way street in the wrong direction.

He then turned into North Street and sped out of the town and through a village where police tried to box him in.

Harper’s vehicle was brought to a stop next to a grass verge. Officers ran over to the vehicle, but Harper put up a struggle as they tried to restrain him.

He was arrested and taken into custody where a drug-drive test revealed he had a “shockingly high” 800mcg of cocaine per litre of blood, the specified limit being 50mcg.

Ms Allsop said the chase, through towns and villages including Masham, lasted over 20 minutes.

Back causing ‘mayhem’

Harper admitted dangerous and drug driving and was bailed and given an interim motoring ban, but on May 2 he was back out on the roads in a different car but causing the same “mayhem”.

Ms Allsop said two patrol officers in an unmarked police car in Leeds spotted him driving a Vauxhall Astra.

They followed the vehicle after Harper, who had a male passenger, turned onto Lady Pit Lane and then into St Francis Close, where he stopped the car and reversed “at speed” towards the police vehicle. The Astra collided with the front offside of the police car, causing it to “jolt and shake”.

Ms Allsop added:

“The Astra became wedged onto the front of the police vehicle.

“Officers shouted at him, telling him to turn the engine off. They could tell he was under the influence of (substances) as his eyes were glazed and vacant.

“He was trying to free the (Astra) from the police vehicle by going forward and into reverse. At one point, (the Astra) lifted the front end of the police vehicle.

“He managed to free the car by driving forward at speed, causing the wheels to spin. Part of the police registration plate flew off.”

Once free from the police vehicle, Harper turned right into a cul-de-sac and came to a dead end. He put the car into reverse again as officers caught up with him and rammed the Astra into the police vehicle.

The Astra again collided with the front offside of the police car. The officer got out of the vehicle and ran to the driver’s side of the Astra.

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Harper tried to escape but police smashed the driver’s window with a baton, opened the door and tried to drag him out, but the engine was still running and he was still trying to drive away.

They finally took him to ground after using reasonable force and cuffed Harper who refused a roadside breath test. He was taken into custody at a police station in Leeds and again refused to have a toxicology test.

Harper, of Holbeck Close, was charged with dangerous driving, causing over £1,600 of damage to the police vehicle, driving while disqualified and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. He admitted this second set of offences and appeared for sentence via video link yesterday after being remanded in custody.

61 previous convictions

The court heard he had 61 previous convictions for over 100 offences including driving while over the limit for drink and drugs, driving while disqualified and aggravated vehicle-taking. At the time of his latest offences, he was on a community order for assaulting an emergency worker.

Defence barrister Matthew Stewart said the father-of-three started abusing drugs after losing his job and was now on benefits.

Judge Simon Hickey told Harper he had caused “mayhem” on the county’s roads and described his criminal record as “shocking”.

Harper was jailed for two years and two months and slapped with a five-year driving ban.

 

Union criticises Harrogate hospital for spending £1.2m on management consultants

One of Britain’s biggest trade unions has weighed in on Harrogate hospital’s decision to spend £1.2 million on hiring management consultants to develop a “culture of continuous improvement”. 

Unite the Union, which has more than 1.2 million members in the UK and Ireland, said “paying consultants to produce a report that will gather dust on a shelf” was “not a good use of taxpayers’ money” and urged Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust to urgently review the decision. 

The trust signed a contract with KPMG and Catalysis in March, which will run for 18 months to September 2024. 

KPMG is one of the world’s largest multinational professional services companies, and Catalysis is a Wisconsin-based not-for-profit organisation that works to help healthcare bodies become more efficient. 

Unite’s national officer for health, Colenzo Jarrett Thorpe, told the Stray Ferret:  

“The board of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust needs an urgent review of this decision since it is not a good use of taxpayers’ money. Consultants are called in to tell the organisation what they already know or what they want to hear, without having the foresight to have the discussion with key stakeholders such as staff and trade unions and patient groups first. 

“The £1.2 million would be better spent cutting agency spend, improving flexible working for all employees, and reducing the vacancy rates across the trust, rather than paying consultants to produce a report that will gather dust on a shelf and will not impact anyone.” 

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The trust has said its continuous improvement programme, called HDFT Impact, will ultimately involve all 5,000-plus employees, who will be encouraged to share knowledge with each other and come up with ways to improve the way the Trust delivers its services. 

Mr Jarrett-Thorpe said: 

“If the trust wanted to involve all employees, why doesn’t it improve and strengthen access and facilities to trade union representatives in the trust? Trade unions representatives can help retention of NHS staff, staff morale, improve safety at work, increase staff engagement, productivity and learning opportunities.” 

The trust argues its continuous improvement agenda has brought about positive change over the last decade. KPMG and Catalysis are also reported to have helped other hospital trusts save hundreds of thousands of pounds in efficiencies, increase surgeries, reduce patient falls, and improve care outcomes. 

In a statement issued earlier this month, the trust said: 

“Continuous improvement is not a new concept at HDFT. It has been integral in helping us to develop our services and bring improvements for patients and colleagues for a long time – we have been using a lean quality improvement approach for over 10 years. We know this approach works and we’ve seen the improvements it can bring for patients and colleagues.” 

World Cup hero Rachel Daly in line for player of year award

Rachel Daly probably thought her day could not get any better when she helped England reach the final of the Women’s World Cup.

But the Harrogate hotshot has also been nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.

Daly, 31, is one of six nominees for the award, which is voted for by other players.

She won the Golden Boot for finishing as the leading scorer in the Women’s Super League, netting 22 times for Aston Villa Women after signing from Houston Dash last summer.

Daly, who has 381,000 followers on Instagram, is up against:

Ona Batlle – Manchester United

Sam Kerr – Chelsea

Frida Maanum – Arsenal

Guro Reiten – Chelsea

Khadija Shaw – Manchester City

The winner will be announced at 50th PFA awards ceremony on August 29.

In the meantime, Daly has the small matter of a World Cup final against Spain to look forward to at 11am on Sunday after helping the Lionesses defeat hosts Australia in today’s semi-final.

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