A man has pleaded guilty to failing to stop and report a serious crash on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road last year.

Harris Hendry-Hussain, of Swinton Court, Harrogate, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning charged with three offences.

The 21-year-old, who spoke only to confirm his name and address, was charged with driving without insurance, failing to stop after a road accident and failing to report the accident.

The prosecution told the court Hendry-Hussain was driving a Volkswagen Golf on the morning of the incident on March 6, 2022.

At 3.10am, police were called when Hendry-Hussain’s car crashed into two parked cars on Cold Bath Road.

The prosecution said a male, who was a passenger in the Volkswagen, was left at the scene and required hospital treatment for neck and back injuries.

Read more:

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It added the 21-year-old was later identified on CCTV fleeing the scene of the crash.

In a statement at the time, North Yorkshire Police said it was only by “sheer luck” that no one died as a result of the collision.

Hendry-Hussain pleaded guilty to all three charges put to him in court this morning.

Harrogate Magistrates Court adjourned the case for sentencing on May 11.

The most senior officers at Harrogate Borough Council have started new roles at North Yorkshire Council this month.

Trevor Watson, Paula Lorimer, Paul Foster, Rachel Joyce and Jennifer Norton have all taken up positions in the senior management structure of the new unitary authority and will be paid between £79,000 and £111,500.

Former chief executive Wallace Sampson was the only senior member of staff not to automatically transfer over to North Yorkshire Council on April 1 after he agreed a redundancy package worth £101,274.

Mr Watson had a high-profile role at Harrogate Borough Council as director of economy, environment and housing and is now assistant director of planning at NYC. He is paid a salary of £101,500.

Rachel Joyce has gone from director of corporate affairs at the borough council to assistant chief executive – local engagement at North Yorkshire Council and is now paid £111,500 a year.

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Paula Lorimer remains the Harrogate Convention Centre director and the person in charge of the town’s conference and exhibitions facility. She is paid £107,995.

Former head of finance Paul Foster has begun his new role as assistant director of resources on a salary of between £99,000 and £101,500.

The Civic Centre has been rebranded following this month’s changes.

Jennifer Norton, who was head of legal and governance at Harrogate Borough Council, is now assistant director of legal at North Yorkshire Council and is paid between £79,000 and £86,000.

Last week the TaxPayers’ Alliance, a pressure group that campaigns against ‘wasteful spending’ in the public sector published its annual Town Hall Rich List. It included a list of council officers who are paid a salary above £100,000.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:

“Taxpayers facing record council tax rises want to be sure they are getting value for money from their local authority leadership.

“Many authorities continue with extremely generous pay and perks, including bonuses and golden goodbyes, while local people are facing a financial squeeze.”

North Yorkshire Council’s chief executive, Richard Flinton, said:

“The new North Yorkshire Council has the third largest population of any council nationally and covers the largest area in the country.

“Our senior managers oversee about 10,500 staff, excluding schools, and are responsible for managing an annual revenue budget of £1.4 billion.

“When it was being drawn up, the management pay structure analysed senior managers’ salaries against comparable authorities to ensure that they were in-line with expectations for roles at this level.

“It is also important to remember that the council is saving about £3.7 million in senior management pay every year by moving from eight councils to one authority, reducing the number of chief executives and senior officers.

“We want to ensure the council can retain and attract talented individuals to deliver essential services for our 615,000 residents and 33,000 businesses, and we believe our pay structure allows us to do that whilst also providing value for money for taxpayers.”

North Yorkshire Police have arrested a man following a wanted person appeal in Harrogate.

The force issued a statement saying Darren Atkinson, 37, was wanted in relation to a harassment offence. It added:

“Officers believe he may in the Harrogate area.

“Despite several enquiries they have not yet been able to located him.”

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and speak to the force control room. Quote reference 12230057307.

You can also report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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The National Education Union is to hold a rally in Harrogate on Thursday as part of a day of national strike action.

Teachers are due to strike on Thursday this week and Tuesday next week as part of their ongoing pay dispute with the government.

The action has been called after 98% of NEU members rejected the government’s latest pay offer.

Thursday’s rally by Britain’s largest teachers union will be held at Cambridge Crescent between 11am and noon and will include guest speakers from unions and the education sector.

Gary McVeigh-Kaye (pictured above), North Yorkshire branch secretary for the NEU, said:

“The government’s recent offer was an insult and in no way represented a serious negotiated settlement.

“Offering our members a 4.3% pay increase, whilst inflation is still over 10%, does not even begin to address the real terms pay cut of 24% most teachers have experienced under 13 years of Tory government.

“To add insult to injury, this pay increase was expected to be taken from already stretched school budgets.”

Mr McVeigh said the NEU had attracted 60,000 new members since its January strike ballot and called on the government to engage in “serious negotiations”.

Picket lines have been formed outside many schools in the Harrogate district on strike days.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has urged teachers to “get back to the classroom” and said a  4.5 per cent average pay rise would see the starting salary for a new teacher rise to £30,000.

Read more:

• Almost 500 appointments cancelled at Harrogate hospital due to junior doctors’ strike
• Union escalates dispute over transfer of Harrogate council staff

Harrogate train station could be set to have unmanned barriers on the exit leading to East Parade.

The barriers are currently monitored by staff, who help with ticket queries.

But a source contacted the Stray Ferret to say rail operator Northern planned to remove staff from the East Parade exit.

The source was concerned this posed safety risks if people needed to leave the station quickly and would also particularly inconvenience disabled people who require help at the barriers.

The Stray Ferret asked Northern if and when it planned to implement the new system and what response it had to the concerns.

Tony Baxter, regional director for Northern, said in a statement:

“We’re always looking at ways to improve the customer experience and passenger flow across our station estate, including Harrogate.

“Any improvement plans are always subject to rigorous safety and accessibility checks.”

Northern did not respond to a further email seeking clarification on when any changes would be implemented.

We also asked rail union the RMT if it had any concerns but it did not issue a response.

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• Almost 500 appointments cancelled at Harrogate hospital due to junior doctors’ strike

A plan to convert a former Cold Bath Road shop in Harrogate into a bar has been approved.

The proposal, which has been tabled by 17 Miles Ltd, will see the former store at 17 Cold Bath Road converted.

The building, next door to Lunns Blinds and Curtains, was previously occupied by Scandinavian clothes shop Bias, which has since moved to Montpellier Parade.

Now, North Yorkshire Council has approved a plan to convert it into a bar and cafe.

Documents submitted to the authority propose opening times from 4pm to 11pm Wednesday and Thursday, and 12pm to 11pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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However, further details, including the name, have yet to be revealed.

Cold Bath Road already has a selection of pubs and bars, including the Fat Badger, District Bar and The Last Post.

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The fourth in our series of networking events, with Banyan Bar & Kitchen, is a breakfast event on April 27 from 8am.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate has won a King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

The awards programme is presented by His Majesty King Charles III recognises outstanding UK business.

It has four categories including International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.

Garry Nield, international director for Taylors, said:

“We are honoured to have been recognised with this prestigious Award, especially in the year of His Majesty The King’s Coronation.

“Over the last six years the International Team at Taylors has worked extremely hard and showed unwavering commitment to share our Yorkshire passion for top quality tea and coffee with the world, building genuine, lasting relationships along the way.

“We have overcome challenges such as successfully delivering the adaptation of our packaging in advance of Brexit, not to mention the difficulties presented by the covid-19 pandemic.”

Harrogate BID showcases pop-up garden

Harrogate Business Improvement District showcased a pop-up garden at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show this past week.

The garden was on show for the full four days and was made in partnership with Harrogate International Partnerships.

Harrogate BID Manager, Matthew Chapman with BID Project Manager, Jo Caswell at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show with other representatives.

The arrival of a pop-up garden at the Spring Flower Show, marks Harrogate BID’s launch of this year’s Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration, a two-week long campaign which will run from July 12 to August 4.

Harrogate BID Manager, Matthew Chapman said: 

“After winning gold in last year’s Yorkshire in Bloom, and now being named as a finalist in this year’s 2023 RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals, we are on a roll in helping the town regain its floral crown and are ready to rise to the challenge!

“Harrogate is famed as a floral town, and over the years has won many accolades. Our floral campaign, delivered by BID Project Manager Jo Caswell, is designed to celebrate our floral heritage and international relations.

“This year’s Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration theme will focus on the international connections our great town has around the world, told through a series of unique displays.”

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A freelance entertainer is hoping to explore some of Harrogate’s most haunted places when he launches a series of ghost hunts this month. 

Paul Forster is a mind-reader, magician and tour guide and has already led almost 2,000 paying visitors around Harrogate’s haunted hotspots – or rather, cold spots – over the past 18 months during his twice-monthly ghost walks. 

He is now offering tickets for a ghost hunt at the historic Crown Hotel, and has been given exclusive access to some of its darker recesses. 

He said: 

“People always want to know what’s waiting for them behind the doors they’re not allowed to open, and now we can take them there.

“The Crown Hotel has some really interesting hauntings. Second World War RAF airmen have been sighted there, disembodied voices have been heard, and there has even been poltergeist activity in the cellar.

“This will be the first time the hotel has been investigated, so it will be fascinating to see what we turn up.”

The ghost hunt will take place between 9pm and 1am, with 30 guests splitting into small groups in the hopes of capturing evidence of unusual activity.

Paul will be working in conjunction with paranormal investigation firm Angelic Forces, using techniques including table-tipping and glass divining, as well as specialist equipment such as digital thermometers and thermal imaging cameras to measure temperature, humidity, and electromagnetic fields. 

There are just six tickets left for the event on April 29, but Paul has already scheduled further events at the Crown Hotel on June 10 and at the Turkish Baths on June 16. 

He said:  

“I’d always sat on the fence when it came to paranormal activity, but then I went to the Turkish Baths to speak to members of staff who had seen some apparitions, and I saw my first ever ghost when I was there. I even heard her laugh. It changed my entire belief system.” 

Paul – whose book, Haunted Harrogate, was published last year – now believes some apparitions may simply be an imprint, or “recording”, of one moment in someone’s life, rendered visible because energy has been left behind in objects, such as stone – a phenomenon described by the “Stone Tape Theory”. 

He hopes the events will attract both die-hard ghost-hunters and curious sceptics, but says whatever happens, the events will be unlike anything else. He said: 

“It’ll be interesting, different and exciting, and that’s just what Harrogate is. There are a lot of ‘stone tape’ ghosts in Harrogate. Because it’s a spa town, I think it may be something to do with the water flowing beneath us – it acts like a plug socket, giving them energy.  

“We can’t guarantee we’ll see some ghosts on the night, but, having spent time in these places myself, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we did.” 

Tickets for the Harrogate Ghost Hunt cost £49 and be booked online at www.harrogateghostwalk.com. 

Read more:

• Ghost hunt to be held at Harrogate’s Odeon
• Author on the hunt for Harrogate ghost stories
• Ghosthunting with a paranormal investigator on the Stray

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.

It is absolutely unbelievable that anyone can possibly see any reason to build houses on that site. We need a green space between Harrogate and Pannal.

The access onto that busy steep hill would be incredibly dangerous, so do no building there at all.

Alison Roscoe, Burn Bridge

Read More:

Time for a ‘rethink’ on Harrogate’s roads

It has been written and discussed recently that the council has been unable to deliver on active travel projects in Harrogate. This is largely true, apart from the Otley Road cycle path, but we might be best to leave that there.

There have been consultations and bids for various projects that might improve active travel in the town, but very few have come to fruition. Now that North Yorkshire Council are in charge, maybe it’s time for a short to mid-term rethink.

I have often believed many cycle schemes are veiled road improvements that are being paid for by active travel schemes. But things have come to a point whereby the roads are now becoming unsafe to cycle on due to the state of the road, not because of the vehicles.

Many roads around Harrogate have deep holes in them that a bit of surface dressing will not fix. The stones and small rocks that are coming out of the pot holes litter the road and the gutter is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate safely.

The road surface is dangerously pitted and uneven making it doubly dangerous for a cyclist to traverse. These road hazards are causing cyclists to swerve or take a different line on the road and this adds further dangers to all concerned. If you need a good example, look at Pannal Ash Road. This is a road with schools on it, where we expect our children to ride their bikes.

I don’t think there will be many arguments with these statements. What I would like to see in the short to mid term is for the council to make a concerted effort to return our roads to a state whereby they don’t cause risk or damage just by using them. Resurface badly damaged roads properly (not just surface dressing), sweep the gutters to remove the debris, and at least allow all road users to be able to travel safely. Active travel schemes are nice to have, but let’s not forget about what have already.

Scott Mordue, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

The Royal Hall in Harrogate is to host a six-hour long free event on May 27 to celebrate its 120th anniversary.

The 950-seat venue, which was originally called the Kursaal, was re-opened by then Prince Charles in 2008 following an £10.7 million restoration.

The Beatles, Yehudi Menuhin and Frankie Howerd are among the stars to have played there.

Music ranging from classical to pop to Gilbert and Sullivan will showcase the diverse acts the Edwardian venue has hosted since it opened in 1903.

Inside the Royal Hall. Pic by Jim Counter

The event, organised by the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, will begin at 10am with music and singing.

From 2pm, the Darren Busby Duo will provide music for line dancing and for those who prefer to waltz and foxtrot, the Harrogate Symphony String Quartet will play from 3pm to 4pm.

Gay Steel, of the restoration trust, said:

“Sit for a while in the grand circle or dress circle and let your imagination take you back to the hall’s Edwardian heyday when visitors would stroll around the building listening to the entertainment on offer.

“The grand hall’s sprung dance floor will be cleared for dancing apart from tables for afternoon tea.”

The dressing rooms will also be open to explore on the day.

The event is free but donations to the restoration trust will be welcomed.

Afternoon tea bookings can be made via the Royal Hall Restoration Trust website here. Alternatively, telephone 01423500500 or email enquiries@rhrt.org.uk.

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