Murder investigation declared after Harrogate teenager dies

Police today confirmed that a teenager has died following an incident in Harrogate in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The victim, who was 17, died in hospital after being found with “significant injuries” when police attended a property in Claro Road at about 12.15am.

North Yorkshire Police said today the person had died but did not name him.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared before York Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with attempted murder.

The boy, who was remanded into youth custody, is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on March 14.

But in an update today, Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox, head of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team, said the 18-year-old had now died: He said:

“North Yorkshire Police are, sadly, able to confirm that the teenage boy who was seriously injured in an incident at Claro Road, Harrogate, in the early hours of Sunday 19 February, died in hospital on the afternoon of Tuesday 21 February 2023.

“I can now confirm that the enquiry has been declared a murder investigation. North Yorkshire Police will not, at this stage, be taking steps to name the victim, however, our thoughts are very much with his family and friends.

“A large enquiry team has been formed to progress the investigation, this includes specialist officers who will offer support to the victim’s family.”

Social media plea

Det Supt Fox added:

“I am aware that that significant information is being shared on various social media platforms, I would ask members of the public to respect the privacy of affected family members and refrain from speculating on the personal information of the victim at this difficult time.

“A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with attempted murder on Monday 20 February and appeared in court on Tuesday 21 February. He was remanded in custody to appear again on 14 March.

“This is a live enquiry and I would remind the public that any form of shared rumour or speculation may have a significant impact on future criminal justice processes.”

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Bridal company to open boutique on Harrogate’s West Park

A new bridal shop is set to open on West Park as a Yorkshire business expands into Harrogate.

Elite Bridal is run by mother-and-daughter duo Joanne and Holly-Ann Wilson and already has boutiques in Brighouse and Hessle, as well as outlets in Castleford and Hull.

The new Harrogate boutique is expected to open in the former Orvis unit in the coming weeks.

Holly-Ann, the company’s retail director, told the Stray Ferret:

“We often visit Harrogate for weekends away: a little trip to Bettys for afternoon tea and a stroll round the town, but our love for Harrogate started many years ago when I was a little girl.

“My mum Joanne would take me to the bridal exhibition twice a year where we would do our buying for the year ahead. Over the last 10 years we have moved towards designing our own collections in house in Yorkshire and overseas and we now proudly exhibit as a wholesaler at the shows rather than visiting for trade.

“We have expanded our business in the last five years and doubled in size and Harrogate was one of our desired locations. When Joanne saw it, she knew it was hers. Destiny had arrived and now it’s finally happening.”

One of Elite Bridal's other boutiquesOne of Elite Bridal’s other boutiques

Holly said she and chief executive Joanne focus on having thousands of designs available in their boutiques, with a range of sizes for brides to try on rather than just samples.

They plan to offer a luxury experience in the boutique, from selecting the right gown to having designs and alterations completed in-house.

The company, founded in 2003, will create up to four part-time and full-time jobs at the new Harrogate store.

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Dog owners urged to keep dogs on leads after sheep attacks

Dog owners in the Harrogate district are being urged to keep their pets on leads by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust following two attacks on sheep at nature reserves last week.

The trust looks after more than 100 nature reserves across Yorkshire, including sites in Burton Leonard, Staveley, Bishop Monkton, Ripon and Upper Dunsforth, near Boroughbridge.

At a reserve in Huddersfield, an attack from a dog left one of the trust’s Hebridean grazing sheep with deep bite wounds.

Meanwhile, at Kilnsea Wetlands in East Yorkshire, pregnant ewes were chased by dogs, angering the local grazier.

As well as posing risks to livestock, dogs have also been trampling rare plants and bird nests.

The majority of ground-nesting birds are in decline in the UK, including curlews, woodcocks and skylarks. If dogs scare birds away from their nests, they leave chicks at risk.

A Skylark, one of the vulnerable ground-nesting birds.

Increasing instances of dogs disturbing wildlife has led the charity to issue the plea for owners to keep dogs on leads.

Rachael Bice, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s chief executive said:;

“Dog walking is one of the best reasons to get outdoors, feel great and enjoy our beautiful countryside – and we thank every responsible dog owner who keeps their dog on a lead and encourages others to do the same.

“Wildlife is suffering huge declines and dogs in wild places can cause problems, especially when many species are breeding and resting close to the ground.”

Jenna Kiddie, head of canine behaviour at the charity Dogs Trust, added:

“Dogs [should be] kept on a short lead, and close to their owners, whenever livestock are nearby, within seeing, hearing or smelling distance or whenever their presence is likely to be expected.

“It is important to remember that chasing is normal dog behaviour, and that any dog is capable of chasing, irrelevant of breed, type, age or size.”

You can find more info about being a nature-friendly pet owner here.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate healthcare company creates 20 jobs

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club!

The second in our series of networking events in association with The Coach and Horses in Harrogate is an After Work Drinks event on February 23 from 5.30pm. Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district, get your tickets now by clicking or tapping here.

Harrogate-based digital health company, Inhealthcare, has created 20 jobs which will help the NHS and private sector with patient monitoring services.

Inhealthcare supports more than 50 NHS trusts in England and provides services to five health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland.

Services provided by Inhealthcare, which is based at Cardale Park, include the management of ‘virtual wards’. Patients get to remain at home whilst they or a carer monitor vital signs and input data on an app, SMS, automated phone call or online portal.

The 20 jobs at the company include app developer roles, automation testers, technical authors and product specialists, as well as account managers, deployment and training managers, and training and support executives.

This takes the number of employees to 44.

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Harrogate car dealership wins award for customer satisfaction

 Harrogate care dealership, Stratstone MINI has received Reputation’s 800 award for high customer-satisfaction.

The dealership, which is on Wetherby Road, is one of seven Stratstone garages to win this award in 2023.

Reputation, which gives out the award, assess the customer-satisfaction of companies in various industries, including the automotive industry, finance, healthcare, home services, hospitality and real estate.

Businesses are scored, and those that are honoured with the 800 award will have achieved a score above that number.

Kim Costello, chief customer officer at Stratstone, said:

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our associates in North Yorkshire.

“Across Stratstone, our aim is to be the gold-standard for customer-centric business, putting our customers at the heart of everything we do. We look forward to earning this award year after year.”​​​​​​

Harrogate police officer sexually assaulted woman while on duty, trial hears

A Harrogate police officer sexually assaulted a woman at a cemetery in Harrogate while he was on duty, it’s alleged.

Christopher Hudson, 32, assaulted the woman in a car park at Stonefall Cemetery on Wetherby Road, the prosecution told a jury at Leeds Crown Court.

Prosecuting barrister Gerald Hendron said Hudson, who was serving as a police constable based at Harrogate Police Station at the time of the alleged incident, stroked the woman on the back of the neck and ear and “pulled her…towards him”.

He then kissed her, but she repeatedly told him “No”. 

Mr Hendron added:

“She started to panic but he continued.

“He took hold of her hand and moved it on (an intimate part of his body).

“The defendant had his hand (near an intimate part of her body) and touched her there.”

She later told friends about what happened and how “shocked and confused” she had been during and after the incident.

Mr Hendron said:

“She feared she would not be believed.”

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She sought help from a counsellor about stress which was brought on by the alleged incident in February 2021. 

Hudson, of Hollin Terrace, Huddersfield, was arrested in March of that year when he denied sexually assaulting the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He denies one count of sexual assault.

The trial continues. 

Harrogate’s Royal Pump Room Museum closes for refurbishment

The Royal Pump Room Museum in Harrogate has closed for a fortnight for refurbishment.

The domed grade two listed building, which was originally a spa water pump house and now tells the story of Harrogate’s spa past, will look different when it re-opens on March 7.

Most notably, the welcome desk that visitors see when they walk in will be returned to its original location in the octagonal room. The Egyptology exhibits have been sent for study at Cardiff University and are not expected to return for two years.

The building, whose notable visitors include Tsarina Alexandra of Russia and novelist Charles Dickens, is operated by Harrogate Borough Council.

The Stray Ferret asked why the refurbishment was being carried out and the cost.

A council spokesperson said:

“This year marks the 70th anniversary since Harrogate’s pump room opened as a local history museum.

“We want to ensure the museum remains open and enjoyable for residents and visitors for another 70, and are excited to announce that we are restoring the original welcome desk back into its position in the octagonal room for which it was designed.

“We are also creating a glass floor above the wells so that these can be seen more clearly and redesigning some existing displays to tell more fascinating stories of Harrogate’s past.”

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Nidderdale smokehouse and farm shop appoints liquidators

A food business based in Nidderdale has gone into voluntary liquidation owing more than £1 million.

Mackenzies Smoked Products Ltd appointed Clark Business Recovery last week to oversee its liquidation.

Papers filed with Companies House reveal it owed £1,025,690.40 to 156 other companies. Among its debts is almost £45,000 to HMRC for VAT, PAYE and National Insurance contributions.

The sole director, Paul James Palmer, was appointed in October 2019, when he and wife Gabby took over the Blubberhouses company from Robert and Stella Crowson, who founded it in 1999.

As well as a smokehouse, Mackenzies runs a farm shop and cafe, both of which remained open today.

In documents filed as part of the liquidation process, Mr Palmer reserves the right for MFS&C Limited to use the trading names of Mackenzies, Mackenzies Farm Shop, and Mackenzies Farm Shop and Cafe.

MFS&C Limited was set up by Gabby Palmer in November last year and she remains its sole director.

The rights to the trading names of the Yorkshire Smokehouse, the Yorkshire Smokehouse at Mackenzies, Mackenzies Smokehouse and Mackenzies Smoked Products are reserved for use by Yorkshire Speciality Foods Limited, set up by an Andrew Robert Butler in September 2022.

Mr Palmer is a former director of Bleikers Smokehouse, which was founded by his wife’s father, Jurg Bleiker, who left the business in 2006. Mr Palmer resigned from Bleikers in 2019.

Mackenzies opened a coffee shop on Cardale Park last spring, but it has since closed and been replaced by a separate venture.

The Stray Ferret contacted Mackenzies and Clark Business Recovery about the liquidation but was told nobody was able to give any further information.

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Bleikers, which fell into administration last May, is under investigation by the National Food Crime Unit. In an update issued last month, investigators said:

“The National Food Crime Unit continue to investigate the former Bleiker’s Smokehouse in Leeming, North Yorkshire.

“To date, four people have been interviewed under caution and enquiries around the former Bleiker’s Smokehouse business practices continue.

“Thanks to the North Yorkshire police for their support during the investigation.”

The company’s administrator, FRP Advisory, last posted an update in December. It indicated the company’s assets, including stock and machinery, had been sold.

Harrogate council to make offers on three empty homes

Harrogate Borough Council is to offer to buy three long-term empty homes in Harrogate.

A report before the council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communities, Cllr Mike Chambers, proposes the local authority makes an offer on the properties in order to bring them back into use.

The homes are located in Rothbury Close, Osborne Road and Eleanor Road in Harrogate.

The report says the council intends to sell the properties on the open market, with any profits being spent on future empty home purchases.

The council can issue compulsory purchase orders which allow it to take ownership without the consent of the owner. However, the council’s first step is to make an offer.

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The price the council is likely to offer for the properties is not disclosed, although the report notes offers were made in 2019 for three empty properties at a combined sum of £625,000.

There are currently 749 properties across the district that have been empty for six months or longer.

Of these, 209 have been empty and unfurnished for over two years and consequently classified as long-term empty homes. A total of 28 have been empty for over 10 years.

The council prioritised the problem in its 2019 empty homes strategy although it said much of the responsibility was on homeowners themselves.

It has a budget of £2.5 million to spend on empty homes, which comes from its reserves.

There are numerous reasons properties can lie empty. Sometimes, landlords cannot afford to renovate their property to sell or rent. Properties may also have been inherited and the new owners don’t know what to do with them.

Rentals can also fall below safety standards, which means they sit vacant until the problems are fixed.

The report adds: 

“Empty homes represent a wasted housing resource; they also pose other problems for local authorities, owners, neighbours, emergency services and the environment. 

“They are often a blemish on an area and can be subject to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.”

Council bids for £3m for cycling projects in Harrogate and Knaresborough

North Yorkshire County Council is set to bid for £3.19 million from the government to help fund two cycling schemes in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways at the council, confirmed that the authority had approved a submission for the funding from tranche four of the Department for Transport’s active travel fund.

The county council has been allocated £1.08 million of funding, although it has been invited to bid for an additional £2.16 million.

It will see the funding go towards improvements to public spaces, pedestrian crossings and segregated cycleways on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate.

Victoria Avenue

Segregated cycling lanes would be created on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate.

This would use the full £1.08 million of the tranche four funding already awarded and would require a further £492,000 from the remaining tranche two funds. The Victoria Avenue project is described by the council as its ‘priority scheme’.

A further scheme would see segregated cycle lanes created in Knaresborough at a cost of £1.65 million. They would be created on the A59 Forest Lane Head/Harrogate Road starting around Maple Close toward Knaresborough, ending close to Knaresborough High Bridge.

The council has said this would “deliver improved crossing facilities to link existing cycle routes, Knaresborough town centre and the railway station”.

Today’s announcement appears to amount to the council reviving previously announced plans to improve cycling on Victoria Avenue and the A59 at Knaresborough — if it can secure funding.

The council has also earmarked a scheme in Richmond as part of the bid.

Cllr Duncan said:

“We want to enable more people in North Yorkshire to have the option of safely and conveniently walking, wheeling and riding.

“Our latest bid, worth more than £3 million, is another significant milestone in our efforts to deliver a more balanced approach to travel in the county, which will reduce emissions, cut congestion and promote healthier lifestyles.

“The new infrastructure in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Richmond would significantly improve road safety and unlock an estimated 579 additional walking and cycling trips per day.

“The bid builds on our efforts to encourage more sustainable travel, which in recent years has seen us secure more than £55m of central government funding.”

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The move comes after the county council scrapped plans for the second phase of the Otley Road cycle route this month.

The council, which is the highways authority, also revealed it would not be bringing back restrictions for motorists on nearby Beech Grove.

Instead it will propose new measures to tackle speed in the streets surrounding Otley Road, improved crossings for cyclists, better signage for cycle routes and improvements to bus infrastructure.

A decision on bids submitted for the active travel fund is expected from the government on March 17. 

Construction must begin on successful projects before March 31, 2024.

Pet crematorium opens today in Harrogate

A pet crematorium opened in Harrogate today.

The crematorium, run by Harrogate Borough Council, gives pet owners the chance to say farewell to their cats, dogs and small animals.

Prices start at £72 for small animals and from £85 for cats and from £115 for dogs.

The ashes will be placed in a scatter tube, which owners can collect, along with a memorial certificate.

The crematorium is located at Stonefall Cemetery and Crematorium on Wetherby Road.

Pet crematorium

The crematorium is at Stonefall on Wetherby Road.

Councillor Sam Gibbs, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“Pets are like part of the family and they deserve an ending with dignity and respect, just like humans.

“The new pet crematorium will provide the most sympathetic setting for people to say goodbye to their pets.

“This service will also provide people, as well as veterinary surgeries, a local, trusted and reliable pet cremation service – operated by experts in bereavements.”

The Stray Ferret revealed last year the council was set to award a £40,000 contract to create a pet crematorium at Stonefall.

Further information on the facility is available here.

Pet crematorium

Inside the crematorium

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