A Ripley butchers has won a regional business award.

Castle Meats of Ripley, which was formerly Hutchinsons Butchers, won best butcher category at the Yorkshire Retail Business Awards 2023.

The ceremony, which is part of the England Business Awards, was held at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.

Brian Robinson, who is now in his fourth year trading at Ripley, was voted by the public of Yorkshire and now qualifies to enter the national finals.

He said:

“It was a team effort, my wife Tracy and son Aaron work as hard at trying to give that extra bit of customer service.”

Harrogate company becomes first to join hospital charity scheme

A Harrogate company has become the first business to join a Friends of Harrogate Hospital fundraising initiative.

The scheme invites local firms to donate £1,000 and become an “enterprise friend” with the charity.

(left to right) Greg Tunesi, Friend; Rachel Tranter, EnviroVent; John Fox, Chair of the Friends and Andy Makin, Managing Director of EnviroVent.

EnviroVent, which is based at West Business Park, has become the first company to join the initiative.

Andy Makin, managing director at EnviroVent, said: 

“Hospitals are at the centre of our communities, there for when we need them most.

“For this reason, EnviroVent are delighted to support Friends of Harrogate Hospital as their first Enterprise Friend and congratulate John Fox and his fellow trustees on creating this initiative and look forward to joining other Enterprise Friends in supporting for many years to come.”

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New speed limits will be introduced outside a series of schools in Harrogate under plans for North Yorkshire’s largest ever 20mph zone.

North Yorkshire Council today unveiled proposals for an extensive 20mph zone covering streets across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town.

The proposed area for the new zone includes a total of seven schools in Harrogate.

These are Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:

“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.

“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.

“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”

A proposed £585,000 package of sustainable transport measures for the west of Harrogate has also been announced today.

The National Productivity Investment Fund package will be used to deliver parts of the new 20mph zone, as well as upgraded signals at the Cold Bath Road/Otley Road/Arthurs Avenue junction.

A crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.

There will also be improvements to bus stops along Otley Road, the crossing outside Falcon Chiropractic on Cold Bath Road, and a new crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.

Improvements will be made to cycle route signing, the crossing between Green Lane public right of way and Ashville College, and there will be new cycle parking and public realm improvements on Cold Bath Road. Nursery Lane will be upgraded to allow cyclists to use as an off-road leisure route.

Cllr Duncan said:

“We halted unpopular plans for phase two of the Otley Road cycleway to develop an alternative package of measures.

“This decision means we are now able to invest in signal improvements, new crossings, cycling improvements and new bus stops instead.

“This alternative package will be of immense and lasting benefit to all road users – motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers.”

Read more:

• Trial scheme banning school run cars from Harrogate street launched today
• National pet retailer to open Harrogate store this month

Oatlands Junior School starts scheme

The first School Street initiative started today at Oatlands Junior School, whereby Beechwood Grove is closed to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times to create a safer environment and encourage more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

The pilot has been implemented for an experimental 18-month period to allow for its impact to be monitored and assessed. A decision will then be made whether to make the scheme permanent once a review has been carried out.

Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee will be asked to provide feedback on the proposed 20mph and transport package at a meeting on Thursday, September 14.

The plans will then be considered for approval by Cllr Duncan, with the aim of implementing the measures early next year.

A trial scheme to close a Harrogate street outside a busy junior school during traffic at peak times was launched this morning.

Beechwood Grove is now part of the School Streets pilot project, preventing parents from using it to access Oatlands Junior School at the beginning and end of the school day.

From today – the first day of the new school year at Oatlands Junior School – the measures will see school traffic banned from the road between 8.30am and 9am, and from 3pm to 3.45pm, on weekdays during term time.

The scheme is the first School Streets pilot in North Yorkshire.

Residents, school staff, blue badge holders, official school transport and emergency services are exempt from the closure.

As an alternative, parents are encouraged to bring their children to school by foot, bicycle, or scooter. Those who need to drive are asked to use the ‘park and ride’ scheme, parking at Hornbeam Park railway station, M&S Simply Food on Leeds Road, or St Mark’s Church, and walking the rest of the way.

Hazel Peacock & Dr Vicki Evans, of Outlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are delighted the School Street pilot at Beechwood Grove started today to create a safer, healthier space around the Oatlands Junior School for pupils, parents and carers and local residents, every school day.

“This first School Street pilot in North Yorkshire, is the result of a joint community collaboration between campaigners, residents, Oatlands Junior School, local councillors John Mann and Pat Marsh and North Yorkshire Council.”

The move comes amid incidents involving cars and school pupils in Harrogate.

This year, a pupil at the junior school was injured when a car mounted a pavement outside the school gates, while a more serious collision on Yew Tree Lane left two 15-year-old Rossett schoolboys with serious injuries.

Following the incidents, a campaign to introduce 20mph limits and other restrictions on roads around Oatlands, Pannal Ash and Rossett gathered momentum.

Headteachers of all the local primary and secondary schools met several times, along with councillors, highways officers and parents, to discuss road safety.

A petition of more than 1,000 signatures was presented to North Yorkshire Council and the proposal was debated by both the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, and the council’s executive.

Read more:

• Trial scheme will ban school run cars from Harrogate street
• Headteachers unite to support 20mph speed limit near Harrogate schools
• Two Rossett pupils seriously injured as pick-up truck hits wall outside Harrogate school

Nationwide pet retailer Jollyes is to open a store in Harrogate this month as part of expansion plans.

The store, which will be situated at Hookstone Park, near Morrisons, will open on September 29 and employ 10 people. It will include a grooming spa called the Jolly Groomer.

Jollyes was founded in 1971 and employs more than 1,000 staff at 93 sites, many of which run community clinics offering vaccinations.

The company plans to open 10 more stores by the middle of 2024, taking its total number of sites to 103.

Inside Jollyes. Pic: Professional Images/@ProfImages

News of the Harrogate venture was included in a trading update today that revealed the company recorded sales of £33.7 million in the first quarter of 2024 — 34% higher than the £25.3m figure for last year’s first quarter.

Growth was partly fuelled by an increase in sign-ups to the firm’s pet club, which rewards customers for sales.

Chief executive Joe Wykes said:

“Our performance in our opening quarter of this financial year underlines the effectiveness of the strategy we’ve put in place – delivering exceptional value to our customers, powered by the most knowledgeable colleagues in the industry.”

Read more:

• Memorial stone unveiled in honour of murdered Harrogate police officer
• Harrogate NHS dentist to move to ‘membership only’ patient scheme

A memorial stone was unveiled this morning in honour of Harrogate police officer David Haigh, who was murdered on duty in 1982.

Father-of-three PC Haigh, 29, was shot by Barry Prudom at Norwood Edge car park in Stainburn Forest.

Prudom went on the run and killed two more people before turning the gun on himself 17 days later after Britain’s biggest ever manhunt, which involved 4,000 police officers.

PC David Haigh was just 29 when he was murdered.

Family members, who return to the site annually to lay a wreath, told the Stray Ferret last year they were in discussions with the Police Memorial Trust, a charity that erects memorials to British police officers killed in the line of duty.

Those discussions finally bore fruit today and numerous relatives, including PC Haigh’s widow Annette Jakes, children, grandchildren and brother, attended the ceremony. Many still live locally.

Geraldine Winner, the widow of film-maker Michael Winner, unveiled the stone at the spot where PC Haigh is believed to have fallen.

Mr Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust, which has now created 57 memorials to officers killed in the line of duty.

Family and representatives of North Yorkshire Police and the Police Memorial Trust at today’s ceremony.

A 58th is due to be unveiled tomorrow in honour of sergeant David Winter, 31, who was shot during the search for PC Haigh’s killer.

North Yorkshire Police representatives, including chief superintendent Catherine Clarke, were also in attendance.

Ms Jakes told the Stray Ferret the memorial “has been a long time coming” but she was delighted PC Haigh’s sacrifice had now been formally recognised.

Youngest son Richard Haigh said:

“I’m really pleased that after all these years we finally have somewhere where we can come and reflect and think about dad.

“It’s somewhere for everyone to see what he sacrificed — how he went to work and never came home.”

A QR code on the memorial stone takes phone users to a page on the Police Memorial Trust website that gives information about PC Haigh.

The memorial stone is situated where PC Haigh lost his life.

You can watch a video of the stone being unveiled on our Facebook page here.

Read more:

• Family of murdered Harrogate policeman seeks permanent memorial
• 40 years ago today: PC David Haigh was murdered in Beckwithshaw

Police have released two CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to following criminal damage to a Harrogate building.

The incident took place on Mount Parade in the town centre at 1.30am on Thursday, August 9.

It involved damage to a block of flats.

North Yorkshire Police has asked members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the person in the images, as it believes they will have information that will help the investigation.

The force said in a statement:

“Anyone with information is asked to email mark.burrows@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for PC 296 Mark Burrows.

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

“Quote reference number 12230149604.”

Read more:

• Man pleads not guilty to seriously injuring teens in collision outside Harrogate school
• Police warn of spate of sneak-in burglaries in Ripon
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Wrexham FC has apologised to Harrogate Town and Luke Armstrong after a planned transfer of the striker fell through.

The English Football League rejected a a deadline day deal between the clubs for Armstrong, 27, after it said the Welsh side failed to submit paperwork on time.

This morning, Wrexham confirmed that it would not challenge the decision after considering lodging an appeal.

In a statement, the League Two side apologised to both Armstrong and Harrogate Town after it was “unable to complete the transfer by the deadline”.

It said:

“Having reviewed the additional information received from the EFL and considered this in the context of the submission of the documents for the transfer of Luke Armstrong from Harrogate Town, the club have determined there is no reasonable chance of success if we were to appeal the EFL’s decision to reject the transfer.

“Now this decision has been made, we wish to apologise to Luke as we were unable to complete the transfer by the deadline and Harrogate Town, who we are sure will be as disappointed as we are that the transfer will not now be completed in this window.

“The club will be reviewing the circumstances and processes that have led to this outcome with all the relevant parties.”

The sum for the 27-year-old was not disclosed but it was believed to have been in the region of £450,000, which would have been the most Harrogate have ever received for a player.

Armstrong has scored 31 goals in 106 appearances for Harrogate.

Wrexham have been on the lookout for a replacement for star striker Paul Mullin after he suffered a collapsed lung and four broken ribs during the club’s USA pre-season tour.

Read more:

• Harrogate Town want £500,000 for Luke Armstrong, Carlisle manager claims
• Luke Armstrong returns to Harrogate after transfer rejected

North Yorkshire Council has refused a plan to build 17 homes at Almsford Bank Stables in Harrogate saying the scheme would “erode the distinct character” of the Crimple Valley.

Developers Square Feet Ltd and Antela Developments Ltd submitted a plan for 17 homes with seven of them classed as affordable and 10 as custom self-build for people who want to build their own home.

The site has been in equestrian use and includes farmland, barns and stables.

It’s the third attempt to build housing on the site, which is on the edge of Harrogate off Leeds Road and is overlooked by the imposing Crimple Valley Viaduct which dates to 1848.

In 2021, plans for 65 homes were withdrawn. Last year, a smaller application for 35 homes was refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

The application was met with fierce resistance from the Save Crimple Valley campaign group who argued the homes would harm the appearance of one of Harrogate’s most picturesque locations.

The plans received 360 objections and no letters of support.

Documents attached to the application by the developers said they reduced the size of the scheme to minimise its impact on the countryside with homes only built on the northern part of the site.

A southern section would have provided a “significant landscaped area”.

The land is not allocated for development in the council’s Local Plan, which sets out where development can take place, however the developers said that the document supports the delivery of self-build homes on the edge of towns.

Read more:

• Controversial plan for 35 homes in Crimple Valley rejected
• Dozens of objections to ‘ludicrous’ Crimple Valley housing plan

However, the council did not agree and gave seven reasons for refusal in a lengthy decision notice.

Reasons included the site not being allocated in the Local Plan, the loss of open fields, re-routing a public footpath, and the removal of a “relatively large” number of trees.

The council’s highways department also said the scheme would interfere with the free flow of traffic on Leeds Road and potentially cause “danger to highway users”.

North Yorkshire Council case officer Jillian Rann said:

“The proposed development would result in harm to the character and appearance of its surroundings, including the Crimple Valley Special Landscape Area, through the loss of open fields and woodland and the introduction of unacceptable and incongruous (sub)urban development into an area of high landscape value, which is important to the setting of Harrogate and the setting of the grade II* listed building, Crimple Valley Viaduct and to the separation between, and individual distinctiveness of, the settlements of Harrogate and Pannal.”

A Harrogate dentist has announced it will only see patients on a membership only basis from December.

Chatsworth House Dental Clinic, which is based on King’s Road, announced it will move to a monthly payment scheme once its NHS contract comes to an end.

The move comes as concern has been raised about the lack of access to NHS dentistry within the Harrogate district.

In a letter to patients seen by the Stray Ferret, Chatsworth House said it made the decision to “reduce appointment waiting times” and “improve prevention of dental disease and decay”.

It said:

“After careful consideration, we have decided that from 1st December 2023 we will be seeing patients on a membership basis only.

“We know this decision will allow us to spend more time with you, reduce appointment waiting times, improve prevention of dental disease and decay, and offer you a greater choice in the variety of treatments we are able to deliver in a much more relaxed environment.”

Read more:

• Investigation: ‘Shocking’ waits for NHS dentists in Harrogate district
• Access to NHS dentists in North Yorkshire has ‘got worse’, says MP
• ‘Radical reform’ needed for North Yorkshire NHS dentists, says councillor

The letter adds that patients will be offered a membership plan of £21.45 per month – or 70p per day.

The practice had previously proposed plans to refer NHS patients to Starbeck Dental Centre in August 2020, but later dropped the proposal.

The Stray Ferret approached the clinic for comment on its plan, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

NHS dentist fears

It comes as politicians have raised concern over the lack of access to NHS dentistry in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans and Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, raised the issue in the House of Commons in February.

She said only half of children in North Yorkshire managed to see an NHS dentist last year, adding:

“In Harrogate if you are lucky enough to find an NHS dentist taking on any new patients you face a two-and-a-half year wait to see them. This is a shocking state of affairs.”

Meanwhile, Conservative Cllr Andrew Lee, chair of North Yorkshire Council’s health scrutiny panel, wrote to the government’s health and social committee in February with evidence over “extremely problematic” access to dentists.

A review of NHS dentistry published in August 2021 found that there was just one NHS dentist practice per 10,000 people in the Harrogate district.

Cllr Lee said:

“Radical reform is absolutely needed. The solution lies in the management of dental services. Recruitment and retention remain difficult, and dentists themselves are frustrated with the service they can provide.

“The problem does not lie with recruiting dentists, the problem lies with a broken and dysfunctional dental contract with severe underfunding. Dentists themselves cannot rectify this and it is creating by default a two-tier system whereby those that can afford to go private do so and others struggle to access any kind of care.”

Council officials have drawn up logos and designs for the new York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The combined authority, which will be headed by an elected mayor, is scheduled to be launched in November this year.

It will include councillors from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council and make decisions on matters such as economic development and transport.

Officials have drawn up brand designs for the new council at a cost of £5,000.

The designs, which were developed in-house, include colours from each of the authorities including North Yorkshire Council, City of York Council, York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

A spokesperson for the council said that the designs were drawn up “in order to minimise spend and utilise existing assets as much as possible”.

They added:

“The branding was developed taking into account all of the partners existing logos and colour palettes, including for the LEP’s Growth Hub and Invest in York and North Yorkshire brands.

“This was in order to minimise spend and utilise existing assets as much as possible. An iterative process, working through a number of concepts led to the brand that was approved by the joint committee.”

The branding is expected to be included on social media, the authority website, posters and staff lanyards.

What is a combined authority?

A combined authority is a body set up for two or more councils to make joint decisions.

In this case, North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council would come together to make decisions on matters such as economic development and transport.

It will be a separate body to North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.

The closest example of this is West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which recently has led on the £11.9 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme, as well as similar schemes in Skipton and Selby.

The combined authority would be headed by a mayor who is directly elected by the public.

An election for the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is set to be held in May 2024.

Read more:

• Council approves additional £1m to set up North Yorkshire combined authority
• Explained: What is North Yorkshire’s combined authority?