Calls for urgent action to stop North Yorkshire children vaping

Calls have been made for urgent action to tackle children vaping across North Yorkshire amid an “explosion” in young people using e-cigarettes.

A meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s children and young people’s scrutiny committee heard the authority’s annual health and wellbeing survey concluded more than one in three of children aged 13 to 15 years old had at least tried vaping, while 9% said they used them regularly.

Smoking of traditional cigarettes was continuing to decrease and the use of illegal drugs remained low, the meeting was told, but some children were starting to vape while still at primary school.

The study found some 5% of 10 and 11-year-olds pupils responded that they had at least tried vaping.

However, councillors were warned the vaping statistics in its Growing Up In North Yorkshire study were “woefully out” and the actual prevalence of vaping was likely to be much higher.

Earlier this year Dr Mike McKean, of the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health, said vaping was becoming “an epidemic” among teenagers.

He said if the growth of youngsters vaping continued at the same rate, almost all children would vape within five years.

Dr Tom Cavell-Taylor, who is a governor at Ripon Grammar School, told the scrutiny meeting: 

“I don’t think young people appreciate the dangers of vaping.

“Vaping was seen as a better alternative to smoking, but there is a bit of a health time bomb going on with vaping and I don’t think that message is fully appreciated with young people.”

Cllr Kirsty Poskitt, who is also a youth worker, added it was “not unusual for year five and six pupils to be vaping”.

She said: 

“What I’m really concerned with is how fast the public health is getting out. I have conversations daily with young people that vape that have no clue that it is in any way dangerous.

“The parents see it as a much better, they taste and smell nice, they’re trendy, you’re not going to have that first hacking  experience of cigarettes.

“It’s a huge explosion and it’s one of my biggest concerns with young people.”

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The meeting heard councillors call for the government to step up campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of vaping in the way that it has highlighted the risks of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol or ban the sale of single-use vapes.

Councillors said by looking at the images in the windows of vaping shops alone, it was obvious children were being targeted.

The authority’s director of children and young people’s services, Stuart Carlton, said while he appreciated the immediate need to raise of the risks of vaping, it would be worse to launch a campaign that wasn’t accurate.

He said one of the issues with tackling vaping was that “the market moves really quickly”, so it was important to get messages precise.

Mr Carlton said: 

“I would just ban them. I think they should only be available on prescription as part of a smoking reduction programme to adults only. That’s how you get them out of the system.

“Some of the things that are giving us the most concern aren’t the ones sold in shops, it’s the illegal market. These are black market vapes with cannabinoid additions which are causing horrendous incidents to children who experiment. You can do something about vaping, but then miss the thing that’s doing to most damage.”

The scrutiny committee was told public health officials were teaming up with a range of bodies, including the NHS and Trading Standards, to tackle the issue in a coordinated way.

Former stables and cricket pavilion to be demolished in Harrogate 480-home plan

Several derelict buildings including a cricket pavilion are set to be demolished in fields off Otley Road in Harrogate to make way for the 480-home Bluecoat Wood development.

The government’s housing agency Homes England is behind the housing scheme, which would cover 28 hectares of largely green fields. The homes would wrap around horticultural charity Horticap.

A mix of one, two, three, four and five-bedroom houses are proposed for the site. Homes England says 40% of the houses will be allocated as “affordable”.

An outline planning application was submitted last year but is yet to receive final approval.

However the developer asked North Yorkshire Council if it could demolish several buildings on the site and the authority confirmed this month that it can.

It means that five timber buildings associated with a former stables will be demolished as well as a small shed and a stone barn on the site.

A cricket pavilion formerly used by Pannal Ash Cricket Club will also be demolished.

However, under plans submitted by Homes England, the development is set to include a new cricket pitch on the site and the club will return to using it.

Documents state:

“The wider proposals for the Bluecoat Park site include a new cricket pavilion and cricket field, which will provide a new home for Pannal Ash Cricket Club and will allow them to return to the site.

“Alongside the proposed residential development and cricket facilities, a football hub is also proposed. These sporting facilities will provide much higher quality sporting facilities in this area, which will help encourage an active and healthy lifestyle.”

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The section of Otley Road approaching Harlow Hill is set to be transformed by up to 1,500 homes over the next decade.

The Bluecoat Wood site has been mooted  for housing for many years and Homes England took it on after a previous plan fell through.

The former Harrogate Borough Council Local Plan, which is still binding, says that the Windmill Farm site on the other side of Otley Road can also be developed.

Plans for 770 homes and a new primary school were submitted last year by Anwyl Land and national housebuilder Redrow Homes. The site also includes space for self-build homes.

But there have been long-standing fears from residents that the services that people rely on will be put under further strain by the new developments.

The Western Arc Coordination Group is hopeful a council-led document called the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy (WHIDS) will go some way to ensuring investment takes place into roads, schools and healthcare before much of the homes are constructed.

But it’s faced a series of delays which has frustrated residents in the group.

Four memorial benches vandalised in Harrogate woods

Four memorial benches in Harrogate’s Pinewoods have been vandalised.

The benches, some of which were paid for by families who lost loved ones, were damaged last night (June 25).

Of those which were vandalised, two were on the path between the war memorial and Harlow Moor Road.

Another two were damaged off the path.

https://twitter.com/PinewoodsHgt/status/1673241422269390850

Pinewoods Conservation Group, which helps to maintain the 96-acre woodland, said the incident highlights an increase in anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

It described the damage as “very disappointing”.

The group added that the vandalism has also been reported to North Yorkshire Police.

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Shadow chancellor joins local by-election campaign trail

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves joined Labour candidate Keir Mather on the by-election campaign trail in Selby on Saturday.

Selby and Ainsty will go to the polls on July 20 following the resignation of Conservative MP Nigel Adams.

The constituency includes villages close to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, including Spofforth, Follifoot, Ouseburn and Little Ribston.

The Conservatives hold a 20,137 majority but Ms Reeves’ visit indicates that Labour, which finished second last time with 25% of the vote, regards it as a winnable seat.

Ms Reeves joined Mr Mather to launch his five-point plan, which he said would deliver ‘a fresh start’ for the constituency.

Ms Reeves said:

“Across Britain, people are being hit hard by a Tory mortgage penalty, and here in Selby and Ainsty over 12,300 households will see their repayments go up by an average £2,700.

“Meanwhile, the Conservative MP abandoned his constituents in a cost of living crisis, leaving them without a voice and a Conservative government too distracted to deliver.”

Mr Mather’s five-point plan is to support residents through the cost of living crisis; tackle antisocial behaviour and rural crime; make the local NHS fit for the future; protect communities from flooding and sewage and restore frequent, reliable public transport.

He said:

“This brilliant constituency deserves a fresh start and a dedicated MP who will deliver on their promises to local people.”

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Man with ‘flagrant disregard for people’ jailed for crimes in Harrogate

A man has been jailed for a year for a string of offences in Harrogate, including threatening to kill a policeman.

Christopher Layton, 36, admitted carrying out the threat at Harrogate police station on June 7 this year.

He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison for that offence when he appeared in front of magistrates in York on Tuesday.

Layton, of no fixed abode, received other consecutive custodial sentences for further crimes.

They included assaulting the same police officer and assaulting a man on Parliament Street in Harrogate on June 18. He also threatened police and paramedics.

Layton, who was subject to supervision requirements imposed after a previous jail sentence, also pleaded guilty to threatening a man on Queens Road in Harrogate on June 7, which court documents said “was motivated by hostility towards persons who are of a particular sexual orientation”.

The documents also said the offences were so serious because “the defendant has a flagrant disregard for people and their property” and involved attacks on emergency workers.

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Wellness and gifting brand set to open Harrogate store

A new store specialising in wellness and lifestyle products is set to open in Harrogate.

SELF.UK, which already boasts other stores in Lincoln and Woodhall Spa, has taken a unit on James Street.

The company sells a range of products, from homeware, gifts, and fragrances to clothing, stationery, and children’s accessories.

SELF.UK began its journey in lockdown when founder, Suzie Bateman, began curating gift boxes for customers and corporate clients. The brand rose in popularity, built a presence on social media,  and opened its first retail store only a year later in 2021.

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Ms Bateman who previously worked in sales and marketing, fell in love with Harrogate over ten years ago and has visited the town on the same weekend every year to Christmas shop ever since.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“I love what I do so much.

“I’m happiest behind the counter and speaking to customers in the shop.”

Shoppers can also find brands such as Plum & Ashby, Joma Jewellery, and St.Eval in store and online.

Ms Bateman aims to be in the Harrogate store at least once a week, while juggling home life and her other stores.

The Harrogate store is due to open on Saturday, July 8.

Harrogate Ladies’ College opens new theatre

Harrogate Ladies’ College has officially opened a new performing arts centre after a major refurbishment project.

The work included the installation of new sound and lighting technology and extensive redecoration of the venue.

The centre has been named the Swinton Theatre.

Parents and alumni who donated to the project, chose the name to recognise how the Swintons helped the school during World War Two.

With just 10 days notice, the school was relocated to what was then Swinton Castle for more than 6 years between 1939-1946.  The schools premises in Harrogate was requisitioned by the Ministry of Air Production for the war effort. The castle has since become a hotel and spa.

The Countess and Earl of Swinton attended the theatre’s official opening.

Principal of the college, Sylvia Brett said:

“The generosity of the Swinton Estate in providing a home for the school during the war, is echoed in the generosity of our alumni and current parents in funding the refurbishment of this beautiful space.

“It’s been wonderful over recent weeks to see pupils of all ages enjoying using the space to express themselves through performance. I never underestimate how brave pupils are when they step out onto a stage and I know that the confidence this gives them is something they will take with them beyond school and throughout life.”

The school has also recently formed the Harrogate Ladies’ College Dance Company.  Its aim is to provide additional opportunities for pupils in the performing arts.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate’s Ashville College appoints head of prep school

Staff well-being and culture have rapidly risen up the priority list for many employers.  At the next Stray Ferret Business Club  we’ll hear from award winning employer, LCF Law, on how organisations can ensure their teams are productive and happy. 

The lunch event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Harrogate’s Ashville College has appointed Philip Soutar as head of prep school.

Mr Soutar will take up the role in September, having previously been head at Rosemead Prep School and Nursery in Dulwich, South London, for the past six years.

He is currently national chair of the Independent Schools Association. In this role, he serves on the Independent Schools Council, the overarching body of the seven associations representing over 1,400 independent schools nationwide.

Rhiannon Wilkinson, head of Ashville College, said:

“Philip’s passion for preparatory education, and inspiring and nurturing young people, shines through.

“He has dedicated the whole of his successful career to preparatory education and this unrivalled experience, coupled with his national high-level insight, makes him ideally-placed to lead Ashville through the challenges and opportunities in our sector.

Mr Soutar added:

“This is a return to the north of England for my family and I and we cannot wait to become part of the Ashville community.

“My philosophy is based around high academic expectations whilst achieving the balance of opportunity through art, sport, music and drama.

Founded in 1877, Ashville is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2-18 years.

Johnsons of Whixley supplies £130,000 worth of plants for holiday parks

Plant nursery Johnsons of Whixley has supplied £130,000 worth of plants for two luxury holiday park developments

The local horticultural business has been chosen as the primary supplier of plants for the project by Darwin Escapes, which will see one, two and three-bedroom lodges constructed in the grounds of the Blenheim Palace estate.

Johnsons has also received an order to supply the grounds of Plas Isaf Lodge Retreat in North Wales, another project by Darwin Escapes.

Eleanor Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons of Whixley, said:

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Darwin Escapes.”

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Stray Views: Stranded in Leeds thanks to shambolic trains

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.

For my 72nd birthday, my son purchased tickets for us to attend a T20 game at Headingley on June 22.

Having consulted the timetable we found we had two options for our homeward journey to Knaresborough: the 21.34 train from Burley Park to Knaresborough or the 22.44 train from Burley Park to Harrogate.

For some strange reason only known to Northern, the 22.44 service terminates at Harrogate. Why?

To resolve this issue we decided for our outward journey we would drive to Hornbeam Park Station, park up and then get the train to Burley Park Station.

During the Yorkshire Vikings innings (they batted second), luckily my son checked on his phone and found that both of the trains we could have got home had been cancelled.

Stranded in Leeds. Car at Hornbeam Station. Possible £40/£50 taxi back to Hornbeam.

A solution was an earlier train home that hadn’t been cancelled at 20.34, which would mean missing the last hour of the game. The problem was the train departed in 10 minutes.

At 72 years of age, running to catch a train is not much fun but we made it.

How many people attending this event got stranded in Leeds by Northern Rail? I can see why they have had their franchise taken over by the government.

Did any other readers get caught out by this pathetic excuse of a train company?

They completely ruined our day out and we missed a very exciting end to the game.

Robbie Payne, Knaresborough

Boy racers at Conyngham Hall 

Malcolm Wood’s letter on the A59 Badger Hill race track caught my attention. It isn’t the only race track which is a noise nuisance.

There is a big problem in Conyngham Hall car park in Knaresborough. Each evening it becomes a mecca for anyone with a souped-up engine/exhaust. They start at one end of the car park, rev up, backfire, then race to the other end where handbrake circles, skidding and revving are performed.

This happens well up to and sometimes beyond 11pm. It’s not a recent thing, it’s been happening for at least three years, together with drug usage, drinking parties and fire lighting. The police have been informed and a crime number issued, but do we see any action from them or the council — what do you think?

Jean Butterfield, Knaresborough

Bond End also a race track

I am in absolute agreement with Malcolm Wood’s letter of June 16 about speeding in Knaresborough at Badger Hill. It is a problem on Bond End too.

Noisy, modified  cars and motorbikes use Bond End as a slingshot before breaking the speed limit on the dual carriageway of Harrogate Road, from Mother Shipton’s towards the golf club. This has been ongoing since spring.

The beginning of this area has a lot of pedestrians. Alas, a police presence, acting as enforcement and deterrence, is absent.

Dr. David Oldman, Knaresborough 

And so is York Place…

I can concur with Malcolm Woods regarding boy racers. I live on Iles Lane, I walk my dogs every night and I can say that boy racers race in town up York Place through the High Street nearly every night between 9.30pm and 10.30pm. No police visible

Maggie Boyd , Knaresborough

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Full marks for promptness to local politician

I have no political allegiance or affiliation, but when I raised an issue concerning his ward, Matt Walker responded almost immediately. This was even though his contact page on the council website said he was on holiday at the time. Full marks, and good luck, sir!

Colin Harrison, Knaresborough

Station Gateway: we expect better from councillors

A couple of issues in particular discussed by councillors at the area constituency committee meeting on June 8 should be raised.

1 THE PETITION

A Conservative member attending this meeting queried the petition’s veracity, saying its signatories included people from as far away as South Africa.  According to people who are more computer literate than I am, it is reportedly an anomaly where the IP address of people’s computers shows up on the petition rather than their postal address.  So I have been told, it occurs when a virtual private network is used to provide additional security and privacy rather than that afforded by the normal internet connection.

For example, two people I know who certainly live in Harrogate had their addresses displayed on the petition as Sunderland.  It therefore seems to confirm that the councillor who announced in a sarcastic manner at the North Yorkshire Council executive meeting that he had rigorously checked the petition and that it proved nothing as at least 20% of the signatories lived outside the Harrogate area was quite wrong.

Surely there must be some way in which these misleading discrepancies, fabrications and exaggerations can be taken into account as they were extremely misleading. I find it hard to comprehend the technology wizards at the council have not come across this anomaly before.

2 INTERPRETATION OF THE PETITION

Another Conservative member attending the meeting pointed out even 500 local signatures, the threshold needed to have the petition debated by the committee, were not representative of all views from local residents.  Just over two years ago quite extensive coverage was given in the local media of the survey results following public consultation on the gateway project including the pedestrianisation of James Street.

A report commissioned by North Yorkshire County Council claimed the gateway project still had more supporters than detractors.   I understand the overall population of Harrogate at the time was in the region of 75,000 residents, from which there were some 1,101 respondents to the online survey.   This equates approximately to 1.5% of Harrogate town’s total population – some 45% of the 1,101 participants voted in favour of this proposal or in real terms somewhere in the region of 0.75% of Harrogate’s population.

So, if you adopt this councillor’s theory, it is less representative of all the views from local residents even though at the time Cllr Phil Ireland from the then Harrogate Borough Council claimed “we have EVERYBODY’S feedback and ideas to feed into the next phase of detailed design work”.  And yet, they dare to trash the recent petition which reached over 2,000 signatures and continues to increase.

We do not expect this standard of behaviour form councillors who were elected to represent us the residents of Harrogate and a public apology on both issues would be appropriate.

The simple fact that the signatories to the petition may not be representative of all views from local residents rests firmly in the lap of the council. It is quite disturbing to find out even now how many local residents and businesses still have not heard of or do not know what the station gateway involves.  Whilst I appreciate it will always be a problem to ensure everyone is aware, I believe the council and the highways team in particular has a history of poor consultation, ignoring the democratic process; not listening and dismissive of public comment, and hiding behind a meaningless excess of words in press releases.  If only they had involved us much earlier in the democratic process more of us would have shared in ownership of a gateway project.

Barry Adams, 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.

Ex-Rossett student publishes war-time novella set in Harrogate

A former Rossett School student has recently published a novel that takes place in early 20th Century Harrogate.

Gary Baysinger lived in Harrogate more than 30 years ago and has now written a war-time novella set in the town.

In the space of just ten days, he lost his mother and was diagnosed with skin cancer so took up writing “as a distraction”.

The book, A kind of Homecoming, was inspired by the 1969 film, “Oh What a Lovely War” – a musical about World War One.

A scene in the film depicts the Christmas truce of 1914, during which a German soldier tells a British solider about his love for a British girl he left behind when he went to fight.

Mr Baysinger said:

“The scene left me with more questions than answers; who is this young man? Who is the girl? Did he survive the war? Did they end up together?

“I decided to write a story and answer those questions — I set it in Harrogate because I am fond of the place.

“I think we all sometimes wonder what would have happened if life had gone different at a young age.”

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Mr Baysinger’s family moved to Harrogate in the late 1970s, where his father took a position at Menwith Hill. Despite his short stint in Yorkshire – moving back to America in 1981 – he said he “wouldn’t want to be anywhere else” at the time.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I spent my weekdays at Rossett High School, my Saturdays at Elland Road, and my Sundays kicking a football around a muddy pitch in Hampsthwaite, or on the Stray”.

Mr Baysinger is hoping Harrogate library will keep a copy  so locals can read the war-time novel.

“I recently visited Harrogate for the first time in nearly three decades.

“I met up with some old friends and was astounded by the warmth and hospitality they showed me.”

A Kind of Homecoming is available to buy now on Amazon.