Harrogate woman gets suspended prison sentence for ‘appalling assault’

A Harrogate woman has received a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of assault.

Elaine Manaley, 55, of Dene Park, attacked the woman who was named in court on August 2 last year.

She denied the offence, which occurred at Dene Park, Bilton, but was found guilty at York Magistrates Court on Monday.

Court documents described it as an “appalling assault on a member of the public”.

Manaley was also found guilty of damaging a pair of glasses and a wrist watch worth £120 belonging to the same victim. She denied the charge.

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A warrant was issued for the arrest of Manaley when she failed to appear in court on Friday last week to answer the charges against her.

York Magistrates Court. Credit: Flickr.

York Magistrates Court. Credit: Flickr.

She was subsequently arrested and appeared before magistrates on Monday where she admitted three instances of failing to submit to custody having been released on bail.

Manaley was sentenced to nine weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

She was also ordered to pay a total of £894. This consisted of £620 to the Crown Prosecution Service and £274 compensation.

Work begins to create Harrogate’s first mosque

Building work has begun to create Harrogate’s first mosque, which could be open in time for Ramadan next Spring.

The building on the corner of Tower Street and Belford Road has stood derelict for several years but Harrogate Islamic Association is bringing it back into use.

Around 100 Muslim worshippers, from a diverse range of backgrounds, currently meet in the Quakers’ Friends Meeting House in Harrogate and Chain Lane Community Hub in Knaresborough.

Unique project

Converting a former hospital, masonic hall and home guard club into a mosque has to be one of the most interesting building projects in Harrogate.

After completing the sale in May, there have been some nasty surprises.

The roof was in a much worse state than previously thought and then partially collapsed, which could have thrown the whole project into doubt.

Interior image of the building

Thankfully, the collapse hasn’t damaged the integrity of the walls, leaving workers able to press on with repairing the roof.

HIA member Zahed Amanullah said:

“There was a concern that the roof was degraded so much that we’d have to replace it, which we hadn’t anticipated and would be prohibitively expensive. Even logistically, we weren’t sure replacing the roof would even be possible.

“But a roofer gave us another opinion that has meant it can be saved. We just needed to progress with removing the actual tiling of the roof, investigating which parts are damaged, then restoring it.”

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Getting it watertight

Scaffolding has now gone up around the building and will remain there for the next two or three months whilst roofers make sure the building is watertight ahead of winter.

Work will also take place to smarten up its exterior and will include adding a new render and restoring the windows.

Mr Amanullah hopes the ground floor will be safe and clean by the end of this year so it can open for some congressional prayers.

He said the HIA may need to fundraise again to complete the upper level of the building, but he is confident all the uncertainty and hard work will be worth it in the end.

He added:

“Developers wanted to demolish it and I don’t think the building would have survived another winter. The collapse was quite dramatic.

“Our main goal is always the next Ramadan in March and April. That would be our goal to open for worship.

“We’re confident. It was a big risk to take.”

Harrogate Islamic Association will be posting updates about the project on its Twitter account.

Fashion retailer Jules B set to open new Harrogate store tomorrow

Luxury fashion retailer Jules B is set to open a new store in Harrogate tomorrow.

The boutique, which will be in the former Jaeger unit on Cambridge Crescent, will sell womenswear.

The retailer offers collections by designers including Oska, Holland Cooper, NU London, Rag and Bone and Barbour International.

Owners Julian Blades and his wife, Rhona, opened their first womenswear store in Jesmond in 1984.

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Mr Blades said its brands “will be perfect for the sophisticated customer demographic in Harrogate and surrounding areas”.

He added:

“After years of planning to find the perfect location, our newest and biggest store in Harrogate is an inspiring womenswear shopping destination that covers two fantastic floors.

“We knew the time was right when the old Jaeger unit became available as it perfectly suits the Jules B aesthetic.”

An official launch event will take place on September 22.

Double North Yorkshire council tax on second homes set to go ahead

Second home owners in North Yorkshire look set to be the first in the country to pay double council tax.

It comes after an investigation into avoidance loopholes concluded there is potential for the charge to be avoided.

In an attempt to help improve access to housing for local people, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive will on Tuesday consider launching a 100% council tax premium on second homes and premises which have been left empty for a year or more from April 1, 2024.

The move follows last year’s North Yorkshire Rural Commission recommending a charge is levied on second homes and used to finance affordable housing, helping to reverse the ongoing exodus of young families from areas where house prices are many times above average wages.

Two months ago the authority’s leading members postponed a decision on the premium after numerous concerns were raised about whether it would encourage council tax avoidance, for instance by second home owners transferring properties transferring to business rates.

Some opposition councillors have claimed the premium will prove difficult to implement while people who have owned properties in the county for decades say the move will simply make second homes the preserve of the rich.

In a report to the executive, officers forecast more than £14 million a year could be raised from using the levy being introduced by the government in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

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Research has shown Richmondshire could generate about £1.8 million through the premium, while the Craven, Harrogate and Ryedale areas could each provide about £1.5 million in extra revenue. Hambleton could provide £1 million and the Selby district a further £260,000.

Addressing the concerns over tax avoidance loopholes, the report states that because council tax rates for second homes mirror those of main residences there may be issues with the classification of properties and the application of a second homes premium “may prompt owners to reclassify properties for genuine reasons”.

The report highlights that properties only need to be available to let for more than 20 weeks in a year to be classed under business rates and that the only detail needed to support such a claim is evidence of an advertisement for let for the property.

From April second homeowners must also prove the property was let for short at least 70 days.

The report states the council would use “mechanisms available” to clamp down on couples who own second homes and falsely claim they are living separately and warns of financial penalties if bogus information is provided.

Officers added while the proportion of second homes in Wales paying the 100 per cent premium had fallen by up to nine per cent since being introduced there in 2017, it is unclear whether the downward trend has been caused by avoidance loopholes or by bringing second homes back into use as housing.

Ahead of the debate, the authority’s Green Party group coordinator, Cllr Andy Brown, who represents Aire Valley, said areas faced “being hollowed out of permanent residents” and there was a strong case for raising the council tax not just on second home owners, but “anyone who rents a property out using short term online letting companies”.

He added it would take skill to design a local property tax to impact on rarely used second homes rather than North Yorkshire’s expansive tourism industry.

County council set to reject climate change action appeal

North Yorkshire County Council looks poised to dismiss moves by Green and Liberal Democrat councillors to accelerate the response to thr climate change and biodiversity crises, claiming they could be counter-productive.

The council’s Conservative-run executive will consider two environmental notices of motion that councillors were prevented from debating at a full council meeting in July, with the authority’s chairman instead opting to refer the proposals to its cabinet members.

Both motions propose the establishment of a new committee specifically to scrutinise the council’s progress and leadership in tackling climate change and establishing biodiversity plans to ensure oversight of the collective ambition of the council.

Since losing its overwhelming majority at the May elections, the Tory-led council has been facing mounting pressure, particularly from the Liberal Democrat and Green groups, to redouble its climate change and biodiversity efforts and allow opposition councillors to play a greater role in shaping such policies.

An officers’ report to the executive states the creation of a new scrutiny committee would take the number of such forums at the council to seven.

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It adds the council’s scrutiny function is under review as part of the establishment of a new unitary authority and recommendations would be brought before all elected members later this year.

One of the motions also calls for the creation of a new executive member to reflect the scale of the job, but the officers’ report highlights the executive already has the maximum number of members allowed under the county council’s constitution.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Bryn Griffiths, who represents Stokesley, said the officers’ report failed to fully address the high priority and action needed to effectively deal with climate change and the ecological emergency in North Yorkshire.

He said: 

“I think the points we put forward to deal with that are still valid and worthwhile objectives that the council should be taking on board and should be fully debated by the full council.”

The council’s Conservative leader, Cllr Carl Les said the executive’s debate and recommendations to the next full meeting of the authority in November would focus on how the authority could best manage the impacts of climate change.

He said: 

“It is a hugely important issue to us. It seems to me that the Greens and Lib Dems are suggesting we have to have a special executive member and a special scrutiny committee, but we believe the climate change and biodiversity issues cut across everything that we do.

“The approach that we are taking by embedding it into everything we are doing, so every report we produce now examines the climate change impact, is better.”

When asked if the decision to reject specialist climate change roles and groups at the council was politically-fuelled, Cllr Les said: 

“Not at all. All our scrutiny committees have the ability to look at climate change implications.

“If anything they have more influence and control over what we are doing than what is being proposed.”

Government rejects Harrogate working men’s club flats plan

The government has rejected plans to convert a former Harrogate working men’s club into flats.

The National Reserve Club, on East Parade, formally closed in July 2021 following a unanimous resolution by members. It was also known as ‘The Nash’.

The organisation had been registered as a working men’s club since July 11, 1913, when it was known as the Harrogate Battalion National Reserve of the West Riding of York Club.

ID Planning, which submitted a plan to convert the club into flats on behalf of Ashleigh and Caroline Wells, took Harrogate Borough Council to appeal after it refused its conversion plan in May this year.

The council said there was insufficient evidence that the building could no longer be used as a community facility.

But the developer said in a statement to the government that the reasons for rejection were “unfounded”.

It said:

“Based on the assessment provided, it is considered that the reasons for refusal of the planning application given by Harrogate Borough Council are unfounded and the proposed development accords with all relevant local and national planning policy.”

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Robert Walker, a government planning inspector, said in a decision notice that he could not conclude that continued use of the site as a community facility would cause “planning problems”.

He said:

“I recognise that there are residential properties nearby, including flats in the appeal building.

“However, the appeal site is located close to the town centre in a mixed area on a busy street. It is not in a quiet residential area. 

“Such a location and relationship to upper floor flats or other nearby residential properties is not unusual. 

“Moreover, the former working men’s club operated on the site for a considerable number of years and no substantive evidence has been provided of problems from its past use.”

Mr Walker added that there had not been “sufficient evidence provided to justify the permanent loss of the existing community facility”.

New Harrogate Town clubhouse plan approved

Harrogate Town has had plans for a new clubhouse at its Wetherby Road stadium approved.

The club tabled a planning application to build the two-storey facility in the north-west corner of the ground back in March this year.

It would be used to serve fans refreshments on match days and include an upper floor area for supporters to gather.

Harrogate Borough Council has now given the go-ahead for the plan.

The facility would be needed for the club to meet its English Football League membership criteria, which requires all member clubs to provide refreshment facilities for home and away fans in separate areas of the ground.

A planning report by Harrogate Borough Council said:

“This application seeks to construct a two storey building as a spectator facility.

“This is to ensure the club has sufficient facilities for home fans, further contributing to meeting its EFL membership requirements.”

The club has already seen a number of developments approved by the council since promotion, including a new ticket office and turnstiles at the EnviroVent Stadium which were backed by the council in April 2021.

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Why is there so much paint on the pavements in Harrogate town centre?

Anyone visiting Harrogate town centre recently will have noticed colourful doodles on footpaths by Station Parade, James Street and Cheltenham Parade.

It’s not a conceptual art project and has an important purpose, according to North Yorkshire County Council who painted them.

Paint is sometimes added to footpaths before roadworks take place to help engineers identify underground services such as water pipes, electricity cables or broadband.

The £11.2m Station Gateway scheme is arguably the biggest infrastructure project to come to Harrogate in decades and the sheer scale of the project means there is now “gateway graffiti” splattered in front of many shops, cafes and restaurants.

NYCC said the paint is semi-permanent and will wear off, but it could still be there during Harrogate’s busy Christmas period.

North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director of highways and transportation, Barrie Mason, said:

“The markings are necessary to identify underground services as part of the planning work for the proposed Harrogate Gateway scheme, if the decision is taken for the project to go ahead, and is routine practice to help avoid problems in many situations where contractors will be working.

“The paint is semi-permanent and will wear off over a matter of months but care is taken to keep its use to a minimum.”

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When will work start on the Station Gateway?

The project is still yet to be given the final green light.

A third round of public consultation recently ended.

But last night, Cllr Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transportation at NYCC, told businesses that work is likely to start next year if councillors approve it.

Cllr Duncan also discussed whether inflation will increase the final cost of the project.

No requirement for staff day off on Queen’s funeral, says Harrogate solicitor

A Harrogate solicitor has said there is “no legal requirement” for employees to be given a day off for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The government has announced that Monday’s state funeral will be a national bank holiday.

Consequently, many businesses plan to close and give staff the day off. But there is confusion over whether they are legally obliged to do so.

James Austin, from Harrogate-based LCF Law, today clarified the situation.

Mr Austin, who specialises in employment law, said although it was likely many employees would be given time off, it was not a legal requirement for all employers.

He said:

“For example, employees may be eligible if their contract of employment states that they are entitled to say ‘20 days holiday plus bank holidays’. However, if the contract refers to the employee only being entitled to ‘the usual bank holidays,’ this wouldn’t apply.

“In addition, they might not get the day off if, for example, the contract refers to 28 days’ holiday including ‘bank holidays,’ which could mean an employer simply deducts a day’s holiday from the non-bank holiday entitlement.”

Mr Austin added:

“However, this is a unique national moment so we suspect the majority of employers will give staff the time off, which is what we saw with the Jubilee.

“Where employees are entitled to the day off, but the employer wants them to work, the contract will usually state whether the employer can require this and, if so, whether the employee is entitled to extra pay or time off in lieu.”

LCF Law employs more than 125 people at offices in Harrogate, Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley.

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Business Breakfast: Cost-saving expert is on hand to help Ripon businesses

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Ripon Business Improvement District is urging businesses who are looking for help or advice with navigating the ever-changing business cost market to get in touch.

Appointments with the BID’s cost-saving expert, Rishi Sood of Place Support Partnership (PSP) were originally planned for September 19, but have re-scheduled to October 20, following the Queen’s death.

BID manager Lilla Bathurst (pictured) said:

“Our aim is to deliver on issues that are important to our member businesses and cost saving in the current economic climate is considered high priority.

“In response to business needs, PSP were commissioned by Ripon BID to support local businesses through our Place Saving Programme focussing on business critical spend areas including energy, telecoms, merchant services and water.”

Appointments can be made via info@riponbid.co.uk or by calling call 01765 530 910.

The new units on Cambridge Street.

The new units on Cambridge Street.

Project to bring Harrogate retail unit back into use complete

A project to bring a vacant Harrogate retail unit back into use has been completed.

The boarded-up shop on Cambridge Street was purchased by Broadland Properties in 2020 and the 25,000 sq ft former Topshop store has now been reconfigured into a mixed-use retail and leisure development.

It now includes Cosy Club, Sainsbury’s Local and Skipton Building Society.

Matt Harriman, associate direct at GV&Co which project managed the scheme, said:

“It’s great to see this scheme come to such a successful conclusion, with an impressive line-up of new retail and leisure tenants taking their place on this busy Harrogate high street.

“The unit had been vacant since 2017 and we managed the extensive enabling works to divide the property into separate units, with new services and several structural changes to suit the revised layouts, as well as external refurbishments over three phases. These included new windows, stone cleaning, and stonework repairs.

“Now fully let and brought back to life with Sainsbury’s, Cosy Club and Skipton Building Society all in place, we have thoroughly enjoyed working with a big project team that included engineers, GGP, architects, DLA, RGP building control specialists, Ball and Berry letting agent, Robinson Webster managing agent, Ryden, Brentwood Consulting Engineers, and contractor JP Wild for Broadland Properties.”

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