‘Eyesore’ Knaresborough green reignites concerns about state of district

Overgrown grass on a community green in Knaresborough was cut this week following complaints from residents.

Homeowners on Appleby Green had described the site as an “eyesore”.

After they raised their concerns with Harrogate Borough Council and contacted the Stray Ferret, the green was finally mown on Monday following a period of more than four weeks.

However, they remain sceptical that the maintenance, which they were promised would be fortnightly, will regularly continue.

The impact of staff shortages on the council’s ability to maintain green spaces, plus its policy to re-wild parts of the district, has divided opinion. Some welcome the return to nature; others feel it looks untidy.

There are 200 houses on the Appleby Green estate, near the Nidd Gorge, with 14 situated around the green, overlooking the area.

Speaking on behalf of a number of homeowners, Stafford Dent said there had been numerous complaints raised over the last three years.

He said:

“It was only last summer when the head of parks and the parks manager visited the site with around 20 residents present.

“A plan of action was agreed with the management team to maintain key areas of the Appleby Estate, including, most importantly, the green.

“It was agreed the green and surrounding areas would be cut every two weeks.

“Unfortunately, Harrogate Borough Council have not kept their promise.

“Our lovely green is becoming an absolute eyesore.”

Appleby Green, before it was cut.

Mr Dent said residents were told by the parks manager that there weren’t enough staff to maintain areas across the district and the teams were working “flat out”.

However, Mr Dent said it had been an ongoing problem over recent years and the council therefore had “more than adequate time to manage staff attrition”.

He added:

“After numerous complaints the residents feel that we are constantly being fobbed off with lame excuses as to why key activities are not carried out on a regular basis.”

‘Striking a balance’

A council spokesman said a programme of work was in place to cut the grass in parks and open spaces, verges and other areas managed by the authority.

Read more:

He said this was in addition to maintaining the numerous award-winning floral displays, for which the Harrogate district is well known for and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

He said:

“Like many services across the country, we have vacant positions that is having an impact on our ability to deliver the service as desired.

“Some areas are also being left to grow and not mown as regularly as we want to attract pollinators, encourage biodiversity and create habitats.

“As we’ve said before, this approach is favoured by some and an eyesore to others. So we have to strike a balance to ensure all residents can enjoy the district with the resource we have available.”

Mr Dent said he believed the council had only cut the grass on Monday on the back of “all the noise that has been raised”.

He said:

“I know in a few weeks time we will have the same old problem though, as this is an ongoing issue.

“In addition to sending an email direct to the parks manager, to which I received a response stating that her teams were currently so stretched, I have also logged a formal complaint on the council site. This has been acknowledged by the customer service team and I still await a response.

“It’s the same old issue, not enough staff to cope, but due to this being an issue for a few years, I feel that the management team have had more than adequate time to solve their headcount problem.”

Stray trees vandalism: Harrogate man offers to pay for new ones

Harrogate businessman Guy Tweedy has offered to pay for new trees on the Stray to replace the ones vandalised.

The Stray Ferret published a video last week showing teenagers ripping up two young trees.

They were part of a batch of 55 cherry trees paid for by Mr Tweedy to commemorate thalidomide victims, two babies and a local headteacher. They were planted six or seven years ago.

 

Mr Tweedy, who is also a thalidomide campaigner, has emailed Harrogate Borough Council offering to pay for replacement trees. He said:

“I wonder if whoever did this realises the significance of the trees and how upsetting it is to people.

“Sadly this is not the first time this has happened. How do we stop people from doing it? I don’t know what the answer is.”

Read more:

 

Harrogate pregnancy brand raises £2m to grow company

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Harrogate business specialising in maternity products has raised £2m to help grow the company.

My Expert Midwife offers 19 products designed to help women prepare and recover during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood, as well as midwife-developed webinars, antenatal classes and ebooks.

Its products are sold online and in Boots, John Lewis, Ocado, JoJo Maman Bébé and Next.

The £2m fundraise was led by Pembroke, which invested £1.5m alongside existing shareholders and private investors.

Lesley Gilchrist, registered midwife and co-founder of My Expert Midwife, said:

“Our driving vision is to help all parents-to-be on their journey to parenthood, every step of the way, from preconception, through pregnancy and birth, to recovery and caring for their new baby, whether that be through our expert information guides and ebooks, our midwife-developed products or our antenatal education services.”

Read more:

New coffee shop opens in Harrogate

A new coffee shop called Espresso House has opened in Harrogate.

The shop is on Beulah Street in a unit that was previously home to Subway.

It joins a flurry of new food and drink openings on Beulah Street over the past year, including Turkish cafe Sirius, which is over the road from Espresso House.

Harrogate district second home owners face extra council tax charge

North Yorkshire County Council could introduce a 100% premium on council tax bills on second homes within the next two years.

The local authority estimates the charge could generate £1.5m a year in extra council tax payments in the Harrogate district and £14m a year in North Yorkshire overall.

The issue of second homes in the county has risen up the political agenda in recent years, with concerns that they are pricing local people out of buying homes in the places they were brought up.

House prices in the Yorkshire Dales, for instance, are about a third higher than the county average. The average cost of a property in the Dales is nearly £400,000, while the average weekly wage in North Yorkshire is just over £530.

Councillor Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said the move depended on new legislation being introduced by the national government and the approval of the local authority.

He said any money raised through the premium would be used to fund council services, including council tax reduction schemes and affordable housing projects.

Read more:

The council’s executive will meet on Tuesday to debate the new council tax policy.

Carl Les

Council leader Carl Les

Cllr Les said:

“The issue of second home ownership has emerged as a major issue for many areas of the country, and it is one that we are acutely aware of in North Yorkshire.

“The county is a wonderful place to live and visit, and that has seen the trend towards people wanting to purchase a property either as a second home or a holiday let.

“Any proposed premium on second home owners will be carefully considered and debated by the council before the new legislation is introduced.

“But the revenue generated would prove to be a key source of funding to help to bridge the new council’s budgets and finance vital areas such as homelessness costs and also providing more affordable housing.”

Both the county council and Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished on April 1 next year and be replaced by a new authority called North Yorkshire Council.

Drivers queue outside Harrogate’s new Leon

Drivers were queueing on Wetherby Road this afternoon as Harrogate’s new Leon drive-thru opened.

Although the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant officially opens tomorrow, today it offered free food for customers who provided feedback.

The offer left drivers queuing to get into the restaurant car park at around 1pm today, particularly those turning right when coming from Harrogate.

People were also queuing outside the door of the Leon.

Read more:

Some motorists were turned away as the queue for the drive-thru reached the entrance of the car park and began to effect traffic on the already busy Wetherby Road.

Eventually, staff placed a cone at the entrance to deter drivers from blocking the road.

The Stray Ferret captured a clip of the scene outside the Leon this afternoon, which you can watch below.

The restaurant will officially open to the public tomorrow, which will end a saga stretching back several years.

Originally, a Starbucks coffee drive-thru was planned for the site but it was refused by Harrogate Borough Council only for the decision to be overturned by a government inspector.

Concerns remain from residents who live near the site on how the drive-thru will affect traffic on the busy Wetherby Road.

Leon was bought by Blackburn billionaires the Issa brothers in 2021.

Glenn Edwards, Leon’s managing director said:

“Since opening our first drive-thru restaurant last year, we have been eager to grow this style of restaurant in order to  bring Leon to more guests and allow them to experience Leon while on the go – something that aligns with our mission to bring naturally fast food that tastes good, does you good and is kind to the planet.

“Our opening in Harrogate is a massive achievement across all fronts.”

Harrogate’s Finlay Bean makes cricket history by scoring 441

A Harrogate cricketer has smashed the record books by scoring an astonishing 441 for Yorkshire second XI.

Finlay Bean, 20, yesterday became the first triple centurion in Yorkshire’s second-team history in a match against Nottinghamshire.

By the time he was out today, he had compiled the highest score in Second X1 Championship history. He hit 52 fours and three sixes on the way to helping Yorkshire reach 814-7.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Bean, who plays for York Cricket Club, doesn’t currently have a contract with Yorkshire.

Second-team coach Tom Smith said:

“Finlay’s batted brilliantly.

“He’s been on the field for every single ball of the match, and it’s not just his skill that’s been impressive, it’s been his concentration levels as well.

“Personally, I’ve never seen 365 runs scored in a game before! It’s been outstanding.”

Read more:

Bean, like Knaresborough’s Jonny Tattersall, has been given a second chance at Yorkshire.

Born in Harrogate, he came through the Yorkshire age-groups and played academy and second-team cricket through to the end of 2020, also representing England under 19s.

Despite being offered an Academy contract, Bean left Headingley at the end of that season.

But, following some impressive league performances for York over the last two seasons, he has earned another shot with the county through second-team cricket in 2022.

 

 

Harrogate rallies in search of missing dog Molly

A dog who who ran away in the Nidd Gorge has now been missing a week despite a major search operation.

Emily Watson’s white bichon frise, Molly, was spooked by another dog at 9am last Thursday.

Her last sighting was near the viaduct on the Bilton/Ripley cycle path.

Pippa Kemp, who has been helping Ms Watson with the search, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are desperate now. It’s not just the length of time, it’s how hot it has been and that no one has seen her.”

Ms Watson has put out regular appeals on Facebook to help find the missing dog and a group called Missing Molly has also been set up.

Posters and flyers have also been displayed and given out in the area.

Molly, the bichon frise.

In an outpouring of support, the community has been out in force searching for Molly, who was wearing a purple harness when she went missing.

Read more:

Volunteers have also come forward with thermal drones, a dog tracking team and thermal cameras.

Many have continued the search into nightfall.

Residents have also checked their smart doorbells and CCTV cameras for sightings.

And yesterday a search party was given permission to access the sewerage works, near to where she went missing.

Ms Kemp said:

“The experts who have been looking for her said it was unbelievable that she hasn’t been seen, but it does happen.

“We are holding out hope that she is out there somewhere.”

Ms Kemp praised the Harrogate community for their ongoing support.

She said:

“They have been amazing. We have had so many messages from people offering to help.

“Harrogate is unbelievable for pulling together when something like this happens. We are such a dog-loving community.”

The search is continuing today, with another tracker dog going out this afternoon.

Ms Kemp said:

“We just want to get some kind of evidence that she is still in the area. If she has moved about, or if she has been down to the river for a drink. If a scent is picked up today, it will be a recent one.”

Anyone who has seen Molly or who has any information is asked to call her owner Emily Watson on 07852 636641.

People are being asked not to approach her, while avoiding eye contact and sudden movements.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak visits Harrogate today

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, visited Harrogate today to attend the final day of the Local Government Association conference.

Mr Sunak, who is the Conservative MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, is the latest high-profile politician to make an appearance at the three-day event at Harrogate Convention Centre.

It’s the biggest event on the local government calendar and has brought about 1,500 delegates to Harrogate.

On Tuesday, levelling up secretary Michael Gove gave the keynote address. His Labour Party shadow, Lisa Nandy, has also among the speakers.

Yesterday, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey was in town for the conference and spoke to the Stray Ferret about the party’s ambitions in Harrogate.

Children at New Park Primary Academy also had a surprise visit this afternoon from secretary of state for education, Nadhim Zahawi.

Harrogate Convention Centre tweeted some pictures of Mr Sunak chatting with delegates today.

Day 3 of #LGAConf22 and among the 1,600+ delegates gathered in #Harrogate to debate important issues and make decisions on local public services is @RishiSunak #localgov @LGAcomms pic.twitter.com/WfmE25O5LA

— Harrogate Convention Centre (@HgtConventions) June 30, 2022

Read more:

 

Aldi looking to open second Harrogate supermarket

German supermarket chain Aldi has added Harrogate to a list of locations where it would like to open a new store.

Budget supermarkets have been making inroads into the Harrogate district in recent years. Aldi opened its first supermarket in Harrogate on Oak Beck Road in 2016 and another store in Knaresborough in 2021.

Aldi’s rival, Lidl, has had a supermarket in Knaresborough for several years and is currently building a new Harrogate store on Knaresborough Road. Lidl also has plans to open a supermarket at St Michael’s Retail Park in Ripon.

The cost of living crisis could see cheaper supermarkets continue in popularity and now Aldi has released a list of over 50 towns and cities, including Harrogate, that it is targeting in the coming years.

The company is offering a finder’s fee for anyone who recommends a suitable site, which it says should measure 20,000 sq foot, be able to accommodate 100 parking spaces and ideally be near a main road.

George Brown, national property director at Aldi UK, said:

“Despite our growth in recent years, some people still don’t have access to a local store, which is why it is our mission to continue on with our ambitious growth plans and change that.”

Read more:

 

Harrogate Town plans new scoreboard as part of stadium improvements

Harrogate Town has lodged plans for a new scoreboard as part of its ground redevelopment.

The digital screen would sit in the south west corner of the ground, under plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council.

The board would be used to show supporters the score, substitutions made during a game and other match information, such as transport or safety news.

Harrogate Town currently has no scoreboard in place.

An example of a scoreboard planned for Harrogate Town as submitted to the council.

An example of a scoreboard planned for Harrogate Town as submitted to the council.

A statement submitted to the council said:

“The new scoreboard will complement the stadium and improve the spectator experience.”

The council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Read more:

The plans come as the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road is to undergo a £3.5 million upgrade, funded by chairman Irving Weaver.

The club has said it is the board’s ambition to create a “sustainable and thriving club, for future generations to enjoy”.

The club, which recently announced an increase in season ticket prices, also has to abide by English Football League criteria for its ground following Town’s promotion to League Two in 2020.

The proposals include a new seated stand, match day bar and improved ticketing facilities.

The ground on Wetherby Road has been home to the Sulphurites since 1920, but in recent years it has struggled to keep pace with the club’s rapid rise up the divisions into the English Football League.