Claims new Bilton woodland will spoil open space

A woman in Bilton says thousands of trees that are being planted in fields close to Nidd Gorge will spoil a wildlife meadow and treasured open space.

Harrogate Borough Council is currently planting the trees in Bilton Fields as well as at Upper Horse Shoe Fields in Knaresborough.

The planting is part of the government’s White Rose Forest initiative to create 10 community forests in England. Oak, hornbeam, hazel, alder, cherry, crab apple and other native trees will be planted.

Rowen Hardcastle, who owns a dog walking business in Bilton, was brought up in the Harrogate suburb and said she has spent over 40 years enjoying the fields. Her husband even proposed to her in the fields because he knew how much she liked spending time there.

Ms Hardcastle said she is in favour of more trees being planted in the district to improve the environment, but the location means it will spoil one of the few open spaces in the area. In the summer, it is a popular spot for games of football and family picnics.

She said:

“It’s not the trees at all, it’s the positioning. It was a beautiful wild flower meadow with kids running around it.

“But they’ve gone right across the kids’ playing pitch. Now they can’t have a kickabout without damaging the trees.”

A map of where the trees will go. Credit – HBC

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The new woodland will have footpaths and some open areas but Ms Hardcastle said many people, particularly women, like to walk in the open fields as they feel safe.

She believes the planting should have been done in a more sympathetic way that retained more open space.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of elderly ladies. They’ve walked around there for last 60 years because it’s safe, but future generations won’t have this vast open space.”

A council spokesperson said:

“The White Rose Forest is the community forest for North and West Yorkshire that works in partnership with local authorities, landowners, businesses and communities to plant more trees across the region, improve our natural environment, combat climate change, create jobs and provide happier and healthier places for us all to live, work in and enjoy.

“The scheme has been well received since it was first adopted by the council. And has been publicised widely in the local media – including on the Stray Ferret in both December 2020 and October 2021 – along with the council’s Residents’ News and on social media.

“The planting of the trees reflects what the Royal Forest of Knaresborough would have originally looked like and will complement the surrounding area, create open areas and natural footpaths through the existing fields.

“More than 40% of the site will remain as ‘open space’ and wildflower meadows will be established and managed to further encourage biodiversity, help address the climate situation and deliver carbon reduction initiatives throughout the Harrogate district.

“Funding for the White Rose Forest project has come from the government’s Trees for Climate Fund. The funding covers planting, establishment and management of the woodland for 15 years.”

Harrogate shop closes as sofa company enters administration

The Harrogate branch of Sofa Workshop has closed after the company entered administration yesterday.

The Parliament Street shop is no longer trading and the company’s website has been closed, after administrators PriceWaterhouse Cooper were appointed.

The administrators said one shop in London would remain open for up to 14 days to sell remaining stock. The company’s order book has been sold to Timothy Oulton United Kingdom Ltd, also owned by parent company Halo, so any outstanding orders will be fulfilled.

Toby Banfield, joint administrator and PwC partner, said:

“Unfortunately, given the sustained level of losses, the directors had no option but to appoint administrators to protect the creditors of the company. Sadly, this has resulted in 77 redundancies having to be made today. We will do all we can to support workers impacted by the administration.”

It has not been confirmed how many jobs have been lost at the Harrogate shop.

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Harrogate Triathlon competitor to wear specialist snorkel after cancer surgery

A man who underwent surgery for throat cancer is preparing to enter the Harrogate Triathlon — despite having a hole in his neck.

Richard Andrews was diagnosed with cancer  in July 2018 and underwent 30 sessions of radiotherapy. Despite being told there was just a 2% chance his cancer would return, it did in May 2019.

He then underwent a laryngectomy, which involved removing his larynx — the part of the throat that contains the vocal cords — and neck dissection in July 2019.

The operation took away three quarters of his thyroid and left him with a hole in his neck.

Richard maintains a positive outlook by setting himself huge athletic challenges, one of which is to compete in next month’s Harrogate Triathlon at Ashville College. He says finding something to focus on is “the only way to keep going”.

The most difficult part of the event will be the swim. Richard now has to breathe through the hole in his neck, rather than his nose or mouth, which means he will have to compete with a specialist snorkel fitted into the hole. This sends any water into his stomach.

He has also endured numerous training sessions learning to breathe through the 8mm tube.

Richard and friend John taking part in the 2021 Race to the Stones; a 100km trail.

Richard said:

“I have found the only way to keep going is to stay positive and push the boundaries, I have a wonderfully supportive family and have put my wife Ann through hell. I now have no sense of taste of smell and struggle to swallow solid food due to an anatomical anomaly with my food pipe.

“Also, people need to know that with throat cancer in particular you can still maintain a positive life, I am fitter now than I have ever been, yes I have bad moments but these are moments not days.”

Richard also suffers from extreme fatigue due to the loss of his thyroid and a lack of upper body strength. His neck dissection surgery meant the muscles in his neck were cut so simple tasks such as lifting his head when lying down require more strength.

Richard and John taking part in another running event in 2020.

The Harrogate Triathlon will be Richard’s third athletic event this year. The Hereford man has already competed in the Muddy Woody and the Cardiff half marathon.

Over the coming months he is also set to take on a half ironman which includes a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride and a 21km run.

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Richard said the support of those around him allows him to take on such events:

“The support from my family and friends is the reason I’m still alive.”

He gave special mentions to his wife Ann, children Josh, Gabby and Tom, specialist nurses Mim, Claire and Zoe, coaches Delia, Nicola, Darren, Nick and Jonty and good friend Jon.

For more on Richard’s journey, read his blog here.

Netflix movie being filmed in Harrogate today

A big budget Netflix movie featuring Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor is being filmed today at the former Harrogate Borough Council offices in Crescent Gardens.

Bank Of Dave will be a biopic of Dave Fishwick, a self-made businessman from Burnley in Lancashire.

James Bond actor Rory Kinnear will play Mr Fishwick, opposite Phoebe Dynevor, who is best known for her role as Daphne in the hit Netflix period drama.

Mr Fishwick became famous after he set up a community bank that was called The Bank of Dave by locals in Burnley. It lent money to businesses in the wake of the 2008 financial crash.

He subsequently became a TV personality, filming programmes about unscrupulous payday loan lenders.

Crescent Gardens has been empty since the council relocated to Knapping Mount in 2017.

Impala Estates, a property investment company in Harrogate, bought the building in January 2020 for £4m. But the last update on its website for the property was exactly one year ago.

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‘Over the moon’ as sale completes on planned Harrogate mosque

A new mosque will be created in central Harrogate after the sale of the former Home Guard club completed today.

Harrogate Islamic Association has collected the keys for its new Tower Street premises after raising the £500,000 needed to buy the now-dilapidated building.

However, the hard work is not over: the group will continue to raise funds throughout Ramadan, which started today, to fund the renovations needed to bring the property back into use.

Zahed Amanullah, a member of the association, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are just over the moon — we’re so excited.

“Other communities in Yorkshire are looking this way and are really impressed with what they have seen.

“It’s a great example of how to establish a community within a wider society that is really harmonious and supportive.”

Mr Amanullah said Friday prayers for members of the association had been celebratory, with many having moved to Harrogate a decade or more ago and been searching for a place for a mosque ever since.

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Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission in March for changes to the building to create a place of worship.

HIA then began a crowdfunding campaign to raise £200,000, alongside loans, to complete the purchase and to carry out repairs. Mr Amanullah said the first priority was to repair the roof and ensure the building was water-tight before any further work was carried out.

Zahed Amanullah of Harrogate Islamic Association

Then, he hopes some space can be refurbished and opened later this year while the remainder of the building is renovated. He added:

“There are some real architectural surprises in there – we’re looking forward to having a good look around. We had just one or two walks through the building in total darkness so far!

“We’ve had people offering in-kind support. That alone is hugely helpful — we’ve got tradesmen and women offering their services.

“We’ll be using an architect, and we’ll be working with Harrogate Civic Society on our plans.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming people into the building. We will have some sort of public open house when it’s safe to do so.”

Men charged with theft from Harrogate and Ripon tips

Three men have appeared in court charged with stealing items from household waste recycling centres in Harrogate and Ripon.

North Yorkshire County Council operates the sites at Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate and Dallamires Lane in Ripon.

Lewis Boocock, 23, of Pioneer House, Dewsbury, is alleged to have stolen six laptops from Dallamires Lane and two TVs and two laptops from Penny Pot Lane on March 20 last year.

Mitchell Boocock, 22, of Common Road, Batley is charged with the theft of numerous electrical items from Penny Pot Lane on March 29 last year.

Luke Boocock, 21, of Leeds Road, Ossett, is alleged to have stolen electrical items from the sites at Penny Pot Lane and Dallamires Lane on March 21 and March 29 last year.

The cases, which were heard at Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday, have been remitted to Lancashire Magistrates Court on April 22.

The three men were granted unconditional bail.

Shop will close tomorrow after 25 years in Harrogate

A longstanding fixture on Harrogate’s high street will close for good tomorrow.

Orvis, which sells outdoor clothes, fly-fishing gear, dog accessories and walking items, has been trading in town for about 25 years,

It opened on Parliament Street in the 1990s before moving to its current five-storey unit on West Park.

But the American owners have decided to move the business mainly online

The company, which has a closing down sale, employs around eight people who have now all found jobs elsewhere.

On its penultimate day today, there was an overwhelming sense of sadness at the site of the last few garments hanging on racks.

There were also items of store furniture and plastic shoe blocks scattered around for sale for just a few pounds.

The store’s stock is depleted now after a month of major discounts.

Staff were sad to see the store go and hoped another retailer would take on the building.

The future of the unit remains unknown. The Stray Ferret has contacted the retail agent, Stapleton Waterhouse, but has yet to receive a reply.

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Orvis has 18 shops in the UK and all but one, at Stockbridge near Reading, will close. The company will instead focus on online sales, particularly fly-fishing equipment.

Orvis was founded in Vermont in 1856 by Charles F Orvis.

The upstairs rooms are now completely bare.

Traffic and Travel Alert: North Park Road temporary lights to be in place until Monday

Motorists should expect delays on North Park Road in Harrogate as temporary traffic lights will be in place over the weekend.

The lights, which are in place at the junction with Harcourt Drive, have been put in place as telecommunications company CityFibre carries out work on the street.

It means drivers using North Park Road to get into and out of the town centre should expect delays.

The temporary lights will be in place until April 4, according to North Yorkshire County Council.

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.

Harrogate primary school sets £10,000 target for new library

Coppice Valley Primary School is hoping to raise £10,000 to improve its library and provide a space for students to be inspired by books.

The current space inside the Harrogate school is more than 20 years old and the second-hand shelving is beginning to collapse.

The plan is to use the funds to completely redesign the space with new storage, books and floor mats.

Ms Emma Meadus, headteacher, said the school set up a covid-safe book swap outside during the pandemic and because of that many books weren’t returned or were returned in poor condition.

The school wants to improve its current library.

The school has had a quote from a design company of £8,800. Any remaining donations will be used to buy new books.

Ms Meadus said:

“It’s been a make-shift, make-do area and the books are in need of an upgrade. We knew it needed to be better for our kids, we have a lot of catch-up learning to do after the pandemic and we want a beautiful space for the kids to be inspired.”

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The school is celebrating its 50th anniversary in September and hopes the library will be a legacy project.

Although the target is £10,000, the school wants to raise £20,000 over the next two years it so it can build another library for younger children in a separate area of the school.

To support the school’s appeal, click here.

Harrogate farm shop to stage art exhibition

Mackenzies in Blubberhouses to host art exhibition

Yorkshire artist Lynda Logan and her husband Terry are to display their work at Mackenzies Farm Shop in Blubberhouses to raise money for charity.

Ms Logan, who has a studio near Harrogate, was one of the original Calendar Girls in the 2003 film. She played a model and her husband was a photographer.

Their exhibition, which begins on April 9, will donate 10% of all sales to Blood Cancer UK.

Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in adults and the most common in children.

Paul Palmer, the owner of Mackenzies, said:

“We’re delighted to have Lynda and Terry exhibiting with us in the gallery. Their previous work for charity has been exceptional and we’re excited to help raise even more.”

Events company brings food festival to Pateley Bridge

A previous event hosted by Lily and Lister.

The first Yorkshire Feastival will take place at Pateley Bridge on June 25 and 26.

The event is primarily a food and drink festival but also has an inflatable village, fun fair and a mini farm.

The event will host multiple small business owners, artists and entrepreneurs from Yorkshire. The event is organised by Lily and Lister Events.

Anna Lister, from Lily and Lister, said:

“With so many amazing producers, food, drink and artists from Yorkshire we wanted to create an event celebrating the best of what Yorkshire has to offer and in exceptional countryside in the heart of Yorkshire.

“It’s a great opportunity to come and support local businesses whilst having an amazing day out.”

Two Harrogate restaurants launch charity menu and easter egg hunt 

Provenance Inns & Hotels Group is launching a charity menu and a large easter egg hunt across all its seven venues.

The venues include the West Park Hotel in Harrogate and The Punch Bowl in Marton-Cum-Grafton. Dozens of eggs will be hidden in and around each venue and customers will attempt to find them using clues posted on Facebook.

Anyone who finds one of the chocolate treats can enjoy a free drink at their local Provenance bar.

The Inns group has also launched a new menu.

Tom Patrick, head of marketing at Provenance, said:

“Our Easter egg hunt is going to be quite epic, with not one but seven of Yorkshire’s finest pubs taking part.”

£1 from each Chicken Kyiv dish sold at Provenance venues will go to the Red Cross Ukraine crisis appeal.