Emergency services were called out shortly after midnight last night to reports of a car crash on the A1 in the Harrogate district.

Two people needed treatment from ambulance crews at the scene following the incident, which happened on the northbound carriageway at junction 47.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log says firefighters from Knaresborough and Harrogate attended a “multi-vehicle road traffic collision”. It adds:

“On arrival crews found that no persons were trapped. Two walking wounded casualties with minor injuries were left in the care of police and ambulance crews.

“Crews made the scene safe and carried out a thorough search of the embankment for further casualties. Incident left in the hands of police.”

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One of the key concerns in the run-up to this year’s shake-up of North Yorkshire local government was that the vast new unitary authority could leave the Harrogate district without a strong voice.

This week, when the dust settled on the local elections and Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council named his new 10-person executive team, the concerns appeared to have merit.

Just one councillor from the district — Michael Harrison, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, was included on the executive.

It means many of those making key decisions affecting Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham might not even have been to some of those places.

For the last 48 years, local political decision making has been shared between North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

But with the latter in its death throes, it seems likely that all local political decisions will soon be made at County Hall, the 1906 Grade II listed building in Northallerton, a market town in Hambleton, firstly by North Yorkshire County Council and then by North Yorkshire Council.

The 10-person executive table at Wednesday’s meeting, with Michael Harrison far right.

Just nine of the 47 Conservative councillors on the county council are from the district. So will the Harrogate district not have adequate representation?

‘Strong voice will remain’

Despite the changes, Cllr Harrison told the Stray Ferret he is confident the district will continue to have a strong voice.

He said local councillors will shape the executive’s decisions, firstly through task groups that will inform the transition to the new North Yorkshire Council next year and then through the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

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The six area constituency committees are expected to be given stronger powers next year, possibly over key issues such as planning, as part of Cllr Les’ ‘double devolution’ pledge.  The Lib Dems will have eight of the 13 councillors on the one for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Cllr Harrison said:

“There will be real power devolved to the area constituency committees and the fact that the Conservatives don’t control the one for Harrogate and Knaresborough won’t stop that.”

Cllr Harrison added that he expects Harrogate Borough Council’s offices at Knapping Mount to continue to play a key operational role when staff transfer to North Yorkshire Council next year because “it’s a modern fit-for-purpose flexible office space”.

Harrogate Borough Council’s offices at Knapping Mount.

The Conservatives were returned to power in North Yorkshire with a greatly reduced majority of four on May 5.

Andrew Williams, an Independent who was elected in Ripon Minster and Moorside, said the more even political composition since the May 5 elections meant the views of opposition parties would be heard more, whereas in the past the previous huge Tory majority meant many issues were just waived through. He said:

“If you go about things in a constructive and positive manner it’s possible to get things done.”

Harrogate town council 

Cllr Williams, who is also the leader of Ripon City Council, said the best way to ensure Harrogate’s voice was heard would be through the creation of a Harrogate town council.

He said Ripon City Council had effectively provided a voice for the city and suggested the same could happen in Harrogate.

He added that such a move would pave the way for more independents.

“People will be looking for voices on a town council that stand up for Harrogate and will appreciate a less partisan approach.”

Five Harrogate Independents failed to come close to winning a division on May 5. But Cllr Williams suggested they got their tactics wrong:

“They started campaigning too late. You can’t just rock up at election time and win.

“To win an election as an Independent you have got to be known by a lot of people and campaign early.”

A referendum could take place in Harrogate to see if people want to create a town council.

But Cllr Harrison said people ought to know what the purpose of a Harrogate town council would be and what the added charge to their council tax precept would be before any vote takes place.

County Hall in Northallerton

Whatever one’s political persuasion, the political scene has been enlivened by the shake-up to local government.

But whether local voices are heard strongly at County Hall, the 1906 Grade II listed building where the county council is based, remains to be seen.

The Stray Ferret asked the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough to comment for this article but did not receive a response by our deadline.

Members of Harrogate Pubwatch have said an app to keep bars informed on troublemakers is helping to keep the town centre safer.

Harrogate Pubwatch has approximately 40 bars and pubs registered. Together they can ban a person from all venues who’s behaviour is deemed inappropriate or dangerous for a set period.

Last month, the group imposed a lifetime ban on someone found carrying a knife in Mojo. It has recently added three more people to the banned list, two for violence and one for drug use.

The group also uses an app, sponsored by Harrogate BID, which gives details on all those banned but also provides live information on anyone causing trouble to give other bars the opportunity to refuse them entry before getting inside.

Simon Colgan, a member and owner of the Empress on the Stray and Blues Bar, praised the app. He said:

“If a person’s behaviour is deemed unsafe and dangerous we have a vote and decide the length of the ban. Bars working together like this is a real benefit for the town, it means we can keep venues safe for people to enjoy.”

Harrogate Pubwatch operates under the National Pubwatch guidelines and has set ban lengths for different offences. For example, drug dealing would mean someone is banned for 18 months and sexual harassment such as groping is nine months.

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Hannah Ingram, supervisor at Hales Bar, agreed bars working together is hugely positive:

“We work within a really good system, we all support each other. At Hales Bar we, of course, have different customers to Mojo for example but if someone is stopped there it maybe they try come here. The app means we know who to look out for.

“Harrogate is safer for it because there are more eyes about.”

Gabrielle Marcinkeviciute, general manager at North Bar, said:

“In general I don’t want people to think they can act badly and then the next day it all be fine. People know that if they misbehave in a bar that’s part of Pubwatch they won’t be welcome, it makes them more well behaved because they know they could be banned  from numerous places.”

Harrogate BID initially sponsored the app for one year but after positive response from businesses and an increase in membership it has extended it for a further 12 months.

Harrogate Pubwatch Secretary Alan Huddart said:

“Pubwatch is making a real difference, and over the last 12 months we have seen our membership grow by 100 per cent. It’s helping alert participating venues in real time about any incidents, and helping identify troublemakers in the process.

“Harrogate is a great town with superb pubs, clubs and bars. It’s a safe town and Pubwatch is helping make it even safer.”

Derry Jones is a songwriter and pianist from Harrogate and has played in multiple venues but most will know him for his days in the Jimmy O Show band in the 60s and 70s.

Mr Jones now plays in Bettys tea rooms regularly but often looks back at his time in the Jimmy O Show band. He joined the band in 1959 but his career began in the early 1950s in jazz bands.

In the early years of rock n’ roll, the 86-year-old was accompanying comedians such as Ken Dodd and Charlie Chester as well as former professional footballer turned comic Charlie Williams . He also performed at The Cavern in Liverpool “before the Beatles made it famous”.

Mr Jones said one of the highlights of performing in the Jimmy O Show band was performing at venues such as the Royal Hall and spending an afternoon with Dustin Hoffman:

“It was a really enjoyable few years and we were all from Harrogate. We were pretty popular back in those days, appearing on TV and in big venues.

“People still ask us to get back together, but we aren’t all around now so it wouldn’t be right.”

Mr Jones was busy performing when the Eurovision came to Harrogate in 1982 but says he remembers the town being swept up in Eurovision fever.

He still plays Germany’s winning song from that year Ein bißchen Frieden, which translates to A Bit of Peace, when performing at Bettys.

One year before the Eurovision in Harrogate, in 1981, Derry Jones and the Jimmy O Show band appeared on Tyne Tees TV to perform his original song “The Nicest Place”.

The song was played to promote the opening of the Harrogate Convention Centre and says “the grass is greener and the streets are cleaner”.

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Even at 86 Mr Jones said his passion for music has never wavered, he has continued to write songs and perform regularly, adding it remains his biggest passion.

Over lockdown, Mr Jones and his wife Jowita would regularly perform for their neighbours on the street. He would play accordion and she would sing whilst neighbours sat on garden walls or even danced in the street.

“Music has been a constant for me. Sometimes I wish I could get the old days back but I’m happier ow than I’ve ever been.”

I consider myself a pretty active person and I have given pretty much everything a go – from climbing and surfing to running and roller skating.

But for some reason, I have always been intimidated by cycling.

I’m fine with a stationary bike at the gym. I used to love a bit of spinning and I don’t mind a BikeErg.

But when it comes to letting me loose on the road, the confidence just isn’t there. I have no idea what bike I would get, what size, what equipment I would need. I am utterly clueless when it comes to cycling.

So when I was invited to an event collaboration between The Personal Cyclist, Sweaty Betty, Hustle & Co and the Electric Bike Shop, I snapped up the opportunity. It is about time I conquered my cycling demons.

The Personal Cyclist

I met Kate Auld, owner of The Personal Cyclist, outside Sweaty Betty. Her passion for cycling is truly infectious.

She said:

“The weekend is all about empowering women in particular to feel more confident on bikes. By taking this experience out of a bike shop, it makes it less intimidating. The number of women who ride bikes is really low.

“Harrogate has got such an amazing cycling heritage and it’s a fantastic town to be in the great outdoors, so why wouldn’t you want to try it?”

Kate said the cycling event had revealed that women in particular are nervous of the roads or unsure what to do.

Cycling

She said:

“It is all about confidence and practice, and that can be learned.

“I’ve seen women of all different ages, experiences and bikes. The one thing they have all got in common is a spirit of adventure to try something new.

“With lockdown, a lot of our worlds have become quite small. So just doing this with your hand held a little bit is getting people off to the right start.”

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I was given a shiny blue Raleigh e-bike to ride from the Electric Bike Shop, which opened a store on Harrogate’s Leeds Road earlier this year.

My first thought was it looked far too big for my small stature, but it turns out it’s the battery that makes it look intimidating.

Getting kitted out with an e-bike.

I put on my helmet, which Kate explained needed to fit snugly with space for two fingers between my eyebrows and the base.

We walked the bikes through town to Beech Grove, which was closed to through traffic in February to encourage walking and cycling.

Like riding a bike

I then had a go at actually riding the bike under Kate’s watchful gaze and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it came back to me. It was like riding a bike…

I actually thought an e-bike was like an electric scooter, in that you pressed a button and it moved. But it actually just gives you more pedal power – perfect for those hilly commutes to work.

I practised gear changes, turns and the all-important breaking, and actually felt pretty steady. I also learned how to stop, come out of the saddle and prepare myself to set off again at traffic lights.

It was actually quite a freeing feeling, empowering almost, and I can see how people get hooked on cycling.

Kate said:

“I don’t want people to feel intimidated. When I first started riding, which wasn’t until my 30s, I didn’t know where to go to get a bike.

“Going into a bike shop can be pretty scary. So actually if I can help people to have a positive experience, it’s great.”

Bike2Work scheme

As efforts continue to combat climate change and also tackle obesity, Kate said she had been approached by companies who wanted to encourage their employees to ride more.

She said:

“The government Bike2Work scheme is fantastic for getting hold of bikes.

“Some of my clients say, ‘I don’t want to use my car as much. It’s costing me an arm or a leg to run the car. I only live a mile from town. I don’t know how on earth I’m going to get in and out of town and navigate the traffic. What do I need? What if it’s pouring with rain?’, and there’s not really necessarily someone to ask.

“I want to help people make that a reality and say, ‘this is what you need, here are some routes’.

“Now one of my ladies, who hadn’t ever ridden a bike, is now doing all her errands on a bike and takes the kids.”

I told Kate that I wanted to get out on a bike with my kids and also to escape from my kids.

Hybrid

She said:

“If you’re sporty and active and you have a sense of adventure, that’s a great head start.

“I would recommend a hybrid. This can be ridden through town and you can ride it on the trails, so it’s great for family bike rides.”

When I rode the bike back to Sweaty Betty – using some of my new stopping-at-traffic-lights skills – Kate analysed my technique. Apparently my head position was great, but I needed to work on the positioning of my feet.

Memories of my cycling proficiency test at primary school started to come flooding back…

Kate’s top tips on buying a first bike:

• Find out if your company is part of the Bike to Work scheme. This way, you only pay a fraction of what bike is worth. If not, try one of Harrogate’s fantastic bike shops like Prologue, Chevin Cycles, Specialized, and the Electric Bike Shop. Alternatively look at second hand options, including Resurrection Bikes. Or you could borrow a friend’s bike and try it. I would advise against buying one online for a first time bike rider. You certainly need to go into the bike shops and have a chat and find out what size you are.
• Think about what you are going to use the bike for. Family errands into town? Big hills? For the Dales I’d take a road bike or gravel bike. For an all-rounder you can’t go wrong with a hybrid.
• You can get your bike tweaked so it’s right for you. Sometimes you overthink these things. You just want to get something that feels comfortable. What you don’t want is to get something you feel wobbly on as you won’t enjoy it.
• Look at things like gear shifters – what type do you need? Look at cycling clothing – the idea you need loads of gear is a myth. You will need a helmet, a puncture repair kit and I would recommend a little pouch with plastic gloves for if your chain comes off.  It’s as expensive as you like. I’d also recommend a Buff, a drinks holder, a rack and pannier if you’re out with the kids, and a waterproof rain jacket.

North Yorkshire Police has said that officers were unable to find anyone with a weapon following reports of gunfire in the Pinewoods last night.

In a statement published just after 11am today, police said that enquiries with residents revealed there had been “no sightings of anyone carrying a weapon”.

Armed officers sealed off the woodland and a police helicopter was deployed shortly after 5pm.

The statement said:

“At 5.01pm yesterday police were called to reports of several “loud bangs” in the Pinewoods area of Harrogate.

“Officers immediately attended and carried out an extensive search in the area. Specialist resources which included a firearms support unit and the police helicopter (NPAS) were brought in to assist.

“Further enquires with the members of the public who made the initial reports confirmed that there had been no sightings of anyone carrying a weapon. Officers concluded their search at just before 7.30pm and no individual

A police spokesman added that they believed the initial report “was made with good intent” and “We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously”.

Numerous residents told the Stray Ferret last night and today they had heard three gunshots.

Read more:

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• Pinewoods gunfire: ‘Children were playing – people were terrified’

Responding to the police statement, one resident remain convinced they heard gunfire.

They also disputed the claim that police, whose Harrogate headquarters is less than a mile away, responded “immediately” and said one man was seen being detained in a police van before being later released.

The woman said:

“I’m surprised by the statement and it should have been communicated last night rather than have residents terrified. We aren’t making this up.”

A woman who heard three gunshots in the Pinewoods last night has said people were terrified when the reality of what was happening dawned on them.

The female, who lives in the Plantation area on Harlow Hill and asked not to be named, said children were playing in the woods as normal at about 5pm.

She said the three shots were fired over the space of about 15 minutes, adding:

“The first shot shook us up. The second time it happened I came out of the house and went into the woods.

“There were children playing in the woods, as usual. Parents had gathered to collect them. They were absolutely terrified.

“There was a longer gap between the second and third shots and when it came it sounded very close. My partner speculated that somebody might have been shooting at us.”

Police arrive at the scene last night.

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North Yorkshire Police has not commented on the incident and the witness, who said she saw an officer carrying. a taser gun, said residents would have appreciated some news that the area was safe. She said:

“It’s not reassuring at all.”

The witness also said the gunshots were categorically not related to a training exercise at the nearby Army Foundation College, as many people have suggested on social media.

“We are a close community and we know what we heard. These three shots came from the Pinewoods.”

Armed police arrive.

North Yorkshire Police has so far remained silent over gunfire heard at the Pinewoods yesterday.

Armed officers closed off the area after residents reported hearing “very loud” bangs at about 5pm.

A police helicopter circled the 96-acre woodland, which is located a kilometre south of Harrogate town centre, for some time afterwards.

The Stray Ferret contacted the police for information last night, but 15 hours after the incident, no information has been released.

Officers at the Pinewoods entrance on Plantation Road said only that a ‘containment exercise’ was being carried out. Armed police were stood down in the area after at about 7.15pm.

Two armed police officers were stationed at the Pinewoods entrance on Plantation Road.

We spoke to several residents in the area who reported hearing gunfire. Many said they heard three shots and then noticed armed police and a helicopter brought in. There were also reports of a taser being brought to the scene.

One woman said she’d heard three gun shots but didn’t think such things happened in Harrogate so she assumed it was a car backfiring and went swimming.

The armed officers on Plantation Road.

Another person said a residents’ what’s app group had been going crazy with people wanting to know what was going on, as the Pinewoods is a popular local beauty spot.

But so far the police have remained silent and it is not known if anyone was hurt or if any arrests have been made.

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• Armed police close off Pinewoods after suspected gunfire

Yurtshire, in the Nidderdale countryside, is drawing on the power of nature, to create a revitalising experience for visitors from across the Harrogate district and further afield.

The 93-acre site, which features Eavestone Lake, is being developed by Tom Sterne, whose family are long-term investors in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, in Ripon and surrounding areas.

Located between Ripon and Pateley Bridge, just off the B6265 road, the site with its nine luxurious tree yurts, opened last summer.

Following the high demand of a staycation year, three more units are being added, after planning permission was granted by Harrogate Borough Council.

Plans are also in hand to add spa-type facilities and services, including a sauna, facial and body massages.

The site features the 13-acre Eavestone Lake

Mr Sterne, who has more than ten years of experience of outdoor hospitality-based business, gained through his operation of hire company Yorkshire Yurts and    YurtBar, which caters for the corporate entertainment market, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m using the expertise that I have gained to create a new facility to satisfy the needs of people who are increasingly focused on wellness, lifestyle issues and the environment.”

He pointed out:

“Our site has an abundance of natural assets, including forty acres of forest, a 13-acre lake and the biodiversity that goes with them, from birds, butterflies and insects to clear night-time skies that are perfect for people whose spirits are lifted by looking at the stars.

“The aim is to harness and harmonise with all aspects of the natural environment – woodland, water and wildlife – to provide guests with a restful and regenerative stay that is good for mind, body and the healing process.

“That is why people wanting to find a peaceful and idyllic place to go on retreat, represent a growing part of our business.”

The yurts have been designed to provide a five-star level of luxury

In the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Yurtshire is surrounded by stunning  scenery, that would not look out of place on a canvas by the landscape master painter J.M.W. Turner.

Views from the decking of each Yurt site, which has its own private hot tub, underline why nearby Grassington was chosen for filming of the smash-hit Channel 5 programme All Creatures Great and Small.

Each of the nine placements has its own private hot tub and decking area

With Grassington and other attractions, such as Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal, Brimham Rocks and Stump Cross Caverns, drawing more staycationers to Yorkshire, there is scope for Yurtshire to build on a successful first season.

Nicola Warters, pictured here with Tom Sterne, says the yurts provide five-star luxury in idyllic surroundings

Yurtshire manager Nicola Warters, said:

“We are providing the type of luxury accommodation that can be found in a five-star hotel, but instead of waking up surrounded by bricks and mortar, our visitors are in the heart of the woodland and arise to the sound of birds singing.

“Some also come for the pleasure of picking out the star constellations, as they relax in the soothing waters of their hot tub. It’s therapeutic on every level.”

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Police have closed off the Pinewoods after suspected gunfire was heard this evening.

Someone in the area told the Stray Ferret they heard three “very loud” bangs, which they presumed to be gunshots, at around 5pm.

They said a police helicopter has been circling the woodland since then.

The Stray Ferret spoke to one police officer who said armed police had “contained” the area but did not give any further information. It is not known if anyone has been hurt.

We will have more information on this developing story as we get it.