Harrogate jeweller not warned about ‘terrifying’ police VIP exercise

A Harrogate jeweller has spoken of her terror when specialist officers took over her shop as part of a VIP training exercise.

Mona Norman, who owns Fogal & Barnes on Oxford Street, spotted the plain clothed officers on the street before they made their way into her shop on Tuesday morning.

She said she had no warning so feared, with one of the officers blocking the door, that she was going to be the victim of a robbery.

The Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit (CDSOU) had planned the visit in advance but did not tell Mrs Norman.

Harrogate is often the stage for such training exercises. However, the unit should have asked for permission in advance.

A senior officer on behalf of the CDSOU has since apologised to Mrs Norman and admitted that it fell short of standards.

Mona Norman, who owns Fogal & Barnes, with her guard dog.

Mrs Norman told the Stray Ferret:

“They looked really suspicious so I kept my eye on them. All of a sudden a couple of them got into the shop. One of them was wearing a bulletproof vest and blocked the door.

“It was really intimidating. I told them I was not comfortable and asked them to leave my shop but the person who said he was a VIP was trying to keep me quiet.

“So I pushed them out, called the police and pressed my panic button. Four of them left but two of them stayed outside so I kept questioning them.

“When I told them I had called the police he said ‘okay, calm down’ and gave me a card to explain but I was still unsure so got him to produce his badge.

“I was terrified, I was petrified. That’s how they made me feel. I thought they were going to rob me. It was awful.”

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She said she lost money during the two hour long training exercise and believes that she deserves compensation from the police.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said in response:

“The Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit is one of the national delivery centres for close protection officer training, and trains officers from several police forces across the country.

“As well as classroom-based learning, the course also involves practical, real-world scenarios in public places, like shops, hotels, and restaurants, which are carefully planned and risk assessed.

“As officers are in plain-clothes, they should identify themselves as police officers if approached by a member of the public.

“We are sorry that the actions of some of the officers involved have fallen short of the high standards that are expected on the course, and we apologise for the alarm that it has caused.

“A senior officer has since spoken to the owner of the shop to apologise on behalf of the unit, and those on the course have been debriefed to identify learning opportunities for future courses.”

Rossett students win football scholarships in America

Two Rossett School leavers will head to America in September after being accepted on to football scholarships.

Vicky Naylor and Cameron Rushworth have been playing football for local clubs for over a decade but will now take the leap and play for colleges in Indiana and Illinois.

Vicky, who currently plays in goal for Harrogate Town Ladies, is heading to Goshen College, Indiana, on a four-year scholarship. Cameron who is a defender, will be spending two years at Parkland College, Illinois.

Vicky began playing football for Knaresborough Celtic at just five years old. She then progressed to play for Harrogate Town development team and Nidd under-18s.

She said:

“The facilities and level of play in America is of a much higher standard than in the UK, which means I’ll have more opportunities to improve my skills. I’m excited to gain independence by living so far away and I’m excited to try out a bunch of different classes too.”

Cameron played for Beckwithshaw Saints from five to 15 years old before moving to Harrogate Railway for two years. He was part of the Railway team that won the league twice and the cup once. Recently he’s played for Pontefract under-19s.

He said:

“I’m excited to begin a new journey in my life, being able to experience the US. Football is a way I express myself and the scholarship will enable me to play at a high level and learn new skills.”

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Vicky and Cameron are following in the footsteps of Rossett students Rachel Daly, Chole Bellerby and Dan Nimmick who have achieved successful football careers in the US. Daly is an England international.

Rossett headteacher Helen Woodcock said:

“These scholarships are well deserved for Vicky and Cam, and we all wish them the best of luck and lots of fun representing Rossett in the USA.”

Senior Harrogate councillor defends fake grass saga

A senior Harrogate borough councillor has defended a council decision to put fake grass in the town centre.

The council’s decision to install plastic grass in the raised flower beds on Cambridge Street in May met a fierce backlash from residents.

Council officials initially claimed the move received “lots of positive feedback”, but later removed the grass and apologised.

Last night, Cllr Andrew Paraskos, cabinet member for parks and environment, told a full council meeting that the grass was removed “straight away” and that the authority had to “try new ideas”.

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When asked to comment on whether the council explained its decision properly and if its value system “focussed only on money”, Cllr Paraskos defended the move.

He said:

“I totally disagree. The stuff that we put down, I don’t like to use the term artificial grass, was there as a barrier. If we had put down the black mesh stuff to keep the weeds under control, nobody would have ever mentioned a word.

“But because we have used something that looked like grass, everybody jumped on the bandwagon straight away and believed we were trying to grass the town centre. That was never our intention.

“We thought it was possibly a good idea, put a little colour behind the new planters that we put in and when everybody objected we removed it straight away. Nobody liked it, so we carried on and we will come up with new plans for that area to make the town centre look more attractive to visitors going forward.

“We must try new ideas even if they are wrong and we will find out afterwards. If you don’t try, you don’t move forward.”

When the Stray Ferret broke the story, the article received well over 150 responses – nearly all of which criticised the move.

Fake grass and planters

The fake grass and planters were put in place in May.

Comments ranged from “it looks cheap and tacky” to “wasting council tax money yet again” to “who actually sat there thinking this was a cracking idea?”.

Some residents offered to remove the grass and plant flowers, but it was rejected by the council.

Extinction Rebellion later took direct action by replacing some of the grass with flowers in protest and handed it back to the council in person.

The borough council’s statement apologising for the lack of communication on the saga can be read in full here.

Extra safety measures announced for Great Yorkshire Show

Further control measures have been announced today for next week’s Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate following the increase in Delta variant covid cases.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the farming charity that organises the event, has been working with public health officials at North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council to discuss measures.

It means the 162nd show will be held mainly outdoors and considerably different to previous ones.

Capacity has been limited to a maximum of 26,000 people a day to minimise crowding and to ensure social distancing.

It means about 104,000 people are expected to attend from Tuesday to Friday as opposed to the usual 135,000 that pass through the gates over three days.

Opening hours have been extended from 8.00am to 6.00pm to allow visitors to arrive and leave in a more staggered way to avoid queues.

Ticket sales were temporarily halted while the capacity numbers were finalised, and the final raft of tickets are now on sale via the Great Yorkshire Show website.

Lateral flow tests

Visitors are encouraged to have a lateral flow covid test before they arrive and to download the NHS app before arriving in order to be able to scan QR codes where necessary, such as in hospitality areas.

People working at the show, including catering and trade stands, will be required to have a negative lateral flow test within 24 hours before arriving at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

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Tickets can only be bought in advance only and should be printed out as e-tickets. They will not be on sale on the gates.

This year most of the event will be held outdoors and it has been extended to run over four days for the first time in its history.

Show director Charles Mills said:

“This will be a very special Great Yorkshire Show and one we are all so looking forward to after these difficult times.

“It will be a slightly different show to normal but we have done our best to bring you an event which will fly the flag for farming and celebrate our industry.”

Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of health and adult services, said:

“We, along with partners from Harrogate Borough Council, have been working very closely for some months with the Great Yorkshire Show organisers and Public Health England to make sure the event is as safe and successful as possible, being mindful ofcCovid transmission rates and national restrictions.

“However, we recognise the importance of the show, not only for the people of North Yorkshire and Yorkshire but also for the farming community which has played such a vital role during the pandemic with food supplies and keeping the whole supply chain going.”

Sections that will not feature in this year’s show include the fashion show, the WI stand, the pole climbing competition and the cookery theatre in the food hall although the game cookery theatre will go ahead as usual.

Other safety measures this year

• Track and Trace at hospitality points
• Grandstand capacity reduced to 25% – 30% with tickets purchased in advance
• Extra security to disperse any crowding
• One way system around the Food Hall
• Hall 2 closed to public although the entrance will be a celebrity meet & greet
• Face coverings to be worn in all indoor areas, including toilets and the grandstand, and encouraged when in queues
• Enhanced cleaning
• Table service only at bar areas

 

Captain Tom memorial walkway opens at Army Foundation College

A memorial walkway dedicated to Captain Sir Tom Moore was opened yesterday at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College by members of his family.

Captain Sir Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, her husband and children, visited the college on Pennypot Lane to cut a ribbon and unveil a plaque that includes details of his life.

Junior soldiers marched under the walkway on their way to the graduation parade. The college said the dedication was a “fantastic way” to mark the Captain’s legacy.

The Captain Tom plaque.

The college posted on its Facebook page:

“We think it is a fantastic way to mark the legacy of Capt Sir Tom and the future of our junior soldiers”.

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Captain Sir Tom was made an honorary colonel of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate last spring.

He later visited the college to speak to junior soldiers and was invited back for their graduation in September.

He raised almost £33m for NHS Charities Together by walking lengths of his garden in Bedfordshire, hitting the headlines in the process. He died aged 100 in February this year.

£240,000 refurbishment lined up for Sun Pavilion

A refurbishment of up to £240,000 looks set to take place at the Sun Pavilion in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens this October.

Harrogate Borough Council has advertised a contract on the government’s procurement portal of between £180,000 to £240,000.

The contract says that work will start on the pavilion on October 18.

Companies have until August 20 to bid for the contract.

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The refurbishment work must be completed by February 18, 2022.

It would include reconstruction of the floor from oversite concrete level, installing underfloor heating, insulation to the floor and new floor coverings.

Other works would see replacement of the heating system and refurbishment of the toilets.

Completed in the 1930s, the venue on Cornwall Road was restored to its original state in 1998 and was reopened by the Queen.

Today, the pavilion hosts weddings and can accommodate up to 200 guests.

Harrogate man spared jail after hammer attack over barking dog

An argument over a barking dog led to a man being hit over the head with a claw hammer in a street in Harrogate.

The victim was attacked near Harrogate town centre by 31-year-old Maciej Rataj who struck two or three blows with the DIY tool, York Crown Court heard.

The victim fell to the ground and was stamped on by Rataj, who had crept up on him from behind. 

Prosecutor Andrew Finlay said witnesses called police and helped the victim, who was taken to hospital with cuts to his scalp and lip and a swollen and bloodied nose.

The man was named in court but the Stray Ferret has decided not to reveal his identity. He was advised by hospital staff to have a CT scan but discharged himself without being X-rayed.  

Rataj was soon arrested but lied to officers that he had acted in self-defence and used an umbrella to attack the victim. 

He admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and appeared for sentence on Wednesday.

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Mr Finlay said the incident occurred on August 2 last year when the victim was walking past Rataj’s home in Nydd Vale Terrace and heard his dog barking.

He told the dog to “shut up”, which was heard by Rataj who retorted as the victim walked off.

Mr Finlay added:

“(Rataj) armed himself with a hammer and followed (the victim), together with a friend he was with, before catching up with him and attacking him with (the) hammer.”

Witnesses saw Rataj “change his grip” on the hammer as he approached the victim from behind. He then struck the victim with “two-to-three blows” to the head while he was laid on the ground.

Mr Finlay said:

“(The victim) was also stamped on by the defendant.

“One of the witnesses said it was to the stomach.”

He said it was a “sustained” attack and that Rataj had followed the victim for “some distance” before attacking him. 

Andrew Stranex, acting for Rataj, said his client, a Polish national, had never been in trouble before and was a hard-working man.

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Merited a jail sentence

Recorder Anthony Hawks said although the offence was so serious it merited a jail sentence, he could suspend the inevitable prison term because Rataj was of “hitherto good character” and had an “impressive” work record since arriving in the UK with his wife and family four years ago.

He told Rataj: 

“You live in an area with a significant amount of anti-social behaviour. You overreacted when someone started shouting at your dog. 

“You lost your temper, armed yourself with a hammer, ran after the man and hit him two-to-three times, causing fortunately minor injuries to his head and face. 

“I don’t know what came over you. You are very lucky that you are not facing a more serious charge. Hitting people in the head with a hammer can have fatal consequences.”

The 12-month prison sentence was suspended for two years, during which time Rataj will be supervised by the Probation Service. 

He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and complete a 15-day rehabilitation programme. 

Stockeld Park’s dinosaur attracts attention in Harrogate

Stockeld Park publicised its latest attraction today by letting a dinosaur loose in Harrogate’s town centre.

Rita the raptor got alot of attention outside Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms on Parliament Street.

The dinosaur was out in Harrogate today to promote Stockeld Park’s “Jurassic Summer” .

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There are five adventure playgrounds, a dinosaur forest, a dinosaur maze and brand new for 2021, jurassic mini golf.

Stockeld Park events manager Darren Smith told the Stray Ferret:

“Rita the raptor escaped last night. We just managed to track her down just outside Bettys queueing up for a coffee, of all places.

“We have got her under control now. Rita seems to love it here in Yorkshire and is just trying on a flat cap now.

“It’s for our jurassic summer. We are going to have dinosaurs there every day. All the usual things at Stockeld with a jurrasic twist.”

More pictures:

Jurassic Summer runs to September 6. Book tickets for £12 per person here.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning. It’s Connor with you this morning updating you every 15 minutes on how the transport links are near you.

These blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, will show you where the traffic hotspots and temporary traffic lights are and tell you of any train and bus delays.

Let us know if you experience any delays on 01423 27619.

9am – Full Update 

That is all from me this morning. I am heading over to the news desk now but will be back tomorrow from 6.30am.

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

Viper Rooms owner: Young people in Harrogate can ‘celebrate life’ again

The owner of Harrogate’s only nightclub, The Viper Rooms, has welcomed the government’s announcement that nightclubs will finally be able to reopen on July 19 without masks or social distancing.

Paul Kinsey told the Stray Ferret that he is looking forward to reopening but added he was still skeptical that the reopening plans won’t be delayed again.

He also sympathised with young people in Harrogate who he believes have suffered over the past 18 months and said having a nightclub again will give them a chance to “celebrate life” again.

He said:

“I think it’s a great outcome if it actually goes ahead.”

“It allows all of the 18 to 25-year-olds who have suffered the most in terms of lost education, lost jobs and lost leisure the opportunity to do what they love most….celebrate life!!”

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The club has been one of the hardest-hit businesses in Harrogate since the covid pandemic hit. It’s been closed indefinitely since March 2020, except for one night on Halloween.

Mr Kinsey was looking forward to reopening on June 21 until the government decided to delay the easing of lockdown restrictions for another month.

It meant the nightclub had to put its plans on ice.

He called on the government to offer a package of financial support to the nightlife sector in a previous Stray Ferret article.

A covid-19 leaving drinks party will now take place on July 19 at 10pm.