Community order for former Coach and Horses landlord who breached driving ban

A Harrogate court has issued the former landlord of the Coach and Horses with a community order and extended the driving ban he has admitted breaching.

John Nelson, 65, who held the licence at the Coach and Horses for 33 years until last summer, appeared at Harrogate Justice Centre today.

He was appearing to hear his sentence. Nelson had already pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance at a previous hearing.

North Yorkshire Police had stopped Nelson on Burn Bridge Lane in Burn Bridge on July 13. When they stopped him the officers test him for drugs. Nelson tested positive for cocaine.

However, the court heard how the officers were unable to take a blood test back at the police station so that was not taken into account in sentencing.

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Nelson had been banned from driving for 18 months on May 7 after police pulled him over with cocaine in his system and Class A drugs in his jacket.

In defence for Nelson today, barrister Andrew Thompson, said:

“Mr Nelson has said his reason for driving the vehicle was that a friend of his had left medication in his car when they were in Harrogate.

“So he took the decision, which he accepts was wrong, to drive to Leeds. It appears that someone reported him to the police while he was in Leeds.

“The court is aware of the significant issues Mr Nelson has in his life, which may explain why these offences have occured.

“Mr Nelson is a retired publican who is well-known in the town. He feels he has let himself down again.”

In sentencing, the magistrates issued Nelson with a 12 month community order for breaching the driving ban. As part of that order he will need to do 25 rehabilitation days.

The court extended his driving ban to 26 months which comes into effect from today. Nelson will also have to pay a £364 fine.

What happened to the Coach and Horses?

Nelson is a well-known character in the Harrogate area. He used the profile of the Coach and Horses to help raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities.

However, he lost his pub licence after police found customers drinking outside the Coach and Horses and not observing social distancing during the weekend of May 30, 2020.

Customers of the pub launched a petition to grant the licence to his daughter Samantha Nelson, which Harrogate Borough Council did in October last year.

Ms Nelson said she would refurbish and reopen the pub but it remains closed.

Harrogate district records another 74 coronavirus cases

The Harrogate district has recorded a further 74 coronavirus cases, according to the latest figures from Public Health England.

It means that the district is now at a seven-day case rate of 302 per 100,000. That is slightly below the North Yorkshire average of 314 and the England average of 325.

Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating 10 patients for coronavirus.

The hospital has not recorded any covid deaths in the last 24 hours, according to NHS England statistics. However, two people have recently died at the hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.

Those two deaths followed a four-month period at the hospital when it did not record any coronavirus deaths.

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It means the death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 181.

A total of 124,062 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 112,151 have had a second dose.

Eighty-seven per cent of adults have had a first jab and 78 per cent have had two jabs.

Four Afghan families resettled in Harrogate district so far

Four families from Afghanistan have been resettled in the Harrogate district following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Afghan workers and their families are those who qualify for the Government’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). They all arrived this month.

The scheme is for people who have supported British efforts in Afghanistan, including working as interpreters for the UK’s armed forces.

In June, senior Harrogate borough councillors agreed to offer resettlement to 19 Afghans, which amounts to four families.

The families are receiving support to help them to integrate and live independently. This includes English lessons where required, school places and routes to employment that make use of the professional skills they bring.

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North Yorkshire people have been thanked for their generous donations of goods for Afghan families arriving in the county.

Donations of clothes, toiletries and other items have flooded in – and charities now have more than they need. People who wish to are now being asked to show their support in other ways, as North Yorkshire County Council stressed that the families are being well catered for and the support they need is in place.

Cllr David Chance, North Yorkshire County Council executive member for stronger communities, said:

“We saw an outpouring of donations for the Afghan families, which is unsurprising from the people of North Yorkshire, and we thank them for that.

“We now have more donations than these families need. Fortunately, they are being well-catered for through tried and tested systems established over a number of years by the county council and partners, including district and borough councils, volunteer and community groups and the Refugee Council.

“If people still want to show their support, we would encourage them instead to make a financial donation to national charities involved in refugee resettlement.”

What happens next?

The government has also recently announced a wider Afghan refugee scheme – the Afghan citizens’ relocation scheme. This is aimed at providing protection for vulnerable people fleeing the Taliban.

A decision on a commitment to that scheme within North Yorkshire and the Harrogate district is yet to be made.

It comes as British military forces have entered the final stages of evacuating people from Kabul airport. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said around 800 to 1,100 eligible Afghans will be left behind in the country – but that they can be processed for the UK’s relocation scheme if they can get to another country. The ARAP scheme will remain open indefinitely.

Police take down ‘county lines’ drug deal phone line advertising to Harrogate addicts

Police in Harrogate have taken down a “county lines” phone line used to advertise drugs to local addicts.

Drug dealers in Leeds and Bradford used the line to advertise crack cocaine and cocaine for sale in Harrogate. It was known as the “Danny” line.

Phone lines like the “Danny” line allow out-of-town heroin and cocaine dealers to send mass text messages promoting their drugs for sale, and when and where they can be picked up.

When a mobile phone is seized from suspected drug dealers, numbers and associated contacts can be reactivated within hours. However, taking down the whole line and removing the number from circulation permanently means drug dealers can no longer advertise.

The line was taken down after officers applied to Newcastle County Court for a Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Order (DDTRO) on Wednesday.

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County lines is where drug dealers from urban areas exploit vulnerable people, including children, and force them to deal drugs in smaller towns and cities.

Inspector Penny Taylor of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“These orders are a helpful disruption tactic to interrupt the flow of drugs. The orders allow us to take down the line and remove the phone number from circulation permanently, meaning it cannot ever be reactivated on another device, depriving the dealers of the key means to sell their drugs.

“Drug dealing and the associated exploitation of vulnerable people is a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police and we will continue to target dealers who prey on the vulnerable and cause misery in our communities.”

The action is part of a wider Harrogate-based investigation into drugs supply known as Operation Network. Since August 2020, Operation Network has seen 18 people arrested.

Travellers leave Ashville College without causing damage

A group of travellers who set up camp at Ashville College in Harrogate have now vacated the sports field without causing any damage.

The travellers parked up their caravans at the fee-paying school’s rugby pitch on Tuesday evening. A spokesman for the college said they were prepared to leave immediately for £5,000.

According to the spokesman, the group are on their way to a wedding in Ireland after attending the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

The school was concerned that if the group stayed for a prolonged period then it could have to delay the start of the new term on September 8.

Ashville College called the police and started the court process to evict them.

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However, after less than two days the travellers hitched up their caravans and moved on. The college said they left of their own accord.

Groundskeeping staff at Ashville College then carried out an inspection of the field and found no damage.

So Ashville’s series of summer sports activities can now resume outdoors after the presence of travellers forced the school to take it inside.

A spokesman for Ashville College told the Stray Ferret this morning:

“We are pleased to report that after less than two days, the travellers that set up camp on our sports pitches have now vacated the grounds.

“Our groundskeeping staff have conducted a thorough inspection of the rugby fields and can confirm that there is no damage, and that they are safe for games to be resumed.”

CCTV to tackle anti-social behaviour on Bilton’s mural bridge

CCTV will be installed on Bilton’s Iron Bridge to tackle anti-social behaviour and vandalism on a recently painted mural.

Conservative HBC and NYCC councillors for Bilton, Matt Scott and Paul Haslam, are behind the initiative which will be trialled for a month beginning in early September.

In March, a colourful mural featuring flowers and foxes was painted by artist Emma Garness to become a beacon of positivity in the area.

The mural has been well received by local residents but has been the subject of vandalism, despite being daubed with anti-graffiti paint.

The CCTV camera was recently used in Ripon to tackle anti-social behaviour. It has a wide-angle lens so can also capture nearby areas such as the garage block on Woodfield Close.

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Cllr Scott said:

“I am grateful to Paul, Cllr Tim Myatt on the other side of the bridge, Julia and Helen in Community Safety and our fantastic local PCSOs for their support with this.

“Paul and I take antisocial behaviour seriously and we will not let a minority of individuals spoil our wonderful community and make people feel unsafe.

“We have seen recently how residents’ own CCTV can help tackle this issue. I hope this camera will provide reassurance and also act as a deterrent.”

Annual Christmas concert at Harrogate Royal Hall returns

The annual Christmas concert at Harrogate’s Royal Hall featuring Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band will return in December following last year’s cancellation.

The Christmas Fantasy concert will once again see the famous brass band perform with chorus accompaniment from Harrogate Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

It is due to take place on December 18 with both a matinee and an evening show.

The show will consist of original songs from the band, Gilbert and Sullivan classics and some Christmas favourites.

Last year the show was cancelled for the first time since it was first performed over 30 years ago due to covid restrictions.

Carrie Brown, chair of the Harrogate G&S Society, said;

“We want it to be a very special relaunch given that it was cancelled last year. We’re lucky to have some very loyal people who have come to see us year on year and use it as a way to start off their Christmas.”

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The Harrogate G&S society was formed in 1972 by enthusiasts for the Victorian theatrical duo.

Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band dates back to 1881 and has performed across the globe.

Tickets are due to go on sale in September with under-16s allowed entry for free.

Ripon’s invitation to family funfair seekers

With no funfair on Harrogate Stray this Bank Holiday, families across the district with younger children are being invited to visit Ripon.

Saturday and Sunday will see the city hold its second summer weekend event on Market Square, with two fairground roundabouts and a climbing wall free of charge.

This follows the Yorkshire Day weekend, that saw the city hold its first large-scale public event since the covid lockdowns.

While this weekend’s activities are principally aimed at people living in Ripon and the surrounding areas, families from further afield can also attend.

City council leader, Andrew Williams, said:

“People from across the district are invited to join in the fun of the fair.

“We have two rides for little ones and a climbing wall for older children.”

Photo of crowds gathering on Ripon Market Square

Family groups gathered on Ripon Market Square for the tribute acts concert held as part of the Yorkshire Day weekend

Those visiting from outside Ripon, who would like to stay later, are also invited to attend Saturday night’s free concert, featuring three tribute acts performing on a stage in front of Ripon Town Hall.

The children’s rides and climbing wall will be open from 2pm until 8pm on Saturday and 10am until 4pm on Sunday. The musical entertainment starts at 7pm on Saturday.

On Sunday, from 10am until 3pm the next in the series of Little Bird artisan markets, featuring handmade goods produced locally, will also be held on Market Square.

 

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Bid to tackle falling standards at North Yorkshire schools

Experts are to be sent into North Yorkshire’s schools to address concerns about declining standards.

North Yorkshire County Council is acting after the proportion of its schools rated as good or outstanding fell significantly behind the national average.

As of last month, 80.5 per cent of primary pupils in the county attended a school rated good or outstanding by Ofsted compared to the national average of 88.2 per cent.

In addition, a smaller proportion of the county’s local education authority-run secondary schools have been rated as performing well compared to the national average.

The council has now created a team of analysts to send into schools to drive up standards.

It has identified high level issues at 23 of its schools and moderate concerns at 79 others, representing a total of 40 per cent of its schools.

A meeting of the council’s executive this week heard the issue was being compounded by the authority being unaware of how well its schools were meeting children’s educational needs because there had been very few Ofsted inspections during the pandemic.

Councillor Patrick Mulligan, the council’s executive member for education, said areas of concern included attendance and exclusion rates, but the council’s figures were dated or likely to have been significantly skewed by the pandemic. He said:

“There could be all sorts of explanations as to why this has happened, but what we are doing is looking at increasing the resources for our school improvement team so they can focus on some of these schools that are not performing as well as they should be.

“We will do everything we can to try and get on top of this, but we are all concerned about it and get things in motion.

“On the whole our children get a very good education. We have got very good teachers and school leadership and that is reflected in our exam results.”

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Cllr Mulligan said the council was continuing to examine why its schools had received lower ratings than average, but he thought the authority was getting on top of the situation having set up a team of analysts to go into schools when invited by headteachers. He added:

“There has been a little increase in school funding in the last year or two, but over the years of austerity if schools had to let staff go it is very concerning if that is being reflected in school performance.

“One of the latest things that Ofsted has done is add breadth of curriculum to the inspections, which is quite difficult to do in North Yorkshire schools with just 50 pupils, which don’t have the staff levels for some subjects. If that’s the case, then it needs to be taken into account by Ofsted.”

Concerns about rising number of home educated children

The meeting also heard educational concerns had been raised as the number of home educated children was continuing to soar, with some 871 children being taught at home in the county in June compared with 650 at the end of March 2019.

Members heard while traditionally the authority had concentrated efforts on ensuring home educated children were safe, it had recently started examining the quality of the education being provided.

Councillors were told four home education advisors had been recruited to help families, some of which may not have suitable teaching plans in place having chosen home education as a last resort.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Leah with you today, happy Friday and welcome to the long weekend. I’m here to help you have a smooth journey in the Harrogate district.

Any delays? New roadworks? Let me know by calling me on 01423 276197 or commenting on social media.

Let’s help everyone have a better journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog, brought to you by the HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

That’s it from me this morning, I will be back with you on Tuesday with regular updates to help keep the district moving.

Roads

The roads are looking a little busier this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking a little busier this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

 

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking a little busier this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning with schools still away for the summer holiday. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

 

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning with schools still away for the summer holiday. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

 

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning with schools still away for the summer holiday. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses