Overgrown play area to be sold off for new housing for disabled people

A disused and overgrown play area in Harrogate is set to be sold off for part of a new housing development for disabled people.

The council-owned play area behind Disability Action Yorkshire’s Claro Road care home will be cleared to make way for three accommodation blocks if the sale and planning permission is agreed.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve the sale for an undisclosed sum at a meeting next Wednesday before plans are submitted at a later date.

A report to the meeting said:

“The purchaser is a non-profit registered provider offering housing management and support services.

“Disposal of this asset will enable the development of an additional block of flats, providing affordable rent, supported living accommodation, for people with learning and physical disabilities.”

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The plans include 36 flats with a mix of one and two bedrooms at the site, which is near Claro Business Park and St Roberts Catholic Primary School.

Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, said:

“Whilst we are not the prospective purchaser of this plot of land, we are working in partnership with them.

“Following Monday’s cabinet meeting, and should the purchase be given the green light, we will be in a position soon after to share our exciting plans for the development of our service.”

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, happy Friday. It’s Leah with you today updates every 30 minutes on the roads and public transport services you use.

There have been a few train delays and cancellations this week so make sure you keep checking in for any that may affect you.

These blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, aim to keep the district running smoothly.

If you get stuck in traffic or spot something, and it is safe, then give me a call on 01423 276197.

9am – Full Update 

That is it from me today. I will be back with you on Monday with Regular updates from 06.30.

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8.30am – Full Update 

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8am – Full Update 

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7.30am – Full Update 

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7am – Full Update 

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6.30am – Full Update 

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Harrogate Spring Water ends sponsorship with Yorkshire County Cricket

Harrogate Spring Water has ended its sponsorship with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

The company follows Yorkshire Tea, which is also based in Harrogate, in cutting ties with the club.

Yorkshire, which has many members and supporters in the district, has been fiercely criticised for saying it didn’t plan to take any disciplinary action against individuals following an investigation into the allegations by former player Azeem Rafiq.

Now, Harrogate Spring Water, which was among the club’s main commercial partners, has confirmed its sponsorship will end with “immediate affect”.

In a statement, the company said:

“We were deeply concerned at the details that have emerged in recent days surrounding the treatment of Azeem Rafiq at Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the way in which the club’s current leadership have handled the important issues that have been raised.

“As a result, Harrogate Spring Water has taken the decision to end its sponsorship agreement with the club with immediate effect. We will be making no further comment on this matter.”

Harrogate Spring Water first became the official water of the club in 2014.

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Both Harrogate companies follow Emerald Publishing and Anchor butter in ending their association with the club. David Lloyd Clubs said its sponsorship had been “put on hold a few weeks ago” and would not be reinstated.

Mark Ellis, chairman of Masham Cricket Club, told the Stray Ferret this week that the county club’s actions “sent mixed messages” to grassroots cricket and that the club was “extremely disappointed” in Yorkshire’s actions.

Senior Yorkshire officials and Rafiq are due to appear before MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee later this month.

Guide to fireworks displays in the Harrogate district

Bonfire night is fast approaching so we have compiled a list of events coming up this weekend in the Harrogate district.

Bonfires in Masham and Bilton were cancelled this year but we have still managed to find nine that are due to go ahead either on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Let us know if we have missed your event and we will add it to the list email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or call us on 01423 276197 and we will add you to the list.

Friday 5th November

Knaresborough Cricket Club Fireworks Night

Where: Aspin Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 8EP

When: 6:15pm start, 7pm firework display

Tickets: adult £2, concessions £1

Aspin Park Academy, Knaresborough

Where: School grounds, parking on Manse Lane, Knaresborough

When: 5pm start, 6.30pm firework display

Tickets: Advance online booking – adults £4, children £3, family ticket £12, preschoolers free. On the gate – adults £5, children £4

Ripon Rowels Rotary Charity Bonfire and Firework Display

Where: Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, HG4 1UG

When: 5:30pm start, 7pm fire lit, 7:30pm firework display.

Tickets: adults £6, children £3, family (2 adult, 2 child) £12, under 3s free

Spofforth Village Firework Display

Where: Spofforth cricket ground

Timings: Gates open 5pm

Tickets: Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Tockwith & District Agricultural Society Annual Bonfire & Firework Display

Where: Show field, Cattle Moor Lane, Tockwith, YO26 7QH

Timings: 6pm start, 6:30pm fire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: 13 and over £5, under 13s free

Tockwith bonfire

The Tockwith event is back.

Saturday 6th November

50th Annual Stray Bonfire, Harrogate Roundtable

Where: The Stray, Harrogate, HG1 1BJ

When: 6pm start, 6:30pm fire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: free entry, donations welcome

Upper Nidderdale Scouts Group Pateley Bonfire

Where: Pateley Bridge Showground

When: 5:30pm bonfire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: free entry, donations welcome

Wath and Melmerby Community Bonfire

Where: Roger Clarke Motor Engineers, The Sidings, Melmerby, HG4 5EX

When: 6pm bonfire lit, 7pm fireworks

Tickets: £5 per family

Sunday 7th November

Staveley Arms Bonfire

Where: The Staveley Arms, Greenfields, North Stainley, Ripon, HG4 3HT

When: 4pm-6pm

Tickets: £3 per person

Swinton Bivouac Quiet Bonfire Night

Where: Swinton Bivouac, Masham, Ilton, Ripon, HG4 4JZ

When: 6:30pm bonfire lit. There will be no fireworks or loud bangs.

Tickets: free entry, food and drinks available from the Bivouac Café

Starbeck Community Firework Night – Harrogate Railway Sports and Social Club, Friends of Starbeck School

Where: Harrogate Railway Sports & Social Club, Station View, Starbeck, HG2 7JA

When: 5pm start, 6:30pm fireworks

Tickets: under 5’s free, 5 to 15’s £1, over 16’s £2

 

Harrogate’s ‘Toytropolis’ garden bringing smiles to children’s faces

Harrogate man Paul Ivison has created “Toytropolis” — a garden resplendent with 200 toys, including Scooby-Doo, Batman and Peppa Pig.

Mr Ivison has lived in his house on Mayfield Terrace for 15 years and each year decorates his garden with different themes. When the Stray Ferret visited in the summer, he had created a loud and proud mental health-themed garden, which raised £137 for Mind.

For winter, he’s been bargain hunting on Facebook marketplace to buy toys to make children and their parents smile.

He hopes to raise £500 for North Yorkshire Horizons, a county-wide drug and alcohol addiction service that he has previously worked for. Visitors can leave donations in a box by the gate.

Mr Ivison said:

“Things snowballed and I was buying up toys left right and centre. I got three Bat caves for a tenner.

“It’s my usual problem though — I don’t stop!”

He said the response from children and parents makes him feel good and helps with his own mental health.

“A couple of children saw Peppa Pig and were ecstatic.”

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He’s had a problem with thieves visiting the garden. One tried to pinch a toy elephant, but thankfully its feet were attached to the ground with super-strength glue.

Mr Ivision will soon be adding six Christmas trees to the garden and Toytropolis will stay until the second week of January.

He added:

“Someone asked me, what are you going to do to top this? But I’m sure I’ll think of something!”

You can visit Toytropolis on the corner of Mayfield Grove and Mayfield Terrace.

Controversial Crimple Valley homes plan withdrawn

A controversial plan to build a housing development in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley has been withdrawn.

The proposal submitted by Square Feet Ltd And Antela Developments Ltd would have seen 35 homes built on Almsford Bank Stables on Leeds Road.

The developers had initially planned 65 homes for the site in 2018, but later revised the application and reduced the number of homes.

A total of 107 letters of objection were lodged to Harrogate Borough Council over the proposal.

Now the developers have withdrawn the plans to build on the site.

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The Stray Ferret has contacted Seven Architecture, the agent for the developers, for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.

It follows a backlash from local residents over concerns that the scheme would damage the Special Landscape Area of the Crimple Valley, which is spanned by the distinctive railway viaduct.

In a letter to the council, Tristan Campbell, of the pressure group Save Crimple Valley, said the development “would demonstrably devalue the integrity of the much-valued Special Landscape Area itself”.

He added:

“It takes out a central strip of the most beautiful part of the Crimple Valley Special Landscape Area, sets a dangerous precedent for future planning applications within the SLA and fails to meet the council’s own current and future Local Plans.”

 

Harrogate gets another pop-up shop as demand soars

The Victoria Shopping Centre in Harrogate is to get a second pop-up shop in the run-up to Christmas.

The company behind the initiative, Barker Proudlove, said it had seen a surge in enquiries in the run-up to the festive season and was confident it could fill another unit.

The pop-up shops give independent businesses the chance to rent units in the centre of Harrogate on a weekly basis without having to commit to long-term rents and rates.

The first one opened in the Victoria Shopping Centre on the corner of Cambridge Street in September and is already fully booked until Christmas,

Following its success, the former Grape Tree health food shop is also to become a pop-up.

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Jessica Swain, from Barker Proudlove, said:

“It is incredible that we have so much demand for the pop up shop and we are thrilled to continue working with the Victoria Centre team to bring more businesses to Harrogate’s high street during the seasonal period.”

The new pop-up will open with Martha and Bea, a clothing and accessory business from Ilkley, on Monday.

Barker and Proudlove said there were still opportunities to hire the new unit this month and in December.

The Cambridge Street shop currently houses 2 Little Mice, with Jane Gales Designs arriving next week followed by Posh Tat on November 15.

Caption: New pop-up shop unit in Victoria Shopping Centre (left) the first tenant will be independent shop Martha and Bea (right)

Harrogate district MPs abstain from Owen Paterson vote

Local Conservative MPs Andrew Jones and Julian Smith abstained from the controversial vote in the Commons yesterday on whether to suspend former minister Owen Paterson.

MPs voted by 250 to 232 to put off a decision on whether to suspend Mr Paterson.

A total of 98 Conservative MPs did not take part in the vote, despite pressure from the party leadership to vote in favour.

They included Mr Jones, who represents Harrogate and Knaresborough, and Mr Smith, who represents Skipton and Ripon. Both men rarely rebel from the party line.

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams, who is Minister of State without Portfolio at the Cabinet Office, voted with the government.

The Leadsom amendment was put forward after a Parliamentary standards watchdog found Mr Paterson had breached lobbying rules by approaching MPs about two firms he was working for as a consultant.

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The vote was carried and would have seen the formation a new cross-party committee of MPs to review the process for policing MPs and postponed Mr Paterson’s 30-day suspension from the Commons.

But following a fierce backlash, today, the government has now said it will rethink its plans.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Leader of the House, said the changes would not go ahead without cross-party support. He added a further vote on Mr Paterson’s suspension will go ahead.

The Stray Ferret has contacted Mr Smith and Mr Jones about the vote but has not received replies.

Harrogate Library to launch Lego club for children with autism and disabilities

Pride in Diversity is helping Harrogate Library set up a Lego club for children with autism and disabilities and it is asking the public to donate Lego.

Lego has been found to be beneficial to children on the autism spectrum as it can help them build an interest in something they can share with their other children.

Lego that is either new in a box or sets that have been used can be donated. For used sets, they need to be complete and include the instructions.

Lego can be dropped off at the library on Victoria Avenue with a note for ‘Laura Hellfeld, Pride in Diversity’. 

Ms Hellfield said:

“I have been now working with the staff at Harrogate Library for a few years in creating inclusive events. The staff have always been kind and welcoming and very keen to increase programmes that benefit everyone in Harrogate.”

The Lego club will likely be starting in the new school term after Christmas.

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Cancelled Harrogate Christmas Market finds new home at Crimple

The Harrogate district’s new shopping and dining venue, has agreed to host the cancelled Harrogate Christmas Market.

The Christmas Market Weekend, which will take place on November 27 and 28, will feature over 20 food and craft stalls, children’s activities, a festive animal farm, face painting, treasure trails, wreath making demos and live music.

Brian Dunsby, co-organiser of Harrogate Christmas Market, which was refused a licence on Montpellier Hill by Harrogate Borough Council this year, said:

“I’ve been working closely with Crimple and I am so pleased they have offered a home to many of the stallholders who should have been at the cancelled Harrogate Christmas Market this year.

“It’s been a tough few years for many independent traders so this is great news and in true community spirit. Crimple provides an attractive under-cover heated location for a Christmas Market, right next door to their popular garden centre and their new food hall.”

Harrogate Christmas Market was traditionally held on Montpellier Hill in November and attracted about 80,000 visitors. Since its cancellation the council has announced plans to stage Christmas markets in town and in Valley Gardens.

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Crimple has undergone a £4 million refurbishment and now has one of Yorkshire’s largest food halls, 160-seat restaurant, bistro and event space, which is due to open this month, employing over 60 staff.

Crimple

The food hall features more than 50 specialist producers, as well as a 12-metre-long butcher’s counter, a juice bar, bakery, patisserie, deli and cheese counter, fresh fruit and veg, milk float, food to go, in-store produced ready meals, pizzas, fresh fish, a horticulture shop, and a grain store.

Keren Shaw, operations director at Crimple, said:

“Our vision for Crimple is a place which brings people together through a dynamic shopping, dining and lifestyle experience.

“Our Christmas Market Weekend is a fantastic example of this, whether it’s supporting local suppliers, musicians or indeed being able to offer a home to the local stallholders from the much-loved Harrogate Christmas Market.”

Richard Van Opstal, owner of Harrogate-based Woodcutter Creations, said he was “saddened and frustrated” when the Harrogate Christmas Market was cancelled. He added:

“It is great news that Crimple will be working with the original Harrogate Christmas Market organisers and hosting many of us at Crimple’s Christmas Market Weekend.”

The market will take place at Crimple on Leeds Road, from 8am to 7pm on the Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on the Sunday.