Harrogate woman buys cauliflower the size of egg from Aldi

A Harrogate woman was reduced to laughter when she discovered the cauliflower she had planned to cook for dinner was in fact the size of an egg.

Sarah Stead visited the Aldi store in Harrogate on Thursday to do her usual weekly shop but got a surprise when she started to prepare her meal that night.

When she began peeling away the numerous leaves she discovered the vegetable itself was in fact as small as an egg.

She said:

“It was in the offer section for 59p but still I didn’t expect to be this small! I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw it.”

She said it looked like a normal cauliflower in its packaging.

She added:

“I hope no one else has one in their house they’re yet to cook with. They’re going to get a shock.”

This was the cauliflower Ms Stead discovered when she got home.

Ms Stead had hoped to cook cauliflower cheese for dinner but had to change her plans.

She returned to the store next day and received a full refund. She added she found the situation more amusing than annoying and thought it was a funny story to tell.

Aldi had not responded to our request for comment by the time of publication.

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Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Al with you to start off the week with your road and public transport updates.

If there’s anything I’ve missed, and it is safe to do so, give me a call on 01423 276197.

These blogs are brought to you by The HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

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Traffic is moving slower than usual in these areas:

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8:30am – Full Update 

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8am – Full Update 

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Some traffic hotspots are starting to appear:

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7:30am – Full Update 

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Traffic looks to be running smoothly so far this morning.

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7am – Full Update 

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Everything still looks quiet on the roads this morning, but if I’ve missed anything do get in touch.

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6.30am – Full Update 

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The roads are looking quiet so far this morning, with no build ups of traffic yet.

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Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate reopens for vaccines today

Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground reopens today as a vaccination site.

Although Harrogate is the largest place in the Harrogate district, the town has not had a vaccination site since August, when the showground stopped administering jabs.

Since then residents have been travelling to Knaresborough, Ripon and Pateley Bridge, or further afield to Leeds and York, for appointments.

The showground was due to close on December 22 but it now looks set to continue until March, although this has yet to be confirmed, as the government aims to speed up the vaccination programme.

Those eligible can book appointments on the NHS booking site here.

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Charity Corner: at the forefront of mental health support during covid

The mental health charity Mind in Harrogate district has had two years like no other, with lockdown causing more people to reach out for additional support.

The charity is affiliated with the larger national charity Mind and was founded in 1973.

It offers counselling, a telephone befriending service and numerous group workshops for people suffering with their mental health.

The main aim of the charity is to be the place people come to if they are struggling. Its befriending and counselling services will continue throughout December although during the week between Christmas and New Year, it will only be available for telephone support.

Helen Greensit, centre development manager, said:

“Over the last two years referrals have been constant. I wouldn’t say that the Christmas period has been any busier than the rest of the year but certainly there are no signs of the referrals slowing down.”

This week alone the charity has received five referrals for support, which included telephone support, registration requests to join group activities and referrals to the counselling service.

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Ms Greensit also said lockdown had increased the number of people struggling with social anxiety. She said people coming to the charity were still struggling to go out because they lacked the motivation to do so.

She said:

“With covid, we have seen a lot more people struggling with loneliness and isolation. Other main reasons for referrals are depression and anxiety.”

The charity has nine members of staff and numerous volunteers who help with the befriending service, which works to reach some of the most isolated in the district. Ms Greensit said:

“Within the last two years the charity has diversified in order to meet the growing needs of our community.”

Stray Views: Station Gateway will benefit far more people than cyclists

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Station Gateway will benefit far more people than cyclists

It’s good to read letters in Stray Views from Andrew Willoughby, Peter Whittingham and others in favour of the Station Gateway project, countering what in my opinion are unfounded fears about a great opportunity for significant investment to improve the town centre.

The Station Gateway scheme is not ‘to benefit cyclists’. The suggestion by some that the only way into town will be on a bicycle is utter nonsense. The scheme is aimed at ‘improving the public realm’, making the town centre a better place for people to spend time in, and to make it a safer and more pleasant place in which to walk and cycle.

It will mean less traffic, which scientists and governments recognise is essential if we are serious about tackling the climate crisis.

Objectors claim, with great confidence but no evidence, that reducing Station Parade to one lane is sure to cause massive congestion. I don’t agree. I think the conclusion of the county council’s consultants, based on pre-covid data, makes sense, which is that journey times will only be marginally longer even at peak times. What we are more likely to get is traffic evaporation. As this 2019 study found, ‘one of the best kept, and counter intuitive secrets in urban planning [is that] less road space doesn’t increase congestion but leads to a drop in vehicle numbers’.

This is what appears to be happening in the centre of Leeds where a far more radical reallocation of road space than is planned for Harrogate is well underway.

I ran Argos Sports in Beulah Street for 30 years. I believe that the noisy minority of local businesses opposing the scheme don’t know what’s good for them.

They are being offered a £10.9m investment to improve and bring more residents and visitors into the town centre yet they keep their heads firmly buried in the past pretending that their customers must be able to park outside their shops, which they can rarely do even now. Station Gateway will make the town centre more successful, and a much less polluted and more pleasant environment in which to spend time and to go to work.

I fully agree with those who want a feasibility study to look at making West Park and Parliament Street two-way, and with making 20mph rather than 30mph the default speed limit in our town centre and elsewhere.

The local authorities are contributing massively to our traffic problem by allowing one development after another, thousands of new homes, to be built which are car dependent by design, too far from town to walk, poorly served by public transport, and with no useful cycle infrastructure.

I also believe it’s time to stop HGVs from using many of our urban streets without restriction day and night.

Malcolm Margolis BEM, Harrogate

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Businesses are right to be worried about Station Gateway

According to North Yorkshire County Council, the outcome of its congestion study was to provide more sustainable transport. It would appear its meaning of sustainable is walking and cycling.

In my view it means frequent, affordable, viable all year transport for all and not just a minority. A total of 22% of the population is over the age of 65.

Have they forgotten the additional congestion and stop-starting which will arise if Station Parade is reduced to one lane? It is a classified major trunk road.

North Yorkshire County Council obviously considered 12 weeks in normal circumstances was required for consultation on the relief road but four weeks during lockdown when residents were advised to stay at home sufficient for the Gateway project.

I understand the Gateway scheme, if it goes ahead ,will start in spring 2022 and take 12 months. North Yorkshire County Council also intend to replace Oak Beck bridge on Skipton Road, with the disruption lasting six months, starting January 2022

It is not surprising that many businesses are concerned about their future.

Catherine Alderson, Harrogate

Gateway is ill-conceived and needs scrapping

I wish to add weight to the growing number of Harrogate residents who oppose the proposed Station Gateway. The project is ill-conceived and in my opinion [and the opinion of everyone in my neighbourhood], it needs to be scrapped.
Roger Cooke, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Plumpton Rocks set for March opening after £700,000 restoration

Plumpton Rocks is finally set to open to the public in March 2022 after several years of restoration works and investment of £700,000.

When people visit the site near Harrogate they will notice improved paths and dam as well as plenty more spaces and historic buildings to explore.

They will also notice that it is open more often. Rather than just weekends, it will be open for around 250 days in the year.

Robert de Plumpton Hunter, who inherited Plumpton Rocks from his father in 2010, has overseen a major turnaround in the attraction’s outlook.

More areas are now open to explore.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“To have an opening date of March 2022 is a great relief. Plumpton Rocks is now truly a place worth shouting about.

“The help we have had has been revolutionary. I never thought in my wildest dreams that we could do all of this work.

“My family are well-connected to Plumpton Rocks, it feels like it is in my DNA. The place has a great history which we are now able to play up to.”

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A major catalyst for change came when Historic England added it to the “Heritage at Risk Register” in 2012.

In order to make much-needed improvements, Plumpton Rocks closed in 2013 for three years and in 2018 for two and a half years.

The time closed, as well as major investment from Mr Hunter, Historic England, Natural England and the Historic Houses Foundation has made a significant difference.

Not only did Historic England take Plumpton Rocks off its “Heritage at Risk Register” earlier this year  but it also now closely resembles the 18th century sketches of JMW Turner.

Plumpton Rocks restoration timeline

Image Gallery: Christmas markets bring festive cheer to the district

A bumper weekend of Christmas markets in the Harrogate district got underway today.

The smell of mulled wine and hot dogs filled the air in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Masham today as visitors flocked to each town’s festive stalls.

In Harrogate, stalls lined the streets in the town centre for day two of Harrogate Christmas Fayre, which opened yesterday. It lasts for 10 days.

Today was also the start of a two-day event in Valley Gardens that featured about 50 local, artisan stalls in the Sun Colonnade.

Festive markets also returned to Knaresborough, as stalls selling sweets, crafts, clothes and food and drink filled the market square.

Father Christmas made a trip to Masham today to visit the town’s Christmas market and craft fayre.

In Knaresborough …

Kirsty Riddell and Leanne Wilkie from The Fat Birds Bakery

Knaresborough Christmas Market weekend got underway today

Chris Wilson has been selling chestnuts at the market for 20 years.

Nemo from clothing company Making My Grass Greener

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In Harrogate’s Valley Gardens …

Stalls opened in Valley Gardens this morning under the Sun Colonnade

Colin and Emma Hall were there from Box Prints

Visitors enjoy a wander through the market

In Harrogate Town Centre …

Diana Macbeth-Case from Dipple Tipple & Co

The Pick & Mix stall was a hit

Oliver Edhouse from The Crusty Pie Company

Were you at Harrogate’s Christmas Markets today?

In Masham …

Thank you to Cllr Ian Johnson for sending over some photos of today’s events in Masham.

Numerous stalls pitched up on Market Square today

Santa was there to hear the children’s wishes for this year

The craft fayre was enjoyed by many

Christmas candlelit vigil planned for Stonefall war dead

Candles will be lit for more than 1,000 fallen soldiers at Stonefall Cemetary on Sunday December 19.

Harrogate mum Benji Walker has been running Candles for Heroes every year since 2018 because she does not want the men to be forgotten.

Ms Walker said:

“I have a son who serves in the Yorkshire Regiment. It’s important to me. They should be always be remembered. Christmas is a special time anyway for family, so it’s a nice time to remember the sacrifice they gave.”

Stonefall is one of the largest war grave sites in northern England.

The cemetery was created in 1914 but most burials are airmen who died during the Second World War when bomber command bases were established in Yorkshire. About two-thirds of the dead are Canadian.

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In 2019 around 80 people came to pay their respects where a service was held including sea and air cadets as well as a bugler playing the Last Post.

Last year was a private service was held due to covid restrictions.

This year anyone is invited to attend at Stonefall Cemetery on December 19 at 4pm.

Donations are appreciated with all money raised shared between Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Help for Heroes.

For more information visit the Candles For Heroes Facebook page.

Academy status could lead to investment in Harrogate school, says head

In The headteacher of St John Fisher Catholic High School has said becoming an academy could help the school invest in more modern facilities.

The school, which has about 1,450 pupils aged 11 to 18, joined the Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust this week.

Steve Mort said pupils and parents would notice little immediate change but there were long-term benefits of being part of a multi-academy trust with 11 other schools that are directly funded by government rather than through North Yorkshire County Council.

He said it would make it easier to get capital investment for new buildings or refurbishments and the school would also benefit from economies of scale by sharing some back office functions with other schools in the academy.

Mr Mort said:

“The normal everyday running of the school school and children’s experiences of it should not feel that different. However, over time there are plans to develop our infrastructure.”

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The school, on Hookstone Drive, was built to accommodate 800 pupils on the site of a former convent and now has almost double that number.

Besides St John Fisher, The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust has 11 other schools, including St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and St Robert’s Catholic Primary School in Harrogate and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Knaresborough. It plans to increase this number to 18.

‘The time is right’

Mr Mort, who joined the school last year, said St John Fisher was always destined to become an academy to fulfil the vision of Marcus Stock, the Catholic bishop of Leeds, who wants all 85 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Leeds divided into five multi-academy trusts.

The school therefore wasn’t being “forced” into the move, said Mr Mort, unlike some that become academies. He added:

“The governors feel that the school is financially stable and a new leadership team has established itself so the time is right.”

He added the associated sixth form with St Aidan’s Church of England High School would not be affected by the move.

Although St John Fisher is no longer financed or managed by the county council, it still has to report to it in certain areas, such as safeguarding and provision of funding for special needs pupils.

The trust, which is based in Menston, West Yorkshire, is named after Bishop William Gordon Wheeler, who was Bishop of Leeds from 1966 to 1985.

 

 

Harrogate district prepares for bumper festive market weekend

The Harrogate district is preparing for a bumper weekend of festive events with numerous Christmas markets and fayres over the next few says.

We’ve pulled together a handy guide to the festive markets and events from Harrogate to Masham.

Yesterday, Harrogate’s Christmas market kicked off with people arriving from 10am to walk around the stalls and enjoy a mulled wine or two.

Here’s some information on the events this weekend:

Harrogate Christmas Fayre

Around 50 local stalls will be in place on Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent until December 12.

It is open 10am and 7pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am and 9pm Thursday to Saturday, and 10am and 4.30pm on Sunday.

There is also a carousel and ferris wheel at Crescent Garden and a helter skelter at the war memorial to add to the festive offering. All rides cost £3 for a ticket.

Harrogate Christmas Artisan Market

This is the first for the town, a market for 60 local, small traders based in Valley Gardens.

Organised by Little Bird Made, the market will be open from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5.

The festive road train will also pass by the entrance and stops on nearby Crescent Road.

Knaresborough Christmas Market 

Based on the town’s Market Square across weekend, Knaresborough Christmas Market is making its comeback.

There will be almost 50 stalls selling Christmas decorations, gifts and locally sourced produce. There will also be live entertainment from local dancers, choirs and brass bands.

Although a lot of the stalls accept cards, market organisers have urged visitors to bring cash with them in case the town’s two remaining cash machines run out.

It will come to a close with a fireworks display over Knaresborough’s iconic viaduct at 4.30pm on Sunday, December 5.

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Masham Christmas Market

Similar to the one held last month, this weekend the town’s Market Place will host numerous stalls plus a visit from Santa himself.

Many of the usual monthly stallholders will be in attendance, plus others, so visitors can expect hand bell ringing and folk music as well as a wide variety of craft and food and drink stalls.

There is also a craft fayre in the town hall, both are open on Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

Ripon Christmas Market

This year the festivities are back.. On Sunday, artisan markets will be held on the square and free children’s fairground rides will be in operation on those dates.

There will be a selection of stalls from local traders, arts, crafts, food, an outdoor bar and live music.