The Electric Bike Shop opened in Harrogate today, hoping to capitalise on cycling’s increased popularity since lockdown.
The shop, situated in the former Fulton’s Food unit on Leeds Road, has about 50 electric bikes in store, with more coming soon. Brands include Raleigh, Cube and Moustache.
It also sells cycling accessories and has an in-store workshop that undertakes repairs for electric and non-electric bikes.
Some of the bikes for sale.
The bikes range in price from £1,600 to £8,000 and contain rechargeable batteries that can last for between 20 and 70 miles.
It is The Electric Bike Shop’s ninth shop in England. Five have opened in the last 18 months, highlighting the impact of covid and environmental concerns on cycling participation.
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Kurt Davison, who manages the Harrogate branch, has been working in the electric bike market for eight years. He said:
“I’ve seen the industry grow and grow and it is now at a stage where it is no longer pigeon-holed as something for older people or people who don’t usually ride. Electric bikes make hills and headwind enjoyable!”
Harrogate Electric Bikes already operates in Harrogate and some other bike shops also include a selection of electric bikes.
The shop is in the former Fulton’s Foods unit on Leeds Road.
Alan Fowler, retail director of the Electric Bike Shop, said the quality of electric bikes had improved significantly in the last five years.
He added the product was well suited to Harrogate because it contained commuters to York and Leeds as well as pleasure riders in the Yorkshire Dales. He said:
“Harrogate suits our demographic really well.”
The shop employs three staff and plans to recruit one more.
Work begins to build new Harrogate Lidl
Workers have this week begun to demolish the old Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, to make way for a new Lidl supermarket.
Councillors granted planning permission to the German chain in August to build the supermarket, and six months later work is finally underway.
It’s the first Lidl to open in Harrogate, although there is already one in Knaresborough.
The multi-million-pound proposal includes a 1,263 square metre sales area, an in-store bakery, customer toilets and 94 parking spaces.
A CGI image of how the supermarket will look.
The new store will be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
A public consultation for the store revealed 87% of more than 1,000 responses supported it.
The Stray Ferret asked Lidl for an expected opening date but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.
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Schoolchildren star in ‘I Love Harrogate’ film
Pupils from six Harrogate schools have said what they love about Harrogate in a new film that aims to pull more people into the town centre.
Children from St Peter’s, Coppice Valley, Birstwith and Admiral Long, Oatlands, Richard Taylor and Western primary schools took centre stage in the ‘I Love Harrogate’ film.
The film is being projected onto the window of an empty shop window on the side of Victoria Shopping Centre, across from Beulah Street, until February 23.
It aims to capture the imagination of some of Harrogate’s youngest residents and encourage more people town.
Paul Griffiths, head of St Peter’s Church of England Primary School said:
“We were delighted to be invited to contribute to this video, and our children really enjoyed saying why they love Harrogate.
“We are very fortunate to live in Harrogate, and even luckier that our school is in the middle of the town. On our doorstep we have The Stray, the library and its gardens, and of course all the great shops, restaurants and entertainment venues, all within a short walk.”
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The installation has been put on by Harrogate Business Improvement District. The BID is currently offering grants to entertainers with a “wow factor” to liven up Harrogate town centre’s streets.
It is hoping more events and installations will drive footfall into the town centre. It is offering the grants in order to cover any costs incurred as long as the idea satisfies funding criteria.
Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said:
Thieves threaten man then steal his car in Starbeck“The I love Harrogate video is the first in a series of films that we are making with those who live and work in the town. It is also a reminder that for many years Harrogate has been held up as one of the happiest places to live.
“I love Harrogate will be shown on a continuous loop in the window of the empty shop unit, and we hope those who star in it will encourage their family and friends to come into town to view it, and of course to take the opportunity to shop, eat and drink.”
Thieves threatened a resident then stole a white Ford Focus from the Fairways Drive area in Starbeck.
The man heard his car alarm go off at about 7.30pm on Monday and when he went to investigate he was threatened by suspects who then made off with his vehicle.
The car was a white Ford Focus RS with blue puddle and interior lights.
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Council ridiculed for cycle path sign that points to Harrogate in wrong direction
There has been mirth and exasperation in Harrogate after a sign for the Otley Road cycle path was built pointing to the town centre in the wrong direction.
The long-awaited cycle path has been called a step forward for cycling in the town by Harrogate District Cycle Action but even its supporters would admit it’s had a bumpy ride so far.
After years of delays, there have been complaints from local business owners about disruption from building works and confusion from cyclists over what some believe to be a convoluted course that weaves on and off a shared route with pedestrians.
Phase one from Harlow Moor Road to Arthurs Avenue is now ready to be used and North Yorkshire County Council contractors erected signs two weeks ago, including this one close to the Harlow Moor Road junction.
But instead of directing cyclists towards the town centre and Valley Gardens, it sends them up Harlow Hill and out towards West Yorkshire.
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The Stray Ferret asked members of a Harrogate Facebook group what they thought about the error.
Mary Reevey called the sign “shambolic” whilst Christine Hemming said it was “totally useless, just like the cycle lane”.
Others joked that cyclists would now be able to take “the scenic route” into town.
However, Richard Squire defended the erroneous sign and called for some perspective:
“I think things go wrong sometimes. It’s no big deal, is it?”
In response, Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at North Yorkshire County Council, said:
What’s next for Harrogate’s £10.9m Station Gateway?“This is a genuine mistake by our contractor. The signage will be amended this week at no cost to the council.”
The Harrogate Station Gateway project may have been approved, but the next stages of the £10.9m scheme will be far from straightforward.
It took almost two years of design work and heated debate to get to this stage – now questions are turning to when the vision of Harrogate town centre less dominated by cars could become a reality.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive approved the project last month in the face of a deep divide amongst residents and businesses over what the major changes to several streets will mean for the local economy and traffic congestion.
The council originally said it anticipated construction would start this spring or summer, but it is now being much more ambiguous, saying works “could” begin “later this year”.
It also said construction could stretch into 2024 after initially aiming for completion by the end of 2023.
This uncertainty over when the project could start and finish has drawn further concern from some business leaders who had previously called for the gateway to be halted.
David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate Chamber of Commerce, said now the project is going ahead, it is key that disruption to businesses is kept to “an absolute minimum” when the construction phase eventually gets underway.
He said:
“We were initially told that if approved, work would commence in late spring/early summer, and what I wouldn’t want to see is it commencing in the run up to Christmas.
“When it does start, the message that needs to be communicated loud and clear is that the town remains open for business.
“The project team also needs to consult with the business community long before work starts, and it also needs to be prepared to listen to any concerns that might arise.”
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Works on the detailed designs of the project – which includes reducing a stretch of Station Parade to one-lane traffic and a part-time pedestrianisation of James Street – are now continuing ahead of a final business case being submitted around August.
Objections could lead to public inquiry
The business case will be submitted to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority which is overseeing the project funding from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.
Subject to its approval, a contractor will then be appointed to carry out the works, as well as similar projects in Selby and Skipton.
Traffic Regulation Orders – which are legal documents needed to introduce road changes – will be necessary for all three schemes and could spark public inquiries if objections are received.
These orders are lengthy processes and can often take several months to complete due to the need for public consultations.
The idea of a judicial review – which would be a court hearing into whether the council’s decision to approve the Gateway was lawful or not – has also been previously discussed by some Harrogate businesses.
This would have the potential to either derail the project or delay it long enough to jeopardise funding.
Reduce congestion
Despite the objections and threats of legal action, the gateway has been well supported by many residents and campaign groups who have hailed it as a positive step to tackle climate change and cut car congestion.
The project also includes improvements for pedestrians and cyclists, with upgrades planned for Station Square and the One Arch underpass, as well the Odeon cinema roundabout and several other streets in the area.
North Yorkshire County Council, the lead partner on the scheme, has continually insisted that businesses, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport users alike will see the benefits once the project is completed.
It also said while the construction phase will be a challenge, the authority will try to minimise the impact on traffic and trade.
A county council spokesperson said:
Road closure affects Harrogate’s Leadhall Lane until Friday“Although the Department for Transport set an initial completion date of March 2023, the department has advised that completion could extend into 2024.
“The programme is tight, so the flexibility is welcome.
“The county council takes the delivery risk, but will have robust programme management in place and there is a sum for contingency within each scheme’s budget.”
Motorists face delays this week as emergency roadworks are carried out on Leadhall Lane in Harrogate.
Northern Gas Networks is currently carrying out repairs to a gas pipe on the road.
Leadhall Lane is closed in both directions between Throstle Nest Drive and Leadhall Road.
The company has apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Northern Gas said in a statement:
“We’re carrying out emergency repairs at Leadhall Lane.
“To safely reach the main under the carriageway, we’ve had to close the road until Friday. We’re really sorry for any inconvenience during this time.”
The works are the latest by Northern Gas Networks in the town.
Last month, the company undertook a series of works on Skipton Road at the junctions with Knox Avenue, Bilton Grange Close and Skipton Crescent.
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Starbeck schoolchildren highlight air pollution dangers of idle engines
Children from Starbeck Primary Academy were at Starbeck level crossing this morning armed with placards asking motorists to turn their engines off.
An idling engine can produce up to twice as many exhaust emissions as an engine in motion, with air pollution known to harm children’s growing lungs.
At Starbeck crossing, the barriers are activated several times an hour to let trains pass. With queues of traffic on both sides of the crossing a regular sight, it is a notorious air pollution hotspot.
Today’s campaign was organised by the school and Starbeck Residents Association.
Darren Leeming, who has two children at the school and is on the SRA committee said “there are no excuses” for motorists not to turn their engines off whilst they waited.
He said:
“The barriers go down and people don’t turn their engines off. Air pollution goes into children’s lungs. A lot of these drivers have children themselves.”
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Starbeck Primary Academy is on Starbeck High Street and bears the brunt of the air pollution from waiting cars and vehicles.
Its headteacher, Gary de Castro-Morland, said 99% of its children walk to school so he hopes motorists can turn their engines off to help protect their health.
He said:
New series of monthly organ recitals to be held in Harrogate“This year five class has been learning about air pollution and the children wanted to come down.
“Traffic queues right in front of our school, air pollution from standing traffic is a significant issue for us.”
A new series of monthly organ recitals will begin in Harrogate tomorrow.
The series will see some of the country’s finest organists give hour-long recitals on the new digital organ at St Wilfrid’s Church on Duchy Road.
The organ console will be situated in the middle of the nave, which should enhance the audience experience.
Anthony Gray, director of music at St Wilfrid’s, said:
“We are beginning the fundraising process to restore our pipe organ, which will cost over £500,000.
“This series should be an excellent showcase of the capability of digital organs, and in our relatively cavernous acoustic, it sounds very exciting and rich.”
Anthony Gray
Mr Gray, who is among the organists due to play in the series in the Grade 1 listed building, added he was trying to offer something different to organ recitals held in places like Bradford, Leeds and Ripon by giving each recital a short title, hinting at what is on the programme.
He added:
“We are also offering some slightly different recital experience with a jazz recital next month, a showcase of the entire music department in the summer, and some interesting celebrations of specific composers too.”
John Longstaff, from St Peter’s Church in Harrogate will begin the series this week. Alexander Berry, from Bradford Cathedral and David Pipe, from Newcastle Cathedral, are among the names that will follow.
John Longstaff
The concerts will take place on, or as close to as possible, the first Wednesday evening of each month, beginning at 7:30pm. Admission is £6; under-18s are free,
The full programme is here.
Forty-one Harrogate district schools take part in ‘walk to school day’
Forty-one schools from across the Harrogate district took part in Friday’s walk to school day, which aims to tackle the impact on the climate from transport.
The event, which was the first of 2022 and the fourth since its launch in June 2021, saw pupils from across Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Ripon take part.
Parents and children who were unable to stop using their cars completely were encouraged to “park and stride” by parking further from the school gate and continuing the journey on foot.
Kettlesing Fellscliffe Primary School won the district’s “Zero Hero” primary school award with 100% of pupils taking part.
Meanwhile, Harrogate Grammar School won the secondary school prize with 90% participation.
Winning pupils from Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School.
Holly Whyte, interim head of school at Kettlesing Felliscliffe Community Primary School, said:
“At Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School we are committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing for our pupils.
“While many of our children are local to the village, some of our families made the extra effort to take public transport for part of their journey to school before walking the final kilometre into school.
“This ties in with our schools plans to reduce the carbon footprint in the area with our child-led eco-committee.”
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Sarah Bissett, events coordinator for Zero Carbon Harrogate, the volunteer-led charity that runs the initiative, said:
“We have been positively overwhelmed by the level of support received from schools, families and children since the Harrogate District Walk to School Day initiative launched last summer.
“This first event of 2022 has demonstrated the continued enthusiasm towards positive transport choices both on the day and beyond; building habits which benefit our environment and the health of participants in both the short and long-term.
“Encouragingly, there has also been an increase in the geographical spread of schools taking part across the district: a trend which we hope is set to continue throughout the year.”
The next walk to school day is set to take place on Friday, March 25.