Wildflowers to be planted on Stray

Harrogate Borough Council will be planting 5,500 wildflowers on the Stray in the coming weeks. It is working with Bilton Conservation Group to create groups of six volunteers to work over two weekends.

The young wildflowers called “plugs” are coming from Cumbria and will be around 5″ tall.

They are to be planted between the Empress Roundabout and the Prince of Wales Roundabout, where 60,000 crocuses were planted last year. More plugs are also planned to be planted in a small meadow by the railway line.

Planting was due to have started in April, but was delayed due to poor weather conditions.

Keith Wilkinson MBE of the Bilton Conservation Group says the wildflowers are “very welcome”.

“Harrogate Stray looks great in spring with its cherry blossom – but then there’s a lull. These wild flowers will make it look spectacular through the summer and come back year after year.

“Bilton Conservation Group is always happy to make the town green. We’ll always help with green initiatives.”

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Crocus planting

The Bilton Conservation Group planting crocuses on the corner of West Park Stray in October last year.

The news will come as a delight to the over 600 people who signed a Green Party petition last October urging the council to plant wildflowers on the Stray.

Bilton Liberal Democrat candidate ‘very sorry’ after by-election defeat

The Liberal Democrat candidate for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election has said he is “very sorry” for the result after the Conservatives took the seat from the party.

Speaking today, Liberal Democrat Andrew Kempston-Parkes said the election result was “not what we hoped for”.

Matt Scott, the Conservative candidate, won the North Yorkshire County Council seat for the Tories by 352 votes.

The by-election was held following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber who died in March after holding the seat since 2017.

Mr Kempston-Parkes said after the result:

“I look to my comrades in the Labour Party and my sisters and brothers in the Green Party and say as long as the parties of the centre and left continue to fight each other, Conservatives will continue to have power even though they get less than 50% of the vote.”

Matt Scott, Conservative candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Matt Scott, the new Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Scott, who already represents the area on Harrogate Borough Council, won the North Yorkshire County Council seat this morning by a margin of 352 votes ahead of second-placed Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Kempston-Parkes.

His victory marks a shift in power away from the Lib Dems who had previously won six out of eight county council elections in Bilton in the last 16 years.

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Speaking after being announced as winner at the Pavilions of Harrogate today, Cllr Scott said:

“I’m very grateful to the people of Bilton and Nidd Gorge – it’s been a pleasure to serve as the Harrogate borough councillor in Bilton Woodfield since 2018.

“It’s a real privilege to be the county councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge as well.”

There are two Bilton and Nidd Gorge seats on the county council, the other being held by Conservative Paul Haslam whose position was not up for election.

Cllr Scott won today with 1,991 votes, followed by Liberal Democrat Andrew Kempston-Parkes (1,639), Labour’s Tyler Reeton (434), Green Party’s Anrold Warneken (430), Yorkshire Party’s John Hall and  , independent Harvey Alexander (46).

Voter turnout was 37.4% of eligible voters and there were 19 spoiled ballots.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Labour candidate Tyler Reeton gave a message to other young aspiring politicians and promised the party will “come back stronger”.

He said:

“If you are young don’t be scared to run in politics. Politics is yours and you are the future generation. As a 19-year-old, I am honoured to have stood here today with rather strong competitors.

“The Labour Party is not going anywhere in Harrogate – we are going to come back stronger next year and we will win Bilton.”

Family tribute to ‘beloved’ Harrogate hotel murder-suicide victim

The family of a woman who died at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel in what police believe to be a murder-suicide has released an emotional tribute.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon, who were both 29 and from London, were found dead with stab wounds on Tuesday at 10.20pm.

Police are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder.

Devante Gravesande-Smith, a young barrister from London, has described his cousin Ms Gregory as a “loving and caring person, whose smile would light up a room.” He tweeted:

“Chenise worked as a Child Care Specialist. Throughout her life she touched the hearts of those she worked with as well as her family and close friends.

“As a family we are deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Chenise’s tragic murder.

“We’re heartbroken to learn that our beloved Chenise was lured to her death at the hands of her controlling and manipulative ex-boyfriend.”

Enquiries into the circumstances around the deaths are ongoing but detectives are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder. They do not believe anyone else is involved.

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Temporary detective chief inspector Jonathan Sygrove of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team said:

“An investigation into the circumstances around the deaths is ongoing, but the evidence we have gathered at this stage suggests it as a suspected murder-suicide.

“A post-mortem has taken place that has confirmed the couple died from stab wounds. We are treating Ms Gregory’s death as murder and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“This is a very sad case and our thoughts are with their families and friends and this difficult time. We have specialist officers from North Yorkshire Police, supported by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police supporting the family, and we will work with them as we investigate the circumstances leading to these tragic deaths.”

Look inside: Cafe Rita in Harrogate reopens as American diner

A new American diner that sells crocodile, ostrich and kangaroo burgers, as well as more traditional beef burgers, has opened in Harrogate.

The Fabulous 50s Diner opened today on the site of the former Cafe Rita on Bower Road, brightening up the street with its red and white striped walls and chequerboard floor.

Wagdy Mansour ran Cafe Rita with his wife Shirley for eight years and decided to go for something completely different. He said:

“We thought it was time for a change. So we thought about a theme and realised we didn’t have any American diners in Harrogate.”

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Inside the new diner

The brightly lit diner, which has images of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley outside, will open from 9am to 10pm seven days a week.

There are tables outside and it will have four booths inside when it reopens for indoor dining.

Mr Mansour said:

“We have been closed for a year so we are pleased to be open again. It’s a new venture and our customers love it.”

The diner evokes classic American films with seating booths

Court bans former Coach and Horses landlord from driving over drugs

A court has banned the former landlord of the Coach and Horses pub from driving after police pulled him over with cocaine in his system and Class A drugs in his jacket.

John Nelson, who held the pub’s licence for 33 years until last summer, had his court hearing today at the Harrogate Justice Centre after missing it two weeks ago.

The court issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to show but later withdrew it.

Police arrested Nelson on October 30, the day after the council gave his daughter the licence, on Leeds Road and tested him for drugs.

Officers were acting on a report that the car Nelson was driving was being used by a drug dealer. They searched the car and tested him for drugs.

The test found that he had 30 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood in his system. The limit is 10 micrograms. Officers also found three bottles of methadone in his car.

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As a result, officers charged him with drug driving and with possession of a class A drug. Nelson, 65, entered a guilty plea to both charges today.

In defence for Nelson, barrister Andrew Thompson, said:

“Mr Nelson had gone to Leeds to collect the bottles of methadone and was bringing them back to Harrogate to the same friend.

“The police did not stop him for bad driving. Mr Nelson told me today that he felt fine to drive and that he co-operated fully. In his police interview he said he had bipolar disorder.

“That may partly explain why he committed this offence. It is a well known fact locally what happened with the pub he used to run. He has had a difficult year and has retired with no intention of going back.”

The court banned John Nelson from driving for 18 months and ordered him to pay £334 in a fine, surcharge and court costs.

Nelson lost his licence after North Yorkshire Police found customers drinking outside the Coach and Horses and not observing social distancing over the weekend of May 30.

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

She said she would refurbish and reopen but there has been no movement at the pub ever since. The Stray Ferret has made several enquiries but has received no reply.

Authors celebrate Valley Gardens’ journey from springs to scenic spot

A guide book that celebrates the rich history of Harrogate’s Valley Gardens is now on sale.

The book covers the history of the park from its early days in the 1860s, when it was known as Bogs Field, to the fight to save a deteriorating Sun Pavilion in the 1980s and 90s, to the restoration of the Japanese Garden in 2016.

It has been a labour of love for co-authors Jane Blayney and Anne Smith.

Ms Smith is a former journalist and founded the Friends of Valley Gardens (FOVG) group in 1986. She was its chair until 2009.

Ms Blayney is also a former chair of FOVG and said documenting the history of the cherished space is important for future generations.

Valley Gardens

Valley Gardens is a magnet for sunbathers on sunny days

Ms Blayney said:

“We decided to put together the book so people visiting the town can buy a memento from when they visit.

“It was a really good team job. We had a lot of fun researching it.”

The book costs £5 and is printed in glossy full colour. It’s available to purchase in Harrogate Waterstones, RHS Harlow Carr and Harrogate Tourist Information. It’s also available to buy online here.

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The book’s introduction is written by Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam, who also helped with fact checking.

Stories include the battle to restore the King Edward VII Memorial Gate, which was donated in 1911 and dedicated to those who died in the First World War.

In 1994, when a new hall was built for the Conference Centre, Harrogate Borough Council sold the gate to a scrap metal merchant who then sold it on to a farmer.

FOVG bought the gate back from the farmer so it could be restored and returned to the park. The gate was formally opened in 2018 for the 100-year commemoration of the end of the war.

The book is not for profit and all money raised will go towards printing a second run.

Ms Blayney said “we are very lucky” in Harrogate to have a place like Valley Gardens.

“It’s somewhere where you can take the family for nothing. Older people can sit and enjoy the sunshine, others can skateboard or use the boating pool.”

The Stray Ferret and the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) have worked with Malcolm Neesam to produce two fantastic history audio tours of Harrogate. Both last about an hour and are easy to do. The first will take you back to the golden age of Harrogate’s Victorian Spa days and includes a stop at Valley Gardens, the second will take you through the heart of the shopping district, stopping to learn about historic buildings as you go.  To take a look click here. 

Conservatives win Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election

The Conservatives have gained the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat on North Yorkshire County Council from the Liberal Democrats.

Matt Scott, candidate for the Tories, won the seat with 1,991 votes.

The by-election was held following the death of former Liberal Democrat councillor, Geoff Webber.

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The full results were:

More to follow.

New footbridge planned for RHS Harlow Carr

RHS Harlow Carr has lodged plans for a new footbridge in its gardens.

The application submitted to Harrogate Borough Council would see the wooden bridge cross over Queen Mother’s Lake.

It forms part of proposals to improve the visitor experience at the attraction.

Liz Thwaite, head of site, said:

“The new bridge is part of our overall masterplan for the RHS Harlow Carr site, and will improve the flow of people and the overall visitor experience. 

“It has been made possible through a generous donation, which we will release more information about in due course.”

The gently curved bridge would be built at the south of the gardens, near to Otley Road.

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According to planning documents, the bridge would be three metres wide so that there is space for people to pass on foot, in wheelchairs or with prams and scooters.

The path at the south of the gardens would also be realigned towards the bridge as part of the wider masterplan.

A decision on the planning application will be made at a later date.

Insurance problems make Stray bonfire event a ‘huge gamble’

Organisers behind the annual bonfire and firework display on the Stray fear that putting the event on this year would be a “huge gamble”.

The Harrogate District Round Table, which was forced to postpone its 50th anniversary display last year, is currently weighing up the risks.

Although all coronavirus restrictions are set to be lifted well before November, large event organisers are struggling to find insurance in case they need to cancel again.

This has prompted many to postpone plans for another year.

So the round table, which is a charity run by men aged between of 18 and 45, may have to spend thousands of pounds that it may never get back.

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The charity was unable to hold its annual beer festival this year so it has already missed out on an opportunity to generate income.

Ben Taylor, who works to recruit new members, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are currently working with Harrogate Borough Council. If we submit plans now then they have to follow all the social distancing guidelines in place currently.

“So we will have to wait until the restrictions ease before we do anything.

“I think it is fair to say that it is a risk putting the event on this year because there is no protection. It’s a huge gamble really.”

The round table is also on the lookout for new members. The group is for young men to make friends and help the local community. Interested? Click here.

Huge backlash against ‘cheap and tacky’ fake grass

Harrogate Borough Council has defended its decision to install fake grass in the town centre despite an overwhelmingly negative response.

The Stray Ferret’s article that broke the news yesterday received well over 150 replies on Facebook and nearly all of them criticised the move.

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 people felt artificial grass undermined Harrogate’s reputation as an upmarket, floral town.

Organisations also spoke out against the move.

Henry Pankhurst, who represents Harrogate Civic Society on planning issues, said:

“I agree with those who dislike the unnecessary production of plastic that damages the environment. We may unfortunately find it displaced and strewn on the ground.

“I would like to see it taken away, it is not an enhancement for the street scene and the conservation area.”

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Harrogate Business Improvement District, which attempts to increase footfall to the town centre, distanced itself from the council’s decision.

Sara Ferguson, the BID chair, said:

“We want to make it clear that the fake grass being ‘planted’ around town centre trees is nothing to do with Harrogate BID.

“We have spent a considerable amount of money installing barrier baskets, placing planters outside town centre businesses, and arranging for hanging baskets to be displayed outside many shops – all done to help build on Harrogate’s reputation as a floral town, and to make the town centre as attractive as possible.”

The Stray Defence Association was concerned about the environmental impact, tweeting:

“Real grass or plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. False turf is a reservoir for not only fungus and bacteria, but also contaminated organic matter.

“It kills healthy soil bacteria, worms and root systems underneath it. Water is not absorbed and runs off.”

The council has so far declined to reveal the cost of the scheme. But a spokeswoman said the move had received “lots of positive feedback”. She added:

“We are testing ways of brightening up Harrogate town centre.

“The trees mean any plants in the beds struggle for light and moisture, so we’re looking at potential ways of keeping the beds neat and tidy without plants in them.

“When summer bedding plants become available, we will place additional planters and hanging baskets in the town centre to add a splash of vibrant colour.”