He conquered Europe in 2020 and tonight you can see how Harrogate’s Luke Richardson fared when he lined up against the best strongmen in the world.

Luke, 23, was one of 10 men in the final of the World’s Strongest Man, which is being broadcast on Channel 5 at 7.30pm.

The event took place in Florida in November and the Stray Ferret revealed last month how Luke fared.

If you want to know, you can type his name into the search function on our website but as many people don’t want the outcome spoiled, we won’t mention it here.

Whatever happened, 2020 was a remarkable year for Luke, a former lifeguard at Starbeck Baths who only transitioned from powerlifting to strongman just over a year ago.

He finished fourth at Britain’s Strongest Man and won Europe’s Strongest Man, which was held at Allerton Castle, near Knaresborough.

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All these events have been broadcast on Channel 5, providing huge national exposure for Luke over the festive season. He has 64,000 followers on Instagram.

Luke was one of 40 men who qualified for the World’s Strongest Man.

He finished second in his heat, which was shown on TV on Boxing Day, to American Jerry Pritchett to book his place in tonight’s final.

The final includes events such as the keg toss, Hercules hold, deadlift and the Atlas stones.

Luke has lived in Harrogate all of his life. He attended Starbeck Community Primary School and Harrogate High School and now trains at Absolute Fitness in Boroughbridge and LR Strength Shed in Wetherby, which he and training partner Richard Parish opened.

Harrogate Borough Council is to propose a £5 increase in council tax next year — the maximum amount permitted.

The proposed £5 hike would see the average band D property bill increase from £245.92 to £250.92.

The local authority, which is planning its budget for 2021/22, generated £15.6 million in council tax in the current financial year.

If the £5 increase goes ahead, it will receive an additional £392,000, bringing the total to £16 million.

The council also plans to make £1.14 million spending cuts to balance its books.

This would largely come from a review of its park and environmental services department and by setting up a new company to run leisure facilities.

The £5 increase represents the most a district council can propose for council tax — a 2% increase or £5, whichever is highest.

Anything further would require a local referendum.

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In a report due before senior councillors this week, Paul Foster, head of finance at the borough council, said the authority faced “unprecedented financial determinant” due to the pandemic.

He said:

“The financial implications are challenging to estimate with certainty as there continue to be a number of unknowns.

“From how long, and to what extent, national and local restrictions will continue to what measures will remain to combat the spread of virus, to what recovery will look like, such as how our customers will behave over time.”

Mr Foster added the council has “not been immune” to funding cuts from central government and has seen its general grant allocation reduced by £8.2 million since 2010.

The budget proposal is set to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on January 6 before going before full council at a later date.

£27 county council rise

It comes as North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner are expected to outline plans for their share of council tax this month.

Last month, county council officials said they were considering a 1.99% increase — equivalent to a £27 rise.

The move comes amid pressures from coronavirus and cuts in funding from central government.

The county council had anticipated a funding gap of £186 million by next year due to austerity. However, it has since found £173 million in savings.

Now the authority needs to find £103 million over the next three years to cover loss of central government funding.

Pubs and restaurants in the Harrogate district have spoken of their frustration at the abrupt move into tier three just hours before their “biggest day of the year”.

Hospitality venues across the district would usually be buzzing with excitement on New Year’s Eve.

But instead most venues are closed, with only takeaways possible.

All the restaurant and cafe owners the Stray Ferret spoke to today agreed with the need for stricter restrictions but insisted more notice should have been given, as they have been left with unused stock.

Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group whose properties include the Fat Badger, White Hart Hotel and the Yorkshire Hotel, said:

“I agree stricter restrictions are needed to get a grip on the virus but giving us such little notice is unacceptable. It’s a kick in the teeth for the biggest day of the year taken away with just a few hours notice.

“Frustration — that would be the word I use to sum up the year.”

Mr Cotton said food would be wasted this weekend as charities are unable to make use of perishable items at such short notice.

Many businesses have been trying to use up stock.

The Smiths Arms in Beckwithshaw posted on Facebook it would donate to the Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

The Little Ale House micropub in Harrogate said it would be selling cask and keg beers at reduced prices.

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The Dining Room restaurant in Boroughbridge changed its business model this year by moving to daytime-only trade during the week and saving its fine dining for Friday and Saturday evenings.

The owners will continue with their plans to serve takeaways this evening but said yesterday’s announcement would have a major impact on trade. Co-owner Chris Astley said:

“Luckily we won’t waste stock because we can still go ahead with our takeaways but it doesn’t make the past year easier.

“I am relieved because when you have people turning up, clearly from different households, it is very difficult to manage. We just have to keep going.”

The Dining Room in Boroughbridge will go ahead with its plans to offer takeaway food tonight.

Sarah Williams, runs Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Rooms in Knaresborough, said she was expecting the announcement:

“It’s not unexpected especially when you look at the data. Of course it’s not what you want to do but it is the right thing to do.

“We had a successful summer and have received grants, which mean we are surviving and aren’t in any danger of closing but not everyone has been so lucky.”

Harrogate Borough Council has been allocated £405,000 to tackle homelessness in the district.

The funding is from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s homelessness prevention grant stream.

Grants totalling £310 million have been awarded to local authorities nationally.

The funding can be used to provide temporary accommodation for rough sleepers, to offer financial support for people to find a new home or to prevent evictions.

Kelly Tolhurst, minster for housing and rough sleeping, said the funding would “help councils provide better support to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place as we look to end rough sleeping once and for all”.

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Harrogate homeless shelters

The council has erected temporary emergency homeless units on Tower Street in Harrogate for rough sleepers to use when temperatures drop this winter.

However, despite the recent cold snap they have still yet to be used.

The four units are set to be in place for three months.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council confirmed today the accommodation has yet to be used.

A Harrogate not-for-profit organisation is launching the UK’s first meals on wheel loyalty scheme to bring the service into the 21st century.

Harrogate and Ripon Food Angels has been providing meals on wheels since 2012.

A total of 120 people are signed up to receive the daily and weekly meals. A main meal costs £5.20 and £6.40 with a dessert.

Under the loyalty scheme, beginning on January 4, anyone buying 20 meals will receive a free teatime treat.

The treat options include a sandwich, soup and crisps, a slice of cake and a pack of tea bags.

Harrogate and Ripon Food Angels is part of Harrogate Neighbours, a charity that provides services for older people.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said:

“More and more people are having to shield and isolate and perhaps wouldn’t think that a regular hot meal delivery service of this kind is right for them, but we hope that by re-branding it and bringing the service into the 21st century we can appeal to more people in need of this vital service.”

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Harrogate Neighbours has received a number of awards for its meals on wheels service.

The charity aims to improve the lives of older people in Harrogate. Besides delivering meals, it offers a domiciliary service to prevent isolation.

It also operates two sites; Heath Lodge, a residential care home and The Cuttings, an extra care housing scheme.

To inquire about volunteering, click here.

The Woodlands Hotel pub on Wetherby Road could be renamed West Riding Harrogate and given a £200,000 refurbishment.

Star Pubs and Bars, whose parent company is Heineken, has applied to Harrogate Borough Council for permission to overhaul the premises to give it a “fresh, modern appeal”.

According to the pub company’s website, £196,136 would be spent on the plans, which include creating a new covered seating area.

However, the proposed name change is proving controversial.

Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat borough councillor for Harrogate Hookstone, said local people were attached to the Woodlands name and she hoped the owners would rethink plans to change it.

Cllr Marsh told the Stray Ferret she believed there had been a pub called the Woodlands on the site since at least the 1940s. She said:

“I welcome the investment as it’s a very good local pub in the heart of the community but please don’t change the name.

“Why would they want to name it West Riding? We’re in North Yorkshire. The logic of that name doesn’t chime with me so I’d be very disappointed if it happens.

“They’ll do themselves a disservice and they need the local community to support it.”

A computer generated image of how the pub might look.

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Star Pubs and Bars is advertising for a landlord to take over the pub, which it says has an annual turnover of more than £600,000.

Its website says:

“The pub has the ability to attract both the local community and visitors, which combined with the right food and drink offer provides excellent opportunity for the new operator to drive trade and build the pub’s reputation.

“The refurbishment will allow for distinct trading areas for both dining and casual drinking. It will also be given a fresh, modern new look to maximise its appeal.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Star Pubs and Bars for a response but did not receive one by the time of publication.

North Yorkshire Police has appealed for help identifying three people who may have information about the theft of scratch cards in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The force issued a statement today saying it was investigating ‘several incidents’ of stolen scratch cards in October, November and December.

The incidents involved two men and a woman and occurred in stores in Harrogate, Knaresborough, York and Northallerton. The statement added:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the people in the images as they believe they will have information that will help the investigation.”

Anyone with any information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Lucy Tate or email lucy.tate@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12200197512.

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Councillors look set to refuse St Aidan’s Church of England High School’s plans to build a new floodlit artificial pitch.

The 2,000-pupil school has said the pitch is “urgently required” but nearby residents have complained the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and the Stray.

St Aidan’s, on Oatlands Drive, withdrew a previous application in March last year following concerns by residents about light pollution, noise and traffic.

Now Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee has been recommended to refuse the school’s latest application when it meets on Tuesday.

In a report to councillors, case officer Jeremy Constable said noise and lights from the pitch would have a “significant adverse impact” on the surrounding area even though a new pitch would benefit the school and local football teams. He added:

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The previous application said the facility would close at 10pm on Monday to Friday.

The latest plans reduced the closing time to 8pm but still received 40 objections, including one from the Stray Defence Association, which said the lighting would have an “immense and detrimental” impact on the Stray.

Robert Holmes, from project management firm MHB Partnerships, explained on behalf of St Aidan’s why the new facility is “urgently required”.

He said current facilities were “woefully inadequate” and prevented the school from hosting sports fixtures.

He added there was a shortage of 3G artificial pitches in Harrogate, made worse by Harrogate Town replacing their artificial surface with grass over the summer due to English Football League requirements.

He wrote that the floodlights would be directed onto the pitch and no lights would shine on neighbouring homes, adding:

“The school cares greatly about their relationship with their neighbours and make every effort to listen to any concerns raised by them. The comments published on the planning portal have been read and digested by the school and it is considered that the school has done as much as possible to address the concerns raised.”

A woman from Pannal has spoken of her flooding ordeal last night when Storm Bella wreaked havoc.

Suzanne Walker, who lives alone in a basement apartment on Leeds Road, had to call North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service when water levels rose to her bedroom window.

It was the second time in three months she has had to call the fire service to pump water away from her rear window and a meter cupboard.

Fortunately there was no major damage but the proximity of the water to an electric switchboard, along with the fact that this has happened before, has left her extremely anxious.

Ms Walker, who is a director of the apartment block management company, Fieldhurst Management Company, dialled 999 shortly after midnight when she noticed the water level rising. She said:

“It’s extremely annoying and frustrating, not to mention stressful, watching dirty water rise to such a level that you know your bed is on the other side of the wall, not to mention electrics too.”

The fire crew arrived to pump the water away. Water had entered the external meter cupboard, which houses the meters of all seven of the apartments in the block.

Similar high water levels were seen on October 3. Photograph: Suzanne Walker.

Since the first flooding incident after heavy rain on October 3, Ms Walker has contacted several organisations to try to find out where the water is coming from. It is thought the water is jetting out of pipes near to the apartment.

She added:

“No one is taking responsibility for the pipes or the land where the jetting company are telling me they think the issue is.

“It makes you anxious and worried every time it rains as we don’t know how high it would reach.

“I’ve lived in Pannal over 30 years and at this property for the last 10 years and I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”

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Ms Walker said she intends to contact Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as councillors at North Yorkshire County Council and Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council seeking help.

Flood warnings remain in place on the River Nidd and River Ure. The government’s flood information service is giving updates on its website.

A couple from Bilton have had the covid vaccine together — a week after their 60th wedding anniversary.

Chris and Joan Jackson, aged 81 and 80, went to the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate shortly before Christmas to receive their vaccination “side by side”.

The couple said the entire process was easy.and they were pleased to see light at the end of the tunnel after months of isolation.

The pair wanted to offer thanks to the medical staff and volunteers at the vaccine centre and said they were doing a “smashing job”.

Chris said:

“It was a very easy process and we were done in 45 minutes. It was managed quite well.

“It was no different to the flu jab.”

Mr Jackson said there were about 40 people in the building and they were well looked after from start to finish.

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Mr and Mrs Jackson have three children and are sad to miss out on this festive season with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren too.

They planned to treat themselves to a takeaway Christmas dinner from a pub their son owns in Pateley Bridge.

He added:

“We have been isolating for months, not going into town and I’ve only been out to the library once. We’re keeping out of the way until the pandemic dies down.”

Mr Jackson said he hoped the couple would be able to get away in their beloved motorhome when the vaccination programme expands.

The couple already have their booster vaccination booked in January.