Harrogate BID manager to stand down

Simon Kent, who had been acting as interim manager since April, is to step down when a new manager is found.

Mr Kent, former director of the Harrogate Convention Centre, has brought some stability to the Harrogate BID during a difficult year.

In April the BID’s chairman and three directors resigned saying there was too much council influence and secrecy on the board.

The Council Leader, Richard Cooper then resigned his position on the board in June. No reason was given for his departure. He was replaced by Trevor Watson, HBC’s director of economy and culture.

Much of this year has been taken up with helping town centre businesses, particularly retail, survive the pandemic.

Sara Ferguson the acting chair of the BID paid tribute to Mr Kent. She said:

“We have been extremely lucky to have had Simon Kent as our Interim BID Manager. He has been a tower of strength, and from day one got on with the job in hand. I’m delighted to say he’s agreed to stay with us until his successor has been found.”

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The meeting this afternoon will introduce 5 new board members and elect a chair and deputy chair. Ms Ferguson who took over as acting chair in April said:

“My reason for standing in the first place was because I’m passionate about Harrogate. And being the owner of two town centre businesses I have a vested interest in the ongoing success of Harrogate.

“I’ll admit the last 12 months has certainly had its ups and downs. However, we have weathered these storms and I’m very pleased and proud of what we achieved this year. Words have become actions and we are delivering the aims of our businesses plan.

“Our sights are now fixed on the coming 12, 24 and 36 months. Our job has only just begun, and we still have a lot more to do”.

The new BID board consists of:

Speed sign to be installed outside Western Primary School

A speed sign is to be installed outside Western Primary School in Harrogate as part of the school’s long-running campaign to improve road safety.

Western is one of the largest primary schools in the Harrogate district, with 500 pupils.

It is also situated on one of the busiest streets — Cold Bath Road.

Tim Broad, headteacher of Western Primary School, has spoken of his fears a child could be killed crossing the road.

He and teachers have lobbied North Yorkshire County Council for action.

The campaign finally bore fruit when John Mann, who represents Harrogate central on North Yorkshire County Council, agreed to fund a vehicle-activated sign from his locality budget.

Each county councillor receives a locality budget of £5,000 per year to spend on local needs, and councillor Mann’s allocation covered the £3,200-plus VAT cost of the sign.

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Mr Broad said the school was “very grateful” to councillor Mann. He added:

“This will make a significant difference to the safety of our pupils and it is a relief to know that somebody is listening to our concerns and taking some positive action.

“However, there is much more that needs to be done and I am hoping we can work with North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council to make the whole of Cold Bath Road a safer and healthier environment for everyone who uses it.”

The sign, which has a five-year warranty and a life expectancy of 10 years, will be fixed to the street lamp immediately outside the school.

A radar in the sign detects vehicles travelling above the 20mph speed limit from at least 50 metres away and this triggers a ‘slow down’ message.

The sign will be spun round every few weeks to face traffic from the opposite direction.

Harrogate builder James Moss in court

A judge has adjourned a civil claim against Harrogate builder James Moss, after he told the court he was self-isolating.

Karen Macgillvray-Fallis says she paid Mr Moss over £30,000 to convert a garage in Burton Leonard into a living space for her mother-in-law, but she was not happy with the quality of the work.

Ms Macgillvray-Fallis is claiming £9,996 through the small claims court, which is close to the maximum threshold of £10,000.

At Harrogate Justice Centre, Judge Ross attempted to proceed with the case against Mr Moss via a hybrid hearing, which would involve him defending himself via telephone.

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Ms Macgillvray-Fallis is suing James Moss, trading as Yorkshire Outdoor Design, but Mr Moss told the judge he was only an employee of the company, whose sole director was his wife, Paula Moss.

He also claimed that building control signed the work off, which Ms Macgillvray-Fallis disputed.

However, as proceedings continued Mr Moss repeatedly told the judge that the telephone line was poor and he was unable to hear what was going on in the court, which forced Judge Ross to adjourn the case until January.

Harrogate care home resident enjoys first window pint

A Harrogate care home resident has been able to enjoy a pint with his son for the first time in months.

Colin Jameslund, who moved into The Manor House, Harrogate earlier this year, saw his son Phillip through a window this weekend.

The pair have always bonded over a drink and Colin knows his ale, having previously worked as a sales director at John Smith’s Brewery.

It has been a tough few months for the pair but Colin is optimistic about the future. He told the Stray Ferret today:

“My son lives in Chester but visits as often as he can. It was good to have a pint with him, we both had some Black Sheep beer.

“It’s not nice when I have to stay away from my family so being able to see them through a window means an awful lot to me.

“I do really feel for those who haven’t been able to have any visitors. I feel lucky here, the staff have been wonderful.”

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Colin is in a high priority group for the new coronavirus vaccine but says he is happy to wait his turn.

Caryn Ferguson, the client liaison manager at The Manor House, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is really nice to see something so positive happening in the care home. It has been a tough time for everyone.”

The care home is trying to lift spirits this Christmas by putting up decorations and will even have pupils from Brackenfield School round to sing carols outside the building this Friday.

Stalemate continues over Harrogate Spring Water’s tree-felling plans

Harrogate Spring Water and local voluntary groups have failed to reach agreement on where to plant trees to replace ones that would be lost as part of the company’s plans to expand in the Pinewoods.

Trees in the area of Pinewoods known as Rotary Wood, which were planted by families in 2015, would be felled as part of Danone’s plans to expand its bottling plant.

The plans are controversial, and the groups are putting pressure on Danone to ensure the loss of trees and biodiversity will be compensated for.

The groups have met representatives from the company’s owner, Danone, twice over the last month. Further meetings are planned for late December and early January.

The groups include Harrogate Civic Society, Harrogate and District Green Party, Pinewoods Conservation Group, Zero Carbon Harrogate, the Rotary Club of Harrogate and Duchy Residents’ Association.

A spokesperson for Pinewoods Conservation Group said Danone’s current proposals to re-plant trees close to the site were not satisfactory as the area is not currently open to the public.

The spokesperson said:

“It is felt the current plan does not take account of the full ecological loss and this area would not be open to the public. As such it does not account for the loss of public space and amenity either.

“The working group has therefore suggested a few alternative suggestions that the consultants have agreed to investigate further.

“Should planning be agreed there will still be a need for public consultation on the loss of public land and the disposal of an asset of community value.”

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Danone’s plans were originally due to be considered by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in December but were delayed to allow for more talks between the company and the public.

The committee is now due to discuss the proposal on January 26 and the Pinewoods Conservation Group spokesperson said there was still time for an acceptable solution for all parties to be found.

Nicky Cain, brand manager at Harrogate Spring Water, told the Stray Ferret last month the company hoped to find a solution that will satisfy all parties.

She said:

“The delay gives us longer to consult with local stakeholders and discuss the issues around landscaping.”

Two arrests after vehicle keys stolen in Harrogate

Two men were arrested after vehicle keys were stolen from a home in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened between 2am and 2.30am on Saturday morning.

The suspects are believed to have entered the home between Ripon Road and Coppice Street and taken the keys.

The police have released the two men but are appealing for witnesses to “establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident”.

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Anyone with information about the incident should call 101, select option two and ask for PC 855.

For those who wish to remain anonymous they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200220750.

No action taken against Harrogate district venues in tier checks

The police and council have taken no formal action against any of the 100 or so pubs and restaurants they visited over the weekend to check they were complying with tier two restrictions.

However, Harrogate Borough Council has said it will continue to follow-up any complaints about non-compliance.

Council staff accompanied officers from North Yorkshire Police on spot checks at venues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, amid fears some might not be enforcing restrictions.

A spokesman for the council said today:

“Most businesses understood the new rules. We have given those who haven’t further information to ensure customers have a safe and enjoyable visit.

“We also want to ensure all businesses are operating on a level playing field and no-one is gaining an unfair advantage by breaking the current rules.

“We are pleased to say all businesses have been very willing to make any necessary adjustments.”

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Latest coronavirus numbers

The Harrogate district recorded a further 21 coronavirus cases today, taking the total number up to 3,725.

Harrogate District Hospital has not recorded any further coronavirus deaths. The total remains at 104.

The seven-day infection rate for the district is now 93 cases per 100,000 people. This is for the seven days to December 4.

Vaccine prompts surge in bookings for Harrogate travel agent

A Harrogate travel agent has reported a surge in bookings since news of coronavirus vaccines broke, and says there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for the stricken industry.

Holidays have been cancelled and dream itineraries to far-flung destinations dismantled due to the pandemic.

The continued uncertainty over travel corridors and which countries people can and can’t visit has prompted many to curb their wanderlust and stay in the UK.

Melanie O’Boyle, owner of TravelGate, on Albert Street in Harrogate said it had been been a “very challenging” year but there were finally signs of an improvement.

“It’s been a very dark tunnel for the industry but we’re starting to see some light ahead. It’s been a minefield constantly reassessing where people can go.”

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Melanie and her husband Phil have run their business in Harrogate for five years. The majority of the holidays they sell are long haul to countries such as Canada, the United States and Australia — and she said the vaccine has given travellers some confidence to start making plans for 2021.

“The vaccine news has given people that reassurance and the appetite is starting to come back. People are thinking ‘I can do this’.”

Melanie has a couple of recommendations for travellers looking to get away from the surgical masks, hand sanitisers and tiers that have dominated UK life in 2020:

“At the moment restrictions have been lifted in Dubai and Maldives. The hotels are geared up for tourists there. Villas are also popular as you have that private space and you’re not impacted by people around you or on top of you.”

 

Harrogate dirt bike champion is also police off-road motorcyclist

A British dirt bike champion from Harrogate is part of a beefed-up team of off-road motorcycle police officers tackling rural crime in North Yorkshire.

PC Ellie Cooke is the 2019 British Enduro Champion, which is a form of off-road motorcycle racing. She is also the 2019 and 2020 British Sprint Champion.

PC Cooke’s riding talent is also helping North Yorkshire Police combat rural and wildlife crime, search for missing people and deter cross-border criminality.

Four new riders recently passed the College of Policing training, bringing to seven the total number of officers operating Honda CRF250L motorbikes in the county.

North Yorkshire Police increased the size of the team in response to rising levels of anti-social behaviour and crime associated with motorcycles.

The force received more than 100 calls about incidents linked to off-road bikes between April and July this year.

NYP off-road motorcycle team

The off-road motorcycle team.

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PC Cooke, who will will combine her role in the motorcycle team with her job as a response officer in Harrogate, said:

“When I heard about the off-road motorcycle team, I knew that this would be the perfect role me, as I could transfer my off-road riding skills into work.

“I knew from a young age I wanted to be a police officer, and there is nothing better than being able to do the job I love while riding a motorbike.”

Inspector Kevin Kelly, who developed and implemented the team, said:

“I’m immensely proud of the team. This is arguably one of the most physically demanding roles in policing, and the officers have put a huge amount of work in to develop their skills and resilience.

“The team is now in a position to support a range of policing operations in urban and rural areas – from busy town centres to remote national parks. I know they will make a real difference in our communities.”

North Yorkshire’s public health chief leaves

North Yorkshire’s director of public health, who has been at the forefront of the county’s coronavirus response, is leaving.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant will take up a new post as director of public health in Torbay, Devon.

Louise Wallace, assistant director for health and integration in North Yorkshire, will succeed him on an interim basis on Saturday, while retaining her current role.

Ms Wallace was the director of public health for Hartlepool from 2012 to 2017.

North Yorkshire County Council, which announced the news today, said in a statement Dr Sargeant had been instrumental in establishing the county’s public health service since the transfer of responsibilities from the NHS to local government in April 2013.

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Louise Wallace.

Richard Webb, the county council’s director of health and adult services, added:

“Lincoln has worked hard in providing public health leadership and expertise as we respond to the covid pandemic.

“Louise takes on this role at a critical time for public health. At this stage in the pandemic we must maintain our resolve and support for people in reducing the infection rate.”