Harrogate charity Horticap is holding open days today and tomorrow to encourage children and families to learn how to protect their local environment.

The open days are part of the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition climate action festival, which is being held in the run up to the UN climate change festival COP26 in Glasgow.

Horticap, a charity-run nursery on Otley Road that provides horticulture training for people with disabilities, is hosting stands by charities and businesses.

The weekend aims to get people involved in environmental efforts and highlight the importance of recycling and protecting local green spaces.

The event is being staged by Horticap and Pinewoods Conservation Group.

Lucy Hind, from Pinewoods Conservation Group, organised rock painting for children and gave information to people on how they can use the green space around them.

She said:

“Horticap come into the Pinewoods a lot to do work for us so we wanted to make sure we were supporting this.

“This weekend is about getting children involved and educating them and getting children out and about.”

Read more:

• Climate activists to march through Harrogate
• Free event kicks off three-week Harrogate district climate festival

Other exhibitors include Harrogate District Biodiversity Action Group, Essential Needs and Cone Exhange.

Donated scrap

Chris Powell, community champion at Cone Exchange, talked about the Bettys and Taylors community project in Starbeck, which turns donated scrap into usable products and crafts.

Chris Powell with the items made from business waste group’s workshop

“We reuse lots of different business waste and we work to repurpose that with adults with disabilities. We work with the students’ skills to create a product, it could be something as simple as craft items or decorative items out of plastic lids from local takeaways.

“The aim is to get everyone involved and reduce business waste.”

Mr Powell said he was at the event to make people aware of the project and to raise some money for charities with their products.

Phil Airey, operations manager at Horticap, said:

“I just want to promote everybody here and encourage people to get involved in projects locally. So come along!”

The stands will be back open tomorrow 10-4pm.

Horticap’s greenhouse

The trial of Daniel Ainsley at Leeds Crown Court this week was a story of homelessness and complex mental health problems.

The convicted murderer was found guilty yesterday of stabbing 48-year-old Mark Wolsey to death in his bedsit at 38 Mayfield Grove.

Ainsley’s defence rested heavily on the fact that he had a personality disorder and claimed he was not able to make rational decisions.

However, the defence did not convince a jury on Friday afternoon.

‘A traumatic upbringing’

The 24-year-old had a “traumatic upbringing”, which included being bullied at school by older children who put cigarettes out on him.

His experiences at school led him to become suspicious of other people and being suspended due to his reaction to being bullied.

Ainsley started drinking at age 13 and was later said to have been drinking a litre of spirits a day. He started to report feeling low and anxious.

Dr John Kent, psychiatrist, and Dr Harry Wood, psychologist, who assessed Ainsley said he had a “complex psychiatric background” and “a lifelong pattern of behavioural problems”, which included a dependancy on alcohol.

On two occasions, he was assessed by mental health services in Harrogate where he reported hearing voices.

Read more:

• Harrogate murder accused ‘acted purposefully’, court told
• Harrogate man Daniel Ainsley found guilty of murder

In 2013, the court was told that he did not engage with mental health staff. Those who assessed him said his reports of hearing voices were “a symptom of his personality” and not psychotic.

Dr Kent concurred with this assessment and felt Ainsley’s accounts of hearing a voice telling him to murder Mr Wolsey were “unreliable” as he had not told Dr Wood the same.

In his 2021 assessment he told staff that he was feeling low and that he felt there was “no point being here”.

Despite the complex mental health background, Dr Kent felt that Ainsley was in control of his actions from “start to finish” on the night of the murder.

Homelessness

Ainsley was homeless and had been offered a place to live by Mark Wolsey after he was evicted from a hostel on Bower Road.

He put his head and arms through a window at the hostel, which later led him to moving to Mayfield Grove.

Ainsley had been homeless since 2020 and his mother gave evidence to say that she had been trying to find him a place in Ripon.

Mr Wolsey, who had known Ainsley for around three years, offered Ainsley a place to stay at Flat 4, 38 Mayfield Grove. He would later be killed in his own bedsit by Ainsley.

The mixture of alcohol dependancy and his personality disorder, which included paranoia, hyper-vigilance and lifelong behavioural problems, became central to his defence.

While Ainsley’s “abnormality of mental functioning” was something which both the prosecution and defence agreed he had, it was not enough to convince a jury that he had not intended to kill Mr Wolsey.

It took a jury five hours and 17 minutes to reach its decision on Friday.

Ainsley is facing a lengthy prison sentence. He will be sentenced by Judge Phillips at Leeds Crown Court on November 24.

Daniel Ainsley’s brutal stabbing of Mark Wolsey was the culmination of more than a decade of trouble at one of Harrogate’s most notorious crime hotspots.

Now, as Ainsley awaits his sentence, angry local residents want to know why North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council failed to clamp down harder on activities at the house where the murder happened.

They also want to know why the council transferred thousands of pounds to landlord John Willis Properties Ltd to accommodate homeless people, and accuse the council of being complicit in the problems by funding the volatile situation in the property when it should have been taking action.

Numerous residents, whose campaign to make the area safer fell on deaf ears, have vented their frustration to the Stray Ferret. They want to know why so little was done to address longstanding problems at the house — and what is being done to prevent a repeat.

Mark Wolsey, who was murdered at 38 Mayfield Grove.

A recipe for trouble

38 Mayfield Grove was branded the House from Hell in 2005 when a court granted a three-month closure order following a spate of crime, including a crossbow being held at a resident’s head.

The house, owned then and now by John Willis Properties Limited, of which the landlord John Willis is the sole director, has absorbed a huge amount of police time since then.

In this report we’ll hear the views of the local residents, Mr Willis, the council and the police. There is no suggestion of illegal activity by Mr Willis’ or John Willis Properties Limited’s behalf.

But the situation highlights how the system can fail to protect homeless people.

Flowers outside the home after the murder. The closure notice is pinned to the door.

255 police reports about 38 Mayfield Grove

A Freedom of Information request by the Stray Ferret revealed that between April 2008 and July this year, the public reported 38 Mayfield Grove 255 times to North Yorkshire Police. This averages almost two reports a month over 13 years.

The house is divided into six privately let bedsits and tenants often have guests. Ainsley was staying in Mr Wolsey’s bedsit when he killed him. Many tenants over the years have had multiple issues, such as drug and alcohol addictions and mental health problems, as well as backgrounds of homelessness and crime.

Local residents told us it’s difficult to think of a more dangerous scenario than housing people with multiple needs together in a terraced home on a busy street, and this problem should have been identified and tackled.

Daniel Neill, who until recently lived on Nydd Vale Terrace, a street parallel to Mayfield Grove that has other properties let by Mr Willis’ company, has been at the forefront of the residents’ campaign for a safer neighbourhood. He said:

“The entire set-up is a recipe for trouble. It doesn’t take a genius to work it out. The worst thing you can do with addicts is put them alongside other addicts.

“For 15 years people knew that 38 Mayfield Grove was the place to go for drugs. It was an open secret. Police did regular drive-bys. Yet it just kept going on.”

£7,000 council payments to John Willis Properties Ltd

Yet despite longstanding concerns about 38 Mayfield Grove, the council transferred £2,112 in 2017 and £5,424 in 2018 to John Willis Properties Ltd.

The council says the payments were “for the benefit of our homeless customers and were not made as part of a contract or agreement with the landlord”. It adds:

“The money paid to John Willis Properties Ltd was transferred to help customers assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness to access private rented accommodation.”

Taxpayers’ funds were transferred to John Willis Properties Ltd until as recently as December 2018.

Read more:

• Mayfield Grove: house at centre of crime concerns allowed to re-open
• Harrogate man Daniel Ainsley found guilty of murder

While the council was paying John Willis Properties between March 2017 and December 2018, it received six housing complaints relating to seven properties let by the company and seven noise complaints relating to five properties.

Residents, who tried unsuccessfully to get a closure order against another of Mr Willis’ properties in the area in 2018, say the council not only failed to tackle problems going on inside the house but contributed to them by funding the landlord.

A letter from 45 residents to Richard Cooper, the leader of Harrogate Borough Council, sent after the murder, accused the council of oversight and complicity. It added:

“We don’t feel like valued members of the community. We don’t feel safe. We don’t feel like our voices are being heard.”

The letter also accused the council of “pulling the plug” on police and residents’ efforts to tackle issues at 38 Mayfield Grove.

Daniel Ainsley was staying in Mr Wolsey’s bedsit when he murdered him.

What could the council have done?

The council argues it has limited power to act but Mr Neill says the payments beggar belief considering the well-known problems associated with some of Mr Willis’ properties. The council, he says, was either blind or neglectful.

The options included adopting provisions in the Housing Act 2004, which give local authorities the power to use selective licensing to tackle anti-social behaviour, or introducing special interim management orders, which allow local authorities to take over the management of houses in multiple occupation.

The council’s private sector housing enforcement policy, which sets out its approach to complying with its statutory duties to ensure private sector residents live in good quality, safe accommodation, says the council will adopt ‘a positive prevention, intervention and enforcement approach’ to protect people from harm.

Three John Willis properties closed since murder

In the wake of the murder on March 5, the police and council moved swiftly to get a court order to close 38 Mayfield Grove for three months from March 22, which meant tenants had to find alternative accommodation.

On June 28, magistrates granted the police and council partial closure orders against two other properties let as bedsits by Mr Willis, at 19 and 31 Avenue Grove, Starbeck, due to crime concerns.

The police and council have also organised a residents’ summit and a community engagement drop-in session to discuss 38 Mayfield Grove and to reassure people that ‘the Harrogate district remains a safe place to live and any anti-social behaviour is taken very seriously’.

But residents say the recent flurry of activity contrasts sharply with years of inertia that allowed crime to scar the neighbourhood and blight residents’ lives. They also want to see action to prevent a repeat.

Mr Neill, who like many people in the area was concerned about the safety of his family, said:

“These problems have been going on for years.

“I don’t want individuals fired. I just want to make sure this doesn’t happen again, but I don’t get the impression the council is facing up to it.”

Mayfield Grove is close to Harrogate town centre.

Residents scared

Mr Neill says local police officers “have been nothing but helpful and straightforward” and share residents’ frustrations about the lack of council action.

But he was critical of a police initiative asking 120 homes to log anti-social behaviour, which attracted just three replies. The log obliged people to leave their names and addresses, which many residents were scared to do because it came shortly after a woman who was dragged down the street by her hair was threatened after going to the police

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said she had struggled to sell her house because of the area’s reputation. Another said:

“The amount of hassle caused by people in that house over the years is unbelievable.

“It’s almost like there are no lessons being learned. The same things happen again and again. I’m sick to my back teeth about it because nothing ever gets done.”

“I’m passionate about helping disadvantaged people”

The Stray Ferret put these accusations to John Willis. He said he was passionate about helping disadvantaged people, unlike many other housing providers, and did everything he reasonably could to protect them.

“Other landlords cherry pick the best tenants and sadly that leaves a disadvantaged group. Homeless hostels are full. I try to help them.”

Mr Willis said he lets 10 properties in Harrogate and the average age of his tenants is 50.

He said he’d taken many tenants from the council and partner agencies, such as Harrogate Homeless Project on Bower Street, close to Mayfield Grove, during his 31 years as a landlord. Some tenants, he said, had been with him throughout that time.

Asked whether housing people with multiple problems under one roof was a recipe for trouble, he said:

“Some have drug and alcohol addictions but they are mostly engaging with healthcare providers. Sometimes I’ve had to evict tenants but I have always had to work within the framework of the law.

“Sometimes you have to find likeminded people to live together. It can be difficult with tenants with challenging behaviours, that’s why it’s so important to engage with external agencies. But it can accentuate problems when you have them largely living under one roof.”

John Willis

Mr Willis said he offered to pay for a support worker to help tenants in his 10 Harrogate properties.

“I advertised for it and had 22 applications. But the council said it wasn’t a direction they wanted to go in because there was sufficient help already.”

The council, he said, had told him it had “paused” recommending tenants to him.

He said the 255 police reports about Mayfield Grove could include numerous cases of incidents merely being logged. But he added:

“There have been incidents and they have been followed up. Most tenants did have some healthcare professional or support worker. They were all on the radar.

“But it’s not 24/7 support and there’s only so much you can do.”

Mr Willis said he occasionally moved tenants between properties if they didn’t settle.

“Some tenants want to move and this is discussed with external agencies.”

He said he was responsive to tenants’ needs and operated legally.

“I’m not an absent landlord. It’s just unfortunate that there has been this incident.”

He said he and police had met Mr Wolsey a month before his death to discuss ways of helping him.

“He was a jovial character and I was very sad about what happened but at the end of the day there’s only so much a landlord can do.”

Forensic officers at the scene after the murder.

Police and council joint statement

The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire Police a series of specific questions about why they hadn’t done more to address concerns at 38 Mayfield Grove and their relationship with Mr Willis. It also asked what actions were being taken to prevent further problems.

The two organisations issued a joint statement after the murder verdict. It said:

“Anti-social behaviour can blight the lives of residents and shatter local communities and we are absolutely committed to taking a multi-agency partnership approach to deal with any issues in Harrogate in both the short and long term via a range of strategies.

“In relation to 38 Mayfield Grove, extensive work has been undertaken over the years to ensure that a robust plan is in place to respond to concerns about crime, drug use and anti-social behaviour at the property and improve the quality of life for those living in the area.

“This has included undertaking a full options appraisal to consider the best use of available legislation and powers; progressing the use of a closure order at the property; and meeting with the landlord to specifically discuss the management of the property including the vetting and letting of perspective tenants. Further to this, a number of online meetings have taken place with community representatives; a community engagement event took place in June 2021 with representatives from both the police and council and residents have been sent several updates via letter.

“Since 2008, North Yorkshire Police has received 255 reports connected to the address – an average of around 20 reports a year – which has enabled authorities to respond and deal with issues quickly and effectively. The local community are our eyes and ears, and we would urge neighbours and residents to continue reporting matters and intelligence to us and we will continue to take the necessary action. If people commit criminal acts then they will be held to account for their actions.”

A 24-year-old man has been found guilty of murder on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate.

Daniel Ainsley, of no fixed address, killed 48-year-old Mark Wolsey after stabbing him 15 times in the chest and arm with a kitchen knife on March 5.

Ainsley was living in Mr Wolsey’s bedsit at 38 Mayfield Grove after he became homeless.

He admitted manslaughter, but denied murdering Mr Wolsey on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to an “abnormality of mental functioning”.

However, a jury at Leeds Crown Court delivered a verdict of guilty verdict for the murder charge today.

Police were first called to 38 Mayfield Grove on the night of March 5 after Mr Wolsey made a 999 call asking officers to remove Ainsley from his flat because he was scaring him.

Ainsley had been living with Mr Wolsey since being made homeless.

He complained to the officers who arrived at the property that Mr Wolsey was keeping his medication from him, which led to an argument.

Read more:

• Harrogate murder accused ‘acted purposefully’, court told
• Daytime knifepoint robbery in Ripon left ‘little boy crying’
• Investigation: Murder at Harrogate’s House from Hell

Ainsley was taken to Harrogate District Hospital to pick up medication by police and instructed not to go back to the flat.

At 9.21pm, Ainsley left the hospital and was filmed on CCTV walking to Asda on Bower Road.

After entering the supermarket, he went to the kitchenware aisle where he purchased a box of knives. Ainsley used his own bank card to pay for the knives and went outside to dispose of all but one of them.

Ainsley then returned to Mayfield Grove where he stabbed Mr Wolsey to death, leaving the victim in his chair with the murder weapon still in his chest.

Mark Wolsey

Mr Wolsey was found by neighbours and certified dead at the scene at 10.22pm. His cause of death was stab wounds to the chest.

After leaving the bedsit, Ainsley made a phone call to police admitting to the killing and asking for officers to come and arrest him. He also called his mother and father to tell them he “loved them” and that they would not “see him for a while”.

‘A clear case of revenge’

The prosecution during the trial described the murder as “premeditated”, “goal-directed” and “purposeful”.

Mark McKode QC, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court:

“There can be no doubt that the defendant intended to kill Mark.

“The defendant knew exactly what he was doing and did it in a calm and calculated way.”

Ainsley has a personality disorder, which his defence claimed “impaired his ability to form a rational judgement” and resulted in diminished responsibility.

The court was told that Ainsley had a “traumatic upbringing”, which contributed to his personality disorder.

He was also suffering from alcohol dependancy. There was evidence that Ainsley was intoxicated on the night of the murder.

Both parties in the case agreed that Ainsley was suffering from an “abnormality of mental functioning”, which was his personality disorder.

However, Mark McKone, prosecuting, said Ainsley “knew what he was doing was wrong” and pointed to his 999 phone call after the killing and as evidence.

He said:

“This was a clear case of revenge.”

Ainsley is due to be sentenced on November 24.

North Yorkshire County Council has officially extended the closure of Beech Grove by 18 months in a bid to encourage cycling and walking.

The experimental closure has been in place since February. The council said at the time it would end in August 2021 but it will now stay until August 2022.

Ahead of August 2022 the council will take a formal decision on how to move forward with Beech Grove.

The closure of Beech Grove has been controversial. Some see it as the way forward but others believe it just shifts traffic onto other roads.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:

“Taking into account the consultation responses, traffic survey data, ongoing site observations and other active travel measures in Harrogate, we have decided to maintain the modal filters until summer 2022.

“A reduction in traffic levels on Beech Grove has resulted in a reduction in the speed of vehicles and an increase in cyclists.

“The various lockdowns have had an impact on traffic levels.

“So an extension means we can collect further data before a decision is made on whether to make the measures permanent or set aside the scheme.”

Read more:

• Victoria Road one-way scheme will stop ‘rat run’, says cycle group
• Transport leader expects Harrogate’s Beech Grove closure to become permanent

Cllr Mackenzie believes that when other projects on Otley Road, Station Parade and Victoria Avenue are all complete there will be a further increase in cycling in Harrogate.

Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper also said:

“We appreciate that some local residents remain sceptical about these new sustainable transport measures. But extending the trial is important to be able to make an informed decision.

“We cannot pretend that traffic congestion, poor air quality, a diminishing environment and climate change can be solved without radical changes.”

A resident has defended a new build housing estate on Harlow Hill following claims that it was built with poor energy efficiency.

Dan Waters lives in a house on Taylor Wimpey‘s Harlow Green development with his wife and daughter. He told the Stray Ferret that around 100 homeowners were unhappy with how the development was portrayed on Channel 4 News and in our subsequent article, and that they could damage the value of properties.

An energy-efficiency consultant claimed on Channel 4 that one of the homes was badly insulated, cold and a potential fire risk.

The daughter of an 82-year-old woman who bought the home claimed she was so cold due to draughts that she was forced to wrap up in warm clothes.

Mr Waters said that when he moved into his home in 2019 there was a draught, but this was quickly rectified by Taylor Wimpey, which tightened the windows. He said the report “doesn’t stack up” with his experience of living there.

He said:

“Heating bills are low. It’s so warm now it’s untrue.”

Mr Waters is concerned the negative publicity surrounding the report could affect house prices for residents in the future.

“It’s an exclusive site, we spent years worth of money to be here. They are our dream houses.

“In that instance [on Channel 4 News] it was draughty and she was elderly, it wasn’t ideal but it was very much an isolated incident.

“But Taylor Wimpey do jump on things quickly. If there’s a problem, they fix it.”

Read more:

• Taylor Wimpey responds to TV report of “nightmare” Harrogate new build
• Boroughbridge family wait 10 months for developer to replace tree

Mr Waters was disappointed by social media comments on the Stray Ferret article and said new builds had an unfair reputation for poor quality.

“Blanket statements were attached to the article, such as ‘new builds are all shoddily built’ or ‘they are drafty and will fall to bits in 10 years’.

“It’s farcical. Every house was once a new build.

“With new builds you are always going to get the odd niggle. They haven’t had 100 years of settling down.

“These were stone-built to a high level, and the price tag reflects that.”

Taylor Wimpey told the Stray Ferret it was working with the homeowner featured in the Channel 4 News report for a “fair outcome”.

A spokesperson said:

“At Taylor Wimpey we take sustainability incredibly seriously with a clear environmental strategy including ambitious science-based targets covering our business activity and the efficiency of the homes we build.

“We design our homes to be energy efficient and to accord with the energy requirements as set out in the building regulations. These afford a necessary level of air movement within the home and its structure for the purpose of adequate ventilation and air quality whilst ensuring they remain as energy efficient as possible.

“A permeability test was undertaken on the property by an independent consultant, the results of which demonstrated the home is outperforming the intended design criteria.” “We are committed to delivering high-quality homes and providing excellent service to our customers.

“We acknowledge that sometimes we get this wrong and recognise that in this instance, aspects of the customer’s experience did not meet the high standards we expect. We are guided by the principle of doing the right thing and continue to engage with the customer to gain access to the property to investigate certain outstanding queries in order to reach a fair outcome.”

The rollout of covid jabs to 12 to 15-year-old pupils in Harrogate schools has been delayed, amid fears they now won’t happen until February.

The government initially said all children in that age group would be offered jabs by half-term, which starts this weekend.

Harrogate’s Ashville College issued a statement today saying vaccinations were due to be supplied and administered by the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust childhood immunisations team on school premises.

The independent day and boarding school added:

“Ashville College can confirm there is unfortunately a delay to the roll-out of the 12 to 15-year-old covid vaccinations.

“The college has notified parents of this and will re-organise vaccinations on-site as soon as supplies allow. In the meantime, we have advised parents of pupils aged 12 to 15 to arrange their own vaccination at a drop-in clinic via the NHS website page, ‘Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination’.”

The college, which was unable to give an estimated start date, blamed the situation on vaccine shortages.

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital reveals winter plans
• Great Yorkshire Showground vaccine centre to reopen

But a spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said this was incorrect. They added:

“Whilst our covid vaccination programme for children aged between 12 and 15 is operating across North Yorkshire and areas in the North East, current staffing capacity has impacted on how soon we can visit some schools.

“We are continuing to develop our timetables and have given all schools a provisional date as to when we will be visiting and will notify them at least one week before our planned visit. Consent packs will be sent to families one week prior to the session. If the opportunity arises, we will look at bringing forward these dates so that we can undertake vaccinations sooner.

“We welcome the recent announcement that parents will now be able to check the NHS National Booking System to see if they can book a covid vaccination for their child at a convenient location, such as a vaccination centre.

“The booking service provides an additional choice alongside the school immunisation programme so that children can be vaccinated as quickly as possible.”

Two parents, who asked not to be named, have contacted the Stray Ferret today saying they have been told by their children’s schools that vaccines won’t be given now until February.

One parent said the Harrogate district’s vaccination programme was lagging five months behind other parts of the country.

“Why are we so far behind given that Harrogate is a hotspot for covid cases at the moment? How many young people will unnecessarily develop long covid as a result of these delays?

The district’s covid rate was 727 per 100,000 people yesterday — the highest in the county.

Queues formed on James Street this morning for the opening of the new, relocated Hotel Chocolat store.  Around 30 people waited for the store to open at 10am with staff serving hot chocolate to them whilst they waited.

The new store is almost opposite the old one but is larger with a cafe that can seat 30 people at the back of the shop. The chocolate chain has seen rapid growth in recent years and the new store will have up to 15 staff in the run up to Christmas — double the number of the previous store.

The co-founder of Hotel Chocolat, Peter Harris, said there was demand in Harrogate for the store to expand:

” Harrogate is a beautiful location and town. The community here like to support local businesses. We’ve been here since 2009, people have loved it and wanted the full Hotel Chocolat experience of drinks and ices as well as a larger store.

“We’re also delighted that we can provide flat access for wheelchairs and buggies which is an improvement on the previous location, which had a step in it and was very narrow.”

Read More:

• £10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway will ‘boost business’
• New Harrogate cocktail bar to open next month

The new store is a boost for James Street which has seen mixed fortunes in recent years with loss of key brands such as Next and Laura Ashley.

Local businesses have expressed concern that plans to pedestrianise the top of the street as part of the Station Gateway proposal will be damaging for trade.  Harrogate Borough Council has argued that the plans will mean  “short-term disruption for long-term gain”.

James Ogden, a new recruit to Hotel Chocolat, said he was excited to be involved in a store opening:

“I’m super excited to be working in my local area – I love coming into work every day and making people happy with chocolate!”

James Ogden at the cafe bar in the new store.

Bilton resident Ben Rothery has set up Harrogate Community Group to offer a platform for local people to look for recommendations, ask for advice and discuss where they live.

Community Facebook groups are loved and loathed. They can be a good source of local information but can also polarise opinion.

Mr Rothery said he wants his new group to be an inclusive space where can discuss living in Harrogate without fear of being criticised.

In January, he helped set up Bilton Community Group, which has fostered community spirit in the Harrogate suburb.

Mr Rothery said:

“The current Harrogate groups that exist serve a very different purpose to the Harrogate Community Group. Some of the groups allow conspiracy theories and breed a very hostile, bullying culture. Others are plagued by single issues like cycling. None of the groups are bad, they serve a purpose to a number of people that enjoy the content on them.”

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital invests £110,000 in staff and dementia care

• Harrogate Theatre appoints new panto director after tragic death

He said businesses will be allowed to advertise on the page on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mr Rothery added:

“What I see is a gap in the Harrogate online community for a proper community page. Where residents can ask for help, whether that be collecting some shopping or asking someone to collect a poorly cat its medication, but also where businesses can feel comfortable in advertising and promoting their own content to a wide audience.”

Mr Rothery wants the group to be a Harrogate-wide version of what he has created for Bilton.

“What we have done with Bilton Community Group has had huge effects on our area. People have never been as passionate and as active. Anyone who uses it knows it’s a welcoming, helpful and friendly environment for people to come onto and trust they won’t have 20 different people abusing them because they asked for a recommendation.”

The £10.9 million Station Gateway will boost Harrogate businesses by enhancing the town centre, according to those leading the scheme.

An online consultation event last night gave people the first chance to ask questions about the scheme, which aims to transform the area around the bus and train stations and encourage more people to walk and cycle, since the latest designs were revealed this week.

The current proposals would see traffic on Station Parade reduced to single lane and James Street pedestrianised between Princes Square and Station Parade.

Work could begin next summer and last up to a year, causing major disruption to the town centre and reduced parking, which concerns some businesses still trying to recover from covid.

In response to a question about what assessment had been made about the impact of the scheme on businesses, Matthew Roberts, economy and transport officer at Harrogate Borough Council, said it was a case of “short-term disruption for long-term gain”.

He said case studies from similar schemes had shown they could boost trade by up to 40 per cent by making the town centre more attractive and making it easier to access for non-car users.  Mr Roberts said:

“Behaviours are changing and the town needs to evolve with it.

“The mixture of case study evidence and local evidence has led me to believe this will firmly benefit the town’s economy.”

Read more:

• First glimpse of how Harrogate will look after £10.9m transformation
• £10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway ‘must focus’ on cycling and walking

In a video message to the event, county councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, which is leading on the scheme, said the Station Gateway would provide a “great economic boost to the town centre but also boost sustainable travel”.

Chris Harris, who is leading the design team on the project, said changes to James Street would “significantly the feel of the street for people shopping and moving around on foot” and also enable more features such as trees and plants.

He said the scheme would also “make more of a feature” of the Victoria monument by making it more visible.

Mr Harris added the project had a “tight window” but there was “still an opportunity to update things as we move forward”.

What happens next?

A second online consultation event will be held from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday next week.

People can meet members of the project team face-to-face to discuss the plans at the Victoria Shopping Centre on October 27, October 29 and November 5. There is also a business-only event on November 1.

People can also fill in a form online giving feedback.

Details of the consultation, which runs until November 12, are available here.

Councillor Mackenzie will discuss the scheme with Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce on November 8.

Following the consultation, a final business case will be prepared before approval is sought to deliver the schemes.

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.