No 10: How fake grass and rewilding unleashed Harrogate passions

In this article, which is part of a series on the 15 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2021, we look at how fake grass and rewilding resulted in a major backlash for Harrogate Borough Council (HBC).

It seemed like a simple solution for the council. The trees meant the plants in the beds struggled for light. So why not brighten the town centre up with some of that popular artifical grass?

So on a cloudy morning in early May, residents started to notice a new and very green look for Cambridge Street and Oxford Street. Soon thereafter came a wave of condemnation on social media.

The Stray Ferret broke the news and asked the council’s press office for a reply. Despite hundreds of negative comments online, a council spokesperson insisted the move had received “lots of positive feedback”.

Fake grass and planters

Fake grass and planters.

Pressure continued to mount on the council in the following days. Hundreds called for the removal of the fake grass but one group took matters in their own hands.

The fake grass may have looked green but Extinction Rebellion Harrogate was less than impressed with its environmental credentials so a small team of activists replaced it in one of the beds with shade-loving plants.

Extinction Rebellion later handed the plastic grass back in to the council offices on King’s Road along with annotated extracts from the council’s environmental policies.

The council finally relented, apologised and sent workers to remove the fake grass.

Extinction Rebellion hands the fake grass back.

It may have all been over in little more than two weeks but the fake grass saga saw residents engage with local politics like never before. It was, as Extinction Rebellion put it, a “victory for the people”.

Meanwhile a new debate was growing under our feet. Harrogate Borough Council’s environmental credentials may have come under fire in May but in June the town had a new, new green look.

Swathes of green spaces, including on the Stray, had been left alone by mowers and strimmers so nature can grow free as part of rewilding efforts.

The grass verges are growing in Harrogate.

Rewilding was welcomed by many who saw it as a sign that the council, which manages parks and green spaces in the district, is serious about improving biodiversity.

But others who cherish Harrogate’s long reputation for organised and elegant planting thought it made the town look untidy.

This new move sparked just as much interest as the fake grass saga with each story sparking hundreds of comment and fierce debate on social media.

Both stories revealed that, more than ever, Harrogate’s residents care about the look of our floral spa town.

Major refurbishment of Harrogate Hydro set for approval

A major refurbishment of Harrogate’s Hydro swimming pool looks set to be approved.

Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended that a plan to build a two-storey extension onto the ageing facility is given the go-ahead.

The Hydro was first opened in 1999 and replaced the old Coppice Valley pool.

The proposals were lodged by the authority and are due to go before a council planning committee next week.

The council is proposing to demolish the current ‘drum’ entrance and replace it with a larger structure that includes a bigger café and reception area on the ground floor and a new 400 square metres fitness suite on the first floor.

As part of its plans to overhaul leisure services, which were approved in June 2020, the council outlined a £13.5 million project to refurbish The Hydro.

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The proposal is backed by Sport England, which said an “improved and modern” facility would benefit the town.

It said:

“An improved and modern leisure facility in this sustainable location delivers a series of benefits, including increasing the opportunity for physical activity, increasing membership and usage and encouraging better interaction with the facilities and services on offer”.

Councillors on the borough council’s planning committee will make a decision on the refurbishment at a meeting on January 6.

Further projects at The Hydro

The move to refurbish The Hydro comes as other work is being done to upgrade the building.

In July, the council confirmed it is to buy a new diving platform to replace the damaged one that has kept divers out of the pool for eight months.

Meanwhile, the council has also given approval for 420 solar panels to be installed on the roof of the pool as part of a decarbonisation project.

The council successfully bid this year for funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy‘s public sector decarbonisation scheme, which helped to fund the panels.

A total of £1.8 million will be spent at The Hydro to install the solar panels, as well as replace gas boilers with air source heat pumps and put in place new energy monitoring and control systems.

The Hydro is now run by Brimhams Active, a new arm’s length leisure company set up by the council this year. It has taken over the running of 12 leisure facilities in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and Pateley Bridge.

No.11: Harrogate energy firm CNG goes out of business

Harrogate energy company CNG became the victim of a global phenomenon this year when it ceased trading after 27 years.

Wholesale energy prices spiralled this year, and the impact was dramatic, with CNG one of more than 20 UK companies exiting the market.

Paul Stanley, chief executive of CNG, told the Stray Ferret the company failed because four of its main customers went out of business within two weeks, leaving it with unpaid bills.

Attempts to raise capital or sell the business were unsuccessful due to continued market volatility and high prices in the energy sector.

The company supplied about 15 to 20 retail energy companies through its wholesale business arm and also has around 50,000 business customers. About 150 jobs were lost.

CNG

CNG’s headquarters on Victoria Avenue

Swift collapse

Despite being regarded as a local success story for the majority of its 27 years, CNG’s collapse was swift and unforgiving.

Alarm bells began to ring on October 14 when Mr Stanley sent a letter to customers saying it was exiting the wholesale market. Two weeks later the company entered liquidation.

With Christmas approaching, it couldn’t have come at a worse time for staff.

A series of meetings were held between company bosses and worried employees, who had questions about redundancy pay.

Staff have been paid for November but were not expected to be offered a redundancy settlement until after Christmas through a government scheme.

A source told the Stray Ferret it was a “stressful time to have no income.”

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Administrators

CNG then entered the Supplier of Last Resort process operated by the government’s energy regulator Ofgem.

The SoLR procedure was established by Ofgem as a safety net to ensure that when a company stops supplying energy, affected customers are guaranteed continuity of supply through other companies.

However, businesses that were supplied gas by CNG were warned that their energy bills will be expected to rise.

Interpath Advisory has now been appointed as administrator, and around 30 staff are working to close the company.

CNG was also synonymous with Harrogate Town football club, becoming the first-ever sponsor of their Wetherby Road ground from 2008 until 2020 when it was rebranded the CNG Stadium.

The company was also well-known in Harrogate as a supporter of local charities and community projects.

No. 12: Harrogate Town — a year of history and milestones

In this article, which is part of a series on the 15 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2021, we look at another remarkable year for Simon Weaver’s men.

Harrogate Town spent 2021 making history and setting new milestones.

Covid restrictions had prevented Town fans from watching their team at Wembley in 2020 and gain promotion to the English Football League for the first time ever.

So when the season began in August, thousands flocked to Wetherby Road to see the next chapter in the fairytale.

FA Trophy winners

Fans, however, were denied a second trip to Wembley in May for the FA Trophy final against Concord Rangers.

The final had been delayed for a year due to covid and Town were favourites because they had gained promotion in the period since the match was due to be played.

Josh Falkingham scored the only goal as Town ran out 1-0 winners to life the silverware,

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As the saying goes, winning becomes a habit and such was the case under head coach Simon Weaver that the club tied him down to a long-term contract in July.

The contract would see Weaver’s time at the club extended to 15 years if seen out, a feat which cannot be said for many of modern football clubs. He is already the longest serving manager in English football.

The consistent progress the team has made under Weaver continued when the new season began.

A good start, which put the club among the play-off positions, climaxed with a 6-1 hammering of Scunthorpe United in October in front of a record home crowd of 3,180.

Harrogate’s league form subsequently fell away, but a strong second half could yet see them feature in the play-offs.

FA Cup heroics

But the club has compensated for some poor results in the league with a sensational FA Cup run, which has seen it book a place in the third round for the first time in its history.

A last minute winner against two-time winners Portsmouth at Fratton Park had fans dreaming of a Premier League side visiting Wetherby Road.

But it was not to be. Instead the club will try to write history once again by playing Luton Town for a place in the fourth round.

If 2022 is half as exciting, Harrogate fans can look forward to another 12 months of milestones.

Harrogate mum finds disabled toilets in ‘disgusting state’

A Harrogate mum wants to warn others after her disabled son found litter and used needles on the floor of a locked disabled toilet in the town centre.

Pictures from Christmas Eve sent into the Stray Ferret show around six needles with some half-eaten chips on the floor in the disabled toilets at the Jubilee Car Park.

The mum who sent in the pictures would not like to be named but said her 21-year-old son with
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) was shocked to discover the state of the toilets.

Disabled toilets like the one in the car park are only accessible to those with a RADAR Key. However, it’s easy to purchase such a key online without any verification.

The Stray Ferret sent in pictures of the toilets to Harrogate Borough Council, which runs the toilet. We did not receive a response by the time of publication.

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The mother, who also sent in a complaint to the council, told the Stray Ferret:

“I just want to warn other people, my son needed to use the toilet on Christmas Eve but it was in a disgraceful state.

“Public toilets may not have a reputation for being clean but when it’s locked with a key you think it would be in a better state.

“They need to be cleaned more regularly. Harrogate Borough Council should be ashamed. It’s a health and safety hazard.”

Harrogate district reports 280 cases after Christmas outage

The Harrogate district has reported a record 280 covid cases, according to the latest daily government figures.

The number is the highest recorded in the district since the UK Health Security Agency started reporting figures in March 2020.

However, daily case reporting has resumed today after the coronavirus dashboard was paused for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Figures show 98,515 cases have been recorded in the UK as the Omicron variant continues to spread.

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Meanwhile, UK Health Security Agency figures show that a total of 100,234 booster and third vaccines have been given in the Harrogate district so far.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

Latest available figures show 13 covid patients are being treated at Harrogate District Hospital – an increase from eight last week.

Covid postpones Harrogate Town’s second festive fixture

A coronavirus outbreak in the Mansfield Town squad has forced the English Football League (EFL) to postpone the second of Harrogate Town’s festive fixtures.

Harrogate Town were due to welcome in-form Mansfield Town to the EnviroVent Stadium on Wednesday, December 29.

It is unclear at this stage when the game between 11th place Harrogate Town and 9th place Mansfield Town, will be played out.

Town’s away clash with Bradford City which was scheduled for Boxing Day was also postponed due to coronavirus cases in the rival’s squad.

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A spokesperson for the EFL said:

“Mansfield Town’s forthcoming Sky Bet League Two fixture against Harrogate Town on Wednesday 29 December has been postponed.

“Mansfield informed the EFL that it would be unable to fulfil the fixture at the EnviroVent Stadium due to a number of positive COVID-19 cases in their squad.

“In light of the increased transmission rate of the Omicron variant, the EFL will now review the circumstances surrounding the postponement.

“In addition, it will assist affected clubs throughout this challenging period to help them mitigate against the risk of infection amongst players and staff, while ensuring their obligations to the EFL regulations are maintained.”

Town are next due to play Port Vale on New Year’s Day

Jam session at Blues Bar tonight in memory of Aaron Bertenshaw

A jam session is being held at the Blues Bar in Harrogate tonight in memory of singer-songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw.

Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, died aged 26 this month. He had struggled with diabetes and mental health issues.

He was a popular fixture on the local gig scene and performed regularly at the Blues Bar.

Tonight’s event, which will begin at about 8pm, will be hosted by Martin Rose.

Entrance is free but there will be a collection for diabetes and mental health.

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The Aaron Joseph Memorial Fund, set up by Aaron’s mother Sammy Oates, has so far raised almost £6,000.

Money raised will be used to provide mental health support to people with diabetes. Mental health and diabetes are usually treated separately and Sammy believes Aaron would have benefited from help that better understood the link between the two illnesses.

You can donate here.

No. 15: Shops that opened and closed in 2021

It has undoubtedly been a tough year for businesses across the Harrogate district as the effects of the pandemic have continued to be felt.

There have been a number of closures over the year. However, 2021 has also seen some businesses buck the trend, with new shops opening in the district.

Here is a look back at some of the notable business closures and launches in the last year.

Debenhams, Harrogate

The HArrogate branch of Debenhams, which has filed for administration

For generations, the Debenhams building on Parliament Street has been one of the major retail landmarks in Harrogate.

But sadly at the start of 2021, as the country was in the grip of a third lockdown, the retail giant announced the town’s branch would not be reopening.

The site had been a retail unit on Parliament Street for over a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.

The building has stood empty ever since its closure.

However, in December the Stray Ferret revealed that developers have submitted plans to demolish it and build 50 apartments on the site, along with two commercial units.

Aldi, Knaresborough

Knaresborough Aldi

Knaresborough Aldi

A new Aldi supermarket opened its doors to customers in Knaresborough on January 28.

The 8,000 square metre site was built on Swallowtail Way, near the Manse Farm housing development on York Road, after plans were approved in May 2020.

Solita Food Hall, Harrogate

Solita Food Hall

Harrogate’s first food hall opened its doors in May with an aim to serve up a range of different cuisines under one roof.

Solita Food Hall, on Parliament Street, was located in the former Jamie’s Italian building and was set over two floors, including a rooftop terrace.

Under the Shoot the Bull brand, it housed Rupert’s Coffee House, Rotisserie & Grill, Solita Wagyu Burger, Slice Me Nicely Pizza, Cure & Pour Wines and Solita Fish Bar.

However, it wasn’t around for long, closing after just six months in November.

Tomahawk Steakhouse, which had been planning to move into the empty Bistrot Pierre restaurant on Cheltenham Parade, is now planning to move into the large building.

Cut by Farmison & Co, Ripon

Farmison & Co’s boutique butcher shop, Cut

Cut, online butcher Farmison & Co’s first physical shop, opened at the company’s Bondgate Green head office in Ripon in July.

The boutique butcher’s is aimed at showcasing “the crown jewels” of Yorkshire heritage breed meat and allows customers to select from the online range and collect within an hour of placing an order.

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Fi:k, Harrogate and Knaresborough

Vicky Somerville and Luke Morland of Fi:k outside the new café in Harrogate

A Swedish-inspired coffee shop opened its doors in Harrogate in August with ambitious £780,000 plans to roll out the concept across Yorkshire.

Fi:k has renovated 1 Montpellier Gardens, which used to be the home of furniture business Covet.

In December it opened a café on Knaresborough Market Place.

Hotel Chocolat

Queues at the launch of the new Hotel Chocolat store

Queues formed on James Street for the opening of the new, relocated Hotel Chocolat store. Around 30 people waited for the store to open on October 22, with staff serving hot chocolate to them whilst they waited.

The new store is almost opposite the old one, but is larger with a café 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 has had up to 15 staff in the run up to Christmas — double the number of the previous store.

Crimple, Harrogate

Crimple Food Hall

Harrogate’s huge new £6m food hall in Pannal, which overlooks the Crimple Valley, opened its doors in November.

The 48,000 sq ft building, which is simply called Crimple, includes a butchery counter, an in-house bakery and patisserie, a floristry and a 160-seat restaurant.

Crimple has been owned by Graham Watson since 2013. With a personal investment of £4m for the construction, plus £2m for the fit-out, the business-owner created the town’s latest foodie destination in a bid to showcase all the amazing produce the district has to offer.

Previous visitors to Crimple Valley will remember the former antiques centre at the site. This has been completely knocked down and the food hall and restaurant has been built in its place. The garden centre remains and the existing restaurant and terrace has become an events space.

Fattorini, Harrogate

A. Fattorini the Jeweller which has been on Parliament Street since 1859.Harrogate’s oldest independent shop, A. Fattorini the Jeweller announced it will close after 190 years of trading

Thought to be the oldest independent jeweller in Harrogate, A. Fattorini, has been located on Parliament Street since 1884.

The announced closure of the Harrogate institution was marked by a closing down sale, which saw people queuing down the street.

It is set to close on January 8, 2022.

63rd+1st, Harrogate

The Manhattan-style cocktail bar at 63rd+1st

Harrogate’s answer to a Manhattan cocktail bar opened its doors in November, with the launch of 63rd+1st.

Decked out in trendy dark blue and gold, and featuring lots of greenery, the restaurant, lounge and bar on Albert Street is aimed at customers who might just want a nibble and a drink after work or a meal out with friends.

The venue was developed by Hostmore PLC, which also includes TGI Fridays as part of its portfolio.

Harrogate’s branch was the third to open in the UK, behind Surrey in May and Glasgow in September.

53 Bo Grove, Harrogate

Kyrensa Bentley when she opened a pancake shack (left) with a general view of 53 Bo Grove

Bohemian Harrogate cafe, antiques and garden centre 53 Bo Grove, on Grove Road, just off Kings Road, closed in December, after more than two years of business.

The business became a vital hub for residents during the early coronavirus lockdowns by staying open at a time when many supermarkets were struggling for stock.

Owner Kyrensa Bentley attempted to improve business by opening a pancake shack and a farm shop on site.

Ms Bentley, who opened the business in September 2019, told the Stray Ferret she made the decision to close after struggling on a number of fronts, including the difficult location and the impact of the pandemic.

She will continue to operate Bo Grove at Oxford Street, which opened in November 2020.

Starbeck Mums founder urges more parents to join in 2022

A Starbeck resident hopes to welcome more people into a community group she has set up for parents.

Elena Leeming moved to the area in May and enjoyed meeting other mums but felt there needed to be a hub for them to chat.

So she decided to set up Starbeck Mums, which has 90 members, including two dads.

While Ms Leeming is pleased with the progress she hopes to be able to double those numbers in the new year.

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Starbeck Mums is a Facebook group for mums who like chatting, making new friends and sharing information. Ms Leeming told the Stray Ferret:

“I am Russian-born and have been living in the UK with my husband for more than four years now after meeting him in Ireland.

“We found Starbeck and realised it had everything we needed like school, sports clubs, coffee shops, a train station and post office.

“But one thing it did not have was a group for mums. So far we have met up once in the park but we are hoping to organise more meetings next year.”