Former Leeds star Danny Mills urges rethink on James Street pedestrianisation

Former England and Leeds United star turned businessman, Danny Mills, has called for an urgent rethink on a decision to temporarily pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate.

Mr Mills, who has lived in Harrogate for 20 years and owns four properties on the street, described the decision as “very damaging” and said businesses need all the help they can get.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Mr Mills said the decision would affect businesses which have already been through enough during the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes as the county council lent its support for a temporary pedestrianisation of the street, which could be in place as early as next month.

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The borough council, which put the request in for the closure, said the move was needed to help “safety and social distancing measures” and that it would benefit shoppers and businesses.

But Mr Mills, who owns buildings at Kuoni Travel and Ecco Footwear among others, said the decision would only make matters worse for shops and landlords.

He said:

“We have had to take a hit already and I feel we have done our bit and it’s bizarre that such a decision would be made without speaking to the businesses it affects.

“All the businesses are struggling to get footfall through the doors and I think the parking restrictions make it look a little bit unsightly at the moment.

“There are so many potential advertising opportunities because of the traffic is going through the street. It would be very, very damaging.”

James Street, which has already seen its pavements widened, has been earmarked for pedestrianisation.

James Street, which has already seen its pavements widened, has been earmarked for pedestrianisation.

As part of his opposition to the plan, the former England defender has written to both Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, urging them to reconsider the decision.

He said those who own property on the street want the best for the town and want to see Harrogate succeed.

“The last thing that the council needs is for shops to close. 

“People come to Betty’s and to see the Stray and if that means that shops are boarded up then that’s not good for the town.”

Mr Mills said he has had no contact from either council over the measure. But, he added that it was not too late for council bosses to change their minds and speak with those affected.

Mr Mills said:

“The most important thing is to open dialogue with business and talk with landlords. We all want want is best for Harrogate.

“The council has to have a rethink and a consultation process. We are not doing this to be spiteful, we are doing this for the town. I do not want a town where shops are closing.”

Nick Hubbert is the general manager at Hoopers.

Meanwhile, Nick Hubbert, general manager at department store Hoopers, has also written a strongly worded letter to borough council leader, Cllr Cooper, regarding pedestrianisation.

Mr Hubbert told the Stray Ferret that he does not believe that the temporary pedestrianisation of James Street will help businesses and said he based that on years of experience:

He added that he is not against pedestrianisation long term but he does not think that the middle of a pandemic is the right time to change things.

Harrogate student hopes to crowd-fund his acting dream

A Harrogate actor and low-income student is one step away from finally going to drama school, but there’s a big £13,800 obstacle.

Harry Pritchard, 23, has applied to more than a dozen British drama school auditions over the past four years, only to be rejected each time.

Last week, however, he was accepted onto a foundation course at the prestigious London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) – but because of his family’s financial status, he may be denied the chance to go.

Out of the thousands of applications LAMDA received, Harry was one of just 30 to be chosen despite applying in lockdown, by tape. However his acceptance was given after the deadline had passed to apply for a bursary, which gave one of the 30 students from a low-income background full funding for the course.

Harry’s desperation led him to set up a GoFundMe page. By Thursday, August 27, Harry has to raise £2,760 to fund the course’s deposit, followed by four further monthly payments of the same amount, coming to £13,800.

Harry said:

“Going into an acting career is not an easy ride, it’s really difficult. When my parents found out I was accepted they were so happy for me but also immediately grimaced at how much it cost because they can’t afford it.

“My dad is unemployed and my mum was a teaching assistant before she had to stop because of an illness. For the past four years I have worked in pubs and temp jobs to save for auditions, which are really expensive too.”

Since leaving Harrogate Grammar School in 2015, Harry has starred on stage at the Almeida Theatre Young Company and Arcola Theatre in London. He has also joined drama organisations including the National Youth Theatre, Young & Talented, as well as appearing in numerous short films.

LAMDA is known as one of the world’s most prestigious drama schools and one of the oldest in the UK. Attending the school could remove barriers for Harry, providing opportunities unavailable otherwise. The school’s rich alumni list includes Benedict Cumberbatch, David Suchet, Jim Broadbent and The Hunger Games’ Sam Claflin.

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Harry said:

“It is so expensive and the lack of student loans available for courses like this holds back those who can’t afford it, only serving those who can. Nobody wants the acting industry to be a private space for those who can afford it.

“Unfortunately, at this moment in time, those things are true. But I won’t let that stop me from trying.”

By Friday, Harry’s GoFundMe page had raised less than half of what he needs by Thursday. Harry said his hometown makes up such a massive part of who he is and he would feel overwhelmed, humbled and “over the moon” if the Harrogate district could support him,

To donate to Harry’s GoFundMe, click here. The final payment for Harry’s tuition has to be made by December.

Strayside Sunday: Pay MPs more and ban outside interests

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

What are we to make of this weeks’ news that two Conservative MP’s and former cabinet ministers, Sajid Javid, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Ripon’s own Julian Smith, the former Norther Ireland Secretary, are both supplementing their income to the combined tune of almost a half a million pounds.  This from “interests” beyond the walls of the Palace of Westminster?  Mr. Javid is to work for the American bankers JP Morgan, for a reported salary of £400,000.  Mr. Smith is set to work for a company called Ryse Hydrogen Limited and, as the register of member’s interests states, will provide 20 hours advice annually for the princely sum of £60,000, a billable rate of a cool £3,000 per hour. How do you like those apples?

Before I go on I should point out that both Javid and Smith asked for, and received, advice on the propriety of their new positions from the government’s Advisory Committee on Business Interests.  Both sinecures were approved by the committee, led by former Conservative Cabinet Minister and professional Yorkshireman, Eric (now Baron) Pickles.  In short, Javid and Smith played by the parliamentary rule book and their commercial actions and activities have been given a clean bill of health.  Well that’s ok then.  But it isn’t really, is it?  Not now, not ever.

Let’s first look at the numbers.  The salary of a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament is £81,932.  None too shabby when one considers that the average full-time salary in the UK is £36,611.  We pay MPs more than twice the average wage to exercise their duties – and I contend they are duties – as public servants.  Given they ask for our vote and seek our trust at election, isn’t full-time working the least we can expect from them in return?  I think so and that it is fair to demand it.  I believe that MPs should not be allowed outside interests, however my view is that we don’t actually pay MPs enough to attract individuals of a calibre to deliver good government.

Most of our current crop of MPs seem like intellectual pygmies in comparison to the politicians we grew up with and that polls show we respected a great deal more than today’s lot.  Margaret Thatcher, Michael Heseltine and Ken Clarke for the blues; Harold Wilson, Barbara Castle, Dennis Healey for the reds; and Roy Jenkins, David Owen and Shirley Williams for the yellows.  Giants all.

Being an MP was an entirely different proposition then of course: Far greater power was vested in local government, meaning that the volume of business conducted in Westminster was much less than it is today, constituency mailboxes could be dealt with (in written hand) in one good sitting per week, and the demands of the media and social media were not 24/7.  Our politics was better because of it and our politicians were unambiguously superior.  But nostalgia for the good old days will not a significant improvement make.

 

What do we need to do to make things better?  Let’s say that we paid MPs a salary of £150,000 per annum and that outside interests are, in-turn, banned.  By way of comparison and perspective, the basic pay for an NHS consultant (a Doctor with 5 years of medical school training and then another 8 years of on the job experience) tops out at £107,688.  With bonuses known as Clinical Excellence Awards consultants pay nears the £150,000.  This places them just below the average UK Chief Executive, who makes £156,000 per year.  My argument, not original, is that increasing MPs pay will attract a much better quality of potential candidate and that politics can once again become one of the respected professions.  In my view there should also be a lower age limit on parliamentarians, say 30 years old, so that they have to bring several years-worth of real-world experience into their role as elected representatives.  I would create too an independent public HR body to vet potential parliamentary candidates of all parties for their suitability for the profession.

 

When one is recruited to any paid position of employment these days, expert interviews are held, salary benchmarking is conducted, reference checks are made, and personality tests are assessed – especially if the process is handled by a professional headhunting or recruitment agency.  Which brings me back to the Right Honourable Julian Smith.  Before he entered parliament Mr. Smith founded and ran a successful recruiting company.  I doubt very much that he achieved a billable rate of £3,000 an hour for any of the candidates he placed.

Again let’s place this in perspective; a leading London commercial “silk” (a barrister appointed Queen’s Counsel; “Her Majesty’s Counsel Learned in Law”), of which there are very few, following 20 years of practice and an ascent to the very pinnacle of their profession, might, just might, be able to bill their multi-national corporate clients up to £2,000 per hour.  I cannot, in any view, see how Mr. Smith can justify £3,000 an hour for the advice he is giving to a private company to his Ripon constituents (and, for that matter, to himself).  It would be good to hear from Mr. Smith precisely the kind of advice he is to provide for such riches. It looks just awful.

With behaviour like this the Conservative Party is in grave danger of appearing (again) to harness the worst excesses of “the market” to fill its boots, rather than focussing on the now immense twin tasks of rebuilding our nation’s shattered economy and delivering the much vaunted “levelling up” agenda.  This, by the way, at a time when competence and empathy seem in terribly short supply (think Robert Jenrick and his planning fiasco and; see also Gavin Williamson’s exam results debacle).  When I worked for the party our obsession was to lose the tag of being “the nasty party.”  If the current tone-deaf behaviour of its cabinet members continues it won’t be long before we regain that most unwelcome moniker.

And talking of tone deaf, what of the handling by Harrogate Borough Council of its plans to close James Street (the town’s main shopping thoroughfare) to traffic?  Sara Ferguson, the acting chair of Harrogate Business Improvement District, felt moved this week to call out the fact that the council appears to have decided unilaterally on the pedestrianisation of James Street.  The council had asked the BID to canvass opinion among local business about the plan and, in so doing, the BID found that two thirds of businesses on the street are against full pedestrianisation.  However, with more than a whiff of fait accompli it seems that the council had no intention of waiting to hear the views of local business leaders and had already put in a request to North Yorkshire County Council to close the street for “safety and social distancing measures” (a measure since backed by NYCC to come into effect as early as next month).  Through bull-headed incompetence Harrogate Borough Council, much like the United Kingdom government, is testing our patience and goodwill to the limit.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

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‘Double devolution’ for parish councils, under county council plan

Town and parish councils could be given new powers and funding under North Yorkshire County Council’s plan for council reorganisation ahead of a devolution bid.

Under the authority’s plan, a single council would be created for the county. But council officials said there would also be “double devolution” for parish councils should they want it.

Currently, Scarborough and Harrogate are the only areas without a town or parish council in the county. County council officials said they would support those areas to set up authorities, if it was what local people wanted.

Around 250 local town and parish councillors took part in a seminar held by the county council over its plan and the authority has since set up a working group to explore the proposal with parishes further.

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It comes as both the county council and the seven district authorities have until September to submit plans for a reorganisation of local councils to government ahead of a devolution bid.

Cllr Car Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“I was a parish councillor for many years and I attend parish council meetings. Parish councils are the salt of the earth and I enjoy working closely with them. I have been very impressed over the years with the ambition and achievements of Bedale town council which is the nearest market town to where I have lived all my life and I hope town councils will be interested in taking on more power – but it is up to them.

“We believe this double devolution which passports powers from Whitehall to the town hall and the town hall to the village hall is an exciting prospect. We are seeking more powers from the government, but we want more powers to be devolved to the very local area as well. We want to bring people together to get more things done at a local level.”

As the PR war over devolution continues, district council leaders are preparing an alternative proposal to the county council.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, previously said the proposal for one authority were “unworkable” and that the seven districts would consult on another proposal.

One of the options from the districts is for two unitary councils, one covering the north of the county and another in the south.

The plans are yet to be formalised, but are expected to go before each of the seven districts ahead of the deadline next month.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“We are working closely with our colleagues at district and borough councils across North Yorkshire so that we can come to an informed and evidence-led decision about a possible alternative model of local government. 

“When this work is done, a final business case will be produced, and this will go to our council, and the other district and borough councils, to be voted on, through the usual democratic process.”

Rise in demand for cooking lessons in Harrogate post lockdown

A Harrogate chef says she has seen an increase in demand for cooking lessons after lockdown.

For over 3 months during lockdown, restaurants were either closed or offering limited services, so people spent more time cooking at home.

For some, it was a total disaster, yet for others, it was the start of new love affair with cooking.

Michaela Hanna, a freelance private chef from Harrogate has told the Stray Ferret that she has seen a rise in people wanting to improve their culinary skills, after feeling they were just eating the ‘same few dishes each week.’

‘ My go-to solution in lockdown was a meal delivery service, I created ‘meal of the day doorstep drop-offs.’ People often don’t know of the different foods out there and how easy it can be to tweak a dish to make it from a different country or slightly healthier etc. Now I am able to go out to people’s houses, there has been a lot of people who tried my drop off meals in lockdown and now want to learn how to do it themselves.’

Cooking Lesson

Michaela Hanna, Fit Chef Harrogate.

The Stray Ferret went along to follow one of her cooking lessons.

James Tapster, who lives in Knaresborough connected with Michaela during lockdown trying many of her home delivery meals, and has since started having some lessons.

‘I have always had an interest in cooking but Michaela has really broadened my knowledge. We lead a busy life so it’s great to master some healthy, quick and tasty dishes that I can make and then use for a couple of days.’

 

 

 

 

 

Hoopers store warns: ‘Harrogate is not bulletproof anymore’

Hoopers has warned that the store is not sustainable in its current form and that Harrogate’s retail sector is “not bulletproof anymore”.

The department store’s general manager, Nick Hubbert, has spoken openly about its financial difficulties as a result of the coronavirus pandemic for the first time.

He said that the way they have to operate under social distancing rules means that it is not able to make enough sales.

Hoopers’ struggle in numbers

Mr Hubbert told the Stray Ferret that he has concerns about the furlough scheme coming to an end:

“We are preparing for the worst. How long can businesses survive when they are losing money. Hoopers has been in Harrogate for a long time but this has been by far the most difficult time. Some people think that Harrogate is bulletproof but it isn’t anymore. It’s not sustainable, we cannot afford to fully open and we cannot afford to trade the full week. That is not ideal.”

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Mr Hubbert has also weighed into the pedestrianisation debate on James Street with the general manager writing a strongly worded letter to Harrogate Borough Council.

James Street could be temporarily closed to traffic as early as next month after Harrogate Borough Council requested the measures.

Hoopers is based on James Steet which has been full with traffic cones for months.

Mr Hubbert does not believe that the temporary pedestrianisation of James Street will help businesses and said he is basing that on years of experience:

He added that he is not against pedestrianisation long term but he does not think that the middle of a pandemic is the right time to change things:

“Customers want to park up and jump into the shops. It’s easy for young families and it’s easier for older people. That’s what increases footfall. We just need to leave things as is and concentrate on the basics. When someone pulled the cones away it was half full in half an hour and people were getting straight into the shops.”

Live music returns to Blues Bar tonight

Patrons at famous Harrogate venue The Blues Bar will be able to enjoy live music for the first time since March tonight.

Local blues musician Howlin’ Mat will perform a stripped back blues set which co-owner Simon Colgan described as “back to basics” for the famous bar.

Simon told the Stray Ferret that the musician is the perfect choice as everyone will be seated inside — meaning it won’t be the usual “raucous” crowd.

He said:

“I wanted anybody who was new to the town to get what they would expect from a blues bar, which is a solo musician who plays with feeling. Howlin’ Matt is a racounteur too so he also will stories in between songs. “

The Blues Bar is renowned for multi-instrument bands playing high tempo, rocky blues but Simon said because they can’t have a crowded stage due to social distancing, they are focusing on solo or double acts.

Next Saturday night Gypsy Bill Williams and his wife will be performing who Simon described as “real authentic blues with stories”. Blues Bar staple the Jed Thomas Band will be playing the following Saturday.

Simon said he will assess how the next couple of Saturdays go before bringing live music back 7 days a week

He said:

“Our only problem is some of our regular musicians are very concerned about social distancing. They will need convincing. Especially those with health conditions and those of a certain age.

Simon added customers are looking forward to getting their live music fix at The Blues once again.

He said:

“A lot of people are coming to Harrogate and saying ‘I come to The Blues Bar for the live music and can’t wait for it to come back’.”

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Harrogate’s Majestic Hotel will also be hosting live music this weekend at its Frederick’s Sun Terrace.

Tonight sax and rhythm duo Laurie Covell & ANDY will perform and on Sunday there will be live jazz piano from Leach.

WATCH: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver on a ‘whirlwhind’ few weeks

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver said this morning’s League Two fixtures announcement “brought home” the scale of the club’s historic promotion to the English Football League.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret this afternoon, Weaver described the weeks since their Wembley triumph on August 2 as a “whirlwind”.

Fixtures for the upcoming EFL campaign were released this morning and Town fans can now prepare for trips to the likes of Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers.

Watch our interview with him below:

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Town will make the 220 mile trip to Roots Hall to play Southend on September 12 for their opening fixture in League Two.

The first few home games of the season will be played at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium as the artificial 3G pitch at the CNG Stadium is replaced with grass due to EFL regulations.

Harrogate Christmas Market set to be called off

Harrogate Christmas Market is set to be called off this year, the Stray Ferret can reveal.

The four-day event, which has been running annually since 2012, is set to be cancelled for the first time in its history next week because of continuing covid restrictions.

Public health officials for North Yorkshire are expected to meet on Monday to discuss restrictions which would need to be in place for outdoor events to go ahead. However, with crowds of up to 60,000 coming from across the country – including coaches filled with day-trippers – it is expected that Harrogate Christmas Market will not be able to meet the requirements.

The news comes as a further blow to local businesses, including retailers, restaurants and bars, which have reported increased footfall during the market in previous years. Organisers say the event is designed to bring visitors into the town centre at a vital time for the local economy – and this year could have been more important than ever.

Harrogate BID acting chair Sara Ferguson said:

“The Christmas Market brings thousands of shoppers into Harrogate over its four days, and if it were to be cancelled this year, it would be another blow to the town’s retailers.

“I know the organisers, who have worked incredibly hard to make it the success it is, will be trying their hardest to comply with all the health and safety requirements brought about by coronavirus.”

With events at Harrogate Convention Centre not possible because of its continued use as a Nightingale hospital, it is the latest in a string of major events in the Harrogate calendar to be forced to cancel.

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Andrew Armstrong, who runs Harrogate Lifestyle Apartments on Kings Road, told the Stray Ferret he would have liked the opportunity for local businesses to come together and see what could be done to save the event. He said it could have been moved into the town centre and set up in smaller clusters, with masks mandatory, in order to limit crowds.

“We would normally be full with tourists and visitors coming for the weekend. At the moment, we’ve only got a couple of bookings in for that weekend – we’re finding that the booking window is getting shorter and shorter, because nobody dares commit to booking in case something happens.

“It’s quite frightening. It’s the same for all accommodation businesses – nobody knows that’s going to happen. We rely on the business element during the darker winter seasons, because you just don’t get people wanting to come when it’s cold, windy or snowing. 50% of our business in winter is from Harrogate Convention Centre and events like this.”

Mr Armstrong said he has had one booking for this year’s dates called off already, with the visitor asking to move to next year’s provisional dates. However, he said putting bookings back by a year would be no help to those hospitality businesses struggling to make ends meet in the coming weeks and months.

NHS Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber, Harrogate

Unlike others around the country, Harrogate’s Christmas market focuses on Yorkshire products. As well as individual stalls around the aisles, it features a craft and gifts marquee and a food and drink marquee – though the latter was not expected to feature in this year’s event because of covid restrictions.

In July, organisers confirmed they were awaiting a licence being awarded by Harrogate Borough Council for this year’s event, which takes place on Stray land, for which the council has responsibility.

Guidance on the government website says:

“Where the council is the landowner, they could refuse permission to allow the use of the land for an event without the need to issue a direction.

“Beyond this, however, it seems broadly that the intention is that outdoor events should take place where it is safe to do so with the focus on these being supported to operate safely, rather than blocked.”

However, the guidance also states that events can be called off by authorities if there is a rise in cases in the locality. This happened last week in Leeds, when a funfair was banned less than 24 hours before it was due to open because of a cluster of new cases in the surrounding area.

The Stray Ferret understands organisers are keen for Harrogate Christmas Market to return as usual next year.

Confederate flag taken down in Harrogate antiques store after complaint

A flag has been removed from sale in a West Park antiques shop in Harrogate after a woman complained.

The flag was hanging near the back of 27 West Park Antiques. It has now been taken down and the owner has apologised for causing offence.

Tim Ward, Owner of 27 West Park Antiques said:

“The flag was bought along with a job lot of American state flags which came from a country and western club that closed down. It was bought from a car boot sale so no offence was intended and the flag has been taken down.”

The complaint was made by Kira Dyer who lives in York and was in Harrogate on a shopping trip with friends. Ms Dyer approached staff at 27 West Park Antiques to complain, before tweeting about it yesterday evening.

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Ms Dyer said:

“I have no problem with them selling the flag, I just feel that to display it in such a way is inconsiderate of its racist heritage and highly offensive. I understand a store of its nature will have items of controversy but there is a big difference between its display on a shelf along with other items and it being flown mid store.” 

The confederate flag is seen as a hate symbol. In the early 1860s, 11 southern states withdrew themselves from the US to continue being part of the slave trade. The withdrawal formed the Confederate States of America and the American Civil War followed soon after.

Mr Ward said his antiques shop generally researches the historical context of what is being brought in and rarely receives complaints. However, he apologised for displaying the Confederate flag.