Live: Harrogate traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Monday! I am back this morning with updates every 15 minutes and a list of all the temporary traffic lights that could delay you today.

It’s Leah here today. If you see anything, and it is safe to do so, please give me a call on 01423 276197 or get in touch on social media.

These blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, are keeping you updated as the district’s roads get busier.

9am – Full Update 

That’s it from me today! Connor will be back with you tomorrow from 6:30am with updates every 15 minutes.

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

8.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking ok so far this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking ok so far this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking ok so far this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking ok so far this morning, no traffic hotspots to report.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Stray Views: recycling rules make recycling difficult

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Malcolm’s history walks are a real treat

How fortunate we are to have local historian, Malcolm Neesam, who is so interested in the history of Harrogate that we can all enjoy two virtual walks with his knowledge of the town.

The walks are beautifully set up on the best website I have seen with maps, photos and information clearly displayed. A real treat!

Thank you, Malcolm!

Audrey Culling, Nidderdale 

Recycling rules don’t make recycling easy

I queued to get into a recycling depot with a fridge in a trailer. No trailers were allowed but I managed to get rid of it anyway.
Maybe I just fell foul of a rule that has been in place for a while, but I wonder how North Yorkshire County Council expects people to get rid of bulky items, which either won’t fit n a small car or are too dirty. Garden clippings, for example, which are too numerous for the fortnightly garden waste collection or too wet and leafy to decently burn yet will go into the large recycling skips.
Trivial but infuriating.
Pete Dennis, Harrogate

We are lucky to have birdsong – do your bit to keep it going

Many of us living in or around towns such as Harrogate and Wetherby and surrounding villages may not realise just how lucky we are to still have nesting and breeding swallows, house martins and swifts.
Unfortunately, they are all suffering declining numbers. These birds are nest site faithful, returning year after year. Swifts actually live in colonies that will have taken years to build.
This all means that if their nests or nest holes and crevices are knocked down or blocked up, it can be the end for them as there is often nowhere else to go.
So this is a plea to everyone to help look after these birds: keep the sounds of summer going by helping to keep Yorkshire skies full of the happy chittering and screams of these birds: help by keeping their old nests and put up more swallow/house martin nest cups and swift boxes if you possibly can.
Friedy Luther, Spofforth

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Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Green Shoots: Harrogate’s most environmentally-friendly house?

Green Shoots is a new monthly feature that explores the people and places that are doing their bit to improve the environment in the Harrogate district. Would you like to be involved? Get in touch: thomas@thestrayferret.co.uk

Tucked away on Bogs Lane in Harrogate is a home so good for the environment that it’s not just fit for the 21st century, but for the next one too.

Tim and Marilyn Larner bought a drafty 250-year old farmhouse on the site in 2016. After demolishing some barns that stood behind it, they built two homes in 2017 and moved into one of them at the end of the following year.

The couple proudly displays a Passivhaus plaque by their front door, which is a hallmark of its environmental credentials. The five-bedroom property is one of only two houses in Harrogate built to the strict standards.

Developed in Germany in the 1990s, Passivhaus is seen as a game-changer for low-carbon housing. It’s an innovative design code that prioritises insulation so that a home doesn’t need any heating or cooling at all, resulting in minimal energy bills. 

The Larners’ home has other eco benefits including solar panels on the roof to generate electricity and air source heat pump that brings in heat from outside and pumps it indoors.

Mr Larner said:

“It’s a delight and a great joy to live here.”

Subtle benefits

The front of the house has smaller windows as it is north facing.

Mr Larner estimates the house cost around 10% more to build than traditional methods — but the upside is electricity and heating bills are just £20 a year due to super air-tight insulation and renewable energy.

The whole house is wrapped in 300mm of rock wool all as well as air-tight membrane and there is 200mm of solid insulation on the roof.

Walking around the home, which is largely open-plan, the environmental benefits are subtle. Ventilation comes in through ducts in the ceiling and the large south-facing windows greedily maximise the amount of warmth offered by the sun.

The timber frame of the building was assembled like flat-pack furniture in just three days, bypassing the polluting and carbon-intensive building process entirely. Mr Larner said this ensures the quality and precision needed to make their home super air-tight.

The open-plan living space.

He added:

“We wanted to do the right thing environmentally. That was our main motivation for doing it.”

“It’s incredibly comfortable, really quiet and probably a lot healthier place to live. It’s a very controlled environment. You are never sitting in a draft. It’s lovely.”

Read more:

Housing targets

The upper level of the home lets lots of light in.

The property contrasts sharply with the glut of new build developments that surround it on the Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane area of Harrogate.

Mrs Larner said the building industry “has a massive vested interest” in building homes quickly and they don’t always consider the impact of housing on the environment.

She added:

“The government says they need more houses but they often choose volume over quality. They are throwing up houses around here.”

Mr Larner said the government needs to bring in legislation to ensure that more homes are built with the environment in mind:

“Builders should be out there doing this, but I fear regulation needs to make that happen. You can’t leave it to the market to deliver a house like this.”

“But It can be done. If you’re saving £1000 a year in energy costs and you hgave a better quality of life, what’s not to like about that? It’s a pity we have the financial availabilty to do this whereas others do not”.

Lifelong ambition

Mr Larner said rather than worrying about climate change, he and Marilyn wanted to take action. They see building their home as doing their bit.

“I don’t worry about climate change, it’s more important to act and be positive and hopeful. I don’t take any pleasure in what I’ve handed onto my grandchildren. They will hopefully be alive in 2100, what’s the world going to be like when they’re at that age?”

Building a home has been a lifelong ambition too. Many years ago, Mrs Larner had an uncle who built his own property. It left a lasting impression on the couple.

She said:

“It was amazing. 40 years ago I took Tim as my brand new husband, and he was just like — wow!”.

Mr Larner said they could never go back to how they used to live.

“We designed this house with the rest of our lives in mind.

“It’s fit for the future. I’m hoping someone will be happy to live in it in 100 years time.”

Turf wars: Harrogate council spent £800 on fake grass

Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed that it spent £800 on the installation of fake grass in the town centre.

The council has also told the Stray Ferret, after an overwhelmingly negative response, that it has no plans for further turf in the town.

That news will likely come as a relief to many residents, some of which feel like the new look undermines Harrogate’s reputation as an upmarket, floral town.

We have received more than 300 comments in the past few days. Nearly all criticised the council’s new grass.

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Organisations including the Harrogate Civic Society, the Harrogate BID and the Stray Defence Association have also voiced their displeasure.

The council previously said that it had received “lots of positive feedback” and explained that it was “testing ways of brightening up the town.”

“The trees mean any plants in the beds struggle for light and moisture, so we’re looking at potential ways of keeping the beds neat and tidy without plants in them.

“When summer bedding plants become available, we will place additional planters and hanging baskets in the town centre to add a splash of vibrant colour.”

The Stray Ferret also asked if the council had plans to take the turf down from the raised beds on Cambridge Street and Oxford Street. We have not yet had a reply.

Wildflowers to be planted on Stray

Harrogate Borough Council will be planting 5,500 wildflowers on the Stray in the coming weeks. It is working with Bilton Conservation Group to create groups of six volunteers to work over two weekends.

The young wildflowers called “plugs” are coming from Cumbria and will be around 5″ tall.

They are to be planted between the Empress Roundabout and the Prince of Wales Roundabout, where 60,000 crocuses were planted last year. More plugs are also planned to be planted in a small meadow by the railway line.

Planting was due to have started in April, but was delayed due to poor weather conditions.

Keith Wilkinson MBE of the Bilton Conservation Group says the wildflowers are “very welcome”.

“Harrogate Stray looks great in spring with its cherry blossom – but then there’s a lull. These wild flowers will make it look spectacular through the summer and come back year after year.

“Bilton Conservation Group is always happy to make the town green. We’ll always help with green initiatives.”

Read more:

Crocus planting

The Bilton Conservation Group planting crocuses on the corner of West Park Stray in October last year.

The news will come as a delight to the over 600 people who signed a Green Party petition last October urging the council to plant wildflowers on the Stray.

Bilton Liberal Democrat candidate ‘very sorry’ after by-election defeat

The Liberal Democrat candidate for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election has said he is “very sorry” for the result after the Conservatives took the seat from the party.

Speaking today, Liberal Democrat Andrew Kempston-Parkes said the election result was “not what we hoped for”.

Matt Scott, the Conservative candidate, won the North Yorkshire County Council seat for the Tories by 352 votes.

The by-election was held following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber who died in March after holding the seat since 2017.

Mr Kempston-Parkes said after the result:

“I look to my comrades in the Labour Party and my sisters and brothers in the Green Party and say as long as the parties of the centre and left continue to fight each other, Conservatives will continue to have power even though they get less than 50% of the vote.”

Matt Scott, Conservative candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Matt Scott, the new Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Scott, who already represents the area on Harrogate Borough Council, won the North Yorkshire County Council seat this morning by a margin of 352 votes ahead of second-placed Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Kempston-Parkes.

His victory marks a shift in power away from the Lib Dems who had previously won six out of eight county council elections in Bilton in the last 16 years.

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Speaking after being announced as winner at the Pavilions of Harrogate today, Cllr Scott said:

“I’m very grateful to the people of Bilton and Nidd Gorge – it’s been a pleasure to serve as the Harrogate borough councillor in Bilton Woodfield since 2018.

“It’s a real privilege to be the county councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge as well.”

There are two Bilton and Nidd Gorge seats on the county council, the other being held by Conservative Paul Haslam whose position was not up for election.

Cllr Scott won today with 1,991 votes, followed by Liberal Democrat Andrew Kempston-Parkes (1,639), Labour’s Tyler Reeton (434), Green Party’s Anrold Warneken (430), Yorkshire Party’s John Hall and  , independent Harvey Alexander (46).

Voter turnout was 37.4% of eligible voters and there were 19 spoiled ballots.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Labour candidate Tyler Reeton gave a message to other young aspiring politicians and promised the party will “come back stronger”.

He said:

“If you are young don’t be scared to run in politics. Politics is yours and you are the future generation. As a 19-year-old, I am honoured to have stood here today with rather strong competitors.

“The Labour Party is not going anywhere in Harrogate – we are going to come back stronger next year and we will win Bilton.”

Family tribute to ‘beloved’ Harrogate hotel murder-suicide victim

The family of a woman who died at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel in what police believe to be a murder-suicide has released an emotional tribute.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon, who were both 29 and from London, were found dead with stab wounds on Tuesday at 10.20pm.

Police are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder.

Devante Gravesande-Smith, a young barrister from London, has described his cousin Ms Gregory as a “loving and caring person, whose smile would light up a room.” He tweeted:

“Chenise worked as a Child Care Specialist. Throughout her life she touched the hearts of those she worked with as well as her family and close friends.

“As a family we are deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Chenise’s tragic murder.

“We’re heartbroken to learn that our beloved Chenise was lured to her death at the hands of her controlling and manipulative ex-boyfriend.”

Enquiries into the circumstances around the deaths are ongoing but detectives are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder. They do not believe anyone else is involved.

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Temporary detective chief inspector Jonathan Sygrove of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team said:

“An investigation into the circumstances around the deaths is ongoing, but the evidence we have gathered at this stage suggests it as a suspected murder-suicide.

“A post-mortem has taken place that has confirmed the couple died from stab wounds. We are treating Ms Gregory’s death as murder and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“This is a very sad case and our thoughts are with their families and friends and this difficult time. We have specialist officers from North Yorkshire Police, supported by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police supporting the family, and we will work with them as we investigate the circumstances leading to these tragic deaths.”

Look inside: Cafe Rita in Harrogate reopens as American diner

A new American diner that sells crocodile, ostrich and kangaroo burgers, as well as more traditional beef burgers, has opened in Harrogate.

The Fabulous 50s Diner opened today on the site of the former Cafe Rita on Bower Road, brightening up the street with its red and white striped walls and chequerboard floor.

Wagdy Mansour ran Cafe Rita with his wife Shirley for eight years and decided to go for something completely different. He said:

“We thought it was time for a change. So we thought about a theme and realised we didn’t have any American diners in Harrogate.”

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Inside the new diner

The brightly lit diner, which has images of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley outside, will open from 9am to 10pm seven days a week.

There are tables outside and it will have four booths inside when it reopens for indoor dining.

Mr Mansour said:

“We have been closed for a year so we are pleased to be open again. It’s a new venture and our customers love it.”

The diner evokes classic American films with seating booths

Court bans former Coach and Horses landlord from driving over drugs

A court has banned the former landlord of the Coach and Horses pub from driving after police pulled him over with cocaine in his system and Class A drugs in his jacket.

John Nelson, who held the pub’s licence for 33 years until last summer, had his court hearing today at the Harrogate Justice Centre after missing it two weeks ago.

The court issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to show but later withdrew it.

Police arrested Nelson on October 30, the day after the council gave his daughter the licence, on Leeds Road and tested him for drugs.

Officers were acting on a report that the car Nelson was driving was being used by a drug dealer. They searched the car and tested him for drugs.

The test found that he had 30 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood in his system. The limit is 10 micrograms. Officers also found three bottles of methadone in his car.

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As a result, officers charged him with drug driving and with possession of a class A drug. Nelson, 65, entered a guilty plea to both charges today.

In defence for Nelson, barrister Andrew Thompson, said:

“Mr Nelson had gone to Leeds to collect the bottles of methadone and was bringing them back to Harrogate to the same friend.

“The police did not stop him for bad driving. Mr Nelson told me today that he felt fine to drive and that he co-operated fully. In his police interview he said he had bipolar disorder.

“That may partly explain why he committed this offence. It is a well known fact locally what happened with the pub he used to run. He has had a difficult year and has retired with no intention of going back.”

The court banned John Nelson from driving for 18 months and ordered him to pay £334 in a fine, surcharge and court costs.

Nelson lost his licence after North Yorkshire Police found customers drinking outside the Coach and Horses and not observing social distancing over the weekend of May 30.

Customers of the pub launched a petition to grant the licence to his daughter Samantha Nelson, which the council did in October last year.

She said she would refurbish and reopen but there has been no movement at the pub ever since. The Stray Ferret has made several enquiries but has received no reply.

Authors celebrate Valley Gardens’ journey from springs to scenic spot

A guide book that celebrates the rich history of Harrogate’s Valley Gardens is now on sale.

The book covers the history of the park from its early days in the 1860s, when it was known as Bogs Field, to the fight to save a deteriorating Sun Pavilion in the 1980s and 90s, to the restoration of the Japanese Garden in 2016.

It has been a labour of love for co-authors Jane Blayney and Anne Smith.

Ms Smith is a former journalist and founded the Friends of Valley Gardens (FOVG) group in 1986. She was its chair until 2009.

Ms Blayney is also a former chair of FOVG and said documenting the history of the cherished space is important for future generations.

Valley Gardens

Valley Gardens is a magnet for sunbathers on sunny days

Ms Blayney said:

“We decided to put together the book so people visiting the town can buy a memento from when they visit.

“It was a really good team job. We had a lot of fun researching it.”

The book costs £5 and is printed in glossy full colour. It’s available to purchase in Harrogate Waterstones, RHS Harlow Carr and Harrogate Tourist Information. It’s also available to buy online here.

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The book’s introduction is written by Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam, who also helped with fact checking.

Stories include the battle to restore the King Edward VII Memorial Gate, which was donated in 1911 and dedicated to those who died in the First World War.

In 1994, when a new hall was built for the Conference Centre, Harrogate Borough Council sold the gate to a scrap metal merchant who then sold it on to a farmer.

FOVG bought the gate back from the farmer so it could be restored and returned to the park. The gate was formally opened in 2018 for the 100-year commemoration of the end of the war.

The book is not for profit and all money raised will go towards printing a second run.

Ms Blayney said “we are very lucky” in Harrogate to have a place like Valley Gardens.

“It’s somewhere where you can take the family for nothing. Older people can sit and enjoy the sunshine, others can skateboard or use the boating pool.”

The Stray Ferret and the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) have worked with Malcolm Neesam to produce two fantastic history audio tours of Harrogate. Both last about an hour and are easy to do. The first will take you back to the golden age of Harrogate’s Victorian Spa days and includes a stop at Valley Gardens, the second will take you through the heart of the shopping district, stopping to learn about historic buildings as you go.  To take a look click here.