Harrogate strip club drops legal challenge as new licence agreed

A legal challenge between Harrogate’s only strip club and the council has been dropped after the owners warned a ban on dancers drinking alcohol would “simply finish the business”.

The Kings Club, on Oxford Street, had its sexual entertainment licence renewed by Harrogate Borough Council’s sub-licensing committee in September.

But conditions that dancers do not drink alcohol and must be paid by bank transfer led to the owners lodging an appeal with York Magistrates Court.

An appeal hearing was due to take place on Friday next week but will not go ahead after committee members agreed to new licensing rules at a meeting today.

Speaking at the meeting, Paul Kinsey, the owner of Kings Club, told councillors that he and dancers themselves ensured they do not drink excessively “because drunk girls don’t earn money”.

He said:

“The dancers are all there to earn money and they themselves realise that actually they are not there to drink.

“They are very self aware they don’t want to be drunk because drunk girls don’t earn money.”

Mr Kinsey also gave reassurances that dancers are escorted to a safe mode of transport at the end of their shifts, as his legal representative Paddy Whur argued an alcohol ban would “simply finish the business” due to dancers not wanting to work.

Mr Whur said:

“We do want dancers to have the opportunity to have a drink with the customers. That is something that has always happened here. It happens in every venue nationally of this type.

“Quite often customers will go into the premises and they don’t even want to be dancing. They will buy a drink for a dancer and sit and talk to them.

“You wouldn’t get dancers coming to work here if they weren’t allowed to socialise.”

Mr Whur also said the venue “wouldn’t get the quality of girls that we want” if payments to dancers had to be made through bank transfer.

He added:

“A lot of dancers will not work here if they have to be paid in BACS – they want the money when they finish their shift and that is for a variety of reasons.

“We do keep a very clear audit trail of who has paid what and when. Everything is done properly.”

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In September, councillors raised concerns over the safety of dancers after they heard how council officers inspected the venue in 2019 and found some panic alarms in dancing booths were not working correctly, although they were repaired the same day.

Councillors were also told the venue had been in “cahoots” with two former dancers over payments, although this was dismissed by legal representatives at the time.

It was agreed by councillors today that the venue’s new sexual entertainment licence would be renewed with the ban on dancers drinking alcohol and need for them to be paid by bank transfer removed.

The new conditions will be added to existing licensing rules, which include no physical contact between dancers and customers, no photography, no throwing of money and no use of sex toys.

The sexual entertainment licence covers topless pole dancing, topless stage striptease and full nudity lap dancing, and is separate to the venue’s alcohol and premises licence.

Marriage proposal mystery solved: She said yes!

The mystery surrounding an aircraft flying over Harrogate trailing the message “Chloe will you marry me? Luke” has had a happy ending.

Luke Stocking contacted the Stray Ferret after reading our story to let us know that it was he who proposed and his girlfriend Chloe had accepted. He wrote to us in an email:

“Luke here! We loved this article, you’ll be pleased to hear she said yes.”

He also sent some photos taken when he popped the question at Castle Howard near York.

Luke arranged a romantic picnic to watch the flyover with Chloe.

The message brightened an overcast day in the district, generating lots of warm comments on social media — as well as generating intrigue about the identity of Chloe and whether she said yes.

The couple live in the south of England.

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Starbeck Baths: frustration grows over re-opening uncertainty

It doesn’t look like anyone will be jumping into Starbeck Baths anytime soon, as there is still no news of a reopening date.

Starbeck Baths is one of five pools run by Harrogate Borough Council.

Harrogate Hydro and Nidderdale Pool reopened when government guidelines permitted on April 12.

Ripon Spa Baths opened last Friday but Starbeck Baths and Knaresborough Pool remain closed.

Last month Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said he hoped both Ripon and Starbeck pools would reopen in May, with Starbeck “very soon after”.

But with less than a fortnight of May remaining, there have been no further updates.

When the Stray Ferret asked the council for an update on Starbeck yesterday, a spokesman said there was no further news.

The uncertainty is frustrating for local residents, including Chris Watt, who said:

“After being told in April, following pressure from local residents, that our pool would re-open this month, it’s really disappointing that no date has yet been confirmed.

“It feels like the council are backtracking and in the meantime children are missing out on their swimming lessons and adults losing the physical and mental health benefits of a swim.

With Knaresborough pool also closed, there is nowhere with easy access via public transport for Starbeck people to use.”

The Starbeck Residents Association previously told the Stray Ferret the pool “should be kept open at all costs” and that it feared covid was being used as an “excuse” to keep it closed.

The 150-year-old building is often used by local schools and residents.

Maintenance work at Knaresborough Pool, due to be carried out by specialist engineers from Spain, has been halted by travel restrictions.

However, the council has said it was trying to find a UK-based firm to fix the problem. No date for its reopening has been announced.

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Free tours of Harrogate’s Stonefall cemetery as covid puts focus on British war graves

Harrogate’s Stonefall Cemetery is holding free tours on Friday next week as part of a bid to encourage more visitors to British war graves.

With covid preventing people travelling to pay their respects to fallen soldiers in France and Belgium, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is highlighting alternatives in this country.

Stonefall is one of the largest war grave sites in northern England and one of only five directly maintained by the commission.

It therefore looks very similar to sites abroad, with rows of immaculately maintained white graves of even size.

Junior soldiers at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College, who usually travel to war graves in Normandy, recently visited Stonefall and the commission hopes the covid travel restrictions will encourage others to do likewise.

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Stonefall will be the focus of the final day of the commission’s first War Graves Week from May 21 to 28.

Tours limited to 10 people will take place throughout the day at the cemetery off Wetherby Road, which is open 24 hours a day to visitors.

Tours are free but places must be booked in advance.

Stonefall Cemetry

Elizabeth Smith, public engagement coordinator for the commission in the north-east, said:

“We are trying to draw people’s attention to the fact that we have a lot of war graves in this country,. People are aware of them abroad but less so here.

“Harrogate is a really special site for us.”

Stonefall’s Canadian connection

Stonefall has more than 1,000 graves, mostly of soldiers from the Second World War.

About two-thirds are Canadian, as its air force was based in North Yorkshire. But there are also also almost 100 Australian graves, five Caribbean graves and also the grave of the only Fijian who flew with the British Royal Air Force.

Stories of those who gave their lives will feature prominently in the tours.

A private closing ceremony for the week will take place at Stonefall on the 28th. It will be broadcast live on a Facebook as part of the commission’s digital festival.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, the mayor of Harrogate and the Lord-Lieutenant for North Yorkshire are expected to visit Stonefall that day.

 

‘Make traffic two-way on Parliament Street and West Park’

Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam has called on North Yorkshire County Council to explore making West Park and Parliament Street open to traffic from both directions.

The two adjoining roads have been one-way for 50 years since the layout changed in 1970.

Mr Neesam, who has written several books on the town, believes returning the roads to how they used to be could be a solution to the town’s congestion problems.

Station Gateway

Traffic flow in Harrogate has been under the spotlight in recent months due to the £7.9m Station Gateway proposals, which could reduce Station Parade to one lane and pedestrianise part of James Street under plans yet to be decided

Some fear that it would have implications for the rest of Harrogate town centre and would exacerbate tailbacks on Station Parade, Cheltenham Parade, King’s Road and back to Parliament Street and West Park.

Mr Neesam believes that changing the road layout would “free up” traffic to flow more easily through town.

He also said it could benefit delegates visiting Harrogate Convention Centre, who would have better access to the town centre.

He said North Yorkshire County Council had long opposed reintroducing two-way traffic but called on the highways authority to reconsider.

He said:

“I’m very much in favour of making the roads two-way. It already works on Leeds Road and Ripon Road.

“They were built as a two-way system in the 18th century.

“It’s quite logical and would free up Station Parade and Cheltenham Parade.”

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In response, Don Mackenzie, the county council’s executive member for access and the Conservative councillor for Harrogate Saltergate, said he “wouldn’t rule it out forever” but was lukewarm on the idea.

He said:

“Many people will recall that in the 50s and 60s there was two-way traffic on West Park and Parliament Street. But this was when vehicle numbers were far less than today.

“Look at West Park and Parliament Street today — it’s difficult to imagine it being two-way with the amount of traffic the two lanes get.”

Cllr Mackenzie also rejected suggestions the Station Gateway proposals would significantly increase congestion in the town. He said:

“It’s likely to happen to a small extent, but the numbers suggested are very small.”

A radical history

Plans to make West Park and Parliament Street one-way were first drawn up in the 1960s by the former West Riding and Harrogate councils.

It was intended to be the first of a five-phase plan to radically alter the road network and would have involved the creation of dual carriageways and flyovers in Harrogate town centre.

However, the rest of the plan was scrapped following massive public opposition.

County council set to buy Cardale Park land for £1.8 million

North Yorkshire County Council looks set to buy land at Cardale Park previously earmarked for a mental health facility for £1.8 million.

Senior county councillors on the authority’s executive will be recommended to approve the purchase at a meeting next week.

The three acres of land on Beckwith Head Road, Harrogate, will be used to build an extra care facility and will be bought from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

A report due before councillors says the land will be used for the “purposes of progressing the scheme to assist with social care market development in the Harrogate area”.

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The land had previously been given approval for a 36-bed mental health facility, following the closure of Harrogate District Hospital’s Briary Unit, which helped adults with mental illness.

However, those plans were dropped in 2019 and inpatients on the unit were sent to Foss Park Hospital in York instead.

Cllr Jim Clark, a Conservative councillor who sits on the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel to represent North Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret previously that he was pleased the site was going to be used.

He said:

“It is important that this site is used for the benefit of local people.

“I would have preferred it to be a mental health facility, but I am glad that it is going to be used for assisted housing for people instead.”

The trust, which runs mental health services in Harrogate, has relocated services following the closure of the Briary Wing.

The unit’s mental health crisis team moved to The Orchards in Ripon last year.

Police issue CCTV images of wanted man after Asda theft in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police has released CCTV images of a man it would like to speak to after a theft from Asda in Harrogate.

The theft occurred at the supermarket on Bower Road between 12.30pm and 1pm on Monday, March 29.

According to a police statement today, “large quantities of valuable stock” was taken without payment.

The statement said:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the person in the images as they believe they will have information that will help the investigation.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC 383 McCabe.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote reference number 12210108977 when passing on information.”

Pensioner with bladder issue wins Harrogate parking fine appeal

A pensioner with a bladder problem, who was fined after parking in Harrogate for four minutes to use the toilet, has won his appeal.

Lee Chadwick, 78, was able to get the fine overturned at the second time of asking by sending proof of his medication.

Mr Chadwick, who lives in Markington, parked at the back of the taxi rank on Station Parade to use the public toilet, leaving his wife in the passenger seat.

When he returned his wife was explaining the situation to the traffic warden. Mr Chadwick also talked to the warden but he still issued a fine.

Harrogate Borough Council wrote to Mr Chadwick saying he could either settle in the next 14 days at the discounted rate of £35 or pay £70 if he waited longer.

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He thought the fine was unreasonable so appealed. The council initially rejected the appeal but asked for a doctor’s letter as proof of his bladder problem.

Mr Chadwick was not prepared to bother with such a request. Instead he sent proof of medication, which has now worked.

Mr Chadwick told the Stray Ferret his good news, adding:

“Harrogate Borough Council has just advised me that they have cancelled the parking penalty notice.

“It means that my anticipated appearance in the Supreme Court will not come.”

Businesses warn £7.9m Station Gateway project could be “hugely damaging”

Harrogate business organisations have said the £7.9 million Station Gateway project could have a “hugely damaging” impact on the town centre.

The project, which is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, could see James Street pedestrianised and reduce Station Parade to single lane traffic.

The county council is now set to progress both the James Street and Station Parade proposals to design stage with further consultation to follow.

But Harrogate Business Improvement District, Independent Harrogate and Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement this afternoon criticising the scheme.

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Sara Ferguson, the Harrogate BID chair, David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and William Woods and Robert Ogden, Independent Harrogate co-founders, said:

“All three organisations, which between us represent hundreds of town centre businesses, are disappointed that our collective voices have not been listened to.

“In responding to the consultation, we put forward a number of alternative suggestions that we believe will help Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council achieve their objectives, give cyclists dedicated space away from the main A61 Station Parade, assist pedestrians by making changes to the top end of James Street, give priority to buses arriving and leaving the bus station, and protect the interests of town centre retailers.

“We are also strongly of the view the main gateway into the town centre from the bus and railway stations is Cambridge Street, and it is here that Harrogate Borough Council should be fully focussing its attention.

“Two months ago, Cllr Mackenzie shared our concerns about reducing Station Parade to one lane, therefore we are pleased to note more design work and further consultation is to be undertaken on this important issue.

“Cllr Ireland says ‘proposals for sustainable alternatives to the car’ have significant support from residents, businesses and visitors alike, yet this is not what we are hearing from the business community, in particular the retailers, many of whom fear what is being proposed will have a hugely damaging effect on their livelihoods, and the town per se.

“Despite many feeling the outcome is already a done deal, we will continue our dialogue with local councillors and officers, as the final outcome will change the face of Harrogate town centre forever.”

A proposal to pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate, which is being consulted on as part of the Station Gateway plans.

A proposal to pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate, which was consulted on as part of the Station Gateway plans.

Of the 1,101 who responded to the survey, 45% supported the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured the Station Parade one-lane proposal.

However, 17% said they favoured a part-pedestrianisation of James Street and 27% backed two lanes for Station Parade.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told the Stray Ferret that he was “mindful” that businesses had their own views on matters such as James Street pedestrianisation.

He said:

“Pedestrianisation is one of those things that divides opinion. I’m mindful that many businesses on James Street have expressed their own view on it. 

“I wouldn’t like to second guess which option will be chosen when the county council’s executive meets next week.”

Harrogate and Ripon vaccine centres to close in August

The vaccination centres at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and Ripon Races will close in August after clinical leaders decided they were no longer needed.

The two GP-led sites have administered more than 120,000 jabs so far. The Harrogate centre will close on August 13 and the Ripon site will close on August 31.

The pharmacy-led centres in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge are set to play a larger role in the vaccine rollout as a result.

NHS England believes the pharmacy sites, along with regional vaccine hubs in Leeds and York, will provide more than enough capacity to administer vaccines after August.

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Dr Chris Preece, a GP partner at Church Lane Surgery in Boroughbridge and clinical director of the Knaresborough and Rural District Primary Care Network, said the vaccination programme in the Harrogate District had been “phenomenally successful”. He added:

“As the programme moves towards vaccinating younger and more mobile cohorts, we’re already seeing evidence that people are choosing to travel to one of the larger, regional vaccination hubs, rather than waiting to be contacted by their GP practice.

“We would like to place on record our extreme gratitude to the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon Racecouse for their support and the generous use of their facilities.”

Dr Ian Dilley, a GP partner at East Parade Surgery in Harrogate and clinical director of the Mowbray Square Primary Care Network added:

“With the huge number of people now vaccinated in the local area, we feel August is an appropriate end date.

“We need to be mindful of the other pressures that will be placed on doctors’ surgeries as we head towards autumn and winter, and the annual flu vaccine campaigns that GP practices need to provide.

“We also need to enable our kind hosts at the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon Racecourse to provide their own events as restrictions continue to be eased and more public events are permitted.”

The primary care networks will continue to run vaccination clinics from both the Harrogate and Ripon sites for the next three months,