Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel updates

Good morning and welcome to our new traffic and travel service, designed to keep the Harrogate district moving in a morning.

It’s Connor on the travel desk from 6.30am. Send in any updates you have by sending an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

We will keep across the roads and rail lines. If traffic is moving well or it’s at a standstill then we will let you know with our updates every 15 minutes.

Thanks for your interest in our live blog. Have a lovely day and keep on top of traffic and travel right here on the Stray Ferret.

Full update – 9am

Thanks for getting involved this morning. I am now heading over to the news desk for the rest of the day but will be back bright and early tomorrow morning.

Roadworks have been the story of the day. They have been causing delays around the Harrogate district, with a new site being set up this morning at the Leeds Road Roundabout in Harrogate.

Full update – 8.45am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Traffic is slow around construction sites:

Got any updates to share? Send an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Full update – 8.30am

Full update – 8.15am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Traffic is slow around construction sites:

Full update – 8am

Traffic is moving well around the Harrogate district, except for around construction sites:

Full update – 7.45am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Traffic is sluggish on Wetherby Road around construction sites:

Traffic is slow around construction sites. Photo: Inrix

Full update – 7.30am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Knaresborough Road into Harrogate town centre is slow all the way from Knaresborough. Traffic is also sluggish around construction sites:

Full update – 7.15am

Full update – 7am

Full update – 6.45am

Full update – 6.30am

 

Controversial Harrogate road closure starts today

Beech Grove will close to through traffic today as part of a council bid to create a “low traffic neighbourhood”.

The road closure will be in place for six months and, depending on the results of a public consultation, could become permanent.

Work to install the signage, bollards and planters will take three days from Monday, weather permitting.

It is hoped the move will improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It will also link to the new Otley Road cycle path, work on which is due to begin in spring.

Residents, refuse collections and emergency services will still have access to the area.

But motorists will no longer be able to get directly from Otley Road to West Park via Beech Grove.

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North Yorkshire County Council revealed the proposals two weeks ago and it quickly divided the town into two camps.

Cycling and green groups were in favour, seeing it as a shift towards a more environmentally friendly town.

Harrogate’s chamber of commerce and business improvement district raised concerns about the impact on the high street, however.

Residents on the streets have also contacted the Stray Ferret to express their displeasure at the town centre detour now needed to head towards Starbeck or Leeds.

When the cycle route is completed, cyclists will be able to turn from Otley Road onto Beech Grove, which would be free from traffic, and connect with another earmarked cycle route on Victoria Avenue.

Charity Corner: Pinewoods Conservation – more than just a pressure group

The much-loved Pinewoods in Harrogate is looked after by a group of dedicated volunteers wanting to preserve the area and make it accessible to all.

Set up in 2002 the Pinewoods Conservation Group group has around 100 volunteers working to keep the Pinewoods a place everyone can enjoy. That may be for their daily dog walk or as a meeting point for a flask of tea with a friend.

The group works to maintain and conserve the 96 acres of Harrogate woodland, that can be found between the Valley Gardens and Harlow Carr Gardens.

Pinewoods Harrogate

The volunteers have been preserving the woods for nearly 20 years.

One of its founding members, Geoff Scurrah, visits the Pinewoods every morning to fill the bird feeders and walk his dog. He is a committed member of the group and a lover of the outdoors.

Mr Scurrah, along with other members, works hard to protect the natural habitats of wildlife in the Harrogate area. He said:

“What we wanted to do was to make the woods accessible to a greater cross-section. I got involved because I’m a country lad and I have an interest in the great outdoors.”

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Recently, it has taken a stand against proposed plans to build on an area of the woodland known as Rotary Wood.

It fought against Harrogate Spring Water’s plans to expand its bottling plant from 0.77 hectares to 0.94 hectares this would have destroyed public woodland planted by local families in the area of Pinewoods.

The decision was rejected by Harrogate Borough Council last month.

Pinewoods footpaths

Improving the footpaths in the woodlands was one of the main aims for the charity to make it accessible to all.

The fight to stop the bottling plant’s expansion might have given the group a higher public profile but beyond this is a great deal of daily work by a dedicated team who turn out not regardless of the weather.

Since setting up nearly 20 years ago the group has reinstated footpaths to make the woods accessible to those with wheelchairs and prams.

Mr Scurrah said the charity has raised and spent around £80,000 on the woodland.

The group has also erected fingerposts and information boards for visitors. A binocular was also installed to show the ‘Pinewoods Panorama’, the group spent around £4,000 on this to show off wood’s views.

The group is continuously planting trees and bulbs around the site. It also encourages local wildlife to live in the woodland by fixing bird and bat boxes to the trees.

Pinewoods Panorama

The Pinewoods Panorama was a big achievement for the charity.

Rudding Park works with charity to spread love to older people

Rudding Park has worked with a local charity to send 250 treat packages to older people this Valentine’s Day.

The hotel and spa teamed up with Supporting Older People to give people a lift after another month in lockdown.

Chefs at Rudding Park made hundreds of homemade treats for the packages. They include passion fruit chocolate truffles, heart shaped biscuits and more.

Julia Lightfoot, Supporting Older People’s befriending and activities manager, said:

“These delicious little treats that Rudding Park have so kindly arranged will certainly bring a smile to their faces and help them feel loved this Valentine’s Day!”

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The charity added that the deliveries have been meticulously planned to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Julia Featherstone, Rudding Park’s front office manager, spearheaded the project and said:

“Being furloughed for much of the last 11 months has not diminished the team’s desire to do what they can to make people smile.

“With this in mind, we are delighted to have teamed up with Supporting Older People to support the amazing work they do in our wonderful community.

“As it is Valentine’s Day on Sunday, we wanted to let their members know that we are thinking of them.”

Harrogate mother talks of daughter’s childhood cancer to support charity

A Harrogate family is supporting a Yorkshire cancer charity in raising awareness for International Childhood Cancer Day by talking openly about the impact on families.

Candlelighters is based in Leeds and helps families across Yorkshire affected by childhood cancer.

The Downie family from Harrogate have praised the charity after it helped them during their daughter’s cancer treatment.

Marnie Downie-Keally, aged six, was diagnosed with Low-grade Pilocytic Astrocytoma (a type of brain tumour) when she was two years old. In late 2018 after an MRI scan, it was decided that Marnie would need to go through chemotherapy for 18 months.

Her mum Sally had to stop working to take care of her daughter. Candlelighters was able to offer some financial support during this time as well as emotional support.

Sally said:

“I had worked full time in the pharmaceutical industry but at that point had to stop work to care for Marnie.”

“There are far too many things to list that Candlelighters have done for us since Marnie’s diagnosis and, unless you are being supported by them, I don’t think you can ever fully appreciate what they do.”

Marnie is now doing well after finishing her treatment in June 2020.

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In Yorkshire alone, 150 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Candlelighters says its aim is to offer support to these children and their families whether that is by offering respite to parents or financial grants.

Candlelighters chief executive, Emily Wragg, said:

“We are proud of the many ways we support families emotionally, practically and financially – which has continued throughout the pandemic. We also bring hope to families by investing in vital research, education and training, helping to improve long-term outcomes for patients.”

Meditation at heart of Harrogate school’s mental health award

A Harrogate school has won gold for its mental health and wellbeing support for pupils.

Coppice Valley Primary School has rolled out a wide range of activities including meditation, and more as part of a mental health curriculum.

It is collaborating with local services Compass Buzz and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The school also has set out specific support for pupils in need.

The school said the focal point of its provision is its weekly personal, social and health education lesson which teaches children how to look after their mental health.

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More than 800 schools have signed up to take part in the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools award.

The award shines a light on the work of schools to support mental health, something which has become more poignant after a year of coronavirus.

Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health, which is part of Leeds Beckett University, established the award in 2017.

Coppice Valley’s headteacher, Emma Meadus said:

“I am extremely proud of the mental health offer we provide at Coppice Valley for all pupils.

“Achieving this award is a fantastic recognition of all the hard work of the whole school community to create our mental health provision.”

Sam Wright, Coppice Valley pupil wellbeing worker, added:

“Working towards the award over the last year gave me the perfect opportunity to audit our mental health provision for the whole school.

“I was able to see what we were doing well and which areas we could improve on. We’ve built a robust offer for all our children through the award-process.”

New Starbeck bar granted alcohol licence

A new bar is set to open in Starbeck after Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee granted it a licence to sell alcohol.

Robert Thompson, director of Appetite for Life, hopes to have The Waiting Room open in May, covid restrictions permitting.

The building at 34 High Street was previously occupied by Greenalls and Your Factory Bed Shop, but has stood empty for some time. The name of the bar ties in to its location near Starbeck railway station.

Mr Thompson told the committee this morning that he hopes the bar will attract a different clientele to the nearby Prince of Wales pub.

He said:

“We see Starbeck as an up and coming area that lacks a high-quality, modern hospitality venue. We want to change that through an investment of up to £100,000.”

Appetite for Life’ already runs a number of bars in the Harrogate district including the So Bars in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, and the Tap on Tower Street.

The bar will also sell coffee from 7am Monday to Saturday and from 9am on Sunday, with a deli counter open during each day. It will close at 11.30pm Monday to Wednesday and 00.30am during the rest of the week.

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Starbeck is currently served by one pub, the Prince of Wales, plus two clubs.

However, the high street could see the addition of a second new bar called The Office Ale House, which submitted plans to Harrogate Borough Council last year.

Owner Kevin Jones told the Stray Ferret that he is confident that Starbeck is big enough for the two new venues, and thinks covid has highlighted how important pubs are for local communities.

Primary school’s new speed signs slow traffic on Cold Bath Road

Western Primary School is already seeing the effects of its new speed signs on Cold Bath Road.

The school’s headteacher, Mr Tim Broad, believes that many drivers are simply unaware that the speed limit is 20mph rather than 30mph.

Mr Broad spent this morning on duty and saw many slowing down when they were prompted by the signs.

One is just outside the school gates and another is a little further down the hill opposite the junction with Freemans Court.

Staff at the school became particularly concerned in September when some people were taking risks crossing the road away from the busy pelican crossing.

As a result, the school feared that a child could be killed crossing the road so lobbied North Yorkshire County Council for action.

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The council agreed to cover the £7,000 cost of the signs in early December which went up this week.

Mr Tim Broad told the Stray Ferret:

“I honestly believe that if you were to stop drivers at random on Cold Bath Road that the majority would believe it is a 30mph road.

“There is a lot of traffic that comes down this road. It not only creates a problem for pupils crossing the road but there’s also a pollution problem.

“The signs are working already. When they light up and people see them they slow down.”

A radar in the signs detect vehicles travelling above the 20mph speed limit from at least 50 metres away and this triggers a ‘slow down’ message.

Harrogate man claims he caught coronavirus in hospital

A Harrogate man who claims he caught coronavirus in hospital has called for greater protections for patients.

Tom Linden, who is 64, was taken to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance a couple of weeks ago on January 27.

With chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure and diabetes, Mr Linden is in the at-risk group for coronavirus.

He feared going into hospital but when he developed fluid retention complications, a symptom of COPD, he had no choice.

On entering hospital he tested negative for coronavirus so was taken to the Byland Ward with five other COPD patients.

Mr Linden, who in normal times is in and out of hospital quite regularly, told the Stray Ferret:

“We were all tested for coronavirus on a daily basis. The staff came in on one night and told one of the six of us that they had coronavirus. As I was awake they told me as well.

“The same happened again another night. We raised our concerns about coronavirus safety in the ward and asked them to leave the door open and open the window but they dismissed us.

“On the third time they told me I had coronavirus. They moved me into the Nidderdale ward with the other coronavirus patients and I have a private room where I am calling you from now.

“Now I have to keep telling them to close the door behind them when they come into the room. I am absolutely terrified. I don’t think I am going to make it.”

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Harrogate District Hospital is under significant pressure at the moment. As of yesterday, it had 61 coronavirus. Down just three from an all time high of 64 patients last week.

A spokesperson for the hospital said:

“We have reviewed the comments made by Mr Linden and we are confident that the care provided has been what would be expected.

“Hospitals are safe places to be to receive care if needed.

“At Harrogate District Hospital, we follow strict infection prevention and control measures to protect both our colleagues and our patients, and these are adhered to at all times.

“Some of the measures include opening the windows where possible once every hour for 10 minutes.

“We have plastic curtains in between all beds (that are not two metres apart) which are wiped clean regularly.

“All colleagues involved in patient care are asked to self-test for covid-19 twice a week and report in the results.

“This helps to keep people safe and prevent asymptomatic spread of covid-19.

“Should anyone’s subsequent tests come back positive, then we have plans in place to provide appropriate care.”

The hospital’s press office also added that staff are well versed in PPE and that patients get PPE when they arrive.

‘Sneak peek’ at Harrogate’s new pancake shack

A new pancake house is opening in Harrogate today and the owner has promised that it will taste flipping good.

Tossers Pancake Shack, based at 53 Bo Grove on Grove Road, will open for the first time at 12pm today. Just in time for Pancake Day next Tuesday.

It will serve up mini Dutch-style pancakes as well as the more traditional crepes. Each can be served with a variety of sweet and savoury toppings.

The name of ‘Tossers’ has already proved a little too crude for some.

So the owner has challenged readers of the Stray Ferret to pick out a better one. The winner will receive a full tray of Dutch pancakes with all the trimmings.

Comment on the Facebook post where we shared this article with your entries.

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Kyrensa Bentley, owner of 53 Bo’Grove, told the Stray Ferret ahead of the opening:

“We just want to inject a little bit of fun and laughter into people’s lives. Also, we’ve kept the prices really reasonable so everyone can come and take part.

“So it will just be a nice, relaxed atmosphere. We like the thought of street food, where people can just come in and pick up some food and maybe go for a walk.

“We focus on using fresh fruit and vegetables which we get from the wholesale market in Leeds.”

Would you like to spread the word about your shop opening? No matter how small the shop get in touch with the Stray Ferret.