Harrogate Neighbours is set to relocate some of its residents to a new home in Boroughbridge.

The not-for-profit organisation, which provides residential and community care, has acquired a new site formerly known as Springfield Garth in Boroughbridge from North Yorkshire County Council.

The site is undergoing refurbishment and will see residents from 28-bedroom Heath Lodge on Pannal Ash Road, Harrogate, moved to the new facility.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said: 

“We have been working very closely with North Yorkshire County Council and the local authorities to identify a suitable site that will allow us to offer and deliver excellent quality care to residents and clients now and in the future.

“The site in Boroughbridge will enable us to grow and develop our services into the community, as well as providing job opportunities within the care sector. We are delighted to be moving to the area and we look forward to being part of a supportive and caring community.

“Heath Lodge residents and their relatives have been updated on the relocation and have all been very supportive on the move. We look forward to welcoming them and new residents to the newly named ‘Heath Lodge Community Haven’ in the next few months.”

Harrogate Neighbours said the new building has larger communal areas, wider corridors and improved facilities.

Heath Lodge Community Haven is due to open November 2022.

Cllr Michael Harrison, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for Health and Adult Services, added: 

“Harrogate Neighbours provides much needed services in this part of North Yorkshire and we have been very pleased to help make sure this very positive development could happen.

“It not only brings a building back into use but offers potential for growth and an opportunity to be more sustainable, whilst caring for older people in the local area, which is of paramount importance for our ageing population.”

Read more:

• Plan for 80-bed care home on Ripon paint factory site
• Harrogate mental health crisis team remains in Ripon

Average house prices in the Harrogate district fell by £6,000 in a month, according to latest government figures.

Data released by the Land Registry shows that from April to May the average price of a property dropped from £332,641 to £326,123.

However, the figures also reveal that prices have increased year on year.

Since May 2021, the average cost of a property has increased by 7.4%. Buyers could purchase a house for £303,528 last year.

By comparison, a property in Leeds could be bought for £229,139 in May this year.

The number is also a drop on last month by £604.

Average house price increased by 13%

The average cost of a home in the Harrogate district is slightly above that for the country.

Across England, latest figures show that the average price is £303,278.

This is up 13.1% on May last year.

In a statement, the Land Registry said:

“England house prices grew by 13.1% in the year to May 2022, up from 11.6% in April 2022. England house prices were growing faster than the UK annual rate of 12.8% in the year to May 2022.

“The South West was the fastest growing region with annual growth of 16.9% in the year to May 2022. The lowest annual growth was in London, where prices increased by 8.2% over the year to May 2022.”

Read more:

• Developer granted time extension over 30-home plan in Ripon
• Council set to carry out ground stability work at Ripon Leisure Centre

Fire crews were called to a bale and field on fire in Aldborough yesterday.

Pictures released by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue show crews tackling the blaze at 11.49am.

Fire crews from Knaresborough, Ripon, Wetherby and the water bowser from Tadcaster stopped the spread of the fire and extinguished the baler.

The fire spread from the baler to the stubble field measuring approximately 10 acres, according to the service’s fire log.

Firefighters have urged people to be vigilant during the soaring temperatures this week to prevent the spread of fires near farmland.

Firefighters tackling the field fire in Aldborough. Picture: Knaresborough Fire Station.

This includes discarding of cigarettes properly, not using disposable barbecues near crops, checking straw and hay bales which can overheat and keeping farm machinery in good working order. 

Last month, Harrogate firefighters tackled five field fires during the hottest day of the year.

Crews were called to battle blazes at Forest Lane in Harrogate and Marton-cum-Grafton among others.

Read more:

• Drone captures scale of Ripon field fire
• Harrogate firefighters battle extreme heat as five fields go up in flames

Harrogate District Hospital has started issuing yellow socks to victims of falls.

The scheme, which has been introduced by other hospitals, allows staff and visitors to identify patients who require extra assistance with their mobility.

Under the scheme, if a Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust patient is admitted having previously fallen, they will be automatically given a pair of non-slip yellow socks.

Katie Butterworth, falls specialist and corporate nurse at the trust, said:

“The bright colour of the socks let both staff and visitors know that a patient who is wearing them may need assistance when walking and could be a potential fall risk.

“We would like all staff to see (yellow socks), think (extra assistance) and then act (review falls risk assessment).”

Read more:

• ‘Huge’ increase in demand for Harrogate council homeless services
• Harrogate Convention Centre ‘could lose £250 million without investment‘

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss breezed into Harrogate today as part of her campaign to be the next Prime Minister.

Local Conservative Party members paid £10 to take part in an Ask Liz event at a private house on the Duchy estate. Attendees didn’t receive the address until this morning.

Those who arrived early made the most of the sunshine by sitting on a wall in front of the property, many dressed in their finest attire.

One woman said Ms Truss had “come across very well” at a recent hustings in Leeds, another said she was there to “see what she’s got to say”.

And there were mutterings that there was no support from MPs in the district, including Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and Skipton and Ripon MP  Julian Smith. Both are backing rival leadership candidate Rishi Sunak, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Instead Alec Shelbrooke, MP for Elmet and Rothwell, hosted Ms Truss’s visit. He could be seen with other prominent members of the party waiting at the large black metal gates to greet Ms Truss.

Graham Swift thanks people for attending.

Harrogate Borough Council deputy leader Graham Swift, who the house is believed to belong to, was also spotted at the event.

Read more:

• Liz Truss set to speak to Conservatives in Harrogate tomorrow
• Rishi Sunak ‘warmly received’ in Masham

Stickers and signs emblazoned with the words ‘In Liz we Truss’ and ‘Liz for Leader’ were given out to visitors, as they were directed to a garden at the back of the house.

The press weren’t invited to attend, however the Stray Ferret captured a video of Ms Truss arriving in a black Range Rover, before she was whisked into the property by security, which included the Metropolitan Police.

Although the event was billed for 90 minutes, Ms Truss left after about 30 minutes and then made a fleeting visit to Harrogate town centre.

Liz Truss leaving the venue with her security entourage.

After a walk up Montpellier Parade, she was shown the sights of the Stray and the town’s war memorial, which was surrounded by people enjoying the 25 degree heat.

From there, the leadership hopeful headed into Bettys Tea Rooms armed with her entourage, before swiftly leaving to head down Parliament Street.

Passing the queue at Bettys. Pic: The Stray Ferret

With that she was gone on to the next leg of her campaign to defeat Sunak when party members vote to choose the next leader.

The result of the race to replace Boris Johnson will be announced on September 5.

Ouseburn councillor Arnold Warneken has welcomed today’s announcement that plans to house 1,500 asylum seekers at Linton-on-Ouse have been scrapped.

The government planned to create a reception centre at the former airfield, which is close to villages in the Harrogate district including Great Ouseburn, Little Ouseburn and Nun Monkton.

The airfield is also just nine miles from Boroughbridge and 13 miles from Knaresborough.

But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said today he had withdrawn the offer to the Home Office for the site.

Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, said withdrawing the offer was the “right thing to do”. He said:

“It was an ill-thought plan that caused distress and sleepless nights for residents. The consequences would have been huge.”

Read more:

• Ripon refugee charity joins calls opposing 1,500 asylum seekers at Linton
• Home Office accused of ‘disgraceful actions’ over Linton asylum plan’

Cllr Warneken said the episode revealed was a concerning lack of consultation by the government.

He said he suspected the reason was because a consultation “would have provided a different answer to the one they wanted to hear” but nevertheless this was not the right way to proceed.

Linton on Ouse Action Group, which was set up to campaign against the Home Office’s plan, welcomed the news.

Group member Kelly Kirby said it was “absolutely delighted” but also concerned that the same scheme could be dropped on another community soon.

She said action group members has spent “tens of thousands of hours” opposing the scheme.

By no means a victory but some movement. We will continue to hold @ukhomeoffice to account for their failings in processing and their hostile treatment of asylum seekers. It is by no means over.

— Linton on Ouse Action Group (@LintonAction) August 9, 2022

Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, also welcomed the news that Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak had no plans to revive the Linton scheme.

Wonderful News! @RishiSunak Sunak pledges to axe 'inappropriate' Linton-on-Ouse asylum centre plan @LintonAction https://t.co/O0EwPCc3QS

— Kevin Hollinrake MP (@kevinhollinrake) August 9, 2022

Temperatures are set to soar close to 30 degrees in the next few days — but today’s extreme heat warning does not include the Harrogate district.

The Met Office has issued a four-day amber extreme heat warning for much of southern and central England from Thursday.

The warning, which predicts temperatures of up to 35C, extends north as far as Leeds.

Although the Harrogate district is not included, it is still set to be very warm for the rest of the week.

The Met office is forecasting temperatures of 29 degrees centigrade in Boroughbridge tomorrow, with the rest of the district a degree or two cooler.

Temperatures are not expected to fall until Monday to Tuesday next week when there could be thunderstorms.

Many farmers are praying for rain.

Yorkshire Water said today average stocks in its reservoirs were 51% last week, which is around 20% less than usual for this time of year.

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1556941086316236800

Read more:

• Image gallery: 72 hours of wild weather in Harrogate district
• Harrogate climate change scientist warns of more extreme heatwaves

Conservative leadership candidate Liz Truss will visit Harrogate tomorrow as she continues to tout for votes from the party’s membership.

The foreign secretary will speak to local members at an undisclosed venue at lunchtime in what is being described by organisers as “an informal gathering in a central Harrogate location”.

Tickets have been sold in advance by Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Party, with even those booked to attend not being told the location of the event until tomorrow morning. Organisers have cited “security reasons” for the secrecy.

Last month, Ms Truss’s opponent, Rishi Sunak, spoke to party members at an event at the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham.

Attendees included Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, who has declared his support for Mr Sunak. Some of those present told the Stray Ferret there was a “warm” reception for the candidate, and that many present were already predisposed to him.

Great to welcome @RishiSunak to a packed @BlackSheepBeer in #masham today. Excellent feedback from @conservatives members across North Yorkshire #Ready4Rishi pic.twitter.com/aCY9s3gZy2

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) July 24, 2022

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has also given his backing to the former chancellor.

Nigel Adams, whose Selby and Ainsty constituency covers the Harrogate district’s southern and eastern rural areas, has not declared his allegiance. A close ally of outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he has said he will stand down at the next election.

Ms Truss and Mr Sunak are the final two left in a long-running race to lead the party and become the next Prime Minister.

Ballot papers have now been issued to party members, with the winner of the contest set to be announced on Monday, September 5.

Read more:

• Rishi Sunak ‘warmly received’ in Masham
• Second Harrogate district MP declares support in Conservative leadership battle
• Chancellor Rishi Sunak visits Harrogate

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. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Who benefits from the Maltkiln development? 

Will our local councils come clean and explain to us why they are proceeding with Maltkiln after refusing, right up to the High Court, the development of Flaxby with the following consequences:

• Destruction of farmland
• Two years of construction aggravation on the A59
• Permanent reduction in capacity on the A59 between York and the A1(M)
• Continued underutilisation of existing A59 roundabout just to the west of the A1(M)

Can they tell us who are the beneficiaries of this decision?

Dr Terry Bramall CBE, Harrogate

Read More: 

• ‘Let’s make the best of it’: Hopes and fears for 3000-home Maltkiln settlement
• Beech Grove road closure in Harrogate to end in 10 days

Chain Lane/York Road junction, Knaresborough

Having read Mr Payne’s letter regarding this junction and the poor signage, I was compelled to write. I asked North Yorkshire County Council why the temporary right turn sign suddenly appeared. This makes life difficult for residents on The Paddock trying to get home from Wetherby Road. The diversion down Manse Lane is nothing short of dangerous!

I have waited patiently for weeks for a reply…still waiting. I also contacted our Town representatives….they are also still waiting for a reply.

Is this the service we can expect when we all come under North Yorkshire Council. It makes me shudder!

Please Highways, can I have an answer?

Regards

Jayne Jackson, Knaresborough 

Opening Beech Grove wont solve anything

Dennis Richards says the Beech Grove scheme has made Victoria Road more dangerous because of speeding traffic.

Beech Grove Low Traffic Neighbourhood hasn’t made drivers go faster on Victoria Road but it has meant there are more of them. That is going to be tackled by making the junction with Otley Road one way only.

Drivers will be able to enter Victoria Road but not exit onto Otley Road.

Opening up Beech Grove to through traffic won’t solve anything but will make the road much less pleasant for residents and no longer a safe oasis for cyclists.

Malcolm Margolis , Harrogate District Cycle Action 

Enquiries to join girls’ footballs teams in the Harrogate district have surged following the Lionesses’ historic Euro 2022 victory.

The impact of the team’s success have been felt across the area, with coaches and players labelling England’s success as “inspiring”.

And it is hoped the win will now open doors for young girls in the future.

Rachel Daly’s pathway to the Lionesses began at Killinghall Nomads.

Rachel Daly (centre) with girls from Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club and their manager David Terzza (right).

Ms Daly played and trained in a boys’ team, but the club now teams for both girls and boys.

The club also runs non-competitive weekly Wildcats sessions at Killinghall Moor. They allow girls, aged five to 11,to try out playing football before committing to a team.

David Terzza, Killinghall Nomads girls’ football manager, who was a coach when Rachel Daly played at the club, said:

“On Monday night I ran a session and there were six new girls who signed up straight away.

“We have up to about 32 girls who take part in the Wildcats sessions, which cost £3 and are run by qualified FA coaches. I give out information about clubs in the area. We hope they come to our club at Killinghall, but that’s not always the case.”

Chris Fahy,  Boroughbridge Juniors Football Club’s chairman and coach, said England’s success was “massively important” for girls’ football.

A year ago he applied for tickets to the Euro 2022 final — and it paid off as 70 members of the club got to see the Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday.

Boroughbridge girls at the Euro 2022 final at Wembley.

He said:

“I’ve been doing girls’ football for eight years and at the moment we’ve got three teams – a small group aged from five upwards. I’m hoping what happened on Sunday will have an impact. We had a couple of enquiries just on Monday from people wanting to join.

“It’s good for the future. The publicity has been absolutely fantastic. There has been so much build-up and media attention.”

Mike Collier, women and girls football lead at Scotton Scorchers Junior Football Club, said the club was “so proud and emotional” about what it means for the Lionesses to win the Euros.

He said:

“It’s not just the winning but also the way they have gone about doing it.

“They are role models and superstars and yet still ordinary people in touch with their fans.

“This isn’t overnight success though and it’s great that the current players have given credit to everyone who has gone before them, including recognition for their grassroots clubs, reminding everyone that every England player started their football journey there.

“We hope the game continues to grow and become securely established so that players really can have football careers, but it’s also really important to remain accessible, relatable and likeable.”

Scotton Scorchers is the club of footy-mad Tess Dolan, eight, who was gifted tickets by the BBC after she was filmed dancing to the unofficial anthem Sweet Caroline following last Tuesday’s semi-final victory.

Scotton Scorchers under 14s girls team on a charity fun run last year.

The youngster stole the nation’s heart again when she was interviewed on TV before the victorious final on Sunday.

Mr Collier said:

“We have had many of our players at the games and are proud of all our girls, with good luck messages on social media and local radio etc.

“But also our little dancing superstar Tess, who summed up the nation’s great joy with her celebrations at the semi-final and went on to join the BBC on match day in the studio and lift the trophy too!

“We  have over 150 girls and women playing football, we are all inclusive, and it’s about fun and friendship, respect, health and wellbeing. We also have some fantastic players and teams competing at the highest levels in the county. Our Women’s team  trained recently with the Lionesses!”