Thousands of homes across the north of the Harrogate district remain without TV or radio freeview services, a week after a major fire at a transmitter mast.

The blackout was caused by the fire last Tuesday that put the 315-metre Bilsdale transmitter out of action.

The loss of the transmitter is affecting parts of Harrogate, Boroughbridge, Kirkby Malzeard, Knaresborough, Masham, Pateley Bridge, Ripon and other locations that rely on a signal that serves the Tyne Tees region.

An update issued on Friday by Arqiva, owners of the transmitter, estimated that the repair work will take up to 14 days.

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As viewers and listeners ask questions about when they can tune in once more to freeview on TV and radio,  one resident has contacted Julian Smith MP requesting that the government look at the bigger picture, in relation to critical infrastructure that serves millions of people.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

James Thornborough, who lives in Sharow and whose work saw him specialise in disaster planning, recovery and business continuity, told the Stray Ferret:

“I emailed Mr Smith to raise wider concerns about the potential ramifications of the loss of the service from the mast.

“There is clearly a need to have robust contingency plans in place that anticipate the potential for this kind of occurrence at the Bilsdale transmitter and how to resolve it. ..

In my email to Mr Smith, I said – I am sure you will concede that a TV service being lost to one million viewers qualifies as the loss of a critical national infrastructure service, not least because it deprives the broadcasting companies of the ability to share public safety communications (breaking safety news) by TV or Radio to the design scope audience.”

In an email response, Mr Smith said:

“I note the concerns you have raised in this respect, and have sent a copy of your email together with an email of my own, to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, to pass your points on to him.

“I will write to you again as soon as a reply is received.”

In its statement on Friday, Arqiva, provided an update on on-going reinstatement works at the existing site and efforts to bring a television signal back to thousands of properties.

It said:

“We have had some success during phase 1 of our recovery plan using the Eston Nab site to restore services for some areas.

“Eston Nab is unfortunately unable to reach all the areas served by the larger Bilsdale mast, as broadcast signals rely on line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver (your rooftop aerial).

“This is the reason why masts such as the one at Bilsdale need to be so tall, and why they are located where they are – to reach as many homes as possible.”

For many avid TV watchers and radio listeners, a two-week wait is too long and they are looking for other means of tuning in to their favourite programmes.

This can range from re-setting digital TV boxes, to calling in professionals to have their aerials turned to pick up the signal from the Emley Moor Transmitter, which serves the Yorkshire television area.

People can also tune in via the BBC iPlayer.

Ripon Men’s Shed opened its doors this week, bringing an enormous collaborative effort to fruition.

Following a June 2019 meeting at Community House in Allhallowgate to gauge interest in the project, the charity’s trustees – Andrew Makey, Caroline Bentham, Ed Moore and Tony Johnson – made great strides, in spite of the intervening limitations brought by covid.

The Men’s Shed movement, which addresses issues of loneliness and social isolation, has a specific focus on the older male population, but women are welcome too.

Getting to know the drill – Catherine Limbert joins in woodworking activities with fellow members

There are also Sheds in Harrogate, Starbeck and Pateley Bridge, offering weekly activities ranging from joinery to the restoration of bicycles.

Mr Makey, who is responsible for publicity for Ripon Men’s Shed, told the Stray Ferret:

“Our initial focus is on woodworking, but there are opportunities to look at other areas as well, such as computers.

“The activities, which the members will decide upon themselves, provide a focus and we hope that through their attendance, they will get to know each other and enjoy the social interaction.”

For John Hayson, a retired master plumber living in Boroughbridge, the Men’s Shed will be something to look forward to.

He said:

“I’ve been in hospital recently and after I was discharged, I was bedridden for a few weeks.

“That left me feeling hopeless, particularly as I have a disabled wife that I am caring for.

“I heard about the men’s shed and thought that attending it would be a way of rebuilding my confidence and making friends, by being with like-minded people for a few hours a week, while my wife is looked after by some lovely neighbours we have.”

Catherine Limbert is currently the only female member, but is not phased by being in an all-male environment.

Catherine Limbert — looking forward to learning new skills and making friends at the Men’s Shed

The NHS nurse said:

“I’m happy to speak with anybody and to learn from the expertise they have in areas that I’ve never tried before, such as using an electric drill.

“I have a couple of free days a week and this is a great way of getting out of the house, learning DIY skills and meeting new people.”

While the social aspect of the shed is good for members, it is also beneficial for the people involved in delivering the sessions.

The Ripon Men’s Shed premises, to the rear of the New Life Church in Water Skellgate

Barry Sutton, who was formerly secretary of Selkirk Community Shed, has brought the knowledge he gained in Scotland back to his native country.

The retired forester and now community volunteer, said:

“I believe it’s important for people to stay as active as possible, use their skills and have a sense of purpose.

“Being involved in an organisation like this is a win-win situation for all involved.”

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With a chair lift provided from monies secured by Ripon’s North Yorkshire county councillors Stuart Martin and Mike Chambers, the Tuesday sessions between 10am and 4pm are being made as accessible as possible.

Anybody wishing to become a member, or get involved in other ways, such as making a donation or providing practical assistance with provision of tools that can be used in woodworking sessions, can find out more on the Ripon Men’s Shed Facebook page.

The Lady Chapel, with its Pugin-designed reredos

For Canon Ian Smith, it’s a welcome return, following a life in lockdown for the parish, though he told the Stray Ferret:

“Our need to use the community centre had a good effect in bringing people closer together and helping them to get to know each other better.

“However, it is lovely to be back and see the church returned to its former glory.”

Fr Smith pointed out:

“The work was made possible thanks to Barrie Price and his fundraising committee, while I also say a thankyou to principal contractor Willoughby’s  who have done a great job.”

The reopening of St Wilfrid’s was originally planned for Easter, but had to be re-scheduled because of a hold-up in the supply of specialised glass to replace windows in the church tower.

Let there be even more light – the new windows in the tower have increased the amount of natural daylight that floods into the church

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St. Wilfrid’s, which opened in 1862, is recognised as one of finest parish churches in England.

In 1909, fittings from the private chapel at nearby Studley Royal, were transferred to St Wilfrid’s following the death of  George Frederick Robinson the Marquess of Ripon — the city’s first Catholic mayor since the Reformation and a former Viceroy of India.

A Pugin masterpiece – the reredos screen which provides a stunning backdrop to the high altar

The marquess, who converted to Catholicism, had previously created the Lady Chapel within the church.

The restoration follows years of fundraising by parishioners and awards from trusts, boosted by a £75,000 grant from Historic England.The grant from Historic England will  eventually enable construction of a south porch extension, including toilets, which will come as part of phase two of the restoration programme.

 

Plans have been submitted to convert a former pub and restaurant in Lower Dunsforth into three flats.

Stonefield Developments has applied to Harrogate Borough Council to convert the building, which was most recently a restaurant called The Hideaway Kitchen. Before that it was a pub called The Dunsforth.

The village is four miles from Boroughbridge.

The restaurant closed last year. Planning documents cite a “lack of customer trade and consequent viability issues” as the reason.

The documents add it was recently re-marketed as a restaurant but received no interest.

The upper floor of the building already has three existing flats, so if approved the building would have six in total.

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Two other nearby village pubs have had applications to convert them into housing over the past year.

In March 2021, Harrogate Borough Council approved plans to turn the former Green Tree pub in Little Ouseburn into housing.

The pub, which is on the main B6265 from Green Hammerton to Boroughbridge, closed in late 2019.

In the same month, the council also approved a plan to turn The Crown Inn pub in Great Ouseburn into a five-bedroom home.

Boroughbridge’s flood defences are set to see a boost after the government offered £50,000 as part of a national investment into flood and coastal defences.

The investment will go towards the refurbishment of the Boroughbridge Pumping Station and flood defences. However, construction is not set to start until 2025.

The government has launched a Flood and Coastal Erosion Investment Plan in which £5.2 billion is being invested over the next six years to protect homes and business across England.

The plans for Boroughbridge is one of 1,000 schemes to benefit.

Boroughbridge has been a local hotspot for floods for years with new housing estates and local businesses fighting floods in recent months.

Boroughbridge business owner Malcolm Angus, owner of Canal Garage said:

“Flooding is a real problem here and the answer is to slow the water down. It’s coming down from the Dales too fast and the rivers down here then fill up. It’s a catch 22 because if you manage to slow it in one area it’ll only end up somewhere else.

“It used to be more infrequent but now its four to five times a year.”

This year alone the fund will invest an extra £40 million compared with last year for schemes in Yorkshire and the Humber.

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Following the investment announcement, environment secretary George Eustice said:

“We are standing by communities and will bolster defences against flooding across England with many thousands more properties better protected by 2027.

“It’s important we take action right across the system. Our comprehensive plan will achieve this by tightening planning procedures, helping more people access insurance and making homes more resilient to the effects of flooding.”

A quick-thinking farmer averted a potentially major field fire yesterday when a straw baler went up in flames on land near Little Ouseburn.

Firefighters from Knaresborough and Acomb were summoned when the baler caught fire at about 2pm yesterday.

When the fire crews arrived, the farmer had already managed to unhook the tractor from the baler and another farmer had ploughed a fire break around the flames to prevent the fire spreading.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log said the quick intervention prevented the fire spreading throughout the field. The farmers involved are not named.

The incident log said the cause of the fire was believed to be a mechanical fault. It added:

“The crews extinguished the fire using two hose reel jets and three breathing apparatus.”

In a separate incident yesterday, an unattended barbecue is believed to have been responsible for a fire in Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground, which spread to a tree, causing minor damage before it was extinguished.

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Two cat owners from the Harrogate district have spoken of their heartbreak after their pets ate food which has been linked to hundreds of deaths across the UK.

Both cats Albert and Tina had been eating Sainsburys Hypoallergenic Recipe before they became seriously ill earlier this month.

The Food Standards Agency has recalled a number of cat foods by Applaws, Sainsburys, Ava from Pets at Home and Wilko.

No definitive evidence exists at this stage confirming a link between the cat food and a potentially fatal bone marrow condition called feline pancytopenia but recalls have been issued voluntarily as a precaution while an investigation takes place.

While a vet confirmed that Tina died from pancytopenia, which has been connected with the recalled food, Albert’s death is only a suspected case of the same disease.

The Royal Veterinary College is aware of 506 cats with the disease in the UK. Of these, 62.5% have died. Usually there is only one case in the UK in a year.

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Vivienne Cameron, who is from Pateley Bridge and was the owner of Albert, told the Stray Ferret:

“All I want to do is raise awareness. I had no idea when I bought the cat food that it could lead to Albert’s death.

“He was a really greedy, mummy’s boy. Albert would eat anything. He would probably try to eat you if you sat in his bowl.

“Albert had been eating that food for a few weeks. In the space of a week he stopped eating food, became quite lethargic and then died.

“I miss him. People cannot imagine how much I miss him.”

Liz Chambers, who is from Helperby, near Boroughbridge, and was the owner of Tina, said:

“When we took Tina to the vets they told us it was either cancer or pancytopenia. They said the best of the two would be cancer.

“We tried everything we could but she was not in a good way by the end. It was all very distressing.

“She was always there for us, whether it was by my side putting the clothes out or comforting my eldest when she was upset. It just feels empty in the house now.”

Residents and staff at Boroughbridge Manor care home enjoyed watching last night’s Euro 2020 final, despite the heartbreaking result for England fans.

Throughout the tournament, the home has been decked out with flags and residents have been enjoying all the action.

The residents would remember the last time England reached a major final in 1966 and everyone at the home appreciated seeing Gareth Southgate’s men make their way through the tournament, especially after a tough year with covid restrictions.

Staff put on football-inspired snacks for the residents whilst they watched the games together.

Krzysztof Bialczyk, general manager, said:

“We have loved watching the Euros, we have watched pretty much all the matches – lots of our residents are footie fans.  It has been fantastic to be able to cheer on all the home sides and especially England, we did amazingly well to get to the final.”

Thomas, a resident at Boroughbridge Manor, said:

“Although we didn’t win tonight, it has been a brilliant few weeks of football.  The lads did us proud and made it all the way to the final, they played their hearts out.  At least we haven’t got long to wait until the World Cup next year!”

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The Aldborough Roman Town Site will be free for all residents in the YO51 postcode tomorrow.

The initiative agreed by The Friends of Roman Aldborough and English Heritage is to encourage locals to learn about the site on their doorsteps.

Two thousand years ago Aldborough was the most northerly regional capital in the Roman Empire. It was called Isurium Brigantum and was a major administrative and trading centre for the Romans.

This discovery has only been made in recent years as archaeologists from the University of Cambridge continue to delve into the area’s history.

As well as the vast Roman ruins, visitors can explore the recently updated museum on site. It includes the new analysis by the Cambridge team, as well as artefacts found during their digs.

Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred, chairman of The Friends of Roman Aldborough (Fora), said:

“This offer is the result of collaboration between Fora and English Heritage, who have recently upgraded their museum at the site. These are exciting times as the importance of Aldborough In Roman times is only just starting to be understood in a new light and I highly recommend a visit to the site.”

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YO51 residents will need to book via the English Heritage website using the promotion code PASS21 and produce evidence of residence in the area on arrival.

Entry fees are usually £5.50 for adults and £3.30 for children aged five to 17, with family tickets available.

Campaigners against a planned motorway service station in Kirby Hill have called on the government to review a decision to approve the development.

Gareth Owens, chair of Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services, said the decision made back in April “does not make sense”.

It follows a 25 years of public inquiries and planning battles over the service station which is earmarked for a site between junctions 48 and 49 of the A1(M) northbound, between Boroughbridge and Ripon.

David Rose, the planning inspector who oversaw the latest inquiry, gave approval for the plan submitted by Dublin-based company Applegreen.

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Campaigners have called into question one of the policies used in the inspector’s report to approve the site, which says that the distance between motorway service areas (MSA) should be “no more than 28 miles, but it can be shorter”.

Mr Owens said the policy “appears to have been plucked out of thin air” and called for a review of the decision.

He said:

“The government should admit that it made a mistake in approving the Vale of York motorway services and should announce a review of this controversial decision.”

Mr Owens added that the service station was an example of developers pushing through applications and that proposed planning reforms had “gone too far”.

He added:

“Boris Johnson and his Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick, need to realise that their reforms of the planning system to make approval easier have already gone too far.

“People are outraged that controversial major developments, such as the proposed Vale of York motorway services, are being imposed on them.”

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, wrote to the government on behalf of residents to raise concern over the inquiry process.

In response, Eddie Hughes, minister for rough sleeping and housing, said while he understood the  “disappointment felt” by residents, the inspector took “full account” of representations made by them.

He said in a letter to Mr Smith:

“I understand the disappointment felt by Mr Owens and the other constituents you mention, that the outcome of these appeals was not what they were hoping. 

“However, it is clear from the decision that the Inspector took full account of representations received from interested local residents and, in particular, the evidence submitted by Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services group. 

“Their representations are referred to and assessed by the Inspector throughout the decision.”