Festival director welcomes sold-out shows as Northern Aldborough returnsNorthern Aldborough Festival is returning this month and festival director, Rob Ogden, said he is excited to offer audiences live performances once more.
Stellar acts in the classical genre such as Lesley Garrett and The Haffner Ensemble will perform in Aldborough between June 21 and 27 as the festival returns as one of the first large events locally since the pandemic.
Eager festival goers meant the event was sold out after 10 days of tickets on sale.
The festival has a rich history welcoming big names in the classical world since it began in 1994. It has grown to be an established classical music event in the north.
Lesley Garrett and Rev Richard Coles are two of the acts in the festival’s line-up.
Mr Ogden has been involved since 2009, taking on the director role in 2010. This year is like no other with capacity almost halved and social distancing measures in place.
Each night 140 audience members will be sat in St Andrew’s Church, previous years it has reached 270. The final night’s outdoor concert will welcome 550 people down from 1,000.
Mr Ogden said:
“We want it to feel like the same experience as much as we can. we will follow whatever guidance is in place at the time, but apart from all of that we hope people can enjoy the same experience. There’s such excitement being so close to such fantastic artists as it is an intimate event.”
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This show has been in the works since August 2019 with many acts agreeing to return this year after the 2020 festival was cancelled.
Young names, famous names and new names all have the chance to take to the stage to offer the audience a live musical treat.
The Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt has stuck in Mr Ogden’s minds as one of the best performances he’s seen at the festival.
Mr Ogden already has plans for next year including a jazz item and a Handel’s Theodora oratorio (a large scale music composition).
“It’s a bit strange because we haven’t done it for two years so it’s nerve-wracking but I’m confident we have everything in place and we’re excited to have it go ahead. It’s just great to be able to do anything again and feel the vibrations of live music once more.”
As a trained opera singer himself, Mr Ogden knows how eager acts are to perform to audiences again and he hopes the Northern Aldborough Festival can offer the act and the audience something they’ve been missing.
Boroughbridge travel agent reports ‘handful’ of holiday bookingsThe ease in travel restrictions does not go far enough to reboot the industry, a local travel agent has claimed.
Last Monday, eager holidaymakers were finally allowed to get on a plane after the ban on non-essential overseas travel was loosened.
But for Peter Cookson, group managing director at Spear Travels, Boroughbridge, the green list was “a bit of a joke”.
Current rules have placed 12 countries including Portugal, Iceland and Gibraltar on the green list, meaning travellers are required to take covid tests before they leave and before they return to the UK and again within two days of their arrival, but do not need to quarantine.
A further 173 countries are on the amber list, which has tighter restrictions. Travellers to these destinations must take an additional covid test on day eight after they arrive back and isolate at home for for 10 days.
Spear Travels, in Boroughbridge, has not seen a boom in 2021 bookings
For the travel industry to truly get back on its feet, Mr Cookson said the restrictions have to change as the expense of covid testing is discouraging people booking trips.
He has confidence that “pent-up demand” exists but has only received a “handful” of bookings for Portugal and none for amber-list countries.
Mr Cookson expects this low level of interest to continue while strict measures to prevent the spread of covid are in place. and said people are already re-booking their holidays for next year.
He said
“I think the main thing putting people off are the covid tests, for a family of four it could be around £500. The green list is a bit of a joke, people don’t want to spend that extra money.
“Until we get other countries like Spain, Italy and Greece on the green list, bookings will be slow. We’ve only had a handful of holidays to Portugal.”
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Looking forward he is hopeful for a return to pre-covid levels but said this might not be until 2023.
For now he said his team is focusing on re-booking people’s holidays for later dates and crossing their fingers for changes to the rules.
Spear Travels runs 12 shops across the country, which have reduced their opening hours to keep staff on furlough while bookings remain low.
Have you booked a holiday to an amber-listed country? Tell us about your holiday plans via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Flood warning near Boroughbridge as river levels riseThere is a flood warning in place near Boroughbridge after several days of heavy rainfall and drivers are being urged to avoid low-lying roads.
The River Ure at Westwick Lock is expected to peak at around 1.5 metres this afternoon.
As a result, the flood information service has said flooding is “expected/possible” today in the Roecliffe Caravan park area.
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A spokesperson for the flood information service said:
“The flood warning for the River Ure at Roecliffe Caravan Park has been issued due to rising river levels following recent rainfall.
“The river level at Westwick Lock is currently 1.4m and is forecast to rise steadily, peaking at approximately 1.5m this afternoon.
“Consequently, flooding is expected/possible today in the Roecliffe Caravan Park area. Our incident response staff are closely monitoring the forecast.
“Please plan driving routes to avoid low-lying roads near rivers, which may be flooded.”
It is currently the only place in the UK where a more serious flood warning is in place.
There are also six flood alerts in place, which means flooding is possible rather than expected.
Two of the alerts are in place at the Lower River Ure near Ripon and the Lower Dunsforth Access.
Aldborough and Boroughbridge Show cancelled for second yearAldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show has become the latest major event in the Harrogate district to fall victim to covid this year.
This year’s show, which would have been the 107th, was due to take place on July 25 at Newby Hall.
The event includes animal judging as well as craft tents and stallholders selling food and drink.
This is the second year the show has been cancelled due to covid.
The show committee announced the decision on Facebook. It said:
“It is with an exceptionally heavy heart that the committee have decided to cancel the show this year.
“This has not been a decision that has been taken lightly and all considerations and options have been considered.
“We are still discussing the possibility of a virtual event or perhaps something later in the year, however at this time I can confirm that our full show will not be going ahead on July 25.
“We will confirm next year’s date shortly and we really do hope that that show will be our best one yet.”
The event follows the likes of Ripley Show and Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally in being cancelled for a second year running.
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Tanker catches fire on A1 (M) near BoroughbridgeFour crews from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the A1 (M) near Boroughbridge this morning after a tanker caught fire.
Crews from Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Tadcaster rushed to the incident at 01.32am this morning.
The brakes and tyres of the tanker, which was carrying sugar, had set on fire. The crews were able to detach the trailer from the cab, which luckily didn’t set alight.
A section of the A1 (M) near junction 47 and 48 was closed for 90 minutes.
In its incident summary, the fire service said:
“Crews used two breathing apparatus sets and two hose reel jets.”
Highways England said it was called at the same time to patrol the traffic.
All lanes were reopened by 2.57am. The last of the fire crews left the scene at 2.45am.
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Boroughbridge company completes multi-million pound expansionOne of the Harrogate district’s biggest employers has completed a multi-million pound expansion.
Reed Boardall, which stores and delivers frozen food to UK supermarkets, employs 800 staff at its Boroughbridge site and operates a fleet of 196 vehicles 24 hours a day.
It delivers 12,000 pallets of frozen food daily.
The company has finished a 110,000 square foot expansion to one of its cold storage units at its 55-acre site in Boroughbridge, which will help it meet increased customer demand.
Prior to the pandemic, the company put plans in place to increase its storage capacity to 168,000 pallets. It started the 12-month project in March 2020 along with Leeds-based building contractors Marshall.
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Marcus Boardall, chief executive of the company, said:
“Despite intense pressure on the supply chain in 2020, we were able to undertake and complete the extension project on schedule.
“From the turmoil of the pandemic to uncertainties around Brexit, we and our customers have faced some real challenges over the last year, and this latest investment makes us well-placed to continue to swiftly and efficiently respond to our customers’ changing logistics requirements.”
Andrew Baldwin, managing director of Reed Boardall cold storage division, said:
“Our customers’ ongoing organic growth has resulted in increased storage and distribution needs and we are happy to invest in the infrastructure which will enable us to continue to look after their best interests and to grow alongside them.”
Northern Aldborough Festival returns with stellar line-upNorthern Aldborough Festival is making its comeback this year with acts such as Lesley Garrett and the Rev Richard Coles set to draw crowds.
It was cancelled in 2020 but this year organisers are promising a spectacular line-up.
The usual 10-day festival has been reduced to six days and is thought to be one of the first larger events in the district being held after almost all restrictions are lifted. It will begin on June 21 – the day of the government’s anticipated full reopening of society.
Headline performances include an appearance by soprano Lesley Garrett, an evening with the former Communard turned cleric Rev Coles and a performance from the Russian virtuoso violinist Viktoria Mullova, with her son, rising jazz star Misha Mullov-Abbado.
The festival will end with its traditional Last Night outdoor pop concert, which will be 80s themed, at Aldborough Manor on Saturday June 27.
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Robert Ogden, festival director, said:
“We have an incredible line-up of artists, including some of the music industry’s biggest names alongside up-and-coming talent from around the region.
“While the quality of the musical offering will be ensured, so will the welfare and comfort of the audience, and therefore numbers will be limited and other measures taken to allow for safe, social distancing. With that in mind we are inviting people to book their places early.”
Since setting up in 1994 the festival has offered a platform for up-and-coming artists. Young talent will have an opportunity to perform on June 23 in a Young Artist’s Showcase.
Some covid restrictions are still expected to be in place, such as a reduced crowd capacity and social distancing measures.
Pateley Bridge census support could save you £1,000People who have had difficulty filling in the census form need not panic. Help is at hand to save those struggling a potential £1,000 fine.
The census support centre run by Nidderdale Plus in Pateley Bridge can provide assistance to anybody living in the Harrogate district.
It is based in the Nidderdale Plus community hub in Station Square, King Street and will be open daily between 10am and 4pm for the rest of this week and on Saturday and bank holiday Monday from 10am until 1pm.
The Census 2021 forms were posted to millions of households in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Helen Flynn, executive director of Nidderdale Plus, told the Stray Ferret:
“The census support centre, with its specially-trained advisors Sandra Walker and Heather Blundell, has been very busy since census day on March 21.
“We are proud to be the fourth highest performing census support centre in the north-east, North Yorkshire and Cumbria region so we have been punching above our weight, as we have been helping people.
“Completing and submitting the census form is a legal requirement and failure to do it could result in a fine of £1,000.”
People can walk in to the hub to get help with filling in their form.
Alternatively, they can call 01423 714953 for help and advice over the phone.
Filling in the form, which takes about 10 minutes, can be done on paper, smartphone, tablet or computer.
For those unfamiliar with technology, assistance can be provided with filling out the form online and submitting it.
The census helps local and national government to obtain a snapshot of the entire population at one point in time.
This helps in future planning for services such as healthcare, education and transport.
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Census facts and figures
This year marks the 22nd census.
The first census was held in Great Britain in March 1801.
It recorded the combined population of England, Wales and Scotland at 10.9 million, living in 1.8 million houses.
It has been held every 10 years, except for 1941, when it did not take place because of World War II.
By the 2011 Census, the UK population – which also includes Northern Ireland – had grown to 63 million, of which 32 million were female and 31 million were male.
Community rallies to raise £7,000 for Minskip fire victimsTwo fundraising pages have been set up to help families whose homes were damaged by a major fire in the Harrogate district in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The blaze began in a semi-detached house in Minskip and caused 100% fire damage to the first floor and smoke damage throughout.
The neighbouring property is also reported to have extensive smoke and fire damage.
People are rallying round to support the two families, so far raising almost £7,000 to go towards new furniture and appliances.
Two gofundme pages have been set up. The first was set up on Sunday by a friend of the owner of the house where the fire started, and has already raised £6,633.
The second was set up yesterday for the neighbour who has had to throw away a lot of belongings.
Both families are currently living elsewhere but are in need of donations to replace lost items.
Numerous posts have been made on local Facebook groups to encourage donations and people have offered bedding, children’s clothing and some furniture.
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North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service sent three crews to the address on Roecliffe Drive just after 1am Sunday morning.
It believed the fire was caused by a candle in one of the bedrooms, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Nobody was injured but the fire left the home in which it started uninhabitable.
A spokeswoman for the fire service told the Stray Ferret it was fortunate nobody was hurt.
Minskip is about a mile from Boroughbridge.
Early morning blaze ruins house in Harrogate districtAn unsupervised candle is believed to have caused a fire that badly damaged a house in Minskip in the early hours of this morning.
Firefighters from Boroughbridge, Knaresborough and Harrogate using and aerial ladder platform and breathing apparatus rushed to the scene just after 1am.
Nobody was injured but the fire, which started in a bedroom, left the home in Roecliffe Drive uninhabitable.
The first floor suffered 100% fire damage and there is smoke damage throughout the building.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said:
“Crews used six breathing apparatus sets, two hose reel jets, door enforcer, 9 metre ladder, thermal imaging camera and small tools.
“They also gained access to a neighbouring property to check for fire spread.”
A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service told the Stray Ferret the adjoining semi-detached was not damaged and it was fortunate nobody was hurt.
Minskip is about a mile from Boroughbridge.
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