Editor’s Pick of the Week: Pigeons get Harrogate chirping

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Harrogate was in a flap this week over the news that the flowerbeds in Victoria Gardens have been covered with gravel.

According to council highways chief Councillor Keane Duncan, the pigeons are to blame. So it has nothing to do with the fact that the council is preparing to demolish the area to make way for the £12.6 million town centre refurbishment scheme known as the Station Gateway and saw a chance to make savings.

What the pigeons have done remains unclear, but the move had people chirping their displeasure. ‘Harrogate in bloom at its finest,’ was one of the more publishable 100-plus comments on our Facebook page.

Councillor Duncan ruffled more feathers this week with the news that the cost of the A59 road realignment at Kex Gill had risen from £68.8 million to £82.5 million due to compensation payments to contractors.

The Stray Ferret also revealed the cost is likely to soar further as the council is topping up its risk contingency war chest, but by how much isn’t known because the sums involved are being kept secret.

A busy week for our elite sportsmen saw Harrogate golfer John Parry take part in the PGA Championship in America, one of the sport’s four major tournaments, former St John Fisher pupil Leah Galton prepare for the Women’s FA Cup final and former Starbeck lifeguard Luke Richardson line-up at the World’s Strongest Man.

Sadly for Luke, line-up is about all he managed because 13 seconds into the first event he suffered yet another injury. Luke is a phenomenal talent cursed with bad luck. Let’s hope he recovers soon.

Finally, what better way to enjoy the beautiful weather than by eating cake in beautiful gardens. 

This week we published a guide to local venues taking part in the annual Open Gardens scheme. Check out our list: I’ve already been to Low Hall at Dacre Banks; tomorrow (May 18) Rudding Park throws open its gates.