Editor's Pick of the Week: Harrogate ice rage, Knaresborough woe and Ripon joy

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In a week when the shortest journey on foot felt like an audition for the Winter Olympics, countless people have been pointing the finger of blame at North Yorkshire Council.

The council has been dealt a wretched hand — heavy snow followed by a week-long freeze — and has kept the main routes running well.

But the side roads and pavements have been like polished glass and there was little sign of any plan to tackle the ice until at least Thursday.

The council said it was too cold for the grit to work, and that conditions in the Harrogate district were particularly bad before finally drafting in extra manpower amid a rising clamour for action.

By then we had been inundated by messages blaming our leaders in Northallerton for failing to act sooner, failing to prioritise routes to schools or GP practices and leaving businesses to suffer. This reader in Bilton summed up the mood.

But even the weather didn’t provide our best-read story on Thursday. That distinction went to the shock news that Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria in Knaresborough was closing.

Clearly, the prospect of a broken leg or having to look after the kids on weekdays is nothing compared to facing up to life without Two Brothers’ Big Boy Calzone. To be fair, after eating there last month, I understand the sentiment.

It was a better week for foodies in Ripon. The Old Deanery, which offers everything from afternoon tea to fine dining, was among the local venues included in the new Michelin Guide. And work on the M&S Food expansion got underway. An upgraded bakery and a takeaway coffee station will be among the delights at the bigger store.