Editor’s Pick of the Week: Bodge jobs in Knaresborough and Bettys waves goodbye to queues

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If there’s one thing people are talking about more than rising fuel prices, it’s crumbling roads.

North Yorkshire Council’s annual highways budget, when someone somewhere, to the complete mystery of most of us, decides which roads will get a lovely new layer of asphalt and which ones will continue to shake bones, is always hot news.

Ripon was among the 2026/27 losers, receiving just 0.15% of the sum allocated across North Yorkshire, until the magic money tree was shaken and £300,000 was belatedly found to improve Dallamires Lane.

In Knaresborough, there were claims that the recent patching up of Boroughbridge Road was little more than a “bodge job”.

Look out tomorrow for a feature on claims that Labour politicians in York are swiping pothole money from Tory-run North Yorkshire Council.

If there’s one sure way to fix the roads, it’s to host a major cycling event. Navigating local roads is dangerous enough on four wheels, but try doing it on two, says someone who regularly dodges the cracks on the downhill stretch of Ripon Road between the Majestic hotel and Jennyfields on a bike. Fun, it ain’t.

So the news that the Tour of Britain could be heading to North Yorkshire offers the prospect of some highways investment — and a possible boost to active travel.

Yesterday (March 27) marked exactly 1,000 days since the Curzon closed in Ripon, so there was understandable excitement this week at the news that plans have been submitted for a new three-screen cinema in the city.

Harrogate may be losing Hoxton North, but two new hospitality ventures were announced this week: a gluten-free cafe and a coffee shop on Royal Parade.

It was also revealed that Bettys is to accept daytime reservations by customers wanting something other than afternoon tea for the first time ever. Does this spell the end of the queue?

Sadly, this week did mark the end for the Spirit of Harrogate shop near Bettys on Montpellier Parade. It was announced the shop had permanently closed but the business, which makes Slingsby Gin, has been rescued from administration by a local man who used to work for Bettys. We have an interview with him today.

However, hopes of a reprieve for the tempietto on Station Square appear to be diminishing after the councillor with oversight of highways in North Yorkshire said no local councillors had raised concerns about it. Perhaps they are all too busy answering emails about potholes.