Editor’s Pick of the Week: Political spats in Harrogate and bed race bedlam in Knaresborough

This article gives a flavour of some of the approximately 100 articles we publish each week, all focused exclusively on the Harrogate district. To access all the links, please subscribe here. It costs just 14p a day and means you are supporting independent local journalism.

For years, politics in Harrogate was predictable: the Conservatives won. 

How times have changed. The town now has a Labour mayor, a Liberal Democrat MP and a Liberal Democrat town council.

The Tories still cling to control of North Yorkshire Council but the Lib Dems have the wind in their sails, as was evident at Wednesday’s town council meeting.

Long-serving Conservative councillor Michael Harrison, the sole Tory at the meeting, is used to being on the controlling side.

But when he accused the Lib Dems of spouting nonsense by calling for £176,000 paid by Harrogate Spring Water to be diverted from North Yorkshire Council to Harrogate Town Council, numerous Lib Dems lined up to return fire. 

Both sides did, however, agree to fork out five grand to revive the licence on the coat of arms adopted by Harrogate in 1884.

Today’s (June 14) Great Knaresborough Bed Race is as daft as it is wonderful.

Being an ageing runner with a gammy leg, I’m in awe of the speed of the all-conquering GH Brooks men’s team, who we interviewed here.

We also published a visitor’s guide to the event and yesterday rushed out a news story about a Met Office weather warning for thunderstorms. Let’s hope it stays dry, although that’s a forlorn hope for the 90 teams taking part as they have to cross the River Nidd.

All the teams at the start of the bed race grid are seriously fast. But not even they could live with former Harrogate schoolboy George Mills, who blitzed Mo Farah’s British 5,000 metres record this week. Mind you, George didn’t have to push a bed round the track at Oslo. 

Even faster were the two men caught clocking 150mph on the A1(M) near Knaresborough.

This week we also revealed Ripon Market Square could get a £1 million upgrade and that there is concern about camper van owners living on Stray Rein. Are they a nuisance or just making the most of an opportunity? The issue divided opinions. Use our comment section to let us know what you think.