Ferret Unlocked: what you missed in news last week

This past week, the Stray Ferret reported on an often overlooked topic in the district — county lines.

Our senior journalist, John Grainger, spoke with a Harrogate mother whose 12-year-old son was groomed by a county lines drug gang.

She told us how her son was a “gorgeous”, family minded boy whose life changed within a year and became dominated by drugs, theft and violence. Subscribers can read the mother’s account in full here.

Meanwhile, at the weekend we reported on how Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre’s valuation has bounced back from a dramatic fall in 2021.

The centre has more than doubled in value in the last three years — but what does the building owner, North Yorkshire Council, have planned for it?

We also took a closer look at how much Harrogate District Hospital has made from parking charges since it introduced a new system in September 2023.

Through a Freedom of Information request seen by the Stray Ferret, we also found details on how many complaints the hospital trust has received over its car park system in the last 12 months.

Elsewhere, we took a trip to Knaresborough to find out more about the town’s would-be tour guides.

Candidates were asked jot down how they thought Knaresborough was perceived, and then what they thought the world should really know about the town — find out what they chose here.

Political enthusiasts can also read our explainer on York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s plan to seek extra borrowing powers.

The authority wants the ability to borrow money for more of its functions, but what does that mean and why does it need the powers?

Finally, stories about Harrogate’s new Tesco supermarket are among those which provoke significant interest among our readers.

This past week, we had the latest on the development, which has seen the supermarket giant revise its plans for the store on Skipton Road. Subscribers can read the update on the proposals here.

Subscribers to the Stray Ferret can also take advantage of a range of fantastic exclusive offers, discounts and giveaways from local businesses, which we regularly update.

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