Members of Harrogate Pubwatch have said an app to keep bars informed on troublemakers is helping to keep the town centre safer.
Harrogate Pubwatch has approximately 40 bars and pubs registered. Together they can ban a person from all venues who’s behaviour is deemed inappropriate or dangerous for a set period.
Last month, the group imposed a lifetime ban on someone found carrying a knife in Mojo. It has recently added three more people to the banned list, two for violence and one for drug use.
The group also uses an app, sponsored by Harrogate BID, which gives details on all those banned but also provides live information on anyone causing trouble to give other bars the opportunity to refuse them entry before getting inside.
Simon Colgan, a member and owner of the Empress on the Stray and Blues Bar, praised the app. He said:
“If a person’s behaviour is deemed unsafe and dangerous we have a vote and decide the length of the ban. Bars working together like this is a real benefit for the town, it means we can keep venues safe for people to enjoy.”
Harrogate Pubwatch operates under the National Pubwatch guidelines and has set ban lengths for different offences. For example, drug dealing would mean someone is banned for 18 months and sexual harassment such as groping is nine months.
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Hannah Ingram, supervisor at Hales Bar, agreed bars working together is hugely positive:
“We work within a really good system, we all support each other. At Hales Bar we, of course, have different customers to Mojo for example but if someone is stopped there it maybe they try come here. The app means we know who to look out for.
“Harrogate is safer for it because there are more eyes about.”
Gabrielle Marcinkeviciute, general manager at North Bar, said:
“In general I don’t want people to think they can act badly and then the next day it all be fine. People know that if they misbehave in a bar that’s part of Pubwatch they won’t be welcome, it makes them more well behaved because they know they could be banned from numerous places.”
Harrogate BID initially sponsored the app for one year but after positive response from businesses and an increase in membership it has extended it for a further 12 months.
Harrogate Pubwatch Secretary Alan Huddart said:
Funeral celebrates life of Harrogate musician Aaron Bertenshaw“Pubwatch is making a real difference, and over the last 12 months we have seen our membership grow by 100 per cent. It’s helping alert participating venues in real time about any incidents, and helping identify troublemakers in the process.
“Harrogate is a great town with superb pubs, clubs and bars. It’s a safe town and Pubwatch is helping make it even safer.”
Family and friends of Harrogate singer-songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw celebrated his life at a funeral in Bilton this morning.
A procession led by motorbikes, including some Harley-Davidsons, set off from the family home on Woodfield Road and arrived at St John’s and St Luke’s Church for the 11am service.
The service was broadcast live on the church’s Facebook page and can still be viewed there.
A wake was held afterwards at The Empress on the Stray.
Aaron Bertenshaw died suddenly last month.
Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, died suddenly aged 26 last month. He had struggled with diabetes and mental health issues.
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Sammy Oates, Aaron’s mother, set up a fundraising page to help people with diabetes overcome mental health problems. That fundraiser is currently on £6,910.
The family said donations at the service would go to Diabetes UK and CALM, the campaign against living miserably.
Ms Oates is now campaigning for extra support for those who struggle with diabetes and mental health. She told the Stray Ferret previously:
Jam session at Blues Bar tonight in memory of Aaron Bertenshaw“Aaron touched a lot of lives. He was only 26 but packed a lot in. He also worked as a barber and played rugby for Otley when he was young.
“He was such a bright shining star and an absolute social butterfly. Everyone knew him and he never had a bad word to say about anybody.
“What I remember most is his smile. He had the most infectious smile. There was always a twinkle in the eyes.”
A jam session is being held at the Blues Bar in Harrogate tonight in memory of singer-songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw.
Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, died aged 26 this month. He had struggled with diabetes and mental health issues.
He was a popular fixture on the local gig scene and performed regularly at the Blues Bar.
Tonight’s event, which will begin at about 8pm, will be hosted by Martin Rose.
Entrance is free but there will be a collection for diabetes and mental health.
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The Aaron Joseph Memorial Fund, set up by Aaron’s mother Sammy Oates, has so far raised almost £6,000.
Money raised will be used to provide mental health support to people with diabetes. Mental health and diabetes are usually treated separately and Sammy believes Aaron would have benefited from help that better understood the link between the two illnesses.
You can donate here.
Fund set up in memory of Harrogate musician Aaron BertenshawThe mother of Harrogate singer-songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw, who died suddenly aged 26 last week, has set up a fundraising page to help people with diabetes overcome mental health problems.
Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, was a popular and well known figure on the Harrogate district music scene. He was a regular at the Blues Bar, where he first performed and at many other venues, such as Hales Bar.
Sammy Oates, his mother, told the Stray Ferret she was in “complete shock” at the loss of her son “who had the most infectious smile”.
Sammy said she believed Aaron went into a diabetic coma but a post mortem would be held to ascertain Thursday’s cause of death.
She added he had struggled massively to cope with being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic at the age of 18 and had recently been treated for ketoacidosis, which affects people whose bodies don’t produce enough insulin.
“Aaron touched a lot of lives. He was only 26 but packed a lot in. He also worked as a barber and played rugby for Otley when he was young.
“He was such a bright shining star and an absolute social butterfly. Everyone knew him and he never had a bad word to say about anybody.
“What I remember most is his smile. He had the most infectious smile. There was always a twinkle in the eyes.
“He had a heart of gold. We lost the family dog as well last week and we were all devastated about that.”
A gofundme page set up by Sammy has already raised over £3,000. Donations can be made here.
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She said the money would be used to provide mental health support to people with diabetes. Mental health and diabetes are usually treated separately and there was a need to provide a service that addressed the two issues together, said Sammy.
“Aaron hated being diabetic. He couldn’t handle it and he didn’t take his insulin.
“Because he was a musician he was in the party scene a lot. So at 18 when all his friends were out partying he was at home injecting himself.
“It’s a bit of a vicious circle. Diabetes is massively life changing so he’d get down about it and then not want to deal with it.”
Memorial show
Sammy said a memorial service would be held at St John’s Church in Bilton where he and his family were christened. She also plans to stage a memorial show next year.
Aaron, who was due to perform in Wakefield this weekend, started gigging at 15 and shortly afterwards released an EP record. His mum was a singer and he regularly watched bands with his dad, Sam Bertenshaw.
He played the guitar and his vast musical influences included Ed Sheeran and Leonard Cohen. Besides playing in venues, he busked for cancer charities when the disease claimed the life of his uncle at the age of 42. Sammy said:
“If we can just help one person it will all be worthwhile. Perhaps we could find a counsellor who could advise on living with diabetes rather than just the medical side of things. Maybe set up a charity. I just know I need to do something and I need to do it in his name and now while everyone is aware.”
Aaron leaves Sammy and her partner, Jonathan, dad Sam and his partner Fiona and a sister, Ruth.
Sammy described the Blues Bar as “a huge part of Aaron’s life “.
Simon and Sharon Colgan, the owners of the Blues Bar, paid a joint tribute to Aaron. They said:
Blues Bar owner: Christmas Market cancellation will have ‘long term repercussions’ for Harrogate“Aaron sang in the Blues Bar from the beginning of his career. He inspired other young musicians and was never demanding of attention
“He was a warm, intelligent and gifted young man who was giving and thoughtful towards others
“He is a part of our blues family, known and loved by everyone We will always have fond memories of Aaron. It is such a tragic loss to us all.”
A Harrogate bar owner has warned that the cancellation of Harrogate Christmas Market will have “long-term repercussions” on local businesses.
Simon Colgan, owner of the Blues Bar in Harrogate, criticised Harrogate Borough Council for cancelling the Christmas Market and says it will affect local trade.
The event was due to take place from November 18 to 21. A total of 170 traders and 53 coaches had booked to attend the event.
The council issued a statement yesterday evening saying “the event management plan did not fully take into account the risk of overcrowding and necessary evacuation procedures, counter-terrorism measures and the ongoing risk of covid”.
Mr Colgan told the Stray Ferret that he did not agree with the reasons put forward by HBC. He suggested if there were genuine concerns about covid, limited tickets could have been sold as happened at the recent Great Yorkshire Show and the Theakston’s Crime Writing Festival.
He said the council should be doing more to support local businesses after a difficult 18 months:
“Other towns bend over backwards [to support local businesses] and our council are doing nothing.
“This will have long term repercussions for Harrogate”
Mr Colgan said the Christmas Market is usually one of the best few days of trade in the year for the bar and music venue on Montpellier Parade.
He added:
“The Christmas Market is wonderful, it’s four of our best days of the year. It’s lovely.”
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Brian Dunsby, organiser of the Christmas Market, said this morning that he has still not spoken to anyone from the council after he first heard about the news through the Stray Ferret yesterday.
He said he does not have any contingency plans in place for alternative venues, such as the Great Yorkshire Showground. He said the showground “doesn’t serve the purpose” of supporting traders and businesses in Harrogate town centre.
He said he plans to appeal the decision by HBC.
The Stray Ferret asked Conservative Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones if he agreed with the council’s decision but we did not receive a response.
Harrogate bars call on council to allow tables on Stray landThe owners of three Harrogate bars have teamed up to call on Harrogate Borough Council to approve their request to put tables and chairs on the Stray.
Outdoor dining will restart under the government’s roadmap on April 12 but three Harrogate bars are still unsure if they can use much of their space outside.
Harrogate Borough Council approved the use of tables and chairs on Stray land last summer but is yet to decide whether to give the bars the green light this time around.
Simon Colgan, who runs the Blues Bar and The Empress with his wife Sharon Colgan, told the Stray Ferret:
“It makes a massive difference for our capacity, when we have the tables on the Stray it more than doubles for both of our bars
“We will still open if we can just have the six tables on the pavement. We will fight it because we have got customers who are desperate to come back.
“Without a doubt I would say this is critical for our business. It really is important, especially after another of three months of lockdown.”
David Dresser, who owns Fashion House Bistro, also told the Stray Ferret:
“It would be disappointing for us if we were not able to have outdoor dining back on the Stray land.
“That is on the basis that if we have some bad weather days then those days are right offs. This would help us on good days to make sure that business is stable.
“So it would affect our turnover but if we got those tables and chairs on the grass it would give us a boost.”
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Both Simon Colgan and David Dresser approached Harrogate Borough Council with their request when Boris Johnson set out his roadmap last month.
However, a spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council told the Stray Ferret:
“We are currently awaiting feedback from the Duchy on the proposed approach, prior to a consultation starting.”
The Duchy of Lancaster owns the Stray and Harrogate Borough Council are its custodians.
We asked the council about its timeline for a consultation but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.