Photo of the week: a pair of hares in Roecliffe

This week’s photograph was taken by Peter Durkin from Boroughbridge, capturing two hares he spotted in Roecliffe.

Photo of the Week takes centre stage in our new-look nightly email newsletter. The newsletter drops into your inbox every evening at 6pm with all the day’s stories and more. To subscribe, click here.

(Image: Peter Durkin)

Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.

Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week. We reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.

CCTV appeal following supermarket theft in Boroughbridge

North Yorkshire Police has issued a CCTV image of a man it would like to speak to following a theft in Boroughbridge .

More than £170 worth of alcohol was stolen from the Morrisons supermarket on Wetherby Road at 4.45pm on March 12.

A police statement today said:

“Please contact us if you recognise the man pictured on CCTV, as he may have information that will assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information can email hazel.simms-williamson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 and ask for PC1338 Simms-Williamson.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 12240044229 when passing on information.

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Boroughbridge takeaway opens Harrogate branch

A Boroughbridge takeaway has opened a second branch in Harrogate.

Bozza Fodder, which was first established in the kitchen of the Fox and Hounds pub in 2019, began serving food at The Manhattan on Beech Avenue last Thursday.

Owner Mark Davies, who moved from Teeside to Boroughbridge, said he hopes to bring a taste of the northeast to north Yorkshire and introduce Harrogate residents to a “proper Teeside parmo”.

Mr Davies said he launched Bozza Fodder, which currently offers takeaway, eat-in and delivery services, after realising Boroughbridge “did not have a food delivery service of its own”.

He said after struggling to find IT work locally, he turned to the kitchen to develop his skills.

Mr Davies and his partner Rachael have since offered the town traditional takeaway-style food, including pizzas, burgers and wraps, which he said is “nearly all made in-house”.

Now embarking on a new venture in Harrogate, Mr Davies said:

“I play a lot of pool and started playing at the Manhattan club in Harrogate.

“When I told the owner about my venture in Boroughbridge, he too had an unused kitchen which we thought could be used to benefit us both.”

Bozza Fodder’s chicken parmo.

Bozza Fodder Harrogate also offers both eat-in and takeaway food, as well as delivery services around the centre of the town and as far as Jennyfields and Starbeck.

Chicken parmos, pizzas, gyros, toasted sandwiches and desserts are all available at the new Harrogate site.

Mr Davies said people can expect “the same great service we provide in Boroughbridge but with a few twists to the menu”, adding:

“It’s very exciting times and I’m looking forward to seeing new faces and getting good feedback. Harrogate is a big place, but we have equally big ambitions!

“My mum passed away not long after I started the business, and she always wanted me to do well.

“I’ve put my heart into it for her and I hope she’d be proud how far we have come.”

Both Bozza Fodder branches are open Monday to Friday, from 4pm to 10pm, and 1pm to 10pm on Saturdays.

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Tanker operation raises sewage concerns on River Ure

A three-week tanker operation on the River Ure near Boroughbridge has raised concerns about how well a treatment plant can cope with sewage.

Boorughbridge resident Caroline Slater contacted the Stray Ferret saying she had noticed a “raw sewage” smell when walking her dog near the river.

She attributed the smell, which she believes is due to excess sewage flowing from a wastewater treatment plant in Aldborough into the river, to recent periods of heavy rainfall, as well as “the large number of new houses built in the area”.

Ms Slater said:

“The pumping station at Boroughbridge sewage works cannot cope with the amount of sewage.

“The Ure is really polluted. Sometimes there are huge banks of foam which do not dissipate, greasy films and a smell of sewage.

“I have witnessed contractors cleaning up the riverbank areas after floods and using the river as a dumping ground for waste.

“It was really smelly down there on Saturday when there was no pumping going on. It just smelt like raw sewage.”

Ms Slater also said “tankers have been pumping sewage out from Aldborough road for the past three weeks — maybe more — and taking it away”.

She added:

“I have contacted Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency. I really am despairing. I would ideally like to get some momentum going to try to clean up the River Ure.

“Young people bathe in it at the salmon ladders in the summer, also at Ripon and Masham, further up and downstream. It isn’t safe. Nature is suffering. Nobody seems to be accountable.

“I am also extremely concerned about the continuation of house building in the area and what effect this will have on infrastructure that cannot cope. “

Town council also ‘doubts’ treatment plan can cope

The Stray Ferret contacted Cllr Robert Windass, a Conservative who represents Boroughbridge and Claro on North Yorkshire Council, about the matter.

Cllr Windass said Boroughbridge Town Council shared Ms Slater’s concerns.

He added:

“I am aware that tankers are pumping out sewage from the Aldborough treatment plant and taking it to other plants. This happens when the River Ure is in flood as it has been for the past few weeks with all the rain we have had.
“Certainly, the town council and many residents have expressed concern about whether the Aldborough treatment plant can cope with the increased sewage because of the number of new homes built in and around Boroughbridge. They always say that it can but when situations like this occur, we have our doubts.
“Personally, I have not been downstream of the treatment plant recently, but I will make a point of doing so in the next few days.”

Yorkshire Water’s response

The Stray Ferret put Ms Slater’s concerns to Yorkshire Water and asked for confirmation on whether excess sewage is being released into the River Ure.

A spokesperson said “diluted wastewater from storm overflow” is released into the river during periods of heavy rainfall. If more rainwater is pumped into the treatment works than it is designed to handle, an excess is released into nearby rivers.

The spokesperson added:

“The storm overflow at Boroughbridge wastewater treatment works is in operation currently due to the amount of rainfall in the area recently and possible groundwater infiltration into the sewer network.

“Storm overflows are permitted by the Environment Agency and act as a relief valve during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall to prevent wastewater backing up and flooding homes and businesses.”

Yorkshire Water said the tankers were in place due to groundwater potentially infiltrating a sewer. The firm said this was also as a result of heavy rainfall and could result in wastewater escaping the network from manholes if left unmanaged.

The spokesperson added:

“Our teams are currently tankering in the area to relieve pressure on the sewer network and will be carrying out a thorough investigation of the network in the coming days to identify any possible sources of infiltration.”

The firm added the tanker was also removing some wastewater, groundwater and sewage flow from within the network and taking it to the treatment works. It said this was “taking the pressure off the sewers to prevent pollutions”.

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Black Lion at Skelton saved after community takeover

The Black Lion at Skelton-on-Ure looks set to re-open after an 18-month battle by the local community to save it.

The pub between Ripon and Boroughbridge, closed in December 2019 after it was bought by Admiral Taverns.

A public meeting nearly two years ago discovered widespread support for reopening it as a community hub and pub.

In September 2022, the Black Lion was listed as an asset of community value, which gave villagers time to raise funds and bid to buy it.

The Black Lion pictured prior to its closure.

An asset of community value is defined by North Yorkshire Council as ‘a building or land having value to the community that furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community”.

By July last year, pledges accumulated by shareholder contribution had reached £240,000.

The campaign was then boosted by a £300,000 grant from the community ownership fund, which is a £150 million fund set up by the government in 2021 to help community groups take ownership of assets.

It meant the group, which received the backing of Skipton and Ripon Conservative MP Julian Smith, could bid to buy the pub from Admiral Taverns.

After legal delays, the community group announced today it now officially owned the pub.

Community pubs are owned and managed democratically by members of the community. They are leased to tenants who operate them with a community vision.

Rents are set at levels that allow tenants to make surpluses that can be used to maintain the upkeep of the building and pay interest to shareholders

The Black Lion, shuttered, closed, and up for sale

A spokesperson for the Black Lion pub community group said:

“We are pleased to announce that the community of Skelton-on-Ure have just taken ownership of the Black Lion pub. This has come after a huge amount of work by the Skelton-on-Ure Pub and Hub steering group. Thanks to all the people who have helped us achieve this result – it is now great news to finally have the keys.”

“The real work is only now about to commence as the fabric of the building has suffered during the years of closure and general lack of upkeep. The volunteer management team will now welcome any volunteer help, contributions and donations.”

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Hotel golf course near Boroughbridge to extend into fields

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to extend Aldwark Manor Estate’s hotel golf course into two agricultural fields.

Aldwark Manor is a luxury four-star hotel between York and Harrogate and sits within 120 acres of parkland that is used as the golf course.

The 18-hole course spans across the River Ure and will now be lengthened to include six hectares (15 acres) of former farming land.

The hotel has committed to planting new areas for native and wild flowers and improve tree hedge planting across the site as part of the plans.

Planning documents state the hotel was bought in 2019 by a local family who are looking to “invest significantly” in the resort to improve its sporting, leisure and business facilities.

The buildings at the hotel date back to 1865 and were used as a private home and an RAF Base before being converted into a hotel.

The site covers both the former Harrogate and Hambleton council areas and in 2022 the now-defunct Hambleton District Council approved plans to convert and extend a building on the golf course into a new clubhouse that also features a small hotel.

Documents said: 

“The proposals seek to provide a defined golfing facility that enables smoother management and operations on a day to day basis of both the golfing and wider leisure offer provided within the existing hotel building.”

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A week of floods, facial recognition cameras and ice rink meltdown

Welcome to a new weekly feature rounding up some of my favourite articles on the Stray Ferret each week.

We often publish more than a dozen stories a day and it’s easy to miss things. Hopefully this digest will give you the chance to catch up.

The Harrogate ice rink saga has been one of our best read stories of the week. The rink has been criticised for slushy ice, rusty skates and slow refunds. It’s difficult not to feel some sympathy because — ironically — a winter wonderland attraction has been somewhat undone by the northern winter, which has forced its closure rather too regularly.

The company running it said this week it won’t be back for Christmas 2024.

As editor, one of the questions I’m asked most is ‘when is the new Lidl opening in Ripon?’. It was granted planning permission in September 2021 and we have an update on one of the slowest moving but most popular local retail stories here.

We also have news of a fascinating dual enterprise by two sisters in the former Dangerfield & Keane salon on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate. Ever used a hyperbaric chamber?

It’s been a week of rain and flood. The Ford car stuck in the ford over the River Skell in Ripon has caused a bit of a ripple. It was still there yesterday. The weather may be improving but Boroughbridge rarely looks prettier than when the River Ure floods, as happened this week.

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How do you feel about walking through Harrogate town centre and having facial recognition cameras matching your features to those of police suspects? It could happen if Conservative Keane Duncan is elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire this year. Read more here.

Who remembers Knaresborough’s new primary school? You’d be forgiven if you didn’t given that it was pledged nearly four years ago and not a jot of progress appears to have happened. We got an update this week.

The week ahead should see Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones appear before the Liberal Democrat-controlled area constituency committee of North Yorkshire Council. It could be tetchy.

Enjoy the site. If you have a view on any of our articles, or indeed anything else that’s bugging you about life in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham, do email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will consider it for publication in our Stray Views letters page.

And if you don’t already, sign up to our new look daily bulletins for a round-up of the news every evening in your inbox. Click on the link below.

 

Thomas the Baker set to open new store in Boroughbridge

Thomas the Baker plans to open a store on Boroughbridge High Street, where the Cooplands bakery used to be.

Cooplands closed its Boroughbridge store last April following “an in-depth review of the business”, having opened it nearly three years ago in February 2021. The Scarborough-based chain’s closest store is now on Beulah Street, Harrogate.

Beulah Street Cooplands in Harrogate.

Thomas the Baker has submitted a planning application to North Yorkshire Council for a replacement shopfront including new non-illuminated fascia and projecting sign.

People can comment on the application concerning the new store at 33 High Street until this Sunday, January 7. The store would add to the current number of bakeries in the market tow, which include Gilchrist’s and Havenhands.

The family-owned bakery chain headquartered in Helmsley was established in 1981. The company has 30 shops across Yorkshire and the North-East, including: Ripon, Knaresborough, Thirsk, Acomb, Easingwold, Haxby, Kirbymoorside, Malton, Pickering, Scarborough, Selby and four in York.

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Call for council to improve ‘poor’ Boroughbridge road conditions

A Boroughbridge resident has called on North Yorkshire Council to make “urgent” improvements to a local road.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, lives on Roecliffe Lane and told the Stray Ferret he has spent the last year campaigning to have the road resurfaced.

He said he and other local residents have issued “over a decade of complaints” to the council to resurface the road, as well as requested traffic-calming measures to make it safer, but are yet to see anything come to fruition.

Following a recent petition organised by the man and signed by Roecliffe Lane residents, he said the same recurring issues became “abundantly clear”:

“Several residents’ houses along the road shake whenever HGVs, buses, and often even cars, drive over the potholes next to them.

“This is our personal number-one issue and has at times caused deep regret moving to the street.

“We have had to endure over a year of it so far since moving in, our bed shaking most mornings when HGVs start driving the road in the early hours, doors juddering in frames, our baby’s rooms’ wardrobe rattling, the timber frame of the house creaking and more.

“Even people that visit notice, because the kitchen floor vibrates and the glasses in the cupboard clink. The council have been made aware of this multiple times.

“Several residents also commented about needing to repair their vehicles and bicycles from broken suspension and burst tyres. An elderly lady I spoke to had also fallen off her bike from a pothole.”

The noise from traffic can also be alarmingly loud and frequent, and speeding is a big issue along the road, he added.

The road was in ‘poor’ condition back in 2013. Pic: fixmystreet.

Now, he is proposing a “resident-first rethink”. He said:

“What worked for it when it was originally built is clearly not working for its residents now with increased housing, traffic and HGVs.

“It needs resurfacing urgently. It needs traffic-calming measures putting in place to reduce the thousands of noisy vehicles per day, and mitigations for the frequent HGVs.”

He also suggested the council implement new speeding enforcements to “protect the residents and their children from the up-to-81mph speeding vehicles.”

Roecliffe Lane in 2023.

‘Resurfacing is in our programme’

In response to the concerns raised, Melissa Burnham, highways area manager for North Yorkshire Council, told the Stray Ferret:

“Resurfacing of Roecliffe Lane is included in our programme for 2024/25. Once dates are confirmed, we will ensure the local community are aware.

“The local Highways team are also aware of the concerns raised and are liaising with North Yorkshire Police regarding enforcement.”

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The Stray Ferret’s daily newsletter gets a fresh new look

As the Stray Ferret enters its fourth year of providing the best media coverage of the Harrogate district, we have given our daily newsletter a makeover.

The newsletter provides a round-up of what our journalists have been up to. The new look makes it easier than ever to get a snapshot of what is happening, with links to all the articles.

It includes a nightly introduction from Stray Ferret editor John Plummer as well as a round up of our daily news content, plus Photo of the Week, lifestyle features and in-depth topics.

Mr Plummer said:

“We hope the fresh new look appeals to readers. We are very grateful to everyone who reads the Stray Ferret and hope you continue to support independent local journalism in 2024.”

You can sign up here to the newsletter to keep up to date and get the latest news straight to your inbox.

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