A 30-year-old man has been arrested and £100,000 of cash seized after a police chase on the A1 near Boroughbridge.

North Yorkshire Police were alerted to erratic driving southbound near to Scotch Corner yesterday at 1.50pm.

Officers located the vehicle which near Dishforth and followed it towards Boroughbridge.

As they approached Wetherby Services, police got in front of the vehicle and directed the driver to leave the carriageway into the service station.

As they got nearer to the services, the driver made off and drove at speed through the service station car park towards the hotel at the back of the site, colliding with a member of the public’s vehicle on its way through.

A police statement said:

“Officers pursued on foot and within four minutes of running from the car, the suspect had been located by officers with the support of a police dog. He was arrested for failing to stop when instructed and handcuffed.

“A search of his vehicle uncovered a substantial amount of cash estimated to be around £100,000 and two large tubs of plant food. The driver also failed a roadside drug test, testing positive for cocaine.”

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The 30-year-old, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for police.

He was also arrested on suspicion of drug driving and on suspicion of being in possession of criminal property, dangerous driving, driving otherwise than accordance with a licence, failing to stop after a road traffic accident, money laundering, theft of a motor vehicle and for driving without insurance.

The man remains in custody while police enquiries continue.

One hundred new electric vehicle charging bays are due to be installed in the Harrogate district this year, bringing the total to 120.

The bays are expected to be available early this year but the dates for each locality have not yet been published.

Half of the district’s 120 bays will be in Harrogate, which will have 60. They include a dozen each at the Victoria multi-storey car park, the Odeon cinema and Hornbeam Park.

There will be 27 in Knaresborough, 19 in Ripon, six in Boroughbridge and four each in Pateley Bridge and Masham.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said the bays would help achieve a net zero-carbon economy by 2038, adding:

“These new charging points support the uptake in electric vehicles for both our residents and our visitor economy, and complement other sustainable travel options.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough business criticises electric vehicle parking ‘madness’
• Harrogate electric buses to be free on Sundays

Chapel Street car park in Knaresborough

The decision to block off existing car park spaces for the new bays before they were in use caused controversy in Knaresborough last month when one business said it was damaging trade.

Hairdressers Kelly Teggin said she supported the introduction of electric charging bays but couldn’t understand why it had been done in the run-up to Christmas when the new bays weren’t even in use yet.

Harrogate

Victoria multi-storey car park – 12 Bays

Hornbeam Park – 12 Bays

Odeon – 12 Bays

West Park – 8 Bays

Park View – 6 Bays

Dragon Road – 10 Bays

Knaresborough

Conyngham Hall – 12 Bays

Chapel Street – 10 Bays

Leisure Centre (new) – 5 Bays

Ripon (new)

Cathedral Car Park – 6 Bays

Blossomgate Car Park – 4 Bays

Ripon (existing)

Leisure Centre – 5 Bays

Phoenix Business Park – 4 Bays

Boroughbridge (Phase 2)

Back Lane Car Park – Up to 6 bays

Pateley Bridge

Southlands Car Park – 4 Bays

Masham

Market Place – 4 Bays

Firefighters were called to separate incidents involving a microwave fire and a chimney fire in the Harrogate district this afternoon.

Crews from Boroughbridge and Ripon responded to reports of a kitchen fire at Southolme Walk in Boroughbridge at 1.48pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said it turned out to be “a small fire confined within a microwave which was out upon our arrival”, adding:

“Crews assisted the occupant to ventilate the kitchen of light smoke logging.”

Shortly afterwards, at 2.53pm, Ripon firefighters were back on the road again to respond to reports o a chimney fire at Bouthwaite, near Pateley Bridge.

The incident log said:

“They extinguished the fire using one hose reel jet and chimney rods. The cause was an accumulation of soot. Advice was given to the occupier.”

Read more:

• Ripon set to welcome in the New Year with city event
• Knaresborough Christmas tree fundraiser expands after huge demand

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Best Independent Retailer Award, which is sponsored by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

This award recognises the work of independent retailers across the Harrogate district that have survived the pandemic and are now tackling a cost-of-living crisis.

These businesses are truly beating the odds to support customers and make the high street work for them.

Companies looking to enter for the Best Independent Retailer Award need to provide information on the challenges your business faced in 2022, what the business did to overcome those challenges and evidence the success the actions had on the sutainability of the business.

Does your business deserve to win the Best Independent Retailer Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Sustainable Business Award, which is sponsored by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

This award recognises those businesses that have put sustainability at the top of their agenda.

These businesses are helping drive change and leading the way by reducing their impact on the environment.

Companies looking to enter for the Sustainable Business Award need to provide details of the changes the business has made, the impact the changes have had on the business and wide community with any details of any planned changes.

By giving vital recognition to those who have sustainability at the heart of their business, we hope others will follow their example.

Does your business deserve to win the Sustainable Business Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Dynamic Leader Award, which is sponsored by Succession Wealth.

This award is designed for those people in the Harrogate district who are driving progress, activity and change in their organisation.

These people have helped guide the business through tough years and are sure to make it thrive in the years to come.

Those looking to enter or nominate need to provide details of how this person leads, including an account of their skills. Also detail how this individual’s style has had a significant impact in the way the business now operates.

Does your boss deserve to win the Dynamic Leader Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

Rabbit Hill Country Store will close for good today.

The store has sold a wide range of animal and pet products, as well as gardening items and workwear, since 2016.

Located close to the A1 on Rabbit Hill Business Park at Arkendale, between Boroughbridge and Knaresborough, it has played a major role in the farming and rural community.

Landscape and forestry supplier Green-tech owns the business park and the store.

In a social media post, the store said “the many external variables and well documented strains on retail outlets has led us to take this difficult decision”, adding:

“The closure of Rabbit Hill Country Store will allow the Green-tech team to concentrate our efforts and resources on the ambitious growth plans of our other brands.

“We would like to thank every customer, supplier, colleague and friend that has supported Rabbit Hill Country Store over the years it has been appreciated.”

Read more:

• New managers take over historic Knaresborough hotel
• Police stinger stops stolen Land Rover after high speed chase from Boroughbridge

The store has been holding closing down sales in recent weeks, and today advertised 70% off products for its final day. It is due to close at 4pm.

One person responded to the news on social media by saying:

“The store is well used and a vital asset for the local rural community.”

Another said:

“It is a shame that a store that has supplied the local domestic and farming community is to close.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Green-tech for further details but it declined to comment.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Business Growth Award, which is sponsored by Raworths.

This award is designed to recognise those businesses that have seen significant growth in the last three years.

Business growth could be measured either financially, by employee numbers of market share increase.

Companies looking to enter for the Business Growth Award need to provide evidence of the growth, background information as to the reason for growth and plans for the future.

Does your business deserve to win the Business Growth Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

First up is the Inclusivity Award, which is sponsored by Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors.

This award is designed to give vital recognition to a company that has demonstrated working practices with a proactive approach to inclusivity.

These businesses have made employees and customers feel welcome, safe and free to be themselves, regardless of nationalities, gender, race or sexual orientations.

Companies looking to enter for the Inclusivity Award need to provide details of its policy for inclusivity and, if applicable, provide and example where it has given significant support to an employee or customer.

By giving vital recognition to those who have inclusivity at the heart of their business, we hope others will follow their example.

Does your business deserve to win the Inclusivity Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

The Environment Agency has called for the creation of an asphalt plant near Knaresborough to be rejected.

The government department has raised concerns over potential pollution to controlled waters in response to Tynedale Roadstone’s planned plant at Allerton Waste Recovery Park, just yards from the A1(M).

The firm, which produces bituminous macadam and asphalt products for roads, already has plants in Newcastle and County Durham and says it needs a third facility to serve contracts for customers in the Yorkshire area.

The plant would include facilities for recycling plastics and other waste products, which could be supplied from operations within the recovery park, into asphalt materials.

Tynedale says the plant would also have the capability to recycle old road material into new asphalt products.

In planning documents submitted to North Yorkshire County Council, agents for the firm said the plant would create about 10 jobs. They said:

“The very nature of the proposed scheme means that it will be crucial to facilitating and servicing highways works and projects in the area.

“The plant would be suitably located in terms of surrounding land uses and would complement the wider Allerton Waste Recovery Park, particularly due to its ability to utilise plastic waste from the waste recovery plant in the production of final asphalt products.”

Read more:

• Plans to build asphalt plant beside controversial Allerton Park incinerator
• County council agrees creation of 30-year housing plan

The wider site includes Allerton Waste Recovery Plant, which process 320,000 tonnes of waste a year from York and North Yorkshire councils, a partially completed landfill in a former quarry, a concrete batching plant and a methane gas plant.

Planning documents reveal pre-application talks with the council’s planning officers concluded the principle of locating an asphalt plant at the site was considered a compatible use with the other operations on the site.

However, lodging an objection to the development. the Environment Agency said the firm needed to demonstrate the risk of pollution to controlled waters could be appropriately managed.

The agency stated: 

“The previous use of the proposed development site as a landfill presents a high risk of contamination that could be mobilised during construction to pollute controlled waters.

“Controlled waters are particularly sensitive in this location because the development site is located upon a principal aquifer.”

Principal aquifers provide significant quantities of drinking water.

The agency said the applicants had identified the pollution risks without providing adequate mitigation and the plans for piling on the site could result in risks to aquifers.