Police have appealed for information about the whereabouts of three men with links to Harrogate.
Eighteen-year-old Harrogate man Luke Gibson and 20-year-old Leeds man, Ainsley West, who has strong links with Harrogate, are wanted in connection with a serious assault in Boroughbridge this month.
William Smythe, 19, from Harrogate, is wanted for failing to attend court for drug offences.
North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today it believed the three men could be in the Harrogate area, although West could be in Leeds.
It added:
“Significant enquiries have been ongoing to locate the trio and so we are now issuing an appeal to anyone who has seen them or know where they are to come forward with information.”
The police asked people to report sightings or information about their whereabouts by calling 101 and quoting reference number 12210245826 for West and Gibson or 12210248895 for Smythe.
Alternatively, you can pass on information anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.
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New energy plant to be built at major Harrogate district employer
A new heat and power plant is to be built at a major Boroughbridge company in an effort to create “cost-effective” energy after plans were approved.
Reed Boardall, which stores and delivers frozen food to UK supermarkets, employs 800 staff at its site off Bar Lane and operates a fleet of 196 vehicles 24 hours a day.
The company submitted plans for a combined heat and power plant, which would be built on its site and generate electricity.
Now, Harrogate Borough Council has given permission for the plant to go-ahead.
According to documents lodged with the borough council, the plant would work by “igniting air and natural gas to produce hot, high-pressure gases”.
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The gas would then be fed through a turbine to drive an electrical generator and produce electricity.
Andrew Baldwin, managing director of Reed Boardall’s cold storage division, told the Stray Ferret previously:
“We’re investing in a new combined heat and power system as a way of protecting the energy needs of our business for the future.
“It is more cost-effective than buying power from the National Grid and is generally considered to be a greener alternative. We expect it to be fully operational by the end of the year.”
A drawing of the energy plant at Reed Boardall as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council.
The company added that the energy would be used to power its headquarters in Boroughbridge. Any excess energy would be exported back to the local electricity network.
Construction of the plant is expected to take place over three months.
Once up and running, the plant would run for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, it would be unmanned and operated remotely.
This article is sponsored by Berwins
A less-than-ideal Christmas in 2020, many of us want to mark the festive season as early as possible this year.
And what better way to get into the festive spirit than to wrap-up warm and wander around a Christmas market with a cup of mulled wine.
While some events have been cancelled due to coronavirus concerns, there are still plenty going ahead across the district.
And just like buses, three events have come all at once in Harrogate following the cancellation of the town’s original Christmas market.
Knaresborough’s popular Christmas market is also back!
Here is our guide to the festive markets taking place across the district this year:
Christmas Market Weekend at Crimple, Harrogate
We kick off with the Christmas Market Weekend, which will feature more than 20 food and craft stalls at the brand spanking new Crimple food hall and restaurant.
It comes after Brian Dunsby, co-organiser of the original Harrogate Christmas Market, has worked with some of the stallholders to get them a new venue.
There will be music all day, including performances from the Chris White Jazz Trio, Tewit Youth Band and local busker Freddie Cleary.
There will also be plenty of children’s activities, including a festive animal farm, face painting and Christmas treasure trails, as well as wreath-making demonstrations.
November 27 and 28, Crimple, Leeds Road, from 8am to 7pm on the Saturday and 10am to 4pm on the Sunday
Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity’s (HHCC) Outdoor Pop-up Christmas Market
In the true spirit of Christmas, this NHS charity event is being held at Harrogate Railway Athletic Football Club for an extremely good cause.
Visitors are invited to “soak up the festive atmosphere” at the outdoor market, while browsing a selection of stalls. The big man himself will also be making an appearance, with a chance to visit Santa.
There will also be a licensed bar, “merry donkeys” and live music.
Tickets are available for a donation of £5 per adult (aged 14 and over), £2 for children over the age of 3 and under 3s are free.
Tickets include and entry drink on arrival, a mince pie and a visit with Father Christmas – an absolute bargain! And what’s even better, is the proceeds from the event will go towards making life changing differences in the town’s hospital and wider community.
November 28, Harrogate Railway Athletic FC, Station View, Harrogate, 1pm to 7pm.
Harrogate Christmas Fayre
Market Place Europe is taking on the main event in Harrogate, but instead of Montpellier Hill, this new market will take place across the town centre over 10 days.
There will be a mixture of local and European stallholders on Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent.
The Harrogate Christmas Fayre will feature around 50 traders, which will spaced out wider than usual to encourage social distancing.
December 3 until December 12, Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent, Monday to Wednesday – 10am to 7pm, Thursday to Saturday – 10am to 9pm, and Sundays from 10am to 5pm
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Harrogate Christmas Artisan Market
Little Bird Made, which has carved out a name for itself across North Yorkshire with its artisan markets, is set to hold a special two-day Christmas event in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens.
More than 60 local traders and producers will sell a variety of festive arts and crafts, clothing, homeware and jewellery, as well as locally-produced food and drink.
This is a new addition Harrogate, set to complement the town centre’s Christmas Fayre, with organisers working with Harrogate Borough Council.
December 4 and 5, Valley Gardens, Harrogate, 10am to 3pm
Photograph: Charlotte Gale Photography
Knaresborough Christmas Market
Knaresborough Christmas Market is back with an actual bang – yes there are fireworks – after last year’s cancellation.
With the organising committee promising a “Yorkshire experience to remember”, there will be over 50 stalls selling decorations, gifts and locally-sourced produce.
While visitors sip their mulled wine, they can also enjoy live entertainment from local dancers, choirs and brass bands.
As in previous years, the market will culminate with a fireworks display over the town’s iconic viaduct at 4.30pm on Sunday, December 5.
December 4 and 5, Market Square
Boroughbridge Christmas Market
This is another festive artisan market by Little Bird Made, which is being held the same weekend as the event in Harrogate.
This one is taking place at Langthorpe Farm Shop and promises “a Christmas shopping bonanza, mulled wine and some special surprises”.
There will be an assortment of handmade gifts and stalls will include arts, crafts, plants, clothes, jewellery, candles, soaps, coffee and gin. For the foodies, there will be cheese, pies, flapjack, biscuits, preserves, cakes and street food.
December 4, Langthorpe Farm Shop, Leeming Lane, from 10am to 3pm
Ripon Christmas lights
Ripon Christmas Market
Last year the covid lockdown meant that the city and its traders were unable to capitalise fully on the £65,000 spent on a major expansion of Christmas lights and displays.
However, this year the festivities are back! And so is Little Bird Made, with another Christmas market in the district, this time in partnership with Ripon City Council.
On December 5 and 12, artisan markets will be held on the square and free children’s fairground rides will be in operation on those dates.
There will be a selection of stalls from local traders, arts, crafts, food, an outdoor bar and live music.
December 5 and 12, Ripon Market Square, 10am to 3pm
A total of 22 affordable homes have been proposed to be built in Staveley by developer Jack Lunn Properties.
The company hopes to build three one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom and six three-bedroom homes in the village, which has a population of 430 and is between Boroughbridge and Knaresborough,
The rural site is not allocated for development in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where planning will take place.
But the application has been brought forward through a rural exception scheme, which allows councils to grant planning permission for affordable housing in the open countryside if a developer can prove there is a need for it.
A planning document lodged with Harrogate Borough Council cites affordable housing figures that show a shortfall in the number of new affordable houses built over the last five years.
It says:
“The only sustainable way of making housing more affordable in the long term is to build more homes in the right places. High house prices can prevent people from living near the best job opportunities for them, limiting the productivity of companies that might have employed them.”
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More than 500 excess deaths in North Yorkshire during coronavirus
There have been 559 excess deaths in North Yorkshire during the coronavirus pandemic, new figures have revealed.
Excess deaths are a measure of how many more people are dying than would be expected when compared to previous years and can be used to show the overall impact of the pandemic.
Figures presented to a meeting of North Yorkshire’s Outbreak Management Advisory Board showed 11,347 deaths from all causes were expected during the weeks of the pandemic based on the five-year average.
A total of 11,906 deaths from all causes were recorded up until 1 October – giving an excess of 559.
Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, told today’s meeting that these figures were “largely reflective of the national position”. She said:
“The largest peaks of excess deaths, unsurprisingly, were during covid’s first and second wave.
“This was followed by periods where deaths were actually a bit below the expected number, however, those periods were not enough to offset the very high numbers of excess deaths that we saw during both wave one and two.”
According to Public Health England figures, there have been a total of 1,227 deaths in North Yorkshire where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
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The recent rate of Covid deaths and hospital admissions has increased slightly since the end of summer, however, the figures are lower than previous waves.
20 patients still in intensive care
Despite this, Sue Peckitt, chief nurse at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said the heath service was still facing “unprecedented” demand with 171 Covid patients currently in the county’s hospitals.
She told today’s meeting that the majority of these patients were over-65 and that 20 were in intensive care:
“We continue to see high demand into our primary and emergency care departments.
“Whilst we are seeing high numbers of Covid infections in our younger population, it is the older population that is presenting into hospital.”
Ms Peckitt also said the vaccine rollout was continuing with a focus on booster jabs for over 50s and increasing uptake for 12 to 15-year-olds who will be offered their single dose by the end of November. She added:
Major Harrogate district employer bids to build energy plant“The schools programme for 12 to 15-year-olds is now rolling out through our provider Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, but we have also opened up three sites on the national booking system.
“These are the pharmacy site at Knaresborough, the Askham Bar site at York and the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough.”
A Boroughbridge company plans to build a heat and power plant to produce “greener” and “cost-effective” energy at its headquarters.
Reed Boardall, which stores and delivers frozen food to UK supermarkets, employs 800 staff at its site off Bar Lane and operates a fleet of 196 vehicles 24 hours a day.
The company has submitted plans for a combined heat and power plant, which would be built on its site and generate electricity.
According to documents lodged with Harrogate Borough Council, the plant would work by “igniting air and natural gas to produce hot, high-pressure gases”.
The gas would then be fed through a turbine to drive an electrical generator and produce electricity.
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The company added that the energy would be used to power its headquarters in Boroughbridge. Any excess energy would be exported back to the local electricity network.
Greener alternative
Andrew Baldwin, managing director of Reed Boardall’s cold storage division, told the Stray Ferret:
“We’re investing in a new combined heat and power system as a way of protecting the energy needs of our business for the future.
“It is more cost-effective than buying power from the National Grid and is generally considered to be a greener alternative. We expect it to be fully operational by the end of the year.”
If approved, construction of the plant is expected to take place over three months.
Once up and running, the plant would run for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, it would be unmanned and operated remotely.
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.
The plan follows a multi-million expansion of Reed Boardall’s Boroughbridge site.
In May, the company announced it had finished a 110,000 square foot expansion to one of its cold storage units at its 55-acre site in Boroughbridge, which will help it meet increased customer demand.
Guilty plea after £140,000 of cannabis seized in BoroughbridgeTwo men who were stopped on the A1(M) at Boroughbridge have admitted their part in a major cannabis-supply operation.
Police seized 14 kilos of cannabis worth £140,000 when they pulled over Silvio Kondi, 30, and Flamur Saliasi, 45, on September 30.
They were arrested and charged with possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply.
Today, Kondi, of Tong Road, Farnley, near Leeds, and Saliasi, of no fixed address, appeared at York Crown Court where they pleaded guilty to the offence.
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Prosecutor Rachel Landing said the drugs had an estimated street value of £140,000.
She said that because of the sheer amount of the drugs seized, it had to be assumed that the two men had close ties to the “original source” of the supply chain.
Robert Mochrie, for Kondi, contested this allegation on behalf of his client, whom he said was merely a courier for the drug enterprise.
Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, adjourned sentence for the defendants’ bases of plea to be reviewed in terms of their respective roles within the drug operation. They will be sentenced on November 16.
Boroughbridge Hightimers return with Cinderella pantomimeThe Boroughbridge Hightimers are returning to the stage next month to put on its long-awaited pantomime, Cinderella.
The amateur dramatic society has been waiting to put on the show since before the pandemic and is now ready for the curtain to rise.
The group, set up 30 years ago, are busy rehearsing for their return at the end of November.
The group currently has 40 members aged 8-80 years old but chairman, Marlo Lomas, said more members were always welcome to help out behind stage, front of house or even take to the stage.
The show will be performed at Coronation Hall, Boroughbridge November 25-27 and again December 2-4.
Mr Lomas said:
“It has been very hard for us all in the society. We were always watching the news waiting to hear the good news that we could go back on the stage. We had lots of performances planned for last year but as time went on they were delayed several times.
“Cinderella, is the first performance back after lockdown it’s an extra special one. The whole cast and backstage crew have worked so hard to ensure that the production is great for all the audience.”
The junior cast in Bugsy Malone.
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Just before lockdown the group had its junior production of Bugsy Malone. Mr Lomas said it was a great success and the junior cast will return with Grease next June.
In March, the Hightimers will be performing a comedy thriller called Play Prepare to Meet Thy Tomb.
To book tickets for the pantomime, click here.
To check out other performances such as these, take a look at our What’s On page.
Christmas late-night shopping returns to BoroughbridgeChristmas is coming to Boroughbridge with an evening of late-night shopping, Christmas tree lights and Santa on a sleigh.
On December 1st shops will stay open until 8pm as people visit the town to watch the lights switch on.
The lights on the Christmas tree on Hall Square – at the bottom of the high street – will be switched on by Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Pat Taylor.
Organisers Boroughbridge Chamber of Trade said businesses were eager for it to return after last year’s covid cancellation. For many, it’s the best night for trade across the year.
It’s not just shops getting involved, the Boroughbridge Lions have organised for Santa and his sleigh to be there as well as street stalls and choir performances.
Chamber president, Derek Hufton, said the town is usually “crawling” with visitors and is hoping for similar levels this year:
“Following last year’s cancellation there’s a great enthusiasm building for this year’s event.
“The community spirit in Boroughbridge is very strong and the late-night Christmas shopping event is not just about local businesses but also very much about the community gathering and enjoying a great festive evening.”
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The official switch on begins at 5.30pm.
The shops will also be taking part in a window display competition, to be judged on the night.
Boroughbridge pub fears energy bills could increase seven-foldA pub landlord in Boroughbridge has said he fears his energy costs could increase seven-fold overnight amid concerns over the future of Harrogate-based energy firm CNG Group.
The Stray Ferret reported this morning that CNG is to stop supplying gas to energy customers, amid record wholesale gas prices.
It has also been reported that there is a deadline of tomorrow for organisations to submit bids to buy CNG’s small and medium-sized enterprises arm, which directly supplies gas and electricity to more than 40,000 SMEs.
One of those is the Grantham Arms in Boroughbridge. Owner Simon Wade told the Stray Ferret the move would have a major impact on his business.
Mr Wade is three years into a five-year contract with CNG, which provides gas to heat the pub at a rate of 5p a unit.
However, if the company collapses, he has been told by his energy broker that he will be placed on an emergency tariff that could be as much as seven times higher than what he currently pays.
He said:
“I’m facing a massive hike and it’s nothing to do with us. It’s a major concern”
“We’re completely shackled and it’s put us in a bad position”.
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Mr Wade said the pub had a good reputation and has been busy since reopening after lockdown but he was concerned that sky-high energy bills would eat into his takings.
He urged businesses to check their contracts or get in touch with their energy brokers to see if they are with CNG and, if so, make contingency plans, such as moving towards renewable energy.
He added:
“If you have an old building that relies on gas it eats into your budget.
“We’re backed into a corner, but we’re small fry.
“A lot of people will suffer and it’s not any of our doing.”
The Stray Ferret asked CNG for details of its current situation but did not receive a response by the time of publication.