A 23-year-old Harrogate man has appeared in court charged with wounding a man on Bower Street on Friday night.
William Boam, who lives on Bower Street, faced three charges at York Magistrates Court.
He was accused of maliciously wounding a named victim with the intent to do him grievous bodily harmed.
Mr Boam was also charged with possessing a knife on Bower Street and assaulting another named victim on the same night on the street, causing actual bodily harm.
The cases were sent to York Crown Court, where they are due to be heard on November 14.
Mr Boam was denied bail at Monday’s hearing.
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Railings to be installed on Harrogate’s Bower Street
Railings are to be installed on Harrogate’s Bower Street in an attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour.
Businesses and councillors have expressed concerns about persistent problems caused by people “milling around” on the street, which is the other side of the One Arch tunnel into the town centre.
The issue came to a head last Friday night when a man was stabbed on the street.
Some people have said they are frightened to walk down the street and businesses are concerned about the impact on trade.
Police say the street attracts anti-social behaviour partly because it is located close to many agencies that provide help, and also because of the street design, which encourages people to linger.
Today Harrogate Borough Council revealed it had reached an agreement with private landlords on the street to tackle the problem. It said:
“The council has facilitated negotiations with private owners including landlords and Leeds Federated Housing Association to make the area more secure and have now reached an agreement to install railings to premises on the parade of shops to reduce access.
“These areas have consistently been used as a location where people congregate and where there is evidence of repeat antisocial behaviour.”
The Stray Ferret understands the council has been negotiating for years with the landlords to take action. The council statement said:
“As the land is privately owned, negotiations have taken longer than hoped however this work will look to be progressed as a priority with partners continuing to work alongside the council.”
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Bower Street is located close to Harrogate Conservative Club and the office of Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones.
‘Trouble for a long time’
Cllr Richard Cooper
Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of the council and its elected member for Central Ward, who is also Mr Jones’ office manager, said:
“All of us who live or work near this location know that it has been trouble for a long time.
“While the council has worked with the police on the issues the land is privately owned and installing secure boundaries is the responsibility of the property owner.
“Nonetheless, the council and other partners recognise the impact that antisocial behaviour and criminal activity has on the quality of life of residents, businesses and the wider community.
“That is why we have offered to help the property owners secure their boundaries and I am glad agreement has been reached on how to do this. I am grateful to the property owners for working with us on this.”
Mr Cooper added it was important to recognise “the people who congregate in these areas often have complex physical and mental health needs”, adding:
Man charged after Harrogate stabbing“When criminal acts are committed the legal process needs to happen. But we also need to redouble our efforts to support agencies like Harrogate Homeless Project and Harrogate StreetAid who can provide the wrap-around support enabling people to break out of chaotic lifestyles.
“Securing this area will solve the anti-social and criminal behaviour problem at this location. It will not, on its own, change the lifestyles of those who congregated on Bower Street. Long-term dedicated support is the only way to do that.”
A man has been charged following a stabbing in Harrogate on Friday night, police have confirmed.
North Yorkshire Police was called to Bower Street shortly after 8pm after being alerted to an argument.
A police statement last night said:
“A man suffered a stab wound in the altercation, he was taken to hospital and is recovering well.
“A 23-year-old man from Harrogate was arrested and charged with assault on a person occasioning actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and wounding with intent.”
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Police ‘looking into’ Harrogate stabbing claims
Police have said they are ‘looking into’ claims that a stabbing took place in Harrogate on Friday night.
The Stray Ferret received a message on Saturday morning saying a police cordon had been installed on Bower Street on Friday night.
We received subsequent messages, including one from a senior Harrogate businessman saying he was told by police at the scene that a stabbing had taken place.
We emailed North Yorkshire Police about the incident on Saturday morning but did not receive a reply. Following a subsequent email this afternoon, police said they were ‘looking into’ the matter.
The businessman, who asked not to be named, expressed concerns about the impact of persistent anti-social behaviour on residents and shops in the area. He said:
“It gets worse every single day, culminating in a stabbing last Friday.
“I walk past there everyday and know many of the residents around the area. Every day there is street drinking, drug taking, and verbal and physical abuse.
“There was a council residents’ consultation back in the summer, but nothing has been done. When the police are called, they simply say ‘report the incident’ but nothing results from that.
“What more than a stabbing will it take the council/police to do about something that everyone in the town knows is a dangerous anti-social issue?”
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Bower Street was one of the areas mentioned at a Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting last week, where police officers gave an overview of policing in the area.
A delegate said one business had already been forced to close on the street because of persistent anti-social behaviour and asked whether the police could do anything to prevent people “milling around”.
One Arch
Chief Inspector Alex Langley admitted there was little they could do in trouble spots such as Bower Street and outside McDonald’s.
He added Bower Street was close to many agencies offering support to people, and therefore attracted issues.
The nearby One Arch tunnel into the town centre is an area earmarked for improvements under the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.
Harrogate district businesses ask police for help tackling anti-social behaviour
A Harrogate police officer has said there is “no perfect solution” to town centre anti-social behaviour after businesses asked for help.
A Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting on Monday heard concerns about behaviour on Bower Street and outside McDonald’s restaurant in Harrogate, as well as at Knaresborough castle.
Chief Inspector Alex Langley and Superintendent Theresa Lam started by giving an overview of police issues in Harrogate in which they said Parliament Street was “the busiest ward” in the county for incidents.
A delegate said one business had already been forced to close on Bower Street because of persistent anti-social behaviour and asked whether the police could do anything to prevent people “milling around”.
Chief Inspector Alex Langley
Ch Insp Langley said police had an input on street design but admitted there was little they could do in trouble spots such as Bower Street and outside McDonald’s. Talking about the area outside the restaurant, he said:
“It’s been a problem since I started 19 years ago and will continue to be because it’s the perfect place to sit.
“There’s no perfect solution for moving on people that aren’t committing crimes.”
He said if the problem was tackled in one area it would only move to another.
A Knaresborough businesswoman said late night drinkers congregated in the castle grounds at Knaresborough because the lack of streetlighting made it an “ideal place to go”. But she said they often left broken glass, which was then a problem for dog walkers and tourists the next day.
Chf Insp Langley said he would report the issue to the police neighbourhood awareness team.
He urged businesses and people to report crimes, saying the police could only act if they were aware of problems.
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Inquest finds homeless Harrogate man endured a ‘drug-related death’
An inquest heard that a “fatal selection of drugs” was found in the body of a 40-year-old Harrogate homeless man.
Matthew Luke Chandler, a resident at Harrogate Homeless Project‘s hostel on Bower Street, was found dead by staff on August 20, 2021.
Staff grew concerned after Mr Chandler had not been seen since the previous evening. After discovering him unconscious they performed CPR but he was certified dead by paramedics at 4.40pm.
Yesterday’s inquest in Northallerton heard Mr Chandler had been homeless “most of his adult life” and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2014.
His GP said he had a history of drug misuse and had been previously referred to substance misuse services in North Yorkshire.
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Coroner John Bainbridge read evidence from the police, which found no signs of a struggle or disturbance.
The police statement added that besides pain relief medication prescribed to Mr Chandler after he broke his leg, there were no other drugs to be found in his room at the hostel.
Mr Bainbridge added Mr Chandler did not leave a note and there was no indication from friends and others living in the hostel that he was thinking of ending his life.
The coroner said he would disregard suicide as a cause of death because there was no evidence to indicate Mr Chandler intended to end his life.
Concluding the inquest, Mr Bainbridge said:
Emergency services rescue ‘man in distress’ from scaffolding in Harrogate“A toxicology report found a fatal selection of drugs in Mr Chandler’s system that contributed to his death. Therefore I believe it is safe legally and scientifically to make a conclusion that his death was drug related.”
Police and firefighters rescued a “man in distress” who climbed scaffolding in Harrogate last night.
A concerned eyewitness called the police when they saw the man make his way to the top of the three-storey building next to Harrogate Homeless Project on Bower Street.
Officers attended the incident at around 7pm and managed to convince him to make his way back to the ground after about an hour of negotiations.
The man, who has not been named, was then taken to Harrogate District Hospital for treatment and support.
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A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:
“North Yorkshire Police received a report of a man in distress who had climbed scaffolding on Bower Street in Harrogate just before 7pm yesterday.
“Officers attended and spoke to the man, who came back down at about 8pm. He was taken to hospital to receive the support and treatment he needs.”
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said:
Persistent vandalism threat to shops on Harrogate’s Bower Street“Fire crews from Harrogate along with the aerial ladder platform attended an incident to assist police and paramedics with a male, who was left in their care.”
Two shop owners on Harrogate’s Bower Street have said they feel a sense of helplessness in the face of anti-social behaviour and vandalism that is blighting trade.
Doe Bakehouse and Jarfull have both called the police multiple times to report vandalism, fighting and anti-social behaviour.
They say the empty shop in between their premises is often full of people drinking, playing music and sometimes getting violent. Litter is common too.
Doe Bakehouse had its front seating area covered in mud and concrete last weekend.
The shop has previously had its door smashed and often has litter thrown into the seating area.
Owner Evie Jackson said after the incident it had become a “frequent target” and that she planned to close the shop and just fulfil online pre-orders from the premises. She said:
“We deal with antisocial behaviour constantly due to issues on the street and we are at a loss with what can be done.”
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The shops are situated between the One Arch tunnel and Harrogate Homeless Project.
Rebecca Lodge, who owns Jarfull, which promotes sustainable shopping, said she had called the police many times to report fights and anti-social behaviour. She said:
Harrogate donut cafe faces uncertain future after vandals attack“Next door is empty so people just hang around, drinking and being a bit rowdy. I’ve not had any issues as such but it’s caused issues in that people are put off coming because it can be quite intimidating having eight people sat there drinking. I’ve had to call the police a few times for fighting but generally it’s just drinking.
“Being in here can be intimidating and it’s tricky because sometimes I think it would be better off if we had the shop somewhere else because I’m in no doubt people are put off coming this end of town but then customers love that they can park right outside.”
Doe Bakehouse in Harrogate is to close its cafe for the foreseeable and run a pre-order only service after it was targeted by vandals again last night.
The cafe, on Bower Street, was left with mud and concrete in its outdoor seating area after it was trashed overnight.
The owner, Evie Jackson, posted on Facebook today to tell customers they had been forced to close after becoming a “frequent target”.
She said the shop will now serve as a base for customers to collect their online pre-orders every Saturday, starting next week. Talking to the Stray Ferret she said:
“We feel we have to shut the cafe due to concerns from staff and customers too.”
Previously, the shop has had its door smashed and often has litter thrown into the seating area. The incident is now being dealt with by the police.
The Harrogate shop is one of four in the sweet treats chain. Others are based in York and Clitheroe, Lancashire.
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Police appeal after mass brawl in Harrogate
North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information following reports of a group of men fighting on Harrogate’s Bower Street last night.
Police were alerted to the incident at about 9pm. It is not known what caused the disturbance, or how many people were involved.
A police statement today said:
“Although no reports of any injuries were received, officers need to speak to those involved.”
It added that any witnesses, or people with information, could call the police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC Ambler collar number 216.
Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The reference number is 12210259739.
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