Some rural homes in North Yorkshire could face years of poor broadband, a public meeting in Masham heard this week.

Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who cited rural connectivity as a key issue during her successful campaign this year to represent Masham and Fountains as a Liberal Democrat on North Yorkshire Council, organised the meeting.

Representatives of NYnet, the North Yorkshire Council-owned company set up to increase digital connectivity in the county, said 895 premises in Masham and Fountains currently didn’t have access to super-fast broadband.

They said the third phase of Nynet’s Superfast North Yorkshire project, which is due to end in March next year, should reduce this number by 594, leaving 301 homes unable to get 30 Mbps — the speed required to be classed ‘superfast’.

Robert Ling, speaking at the meeting.

Robert Ling, director of transformation at the council, said superfast coverage across North Yorkshire was expected to be 97% by March.

Mr Ling said this represented significant progress “but this is cold comfort to people here who don’t have it”.

Project Gigabit, the £5 billion government programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband, would reach more homes but Mr Ling admitted there was no timeframe on when all premises would be reached.

Many of the 40 people who attended the meeting at Masham Town Hall expressed frustration at the WiFi they received.

Masham Town Hall. Pic: David Dixon

One said it was a “dreadful service that’s not fit for purpose” and another commented that their WiFi frequently went down whenever it rained hard, making it difficult to run a business.

Mr Ling said because Project Gigabit was a government scheme, and this dependence on central government along with other factors such as cost made it difficult for NYnet to accurately predict what will happen after March next year,

NYnet chair Peter Scrope said the organisation would probably have to run its own project to help the hardest to reach homes.

NYnet chair Peter Scrope

Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said she hoped to arrange a follow-up meeting in March to discuss progress.

Afterwards, she told the Stray Ferret she would like to see the re-introduction of a government voucher scheme that enabled people to install their own gigabit-capable connections at reduced cost. She added:

“This is a matter of concern to many people and there is a great deal of doubt about what is being delivered and what the solutions are.”

Read more:

• Masham councillor to hold public meeting on poor rural broadband
• Masham brewery Theakston returns to profit
• Fears for rural transport as Masham and Ripon minibus service is scrapped

The company rolling out fibre broadband infrastructure across Harrogate has reassured residents that replacement pavement markings are only temporary.

CityFibre said the bicycle signs on Otley Road should be replaced within the next two weeks with a more permanent finish.

The paths were dug up last month to install fibre optic broadband cables as part of a district-wide project.

The trench was filled with tarmac, which partially removed the markings for the shared cycle path. A can of white spray paint was reportedly used by workers to mark up what was previously in place.

Kim Johnston, regional partnership director at CityFibre, said:

“The restoration works are ongoing, with the current cycle marking a temporary measure. We expect work to be completed on or around April 18, dependant on permit approval.

“We would like to thank residents for their patience and reassure them of our commitment to leaving the area in the same way we found it. Works on Otley Road are part of our £46m full fibre rollout in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, which is set to future-proof the area’s digital infrastructure for decades to come.”

According to the North Yorkshire Council roadworks map, CityFibre is expected to return to the area from April 11 to 18 for the work, with temporary traffic lights to be used around the junctions of Harlow Moor Road and Pannal Ash Road.

Read more:

• Otley Road to be closed for cycle route improvements
• Confirmed: second phase of Harrogate’s Otley Road cycle route scrapped

Separately, North Yorkshire Council had previously said the road would be closed between 7pm and 3am from April 24 to 28 for remedial works to the cycle route.

It has now confirmed that daytime work is also expected to take place between Monday, April 24, and Wednesday, May 3, from 7.30am to 5pm.

The work had been due to take place last year, but was delayed until after the CityFibre project was complete.

Melisa Burnham, North Yorkshire Council’s highways area manager for Harrogate, said:

“CityFibre have agreed to reinstate the cycle route and any associated lining back to appropriate standards. Officers are in discussion with CityFibre to ensure this is addressed.

“After phase one of the cycle path was completed, the need for some remedial work was identified. That included resurfacing junctions between Otley Road and side roads, to the tactile paving and grass verges. It was also recognised that additional signs and street furniture were needed.”

Harrogate’s Otley Road is to be dug up for the second time in just over a year.

Work is due to start on Monday, February 20 and last for two weeks subject to external factors such as weather.

North Yorkshire County Council contractors spent three months creating the first phase of the Otley Road cycleway between September and December 2021.

The same stretch of road is now set to be disturbed again to allow the firm City Fibre to install fibre optic cables that will enable people to receive full fibre-enabled broadband services.

City Fibre is nearing the end of a £46 million upgrade of broadband connectivity in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon. Otley Road will be the last area to be completed in Harrogate.

The county council was due to begin remedial work early this year on cycleway design faults and defects highlighted by residents and Harrogate District Cycle Action.

But a report to councillors for a meeting tomorrow says:

“In May 2022 the fibre optic network company City Fibre contacted North Yorkshire County Council with a request to install fibre optic cables down the full length of the newly constructed cycleway.

“We have negotiated with City Fibre to reinstate the full width of the cycleway at their expense. We will therefore carry out our outstanding remedial works once City Fibre have installed their apparatus.”

Read more:

• Confirmed: second phase of Harrogate’s Otley Road cycle route scrapped
• Plans confirm football pitches will be lost in 200-home Harrogate scheme

Kim Johnston, City Fibre area manager, said in a press release sent out previously that the firm will repair defects at its own expense when it makes good the road. She said:

“We are working closely with North Yorkshire County Council in this area as we understand that the footways on Otley Road have undergone recent resurfacing.

“With the council’s agreement, as part of City Fibre’s essential development works, the footways will be restored, including repairs to defects that North Yorkshire County Council were due to carry out.”

Thousands of homes and businesses in Harrogate have just been connected to full fibre-enabled broadband services

Fibre optic company CityFibre said yesterday it had made homes in reach of its network in Bilton, Woodlands, Rossett Green, Pannal, Valley Gardens and New Park ‘ready for service’, which means people can choose to connect to full fibre-enabled broadband services.

CityFibre is investing £46 million on upgrading connectivity Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

The rollout is due to be completed in Harrogate this year and will mean almost every home and business locally will have access to full fibre services from a range of internet service providers. The rollout is also now progressing into new areas in Ripon.

Kim Johnston, CityFibre area manager said:

“Our rollout to date has helped transform Harrogate and Ripon’s digital capabilities for both residents and businesses, making them some of the best-connected towns in Britain. We have almost finished in Harrogate and just have a small amount left to do along Otley Road.

“Digital infrastructure has become the cornerstone of modern day-life, and the people we have spoken to say they are already reaping the benefits of lightning fast and more reliable broadband.”

Unlike copper-based fibre broadband services, full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic infrastructure to carry data at lightning speed from the home to the point of connection.

This gives users consistently faster speeds for upload and download and near limitless bandwidth.

Construction is being delivered by Makehappen Group on behalf of CityFibre.

Read more:

• Full Fibre broadband is coming to Harrogate, what does this mean?
• Plan to convert former Harrogate post office into 11 flats approved

Rural areas in Harrogate have been revealed as the worst in North Yorkshire for internet connections.

Ofcom figures show parts of the district are lagging behind Ryedale, Craven, Hambleton, Richmondshire, Scarborough, Selby and York for superfast broadband, with 69% connectivity in rural Harrogate compared with 96% in urban areas.

Slow internet speeds can hinder economic growth and leave thousands of businesses and households plunged into “technology blackspots”.

That is according to North Yorkshire County Council, which launched its broadband company NYnet in 2007 and said the rollout of superfast internet in rural communities has involved one of the most challenging projects of its kind nationally.

It said it has invested £85 million in broadband services, although it admitted improving connectivity remains a “significant challenge”.

Alastair Taylor, chief executive of NYnet, said:

“We remain committed to providing broadband coverage across all parts of North Yorkshire, from the county’s major urban areas to the remotest communities.

“NYnet has been working for more than a decade on a programme to bring superfast broadband throughout North Yorkshire.

“More than 190,000 premises have been upgraded on Openreach’s digital network to provide faster and more reliable broadband connections.

“More than 80% of premises have now taken advantage of the dramatically improved broadband speeds which have been made available to them.”

Mr Taylor also argued that the Ofcom figures date from 2019 and since then there has been “a great deal of work conducted in both the Harrogate district as well as the whole county”.

Read more:

• Beckwithshaw has worst superfast broadband coverage in North Yorkshire
• Free public Wi-Fi rolled out on in Harrogate

Across the whole of the Harrogate district, overall connectivity is now 93% – just above the county’s average of 92%, Mr Taylor said.

The latest figures come after research by the independent North Yorkshire Rural Commission – which was established by the county council and launched in 2019 – revealed that a fifth of all rural areas in the county had no broadband connection.

The council said engineering challenges have “intensified” in the past four years as its Superfast North Yorkshire project has extended into some of the most remote rural communities.

It added more than 190,000 premises have been upgraded over the past decade and that the digital network is now available to the majority of people in the county’s two national parks covering the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.

Council leader Carl Les said:

“The issue of poor broadband connectivity has been a long-standing problem for many parts of North Yorkshire, especially in communities in deeply rural areas.

“The chance to introduce these improved broadband connections is vital for businesses in the 21st century, whether they are based in the biggest town or city or in the smallest village or hamlet.

“But they are also a necessity to ensure our rural communities have a future, helping to attract families and younger people to live in the countryside to ensure services and facilities such as schools, village stores and pubs can continue to operate.

“We have made huge improvements for tens of thousands of businesses and households, but the work does not stop here and we will continue to look at how we can introduce better connections for the remaining parts of the county.”

This advertorial is sponsored by Boundless Networks

Boundless Networks is now connecting customers to its Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband, with speeds of up to 900Mbps, in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Now, you may be thinking “I already have fibre broadband, what is the difference?” but it is likely you just have Partial-Fibre broadband rather than Full Fibre.

Partial-Fibre broadband takes a fibre cable to a local cabinet but only uses a copper cable to your home, copper is not able to deliver the fast speeds reached on full fibre networks.

Using CityFibre’s FTTP network, Full Fibre from Boundless is future-proof and its technology is capable of much faster speeds so your broadband connection is ready for the future and not just today.

Why choose Boundless?

Boundless Networks is different to the big guys with real people delivering excellent customer service. There are no hidden fees either, Boundless will always be upfront about how much you’re going to be paying.

Unlike larger companies, they don’t sentence you to a contract for years. Instead, they believe in just providing a good service. Offering a rolling monthly contract and saying that people stay because they want to; not because they have to.

The product speaks for itself, with a top package of 900Mbps you can rely on Boundless to give you fast and reliable broadband. If something does go wrong, simply give customer service a call and, with their customers being 358% more likely to recommend them to friends and family than the industry average, they will be sure to work all avenues until your broadband works again.

The Boundless customer service team are always on hand to help

Stress-free installation 

Once ordered, installations dates are typically available within six days, but if you aren’t quite ready you can book your installation over a month in advance.

You can choose the date and time of the installation and will get a text from the engineer with an estimated arrival time. The actual installation is stress-free for the customer and once completed you will be fully functional and able to connect.

Customer testimonial 

Don’t just take it from Boundless themselves, Graham Allwood was the first person to get connected with Boundless on CityFibre’s FTTP network. Here are some questions Boundless put to Graham:

• Why did you choose Boundless Network?

“They were a local business offering something others do not, namely a one month contract with the aim of good service in order to keep customers.”

• Have you noticed an improvement in your broadband speed?

“Yes. The speeds are fantastic. I cannot fault it one little bit.”

• How was the installation process?

“Installation went smoothly. They turned up when they said they would, very polite and kept me informed every step of the way. As it was a new install, they were often asking me my preference for where I would like the new cable to be placed.”

• What is the customer service like from Boundless?

“Not had to use it much, but on the few times I have, they were responsive and quick to resolve my questions.”

• What would you say to someone thinking about upgrading their broadband with Boundless Networks?

“Go for it! It’s nice to see a local business trying hard to improve customers experience with such a unique package. I would definitely recommend Boundless Networks should anyone ask me.”

As the network is still being built, more and more homes are connected on a weekly basis. Click here to check your availability now.

Two appointments at Roecliffe pub

A new chef and general manager have been appointed at the Crown Inn in Roecliffe, near Boroughbridge.

The 16th century coaching inn was bought by the Coastal and Country Inns Group in September 2020 and was subsequently refurbished.

The group has hired chef Paul Murphy, who previously helped to establish the Timble Inn near Otley into a five-star hotel. He also worked with fellow chef Frances Atkins at the Michelin-starred Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge.

Paul Bennington will also join the team as general manager.

Mr Binnington, who first teamed up with Paul Murphy at the Station Inn in Birstwith, previously ran the Black Lion in Thirsk.

Chris Hannon, managing director of Coastal and Country Inns, said:

“These two appointments are crucially important for the future of the Crown. The two Pauls, who are both very experienced and very talented, are a true dream team. They work brilliantly together.”

Harrogate’s Duchy Hospital sends medical supplies to Ukraine

The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate has worked alongside a UK-based Ukrainian Doctor to deliver more than 110 tonnes of medical supplies to Ukraine.

Working with the Ukrainian doctors’ union and the British Red Cross, the Duchy Hospital has identified the supplies needed by war-hit hospitals.

The Duchy Hospital is one of 53 Circle Health Group hospitals that has stockpiled supplies such as ventilators, crutches, respiratory masks, scrubs, wound kits and operating tables for Ukrainian hospitals.

The latest delivery contained £185,500 of medical equipment loaded on 35 pallets.

Staff and doctors at Duchy Hospital have raised additional funds with a bake sale, food collection and a 12-hour continuous cycle, which have raised more than £2,000.

This article is sponsored by CityFibre

Kim Johnston, Regional Partnership Manager for CityFibre in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, answers some of the frequently asked questions regarding the full fibre roll out across the region.

What is CityFibre and what is it doing in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon?

CityFibre is on a mission to future-proof the UK’s connectivity from the ground up – literally! We’re building brand new digital communications infrastructure across the region, bringing the best available technology (full fibre) within reach of nearly every home and business.

This is a game-changer for the region as it will last for generations and help to drive the region’s growth now, enabling residents and businesses to benefit from ultra-fast internet speeds, while also unlocking a world of opportunities in the future.

This is all part of our up to £4 billion Gigabit City Investment Programme, which will see us bring full fibre within reach of up to 8 million homes and businesses across the UK by 2025.

What’s your role at CityFibre?

As a commercial lead in the region, I’m the main point of contact for local stakeholders and a key advocate of the many benefits that a full fibre network will bring to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Right at the heart of what we are trying to achieve are the local communities we will serve. It’s also very important in my role to ensure the build progresses smoothly and that residents and businesses are kept updated every step of the way.

Why is full fibre different to what I’ve got already? 

The difference between full fibre and ‘regular’ fibre is significant, and even if you think you have ‘fibre broadband’ today, the chances are there’s copper in there somewhere holding you back. In fact, if your router connects to a normal telephone socket, then that’s what you’ve got.

Around 80% of UK homes still connect to the internet via networks built for telephones – copper networks designed to carry sound, not data. Our networks are designed specifically for the digital age and take 100% fibre optic technology all the way from the home to the point of connection.

Full fibre enables Gigabit speeds, reliable services and bandwidth that can grow as we need it. No more buffering when you’re trying to watch the latest Netflix series, a stable, reliable connection on Zoom calls and the family able to play on their consoles and computers simultaneously without any groans of ‘the broadband is down’.

What does Gigabit mean?

A standard broadband connection has an average download speed of around 6Mbps and ‘superfast broadband’ averages speeds of around 30Mbps.

Internet service providers (ISPs) that are offering broadband connections on our full fibre network can deliver colossal ‘Gigabit speeds’ of up to 1,000Mbps for both download and upload.

That’s over 30 times faster than a superfast connection!

Where are you working at the moment?

We are currently working in Knaresborough and Harrogate, with our build starting in Ripon in 2022.

You’ll be able to spot our teams in action in Knaresborough and Pannal in Harrogate and, before too long, we’ll have reached nearly every home and business locally.

How will I know when it’s coming to my area?

We use digital advertising and door knocking, where applicable, to inform residents of our plans, and we will post a letter through your door before construction is due to start in your street to let you know we are coming.

Read More: 

• Brilliantly fast full fibre broadband is coming to the Harrogate district

What do the works entail?

Most of the new full fibre network will be laid underground. This requires construction crews to dig trenches which can cause some disruption. However, the teams work quickly and should only be working outside each individual property for a couple of days, during which you may be asked to move your car or manoeuvre around barriers.

In some locations, existing telephone poles will be used to feed the cable to properties overhead, resulting in minimised disruption.

If you have any issues regarding access to your property or any questions regarding the build, please do speak to the build teams on-site who will be able to answer any questions.

How do I get it?

CityFibre doesn’t provide the end service to the customer, we only lay the fibre cable. Our networks are open access; currently in the area residents can purchase full fibre connections on our network via TalkTalk. A number of other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be coming on board in the next month or two.

The easiest way to check if you can connect is to use the postcode checker on the CityFibre website. If it’s not available yet, you can register your interest and once works are complete, CityFibre will email you a list of available full fibre providers.

To be one of the first to get access to one of the fastest and most reliable broadband
services in the region, register your interest here!  

Harrogate has been named as the UK’s best place to work from home in a survey published today.

The Uswitch Remote Working Index 2020 ranked 106 of the UK’s biggest towns and cities by seven factors. 

Harrogate’s superfast broadband, green space, and low crime rates earned it top spot ahead of Bath.

Large cities fared poorly. York was eighth, London 88th and Manchester 100th.

The seven factors ranked were: average property prices, green spaces, crime rates, broadband speed, air quality, number of GPs and average Ofsted ratings. 

Covid has forced many people to work from home and a fifth of people said they wanted to do it more often when the pandemic is over.

Adelana Carty, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, said: 

“The pandemic has turned our working routines upside down and given many of us a taste for what our lives could be like if we worked from home on a more permanent basis.

“Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in millions of people dreaming of ditching the rat race and moving away from the big city.”

Read more: 

• Harrogate Nightingale ‘could open with five days notice’
• Harrogate face mask litter a ‘sign of the times’

Pollsters Opinium surveyed 2,003 UK adults for the survey.

It found the increase in home working has shifted attitudes away from living in large cities.

One in four people currently live in a city with a population in excess of 500,000 people but only one in nine wish to do so in future.