Emergency services called to person trapped in barbed wire in Harrogate

Police and firefighters were called to deal with a person trapped in barbed wire in Harrogate yesterday.

Harrogate firefighters were summoned to assist police at Ripon Way, which runs alongside the former gasworks site earmarked for the new Tesco supermarket, at 9.06pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident report said:

“Harrogate crews responded to assist police with a person trapped in barbed wire.

“The person was released prior to fire service arrival with no action taken by crews.”

No details of how the person became trapped, the extent of any injuries or the precise location on Ripon Way, have been released.

Firefighters also dealt with a fire at premises on Scriven Road in Knaresborough at 3.06am this morning.

The incident report said a gas pipe had caught fire. It added:

“Fire extinguished using two breathing apparatus and one hose reel. Incident handed into care of gas board.”

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Village near Knaresborough left in dark over fire-damaged pub’s future

Uncertainty surrounds the future of a Harrogate district village pub which suffered its second fire in three years over the summer. 

The Tiger Inn in Coneythorpe, north of Knaresborough, is believed not to have been renovated since the blaze and its tenants, Ian and Barbara Gill, are understood to have left the property permanently.

The pub’s phone number directs customers to its website, which features a pop-up box stating: “Due to an extensive fire in our kitchens, we are not open at this time”. That redirects visitors to a Facebook link that no longer works. 

The property lies empty, but according to sources in the village, cleaners have been in and the pub is checked on periodically.

When the Stray Ferret visited this week to try to find out what was happening, one person, who asked not to be named, said:

“No-one in the village knows what’s going on. Nobody’s told us anything. It’s such a shame, because the pub’s the hub of the village and we miss it, especially coming up to Christmas.”

It is not known why the tenants have left. Barbara Gill is the sole director of MGG Developments Co Ltd, which trades as The Tiger Inn, and the company’s latest accounts filed on June 15, 2023, paint a picture of a business with a future.

It is referred to as a going concern “despite suffering a fire to the business premises during the previous year which caused extensive damage”. It continues: 

“This is fully subjected to an insurance claim which is not expected to have any long-term financial implications to the company.”

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Jon West, a Coneythorpe resident who sits on Arkendale, Coneythorpe and Clareton Parish Council, told the Stray Ferret: 

“The only fact I can share with you is that the Tiger Inn is shut and for an unknown period. All other information I have is hearsay or guesswork which is not mine to share.”

The Tiger Inn suffered its first fire in November 2020, just four months after reopening from the national covid lockdown. The blaze started in the kitchen and lasted for six hours, causing widespread damage.

It reopened after renovation and refurbishment in October 2021, and the Gills marked the occasion by presenting a cheque for £5,000 to the Fire Fighters Charity in thanks for the efforts of the fire crews from Harrogate, Knaresborough and Acomb who put out the blaze.

But less than a year later, firefighters were again called to the pub, after an overheating ice machine caused a second devastating fire.

Firefighters use breathing apparatus to tackle Knaresborough house blaze

Firefighters using breathing apparatus tackled a fire at a home in Knaresborough this afternoon.

Crews from Knaresborough, Harrogate and Wetherby were called to Park Grove at 4.17pm.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log, fire started in a ceiling fan in the bathroom.

The report added firefighters used a hose reel and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire.

Today’s incident log also said firefighters were called to an electrical fire in Marton-cum-Grafton, near Boroughbridge, this afternoon.

Crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough attended an industrial premises in the village at 2.15pm.

They responded to a report of a smell of smoke in an industrial premises. The fire suppression system had also activated.

The report added:

“Due to low oxygen levels in the room where the fire took place – the server room – fire crews used breathing apparatus and a thermal camera to investigate.

“They found that a small electrical fire had occurred, but this had been extinguished by the installed fire suppression system.”

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Proposals to revive Starbeck’s ‘burnt-out shell’ due by Christmas

A public exhibition on plans to bring the former McColl’s building in Starbeck back into use is expected to be held before Christmas.

The empty High Street building has blighted High Street since it was ravaged by fire five years ago.

In an article on his Community News website, Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones said plans for ground floor retail and flats above were finally coming to fruition.

Mr Jones, who described the building as “a burnt-out shell” that local people and residents’ groups were keen to see redeveloped, commented after meeting the owner of the site.

The article said the site owner, who was not named, “outlined the various issues they have had with developing a proposal” but “were able to reassure Mr Jones that they would be bringing a scheme forward very soon”.

It added the owner and architect hoped to run a public exhibition in Starbeck before Christmas “so that Starbeck residents can examine the proposals and have their say”.

Mr Jones said:

“This is very positive as, like many others, I have been keen to see proposals brought forward so that we can see progress on removing a building which is, frankly, an eyesore.  It is important that in bringing this site back into use the setting next to St Andrew’s Church is respected.

“I was grateful to the owner for sharing his thoughts with me and I urge people to keep an eye out for the start of the public consultation.”

A five-year eyesore

The old Harper's building in Starbeck.

The building was painted last year.

The historic building in the centre of Starbeck was originally a Harper’s grocery store and still bears the name. It continued to function as a supermarket but was vacant when fire broke out in July 2018.

It was brightened up last year when regulars at the nearby Prince of Wales pub painted it in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag.

However, its size, history and prominence lead many to regard it as a key part of regenerating Starbeck.

Harrogate Borough Council, which was abolished in April, approved plans submitted by Leeds-based developer Bates & Hemingborough in November 2021 to demolish the building.

The owner hoped to build retail and housing units on the site but a formal planning application for the development did not proceed after the council asked for safety documents, which were later submitted, addressing how the demolition would impact the adjacent St Andrew’s Church.

Planning agent Pete Gleave from Zerum Consulting told the Stray Ferret in February last year the developer would “was looking to progress the redevelopment of the site as quickly as possible and will be working up a planning application in the coming months” but the building remains derelict.

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Another fire at Birstwith factory

Firefighters from Harrogate and Knaresborough used breathing apparatus to tackle a factory fire in Birstwith.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to reports of a fire in a flour drying unit measuring 60 metres x 20 metres at Kerry Ingredients at 12.29pm yesterday.

Its incident report said:

“The fire caused 30% fire damage and 50% smoke damage to the drying unit only.

“The cause of the fire was overheating product in the dryer. Crews used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, a thermal imaging camera, a triple extension ladder and small tools to deal with the incident.”

It is not the first time firefighters have been called to the three-storey former mill.

In August last year, Ripon and Knaresborough crews used breathing apparatus to tackle a blaze in a drying plant.

The cause of the incident was not revealed.

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Ripon and Boroughbridge firefighters called to factory blaze

Firefighters from Ripon and Boroughbridge were called to a fire in a factory yesterday.

An electrical fault in machinery used to make food stock caused the blaze, according to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Crews were called to the factory at Hallikeld Close, Melmerby at 5.09pm.

The incident report added:

“Electrical wiring was destroyed, some fire damage to the room of origin occurred and smoke damage to the rest of the premises.

“Crews extinguished the fire using one hose reel and breathing apparatus.”

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Firefighters battling stubble blaze in ‘ongoing’ incident

Firefighters on the edge of the Harrogate district are battling a stubble blaze which is being fanned by high winds this afternoon.

The fire, at Moor Monkton, extends across a 300-metre front in a field close to some pylons.

On arriving at the scene and seeing the scale of the problem, crews from Acomb, on the edge of York, requested assistance from two further fire engines. They are currently using hose reels and beaters to bring the fire under control.

The incident was logged at 4.52pm and at 5.20pm was described by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue as “ongoing”.

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Barn destroyed after bonfire spreads at Blubberhouses

A large barn containing farm vehicles and machinery near Harrogate was destroyed by fire last night.

Nearby trees were also damaged by fire after a bonfire got out of control and spread.

Firefighters from Harrogate, Knaresborough, Skipton and Tadcaster were summoned to Meagill Lane at Blubberhouses at 9.09pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said the crews responded to reports of a bonfire which had spread to a barn and surrounding woodland.

“The barn, which measured 60 metres by 40 metres, and it’s contents –  various farm machinery and vehicles, were 100% destroyed by fire.

“Crews used two hose reel jets, main jet, ground monitor, thermal imaging camera, lighting, hydraulic cutters and small tools to deal with the incident.”

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Firefighters respond to hot tub blaze near Knaresborough

Firefighters from Knaresborough were called to a hot tub that went up in flames near Knaresborough today.

Flames from the wood-fired hot tub, which didn’t have anyone in it, spread to the surrounding canopy on Arkendale Road in Ferrensby.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident report said:

“This was extinguished prior to the arrival of the fire service using five small fire extinguishers, buckets of water and garden hose pipes.

“Crews assisted the owners with damping down the area. The hot tub and canopy were 100% destroyed by fire. The cause of this was a jammed motor.”

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Firefighters tackle combine blaze

Firefighters were called to a field near Ripon last night when a combine harvester caught fire.

Crews from Thirsk and Ripon were called to Baldersby at 8.44pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said the combine was alight when the crews arrived.

It added:

“One hose reel jet was used to extinguish the contents and the combine was moved to a hard standing on the farm premises.

“The cause of the fire was overheating within the combine.”

Baldersby is situated between Ripon and Thirsk.

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