Stray Views: Greed and high house prices are forcing people out of Harrogate

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Greed has made Harrogate homes unaffordable for many

I read your series of articles about Harrogate’s high housing costs and its impact on hospitality workers with interest.

However, I read Alex Goldstein’s contribution with increasing incredulity. I’m not sure whether he was being deliberately provocative or is completely heartless.

I was brought up in one of Harrogate’s less affluent areas in the 1950/60s and many of my neighbours and my friends’ parents worked in the hospitality sector. Strangely enough, they were able to support a family on their earnings, possibly because they lived in either council houses or reasonably priced rental accommodation.

It must be plain for everyone to see that the disparity between high priced accommodation and hospitality sector wages means it is inevitable that those wishing to work in this sector are no longer able to afford to live in Harrogate.

My heart bleeds for the buy-to-let investors who would be hurt by rent caps.  Their greed has made Harrogate unaffordable for more and more ordinary workers.

I do hope that Mr Goldstein will soon be able to afford his Lamborghini and drive off to Mayfair where his despicable ideas may be better appreciated.

Margaret Fox, Harrogate

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The Montpellier Hill Christmas market experience was a nightmare

I’m sorry, I’ve totally lost my rag with this nonsense. What person thinks there is “no more appropriate” a site than Montpellier Hill for this event?

In a town with more than 200 acres of readily accessible open space and a half vacant town centre, we persist year after year on shoving hundreds of traders and tens of thousands of visitors on a muddy slope in the most cramped and inappropriate part of green space Harrogate has to offer.

As a local of more than 15 years, you soon learn to stay well clear of the Christmas market, such are the miserable circumstances under which it is delivered. Its absolutely horrid — thousands pushing past one anther in an obscenely small space, with narrow alleys and a sense that if you browse, you are blocking the crowds and inconveniencing everyone else.

If we had a modicum of common sense, we would relocate to another part of the Stray and have wide, airy corridors, with space between units so people can take a leisurely stroll and browse at their own pace, thus probably spending far more than they might have otherwise.

I love the concept of a Christmas market, I am ashamed of the way Harrogate delivers it simply because of the location. Look at Leeds, Durham, York — anywhere else as a better example of how it can be done without it being a positively suffocating (and covid-breeding) experience.

Mark Fuller, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate

Universities offer more than degrees

I have just read Marilyn Stowe’s column about the anxiety of not getting the A level grades you would have hoped to get.

As a lecturer for almost 40 years in a post-1992 university and an admissions tutor for much of that time, I spoke to and advised many university applicants in that position and I am gratified to say that my institution provided a more than satisfactory and welcoming academic, social and diverse community to a great number of them.

I am particularly proud of those who took up places at our university who saw the opportunity afforded to them not just as a chance to rise to the top but to serve the wider community, including an international one, in a professional capacity.

The pandemic has shown us just how much we need and rely on those whose work supports as a matter of course the wider community and those of every social constituency who find themselves in need.

Glyn Hambrook, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

 

89 more positive covid cases in Harrogate district

Another 89 covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Public Health England figures.

The district’s weekly covid rate now stands at 316 infections per 100,000 people. The North Yorkshire rate is 314 and the England average is 330.

Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating 10 patients for covid.

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Harrogate hospital has recorded no covid deaths in the last 24 hours, according to NHS England statistics. However, two people have died at the hospital due to covid since last Wednesday.

It means the death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 181.

A total of 124,017 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 112,000 have had a second dose.

Eighty-seven per cent of adults have had a first jab and 78 per cent have had two jabs.

Local MP accepted £6,000 worth of free Euro 2020 tickets

Nigel Adams MP accepted £6,000 worth of free hospitality tickets to England’s Euro 2020 games, according to the latest MPs register of financial interests.

Mr Adams, who represents Selby and Ainsty, which includes some rural parts of the Harrogate district such as Spofforth and Follifoot, received tickets to three games at Wembley Stadium.

He received a total of £6,038 worth of tickets from three separate companies, including two gambling and betting firms.

He watched England’s semi-final victory over Denmark, which was valued at £3,457 and paid for by Entain, a gambling company based in London whose brands include Coral, Ladbrokes, PartyPoker, and Sportingbet..

Power Leisure Bookmakers, whose brands include Paddy Power and Betfair, paid for Mr Adams to attend the round of 16 game against Germany. The value of the donation was £1,961, according to the register of interest.

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The Conservative Minister for Asia posted a video from the game on his Twitter feed.

https://twitter.com/nadams/status/1412883736463560710?s=20

Heineken UK, whose Tadcaster brewery is in Mr Adams’ constituency, invited the MP to attend the final between England and Italy — a gift worth £620.

The Stray Ferret approached Mr Adams for comment on the hospitality tickets but did not receive a response.

Gambling Act review

MPs have come under scrutiny for accepting tickets from gambling companies to attend games at this year’s tournament.

Seven Conservative MPs and two members of Labour leader Keir Starmer’s front bench accepted hospitality tickets to games involving England.

Former Conservative minister Esther McVey and Labour’s shadow skills minister, Toby Perkins, were among those who took tickets.

It comes as the government is currently undertaking a review of the Gambling Act to consider stricter rules on advertising.

89-year-old man dies after three-vehicle Harrogate district crash

An 89-year-old man has died following a three-vehicle collision on the A59 near Moor Monkton yesterday.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the crash, which took place at about 5.10pm and led to lengthy tailbacks.

The 89-year-old man, who has not been named, was driving a red Audi A3 towards York. The man, who was from York, was taken to hospital and died.

A black Audi Q5 and a silver Mini, which were travelling in the opposite direction towards Harrogate, were also involved in the incident.

The driver of the Mini sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Audi Q5 was uninjured.

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North Yorkshire Police is appealing to anyone travelling along the A59 in both directions who has not already spoken to the police to contact them if they saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision or if they witnessed the incident.

Anyone with information, or dashcam footage, can contact Traffic Sergeant Mark Patterson via email at mark.patterson@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call 101, select option 2 and ask for Mark Patterson or Matthew Harvey.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Connor with you today on this cloudy Thursday morning. I’m here to help you have a smooth journey in the Harrogate district.

Any delays? New roadworks? Let me know by calling me on 01423 276197 or commenting on social media.

Let’s help everyone have a better journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog, brought to you by the HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

That is all from me this morning. Hopefully you found the service helpful. We really do appreciate when people send us any reports, it makes a big difference for other drivers. I am heading over to the news desk now but Leah will be back with you tomorrow morning.

Roads

The roads are quieter with schools on holiday but there are a few areas to look out for this morning. As well as the road closures and temporary lights, our traffic system is showing congestion on Wetherby Road.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are quieter with schools on holiday but there are a few areas to look out for this morning. As well as the road closures and temporary lights, our traffic system is showing congestion on Wetherby Road, Skipton Road and A59 High Street in Starbeck.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are quieter with schools on holiday but there are a few areas to look out for this morning. As well as the road closures and temporary lights, our traffic system is showing congestion on Skipton Road, Harrogate Road near North Rigton and Wetherby Road.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning with schools still away for the summer holiday. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning with schools still away for the summer holiday. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

Villagers in Burnt Yates put up scarecrows to tackle speeding

Families in Burnt Yates have built scarecrows, one of which depicts the grim reaper, to remind motorists driving through the village not to speed.

The idea came from Loraine and Sid Hines, who have lived in Burnt Yates for 30 years and worry that speeding cars and ‘boy racers’ will cause serious injury or death.

They have set up a Burnt Yates Speed Committee to tackle the problem.

The speed limit through Burnt Yates is 30mph, with a 20mph section near the school. However, the section of the B6165 leaving the village has a 50mph limit and Ms Hines said more vehicles were exceeding this in recent years.

The committee offered prizes of £30, £20 and £10 for the best scarecrow and every family who entered got a tub of sweets.

However, Ms Hines said two of the scarecrows have been vandalised and one has been stolen since they went up.

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Ms Hines has called on North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, to reduce the speed limit of the B6165 to 30mph.

She said:

“We want something done about the sheer volume of speed and blatant disregard for the rules”.

The council told the Stray Ferret it did not support a reduction in the speed limit.

Nigel Smith, head of highway operations, said:

“Given the accident history of this section of the B6165 and the guidance on which the police’s decisions have to be based, we cannot, at this time, support the request for a reduced speed limit.”

Future of Bewerley Park to be decided in the autumn

North Yorkshire County Council has said the review of its outdoor learning centre at Bewerley Park in Pateley Bridge generated a big response.

There was widespread opposition to an announcement in February this year that the future of the two council-run centres — Bewerley Park and East Barnby near Whitby — were under threat. Both centres experienced a dramatic loss of income due to covid.

As a result, senior county councillors voted to review the outdoor learning service.

The review collected feedback from hundreds of adults, children, stakeholders and organisations and looked at the range of facilities and activities the service offers to schools, children and young people.

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It has also looked at the number of people who use the service and the cost of operating it.

Questionnaires were also sent to members of the public, staff and schools in North Yorkshire.

East Barnaby outdoor learning centre

A report containing a recommendation for the future of the outdoor learning service will now go before the council’s executive in autumn.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan said:

“We have had a very high response to questionnaires and engagement exercises and would like to thank everyone who took the time to give their feedback.

“That information is now being used along with extensive data from both residential sites to come up with the most suitable recommendation for the future of outdoor learning services in North Yorkshire.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure we are making the best use of facilities and opportunities for young people in the county and to ensure this is a sustainable service fit for the future.”

Schools have used the facilities at Bewerley Park and East Barnby this summer for day activities.

While the review continues, both sites will be open to schools for residential visits in the forthcoming academic year.

Another 50 covid cases in Harrogate district

Another 50 covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Public Health England figures.

The district’s weekly rate stands at 333 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate stands at 309 and the England average is 328.

According to the latest figures, Harrogate District Hospital is treating nine patients for covid.

Harrogate hospital has recorded no covid deaths in the last 24 hours, according to NHS England statistics.

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It means the death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 180.

Elsewhere, 123,908 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 111,694 have had a second dose.

Harrogate district records 57 covid cases

Another 57 covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to latest Public Health England figures.

Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating nine patients for covid.

Harrogate hospital has recorded no covid deaths in the last 24 hours, according to NHS England statistics.

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It means the death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 180.

The district’s weekly rate stands at 323 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate stands at 306 and the England average is 327.

Elsewhere, 123,906 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 111,605 have had a second dose.

Harrogate district covid rate increases for sixth day in a row

The Harrogate district’s coronavirus infection rate has risen for six days in a row for the first time since last month, latest figures show.

The borough’s weekly rate has now climbed to 346 cases per 100,000 people in the first significant increase since mid-July when it reached record levels of 533.

After peaking at these heights, the rate fell steadily then “plateaued” around the 270 mark before this latest increase.

It comes as Harrogate hospital last week reported the death of a coronavirus patient for the first time in more than four months. 

The death was reported on August 16 and brought the hospital’s toll since the pandemic began up to 180.

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Meanwhile, government guidelines on self-isolating have now changed with people who have been fully vaccinated no longer needing to self-isolate 14 days after their second dose.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said: 

“Despite the lifting of some restrictions on self-isolating, we ask that people are still mindful of others and remember the guidance that is still in place.

“This includes self-isolating and getting a PCR test if you have any Covid symptoms – even if you have had both doses of the vaccine – and continuing with basic but important hygiene measures such as hand washing.”

He added: 

“In North Yorkshire, 514,000 people have now had their second dose of the vaccine and 75 per cent of 18 to 29 year olds have had their first dose of the vaccine.

“The vaccination of 16 and 17 year olds has also now begun with 18% in the county already vaccinated with their first dose. This is great progress and we hope to see this number climb even higher as weeks go on.”

Elsewhere in North Yorkshire, Ryedale has the highest weekly infection rate with 377 cases per 100,000 people, while Hambleton has the lowest in the county at 230.