Shocking levels of anti-social behaviour, drug-dealing, shoplifting and even threats to staff are all routine occurrences faced by many shop workers in Harrogate town centre, a Stray Ferret investigation has revealed. 

Even though Harrogate is widely viewed as one of the finest shopping towns in the North, our investigation pieced together a picture of “scary” back alleys where shop workers fear to go, and high streets that shoppers have started to avoid. 

We surveyed 50 businesses in the town centre and spoke to many retailers at length. We found a deep sense of frustration among traders, most of whom feel not nearly enough is being done to make our shopping streets the safe and pleasant places they should be. 

What’s more, while some traders had shocking stories to tell, only a handful were willing to be quoted by name. Most preferred to remain anonymous for fear of becoming a target. 

In a series of articles running through this week, we’ll be examining the problems that make life difficult for town-centre businesses, finding out what’s being done to tackle them, looking at whether it’s working, and asking if there may be a better approach.

Our Trading Hell survey covered almost all the businesses on Oxford Street, Cambridge Street, Cambridge Road, Market Place and the Victoria Shopping Centre, as well as parts of Beulah Street and James Street. 

The vast majority of businesses polled (96%) said that anti-social behaviour is a problem – only two said it isn’t – and 52% said it’s a major problem. 

Other behaviours considered to be a problem included shoplifting (78%), street-drinking (74%), threats to staff (70%), rough sleeping (70%), begging (68%) and drug misuse (66%). 

Shockingly, 20% of town-centre businesses face threats to staff at least once a week. 

One trader told the Stray Ferret: 

“I’ve been working here for 18 months and it’s been a shocker. This place has become lawless in the town centre.”

Hotspot 

Our survey showed that nowhere is immune to the problems, but there are hotspots, and the “hottest” spot is centred on the intersection of Oxford Street and Cambridge Road – the area between McDonalds, Wesley Chapel and the Halifax bank. 

One shop owner said: 

“There are often groups drinking around the doorway, which discourages customers, and hanging around under shelter, shouting and swearing in the street. It makes for an unpleasant environment.” 

Nearby, Ian Hall, store manager of Games Crusade on Oxford Street, recounted a disturbing incident when he had to physically keep two men apart. He said: 

“Two gentlemen came chasing through the street and the first one bolted through our door and ran to the back of the shop. He looked really scared. The second one was shouting and swearing at him, calling him all sorts of names, and wanted to knock seven bells out of him.

“I stood in the doorway and told him he couldn’t come in and eventually he calmed down and left. If he had come in, I think they’d probably have started fighting in the shop, knocking things over and destroying stock. Anything could have happened.”

But the problems are by no means confined to adults. One trader told us he had to be particularly vigilant against theft in the late afternoon, when school pupils “flooded” into the town centre.

Two years ago, two Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were seriously injured in an attack by three schoolgirls in McDonalds. One of the officers suffered a suspected broken nose and the other later left the service, partly as a result of the incident. One of the girls narrowly avoided a custodial sentence.

Alcohol wasn’t a factor in that case, but it does appears to be a common feature of much of the town centre’s anti-social behaviour and is believed to have played a part in an incident on Oxford Street last May, when a man admitted to pulling the wing off a pigeon. 

A common view among traders is that the problems are showing no signs of getting any better. On the contrary, one said: 

“It’s got much worse in the last two to three years. You can smell weed on the street, there’s drug-dealing in front of our door, and I’ve even had to call an ambulance for somebody.” 

Lost business 

While these problems are not pleasant for shoppers and passers-by, for businesses they translate into lost trade and, for some smaller traders, damage to livelihoods.  

One Oxford Street retailer said: 

“My shop windows were smashed more than once, and it cost me a lot of money to replace them.” 

Others complained of casual shoplifting. Games Crusade’s Ian Hall said: 

“We get drunk people coming into the shop and trying to walk out with stock. It’s not underhand – it’s in full view. I just take it off them and that tends to be the end of it. But you have to have your wits about you all the time.” 

Across the town centre, nearly three in every four businesses (74%) said they had lost trade as a result of some or all of these behaviours. Among Oxford Street retailers, the figure was 100%, and many are convinced that footfall is down as a result.

The manager of one shop said: 

“Anti-social behaviour and street-drinking discourage the general public from visiting this part of town.” 

Paul Rawlinson, who has two businesses on Oxford Street, Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersen, said: 

“Oxford Steet has become a much less desirable place to walk down as a result of these behaviours. It’s more pronounced during the summer, when rough sleeping is a more comfortable option than it is in winter.” 

Back streets 

Although the main streets of the town centre are where activities such as street drinking and anti-social behaviour are most visible, the back alleys are where other things happen for the most part unseen. 

Last year, a woman was seriously sexually assaulted in an alley to the rear of Clarks shoe shop in Market Place. That alley was finally closed off by a new gate after three years of lobbying, but other backstreets are still used for illegal activities. 

One shop worker on Cambridge Street told us: 

“Staff feel unsafe going out the back of the store because of large groups of kids smoking weed and shouting abuse to intimidate us. It’s quite scary. Also, drunks use our property and we find needles and glass bottles lying around.”

During our investigation, we discovered down one back alley abandoned prescription drugs, discarded clothing, clusters of clothes hangers – presumably dumped by shoplifters – and even a notebook containing obscene sexual content.

What’s being done…

One body that has tried to do something about the town centre’s problems is Harrogate BID (business improvement district). It would like to see a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) put in place banning certain behaviours, such as persistent begging and street drinking, from the town centre. But according to the national guidelines, these can only be applied if crime levels are above a certain benchmark, which Harrogate doesn’t reach.

BID manager Matthew Chapman said: 

“The statistics showed that the number of crimes is very low in the town centre. 

“While on the face of it this seems like good news, the stats just didn’t match up with what we were hearing from BID members.

“Shop owners and staff were telling us they were regularly seeing relatively minor crime, but the police figures just didn’t reflect this.” 

So two years ago, the BID launched a campaign to encourage town-centre businesses to report crime. For three months it promoted its Report a Crime initiative, telling traders to report every crime, no matter how minor. But bizarrely, crime figures over that period went down, so the PSPO is still a goal rather than a reality – and the BID is still lobbying for it. We’ll be speaking to Matthew Chapman about the PSPO and the BID’s efforts to tackle these issues in Friday’s feature.

…and what’s not 

Several traders told the Stray Ferret that they had stopped reporting low-value thefts because they did not believe the police would do anything about them. Worse still, we uncovered a widespread belief that the problems plaguing the town centre are simply not being adequately addressed. When asked how well the issues are being tackled by the authorities, 38% said ‘badly’ and 32% – almost one in three – thought the problems weren’t being tackled at all.

Two in every five traders (40%) blamed the police for failing to tackle the issues, many of them complaining that the police response to reports of theft is slow and ineffective. A report released last week by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services following its inspection of North Yorkshire Police only rated the force “adequate” at investigating crime and responding to the public, although this assessment was better than last year, when it received the notice “requires improvement” in both areas.

One town-centre jeweller said his shop had been burgled last summer when thieves stole £60,000 worth of stock, but claimed the police response was inept and late. He said:

“It took the police 12 hours to respond to my initial 999 call, and when they did, they said they’d pass my details on to the appropriate officer ‘a week on Friday’ because he was on a course.

“Very soon after the theft, someone told me they knew who had committed the crime and even where my stock was being held. I believed them because the details they gave were bang on. I told the police, but it took them eight months to arrest anybody, and by that time the evidence had all disappeared.

“They lost emails with my details in them and didn’t even have my telephone number. As far as I know, nobody’s yet been charged.”

The Stray Ferret has spoken to Chief Inspector Simon Williamson of North Yorkshire Police about the force’s response to reports of crime, and you can read the interview here on Thursday.

In the meantime, traders are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in improving conditions in the centre of “one of the finest shopping towns in the North”. One shopkeeper said: 

“I see it all here. Every week there’s something going on. I speak to other business owners and there’s a general feeling on the street that there’s no-one in power who’s doing anything about it – and it just gets worse.”

Tomorrow – what exactly do the official stats show? We report on a huge rise in shop-lifting and examine the extent of drug taking and wider anti-social behaviour cases reported to police in Harrogate town centre.  

Have you got a story to tell about any of the issues covered in this article? Let us know by emailing us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Read more:

• Trading Hell: Shocking rise in shoplifting in Harrogate town centre
• Trading Hell: ‘We cannot force people to do something’, says homeless charity
• Trading Hell: We can’t arrest our way out of it, says police chief
• Trading Hell: Report crime so we can cut crime, says BID manager
• Harrogate needs ‘collective approach’ to town centre problems, says MP

Plans to convert the former main post office in Harrogate town centre into 11 flats have been approved.

The post office on Cambridge Road relocated to WH Smith in 2019 amid claims by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones the service was being “downgraded”. The building has stood empty since.

Proposals lodged to Harrogate Borough Council by Leeds-based property developer Priestley Group will see the building converted into 11 apartments.

The developer said in a statement to the council the proposal would secure an “active re-use” of the building.

It said:

“The proposed development will facilitate the long-term active re-use of this prominently located building within the heart of Harrogate town centre with an appropriate mix of uses that will support the wider vitality and viability of the town centre.”

The approval follows two previous planning applications for the former post office.

In November 2020, Harrogate-based developer One Acre Group submitted plans for 25 apartments and offices on the site but withdrew the application in 2021.

Meanwhile, Priestley Group saw a proposal to convert the building into 23 self-serviced holiday flats rejected by the council in December.

Read more:

• Warning that Harrogate would ‘wither on the vine’ without convention centre
• Plan to convert former Harrogate Post Office into holiday flats rejected

A notorious Harrogate criminal has been jailed yet again, this time for racially aggravated threatening behaviour and carrying a Stanley knife in the town centre.

Graham McMillan, 38, was found shirtless and drinking beer in the middle of the road after police were called out to reports of an incident at Chico’s takeaway in Commercial Street.

York Crown Court heard that McMillan was swearing and shouting racial slurs, even when police warned him about his behaviour.

Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said that when officers searched McMillan, they found a Stanley knife in his jeans pocket.

He was arrested and charged with racially aggravated harassment or threatening behaviour and carrying a bladed article.

He appeared for sentence today via a video link from Wealstun Prison as he was already in custody serving a 42-week prison sentence imposed in September last year for carrying a hammer and swearing at people in the town centre.

Read more:

• ‘Serious concerns’ over North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue finances, say inspectors
• Met Police serial rapist case ‘abhorrent’, says North Yorkshire chief constable

That offence occurred on August 28, just four days after McMillan was arrested for the new offences.

Ms Morrison said the racially aggravated incident occurred on August 24 – the same day that McMillan had been given a two-month suspended prison sentence for possessing heroin and cocaine.

Police were initially called out to the Asda supermarket on Bower Road following reports that McMillan had tried to steal a crate of beer.

This incident did not result in any criminal charges, but later that same day, just before midnight, police received a further report that McMillan was at Chico’s takeaway and was refusing to leave.

Ms Morrison said:

“When police arrived, they found him in the middle of the street, topless, drinking from a bottle of beer.”

She said McMillan was “swearing abuse” and shouting out deeply offensive racial slurs aimed at staff at the takeaway.

When police warned him about his behaviour, McMillan drunkenly replied: 

“I don’t give a fxxx – do me for racism.”

McMillan – formerly of Harlow Moor Drive, Harrogate, but currently of no fixed address – had 31 previous convictions for 56 offences including threatening and racially aggravated behaviour, carrying a blade, possessing an offensive weapon in public and “many” road-traffic matters and breaches of court orders. 

Defence barrister Jennifer Coldham said McMillan had mental-health issues. He intended to return to Harrogate upon his release from the inevitable jail sentence.

Judge Simon Hickey said it was clear that McMillan committed offences “under the influence of drink and drugs”.

McMillan was handed a six-month jail sentence, of which he will serve half behind bars before being released on prison licence.

A man has been arrested and charged following reports of burglaries in Harrogate.

The man, who is in his 30s, was charged with stealing cash and high value items from two businesses in the town centre yesterday morning.

He was due to appear before Harrogate Magistrates Court today (Tuesday, January 17).

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Just 24 hours after receiving reports of these burglaries, a suspect was in custody and was scheduled to appear before the courts.

“While some investigations take a considerable amount of time to complete,  it’s rewarding and reassuring for victims when we can conclude an investigation so quickly.”

Read more:

• North Yorkshire Police faces £8m in inflation costs
• More than half of violent crime in North Yorkshire is against females

The Christmas lights have been switched on in Harrogate, heralding the start of the festive season for local businesses.

The displays are organised by Harrogate BID, which said the run-up to Christmas is a vital time of year for retailers, especially against a challenging economic landscape.

The organisation has used its levy payers’ money to fund 100,000 bulbs across the town centre, including festive figures and motifs.

Unlike in previous years, there was no official switch-on event, but the lights are now illuminated and will be displayed until after Christmas.

The lights on the trees along the Stray – which are traditionally lit throughout winter rather than for Christmas – were turned on at the end of October.

Meanwhile, a series of festive attractions will be brought into the town centre during the Christmas period. Today saw the arrival of the first signs of the ice rink, which will open to customers on Friday, December 2.

Read more:

• First signs of Christmas attractions appear in Harrogate
• Reindeer head to Ripon for Saturday’s Christmas lights switch on

Harrogate Business Improvement District has started a town centre clean up ahead of Christmas celebrations.

Crews have been steam cleaning and power washing ‘grot spots’ across the town.

The targeted areas include Parliament Street, Cambridge Crescent, Oxford Street, James Street, John Street, Albert Street and Station Square.

Christmas will see an ice rink in Crescent Gardens, the return of the Candy Cane Express, Harrogate Christmas Fayre, a shop window competition, an observation wheel and free parking.

The BID charges town centre businesses a levy, which it uses to improve the town centre and increase footfall.

Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID chair, said: 

“With the countdown to Christmas well underway, we want Harrogate to be looking at its best, hence deploying our cleaning team.

“Using low water volume, high pressure steam cleaning, they are working evenings this week tackling high footfall areas. And with Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday just days away, the team are also cleaning paths and street furniture around the town centre war memorial.”

Read more:

• Library seeking volunteers to support Starbeck community this winter
• Starbeck to have two Remembrance Sunday events amid time disagreement

The work of the cleaning team, from UK Nationwide Cleaning, compliments the efforts of street ranger Chris Ashby, whose daily regime includes power-washing, weeding, painting and litter-picking.

A senior police officer has insisted Harrogate town centre “is safe” despite it having the highest rates of anti-social behaviour in North Yorkshire.

Chief inspector Alex Langley told a council meeting on Monday that the town centre is the “busiest” ward for North Yorkshire Police, but added the area’s crime figures are considered relatively low when taken in context of the large population.

He explained there have been a total of 243 anti-social behaviour incidents in the area across 12 months, saying:

“That is less than 0.6 incidents a day.”

He added:

“When you look at the amount of people and potential issues, I think it is actually quite a reassuring number and that it really is a safe place to be.”

Chief inspector Langley also said the entire Harrogate district had seen a “steady reduction” in all crimes over a one-year period, including a “phenomenally low” robbery rate with an average of one incident reported every two months.

However, he was warned by councillors that crime was becoming an increasing concern in certain areas and that the force may be unaware of hotspots because of residents’ reluctance to report incidents.

This includes Harrogate’s Bower Street which was highlighted by councillor Chris Aldred, who said anti-social behaviour “does seem to be getting worse” in the area with regular complaints of “rowdy” individuals drinking from 9am.

Read more:

• Police start two-week speeding crackdown in Harrogate district
• Lack of custody cells ‘hitting police responses’

On Friday (October 14), a man was reportedly stabbed in a fight on Bower Street and a 23-year-old man from Harrogate has since been charged with assault on a person occasioning actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and wounding with intent.

The area outside Harrogate’s McDonald’s restaurant on Cambridge Road has also been flagged as a concern after two community support officers were allegedly assaulted by two teenage girls on April 1 this year.

A 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have since been charged and are due to appear in court on October 28.

Chief inspector Langley said his officers were “well aware” of problems in the two areas as he also stressed the importance of people reporting incidents.

He added that a problem-solving plan was being made for Bower Street.

He told Monday’s meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission:

“We are alive to this and trying to use all the powers that we have got, but again if we don’t get the reports, we will struggle.

“My plea is that if there is a problem, tell us about it.”

Earlier this year, Harrogate BID launched a campaign to encourage people to report incidents in the town centre to ensure police crime statistics reflected the situation being experienced by business owners.

National Highways is warning of three-mile delays on the M62.

Roadworks remain in place outside the tourist information centre in Harrogate town centre.

Rail strikes return tomorrow.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

National Highways issued a news release at 6.05am warning motorists the M62 in West Yorkshire is closed between junctions 25 (Brighouse) and 26 (Bradford). The incident has cleared but at 6.40am there were still long tailbacks.

All lanes have now reopened on the #M62 in both directions between J26 (#Bradford) and J25 (#Brighouse) following the earlier @WestYorksPolice incident. There is still approx. 3 miles of congestion on approach both ways, please allow extra time for your journey this morning. pic.twitter.com/AiEUPKD54E

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) October 4, 2022

In Harrogate town centre, roadworks remain in place outside Harrogate tourist information on Crescent Road. There is no left-turn for traffic turning left at the end of Parliament Street and no right-turn for traffic travelling right in the opposite direction on Ripon Road.

Temporary traffic lights are due to be installed on Cold Bath Road for five weeks later this week.

The A59 York Road, between Station Road and the A658 at Goldsborough, remains closed overnight until October 6. A diversion will be in place.

The closure will be in place while North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work. The council website says the work will be  carried out between 8pm and 5am but one reader told us yesterday it was until 6am.

Delays are also expected today at Castlegate in Knaresborough where junction markings are being refreshed,

As previously reported, a main road out of Pateley Bridge will be closed for six weeks as repairs are carried out at Fellbeck bridge on the B6265.

Signs for a diversion and a temporary crossing over the river for pedestrians and cyclists are in place.

Trains and buses

Northern is not reporting any problems for commuters on the Harrogate and Knaresborough line this morning. The only incident is that no services are stopping at Rotherham Central due to the attempted theft of signalling cables.

But remember, another train strike is due tomorrow, crippling local services.

Disruption is expected on Harrogate’s LNER services until October 9 due to major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail.

The Harrogate Bus Company has not posted details of any service issues this morning.