Three men have been arrested after a Harrogate woman in her 80s handed over her credit card in a door-to-door cold call.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today one of the three men, who are from Middlesbrough, entered the woman’s home on the pretence of selling household items after being released from prison on March 6.

The statement adding:

“He pressurised the victim into handing over her bank card and pin number and withdrew the maximum amount he could.

“He fled from the property when he saw a friend of the victim arrive on the drive.”

Police investigations identified a vehicle connected to the incident.

The car was intercepted when it re-entered Harrogate a few days later and officers arrested the three men inside.

The statement added:

“The suspects were taken into custody for questioning. The driver, 51, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle and drug driving after testing positive for cocaine at the roadside.

“The passengers, one aged 37, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle and a 31-year-old was arrested on suspicion of burglary with intent to steal.”

The statement said the men have been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

‘Check before you open the door’

Police warned people to be on their guard against door-to-door sellers, who they said can be “pushy” and “threatening” and may charge inflated prices.

It urged people to:

• Check who they are before you open the door
• Fit and use a door chain
• Always lock all of your external doors, even when you are at home
• Don’t open the door unless you know who they are and are expecting them
• Don’t part with any money or bank account details
• Don’t be afraid to say no

Police added:

“If anyone who cold calls tries to enter your home without your permission, is threatening or refuses to leave your property, call 999.

“Older people are targeted due to their trusting nature, so if you have older parents, relatives or friends, please share this message with them and check they know how to stay safe if cold callers knock on their door.”

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Northern Powergrid will begin a £5.5m scheme to make the electricity supply in the Harrogate area more reliable next week.

The company, which manages the electricity network for 3.9 million people, has said the upgrade will “improve the resilience and reliability of the vital local electricity network”.

But it will cause disruption to motorists on some of Harrogate’s busiest roads, including Ripon Road, Clarence Drive and Jenny Field Drive, where the work will start.

Upgraded cabling will be installed in 22 areas of Harrogate. Work will begin on Monday, March 18 and is due to end in September.

It will require having open excavated trenches in the roads. The trenches will be protected by barriers and some locations will have two-way traffic lights.

Northern Powergrid revealed the plans at a drop-in session on Tuesday night at Harrogate’s Crown Hotel, which businesses were invited to attend.

The Stray Ferret, which attended the meeting, was told Northern Powergrid and North Yorkshire Council have been in talks about the work for over a year in consultation with local councillors, Harrogate Business Improvement District and Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce.

Northern Powergrid operates to five-year plans and is currently working to its 2023-2028 plan, which includes upgrading its network. Once its plans are approved by a regulator, the company can receive funding from a fund, which is sourced from a percentage of bill payers’ money.

A similar scheme to upgrade York’s network, costing £1.5m, is currently underway.

Northern Powergrid five million pound investment route

A spokesperson for Northern Powergrid told the Stray Ferret that the upgrades were essential. They said:

“These upgrades are what Harrogate needs to improve reliability, The works are being done to future proof the town. We Invest ahead of need, we don’t wait until there is no power we are doing it before it is needed.”

Northern Powergrid said the increasing number of electric vehicles, housing and hospitality venues made it essential to act now.

It added that businesses and houses now required a range of electric outlets and an increasing number of venues including hotels and pubs were changing from gas to electric to meet net zero goals, putting more demand on the power supply.

Steve Crawford, project manager said:

“With the decarbonisation agenda there is a real uptake in electric power. All of this technology requires electric power reinforcing to meet this increased need.

“This work will create capacity for new developments and low carbon technology connections to support the town’s economic growth. Now is the right time for Harrogate the upgrades are what the town needs right now.

“It allows future services to progress but we can’t tell how long these reinforcements will last. We wouldn’t spend more than the area needs but we can’t afford to wait until it is broken.”

When and Where

Residents will receive letters up to two weeks in advance of work beginning, the company said. The project will start next week on Jenny Field Drive and is due to end at Majestic Court in September.

Full list of Northern Powergrid times and dates for the investment works

The impact

Work is expected to take place from 8am-5pm but Northern Powergrid have purposely avoided the Crescent Road, Ripon Road and King’s Road junction to reduce disruption.

It said access for residents, businesses and emergency vehicles will be maintained disruption would be minimised by, for example, avoiding work near Harrogate Ladies’ College during term time. Public transport will continue.

The last major Northern Powergrid work in the area took place almost eight years ago near David Lloyd, where the company’s substation is located. It said the David Lloyd to Penny Pot Lane section will take the longest time to upgrade due to there being a single circuit along the route.

Mr Crawford said:

“People won’t notice a difference, we hope the upgrades will be seamless, which for us is a good thing if people cannot tell. People don’t notice power until it has gone so we are working behind the scenes and there should be no interruptions to power.”

Sharon Incerti, project manager said;

“No one is expected to be off supply and there are no planned outages for the work to go ahead. There can always be faults but they are not expected. This is a really positive scheme for Harrogate.

“It will be some short term disruption to meet Harrogate’s wider and ever-changing needs.”

To keep up to date check www.onenetwork.com and contact generalenquiries@northernpowergrid.com for any further information.

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The company that operated The Inn at Cheltenham Parade in Harrogate is to be wound-up by liquidators.

A notice on public records website The Gazette said The Inn Harrogate Ltd appointed insolvency firm Begbies Traynor as liquidators to wind up the business on March 8.

The Inn at Cheltenham Parade, which remains open, is a bar, restaurant and hotel with 14 rooms. The venue was known as Harrogate Brasserie until it rebranded as The Inn at Cheltenham Parade in 2019.

The exterior of the Inn at Cheltenham Parade

We contacted the pub and the liquidators for further information.

Adrian Sykes, who is listed as a director of The Inn Harrogate on the Companies House website, said:

“I ran The Inn at Cheltenham Parade as a tenancy. The limited company has been put in to liquidation. But someone else has taken the tenancy on from the landlord so it is trading as normal under the same name. All staff and suppliers have been transferred over to the new company.”

Begbies Traynor did not respond to our request for further details.

Warning: this story contains references to self-harm, suicide and mental illness. 

A Harrogate man has been given a hospital order with restrictions for the attempted murder of two children.

Following a nine-day trial in April 2023, George Edward Yates, 42, was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder following an incident in Beckwithshaw on June 20, 2022.

At the time the Judge adjourned sentencing so that Yates could undergo psychiatric assessments.

He was today sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.

On sentencing, reports were presented back to the court which stated that at the time of the offence Yates was suffering from delusional thoughts before carrying out the knife attack on two children.

Because of his mental state at the time of the incident, the judge sentenced him to a hospital order with restrictions, meaning that should he ever released back into the community, he will be closely monitored by mental health professionals.

‘Placed knives around his house and in his car’

During the trial the court heard how Yates, commonly known by his middle name Ed, and previously of Beckwithshaw, had placed knives around his house and in his car.

He’d also prepared a homemade incendiary device which was capable of causing a fire.

At around 8am on the day of the incident, he attacked the two children with a large bread knife, severely cutting the throat of one child which resulted in life threatening injuries.

Police sealed off the area.

He then attempted to do the same to a younger child.

Hearing the screams of the younger children, a teenager ran to help them and tackled Yates, managing to wrestle the knife from him as he attempted to harm the youngest child.

Fortunately, all three children were able to run away from Yates.

Two decorators working at a house nearby were approached by the children and they protected them from Yates, who had chased after them following the attack.

Pre-recorded interviews of the children recounting the incident, which were conducted by specialist police officers, were played in the court.

The painters and decorators’ evidence was also read out to the court.

The two men described hearing the children’s screams and seeing them running towards them, one with blood pouring from a large open wound in their neck.

The court heard how the men rushed to provide first aid to the children, using one of their own hoodies to try to stem the flow of blood, while they called the emergency services.

The teenager had also suffered a minor hand injury from grabbing the knife away from Yates.

The decorators stated that as they were helping the children, Yates twice approached them, but they protected the children by shouting at Yates to keep back and go away.

Police were called to the scene and after making an initial check on the welfare of the children, they entered a nearby house and found Yates in the bathroom.

He had attempted to take his own life by cutting his own throat and wrists, and superficially stabbing himself in the chest. He’d also ingested liquid morphine, which he’d taken from his mother’s house days before the attack.

Yates was immediately arrested and taken to hospital for treatment to his self-inflicted wounds.

Following treatment, Yates assaulted a police officer who was on bed-watch duty at the hospital.

The most seriously injured child was taken separately to Leeds General Infirmary and underwent life-saving surgery.

‘Utterly horrific and disturbing crime’

Speaking after sentencing, senior investigating officer, detective chief inspector Steve Menzies of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team, said:

“This was an utterly horrific and disturbing crime, made all the worse by the young ages of the victims involved. To be attacked in such a violent manner, without any warning, is sickening, and sadly something the children will never forget. Whilst they have made remarkable physical recoveries, and shown immense bravery throughout the incident, the police investigation, and the trial, the emotional effects will be long-lasting.

“Since the attack they have all received support and care from specialist services, and I hope that with further support from professionals, their loved ones, and the sentencing that has been delivered by the courts today, they can put this horrendous incident behind them and move on to more positive times.”

He added:

“I’d like to pay tribute to the outstanding bravery of the teenager. They witnessed a horrific scene, yet tackled Yates and managed to grapple the knife from his hands. Thanks to that swift and decisive action, the younger children survived.

“I also have to commend the two workmen who cared for the children, called the emergency services, and protected them from Yates until police arrived at the scene. Their quick thinking meant that the children received prompt medical care, and also meant that Yates survived his self-inflicted injuries, so he could be dealt with and face justice today. I nominated them, and the older child for formal recognition and I am delighted that the judge formally commended them in her summing up.

“As for Yates, he carried out an appalling attack on two defenceless children, and after hearing the evidence, the jury found him guilty of the attempted murder of the two children. I’m just incredibly thankful that the children survived.

“Finally, I’d like to thank my fellow investigators, and the prosecution team, who worked meticulously and tirelessly on this case to bring about today’s result. This has been a traumatic, disturbing, and highly emotional incident for everyone involved, and I’m grateful to my colleagues for their professionalism and pure determination to ensure justice was served for the three children.”

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Firefighters were called to a church in Harrogate today when a freak gust of wind blew a gazebo on to the roof of the church hall.

An eyewitness said the gazebo had been used as a car port for a property near St John’s Church on Bilton Lane.

But a sudden gust of wind sent it flying towards the heavens at about 1.30pm before it landed on the roof of the hall.

He added the firefighters handled the incident with expertise and “the main thing is nobody got hurt”.

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

“Harrogate crew attended to make safe a gazebo which had blown onto a roof.

“Crews handled the gazebo down to ground level and made safe using tyres to weigh down. Incident handed over to responsible person.”

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Plans have been submitted to convert High Harrogate Working Men’s Club into two flats.

The club, which forms part of a three-storey building on Devonshire Place, has operated since 1901, according to planning documents sent to North Yorkshire Council.

The documents add the club, which last posted on Facebook on May last year, is currently closed.

It was granted permission in 2022 to convert the first and second floors into six flats while retaining and refurbishing the ground floor bar.

But a planning and heritage statement in support of the new application says “the continued public house / working men’s club facility within the building is now no longer considered to be viable”.

A planning document showing where the club is.

The statement highlighted a marketing exercise by Nationwide Building Sales. It said:

“This states that the costs of the approved refurbishment substantially outweigh the valuation of the completed bar and that any investment would not be protected in the property value should the business not be successful.

“Interested parties have been deterred by the costs of the refurbishment and NBS have not been able to progress a sale beyond the initial enquiries.

“Potential buyers were also unconvinced that the area warrants another new bar when the area is already saturated.”

The statement also refers to a viability and marketing report prepared by commercial property consultants Everard Cole in September last year, which said “poor trading performance and the provision of alternative facilities nearby” deterred buyers. It added:

“To refurbish the working men’s club, a capital expenditure of circa £600,000 to £750,000 would be required and this would not see a return sufficient to be viable, especially due to its out of town location.”

The planning documents do not give the name of the applicant but identify the agent as Nicholas Gallagher, of Leeds agents Nicholas and Nicholas Ltd.

The club, which is a registered society under the Cooperative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, opened in a local public house before moving into 5 Devonshire Place.

You can view the planning documents on the council’s website here. Type in reference number ZC24/00704/FUL

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BEAM is a brand-new event for 2024 by Harrogate International Festivals. The Stray Ferret spotlights James Bawn, the man behind the event that’s lighting up Harrogate this weekend.

You’ve worked in events for more than 20 years; can you tell me a bit more about your background?

Lighting design has always been a passion of mine, even from a very young age where I took charge of after-school productions or local lighting events. I’ve been fortunate to work with many talented people within the industry, and you can always take inspiration from both the most complex of installations, or indeed, the simplest, purest form of light. The latter can quite often deliver the most dynamic impact.

What do you most enjoy about your work?

Great question. I call it the ‘The Gig Buzz’. The moment the doors open, or the sun sets, and the crowd finally gets a chance to view and (hopefully) enjoy my work, that is what gives me a real spike of adrenaline; it never leaves or wears away.

The lighting beams and projections will animate Harrogate’s most famous buildings this weekend from March 15-16, how did you select these?

Harrogate is a wonderful town with impressive architecture; it’s a fabulous canvas for any artist or creative. Choosing the final locations was in fact one of the hardest parts of this event. If allowed, I’d have covered the entire town in glistening photons of light, but I had to obviously consider the realities and logistical timescales in delivering the project across multiple sites. I’m grateful to the Harrogate International Festivals team in making it a reality and reining me in when necessary.

(Image: a map of where you can see the lights)

Can you tell me a bit about the soundscapes?

They are pieces of composition which I have chosen to complement the lighting design in two of the locations. The lighting is key, but the music adds an extra dynamic which will really help with the narrative.

In your opinion, why have lighting installations become more popular in recent years?

I think there are several factors. One of the biggest influences from my side is the advancement in technology; we can deploy LED fixtures and beam lights in a very short timeframe. This has had an overall impact on the lighting industry as it means more outdoor-based entertainment-style fixtures can be produced efficiently. It has huge benefits and makes large-scale installations more accessible for a whole new range of clients and event organisers.

Another big factor is that light installations provide an opportunity for social bonding within the community, for local families to get together as well provide local businesses with more footfall. The sense of excitement, mystique and a general happy buzz that lighting festivals create is wonderful.

Growing up in Yorkshire, who inspired you most?

I’m very fortunate that my parents introduced me to the world of the creative arts through theatre and my dad was a professional musician, so I was always exposed to music, light and art exhibitions. They literally carved out my career path without knowing it!

I’ve also been fortunate to work with many local talented creative artists over the years including David Blackburn and Patrick O’Mahony but Yorkshire is an absolute hotbed of creative talent and I for one am very proud of my county.

BEAM Light Festival, free, from dusk until 10pm, March 15-16, venues across town – click here for the map of where you can see the lights and for more the information, click here. 

Main image: photography credit, Richard Maude

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Senior Conservative councillors confirmed this morning that a proposed £57 million redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre will be scrapped.

But they offered a positive outlook for the facility’s future and heard it could operate without a £2.7m annual council subsidy in less than three years if it can attract outside investment to make smaller improvements.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive met in Northallerton this morning and agreed to discontinue the project it inherited from the defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

A council officer described the project as unaffordable and blamed spiralling building costs which have seen the cost jump from £49m to £57m.

It also failed in a bid to win Levelling Up money worth £20m from the government that would have helped to pay for the project.

The council’s executive member for finance Cllr Gareth Dadd said it had been a “long and arduous task” to get to a decision on the redevelopment which he said would have achieved “dubious outcomes to say the least”.

Executive member for corporate services, Cllr David Chance, said it would have been “ludicrous” to move forward in light of the current financial predicament facing the authority.

The council is facing a £41.6m deficit in its budget this year with significant financial pressures on adult social care and special educational needs.

Cllr Dadd said:

“It was our job to get under the bonnet of the issues and see how the landscape has changed.”

The council will now undertake market testing to see if the venue can attract investment from the private sector or elsewhere. Cllr Dadd also proposed that the council writes to each mayoral candidate for the upcoming York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority urging them to support further investment.

Despite scrapping the redevelopment, Cllr Dadd maintained the council was committed to improving the convention centre and said it was “not the end of the story, far from it”.

The Harrogate Convention Centre opened in 1982 with conferences and events providing a boost to the town’s bars, restaurants and hotels.

North Yorkshire Council says the convention centre contributes £45m a year to the wider Harrogate district economy which Cllr Dadd said “should be ignored at our peril”.

Convention centre director Paula Lorimer came out against the redevelopment, arguing to do so would be counterproductive as it would involve shutting the venue for large periods.

Ms Lorimer is a proponent of creating new break-out spaces for conference delegates, which she believes could attract £1m additional income each year.

She told councillors that last year was the venue’s most successful in many years and if the upturn continues, along with a more commercial business model and investment, the convention centre could be “cost-neutral” for the council within just three years.

Ms Lorimer also suggested the venue could be renamed to reflect “a broader Yorkshire identity”. It was previously known as the Harrogate International Centre until 2017.

She said:

“I’m very committed to getting investment in the HCC but not at any cost, I do feel there are better ways of investing tactically, so we can do parts of the venue each year.”

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