Harrogate Archives - Page 197 of 782

Harrogate hospital could face six more months of strikes

Harrogate District Hospital could face a further six months of disruption after junior doctors voted to extend their mandate for strike action.

It’s been over a year since junior doctors began striking over pay and this week 98% of British Medical Association union members backed further walkouts on a turnout of 62%.

Most recently, junior doctors at the Lancaster Park Road hospital staged two separate walk-outs between December 20-23 and January 3-9.

The strikes have had a “draining impact”, according to the boss of Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust.

Junior doctors are qualified doctors in clinical training and they make up nearly half of the medical workforce in England.

The BMA says while workload and waiting lists are at record highs, pay has effectively been cut by more than a quarter since 2008.

The union is asking the government for a 35% pay rise, but health ministers have described the demands as unreasonable.

A spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the hospital hopes a deal can be reached before future strikes take place.

They said:

“Whilst we respect the decision made by BMA junior doctors to extend their mandate for industrial action, we hope that the BMA and government can have effective discussions which will lead to a solution before further strikes are undertaken.

“Should further industrial action take place we will continue to manage the disruption to ensure our patients are safe during the strike, any impact on patient care is kept to a minimum and emergency services continue to operate as normal.

“We value our staff and know that junior doctors do not want to be striking. We hope a breakthrough can be made soon so that we can continue to focus on delivering high quality care to all those who need it.”

Starbeck unveils mental health mosaic

The Starbeck community has created a mosaic dedicated to supporting mental health after three young people from the area died from suicide last year.

Starbeck Post Office has funded and erected the large mosaic for a wall on Camwal Terrace, Harrogate. The mural reads ‘Mental Health Matters’ and is surrounded by brightly coloured tiles.

Postmaster Andrew Hart, who runs the Red Box in Starbeck commissioned the artwork. He said:

“The mosaic remains our tribute to the memory of three young people the community lost.”

The Red Box Starbeck

The artwork was commissioned from Artizan International and created by Liz Cluderay, director of Artizan’s cafe and creative space in Harrogate. Ms Cluderay and her students set to work creating the art piece last summer.

Ms Cluderay said:

“It took us a number of weeks to complete it is a huge project, now it is up it looks tiny but it was huge. All of the Artizan community got involved in the art, from the design to completion.

“The students especially liked the messiness of grouting. It is really important for disabled artists to be recognised by the public for their work and to beat stereotypes.

“We were grateful to be commissioned by The Red Box, the mental health mosaic is an important topic and it was good for us to have important conversations about mental health with our disabled artists. It is good to raise awareness so they can be aware of their own mental state, often disabled people can feel isolated but this opened up important communication.”

Liz Cluderay and Andrew Hart

Starbeck Post Office commissioned a large mosaic rainbow for the same wall, which Henshaw’s created. The rainbow mosaic is dedicated to local medical staff, carers and key workers who worked during covid.

Then last year a mural of Bees for the High Street was commissioned, dedicated to the king’s coronation. It was painted by Sam Porter of Muralminded.

Starbeck rainbow mosaic

Readers’ Letters: ‘Abusive beggars’ and intimidating teens in Harrogate

Readers’ Letters 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. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This letter is in response to the Trading Hell series we ran this week. It followed a three-month investigation into anti-social behaviour and crime in parts of Harrogate.

Congratulations to you for raising this issue.

I don’t have a specific situation or incident to report, but I have noticed a huge increase in what might be called passive aggressive behaviour in town.

The beggars are abusive, the teenagers look at you as if you have encroached on their patch and there is a general feeling that something is about to kick off”. I don’t think I have ever seen a police officer on foot in town over the past five years or so.

But why does it always have to be somebody’s fault other than the perpetrator of the misdemeanour? Sadly, this reflects a breakdown in society as us old timers (I’m in my 60s) comment upon time after time.

Unfortunately, I can only see the situation deteriorating further.

Punishments need to fit crimes and these pariahs of society need to learn that their anti-social behaviour is the road to nowhere.

John Chadwick, Huby

The Kex Gill saga is an ‘absolute farce’

This letter is in response to one man’s frustration over a lack of communication about the ongoing A59 at Kex Gill closure.

I 100% agree with Mr Young. This situation is an absolute farce, it is not a difficult situation to address, nor was it unforeseeable that it would happen.

Surely the project risk assessment should have identified the potential for this type of event and made suitable provision.

It is a huge inconvenience for residents and others who are having to suffer lengthy diversions.

That said, everything relating to this route has been so badly managed for years and, unfortunately, is no surprise to anyone affected.

Tony Sidwell, Ripon

Paul Haslam for mayor is a ‘breath of fresh air’

This letter follows news of former Tory whip councillor Paul Haslam standing for mayor of North Yorkshire.

It came as a breath of fresh air to read that councillor Paul Haslam has resigned as the Conservative party whip to stand as an Independent candidate for Mayor of North Yorkshire.

It is a position which demands loyalty to all residents of North Yorkshire and not allegiance to a political party, which has gifted the incumbent their salary of £81,300.

It requires broad knowledge of commerce, as well the workings of public services and its politics. It requires the ability to identify and lead a network of talent and not one based on party hierarchy or other organisations..

This is not political party propaganda. I do not belong to a political party and I am a centrist.

I have seen Cllr Haslam at local community meetings and consider him an efficient operator with local interests at heart.

As a capable Independent candidate, who is challenging the existing hierarchy, Cllr Haslam will have my vote.

I hope the electorate fully realise importance of the Mayor of North Yorkshire and that usual voter apathy for local elections does not occur. The election turnout for the retiring Police Commissioner was less than 15%, which means that 85% didn’t care.

The outcome of this election will be more meaningful and it will affect everyone by influencing the many areas of our public services.

Brian Graham, 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.

Photo of the week: an art installation at BEAM

This week’s photograph was taken by Mark Fuller from Harrogate, capturing one of the art installations from BEAM, hosted in Harrogate last weekend.

Photo of the Week takes centre stage in our new-look nightly email newsletter. The newsletter drops into your inbox every evening at 6pm with all the day’s stories and more. To subscribe, click here.

(Image: Mark Fuller)

Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.

Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week. We reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.

Exploring North Yorkshire’s plaques and the history behind them

(Image: Gyles Rocholl)

Taking the local area for granted is something many of us can be guilty of – especially if you’re a North Yorkshire resident.

History can be found round every corner but can often be sidelined as just a small thread within the wider tapestry of a place. Connecting the present and the past is an important part of preserving local history, but it isn’t just reserved for the archives of the local library.

Across the UK, many towns and cities represent this through commemorative plaques. They offer visitors and residents alike a small window into the past, and are a valuable method for displaying history that otherwise might be forgotten.

The intention of the plaques is to mark historical buildings and commemorate individuals or businesses that had a significant impact on the area.

Chris Dicken of the Harrogate Civic Society, explained:

“When people visit places and you a plaque, it can be really interesting, and a good way to demonstrate to visitors and townspeople alike how a town has grown and developed and is still developing.”

How does a person or place qualify for a plaque?

One of Harrogate’s brown plaques

The original blue plaque scheme, run by the English Heritage and Historic England, has previously only operated in London, but announced plans in 2023 to extent the offering nationwide.

Many towns and cities already have their own versions of this scheme, often commissioned and organised by a town or area’s civic society, in conjunction with the local authority.

Harrogate currently hosts 94 plaques, Ripon has around 30 green plaques, and Knaresborough has over 20 – and that’s not to mention outlying villages which can contain their own reminder of bygone years.

But plaques weren’t always such a feature of the local landscape; in 1975, Harrogate only had two until 1983 when the council at the time installed more to celebrate 100 years of being a borough.

It wasn’t until the late Malcom Neesam, a local historian, stepped in that they become more widespread. He was described as a ‘driving force’ behind encapsulating so much of the town’s history.

Today, Harrogate Civic Society has a working group that liaises with the conservation officer at the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, to oversee the installation of new plaques, following a ‘fairly open-ended criteria’.

However, whether it’s a person, building or event that is being marked, there must be significant evidence to suggest a lasting impression upon the town’s heritage.

One of Knaresborough’s blue plaques

Proposals can also be initiated by members of the public, and the whole process can take up to 18 months to complete, dependent on factors such as funding and installation rights.

Chris added:

“Most people are happy for their building to host a plaque because it shows their office or home has played an important part in the town’s history.”

A snapshot of a moment in time

The Stray Ferret has decided to focus on a different plaque from around North Yorkshire each month, and discover more about the individuals, buildings, or organisations they represent.

With this series, we want to celebrate the rich local history of the area – after all, there’s plenty to be found across North Yorkshire.

Read more:

Plan to convert Harrogate house into children’s home

A planning application has been submitted to convert a residential Harrogate house into a children’s home.

The change of use application, submitted by Jolyon McKay, was put to North Yorkshire Council last week.

It outlines proposals to turn Oak Back, a house on Ashgarth Court near Ashville College, into c2 classified housing – which refers to residential accommodation for people in need of care.

In a covering letter to the council, Mr McKay said:

“We aim to convert our family’s c3 [dwelling house] in to a c2 [residential child placement].

“This will cause no change to the exterior or interior of the property. The plan for the home will be to remain looking and feeling as if it were an average family home.”

The application adds there will “never be more than a maximum of three children living at the home in permanent residence”. It added that this was in order to “create a sense of family for the children”.

The children’s home would have four bedrooms and employ nine full-time staff.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the application at a later date.

Mediterranean café opens in Harrogate

A Mediterranean café has opened on Beulah Street in Harrogate.

Tulip Café has set up in the former Sirius Café site and aims to offer Mediterranean flair serving coffee and scones alongside Turkish tea and sucuklu toast.

The owners of Tulip, Aydan Eski and Karen Ula, decided to set up their business venture in the heart of Harrogate.

Ms Eksi, is originally from Bodrum and Ms Ula has always lived in Harrogate with her husband, Mehmet Ula, owner of Woodlands Car Wash And Valeting.

The site has undergone refurbishments costing approximately £5,000, from painting throughout and new signage to upgrading the kitchen equipment.

Ms Ula previously worked at Rosset High School and said the café is not a huge change as she “loves working and talking to people”.

She said:

“We are in a great location, Beulah Street is nice and busy and right in the centre, and there is a great community here. Our products are homemade and we try to source things locally.

“We chose to go Mediterranean because it is huge, we didn’t want to limit ourselves just to Turkish products.”

The café stocks tea from True Tea and its bouquets of Tulips come from Blamey’s Florist of Harrogate.

Alongside the local produce the pair are selling traditional Mediterranean souvenirs including rose jam, olive butter and evil eye jewellery.

Ms Eksi added:

“It was important for us that we didn’t take over retail space, we chose to set up in a café that was already here, and it means it is good for Harrogate and Sirius customers can come back.

“We are trying to get people to try our Turkish foods, such as the suckuk (Turkish sauasage) but of course we have English things too like the the scones.”

Take a look at Tulip Café:

The interior of Tulip Café

Karen Ula making a coffee

Homemade produce on sale

Mediterranean souvenirs on sale

Tulips and muffins in the café

Yemi’s Food Stories: Rafi’s Spicebox Harrogate

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes for the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

Anyone who knows me well will already know that I love spices from all parts of the world. I am intrigued by the unfamiliar and some of my highlights from my trip to the Middle East revolved around the spice markets, and the waft of aromas that hit you creating a beautiful assault on your culinary senses.

Walking into Rafi’s Spicebox in Harrogate took me right back to those places evoking the same memories. There is something beautiful about the colours and smells from different spices, that each tell their stories.

From saffron, the king of all spices, to golden yellow turmeric, from the redness of kashmiri chilli powder to the lemony tang and orange hue of pul biber, there is no end to the response that each spice is able to elicit.

A selection of goods at Rafi’s Spicebox

The rich darkness of tamarind belies its sourness, but this might just be what you need to cut through a rich dessert if you want to avoid the saltiness from salted or miso caramel. Add some tamarind to your sticky toffee sauce to elevate it to something special.

I love hibiscus because of the stunning colour and tart flavours it adds to dishes. Hibiscus is hugely popular in Nigeria as it is used to make a local drink called Zobo. To make Zobo, simply steep hibiscus in boiling water to extract the colours and add a sugar syrup. You can add spices like cloves, nutmeg, ginger and citrus rind to introduce some complexity.

Premixed spices can work for you

At Rafi’s Spicebox, you don’t need to be an expert to cook a curry because they have done all the hard work for you with their premixed spice blends which are suitable for vegetables, seafood or other proteins.

Spices can be customised to your taste if you describe the flavours you like. From Thai to Indian, mild to hot, creamy to nutty, thick curries to broths, spices can be blended to help you deliver the perfect results.

I love the spice blends which are designed to get everyone eating more vegetables. From adding spices to stir fried broccoli, spiced aubergine and potatoes, as well as elevating grated carrots with toasted seeds, there is something for everyone.

Rafi’s Spicebox is a family-owned business with shops in Harrogate, Sudbury and York

Each curry blend comes with instructions on how to cook it and many of their recipes can be ready in under 30 minutes which makes it a viable way to get home cooked meals ready in the same time it would take to have a takeaway delivered.

Rafi’s also curates a seasonal curry range so you can get spice blends that match the season from comforting, cooling to heating to keep the cold away.

The beauty of many dishes from around the world is that they come with ‘buddies’ so at Rafi’s you can get pre-prepped pilau rices, flours, and a range of chutneys, sauces, and flat breads to complete your meals.

Lamb curry with a Rafi’s twist

I left Rafi’s with a pack of Previn’s Thepla – a spiced roti – and a packet of ‘Paretal Spice Blend’ that elevated the Nidderdale lamb I purchased from Addyman K butchers, that I cooked with coconut, asafoetida, tamarind, curry leaves, chillies and the usual staples of onion, garlic and tomatoes.

I added some pul biber for a bit more heat and served the delicious lamb curry with saffron and turmeric rice topped with ghati masala. To accompany this meal, I pan-heated the roti, which has fenugreek, coriander leaves mixed with flour, ginger, turmeric and coriander powder.

Yemi’s lamb curry

My nervousness about pre-made curry spices has always been the salt levels. In my experience, many popular brands make their spice mixes overly salty, that can give dishes a raw and harsh taste.

However with the Rafi’s Spicebox packet, the salt level after following the instructions was perfect for me, and the spices cooked in the 20 minutes suggested time. I cooked my lamb curry for an extra ten minutes to get it more tender.

Find out more

Rafi’s Spicebox is a family-owned business with shops in Harrogate, Sudbury and York. You can pick up their spices from some local butchers, fishmongers and farm shops but for an immersive experience and a chat to their lovely experts, I would recommend popping into their main shop along Commercial Street.

Spices can be customised to your taste if you describe the flavours you like

I’m doing a chef demonstration at the Living North Food event at York Racecourse this Saturday, March 23, so I will share some highlights in next week’s post.

Read more:

Harrogate needs ‘collective approach’ to town centre problems, says MP

Harrogate needs a “collective approach” to tackling problems in the town centre, says Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP.

This week, the Stray Ferret revealed how town-centre traders feel about anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and threats to staff through our unprecedented Trading Hell survey.

We also took a deep dive into crime data, heard from Harrogate Homeless Project about the limits constraining the charity sector’s response and put concerns over trader confidence to North Yorkshire Police.

Nearly all of the businesses who responded to our survey agreed that anti-social behaviour was an issue in the town centre.

The Stray Ferret asked local politicians how they felt about our findings and what they feel could be done to tackle some of Harrogate’s problems.

Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, described the issues as complex and in need of a collective approach to tackle them.

He said:

“Although Harrogate is by any measure a safe town that does not mean we do not have our problems. We do and the Stray Ferret articles highlighted some of these.

“The interviews with the BID, the police, the Harrogate Homeless Project and other organisations highlighted the need for a collective approach to dealing with these issues.

“For example, simply asking the police to move street beggars from one street to the next does not tackle the underlying issues with which that person needs help.It may be a housing issue, a benefits issue, it might be a mental or physical health problem, it might be addiction, it might a criminal justice issues such as county lines drug dealing.

“We need to look on a case-by-case basis and decide which interventions are going to be most effective to support that individual so that they do not feel that street begging is the only or the most viable option for them to address their circumstances. We need to support them into a stable situation with their home, job, health and personal life.

“So these are complex issues and a complex approach involving many different groups is required to solve them.”

Mr Jones added that he would continue to meet with businesses and organisations to listen to concerns over the problems in the town.

He said:

“We all have the same objective. To continue to have a vibrant town centre where we see brilliant events, our trademark independent shops thrive alongside branded stores, where we feel safe as retailers and customers and where our town attracts tourists to provide the footfall businesses need.

“I meet regularly with the organisations who have contributed to this series of articles and will be doing so again to continue discussing how we can work together to achieve that objective. I hope the Stray Ferret will repeat their survey in a year’s time so we can see how effective the solutions we develop as a town centre community are.”

More comprehensive strategies needed

Meanwhile, Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency, said the issues had been raised with him on the doorstep.

He said:

“Over the last few weeks and months this is something that has come up more frequently on the doorsteps and in my inbox. Retail employees make a huge contribution to our society and economy and they are the life blood of our town. Abuse against retail staff has an incredibly serious impact on those who experience it.

“The Liberal Democrats recognise that the UK government are asking shop workers to enforce the law themselves; they are enforcing the law on age-restricted products such as alcohol, games, DVDs and more.

“For retail workers specifically, we believe that where they are enforcing the law (e.g. minimum age for alcohol) or acting to prevent/detect crime (e.g. detaining a shoplifter), the law should give them extra protection.

“That’s why the Liberal Democrats are backing the measures in the Criminal Justice Bill to create a new statutory offence of assaulting, threatening, or abusing a retail worker, allowing for the aggravation of that offence where the retail worker is seeking to enforce a statutory age restriction.”

Tom Gordon.

However, Mr Gordon said more comprehensive strategies would be needed to tackle the issues in Harrogate.

He added:

“I welcome and support the efforts of Harrogate BID and other organisations working to tackle these problems, including initiatives such as the Report a Crime campaign. However, it’s clear that more comprehensive strategies are required.

“We also need to do more to look at and address the root causes of anti-social behaviour, such as substance abuse and homelessness. This requires an evidence based approach that is multifaceted and takes into account access to support services, mental health resources, and addiction treatment.”

The jobs to do in your garden right now

Laura Weatherhead started her career designing and developing products for the horticultural and agricultural markets. She has utilised her knowledge of plant physiology to turn her passion into a career and she can usually be found tinkering in gardens and sharing her experience of garden maintenance and design with others. Here she shares with The Stray Ferret how to get your garden spring-ready…

Spring is the opportune time to get your garden in order. Soon we will be spending a lot more time outdoors; the longer days, the glimpses of sunshine and the warmer temperatures help to remind us of what’s to come – especially when the carpets of crocuses in their lilac, white and lemon hues start to pop up along The Stray in Harrogate.

And spring is when our gardens really start to come alive; it’s now that the gardener is really called into action, and whether it’s yourself or a professional, here are some of the key jobs to be doing to get your garden spring-ready so that you can enjoy it in all its glory now and in the months ahead.

(Lilac and white crocuses)

Time for a spring clean: prune, tidy and plant

Most plants in our gardens are just starting to wake from a period of dormancy and now that the chance of a morning frost is almost in the distant past, it’s the perfect time to seize the moment to prune and tidy any shrubs.

By doing this now you will be able to shape and size any species that have been left to their own devices that may have become leggy and woody. Commonly found plants including buddleias, roses, salvias and dogwoods will thank you for doing this as they will bloom with denser, healthier floral displays later in the year.

Spring bulbs will continue to flower for the coming month or so, and to keep the colours vibrant in your garden be sure to remove any deadheads as they form. This is also a great time to plant any bulbs from Mother’s Day arrangements – for example, hyacinths, tulips and daffodils – so that they can be enjoyed in years to come.

(Spring hyacinth and primrose)

Green, green grass: get your lawn in order

For many of us a lawn makes up a fundamental part of our garden space, and March is an ideal time to give it some TLC. Much of Harrogate’s land sits on a clay soil base; for many of us this means our gardens are a little boggy after the wet winter months. As the drier weather arrives, give your lawn its first mow.

March is also an ideal time to apply a lawn treatment; a combination of weed, feed and seed replenishment will benefit any lawn. Slow growth rates will give your lawn the chance to establish itself before you need to mow again.

If you are feeling particularly energetic, a narrow-toothed rake will remove moss and dead organic matter, providing new growth with more space and improved aeration, or to make the job easier, you could always use an electric scarifier.

(Potted hyacinth display)

Spring colour: it’s not too late to pick up plants from your garden centre

If you’ve forgotten to plant spring bulbs, don’t worry – you’re probably not alone. Planting bulbs in the darker colder months isn’t for everyone and doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the early spring colours in your garden.

There are many species that are hardy enough to withstand the harsher weather conditions that can easily be picked up at most garden centres from now onwards. You may even be able to grab yourself a bargain with end of season heathers that will keep flowering for months to come.

Planting species like campanula and violas will provide the benefit of being winter hardy, and they flower generously throughout spring, covering ground effectively once established. Primroses will also continue to flower for the coming months and can add a well needed pop of colour.

It’s worth remembering – it’s not only flowers that come to life in spring, but weeds too. One of the simplest ways to spend less time on weeding is to fill your soil space with plants.

(Summer hydrangea display)

Think ahead: plant now for summer colour

There’s no better way for gardeners old and new to gather inspiration than to visit garden centres and stores, often resulting in many of us bringing new plants back home with us. Harrogate has a fantastic selection of garden centres including the nationally recognised RHS Harlow Carr, as well as smaller centres such as Horticap.

Any time from late March is a good time to plant new perennials in our gardens, but before you do, it’s a good idea to think about what you would like to achieve in your garden; from plant size, flowering period, colour and scent, alongside where you would like to achieve it; think sun exposure and soil conditions.

It’s also an ideal time to plant summer flowering bulbs like gladioli, alliums and lilies, to name but a few. There’s something for everyone when it comes to bulbs but remember to consider the size and positioning before choosing where to plant them in your border or container.

And finally…

Springtime is very much a period of activity in our gardens; whether we’re inspired by warmer, sunnier days, or whether you’re the organised gardener who’s working with nature’s calendar.

Spring gardening brings a wealth of reward later in the year, so I hope this brings you some inspiration to dust off those secateurs. And while you’re active in the garden, don’t forget that it’s not too late to sign up for your garden waste collection service via the North Yorkshire Council website; read more about it here.

Happy gardening everybody.

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