Roadworks on Harrogate’s Skipton Road due to last another 24 days

The latest round of roadworks on Harrogate’s Skipton Roads is due to continue for more than three weeks.

Three-way lights are in operation close to the junction with Sykes Grove.

Although the work is taking place during the school holidays, when the road is less busy, it is still causing delays on one of Harrogate’s main roads.

Three-way lights are in place.

Northern Gas Networks, which is responsible for distributing gas to homes and businesses, is replacing metal pipes with plastic pipes.

Scott Kitchingman, operations manager at Northern Gas Networks, said:

“We have been carrying out essential work to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the Skipton Road area of Harrogate and we are now on the final section of the road. We are scheduled to complete on August 25.

“The ageing metal pipework is being replaced by new, more durable plastic pipes, to ensure a safe and reliable supply of gas to customers now while getting the network ready to transport alternative greener fuels in the future.

The view heading towards New Park roundabout.

Mr Kitchingman added:

“So that engineers can carry out the work safely and efficiently, and to protect the public, some traffic management measures are in place. We have multiway lights and a lane closure for the duration of the work.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused; we are however working on Saturdays to try to get the work done as quickly as possible.”

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Eight ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging points activated at Harrogate Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s has activated eight ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging points at its supermarket on Wetherby Road in Harrogate.

‘Ultra-rapid’ is the fastest type of EV charging available on the market. It means people will be able to charge their electric vehicles in as little as 30 minutes.

The 150kW charging points, which are located in the car park near, are available to all drivers, not just those shopping in-store. They were activated on Friday.

Sainsbury’s said in a statement the charging points are designed to be easily accessible for disabled customers, as well as those with young children, thanks to the additional space around and between bays.

The new charging stations at Harrogate Sainsbury’s.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s director of property, procurement and EV ventures, said:

“We know that demand for speedy, efficient EV charging facilities in the UK continues to grow and that’s why we’ve brought this great new service to the people of Harrogate.

“We hope customers enjoy the speed and convenience it offers and we look forward to hearing their feedback.”

He added the charging points would help the company achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2035.

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There are currently four generally recognised speeds of EV charging available in the UK, classified by the level of power or “flow” of electricity that the chargers are able to provide, in kilowatts. They are slow – 3-6kW; fast – 7-22kW; rapid – 25-99kW and ultra-rapid – 100kW+.

More information about EV charging at Sainsbury’s is available here.

Firefighters called to Harrogate trailer park

Firefighters have been dealing with an early morning fire at a static home in a Harrogate trailer park.

Crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough were summoned to Shaws Trailer Park on Knaresborough Road in Starbeck at 5.11am.

The scale of the fire is unknown.

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

“This incident is ongoing. Crews are using two hose reel jets, and two breathing apparatus to deal with the incident.”

Shaws Trailer Park, a residential park home estate, has 140 permanent park homes.

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War veteran to launch Harrogate war memorial centenary commemorations

A war veteran is set to launch Harrogate war memorial’s centenary commemorations this year.

The 12-week commemorations will begin on September 1 and mark 100 years to the day after the memorial was unveiled in Prospect Square.

World War Two veteran Sheila Pantin, who lives in Harrogate and will celebrate her own 100th birthday in October, will launch the programme.

She won a scholarship to Leeds Girls’ High School aged 11, and went on to become one of the first women in this country to earn her public service vehicle licence.

Sheila joined the army aged just 17 and trained as an ambulance and staff car driver with the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women’s branch of the British Army, rising to the rank of sergeant.

She was also one of the first British service women to enter a German concentration camp in April 1945.

war memorial

The Harrogate war memorial.

After being posted abroad in autumn 1944, she was detailed to lead a convoy of about ten three-tonne Bedford lorries across France and Belgium entering into Nazi Germany from Holland.

When she got there she was asked if she wanted to work in the camps.

Reflecting on the time, Sheila said:

“I thought they meant barracks but it turned out they didn’t mean that at all. There was the camp with this huge entrance and an awful lot of huts surrounded by barbed wire fencing.

“We were entering Belsen. I could see our boys digging out mass graves to give the bodies proper burials.

“The only people left alive were in rags and were in a terrible state. They didn’t even know how to eat.”

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It was Sheila’s job to look after the survivors in the camp, to clean them, dress them, show them how to use a knife and fork, to try to restore a little humanity after the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.

As part of the war memorial centenary commemoration programme, a series of events will be held including 15 illustrates talked running from September 1 to Remembrance Sunday on November 12.

Meanwhile, to mark the anniversary, the names of 1,163 service men and women who died in the two World Wars and are etched onto the Harrogate memorial will feature in a multimedia exhibition called More than a Name on a Memorial.

Sheila will also give a talk on her experience during the war on Wednesday, September 27.

The exhibition and talks will be held at the West Park United Reformed Church and are free to attend.

More details of the centenary commemorations are available here.

Harrogate Lib Dem claims Tories using delaying tactics to avoid town council

A row over the creation of Harrogate Town Council has continued with a Liberal Democrat councillor claiming the Conservatives are attempting to delay the process because they fear they’d lose the election.

This month North Yorkshire Council agreed to hold a third public consultation on the creation of a Harrogate Town Council, which is now likely to form in 2025, a year later originally than planned.

Despite residents backing plans for two councillors to represent single wards in the previous consultation, Conservative councillors want single councillor wards based around the 19 former Harrogate Borough Council boundaries.

A consultation on the new proposals is expected to begin this year.

The move has frustrated opposition parties including the Liberal Democrats, which would like to see the currently unparished area of Harrogate represented by a town council as soon as possible.

Liberal Democrat councillor for High Harrogate and Kingsley, Chris Aldred, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he believes the Conservatives “do not like town councils” and also want to delay the process in order to avoid the electorate at the ballot box. 

He said:

“The truth is that they feel the further away they can push any possible election, the better for them. They know what the public think of them, nationally and locally, and they are running very, very scared.”

One of the most vocal opponents of the two councillors per ward proposals has been Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, Michael Harrison, who also sits on the council’s decision-making executive.

This year, Cllr Harrison was unanimously chosen by Harrogate councillors as its first charter mayor. However, Cllr Aldred suggested the Lib Dems, which is the largest party in Harrogate, now regret backing him due to his stance on the town council. 

He added: 

“We installed Cllr Harrison as our charter mayor for this year, partly in the hope it would educate him in the important role played by the mayoralty in our town, which can’t legally be continued or expanded upon, without a fully functional town council.

“We had the numbers to put in one of our own, but we felt this issue was actually so important, we were prepared to forgo this civic honour and elect a Tory. So we are doubly disappointed that he still continues in his attempts to usurp the creation of a democratically elected town council.”

Michael Harrison

Cllr Michael Harrison

In response, Cllr Harrison told the LDRS that local politics and the mayoralty are “strictly separate.” He said:

“I am honoured to be the mayor of Harrogate and was very grateful that my fellow councillors elected me to represent them. It has been a pleasure to carry out various civic duties over the last five months, and I will continue to do so for the rest of the civic year.

“It is no secret that I remain to be convinced of the need for a town council but recognise that colleagues continue to make the case, and I will be happy to support a decision at the right time.

“I make no apology for trying to ensure that if we are to create a new town council, that it is structured in the best way possible, we understand what it might achieve and what strategic objectives it will deliver in return for the precept that the residents of the town will have no choice to pay.”

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The Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council Cllr Carl Les described  Cllr Aldred’s claim that the Tories are against town councils as “nonsense”.

Cllr Les told the LDRS: 

“Most of my colleagues in the Conservative group have served on parish councils themselves and we all attend parish councils in our divisions. If we didn’t value their role, we wouldn’t have proposed offering the two communities in North Yorkshire which aren’t parished the opportunity to create two new parish councils.

“However it is important to get this right, as these bodies will be existence for many years to come, so it’s right to take time at the start. Cllr Aldred raised some points about warding which we are now addressing, so I don’t know why he is now criticising us. We have to do this with communities, not to them, so we need some further consultation.”

Police appeal after sexual assault in Harrogate

Police have appealed for witnesses after a sexual assault in Harrogate.

Officers said the incident happened at a pizza takeaway on lower Station Parade in Harrogate at 2.30am on Saturday, July 29.

A women was approached by a man who offered money for sex, tried to kiss her and then sexually assaulted her.

Police arrested a man in his 40s in relation to the allegation of sexual assault and he has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Officers would particularly like to speak with two men who were not involved but were in the pizza shop at the time the assault took place.

“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email Michael.crawshaw@northyorkshire.police.uk

“You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Michael Crawshaw.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230141013.”

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‘Official announcement’ due on new Harrogate restaurant

An ‘official announcement’ is expected soon about Harrogate‘s newest restaurant.

The Stray Ferret revealed on Thursday the Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar was due to open on Cheltenham Crescent the following day.

The article generated more than 300 comments, with many people welcoming the opportunity to buy tacos and burritos in the spacious town centre venue.

But The Rooftop opened to mixed reviews online from customers who posted their experiences on sites such as Restaurants Harrogate Review Club Facebook page.

A social media account for The Rooftop replied on the thread:

it said:

“We know there have already been speculations circulating among the public.

“Currently we are in the process of sorting things out before making an official announcement.

“Please let’s all be kind to each others. We truly appreciate everyone.

“We are hoping to publish an announcement as soon as possible.”

Leeds-based owner Mason Elyas initially declined to comment when the Stray Ferret asked him to clarify the situation but later said the restaurant remained open as usual. It is open Thursday to Sunday each week.

Mr Elyas took control of the premises above Sukhothai on the corner of Cheltenham Crescent and Cheltenham Parade just three weeks ago.

Le Bistrot Pierre occupied the site for many years. It was then briefly occupied by Samsons and then HG1 Grill and World Bar.

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Harrogate children’s shop seeks new location

A children’s shop in Harrogate is looking to move to a town centre location to attract more shoppers.

Tiger Fifty 7, on Cold Bath Road, opened in 2019 to “create a shopping experience like no other for both parents and children”.

The shop sells a wide range of toys and games, children’s clothing, as well as accessories and clothing for parents.

However, the business has made the decision to move due to increased bills and the challenges that retail is facing, according to its social media.

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Neither an official closing date of the current shop or a new store location have yet been confirmed.

Co-owner Georgie Simpson said the business was “in limboland” until the current site is taken over by someone else.

Ms Simpson told The Stray Ferret:

“We can’t commit to anything new until this shop is taken over, however we’d prefer to be closer to the centre of town as there is not a lot footfall here.

“We’re definitely happy about the decision, despite it being a lot of stress.”

The unit is listed with Montpellier Property Consultants and is £18,000 per year to rent.

 

Business Breakfast: Harrogate business groups to host summer social

Two Harrogate business groups are to host a summer social to help firms strengthen collaboration together.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and Harrogate Business Improvement District are set to host the event at the Harrogate Inn on August 14.

The meeting will be held from 5.30pm until 8pm and include a networking session and drinks.

The event is open to members of the chamber and BID levy payers only.

For more information and to reserve a place, visit the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce website here.

Harrogate care company among top recommended providers

A Harrogate care company has been recognised as one of the top 20 in the UK at an industry awards.

Carefound Home Care, which has a branch in Harrogate, won the award at the homecare.co.uk awards.

recognised as a Top 20 home care group in the UK.

recognised as a Top 20 home care group in the UK.

The company was among the top 20 most recommended care providers based on reviews at the website.

Reviews were also submitted by friends and relatives of people receiving home care in the UK, with the rankings intended to help people find home care that is right for their needs, location and budget.

Oliver Stirk, managing director of Carefound Home Care, said:

“Homecare.co.uk is the UK’s leading home care reviews site and plays an important role in giving families transparency when seeking support for loved ones.”

“We are enormously proud to have won this award for the second year running at Carefound Home Care.”

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Stray Views: ‘Something must be done’ about Harrogate e-scooters

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. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Can anything be done to curb the increasing use of our pavements by cyclists and now e-scooters? 

“The other morning I was nearly knocked over near the Odeon by a youth riding an electric scooter at some speed on the pavement and last night a cyclist brushed past me from behind on the pavement in North Park Road. 

I am a fairly alert 72 year-old but I fear that one of our older residents or those harder of hearing will be injured or worse if something is not done. You just don’t hear them coming.

Stephen Oliver, Harrogate

‘Scruffy’ displays in Harrogate

Come on, Harrogate, this is not good enough.

One-hundred yards from the town centre and otherwise well-kept flower displays. This is not re-wilding – it is scruffy.

Picture and letter by Chris Graville, 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.

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