Starbeck Baths to be closed until late May

Starbeck Baths looks set to be closed for several weeks due to an “unforeseen mechanical failure”.

The Victorian swimming pool closed on Thursday last week. Its website says an air leak in the pool plant equipment caused poor water clarity.

The timing was unfortunate because of the ongoing Easter school holidays as well as the long-term closure of The Hydro in nearby Harrogate for a delayed £11.8 million upgrade.

Brimhams Active, which was set up by Harrogate Borough Council but is now run by North Yorkshire Council, manages leisure facilities in the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for culture, arts and leisure, Jo Ireland, said:

“We are working with Brimhams Active to resolve an unforeseen mechanical failure.

“The situation requires the expertise of specialist contractors, and a work schedule has been set to address the issue.

“During the downtime, other important planned maintenance work will also be carried out to ensure the facilities are in top condition when the baths reopen.

“Although we regret any inconvenience this may have caused, we anticipate that Starbeck swimming baths will be back in operation by late May.”


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History group to show archive footage of Ripon and Harrogate

Rare archive footage of the Ripon and Harrogate areas will be shown on a big screen this month.

The event is being jointly staged by Yorkshire Film Archive and Bishop Monkton Local History Group.

A professional film archivist will introduce a series of locally produced films as well as footage from other parts of Yorkshire.

Some were professionally shot, others were amateur home movies but all give an insight into how people lived around here in years gone by.

Work, holidays, leisure, sports, home life, transport and war are among the subjects featured in the films.

Some content was included in four recent sell-out events at the Odeon in Harrogate organised by Yorkshire Film Archive in conjunction with Harrogate’s Civic Society and FIlm Society.

The event will be held at Bishop Monkton Village Hall on April 27 at 7pm.

Clips from some of the films that will be shown can be viewed here.

Tickets are free to Bishop Monkton Local History Group members and £10 to non-members.

They are available from Annabel Alton on 01765 676538 or via email annabel@annabelalton.com

There will be a cash bar selling wine and soft drinks before the event and during the interval.


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Harrogate man jailed for assaulting three police officers in Ripon

A man from a village near Harrogate has been jailed for six months for assaulting police officers.

James Ashley Gibb, 34, initially denied attacking three police officers in Ripon Market Place on October 28 last year.

But Gibb, of Ripon Road, Killinghall, changed his plea and was sentenced at Harrogate Magistrates Court last week.

Court documents say he was jailed due to the seriousness of the offence and also “because of different kinds of assaults including biting, kicking and threat of spitting and committed whilst on post-sentence supervision”.

The offence was aggravated by the defendant’s record of previous offending, the documents added.

Ripon Market Square arrest

The incident in Ripon Market Place last year

Gibb also pleaded guilty to using racially aggravated threatening or abusive words.

He was also given a concurrent four-month prison sentence for threatening a person on Station Parade in Harrogate on January 14 this year.

Besides being jailed, he was fined £275.


 

Harrogate’s Parliament House to be converted to flats and shops

Plans have been approved to convert a building in Harrogate’s Montpellier Quarter into eight flats and two retail units.

Parliament House on Montpellier Street is currently home to Harrogate Wines shop and a vacant gym and is spread across three floors.

North Yorkshire Council approved an application to convert the building last week.

Developer ATC Properties said the flats will be aimed specifically at young professionals and key workers who are looking to get onto the property ladder.

Each flat will have an ensuite double bedroom with an open plan kitchen, dining and living area.

Documents attached to the application described the site as an “intrusive utilitarian building” at odds with one of Harrogate’s most architecturally-appealing areas.

They added the conversion provided an opportunity to “significantly refurbish a prominent building of poor architectural quality and detailing”.

Civic society objection

A third floor extension was removed following concerns from Harrogate Civic Society, which objected to the plans.

The conservation group said the remodelling of the building “does not reflect the local historic style of the conservation area.”

Other prominent town centre buildings, including the former post office on Cambridge Street, have seen applications to convert them into flats approved in recent months. However, the civic society’s objection letter raised concerns about the trend. It said:

“In principle we are keen to see sustainable town centre living but
are always concerned that local commercial uses will not make for a low standard of residential amenity.”

Concerns were also raised by local residents and business owners about parking.

However, the council wrote in its decision report that the site
was in an accessible town centre location, close to shops, facilities and public transport connections, and secure cycle storage would be provided within the building.

The plans were ultimately approved by the new council as one of its first acts as the new planning authority for Harrogate, replacing Harrogate Borough Council.


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Councillors to elect ceremonial mayor for Harrogate this month

Councillors will elect a mayor for the town of Harrogate at a meeting this month.

Called a ‘charter mayor’, the non-political role will involve promoting the historic and ceremonial traditions of the Harrogate area during events and occasions such as Remembrance Sunday.

The mayor will be chosen by the Harrogate ‘charter trustees’, which are 10 councillors who represent divisions covering the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

This differs from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayor who covered the whole of the former borough and undertook a much wider range of engagements.

Like the Harrogate Borough Council mayor, the charter mayor will also serve a term of 12 months.

If a Harrogate Town Council is created, it will assume responsibility for the mayoral position from North Yorkshire Council.

The new council has allocated an annual budget of £12,100 for Harrogate charter trustee business.

The mayor and deputy mayor will be elected at a meeting of the Harrogate charter trustees on April 17 at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.

Ceremonial robes and chains most recently used by the last HBC mayor, Victoria Oldham, will be used by the new mayor.

On the final day of the council’s existence last week, Ms Oldham tweeted:

“Thank you everyone who has made my 10 months as the last mayor of the borough of Harrogate so special.

“I have enjoyed meeting so many caring, marvellous people. Also, special thanks to my deputy mayor Cllr Robert Windass for his help, and being my consort.”


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North Yorkshire Council’s assistant chief executive for legal and democratic services, Barry Khan, said:

“The charter trustees are non-political. Nominations for mayor and deputy mayor will be made at the first annual meeting on Monday, April 17, where they will be voted on.

“The mayor will wear the chains of office when acting as mayor. The robes are usually reserved for ceremonial occasions at which the mayor feels they are appropriate.“

Have your say on North Yorkshire’s autism strategy

Residents across the Harrogate district are being invited to help shape a new strategy to improve the lives of people living with autism.

The aim is to provide better support for autistic people, as well as improving attitudes towards the condition across the community.

The new North Yorkshire Council is working with the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to host a series of events for people with autism, or those who support them, to share their ideas and experiences.

People will also be able to take part in a survey, which will run until the end of April, as an alternative way to express their views. Copies will also be available in North Yorkshire libraries.

Cllr Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services, said:

“The aim is to enable autistic people to live fulfilling lives by making sure the right support is available at the right moments.

“Autistic people’s ideas and experiences will be at the heart of the new strategy.

“That is why we are so keen that people attend the engagement sessions, and help us to ensure the new strategy is as thorough and as helpful as it can possibly be.”


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The new, all-age strategy will be implemented across the health and local authority sector, alongside voluntary, community and social organisations.

Inclusion North, a not-for-profit organisation that works with the public sector, has also been taken on to help the campaign.

Once adopted, the strategy is expected to remain in place until 2026. It will cover several key areas of improvement, including better access to education, transition into adulthood and employment aid.

Guidelines will be provided to help support families and carers.

The next Harrogate engagement event will take place at The Cuttings in Station View, Starbeck, on Thursday, April 27, from 5.30-8pm. Full details are available on the North Yorkshire Partnerships website.

Business Breakfast: New investor joins Harrogate IT company

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The fourth in our series of networking events, with Banyan Bar & Kitchen, is a breakfast event on April 27 from 8am.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.


A new investor has joined an IT hardware company in Harrogate.

Ryan McCarry has made the investment in Intelligent Servers and acquired a minority shareholding in the business amounting to a 14% shareholding with follow-on funding.

Mr McCarry, who founded Sleek Networks and was chairman of Concepta Capital, will also join the firm as a director and chairman of the board.

Andy Hughes, founder and chief executive of Intelligent Servers, said:

“Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge to our business and board. His appointment comes at a time when we plan to expand our services and reach to achieve our revenue target of £22 million in the next three years. 

“We are delighted to welcome him to our team and look forward to working closer together.”

Mr McCarry said:

“I am thrilled to be joining Intelligent Servers as a shareholder and chairman. Having worked with Andy over the last year or two I know the company has a great culture, solid foundations, fast growth and huge potential. 

“Intelligent Servers is very much a sustainable technology business with strong ESG credentials and significant growth potential in the UK, Europe and globally. The team have a fantastic reputation for delivering high quality services to their clients and we plan to achieve our targets through organic growth and selective acquisitions.”


Knaresborough company sets up employee ownership trust

A Knaresborough company has set up an employee ownership trust.

Consultancy service The Whole Systems Partnership, which is based on York Place, announced the move last week.

Peter Lacey, owner of The Whole System Partnership, and James Wright sign the trust papers.

Peter Lacey, owner of The Whole System Partnership, and James Wright sign the trust papers.

An employee ownership trust sees staff at a company take shares in the business.

The move will see James Wright, Mark Gregson and Dr Pauline Milne MBE become initial directors of the trust at WSP.

Mr Wright said:

“I have always enjoyed being part of the WSP team and to be part of the management team only makes me more excited for the future.”


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Chocolate and coffee cafe opens in Harrogate

A chocolate and coffee cafe has opened in Harrogate town centre.

The Chocolate Works is situated on Station Parade between the Everyman cinema and restaurant Farmhouse.

It is the third venture of its kind launched by owner Guy Middleton.

Mr Middleton opened his first Chocolate Works cafe in Clitheroe in 2017 followed by a second in Skipton in 2020.

The cafes serve predominantly Belgian chocolate dishes, including hot chocolate, as well as loose chocolate that can be taken away.

They also stock a wide range of coffees and speciality teas plus waffles, ice cream and milkshakes.

The premises was intended to house the vegan restaurant Vertigo, which went out of business a year ago before its Harrogate eatery opened.


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Dashcam footage appeal after serious crash on Leathley Lane

Police are appealing for dashcam footage of a serious collision on the edge of the Harrogate district.

A woman in a green 12-reg Mazda broke several bones and was hospitalised for five days.

The crash happened at 9.20am on Tuesday, March 14 at Leathley Lane near Castley Lane.

According to North Yorkshire Police, three other vehicles were involved: a white 21-reg Ford Transit van, a grey 21-reg Hyundai Ioniq and a grey 10-reg Skoda Roomster.

The stretch of road was closed for several hours while officers investigated and vehicles were recovered.

A police statement said:

“We’re appealing for witnesses to the collision or anyone who recalls seeing the vehicles involved prior to the collision, to get in touch as soon as possible to assist the investigation.

“In particular, we’re appealing for motorists in the area at the time who may have relevant dashcam footage of the collision itself or of any of the vehicles involved prior to the incident.”

You can email Megan.Smith1@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Megan Smith.

Quote reference number 12230046167.


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Harrogate hospital reports improved A&E waiting times

People attending A&E at Harrogate District Hospital are experiencing much shorter waiting times than earlier in the year when some patients were forced to stay at the hospital for 12 hours or more.

The department has been under-pressure throughout the winter due to a higher average number of admissions as well as a fresh wave of covid and flu inpatients that has saw the hospital almost completely full every day.

Harrogate has also been a high number of patients aged over 70 attending A&E compared to nationally.

While attendance figures have returned to near pre-covid levels, many patients have experienced longer-than-usual stays due to the high bed occupancy.

It meant some A&E patients had to stay overnight, which has put further strain on staff who have had to conduct medicine rounds, serve meals, wash patients and conduct ward rounds.

Industrial action by paramedics, nurses and junior doctors has also put pressure on the hospital.

To improve the situation in A&E, the hospital introduced a new streaming model for minor injuries so staff can focus on patients with more serious conditions.


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Speaking at a public board meeting of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust last week, chief executive Russell Nightingale said the changes have worked.

Mr Nightingale said the number of people waiting for 12 hours was down to the single figures in March.

He said:

“It’s come down hugely and we’re aiming for zero by August. It’s been driven by improvements in the streaming model. That’s been the primary driver.

“We’re working through some of those sticky admittance issues plus the industrial action.”

As the hospital moves out of its most challenging winter period, next week’s junior doctors strike means there is likely to be some disruption for patients.

The strike is set to take place from 7am on Tuesday, April 11, until 7am on Saturday, April 15.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of HDFT, told the meeting the hospital has a “robust plan” in place to deal with any disruption should the strike goes ahead as planned. 

He said:

“The strike is obviously concerning but I’m confident we’ll have safe services. There’s a cost of people covering the work and planning it and the cost to the patients who have work delayed. Services will be safe and let’s hope theres a solution relatively quickly.”