From Ripon Cathedral to Knaresborough Fire Station, people fell silent for two minutes across the Harrogate district today to pay their respects to the war dead.

Thousands of people stood 20-deep in the fog around the war memorial in Harrogate for the traditional parade and outdoor service.

Thousands of people also gathered at Spa Gardens and on nearby streets in Ripon, where services were held at the war memorial and in Ripon Cathedral.

Ripon Spa Gardens

Starbeck observed a minute’s silence at 11am before the main ceremony at 3pm.

Starbeck war memorial

Further afield, Junior soldiers from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College took part in a Remembrance Sunday service at Merville Battery, France, as part of a trip learning  about the Normandy invasion.

Junior soldiers from Harrogate in France today. Pic: Matt Allen / MOD Crown Copyright 2022

Besides the formal ceremonies, many people took time out of their day to observe the two-minute silence.

Firefighters at Knaresborough lined up to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Knaresborough Fire Station

It marked the culmination of commemorations, which started with a minute’s silence on Friday. November 11 at 11am.

Pateley Bridge, which traditionally holds its main service on the 11th whatever the day, did so again this year.

Harrogate’s Ashville College also held a service on Friday before students and staff, along with members of the governing body and former pupils, gathered in front of the memorial to hold a two-minute silence and to lay wreaths and poppies.

Of the 300 former Ashvillians called up in the First World War, 38 died in the conflict. Eight of those were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

In the Second World War, 465 former pupils and teachers volunteered for the forces, and of those 59 were killed.

Ashville College

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.

How long will the A59 roadworks take?

In reference to the ongoing roadworks at the A59 junction with the A658 near Goldsborough.

It is clear that the deadline is just being extended again and again. Earlier this week it was due to finish this Friday, now it is November 27. 

Yorkshire Water must know how long the whole project will take – why can’t they just say and then we can all be clear what is going on or not.

Steve Cove, Boroughbridge

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One fire appliance is ‘not good management’

As one person has stated, cutting down to one appliance at night time is a not good management. 

As a retired firefighter of 30 years of experience, I can state that there are more fatalities at night time by the event that the fire is discovered later than during the day. One reader has made the same comment.

I know what I am talking about as I attended quite a few fatalities during my time as I served in a city fire service.

Leonard Redmond, 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.

Bettys unveiled its Christmas window display in front of hundreds of people at 5.30pm today.

Branch manager Janet Parker led the countdown, which ended with the blind going up to reveal the display.

Staff worked throughout last night to create the Christmas cracker-themed display.

There were free hot drinks and mince pies for those watching, and local carol singers added to the festive feeling.

Read more:

• Guide to Remembrance Day services in the Harrogate district
• Christmas lights vandalised on Harrogate salon

No Annual Remembrance services will take place across the district this weekend to honour the fallen.

Below is a list of events. If you know of others, let us know so we can add them to this guide. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Ripon

Sunday November 13: 11am – Remembrance Sunday service at the war memorial in Spa Gardens, where there will be a two-minute silence before wreaths are laid in honour of the fallen, by civic dignitaries, members of the armed forces, the RBL and representatives of other organisations.

Those planning to attend are asked to arrive by 10.30am.

Harrogate

Town centre

Sunday November 13:

Town Centre

10.30am – Parade and wreath laying ceremony at the Harrogate war memorial. The service will include the Army Foundation College, the Royal British Legion, regimental associations, uniformed cadets and scouts and guides.

Stonefall Cemetery

1pm – Harrogate Brigantes Rotary has arranged a service for 1pm at the Commonwealth War Graves. Wreaths will be laid by the Harrogate Mayoress, Andrew Jones MP, the Army Foundation College and representatives from the Commonwealth.

Starbeck

11am – gathering of residents at the war memorial on the Starbeck High Street.

3pm — Ceremony at Starbeck war memorial. The service will include the Royal British Legion, uniformed cadets, the brigades, students from Starbeck Primary Academy and local churches.

Knaresborough

Sunday, November 13: 11am – ceremony at Knaresborough war memorial attended by local officials and Harrogate Army Foundation College.

Nidderdale

Friday, November 11: A service takes place at the Cenotaph in the Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Recreation Park led by the Church in the Dales and the last post will be sounded. There will also be a contingent of 40 junior soldiers attending who will be marching in public for the first time since joining the Harrogate Army Foundation College.
Following this the young soldiers will march to the Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Memorial Hall on Park Road.
There will also be a display of the Nidderdale people who went to war and returned and those who didn’t, displayed by Folk Finders Family History.

Sunday, November 13: 10.15am – ceremony at Summerbridge war memorial

Boroughbridge

10am Service at St James’s Church followed by a parade and wreath laying at Boroughbridge war memorial from 10.45am.

If you want to make a donation to the Royal British Legion click here. 

Read More:

• Firefighters put up poppies as Ripon prepares for services of Remembrance
• Starbeck to have two Remembrance Sunday events amid time disagreement
• Poppies to adorn Knaresborough castle again

A head chef has been given a suspended sentence for causing criminal damage at a Harrogate restaurant and carrying a knife in public.

Daniel Woodward, 35, of Oakdale Drive, Harrogate, was also charged with assaulting a staff member, racially aggravated harassment and affray.

He appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to all charges.

Woodward had worked at William and Victoria restaurant on Cold Bath Road for three years as a head chef, the court heard.

When he turned up at the restaurant on October 9, another staff member noticed he was “concerned about his girlfriend”.

Woodward was told to calm down and sit upstairs, where he began raising his voice and banging his fists on the table.

Later Woodward was in the kitchen where staff found him swearing and bowls were smashed.

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The prosecution said the female staff member became scared as Woodward began shouting and swearing, some of which was racial.

The court heard how staff found Woodward with a chef’s knife “clutched to him” and had “blood on his hands”.

Magistrates were also told how Woodward had assaulted a male staff member and left him with a cut to his right hand finger.

At 2.30pm, police arrived at the scene and took Woodward to hospital. He continued to swear and use racially insulting words.

The officer said Woodward called him a “pig” and repeatedly told him to “f*** off”.

The prosecution said:

“The officer said the abuse that the defendant subjected him to is by far the worst in his seven-and-a-half years in the force.”

‘Sorry for his actions’

Brian Nuttney, defending Woodward, told the court that Woodward had “no recollection of much of what happened”, but was sorry for his actions.

Mr Nuttney said the defendant’s girlfriend was supposed to come to see him the night before, but did not turn up which led to him becoming concerned.

He told the court that Woodward was also offered bottles of wine at the restaurant and another staff member made a remark which “could have tipped him over the edge”.

Mr Nuttney said the defendant had been in care at a young age and had felt abandoned, but had gone on to start a family and train to be a chef.

He said:

“Mr Woodward did not have the best start in life.”

Woodward was given a 21-month total sentence suspended for two years. He was also sentenced to eight weeks and four weeks in prison for harassment and affray, which were also suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to undertake 25 days of rehabilitation and to wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 90 days.

Woodward was also subjected to court costs of £472.

The magistrates also awarded £100 in compensation to William and Victoria and another £100 to the injured staff member.

The owners of Furnish and Fettle have announced they are to close their Harrogate showroom.

Glyn and Eleanor Goddard said changes in the marketplace with more online shopping and rising costs led them to make the decision to shut the branch on Crescent Road.

The showroom will close at the end of the year. 

All staff will be moved to the branch in Wetherby. The business has also taken on additional storage and workshop space at Thorp Arch as part of the move.

Mr Goddard said a significant change in footfall was part of the decision to shut the showroom.

He said:

“Footfall has changed dramatically over the past couple of years and the marketplace has polarised.

“The more price-sensitive shoppers are increasingly turning to the internet, while at the other end of the spectrum are people looking for expertise and service, and these are the majority of our clients. 

“With rising costs, it just makes no sense to have two showrooms so close to each other, so we have taken the opportunity of a break in our lease to refocus how we can best serve our clients.”

The business has also invested in new, larger vans to make delivery of larger pieces of furniture easier.

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It is also looking to recruit an additional experienced interior designer and a tradesperson to work as part of the installations team. 

Mrs Goddard said:

“This is a really exciting time, we have seen a huge increase in the projects side of our business, while the retail side has become a bit of a distraction. 

“Both our Wetherby and Pocklington showrooms will continue to display inspirational room sets and will still feature pieces that can be bought there and then, but they will mainly serve to showcase design ideas and our bespoke craftsmanship. 

“Yes, it is a bit sad to be leaving Harrogate, especially as we are in such a beautiful building, but our Wetherby showroom is less than 10 miles away and this move just makes sense on every level.” 

A long-standing Harrogate business has had its Christmas lights vandalised for the first time in 14 years.

The display at Dangerfield & Keane hairdressers has become an annual highlight for families walking along Cold Bath Road.

It went up on Monday — and on Wednesday night was damaged.

A video of a man, appearing to rip the lights off the shopfront, has been shared many times on the shop’s Facebook page.

An image from the Dangerfield and Keane CCTV footage.

Gerri Dangerfield-Keane, who owns the business, said:

“I’m just dismayed – why would anyone do that? It’s senseless.

“This is the 14th year of doing the same thing and it’s never been touched or vandalised before.”

Mr Dangerfield-Keane said the electric circuit had been destroyed but he was determined to get it fixed and restore the display to full power.

He has also offered to give a free set of Christmas lights to the perpetrator:

“Whoever did it must be so bereft of Christmas lights we will give them a free set.”

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Forget the John Lewis TV ad — the unveiling of the Bettys Christmas window marks the start of Christmas for many people in Harrogate.

It has been a low key occasion for the last two years due to covid. But tonight, for the first time since 2019, the company is making an occasion of it.

The fun will start at 5pm with Christmas carols outside the flagship Parliament Street store. The first 200 people attending will receive free hot drinks and mince pies.

Branch manager Janet Parker will appear shortly before 5.30pm to welcome everyone and lead a countdown, which will end with the blind going up to reveal the display.

There will also be a raffle and the shop will stay open until 6pm.

Staff will be on hand to manage the crowd and to prevent people from spilling on to the road.

A Bettys spokeswoman said the display was installed last night and is being kept hidden until tonight. She added:

“Let’s just say it will be a Christmas cracker. We are really excited to have everyone back. “

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Some Harrogate residents are still waiting to receive letters about the latest cycle plans for Otley Road and Beech Grove — even though a meeting to discuss the scheme is due to be held today.

North Yorkshire County Council announced on October 19 it would hold “further public engagement on phase two of Otley Road cycle route, its links with Beech Grove and the town centre”.

It added “letters to residents in the vicinity of the scheme will be delivered next week”.

But some homes have yet to receive them, even though a meet-the-designer event is due to be held at the civic centre today.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said:

“Over 1,400 letters were distributed during the week commencing October 24 in the vicinity of Otley Road, Beech Grove, Victoria Road and Queens Road.

“We have however been made aware of some pocketed locations where letters have not been received and we have been working to get these letters distributed this week.”

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Asked how many homes had not received the letter, a council spokeswoman said it “wouldn’t know the exact figure”. The letters were posted by Royal Mail and the council has reissued them when they were alerted to problems.

Barry Adams, who lives on Otley Road, said hardly anyone he had spoken to was aware of the consultation, which he described as a “sham”. He added:

“It’s so typical of Area 6 highways when they organise any public consultation and has happened before.  In my opinion they should start the whole process again and do it properly this time.”

Views on cycling

The public engagement opened last month as part of the latest bid to promote active travel in the town.

The council is asking residents and people who travel in Harrogate to suggest what improvements could be made to the area on and around Oatlands Drive.

It is also consulting on phase two of Otley Road cycle route, its links with Beech Grove and the town centre ahead of construction.

It is hoped the proposed schemes will encourage residents and visitors to opt for walking and cycling and reduce traffic congestion.

Three options for the Otley Road route are being considered. Today’s meet the designer event at the civic centre from 4.30pm to 7pm will give stakeholder groups and residents the opportunity to discuss the options.

The results will be considered this month with construction due to begin in summer next year.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A n executive search firm the global chemical, medical and industrial sectors has moved into Harrogate’s Windsor House.

George Thomas, which was founded in 2018, helps with recruitment for senior management, executive and c-level placements.

The company has joined more than 115 other businesses in Windsor House, the former Grand Hotel, on Cornwall overlooking the Valley Gardens.

Thomas Flaherty, director of George Thomas, said: 

“We are delighted to have recently moved into Windsor House, the building is the perfect location for us to operate in and offers us all the facilities we need to run our business.”

Windsor House is undergoing major refurbishment to its ground floor, which is seeing its communal areas modernised and the creation of new co-working spaces.

Karen Winspear, property manager at Boultbee Brooks which manages the building, said: 

“We are delighted to welcome George Thomas and his 14-strong team to Windsor House.

“The company, our latest tenant, chose Windsor House because of the quality of office space, affordability, its proximity to the town centre, and onsite car parking.”

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Grantley Hall wins best countryside hotel award

Grantley Hall has won a national award for best countryside hotel.

The hotel near Ripon picked up the award as part of the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2023.

Condé Nast set up the scheme to “acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across our recommended properties”.

Grantley Hall posted on its social media:

“This would not have been possible without our loyal guests and our incredible staff. 

“Thank you to all who voted for Grantley Hall.”