The organisers of Saturday’s Stray bonfire and fireworks have announced they have raised a minimum of £4,061 for Harrogate Homeless Project.

An estimated 10,000 people attended the event, which included a bonfire after Harrogate and District Round Table initially decided against the idea.

Andy Rickard, one of the volunteers at the Round Table, said the event had exceeded expectations by generating around £20,000.

He said when the costs of staging the event were deducted it left £4,061.

Picture by Mark Dimmock

Donations are still open, with the Round Table pledging to match fund up to £1,000.

The volunteer-run event, which is now in its 51st year, is funded entirely by donations and sponsorship.

Mr Rickard said he was concerned before the night that the gofundme appeal had only raised about half as much as last year.

But better-than-expected cash and card payments on the night, along with sponsorship funds and percentage takings from the food, bar and face painting stalls boosted the total. He said

“We do try to develop the event every year and are pleased with the addition of a licensed bar which proved very popular, we also hope that the provision of toilets was appreciated.

“We’ve already started reviewing what we could improve and welcome feedback. We did look at replacing the bonfire with a funfair based on the feedback survey from last year so would encourage people to give us their thoughts as we start planning next year.”

Picture by Mark Dimmock

Francis McAllister, chief executive of Harrogate Homeless Project, said the Round Table’s support would “make a huge difference to our clients”, adding:

“It was a fantastic event, well organised and everyone seemed to enjoy it.”

A survey to gather people’s views on the event can be completed here.

Donations can still be pledged here.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association “failed to comply” with data protection laws after distributing election leaflets which included a Liberal Democrat candidate’s personal details.

The Information Commissioner’s Office found the local Conservative branch published the name and address of Knaresborough councillor Matt Walker during May’s local elections while promoting its own candidate.

In a letter to Cllr Walker following his complaint, the ICO said it found the matter was done without his consent and that it could not constitute a “legitimate or lawful” use of personal data.

It said:

“H&KCA published details of your name and address, without your consent, for the purpose of promoting an alternative candidate in local elections.

“The ICO do not consider this could constitute a legitimate or lawful use of your personal data, and their purpose for publishing and circulating this personal data would not override your individual rights.

“The ICO will now write to H&KCA to advise them of the ICO’s view in this matter.”

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The commissioner’s office added it would provide the Conservative association with advice and guidance on “improving their data processing in the future”.

It also said it would take no further action at this time, but would keep a record of complaints against Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives and “take these into account if more are received”.

In a tweet, Cllr Walker said he was “absolutely disgusted” that his personal data was used.

https://twitter.com/MattWalkerLD/status/1588817092744478720

Mr Walker told the Stray Ferret he was at heightened risk of being targeted by anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists because he works for the NHS and helped with vaccination technology.

He added:

“Like many people in my profession, I’ve been warned not to advertise my address. Two MPs have been murdered in the last five years by fanatics. I am disgusted that the Conservatives decided to advertise where I live to thousands of Knaresborough residents.

“Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives have shown a real lack of judgement in misusing personal data and those in charge of their election campaign clearly need additional training.”

Mr Walker added he “looked forward to receiving an apology”.

The Stray Ferret has approached Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives for a response.

In 2020, Conservative Harrogate Borough Council leader, Richard Cooper, sent a letter to the ICO asking for the local Lib Dems’ petitions to be investigated for “data harvesting”.

Cllr Cooper said none of the four petitions were submitted to relevant bodies and were instead an exercise to build a database of contact information. 

The Liberal Democrats described the accusations as a ploy to put people off signing petitions but an ICO spokesperson provided the Lib Dems with advice to improve their data protection policies following the complaint.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Harrogate curry house has been named the best in the region at an annual awards ceremony hosted by Masterchef’s Greg Wallace. 

Starbeck Tandoori beat stiff competition from across Yorkshire and the Humber – including the other three finalists, all in York – to win the title.

It was awarded by the Bangladesh Caterers Association for innovation, presentation of food, hygiene standards and customer service. 

Owner Burhan Uddin Khan collected the award from hosts Greg Wallace and TV presenter Tasmin Lucia-Khan at the black-tie event at the Park Plaza London. 

Established in 1960, the BCA represents more than 12,000 UK curry houses, which employ over 100,000 people and turn over £4.2bn a year. 

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Weetons sets date for Christmas evening

Luxury food hall Weetons will stage its annual Christmas evening on Thursday, November 17.

Independent suppliers will be showcasing products to try at the shop, on Harrogate’s West Park, from 6pm to 8pm.

There will also be live music, complimentary Prosecco, mulled wine and mince pies at the event, which is open to everyone.

Rob Coutts, managing director of Weetons, said:

“Christmas is a very special time of year and Weetons want to make sure that everyone in Harrogate and beyond kicks off the celebrations in style with us.”

The Stray Ferret has launched our new Photo of the Week feature to highlight the beauty of the Harrogate district captured by talented local photographers.

Send your photos to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to feature here. We are interested in amateur and professional pictures.

This week we feature a beautiful image taken by Bill Shaw who has perfectly captured a fiery sunset over Harrogate.

A Harrogate pub was evacuated late this afternoon after fire broke out in the kitchen.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service received two calls from the pub at 5.07pm today saying there was a fire in the kitchen.

The emergency service, which has not said which pub was involved, tweeted this evening:

“The venue had been evacuated and the fire had been extinguished using a fire blanket prior to our arrival but we ensured the area was safe.”

Less than an hour later, just before 6pm, fire crews were. also called to reports of six people stuck in a lift in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service tweeted at 6.18pm that “our crews are assisting with this”.

November 5 is one of the busiest nights of the year for firefighters.

The emergency service tweeted:

“We hope you are all enjoying yourselves this bonfire night but stay safe.”

Read more:

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Our Angels, a charity set up by grieving parents, has received a cheque for £12,000 raised by recycling metals recovered from cremations. 

The money was donated by Harrogate Borough Council, whose bereavement services sell off the metals twice a year, with consent from bereaved families. 

The recycled metals include those used in the construction of the coffins and in orthopaedic implants such as replacements hips and knees and replacement joints. 

Our Angels was formed in January 2009 when a group of bereaved parents joined together to support families who had lost a baby. 

Emma Lofthouse, chairperson of Our Angels, said: 

“Without generous donations like this one from Harrogate Borough Council, Our Angels would not be able to provide its vital support services for bereaved parents.

“Although, sadly, we can’t stop the loss of a baby, we can make sure that every family who faces a loss knows that there is support out there for them.

“Every penny we receive goes into caring for families in their hardest moments, from the memory boxes, sibling support packs, miscarriage care packs, right through to the vital equipment we supply to the Harrogate hospital maternity ward.”

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Cllr Sam Gibbs, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said: 

“I’d like to thank those families who, during a difficult time, have consented to us recycling metals recovered. By raising this money, everyone involved has done their bit to helping local charities such as Our Angels.” 

Harrogate borough mayor Cllr Victoria Oldham said:

“Our Angels support so many bereaved parents at what must be such a difficult time. I hope these valuable funds will help them make a difference to the lives of people they support across the Harrogate district.”

The photo shows commercial and community development manager Jon Clubb, Harrogate mayor Cllr Victoria Oldham, chairperson of Our Angels Emma Lofthouse, Harrogate deputy mayor Cllr Robert Windass and bereavement services manager Stephen Hemsworth.

A highly anticipated Harrogate performance by an international soprano has been cancelled due to the rail strike.

Elizabeth Llewellyn was due to perform a song recital accompanied by pianist Simon Lepper at the Wesley Centre on Monday.

Born to Jamaican parents, Ms Llewellyn is widely regarded as today’s must-see soprano in the world’s opera houses and concert halls.

But the latest round of strikes called by the RMT rail union has scuppered the lunchtime event, which was called off before the strike action was cancelled.

However, acclaimed pianist Steven Osborne has agreed to step in instead.

Steven Osborne

His programme includes Debussy’s Pour le piano and two Rachmaninov pieces: the Nunc Dimittis from All-Night Vigil and his piano sonata number one 1 in D minor.

Monday’s concert starts at 1pm and tickets costing £10 will be available on the door.

It is part of the long-running series of lunchtime concerts organised by Andrew Hitchens at the Wesley.

The rest of this season’s programme includes:

December 5 — Elisa Tomellini (Italian pianist)

January 9 — London Horn Duo

February 6 — Harmoniemusik (Four woodwinds and piano)

March 6 — Kitty Whately (mezzosoprano) and Joseph Middleton (piano)

April 3 — Emma Abbate and Julian Perkins (piano, four hands)

May 8 — Gareth Brynmor-John (tenor/winner of the Ferrier 2013) and Christopher Glynn

June 5 — Susan Tomes

July 3— Jazz concert with the Richard Weatherall Trio

There will also be two evening concerts, details to be announced.

An Albanian drug conspirator involved in a half-a-million-pound cannabis racket in Harrogate has been made to pay back just £1 to the public purse and is apparently “nowhere to be found”.

Andi Kokaj, 23, was part of a London-based gang which conspired with former Harrogate guest-house owner Yoko Banks to set up three lucrative cannabis factories in affluent streets.

He was jailed for three years in August last year for being concerned in the production of cannabis.

At a financial confiscation hearing today at Leeds Crown Court, judge Tom Bayliss KC ruled that Kokaj would pay a nominal fee of £1 after the prosecution said he played a “minor” role in the criminal enterprise.

Prosecutor Michael Bosomworth said the gang had converted three of Banks’ properties on Alexandra Road, Woodlands Road and Somerset Road near Harrogate town centre into cannabis farms with potential yields of up to £456,000. The gang made an estimated £345,000 from the drug plot.

However, Kokaj, played a “lesser role” and was paid just £80 a day for his part in the conspiracy and so made a financial gain of £1,120, added Mr Bosomworth.

He said that Kokaj, from London but of no fixed address, had no assets.

Mr Bayliss KC duly made the nominal £1 order due to Kokaj’s limited financial means.

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Kokaj didn’t attend the confiscation hearing and the court heard he was “probably nowhere to be found”.

When he was sentenced last summer, he was told he would only have to serve half of the three-year sentence behind bars, less the time he had spent on remand, which means he is likely to have been released from jail.

Yoko Banks case adjourned again

Banks, 74, of Scargill Road, Harrogate, was also due to face financial confiscation today but her case was adjourned yet again for the service of financial documents setting out her complex web of assets and properties.

Earlier this year, the former B&B boss and property tycoon failed in her bid to have her conviction quashed after being convicted of three counts of being concerned in the production of cannabis.

Yoko Banks

The court heard the disgraced pensioner was the “facilitator” for the Albanian gang’s cannabis-cultivation enterprise.

Her six co-conspirators, Kokaj, Visar Sellaj, 33, Kujtim Brahaj, 50, Indrit Brahaj, 27, Bledar Elezaj, 36, and 31-year-old Erblin Elezaj, were jailed for a combined 22 years for various offences including drug supply and production of the highly potent skunk cannabis in August 2021.

Banks, who rented out her three properties to the gang to convert into cannabis farms, was jailed for three-and-a-half years and is due to be released from New Hall women’s prison in West Yorkshire on December 31, halfway through her sentence.

At a previous adjourned confiscation hearing, Mr Bosomworth said that Banks owned a string of “highly marketable” properties in some of Harrogate’s most desirable areas.

He added, however, that her “complicated accounts and property empire” were proving to be a major sticking point in the ongoing financial investigation.

On that occasion, Banks claimed she had no money because it had been frozen in her bank account. She said, however, that she had “a lot” of assets.

Ringleader made £438,000

Mr Bosomworth said that Sellaj, the gang’s ringleader, had made £438,000 from the cannabis-cultivation enterprise and that he had £76,000 in the bank which he could pay back into public coffers.

At a contested financial confiscation hearing in May, it was found that Indrit Brahaj had jointly benefited from the criminal enterprise to the tune of £133,328. In his case, a confiscation order of £24,082 was made.

Kujtim Brahaj was found to have benefited to the tune of £1,194. The judge made a nominal confiscation order of £1 in his case due to limited financial means.

The prosecution said that Banks rented out her properties to the “professional” drug gang for “industrial” cannabis production “in the expectation of significant profit”, though she had no part in the actual cultivation process.

Their mega-money plot finally unravelled when police were called to a five-bedroom villa owned by Banks in September 2020 after reports of a “disturbance” in the street involving what appeared to be two rival gangs vying for the cannabis farm.

Banks, who had previous convictions for health-and-safety offences through her work, was due to be paid at least £12,000 a month in rent for use of the three properties and was also receiving “high” deposits, said Mr Bosomworth.

Her final confiscation hearing was adjourned to January 6 next year to give her defence counsel time to provide evidence that some of the bank transfers to her account were “legitimate”.

Ringleader Sellaj’s financial confiscation proceedings were adjourned for a full-day hearing to determine the amount of cash available to him.

Harrogate Town has submitted major new plans to redevelop its Wetherby Road ground.

The club has until April 30, 2024 to provide a capacity of 5,000 fans with a minimum of 2,000 seats to comply with English Football League membership criteria.

It currently caters for 5,000 fans but only has 1,000 seats.

Planning documents published today by Harrogate Borough Council reveal the club has applied to convert the Black Sheep and Myrings standing terraces to seated areas, providing 603 seats.

It also intends to demolish the 1919 venue and construct a new 1919 terrace with seating, a spectator refreshment area and toilets.

The club also wants to install ball stop netting and has submitted a separate planning application for a temporary marquee containing a refreshment bar.

David Smith, associate director of planning consultants WSP, which is acting on behalf of the club, said in a letter to the council:

“The proposed works will provide additional seating and spectator facilities for existing fans.

“The new spectator facility will encourage away fans to get to the ground earlier on match days and ease congestion immediately before kick-off.

“As such, the proposals will not give rise to any significant traffic congestion and road safety problems.

The club needs to create another 1,000 more seats.

The club previously applied to build a new, bigger South Stand.

Mr Smith’s letter said:

“This further application proposes an alternative, less disruptive and more efficient means of achieving the EFL requirement.

“There will be less demolition of existing buildings and a quicker construction programme with this proposal.

“This proposal will also help improve the match day experience. The proposal will mark an important step in the on-going success of the club.”

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‘Aim to start in December’

The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate Town, which secured promotion from the National League to the EFL for the first time in the club’s history in 2020, how much the project will cost and when it hopes work will take place.

A club spokesman said:

“Cost – we don’t know as yet, we are still working through the preliminary work but needed to get the application through early to reach the target date for having 2,000 seats.

“We aim to start in December/January time subject to planning and be ready for the start of season 2023 though we may still have some internal works to finish.”

We also asked how the club will handle the disruption on match days and what happens if the club, which is currently 21st of 24 in division two of the English Football League, gets relegated.

The spokesman said:

“No plans to move any games, work can be done in between games and facilities may be affected on match days at the away end but suitable provisions will be made if that’s the case.

“The plans will progress as we are aiming to improve facilities and match day experience for our loyal supporters and we have more families visiting us now to cater for, plus we hope to attract more first generation fans as we grow.”

Harrogate Convention Centre bosses will continue to oppose a new Leeds venue after plans were given approval.

Yesterday, Leeds City Council backed proposals for a new conference centre near to Leeds First Direct Arena off Clay Pit Lane in the city.

The proposal faced objection from Harrogate Convention Centre, Destination Harrogate, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and Harrogate Business Improvement District.

The groups argued that the centre would drive away business from the town.

Paula Lorimer

Speaking following the approval, Paula Lorimer, director of the HCC, said the centre would continue to object to the plan in its current form.

She said:

“Unfortunately and as anticipated, the development was granted outline planning permission even though it is common sense that if you build a conference and events venue just 16 miles away from another and target the same customer base, trade diversion is inevitable.

“Harrogate Convention Centre will continue to oppose this development in its current form and we have agreed to have dialogue at a senior level with Leeds City Council in order to try and reach a compromise on the size and scope of the development.

“However, this demonstrates how important it is that HCC’s redevelopment is forthcoming and I am looking forward to working with North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council over the coming months in order to make the case for investment.”

An independent study commissioned by Leeds City Council suggested the impact on Harrogate Convention Centre would be minimal.

However this was, disputed by the objectors.

Read more:

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Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Martin Farrington, director of city development at the city council, said “standing still” was not an option for Leeds and that the facility was required to compete with the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool.

He said that he was aware of concerns from Harrogate, but added that the planned centre would have minimal impact on trade for the town.

Mr Farrington said:

“We know that new developments in Leeds can cause concern with our neighbours. We saw this with the development of the arena itself and Sheffield’s concern that the facility would undermine the core viability of Sheffield arena.

“Clearly, that didn’t happen. Rather, Sheffield progressed with their own refurbishment plans and invested in their facility to improve the quality of its facility for the wider benefits of the Yorkshire region.

“Holding back the development of Leeds to protect another facility was not the answer in 2010 and  this position remains today. 

“Indeed, in this instance, we know that Harrogate has plans for significant investment in its facilities which is something we whole heartedly support so that Harrogate conference and exhibition centre can continue to thrive.”