Temporary lights have been put up on Wetherby Road and Knaresborough Road in Harrogate this evening after burst water mains were reported in both locations.

Yorkshire Water is working to repair both pipes and said it has to put up the temporary lights in order to do so.

The Wetherby Road lights are outside Harrogate Town’s Envirovent Stadium, while on Knaresborough Road the affected stretch is near Drake’s Fish and Chip Shop.

The works are likely to cause some delays during this evening’s rush hour.  Yorkshire Water said it expected Knaresborough Road to re-open tomorrow morning.

A problem was first identified by the company earlier today, when it said customers in the area could be experiencing low water pressure as a result.

Tonight Yorkshire Water issued this statement:

A parade featuring music, dancers and colourful costumes is set to wind its way through Harrogate this weekend with the return of the Carnival.

The free event on Saturday will see flag-waving crowds line the streets for the procession, which will snake its way through the town centre and down to the Valley Gardens.

It will include performers from Leeds West Indian Carnival, who will be joined by Houriat Belly Dancing, Sweep of Swallows kite puppets, Chinese dragon dancers, the Bare Brass Band and more.

The party will then continue throughout the day and will feature street theatre, interactive workshops, international street food and two stages hosting music and dance performances.

The event, which was previously held in 2019, has been paid for by Harrogate Borough Council‘s tourism body, Destination Harrogate, and will be delivered by Harrogate International Festivals.

Read more: 

• Carnival coming to Harrogate as part of summer programme
• Carnival to return to Harrogate this month

Sharon Canavar, chief executive, Harrogate International Festivals, said:

“The Carnival is free for everyone to attend and celebrate the diversity, colours, costumes, sounds and flavours from the four quarters of the world, right here in Harrogate.

“With global music and dance stages, themed food zones, art and craft workshops and street theatre, this family-friendly day is a true party in every sense of the word.”

The Carnival Parade starts at 11am at St Peter’s Church, On Cambridge Road, it will head up Oxford Street, along Station Parade, down Cambridge Street, past the Cenotaph and along Montpellier Hill into Valley Gardens.

Within Valley Gardens there will be family-friendly craft workshops, which will include chalking art, spray art graffiti, environmental craft, bunting making, mask making with the Leeds West Indian Carnival, and a dance workshop.

There will be a Global Music Stage, featuring DJ Trev, the Leeds West Indian Carnival, Bare Brass Band, Ajay Karmic Blues, Buffo’s Wake and Fernando Brazil.

And a Global Dance Stage, will feature Annapurna Dance, Houriat Belly Dancing, St. Aelred’s Irish Dancers, and Anonymas Dance.

There will also be a food zone featuring food from around the world.

A campaign has been launched to help a business organisation get a better picture of how crime affects Harrogate town centre.

Harrogate BID‘s Report a Crime campaign is calling on businesses, residents and visitors to report all crimes and anti-social behaviour via North Yorkshire Police’s website.

The organisation’s manager, Matthew Chapman, said:

“First and foremost I want to say Harrogate is a safe, welcoming and clean town. However, we hear regular stories from town centre traders of anti-social activity, including shoplifting, vandalism and drug abuse.

“In order to get a true picture, we are asking those who are either victims of a crime, or witness incidents, to report it online.

“Unlike calling 101 and then hanging up after several minutes, this means every incident is logged. This way, we can get a true picture of what is happening in the town.”

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe with Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman

The new campaign is being backed by Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, whose chief executive David Simister said:

“Harrogate is a fantastic town to live and work, but when it comes to crime it’s not immune.

“However, the fear of crime is often worse than perception, but it’s important we get a proper understanding of what is happening – or not happening – in our town centre, hence us giving our backing to this campaign.

“In the past I’ve called 101 and after waiting many minutes I’ve simply put the phone down. And by doing this, an incident has gone unreported. In future, report it online and that way it is logged and recorded.”

It follows a meeting between Mr Chapman and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe, when he raised BID members’ concerns about a lack of visible policing.

Mr Chapman said the commissioner told him police chiefs rely on statistics in order to prioritise resources and, if crimes go unreported, police are unable to give the right resources to the affected areas.

She urged him to encourage all BID levy payers and others to use online reporting to ensure all incidents were being passed to police.

Read more:

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• Displays aim to help Harrogate regain floral fame

Among the levy payers backing the campaign is Justin Sutter, business manager at John Atherton’s, which trades at McDonalds on Cambridge Street, who said:

“We are backing the report a crime campaign because the safety and security of our people and customers is of the utmost importance to us. We hope that we can continue to support North Yorkshire Police with this campaign and be a part of creating safer communities.”

The campaign not only runs during daytime hours, but extends to evening and night-time trading. Alan Huddart, secretary of Harrogate Pubwatch, said:

“Thanks to the BID’s support of Pubwatch and the introduction of the app, we are able to alert those in the scheme immediately to any issues.

“At the same time, I would also ask not just our members, but all licensed premises, to register any incident online, ensuring the police have a proper record of it.

“Harrogate is a great night out, and we want to make sure it stays that way by having adequate policing.”

Three men have been arrested and four weapons seized after a knifepoint robbery in Harrogate.

Three 18-year-olds from Leeds and Sheffield were arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and robbery.

One was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

The robbery happened on Knaresborough Road near to Empress roundabout on Saturday, July 23, at 3.30pm.

Officers from North Yorkshire Police found the three men on Parliament Street after viewing council-run CCTV.

Read More:

• North Yorkshire Police reveals scores of detective vacancies
• Police investigate Harrogate Empress roundabout robbery

The 18-year-olds had initially attempted to flee from police, but were stopped and arrested.

The men were found to be in possession of a glass ball in a sock and three blades.

A spokeswoman for the force said:

“Thankfully, incidents like this are rare in our county but tackling violent crime and taking horrific weapons such as these off our streets is a priority for us.

“We are absolutely committed to doing all we can to prevent this and to prosecute those who commit or attempt to commit such offences.

“If you have any information that could assist our investigation, including any dash-cam footage that may have captured the robbery, please email cidharrogate@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 quoting reference 12220129010.”

The three men remain in custody.

North Yorkshire Police has launched an investigation into a robbery at the Empress roundabout in Harrogate.

Officers are investigation after three men threatened and robbed a victim on Saturday, July 23, at 3.30pm.

Police have appealed for witnesses in the area to come forward with more information.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Three males have approached the victim, who has been threatened and forced to hand over some property.

“One of the males has punched the victim before the three males have walked off towards Harrogate town centre.

“We are looking for dashcam footage / CCTV / witness accounts from anyone in the area at the time.

“If you have any information that could assist us with this investigation, please call us on 101 and quote reference 12220129010.”

Read More:

• North Yorkshire Police reveals scores of detective vacancies
• Plans submitted to extend Grade II listed Knaresborough hotel

The upper floors above a traditional pub in central Harrogate could be converted to holiday accommodation.

An application has been submitted to turn the second, third and fourth floors of 6 Royal Parade, above the Old Bell, into letting rooms.

The pub is owned by Market Town Taverns, part of Heron and Brearley (H&B) based on the Isle of Man.

The proposal, submitted by Darren Clibbens of H&B, would see the basement, ground and first floors of the building unchanged. The upper floors would be turned into holiday accommodation, though the plans do not reveal how this would be laid out or how many rooms would be created.

The application is for an area of 360m sq, and states that, if approved, the change of use would see the number of full-time equivalent jobs at the site increase from five to eight.

The upper levels of the building are currently vacant office space, according to the application, with one studio apartment on the top floor.

Harrogate Borough Council’s estates team, and parks and gardens team, have both responded to the application and have not raised any objections. However, they have asked for consideration to be given to the storage of resulting trade waste on the site, and highlighted the fact that the area in front of the building, including the pavement, forms part of the Stray.

To view or comment on the proposal, visit the Harrogate Borough Council planning website and use reference 22/02231/FUL.

Read more:

• Plan to convert former Markington pub into house
• Takeaway plan for former launderette on Starbeck High Street

The largest weir removal project ever in the UK has begun on the River Nidd at Scotton.

The scheme, which costs about 80,000 euros, will open up another 18km of river to migratory fish such as salmon, sea trout and European eel.

If Nidd tributaries are also included then 35km of rivers will be made available for salmon and sea trout spawning.

The project is being led by river conservation charity the Wild Trout Trust and funded by the European Open Rivers Programme – a grant-giving organisation dedicated to restoring rivers.

It started last week with the creation of an access ramp down to the weir and is expected to get underway properly this week. Work removing the dam is expected to last up to two weeks before further work restoring the bank takes place.

Scotton Weir is at the entrance to Nidd Gorge, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It was built at the end of the 18th century to power the nearby mill. At 75m wide and 4m high, it is thought to be the largest weir removal project ever in the UK.

The weir breached in the floods of 2019 so is already partly demolished. Leaving it to disintegrate gradually over time would have reduced the risk of bankside damage.

Removing Scotton Weir will benefit more than just migratory fish. All fish move up and downstream to some extent as part of their life cycles and the weir removal will help to restore natural processes to the river.

Currently only 16% of rivers are rated as being in ‘good’ condition by the EU Water Framework Directive. A significant cause of failure is man-made barriers interrupting a river’s flow, such as Scotton Weir on the Nidd.

Jonathan Grey, a part-time professor in practice at Lancaster University who is project managing the Scotton Weir removal for the Wild Trout Trust, said:

“The weir has been impounding about 800m of channel for over 100 years, creating deep, sluggish water in a section of the Nidd gorge where the flow should be swift and shallow.

“Think of a river as a conveyor belt of sediment as well as water. Boulder, cobble and gravel that is vital to the health of the bed of the river has been trapped upstream of the weir, unable to resupply that which has been transported away downstream. So the physical habitat downstream has become simplified, dominated by large boulders.

“Then there is fish passage to consider. All fish have to move up and downstream during different stages of their life for a variety of reasons. The weir has made it nigh on impossible to move upstream, and much more difficult to move downstream, and then only under specific flow conditions, so populations have become fragmented or isolated.”

The weir is already damaged.

Prof Grey said although it was not certain that salmon or sea trout got as far as Scotton Weir, nearby surveys suggested it was “very likely”.

He added:

“There are still more barriers further upstream, the next being at Birstwith 11km away, so there is still work to be done to restore the natural heritage of the river.

“We are aiming to reinstate the natural flow regime to the river by removing the barrier.”

Dr Marie Taylor, operations director for the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, said:

“This project is a great example of partnership working between landowners, experts from the Wild Trout Trust and government bodies, which will deliver benefits to angling groups along the River Nidd as well as wider benefits to nature gained from improving the connectivity of one of Yorkshire’s iconic rivers.”

Read more:

• Work to fell 500 Nidd Gorge trees to start next week
• Running wild in Nidderdale

Drivers should be aware that resurfacing work has started on Claro Road in Harrogate this week.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Two-way traffic lights will be in place today on Claro Road in Harrogate as North Yorkshire County Council starts resurfacing work in the area.

As previously reported by the Stray Ferret, work will also take place on Ainsty Road, Devonshire Place and Coach Road over the next three weeks.

Temporary traffic lights are also in place on Wetherby Road in Harrogate near to Harrogate Town Football Club.

Yorkshire Water is carrying out work in the area until July 29.

Drivers should expect the usual traffic on Wetherby Road and Skipton Road this morning during the rush hour.

Temporary lights on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road are now in place as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place for seven weeks.

Meanwhile, long term roadworks are in place on Station Road in Goldsborough. The road will be closed until September 19, 2022, as Stonebridge Homes installs a foul water and surface water pipes to connect to the sewer system.

A diversion route is in place in the village.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting no cancellations on its services this morning.

Read more:

• Consultation announced for two new cycle routes

• Harrogate roads set for three weeks of resurfacing work

Paranormal investigators are to visit Harrogate’s Odeon cinema next month to try to find out if the building is haunted.

There have been rumours of ghostly apparitions at the cavernous Grade II listed building, which dates back to 1936.

Now a company called Spiritus Paranormal has hired the venue on August 6. People who buy tickets costing £40 can go along and be part of the investigation.

Wayne Williams, who founded the company, said:

“We will try to find out if it is haunted. We have a lot of equipment that can help to identify paranormal activity.”

The company’s equipment includes items such as electromagnetic field detectors, infrared cameras and Ouija boards.

Participants will split into groups with investigators and carry out paranormal checks in different parts of the building.

Asked if he genuinely believed in paranormal activity, Mr Williams said:

“I’ve seen too much not to. But I also err on the side of caution. If nothing happens so be it. We will not make things happen just to put bums on seats.

The company’s website says of the Odeon:

“This place has never been investigated, staff have reported paranormal activity, this venue has so much history.”

Read more:

• Ghosthunting with a paranormal investigator on the Stray
• Spooky Ripon venues sought for paranormal events

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.

Station Gateway criticism

Having read the latest on this project I see that the council admit that pedestrianising James Street will reduce business by 2% and that by reducing Station Parade to one lane a journey round town would increase by 73 seconds. 

From day one of this ludicrous scheme we have been told how it will improve everything and be a big benefit to Harrogate. 

It would appear that so far the only thing guaranteed is that it will degrade things. It would seem that the maths I was taught in school in the 50s do not conform to modern teaching if these figures are now considered an improvement.

Malcolm Hodgekinson, Harrogate

Read more:

• Stray Views: Noisy cars in Harrogate should be monitored at weekends
• Stray Views: Time to get tough on noisy cars in Harrogate district

‘Satanic imagery’ in Harrogate

I must strongly object to what can only be described as the Satanic imagery featured in the posters in the streets and website for the “Harrogate Carnival”.

A “person” in a fetish leather clad red dress featuring devil horns and scary red makeup is not what I would call “family friendly”.

If this is representative of what this Carnival is about then I don’t think it is appropriate for young children to attend, I certainly won’t be bringing my family to it.

I would like to know if my hard earned council tax money is being spent on this outrage to good taste and decency? 

Ian Hardcastle, Harrogate

Borough council ‘ignored’ over Woodfield School

Harrogate Lib Dems are very angry at North Yorkshire County Council for ignoring our plea, made at the last Harrogate Borough Council meeting, to stop the closure of Woodfield School, which was agreed by all councillors.

The North Yorkshire Conservative Executive Member responsible for Education has not stopped the closure of the school and declined to ask the Secretary of State for Education to remove the academisation order leaving the children of Woodfield in difficult circumstances, long walks to schools and in one case, so far, siblings being potentially sent to different schools. 

We need more schools in Harrogate not less with thousands of houses still to be built in Kingsley where will all these young people go for their schooling? This is a disgrace and the young people of Woodfield are being let down so, so badly.

Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council

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.