Harrogate-based business Play Outdoors has opened a pop-up shop in Victoria Shopping Centre. The store will be open for 12 weeks and sells paddling pools, water slides and outdoor games, as well as their signature inflatable spas.
The inflatable hot tubs have proved extremely popular among shoppers on the online site, and can be delivered and installed for free in any HG postcode.
Owner Mark said:
“During the lockdown these became a must-have item and their popularity as a must-have garden accessory has continued to soar.”
The Victoria Shopping Centre has seen a series of successful pop-up shops in the past year. The most recent venture was a digital museum experience, created by Harrogate Business Improvement District.
Harrogate Chocolate Factory to hold networking event
Local business Harrogate Chocolate Factory, is holding a networking event this Friday 20th May.
The event is free of charge and will offer coffee and cake, a tour of the chocolate factory, and a chance for informal networking.
The Harrogate Chocolate Factory is a social enterprise which aims to help young people with learning disabilities and autism gain valuable skills for the world of work.
The networking event will be held on East Parade next to the Odeon.
Contact Angela at angela@hs4lc.org.uk to book a place.
Read More:
- Harrogate Chocolate Factory hosts business networking event
- Success of Harrogate pop-up shop continues
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey says Conservatives have ‘taken Harrogate for granted’
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has said the Conservative Party has “taken Harrogate for granted” in the wake of this month’s local election results.
Ten Liberal Democrat councillors were elected in the Harrogate district, compared with nine Conservatives, one Green and one Independent. However, the Tories still have a majority across North Yorkshire as a whole.
The positive results for the local Lib Dems has spurred the party on to make further gains in the area, with the ultimate prize being the seat of Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones.
The party previously identified the constituency as one of its top 30 target seats in the next general election, which will be held no later than May 2024.
Mr Davey said:
“Harrogate has been taken for granted by the Conservative Party and clearly people have had enough. This month Harrogate joined countless other parts of the country in voting Liberal Democrat to send Boris Johnson a message.
“His government is failing to help people with the cost of living crisis and making matters worst through grossly unfair tax hikes.”
Read more:
- Are the Tories or Lib Dems calling the shots in Harrogate and Knaresborough?
- What cost the Tories votes in the Harrogate district?
Mr Davey criticised the Conservative-run Harrogate Borough Council for spending £17m on new offices as well as £5,000 on a snow globe at King’s Cross station.
He said the soon-to-be abolished authority had “stopped listening to local people”.
“The Conservative party in Harrogate has wasted huge sums of taxpayers’ cash on giant snow globes and a council office for a council that is being abolished.
“They’ve stopped listening to local people, as developers build all over Harrogate and Knaresborough’s green fields and they’ve failed to deliver on the long-promised electrification on the rail line to Harrogate.”
General election
Andrew Jones has been the MP since 2010 and has won four elections. He succeeded Liberal Democrat Phil Willis.
In the 2019 general election, Mr Jones won 29,962 votes, beating Lib Dem candidate Judith Rogerson by almost 10,000 votes. The Lib Dems did gain a 12-point swing on 2017, which largely came at the expense of the Labour Party.
Mr Davey added:
“At the next general election it will be a two-horse race in Harrogate between Boris Johnson’s Conservative party and a hard working team of local Liberal Democrats.”
The Stray Ferret asked Andrew Jones for a response but we did not receive one.
Man seriously injured in crash on Harrogate’s Leeds RoadThree people had to be freed from their vehicles after a two-car collision on Leeds Road between Pannal and Harrogate last night.
One man was taken to hospital in an ambulance after the smash, which led to the road being closed.
It is now known how bad his injuries are.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, three people were out of the vehicles when they were called at about 9pm.
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A further three people needed help to escape.
Firefighters used cutting gear and other tools to release them.
North Yorkshire Police tweeted about the road closure last night.
⚠️Road closure in Harrogate. Emergency services are at the scene of a serious collision on the A61, Leeds Road, between Pannal and Harrogate. The road is closed with diversions in place. Motorists are advised to avoid the area at this time. pic.twitter.com/ppGakP1SK2
— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) May 16, 2022
They issued further details today, saying the collision occurred at 7.36pm and involved a red Volkswagen Golf and a black Range Rover.
“The Golf was travelling from Harrogate towards Pannal and the Range Rover was travelling from the Pannal direction towards Harrogate.
“The sole occupant of the Golf was taken to hospital with serious, potentially life changing injuries.
“The five occupants of the Range Rover were also taken to hospital with injuries.
“Road closures were put in place for around six hours while emergency crews attended the scene and an initial investigation was carried out.”
Witnesses can email Paul.Buckley@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Paul Buckley.
Ripon paint specialists turn steam train ‘platinum purple’ for JubileeRipon paint specialists T&R Williamson have played a part in painting the popular steam train Taw Valley “platinum purple” ahead of the Queen’s jubilee.
T&R Williamson hold a Royal warrant for their supply of products to the Royal household, used for the Royal mews and Royal carriages.
Group chairman Abubaker Sheibani said:
“We are thrilled to have been able to extend this Royal connection to this unique project. It is a fitting and truly memorable way of commemorating Her Majesty becoming the first British monarch in history to reign for 70 years.”
After a public vote at Severn Valley Railway, it was decided the train will be renamed Elizabeth II during the jubilee celebrations.
The royal project has also attracted the attention of leading British model company, Hornby, who are producing a collector’s model of the new purple locomotive.
T&R Williamson, along with Thomas-Howse Paints and Metprint Ltd, have created a “platinum purple” paint tin to mark the occasion. It will be filled with traditional sweets and transforms into a money-box when empty.
Harrogate estate agent makes historic land sale deal for £4 million
Harrogate estate agent Linley & Simpson has sold a patch of land in North Yorkshire for over £4 million.
The land in Church Fenton has been bought by Yorkshire Country Properties, which plans to build 50 new homes on the residential site.
This sale is the biggest this year for the award-winning land and new homes team at Linley & Simpson, and is one of the company’s most significant deals.
Director David Waddington said:
“Given the coveted location, there was no shortage of interest among developers in the site, which was sold with full planning permission”.
The agency says North Yorkshire house buyers are increasingly turning to new builds post-Covid, particularly for family homes in rural areas. They suggest this is also a result of rising energy costs across the country.
They are hoping this trend will continue, creating more demand among developers for land in prime locations across the region.
Crane catches fire on Harrogate’s Leeds RoadA crane caught fire on the busy Leeds Road in Harrogate this afternoon.
Two crews from Harrogate fire station were summoned to deal with the incident at 3.54pm.
Fortunately the fire was already out by the time they arrived thanks to the crane driver using an extinguisher.
The fire station said in a social media post:
“An extinguisher had been used prior to arrival and crews used a hose reel to cool the overheated wheel bearings.”
Read more:
- Chimney fire warning after blaze in Scotton
- Harrogate commuters frustrated as early trains axed today
A fire station spokesperson said the incident occurred at the Stone Crop Lane junction on Leeds Road.
Police directed traffic but the road remained open.
At 15:54 on Leeds Road, Harrogate, two crews from Harrogate attended a report of a crane on fire, an extinguisher had been used prior to arrival and crews used a hose reel to cool the overheated wheel bearings pic.twitter.com/f0rne18T8Z
— Harrogate Fire station (@Harrogate_NYFRS) May 16, 2022
Harrogate council gives £37,000 grants for jubilee events
Harrogate Borough Council has given a total of £37,000 to 46 different community groups to fund events and legacy projects for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
The four-day weekend from June 2 to 5 will be marked by numerous events across the district.
The money issued by the council has helped to hold events in towns and villages such as Ripon, Skelton-Cum-Newby, Little Ouseburn and Bishop Monkton.
Organisers of Bishop Monkton’s platinum jubilee celebrations said the money has helped them expand on their initial plans:
“We are now able to make two films – one using archive footage and interviews with long-standing residents and a film of this year’s celebrations in the village.
“In addition, the grant is enabling a time capsule project involving Bishop Monkton Primary School where everyday objects from 2022 chosen by school pupils will be buried near the village hall for future generations to discover.”
In Skelton-cum-Newby, the parish council said the grant will enable its celebrations to be “truly memorable”:
“We are now able to engage a professional artist to supply music on the day and have ordered commemorative mugs for all our children in the village to mark a reign which will most likely never be repeated again.”
Read more:
- Harrogate district raises flags for jubilee celebrations
- Timetable of Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Valley Gardens
Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:
Drone photo shows Harrogate’s first Lidl taking shape“Her Majesty The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee and it is therefore only right we recognise this momentous event in such a way.
“I’m sure that the residents – young and old – who are involved in the festivities of these 46 community groups will remember this event for many, many years to come.
“And of course, there are events happening all across the district. Not least, a four-day event across Harrogate town centre that will truly bring the community and visitors to our wonderful town together.”
A drone photograph has shown that work on the Harrogate’s first Lidl is taking shape.
The photo, taken by drone photographer Darren Leeming, who lives near the site, shows the roof covered in solar panels.
But a considerable amount of building work still has to take place before the Lidl can open.
The supermarket is being built on the site of the former Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road.
How the supermarket will look.
Councillors granted planning permission to the German chain in August and work on site began in February.
It will be the first Lidl in Harrogate, although there is already one on Chain Lane in Knaresborough.
The new store will be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
The Stray Ferret asked Lidl for an update on work and an expected opening date but has yet to receive a reply.
Community invited to launch day at Darley boules courtsA French-themed open day will be held to officially launch the new boules courts in Darley this weekend.
Darley Playing Fields Association is inviting the community and visitors from further afield for wine, cheese — and of course, a game of petanque.
Taking place this Saturday, May 21, from 2pm, it will be an opportunity to see the work that has gone into creating Darley’s new community facility at the playing fields.
Association chairman Mark Simpson said:
“It’s aimed at the local community and will be a relaxed affair with the aim of getting the availability of petanque known and getting people to have a go.”
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The courts have been available to play on since Easter, with a few informal teaching sessions taking place.
They were created by the playing fields association with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, while Darley and Menwith Parish Council supported the work and funded two benches by the courts to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
Harrogate commuters frustrated as early trains axed todayHarrogate commuters have vented their frustration as early morning trains to Leeds are axed today.
Rail operator Northern has cancelled the first two services of the day from Harrogate to Leeds at 6.07am and 6.33am.
It means the earliest Harrogate commuters can arrive in Leeds is 7.28am, compared with 6.24am from Bradford, 6.27am from Skipton and 6.31am from Ilkley
It will also inconvenience some Harrogate business passengers travelling to London for early morning meetings.
Martyn Fletcher, who was one of the commuters caught out by today’s timetable change, was left waiting at a wet Pannal station at 6.15am for a service that no longer exists. He said:
“I commute to Kent every week and have done so for over two years with no problems but no longer can get to Leeds to catch my scheduled train.
“I am not the only person living in Harrogate who needs to commute . In my opinion, trains must run every half hour from 5.30am until 8.30am so that those that need to catch connecting services from Leeds to elsewhere can do so.
“This change to schedule makes no sense at all . If you want to save money only run a hourly services during the quieter mid-morning mid-afternoon period . But provide a proper service for workers and business people.”
Read more:
- Andrew Jones MP urges Northern to ‘rethink’ cuts to Harrogate trains
- Harrogate Homeless Project appoints new chief executive
Northern has said the cuts are due to be reversed in December but rail campaigner Brian Dunsby told the Stray Ferret he wasn’t convinced.
“They have done this without good reason and without justification. I don’t trust them to reinstate the services.
“I can’t get proper answers out of them or find out who made this decision.
‘Harrogate is being picked on’
Mr Dunsby, of Harrogate Line Supporters Group, said it would be far better to scrap an afternoon service rather than the key early morning trains, adding:
“It’s crazy that the Harrogate line seems to have been picked on when others haven’t been treated this way.”
Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern said:
Harrogate College art students to showcase their work“The new timetables are designed to deliver high levels of reliability.
“We’ve made decisions about our timetables based on the levels of resource we have available.
“We’ve then prioritised the routes with the highest customer demand, and which support the region’s economic growth.”
Artists, sculptors and ceramicists at Harrogate College are preparing to stage their first North Yorkshire Open Studios event.
The artists, who are studying for master’s degrees in creative practice, will showcase their work on June 4. Visitors will be able to view and buy items.
North Yorkshire Open Studios gives artists the chance to open their studios, network, and show and sell their work directly to the public over the first two weekends in June.
The artist-led event is run by a voluntary steering group of North Yorkshire based artists.
Dr Annabel Smith, programme manager, MA creative practice at Harrogate College said the event would give many college students the opportunity to showcase their work, adding:
“The NYOS event has grown to become one of the major events in North Yorkshire’s cultural calendar, as well as one of the north’s most prestigious open studios events.
“The college is honoured to be included this year and is highlighting and showcasing work produced by our year 1 and year 2 MA creative practice students.”
The exhibited work will include ceramics, paintings, printmaking and textiles and will be on view to the public in the college’s canteen.
The show takes place at the college, at Hornbeam Park, from 9am to 5pm.
Read more:
- New group launches for Harrogate women with menopause
- Why are film crews flocking to the Harrogate district?