Armed police respond to ‘serious disturbance’ in Harrogate

Armed police were called to a “serious disturbance” on Skipton Road in Harrogate today.

There was a heavy police presence for over an hour when the incident happened near the junction with Westmoreland Street.

A North Yorkshire Police statement at 12.25pm said:

“We’ve just been dealing with a serious disturbance in Harrogate.

“You may still see police in the area around Skipton Road but a man has been arrested.

“The man in his 20s is on his way to custody, suspected of an affray which involved threats to another man. We’ve launched an investigation.

“Anyone who saw anything should call us on 101, select option 1 and speak to our Force Control Room. Please quote reference NYP150622-0139.”

Several witnesses, who asked not to be named, spoke to the Stray Ferret about the incident, which appeared to last for about an hour before two armed officers escorted a man in handcuffs into the back of a police van.

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A witness said the activity appeared to centre on a flat on Westmoreland Street, which can be accessed via a ginnel off Regent Parade, where most police vehicles were parked.

Several business owners told the Stray Ferret they heard a commotion for over an hour late morning.

 

 

Harrogate girl, 13, charged with drunken assault on police

A 13-year-old girl from Harrogate has been charged with assaulting three police officers.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also accused of being drunk and disorderly on the same day.

North Yorkshire Youth Court, sitting in Harrogate, heard on Friday that the teenager assaulted a police constable and a police community support officer in Ripon Market Place, where the girl was said to be drunk, on March 24.

She is also charged with assaulting another police constable twice on the same day at Harrogate police station on Beckwith Head Road.

In a separate case also heard on Friday, the same girl was accused of using threatening behaviour against a male in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre on April 3 this year.

Both cases were adjourned until June 26.

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Harrogate’s Ernest Jones jewellery store closes

The Ernest Jones shop on James Street in Harrogate has closed.

Removal vans were spotted outside the jewellery store yesterday morning.

The store has been a fixture on James Street for 20 years, having opened in 2002.

Attempts to clear the unit began yesterday morning.

There have been a number of shops opening and closing in Harrogate recently, particularly on James Street.

Last week Oliver Bonas announced its new Harrogate store would open on James Street in September.

Ernest Jones set up in 1949 in London’s Oxford Street and now has more than 100 stores across the UK.

The company did not respond to the Stray Ferret’s enquiries by the time of publication.

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Could it be magic? Harrogate women to sing with Barry Manilow

A pop choir from Harrogate has been chosen to perform alongside Barry Manilow on his UK tour next week.

Love Pop Choir will sing It’s A Miracle and Let Freedom Ring with the American superstar at the First Direct Arena on June 25.

Lauren Elliott, who owns the choir, said the all-female group was giddy at the prospect of sharing a stage with Barry. She said:

“I can’t believe how many Barry fans we have in the choir. It’s been full-on hysteria since we got the news!”

Douglas Hallenbeck, the Manilow tour choir coordinator, approached Ms Elliott by email.

At first she thought it was a wind-up and almost deleted the message before she discovered it was genuine.

Love Pop Choir

Lauren Elliott (centre) with her two choir directors.

Thirty-four members of the choir, which has had to bring in some male voices at Barry’s request, will be on stage in front of more than 10,000 fans. Ms Elliott said:

“We are beyond excited at this amazing opportunity.

“My only wish is that choir numbers were not limited, as I would love to have included every single lady from all our groups in Harrogate, Cookridge, Roundhay, Otley, Ilkley and Saltaire. They are all fabulous!”.

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Love Pop Choir, which meets on Thursday evenings at Harrogate Rossett School, sings pop songs from the 1960s onwards, but especially 1980s numbers. No experience is required.

Asked why so many choirs have sprung up lately, Ms Elliott said:

“It doesn’t matter how good your day is, when you go to choir you always come away feeling really good.”

Love Pop Choir will also be singing at The British Transplant Games gala at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on July 31.

The choir is fundraising for The Leeds Children’s Transplant Team’s Charity by completing 100 hours of singing by the date of the gala event. Donations can be made here.

Love Pop Choir

Love Pop Choir performing at Harlow Carr.

 

 

Review into Harrogate’s 2019 UCI cycling championships finally set to come out

A review into Harrogate’s controversial hosting of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships is finally set to be published – almost three years after the major cycling event was held.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission are behind the review, which will be published ahead of a meeting on July 4.

The nine-day cycling event was hailed by organisers as a “once in a lifetime moment” for Harrogate, but was also criticised by businesses and residents in the town who had complaints about disruptions during road closures.

It is also infamously remembered for leaving Harrogate’s West Park Stray severely damaged after the parkland was used as a spectator area during heavy rainfall, with repair works and upgrades later costing £130,000.

Conservative councillor Nick Brown, who has chaired the cross-party review, previously said the commission hoped to publish a final report last year, however, there have been several delays.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said:

“I can confirm that after long deliberations, covid and the recent local elections, it is planned for me to present the review on 4 July.

“The purpose of the review is to fully understand the impacts of this large-scale event for people who live and work in the area, and to also make any recommendations based on the evidence presented during the investigation.

“It should make interesting reading and perhaps will be useful for the new North Yorkshire unitary authority which will be involved in holding future events.”

Cllr Brown also said the views of residents and businesses had been “extremely useful” in shaping the review which involved a survey last year.

The review is separate to an economic impact study carried out by accountancy firm Ernst and Young at a cost of £19,000 to the council.

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This study concluded the championships resulted in an economic boost to the local economy of £17.8 million and was watched by a global television audience of 329 million.

It also said 84% of people who came to watch the event were satisfied or very satisfied with it.

However, it did not take into account a reported drop in earnings for some businesses, whose complaints rumbled on long after the event was held.

Retailers unhappy

Retail campaign group Independent Harrogate previously conducted its own survey looking into the event’s economic impact. After speaking to 22 of its members, the group claimed losses amounted to nearly £1m.

Based in Harrogate as the host town, the championships were held in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years after a joint-bid by British Cycling, UK Sport, Welcome to Yorkshire and the government’s sport and culture department.

The event organisers were Yorkshire 2019 – a now-dissolved company which was set up by the government and later contributed £35,500 towards the West Park Stray repair costs.

A further £95,000 was spent on park upgrades by Harrogate Borough Council which spent a total of £606,000 on hosting the event.

The biggest single cost was £200,000 for the fan zone on West Park Stray.

Developer resubmits Flaxby self-build homes eco scheme

A developer is not giving up on his dream of delivering a self-build eco-development in Flaxby after being knocked back by Harrogate Borough Council.

Ben Holmes, from Birstwith, first submitted plans last year to build the cutting-edge development in the village near Knaresborough.

It was for a community self-build scheme, which is a different model of housebuilding from what is usually seen.

Mr Holmes would install infrastructure, such as paths, water, drainage and a communal area, on the site.

Nine plots would then be available to people who want to build their own home. The buyers then hire an architect and builder and design a home to suit their family’s needs.

A stipulation would ensure all the homes are built to strict environmental standards and include solar panels, air-source heat pumps and super-tight insulation.

The plans were refused by the council on the grounds that it was not in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which sets out where development can take place, and because the number of homes was below the council’s requirement per hectare.

‘Moving away from the car’

Mr Holmes appealed the council’s decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate but it upheld the refusal.

He has this week submitted new plans to the council, which he hopes address the reasons for refusal.

The revised plans include plots for 20 homes, which would be available to those who have joined Harrogate’s self-build register.

He said:

“All of the principles of our original scheme will be included, which is again trying to move away from the car, with use of shared electric vehicles and further an electric mini-bus for the school run.

“The homes will generate their own electricity with photovoltaic panels on the roofs and rainwater harvesting will be used to cut down on energy bills.

“They will all be Passivhaus, relying mainly on solar gain for heating, and have air source heat pumps for any extra heating required. They will be extremely well insulated and air-tight. The intention is that they will set the standard for new homes across the area, and be a catalyst for greener developments.”

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New village hall

The initial proposal received a seven-page objection from Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council.

It cited concerns over flooding, sustainable transport and claimed the plans “gave no thought whatsoever to the village of Flaxby”.

To help win over locals this time, Mr Holmes has added a village hall and nature reserve for anyone to use.

He added:

“This was in response to some of the existing villagers’ comments that there was nothing in the original scheme to fulfil their social needs, and it should be more integrated for community cohesion.

“The joined parishes of Flaxby and Goldsborough don’t currently have a village hall so this would be an opportunity for them to have their own village asset, that they can use as they see fit.”

The council will decide on the plans at a later date.

Man, 67, pleads not guilty to sexual act in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

A 67-year-old man pleaded not guilty in court today to performing a sexual act in Valley Gardens.

Kevin Payne, from Ling Park Avenue, Bingley, was charged with outraging public decency and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

A member of the public reported seeing a man carrying out a sexual act on Sunday afternoon at the popular family venue.

North Yorkshire Police subsequently arrested Mr Payne and charged him with the two offences.

Appearing at York Magistrates Court this morning, he pleaded not guilty to both charges and was sent for trial at York Crown Court on July 11.

He will remain in custody until the hearing.

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Harrogate’s Nelson Inn sold to pub restaurant chain

The Nelson Inn on the A59 is set to reopen in the autumn following a takeover by a pub restaurant chain.

Brunning and Price said today it was “thrilled” to have received the keys for the 18th century inn, which has changed hands several times in recent years.

The new owners have a portfolio of 80 pub restaurants, including the Highwayman in Kirkby Lonsdale and the Bull at Broughton.

They plan to spend the next few months refurbishing the Nelson Inn, which is on Skipton Road in Killinghall, before a planned reopening in early October.

Nelson Inn

Former popular Harrogate French restaurant Chez la Vie owned the pub in 2019, before new owners took it on in 2020, which also saw a sweet shop and ice cream parlour launched at the site on Skipton Road.

Mary Willcock, managing director at Brunning and Price, said:

‘’You’ll find us traditional in style, with wooden floors, bookcases, open fires, trusty old furniture and lots of rugs and plants. We love to restore old buildings, learning about the character they have within them.

“Being foodies, our menu, which will be published on our website each morning, will be something of an eclectic mix, striking a balance of hearty pub classics, complemented by more exotic influences from around the world.

“We think simple things done well are often the best and we want to create a friendly atmosphere in attractive surroundings where locals, regulars and new customers can meet, eat, drink and relax. That for us, is what being a good pub in the heart of its community is all about.’’

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The Nelson Inn was built around 1776 and remained a private house until early in the 19th century.

For much of its early years the pub used to be more or less a farm with a sack over the door where locals came in for a drink.

It received its name around 1805 when Nelson was victorious at the Battle of Trafalgar  and it has remained all that time, except for its short spell as Chez La Vie in 2019.

Brunning and Price is set to launch a recruitment drive for the pub, with job opportunities including management, chefs, front of house, cleaners and gardeners.

 

Police search for missing man last seen in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police today issued an appeal for information to find a man last seen in Harrogate.

A police statement today said Mark Griffiths has been missing since last week, and friends are concerned about his welfare. It added:

“Mark is described as white, 54 years old with no hair.

“He was last seen in Harrogate town centre wearing all black clothing on Wednesday 8 June.”

If you see him, or know where he is, you can contact the police by calling 101 and quoting reference number 12220100118.

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Harrogate district unemployment figures remain low

Just 2.2% of all adults in the Harrogate district are claiming out-of-work benefits, latest figures show.

Monthly figures published today by the Office for National Statistics show 1,755 people were claiming the benefits on May 12, which was similar to April’s figure of 1,779.

The figures appear to have stabilised after falling by around 150 people a month since the start of the year.

However, they are still above pre-pandemic levels. In January 2020, 1,410 people claimed the benefits that includes Universal Credit.

Universal Credit can also be claimed by people who are in work but on low incomes.

Many of the district’s key sectors including hospitality and social care have reported difficulties hiring staff since the end of covid restrictions.

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