Harrogate Archives - Page 485 of 895

Harrogate student wins up to £20,000 bursary to pursue Formula 1 dream

A student from Harrogate who wants to work in Formula 1 has been granted a bursary worth up to £20,000 to help pursue a career in engineering.

Lenka Senešiová grew up in Slovakia and moved to the UK at 15 on a scholarship to attend Harrogate Ladies College.

She is now studying a master of engineering in computer science programme at the University of Aberdeen and has been named as one of 31 UK women students to receive an Amazon Future Engineer bursary.

The bursary, supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, provides a financial support package of up to £20,000 to women students from low-income households..It aims to address under-representation of women in engineering and technology in higher education.

Ms Senešiová will also be matched with an industry mentor and provided with training and networking opportunities.

She said:

“It’s much more expensive to study here compared to my home country. Before receiving the news that I had been selected for the bursary, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to continue my education here.

“Now I know I can focus on my studies and enjoy my university life without worrying about the financial side of things.”

Teachers encouraged Ms Senešiová to explore STEM subjects, leading her to think about a future in engineering rather than in law.

She hopes to work as a race engineer, much like Hannah Schmitz, who is the chief strategist for Red Bull Racing.

She added:

“Seeing women like Hannah working in such a competitive industry and doing well is a real inspiration and gives me hope that I could achieve my dream job one day.”

The Amazon bursary supports female students to study computer science or related engineering courses at UK universities.

The awardees receive a package worth £5,000 per year, for up to four years of study, to cover expenses related to attending university, including tuition fees, accommodation, and living costs.

‘Significant interest’ in Harrogate’s former Viper Rooms, says council

Harrogate’s former Viper Rooms has already attracted “significant interest from potential tenants”, according to landlord North Yorkshire County Council.

The nightclub, which was part of the historic Royal Baths, closed suddenly on Friday last week when bailiffs changed the locks.

Nightclub owner Paul Kinsey said on social media the landlord had repossessed the building after the two parties failed to agree a new lease and that 30 people had lost their jobs.

Gary Fielding, corporate director for strategic resources at the council, said in a statement last weekend it had acted “in the best interests of North Yorkshire’s taxpayers” but declined to elaborate.

The closure of the Viper Rooms means two of the four commercial units at the Royal Baths are now empty.

Asked about the council’s plans for the Royal Baths, Mr Fielding indicated all four units could be occupied soon. He said:

“Two of the four units which are overseen by ourselves are occupied by a JD Wetherspoon pub and the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant.

“A unit which did house the Viper Rooms has already attracted significant interest from potential tenants, while a new agreement for the final one is in the final stages of negotiations.

“We remain firmly committed to working constructively with tenants where this is in the interests of both local residents and businesses.”

Viper Rooms

Mr Fielding said North Yorkshire County Council inherited the terms of the Royal Baths lease when it bought the grade two listed building from Harrogate Borough Council for £9 million in 2018. He added:

“Among those conditions is Harrogate Borough Council continuing the lease arrangements on a peppercorn rent for two units, which are occupied by the Tourist Information Centre and the Turkish Baths.

“The significance of the visitor economy to Harrogate is well-documented, so both of these units serve important roles in providing information to visitors as well as housing a renowned attraction in the Turkish Baths.

“Alongside the units at the Royal Baths, there are various car parking arrangements at the site including a long-term lease to Harrogate Borough Council and some private arrangements that generate income.

Mr Fielding defended the council’s decision to repossess Viper Rooms. He said:

“We have tried hard to understand the difficulties all our tenants have experienced as a result of the covid pandemic and to offer them our support. This has, in turn, had an impact on our own finances.

“Residents and businesses here rightly expect us to ensure that every effort is made to protect public money and we have a duty to do just that.

“While we do not want to comment on individual cases, we must be fair and consistent and act in the best interests of the public who we serve.”

Mr Kinsey has said he does not wish to comment further at this stage.

New crossing on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road to be installed next year

A toucan crossing on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road looks set to be installed next year after plans were approved.

North Yorkshire County Council proposed the crossing to encourage walking and cycling at the junction with Slingsby Walk.

It will be the fourth set of lights in less than a mile between the Empress roundabout and the Woodlands junction, which is already one of the most congested stretches of road around Harrogate.

Council officials have estimated the crossing could double the number of cyclists using the Slingsby Walk route, which runs alongside the Stray.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways at the authority, approved the crossing at a meeting yesterday.

Subject to a feasibility study, it will be installed in the 2023/24 financial year.

The section of Wetherby Road and Slingsby Walk which is earmarked for a new crossing.

Cllr Duncan said:

“A crossing at Slingsby Walk would be a positive step forward for active travel in Harrogate, providing a safe, formal crossing point for both pedestrians and cyclists who might currently be hesitant about using the link.

“We recognise the concerns around existing traffic congestion on this section of Wetherby Road and at the meeting we discussed how we will use sensor technology to detect automatically when the crossing is clear to ensure no unnecessary delays to motorists.

“We are committed to doing more to create opportunities for people to walk or cycle for work, education and shopping as part of a balanced approach to travel. This means doing what we can to support all road users – motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport services.”

Likely to increase delays

Council officers have admitted the crossing is likely to cause further delays for drivers.

In a report outlining the proposal, Barrie Mason, assistant director for highways and transportation, accepted the move would likely increase pressure on the road network.

He added there were also officer concerns over “existing traffic congestion on this section of Wetherby Road”.

However, he said these concerns had to be balanced against the benefit that it would offer to pedestrians and cyclists.

Funding of £75,000 for the crossing has been secured from Harrogate Borough Council’s sustainable transport budget.

500th Harrogate Parkrun takes place on Stray this weekend

It started with 134 participants on January 21, 2012 and now regularly attracts 300 to 400 people each week.

Harrogate Parkrun, which will take place for the 500th time on Saturday, has become a staple part of weekend life for many people.

It happens every Saturday on the Stray at 9am, except in extremely bad weather and during covid.

With its emphasis on fun and community, it has helped thousands of people get fit and have fun. Many non-runners attempting the couch to 5k challenge start by walking the route, then jogging parts of it and eventually running the entire distance.

The highest Harrogate Parkrun entry so far was 625 on March 2, 2019.

Parkruns have sprung up elsewhere in the Harrogate district at Fountains Abbey near Ripon and at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.

The last decade has also seen a flourishing of other informal local running groups, such as the Early Bird Running Crew, to help average people who might feel intimidated by joining a club enjoy the benefits of running.

Harrogate parkrun

Asked why it has become so popular, Mike Kaye, who regularly runs and volunteers as a marshal on the Stray, said:

“First of all it’s free. Secondly it has a big community feel. It’s also one of the best things for mental wellbeing.

“You don’t have to run Parkrun. You can just walk if you want to.”

There will be balloons and cake to mark this weekend’s milestone event.

RHS Harlow Carr to fell 33 trees as part of plans to reopen Harrogate Arms

Thirty-three trees could be felled as part of the Royal Horticultural Society‘s plans to convert the former Harrogate Arms into a café.

The horticultural charity was granted planning and listed building consent in 2019 to convert the pub, which closed a decade ago, into a café.

But a new planning application was submitted this month to landscape the surrounding area to improve the view between RHS Garden Harlow Carr and the Harrogate Arms

The plans include diverting a public right of way and felling trees such as ash, sycamore and beech.

According to an aboricultural impact statement submitted to Harrogate Borough Council to support the planning application, nine of the trees are classed as category B, 18 as category C and six as category U.

Category B trees are deemed to be of moderate quality with an estimated remaining life expectancy of at least 20 years; category C are said to be of low quality with an estimated remaining life expectancy of at least 10 years and category U trees are regarded as being in such poor condition that they cannot realistically be retained as living trees for longer than 10 years.

A spokeswoman for the RHS said:

“As part of our plans to re-establish the historic connection between the Harrogate Arms, Bath House and the garden it is necessary to remove 33 trees, primarily those that are of low quality, for example, young self-seeded trees, are in declining health or are suppressing other significant trees that we want to retain.

“Within the new landscape we will be replacing these with 37 new trees of equivalent amenity value as required by local planning policy plus an additional 45 trees, including beech, birch, hornbeam, oak and maple, providing a new generation of trees to enhance the landscape for years to come and making a long-term contribution to the habitat and natural character of the site.”

Pleasure gardens

Originally built in 1844 by then-owner of the estate Henry Wright, the Harrogate Arms and the nearby Bath House were set in pleasure gardens which are now part of RHS Harlow Carr.

The RHS said in a statement “reconnecting the landscape to the buildings” represents an important link with the garden’s past and the local heritage of Harrogate as a spa town.

The Bath House now serves as an exhibition and event space within the garden, while the former hotel will be converted for use as an RHS-run café. The statement added:

“A number of local stakeholders have been kept informed of the process, including the Harrogate Group of Ramblers, which has indicated no objection to the proposals to move the public right of way.

“The RHS has also collaborated with a local college to look at menu ideas for the new café, which will make use of fresh, seasonal produce from RHS Harlow Carr’s kitchen garden.”

Head of RHS Harlow Carr Liz Thwaite said:

“We are delighted to be at the final stage of seeking approval of our plans for the Harrogate Arms.

“This project has been a long time in the making, as we wanted to create something fresh and exciting for our visitors that celebrates our rich heritage.

“We hope that our members and visitors will lend their support to our application.”

Details of warm spaces in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon

The first blast of winter has left many Harrogate district people worried about the cost of staying warm.

We have therefore compiled information about warm spaces available in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon. If you know of any others in these places or in Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham let us know and we will add them. Email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The information has been provided by community groups across the district.

Netmakers, formerly known as Harrogate Hub, is a movement of local churches working together to make a difference in the community.

Its website has details of the following places in Harrogate, Starbeck and Knaresborough offering, warm and welcoming safe places to go.

Information provided by Netmakers

Further details are available here on the Netmakers website.

The community benefit society Knaresborough Connectors has also devised details of warm spaces in Knaresborough. ]

Knaresborough Connectors’ list

More details of the locations, known as public living rooms, are available here.

Numerous public buildings in and around Ripon are throwing open their doors for free in Ripon each day, including Ripon Library and Allhallowgate Methodist Church.

Ripon Cathedral has compiled details here.

Wynn James, senior pastor of Life Destiny Church in Starbeck and trustee of Harrogate District Foodbank said:

“Our doors are open. We want our community to know that we are here to help. By working together across our area we hope to offer spaces in every corner of our community.

“I urge people to use the warm spaces and not to feel alone at this tough time.”

Links to all of the organisations providing warm spaces, along with details of voluntary organisations that are at the forefront of the campaign to help people who are struggling this winter, are available on the Harrogate & District Community Action website.

Frances Elliot, chief executive of HADCA, said:

“Please do check out where to turn in your area, through churches or through other community organisations and encourage anyone you come across who feels reluctant about speaking up to do so, this particularly hard winter”

Is Harrogate ice cream van the best in the country?

Harrogate ice cream seller John Taylor is in line for another industry award.

Mr Taylor, whose van is parked outside Victoria Shopping Centre most days from March to September, is one of the most familiar faces in Harrogate.

Besides selling in Harrogate town centre, he takes his van to events across the district and to the streets of Harrogate, Ripon and Boroughbridge during summer.

He has now been named in the final three in the mobiler of the year category at the Ice Cream Alliance‘s Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show, which will be held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate in February.

The mobiler category recognises all aspects of running an ice cream van. Last year Mr Taylor scooped the gold award at the same event for the taste of his Mr Whippy ice cream but he thinks winning the mobiler category would top that.

Although the number of vans has decreased significantly in recent decades, Mr Taylor, who runs C and M Ices, said there were still about 3,000 to 4,000 operating and he was thrilled to be recognised in the top three by his trade association:

“This is our equivalent of the Oscars or the Premier League. It is the highest accolade you can win.”

The three finalists will go in front of a five-person judging panel.

Harrogate born and bred Mr Taylor, whose family has been selling ice cream since 1889, said 2022 had been a better year due to the warm summer and he hoped to be back outside the Victoria Shopping Centre in spring. He added:

“The weather is our kingmaker. Whatever happens to the economy, and things like covid, if the weather is not good you can’t make a living.”

Harrogate M&S manager calls for longer Christmas fayre to bolster town centre

Retailers and a business group have said the Harrogate Christmas Fayre had a significant impact on town centre footfall.

The fayre, which ended on Sunday after 10 days, included about 50 stalls on Cambridge Street and Market Place.

It was operated by Market Place Europe in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council and Harrogate Business Improvement District.

It was part of a wider Christmas offering that also included an ice skating rink, an après ski bar and a 32-metre ferris wheel.

Although the market stalls have been disbanded, the other attractions will continue into January.

Mark Robson, store manager at Harrogate Marks and Spencer, called for the market to be held for longer next year.

He said:

“I am super positive about the impact of the market, we saw a very clear impact on improved footfall into store and spending.

“All of the comments I heard from customers and my store colleagues were about how good it was.

“My view is that we should aim to do the same again in future years, and ideally for a longer period of time. We should also have confidence to go bolder with future marketing if the event.”

The Christmas Fayre wheel in Harrogate town centre.

The ferris wheel in Harrogate town centre.

Simon Midgley, owner of Starling Bar and Kitchen on Oxford Street, said the market helped to “bolster” business.

He said:

“I think the Christmas market was much better than previous years coupled with the other attractions of the big wheel, ice rink, etc. It made it more of a reason to come into Harrogate from out of town.

“Starling has been nice and busy since reopening four weeks ago and I do believe our business has been bolstered by some trade from those visiting the Christmas market. Bookings in the run up to Christmas look strong for us.”

Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate Business Improvement District, which was also a partner in the Christmas activities, said:

“Harrogate’s great all year round offering, plus this year’s fabulous Christmas attractions, has seen town phenomenally busy — and not just at weekends.

“The BID team has been receiving really positive comments, with the general consensus that footfall and spend has been very much up. The manager of one national retailer told me her takings were more than 50% up compared to this time last year, which is fantastic to hear.

“The Christmas fayre has definitely helped with the pull factor, and having it in town for ten days has helped attract shoppers during the earlier part of the week. So too did the BID-funded Candy Cane Express.”

Knaresborough urchins to invade pubs again this Christmas

Pubs in the Harrogate district are set to be invaded by a group of scruffy urchins from Knaresborough this Christmas.

Knaresborough Mummers will perform five-minute plays at pubs around Knaresborough this Saturday before moving on to other parts of the district.

Mummers plays, which date back to the 1700s, were originally performed by peasants and beggars to make money at Christmas and Easter.

Knaresborough Mummers, which was founded in 1974 and performed annually prior to covid, donates proceeds from a whip-round at the end to charities.

They will give a version of the Blue Stots play, which is a Mummers play from the Vale of York traditionally presented by agricultural workers in tattered coats and dirty faces, with trousers tied at the knees to stop rats running up them.

Leader John Burrell said the 10-strong team was anxious to get back to playing in local hostelries again after a break due to covid.

He added re-establishing their 40-year-old tours had not been easy as some pubs have closed and others have changed into restaurants, but gradually a full programme of five tours was put together. Details of venues are here.

Mr Burrell, who used to run a folk music club in Knaresborough, said the group was keen to accept new members.

He said no experience was necessary besides “a sense of humour and not minding going into a pub and acting daft”.

Money raised from this year’s plays will go to Jennyruth Workshops, Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group, Greatt North Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Martin House hospice.

Transport chief: Partially repainted Skipton Road bus markings ‘look silly’

North Yorkshire’s transport chief has admitted partially repainted bus stop markings on the A59 Skipton Road in Harrogate “look silly”.

The work was pointed out by local resident Alan Huddart on social media, who criticised it as a sign of “broken Britain”.

The bus stop in New Park is next to Kdcarpets and looks worn and faded.

In the middle, contractors have carried out work to reinstate a trench but appear to have only repainted where the work has been carried out.

Mr Huddart took to social media to ask Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways at North Yorkshire County Council, why the contractor could not have completed the rest of the markings.

He asked:

“Surely they could have done the rest?”

The bus markings pictured this afternoon. Picture: Lisa Galinsky.

In response, Cllr Duncan admitted that the work had left the stop looking “silly”.

He said:

“This really does look silly. Leave it with me.”

Mr Huddart told the Stray Ferret that the work had yet to be fixed.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council whether contractors would be returning to the area to finish the work.

In response, Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said:

“Utility companies are only mandated to replace lining on the section of road that they have excavated and reinstated.

“However, in this case the bus stop is no longer in use and the lining will therefore be removed as soon as possible.”

Read more:

Read more:

Likely to increase delays

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Pleasure gardens

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more: