Wheelie bin trial to start in Harrogate district this month

Harrogate Borough Council is to trial a scheme to replace black recycling boxes with wheelie bins this month.

The Appleby estate in Knaresborough has been chosen as the first area to trial the wheelie bins due to the amount and quality of the recycling presented by residents.

Recent articles by the Stray Ferret have highlighted concerns by residents about the amount of recycling left out for collection blown across streets.

They prompted many people to call on the council to introduce wheelie bins with lids.

The new blue-lidded wheelie bin will replace the black box and will be used for glass bottles and jars, tin cans and foil, food and drink cartons, plastic bottles and tubs.

Blue bags for recycling all paper, card and cardboard will continue to be used. However, these will be replaced with heavy-duty bags for properties that don’t have them.

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Residents in this area will receive a letter this week explaining what they need to do. Collection days will remain the same.

The council will collect black boxes when they deliver the wheelie bins. These will either be reused for other residents or recycled, depending on their condition.

Concerns over contamination rates

Councillor Andy Paraskos, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“For some time we’ve been looking at how we could improve our kerbside scheme as we know residents are increasingly conscious of the environment and have been recycling more, which is fantastic.

“But before we roll out wheelie bins across the Harrogate district, we have decided to first carry out a trial with a number of properties to ensure that what we achieve with the current system is replicated.”

In some instances, using wheelie bins for recycling can lead to higher contamination rates, so the council will use data from the trial to decide what to do across the Harrogate district.

Cllr Paraskos added:

“Our recycling is clean, high-quality and easily accepted at the processing sites so we’d like to say a massive thank you to the residents for always going above and beyond to help us and our crews.

“We need to ensure switching to wheelie bins doesn’t change this, as the better our recycling the easier it is sort and process.

“In some collection areas, not all residents are as conscientious about what they put in the wheelie bin. Resulting in higher contamination rates and much of the recycling having to be disposed of either through incineration or landfill.”

Other areas will join the trial in the coming month.

Bettys hunts across Harrogate district for cake fit for a Queen

The national competition to find the Queen’s platinum jubilee pudding may have ended, but keen bakers still have a chance to be part of the Harrogate district’s royal celebrations.

Last night, the winner of the national pudding competition was announced as Jemma Melvin, who created a lemon and amaretti trifle.

Her recipe will now sit alongside others, such as Victoria sponge and Coronation chicken, which have been created to mark important royal occasions.

Meanwhile, in the Harrogate district, a new competition has been launched to find “a cake fit for a Queen” – and naturally, Bettys is leading the hunt for the worthy winner.

Bakers are tasked with creating an 18cm flavoured sponge with a filling of their choice, complete with decorations to fill the brief of being “fit for a Queen”.

Once they’ve tried and tested the perfect recipe, entrants must upload a photo of their finished creation along with the recipe itself to the competition page on the Stray Ferret’s website by the deadline of Wednesday, May 25 at 5pm.

A shortlist of five will then be drawn up and the finalists will be invited to Bettys Cookery School for the judging on June 1.

The winner will get a place on a course of their choice at Bettys Cookery School.

The competition will be judged by Ann Hedges, a teacher of food and nutrition and a food product developer who has worked for major UK and international retailers, as well as food manufacturers including Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s.

To find out more about the competition or to enter a cake, click here.

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Harrogate nursery retains ‘good’ rating in new Ofsted report

A children’s nursery in Harrogate has maintained is ‘good’ rating from Ofsted for the third inspection in a row.

Busy Bees on Cornwall Road – registered as Kindercare, a name under which it previously traded – was inspected at the beginning of April.

The report published this week praised the nursery’s positive relationships between staff and children, as well as the support given to children’s language development.

Inspectors said:

“Children learn through an effective balance of adult-led activities and child-initiated play. Staff introduce topics that capture children’s curiosity and support their learning.

“For example, older children are engrossed when they learn about the sinking of the Titanic. Older children then eagerly predict which objects will sink or float in the water tray. Children beam with pride when they succeed.”

The report also highlighted the physical skills developed by children, from crawling, walking and running to using cutlery with confidence.

It praised the work done with different age groups to teach children about other cultures and beliefs. It said children are encouraged to share photographs of their family members to aid discussions about the ways in which people are similar and different.

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The inspection report added:

“Staff establish strong partnerships with parents. There is successful two-way communication between parents and staff.

“Parents say that their children love coming to nursery and make excellent progress, especially in their language and social skills. Parents are full of praise for the friendly and dedicated staff team.”

To further improve the rating, which was ‘good’ across all areas, the report said staff should be given more support to extend their good practice. It said, while there were systems in place to monitor staff performance, supervision sessions had recently become less frequent and less focused on staff development.

 

Sneak Peek: Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant reopens

The Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant in Harrogate re-opened last night.

The restaurant, set in the Grade II listed Royal Baths, is one of the most historic and opulent places to dine in Harrogate.

It has been closed since the end of 2020 and was also shut for most of 2020 due to lockdowns.

But after extensive repair work due mainly to damp, people once again have the chance of a unique eating experience.

The building, which has a central dome and pillars down the side, was built between 1894 and 1897 and for many years was Europe’s premier destination for spa treatments. It is now owned by North Yorkshire County Council.

The restaurant has served traditional Chinese food for about 13 years and will continue to do so.

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A restaurant spokesman said the 100-seat venue would be similar to how customers remembered it, with the VIP room and terrace bar and dining area back in operation. However, the party room is currently unavailable.

He added:

“We have a new team of staff starting and ask people to be patient when we first re-open.

“But it’s very much the same Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant. We have been here for 13 or 14 years now and look forward to welcoming customers back.”

The owners opened the Royal Baths Express takeaway in Pateley Bridge in February.

They also continue to operate Haks Little Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant, on Harrogate’s Station Parade.

More pictures from The Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant

Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant bar

The bar, which leads to the outside terrace.

The terrace area.

The Grade II listed building was built from 1894 to 1897.

Inside the main dining area.

Harrogate primary school set to close

The governors of Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton put the wheels in motion today for the school to close.

They have asked North Yorkshire County Council to begin a consultation on closure after nearby Grove Road Community Primary rejected a merger.

Some parents have been offered places for children to start in September.  The proposal is for the school to shut during the next academic year, although a precise date is not known.

A council spokesperson told the Stray Ferret today places offered in September “still exist” but the full implications of today’s news remain unclear.

The governors said in a statement they had exhausted “every possible avenue” and they were moving towards closure “with a very heavy heart”.

The statement said:

“This has been a very difficult time for the school, parents, pupils, staff and governors and we were all hopeful a solution had finally been found with the proposed amalgamation with Grove Road Primary School. Unfortunately, that could not proceed.

“This has left Woodfield Community Primary School in a very vulnerable position and we have had to look again at what options are available for the school.

“The governors have worked incredibly hard to find a positive solution, exploring every available avenue. Unfortunately, it is our conclusion that we have exhausted all options that are available.

“It is with a very heavy heart that the governors of Woodfield school have had to ask the county council to begin the consultation process for closure.’’ 

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The school received an inadequate Ofsted rating following an inspection in January 2020, which required it to become a sponsored academy.

Woodfield Community Primary School, Harrogate.

Woodfield Community Primary School, Harrogate

The Regional Schools Commissioner was unable to secure a multi academy trust to sponsor the school, which led the governors to explore a merger with Grove Road.

Merger talks fail

The move, which would have meant Woodfield School technically closed and became part of Grove Road from September this year, fell through in March when Grove Road pulled out, citing concerns about the level of risk.

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of children and young people services, said in a statement:

“The Directive Academy Order and the absence of a sponsor from the academy sector had left Woodfield Community Primary School in a difficult position.

“The county council hoped that the proposed amalgamation would provide a solution to retain education on the school site, but that was not to be.

“I would like to thank the leadership and governors of Woodfield Community Primary School for their diligence in exploring the issues and I share their sadness that closure must now be considered.

“We will now move at pace to seek approval to consult on a proposal that the school should close during the next academic year.

“We will communicate directly with the school’s parents in the coming days on the many questions they will have at this time.’’

If you have a child at Woodfield school and have a view on what’s happening, email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Vigilance urged after attempted theft at Harrogate antiques shop

Antiques shops and dealers are being urged to be vigilant after an attempted burglary of a shop in Harrogate this week.

The shop at 27 West Park was targeted between 6pm on Tuesday and 6am on Wednesday this week, when a culprit or culprits attempted to enter via a side window but did not gain access.

A shop on Main Street in Hawes was also targeted in the early hours of today. Between 1.10am and 1.20am, a main broke into a shop on Main Street and stole items from inside.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“As a precaution, shops and businesses — particularly those dealing in antiques — are urged to be vigilant, and check their security measures. You can contact your local neighbourhood policing team for bespoke crime prevention advice.

“Officers are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the two incidents.

“In particular, we are appealing for residents and businesses to check any CCTV systems or doorbell cameras that may have captured footage of suspects or any vehicles driving away from the areas.”

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The suspect in the Hawes burglary is described as around 5ft 6ins to 5ft 7ins in height, of skinny build and wearing black clothing with a lower face covering. Police have not issued a description of a suspect in the Harrogate attempted burglary.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation at Harrogate can email ian.mason@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference number 12220079988.

For the Hawes investigation, email heather.campbell@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference number 12220080576.

Alternatively, call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and speak to the force control room, giving the relevant reference number. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Praise for Harrogate district nurses on International Nurses Day

The manager for community nurses in the Harrogate district has praised their hard work and resilience during the pandemic.

Holly Southcott said she wanted to thank her team on International Nurses Day, a global celebration of the nursing profession.

She said:

“It’s been a really tough couple of years and it would be nice to see what they do recognised.

“I want to say a big thank you to all of the nurses – both locally and internationally – for their care and compassion every day over the last two years.”

Ms Southcott, who is the clinical locality manager for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT), also wants to promote nursing as a potential career choice.

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She said:

“It’s a really important role. It’s a professional role and it can be inspiring.

“The nurses in our trust are really skilled for providing holistic care in the community.

“We want to support future nurses to come forward and train. We will be offering alternative routes where people can progress without going to university.

“It’s such a varied and interesting role and you can get a lot of job satisfaction out of it.”

Ms Southcott said the nursing team pulled together during the pandemic.

She said:

“I went back to visiting people in their homes in the Knaresborough area. It has been a really tough and worrying time for our community.

“The nursing team has worked so hard. The courage they have shown has been amazing and I want this to be recognised.

“They played a crucial part in going into the homes of patients who wouldn’t have been able to access services otherwise.

“Everyone has really worked as one big team.”

International Nurses Day acknowledges and celebrates the commitment and bravery of nurses around the world.

This event, coordinated by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), is celebrated on May 12 every year on the anniversary of the birth of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale.

4km of jubilee bunting goes up around Harrogate

The streets of Harrogate have been adorned with 4km of jubilee bunting to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

The bunting has been bought by Harrogate Business Improvement District, with help from Harrogate Borough Council’s Welcome Back Fund.

Leftover bunting will be given to businesses within the levy area free of charge.

Streets the BID has dressed in a mixture of red, white and blue, various colours and ‘jubilee purple’ are:

Businesses within Harrogate’s town centre pay the BID 1.5% of their rateable value a year on top of their usual business rates. Harrogate BID, which drives footfall to the town centre, brings in around £500,000 from local firms.

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Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said:

“With the bunting now adorning town centre streets, Harrogate’s countdown to the Queen’s platinum jubilee has well and truly started.

“And whatever bunting is left over, we have separated in to 10m strips for businesses from with the BID levy area to put up outside their premises free of charge.

“In the next week or so, the hanging baskets with red, white and blue flowers, will also start appearing, giving the town a colourful, floral lift.”

Harrogate Bus Company announces free electric bus rides for Platinum Jubilee

Harrogate Bus Company has announced that it will be offering free rides on its electric services during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The free service will run as part of the long weekend from Thursday, June 2, until Sunday, June 5.

The move has been made in partnership with Harrogate BID ahead of the jubilee celebrations.

It will apply to all electric routes in the Harrogate town network, including:

In a tweet, Alex Hornby, chief executive of Transdev, said:

“The jubilee freeway is the best way to all celebrations in Harrogate”.

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Preparations for the platinum jubilee are well underway with events planned across the Harrogate district.

The Stray Ferret has compiled a What’s On diary of all the events across the district. You can read up on the celebrations here.

Success for Harrogate cafe and home care company
Hustle & Co

Staff from Hustle & Co collect their award.

A Harrogate start-up company’s efforts to overcome the challenges of covid have been recognised.

Hustle & Co was one of three finalists from 24 nominated organisations in the new business starter of the year category at Yorkshire Choice Awards.

The awards ceremony, attended by 700 people in Leeds, recognised independent businesses in Yorkshire.

Hustle & Co, which is co-owned by Nici Routledge and Jo Bradshaw, opened in December 2020 on Prince Albert Row.

Ms Routledge said making the top three was recognition of the tenacity of everyone at Hustle & Co during a difficult period for start-ups due to covid and Brexit.

Bishop Thornton home care company recognised as one of UK’s best

Carefound Home Care

Carla Hainsworth (left) and Lorna Miles from Carefound.

Carefound Home Care has won an award for being one of the top 20 home care groups in the UK.

Nearly a million disabled and older people receive care at home so they can stay living independently. This includes help with getting dressed, washed, preparing meals and drinks and administering medication.

Carefound was named as one of the top 20 home care providers in the UK based on reviews given at care reviews site www.homecare.co.uk.

Oliver Stirk, managing director of Carefound, said:

“This award is especially welcomed because it is based on actual reviews from our clients and their friends and family, who clearly recognise the outstanding care our home care team provides across Yorkshire.”

Amanda Hopkins, reviews manager of homecare.co.uk, said:

“Carefound has proved that it provides a high standard of care and we’d like to congratulate it on being a top home care group.”

Carefound operates in North Yorkshire, Cheshire and Nottinghamshire.

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