As the formation North Yorkshire Council edges closer, questions have been raised over where the new authority should be based.

From April 2023, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and the six other district authorities will be abolished and replaced with a new council.

A decision has yet to be made on where the new North Yorkshire Council will be based.

North Yorkshire County Council is based at County Hall in Northallerton, which is the hot favourite to be home to the new unitary authority.

But Harrogate’s modern Civic Centre has been suggested as an alternative. Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, told a Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting this month that Harrogate’s Knapping Mount had a case.

He said:

“It’s still not decided where the new council will be and it could be Harrogate. It would certainly have the best office facilities in North Yorkshire.”

No decision will be made on the location until after the May local government elections. So what are Harrogate’s prospects and what is at stake?

Harrogate or Northallerton?

The location of the new authority will be one of the key decisions that councillors make in the coming 12 months.

Ninety councillors will be elected to North Yorkshire Council, covering 650,000 residents and 32,000 businesses across England’s largest county.

The location of the new council matters because most key decisions will be made there.

Across North Yorkshire, Harrogate is the highest populated town with 75,070 people. The town itself is one of the two main urban areas in the county, along with Scarborough, and benefits from transport links, a vibrant hospitality sector and various public facilities.

North Yorkshire County Council offices in Northallerton.

It also has a modern council facility. The Knapping Mount headquarters, which staff moved into in July 2020, is purpose-built for local government. It is designed to accommodate 500 staff.

The council said the building cost £13 million. However, the Stray Ferret investigated the overall cost of the move from Crescent Gardens and put the figure closer to £17 million.

County Hall in Northallerton was built in 1906 and has served as the headquarters of various local governments in North Yorkshire, including North Riding County Council up until 1974.

The grade II listed building underwent a £500,000 refurbishment in 1999.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council. Picture: NYCC.

Conservative Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret that it would make sense for the new council to remain at county hall.

However, he added that the authority does plan to implement local office space for staff and a “double devolution” agenda for local decision making.

He said:

“It will be for the new council to decide. But there is a lot of jobs in Northallerton.

“It would not make sense to move from Northallerton.”

The sentiment is echoed by Liberal Democrat Cllr Philip Broadbank, who represents Starbeck on the county council. He said:

“There is a high chance it would in Northallerton because it is more central.

“The Harrogate council has been mentioned, but it needs to be central.”

But for Independent Cllr Stuart Parsons, the future needs to be based around regional decision making.

Cllr Parsons, who represents Richmond on the county council, said the council needed to be “trimmed” and decision-making should be spread around the county.

He said:

“I suspect they [the council[ see themselves where they are. But no one has thought to ask if that is sensible.”

Why does the council’s location matter?

Much of the criticism over the new council is that it is too remote.

The county is scattered in terms of populations, with an estimated 160,830 people in the Harrogate district compared to 55,380 in Ryedale.

Having such a large county makes the headquarter issue even more important.

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For example, if a planning decision relates to Starbeck the issues are more likely to be understood by council officers based in Harrogate than in Northallerton

Cllr Parsons said there needed to be a plan for how “double devolution”, which would give powers to local areas, is distributed.

“There needs to be a short, medium and long-term plan. We are nowhere near that.”

What happens now?

County council leaders have said a decision on where the new council will be based will not be made until after the May elections.

Currently, an implementation board made up of senior council officers and an implementation executive, which includes cabinet members from across the county, is working through proposals.

Once the new councillors are elected, decisions will be made on matters such as location, planning, senior management committees ahead of North Yorkshire Council coming into operation in April 2023.

Storm Malik caused travel disruption, closure of major attractions and forced one business to close in the Harrogate district today.

A Met Office yellow weather warning for strong winds was in place across the district and drivers were urged to take care when out and about.

Catch up on our live coverage of today’s storm below.

2.40pm – Harrogate business forced to close as roof crashes in

One Harrogate business has been forced to close as strong winds saw its roof fall in.

The roof at Bubblerun Hand Car Wash and Valeting Centre, Harrogate Road, crashed in at around 11.30am this morning.

Fortunately, no one was hurt and staff managed to get outside when the crash happened.

The business has reported that it is now closed until the roof can be fixed.

Damage to the roof of Bubblerun car wash, Harrogate Road. Picture: Sarah Tayan.

1.15pm – Harrogate landscape boss tells of lucky escape from fallen tree

Jason Kirk, the owner of a Harrogate landscaping company, had a lucky escape on Woodfield Road today when a tree came crashing down during Storm Malik.

He told the Stray Ferret how he avoided being crushed by the tree in Bilton. You can read more here.

Jason Kirk next to his van and the fallen tree on Woodfield Drive, Bilton.

12.16pm – Fallen tree causing problems on Woodfield Road

A fallen tree on Woodfield Road is causing problems for drivers this afternoon.

Drivers are being forced to mount the kerb in order to avoid the tree, which is obstructing the road.

The tree has yet to be moved and drivers are urged to avoid the area.

12.07pm – Reports of power cut in Hampsthwaite

Residents in Hampsthwaite are reporting a power cut in the village.

One resident told the Stray Ferret that properties have had no power all morning.

According to Northern Powergrid, a power cut has been reported in the HG3 and HG2 areas. The loss of power has affected 590 properties, the company said.

It said on its website:

“The power cut affecting your property has been caused by an unexpected problem with the cables or equipment that serve your area.”

11.30am – Strong winds delay 59 bus

Harrogate Bus Company is reporting delays on its 59 service to Skipton due to windy conditions.

⚠️Due to windy conditions, the 59 is experiencing delays

We apologise for any inconvenience

@northyorkscc @MetroTravelNews

— The Harrogate Bus Company (@harrogatebus) January 29, 2022

11.27am – Tree down on Woodfield Road

A Stray Ferret reader has got in touch to report a tree has fallen on Woodfield Road in Bilton.

The tree fell around 11am and drivers are urged to avoid the area.

11.16am – RHS Harlow Carr to fully close

RHS Harlow Carr has confirmed that it will fully close today.

It said the decision was for the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers.

**CLOSED SATURDAY 29th JANUARY*
We have made the difficult decision to fully close the garden today due to the worsening weather. The safety of all visitors, staff and volunteers is paramount.

We apologise for any inconvenience and hope to reopen tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Er7k0R9Bwd

— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) January 29, 2022

10.52am – Wetherby Road clear despite fallen tree

Wetherby Road near Harrogate Town football ground is clear, despite a fallen tree.

The tree is chopped up and not affecting traffic.

10.25am – Hole in road on Stray Rein

Strong winds have left a hole in the road exposed on Stray Rein after barriers were blown over.

Cyclists, walkers and drivers are urged to take care in the area.

9.52am – Parts of Harewood House site closed

The Harewood House Trust has warned visitors that parts of its site will be closed due to high winds today.

Those travelling to Harewood are urged to check the trust’s website for more information.

9.47am – B6161 at Beckwithshaw reopen

The B6161 between Beckwithshaw and Penny Pot Lane is now reopen after a fallen tree blocked the road.

Contractors have removed the tree. Police have urged people to take care out on the road.

https://twitter.com/OscarRomeo1268/status/1487358679150211074?s=20&t=oSEoRRGn3u78LHKP_KcX_A

9.41am – Weather warning in place until 3pm

The Met Office yellow weather warning for strong winds is expected to remain in place until 3pm.

Delays are expected on roads and possibly to public transport. The Met Office adds that “some short term loss of power and other services is possible”.

9.23am – Crowberry Drive now clear after fallen tree

A fallen tree on Crowberry Drive in Jennyfields has now been cleared.

The road was blocked earlier this morning.

9.15am – Harrogate Park Run cancelled and Fountains Abbey closed

Harrogate Park Run announced this morning that it was cancelled today.

Meanwhile, Fountains Abbey will also be closed due to Storm Malik. Its park run is also cancelled.

We're sorry to disappoint anyone planning a visit tomorrow (Saturday 29 January) but for the safety of all we've made the decision to close the entire estate due to the forecast weather.

Park Run is also cancelled. pic.twitter.com/pqcyE7sHva

— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) January 28, 2022

9.10am – RHS Harlow Carr closes parts of gardens

RHS Harlow Carr has confirmed that parts of its gardens will be closed today due to strong winds forecast.

In a tweet, it said that it apologised for inconvenience caused.

Unfortunately due to the forecast of high winds today (Saturday 29th January), parts of the garden will be closed.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers is paramount.#winterwalk #welcometowinter #winter2022 pic.twitter.com/FDzeDrBagj

— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) January 29, 2022

9am – Travel disruption expected in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police have urged drivers to take care on journeys today.

A fallen tree blocked the B6161 between Beckwithshaw and Penny Pot earlier this morning. A warning remains in place to expect delays on road and public transport.

The #B6161 between #Beckwithshaw and #PennyPot near #Harrogate remains closed due to a fallen tree. Please use an alternative route whilst we await @northyorkscc and take care if you are out and about pic.twitter.com/X9yuXs7BjZ

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) January 29, 2022

The owner of a Harrogate landscaping company was lucky to avoid being crushed by a tree that blew over in Bilton today.

Jason Kirk, owner of Jennyfields firm Patios and Groundworkz, had parked his van outside a customer’s drive on Woodfield Road.

He and employee Steven Beecroft were digging holes for fencing in the driveway until Mr Kirk had to drive off for some timber shortly before 11am.

In the 20 or so minutes he was away, a large tree came crashing down exactly where his van was parked.

Mr Kirk said:

“It was sheer luck.I was parked outside the driveway, exactly where the tree came down.

“There would not have been a van left if it had happened when it was parked there and I was lucky to avoid it too.”

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Mr Beecroft, who was still working in the driveway when the tree fell, said:

“I heard this almighty crackling sound  I stood up thinking ‘what was that?’ and saw the tree coming down.

“It was lucky there were no cars coming and nobody walking by on the path. It’s a busy road.

“A guy in a house opposite came running out because the tree had come down half a foot from his car but luckily it was OK.”

Jason Kirk next to his van and the fallen tree on Woodfield Drive, Bilton.

The tree is one of several trees to have fallen today in the Harrogate district due to Storm Malik.

A Met Office yellow weather warning of strong wind has been in place across the district.

You can read more about today’s storm here.

After 15 years working together at photo shop Max Spielmann in Harrogate, Alex Hope and Marisa Towler are two of the best known faces in the town centre.

As soon as you step into the shop on Oxford Street, it’s clear why the two are so highly thought of in the town. Beaming with smiles, the pair can’t wait to help and chat with anyone that comes in.

Alex and Marisa have worked at the store for 15 and 19 years respectively, an anomaly in the retail world where many people choose to move on rapidly. They say they couldn’t imagine doing another job.

‘We’ve seen it all’

After years in the same shop, the pair have shared every key moment in people’s lives, from printing baby photos, to school photos, to even wedding photos for the same families.

They say it is a “pleasure” to be trusted with recording people’s memories but said sometimes they can be a little “wild”.

Alex said:

“We could write books and books of the things you’ve seen, we’ve honestly seen it all. When you work with the public’s photos you really start to get an idea of what people are really like.

“We’ve had to tell best men in the past that some photos are just too far to show at weddings, especially from the stag do!”

Since Alex and Marisa started working together, technology has really advanced. From printing camera film to huge canvas prints, the pair have had to move with the times.

Marisa said:

“It’s just really enjoyable and interesting and of course we get on really well. We learn things everyday, the digital world is always changing and we just have to keep up.”

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‘Customers become an extended family’

Alex and Marisa have built bonds with customers, especially regulars. Over lockdown they said it was really difficult not knowing how some people were doing.

They said attitudes have definitely changed: some became more withdrawn after so long indoors whereas others couldn’t wait to be out again.

Some of the gifts collected at Christmas.

Alex added:

“They do become like an extended family, especially those that are in so often after so long you can’t help but get to know them really well. At Christmas it’s lovely when they bring in gifts for us, we are just doing our jobs at the end of the day but it’s so nice to know it’s appreciated.

“That’s why we’ve stuck around for so long!”

A local authority facing a huge demand to increase cycling infrastructure has revealed it is mapping all non-public right-of-way cycle routes for the first time to make it easier for people to swap their cars for bikes.

North Yorkshire County Council’s highways team is set to produce a cycling route map spanning England’s largest county while also examining moves such as segregating road users as sweeping Highway Code changes are introduced to make cycling easier and safer.

The announcements follow the authority being inundated with proposals for cycle route schemes from residents and community groups after the authority received £1m from Department for Transport Active Travel Fund last year to improve the infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

Despite numerous calls for action to enable active travel in rural areas, the council said it would focus the funding on large towns, such as Harrogate, as greater populations meant better value for money.

Harrogate currently has cycling routes planned for Otley Road and Victoria Avenue in Harrogate and Harrogate Road in Knaresborough.

A meeting of the county’s Local Access Forum this week heard safety concerns continued to be a major factor in determining whether people chose to cycle and that the government was trying to discourage segregating cyclists by using white lines, “given that white lines don’t do anything to protect cyclists”.

Instead, highway officers said, the authority was now moving towards physically segregating cyclists and motorists, but it was a more expensive than simply using white lines and would “not happen overnight”.

Read more:

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The forum’s chairman, Paul Sherwood, said action was needed to improve roads for cyclists. He said:

“Is the highways section of the county council aware of the incredibly dangerous situation of the appallingly maintained roads in which cycling is extremely hazardous in the way the roads are at the moment?”

Funding from developers

Officers replied that the roads were subject to a scheduled programme of inspections and the council was looking to gain extra funding through property developers’ contributions for safety improvements. The meeting heard the availability of funding could increase when the forthcoming unitary authority controls most of the county’s planning matters.

The meeting was told it was hoped a county-wide map of non-public right of way routes would make it easier for cyclists to plan.

An officer said:

“We recognise it is not that easy to find out where those routes are. We are moving towards making that more accessible.”

The meeting heard the authority would be taking into account the HIghway Code changes, in which cyclists are encouraged to cycle in the middle of the road, but the changes were unlikely to impact on the design for cycling infrastructure.

Councillors were told the council would examine schemes such as one introduced in parts of York where bollards have been placed at the side of the road to segregate cyclists and motorists, which had increased safety for cyclists while the narrowing of the road had slowed traffic.

Flamboyant TV chef Gino D’Acampo has spoken out against the rebrand of his Harrogate restaurant to Piccolino, claiming it was done against his wishes.

This month five restaurants with the Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant name were rebranded by owner Individual Restaurants, including on Parliament Street in Harrogate.

Piccolino is also owned by the same group.

But in an interview with Manchester Evening News to promote a new restaurant in Cheshire, D’Acampo said they were rebranded “without my consent”:

“My dad used to say to me for every action there is a reaction. Those five restaurants, they were rebranded without my consent and this is my reaction, I open new ones.

“When one goes, I say let’s do something bigger and better.”

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The Restaurant Bar & Grill, which was on the site before Gino’s, is also owned by Individual Restaurants.

Press reports from last year said the Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant chain was struggling financially.

The Stray Ferret asked Individual Restaurants to respond to D’Acampo’s claim but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.

D’Acampo’s Harrogate venture got off on the wrong foot when the chef pronounced it was the only “proper Italian” in Harrogate.

His comments sparked a furious backlash at the time from a number of Harrogate’s Italian restaurant owners.

The first phase of the much-anticipated cycle lane on Otley Road in Harrogate was completed today amid safety fears by a cycling campaign group.

North Yorkshire County Council has now completed the initial stretch from Harlow Moor Road to Arthurs Avenue. It is the first of three phases on Otley Road.

However, the junction with Harlow Moor Road has given Harrogate District Cycle Action group cause for concern.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of HDCA, told the Stray Ferret the cycle route was a “step forward” overall but the junction failed to meet safety standards:

“We can see that they have widened the junction for cars. It is great news for drivers but that was not the point of the scheme.

“In its current form I do not think it meets the minimum safety standards.

“The council is planning to widen the path at the junction by using land owned by Yorkshire Water which would improve the situation but until then it is too narrow.

“Overall I see this as a step forward. The sooner we have cycle lanes that connect houses on the edges of town with the town centre the better.”

Read more:

• Otley Road business owner ‘fuming’ about cycle path works
• Killinghall roadwork misery set to continue for extra week

North Yorkshire County Council has been working closely with Mr Douglas and other local cycling groups as part of the consultation process.

Much of the route is shared with pedestrians.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, told the Stray Ferret:

“There has been some criticism about the fact that it is shared access with pedestrians and cyclists, but that has always been part of the design.

“I have had many conversations with Mr Douglas. He is concerned about the pinch point at the Harlow Moor Road junction but we are going to resolve the issue. It’s a fair assessment.

“We have reached an agreement with Yorkshire Water so we can widen that path. I cannot give a date on when those works will start.”

Construction of the second phase, from Cold Bath Road to Beech Grove, is due to start in April. There is still no timescale for phase three, which will connect to Cardale Park.

Mr Mackenzie also raised the prospect of eventually extending the cycle lane to Beckwithshaw. He told the Stray Ferret it would likely receive funding due to the number of housing planned for the area. Developers, as part of planning consent, would be expected to fund the route.

Adventurer Jamie Ramsay will be sharing tales of astonishing feats of human endurance in Harrogate next month.

Mr Ramsay, who has completed more than 43,000km of human-powered adventuring in 31 countries and 25 different adventures, will be appearing at Ashville College as part of the annual Kendal Mountain Tour.

The tour features adventure films and guest speakers at venues across the UK, and Ashville is once again one of the chosen locations.

The highlight of the Harrogate event on February 19 will be Mr Ramsay’s appearance.

He will tell the audience about his Atlantic to Andes cycle touring adventure, which started in São Paulo, Brazil, and passed through Paraguay before entering Bolivia and then saw him cycle over the Andes to the Salar de Uyuni and on to La Paz, covering 3,700km in 28 days.

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Festival director Steve Scott will compere the event, which anyone can attend,

Anna Rakusen-Guy, Ashville’s events and lettings manager, said:

“It’s superb to be welcoming the Kendal Mountain Tour back to Ashville College next month, with what promises to be another evening of superb films and fascinating talks.”

Tickets are available here.

The Harrogate Bus Company has revealed that its 36 service will be delayed this morning due to issues with the temporary lights in Killinghall.

Long queues either side of the village have been a regular sight since temporary traffic lights were installed on Monday but particularly from Ripley heading south.

Northern Powergrid is laying cable for an electric vehicle charger outside the new Tesco Express.

Three-way traffic lights have been installed at the junction with Otley Road. Buses and lorries are unable to turn in and out of Otley Road from Ripon Road.

That work was due to last until February 4. But residents say they had not been informed of further works due to take place from February 7 to 11.

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.

Planning permission has been granted to convert the former covid vaccine centre and Lidl supermarket in Knaresborough into a gym.

The Lidl on York Road closed in 2018 when the supermarket relocated to a larger site nearby.

In February 2021, the site was taken over by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which administered thousands of covid jabs from a building in the car park until it moved in September to larger premises on Knaresborough’s Chain Lane.

Planning consultants Lichfields said it was not able to say which gym operator will be moving into the building at this stage.

Knaresborough is currently served by a variety of gyms, including Black Wolf Fitness, XS Fitness Club and Red Strength.

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