The Witcher: First pictures of Harrogate district filming for major Netflix show

Two beauty spots in the Harrogate district are set to feature in the second series of a major Netflix show starring Henry Cavill as Geralt.

The Witcher, which has a cast and crew of around 250 people, was filmed at both Plumpton Rocks near Harrogate and Fountains Abbey near Ripon.

In the first series, most filming was done in countries such as Hungary, Austria and Spain. However, due to coronavirus restrictions Netflix had to look for locations in the UK.

In October last year, the Stray Ferret showed a picture taken by reader Jo McGregor at Fountains Abbey of a film crew in action. The National Trust would only say at the time it was a “major TV series”.

Ahead of the release of series two of the Witcher on Friday, the National Trust and the owner of Plumpton Rocks have now confirmed the details and released behind the scenes pictures.

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Justin Scully, general manager of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, said:

“It was great to see such an exciting amount of activity happening onsite last year. Filming for The Witcher was by far the largest scale filming we’ve ever had here.

“Our visitors really enjoyed seeing such a big production happening around the property and had fun guessing what was being filmed, which we had to keep confidential at the time.

“There was a huge amount of work that went on behind the scenes to make it all happen.

“We worked for months with the production team from Netflix as well as specialist filming conservators so that we could ensure the safety of visitors, staff and of course the abbey and water garden.”

The National Trust added that the location fees it received will be spent on essential work at Fountains Abbey.

Robert de Plumpton Hunter, who owns Plumpton Rocks and has spearheaded a major £700,000 renovation at the site over the last several years, told the Stray Ferret:

“Netflix brought a major crew for the Witcher to Plumpton Rocks, where they filmed for about two weeks.

“Particularly during coronavirus it was great for Harrogate’s economy. I am looking to forward to watching it.”

More pictures from behind the scenes:

A crew member uses a VFX ball to capture lighting information from the set within the ruins of Fountains Abbey. Photo: Netflix

An elaborate set and special effects light up the abbey ruins during a dramatic scene. Photo: Netflix

MyAnna Buring as Tissaia de Vries in the ruins of Fountains Abbey. Photo: Netflix

Harrogate’s showground vaccine centre expands

Harrogate’s vaccination centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground has expanded to accommodate more vaccinators as part of a push to meet the government’s ambitious booster target.

Overnight the team has increased the number of clinical pods to cater for four more vaccinators and five more administration staff.

It means that rather than administering 1,700 jabs in a day, the team will be able to give 2,000 jabs.

There is now also room for more walk-ins to wait inside in anticipation of the colder weather to come.

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Tim Yarrow, operations manager at Yorkshire Health Network, a federation of the 17 GP practices in the Harrogate and district that operates the showground vaccination site, told the Stray Ferret:

“Firstly, I would urge anyone over 30 to book an appointment and for all walk-ins to bring their NHS number. It saves the team so much time.

“I have been trying to manage the staff the best I can so they can cope and it’s safe. We have had an extremely busy four days, it was like a tidal wave at the weekend.”

Walk-ins are available between 9am and 4pm every day and not outside those times.

100 trees to be planted in Harrogate district for Queen’s jubilee

Tree planting has begun across the Harrogate district to mark the queen’s platinum jubilee next year.

About 100 elm, oak, hornbeam, sycamore and lime trees will be planted in the district as part of a nationwide initiative called The Queen’s Green Canopy, which invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘plant a tree for the jubilee’.

The trees will be planted on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Jacob Smiths Park in Knaresborough, High Cleugh in Ripon, Pateley Bridge recreation ground and Boroughbridge recreation ground.

One tree from each location will be saved to plant on February 6, the queen’s accession day.

Harrogate Borough Council is organising the project and hopes the initiative will also help it achieve its carbon reduction initiatives. It is encouraging everyone, including individuals, community groups, businesses and landowners to also plant a tree.

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

“The Queen’s Green Canopy is a wonderful opportunity for us to not only honour Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee but also help address the climate situation and deliver carbon reduction initiatives throughout the Harrogate district.”

The Queen’s Green Canopy will coincide with the borough council’s plans to plant thousands of trees in Bilton Beck Wood and Willow Wood, Harrogate and Upper Horse Shoe Fields, Knaresborough as part of the White Rose Forest partnership.

To get involved and plant a tree, people can pin it to the Queen’s Green Canopy map. It will then count towards Harrogate’s total.

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Councillors weren’t ‘bullied’ into approving plans for 200 Harrogate homes, says council

Harrogate Borough Council has “entirely refuted” claims from its own councillors that they were “bullied” into approving plans for up to 200 homes at a former police training base.

The proposals for the Yew Tree Lane site in Pannal Ash were approved during a three-hour meeting last Tuesday when the applicant Homes England was accused of making legal “threats” over any further delays on the application first submitted in June 2020.

Councillors had initially rejected a recommendation of approval during the meeting before claiming they had been “bullied” into the final decision.

This claim was supported by residents who said councillors “were unduly influenced” by the “threat” of a costly appeal from Homes England – the government’s housing agency.

The council has now issued a statement saying planning committee members must base their decisions on local and national planning policy. It added:

“Although the committee initially voted not to accept the officer’s recommendation, it is incumbent of them to provide acceptable planning reasons to support their decision.

“The decision was discussed at length and committee members were unable to identify sound reasons to justify such a vote, explaining their return to the original vote on the recommendation before them.

“Views that members were bullied, misled or voted due to fatigue are entirely refuted.”

Formal complaint

The council’s handling of the application has led to it receiving a formal complaint from Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association, and Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council.

David Oswin, deputy chair of the parish council, this week described the decision from councillors as “shambolic” and “embarrassing”.

He said:

“Coupled with threats of a legal challenge by the developer and misinformation from the officers, councillors were frankly bullied and bamboozled into reversing a decision that potentially sets a dangerous precedent for those with the deepest pockets to exploit.”

During last Tuesday’s meeting, it was also revealed that Homes England had written to the council claiming it acted “unlawfully” when councillors delayed a decision on the plans in summer.

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Homes England was asked to comment on this and the claims of “bullying,” but only provided a short statement explaining the council’s decision:

“Members of the Harrogate Borough Council planning committee approved our planning application at the former police training centre last week.

“The scheme will deliver 200 new homes – including 30% affordable homes.”

A decision on the plans was previously delayed to allow time for work on the West Harrogate Parameters Plan – a long-delayed document which sets out the infrastructure needs for the up to 4,000 new homes set to be built in the west of the district.

It was due to be completed last year, but will now not be published in draft form until at least February net year.

The plans from Homes England include the conversion of several former police buildings into 16 homes and the construction of 184 new properties at the former training centre which closed in 2011.

A reserved matters application is expected in spring 2022 and if approved, construction could start in autumn.

Five females aged 16 and 17 at Harrogate army college reported rape or sexual assault

Five females aged 16 and 17 based at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College have reported rape or sexual assault since 2015.

Sexual assault allegations by junior soldiers in the British Army came to light in October following a freedom of information request to the Ministry of Defence by the charity Child Rights International Network (CRIN).

The MOD revealed there had been 41 complaints of rape or sexual assault by under 18s in the army since 2015.

Government junior defence minister Leo Docherty said yesterday in a written response to a question on the subject that five of these complaints were from young females based at Harrogate.

The college on Pennypot Lane recruits about 1,500 young men and women each year. It is the only British Army establishment that delivers military training to soldiers under the age of 18.

Allegations of bullying and abuse at the college were raised in the House of Lords last month.

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The college was recently rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, which gave positive feedback on safeguarding at the college, saying it investigated incidents thoroughly and made necessary improvements.

A British Army spokesperson said:

“We have very strong duty of care and safeguarding mechanisms at AFC (Harrogate) to ensure junior soldiers have the right support structures.  This includes multiple methods of accessing welfare support, including confidential support lines. We take every incident seriously and will refer an allegation to the Royal Military Police for investigation. We also have a Ministry of Defence police officer based at AFC (Harrogate) to assist in education and investigation.

“The armed forces takes any allegation of rape or sexual assault very seriously, and investigates all allegations thoroughly, taking action where appropriate.

“Since 2018 the Royal Military Police has provided sexual offence and consent training at all army basic training establishments in support of the army’s approach to eradicating offending amongst its ranks and educating on the complexities of consent. So far this year, sexual offence and consent training has been delivered to over 600 soldiers at AFC (Harrogate).”

‘Positive’ feedback from stroke patients sent outside Harrogate for emergency treatment

Feedback from stroke patients sent outside the Harrogate district for emergency treatment has been “largely positive,” an NHS official has said.

Under major changes introduced in 2019, ambulances began taking patients to specialist units at Leeds or York hospitals rather than Harrogate after evidence showed they had a better chance of survival – even if travel times are increased.

Simon Cox, director of acute commissioning at North Yorkshire’s NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, said there are now “early indications” that the changes have had a “positive impact” on patients, although he added a full review would be carried out.

He said in a report:

“We have carried out a qualitative survey of those patients who have been through the direct transfer stroke pathway to gather feedback on their experiences which have been largely positive.

“It is timely now, as part of the integrated care system-wide review of hyper acute provision, to conduct a thorough review of the outcomes of the changes.”

The changes were introduced following a national review which found larger, more specialist stroke units were better equipped to increase survival rates and improve recovery times.

Around 300 people in the Harrogate district fall seriously ill with a stroke each year, with two thirds being taken to Leeds and the other third to York.

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Once patients have received treatment at the specialist units, they are either discharged home with support from a rehabilitation team or transferred to Harrogate District Hospital for ongoing care.

Mr Cox previously said figures on survival rates had been “significantly skewed” by the pandemic and would be published at a later date.

He explained the figures were “skewed” as fewer patients had presented at hospitals with stroke symptoms due to Covid fears – something he added was “concerning”.

In his report to a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s scrutiny of health committee on Friday, Mr Cox provided some examples of the positive feedback.

One patient said:

“The doctors and staff in the stroke unit of York Hospital were fantastic – so kind and caring and I will always be indebted to them for literally saving my life.”

However, not all feedback has been positive with some residents in Scarborough raising concerns over similar changes introduced in the area.

Mr Cox said in his report that questions over transport times and staffing levels had  been raised during public consultation events held in November.

He said:

“There was a vocal minority who challenged the move to the new stroke pathway, despite the clinical benefits.

“Although some anxieties remain about the new stroke pathways for the east coast and Harrogate areas, particularly from residents on the east coast and mainly related to travel and  transport times, those who experienced the new pathway were very positive about the care that they received.”

Harrogate business groups criticise ‘confusing’ Plan B ahead of Commons vote

Harrogate business groups have described the government’s Plan B coronavirus restrictions as confusing, ahead of tonight’s vote in the House of Commons.

Both Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and Harrogate Business Improvement District are concerned about the impact the measures would have on businesses.

David Simister, chief executive of the chamber, said:

“To me, Plan B makes no sense whatsoever. Whilst being asked to work from home we can still go to the gym, restaurants, pubs, bars and Christmas parties – all without the need of wearing a mask!

“If businesses do close offices, working from home will have an impact on the economy – public transport, car parks hospitality and retail will all suffer as a result.”

More than 80 Conservative MPs are expected tonight to vote against the measures, which include vaccine passports for large gatherings, compulsory face masks in more settings and the reintroduction of the work from home policy whenever possible.

Harrogate MPs Nigel Adams, Andrew Jones and Julian Smith.

Harrogate MPs Nigel Adams, Andrew Jones and Julian Smith.

The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate district Conservative MPs Andrew Jones, Julian Smith and Nigel Adams to ask whether they intended to vote with the government.

However, we did not receive a response by the time of publication. MPs are expected to vote at around 6.30pm.

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Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said:

“The message we are consistently promoting is that Harrogate is open for business – and that will continue after tonight’s Commons vote.

“If this confusing message does have an impact on Christmas trade, then I feel the government should be considering financial support to counter this.

“The rail commute into town is certainly quieter than last week, and I know a large number of office levy payers are now working from home, which will have an impact on the economy.

“However, with covid measures still in place in many businesses, I’m not sure how many employees will work from home.

“Whilst it looks likely the government will have a majority, covid passports and lateral flow tests to visit nightclubs and indoor venues will prove problematic, as who’s going to police it? I hope that people can continue to be kind and considerate to those who are working so hard in these sectors.”

77,000 booster vaccines given so far in Harrogate district

More than 77,000 booster and third vaccines have been administered in the Harrogate district, according to the latest government figures.

The government announced on Monday that all adults aged over-18 will be offered a booster jab before the end of this month in an effort to tackle the Omicron variant.

UK Health Security Agency figures show that a total of 77,256 booster and third vaccines have been given in the district so far.

Health bosses in Harrogate confirmed today that a vaccination centre will be set up at Harrogate District Hospital as part of the ongoing rollout of booster jabs.

It will provide another booster option for over-18s, who can currently receive jabs at the GP-run Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and Ripon Races or one of several pharmacy sites in the district.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate district has reported a further 109 covid cases, according to today’s government figures.

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Weekly data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that five suspected cases of the Omicron variant have been reported in the district.

The Harrogate district’s covid rate now stands at 392 infections per 100,000 people.

Across the county, the average stands at 372 and the England rate is 521.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

Latest available figures show nine covid patients are being treated at Harrogate District Hospital.

Final full Harrogate council meeting of 2021 cancelled over covid concerns

Harrogate Borough Council has cancelled its final full meeting of the year due to covid concerns.

All 40 councillors plus staff were due to attend the meeting at the council’s Civic Centre in Harrogate tomorrow, but a spokesperson has now announced it has been cancelled as there would have been “difficulties to social distance”.

Although social distancing rules were lifted earlier this year, current government guidance says people should still “consider the risks of close contact”.

The council has only held two full council meetings in-person in 2021 – one in July at Harrogate Convention Centre and one in October at the Civic Centre.

All others have either been held online or cancelled.

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Early in the pandemic, the government changed legislation on council meetings so that they could be held online.

However, these rules were changed in summer when all council meetings legally had to be held in person again.

Among the items that were due to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting was an update on the performance of Harrogate Convention Centre, as well as a call for some public buildings to be handed over to parish councils under local government reorganisation.

The council spokesperson said: 

“Given the difficulties to social distance in the chamber, and the short notice to try and arrange another venue, the meeting of the council has been cancelled.”

Police cordon off Jennyfields house after serious incident

There has been a heavy police presence today at a house in Jennyfields after a serious incident.

North Yorkshire Police arrived at Norwood Grove at about 10am this morning and were still there when the Stray Ferret attended the scene at 2.30pm this afternoon after being alerted by a concerned resident.

Two police cars and a crime scene investigation van were in attendance and a house had been cordoned off.

We contacted the police for further details but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

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Tim Walls, a resident on nearby Hartwith Drive, said:

“We left the house to go to the dentist at around 10am. As we were leaving two big police vans came onto the road.

“When we got back they were still here. I walked over to Norwood Grove and noticed police there with a police cordon at the house next to the ginnel.

“Later I also saw some police officers searching the waste bin in the park behind my house. They were there for around 30 minutes.”

As soon as we receive a reply we will update this story.