Harrogate neighbours of jailed Yoko Banks ‘planning a street party’

Residents of Scargill Road in Harrogate who lived near ‘nightmare neighbour’ Yoko Banks said they might have a street party after she was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison for drug offences last week.

The 73-year-old businesswoman rented out her properties on Alexandra Road, Woodlands Road and Somerset Road to an Albanian gang for “industrial” cannabis production.

Richard Heritage, who is close friends with an elderly couple who lived next door to Ms Banks on Scargill Road, told the Stray Ferret that neighbours have suffered years of bad behaviour from the guesthouse owner and her mastiff dog. He described Ms Banks as “infamous” in Harrogate.

He said:

“The first thing one resident of Scargill Road told me when they heard she was sentenced was, ‘we ought to get a street party organised’.”

Mr Heritage said Ms Banks lived in the house on-and-off for many years before moving into it full time before the first covid lockdown in March 2020. The street is off Ripon Road near the Harrogate Hydro.

He alleges her dog was allowed to roam the street unattended and would bite other animals.

“The dog tried, two or three times, to attack my friend’s cross-breed. The dog roamed the street. It could have been a child.

“People would call Harrogate Borough Council’s dog wardens and the police who would never do anything about it.”

He also alleges the dog even attempted to bite a postman, which led the Royal Mail to suspend deliveries on the street from December 2020 to February 2021. Residents had to go to the sorting office on Claro Road to collect their post.

The Royal Mail confirmed the incident took place when asked by the Stray Ferret and said deliveries only resumed when Ms Banks put a fence up to keep the dog away from postal staff.

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Mr Heritage said there would be arguments and shouting coming from Ms Banks house often late into the night. He also said she would pile her garden high with unwanted objects, including three abandoned vehicles.

“She felt she could do whatever she wanted without being questioned. She’d tell my friends to f*** off.”

He said whilst residents are relieved she is now behind bars, they are worried that she will return to Scargill Road when she is released.

“They’ve had 12 years of her. It’s been a hard 12 years for them. It’s never relaxed and it’s been constant all the time.

“People ended up not calling the police. They said, ‘Whats the point? they never come out’.

“Will prison will teach her a lesson? At 73 years old she’s very set in her ways.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We provided the dog owner with guidance and advice on how to properly manage her dog. Any enforcement action would be a police matter.”

North Yorkshire Police told the Stray Ferret that there was no investigation into Ms Banks’ treatment of her dog.

Plans to demolish and replace Harrogate’s former Debenhams building

The owner of the former Debenhams site on Parliament Street in Harrogate has unveiled plans to demolish it to make way for a brand new building that includes four floors of “high quality” apartments.

Wetherby-based property firm Stirling Prescient has posted a notice on the window of the former department store about its plans for the site, which has been empty since Debenhams closed for good in January this year.

It says the owner wants to build a new five-floor structure with retail, leisure and food and drink units on the ground floor and 1,2 and 3-bedroom apartments on the upper floors. There would also be a basement floor for car parking and bicycle storage.

The site had been a retail staple on Parliament Street for over a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.

The statement adds there is no longer demand for the Victorian-era building to be used as a department store and it is not suitable for conversion to smaller units due to the building’s layout and age.

It warns if the building cannot be brought back into use the empty building could become an “eyesore” and “blight the high street”.

Another image of the proposals

 

How the store looked previously

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The statement continues:

“The site is in Harrogate’s conservation area and is surrounded by a number of Grade II listed buildings and monuments. These heritage sensitivities have informed the contemporary and high-quality design of the development from the outset.”

The Stray Ferret has approached Stirling Prescient for more information about the development.

No formal planning application has been submitted but the owner is inviting comments from the public at the following email address: planning@westminsterhouseharrogate.co.uk

Read Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam’s history of the Debenhams building here.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, happy Wednesday day. It’s Leah with you on this bright Wednesday morning. The roads have been a little quieter in the last few weeks but make sure to let me know if anything slows you down.

This blog, brought to you by the HACS Group, brings you live travel updates until 9am.

Were you stuck in a jam? Are there some new roadworks on your route? Let’s help everyone have a smoother journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog.

Please give me a call on 01423 276197 or join our Facebook group ‘Harrogate district traffic and travel’ to give any updates.

9am – Full Update 

That is it from me this morning, Connor will be back with you tomorrow.

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Fire Ants’ fight to establish rugby league in Harrogate

A group of rugby league players struggling to establish the sport in the Harrogate district are taking on a fundraising challenge next month to raise money for their club.

Harrogate Fire Ants has had a short but turbulent existence. Founded last year, it first found it difficult to train because of covid and then at the beginning of this year the club had to rebuild from scratch after a change in personnel at the helm.

The team only had eight players for its first match in June but its fortunes picked up after Laura Symmonds, whose husband Tommy O’Sullivan plays for the Fire Ants, took charge and recruited new players.

The season has now ended and preparations for 2022 have begun. Weekly training takes place at Harrogate Railway FC in Starbeck, where the club is based, and there is also a weekly fun rugby-style fitness camp on the Stray for men and women of all abilities. Newcomers are welcome.

Some Fire Ants players are planning to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on September 12 to raise funds for the club.

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Fire Ants player Jonny Binns said:

“it was tough at first and we thought we would have to fold. We were not in a great position. We had no one to run the club and were training on the Stray with very low numbers and struggling to recruit.

“Through Laura’s hard work we are now in a great position to build as a club and we are working hard to recruit new players.

“We have a new kit on the way and recently secured the help from a local coach. We have built a strong committee who are all very committed and hard working. We all believe that the Harrogate Fire Ants has a bright future ahead.”

You can support the Fire Ants’ Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge here.

Money raised from the challenge will also go towards Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

 

 

Former Joe Manby site in Harrogate to be divided into five units

Plans have been lodged to divide a former Harrogate events company base into five industrial units.

The proposal for the Joe Manby Ltd site at Hookstone Park would see the 3,355 square metre unit partially demolished and divided up.

Meanwhile, the number of car parking spaces would be increased from 12 to 40.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

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Joe Manby Ltd folded last October after 46 years in business. The company employed 30 people and organised more than 50 events a year.

Andrew Manby, director of the firm, had been vocal in calling for more government support for the beleaguered conference and exhibition industry.

Mr Manby told the Stray Ferret “it was a heartbreaking decision” to close the company down.

At the time, he said the government’s job retention scheme had kept the business ticking over but it was difficult to survive without a clear date for return

New event organiser set to take over Harrogate Christmas Market

Harrogate Borough Council has said it will now ‘actively work’ with a new event organiser on a Christmas market this year after unsuccessful talks with the current organisers this morning.

Representatives from Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd, which created the market on Montpellier Hill, met two council officers to resolve a dispute that erupted when the council refused to grant a licence for this year’s event due to safety concerns.

But after 90 minutes of talks the council issued a statement saying alternative locations “have been refused” and that it would now “move forward to ensure Harrogate hosts safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas festivities this year”.

A spokesman added:

“Another event organiser has approached us with great enthusiasm to bring their business and expertise to Harrogate town centre this Christmas. And we will now actively work with them to help formalise that discussion.”

He declined to say who the event organiser was.

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Brian Dunsby, one of the current organisers, told the Stray Ferret the council officers at today’s meeting had agreed there was no better alternative to Montpellier Hill.

An assessment of alternative Christmas market locations conducted on behalf of the organisers this year considered Valley Gardens, the Great Yorkshire Showground, Victoria Avenue and Princes Square, Cambridge Street and Oxford Street, West Park Stray and Oatlands Drive Stray, the Dragon Road car park, the Majestic Hotel, the Cairn Hotel, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate Convention Centre – and concluded the current location was the best.

Mr Dunsby, who has been warned by council leader Richard Cooper not to try to galvanise support for his cause, said:

“We’ve been through every conceivable location and can’t find one that has anywhere near the capacity of Montpellier Hill and it just doesn’t work as well anywhere else.”

Two Christmas markets?

Mr Dunsby said he was “absolutely livid” at the prospect of losing the market he and his team have built up into such a major event. Nevertheless they planned to resubmit their event management plan to address issues raised by the council about the current site.

Mr Dunsby said he was open to the town centre hosting a second Christmas market in December in addition to the established one.

His team currently has 170 traders and 53 coaches arranged for this year’s event, which was expected to attract 85,000 people and generate £2.5 million for the local economy from November 18 to 21. Mr Dunsby said he had received “massive support” from traders, adding.

“It’s a very frustrating situation. The event has been successful for the last eight years. Harrogate needs a Christmas market and this is the right place to have it.”

 

Rossett Adult Learning returns to pre-pandemic levels with 160 courses

After 18 months of online classes and a reduced timetable, Rossett Adult Learning will return to pre-pandemic levels for next month’s new autumn term.

The adult learning centre, which is a division of Harrogate’s Rossett School, has been providing courses since the 1970s.

It has operated online with just 70 classes during the pandemic but it today announced it will be back up to 160 courses next month.

About 75% of courses will now be held in-person at the school and some 25% will remain online.

Courses include art, music, exercise, history and languages and cover a diverse offering, including ukulele for beginners, tai chi, furniture restoration and French culture.

The centre welcomed 4,500 to 5,000 students a year pre-covid.

Melissa Horberry. manager of Rossett Adult Learning, said:

“After a tough past year where the centre, tutors and students have had to adapt to a different way of learning, we are now excited to be offering a range of courses online and back in the classroom.

“We have missed seeing our students in the centre on a weekly basis but have been encouraged by the feedback that we have received from our online students on how they have enjoyed their continued learning in the past year, especially during the lockdown periods.”

Class sizes can vary from 15 for arts and craft courses to up to 25 for the evening pilates classes.

The centre also offers 56 language classes offering eight languages at all levels, beginners to intermediate.

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Classes range in price; a 10-week language course costs £95 and a five-week crafts course costs £63.

Profits from the classes go to Rossett School.

Crunch talks to save Harrogate Christmas Market

Harrogate Borough Council and the organisers of the Harrogate Christmas Market are set to hold crunch talks to try to save the event for this year.

It will be the first time that the two groups have held a meeting since the council refused a licence for the market on Montpellier Hill just over two weeks ago.

The meeting will take place tomorrow morning and will centre on alternative locations for the Harrogate Christmas Market.

Brian Dunsby and his team of directors are set to talk with Alison Wilson, the head of parks and environmental services at the council.

Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Lib Dems at Harrogate Borough Council, set up the meeting but has been told by the council not to attend. She said:

“I felt very upset and saddened that this annual event would not be going ahead.

“I contacted the council to see if a meeting could be set up to resolve the issue, either by getting the event licenced or looking for alternative sites.

“Harrogate needs this market, it is a part of Harrogate’s events calendar and we cannot and should not lose it.”

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This comes after council leader Richard Cooper formalised talks with a new set of organisers and described Mr Dunsby’s team as the “former Christmas market organisers”.

If the council were to proceed without Mr Dunsby’s team it is unclear what would happen to the 170 traders and 53 coaches which are already booked to attend this year’s event.

Brian Dunsby told the Stray Ferret ahead of his meeting:

“The agenda is alternative locations. I don’t think there are any other locations which are suitable for the Christmas market.

“We have got everything set up and ready to run at Montpellier Hill.

“I am hoping they will explain why the event is not suitable on Montpellier Hill, that is something the council have not yet done.

“We just have to wait and see.”

The Harrogate Clinic staff go litter picking to ‘spruce up’ Harrogate

Staff at The Harrogate Clinic were out litter picking in Harrogate town centre yesterday after seeing an increase in discarded rubbish.

The colleagues said they have seen an increase in litter since lockdown was loosened and finally decided something had to be done.

In just a few hours the team collected bags of rubbish filled with food packaging, wine and beer bottles and drug paraphernalia.

Walking into work each day, Dr Shoreh Ghasmi, says her and her colleagues often comment on the amount of litter and wanted to get a group together to tackle it.

Dr Ghasmi said:

“We wanted to take it upon ourselves to do something. We are so lucky to work in such a beautiful town and its really disappointing to see some people take it for granted.

“We are just wanting to give it a bit of spring clean.”

The litter pickers in Harrogate yesterday.

The team, from The Harrogate Clinic on Prospect Crescent, have said they plan to make this a monthly scheme with other local businesses already saying they want to get involved.

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Harrogate residents criticise ‘ridiculous’ Victoria Road scheme

There has been a negative reaction amongst some residents to the announcement that vehicles will be stopped from entering Otley Road from Victoria Road from September in an 18-month trial to boost active travel.

North Yorkshire County Council, which is behind the proposal, hopes the intervention will encourage walking and cycling and improve safety for cyclists using the Otley Road cycle route, which could be completed by early 2022.

A barrier will be placed at the junction, and one-way only and no entry signs will be installed.

It follows the furore over the Beech Grove Low Traffic Neighbourhood, which restricted traffic on the road to create a safer link into Harrogate for cyclists.

Guy Tweedy regularly visits his mum at Wentworth Court on Beech Grove and called the move to make Victoria Road one way “ridiculous”.

Mr Tweedy criticised the consultation process and said many residents first heard of the closure through the Stray Ferret. He said the new system has been brought in “by stealth” and will push traffic onto Cold Bath Road.

He added:

“They are trying to create more bottlenecks and congestion.

“The council are creating a problem.”

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Kay Weatherell lives on Beech Grove and her house backs onto Victoria Road. She called the move “absolutely crazy”.

She added:

“It’s all about the cyclists. I understand getting people out of cars but the majority of people who live around here are elderly people.”

Another resident who lives just off Victoria Road and asked not to be named, said the council had “put the cart before the horse” by not consulting residents first about the trial, which he expects to be made permanent.

He said:

“They’ve already made up their minds. It’s not democracy. They have not taken in the views of local people.”

“People coming up here will be using our car park as a turning bay. It won’t solve the problem.”

Conservative county councillor Don Mackenzie and NYCC’s executive member for access said:

“This addition to the existing active travel schemes in Harrogate demonstrates our commitment encouraging sustainable transport to ease congestion and to improve air quality.

“Like the trial on Beech Grove, we look forward to receiving the views of residents during the course of this experimental order. Those views will be taken into account as part of an ongoing review of the scheme.”