Richard Osman coming to Harrogate for Theakston Crime Writing Festival 2021

Richard Osman, Mick Herron and Elly Griffiths are among the novelists who will appear at this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Hosted by programming chair, Ian Rankin, the event will return to Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from July 22 to July 25.

Making an appearance at this year’s festival will be Richard Osman, presenter of the TV show Pointless and author of The Thursday Murder Club and espionage expert Mick Herron, author of the Slough House series.

Elly Griffiths, Ann Cleeves and Mark Billingham will also be special guests, as well as queen of crime Val McDermid.

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Ian Rankin, best-selling Rebus author, said: ‘

“After a year of once-in-a-lifetime challenges, I couldn’t be more excited to stage this celebration of all things crime! With the announcement of our special guests, the countdown is officially on to this year’s festival and I’m looking forward to unveiling what else we have in store.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of event organiser Harrogate International Festivals, said: 

“The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is a lynch-pin in the publishing calendar – an annual pilgrimage for crime fiction aficionados – and we are thrilled to reveal the first taste of this year’s unmissable programme. 

“Harrogate International Festivals has long pioneered innovative and unique cultural experiences, and over the course of the past year we have shown great flexibility and creativity to continue with this mission.”

The festival will include four days of talks and panels from crime writing specialists, including the queens of domestic noir Clare Mackintosh and CL Taylor in conversation.

Weekend packages for the festival will go on sale on Monday. 

For more information on the event and details of covid government regulations visit http://www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/.

Sneak peek: Warburtons pop-up cake shop opens in Harrogate

National bakery chain Warburtons has opened a new pop-up cake shop in Harrogate today on James Street — so we went for a sneak peek.

Ellie Warburtons, which is based in the former Swarovski store at 36 James Street, will sell premium cakes and hot drinks.

There are eight different flavours on offer and customers will be able to vote for their favourite in store.

The menu includes espresso and raspberry brownies, cookie dough caramel slices, ginger with orange cakes, raspberry and passion fruit cakes, coffee and chocolate cakes.

The cakes cost £3 each and are also available as a box of four for £10. People will be able to buy the cakes online after the national launch on June 21.

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Warburtons has worked with the founders of Harrogate’s Love Brownies on the new concept.

Lee Teal, managing director of Love Brownies, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is really exciting to get rocking and rolling with these cakes. This is the second of our pop-up shops, Warburtons is famous for bread but we want to see where we can go with these handmade cakes.

“This is going to suit Harrogate really well, we are just trying to make the best product we can. Warburtons has a really good transport network so we can get fresh cakes around the country quickly.

“Of course it is amazing working with such a massive brand, it is very exciting putting these together and fingers crossed it works.”

Jonathan Warburton, chairman of Warburtons, previously said:

“This is an exciting new venture for our family business and we are taking very much an entrepreneurial approach to how we build the brand while bringing with us the core of Warburtons ethos – quality and taste.”

The new brand takes its name after Mr Warburton’s great-great auntie Ellie. If it goes well a permanent shop could open in Harrogate.

Self-combusting linseed oil causes freak house fire in Bilton

Self-combusting linseed oil is believed to have caused a fire that spread to a Harrogate house and shed last night.

The fire shattered a kitchen window and melted a PVC frame during the freak incident at a home in Cecil Street, Bilton about 9.30pm.

The North Yorkshire Fire and Service incident log said:

“Two crews from Harrogate and an officer attended a fire to a shed that spread to a garden fence and caused damage to the rear of a property.

“The fire shattered a kitchen window and melted some of a PVC frame.

“The cause is believed to be some linseed oil that self combusted and melted a turps containers and then run down to the shed setting that alight.”

Linseed oil, which is extracted from flax seed, is a natural oil used as a preservative for wood as well as being an ingredient in paints and varnishes.

Firefighters used two hose reel jets and a thermal imaging camera to tackle the blaze.

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Live: Harrogate traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Suzannah with you again this morning giving you updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links near you.

Our live blog, brought to you by The HACS Group, will give you up-to-date information on traffic hotspots or where it may be building and the temporary lights in place. We also keep an eye on any bus or train delays.

If it is safe, please get in touch on 01423 276197 if you experience any delays.

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The district’s roads are still looking clear so far this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

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The district’s roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

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Survey shows rising concern about climate change in Harrogate

A survey by the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition has revealed that over 80 percent of residents believe we need to take immediate action to tackle climate change.

The survey was opened to the public in February and had more than 800 responses from residents and local businesses.

Over half of respondents said that they are more concerned about climate change now than they were a year ago.

The coalition is made up of local environmental groups, businesses and Harrogate Borough councillors and said it was already acting on the survey’s findings.

Councillor Phil Ireland, cabinet member for Carbon Reduction and Sustainability within the Harrogate Borough Council, said;

“Even before the survey results came out, Harrogate Borough Council was committed to reviewing our current Carbon Reduction Plan and ensuring it will put council operations and the district on track to reach net zero emissions by 2038. This cross-cutting data-driven approach is currently being updated by officers and will be published later in the year.”

The survey comes after the coalition was criticised in the past year for not doing enough.  There were several high profile resignations including Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat Leader Pat Marsh who said the coalition had been “plagued by inaction”.

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The survey asked what would encourage people to reduce their own carbon footprint, the most popular answers were cheaper rail fares and more regular public transport. Over 80 percent also believed that the UK government has had the most influence for limiting action on climate change, more so than individuals or other factors.

The survey was entirely anonymous. One resident wrote;

“Every year I see more extremes in weather and I live in the countryside so understand how this is impacting wildlife and the ability of the farming community to carry out its work.”

When asked what the main benefits of tackling climate change would be, the most popular answers were better air quality and preservation of the natural landscape.

Since the survey, the coalition has announced it will be running a Climate Action Festival in October of this year aimed at giving residents and businesses tips towards reducing carbon emissions. It is encouraging people who have views on the issue to sign up to speak at the event.

 

Champagne thief strikes in Harrogate supermarket

Police have appealed for information after champagne and spirits worth more than £800 were stolen from a supermarket in Harrogate.

The theft took place at Morrisons on Hookstone Road in Starbeck at about 10.30am on Thursday April 22.

Officers have released CCTV footage of two men they would like to speak to. They believe the men “hold information which would be of assistance to the investigation”.

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A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“While it’s recognised that the men in the images are wearing face masks, officers are appealing to anyone who may recognise them by their hair or clothing to get in touch.”

Anyone who has information can call the police on 101 and quote reference 12210103291.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Brass band to give free live performance on Harrogate Stray tonight

A brass band will give a free live performance tonight on the Stray in Harrogate from 7pm.

Harrogate Band will play hymns and gentle music alongside the In Memoriam artwork that was installed last week on West Park Stray as a memorial to NHS workers who have died due to covid.

In Memoriam, which is the first of a series of art installations organised by Harrogate International Festivals this summer, will be available to see until June 7.

Harrogate International Festivals organised tonight’s live music.

Harrogate Band consists of 25-30 members and has been performing for 51 years.

Band chairman Ed Dennis said;

“The band are delighted to be back performing after 14 months of not seeing each other of being able to make music together.

“We’re so pleased to be working with Harrogate International Festivals once again on this very special project.”

Catch them tonight in front of the memorial on the Stray from 7pm to 7:40pm.

Harrogate ice cream man scoops top award

A Harrogate ice cream van’s Mr Whippy cones have been judged the best in Britain.

John Taylor, whose family has been selling ice cream since 1889, is parked outside the Victoria Shopping Centre most days from March to September.

After a desperate few months of lockdowns and cold weather, business is now booming thanks to soaring temperatures and recognition at the National Ice Cream Competition 2021, which is run by the Ice Cream Alliance, the sector’s UK trade association.

C and M Ices, which Mr Taylor runs with his step-cousin Chris Walker, was awarded the gold medal for its Mr Whippy ice cream. It is the most prestigious ice cream competition in the country and has been running for 76 years.

Harrogate born and bred Mr Taylor, who is his family’s fourth generation ice cream seller, said:

“I am not often lost for words but the moment it was announced I was literally speechless.

“As an ice cream van operator you can’t get a much more prestigious award, and it proves to everyone we put quality products as a core part of our trading.”

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The last time Mr Taylor’s family won the award was in 1979, the year he was born. Back then vans manufactured their own Mr Whippy ice cream; now it is judged on qualities such as flavour, appearance and texture. The amount of air is one of the crucial factors, Mr Taylor explained.

The championships are normally held at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate but it was cancelled due to covid so the ICA organised a panel of judges to tase the entries at its head office.

Zelica Carr, chief executive of the ICA, said:

“Congratulations to John. There was very stiff competition in all the categories so to win gold is a very big achievement.”

According to the ICA, the pandemic cost ice cream parlours and ice cream vans £289million of income in 2020.

Mr Taylor said it had been a tough year and he was sad his uncle David McBretney, who also ran the business until he died in September, was not around to collect the award.

He added he hoped the current fine weather continued.

“Everyone thinks we are millionaires because we have had three days of hot weather but we have only got June, July, August and September until our season is over again.”

Bookings coming in fast for Harrogate Christmas Market

The return of Harrogate Christmas Market looks set to be popular with many visitors and traders already booked to attend.

Organisers have said 40 coach loads of visitors and 150 traders have booked for the four-day November extravaganza.

Last year’s market was cancelled due to covid but with lockdown restrictions due to be lifted on June 21, planning for this year is going ahead.

The event will take place at its usual location on Montpellier Hill and St Mary’s Walk from November 18 to 21.

Opening times will be 10-8pm on Thursday and Friday, 9.30-8pm on Saturday and 9.30-5.30pm on Sunday.

A newsletter sent today by market organisers Brian and Beryl Dunsby, and Steve Scarre, said:

“We have been taking applications since early March and have now accepted a total of 150 traders’ applications towards a maximum of 190 stalls – with many enquiries outstanding for a follow-up.

“We began inviting coach groups on May 2 and bookings have started to come in – now up to 40 coach loads.”

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The newsletter added that access to Montpellier Hill and Esplanade will be restricted during the build-up and for the four days of the market. St Mary’s Walk North will be closed from November 15 to 23.

Admission to the market, which is expected to include a funfair and Father Christmas and his reindeer as usual, is free.

The first meeting of the Christmas market supporters group will take place on June 23 at Harrogate’s White Hart Hotel.

Two men flee after crashing car on Harrogate’s Mayfield Grove

Police were called late last night when a car crashed into a lamppost on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate and the driver and a passenger fled.

A resident woken by the commotion sent these images to the Stray Ferret and described hearing the driver and another man in the vehicle beg passers-by not to call the police before running off.

The driver had tried to reverse the car out of the hedge and grass verge after it hit the lamppost and spun out of control but were unable to do so.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said he was in bed when he heard a loud bang followed by shouting. He added:

“I got up to have a look. A large crowd had gathered and I could hear voices saying ‘don’t call the police’. People were saying ‘why don’t you want us to call the police?’

“The two men then ran down the back roads and one deliberately smashed his phone on the floor. They both legged it.”

The resident said the police arrived 20 minutes later and removed the black VW Golf at about 12.30am this morning.

The lamppost was repaired by the morning.

The resident said Mayfield Grove was notorious for anti-social behaviour and cars with modified exhausts often drove along the road at excessive speeds.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:

“Officers attended reports of a damage-only collision just after 11pm. The driver had left the vehicle, which was recovered by police and enquiries are ongoing.”

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