Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Does Marilyn not know about climate change?

Does Marilyn Stowe really not understand? The growth in cycling provision in Leeds or Harrogate is not to provide for the few people that already cycle.

The intention is to persuade a lot more people to cycle. Does she not know about climate change and melting polar ice?

Her article on Stray Ferret is just so incredible.

Andrew Willoughby, Knaresborough

Why prioritise cyclists when Harrogate needs parking?

I wrote to North Yorkshire County Council twice last year about the experiences of towns that have installed harmful, counter-productive cycling lanes and low-traffic neighbourhoods.

I wrote that the planners of those towns might be forgiven for not anticipating how damaging the reality of their schemes was going to be – because there were no precedents. Our councils here have no such excuse, not with the evidence from other towns writ large since 2017.

Throughout five different journeys by car, in and out of town, Monday to Friday last week, I counted 12 cyclists — in mild and sunny weather. We really don’t have many homegrown cyclists – for good reason.

The hills on Harrogate’s town-centre access routes, together with wet and windy weather, discourage cycling for local residents. Dedicated cycling lanes will never change that.

It is different for hobby cyclists. They are mostly the ones to be seen on high days and holidays, often grouped on the roads, identifiable by their distinctive apparel and indifferent to bad weather. They are rarely spotted using our shops and cafes or services.

Are we really going to make changes that prioritise cyclists over our entire population, when our town is in dire need of footfall, residents and visitors to shop and pile goods into their cars, or to drive into town to enjoy cafes and restaurants again? Surely we should be welcoming all comers and that means providing plentiful parking if we are to support the prestigious services and the famous retail heart of Harrogate.

On account of working-from-home there are already fewer cars coming into town, and perhaps fewer cyclists – a trend that may progress. Changes are coming and I think we should wait and see.

Jacky Little, Harrogate

Ripon people have chips on both shoulders

The attitudes expressed by both Harrogate borough councillors Swift and McHardy are insulting to the Scottish Nationalist Party, which exists to promote and advance the people of Scotland, and have nothing at all to do with Harrogate or Ripon.

Councillor McHardy’s response is quite typical of the constant whinging from people in Ripon, which is completely unwilling to accept that in 1974 Ripon was absorbed into the Harrogate district. We fail to see any similar grouses from other towns in the district, such as Knaresborough, Boroughbridge or Pateley Bridge, who seem prepared to work with Harrogate Borough Council to get the best deal for their locality.

Ripon seems to live in the past and many Ripon city councillors, who incidentally are often Harrogate borough councillors and North Yorkshire county councillors too, seem to regularly be elected on the basis of their anti-Harrogate Borough Council attitudes.

It’s often said that Ripon people are well-balanced because they have a chip on both shoulders.

John Edmonstone, Ripon

Read more: 

• Marilyn Stowe: They’ve made a dog’s breakfast of cycle lanes in Leeds
• Ripon grievances ‘like listening to the SNP’, says councillor

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

From noon today, Harrogate Hospital Radio’s team of presenters will broadcast non-stop for 24 hours to kickstart its fundraising activities.

Coronavirus has had a huge impact on the station’s finances and it is hoped this broadcast can start to raise some much-needed funds.

Normally, the station would be broadcasting live from major events across the district such as the Great Knaresborough Bed Race and the Great Yorkshire Show.

The annual running costs for Harrogate Hospital Radio, including insurance, public performance licence fees and broadband charges, are in the region of £5,000. On top of that, new music needs to be purchased and equipment updated or replaced.

Harrogate Hospital Radio chairman Mark Oldfield said:

“Covid has had a major impact on our finances, and the sponsored broadcast marks the start of a post-pandemic fundraising campaign.

“Now, with lockdown easing and the vaccine being rolled out, we are in a position to relaunch our fundraising, starting with our presenting team participating in this 24-hour broadcast.

“We have also launched a JustGiving page, making it easier for supporters to make a donation.”

The station is offering potential sponsors the chance to add their name to a show, for 12 months, for a reduced fee of £150.

It is all in aid of raising as much money as possible. You can donate here.

Mr Oldfield added:

“I’m incredibly grateful to our fantastic team of volunteers. Without them, there would be no Harrogate Hospital Radio.

“I’d also like to thank Harrogate District NHS Foundation Trust for their continued support of us, and our sponsors.”

Read more:

• Men’s Shed mental health group opens in Pateley Bridge.
• Grants of £2,000 have been made available to local sports clubs affected by coronavirus.

This is the running order for the marathon taking place from noon until 12pm tomorrow, bank holiday Monday.

1200-1300:    Launch & Welcome

1300-1400:    Live Lounge with local artist Stan Smith

1400-l5OO:   Dolly Mixtures and All Sorts

1500-1600:    Harrogate Hospital Radio’s Presenter Challenge

1600-1700:    The 60s Show

1700-1800:    G&T Name that Tune – Adele Vs George

1800-1900:    Head 2 Head – Wilson Vs Wright

1900-2000:    The School Disco Hour

2000-2100:    Club Classics

2100-2300:    HHR’s Pride Festival – Celebrating LGBTQ

2300-0000:    Kylie in Concert

Midnight:       Midnight Rock

0100-0200:    Soul Show

0200-0500:    HDFT Top 40 Feel Good Chart Show

0500-0600:    Night Shift Request Show

0600-0700:    The Early, Early Breakfast Show

0700-0900:    HHR Big Breakfast Show

0900-1000:    Woodlands Ward Hour

1000-1100:    Chart Show Rewind – 1977

1100-1200:    The 24th Hour

Across Britain the number of empty shops has risen again, but the Harrogate district has enjoyed a boost in businesses opening over the past 12 months.

In March 2020 8.6% of the district’s retail units were empty, but in March 2021 this had dropped to 6.8%.

Research by the British Retail Consortium published by the BBC found that one in seven shops in Britain were empty, with the north of England said to be the most affected.

But the Harrogate district is bucking this trend – despite the repeated lockdowns to tackle the pandemic.

Tina Parker opened a French furniture store, Once Upon A Time, in Killinghall in September and said she would never look back:

“We did feel like we were a little crazy at the beginning but we thought people would go back to supporting local after the pandemic and they have!

“It’s been fantastic, people have been really supportive.

“Of course it has been difficult having to close twice but luckily we did get some grants so it worked out well.”

Liz and Richard Hawkes with Anna Martola (left) from the Watermark Gallery.

Liz Hawkes, owner of the Watermark Gallery on Royal Parade in Harrogate, opened her premises just as the first lockdown was imposed last March. She said:

“We had already signed the lease and done the refurb just as lockdown was enforced but I’m glad we did open then otherwise I never would have done it. The independent scene in Harrogate is really strong and getting stronger.

“It’s been a positive experience for us and encouraged use to be more creative with our space, windows and how we serve our customers.”

Read more:

• Planning approved for new bar and restaurant in Starbeck 
• Time is running out for bars to use the Stray for outdoor dining as the debate continues for another week

David Lombardi opened his music shop, The Music Bank, in Knaresborough in October and said although he has not been open as much as he would like, the local support has been great. He said:

“We kind of thought it was an opportunity and prior to the pandemic people were moving online so it was risky then too.

“I think we are stronger than we would have been if we stayed open because we had the time to work on the business.”

Time is running out for Harrogate bars hoping to use the Stray for outdoor dining as the debate rumbles for another week.

Andrew Jones MP reignited hopes two weeks ago by sending a letter to the Duchy of Lancaster, the land owners, but the outcome has left the bar owners disappointed.

The Blues Bar, The Empress and Fashion House Bistro were all hoping to capitalise on the Stray space outside their businesses from April 12.

However, indoor dining is returning on May 17 so Trish Campbell, manager at the Empress, feels that they will likely miss out on the outdoor dining window.

She told the Stray Ferret today:

“This has completely missed the point. We have still got another three weeks but we are really missing out on a good opportunity.

“For some reason we have not had any help. So we are extremely disappointed and upset.”

Read more:

• Harrogate MP backs outdoor dining on the Stray campaign
• Bars not allowed to use Stray land for outdoor dining

In a letter to Andrew Jones MP, the chief executive at the Duchy of Lancaster Nathan Thompson said:

“If the proposals are not permitted by the Stray Act, Harrogate Borough Council would be in breach of its management obligations in implementing them.

“We therefore suggested to the council that they might seek advice regarding compliance before finalising its proposals.

“Given the aftermath of the UCI World Cycling Championships in 2019, the Duchy also requested further clarification of the proposed scale and duration of the proposed temporary licences.”

Andrew Jones MP forwarded the response to the owners of The Empress and Blues Bar and told them:

“The council rejected taking legal advice and doing the required engagement because by the time this costly work had been undertaken it would be well past the return of indoor hospitality.

“The council have assured me that they were ready to licence limited use of the Stray. I wanted to see an equally flexible response from the Duchy of Lancaster.

“Instead they have quoted the Stray Act and declined to give a view on whether they support use of the Stray in this manner.”

The Waiting Room, a new craft beer bar and cafe/restaurant run by the owners of So Bar and Eats will open this summer on Starbeck High Street.

Harrogate Borough Council granted local pub company Appetite for Life planning permission earlier this week.

The building at 34 High Street was previously occupied by Greenalls and Your Factory Bed Shop, but has been empty for some time. The name of the bar ties into its location near Starbeck railway station.

The company already runs a number of bars in the Harrogate district including the So Bars in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, The Hart pub in Knaresborough, and the Tap on Tower Street in Harrogate.

Appetite for Life owner Rob Thompson told the Stray Ferret he hopes to get the venue up and running in about three months.

He added:

“As a local family-run Harrogate company, we are excited to bring Starbeck our new bar, The Waiting Room, in the next few months. Our plan is for a cafe bar, selling local craft beers, amazing wines and the best in premium spirits and gins in a comfy environment.

“We will be serving a variety of food all day, including artisan coffee, pastries, homemade world food bowls, pizza and grazing boards to nibble on while you are enjoying a drink. We plan to trade all day with food and drink available for take-out for those on the go. When we have more details to share we will let everyone know more”.

A logo of the new venue

The Waiting Room will open from 7am Monday to Saturday and from 9am on Sunday, It will close at 11.30pm Monday to Wednesday and 00.30am during the rest of the week.

Read more:

• ‘Quirky’ Starbeck mural could see Marc Almond floating on a teabag
• New Starbeck bar granted alcohol licence

Starbeck is currently served by one pub, the Prince of Wales, plus two clubs.

There were plans to open a micropub called the Office Ale House on 67d High Street, but proposals fell through.

Leeds Road in Harrogate has reopened fully after four weeks of evening closures for resurfacing.

North Yorkshire County Council‘s highways team worked on the stretch of road between Beech Avenue in Harrogate and Princess Royal Way in Pannal.

It will come as a relief to drivers who have been forced to use an eight-mile diversion between 6.30pm and 11.30pm since March 29.

This is the third of three phases of resurfacing in Harrogate. Works in The Old Barber area in Bilton and Franklin Road are already complete.

The highways team used 2,500 tonnes of material and cleaned out 105 gullies. As they finished the work today, it was completed on time.

Read more:

• Harrogate businesses go electric as number of cars licensed doubles
• Car crash causing delays on Harrogate’s Leeds Road

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“The extensive resurfacing scheme on one of Harrogate’s busiest roads is a real success story for our dedicated highways teams.

“In spite of the constraints on working times, it has been completed on schedule with relatively minimal inconvenience.

“It is a great demonstration of working well in collaboration to achieve the same goal. The standard of the road is much improved and is now fit for future traffic demands.

Brian L Dunsby OBE, a local resident and former chief executive of the town’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said:

“The highways teams have done a brilliant job in resurfacing to such a high standard and were well-coordinated to get it finished on time.

“The project was very well executed as by carrying out the work overnight it caused little disruption.

“This is a major route in Harrogate so it’s great to see such improvements are a priority for the county council.”

A Harrogate company that operates around the world has today won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the second time.

Primeast, which is based at Cardale Park, was founded in 1987 by John Campbell. It provides training and development in more than 40 countries.

The company, which was named in a list of 205 award winners, employs 30 people in Harrogate and now has a team of four based in its US office.

The business also won a Queen’s Award in 2015, as seen in the above picture.

Founded 55 years ago, the Queen’s Award is widely recognised as the top business accolade in the country.

The focus of this year’s awards was ‘promoting opportunity through social mobility’.

Read more:

• Harrogate council refuses to reveal Harrogate Spring Water income
• ‘Unbelievable’ demand for Harrogate baby classes after lockdown

Coronavirus restrictions make it unlikely for winning businesses to get the customary invite to Buckingham Palace to accept the award.

A representative of the Queen will present the award at Primeast’s Harrogate office, later in the year.

Russell Evans, chief executive of Primeast, said:

“This is such fantastic recognition for the entire team who’ve worked with such commitment and passion and the clients who continue to support and partner with us.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:

“In the last 12 months, British businesses showed the entrepreneurial spirit that this country is renowned for.

“They are continuing to drive social mobility, find new markets to export to and produce innovative products and services.”

Harrogate Borough Council has not employed any covid marshals and does not intend to do so — unlike many other local authorities.

Local authorities were awarded £30m by the national government in October for covid compliance and enforcement.

Harrogate Borough Council’s share was £58,000.

The government said one of the purposes of the funding was to recruit covid marshals, who do not have any enforcement powers but are there to “engage, explain and encourage best practice and national covid secure guidance”.

However the funding could also be spent on other covid measures.

Nearby local authorities in Leeds, York, Scarborough, Ryedale, Richmondshire and Selby have all employed marshals, who take to the streets wearing brightly coloured high-vis vests or jackets.

But none have appeared on Harrogate district streets.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We believe the most effective use of resource was to fund our specialist covid enforcement work, which included weekend joint patrols with North Yorkshire Police to provide advice and guidance.”

The spokesperson added it had no plans to recruit marshals in the future.

Read more:

• No covid deaths at Harrogate hospital for two weeks

• Harrogate hospital covid patient finally feels the sun

The Daily Mail reported yesterday several councils in England are in the process of recruiting more covid marshals who are expected to take to the streets after lockdown measures end on June 21.

Hertfordshire County Council plans to recruit 60 marshals to ‘provide practical support to aid and encourage compliance’.

Rooster’s Brewing Company took to social media to appeal for help after new equipment got stuck on the Ever Given cargo ship in the Suez Canal.

The Harrogate-based brewery ordered an automatic labelling machine after previously adding labels by hand.

The new machine was due to arrive a few weeks ago but instead remains over 3,500 miles away.

It was travelling on the Ever Green, which blocked the Suez canal for six days in March and caused chaos for businesses across the world. The ship has now been impounded in Egypt.

Head brewer Oliver Fozard took to Twitter to ask if anyone could help the team “get through a backlog of labelling cans”.

Since putting out the tweet yesterday the company has received numerous offers of help from other local brewers and residents.

Rooster’s director, Ian Fozard, said the company was still in the dark about when its delivery would arrive:

“We’ve still heard nothing, the machine is still stuck. We’ve had offers from various local breweries to help out. It’s more of an irritation than a catastrophe, no one knows when it will be here.”

Mr Fozard said he was grateful so many people had come forward to help.

Read more:

• Artisan market set to return to Ripon this bank holiday Monday
• Community rallies round Minskip fire victims after their homes are left uninhabitable

Liberal Democrat councillor Trevor Chapman has tonight been virtually voted in as the new Harrogate district mayor.

He takes over from Conservative councillor Stuart Martin, who held the role since 2019 and served an extended term due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking at a virtual annual meeting tonight, cllr Chapman said:

“Let’s hope we can return to some form of normality following events over the last year so that I can fulfil the role fully.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the outgoing mayor Stuart for not only carrying out his year of office but also standing in as caretaker during this unprecedented year.

“Stuart, you and April have carried out your duties in an exemplary manner for which I thank you very much.”

Cllr Chapman, who represents the Bilton Grange ward, was chosen to take on the role in March last year before the handover was cancelled because of the pandemic.

It has meant cllr Martin has stayed in the post for an extra 12 months during the same year that his wife, mayoress April Martin, became critically ill with covid.

Read more:

• Tribute to Ripon’s deputy mayor for 20 years’ service to the city
• My Year: Harrogate district mayor’s year brought one of ‘darkest moments’

After tonight’s meeting, councillor Martin said in a statement:

“As my time as Harrogate district mayor comes to an end this evening, I’d like to say thank you to everyone for their help and support over the past two years.

“Both April and I have thoroughly enjoyed being mayor and mayoress, and we have met some truly incredible organisations and charities during that time.

“I am delighted to be able to pass on the chain of office to councillor Trevor Chapman, who I know will make an excellent mayor. It has been a great pleasure and I will leave with many happy memories of my two years in office.”

The role of the mayor is to chair full council meetings and represent the borough at ceremonies and events.

The mayor also raises money for charities and is required to put his or her political affiliations aside to be impartial.

Councillor Chapman has selected Supporting Older People, Citizens Advice and Friends of Harrogate Hospital as his chosen charities.

Christine Willoughby elected deputy mayor

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat councillor Christine Willoughby, who represents Knaresborough Eastfield and served as mayor for the town, was also elected as deputy mayor for the Harrogate district at tonight’s meeting.

She takes over from Conservative councillor Zoe Metcalfe, who represents the Claro ward.

Conservative council leader Richard Cooper also announced at tonight’s meeting that no changes have been made to the cabinet, while a raft of committee chairs, vice-chairs and members were also voted in.