It’s been a difficult year for the many bed and breakfasts that depend on Harrogate’s Convention Centre, which has been an NHS Nightingale for the last year.

But the owners of Scotia House on King’s Road are now excited about better times ahead.

In the months before covid, South African couple Mark and Gill Church travelled the length and breadth of the UK looking for their perfect location before buying Scotia House, opposite the convention centre.

The couple left careers in marketing and event management to take over the business in December 2019 — but little did they know what would be around the corner.

Instead of a busy conference and tourist season, the convention centre was swiftly turned into a Nightingale hospital in March last year, with the two large oxygen tanks by the Royal Hall a grim reminder of what might have been.

Mr Church said it was a “blessing in disguise” that the Nightingale was never used to treat covid patients.

Not going to run away

Some longstanding hotels nearby shut their doors for good during the pandemic, including The Kimberley Hotel and Alexa House.

But Mr Church said they never thought about selling up and were determined to get to the other side. The hotel will reopen on May 17.

He said:

“These times were sent to test us but we were not going to run away.

“We’re incredibly blessed to still be here.”

He called the last 12 months “horrendous” but said they had used the time to find different ways to help the business, including going on courses to better equip them for life as hoteliers.

Read more:

• WATCH: NHS takes down Nightingale hospital in Harrogate
• What has Harrogate council spent its High Street grants on?

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the convention centre, is working on a £50m plan to upgrade the ageing facility.

The council hopes the investment will help Harrogate better compete with other conference venues across the country.

Mr Church is looking forward to conferences and events finally returning to the town.

“More money spent on the convention centre is a fantastic thing. We’re also hoping to get tourists in too who will use Harrogate as a base.

“Friends always wonder why would you leave sunny South Africa, but it’s fantastic here in Harrogate. We absolutely love it.”

Harrogate councillors have approved controversial plans to build 95 homes on a grass field described by residents as a “vital green corridor” connecting the town to the countryside.

Redrow Homes were awarded planning permission to build the homes at Granby Farm at a meeting today despite complaints from residents that it would result in the loss of the last remaining link between the Stray and the town’s surrounding scenery.

Those who have contested the plans over the past year also pointed towards an assessment report published in 2016, which said around half of the site should be maintained as a green corridor under any housebuilding plans.

This, however, was only a recommendation and not made an official policy when the Local Plan was adopted last year.

Speaking at today’s Harrogate Borough Council planning committee, Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh voiced her objections to the plans and questioned why the assessment of Granby Farm was ever carried out.

She said:

“I won’t be supporting this – I don’t think it is achieving what the council set out when it went to the effort of pulling together a site assessment for inclusion in the Local Plan where it clearly puts into perspective what this site was meant to achieve.

“If we didn’t want to take note of it, why have it assessed?”

Read more:

• Calls to refuse plans to build 95 homes at Granby Farm in Harrogate
• Call to reduce Ripon barracks development by 500 homes

Today’s approval of the plans also follows warnings from worried locals that a planned access road connecting the nearby Devonshire Gardens development would “decimate” a parkland created for residents less than two years ago.

Richard Clark, an agent for Devonshire Gardens Residents’ Association, said the new street set to be built over Pickering Gardens would “split” the popular outdoor space in two.

He said:

“While this proposal includes replacement open space, splitting the existing space in two to allow access undoubtedly reduces its usefulness. Simply providing more does not address this.

“The access route proposed would of course be cheaper for the developers than securing access via Kingsley Drive, but being the cheaper option does not justify granting permission.”

Locals living south of the site on Roseville Gardens had also lodged complaints that the proximity of the new homes would “severely compromise” their privacy, although council planning officials said all guidelines had been met and that a cycle lane and landscaping measures would reduce the impact.

‘Ideal location for new housing’

The plans – which include 38 affordable homes – were voted through by seven votes for and four against.

Once construction is completed, there will be a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties.

Mike Ashworth, planning manager at Redrow Homes, told today’s meeting:

“The Granby Farm site forms a natural extension to our previous development at Devonshire Gardens and has been proposed for development since the drafting and eventual adoption of the Local Plan.

“It sits in an ideal location for new housing within walking distance of the town centre but also the extensive amenity space at the Stray. We will improve this relationship further through new and improved pedestrian and cycle links.

“The proposals have been subject to a number of changes in consultation with officers, consultees and neighbouring residents.

“The development of the site will lead to significant benefits, not least the delivery of housing to meet identified demand.”

Firefighters were called to an address in Harrogate last night after a barbecue caused a petrol can to ignite.

Crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough were summoned to a home on Rosewood Crescent.

According to the incident summary, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 9.14pm and used one hose reel to extinguish the fire, which spread to the back door of the property

The blaze caused 5% heat damage to the door. Firefighters gave the homeowners advice.

Read more:

• Harrogate firefighters help toddler after they got a toilet seat stuck to their head. 
• Fire crews help two teenagers after getting stranded in a pond on Rudding Park.

Later that night, a Harrogate crew attended another fire when an armchair was set alight in a home on Cold Bath Road.

The incident, at 1223am, was caused by a dropped cigarette. The resident had already extinguished the fire before the crew arrived.

The officers ventilated the property and gave advice.

Two hours later, two Ripon crews responded a to a fire that spread to nearby trees and bushes after a car was set alight.

The car, on St Wilfrids Crescent, is believed to have been deliberately torched.

The crews used a 45m jet, two dry powder extinguisher and a thermal imaging camera.

House prices in North Yorkshire have increased by 22.8% over the last 10 years, according to new research.

A study by The Search Partnership, which tracks property prices in six areas in the county, found that the trend was consistent with areas such as London and the Home Counties.

The research analyses the average price paid per square foot, as recorded by the Land Registry, in Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Thirsk, Wetherby, Ripon and Bedale.

Toby Milbank, director at The Search Partnership, said the increase was on average about 2.28% per year.  Mr Milbank said the company expected to see high market activity as the lockdown eases. He said:

“At the end of the last lockdown, we saw frenetic activity in the housing and land markets.

“With the roadmap to the end of the current lockdown coinciding with the Spring and Summer market, we are expecting a similar period of high activity. Buyers currently have very low levels of stock to choose from and are cash rich, with little else to spend their savings on.

“Banks are offering 90% and even 95% mortgages, which will fuel the lower end of the market in particular. As a result of these factors, we are predicting higher rates of price growth than in previous years and an increase in average house prices of 3% to 4% in 2021 seems likely.”

Research by The Search Partnership includes properties in Harrogate, Ripon and Boroughbridge.

Read more:

• Road through Granby park a ‘hammerblow’ for nearby residents
• 95 homes at Granby Farm will destroy ‘green corridor’

David Waddington, director of land and new homes at Linley and Simpson, said quality of life and rural areas was among the key factors for people buying property in the county.

He said:

“North Yorkshire has retained an affluence that is more indicative to the south than the north.

“Harrogate itself has retained a strong appeal for those wanting everything on their doorstep.”

Mr Waddington said the HG3 postcode in Harrogate was a popular location. He added that a lot of buyers moving to Yorkshire were from the south of England.

Harrogate’s smart parking scheme looks set to be extended until at least 2023 after positive results from a two-year trail.

AppyParking – which uses sensors to give app users a real-time map of available spaces – was said to be the first of its kind in any UK town when it was launched in 2019.

The app allows motorists to pay for the exact minutes they are parked and now looks set for an extension. Council figures showed there is strong support for it to be made a permanent solution with 93% of users saying they found it easier than pay and display.

This is according to a report to a North Yorkshire County Council meeting on Friday which also says there has been a boost to the economy with some users spending up to 50 minutes longer in the town.

Jon Savage, project manager at the ncounty council, said in the report that given its success there is a recommendation for AppyParking to be extended between two to four years in Harrogate and that it could also be introduced in other North Yorkshire towns.

He said:

“Smart parking is more convenient for the customer, increases dwell time in Harrogate town centre and enhances its offer.

“The recommended option to put in place a smart parking provision on a medium-term basis maintains delivery of the identified benefits and enables planning for a longer-term, scalable solution.”

There are more than 2,200 sensors with a lifespan of 10 years installed at on-street and off-street parking bays in Harrogate but it is only proposed to extend the scheme for an initial two-year period because of plans to end North Yorkshire’s two-tier councils.

By 2023, the county council and seven district councils could be abolished under government proposals to hand over control of all services including parking to a new unitary structure.

Mr Savage said the planned changes have caused “uncertainty” over the future of how parking will be managed and that a review of AppyParking would be needed at a later date.

Read more:

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At Friday’s meeting, councillors will be asked to support the proposed extension before Harrogate Borough Council will look to appoint a new contractor to run the system at an estimated annual cost of around £18,000.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the county council’s executive member for access, said he hoped councillors would support the scheme which he described as a “great success”.

He said:

“AppyParking is convenient for users but also for us as the local authority as it means we don’t have to go around collecting as much cash from ticket machines.

“The great benefit to users is being able to visually check if parking spaces are available even before they reach Harrogate, plus it can all be booked and paid for from inside the car.

“Anything that can make parking more convenient is always good news for the town.”

Cllr Mackenzie, who represents the Harrogate Saltergate division, also said the scheme had shown parking remained a priority for the council as it pushes ahead with other plans to support cycling and walking.

“We always encourage people not to bring their cars into town if they are taking short journeys but we also understand the importance of having parking spaces available.

“North Yorkshire County Council clearly supports active travel schemes and projects like the Gateway transformation but nevertheless I still hear what businesses are saying in that around 90% of their customers travel by car.

“We have to have these arrangements in place for this, especially for people who are travelling long distances.”

Campaigners gathered at Valley Gardens yesterday to protest against Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion into the Pinewoods.

It was organised by Harrogate & District Green Party who had members on hand to provide information to the public about the proposals alongside activities for children and live musicians.

Harrogate Spring Water, which is now owned by multinational firm Danone, was granted outline planning permission in 2017 to expand into Rotary Wood in the Pinewoods.

Danone recently bid to vary the terms of this by increasing the size of the bottling plant even further into the woodlands. Harrogate’s planning committee rejected the proposal in January after almost 400 people objected.

Many objectors were jubilant at the outcome but the original outline permission in 2017 still applies. 

Read more:

• Harrogate Spring Water’s Pinewoods expansion refused
• Harrogate Spring Water to ‘consider options’ following expansion refusal

A Green Party spokesperson said:

“We were able to inform people of the proposals and how to object to the Danone/ Harrogate Spring Water compensation plans and highlight the tragic potential loss of woodland habitat in our community. 

“Many people don’t realise the planning application could still go ahead – and we feel strongly they should be able to understand the process and the potential outcomes – and importantly make their voices heard.

“It was fantastic to see so many people enjoy the weather, and families and children get involved with learning more about nature and share how they feel about trees. The community came out together to share the goal of saving our trees and highlighting the plight of Rotary Wood.”

Staff at Harrogate District Hospital have raised money for charity by walking, running and cycling the distance from Harrogate to Wellington in New Zealand.

They started the challenge in February and walked 22,866 kilometres by Easter, raising £1,600 in the process. That is £400 more than the original target.

45 staff from the pharmacy department took part. They all tracked how far they had ran, walked and cycled each week and added up the total.

The money will go to Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity. It supports staff, services and patients at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

Read more:

• North Yorkshire health boss challenges care home isolation guidance
• Bilton bridge mural aims to lift community spirit

Elizabeth Gill, pharmacy support worker and organiser, said:

“At a time when we are all stretched thin and covid has meant we can’t get together outside of work, we wanted to come together to challenge ourselves while raising money for our hospital charity.

“We decided to do the ultimate challenge and get to Wellington in New Zealand as this is the furthest capital from Harrogate and also a country which is covid-free!

“I’m so proud of everyone and how hard we’ve all worked. Our fundraising total is over £1600 which is incredible!”

Yvonne Campbell, head of charity and business development project manager, said:

“Everyone at Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity is blown away by the amount raised by our pharmacy team and the effort they’ve put in to supporting us.

“Recently, money raised by our supporters funded some portable DVD players for inpatients to use to watch films on while they’re in hospital, so the money they raise will go a long way to supporting services, patients and fellow colleagues at the trust.”

A local public health official has challenged the government over new care home guidance, which he has condemned as a “backwards step”.

The new guidance tells residents to only leave care homes for medical appointments or in exceptional circumstances. On their return they will need to isolate for 14 days.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, has raised his concerns about the new guidance with the Department for Health and Social Care.

He believes that residents should be able to leave care homes.

Mr Webb said:

“The government guidance is quite restrictive about people in care homes taking trips out. We felt that was a backwards step.

“If you live in a care home you are entitled to get some fresh air. We were a bit disappointed to see some further restrictions. We have raised that with the Department for Health and Social Care.

“As long as it is done safely we would like to see people enjoy the spring sunshine as the rest of us can. Hopefully that will be looked at and we can give some better news in the future.”

Read more:

• Harrogate care home residents furious at covid isolation guidance
• Questions over Starbeck Baths as council fails to give opening date

This comes as residents at a care home on Claro Road, which is run by Disability Action Yorkshire, said they will defy the guidance as it was a “clear breach” of their human rights.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of the charity, has written to Harrogate MP, Andrew Jones. She warned him that he will receive furious e-mails as a result of the guidance.

She said:

“For the people that live at 34 Claro Road this is devastating. They are young people who just want to have the same freedoms as everyone else.

“They are seeing pictures of groups enjoying a beer outside the pub and they are being told they can’t even go for a walk around the block.”

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.

Don’t sell Ripon Spa Baths

Let people and businesses enjoy the Stray!

With reference to Barry Adams’ letter about turning the Stray into an ‘uncontrolled beer garden‘.

As a reminder of the past year, we have endured a pretty significant event in our history. Living through a pandemic, through lockdown and (understandably) having limited travel enforcements, it’s been a pretty torrid time. The proposal, which I understand was knocked back by the Duchy of Lancaster, provided a way of establishing some level of normality and relief.

I’m always amazed when people want to prevent the enjoyment of others. Our town is gifted with a huge piece of land, yet some people feel it’s their place to make sure others can’t make full use of it. Grass grows back; we learned this from the after events of the UCI Cycling Championship. You’d never know it took place.

I think it’s a shame that the Duchy didn’t let these proposals go ahead. It would have been an uplift for the town. The Stray needs to be considered an area for common enjoyment, not some kind of area to be looked at from a distance or at speed. It’s great to see folk of all ages using the Stray for whatever sort of celebration. If there was ever a good time to make full use of the Stray, it’s now.

Stu Mitchell, Pannal Ash

Never a better time than now to open up the Stray

The Stray IS for the people’s benefit, surely? We need to be outdoors as much as possible. The alternative? Little space outdoors means more people indoors = more possibility of infection rates going up.

There was never a better reason for opening the Stray than for such a purpose, in my view.

Has this person not heard of the many events held on the Stray where people buy drinks, and food?

Please, Harrogate, let the people use this tiny slither of the Stray for their health, if nothing else.

Teresa Liddell Shepherd, Harrogate

Recycling rules

I queued to get into the Wetherby Road recycling depot with a fridge in a trailer. No trailers were allowed but I managed to get rid of it anyway.

Maybe I have just fallen foul of a rule which has been in for a while but I wonder how the council expects people to get rid of bulky items, which won’t go in a small car or are too dirty, eg too many clippings for the fortnightly green bin collection or too wet and leafy to decently burn and would have gone into the large recycling skips.

Trivial but infuriating.

Pete Dennis, Harrogate

Got 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.

Fifteen years ago Paul Donkin applied for a job as a waiter at the St George Hotel in Harrogate.

Now he is the hotel’s general manager and recruiting his own team of staff ahead of re-opening on May 17.

At 35, Mr Donkin may seem relatively young to hold such a senior position at one of Harrogate’s premier hotels.

But he has worked in hospitality since he was 15, lived in Harrogate for the last decade and a half and is brimming with ideas to revive the 90-bed St George.

The hotel, opposite the Royal Hall, is steeped in history but has had a troubled recent past.

After a multi-million pound refurbishment in late 2018, it closed during the first lockdown 13 months ago and then its owner, Shearings Hotels, went into administration in May.

The St George was one of 39 hotels in the group bought by Coast and Country Hotel Collection under an agreement with management company Bespoke Hotels.

Few people, besides a caretaker, have been inside the building for the past year, so it remains in superb post-refurbishment condition.

Gin bar

Mr Donkin’s plans include changing the menu, re-starting weddings and creating a gin bar.

He also wants to create an afternoon tea room, which seems a brave thing to do in a town not exactly under-served by tea rooms. But he sees an opportunity to entice locals to enjoy a brew beneath the magnificent stained glass domed ceiling in one function room.

He also has plans to improve the Dog and Duck bar, which has lacked the appeal of some other Harrogate hotel bars despite its central location. As part of this, he has been talking to Cold Bath Brewing Company about introducing new beers.

What about reviving the hotel leisure club and swimming pool? The pool has been drained. Mr Donkin says:

“It’s on the radar of the owners. The Majestic and Rudding Park are the only hotel leisure centres so it would be nice to have one.”

Read more:

• St George Hotel in Harrogate set to re-open
• Famous Georgian hotel in Knaresborough goes on the market

Mr Donkin is currently recruiting about a dozen staff for what he calls a ‘soft launch’ in May. He says:

“Once we pick up speed we will be recruiting more.”

What does he think will be the biggest challenge in the new covid world? He replies immediately:

“Customer confidence. Everyone is still a bit nervous about sitting in a restaurant with up to 100 other people.”

‘Harrogate remains a great destination’

At York Pavilion Hotel, where Mr Donkin was previously general manager, he says  more people booked directly with the hotel rather than through websites when it briefly re-opened after the first lockdown in September so they could ask questions about the covid protocol.

He predicts this will continue and there will be more last minute bookings until people feel confident again about going away. He says:

“It’s not going to be easy. But hospitality in Harrogate has always been strong. It’s always been a great destination to come to. We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.”

Although he welcomes the impending reopening of Harrogate Convention Centre, he says the town’s hospitality sector needs to be less dependent on it and “explore other avenues, such as leisure and corporate travellers”. He adds:

“I don’t think we will ever be back to where we were, with 200 or 300 people regularly attending conferences. People do that on Zoom now.”

Mr Donkin, who is married with two children and plans to run his first marathon in October as part of an ambition to complete a triathlon, clearly has a task on his hand. But he knows what he is letting himself in for.

He has worked at many of the town’s major hotels, including the Cedar Court, Old Swan and Crown, and knows the other hoteliers.

“In York, we knew each other but there wasn’t the same community feel as there is in Harrogate.

“I’ve been very excited since I got the role and can’t wait to re-open.”