Harrogate Archives - Page 687 of 793

Harrogate Town captain on ‘incredible feeling’ of Wembley winner

Harrogate Town’s Josh Falkingham came with a real captain’s contribution to win the FA Trophy in what was a tough game at times.

The skipper was alive to the opportunity when Jack Muldoon’s effort came off the post and managed to tap the ball in from close range.

At 75 minutes it was the only goal of the game against non-league Concord Rangers. It means that town brings home more silverware in the FA Trophy.

Fresh from the high of scoring the winning goal, Josh Falkingham told the Stray Ferret:

“I can’t put into words how I am feeling. It’s a special time for a special club and it will live for a long time in the memory of the players and staff.

“We are obviously gutted that the fans couldn’t be here with us. But we have been here before and we have managed to get another win at Wembley.

“This is an incredible feeling, we are delighted. Goals are not really my forte. I get a lot of stick for not scoring as many as I should.

“But it is about the whole team who have worked really hard to achieve this.”

The first half was quite frustrating at times for Harrogate Town, who struggled to break down a fresh team in Rangers.

Town manager Simon Weaver said after the game that he “let rip” on the players at half time. That talk clearly had an affect on the team that came out for the second half.

Josh conceded that the team was not good enough in the first half and said:

“It was simply not good enough. We were nowhere near where we should have been. The gaffer came in and told us how it was.

“We were much more on the front foot and took the game to Concord Rangers. We were able to finish strong and get the goal at a key time.

“So happy days. We have another trophy to take home to Harrogate. I am sure we will have a fair few beers tonight and a few sore heads in the morning.”

Memorial bench vandalism devastates Harrogate families

Vandals who have destroyed two memorial benches in the Nidd Gorge have left the Harrogate families behind them devastated.

A group set up to protect the area found the benches in a sorry state yesterday and posted pictures of the remnants on the “Keeping Nidd Gorge Gorgeous” Facebook page.

The sight of the broken bench is too much to bear for Sylvia James, who bought it to keep the memory of her husband Colin James alive.

Colin died when he was 55-years-old from cancer in 2015. He was born in Manchester but moved to Harrogate to be with Sylvia and loved to go on dog walks in the Nidd Gorge.

For that reason Sylvia bought the bench and she often goes to sit on the bench to be with her husband. She told the Stray Ferret that she will replace it as soon as possible:

“What a way to find out. I haven’t been up to see the bench and I can’t go there because I think it would tear me apart.

“It’s just such mindless devastation. This is a memorial, it is there for a reason. When I go up there and sit there I am with him.

“The bench has been there since 2016 and it has been fine. I didn’t know that people would even do a thing like this.”

Steven Worrell-Shaw, Sylvia and Colin’s son in law, set up a fundraising page with a £300 target to replace the broken bench

Within a day generous people have beaten that target and have donated £450. Sylvia says any money not needed will go to St Michael’s Hospice, a charity which cared for Colin before he died.

Stray Views: has Marilyn Stowe heard of climate change?

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

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.

Harrogate Hospital Radio takes to the air for 24-hour fundraising marathon

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.”

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

Harrogate district bucks UK trend with empty shops in decline

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.”

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 running out for Stray dining as debate rumbles on

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.”

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.”

New Starbeck bar and cafe granted planning permission

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.

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 reopens fully after four weeks of resurfacing

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.

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.”

Harrogate company wins Queen’s Award for second time

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’.

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.”

No covid marshals in Harrogate district

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.

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’.

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Does Marilyn not know about climate change?

Why prioritise cyclists when Harrogate needs parking?

Ripon people have chips on both shoulders

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