Harrogate chamber seeks new leader as CEO stands down

The CEO of Harrogate and District Chamber of Commerce is to stand down in spring after five years in the post.

Sandra Doherty took on the role in May 2016, but has decided to step down after selling her guest house on Ripon Road and making plans to retire to Northumberland.

The chamber is now asking anyone interested in taking on the role, which comes with a small remuneration package, to email Ms Doherty on ceo@harrogatechamber.co.uk.

The chamber says those interested need to care about the Harrogate district and the businesses within it, and be able to comment on issues facing them.

Ms Doherty spoke highly of her time in the role, thanking the people she has worked with during the five years. She said:

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as Harrogate and District Chamber of Commerce’s CEO, and when I depart, I will miss all that this position brings.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for someone with a bit of time and an enjoyment of working with people in many walks of life. Like me, they will be supported by a superb management committee.”

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Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce president Martin Gerrard said:

“We will be very sorry to see Sandra not only depart from the chamber, but from Harrogate too.

“Being chamber CEO is by no means an easy job, and the last 11 months have proved to be incredibly challenging. It needs an understanding of Harrogate’s business scene, great organisational skills, and the ability to comment on a wide range of issues facing the town and the wider district.

“Above all, it needs someone who cares about the town and the businesses that make Harrogate such a popular place to live and work.”

Ms Doherty took on the role at the chamber after Brian Dunsby stepped down in 2016, after 14 years at the helm.

The chamber’s history in Harrogate dates back to 1896 and it was responsible for the creation of Yorkshire Business Market and Harrogate Christmas Market, now both run separately.

In normal times, Harrogate and District Chamber of Commerce offers a monthly meeting to all its members, including regular ‘speed networking’ sessions and topics to support business growth. It has been offering online meetings since mid-2020.

It is run by a management group of volunteers drawn from member businesses, led by the CEO, which meets quarterly.

Penny Pot Lane near Harrogate reopens after serious collision

Penny Pot Lane near Harrogate has reopened after a serious traffic accident this afternoon.

A woman in her 60s who was driving a car was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with serious injuries, although they are not thought to be life-threatening.

Emergency services were called to the scene near New Acre Farm shortly after 1pm.

Fire, ambulance and police vehicles were all in attendance.

North Yorkshire Police urged drivers to avoid the road in a tweet at 2.17pm this afternoon.

Harrogate traffic sergeant Paul Cording also used his Twitter account to alert people to the situation.

Penny Pot Lane in #Harrogate remains closed whilst we deal with a serious RTC. Please avoid the area whilst emergency services deal #JESIP pic.twitter.com/F6DhuMQV4I

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) February 16, 2021

Sgt Cording later alerted the Stray Ferret to the road reopening at about 3pm.

Penny Pot Lane is a popular route for people in Harrogate travelling to Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs.

It is also the location of the West Harrogate Household Waste Recycling Centre run by North Yorkshire County Council, and traffic queueing to enter the site frequently backs up.

Witnesses can contact North Yorkshire Police by dialling 101, pressing 1 and speaking to the force control room. Quote reference number 0148 of 16 February.

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Businesses helped post-Brexit by new Harrogate training centre

A new training centre opened in Harrogate yesterday to help businesses and staff better equip themselves for the economy post-Brexit and post-covid.

The Yorkshire education provider, Luminate Education Group, set up The Yorkshire Centre for Training and Development to help businesses navigate the upcoming economic challenges.

Operating out of Harrogate College on Hornbeam Park, as well as at sites in Leeds and Keighley, the centre will work with businesses to offer bespoke training packages.

The team of teachers will offer a range of compliance, professional development and redundancy support courses.

Luminate Education Group includes, amongst others, Harrogate College , Leeds City College and Keighley College.

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The director, Lee Pryor, said:

“With the ever-changing economic climate, we recognise businesses’ need to adapt their employees’ skills, to ensure a successful post-Brexit and post-covid transition.

“Our service will start with a complimentary skills planning session to understand the business, so that we can effectively identify its training needs, and match these to a budget.

“We will be offering in-person as well as virtual sessions that fit around the organisation’s schedule. We will then develop a bespoke training solution that meets those needs.”

He added businesses from a range of sectors, including social care and hospitality, could come to the centre for support.

Cars could make way for cyclists on another Harrogate road

Cars could soon make way for cyclists on another major route in Harrogate under proposals to make Oatlands Drive one-way.

Road closures have become a hot topic in Harrogate lately.

Beech Grove was due to close to through traffic today as part of plans to encourage more cyclists and pedestrians by creating a low traffic neighbourhood.

North Yorkshire County Council wants to create another low traffic neighbourhood in a yet-to-be specified part of Bilton, which could see further restrictions on vehicles.

Now the council is consulting on plans to make Oatlands Drive one-way southbound.

It also wants to limit the speed to 20mph, widen the existing footpath and create a new segregated cycleway.

Four parallel crossings, which combine pedestrian and cycle crossings,  are planned, along with one-way filters that would affect the junctions with St Winifred’s Drive and St Hilda’s Road.

The £215,000 Oatlands project is one of three cycling schemes the council opened consultation on last week.

The two other schemes would see cycle tracks created on Knaresborough Road between High Bridge in Knaresborough and Harrogate Golf Club, as well as on Victoria Avenue between Princes Square and Station Parade.

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The Department for Transport awarded £1,011,750 for the schemes after a successful funding bid by the council.

Of the three schemes, vehicle movements would only be restricted on Oatlands Drive.

‘Ridiculous idea’

One local resident, Mr Brown, told the Stray Ferret some local people were “fuming”.

He said he cycled as well as drove and questioned how forcing vehicles to make longer journeys into town along Wetherby Road would ease congestion and improve the environment.

Mr Brown said many of the roads named after saints were already clogged up by cars parked by Harrogate District Hospital staff. He added:

“To me this seems ridiculous. There are not that many cyclists and the ones I have seen are the Saturday morning groups who respect other road users and are competent cyclists.

“This is just going to cause havoc for the saints area. The real problem is lack of parking at the hospital and parents dropping their children off.

“I personally agree there should be a crossing by the Stray on Oatlands Drive so walkers can continue along the path but to make it one way for a few cyclists seems ridiculous and a waste of taxpayers money!”

Beech Grove is due to close for six months and, depending on the results of a public consultation, could become permanent.

Work to install the signage, bollards and planters will take three days from today, weather permitting.

You can take part in the Oatlands Drive consultation by clicking or tapping here.

Harrogate garages see increase in pothole repairs despite lockdown

Garages in Harrogate have said they are experiencing a rise in demand for pothole-related repairs despite the national coronavirus lockdown.

It comes as the government announced today £51 million in funding to repair roads in the Yorkshire and Humber region over the next year.

This is the second instalment of a national £2.5 billion “potholes fund”, which Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed in last year’s Budget.

However, it seems there are plenty of holes for North Yorkshire County Council to fill locally.

The council currently has 781 potholes on its reporting system for Harrogate, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge. Ripon and Masham have 175.

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While not all the reports require action from the council, those numbers can be a good indicator of the demand it is currently facing.

The recent cold weather has also caused more potholes. When water enters the road and freezes, it expands and creates holes in the surface. Traffic then exacerbates the problem.

Harrogate’s garages then deal with the consequences of damage caused by vehicles driving over potholes.

Finlay Bunce, the manager at Universal Tyres Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret that it recently repaired 10 cars on one day due to potholes:

“People should not be travelling as much but we are still seeing quite a few cars with pothole-related damage.

“One woman last week had only driven 160 miles in her brand new car when she drove over a pothole. She needed two new tyres.”

Sam Burton, manager of Just Tyres in Harrogate, said it had seen a 15% increase in pothole repairs since early January when the country went into lockdown. He said:

“We have had quite a few people complain about Otley Road in Harrogate. I drive down it regularly and it looks as if someone has lost control of a jackhammer. It all needs to be resurfaced.

“Some cars are so badly damaged as a result that we cannot even do a repair. Wagons and cars are driving all over the roads to avoid the holes.”

Controversial Harrogate road closure starts today

Beech Grove will close to through traffic today as part of a council bid to create a “low traffic neighbourhood”.

The road closure will be in place for six months and, depending on the results of a public consultation, could become permanent.

Work to install the signage, bollards and planters will take three days from Monday, weather permitting.

It is hoped the move will improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It will also link to the new Otley Road cycle path, work on which is due to begin in spring.

Residents, refuse collections and emergency services will still have access to the area.

But motorists will no longer be able to get directly from Otley Road to West Park via Beech Grove.

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North Yorkshire County Council revealed the proposals two weeks ago and it quickly divided the town into two camps.

Cycling and green groups were in favour, seeing it as a shift towards a more environmentally friendly town.

Harrogate’s chamber of commerce and business improvement district raised concerns about the impact on the high street, however.

Residents on the streets have also contacted the Stray Ferret to express their displeasure at the town centre detour now needed to head towards Starbeck or Leeds.

When the cycle route is completed, cyclists will be able to turn from Otley Road onto Beech Grove, which would be free from traffic, and connect with another earmarked cycle route on Victoria Avenue.

Harrogate district covid rate below 100 for first time since Christmas

The covid rate of infection in the Harrogate district has fallen below 100 people per 100,000 for the first time since before Christmas.

Public Health England confirmed another 22 cases today, reducing the seven-day average rate of infection to 98.

It has not been this low since December 21.

Rates shot up after Christmas, peaking at 498 on January 7.

The current overall average for North Yorkshire is 101 and the England figure is 148.

Killinghalll and Hampsthwaite is still the sub-district with the most cases, having recorded 22 in the last seven days.

Starbeck is second with 17.

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Two sub-districts — Harrogate West and Pannal and Dishthorpe, Baldersby and Markington — have not had any infections in the last seven days.

No further covid deaths at Harrogate District Hospital were reported today.

Harrogate district emerges from the deep freeze

The Harrogate district is finally emerging from weeks of sub-zero conditions, as temperatures begin to rise.

The Met Office forecasts 11 degrees centigrade tomorrow, which will feel balmy after the recent freeze.

Temperatures failed to reach double figures throughout January, and February has seen little improvement with Met Office weather warnings for snow and ice almost constantly in place.

Professional photographer Lissa Peakman captured these amazing images of ice forming on land and fences near Ross Bridge, on Darley Road in Birstwith on Friday.

Any lingering snow and ice is likely to vanish soon as warmer air moves in.

Temperatures could be as high as 14 degrees next weekend as winter begins to give way for spring.

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Rudding Park works with charity to spread love to older people

Rudding Park has worked with a local charity to send 250 treat packages to older people this Valentine’s Day.

The hotel and spa teamed up with Supporting Older People to give people a lift after another month in lockdown.

Chefs at Rudding Park made hundreds of homemade treats for the packages. They include passion fruit chocolate truffles, heart shaped biscuits and more.

Julia Lightfoot, Supporting Older People’s befriending and activities manager, said:

“These delicious little treats that Rudding Park have so kindly arranged will certainly bring a smile to their faces and help them feel loved this Valentine’s Day!”

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The charity added that the deliveries have been meticulously planned to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Julia Featherstone, Rudding Park’s front office manager, spearheaded the project and said:

“Being furloughed for much of the last 11 months has not diminished the team’s desire to do what they can to make people smile.

“With this in mind, we are delighted to have teamed up with Supporting Older People to support the amazing work they do in our wonderful community.

“As it is Valentine’s Day on Sunday, we wanted to let their members know that we are thinking of them.”

Meditation at heart of Harrogate school’s mental health award

A Harrogate school has won gold for its mental health and wellbeing support for pupils.

Coppice Valley Primary School has rolled out a wide range of activities including meditation, and more as part of a mental health curriculum.

It is collaborating with local services Compass Buzz and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The school also has set out specific support for pupils in need.

The school said the focal point of its provision is its weekly personal, social and health education lesson which teaches children how to look after their mental health.

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More than 800 schools have signed up to take part in the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools award.

The award shines a light on the work of schools to support mental health, something which has become more poignant after a year of coronavirus.

Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health, which is part of Leeds Beckett University, established the award in 2017.

Coppice Valley’s headteacher, Emma Meadus said:

“I am extremely proud of the mental health offer we provide at Coppice Valley for all pupils.

“Achieving this award is a fantastic recognition of all the hard work of the whole school community to create our mental health provision.”

Sam Wright, Coppice Valley pupil wellbeing worker, added:

“Working towards the award over the last year gave me the perfect opportunity to audit our mental health provision for the whole school.

“I was able to see what we were doing well and which areas we could improve on. We’ve built a robust offer for all our children through the award-process.”