‘Secure your garages’, urge police after latest theft in Boroughbridge

A motorbike has been stolen from Boroughbridge as part of a spate of garage thefts of cycles and motorbikes.

Thieves took the red and white motorbike, which had been given as a Christmas present, after cutting through two locks between 19 and 21 January.

North Yorkshire Police said today bikes and motorbikes worth thousands of pounds have been stolen in recent days and appealed for people to check their outbuildings were secure.

It later added a mountain bike was stolen from a garage in Hookstone Grange Way last week between 5pm on Tuesday and 8am on Wednesday. It is an orange and black Whyte T130-C carbon framed bike with a new Vittoria front tyre.

PC Liz Estensen, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Recorded crime figures show that thieves are far more likely to break into sheds and garages than houses, so consider taking extra steps to protect your outbuildings, particularly if you live in a rural or isolated area.”

Police added officers were also investigating reports of youths interfering with high-value vehicles parked in Harrogate overnight.

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The force issued the following crime prevention advice:

Anyone with information about the Boroughbridge theft can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident reference 12210034339.

Harrogate cafe a ‘hidden gem’ for locals and hospital staff

Tucked away on a residential street just off the Stray, this Harrogate cafe has become a lifeline for the local community and nearby hospital staff.

Simon Somerville-Frost has the bright smile and bubbly personality that draws people into No 43 Brew Bar, on St Winifred’s Avenue.

While the cafe cannot be the hub it wants to be right now, owner Simon and manager Becky Gilmour have made a difference for many by simply staying open.

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No 43 Brew Bar opened in May 2018 after Simon realised that, after nearly a decade of living in the Saints area of Harrogate, he didn’t know any of his neighbours.

Wanting to set that right, he took on a shop unit opposite his home and soon expanded next door.

Some tried to dissuade Simon from opening a cafe outside the town centre but he was confident that it could become the heart of the local community.

It serves a range of tray bakes, coffees, teas, milkshakes and hot chocolates that can normally bring in people from not only Harrogate, but also Leeds and Bradford.

In reaction to the third national lockdown, Simon is also taking part of the business online, launching a new delivery box of its sweet treats called Brew Bar Bakes.

Simon told the Stray Ferret;

“We knew that within two or three months we had something unique as a business. It was clear to our customers that we were not just in it for the money.

“The cafe has always been a place for people to stay as long as they like and meet new people. Yes, the coffee needs to be very good, but it’s about the experience as well.

“During the first lockdown we really shone. We know our customers who lived alone so we were able to contact them, ask if they were OK, do some shopping for them.”

Not only do people visit No 43 Brew Bar on their walks – and yes dogs are allowed – but it has also been an escape for hospital staff over the last couple of years.

The cafe offers a 10% NHS discount and, drawing on his previous experience of working in the hospital, Simon knows some of the pressures the hospital staff are facing and how to put them at ease.

This is part of the Stray Ferret’s ‘hidden gem’ series, highlighting small, independent businesses. They need to be tucked away but growing in popularity with an eye-catching and unique product or approach. Send us an email with your nominations.

Harrogate district care homes ‘ravaged’ by covid

A care home company boss has spoken of the struggle to contain recent outbreaks of covid that have “ravaged” homes in the Harrogate district.

A total of 258 care home residents and staff in North Yorkshire currently have covid, according to figures from North Yorkshire County Council this week.

Tracey Holroyd is chairman of Warmest Welcome, whose Westfield House Nursing Home in Killinghall has suffered one death recently and currently has 12 infections.

Warmest Welcome owns eight other homes, including The Crest Care Home in Harrogate, and Ms Holroyd said all but one had been hit hard by covid recently, along with many others in the care sector.

She said the new mutant strain of covid struck Westfield House over Christmas.

“This new variant is so fast, it just ripped through the home. It’s horrible.”

Westfield House had hardly suffered any covid infections until Christmas.

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Ms Holroyd said staff followed all the correct protocols but the speed of transmission in a building full of vulnerable older people was devastating. She said:

“The care home is the community so if the virus is in the care home it’s in the community. And this virus is so fast.

“It’s just been awful but we are over the worst. We’ve just got to keep on keeping on.”

Ms Holroyd said the manager and deputy manager had both been off but were now back, and that having so many staff absent had been a “massive problem”.

The infections are also delaying the vaccination programme at Westfield House. Ms Holroyd paid tribute to the dedication of staff during such a difficult time, adding:

“The vaccine can’t happen soon enough.”

North Yorkshire County Council said this week 76 out of 235 care settings in the county, which includes care homes and extra care facilities, has one or more positive covid case.

Of that number, 55 have recorded outbreaks, which is two or more cases. Nine have large outbreaks, which is defined as 10 or more cases.

 

Harrogate man campaigns for suicide prevention in son’s honour

A Harrogate man, who set up a charity to honour his son who took his life, held an event today to encourage businesses to improve workplace wellbeing.

Steve Phillip founded The Jordan Legacy to improve people’s wellbeing and the support available to them.

Mr Phillip and other family members hope the charity will provide support for people in their darkest times.

Jordan was 34 when he took his life in December 2019. Since then, his family, friends and partner have been determined to remember him and “live by his values”.

Mr Phillip described his son as “very considerate, a lot of fun and always the first there if you had a problem”. He said he knew he wanted to do more to help others.

Jordan Phillip

Jordan Phillip

Today, the charity held an event to promote the #HopeForLifeUK Day it plans to hold on December 4 this year.

That date will be the second anniversary of Jordan’s death and the aim is to bring people together to discuss suicide prevention.

The charity works with businesses to encourage workplace wellbeing and mental health training and to ensure they have people and facilities in place to support staff.

It also works to bring community organisations together to discuss suicide openly and plan how it can be prevented.

Those attending today’s online event were asked to make a contribution; this may be to read a book on mental health, train as a mental health first-aider or fundraise for the charity. Whatever it is, the charity asks it be promoted using the #HopeForLifeUK Day. Mr Phillip said:

“Today is all about getting businesses, people and organisations involved to discuss suicide prevention and to put practical action in place to help people with their mental health.”

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Mr Phillip began working for the charity full-time eight weeks ago after previously being employed as a social media and LinkedIn consultant. He was also the vice president of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce until 2016.

Mr Phillip said lockdown is having a huge impact on people’s wellbeing and he hopes to continue promoting the charity and the work it does to ensure people feel supported.

The charity’s website also has a number of resources available for people.

Claims Harrogate McColl’s worker with covid symptoms was told to work

A Harrogate McColl’s store has been forced to close after the manager allegedly told a staff member who had coronavirus symptoms to work.

Peter Lythe booked a coronavirus test after experiencing symptoms and claims he told his boss at the King Edward’s Drive store on Saturday ahead of a shift.

In text messages, seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Lythe said told his manager that he “might have to isolate from today [until] my tests comes back.”

The manager replied: “You don’t unless you’ve had a text message.”

After being unable to find cover for his Saturday or Sunday shifts Mr Lythe reluctantly went into work.

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On Sunday evening at around 7pm, Mr Lythe received a positive coronavirus test result which told him to self-isolate for 10 days.

The next day the McColl’s store closed and put a sign in the window to say that it would re-open as soon as possible.

We approached North Yorkshire Police, Harrogate Borough Council and McColl’s with a request for comment.

The police and council decline to comment but a spokesperson for McColl’s told the Stray Ferret:

“We can confirm that our store on King Edward’s Drive, Harrogate, has been closed since Monday after a colleague tested positive for coronavirus.

“Following the store’s closure, we conducted a deep clean in line with the latest health and safety standards, and all colleagues are following isolation guidelines.”

“The health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers remains our absolute priority during his time.

“We continue to proactively follow Public Health England guidelines and keep our protocols under constant review.”

The McColl’s store is due to reopen on today after a deep clean.

Photographers proud to put Harrogate in snow on show

Two photographers won first and third place in a global photography competition by putting Harrogate in snow on show.

The website StormHour runs weekly weather photography competitions in conjunction with the Royal Meteorology Society.

The competition attracts about 1,000 entries monthly but Harrogate photographers dominated the top spots in the latest weekly awards.

The recent snowy landscape provided the inspiration for Richard Maude, who was first, and Rachel Auty, who was third.

Mr Maude went to Valley Gardens with his camera and tripod in hand waiting for the lights to illuminate the Harrogate 1571 statue.

Rachel Auty and Richard Maude.

It’s a subject he has captured a lot but he knew it would be extra special in the snow. He told the Stray Ferret:

“I have been a big fan of the statue since it arrived. It is quite unique and it works as a beacon to draw people in.

“The statue lights up at 5.30pm but not everyone knows that. So when people were in the vicinity and it lit up there was an audible ‘oooh.’

“This is also extra special because two Harrogate photos featured as winners in the competition.”

‘Harvey’s Place.’ Image subject to copyright: Rachel Auty (@marketrach)

Rachel Auty went to Hookstone Woods, which has a special place in her heart. She told the Stray Ferret:

“Over the various lockdowns I’ve gone there to find some escape and comfort. I find the woods meditative.

“The place in the photo is an opening to the water there where I always stopped on walks to let my dog have a swim.

“My dog became suddenly very ill and died in November, which left me absolutely heartbroken.

“His name was Harvey, so now I refer to the spot as ‘Harvey’s Place’ and I often go back there and think about him. It feels like something of a tribute to him.”

Police issue £1,000 fine for illegal New Year’s Eve party at Harrogate hotel

North Yorkshire Police has issued a £1,000 fixed penalty notice for a breach of coronavirus regulations at a hotel in Harrogate on New Year’s Eve.

Last week the Stray Ferret published claims that Harrogate hotelier Simon Cotton flouted covid restrictions by holding a party for himself and 10 friends at the Yorkshire Hotel on New Year’s Eve. Mr Cotton has consistently denied the allegations.

The Stray Ferret spoke to multiple sources who allege the party ate on a single table, did not observe social distancing and that speakers were brought in to play music with bar staff on hand to serve drinks into the early hours of the morning.

The party stayed in the hotel overnight and new staff were then brought in to serve the group breakfast on New Year’s Day.

Our sources say some staff were extremely unhappy at being asked to work but feared for their jobs if they refused.

North Yorkshire Police issued the following statement today:

“An investigation into an alleged breach of coronavirus regulations at a hotel in Harrogate on New Year’s Eve has now concluded. As a result, North Yorkshire Police have issued the person responsible for the venue with a fixed penalty notice of £1,000 fine.”

Government covid legislation gives police powers to issue a £1,000 fixed penalty notice for business-related breaches. This is increased to £2,000, £4,000, and £10,000 for repeat offences.

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The Stray Ferret contacted the HRH Group, which owns the Yorkshire Hotel as well as the Fat Badger and the White Hart Hotel, and Mr Cotton for a response but we had not received one by the time of publication.

Mr Cotton has continued to be active on Twitter since the Stray Ferret story broke, including a retweet that paid tribute to the NHS. He has also posted pictures of himself delivering food to customers from the Fat Badger.

American expats in Harrogate count down to Biden inauguration

American expats living in Harrogate are counting down the minutes to Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president today.

Mr Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States at 5pm UK time but due to covid the celebrations will be more subdued — not only in America but also Harrogate.

Harrogate has strong connections with the United States — many Americans have worked at nearby RAF Menwith Hill .

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said US armed forces and civil servants were apolitical and therefore no celebrations or marking of such occasions was conducted at military sites.

But some Americans will privately mark the moment when power passes from Donald Trump to Biden.

We spoke to two expats in Harrogate: one Democrat and one Republican, and both said they will be relieved to see the back of Mr Trump.

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Zahed Amanullah is a firm Democrat who proudly flies the flag for Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris. He told the Stray Ferret:

“I am very hopeful. Being an expat, it’s hard to sit here and watch what is happening. But in 2021 there’s a lot that people can do to be involved.

“Democrats Abroad, which I am a member of, has had a huge surge in membership. It’s not just talking about politics but getting involved in phone banks and hosting conversations.

“Joe Biden has turned out to be the man of the moment. He turned out to be the kind of person to not just defeat Trump but to guide a steady ship throughout 2021 and beyond.”

Next stop: Washington, D.C. pic.twitter.com/oW0C4LQVBf

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 19, 2021

Harold Clemens is a Republican who could not bring himself to vote for Trump. He told the Stray Ferret:

“I hate to say this but it is embarrassing to be an American at the moment. I have been a Republican since university because of their stance on business but I did not vote for Trump.

“There are few times in your life when you remember where you are when an event happens. For me it is the Gulf War, 911 and the storming of the Capitol.

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the right people for the job. They can mend bridges and heal the political divide in America right now.”

Conspiracy theorists leave their mark in Harrogate

Coronavirus conspiracy theorists are leaving their mark in Harrogate, much to the frustration of those leading the response to the pandemic.

Vandals have scrawled ‘The Great Reset’ on hoardings surrounding buildings on Beulah Street.

‘The great reset’ is a phrase used by conspiracy theorists who believe a global elite started the pandemic to take control.

Google saw a spike in searches for the term when Joe Biden won the US election despite the baseless nature of the claims.

Conspiracy theorists adopted the idea from the World Economic Forum, which urged nations to cooperate on building back better and in a more sustainable way after covid.

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This is not the first time coronavirus conspiracy theories have struck locally.

Last week, North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which represents organisations in the county leading the fight against covid, condemned vandals who sprayed ‘LIES’ in red graffiti on ‘stay local’ signs and ripped them down.

A statement by the forum said those responsible “show contempt for people’s lives” and warned their actions would not be tolerated.

Louise Wallace, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, said:

“We would like to thank the majority of people who are sticking to the lockdown rules and respecting the measures we are putting in place to stop the spread.

“It’s very disappointing to hear such acts of vandalism are happening and that a minority of people aren’t taking seriously the great danger to life that the virus poses.”

Superintendent Mike Walker, North Yorkshire Police’s lead on the coronavirus response, said:

“I realise a minority of people may be feeling tired of seeing coronavirus messages, or feeling frustrated about being asked to stay at home.

“It’s not the way any of us would choose to live our life under normal circumstances.

“However, that does not give anyone the right to deface a sign which warns the wider community of the risk of catching a virus.”

TV presenter criticises Harrogate Spring Water’s Pinewoods plans

TV presenter Julia Bradbury has described Harrogate Spring Water’s plans to cut down trees in the Pinewoods to expand its bottling plant as “beyond destructive”.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee has been recommended to conditionally approve the controversial plans, which have captured national attention in recent days with an article in the Independent and a passionate debate on social media.

Trees in the area of Pinewoods known as Rotary Wood, which were planted by families in 2015, would be felled as part of plans by Harrogate Spring Water’s parent company Danone to expand its bottling plant.

Talks between Danone and local green groups have failed to reach agreement on a solution that would compensate for the loss of biodiversity and community access.

Former Countryfile host Ms Bradbury, who is a well-known advocate for the outdoors, tweeted her opposition to the proposal on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/JuliaBradbury/status/1350739832251805696

She also tweeted Emmanuel Faber, chief executive of Harrogate Spring’s water parent company Danone, that called on the firm to “do the right thing”.

Yesterday she told the Stray Ferret that Danone’s plans were “like a plot from a bad nature documentary”.

Ms Bradbury also criticised the company’s use of plastic bottles, saying “you can’t recycle your way out of” the plastic waste crisis seen around the world. She said:

“I’m astounded. We bang the drum for more nature so we need trees and this is a community woodland planted by local school children. It’s a very controversial decision and comes at a time when people are benefiting from nature.”

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A Harrogate Borough Council report published yesterday recommended councillors conditionally approve the plans on Tuesday next week.

The application, which would lead to 12 new jobs, has received 328 objections and 28 in support.

Danone argues that the proposals, which include a new pond, a 30-year long replanting programme and a grassland ‘green’ roof will benefit the local environment.

Harrogate Spring Water’s sales and marketing manager Rob Pickering told the Stray Ferret the plans would “promote biodiversity”. He added:

“We’re committed for 30 years to develop the planting and landscaping as it establishes itself. We’ll do that with the ecologists and hopefully the support of the community.

“We’ll continue to provide those facts to give the people of Harrogate a more informed view of the work we plan to do. I genuinely believe the end result of the work will be something we’ll all be proud of.”

Council case officer Mark Williams’ report describes Harrogate Spring Water as a ‘global brand’ and ‘strategic employer’ that makes a significant contribution to the local economy.

The report acknowledges concerns about issues such as the loss of trees and increase in single use plastics but concludes:

“While the adverse impacts of the development are recognised, on balance it is considered that the significant weight placed on the economic benefits of the proposed development outweigh these negative impacts.”