A covid-delayed project to refurbish a former Harrogate Borough Council office has taken a step forward after the approval of a £500,000 construction contract.
The council vacated Springfield House, at Harrogate Convention Centre, when it moved all of its operations to its new £13m civic centre at Knapping Mount in 2017.
The office has since been let out to businesses.
A planned refurbishment of the upper floors was due to start last year but hit delays as access was restricted during the convention centre’s use as an NHS Nightingale hospital.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the council, said he had been “thwarted and frustrated” by the setbacks.
He added that he welcomed the awarding of the £501,815 contract to York-based Lindum Group Limited after a competitive tender process.
The works will include new office spaces, a refurbished space for convention centre staff and a business incubator scheme which provides mentoring and support services for entrepreneurs starting out in business.
The ‘digital incubator hub’ will be funded through £540,000 through the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and is expected to make the council around £49,000 a year.
This is according to a report which also said the other office spaces would generate around £40,000 a year when fully let.
Speaking about the Springfield House plans, councillor Swift said:
“I have been thwarted and frustrated with this project which we would have liked to have implemented over 12 months ago but as the project was up-and-running when then found ourselves in a covid environment.
“This is an essential project for the district and the sort of project other people are investing in too. I know Crescent Gardens is gathering momentum and other developers in town are keen to take advantage of what is going to a fluid but important space in the market for small start-up businesses to grow.”
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It comes as plans to transform the council’s former Crescent Gardens headquarters into offices and a roof garden restaurant have been formally submitted.
Harrogate-based property company Impala Estates bought the site in January last year for £4m. Its plans also include creating a gym, as well as turning the former council chamber and mayor’s parlour into meeting rooms.
Harrogate Youth Festival heads online this eveningThe Harrogate International Youth Festival will have a new look this year as it heads online tonight.
The festival’s ‘Big Night In’ will take place at 7.30pm.
It is the longest running International Youth Music and Performing Arts Festival in the UK holding an event each Easter weekend since 1973.
The official festival has been postponed until next year, when international travel resumes. The organisers couldn’t let the weekend go ahead without some form of celebration – so instead they arranged the virtual concert.
The festival organisers will bring regular participants together on Zoom to watch key moments of previous festivals.
Micheal Newby, former Harrogate Mayor, will be hosting the online show and introducing a variety of video footage of recent concerts involving local and international artists.
Mr Newby said:
“This really will be a jammed packed evening! We simply could not put everything in that we wanted to – but I think we’ve got a really good selection that we know our audiences will love to see.
“We can’t wait to be together again and perform at these amazing venues in our community – but until then, we wanted to celebrate these amazing schools, groups and colleges that have performed with us over the years and really look forward to a fantastic Festival year next year.”
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In previous years, the six night festival would start with marching bands parading through the Harrogate town centre. Shows would run in big venues such as the Royal Hall and Ripon Cathedral.
The festival aims to bring, primarily youth, choirs, orchestras and bands together from across the world to perform in Harrogate.
Picnic bench near Pinewoods goes up in flamesA picnic bench in Irongate Field near the Pinewoods in Harrogate went up in flames last night.
Firefighters from Harrogate attended the blaze at 9.30pm last night and used two backpack sprayers to dampen down the area.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has now confirmed it believes the fire was set deliberately.
The person who found the fire said that he found beer bottles around the bench.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said:
“A crew from Harrogate attended a fire in the open, this turned out to be a fire to a picnic bench.
“They used two knapsack sprayers and dampened down the area. The cause is believed deliberate.”
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Harrogate arts organisations awarded culture grantsFour culture organisations in the Harrogate district have been awarded further funding as part of the government’s culture recovery fund.
Arts Council England granted the funding as part of a further £300 million worth of financial support for culture and art organisations.
The government announced a £1.57 billion fund last year which aimed to support cultural and heritage sectors from the economic impact of covid.
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Among those to be awarded a grant is Cause UK, which has secured £35,000 in funding.
The agency hosted Ken Loach and Brian Blessed in Harrogate on behalf of the Harrogate Film Festival, as well as family events at the Royal Hall with Steve Backshall and Chris Packham
Clair Challenor-Chadwick, managing director of Cause UK, said:
“As a vibrant agency for 10 years, Cause UK had strong growth pre-covid, thanks to our growing cultural portfolio. Obviously, that was all put on hold with covid.
“A significant part of our work is also as a support agency to arts, public sector and charities. We’ve supported organisations as diverse as Besbrode Pianos, Ilkley Literature Festival, The Barnsley Civic, Harrogate Convention Centre, the Wesley Centre in Malton and the Himalayan Sculpture Park.
“We’re proud our work has had significant impact, helping clients to win awards, increase visitor and audience reach, engage sponsors, and attract investment.”
Harrogate Theatre with stands empty in the town centre.
Meanwhile, Harrogate International Festivals has been awarded £80,000 and Harrogate Theatre secured £91,078.
Ripon Museum Trust has also been granted £69,350.
The chief executive of Harrogate Theatre Trust, David Bown, gave his reaction to the grant:
“We are thrilled to receive this funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund. It will allow us to move forward with increasing confidence as we launch our Raise the Roof season by bringing drama, comedy and music to community venues throughout the district in what will be challenging times as restrictions are relaxed.”
The cultural recovery fund is targeted at organisations which work in music, theatre, dance, combined arts, visual arts, museums or literature.
The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute
Oliver Dowden, culture secretary, said:
Harrogate venues double down on outdoor dining“Our record-breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.
“Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”
Hotels, restaurants and bars in Harrogate are doubling down on their outdoor dining offering in time for reopening on April 12.
Although hospitality businesses are praying for a great British summer, they are also preparing for rain.
Venues in the Harrogate district had to adapt quickly to covid last year but this year’s roadmap has enabled them to plan to increase their outdoor covered areas based on what they have learned works.
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The West Park Hotel is one of those trying to take full advantage of space, both at the front and back.
As well as using its back courtyard, it is also working with neighbouring shops to bring the pavement in front of the building into use after hours.
In total West Park will have 160 outdoor seats, with many under awnings and marquees.
Cedar Court Hotel Harrogate is bringing back an updated version of its Tipi on the Stray, which will now has removable sides, making it compliant as an outdoor space. It will be able to serve lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
It’s here and we’re taking bookings #Harrogate #Yorkshire … #Podville by @fatbadgerpub is taking bookings on a first come first served basis so be quick to secure your spot by calling 01423 505681 now! Full food & drink outdoor #hospitality offering in a unique setting pic.twitter.com/4OjtJJZMyn
— simon cotton (@simoncotton69) March 31, 2021
Instead of last year’s beach, the Fat Badger has now built what it calls “podville” in its rear car park.
Six people are able to book one of 15 pods for £5 an hour Monday to Thursday and £10 an hour Friday to Sunday.
Bodybuilding barber David Steca to stage Mr HarrogateBodybuilding barber David Steca is to stage a Mr Harrogate competition this summer to showcase the area’s finest physiques.
Mr Steca, who owns Steca No6 in Harrogate and another salon in Leeds, is one of the most experienced and successful bodybuilders in the north of England, with a string of titles to his name.
He has won numerous British and international trophies and continues to compete at the age of 61 as well as train clients.
He plans to stage the event on August 1 in a marquee with seating for up to 200 people near his home in Menwith Hill. He said:
“The aim is to inspire and give local physique and fitness enthusiasts a goal coming out of covid.
“I want to give something back and provide a local platform to enthusiasts.”
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There will be a wide range of male and female categories catering for the toned beach body look through to hardcore bodybuilding.
Mr Steca added there will be British and world champion judges, along with food, nutrition and clothing stalls.
There will be HG postcode classes and open classes. Entry fee is £20 and spectator tickets are £20 and £10 for under-12s.
The event will also be a qualifying competition for the IBFA British Championships.
Mr Steca added:
“We already have prizes from local business for class winners. We look forward to an exciting day of muscle and fitness!”
Locations of 34 electric vehicle charge points revealed
The locations of up to 34 new electric vehicle charge points in the Harrogate district have been revealed.
The district has seen the largest increase in North Yorkshire of motorists switching to electric vehicles and Harrogate Borough Council aims to get 10,000 on the roads by 2023.
To help hit this target, the authority plans to install charge points at several council-owned locations to encourage motorists to make the switch ahead of the government’s ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars in 2030.
Tom O’Donovan, economy and transport officer at the council, told a meeting on Wednesday the 34 charge points were being rolled out as part of a phased scheme, with more to come later.
The locations include up to four charge points at the council’s Claro Road office, as well as up to five at its civic centre headquarters at Knapping Mount.
There will also be up to four at Harrogate’s multi-storey Victoria Shopping Centre car park and the same amount at Ripon Cathedral car park, plus a hub of charge points at Knaresborough Chapel Street car park.
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There are three options for Pateley Bridge, including the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty office, Nidderdale Leisure Centre and south car park.
The car park at Hornbeam Park railway station could also get up to 10 charge points, while no proposals have yet been put forward for Boroughbridge because infrastructure works would be “too costly”.
Up to 160 charge sites planned
Harrogate Borough Council approved its Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy two years ago with an aim to provide 61 public charge points by 2024, although this could be increased up to 160 if required.
North Yorkshire County Council is also developing a county-wide strategy but has said it currently has no plans to roll out on-street charging infrastructure on a large scale or in response to individual requests for charge points.
It said this is because of “difficulties” with electricity tariffs and setting out the terms on the maximum time a vehicle can charge in shared on-street spaces.
The council said:
Avoid recycling centres over Easter, says council“We will continue to review the overall situation, taking into account demand from residents and funding availability, including external grant funding.”
People in the Harrogate district have been advised to avoid household recycling centres this weekend because of expected queues.
North Yorkshire County Council’s 20 recycling centres remain open during lockdown but queueing systems to comply with social distance guidelines have caused tailbacks.
The Harrogate district has three centres: Wetherby Road and Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate and Dallamires Crescent in Ripon.
Queues at the recycling centre on Wetherby Road. Photo: Mark Westerman
Councillor Andrew Lee, executive member for open to business, said:
“We expect the household waste recycling centres to be extremely busy over the holiday weekend, as Easter is always a busy time.
“Given the rules in place to ensure the sites can operate safely, this will inevitably lead to queues.
“We’re asking people to consider whether they really need to visit their household waste recycling centre this weekend. Could you keep the waste at home for another week or so and take it at a less busy time?”
The centres moved to summer opening hours today, meaning they are now open from 8.30am to 5pm every day except Wednesdays.
Hannah Corlett, spokesperson for the Harrogate and District Green Party said the location of the centres was the main issue. She said:
Blow for businesses wanting to use Stray this summer“I know people from Ripon who have travelled all the way to Bedale recycling centres because the queues are so large so we should be asking why the centres are where they are.
“These high traffic areas are a bad place for them if they’re causing such big queues.
“Asking people to avoid them this weekend also sends a bad message about accessibility. Lots of people don’t have time to travel to their local recycling centre and so more and smaller recycling centres would probably be a better option.”
An agreement for hospitality businesses to be given outdoor space on the Stray is unlikely to be in place until at least the second half of summer.
Harrogate Borough Council, which protects the Stray on behalf of the people, is in talks with the Duchy of Lancaster, which owns the Stray freehold, about relaxing rules.
Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the council, said it was “probably not possible” for a deal to be struck before all lockdown restrictions end on 21 June.
The idea has been put forward to assist hospitality businesses with social distancing by giving them room for outdoor seating, although councillor Swift said it would only benefit “one or two” bars.
The owners of the Blues Bar, The Empress and Fashion House Bistro have told the Stray Ferret they want to put tables and chairs on Stray land near their businesses.
Speaking at a meeting yesterday, he said:
“Some of our licence companies are very keen to see usage of the Stray under controlled licensing conditions and the reality is this will be challenging.
“The Duchy of Lancaster are rightly positive defenders of the space and for us to jump through some of the hoops required around the legal side to allow one or two companies to extend their footprint will probably not be possible before 21 June when the government fully opens lockdown.”
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The Harrogate Stray Act 1985 restricts how the land can be used and includes an annual limit on events.
Need to consult
There is also a requirement for the public to be consulted on some changes and the council said it planned to run a survey on the idea to give businesses space if talks with the Duchy progress.
Councillor Swift added:
“I have some sympathy with the licence companies that would like to flex their space but the reality is there is going to be a considerable opening up of spaces over the next few weeks.
“I hope that people will be able to take off trade and picnic on the Stray and utilise the space as we get more and more conformable with social engagement.”
Under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, hospitality businesses will be allowed to reopen for outdoor service only on April 12 when customers can meet in a group of up to six people from different households or any number from two households.
Then, on May 17, they will be able to seat customers indoors with the same household rules, while groups seated outside must be smaller than 30 people.
The final date in the roadmap is June 21 when all restrictions are due to be lifted.
Increased police patrols after vandalism at Stonefall parkA plaque in Stonefall park has been shattered with what police describe as “considerable force”.
The vandalism took place on the night of March 20 or March 21.
The plaque, which gives visitors information on the history of the park, including Queen Victoria passing on the former train line that ran alongside it, is thought to have been smashed with a rock.
It’s thought repairing the plaque could cost Harrogate Borough Council about £300.
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Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh, whose Harrogate Hookstone ward includes Stonefall, said:
“It’s concerning that there are people who will inflict this kind of force on a public board. This history plaque is for the community to read and damaging it is just mindless.
“However, this mindless vandalism has been overbalanced by the community spirit, lots of people have already said they will donate to fix the plaque. That gives you faith back in the community.”
The local police community support officer has begun to patrol the park more frequently to keep an eye on the area.
The council and police have urged anybody who may have seen anything or have any information to come forward.