Harrogate College to host month of green events and activities

Harrogate College will turn green in March for a series of environmentally-focused events and activities.

For its first Green Month, the college on Hornbeam Park will offer wildflower planting, an art exhibition, a climate café and educational webinars.

The activities will kick off with a business presentation on sustainable technology, plus a litter pick, on March 8.

Last year the college hosted the launch event for the Harrogate district’s’s first climate action festival.

Holly Hansen-Maughan, partnerships and development manager at the college, said:

“The festival proved to be a real catalyst for environmental action both for ourselves and the wider community, and our Green Month is the latest example of that.

“We have worked hard to put together a schedule that includes something for everyone and a number of events that are open to residents as well as our students and staff.

“We hope to see lot of people taking part, both to make a difference and to find out more about how we can all work together to secure a more sustainable future.”

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The college has also teamed up with several local businesses and organisations for Green Month.

They include Techbuyer and Ortial, who will be holding a discussion on sustainable technology.

Social impact company Too Good To Go, will explain how they connect businesses with people in need so they can put their surplus food to good use, instead of going to waste.

Harrogate District schools, colleges and sixth forms will also be involved as pupils and students are being invited to design a poster, or piece of art, that will inspire positive environmental action.

For dates, times and more details on all of Harrogate College’s Green Month activities visit harrogate-college.ac.uk/partners/green-agenda/.

Photos reveal hidden history of Harrogate’s abandoned railway tunnel

Recent photos have revealed Harrogate’s abandoned railway tunnel and air-raid shelter close to the Stray.

The pictures were taken by an urban explorer who uses the name Venturing Off Limits on social media and agreed to share them with the Stray Ferret. They show the dark and dank brick passage, known locally as ‘The Darky’, with icy stalactites hanging from the roof.

The only evidence of humans being there is a discarded shopping trolley. So what’s the story behind this tunnel?

Abandoned for good

The last train passed through Brunswick Tunnel over 150 years ago.

The tunnel begins close to the current Hornbeam Park station and runs underneath the present-day Langcliffe Avenue, towards St Mark’s Church on Leeds Road.

Credit: Venturing Off Limits

It served Harrogate’s first railway station, Brunswick Station, which was only in operation for 14 years before the current station was built.

Locals and businesses initially opposed the railway, fearing an influx of people from Leeds and Bradford would lower the tone of the town.

Brunswick Tunnel runs underneath Langcliffe Avenue

The tunnel was resurrected as an air raid shelter during WW2 before being abandoned for good in 1943.

In 1954, the government surveyed the tunnel to bring it back into possible use, but this idea never materialised.

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Park Drive roundabout

The tunnel runs under where the Park Drive roundabout is now.

When the roundabout was built in the 1960s, workers accidentally dug into the roof of the tunnel not knowing it was there.

The Park Drive roundabout

Today the only evidence above ground of Brunswick Station, which was made out of timber, is a plaque mounted on a stone at the site, which is close to the Prince of Wales roundabout.

Brunswick Station plaque

Brunswick Station is on the left of this drawing. You can see the present Otley Road and Harlow Hill in the background.

The entrance to the Brunswick Tunnel is on private land and The Stray Ferret does not encourage anyone to try to enter.

 

 

First glance at Harrogate’s new £1.5m padel and gym centre

A new £1.5 million fitness hub opened in Harrogate today featuring the largest indoor padel tennis centre in the UK and an “affordable but boutique” gym.

Coach gym and Surge Padel are located in the same unit, called the Matrix Building, on Hornbeam Park.

It is a major investment in the town after a difficult couple of years for business. The new venture has also created 40 jobs.

Padel tennis is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. This development seeks to put Harrogate at the epicentre of that surge in interest. It’s the largest of its kind in the country with six courts.

Surge Padel has only opened on the first floor of the building but International Padel Federation is already considering it as the potential host of its European Championships.

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Coach which can be found on the ground floor and comes with more than 200 pieces of equipment and guided classes.

Stuart Perrin, who owns both Coach and Surge Padel, told the Stray Ferret:

“People of Harrogate are already voting with their feet and moving here. I think they appreciate this premium product at an affordable price, particularly in this economic climate.

“It just so happens that I used to live in Harrogate and it’s close to where I live now so it was an easy decision for me when this property came up.

“We were planning to open the first Coach in Leeds when the first lockdown came. It was a difficult time but that business was very successful.

“During the lockdowns we were on the search for more properties as a result. So we have more places in the pipeline and think now is the time to invest.”

So it seems more jobs could be on the way too as the business expands across the UK, with head office based in the same Hornbeam Park building.

More pictures from Coach and Surge Padel:

Padel is a different type of tennis.

It is the largest indoor padel tennis court in the UK.

Coach has more than 200 pieces of equipment.

Staff can help with training.

Both Coach and Surge Padel are based at Hornbeam Park.

Harrogate district railway stations parking could be expanded

Parking at railway stations across the Harrogate district could be expanded in a bid to encourage more train travel.

The proposal will be discussed by North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in March.

A report ahead of the meeting highlights the railway stations in Pannal, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, Starbeck, Knaresborough, Weeton and Cattal for potential investment.

Councillors are set to identify which of the stations need extra car parking spaces and discuss how it could be funded.

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The problem of car parking at railway stations is most often felt away from towns and cities, according to the North Yorkshire Rural Commission.

A spokesperson for the commission highlighted the issue in a report published last year:

“The commission was told that often rural travellers do not go to their nearest railway station because they are not assured of a parking space.

“They travel further to the next station where they are guaranteed a parking space.

“Availability and cost of car-parking spaces at railway stations can be a major challenge for commuters.

“Expanding car parks on rural land is a challenge for transport providers. Accessibility for particular service users is still a major issue at many rural rail stations.”

Free haircuts and manicures to Harrogate district jobseekers

Harrogate College is offering free haircuts and manicures to jobseekers.

The college, at Hornbeam Park, is providing the treatments to anyone who has secured a job interview.

Haircuts can be booked now between 3pm and 7pm on Wednesdays. Manicures will be available on Thursdays, starting on January 27, from 10am.

Students will provide the services at the college’s professional standard training salons.

Danny Wild, principal of Harrogate College, said he hoped the initiative would boost the participants’ job prospects. He added:

“We are proud to show that we are living our values by being nurturing towards our community, and giving people the best chance to progress into a positive 2022 with a new job.”

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Steph Keedy, programme manager for hairdressing and beauty therapy, said:

“We really enjoy working with the local community and initiatives like this are very rewarding for our students – while also helping them complete their qualifications.

“We hope that by offering someone a new haircut and manicure it will give them a confidence boost that may help them on their way to finding a new job.

Places must be booked in advance, and applicants should be able to show proof of their upcoming interview.

To book a place in the salons, which close during half-term and national holidays, email katie.sharman@harrogate.ac.uk or call the college’s reception on 01423 879466.

Man punched and kicked on street in Harrogate

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was punched and kicked on a street in Harrogate.

The man was attacked on Hornbeam Park Avenue, at Hornbeam Park, after arguing with another male between 3.15pm and 3.30pm on Saturday, 18 December.

Police today released a description of the suspected attacker. They say he is aged 19 to 23, about 6ft to 6ft 2 and has short brown hair.

He was wearing gym wear, a fitted red T-shirt, and black shorts. He was driving a grey Vauxhall hatchback.

Police also want to speak to a male who was seen recording the incident from a red Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall Corsa. They say he appeared to be in company with the suspect.

A North Yorkshire Police statement today said:

“There were no serious injuries however the victim was left feeling extremely shaken following the incident.

“No arrests have been made at this time as the suspect is currently unknown.

“Police are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”

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Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 200 Deacon. You can also email adam.deacon2@northyorkshire.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12210263414

Harrogate’s former registry office demolished ahead of rebuild

A Victorian villa in Harrogate that was formerly a registry office and a Citizens Advice Bureau has been demolished.

Hornbeam Park Developments has planning permission to build new grade A offices on the site of Victoria Park House on Victoria Avenue.

The developer will rebuild the facade and some walls as part of the new building, which will include a two-storey extension.

It was previously owned by Harrogate Borough Council, which sold it for £1m in 2016 to help fund its move to new headquarters at Knapping Mount.

A report in 2017 said the building suffered from extensive subsidence, mould and was no longer fit-for-purpose.

Computer generated images of how the building will look.

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A plan to demolish the villa and replace it with a modern-looking office block, submitted later that year, received an objection from Historic England.

The public body said the building, which was built in 1864, “epitomises the special character and identity” of Harrogate. It said plans to demolish it would “strike at the heart” of what makes the town unique.

Plans to build this modern office block on the site were scrapped after objections.

Following this, the council said it would no longer support the application and the developer withdrew it.

New proposals, which retained the facade of the existing building, were approved in November 2018 by the council’s planning committee.

The new sport taking the Harrogate district by storm

A relatively new sport that is a cross between tennis and squash is taking the Harrogate district by storm.

Padel is played between four players on reduced sized tennis courts. Competitors use paddle racquets and can bounce the ball off walls.

Nicky Horn, a Harrogate coach who has played the sport for 10 years, said she has seen a remarkable amount of interest in the sport in recent months.

She pointed to courts being built at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate, which is expected to see six new dedicated courts, and planned new courts at Ripon Tennis Club as an example of its booming demand.

Since the first covid lockdown, Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre has also seen high demand for its padel courts on Hookstone Wood Road.

A game of padel tennis in Harrogate.

A game of padel tennis in Harrogate.

Nicky said she expects to see padel’s popularity increase further over the next five years now that the Lawn Tennis Association oversees the sport.

She said:

“It’s really taking off.

“It’s a reasonably accessible sport because the players can hit the ball easier.”

‘Largest female padel tennis match’

Nicky played padel in Spain before returning to Harrogate to take up two teams. She currently coaches Harrogate and Rawdon on a Monday and Saturday.

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Last weekend, the two teams got together to play a game which Nicky believes was the largest female padel match in the UK.

Despite the cold conditions, 32 players, who ranged from eight-years-old to 80, turned up to take part as Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre.

Nicky said:

“Everyone had lots of fun.

“Some of our players were squash players and some were tennis players, but everybody loved it.”

6,000 players in the UK

The local boom has been reflected across the country.

With more than 6.000 padel players in the UK, according to the LTA, the sport is one of the fastest growing in the country.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Ballon D’or winning footballer, Lionel Messi, are also reported to be players of the sport.

Here are 10 facts you might not know about padel, from the LTA:

Two Harrogate charities move in together on Hornbeam Park

Two local voluntary organisations have moved into Disability Action Yorkshire’s Hornbeam Park headquarters and learning centre

Resurrected Bites and Canaan Warehouse, which also includes Harrogate Clothes Bank, will occupy the space previously used as a second-hand furniture shop by Disability Action Yorkshire.

Resurrected Bites was established in 2018 to reduce food waste and food poverty. Canaan Warehouse redistributes donated household items and clothing for free to those in need in the Harrogate area and in eastern Europe.

The unit at Hornbeam Park gives the charities have more space and will reduce their overheads as well as provide employment opportunities for Disability Action Yorkshire’s disabled adults.

Disability Action Yorkshire’s chief executive Jackie Snape said:

“We are delighted that Resurrected Bites and Canaan Warehouse are now utilising our warehouse space, in a partnership that benefits them, us and our learners.

“One of our aims is to assist disabled people in leading independent lives wherever possible, and a key part of this is gaining employment.

“Our learners used to get valuable retail, warehouse and customer service training from our furniture enterprise, and this hands-on experience will continue under this new arrangement.”

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Dr Michelle Hayes, Resurrected Bites and Harrogate Clothes Bank founder, said moving to a unit together will mean the charities can work alongside each other to stop good quality items going to landfill and help those in need:

“When we realised that Resurrected Bites was intercepting so much food that we needed to find a warehouse, we wanted to think outside the box rather than just renting a commercial space.

“Resurrected Bites are always in need of volunteers for our cafes, groceries and warehouse and likewise the Harrogate Clothes Bank and Canaan Warehouse are both keen to invite the learners to volunteer with the sorting and distribution of clothes and furniture.”

Between March 2020 and July 2021, Resurrected Bites has helped feed more than 15,800 people with around a week’s worth of food. Each week, it diverts around three tonnes of food waste from landfill sites.

Image caption: Dr Michelle Hayes, second left, and Jackie Snape, second right, are pictured with a Resurrected Bites volunteer and two disabled learners

Disabled learners hold art exhibition in Harrogate

A Harrogate charity has held an exhibition to showcase the artistic work of its disabled learners.

Disability Action Yorkshire staged the event last month at its Hornbeam Park training centre.

The exhibition included art and photographs by 14 students based on the theme of heraldry and quiet places.

Students designed coats of arms reflecting their personalities and shot images of quiet places.

Harriet Walker, the charity’s deputy training manager, said:

“We were delighted to have held our first ever photography and art exhibition, which demonstrated the creativity of our learners.

For the last few months, they had been working on the theme of heraldic art and quiet places, which they captured on paper and in ‘megapixels’.

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Founded 84 years ago, Disability Action Yorkshire helps disabled people live the life of their choosing.

It has headquarters and a training centre on Hornbeam Park, a residential care home on Claro Road, and a holiday lodge in Lincolnshire.

Guy Tweedy, who joined Disability Action Yorkshire board of trustees last month said:

“During the short time I’ve been a trustee with the charity, I’ve also met staff and customers at its Claro Road care home and have been incredibly impressed by the dedication of all involved.”

The photo shows (left to right) disability learner Ian, Disability Action Yorkshire trustee Guy Tweedy, disability learners Emma and Charles, and Disability Action Yorkshire staff member Sammi.