The Boots pharmacy inside the Co-op at Jennyfields in Harrogate is set to close next March.
The move comes after Walgreens Boots Alliance, its US-based parent company, announced the closure of 300 UK stores in an earnings call in June.
In a separate report, Boots said it will “consolidate a number of stores” in order to “concentrate its team members where they are needed”.
It added:
“[It will] focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up to date environment.”
The report also said the stores affected are “in close proximity” to other Boots sites.
The retailer declined to comment on the Harrogate store closure, however staff at the Jennyfields pharmacy told the Stray Ferret they have been “given options” about employment going forward.
Following the closure, the nearest Boots pharmacies will be in Harrogate town centre, Knaresborough Market Place, the St James’s Retail Park near Knaresborough and at Market Place West in Ripon.
The Co-Op at Jennyfields
Twenty UK stores, including four in Yorkshire, have already closed following the announcement.
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‘Two in one’ burglars strike in Harrogate
Thieves broke into a house in Harrogate and stole car keys before making off with a Kia Picanto.
North Yorkshire Police said today it was investigating the ‘two-in-one’ burglary on Lindrick Way, in the Jennyfields area,
It happened last weekend between 11.15pm on Saturday and 3am on Sunday (December 9 and 10).
A silver Kia Picanto, registration RE17 KNG, was taken.
“Police are urging the public to get in touch if they saw anything that could help the investigation or have any CCTV doorbell footage.
“If you can help please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for PC822 Cleary.
“You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Quote reference number 12230233921.
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Balaclava-clad burglars target homes in Harrogate
Police are seeking three men wearing balaclavas who attempted to break into a house in Harrogate.
According to North Yorkshire Police, the would-be burglars were disturbed when they entered a home on Azerley Grove in the Jennyfields area.
The incident happened between midnight and 3am last Saturday (October 7).
The force today appealed for witnesses and information. It said in a statement:
“On the same night, three men were seen on ring doorbell footage approaching a second property nearby.
“One of the men was described as wearing a striped body warmer over a long-sleeved top, he was wearing dark joggers and dark trainers.
“A second man was described as wearing a tracksuit with reflective stripes on the lower legs. All three men were wearing balaclavas.”
The statement urged anyone with information or doorbell footage to email ruby.rutter@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Ruby Rutter.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote reference number 12230190164.
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Police reveal reason behind Harrogate pub closure
North Yorkshire Police has revealed why a Harrogate pub was forced to close.
The Stone Beck at Jennyfields stopped serving customers on August 4.
A police spokesperson said:
“The pub has closed because it does not currently have a designated premises supervisor appointed, which is a legal pre-requisite for alcohol to be sold lawfully at a licensed premises.
“Without a designated premises supervisor, a pub cannot legally sell alcohol.”
A designated premises supervisor has day-to-day responsibility for running business that sell or supply alcohol.
Last week landlord Phill Kirby told the Stray Ferret the pub had closed due to a “licensing issue” and would open in “due course”.
North Yorkshire Council, the licensing authority, said it had “no current actions on this premises”.
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Harrogate pub hopes to reopen next week after ‘licensing issue’
The landlord of a Harrogate pub has said he hopes to reopen next week after a short closure.
The Stone Beck at Jennyfields closed on Friday last week.
Phill Kirby, who has been landlord for almost four years, told the Stray Ferret it was due to a “licensing issue”.
He added:
“I have apologised for what’s happened and the pub will be opening again in due course.”
Asked if he had a date, Mr Kirby said he was hoping for Tuesday next week.
The pub, on Grantley Drive, is located in the heart of Jennyfields, close to the Coop.
The pub is in the Jennyfields centre.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Council, the licensing authority, said:
“North Yorkshire Council has no current actions on this premises.”
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- Call for urgent review of new bins after dog poo bags litter Jennyfields
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Call for urgent review of new bins after dog poo bags litter Jennyfields
A councillor has called for an urgent review of litter bins in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate after reports of dog poo bags piling up.
North Yorkshire Council has removed three bins close to Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre — formerly the Hydro — and replaced them with two larger bins.
The old bins were situated in areas used by walkers and dog owners but the new ones are alongside main roads.
This makes them easier to empty but less convenient for people using the fields around the leisure centre to use.
Consequently litter and dog waste bags are being left to pile up.
Councillor Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents the area on North Yorkshire Council, said the new bins were designed for dog waste and general waste and are emptied by household waste collection crews rather than requiring a separate collection.
He added:
“These have been successfully rolled out in the other villages I represent after some initial teething problems.
“I am however aware of the specific concerns raised in Jennyfields and have asked for an urgent review of the number and siting of the bins.”
Dog owners are discarding dog waste where the bins used to be on the fields rather than carry it to Ripon Road.
Jennyfields residents have contacted the Stray Ferret with their concerns since the new bins arrived last week.
Elizabeth Horner said:
“I live near the Hydro fields and the amount of rubbish from having no bins in area has got disgusting.
“Sadly I’ve counted 15 bottles on the field today.”
Dog walker Diana Salama added:
“I have spoken to seven other dog walkers who regularly walk their dogs at the Hydro. All were puzzled and confused as there is nowhere to easily dispose of poo.
“One lady commented that to go up to the main road meant a long detour and putting the dog on a lead and she would not do this.
“Two were confused and had ended up taking poo home but had no intention of doing this ongoing. Two had left poo bags where the bin used to be.”
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She added:
“No one felt the new concept was effective for dog walkers even though it’s clearly better for the council.”
Ms Salama said there was particular anger at the removal of the bin next to the basketball court.
The field near the basketball court.
The Stray Ferret spoke to several dog walkers in the area this morning who agreed. They said the amount of litter and dog waste in this area, where young people congregate, was worrying.
We asked North Yorkshire Council why the change had been made and whether any consultation had been carried out.
However, a spokesperson said the officer responsible was currently on leave and therefore it could not comment.
New bins being rolled out across Harrogate district
The new bin policy is being rolled out across the Harrogate district. About 250 small bins are being replaced by larger ones.
Dog walkers in nearby Knox expressed concerns in June when the change was implemented there.
Maxie Schiffman-Rowinski has complained to the council about the new dog waste bin in front of her house in Knox.
Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on the council, said the situation would be reviewed at the end of next month.
Cllr Haslam said the new approach freed up time for the street cleansing team to do other jobs, such as sweep streets.
He added it was also more environmentally friendly because the larger bins contained wheelie bins that could be emptied by machines whereas the smaller old bins contained plastic bags that had to be replaced regularly.
Police launch investigation after cat shot dead in HarrogatePolice in Harrogate are appealing for witnesses and information after a cat was shot dead.
North Yorkshire Police said today the shooting happened in the Newby Crescent area of Jennyfields at around 9.05pm on Friday last week.
The force said in a statement:
“Timmy the cat was found dead by a neighbour. It is believed he had been shot with an air rifle or pellet gun.
“Understandably, Timmy’s family have been left deeply distressed following the incident.
“We’re appealing for information about anyone living locally who owns an air rifle or pellet gun, or anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the incident.”
To help the investigation, email Jacob.higgins@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2, and ask for Jacob Higgins.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230080606 when providing details.
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Harrogate man jailed for ‘humiliating and degrading’ sex attack
A man has been jailed for a “humiliating and degrading” sex attack on a young woman at a property in Harrogate.
Andrew Reekie, 33, left the woman “haunted” and an emotional wreck following the “absolutely disgusting” assault, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said the victim tried to kick Reekie off her during the assault and told him to “get off”. She was crying afterwards and told a friend what had happened.
Reekie told her she “wouldn’t dare ring the police” but she plucked up the courage to do so.
Reekie, of Bramham Drive, Jennyfields, was brought in for questioning two months after the attack but refused to answer police questions.
He was charged with sexual assault but denied the offence, only to plead guilty on the day of trial in January. He appeared for sentence yesterday.
The court heard he had previous convictions for serious violence, public disorder, acquisitive crime, possessing an offensive weapon, robbery, criminal damage and breaching court orders.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said that “life as I knew it came to an abrupt and sudden halt” following the sex attack. She added:
“I was paralysed (with fear) and completely helpless.”
She said she was “powerless” to stop Reekie and she had felt an inexplicable but “overwhelming shame” since the incident, adding:
“I felt completely alone and unable to trust anyone.
“The sound of his voice will (continue) to play in my head. It was like a knife in my guts.”
Nightmares and shame
She said that after the attack she “couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep or socialise”.
She had nightmares of other women being sexually assaulted and she was “more and more anxious that it was going to happen to somebody else”.
She said that even reporting the attack only “intensified the shame” and she developed serious mental-health problems.
It had affected her work and she had felt “traumatised” about the prospect of giving evidence in court.
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She said that before the incident she was a “young woman full of confidence, looking forward to a bright future”, but Reekie had “took my young spirit and crushed it”.
She had sought professional help for her problems but there were still days when “I can’t get out of bed because I’m too haunted by what happened”. She added:
“I so desperately want my life back – the life (Reekie) took from me.”
‘A humiliating and degrading attack’
Defence barrister Andrew Stranex said Reekie was a father and had since found work.
Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, described the incident as a “very nasty sexual assault”. He added:
“This was a humiliating and degrading attack.
“It has had a devastating effect on (the victim).”
He told Reekie:
“What you did was absolutely disgusting. You treated (the victim) like…your own personal pleasure ground.”
He said it was clear Reekie had refused to admit his guilt until the day of trial “in the hope that (the victim) wouldn’t have the courage to attend”.
Reekie was handed a 13-month jail sentence of which he will serve half behind bars before being released on prison licence. He was also ordered to sign on the sex-offenders’ register for 10 years.
Police appeal for witnesses after attempted burglary in Jennyfields
Police have issued an appeal after an attempted house burglary on Bramham Drive in Jennyfields this week.
The incident happened on Monday between 2.15pm and 3pm.
Officers said “significant damage” was caused to the doors of the house, but the suspect failed to gain entry.
Police added that a driver of a dark coloured Seat Leon with a registration containing “70” was seen at the time of the attempted burglary.
The driver is described as a young white man with a round face, about 5ft 8in tall, with short dark hair and wearing a dark hoodie.
A North Yorkshire Police statement added:
“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email elizabeth.parry@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2, and ask for Elizabeth Parry.
“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
“Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230027326 when providing details.”
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Tesco supermarket in Harrogate set to be approved next week
Harrogate looks set to get a Tesco supermarket after a long-running saga dating back more than a decade.
The store will be built on the site of the former gasworks, off Skipton Road, and include a petrol station and 209 car parking spaces. It is expected to create about 100 jobs.
Harrogate Borough Council ‘s planning committee has been recommended to approve the plans next week, despite “significant concerns” about the impact on the nearby Co-op in Jennyfields and neighbouring shops.
In her report recommending approval, case officer Kate Broadbank says there is “real potential for the proposed Tesco store to have a significant adverse impact upon the Co-op store and the wider performance of the Jennyfield local centre”.
The report adds the cumulative impact of a new Tesco on the Co-op could be as high as -22.4% and the Co-op “acts as a key anchor to the local centre, including its wider post office offer”.
The local centre in Jennyfields
Tesco will therefore be asked to sign an agreement to use “reasonable endeavours” to open a Tesco Express at Jennyfields local centre if the Co-op closes within five years of Tesco opening and will operate this for at least five years.
Ms Broadbank’s report adds:
“A post office and pharmacy would also be required. An additional clause has also been added that requires an independent expert to determine matters should dispute arise between Tesco and the council, as to whether the replacement store can be provided.”
New footpath and cycle lane
The report says no environmental impact assessment will be necessary for the brownfield site project even though trees will be felled on the north side of Skipton Road to accommodate the creation of a new roundabout at the site entrance, where the A61 Ripon Road and A59 Skipton Road meet at New Park.
The site of the former gasworks
North Yorkshire County Council plans to widen Oak Beck Bridge in a scheme that could see six months of roadworks in the area.
The report adds:
“A continuous footpath will be provided along the northern edge of the roundabout with additional uncontrolled pedestrian refuge island crossings on the site access and the eastern arm of Skipton Road.
“A new segregated cycle lane will be provided along the south of Skipton Road from the access to the bridleway further along Skipton Road. These works will be secured by condition and a Section 106 agreement.”
The 209 parking spaces will include four click and collect spaces, six electric vehicle charging spaces, 12 blue badge spaces and nine parent and child spaces. Two motorcycle spaces and 24 cycle spaces are also provided.
£50,000 for bus services
North Yorkshire County Council has requested a contribution from Tesco for improvements to bus stops on Skipton Road and Ripon Road. Ms Broadbank’s report adds:
“North Yorkshire County Council wish to provide a new bus service in the Killinghall area as part of the bus service contribution from the housing development on Penny Pot Lane and these additional improvements would add value to the new service and help encourage sustainable travel by bus to reach the new store.
“A contribution of £50,000 (£10,000 per bus stop) is requested to help fund this service and will help provide new extended shelters with information boards, seating and where necessary raised kerbs to each carriageway.”
The report also says discussions have taken place between the applicant and Northern Gas Networks about “potential interaction” between the proposed petrol station and an existing Northern Gas Networks high pressure gas transmission pipeline located beneath the site.
It says the risk of interaction is “acceptably low”.
The site is highlighted on a planning document.
Majority opposed to scheme
The council received 82 representations about the scheme. Just 24 were supportive and 57 objected, mainly on the grounds of amenity, traffic, environmental and drainage impacts.
Ms Broadbank has recommended the project be approved subject to conditions being met. The Conservative-controlled planning committee will decide whether to accept her recommendation when it meets on Tuesday next week. The meeting will be broadcast live on the council’s YouTube page.
It will be the penultimate meeting of the planning committee before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished at the end of next month.
Ms Broadbank’s report concludes:
“In summary, the development is acceptable in principle and meets the requirements of the sequential and retail impact tests with appropriate mitigation.
“The scheme uses previously developed land and is in a sustainable location within the development limits of Harrogate.
“The design and landscaping of the buildings are appropriate for this site and impacts with regards to the residential amenity, environmental impact and highways are acceptable.
“The development will create jobs and provide social, environmental and economic benefits to the local area.
“The scheme is in accordance with the development plan policies as a whole and represents sustainable development as required by the National Planning Policy Framework.”
Tesco first secured planning permission on the site in 2012 but revived its plans in December 2021.
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