On Wednesday, Roger Hewitt will don his town crier regalia and read one of his hand-written short scripts opening Knaresborough market.

It’s something Roger has done every Wednesday for more than eight years, making him one of the most familiar faces — and voices — in Knaresborough.

But this will be the last time he performs the civic duty, which stretches back to the 1600s, before retiring.

He remains an incredibly popular figure, so why is he stepping down?

“I’m not getting any younger. I think things are going quite well at the moment but I don’t want to carry on until people say ‘it’s time form the poor bugger to go’.”

Roger has a fine line in self-deprecation. He describes himself as a Knaresborough incomer, having only lived in the town for 44 years. He taught chemistry at Harrogate Grammar School for 23 years before becoming town crier. He says:

“I’ve bumped into many people I used to know from my teaching days and from what I can see, I don’t think I have done any serious psychological harm to any of them.”

The pirate of the Nidd. Picture by Charlotte Gale

The town crier role, which is managed by Knaresborough & District Chamber, appealed because he was “coming up to retirement age and the wife was keen for me to have something to do”.

Roger’s background in amateur dramatics, alongside his humour, people skills and commitment to the role  —  he often agrees to appear at coffee mornings and charity events above and beyond the call of duty — have made him the perfect town crier. It’s worked for him, too.

“I’ve loved it. It’s been absolutely brilliant. The best part is meeting kids. They all think I’m a pirate. All I need to do is let them ring the bell and it’s like someone has given them the best Christmas present ever.”

Although Roger is leaving the role, he’s most certainly not leaving Knaresborough. He says he and his wife would like to do something together now. What makes the town so special?

“I think it’s the combination of history and scenery. People walk around for the most part with a smile, partly because there are so many pubs but also because it’s such a nice place.”

Tradition dictates he opens the Wednesday market at 11am even though, as he puts it, “the fish man is nearly sold out by then”.

He writes 150 to 200 words for each cry, which lasts about 90 seconds and always includes three ‘Oyez’ and ‘God save the King’. He admits to one time mistakenly shouting ‘God save the Queen’ after she had died.

Roger helped to select his successor Mark Hunter (third from left).

Does he have any advice for his successor, Mark Hunter, who in a break from tradition will also have two deputies?

“The only advice I would give is to do your own thing and enjoy it. I’ve said I’ll give him two things — my best wishes and my phone number. I won’t be there telling him what to do but if he has any questions I will happily answer them.”

How will he feel after making his final cry?

“I know how I will feel an hour afterwards because one of the pubs has invited me round!

“I shall be nostalgic for what has been a very, very happy eight years but also happy to hand over to someone else.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough town crier Roger Hewitt to retire
• Mark Hunter wins contest to be Knaresborough’s next town crier

Midday on market day in Knaresborough last Wednesday brought a familiar sight — cars struggling to park.

Town centre parking is rarely easy in Knaresborough but the decision to allocate 10 of the 56 parking spaces in Chapel Street car park to electric vehicle charging bays has incensed some businesses.

While vehicles hovered around the car park for a space to emerge, nine of the 10 EV charging bays were empty. Business owners say it’s costing them trade and are calling for a rethink.

We spoke to several who were all at pains to point out they support better infrastructure for electric vehicles, but claim Harrogate Borough Council went too far, too soon by removing so many bays at once and a rethink is required.

The sole vehicle charging in Chapel Street when the Stray Ferret visited last week was being used by Bev Nelson, who is originally from Harrogate but now lives in Sheffield.

Ms Nelson visits Knaresborough every few weeks for a hairdressing appointment at Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty on Castlegate and said the chargers were great for her but questioned whether so many bays were required:

Bev Nelson (seated) and Kelly Teggin

Ms Nelson’s car was the only one being charged.

She said:

“We have a public car park near where I live in Sheffield which has two electric chargers. Ten does seem excessive.”

Ms Nelson pays via an app and hooks up a connection cable she keeps in her car. But although the charging process is simple, it isn’t quick: she needs to plug in for four hours just for 25% charge, which raises questions about the suitability of locating the charging bays in short stay town centre car parks.

Ms Nelson says she sympathised with Ms Teggin and other business owners who are feeling the impact.

Ms Teggin says:

“It’s hitting our shops really hard. I’ve got older lady customers who just don’t come to Knaresborough anymore.”

All the businesses we spoke to said some of the 10 EV bays should be made available to all vehicles until demand caught up with supply. Over time. more bays could be allocated EV-only, they said.

Garry Gilmour

Garry Gilmour, director of estate agents Newby James, said:

“There’s never more than three out of 10 spaces taken. I worked in the motor trade for years and electric vehicles are good but I don’t think they have thought this through.”

No multi-storey car parks

Emma Brierley, owner of butchers Huttons, agreed, saying the current allocation had been done to meet targets for 2038. She said:

“They have taken too many spaces too quickly. There’s not the need at the moment for that many.

“We already lose parking spaces on market day because of the market so with this on top we are 30 or 40 spaces down.  We don’t have any multi-storey car parks like Harrogate or a big supermarket car park like Ripon.”

Emma Brierley

Gill Mitchell

Gill Mitchell, owner of shoe shop Stomp, agreed.

“There’s a massive problem with parking in the town centre.

“Kelly has lost appointments which could be costing her £100 each. You can understand her frustration. It’s not as bad here because customers can come whenever they like.

“I can see both sides of the argument but it is a problem because some customers are saying ‘we can’t be bothered to come in because there’s nowhere to park’.”

Some traders said they weren’t sure whether non-EV vehicles parked in EV bays were actually getting parking tickets.

Harrogate Borough Council did not respond to this point when the Stray Ferret asked.

‘It’s been a big issue for some time’

Councillor Phil Ireland, the Conservative Cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability at Harrogate Borough Council lives in Knaresborough.

Last week he attended an event in Harrogate alongside rugby league legend Martin Offiah to mark the roll-out of 100 electric vehicle charging points in the Harrogate district.

Cllr Ireland said he understood and sympathised with the concerns:

“There’s always been this question of parking availability in the town centre. I know it’s been a big issue for some time”

But he added there were plenty of spaces just outside the town centre, such as York Place long-stay, which has 240 bays and is “grossly underused” although he acknowledged it was too far for some people. Knaresborough, he added, had good buses.

“Market day is always a pinch point. It’s popular and we do our best to keep it that way.

“But we’ve got to persuade people to invest in EV.”

Cllr Ireland said “range anxiety” deterred many people from going electric and the availability of chargers would address this.

He suggested groups like Knaresborough & District Chamber and Knaresborough Town Council could work with North Yorkshire Council, which will succeed Harrogate Borough Council at the end of the month, on issues such as running the market, which could lead to improvements.

Knaresborough market is held every Wednesday.

Net-zero by 2038

We put the traders’ concerns to Harrogate Borough Council.

In a statement, a council spokesperson said:

“To help achieve our net zero-carbon economy by 2038, and to support the demand and rapid uptake of electric vehicles following the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, we are installing almost 100 charging bays across the Harrogate district.

“In response to our ultra-low emission  vehicle strategy consultation, we received significant support for the creation of a public charging network. And thanks to a grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles we have been able to help meet this demand.

“More than 20 chargers will be installed in Knaresborough, including Chapel Street car park which is already being used by both residents and visitors alike.

“These bays, which are for EV charging only, account for less than three per cent of the more than 800 spaces available in Knaresborough, so we are confident that non-EV drivers will still be able to find a space in one of the six car parks in the market town, including York Place which is a five-minute walk from the town square. There is also plenty of on-street disc parking across the town.

“Any EVs who use a charging bay at Chapel Street car park, or any of the charging bays across the district, will still need to adhere to the maximum stay period (four hours) and pay for the amount of time they park for (pay and display), as well as the cost of charging their vehicle. There are no parking fees for charging bays between the hours of 6pm and 8am to help residents charge their vehicles overnight.”

Knaresborough Town Council could bid to run the town’s weekly market.

Town councillor David Goode will ask members at a meeting this evening to back his plan that would see the council take control of Knaresborough Market as part of a devolution pilot scheme.

The market is currently run by Harrogate Borough Council but this will all change from April 1 when the new unitary authority North Yorkshire Council is created.

A central pledge in the case for local government reorganisation was that town and parish councils would be handed more powers if they could make successful business cases — a policy known as ‘double devolution’,

Some councillors in Knaresborough, like in Ripon, are hoping to grasp a rare opportunity to take back assets that were handed over to Harrogate the last time reorganisation took place in 1974.

Weekly market since 1310

Knaresborough has held a weekly market since 1310, which it claims makes it the longest continually-run market in the country.

Each Wednesday, traders sell fruit and veg, cheese, cakes and clothes and more—plus there’s a boisterous weekly address from town cryer Roger Hewitt.

There have been previous attempts by groups in Knaresborough to take control of the market but Cllr Goode told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that “the time is right” thanks to local government reorganisation.

He said:

“The market is the beating heart of the town and it’s a jewel we should be protecting. Running it at a local level has a better chance of it being successful than in Northallerton.”

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If he’s backed by his fellow councillors tonight, an expression of interest will be submitted to North Yorkshire County Council next month.

Knaresborough Town Council charges a precept on residents’ council tax.

If it took control of the market, Cllr Goode said it could mean an increase in this precept. However, he added that “shoving money on the precept is totally the wrong mindset” when it comes to double devolution.

Traders and Harrogate Borough Council have had a difficult relationship in recent years but Cllr Goode said the town council would be able to give the market a clearer focus and help to reinvigorate it.

He added:

“I’ve been down the last two Wednesdays and the market place is half-full, but it’s part of the rich story Knaresborough has to tell.

“There’s a lot more that we could do. For example, we should be doing more for the elderly and people on low incomes to show them what advantages they can receive by shopping at the market.”

High winds led to Knaresborough Market being cancelled today.

The historic market, which takes place on Market Place in the town, is usually held on a Wednesday from 7.30am until 3pm throughout the year.

However, Harrogate Borough Council cancelled the market today due to strong winds.

Unfortunately, due to high winds, Knaresborough Market has been cancelled today.

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) January 4, 2023

The move comes as strong winds and showers have been forecast across the Harrogate district throughout the day.

The Met Office recorded gusts of up to 40mph during this afternoon.

Read more:

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North Yorkshire County Council will be collecting small electrical items such as plugs, kettles and hairdryers at Knaresborough Market this week.

It’s part of a campaign to reduce the number of small electrical items being thrown in the bin or hidden away at home.

Members of volunteer group North Yorkshire Rotters will be on hand to collect anything with a plug, battery or cable free of charge.

They will also be giving away free tubs to store used batteries, which will be available while stocks last.

Knaresborough Market is one of 20 locations in North Yorkshire where people can recycle electrical goods over the next month.

They can also be recycled at the household waste recycling centres, which are operated by Yorwaste on behalf of the county council.

Read more:

• Knaresborough tea dance gets all red, white and blue
• Knaresborough couple’s Dower House wedding cancelled due to refurb

Scarborough Conservative councillor Derek Bastiman, executive member for waste management, said:

“The library drop-off service and market day events throughout June will make it easier for many people to drop off items that don’t work anymore and can’t be repaired.

“But, if you struggle to get to a household waste recycling centre please ask a friend or neighbour to take your broken appliance the next time they go and I would encourage residents who do visit our household waste recycling centres to ask anyone they know who doesn’t drive if they need any help.”

Knaresborough Civic Society and town representatives unveiled their 23rd blue plaque yesterday to celebrate the town’s ancient market.

The market has been a rich part of the town’s history since it was first mentioned in 1206. Edward II confirmed Wednesday as market day in 1310.

The market has changed significantly in the 800 years since it started but to this day it is still held on a Wednesday and the bells of St John’s Church continue ring on Tuesday night to remind people the following day is market day.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by deputy mayor Cllr Hannah Gostlow, Peter Lacey and Charlotte Gale from Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and staff from the Tourist Information Centre.

The blue plaques are organised by Knaresborough Civic Society, which said this one — the town’s 23rd — had been in the pipeline for over a year. Andy Grinter, secretary of the society, said:

“We have a celebrated market and as a town it’s something we’re very proud of. It’s about time the market was recognised with a plaque.”

The plaque is located on Butter Lane, to the left of Caffe Nero, close to Market Place.

Other notable places and people that are recognised by plaques include Knaresborough Zoo, which is remembered at the site now occupied by Henshaw’s Arts and Crafts Centre, Dower House and celebrated local man Blind Jack of Knaresborough.

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Mr Grinter added the society was looking for new members. He said projects like this could happen more frequently if more members signed-up.

He also said a higher membership number would strengthen the society’s support or objection to local planning applications.

For an interactive map of all of the town’s blue plaques, click here.

Stallholders have vented their frustration over an ATM outage in Knaresborough’s town centre where there is no longer a bank.

Both the cash machines at the Tesco Express and the Sainsbury’s Local on the High Street are out of service today. They have reportedly been out for the past five days.

Anyone in need of cash either have to queue up at the busy Post Office in the town or head out for a 40 minute round walk to the ATM at the Co-op petrol station on Manse Lane.

Halifax closed its Knaresborough branch in March 2021. Halifax blamed changing customer habits for the closure, which left the town’s 15,000 residents without a bank.

The lack of cash availability has been felt particularly keenly today at the Knaresborough market. The market is held every Wednesday from 7.30am to 3pm in the market square.

Read more:

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Ted Wray, who has sold jewellery and old cash at his stall for the last three years, told the Stray Ferret:

“I think it has put people off buying things at the market today. Some of my potential customers ask if I take cards but it’s not possible when I am selling items for a couple of pounds.

“It has been very difficult. All of us in the market who do not use card machines have felt this as an issue.”

Paul Greene, who runs a fruit and vegetable stall under the name Paul Veg Man, also added:

“The ATMs have been out since Saturday. Customers have also been complaining about it, the machines don’t have any cash in them.

“It has been putting a lot of people off. We have no banks and only one post office where everyone has been sent.”

Jared Clark, who runs a bakery stall on the market with a card machine, said:

“We have had a few customers who have said they can’t get any cash, so it is not ideal. The only place is the Post Office where people often have to queue.

“Footfall is down at the moment so it is not great. Knaresborough deserves better, we need more cash points or a bank.”

The Stray Ferret asked both Tesco and Sainsbury’s why their ATMs are currently out of use. We had no response by the time of publication.

Update: A Tesco Bank spokesperson said:

“We are aware of an issue affecting the ATM at Tesco Knaresborough High Street that has caused the machine to be temporarily out of service. We are working hard to fix this and expect to have the ATM available for use again later this week. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused our customers.”

Stray Kitchen is our column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie is a champion of food produced in the UK and particularly in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district. 

As a farmer’s daughter, the chance to go to a farmers’ market always seems like a great idea to me and to meet like minded people. I visited Knaresborough Farmers’ Market to speak to some of the stall holders and sample some of their tasty wares!

The truth is this farmers’ market has only just got going again since the pandemic stopped the fun, so the stall holders were in a jubilant mood to be back trading. Some have even diversified over the last year, adding to their business with online trading.

Peter and Jane from the Farmers’ Market, with Town Councillor Hannah Gostlow

No market would survive without the organisers and pictured above are Jane and Peter from the Farmers’ Market and Town Councillor Hannah Gostlow, all delighted to see the market thriving again. Jane explained things are a little bit different at the moment. In pre-covid times you might have seen the town crier, buskers providing entertainment or tastings of the foods on offer. Sadly these cannot be done at this time, but all the team seemed very proud of the market and the bustle of the stalls drawing people into the town.

Clockwise from top left: The Headbangers, Hepys Hog Roast, Gluten Freekz, The Gourmet Scotch Egg Co

• The Headbangers Sausage Company lads are new to the business and have teamed up with Swillington Organic Farm to host their stall and sell their amazing Headbanger sausages.
• Hepys Hog Roast go all over Yorkshire with lovely roast pork sandwiches at affordable prices. Emma Parker (pictured) usually roasts a whole hog at each market. The crispy crackling really makes it!
• Trisha Powell from Gluten Freeks began baking for her coelliac husband, and has been running a market stall ever since she took early retirement six years ago. With a couple of gluten free sausage rolls in my bag, I was very happy.
• Trisha and myself pictured here are next to Gerhard who makes traditional pretzel alongside some more modern offerings. Gerhard’s Pretzels has been here for two years and Gerhard has expanded his range with sweet pretzels such as a lovely looking cinnamon one. Having lived in Bavaria, I love the traditional salt crusted pretzels and it took me right back to the German Biergartens!
• The Gourmet Scotch Egg co began life as a little bit of left over sausage meat Katy fashioned into a Scotch egg for her husband. Based near York the business is super local, and ably assisted by Katy’s son Jack.

Clockwise from top left: Really Indian, The Crusty Pie Company, Kick Ass Cheese, Stanley’s home grown flowers and vegetables

• Sharon and her son Karim from Really Indian have some daring customers. Really Indian offers a stunning range of sauces. I tried the Mumbai sauce that really packs a punch, made with fresh chilli, ginger and garlic. The Pakora, Samosa and Bhajis are street food at its best – and so agreed the friendly customer pictured here.
• Richard has been making pies for 30 years and this last year has been very different for his company who usually do the larger shows such as The Great Yorkshire Show. His Crusty Pie Company has been diversifying with the smaller markets and he loves it. The Wensleydale topped pie was full of flavour- he knows his pies!
• The Ladies from Kick Ass Cheese know how to enjoy themselves, pictured here giving the Calendar Girls a run for their money! These individually wrapped cheeses were made on a farm that has been in the family over 80 years.
• One of the great characters of the market is Stanley, who sells his home grown flowers and vegetables. When asked if I could take his photo, he replied “If the camera doesn’t crack!” My sweet peas and tomato plants are so far going well on my windowsill.

Clockwise from top left: Barlow’s Bees Honey, Amber’s Country Crafts, Lasagnas on the Road, Sarah’s Sweet Treats

• The honey on the Barlow’s Bees table really gleamed in the bright sun and was stunning to see. Chris has hives all over Yorkshire and the honey I got came from Elvington near York, with the bees fed on Rapeseed. The honey was so fresh that it hadn’t even fully set, needing around two more days to be set solid.
• The only none-food stall at the market when I visited was Amber’s Country Crafts. Amber has a dressmaking degree and makes all her own stunning cushions and sew’s.
• Luca from Lasagnas on the Road makes delicious slow-cooked lasagnas by hand, ready for you to enjoy at home. I took home the veggie lasagna which was absolutely delicious.
• Sarah from Sarah’s Sweet Treats holds up a stunning pink strawberry layered cake with strawberry frosting. Sarah is far too busy baking to watch The Great British Bake Off-  although she seemed impressed to know I used to work with Paul Hollywood years ago in London!

The feast from Knaresborough Farmers’ Market

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Talks of handing over Knaresborough and Ripon markets to local councils got off to an acrimonious start with a row erupting even before negotiations had begun.

Harrogate Borough Council has responsibility for running the historic markets but questions over their future are now being asked as the authority will soon be abolished under government plans to reorganise North Yorkshire’s councils.

This was up for debate at a virtual meeting of the full council, which quickly descended into chaos as councillors clashed over their record of support for traders.

Conservative Cllr Ed Darling proposed a notice of motion that said the authority had “long supported” the markets, while Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Pat Marsh accused the ruling party of indulging in self-praise and taking “no action” for the future.

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Council leader Richard Cooper said the meeting had been reduced to “nonsense” and made members look “petty”.

It was eventually agreed that the council would begin talks with Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon City Council about taking over control of the markets.

Cllr Pauline McHardy, Ripon Independents, said any future decision would have a major impact on traders and should be dealt with urgently.

She said:

“The unitary council will be in place long before we ever come to a conclusion on the running of these markets. It will probably be one of the last things that the new council will be thinking of when it takes over.

“This needs to be dealt with in the here and now.”

The mayor of Knaresborough, Liberal Democrat Cllr Christine Willoughby, also said there was a “lingering distrust” among traders in the town, as well as fears over budget cuts.

She said:

“The answer to this is to have discussions.

“We are all aware that with reorganisation coming there is a possibility a new authority coming along will not be particularly interested in running markets.

“We need to be ready for change.”

The meeting on Wednesday marks the latest in a series of rows over the markets.

Last year the council faced pressure to scrap new rules, which meant traders were told to either bring and set up their own stalls or pay an extra fee.

Some stallholders had warned the move was putting the existence of the markets at risk but a petition insisting bosses re-think their decision was rejected.

Conservative Cllr Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing and safer communities, said the council had shown strong support for the traders and that any suggestions otherwise were “facile”.

He said:

“A significant amount has already been done in promoting our markets and we must continue to promote and support them.

”I’m more than happy that we look at the possibility of Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon City Council taking control.

“We could have moved forward this evening in a spirit of unity and cooperation, but there are others who decided that would not be the case. That is disappointing and reflects on us all.”

Under the reorganisation of councils, the government is due to make a decision this summer on whether a single authority for all of North Yorkshire or two bodies split on an east/west basis should replace the current two-tier system.

Market stallholders and Knaresborough Chamber of Trade have reacted angrily after a councillor discredited a petition they raised about increased charges.

At the online full meeting of Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) in October, Steve Teggin, president of  Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, presented a ‘save your market’ petition with 4,000 signatures, raised during the summer at the town’s Wednesday market and Ripon’s Thursday market.

Following the meeting, Councillor Andrew Paraskos, HBC’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, contacted individual signatories, saying in a letter sent by post to their homes, or to email addresses:

“The statements made in the petition were misleading and incorrect.”

Harrogate Borough Council has an uneasy relationship with stallholders at its markets in Knaresborough and Ripon

The petition said:

“Harrogate Borough Council is increasing the cost of rent and stall assembly to traders by over 25 per cent. This will mean that it will not be financially viable to continue trading for several market traders.

“Other local councils helped market traders who could trade during lockdown providing essential food products. This was through charging no rent or discounting rent.

“When non-food traders were allowed to return, after not being able to trade for 3 months, full rent was charged (by HBC), despite other local councils providing financial assistance.”

Twenty non-essential traders applied for local authority discretionary grants and each received payments of £10,000 in two instalments – the first in the summer of £2,000 and then £8,000 in October. At the time the grant money was welcomed by those who had received it.

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However, the stallholders are unhappy about an increase of £5 plus VAT from August 1 for the supply and assembly of stalls by the council. Traders who erect their own stalls have not had to pay the additional fee.

The bid to get a council u-turn on increased charges failed, but Cllr Paraskos’s letter has reignited feelings of distrust between the traders and the council and the relationship has deteriorated.  A statement on the letter was given by HBC:

“It is not unusual for an elected member to correspond with the electorate on a range of different issues, whether related to their cabinet responsibilities or ward matters.

“In this case, it was important to set out in clear terms the council’s position on Knaresborough and Ripon markets after much mis-reporting and false claims circulating.

“There were only 747 unique names and addresses among the signatories on the petition.”

Mr Teggin told the Stray Ferret:

“I speak on behalf of stallholders, when I say attempts to undermine the petition is an insult, not only to the people who signed it, knowing it was factually correct, but to the market traders in Knaresborough and Ripon who have played an important role throughout the coronavirus crisis.

“We have already lost traders who have found the increased cost too much to bear and we cannot understand why Harrogate Borough Council treats us with such disdain.”

Brian Murphy, who represents Ripon’s stallholders, pointed out:

“The monthly invoice for rental and assembly of stalls that I paid the council in June was £550 including VAT and in August it shot up by £156 to £706 – that’s an increase of more than 25 per cent.

“I feel that with his letter, Cllr Paraskos was calling me and other market traders liars, but he has failed to substantiate in what ways the wording on our joint petition was ‘misleading and incorrect’.

“Attempting to cast doubts over a petition signed freely by the people who visit and value the markets in Ripon and Knaresborough, is yet another kick in the teeth from a council that is completely out of step with neighbouring authorities, who genuinely support and have a good relationship with stallholders.”