Tree planting across Harrogate district this weekend to mark Queen’s jubilee

Trees will be planted this weekend in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge as part of an initiative to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

The Queen’s Green Canopy, which was created as part of celebrations for the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, which invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.

Trees will be planted in Valley Gardens and on Wetherby Road in Harrogate, at Jacob Smiths Park in Knaresborough, at High Cleugh in Ripon, at Pateley Bridge Recreation Ground and at Boroughbridge Recreation Ground on Sunday.

All but one tree at each of the locations has been planted already. The final tree ones will planted this weekend to coincide with Her Majesty’s accession day.

Harrogate borough mayor, Councillor Trevor Chapman, will unveil the ceremonial tree in Valley Gardens, Harrogate at 2pm.

The Lord Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Johanna Ropner, will join Councillor Andy Paraskos to unveil the ceremonial tree at Boroughbridge Recreation Ground at 11am.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones will join the mayor of Knaresborough, Councillor Christine Willoughby, at Jacob Smith Park in Knaresborough at 1pm.

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Cllr Eamon Parkin, the mayor of Ripon and Cllr Mike Holt, the mayor of Pateley Bridge, will plant trees in their respective locations.

Species being planted include elm, oak, hornbeam, sycamore and lime.

Individuals, town and parish councils, community groups, schools, businesses and landowners will be encouraged to plant tress during the planting season from October to March.

White Rose Forest

The Queen’s Green Canopy will coincide with the council’s plans to plant thousands of trees in Bilton Beck Wood and Willow Wood, Harrogate and Upper Horse Shoe Fields, Knaresborough as part of the White Rose Forest partnership.

The White Rose Forest is the community forest for North and West Yorkshire being created by local authorities, landowners, businesses and communities.

Councillor Andy Paraskos, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“The Queen’s Green Canopy is a wonderful opportunity for us to not only honour Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee but also help address the climate situation and deliver carbon reduction initiatives throughout the Harrogate district.

“Similar to the White Rose Forest project, we want to encourage as many people as possible in the district to get involved to improve air quality and biodiversity.”

Sarah Wells, community manager at Bettys & Taylors Group, which has supported the scheme, said:

“Trees remain very close to our hearts at Bettys & Taylors and we are delighted to support this unique project which not only highlights the importance of climate action, but also the positive impact of community collaboration. We hope that these trees will be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the area for many years to come.”

 

 

Knaresborough car park in line for £30,000 resurfacing

A Knaresborough car park is set to undergo £30,000 resurfacing works.

Harrogate Borough Council has awarded a contract to Ripon-based AE Duffield and Sons to carry out the work at Fisher Street car park.

The 48-bay car park on Chapel Street is close to the town’s High Street and is open seven days a week.

The work will see the car park relined to offer 45 parking bays, three disabled parking bays, together with directional markings and yellow hatching.

The advertised contract added:

“The works will also involve the removal of the existing timber bin enclosure, with the formation of a new, due to its current dilapidated condition.”

According to the contract, work is expected to start on February 16 and last until February 22.

AE Duffield and Sons have also carried out similar work at Ripon Cathedral Car Park, where the company was awarded a £106,000 contract to resurface the site.

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Firefighters called to tree house blaze in Knaresborough

Firefighters were summoned to a blaze in a tree house in woodland in Knaresborough last night.

Appliances from Harrogate and Knaresborough were summoned to the fire at about 9.30pm last night.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log, the fire occurred in a wooded area at Waterside. It said:

“The structure suffered 100% fire damage and was extinguished using a main 45 mm jet and a ceiling hook.

“The cause of the fire is unknown.”

There have been several fires recently in the woods near the River Nidd in Knaresborough.

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New moves to improve cycling in North Yorkshire

A local authority facing a huge demand to increase cycling infrastructure has revealed it is mapping all non-public right-of-way cycle routes for the first time to make it easier for people to swap their cars for bikes.

North Yorkshire County Council’s highways team is set to produce a cycling route map spanning England’s largest county while also examining moves such as segregating road users as sweeping Highway Code changes are introduced to make cycling easier and safer.

The announcements follow the authority being inundated with proposals for cycle route schemes from residents and community groups after the authority received £1m from Department for Transport Active Travel Fund last year to improve the infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

Despite numerous calls for action to enable active travel in rural areas, the council said it would focus the funding on large towns, such as Harrogate, as greater populations meant better value for money.

Harrogate currently has cycling routes planned for Otley Road and Victoria Avenue in Harrogate and Harrogate Road in Knaresborough.

A meeting of the county’s Local Access Forum this week heard safety concerns continued to be a major factor in determining whether people chose to cycle and that the government was trying to discourage segregating cyclists by using white lines, “given that white lines don’t do anything to protect cyclists”.

Instead, highway officers said, the authority was now moving towards physically segregating cyclists and motorists, but it was a more expensive than simply using white lines and would “not happen overnight”.

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The forum’s chairman, Paul Sherwood, said action was needed to improve roads for cyclists. He said:

“Is the highways section of the county council aware of the incredibly dangerous situation of the appallingly maintained roads in which cycling is extremely hazardous in the way the roads are at the moment?”

Funding from developers

Officers replied that the roads were subject to a scheduled programme of inspections and the council was looking to gain extra funding through property developers’ contributions for safety improvements. The meeting heard the availability of funding could increase when the forthcoming unitary authority controls most of the county’s planning matters.

The meeting was told it was hoped a county-wide map of non-public right of way routes would make it easier for cyclists to plan.

An officer said:

“We recognise it is not that easy to find out where those routes are. We are moving towards making that more accessible.”

The meeting heard the authority would be taking into account the HIghway Code changes, in which cyclists are encouraged to cycle in the middle of the road, but the changes were unlikely to impact on the design for cycling infrastructure.

Councillors were told the council would examine schemes such as one introduced in parts of York where bollards have been placed at the side of the road to segregate cyclists and motorists, which had increased safety for cyclists while the narrowing of the road had slowed traffic.

Former governors call for Boroughbridge sixth form to remain open

Three former governors of Boroughbridge High School have called for the potential closure of its sixth form to be stopped.

It comes as parents await the decision of the federated governing body of Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School in Knaresborough, which met last night.

The school held a consultation with staff, students, parents/carers and governors from mid-November to mid-December 2021. It asked for thoughts on the ‘suspension of the sixth form for up to two years’.

If the plan goes ahead then the sixth form will not reopen in September.

The Stray Ferret asked current chair Malcolm Dawson for the outcome of last night’s meeting but he declined to comment, saying parents would be notified first.

It is unclear when the results will be announced publicly.

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The consultation process and the decision itself has come under scrutiny in the last week.

Dr Ron Nixon, a former GP and one of the school’s founding governors, told the Stray Ferret:

“I just do not understand how this has happened. I do not like the smell of it. If it does close for two years then, realistically, what are the chances of it reopening?

“The closure of the sixth form would not only be a disaster for the school but also the wider community, which has grown rapidly over recent years.”

Brian Dooks, who served as a governor of Boroughbridge Primary School and Boroughbridge High School for nearly 20 years, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am disturbed and alarmed to learn that Boroughbridge High School could be about to lose its on-site sixth form.

“I was one of the governors who fought long and hard for the creation of the sixth form, which was attended by my two daughters.

“My former governors will take some serious persuading that it will not rapidly become a permanent solution to the detriment of generations of young people.

“In the last 10 years the Boroughbridge population has exploded. If there was justification for a sixth form in the 1990s, that must be true in 2022.”

Another former chair of governors, who asked not to be named, added:

“I just want the school to succeed. This was meant to be a consultation with parents but I am struggling to find parents who knew anything about it. They are angry.”

What’s your view of the proposed closure? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Former Knaresborough vaccine centre to become gym

Planning permission has been granted to convert the former covid vaccine centre and Lidl supermarket in Knaresborough into a gym.

The Lidl on York Road closed in 2018 when the supermarket relocated to a larger site nearby.

In February 2021, the site was taken over by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which administered thousands of covid jabs from a building in the car park until it moved in September to larger premises on Knaresborough’s Chain Lane.

Planning consultants Lichfields said it was not able to say which gym operator will be moving into the building at this stage.

Knaresborough is currently served by a variety of gyms, including Black Wolf Fitness, XS Fitness Club and Red Strength.

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Closure of Boroughbridge High School sixth form to be discussed this week

A proposal to close the sixth form at Boroughbridge High School for up to two years will be discussed this week.

The school held a consultation with staff, students, parents/carers and governors from mid-November to mid-December 2021 — it has not yet released the results.

The consultation asked for thoughts on the “suspension of sixth form from September 2022 for up to two years”. It added:

“Due to the demographics of the area, numbers on roll at Boroughbridge High School have decreased.

“That is making it more difficult to maintain viable class sizes at post-16. Both in terms of quality of experience, subject breadth and financial viability.”

Federation with King James’ School

Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School in Knaresborough federated in January 2021.

The federation of governors, which act on behalf of both schools, will discuss the proposal on Thursday.

A federation is a formal agreement between two or more schools to work together to raise standards while remaining separate.

Currently, sixth form students attend both schools depending on their subjects. Under the proposal, King James’s School would provide all courses and pastoral support.

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The Stray Ferret asked for an interview with Boroughbridge High School. Headteacher Kathryn Stephenson (pictured) said in a statement:

“The proposal is to temporarily suspend sixth form provision at Boroughbridge High School from September 2022 for a period of up to two years.

“The responses to the consultation will be considered by the governing body at its next meeting.”

‘Disturbed and alarmed’

Brian Dooks, who served as a governor of Boroughbridge Primary School and Boroughbridge High School for nearly 20 years, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am disturbed and alarmed to learn that Boroughbridge High School could be about to lose its on-site sixth form.

“I was one of the governors who fought long and hard for the creation of the sixth form, which was attended by my two daughters.

“My former governors will take some serious persuading that it will not rapidly become a permanent solution to the detriment of generations of young people.

“In the last 10 years the Boroughbridge population has exploded. If there was justification for a sixth form in the 1990s, that must be true in 2022.”

Pedestrianisation of Knaresborough’s Market Place up for debate

Residents and business owners in Knaresborough are being asked to give their opinions on whether the town’s Market Place should be pedestrianised.

Knaresborough Town Council has begun canvassing opinion on whether to pedestrianise a large section of Market Place.

The current suggestion is for the area from the phone boxes to the market cross to be pedestrianised, which would mean the removal of 14 car parking spaces and cars being prohibited from the loop around the market.

The roads surrounding that section, including the bottom of Market Place, Castlegate and the top area near Caffe Nero would still be available for car use.

Cllr Christine Willoughby said the plans were at “a very early stage” but she hopes people will back the idea. She said:

“In an ideal world, it would be a nice thing to do in the town. I visit large, open markets in foreign cities and just think how nice they are. I’d like to see it happen here, but we have to have support from residents and businesses before taking it to the next stage.”

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Residents are being asked to share their opinions on pedestrianisation in a survey that aims ‘to help share the future of the town’. The survey closes on January 27.

Cllr Willoughby said the town council was conscious of how pedestrianisation might affect businesses on Market Place and it had asked Knaresborough Chamber of Trade to speak to members.

She added the idea had circulated for years but had never come to fruition, but she hoped that with the support of local businesses and residents it could finally happen.

If the town supports the proposal, the next stage would be to contact North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority. It also earns income from the car park.

Paper copies of the survey are also available to collect from Knaresborough Library or by contacting the town council on 01423 864080 or clerk@knaresboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk.

TikTok famous: 4 videos featuring the Harrogate district’s people and places

After a Russian TikToker racked up a million views with a scenic video of Knaresborough and a clip went viral of Brimham Rocks staff kicking out a mobile DJ, the Harrogate district is becoming a regular feature on the popular social media platform.

Scrolling through an app like TikTok, where millions post videos of dance routines and comedy lip-sync clips, you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see the likes of Harrogate town centre, Knaresborough Castle or Fountains Abbey popping up on screen.

But more and more individuals, and more recently companies, are recognising how much the platform can boost your profile, with one small clip sometimes reaching millions of people from across the globe.

There is no denying that TikTok videos featuring the area are an effective way of showcasing what it has to offer, including places, people and businesses.

DJ Zach Sabri, who is better known as SUAT on TikTok recently went viral with this video filmed at Brimham Rocks.

Harrogate marketing agency Marketing Adventures uses the social media platform to help promote clients.

Creative director Brogan Huntington said:

“As a digital marketing agency with a young, innovative team, we have used TikTok for some time now.

“It is an incredible marketing tool. We use it for the majority of our clients especially in the property and food and beverage industries.

“It has taken some time for Harrogate businesses to become accustomed to the idea of using TikTok in order to promote their business online, as their perception has been that it is a younger audience. Although this is somewhat true, this video-based platform is a great way to build a brand and speak to your clients and your future clients.

“Video is one of our favourite tools to promote business and we have seen exceptional success through via sales videos have produced on social media.”

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Global hair and beauty brand Cloud Nine, which is based in Harrogate, started using TikTok in 2020 to promote its products.

Naomi Horan, social media and influencer manager, said:

“In 2020 and the year of lockdown, people looked to social media for a sense of release from their mundane work-from-home set up.

“TikTok proved pivotal in becoming both an escape and a source of inspiration, with everything from dance challenges and duets, to food recipes and every day hacks. This month, TikTok has reported over one billion active monthly users – you can no doubt expect you’ll find a percentage of your audience on this platform.

“For Cloud Nine, TikTok is going to become a crucial part of our 2022 plans to engage with our audiences in ways we have never done before.

“TikTok themselves say, ‘Don’t make ads, make TikToks’ – brands need to entertain their audience, build their awareness and in turn, they’ll reap the rewards.”

4 TikTok videos with more than 100k views featuring the Harrogate district’s people and places

Livharlandmusic – Harrogate busking

Liv Harland is from York, but can regularly be seen busking in Harrogate on her TikToks. In fact the singer, who has 1.5 million followers, had some of the biggest live stream moments of the year on the social media site, where she broadcasts herself busking. In 2021 she was fourth, fifth and seventh on the Top 10 list of the most watched live moments by artists on TikTok, alongside Ed Sheeran, Yungblud and Coldplay.

In this live TikTok, one of the many filmed in Harrogate, she clocked up a whopping 4.1 million views singing her version of Runaway by Aurora. In the video she notices a man in the background, who appears to have confused a loaf of bread with a mobile phone. We’ve all been there. It was one of her most viewed last year and features Cambridge Street.

https://www.tiktok.com/@livharlandmusic/video/6960310322603330821?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7033698343524288005

Amealmeal  – Harrogate accent

In this Tiktok video, which clocked up 520,000 views, Mila, a student nurse from Harrogate, has clearly been having difficulty getting others to understand why she doesn’t have a broad Yorkshire accent. All down to how well spoken we are in this town of course! The struggle is real.

https://www.tiktok.com/@amealmeal/video/7023100067812773125?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7033698343524288005

Beauty.spectrum – Visit to Knaresborough and Harrogate

OK, so this one hasn’t quite hit the 100k mark at 20.6k, however this TikTok of a day trip to Knaresborough was also featured on YouTuber Molly Thompson’s weekly vlog back in September, which also clocked up thousands of views. Molly has 130k subscribers to her YouTube channel.

In the vlog Molly, from Beverley, talks about how it has recently become popular for people to go to the town and take photos on the boats while rowing underneath the viaduct. She heads to Knaresborough with her friend for an “Instagram day” — she also has 64.7k followers on Instagram — and films her trip for Youtube and TikTok.

The TikTok video features Knaresborough Castle, the riverside and of course the boats and viaduct. She then heads to Harrogate and buys some donuts from Doe Bakehouse. Filmed on a sunny day last September, Knaresborough certainly needs no filter and looks stunning as always.

https://www.tiktok.com/@beauty.spectrum/video/6873833828159425794?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7033698343524288005

 

flyingscotsgirl  – Filming locations for The Witcher at Fountains Abbey and Malhamdale

Cat Thomson’s tours around Yorkshire’s villages, towns and countryside have been a big hit on TikTok. She saw a huge spike in her number of followers after lockdown in 2020, thanks to more people looking for places to stay in the UK.

Now living in Leeds, she regularly visits North Yorkshire and is a big fan of Fountains Abbey, near Ripon.

This video features a list of filming locations for season two of Netflix hit show, The Witcher, starring Henry Cavill. It includes Fountains Abbey, Plumpton Rocks near Harrogate, Goredale Scar and Janet’s Foss waterfalls in Malhamdale.

https://www.tiktok.com/@flyingscotsgirl/video/6901395697682107650?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7033698343524288005

Knaresborough chamber plans to ‘build back’ after bitter fallout over BID

Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce has said it is ready to “build back” after a tumultuous two years tackling covid and the divide left following the vote against setting up a BID.

The chamber has begun the new year with a slimmed down executive board, new projects and a commitment to rebuild relationships and collaborate with businesses.

Over the past two years the organisation launched various projects to help businesses through lockdowns and encourage people to visit the town.

But it also found itself at the centre of a bitter debate over the setting up of a Business Improvement District, which divided the organisation. Businesses voted against creating a BID.

The fallout from the BID vote had a lasting effect on the chamber, executive member Peter Lacey said, leading it to reassess how the organisation is run.

Now, instead of having a board with over 10 positions and multiple titles such as chair, secretary and treasurer, the not-for-profit organisation operates with an executive board of five members taking on various responsibilities.

Mr Lacey added a few businesses had left the chamber following the BID vote and it now wanted to re-establish itself as a forum for businesses rather than being overshadowed by political divides. He said:

“There is still an overhang of bad feeling following the BID vote. Sometimes it can take time to build back but we’re happy to work with any business or group that will benefit Knaresborough.”

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Members have been sent a survey ahead of the first full meeting next month to ask what they think the focus of the upcoming year should be for the chamber.

It has also asked for feedback on ideas, such as more networking events, support for those making working from home permanent, summer events, the local banking hub and devolution.