From sourdough to pastries: check out these five independent bakeries in YorkshireRiver Nidd at Knaresborough granted bathing water status

The River Nidd has been granted bathing water status at Knaresborough Lido.

Environment minister Robbie Moore is expected to announce the news this morning.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs received 27 applications for bathing water status this year.

Decisions were expected in spring and well placed sources have told us that the application for the Nidd, which was submitted by Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, is among those approved.

It means the Environment Agency will be obliged to undertake measures to improve water quality at the Lido, which will impact the rest of the river.

Andrew Jones (right) and Environment Secretary Steve Barclay discussing the bid.

As part of the Defra submission, Mr Jones’ office ran surveys last summer on the number of bathers using the Lido, which revealed the venue attracted 276 bathers a day on average during summer.

Water sampling work was carried out along the river by Nidd Action Group, which was formed by fly-fishermen concerned about water quality and now also includes academics, charities and volunteers.

River Nidd water sampling

Volunteers involved in water sampling.

Achieving bathing water status will mean that during the bathing water season from May to September, the Environment Agency will test the Lido for pollutants and designate it either ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’.

If it is not rated highly, the government agency will create a plan to tackle the sources of pollution.

Only two rivers, including the Wharfe at Ilkley, currently have bathing water status and the water quality of both is currently rated ‘poor’ so there are concerns about how effective designation is.

The state of the Nidd came under sharp focus last year.

Nidd Action Group sampling revealed high levels of the faecal bacteria E.coli.

Last year Knaresborough Bed Race competitors were advised to keep their heads above water to avoid the risk of swallowing water containing sewage.

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Knaresborough community centre under new ownership

A community centre in Knaresborough is under new ownership.

Inspire Youth Yorkshire, a charity providing independent youth support in the Harrogate district, has taken over the former Balance Wellness Centre (Yorkshire Yoga) building and has created a community hub.

The centre on Halfpenny Close was taken over by the charity in the last few weeks after the Balance Wellness Centre struggled to recover after Covid. The space is now open as a fully accessible Hub for all ages.

The charity was established in 2019 and offers people aged 8-18 across the Harrogate and surrounding areas support and a chance to engage in activities.

The centre still houses the wellness centre but is focussing on youth provision. It has spaces for treatments, therapies and classes and wellness activities including Yoga, Tai Chi and Dance.

Jess Ward, CEO and founder of Inspire Youth Yorkshire, said:

“The space will continue as a community building it will just be overseen by us and we are going to develop our youth provision elements. We have had some renovations to do including fixing a leaking roof.

“The centre had been underused, but it can offer a good, positive, accessible space for young people. We are an open access centre so it doesn’t matter about your background or needs we provide opportunities and activities and create a sense of belonging.”

The centre is free to attend with some activities charging a small fee to go towards the upkeep of the space. The charity relies on grants and funding from the local community.

Inspire Youth Yorkshire plans to develop their offering to open a senior youth club, martial arts, boxing and a sensory space.

Ms Ward began Inspire Youth Yorkshire after seeing the lack of provision for young people in the area. As a mother and part of the Knaresborough community she set out to provide what she felt the town was missing

Jess Ward CEO and founder of Inspire Youth Yorkshire

She added:

“Inspire Youth Yorkshire wants to keep young people safe and offer a space with trusted adults who provide meaningful experiences and opportunities that allow young people to grow.”

“We also offer support for families, often a new hobby or sport can be a big commitment and a financial strain meaning young people can miss out on opportunities, we want to provide these chances and create a community space.”

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Business Breakfast: New partner appointed at Harrogate accountants

Harrogate accountancy firm Lithgow Perkins has promoted Stuart Abbott to partner.

Formerly the company’s trusts and tax manager, Mr Abbott will work alongside partner Joe Taylor on tax advice and planning for current and new clients.

Mr Taylor said:

“Stuart has outstanding knowledge and expertise in his specialist areas, and strong and trusted relationships with many of our clients. His promotion is thoroughly deserved.”

Local opticians recognised for sustainability

Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists has achieved net zero carbon status for its practices in Harrogate and Knaresborough after helping residents recycle their old eyewear and contact lenses.

The business was given the sustainability endorsement following an auditing by not-for-profit organisation Net Zero Eyecare.

Old glasses and cases, contact lenses, and packaging that cannot be disposed of in recycling bins at home can be recycled at each practice.

Megan Harper, sustainability manager at Bayfields, said:

“We’d urge anyone with an old pair of glasses to bring them into a practice and pop them in our recycling box to avoid them going into landfill and helping us contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Harrogate Chamber to focus on regeneration tonight

The May Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting will be held tonight (May 13) from 5.30pm- to 8pm at Cedar Court Hotel.

This month’s meeting will commence with the AGM, followed by guest speakers, Julian Rudd, head of regeneration (south) for North Yorkshire Council and Stuart Holland and Paul Hatherley from Harrogate Civic Society on the subject of a neighbourhood plan for Harrogate.

Harrogate care home residents celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Granby Resident Brian and his partner with Mexican musician, Rafael

Residents at Granby Care Home in Harrogate had a Mexican-themed party to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo festival.

It was the first stop on their ‘Cruise Around the World’ armchair travel activity which will see residents at Brighterkind care homes, experiencing the culture of other countries.

The care home’s magic moments coordinator, Lydia Jackson, said:

“It’s been a very exciting first port of call on our world cruise, none of us had been to Mexico before, so everyone enjoyed experiencing the culture and loved the food.”

Have some news to share about your business? Send it to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

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Readers’ Letters: Does North Yorkshire Council not know how a drain works?

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.  

The following three letters are in response to the extreme flooding in Knaresborough earlier this week. Roads were under water, homes were flooded and residents evacuated. The council denied the conditions of the drains played a part, but some residents feel otherwise.  

Does North Yorkshire Council not know what a drain is and how they work?

I think the Stray Ferret should take a stand on behalf of all Knaresborough folk and demand that they do something about it.

I live up Ripley Road and can tell you that the drains on High and Low Bond End and Ripley Road haven’t been cleaned out properly for at least 30 years.

Steve Newbould, Knaresborough

Here on Hambleton Close we had a near miss – although both our neighbours took on water.

I have consistently notified North Yorkshire County Council (that was) about the state of drainage in Knaresborough. Each time I receive hollow words of acknowledgement, but nothing is done.

The autumn leaf-fall and the failure to sweep the roads only added to this catastrophe.

What do we pay our council tax for?

Ralph Thrower, Knaresborough

We have reported the blocked drains for years and no works seems to have been done.

Last week we were down to one working drain on our street and we directly reported it to the council.

We have issues with Waterside becoming a river even with normal levels of rainfall.

We warned the council numerous times it would flood, as the water has nowhere else to go other than through the houses.

Mark Johnson, Knaresborough

Maybe Keane Duncan’s defeat means he will ‘finally fix our roads’

This story follows the York and North Yorkshire mayoral election last week. Labour’s David Skaith took home the crown, leaving Tory councillor Keane Duncan defeated.

Thank goodness for the mayoral result, which hopefully now means we are also done with Mr Keane’s tedious photo opportunities (hopefully!).

For months he’s courted the camera and delivered on little else. Even the well-hyped ‘100 days in Peggy’ went suspiciously quiet.

Maybe now he can finally concentrate on the job he has, including fixing our roads for starters.

He might want to take Peggy for a drive down Pannal Ash Road and sample the disgraceful state of a public highway.

Simon Ewing, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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Pierce Brosnan ‘borrows screwdriver’ from Knaresborough optician

Staff and customers at a Knaresborough eyewear store had a surprise today when James Bond star Pierce Brosnan walked in.

Yorkshire Eyewear, on High Street, helped the 70-year-old film star after he came in with “a problem with his glasses”.

Meg Lazenby, who runs the store’s social media, told the Stray Ferret that Brosnan asked to “borrow a screwdriver” at about midday today.

She said:

“He sort of walked past and then came in. He said he had an issue with his glasses and asked to borrow our screwdriver to fix them. He didn’t buy anything though.”

Ms Lazenby said the star, who is rumoured to be filming a new biopic called Giant about Sheffield ex-boxer Naseem Hamed, was “lovely and very polite”.

He agreed to pose for a photo with a customer, telling them he was in the area because he “loves the Yorkshire scenery”.

During his trip to Knaresborough, the former 007 also stopped at Castle Creamery.

Owners Tim and Jane said he was “lovely and really charming”, adding he enjoyed his ice cream “outside with other customers”.

Tim added:

“He said he was working on a project in Leeds and was on a day off today”.

Pierce Brosnan with Castle Creamery owner Jane.

The Harrogate district seems to have stolen Pierce’s heart – much like he stole the hearts of many admirers when he played Bond four times. Three weeks ago he was spotted having a pint — rather than a martini — in the Fat Badger in Harrogate.

Shortly after his sighting, the elusive former frontman of The Smiths, Morrissey, another Harrogate regular, was photographed on Cut Throat Lane in Shaw Mills.

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Knaresborough pulls together to help flood victims

Dozens of homes in Knaresborough were flooded in the space of minutes on Monday night when there was an unexpected downpour.

In the days since then, the town has been rallying round to help those affected.

The Stray Ferret covered the immediate aftermath of the storm. But in the days since, charities, volunteers and councils have been working together to help people find accommodation and provide other practical support.

A community hub has been established at Chain Lane Community Centre where all those involved in the effort, including Knaresborough Town Council and North Yorkshire Council, are helping.

We visited this morning to find out more.

Sue Vasey, chief executive of the community centre, said people can receive financial and emotional support, insurance advice and guidance on the damage to their homes, as well as the opportunity to speak about alternative accommodation.

Ms Vasey said:

“We’re encouraging people to come forward.

“Our support is tailored to the needs of the individual. We can help with accommodation if people don’t have somewhere fit to live, and if an issue arises that we can’t directly help with we have people and the resources that can.

“Don’t suffer in silence. This was a freak event and our kettle is always on.”

Ms Vasey said 48 households have so far come forward seeking support after their homes were damaged by the flood, but she feels there are people still struggling alone.

The flooding on Monday.

She also praised the town and those involved in the recovery process for “stepping up”:

“I feel really proud of how Knaresborough has stepped up – everyone is really rallying together.

“We have 20 volunteers, local groups like the Lions and the Rotary Club are helping and local funders have also come forward to support people.”

Ms Vasey said the hub has also been assisted by North Yorkshire Council’s major incident response unit, adding it had been “absolutely amazing”.

After the flooding, questions were raised about the condition of the drainage systems in Knaresborough, with some people pointing the finger at the council.

When asked if she shared these concerns, Ms Vasey said:

“The council responded really positively to the incident. It was extreme weather and I don’t think the drains could’ve coped with that amount of water regardless.

“This is the first time we’ve done an emergency service response since the unitary authority formed and it’s a test bed. I think it’ll be good to come together with other services when things have started to calm down and we can learn from it going forward.”

Chain Lane Community Centre is open for free help until 6pm today (Friday, May 10).

It will resume normal working hours (9am to 1pm) next week, but Ms Vasey said people can still come forward to access support.

If you have been impacted by the flooding, you can visit the community centre on Chain Lane, call 01423 861066 or email info@chainlane.org to begin the support process.

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Heavy rain causes Starbeck church ceiling to collapse

The ceiling of a Starbeck church has collapsed after a severe rainstorm this week.

David Leonard, a treasurer at St Andrew’s Church, contacted the Stray Ferret on Wednesday after part of the ceiling of its Welcome Centre caved in on Monday evening (May 6).

Mr Leonard said the volume of rain was “too much” for the rooftop drains, which led to the damage.

The church also took to social media to say the Welcome Centre is “out of action” following a “severe ingress of water”.

Mr Leonard said the church has insurance, but would also apply to various charities for financial help to fix the ceiling.

He said:

“I don’t know exactly but I expect it’ll cost at least £5,000 to repair – if not more.

“I imagine the welcome centre will be out of action for around three months, but the repairs will take as long as they take.”

Mr Leonard did confirm, however, the church is still operating as usual and can be accessed via different doors.

It comes after an extreme rainstorm hit parts of Starbeck and Knaresborough on Monday.

Several Knaresborough roads were underwater, while homes were flooded and residents were forced to evacuate.

The damage raised questions about the ability of local drainage systems to cope, but North Yorkshire Council denied this was a factor.

Mr Leonard attributed the damage at St Andrew’s to “just a case of there being exceptional weather that day”.

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Knaresborough businessman denies £200,000 business scam

A man has appeared in court charged with an alleged £200,000 business scam involving covid loans and accounting records.

David Allon, 44, from Knaresborough, appeared at York Magistrates Court yesterday when he pleaded not guilty to nine separate allegations regarding two businesses he was allegedly running between June 2020 and August 2023.

They include two allegations of fraud by false representation in June 2020 in relation to applications for a ‘bounce-back’ covid business loan involving the two named companies he was said to be running, and one count of removing property as a company winds up, between June and December 2020.

He is also charged with failing to comply with the provisions of a piece of legislation regarding the keeping of accounting records between October 2020 and August 2023 and failing to deliver up company books to a liquidator between 2020 and 2023.

Deputy district judge Natalie Wortley told Mr Allon that the allegations were too serious to be dealt with at the magistrates’ court and that the case would be sent to the Crown Court.

Mr Allon, of Arkendale Road, Staveley, will next appear for a plea-and-trial preparation hearing at York Crown Court on June 10. He was granted bail until then.

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Knaresborough play area reopens

A new play area in Knaresborough has reopened after prolonged wet weather.

The playground at Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre opened in February but closed just days later due to flooding. It had remained closed since under puddles of water.

Three months later, the first dry spell of the year has led to its opening.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, informed the Stray Ferret of the news after visiting the site today.

A cone is in place over a remaining wet section.

Cllr Gostlow and fellow Lib Dem Cllr Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West, have been seeking updates from North Yorkshire Council, which owns the site.

Cllr Walker gave an update last month in which he said there were still lots of snagging issues and concerns about inadequate drainage.

Cllr Walker at the site last month.

But the play area is finally open — at least while the dry spell persists.

The leisure centre, which is run by council-owned Brimhams Active, includes a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool and slide, a 60-station fitness suite, a sauna and steam room, and group fitness class studios.

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