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Council to revoke two air quality areas in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire Council is set to remove two air quality management areas in the Harrogate district after levels of nitrogen dioxide dropped.

The council currently monitors air pollution on Low and High Skellgate in Ripon and York Place in Knaresborough.

Both management areas were introduced to review levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which are caused by traffic levels.

Monitoring of NO2 has been in place on Skellgate in Ripon since 2010 and on York Place in Knaresborough since 2017.

Both were declared after beaching the legal limit of 40 micrograms of annual NO2 per cubic metre of air.

However, a report due before the council’s transport, economy, environment and overview scrutiny committee on April 10 says both air quality management areas are due to be revoked.

It said the areas had not breached the limit for more than five years and are now planned to be removed.

In its annual air quality report in 2023, the council said the Ripon management area had gone six years under the limit.

It said:

“This is the sixth year that there have been no exceedance of the objective, in line with the above we propose to revoke the AQMA.”

Meanwhile, air quality management areas in Harrogate on Wetherby Road and Bond End in Knaresborough are set to remain in place.

Both were implemented for breaching the limit for NO2.

However, despite both areas being under the 40 micrograms for this year, the council intends to keep them in place.

The UK government requires local authorities to take action to improve areas with particularly bad air pollution.

In September 2018, North Yorkshire County Council replaced traffic lights at Bond End with a double mini-roundabout to reduce congestion and improve the flow of traffic.

Well known Yorkshire auto repair shop expanding services into HarrogateMain road in Knaresborough to close for resurfacing

A main road in Knaresborough is to close during the evening for resurfacing.

Motorists on Briggate have faced recent delays due to long-term traffic lights caused by the collapse of a section of wall.

Now Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West, has been informed by North Yorkshire Council that resurfacing is due to start at the beginning of May for two-and-a-half weeks.

The road will be closed between 7pm until midnight each evening.

Cllr Walker said it was great the work was finally getting done but it “should not have taken three years of campaigning”.

He urged the council to tackle Wetherby Road in the town next:

“They now need to get on and do Wetherby Road. It’s an absolute disgrace and they keep patching it up and going back every few weeks to redo.

“I’ve asked for it to be resurfaced and what the criteria is but no response so far.

The council announced yesterday its annual surface dressing programme was due to take place this month and May. It will cost £5 million and cover 142 miles of road,

Surface dressing in Ryedale

It will begin in the Selby area from Beal to Kirkby Whalfe and from mid-April it will incorporate roads in Fewston and Darley in the Harrogate district.

Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment, said:

“The annual surface dressing programme is a proactive measure that is vital to maintaining a safe network and preventing potholes arising.”

Plans revived to build flats off Stockwell Road in Knaresborough

Plans to build eight flats in Knaresborough have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council.

Applicant Paul Franklin has proposed building the flats on the site of one of the town’s oldest houses and its garden off Stockwell Road.

Under the plans, the existing property would be demolished and a two-storey building erected. The new building would house six two-bedroom flats and two one-bedroom apartments.

The plans also show landscaping and eight car parking places.

Mr Franklin submitted plans to the council last year for nine apartments on the plot. He told the Stray Ferret at the time the scheme would “provide local people a quality and sustainable place to live and enjoy Knaresborough”.

But those plans were withdrawn last summer after about 30 residents and Knaresborough Town Council objected. They raised concerns that the development would be “overbearing and will overlook neighbouring properties”, create parking problems and increase congestion.

The town council is among more than 20 objectors to the new plans.

It said in its submission to North Yorkshire Council:

“Knaresborough Town Council object to this application and sees no reason to change its objections from the previous applications at this site.”

The town council raised concerns about the increase in traffic, location of the refuse and recycling bins and “is not convinced that any lowering of levels will prevent overlooking onto neighbouring properties.”

13 Stockwell Rd flats floorplan. Image: DNA Group

5 things to do in and around Harrogate this weekend

Get out and about with our guide of the top cultural goings-on from 5-7 April.

Attend a calligraphy course

(Image: Pixaby)

Handwriting seems to be somewhat of a dying art form, partly due to the rise in technology. Learn the skills of beautiful handwriting at this two-hour calligraphy workshop in Knaresborough.

Aimed at beginners and improvers, you will learn the strokes that are based on ancient manuscripts and get the knowhow to create Celtic designs.

£25, booking is required as spaces are limited, 10am-12noon, April 6, Briggate Art, 9a Briggate, Knaresborough, HG5 8BQ, 07931 778 276, chameleonartclasses@gmail.com.

Meet the artist exploring the life of a curlew

(Image: Paco Valera)

Did you know that the curlew is the largest European wading bird, found on estuaries in winter and the moors in summer?

Head up to the Yorkshire Dales this weekend and meet one of the artists behind the Curlew Calling exhibition, Sally Zaranko.

Sally’s work is shown alongside Paco Valera’s photography as well as experienced and highly regarded North Yorkshire artists including Judith Bromley, Hester Cox and Robert Nicholls.

You can chat, draw and write about the beautiful bird at the event.

Free, 10am-3pm, April 6, Dales Countryside Museum, Station Yard, Hawes, DL8 3NT.

Attempt to grow the tallest sunflower

(Image: Pixaby)

You know warmer climes are on the way when you’re sowing sunflower seeds. And this weekend is the last chance to take part in the Sunflower Challenge at F Tate & Sons in Ripon.

Plant your sunflower seed at the planting table at the nursery, take your seed pot home and then post the results on social media by August 15, tagging @FTateandSons and @RiponBID for a chance to win one of three kids’ gardening prizes.

Free, 10am-4pm, April 6, F Tate & Sons, Larkhill Nurseries, Studley Road, Ripon, HG4 2QR.

Visit Goldsborough Hall gardens

(Image: Goldsborough Hall gardens)

This week is Community Gardens Week for the National Open Garden Scheme, and to mark the occasion Goldsborough Hall is opening its gardens to the public on Sunday 7 April. Visitors can expect to see colourful displays from spring bulbs, the woodland walk and a stroll up the quarter-mile long Lime Tree Walk that is lined by a carpet of more than 50,000 daffodils.

There will also be garden talks in the Kitchen Garden at 12pm and 2pm by Goldsborough Hall’s head gardener, and a plant stall on the terrace too.

£7.50 per adult, children free, 11am-4pm, April 7, Goldsborough Hall, Knaresborough, HG5 8NR.

**Last chance to see For the Love of Art at 108 Fine Art Gallery**

(Image: For the Love of Art at 108 Fine Art Gallery)

Forming part of 108 Fine Art Gallery’s collections that breathe new life into the stories they tell, For the Love of Art explores personal narratives and shared experiences.

Showcasing the works of artists Paul Wager and Laimonis Mierins, expect to see work that’s from the heart and explores memories and personal connections that have been made.

Free, 11am-5pm, until April 6, 108 Fine Art Gallery, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate, HG2 ONA.

Do you have an event that you’d like us to potentially feature in the future? Drop me an email at francesca@thestrayferret.co.uk

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Major changes announced to bus routes in Harrogate district

Two new bus routes are set to be introduced in Harrogate this weekend.

The Harrogate Bus Company said in a press release the services would provide ‘new and improved links for housing developments and business parks’.

The company, which is part of French form Transdev, said it has partnered with North Yorkshire Council to bring the new 4, which will link King Edwin Park and the Harrogate West Business Park off Penny Pot Lane in Killinghall to the town centre.

It will also serve Skipton Road and Ripon Road.

The new route, which is being funded by the King Edwin Park housing developer, will run hourly from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

In addition, the 6 and X6 will merge to provide an all-day service to Harrogate’s Pannal Ash, RHS Harlow Carr and Beckwith Knowle.

It will operate every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and hourly on Sundays. Extra buses will run every 20 minutes during peak times.

Harrogate Bus Company said it will operate as the current route, but extending to Beckwith Knowle, where there is a business park.

The firm added:

“The route will change on Otley Road and in Pannal Ash so we pick up on the opposite side of the road – this follows customer requests.”

Changes to existing routes

Along with the new routes, the Harrogate Bus Company also announced it would be making changes to existing routes. Some of the details at this stage are vague.

These include:

1 Harrogate – Knaresborough: There will be a full timetable change from Monday to Saturday. Buses will still run every 10 minutes.

2 Harrogate – Bilton: Changes will be made to buses at peak times on weekdays.

3 Harrogate – Jennyfield: Changes will be made to buses at peak times on weekdays.

8 Harrogate – Knaresborough – Wetherby: This route will be taken over by 21 Transport on behalf of the council. The firm said Transdev tickets will no longer be valid on this route.

21 Knaresborough – Boroughbridge: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

24 Harrogate – Pateley Bridge: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

36 Leeds – Harrogate – Ripon: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

S1 Ripley – Rossett School: A new school bus will serve pupils from Ripley to Harrogate Grammar School and Rossett School. It added people in Jennyfields who currently use the 620H should switch to the S1.

S2 and S6 Bilton – Rossett School: The S2 and S6 will merge into a single route, which will follow the route of the regular 2 bus around Bilton. A large double decker bus will be provided which is sufficient for all customers, it added.

S8 Woodlands – Rossett School: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

620H Dacre – Rossett School: This route will be taken over by another operator on behalf of the council. Harrogate Bus Company said it does not know which firm will take over, but added it will no longer serve Jennyfields. It advised residents to use the S1 instead.

727H Jennyfield – Harrogate Grammar School

The Harrogate Bus Company, which has not released any further information on the changes, said timetables will be available ‘soon’.

The changes will come into effect on Sunday, April 7.

Knaresborough woman awarded palliative care award at national care awards

A Knaresborough woman has won the palliative care award at the national finals of the Great British Care Awards.

Karen Crampton is live-in carer from Carefound Home Care, Harrogate. The company is a provider of local home care services that enable older people to live at home and has branches in Wilmslow, West Bridgford, Harrogate and York.

As a professional live-in carer, Ms Crampton provides round-the-clock care to her clients in their own homes. The role enables patients to remain at home, including at the end of life.

The Great British Care Awards celebrate excellence across the care sector and took place at the ICC in Birmingham on March 22.

Ms Crampton was named as the national winner of the palliative care award, recognising the end-of-life care she provides to older people in their own homes. She previously won the regional award at the Yorkshire & Humberside event at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

TV celebrities Rylan Clark and Steve Walls presented the award to her at the awards ceremony.

Ms Crampton said:

“I feel a little overwhelmed, but winning this national award was just really wonderful. I really do love my job and even though it’s challenging and hard work at times, the joy I get out of giving such personal care when it truly matters outweighs it all. I truly care for my clients and their families and want them to feel safe in the knowledge that everything will be taken care of with dignity and respect for all involved.

“I have worked at Carefound Home Care for almost seven years now and giving such personal, one-to-one care is so rewarding and I can honestly say it’s the best feeling of job satisfaction I have known.”

Karen Crampton and Leonnie Martin from Carefound Home Care at the Great British Care Awards

The judges of The Great British Care Awards said:

“Karen’s exceptional compassion and understanding of the importance of love and quality experiences shine brightly. Going beyond the norm, she helps individuals create lasting memories, including outings in her motorhome. Her remarkable outlook on death is a gift to those facing it, making her a true inspiration.”

Carla Hainsworth, registered branch manager at Carefound Home Care in Harrogate, added:

“We’re incredibly proud of Karen for this national recognition of the outstanding care she provides to her clients. She has demonstrated a passion for providing palliative care at home and helps families to experience sensitive and dignified care at the end of life.

“We know that over 70% of people would prefer to die at home (according to Dying Matters, 2017) and Karen’s well-deserved award is a great example of how live-in care can make this happen and avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital.”

MPs Watch: Spring Budget, Kex Gill and Rwanda Bill updates

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In March, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the Spring Budget, which included plans to cut national insurance contributions by a further 2p, and North Yorkshire Council reported a rise in local hate crimes following the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Here’s what we know about analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what found on Conservative Andrew Jones:

On March 11, Mr Jones attended Parliament’s Commonwealth 70th Anniversary Ceremony.
He also spoke in the House of Commons about the Spring Budget, which he said he “supported”, on March 12.
The Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association received a £3,000 to donation from an individual on March 13.
On March 18, Mr Jones voted in favour of all ten amendments to the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
He also met members of the Community Security Trust, Antisemitism Policy Trust and Jewish Leadership Council to discuss the antisemitic incidents report.
On March 21, Mr Jones asked the Leader of the House for a debate to discuss the Prime Minister’s announcement about apprenticeships.

When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent details of March engagements.

These included meeting with business leaders in Harrogate town centre, as well as asking the Health Ministers about boosting dental capacity and the role of dental centres of excellence.

Mr Jones also held an AGM for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport.

In addition, he asked transport ministers about ensuring train driver vacancies are filled and “appropriate training prioritised”.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Conservative Julian Smith:

Mr Smith made no spoken contributions in the Houses of Parliament in March.
He voted in favour of amendments one to eight of the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
On March 14, Mr Smith met with the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council about the latest closure of the A59 at Kex Gill.
He welcomed news of government funding into grassroots sports in Skipton and Ripon reaching nearly £300,000.

We contacted Julian Smith for comment, but his office directed us towards the press releases on his website.

They included visiting Ripon’s Prison and Police Museum to mark English Tourism Week.

Mr Smith welcomed a £60 million government package to help businesses create more apprenticeships, which would be delivered across his constituency.

He also supported news of more than £530,000 of funding to the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Service, which will go towards adult social care.

Mr Smith also visited Whittaker’s Gin, in Dacre, and signed a whisky cask.

Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP.

In Selby and Ainsty, which includes parts of south Harrogate, here is what we found on Labour MP Keir Mather:

Mr Mather updated his Facebook page nearly 30 times this month. None of the updates related to areas of his constituency which fall in Harrogate.
On March 12, he spoke at his first Budget Resolutions debate in the House of Commons. He felt the Budget failed to grasp the “economic opportunities of our time”.
Mr Mather voted against all ten amendments to the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
On March 4, he also made a spoken contribution to a debate on farming.

When we contacted Mr Mather for comment, his office sent a list of some of his March highlights.

These included visiting Kirk Hammerton Primary School to speak to students about Parliament.

He also welcomed the Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, to speak to constituents about rural crime.

Weekend walks in North Yorkshire – with a pub en route

It’s hard to beat the feeling of getting out into the countryside to get some fresh air, stretch your legs and take in some quintessential Yorkshire scenery.

Add to that the possibility of visiting a local pub for a pint or some hearty food, and you’ve got a winning weekend combination.

Welburn, Castle Howard and The Crown & Cushion

Castle Howard (Image: Pixabay)

The route: Starting and ending outside The Crown & Cushion pub in the pretty village of Welburn there are several circular walks that pass through woodlands and the land belonging to Castle Howard – the estate website suggests longer and shorter routes, which are available to download as pdfs.

With sweeping scenery across the Howardian Hills, the estate boasts several follies, set amongst the arable farmland and gently undulating terrain.

The pub: The Crown & Cushion serves ‘fresh, locally sourced and seasonally led food’, according to its website.

Boasting a large beer garden and a dog-friendly policy, it’s a popular destination for both lunchtime walkers and fine diners.

Spofforth, Kirkby Overblow and The Castle Inn

Spofforth Castle

The route: The charming village of Spofforth is located between Wetherby and Harrogate and connects to many outlying villages by footpaths and bridleways.

Crossing farmlands and through the woods to Kirkby Overblow – which boasts several pubs of its own – the route can also be lengthened to incorporate another ancient village, Sicklinghall.

There are many walks that follow this route, including suggested directions from All Trails, and a blog by the Walking Englishman.

The pub: The Castle Inn in Spofforth is a classic example of an upmarket country pub, with rooms, an event space and a spacious outdoor area.

Sunday roasts are served with a signature giant Yorkshire pudding, and cask ales are sourced from a range of local breweries, including Leeds Brewery, Theakston and Timothy Taylor’s.

Staveley Nature Reserve and The Royal Oak Inn

Staveley Nature Reserve

The route: Staveley Nature Reserve, located between the villages of Staveley and Minskip, offers a large network of footpaths, covering 79 hectares of wetlands.

Parking is free, either in the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust car park or along Minskip Road, and many of the trails are accessible by both buggies and wheelchairs, and clearly signposted along the way.

The area is a haven for wildlife; a huge variety of birds such as ringed plovers, avocet and sand oystercatchers can be seen, as well as foxes, roe deer, otters, and grazing Highland cattle.

The pub: The Royal Oak Inn is located in the village of Staveley itself. On colder days, there is often a roaring fire for dogs and owners alike to enjoy, and the menu features traditional pub fare, such as pies, curry and fish and chips.

Burnsall, Hebden and The Red Lion

Wharfedale (Image: Pixabay)

The route: In picturesque Wharfedale, Burnsall is nestled between a circle of fells and the River Wharfe, with a history dating back to the Viking era.

Parking can be found on the west side of the river, and a permissive footpath winds its way down the riverbank for one mile, before reaching stepping stones that cross to the opposite bank, and to the village of Hebden.

To get back to Burnsall, follow the path along Hebden Beck, offering a quieter return journey than the riverside which can be popular with visitors in summer. Both the Yorkshire Dales National Park and The Red Lion itself have a suggested route on their respective websites.

The pub: A 16th century coaching inn, The Red Lion is not only a Burnsall institution, but a well-known watering hole in the Yorkshire Dales.

The beer terrace is a busy spot on a sunny day, and there’s a wide range of food and drink offerings, including brunch, as well as the firm favourites.

Knaresborough, and The Half Moon Inn

The Half Moon pub in Knaresborough

The route: Knaresborough is often bustling with visitors and boaters in the summer months, but venturing further out of the historic town centre allows you to enjoy views of the River Nidd, without the crowds.

Strolling the length of the waterside you’ll pass the Shrine of Our Lady in the Crag, interesting rock garden sculptures and the impressively manicured lawns of the riverside houses.

To extend your journey, you can walk in the woodlands to Old Bilton, before looping back into Knaresborough. Visit Harrogate and All Trails both have versions of this route on their websites.

The pub: A family owned, independently run free house, The Half Moon Inn specialises in wood-fired pizza, grazing boards sourced from local producers, and a selection of local ales.

Perched at the end of Low Bridge, a short walk along Knaresborough’s riverside, the pub benefits from being slightly further out from the hubbub – although it’s certainly still a popular spot.

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Local history spotlight: Blind Jack of Knaresborough

If you’re a Knaresborough resident, you’ll almost certainly have heard about Blind Jack, but his influence can be felt much further than the small Yorkshire town.

A civil engineer, local guide, horse trader, businessman and a musician, Jack can sometimes be overshadowed by Knaresborough’s other famous figure, Mother Shipton, but he lived an extraordinary – and long – life, especially for the time period.

The early years

Born in 1717 in a cottage connected to the churchyard opposite Knaresborough Castle, John – commonly also known as Jack – Metcalf nearly fell foul of the high infant mortality rate of the era when he was struck down with smallpox aged six.

He recovered but the illness left him permanently blind – earning him his moniker, which would be considered insensitive by many today.

By all accounts, Jack took his new life in his stride, and it’s claimed within three years he could find his way to any part of Knaresborough, unassisted. This intrinsic knowledge of the town became an invaluable tool in one his many jobs as a local guide, showing visitors around the area.

John (Jack) Metcalf was born and raised in a cottage opposite Knaresborough Castle

One of his other talents was for music and at 15 years old he made a name for himself as a fiddler, playing in local pubs, one which was the Queen’s Head in Kettlesing, which still operates today.

Scandal and elopement

Touring as a musician could have been where he met Dorothy Benson, the daughter of the landlord at Granby Inn. However, their love story was far from straightforward – in his twenties, Jack found himself at the centre of a scandal involving another woman.

In his own biography, Jack claimed that the woman – the sister of one of his friends – would often ‘propose such whimsical schemes’ that ‘gave him reason to believe to laugh and be merry was the chief business of her life’.

Detailing his version of events in E&R Pick’s The Life of John Metcalf, Commonly Called Blind Jack of Knaresborough he said:

However, the one evening apprised him of her intention to pay him a visit in the night and desired him to leave his door unlocked.

A knowledge of the woman’s mirthful propensity made him at first consider this as a joke; but, on the other hand he though it possible that a real assignation was intended; and being too gallant to disappoint a lady, he told her he would obey her orders.

Too sure for the future peace of Metcalf, the lady was punctual to her appointment, coming at the dead time of night to his mother’s house. It would be impertinent to detain the reader on the subject of the meeting: suffice it to say, that Metcalf too had unfortunately left his scruples at another house.

When the woman came to Jack to tell him of her pregnancy and ask him to marry her to avoid public shame, he instead told Dorothy, and conspired to neither marry the unnamed woman, nor pay her for her troubles.

He left Yorkshire for seven months to let the furore blow over, and when he returned, Dorothy was engaged to another man. However, Jack convinced her to elope with him, and they married in secret, going on to have four children before Dorothy died in 1778.

A storied career

The latter part of the 18th century was a busy period of Jack’s life, and one where his business credentials came to the fore; in the 1740s he worked as a carrier for goods in the local area, expanding into a stagecoach business by 1754.

During the 1745 Jacobite Uprising he even worked as an assistant to the royal recruiting sergeant in the Knaresborough area, travelling to Scotland with the army.

Jack built some of the routes for roads that are still used today, such as the A59

Due to his successful stagecoach business, he had first-hand perspective into the state of the local roads – and wasn’t particularly impressed. So when the opportunity to win a contract to build part of a road between Harrogate to Boroughbridge arose in 1765, he seized the chance.

He went on to build roads across Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire, including between Knaresborough and Wetherby, and Wakefield to Huddersfield.

In 1792 he retired to live with his daughter and her husband in Spofforth – but that wasn’t the end of his adventures. Aged 77, he walked to York to meet with a publisher and discuss his extraordinary life.

He died aged 92 in Spofforth, where he is buried in All Saints churchyard.

A legacy that lives on

The blue plaque dedicated to Blind Jack can be found in Knaresborough, as well as a statue. There’s also a pub named after him in the town, and a section of road bearing his name too.

His legacy also lives on in the contribution he made to the infrastructure of the North’s roads – many of the routes which survive to this day, such as parts of the A59 and A61.

Blind Jack’s on Market Place, Knaresborough

Sources for the article include Historic UK, Knaresborough Civic Society, The University of Michigan website, EnglishHistory.net and The Life of John Metcalf, Commonly Called Blind Jack of Knaresborough at archive.org.

(Lead image Pixabay and Knaresborough Civic Society)

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