Car park charges to rise by up to 25% in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire Council is set to increase car park charges across the Harrogate district by up to 25%.

Notices have been put up announcing new prices for off-street parking from April 19.

People parking at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough for short periods look set to be hardest hit, with the cost of one hour and two hour parking going up by 25%. Most other price hikes are around 20%.

It is not known whether on-street parking charges will also increase.  The council is expected to issue a media statement this week.

According to the notices, the affected car parks in Harrogate are Dragon Road, Montpellier Shoppers on The Ginnel, Odeon and Park View, West Park and Station Parade. The multi-storey car parks are not mentioned.

The Montpellier Shoppers car park on The Ginnel.

The cost of an annual permit to park at the Odeon and The Ginnel will shoot up from £756 to £907.20 and £1,425.60 to £1,710.72 respectively.

The affected car parks in Knaresborough are Castle Yard, Chapel Street and Fisher Street, Conyngham Hall, Waterside and York Place.

An annual permit at York Place will rise from £270 to £324.

Notices displayed in car parks state the changes come under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which ‘provides that a local authority may vary the charges to be paid in connection with the use of its off‐street parking places by notice’.

It comes despite the council increasing council tax bills by 4.99% in 2024/25.

It means the amount paid by an average Band D property for council services will increase by £87.80 to £1,847.62.

The council faces a shortfall of more than £30 million for the next financial year.

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Cycling infrastructure in Harrogate and Knaresborough ‘absolutely terrible’

Councillors have criticised North Yorkshire Council for not prioritising the needs of cyclists in Harrogate.

At a meeting of Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors, Alex Kay, the council’s senior transport planning officer delivered a presentation that included options for future cycle links in the town.

These included Bilton to Starbeck and Jennyfields to the town centre with cost estimates running into the millions.

In recent years the council has built a widely-criticised stretch of cycle route on Otley Road and abandoned the next phase, scrapped a Low-Traffic Neighbourhood on Beech Grove and decided against creating a one-way system on Oatlands Drive.

Meanwhile, funding bids have been rejected by the government for new cycle paths on Knaresborough Road and Victoria Avenue.

Its flagship active travel scheme, the £12.1m Harrogate Station Gateway, has also been drastically scaled back following opposition from local businesses with only a small section of Station Parade now set to include a cycle lane.

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat for Knaresborough West, criticised the state of the cycle infrastructure in the area.

He said:

“To improve things you have to acknowledge there’s a problem. Active travel is absolutely terrible. Roads are gridlocked and full of potholes, buses are missed all the time between Harrogate and Knaresborough.

“We have to make improvements and the council needs to step its game up. It needs to get its act together so people can get out of cars and get around in a quick and environmentally-friendly way.”

Cllr Arnold Warneken, a member of the Green Party for Ouseburn, added:

“The frustration of people who want to cycle in Harrogate and Knaresborough isn’t being taken seriously.”

With several of the proposals put forward by the council years from being built, Cllr Paul Haslam, an Independent for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said there are not enough “shovel-ready” schemes on the table.

The council’s predecessor North Yorkshire County Council undertook a much-publicised Harrogate Congestion Survey in 2019 which showed there was an appetite for improving walking and cycling infrastructure in the town so people are incentivised to leave their cars at home.

Cllr Philip Broadbank, a Liberal Dem for Fairfax and Starbeck, said:

“I get frustrated with talks and plans and various things we spend time preparing [regarding cycling] yet year-in-year-out nothing happens.”

However, Cllr John Mann, a Conservative for Oatlands and Pannal, defended the council and said it “hadn’t done a bad job” on active travel in his constituency.

Cllr Mann said:

“They’ve installed numerous cycle lanes, several 20mph zones, and school streets. The gateway scheme has not been without teething problems and it’s progressing.

“We shouldn’t be too hard on the highways team. The bigger picture is difficult on financing and funds. Costs of construction projects have gone up enormously and inflation is huge.”

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Harrogate district buses to cap youth fares at £1

Bus fares for young people in the Harrogate district will be capped at £1 as part of a one-year pilot scheme.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive members yesterday accepted £3.5 million of funding from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Network North Bus Service Improvement Plan, which will be used to introduce the scheme.

The pilot will include expanded bus timetables, improvements to bus shelters and £1 travel fares.

£2.1 million of the money, which has been allocated to local authorities in the north and the midlands after plans for the HS2 rail project were halted, will fund additional weekday bus services during peak times across three Harrogate district routes.

These include:

A further £715,000 of the funding will be used to provide £1 bus fares for people aged under 19, which will apply county-wide, while £158,000 will be used to hire more staff to improve boarding times and information services at bus stations across the Harrogate and Scarborough districts.

Maintaining and improving bus stops, additional cleaning services and repairs to Ripon bus station’s waiting facilities will also fall under the scheme at a cost of £76,000.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transport, said:

“As a result of our efforts, bus services in North Yorkshire have seen a significant reversal of fortune since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Passenger numbers are up and we’ve protected at-risk services. Now, I am pleased we can go further.

“With £3.5 million of extra funding, we are able to introduce lower fares for under-19s, invest in bus stops and fund expanded routes in all corners of the county.

“This is very welcome news for passengers, but it is of course vital that services are supported so they can continue in the longer term.”

The council has urged the public to “get on board with the pilot” to ensure the services will continue beyond 2025.

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5 things to do in and around Harrogate this weekend from 22-24 March

Get out and about with our guide of the top activities and things to do this weekend.

Play crazy golf at a movie-themed course in the Yorkshire Dales

At The Stray Ferret we like to publish events that are slightly out of the ordinary – and if a movie-themed crazy golf experience isn’t that, then we don’t know what is.

Taking place at Uredale Mill in the picturesque Dales village of Askrigg, channel your inner Happy Gilmore and get competitive with friends and family on this 18-hole course that’s themed around films.

Dance the can-can at the Moulin Rouge or get a miserly score that would make The Grinch proud. This fun activity is one to pop on the weekend list – or as it runs for two weeks, it could be one for the Easter holidays too. 

Children under 12 £8, adults £10, discounts for group bookings are available – email tickets@incredibleartists.uk, various time slots, March 23 – April 7, Uredale Mill (ex Carrs Billington Yard), Station Road, Askrigg, DL8 3HZ.

 Listen to the soundtracks of the silver screen performed by a live orchestra

(Image: London Concertante)

This week’s ‘5 things to do in and around Harrogate’ has a slight film feel (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is also being released on 22 March, 40 years after the original – book your tickets at The Everyman or The Odeon), while Ripon Cathedral is also hosting a Music from the Movies by Candlelight, performed by London Concertante.

Be mesmerised by the orchestra who will play some of the most iconic film scores of all time, including the suave sophistication of James Bond, the ethereal sounds of ET and the dark allure of The Godfather, to name but a few.

From £19, March 23, Ripon Cathedral, Liberty Court House, Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QT.

Visit Knaresborough Wellness Festival

(Image: Pixaby)

Think about your mind, body and soul at Knaresborough Wellness Festival, which is being held for the fourth year running. Featuring something for everyone including treatments such as reflexology, aromatherapy, reiki, and Indian head massage, to live music, aura photography and tarot card reading, you’ll be sure to find your inner zen here.

There will also be activities such as yoga, workshops and talks so you can learn more about a wide variety of wellness practices, and there will also be plenty of crystals too.

Free, March 24, 10am-4pm, Knaresborough Wellness Festival, Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre, 50 Bond End, Knaresborough, HG5 9AL.

 Go to Springtime Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground

(Image: Springtime Live)

The event for all the family is back. This year attendees won’t be disappointed as there will be a spaniel dog show, a crazy climbing wall, Mini Land Rover rides, tractor trailer rides and a sheep show. That’s not to mention all farm animals you could possibly imagine, as well as hands-on workshops and demonstrations, which are just some of this year’s highlights.

And once you’re inside the event, all of the attractions are free. Bonus. Be quick though as some of the tickets have already sold out.

Pre-booking is necessary, children £8, adults £12, March 23, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ.

Meet the extreme artist and explorer Philip Gray

(Image: Philip Gray)

Irish artist Philip Gray combines his love of painting with his passion for exploration and discovery. He often embarks on challenging expeditions for his art and paints these scenes from across the world, whether it’s tropical rainforests or icy mountain peaks.

Join him at Clarendon Fine Art Gallery where he will launch his Harrogate exhibition and tell the tales of some of the adventures he’s been on. It’s sure to make for an awe-inspiring evening.

Free, 6-8pm, March 23, Clarendon Fine Art, 1a James Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QS.

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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Concern as school suspensions rise by 40% in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Concerns have been raised after the number of children suspended in Harrogate and Knaresborough schools rose by more than 40% in the last year.

Figures recently published by North Yorkshire Council revealed there were 459 suspensions in 2022/23 — a rise from 314 in the previous year.

The most common reason for suspensions was “persistent disruptive behaviour”, according to a report.

The chief inspector of Ofsted has said that behaviour in schools has deteriorated since the covid pandemic, with some pupils refusing to comply with rules, talking back to teachers and walking out of class mid-lesson.

The topic was raised at a meeting of local councillors in Harrogate on Thursday.

Cllr Paul Haslam, an independent representing Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said he was “concerned” at the level of suspensions in the area.

He said:

“What we’ve got is a symptom and not a cause. I’m keen to understand the causes of suspensions. I do not underestimate the commitment of teachers.

“As a past school governor and trustee, I know how hard they work but how can we best support them? Can we catch [poor behaviour] at primary school so it doesn’t happen in secondary school?”

Last week, youth education charity Impetus published research that found children suspended from school see their exam results suffer.

It suggested some children were found to be lagging a year behind their peers with some unable to achieve a standard pass in GCSE maths and English.

 

Amanda Newbold, assistant director for education and skills at North Yorkshire Council, responded to Cllr Haslam and said the rise in suspensions reflected a national trend.

She also said the figures were “linked disproportionately” to children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Ms Newbold said:

“What we’ve seen is an increase in suspensions and exclusions across the county. Those numbers have risen over the last few years. We can link it back to wider issues in families rather than school-specific issues.

“We’ve focused on all things inclusion this academic year and are offering support around suspension and exclusions. We’ve had headteacher workshops to make sure we can do as much preventative work as possible but it will take time to see outcomes.”

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Four fire crews tackle blaze at Pateley Bridge caravan site

Four fire crews were called to a blaze at a caravan site in Pateley Bridge in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters from Knaresborough, Grassington, Ripon and Harrogate rushed to the scene at 1.12am on Monday, March 18.

An investigation into the cause of the fire at the unnamed site is ongoing, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

A spokesperson added:

“The fire caused damage to a toilet block at the site with an attached workshop also suffering slight fire damage. Crews prevented the fire spreading any further.”

Fire crews extinguishing the flames in Pateley Bridge

Grassington Fire Station posted on social media:

“In the early hours we were sent to a building fire near Pateley Bridge alongside, Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough Fire Station.

Crews worked hard to prevent the fire taking the adjoining building before extinguishing the flames.”

The campsite engulfed in smoke

Grassington fire services at the scene last night

The wreckage at Pateley Bridge Caravan site

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WATCH: Spectacular drone footage of Knaresborough Tractor Run

A record 401 vehicles took part in the Knaresborough Tractor Run yesterday (March 17), organisers confirmed today.

The annual event saw the tractors depart the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and then complete a 25-mile route that takes in Pateley Bridge and Knaresborough and numerous villages in between.

The event has raised more than £100,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance since it was first held over a decade ago. You can donate online here.

Drone photographer Colin Corker captured the start and then drove to Nidderdale to capture the spectacular sight of the procession snaking around the countryside.

Here is some of his work from another memorable day.

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Knaresborough school celebrates 50 years of foreign exchange programme

A Knaresborough secondary school is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foreign exchange programme.

King James’s School launched the exchange programme with its German partner school, Bruder Grimm Gesamtschul in Bebra, in 1974.

It came after Knaresborough was twinned with the town, based in Hesse, back in 1969.

Over the last five decades, both schools have held annual exchange programmes, whereby pupils visit each other at their neighbouring schools to develop friendships and improve language skills.

However, former languages teacher and UK founder of the school’s programme, Alan Hemsworth, said the programme “nearly didn’t happen at all”, adding:

“We had serious difficulties in finding accommodation for all the pupils and only a last-minute appeal in the local paper saved the day.”

Two pupils even stayed in a caravan at the bottom of someone’s garden, Mr Hemsworth added.

This year’s cohort of pupils will visit Bebra this month to commemorate the anniversary, as well as attending a special event in aid of the big birthday.

Pupils will sport hoodies made for the occasion.

Mrs Allison, one of the school’s languages teachers, said:

“Every year, I come across students participating in the exchange whose parents have fond memories themselves of spending time with their German friends.

“The school’s original aims in promoting the exchange were simple but important, and still hold good today: to promote tolerance, understanding and friendship, and a desire for pupils of all ages to learn a foreign language.”

Staff also recounted the days when English and German students would contact each by pen and paper. They said students now maintain friendships over social media and many meet each other virtually before meeting face-to-face.

Headteacher Mrs Martin also said:

“It is a great privilege to take part in these historic celebrations. Good international relationships are as important today as it they were in 1974 and I hope this exchange continues to go from strength to strength, bringing cherished memories and long-lasting friendships for years to come.”

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Readers’ Letters: Harrogate is short of social housing – not luxury apartments

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.

This letter is in response to two stories. One was about plans to convert King’s Club, a former Harrogate strip club, into luxury flats, and the other revealed plans to turn the former Knaresborough cattle market into a commercial unit. 

North Yorkshire Council should take the opportunity to provide social housing on these sites.

We are not short of executive homes and luxury apartments, but genuinely affordable homes and social housing are desperately needed.

Harrogate is largely dependent upon conference and tourism to provide jobs but these are not high-waged occupations.

People who would otherwise be able to do this work cannot afford to live in Harrogate.

Diane Stokes, Harrogate

Scant information about Harrogate’s ‘new town’ causing community despair

This letter is in response to a feature about how Harrogate’s ‘new town’ is fuelling worries about local roads.

Thank you for the excellent article in the Stray Ferret on the ‘new town’ around Harrogate’s Western Arc.

I have been involved with Harlow and Pannal Residents Association for over ten years, during which time we have been campaigning on the scale of development and the weak or non-existent infrastructure to support this level of development.

Our message has fallen on the deaf ears of the planning authority, the highways authority and the planning inspectorate throughout that period, despite claims that the authorities have ‘engaged’ with us as stakeholders.

North Yorkshire Council, no doubt through limited resources, appear to rely in large part on the private developers to identify the problems with the road and transport network and to come up with the solutions which unsurprisingly amount to very little.   Fundamentally, the studies quantifying the impacts of development have still not yet been produced, either by the developers or the Council, yet a list of ‘mitigations’ is about to be signed off by the Council.  This is what Rene refers to as ‘wrong way round’.  Needless to say, we and the public at large, have not been informed about the cumulative transport assessment which is key to identifying and resolving the problems.

The sheer length of time this has taken, the constant delays, missed targets and scant information have all contributed to a sense of frustration and despair within the community.

We all know that roads in this area are in a very poor condition with widespread potholes and temporary patches. Years of construction activity followed by the impact of thousands of extra vehicles on the country lanes and residential streets in this part of Harrogate present an alarming prospect for residents.

David Siddans, Harrogate

Crimple Valley needs protecting – not developing

This letter is in response to developers reviving plans to build 17 homes in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley.

If planning permission is granted for this application, then as sure as night follows day another application for more housing will follow.

I have lived in Pannal for 60 years and the A61 Leeds Road is a very dangerous road. There have been numerous accidents on and near the bridge. Two acquaintances of mine were tragically killed outside Almsford Bank Stables a few years ago.

Traffic is very fast-moving, due to the road being downhill.

The Crimple Valley is a lovely walk and needs more protection than it currently has.

Harrogate is being overdeveloped and needs more green spaces not less.

Anne Smith, Pannal

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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Pottery workshop moves to larger Knaresborough premises

A popular pottery workshop in Knaresborough is moving to a larger studio in what is fast becoming the town’s thriving art hub.

Northernline Arts is relocating from its current home on platform 2 at Knaresborough railway station to new premises on Kirkgate.

Run by former pottery teacher Maria Dawbarn, Northernline Arts is a workshop space that gives people the opportunity to take part in a diverse range of creative clay and potters wheel sessions.

Since opening its doors almost exactly three years ago, the business has grown steadily, attracting increasing numbers of people either trying pottery as a one-off experience, or taking it up as a regular hobby.

Owner Maria set up the workshop after first training in ceramic at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at Dundee University and then spending 23 years teaching at Henshaw Arts and Crafts Centre before moving into a management role.

She said:

“I first tried pottery at school and have been hooked ever since, I still get real joy working with clay every day.

“My career saw me moving from teaching into a management role, after more than a decade doing that, I was missing being hands on so I decided the time was right to embark on a new adventure and set up my own studio.

“I’m sure the popularity of the Pottery Throwdown on TV has had a positive impact, but it’s been great to see so many people coming along to try the potter’s wheel sessions. We also have a thriving community of regulars.

“I’m delighted I can work with people every day to share my passion for ceramics and continue to make my own wheel-thrown work.”

Maria hopes the new studio, which is due to open on Tuesday, April 2, will become an exciting art hub for Knaresborough.

As well as giving her and other potters a chance to display and sell their work, she also plans to expand the range of classes available and hold demonstrations of other crafts.

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