Knaresborough to hold outdoor nativity and nine lessons and carols today

Knaresborough will hold its traditional outdoor nativity today followed by a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols.

The nativity, which takes place at 6pm in Market Square, brings the Christmas story to life through readings and drama. It is performed by local people and includes a donkey.

The church service will then be held at St John the Baptist Church at 7pm.

It follows a similar format to the famous Service of Nine Lessons and Carols which has been broadcast live annually from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve afternoon since 1928.

The Knaresborough service, which has taken place on Christmas Eve for more than 50 years, will be held amongst the illuminated splendour of the Christmas Tree festival, which includes about 70 trees individually decorated.

There will be a candlelit procession and music from St John’s Choir, directed by Mark Hunter, as well as traditional festive favourites for all to sing.

St John’s Choir, who enjoyed a successful residency at Salisbury Cathedral last summer, were recently the first choir to perform in the newly restored Chapel at Allerton Castle and will also be singing in York Minster over the weekend after Christmas, as well as in Durham Cathedral, St George’s Chapel Windsor and Westminster Abbey in 2024.

Both events are open to everyone.

Read more:

 

Council said Knaresborough wall was safe three times before it collapsed

North Yorkshire Council assessed a wall in Knaresborough to be safe three times in the weeks before it collapsed, the Stray Ferret has discovered.

The wall on Briggate crashed on to the highway during the afternoon of September 14. Although it is one of the main routes in Knaresborough, nobody was hurt.

It has now emerged the council had received three complaints about the state of the wall in the weeks leading up to the incident.

The complaints said the wall was crumbling, damaged by weeds and plants and was leaning with mortar fallen out.

Highways officers inspected it on June 5, July 25 and August 10 — just five weeks before it fell. On each occasion they deemed it to be safe.

Here are some photos of the wall taken by the council shortly before it gave way.

The Stray Ferret submitted a freedom of information request to the council on October 18 asking how many members of the public had complained about the wall after Briggate resident Catherine Rogerson told us concerns raised by her and others had been ignored. The response was received yesterday (December 20) — well outside the 20 working days target.

In addition to the complaints by the public, Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, told the council in June last year the wall “could potentially be a risk to life”.  Yet no remedial work was conducted.

The council even undertook a safety report into the state of the wall on September 11, just three days before it caved in.

Based on the findings of a senior engineer and bridge manager, the report — released with redactions following our freedom of information request — assessed all areas of work required to be low or medium priority, except for a leaning seven-metre section.

The wall as it looks now. Pic: Knaresborough and District Chamber

The report said this section should be taken down and rebuilt as “high priority and should be completed as soon as is reasonably practicable”. It added the “wall should be monitored weekly at a minimum to identify any further degradation or change in condition”.

Three days water the wall collapsed and the rubble remained on the road for about three months, which caused traffic lights.

Repair work finally began at the end of November and the collapsed section has now been restored and the traffic lights removed. but they are expected to return in January when the rest of the wall undergoes repair.

Read more:

 

Police appeal after second cyclist knocked off bike in Harrogate

A female cyclist has sustained minor injuries following a collision near Asda in Harrogate.

The incident, which took place between 5.15pm and 5.30pm on Friday, December 15, happened at the junction of Bower Road and Haywra Street.

North Yorkshire Police said it is now appealing for the driver of a grey Ford Focus to come forward.

It is the second police appeal involving am injured cyclist issued today.

It comes after another cyclist was knocked off their bike in Knaresborough on Monday.

Regarding the Harrogate appeal, the force said in a statement:

“A pedal cyclist entered Bower Road and was hit by the Ford Focus that had just exited Asda supermarket.

“The driver of the Ford stopped at the scene and spoke with the cyclist, however, they had left prior to police involvement.

“Officers are appealing for them to come forward along with any witnesses and anyone who may have dashcam footage.

“The driver and anyone with any information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident number 12230240822.”

Read more:

 

Cyclist injured after Knaresborough collision

A cyclist has been left with “minor injuries” following a collision with a car in Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident, which happened on Harrogate Road near Mother Shipton’s, took place on Monday, December 18 at 4:45pm.

The force is now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.

It said in a statement today:

“A car collided with a pedal bike which resulted in minor injuries for the cyclist. The driver of the car did not stop at the scene of the collision.

“Officers are now appealing to the driver or anyone with information to come forward. In particular, officers are keen to hear from anyone who has any relevant dashcam footage.

“If you have information, please email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 and speak to the Force Control Room.”

Quote reference number 12230241416 when passing on information.

Read more:

 

Storm Pia to bring 61mph gusts to Harrogate district

The Harrogate district could see gusts of up to 61mph as Storm Pia moves in tonight and tomorrow.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning from midnight tonight until 9pm tomorrow.

The forecast shows Pateley Bridge will see the worst of the storm, with gusts reaching 61mph in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Winds will reach 54mph in Masham, while Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon will see up to 50mph.

Disruption

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday on the disruption already caused by the wind throughout the Harrogate district — now another local attraction has followed suit.

The National Trust announced on social media today that Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon, will also be closed tomorrow. It said:

“It’s already getting rather breezy here at Fountains. With wind speeds set to increase overnight and throughout tomorrow we’ve made the decision to close the site tomorrow, Thursday 21 December.

“We don’t like to disappoint anyone, but the safety of our visitors and team is always our top priority.”

The charity advised people to “check our social media channels and website” for updates.

It comes after Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough announced yesterday it will close tomorrow, while Harrogate’s RHS Garden Harlow Carr cancelled its Glow event amid the weather warning.

The weather warning is in place for the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Read more:

 

Harrogate district attractions to close amid wind warning

Two tourist attractions in the Harrogate district have announced closures and cancellations due to a yellow weather warning for wind.

The Met Office has forecast gusts of up to 50mph locally in the early hours of Thursday morning. The wind is due to strengthen tomorrow night.

Mother Shipton’s, in Knaresborough, announced today it will close as a precaution.

It issued a statement on social media:

“Given our unique location within an ancient forest, ensuring the safety of our visitors is our top priority.

“Consequently, we have made the challenging decision to temporarily close the site on Thursday due to the adverse weather conditions.”

Those with bookings to the site on Thursday have been contacted and will receive refunds, the company added.

One person commented on the statement:

“So gutted this was the only Christmas thing we had planned due to time and budget but understand safety has to come first.”

RHS Harlow Carr

RHS Garden Harlow Carr, in Harrogate, today announced it had cancelled Thursday’s Glow light show event due to the weather.

The horticultural charity said on social media:

“Unfortunately, Thursday’s Glow will be cancelled. This is to ensure the safety of all our visitors, staff and volunteers.
“We are very sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this is likely to cause, and we thank you for your understanding. All bookers for 21 December’s Glow event have been emailed today and will be given a full refund.”

The company said the gardens will be open as usual tomorrow, but added it will “keep reviewing wind speeds and may need to close the woodland and glasshouses”.

It expects tomorrow’s Glow event to go ahead.

The garden will be part-open during the day tomorrow, with the woodland and glasshouses closed.

The weather warning is in place for the north of England, Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland.

Read more:

 

Knaresborough man issues puddle warning after dog dies

A Knaresborough man has urged dog owners to avoid letting their pets drink from puddles after losing his dog to a disease called leptospirosis.

Two-year-old Cassie died in Andy Bell’s arms last Wednesday after contracting the illness. A previously healthy dog, she was well known in Knaresborough and a regular at Parkrun.

But the Vizsla went downhill quickly after contracting leptospirosis, also known as lepto, which is caused by bacteria damaging vital organs such as the liver and kidneys.

Known as Weil’s disease in humans, lepto can spread in water infected with rats’ urine. It is often caught by dogs drinking from puddles.

Cassie

Mr Bell said he hadn’t left the Knaresborough area in the days before Cassie fell ill and he wanted to prevent other dogs suffering a similar fate. He said:

“I’m keen to have other owners aware of not letting their dogs drink from puddles. It was a horrifying way to die, I wouldn’t wish it on another loved companion.

“It can be contracted in standing or slow moving water, not just puddles.  It is vaccinated against but it doesn’t cover every strain.”

Read more:

Cassie, said Mr Bell, had helped two Ukrainian refugees living with him to settle in.

He said:

“Dozens of people loved her and she loved everyone.

“She ended up in a specialist animal ICU north of Middlesbrough, but despite best efforts her kidneys were destroyed.  She went from coming ninth in a 10k canicross race to being dead in a few weeks.”

The vet charity PDSA has more information here.

 

Morning trains disrupted due to trespasser at Starbeck

Trains between Harrogate and Knaresborough were disrupted this morning due to a trespasser near the line at Starbeck.

Northern Rail alerted commuters on social media at 9.18am, saying a “trespass incident” was causing delays.

Network Rail and British Transport Police both attended the incident, which happened at around 8.20am.

In a statement, British Transport Police said:

“Officers were called to the line near Starbeck railway station at around 8.20am today (18 December) following reports of concern for welfare.

“Officers attended and a person has been taken to a place of safety.”

Lines have re-opened but Northern said disruption is expected until 12.45pm.

No further details have been released.

Read more:

 

Boots pharmacy in Jennyfields to close next year

The Boots pharmacy inside the Co-op at Jennyfields in Harrogate is set to close next March.

The move comes after Walgreens Boots Alliance, its US-based parent company, announced the closure of 300 UK stores in an earnings call in June.

In a separate report, Boots said it will “consolidate a number of stores” in order to “concentrate its team members where they are needed”.

It added:

“[It will] focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up to date environment.”

The report also said the stores affected are “in close proximity” to other Boots sites.

The retailer declined to comment on the Harrogate store closure, however staff at the Jennyfields pharmacy told the Stray Ferret they have been “given options” about employment going forward.

Following the closure, the nearest Boots pharmacies will be in Harrogate town centre, Knaresborough Market Place, the St James’s Retail Park near Knaresborough and at Market Place West in Ripon.

The Co-Op at Jennyfields

Twenty UK stores, including four in Yorkshire, have already closed following the announcement.

Read more:

 

Briggate wall repair brings Christmas respite to Knaresborough

Traffic lights have been temporarily removed from Briggate in Knaresborough after a section of wall was repaired.

The wall fell down on to the road at about 2pm on September 14. Nobody was hurt but the rubble remained on the carriageway for almost three months.

This caused the installation of temporary traffic lights on what is one of the main routes in Knaresborough.

Businesses, residents and traders grew increasingly frustrated at the length of time the work was taking.

North Yorkshire Council began repairing the section of wall that collapsed on November 27 and has now finished.

The traffic lights have been removed but they will be back in 2024.

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

“In the new year, date to be confirmed, further maintenance work along the rest of the wall will take place – again, under two-way lights – to ensure its future integrity is maintained.”

Read more: