How the wheels came off Knaresborough’s bid to win bed race

Knaresborough’s hopes of a home town bed race winner ended in bizarre fashion on Saturday when their bed malfunctioned early in the race.

The town has proudly hosted the whacky annual event since 1966 but its men’s running club, Knaresborough Striders, has never won.

The club’s fastest runners trained hard in the months leading up to the 2.4-mile race in the hope of putting that right.

They lined-up third on the grid behind defending champions GH Brooks and Ripon Runners, confident they could mount a challenge in what is a fiercely contested event amongst local running clubs.

But hardly had the team got out the traps at Conyngham Hall than its bed started wobbling and shortly afterwards a wheel seized up completely on Waterside.

As other teams raced by, their hopes of victory shattered, they ditched the bed, sprinted along Waterside to collect a spare bed one of the team had at their nearby home and rejoined the race.

They managed a remarkable 16 minutes and 12 seconds, which would have been good enough for 10th place, but it is not listed among the official results because the spare bed did not have a timing chip.

Guy Close, chairman of Knaresborough Striders, hailed the “incredible team spirit” shown at a time of crushing disappointment. He said:

“This was the first time a team has ever had to stop and then replaced its bed mid-race.

“We were all absolutely gutted because we hoped to challenge the top couple of teams, but these things happen.”

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Knaresborough Striders bed race

A still from the bed camera showing the team marooned on Waterside.

This video shot by a camera on board the bed captured the team’s bad luck. Mr Close said:

“The bed broke almost immediately. You can hear from the link to the YouTube video that it wasn’t right from the start.

“We were all so determined and the support from the crowds was incredible.”

Full results of this year’s bed race are available here.

Knaresborough housebuilder up for sale as operations paused

Bosses at Knaresborough-based Ilke Homes are “exploring a sale” of the company as hundreds of staff are sent home.

The company said in a statement today it required additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs.

The firm added new investment was needed to build 4,200 homes.

It added it was looking to sell the firm at a time when “volatile macro-economic conditions and issues with the planning system complicate fundraising and housing delivery”.

The Stray Ferret reported on Friday that several hundred staff at its Flaxby factory close to the A1(M) were told not to come into work until further notice.

They have reportedly been told they will be paid, and will be called back in when the company finds an investor. Managers will continue to work in the 250,000 sq ft factory this week.

The company said in its statement that it operations had been paused “while a strategic review is ongoing”.

It added:

“In 2020, Ilke Homes launched its turnkey development offering, where the company acquires land, secures planning permission and develops the site. This has been complicated by uncertainty over planning policy and rising build costs.

“While having delivered strong contribution margins, Ilke Homes now requires new investment to meet overheads, achieve further scale and become cash flow positive.

“The wider UK housing market has been hit by rapidly rising interest rates, which has reduced demand and resulted in housing starts falling below pre-pandemic levels.

“Official government figures have also revealed that planning applications in England have fallen to their lowest level in at least 16 years, thanks to uncertainty over planning policy and heightened build costs, highlighting the scale of the challenge in improving housing delivery.”

Ilke Homes specialises in building modular homes.

The company builds the homes at its factory on Flaxby Moor Industrial Estate near Knaresborough. The homes are then delivered across the UK.

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Photo of the Week: Knaresborough Viaduct
This week’s photograph was taken by Jake Sweeney, capturing Knaresborough Viaduct looking through a glass globe. 

Jake Sweeney

 

Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.

Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week, we reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.

Gallery: Huge crowds bask in sun at Knaresborough bed race

Knaresborough was a sea of colour and joy today as huge crowds turned out for the annual bed race.

The event was first staged in 1966 and appears to be going stronger than ever, judging by the turnout and enthusiasm displayed today.

Ninety teams of seven took part in the 2.4-mile route through the town, which culminated in crossing the River Nidd.

A team representing builders merchants GH Brooks stormed to victory in the men’s race once again, but were pushed close by Ripon Runners. It was the fourth time in succession GH Brooks has taken the title.

Ripon Runners, however, took first place in the women’s race.

Competition was equally fierce in the Best Dressed Team competition just before the race.

A team called The Rocketmen took the accolade for a Jurassic Park-themed bed that featured animatronics.

They then led the parade from the castle through town to Conyngham Hall where the race started and finished. The parade had only just got underway when it had to be temporarily halted due to a person falling ill.

Organised by Knaresborough Lions, a large army of volunteers helped to keep things running smoothly on a day of unbroken sun.

Here are some photos from the day.

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The winning GH Brooks team

The Best Dressed Team award winner

Dad’s Army

The theme this year was ‘That’s Entertainment’

Having fun at the castle before the race

GH Brooks had two outstanding teams

Harrogate Symphony Orchestra patriotically-attired.

Ripon Runners gave another strong performance

 

Crossing the Nidd

 

One of the day’s most creative efforts

Knaresborough bed race set for huge crowds and glorious weather

Thousands of people will flock to Knaresborough tomorrow for the town’s busiest day of the year.

The Great Knaresborough Bed Race will see 90 teams of seven tackle a 2.4-mile course through the town’s streets and river.

Knaresborough is looking resplendent with 48 Pride flags displayed to celebrate Pride month, and with the Met Office forecasting temperatures up to 26 degrees centigrade, the town will be buzzing.

People are being urged to bring cash as the limited number of cash machines in Knaresborough are likely to run out of money.

Knaresborough Lions, which organises the event, has arranged a free park and ride bus operated by Connexions from GSPK at Manse Lane and ALM at St James Business Park.

If you wish to park closer, King James’s School is offering £5 all day parking with money going to MacMillan Cancer Support.

Teams will gather at Knaresborough Castle in the morning to be judged for the Best Dressed Team award.

Whoever wins, leads the parade from the castle to Conyngham Hall at 1pm. Each team is allowed up to 20 supporters to parade with them in fancy dress.

The race gets underway at 3pm at Conyngham Hall.

Road closures will be staggered throughout the day, starting at 10.45am in Market Place and surrounding roads. The main A59 is due to close at 12.30pm and roads used for the route will be sealed off at 2.30pm.

Some routes could be closed until 6pm but most are expected to re-open sooner.

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A diversion to Harrogate will be in place around Briggate/Calcutt/Forest Moor. Buses will use this route while the A59 is shut. Trains will still be running.

The annual bed race was first held in 1966. This year’s theme for the pre-race fancy-dress parade is “That’s Entertainment”.

Martin Brock, chairman of the bed race committee at organisers Knaresborough Lions, said preparation was a “massive undertaking”. He added:

“We could not put the race on without kind help from our sponsors, our volunteers, the local council and the local media.

“If we planned now to close down the fifth biggest town in North Yorkshire for a day, I doubt we would get permission. However, with the event in its 56th year, people will bend over backwards to help us get it on.

“Almost everyone you see working on the day will be a volunteer, from our divers, to the RayNet radio comms team, to many of the marshals, so give them a smile as you pass by.”

Crowdfunder launched to keep Knaresborough partying

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to enable Knaresborough to stage free annual parties in the grounds of the town’s castle.

Party in the Castle will feature a live big screen broadcast of the Glastonbury festival on June 24. People are invited to turn up with a picnic and enjoy the sounds of the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Lizzo and Lewis Capaldi.

Organisers Knaresborough and District Chamber hopes the event will have a similar vibe — and good weather — to the free coronation party at the castle last month.

Chamber member Kelly Young said it will hopefully become an annual event. But she added although entry is free, funds need to be raised for the big screen and to cover other costs such as first aid and insurance.

The crowdfunder therefore aims to raise £2,000 and has already achieved about £1,400. Any surplus will be used on future events.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, who represents Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire Council, has also applied to the council to allocate £2,500 of her Locality budget on the event. Each councillor receives an annual Locality budget of £10,000 to spend locally.

Party in the Castle will take place from 5pm to 11pm. Anyone wishing to support the crowdfunder can do so here.

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Newcastle Building Society to hold first BIG talk at Ripley Castle

Sponsored by Newcastle Building Society

Home ownership, putting money into savings and having a comfortable retirement are all possibilities that should be open to anyone.

That is the message from Newcastle Building Society, which says it wants to offer vital financial education, through BIG talks, to help people improve their lives and plan for their futures.

In partnership with North Yorkshire Council, Newcastle Building Society opened its Knaresborough branch last year, after the last bank branch left the town in 2021. Since then, the long term addition to the town has become an integral part of the community.

The organisation chose its base in Knaresborough Library in order to ensure face to face financial services continued to be available in the town, and were accessible to all.

It launched a UK-first pilot this year with fintech OneBanx, offering a multi-bank kiosk within the branch, giving local residents and small business owners a way to access their accounts to deposit and withdraw cash, no matter who they bank with.

The branch has awarded grants of £2,000 to Orb Community Arts, and £4,000 to Chain Lane Community Hub, to mark its entrance into the community. While the team behind the branch has volunteered and taken part in local events.

Now, the Newcastle Building Society team is aiming to do more to give residents in the town and surrounding area access to the best financial education to ensure they can achieve what they want now and in the future.

Branch Manager Heather Pearman said:

“We believe everyone deserves a home and to have the opportunity to save and plan for their future.

“Our commitment to face-to-face banking services delivered in the community has never been stronger and since we opened in Knaresborough last year, we have been so pleased to be able to support local people to achieve their financial goals.”

The first BIG talk event at Ripley Castle

Over the past 10 years the Newcastle Building Society’s BIG talk events have helped hundreds of people make a start in improving their financial know-how.

Newcastle Building Society’s Community Specialist, Ken Hines, and Knaresborough Branch Manager, Heather Pearman, will be hosting the event.

The talk will focus on building understanding around saving for the future, why Newcastle Building Society is here and what else they are doing in the community in order to help people make smarter economic choices.

There will also be the chance to discuss personal circumstances and discover how the building society can tailor its services to meet individual needs.

The BIG talk will take place at Ripley Castle on Thursday, June 22, from 11.30am for around an hour. Refreshments will be served from 11am, with a light lunch to follow the talk.

The event is free, but there is limited capacity and attendees must book a space. To book, call 01423 648750, drop into the Knaresborough branch or click here.

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For more information about Newcastle Building Society and the Knaresborough branch, visit https://www.newcastle.co.uk/our-branches/knaresborough.

Former Harrogate solicitor jailed for indecent exposure in Knaresborough

A former Harrogate solicitor has been jailed for four weeks for indecent exposure.

Richard Wade-Smith, 67, was charged with exposing his genitals on Stockwell Lane in Knaresborough.

York Magistrates Court heard the incident happened between May 7 and May 10 this year.

Wade-Smith, who appeared in court via link from HMP Hull on Monday, pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was jailed for four weeks and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and court costs of £85.

A court document detailing the sentence said the offence was serious because it caused a “distressing experience in presence of children and occurred on multiple occasions”.

It added that Wade-Smith’s guilty plea was taken into account when sentencing him.

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Wade-Smith, who worked for various law firms in Yorkshire and later ran his own legal service from Wedderburn House, had previously been jailed for breaching a restraining order in December 2022.

The 67-year-old was given the order by York Crown Court after he rammed his car into his wife’s home in Harrogate on Boxing Day 2021 and subjected her to “mental torture”.

He was jailed for 10 months after he breached the order, which banned him from going near his wife’s address, by knocking on her door just four days after being spared jail.

Knaresborough’s Conyngham Hall to hold outdoor Pink Floyd classical concert

A 20-strong orchestra will play music by Pink Floyd in the first outdoor concert to be held at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.

Paradox Orchestra will perform hits such as Wish You Were Here, Money, and Comfortably Numb in an event on September 3 celebrating 50 years of one of the most influential rock groups in history.

The grounds of the grade two listed venue near the River Nidd in Knaresborough can hold up to 2,000 people.

A number of food and drink vendors will also attend the concert by candlelight to give it a festival feel.

Paradox Orchestra features classically-trained musicians who reimagine rock, pop, and dance classics.

Founder and artistic director Michael Sluman said:

“Like a sonic time machine, Pink Floyd’s music has taken us on a journey through the past 50 years, capturing the essence of each era and leaving an indelible mark on the history of music.

“Paradox Orchestra is looking forward to performing their greatest hits in such a stunning backdrop.”

“We promise audiences an incredibly high-level of musicianship on stage, as well as a showmanship associated with world-class large-scale orchestras.”

Tickets cost £25. Further information is available here.

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Busy Knaresborough junction reopens after roadworks end early

A main road in Knaresborough has reopened after Northern Powergrid finished roadworks ahead of schedule.

The company initially planned four weeks of works to install electricity cables on King James Road and York Road from May 27.

The work involved excavating a trench and laying cables to connect to the new Knaresborough Leisure Centre, which is due to open this year.

However, Northern Powergrid confirmed today the project had been completed ahead of schedule.

It means that the roads have been reopened and the diversion route removed. Temporary traffic lights will also not be in place at the A59 King james Road and York Road junction.

It comes as the town prepares for Saturday’s Great Knaresborough Bed Race — its busiest day of the year,

Richard Appleyard, Northern Powergrid’s connections delivery project engineer, said: 

“We’re pleased to announce that work to connect a new electricity sub station, at the new Knaresborough Leisure Centre, has gone very well and has been completed sooner than anticipated.

“King James Road has now re-opened to traffic and the diversion route has been removed.

“In addition, the early completion of cable installation and jointing works has also allowed the pedestrian walkways and temporary traffic signals to be removed from the A59 York Road/King James Road sooner than planned.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank local residents and businesses for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“The new electricity supply connection is now in a position to be energised to the new leisure centre, once the new building is ready to receive the supply.”

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