North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a hit and run in Knaresborough.

In a statement issued today, police said the collision left a parked black VW Transporter van with “significant damage” estimated to cost £5,000.

It happened on Fisher Street on Friday, March 31 at 12.15pm.

Officers said a grey Suzuki SX4 car failed to stop after the incident. The statement added:

“Anyone with information about the Suzuki is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police.

“Officers are also urging any body shops that have recently been approached to repair a Suzuki SX4 with front-end damage to get in touch.”

You can email Ben.Robinson-Brockhill@northyorkshire.police.uk or dial 101 and quote reference 12230057691.

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A life-saving charity has been awarded a cheque for £26,000 from the organisers of the Knaresborough tractor run.

The sum was the total amount raised from this year’s event, which saw 374 tractors parade 25 miles around Harrogate, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and numerous points in between last month.

Organisers visited the Yorkshire Air Ambulance station at Nostell in West Yorkshire on Saturday to hand over the donation.

The tractor run fundraises for the charity each year because of its value to rural communities.

Participants pay to take part and spectators are encouraged to make donations.

One of the organisers, Tom Fawcett, said:

“We can’t thank everybody enough for the amount of support and donations that we’ve received.

“The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an invaluable service, that in this economic climate, needs our support more than ever.”

Tractor power will fund the air ambulance’s mission. Pic: Rachael Fawcett Photography

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Two footballers who started out on pitches in Harrogate and Knaresborough will be bidding for a place in the Women’s FA Cup final this weekend.

Leah Galton and Rachel Daly have risen from local leagues to play as strikers for two of the biggest clubs in the country.

Galton, who began as a junior with Knaresborough Celtic and then played for Harrogate Railway, has banged in 29 goals for Manchester United Women since she joined them from Bayern Munich in 2018.

She is the joint third highest scorer in the Women’s Super League this season with eight goals.

Manchester United Women will line-up against Brighton & Hove Albion Women at 5.15pm today.

United, who have never won a major women’s trophy but are top of the Women’s Super League, will be fancied to beat lowly Brighton.

Tomorrow, Daly’s Aston Villa Women will take centre stage in the second semi-final against Chelsea Women at 2.15pm.

Daly, who started at Killinghall Nomads and won Euro 2022 with England last year, is second on this year’s leading scorer list with 13 goals.

If Manchester United and Villa win, it could result in the remarkable prospect of two local women playing up front in the cup final at Wembley.

Both semi-finals will be televised live on the BBC.

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Two schemes to protect land between Harrogate and Knaresborough from development are to form a partnership.

The Knaresborough Forest Park campaign enabled 61 acres of farmland to be bought last month and turned into a green space and nature reserve.

It followed the Long Lands Common campaign in which 3,000 people bought shares to raise £375,000 to purchase 30 acres of land near Nidderdale Greenway.

Land involved in the two projects meets at Bilton Hall Drive and the those involved now plan to work together on developing a wider vision for how it can best be managed for nature and the community.

Shan Oakes, from the Knaresborough Forest Park group, told a Knaresborough & District Chamber meeting last week it made sense for the initiatives to join forces as they had similar aims.

Ms Oakes added that because Long Lands had already been through the share buying process, it could take ownership of the legal process to buy and restore land in the ancient Knaresborough Forest, just outside the town.

George Eglese, who is also part of the Knaresborough Forest project, told the meeting the Long Lands initiative had inspired the “rebirth of Knaresborough Forest” and together the schemes would “create a barrier against development across the greenbelt”.

Celebratory walk

To celebrate the partnership, a walk and picnic will take place on April 29 from Nidd viaduct through Long Lands Common and Knaresborough Forest Park.

The walk will end at The Mitre pub in Knaresborough, where George Moore was born in 1928.

The Mitre

Mr Moore, who died in 2016, was a philanthropist and the George A Moore Foundation set up in his memory donated £410,000 to the Knaresborough Forest Campaign.

Mr Eglese said the community initiatives could, in the future, look at bringing together the greenbelt under a “unifying vision” that could encompass areas such as Nidd Gorge and Horseshoe Fields, all of which either adjoin the land being bought or are close to it.

Update: the walk on April 29 has been postponed until a later date

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A Ripon car dealership is set to close its doors at the end of the month after the manufacturer decided to pull out of the city.

Piccadilly Motors will close its branch in Dallamires Lane on Friday, April 28 after receiving notice that Fiat was ending its franchise agreement.

Customers have been invited to use the company’s sister site on Boroughbridge Road, Knaresborough, which will continue to trade as a Kia dealership as well as offering serving for Fiat, Abarth and Alfa cars.

The Knaresborough branch is less than 10 miles away from Ripon, and the Piccadilly team said it has introduced extra support for customers travelling from the Ripon area, including more courtesy cars.

Managing director Simon Watts told the Stray Ferret:

“We have managed this carefully and because of the growth of the business we have in Knaresborough, most customers have already migrated to the Kia product and we’re also doing Fiat for servicing at Knaresborough, as well as MOTs.

“It’s the same with staff. We’ve really handled that in the most sympathetic manner we could. Fortunately, only one person will lose their job, who doesn’t want to travel, but they’ve managed to get another job elsewhere.

“It has been an absolute priority for us to handle it in the most customer- and colleague-friendly manner.”

Mr Watts said the company had looked to find another manufacturer to bring to its Ripon branch, but in a challenging market it had not been possible.

Demand for used cars is high in the UK, leading to low supply for dealerships. The looming prospect of changing legislation over sales of petrol and diesel cars is also having an impact, as manufacturers work to deliver more electric vehicles in time for the 2030 cut-off.

Fiat has only been selling the 500 model, Mr Watts said, and the low volume of sales had led it to restructure its network. He added:

“It’s disappointing, but thankfully we’ve got a business in close proximity that can carry on providing a service.”

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Cyclists have expressed concern about the future of active travel in the Harrogate district after funding for two schemes was rejected.

The Department for Transport’s active travel fund last month turned down North Yorkshire County Council’s bid for £3.19 million.

It would have paid for segregated cycle routes on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate and on the A59 in Knaresborough between Mother Shipton’s Cave and Harrogate Golf Club.

Coming on the back of the county council’s decision to scrap phase two of the Otley Road cycle route, it has left plans for a connected, segregated cycle route between Harrogate train station and Cardale Park in tatters.

It has also raised questions about whether the council can deliver on active travel schemes despite the rhetoric.

Harrogate cycling campaigner Malcolm Margolis said

“The future for investment in cycling in Harrogate is clearly grim if the council is unable to attract government funding.

“It will only do that if it shows that it can deliver, which it has repeatedly failed to do for many years.

“That’s one of the reasons why the Station Gateway project must go ahead, not only that it would greatly improve the town centre, but that it shows the council has the capacity to turn successful bids to improve the public realm into successful changes on the ground.”

Cycleways on Station Parade are a key feature of the Station Gateway.

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• Government rejects cycling schemes in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, agreed next month’s expected gateway decision was now of even greater significance given the legacy of failed cycling schemes. He said:

“If the council can’t attract government funding then it isn’t looking good for cycling.

“The government is reducing funding for active travel so it will be more difficult to succeed with bids and without a track record it will be doubly difficult.”

The Conservative-run North Yorkshire Council, which has replaced the county council, has said it will abide by its Liberal Democrat-controlled Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee’s gateway decision on May 30.

‘Immense challenges’

Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transportation on North Yorkshire Council, said the local authority remained determined to “rebalance transport” in the town and would “not be dispirited” by Active Travel England’s rejection.

He said:

“We know the immense challenges the town is facing in terms of congestion, air quality and road safety. Unless the new North Yorkshire Council takes action to address these problems, they will only get worse.

“Rebalancing transport and promoting more sustainable travel is essential, but with limited financial resources and often vocal opposition, this is not always easy to deliver in practical terms.”

The Otley Road cycleway

Cllr Duncan added:

“The Otley Road corridor remains a challenge, but I stand by the decision to step back from phase two of the cycleway to allow local councillors to consider alternative options.

“And of course, it will be local councillors who will determine the hot topic of gateway once and for all. They will give their verdict and I will respect this. I feel this is the fairest possible approach.

The Stray Ferret asked Active Travel England why it rejected North Yorkshire County Council’s bid.

A spokesman said it couldn’t go into detail until the successful applicants were notified after next month’s local elections. They added:

“Each bid we have received has undergone a robust assessment process that considered a range of criteria. Feedback is being provided to authorities with unsuccessful bids over the next few weeks.

“Active Travel England will support local authorities in designing and delivering schemes that meet national standards for safety and accessibility.”

The coronation will be broadcast live on a big screen in the grounds of Knaresborough House on Saturday, May 6.

Knaresborough Town Council announced today it had secured access to a locally sourced LED screen for what it hopes will be a joyful day of picnics and celebration.

Besides showing the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the free event will also include the broadcast of two family films.

Town councillor James Pickard, chair of the council’s king’s coronation working group, said:

“We are looking forward to welcoming the Knaresborough community and visitors alike to share this once in a lifetime event.  It’s not often we get to see a king crowned.

“We hope the day will be a relaxed event where people can simply come and soak up the atmosphere whilst watching the ceremony.

“We plan to extend the day by showing two family films throughout the afternoon. This will be a free local event for the entire community to enjoy.”

Cllr Pickard added the grounds were a natural theatre with scope for catering for large crowds throughout the day, from 10am to 5pm.

He added people were welcome to bring picnics but food and refreshment stalls would also be available.

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Town councillor Hannah Gostlow, who is also a member of the working group, added:

“It’s great that both residents and visitors to Knaresborough will have a fantastic opportunity to come together to view the king’s coronation live on a big screen at the iconic location of Knaresborough House.

“The event will give everyone the opportunity to have a memorable experience to mark this exciting and historic event.”

A former building society in Knaresborough could become a gaming centre if plans are approved.

Carl Bearman of Spectacular Bid Ltd – a company founded in January – has applied to change the use of the premises at 30 High Street, home to Yorkshire Building Society until March 2018.

Mr Bearman is a director of several other companies, including UK Gaming Solutions, Gaming Solutions Group, and Dubai Dynamo.

If given permission to become an adult gaming centre, the unit, which is 60m sq, could have arcade machines and would only be open to people aged 18 or over.

The application was submitted in late March and North Yorkshire Council is accepting comments until Sunday, April 23.

The environmental health department has already raised concerns about the impact on neighbours, saying:

“There are flats above the existing commercial unit but whereas the office use and the opening hours of the building society would not interfere with the flats above there may be noise including music associated with the use of the gaming centre and the opening hours, which are not stated, could interfere with the residents above.

“It would be useful to get some indication of the proposed hours of operation.”

Environmental health officer Mary Jones recommended the applicant should invest in sound proofing and provide an acoustic report to the council about the impact of the proposed change.

To view or comment on the application, visit the planning pages of North Yorkshire Council’s website and use reference 23/01169/FUL.

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It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The fourth in our series of networking events, with Banyan Bar & Kitchen, is a breakfast event on April 27 from 8am.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A new investor has joined an IT hardware company in Harrogate.

Ryan McCarry has made the investment in Intelligent Servers and acquired a minority shareholding in the business amounting to a 14% shareholding with follow-on funding.

Mr McCarry, who founded Sleek Networks and was chairman of Concepta Capital, will also join the firm as a director and chairman of the board.

Andy Hughes, founder and chief executive of Intelligent Servers, said:

“Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge to our business and board. His appointment comes at a time when we plan to expand our services and reach to achieve our revenue target of £22 million in the next three years. 

“We are delighted to welcome him to our team and look forward to working closer together.”

Mr McCarry said:

“I am thrilled to be joining Intelligent Servers as a shareholder and chairman. Having worked with Andy over the last year or two I know the company has a great culture, solid foundations, fast growth and huge potential. 

“Intelligent Servers is very much a sustainable technology business with strong ESG credentials and significant growth potential in the UK, Europe and globally. The team have a fantastic reputation for delivering high quality services to their clients and we plan to achieve our targets through organic growth and selective acquisitions.”

Knaresborough company sets up employee ownership trust

A Knaresborough company has set up an employee ownership trust.

Consultancy service The Whole Systems Partnership, which is based on York Place, announced the move last week.

Peter Lacey, owner of The Whole System Partnership, and James Wright sign the trust papers.

An employee ownership trust sees staff at a company take shares in the business.

The move will see James Wright, Mark Gregson and Dr Pauline Milne MBE become initial directors of the trust at WSP.

Mr Wright said:

“I have always enjoyed being part of the WSP team and to be part of the management team only makes me more excited for the future.”

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The festival season kicks off this month with a family favourite in aid of one of the Harrogate district’s best-known charities. 

Henshaws Beer Festival will return with three days of fun for all ages from Friday, April 28 to Sunday, April 30.

There will be two adult evening sessions and two family-friendly daytime events.  

The beer festival will raise funds for Henshaws, which supports people living with sight loss and disabilities across the north of England. 

Festival-goers will be able to choose from a range of beers, gins, wines and ciders, all produced in Yorkshire.

Local breweries Cold Bath Brewing, Daleside, Harrogate Brewery – all in Harrogate – and Roosters and Turning Point, both in Knaresborough, will again be joining forces to support and supply the annual event.

An eclectic mix of live music across two stages will feature sets from local performers including Rory Hoy, reggae band Drop Leg Steppers, Hot Sauce and rapper Lence. 

Pop-up vendors will be serving a selection of freshly-cooked food, including pizza, Mexican and BBQ. There will also be fun activities and games for the children running throughout the day.   

Henshaws’ fundraising development manager Gemma Young said:

“The Arts and Crafts Centre offers a unique outdoor setting for the festival with a large stage area, undercover spaces and outdoor and indoor seating. For last year’s event, we welcomed over 850 guests and served over 4,000 drinks, and this year given the addition of the Friday night we look forward to welcoming even more visitors!”

Henshaws art-maker Ebonie raises a glass at the Henshaws Beer Festival in 2022.

For 2023, Henshaws Beer Festival’s title sponsor is Harrogate-based 4Life Wealth Management. The company’s operations director, Gary Nash, said:

“We are delighted to support this popular Henshaws event and help the charity raise much needed funds for the brilliant work they do. This festival represents a fantastic opportunity to come together as a community.”   

Founded in 1837, Henshaws is one of the oldest charities in the UK. It employs around 360 members of staff and 232 volunteers, who support individuals, families and their carers who are living with sight loss, as well as a range of other disabilities.

The charity’s specialist college in Starbeck offers day and residential places for young people aged 18 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities, and its Arts and Crafts Centre in Knaresborough helps people living with disabilities realise their artistic and personal potential. 

Tickets for the Henshaws Beer Festival are available online for £15, or £18 on the door (£5 for children over the age of three), and each visitor will receive a limited-edition souvenir pint glass and two half-pint drink tokens.  

Pic shows (left to right), Matthew Joyce, sales manager at Harrogate Brewing Co, Joe Joyce, owner at Harrogate Brewing Co, and Gary Nash, operations director at 4Life Wealth Management

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