The owner of a Coneythorpe pub has criticised a set of month long roadworks as the “final kick we didn’t need”.

The Tiger Inn will close for five weeks in the new year while utility company Power On installs power cables for a new development park comprising industrial and commercial units in the area.

The scheme is expected to last six months and involve five weeks of road closures, starting on January 9, in Flaxby and Coneythorpe.

It is the latest disruption to hit the pub, which has already struggled through covid and a fire in November 2020.

Barbara Gill, who owns the Tiger Inn, said the pub was already dealing with the cost of living crisis – which has seen its energy bills increase to more than £4,000.

She said:

“These road works are the final kick we didn’t need.”

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Ms. Gill told The Stray Ferret that pubs have had to learn how to cope with these national crises such as the pandemic and the now cost-of-living crisis.

She said:

“They’ve had to adapt rapidly.”

Ms Gill added that staff at The Tiger inn will receive full pay to support them while the pub is closed.

However, businesses in the area including the Tiger Inn have not been compensated for the road works.

‘Extensive consultation’

Power On said in a statement it had conducted “extensive consultation” to minimise disruption.

Work will start on York Road in Flaxby and continue onto Shortsill Lane and Moor Lane. It will take place from January 9 to 28 before recommencing on February 22 until March 14.

The company said in a statement that it was “committed to delivering essential works whilst ensuring minimal disruption to local residence and the community”. It added:

“We have been able to avoid further closures by allowing traffic to flow subject to reduced weight limits.  Alternative transport for schools will be provided by North Yorkshire County Council.

“We have been working with the local parish council who have assisted in coordinating the works.  Road closure signs will include alternate routes to any local businesses affected with advanced warning signs posted in late December.

“The works are to be completed during the winter months, to minimise impact.  At the request of the Tiger Inn and the parish council, it was agreed that work will be suspended during potentially busier periods such as Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, and Easter weekend.”

Ms. Gill is hopeful the pub will be able to get back on its feet with the support of their loyal customers around Mother’s Day.

She added:

“We need people to support us when we reopen.”

The Tiger Inn is planning to reopen on February 10.

Roadworks are to cause major disruption to two villages near Knaresborough for several weeks at the start of next year.

Utilities company Power On is to install power cables for a 600,000 square feet business park near Flaxby called Harrogate 47 close to junction 47 of the A1(M). The park could support 2,000 jobs.

The project is expected to last six months and involve five weeks of road closures, starting on January 9, in Flaxby and Coneythorpe.

Power On said in a statement it had conducted “extensive consultation” to minimise disruption.

Work will start on York Road in Flaxby and continue onto Shortsill Lane and Moor Lane. It will take place from January 9 to 28 before recommencing on February 22 until March 14.

Diversions will be in place to minimise disruption.

Power On said in a statement it was “committed to delivering essential works whilst ensuring minimal disruption to local residence and the community”. It added:

“We have been able to avoid further closures by allowing traffic to flow subject to reduced weight limits.  Alternative transport for schools will be provided by North Yorkshire County Council.

“We have been working with the local parish council who have assisted in coordinating the works.  Road closure signs will include alternate routes to any local businesses affected with advanced warning signs posted in late December.

“The works are to be completed during the winter months, to minimise impact.  At the request of the Tiger Inn and the parish council, it was agreed that work will be suspended during potentially busier periods such as Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, and Easter weekend.”

The company added residents affected by the road closures “will be able to access via the diversion routes which have been previously agreed and signposted”.

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The Environment Agency has called for the creation of an asphalt plant near Knaresborough to be rejected.

The government department has raised concerns over potential pollution to controlled waters in response to Tynedale Roadstone’s planned plant at Allerton Waste Recovery Park, just yards from the A1(M).

The firm, which produces bituminous macadam and asphalt products for roads, already has plants in Newcastle and County Durham and says it needs a third facility to serve contracts for customers in the Yorkshire area.

The plant would include facilities for recycling plastics and other waste products, which could be supplied from operations within the recovery park, into asphalt materials.

Tynedale says the plant would also have the capability to recycle old road material into new asphalt products.

In planning documents submitted to North Yorkshire County Council, agents for the firm said the plant would create about 10 jobs. They said:

“The very nature of the proposed scheme means that it will be crucial to facilitating and servicing highways works and projects in the area.

“The plant would be suitably located in terms of surrounding land uses and would complement the wider Allerton Waste Recovery Park, particularly due to its ability to utilise plastic waste from the waste recovery plant in the production of final asphalt products.”

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The wider site includes Allerton Waste Recovery Plant, which process 320,000 tonnes of waste a year from York and North Yorkshire councils, a partially completed landfill in a former quarry, a concrete batching plant and a methane gas plant.

Planning documents reveal pre-application talks with the council’s planning officers concluded the principle of locating an asphalt plant at the site was considered a compatible use with the other operations on the site.

However, lodging an objection to the development. the Environment Agency said the firm needed to demonstrate the risk of pollution to controlled waters could be appropriately managed.

The agency stated: 

“The previous use of the proposed development site as a landfill presents a high risk of contamination that could be mobilised during construction to pollute controlled waters.

“Controlled waters are particularly sensitive in this location because the development site is located upon a principal aquifer.”

Principal aquifers provide significant quantities of drinking water.

The agency said the applicants had identified the pollution risks without providing adequate mitigation and the plans for piling on the site could result in risks to aquifers.

The first blast of winter has left many Harrogate district people worried about the cost of staying warm.

We have therefore compiled information about warm spaces available in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon. If you know of any others in these places or in Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham let us know and we will add them. Email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The information has been provided by community groups across the district.

Netmakers, formerly known as Harrogate Hub, is a movement of local churches working together to make a difference in the community.

Its website has details of the following places in Harrogate, Starbeck and Knaresborough offering, warm and welcoming safe places to go.

Information provided by Netmakers

Further details are available here on the Netmakers website.

The community benefit society Knaresborough Connectors has also devised details of warm spaces in Knaresborough. ]

Knaresborough Connectors’ list

More details of the locations, known as public living rooms, are available here.

Numerous public buildings in and around Ripon are throwing open their doors for free in Ripon each day, including Ripon Library and Allhallowgate Methodist Church.

Ripon Cathedral has compiled details here.

Wynn James, senior pastor of Life Destiny Church in Starbeck and trustee of Harrogate District Foodbank said:

“Our doors are open. We want our community to know that we are here to help. By working together across our area we hope to offer spaces in every corner of our community.

“I urge people to use the warm spaces and not to feel alone at this tough time.”

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Links to all of the organisations providing warm spaces, along with details of voluntary organisations that are at the forefront of the campaign to help people who are struggling this winter, are available on the Harrogate & District Community Action website.

Frances Elliot, chief executive of HADCA, said:

“Please do check out where to turn in your area, through churches or through other community organisations and encourage anyone you come across who feels reluctant about speaking up to do so, this particularly hard winter”

A Knaresborough businesswoman has described as “madness” a decision to close 20 parking spaces in the run-up to Christmas.

Harrogate Borough Council has allocated 10 parking bays in Chapel Street car park and 10 at Conyngham Hall for electric vehicles only. But the bays are currently sealed off, meaning no vehicles can use them.

The loss of spaces in a town where it is notoriously difficult to park has angered traders, particularly as it has occurred in the busy run-up to Christmas.

Kelly Teggin, who owns Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty in Castlegate, said yesterday:

“In the middle of December we have people driving out of Knaresborough because they can’t get parked. It’s unbelievable — total madness.

“I agree we need more electric vehicle parking. But why close these spaces now in the run-up to Christmas so nobody can use them? I lost two customers today and as a small business I can’t afford this.

“I’m part of the chamber of trade and everyone is ringing me saying ‘why are the council doing this at Christmas?'”

Chapel Street car park in Knaresborough

One of Ms Teggin’s customers, called Lynn, described the situation as “ludicrous”. She added:

“It defies common sense. Kelly lost one customer when I was there today because she couldn’t get parked. The town is losing people it needs. We are all a bit gobsmacked this is happening now.”

Ms Teggin’s father, Steve Teggin, a businessman and former president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said:

“Knaresborough has always been drastically short of car parking. Now we have a line of bays empty yet people are driving around trying to get parked up. It’s unfair and where was the consultation?”

100 charging bays being installed

A council spokesperson said:

“To help achieve our net zero-carbon economy by 2038, and to support the demand and rapid uptake of electric vehicles (EV), almost 100 charging bays are being installed across the Harrogate district.

“More than 20 of these will be installed in Knaresborough, including Chapel Street car park, Conyngham Hall and the new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

“These bays account for less than three per cent of the more than 800 spaces available in Knaresborough, not to mention the various on-street disc parking spaces available,, so we are confident that non EV drivers will still be able to find a space.

“These new charging points support the uptake in electric vehicles for both our residents and our visitor economy, and complement other sustainable travel options.”

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A man has been jailed for setting fire to a historic Knaresborough pub and causing £15,000 worth of damage.

Stephen Pearson, of Pinhoe Road in Exeter, was charged with arson at Blind Jack’s pub on Market Place in the town on August 21 last year.

He admitted the offence and was jailed for 31 months at York Crown Court this morning.

Pearson, who had grown up in the area, had been in Knaresborough for a week’s holiday to visit old places from his childhood.

The court heard how, because the weather was poor, the 45-year-old decided to go drinking in Wetherspoons.

At around 8.15pm, he went to Blind Jack’s pub where customers complained he had been handing out flyers from a bag.

Dan Cowdy, prosecuting, told the court that Pearson had been asked politely by bar staff to leave the premises.

He was described as “smelling of cannabis” and stumbling.

Mr Cowdy said:

“On his way out, he asked if [other customers] had complained about him.”

The court was told that Pearson then went to the Cross Keys pub and missed his train to Leeds.

As a result, he decided to sleep in the castle grounds and woke up at 4am.

‘Woke up cold and angry’

Mr Cowdy told the court that Pearson “woke up feeling cold and angry” and began walking back to Market Place.

On his way, he picked up a bin bag of paper and placed it in front of Blind Jack’s pub.

CCTV shown in court showed Pearson attempting to light the bag multiple times at 4.14am.

He then left and returned with a piece of paper at 4.27am, which he set fire to and used to ignite the bag before leaving the scene.

CCTV footage from the fire, which shows the bin bag in front of the pub.

The fire caused an estimated £15,235 worth of damage to the door, glass and signage of the pub.

The Grade II listed pub is named after Knaresborough’s John Metcalf, the first professional road builder to emerge in the industrial revolution.

The fire service extinguished the blaze and Pearson was arrested and later charged with arson.

Owners left feeling ‘unsafe and anxious’

Owners Christian and Alice Ogley were staying at a friend’s house at the time of the incident.

In a statement read out in court, Mr Ogley said then fire had left them “constantly checking” CCTV and feeling “unsafe and anxious”.

He said:

“We feel that the effect of this incident has made us feel unsafe.”

The court heard how during interviews with North Yorkshire Police, Pearson apologised and described himself as “an idiot”.

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He told officers that he did not intend to set fire to the pub itself, but wanted to leave the bag in front of the building as he was angry.

Mr Cowdy said:

“He assumed that the pub was empty and that no one lived there.”

Mitigating for Pearson, George Hazel-Owrem told the court that the 45-year-old had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added that Pearson had shown “genuine remorse” for his crime and had issues with alcoholism and homelessness.

Mr Hazel-Owrem said:

“It is plain that he has a number of serious issues, particularly with alcohol and as a consequence of that has been homeless for some time.

“He also suffers from depression and anxiety and has had suicidal ideation in the past.”

Sentencing Pearson, Judge Simon Hickey told him that the fire had a significant impact on the victims.

He said:

“As the owners have pointed out, it had a drastic effect of them and a knock-on effect as they came out of covid.”

However, he accepted that Pearson had shown remorse for his actions.

Pearson was jailed for 30 months for arson, plus an extra month to be served consecutively for assaulting an emergency worker in Devon while on bail for the Blind Jack’s offence.

He will serve half the sentence before being released on licence.

No trains will run from Harrogate and Knaresborough to Leeds and York for five days this week.

RMT Union members will walkout from today until Saturday (December 17) in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The strikes will be the latest to hit the Harrogate district rail network this year.

Northern, which operates services from Harrogate and Knaresborough towards Leeds and York, has warned passengers not to travel as no replacement bus services will be running.

Services will resume on Sunday (December 18), but Northern has urged passengers to check before they travel.

Meanwhile, no LNER services from Harrogate to London King’s Cross will run until Sunday.

A table issued by Northern warning passengers of days with industrial action.

It said in a statement:

“On strike days, only travel by rail if necessary and if you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead – especially the first and last trains of the day.

“If you do decide to travel, there will be very limited services running across the whole rail network so remember to check your entire journey as other train service providers may be affected.

“There will be no rail replacement buses on strike days for Northern services and some Northern stations may be closed or have reduced hours due to the limited staffing and services.”

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Plans to open a micropub in Starbeck are back on the table.

IT consultant Kevin Jones has resubmitted the proposal for the High Street after previous plans fell through.

Mr Jones abandoned a prior attempt to get permission to open a pub at 67d High Street after the landlord offered the space to a different tenant.

At the time, he criticised Harrogate Borough Council for taking six months to consider the plan.

However, Mr Jones has now resubmitted the plan for next door at 67b High Street — which he intends to rename The Office Ale House.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I wanted to open a place where people who are wandering home after work can call in.

“It will be dog friendly as well. It is about getting pubs back to what they used to be years ago.”

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Mr Jones, who lived in Starbeck but has moved to Knaresborough, said he hoped to open the pub in March, if planning is approved.

The pub would included seating for between 15 to 20 people.

It would serve local ales, lagers and have a rotating cask ale on sale. It would be open between 12pm and 8pm during the week.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Christmas is edging closer and there are plenty of festivities taking place over the next couple of weeks.

Among them are a growing number of churches hosting Christmas tree festivals around the Harrogate district.

If you fancy seeing some inspiring, creative decorations, check out our list below of some of the festivals taking place across the district. 

Know of another that’s not on our list? Email the details to us now.

St James’s Church Boroughbridge

Boroughbridge launched the district’s festivals last weekend with some spectacular efforts.

Visitors cast their votes and overwhelmingly selected Kirby Hill WI’s jam jar tree as their favourite (pictures below). The Post Office was in second place and Spar came third.

In the children’s competition, Boroughbridge Scouts came out on top, followed by Roecliffe Primary School and Boroughbridge Junior School Early Years.

The festival concluded with a carol service on Sunday.

St John’s Church, Knaresborough 

The St John’s Christmas Tree Festival returns for another year.  

The Knaresborough Christmas tree festival takes place every year: 70 Christmas trees are decorated by local groups and are displayed in the St John’s Church in the heart of Knaresborough.  

It started last weekend and is running up until the December 23.  

As well as the Christmas tree competition there is live music and festive mulled wine refreshments. 

There will be live music every Saturday of the festival:

• Saturday, December 10
• Saturday, December 17

Admission to the festival is free, but donations to the church and their chosen charity are welcomed.

The event takes place at Vicarage Lane, Knaresborough HG5 9AE. 

St John’s Church, Bilton 

The Christmas tree festival in Bilton got up and running last weekend and continues throughout the month.

It features 20 trees created by community groups, many themed by the teams behind them.

The church is open from 9am to 1pm, Monday to Thursday each week, for visitors to see the trees. They are also on show at services until the end of December.

Entry is free and everyone is welcome at the Bilton Lane church.

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St Andrew’s Church, Blubberhouses 

Another Christmas tree festival with an amazing variety of trees, a creative and festive event for everyone. 

The festival is open this weekend, Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11, from 11am to 4pm. 

On Sunday, The 4 – a musical quartet will be singing Christmas music and carols.  

There will also be wreaths and Christmas crafts for sale.  

Enjoy a festive atmosphere with mulled wine and refreshments.  

Admission to this event is free and it is taking place at Shepherd Hill Road, Blubberhouses, Otley, LS21 2NU.

Boroughbridge Christmas Tree Festival

St Peter’s Church, Harrogate

St Peter’s Church Christmas Tree Festival returns for its 18th year. 

The festival is running from December 10 to 17 and organisers hope to make this year “bigger and brighter than ever”. 

The opening times are 8am to 5.15pm. 

Charities, local schools, shops, and businesses have been invited to decorate a Christmas tree or wreath, decorations can either be Christmas themed or reflect their organisation.

This gives the decorators an opportunity to tell the community about their activities and achievements and brings the whole community together for some festive fun at the end of the year. 

Attendees will vote for their favourite Christmas tree, and the winner will be announced at their 9.30am service on December 18.  

The trees each have their own frame with details of who the tree is sponsored by and the name or theme of the tree. 

It takes place at St Peter’s Church, Cambridge Road, Harrogate HG1 1PB. 

A thief has stolen a laptop and cash from food waste community group Resurrected Bites.

The culprit took the items from the organisation’s give as you can cafe at West Park United Reformed Church in Harrogate on Wednesday while volunteers were helping people in need.

Resurrected Bites works with local businesses and suppliers to divert food from landfill and converts it into meals in its cafes in Harrogate and Knaresborough. It also operates a community groceries scheme.

Michelle Hayes, founder and director of Resurrected Bites, said:

“We are gutted and hope the person will do the right thing and return what they took.”

Read more:

• Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2022: Help ensure nobody goes hungry this Christmas
• Food waste organisation Resurrected Bites warns it could close

Ms Hayes said no personal data had been compromised but added the incident had been a “wake-up call”:

“It was an opportunistic thief at lunchtime. We will have to be a lot more vigilant on security going forward.

“We are a naturally trusting group of people and it’s very sad that someone would steal from us.”

The Stray Ferret is running a Christmas appeal to raise money for Resurrected Bites, after it issued a plea for funding to keep its services alive.

The target was originally £5,000, which was achieved in days, and has since been raised to £20,000. The current total is £12,800. You can donate here.