Sun Colonnade lit up in first part of Valley Gardens improvements

Harrogate Borough Council has installed a new set of lights in the Sun Colonnade in the first of a series of winter improvement in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens.

The council spent £15,000 on LED lighting to make the area, which has been subject to anti-social behaviour, more attractive and safer.

In the coming weeks the council plans to steam clean the Sun Colonnade and remove some of the heavy ivy, which would encourage growth of other vines.

The council is also planning to add lights to the trees along the lime tree walk, adjacent to the Sun Colonnade

It comes ahead of a £240,000 refurbishment of the nearby Sun Pavilion, which is set to be complete by February next year.

The Sun Pavilion improvements include reconstructing the floor, new underfloor heating and insulation as well as new floor coverings.

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A spokesperson for the council said:

“The new lights in the Sun Colonnade have been installed to improve and enhance this area of the gardens.

“The energy efficient LED lighting comes on late afternoon and then goes off late at night and will provide lighting to this area for many years to come.

“We have a whole programme of maintenance and improvements in Valley Gardens this winter, including steam cleaning the Sun Colonnade and removing some of the heavy ivy from the roof to allow more light through and other vines to flourish, as well as installing tree lights along Lime Tree Walk.

“Valley Gardens is both popular with residents and visitors and we want to enhance the use of this beautiful space to allow us to do more in the future.”

Lights to mark Battle of Boroughbridge 700th anniversary too modern

There are hopes 14 new street lights will be ready to illuminate the River Ure Bridge in time for the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Boroughbridge next year.

Boroughbridge Town Council is behind plans to light up the historic bridge as people at night. There has been a bridge on the site since at least the 12th century.

However, last week the town council withdrew its planning application after Harrogate Borough Council’s principal conservation officer Emma Gibbens wrote in an email that the brushed steel and modern design of the light fittings “erodes the traditional character” of the bridge.

Boroughbridge Town Council clerk John Nichols called the council’s verdict a “setback” but said it hopes to work with HBC on a new application to ensure the lights are beaming in time for the anniversary on March 16, 2022.

The scheme to light the bridge was recently awarded £13,000 from North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner following the sale of the force’s historic AJ1 number plate.

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The Battle of Boroughbridge took place on March 16, 1322, when the bridge was a key element of the encounter between Edward II and his cousin the Earl of Lancaster.

A small army of retreating rebels under the Earl of Lancaster was held at the bridge itself by a larger group of men loyal to the King.

Attempts to negotiate a truce failed and the one-sided battle resulted in the surrender and subsequent execution of Lancaster.

Competition launched to find district’s best Christmas lights

The search is on to find the best lit house in the Harrogate district this Christmas! With the help of Yorkshire Lighting and Electrical Services, the Stray Ferret is looking for those who’ve gone that extra mile to make Christmas 2020 more magical than ever.

The competition will launch on Facebook on Monday 23 November, and anyone can nominate themselves or a neighbour.

Glen Molloy from Yorkshire Lighting said:

“I’m delighted to be working alongside the Stray Ferret to try and bring some Christmas cheer in these hard times. It’s been a difficult year for everybody, and I’m hoping this will bring some joy to those neighbourhoods that get involved. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the hard work that goes into lighting up so many houses for Christmas 2020.”

Aside from the pride of the title of ‘Best Christmas Lights in the Harrogate District’, the winner will receive a £150 voucher from Harrogate company Lights4Fun – so they can go even further next year!

Simon Norton, Marketing and Customer Experience Director at Lights4fun said:

“This year more than ever before, the home is at the heart of Christmas. There are many ways in which lighting has lifted our spirits, from outdoor displays that brighten the evenings of those passing by to placing candles in windows in support of key workers. As a Harrogate business we are proud to partner with the Stray Ferret in their search for the best dressed Christmas house. We truly care about our community and are always so proud to support our local causes and businesses.”

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