Ripon nature reserve gets £132,000 government boost

The Lower Ure Conservation Trust has received a £132,800 government grant to enhance the wildlife of the Nosterfield Nature Reserve.

The 250-acre nature reserve at Nosterfield is in the Swale/Ure Washlands near to Ripon and Masham.

In a survey conducted two years ago more than 1,100 species of animals, birds, insects and plants were recorded on the former quarry in a single 24-hour period. The trust says this makes it one of the most wildlife-rich areas of the country.

Sand and gravel were produced from a former quarry until the late 1980s. It was designated a reserve in 2001.

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The money comes from the government’s £40m Green Recovery Challenge Fund, announced yesterday.

The LUCT’s director Simon Warwick said it will “significantly increase” the scale of the trust’s work and help protect the nature reserve’s wildlife.

Mr Warwick said:

“We know that many of the wetland habitats that existed in North Yorkshire two and three hundred years ago are now very rare. Many of the meadows and mires that existed in abundance have been obliterated.

“Land has been drained and dug up.  We are recreating some of those habits here at Nosterfield and this grant will help to significantly increase the scale of our work.”

Harrogate district covid rates fall by two-thirds during lockdown

The Harrogate district is set to end the second lockdown with a far lower rate of covid than when it started.

Government figures today reveal the district has an average seven-day rate of infection of 92 people per 100,000, compared with 277 people per 100,000 on November 5.

This means the rate has fallen by about two-thirds since lockdown began.

The England average is currently 154 and the North Yorkshire average is 107.

The R number has fallen from a peak of 1.6 last month to 0.6 today. This means every 10 people with covid will infect another six.

Public Health England recorded another 18 positive test results today, which is well below the 95 on November 9.

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There were no further deaths reported today at either Harrogate District Hospital or in the district’s care homes.

Killinghall and Hampsthwaite remains the district’s covid hotspot, with 26 infections in the last seven days.

The next highest is Ouseburn, Hammerton and Tockwith with 18.

Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley, Masham, Kirkby Malzeard and North Stainley and Ripon North and West have not recorded a single new infection for at least seven days.

 

Fatberg of wet wipes blocks sewer in Grewelthorpe

Yorkshire Water spent an hour jet washing more than 1,000 litres of water through a sewer in Grewelthorpe to remove a fatberg of wet wipes.

The underground blockage between Ripon and Masham prompted the water company to issue a plea today to only flush the three Ps — pee, poo and (toilet) paper — down the loo.

Wet wipes are the most common cause of blockages and can lead to flooding.

Mark Hammond, head of customer field services at Yorkshire Water, said:

“We are regularly called out to remove blockages caused by wet wipes in our region. That’s despite our warnings and information on packets not to flush them.

“We spend millions of pounds every year on clearing these blockages. It’s money which could be spent on improving our network and investing in technologies.”

Yorkshire Water also revealed its blockages team removed four large buckets of wet wipes from its sewer network in York this month.

A recent survey by the company found 21% of people flushed wet wipes down the toilet.

The Oxford English Dictionary added the word ‘fatberg’ in 2015. It is defined as a large mass of solid waste in a sewage system made up of fat and personal hygiene products.

Dog rescue charity launches £250,000 appeal for new home

A dog rescue charity has launched a £250,000 fundraising appeal to buy a dedicated home.

Saving Yorkshire’s Dogs, which is based near Masham, wants to buy the former Jerry Green Dog Rescue centre near Thirsk.

The charity already has £170,000 in pledges but needs another £250,000 to make the dream come true.

Over the last six years the charity has rescued about 200 dogs, many of which would otherwise have been put to sleep.

The Jerry Green site closed in the summer and will be sold by informal tender in mid-November.

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SYD, which currently rents premises, believes this is the right time to buy dedicated kennels and “secure its future”.

Julie Hart, who is organising the fundraiser, told the Stray Ferret:

“This would make a big difference. We would have much more space so we would have room to grow. This would be the dream place to move into, it is fully furnished in a great location.

“It has been incredible to watch all of the donations coming through already. People have been very generous. We have had pledges from some people of £10,000.”

So far the gofundme page has reached £2,600 in donations out of the £250,000 target. Click or tap here to donate.

The asking price for the former Jerry Green site starts at £300,000. SYD hopes the fundraiser will help with bidding and set-up costs.

Gracie finds a new home

The English Bulldog Gracie, star of the first Stray Pets Club and SYD rescue, has been given a new home.

Gracie was used for breeding to make money and was abandoned after reaching the maximum age for reproducing.

She has given birth to around 30 puppies in her lifetime and has been left with the scars to show it.

Harrogate district recovers from floods — but alerts remain

Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Masham have all been hit by flooding today — and alerts remain in place.

Parts of Knaresborough close to the River Nidd appear to have been the worst affected.

An Environment Agency spokesman said there were no confirmed cases of people having to leave their homes.

However, Andrew Weatherhead, owner of Weatherhead Butchers in Pateley Bridge worked through the night unblocking drains and mopping two inches of water from his High Street shop.

Mr Weatherhead, whose shop opened as usual this morning, told the Stray Ferret he planned to buy some flood gates to prevent further problems.

 

Mr Weatherhead, who finally got home at 3am only to be woken by his house alarm going off at 5.30am, said the town’s river flood defences worked well but added:

“I think there is something wrong with the state of the drains. So many are blocked. We had to unblock them with shovels and sticks and when we did the water went down quickly.”

No other shops in Pateley are believed to have been affected.

Cars moved

Vast swathes of Knaresborough were under water this morning. The area near the Vantage Toyota dealership, close to the River Nidd, was particularly bad.

Kyley Price, a medical administrator who lives in the area, said:

“We are surrounded by water but I’m hoping it wont be too bad. Just the usual clean up to come.

“We got a warning at 5.30 this morning so moved cars etc. We are now just sitting watching TV and waiting.”

Ms Price questioned the effectiveness of the flood prevention measures in the area:

“The water rises and fills the surrounding flood plane and fields faster than ever.”

Ure rising in Ripon

A flood warning remains in place in Ripon for Ure bank and the racecourse.

The government’s flood information service posted at 11.28am today:

“The level of the River Ure at Ripon Ure bank is 3.44m and rising. We expect river levels to continue rising with peak levels expected around 3.61m this afternoon.

“Please avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses and plan driving routes to avoid low lying roads near rivers, which may be flooded.”

The water is rising in Ripon.

Many rural roads, including the bridge at Masham, were treacherous this morning.

The forecast is improving but a flood alert is in place for the upper Nidd. The flood information service said at 11.28am:

“Further rainfall is expected on Monday, and river levels will fluctuate through the day. Flooding of low-lying land, roads and footpaths remains possible.”

 

Hugh Dennis visits Masham for Channel 4 programme

The comedian Hugh Dennis is filming in Masham this week for a Channel 4 programme that aims to uncover more about the town’s ‘lost cemetery’.

Mr Dennis is expected to be in the North Yorkshire town for another couple of days filming for The Great British Dig: History in Your Back Garden.

It follows numerous discoveries of Anglo-Scandinavian skeletons dating back to between 679 and 1011 AD around the centre of the market town.

Building works in 1988 and 1999 uncovered the remains of 58 skeletons.

Many locals believe there is much more to discover.

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Neil McIntosh, who works in tourist information for Visit Masham, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is fertile ground for excavations. So far we have only found just over 50 skeletons but if the cemetery was in use for more than 300 years there will be plenty more to find.”

Mr McIntosh says the crew for the programme is digging up the garden of a former butcher.

He added that the show could find some animal bones as well as human remains from hundreds of years ago.

Artisan market set to return to Masham

Masham’s artisan market is set to make a comeback.

The town’s parish council this week approved plans to bring it back after locals called for a return. The last farmer’s market was August 2019.

The market is expected to take place on the second Sunday of each month from April to September next year.

Councillors will now listen to the proposals of local traders before giving the official go ahead.

It will have stalls selling farmers’ produce as well as other items. Masham already has Wednesday and Saturday markets.

Masham Wednesday market

Masham’s Wednesday markets are often busy with visitors looking to buy local produce.

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Councillor Ian Johnson said:

“Yes, we have passed it for next year in the summer season. It’ll mainly be the traders who will organise it, they think they can find a few traders in farm produce and artisan items so it sounds good.

“Our Saturday market is always popular. This weekend we have about 20 stalls so hopefully the new one will be a success too.”

Masham Cricket Club plans tribute to president

Masham Cricket Club is raising £5,000 for an electronic scoreboard as a tribute to popular club president Tony Proud, who died this year.

Club chairman Mark Ellis told the Stray Ferret the scoreboard would be a fitting tribute to someone who had cricket in his blood.

The club is raising the money through a crowdfunding campaign.

Mr Ellis said:

“He was president of the cricket club when he died. He was there every Saturday watching the game. He was there to give advice, had a great sense of humour and was loved by everybody. He was a real character.”

Mr Proud was a former woodwork teacher at Bedale secondary school and cricket was his passion. He played for Masham CC for over 30 years with and represented other local clubs.

He also was instrumental in setting up Masham Sports Association, a charitable organisation that supports cricket, bowls, tennis and football in the market town.

Mr Proud died during the height of the Covid pandemic in April and Mr Ellis said the club wanted to do something special for his family.

He added:

“The church at Masham would have been packed out with people who played sport either with or against Tony over the years.”

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Currently, the club has an old-fashioned pull-chord scoreboard and Mr Ellis said an electronic version would “bring the club into the 21st century”.

He is confident the community will come together to raise the target of £5,000. He added:

“I’m sure the community will support what we’re trying to do because he was such a big character. Everybody knew Tony.”

If the club raises £5,000, it will have an official opening of the electronic scoreboard next year, which will double up as a celebration of Mr Proud’s cricketing life.

You can donate to the crowdfunder here.

Masham dress shop closes after 40 years

After 40 years in Masham’s market place, a women’s clothing store has closed its doors for good after failing to find a buyer.

Through The Looking Glass, which was known for its womenswear and window displays, closed last week.

Owner Linda Burrows, said Through The Looking Glass had been a Masham institution for decades.

But she added potential buyers had lost interest since the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Burrows took over the business in May 2007 and had hoped to sell prior to retirement.

But after closing the shop for three months during lockdown, the remaining stock was sold at discounted rates.

She said:

“Just before Christmas I decided to retire, I was quite confident I could sell it as a business. People did show interest but as Covid kicked in no-one was interested.

“I was really living the dream. As a child I always wanted to own a dress shop. It was also a calling place for people to bob in for a chat.”

Through The Looking Glass

Many customers have told Ms Burrows they will miss visiting the shop.

Ms Burrows plans to enjoy retirement with her husband and family.

She added:

“It is very sad it has closed because Masham and Through The Looking Glass went together.”

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She suspects more shops will go online or be forced to close following the pandemic. She added:

“It’s the not knowing. Anyone thinking of starting something up new doesn’t know how things are going to be going forward.”

More than 100 Eat Out to Help Out businesses in Harrogate district

From next week people will be able to ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ by taking advantage of a 50% discount on food and non-alcoholic drinks in the Harrogate district.

More than 100 restaurants, cafes, bars, and pubs in the district have signed up to the new government scheme to boost hospitality.

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It is valid all day Monday to Wednesday from August 3 to 31, as long the town or city is not in lockdown.

Customers can get a maximum of £10 off food and drink when they eat or drink in. There’s no minimum spend and it can be used in conjunction with other offers.

The government has released a list of establishments registered for the scheme, which we have compiled by area. If your business is not on the list then get in touch.

Harrogate – 66

Knaresborough – 14

Ripon – 9

Boroughbridge – 6

Nidderdale – 6

Masham – 4