18-month Harrogate road closure to end

A Harrogate road that has been closed to traffic for 18 months will reopen in less than two weeks.

Vehicles have been blocked from crossing the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November 2022.

By law, temporary road closures can only last for a maximum of 18 months, which means the route, off the busy A59 Knaresborough Road, will reopen on May 6.

North Yorkshire Council considered permanently closing the road — a move welcomed at the time by the local councillor who said it would end the “Kingsley rat run”.

But this option is no longer being pursued.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director for highways and transport, said:

“The temporary closure of Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane will come to an end on Monday, May 6, once the resurfacing is completed and traffic signals go live.

“We will not be progressing the permanent road closure as part of the developer-funded works.”

The decision to reopen the road means it will once again be an alternative for emergency vehicles when the level crossing barriers are down at Starbeck on the A59.

A 12-month temporary prohibition of traffic order was issued from November 7, 2022, to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

North Yorkshire Council extended the order by six months in November last year to enable Barratt Homes, which built the nearby Kingsley Meadows development, to construct a footway along Bogs Lane to make the area safer for pedestrians.

Mr Mason said:

“The construction of a footway on Bogs Lane will conclude current developer obligations. This is due to be completed for the road reopening, subject to weather conditions.”

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Cold Bath Road restaurant asks for outdoor seating until 11pm

La Feria in Harrogate has asked North Yorkshire Council for permission to allow outdoor seating until 11pm between April and September.

The restaurant offers Spanish cuisine from the Andalusia region and opened on Cold Bath Road in 2016 after moving from a smaller premises on Royal Parade.

La Feria, which is the trading name of Whaddya Know? Ltd, had a temporary licence for outdoor seating until 11pm last summer which owner Jeremy Verity would now like to make permanent.

Currently, customers are allowed to sit outside until 9pm.

The building was previously a pub for many years and was known as the Old Tradition, the Honest Lawyer and the Iron Duke.

Councillors on the licensing sub-committee will meet on Friday in Harrogate to consider the application.

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The application has received three objections from residents living near the restaurant who all say it should be refused due to noise.

One person said:

 “We have a young family and it is important that we are able to live in a peaceful residential environment. If the restaurant was operating as they intended with their new application, we would not have purchased this house. It will significantly impact our peace and quiet and the ability of our young child to sleep.”

Mr Verity wrote in the application: 

“We are currently permitted to use the terraced area in front of the restaurant until 21.00 because of an environmental protection condition on our license which prohibits us from using the terrace between 21.00 – 11.00. We would like to remove this condition to be able to use the terrace until 23.00 from Monday to Saturday.

“Realistically, this will only be during the summer months, from April to September, during the lighter evenings. We have successfully operated the terrace area in previous summers until 23.00 through the use of Temporary Event Notices (TENS) and would now like to formalise this activity if possible.”

The meeting will take place at 2pm on Friday at Harrogate’s Civic Centre. It will be streamed live on YouTube.

Empty Harrogate bar unit could finally have a new tenant

North Yorkshire Council says it has accepted an offer to rent out the former Potting Shed bar unit in Harrogate which has stood empty for more than five years.

The unit is next to JD Wetherspoon and is part of the vast council-owned Royal Baths estate. The council had it on the market for £120,000 a year.

The Potting Shed closed in 2019 after less than a year in Harrogate when its parent company went into administration.

The building was previously home to Rift & Co and Revolution and spans 7,000 square feet.

In February, the council confirmed that it had accepted an offer on the former Viper Rooms building, which is also part of the Royal Baths, however, the leases on both units are yet to be signed.

The Grade II listed Baths was purchased by North Yorkshire County Council in 2018 however its value has fallen from £9.5m before the covid pandemic to £7m today, according to a report.

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The council’s director of finance Gary Fielding blamed the drop in how much the building is worth on a “general drop in market sentiment” towards the retail and night-time sectors.

The council moved the Tourist Information Centre from the Royal Baths to the Pump Room museum earlier this year which could raise £40,000 a year in rental income.

Mr Fielding said there has been interest in the former Tourist Information Centre office and prospective tenants will be shown around in the next week.

Harrogate’s newest councillor says town ready for a Lib Dem MP

Andrew Timothy says his victory in the Stray, Hookstone and Woodlands council by-election is a sign that Harrogate and Knaresborough are ready for a Liberal Democrat MP.

Earlier this month, Cllr Timothy beat his Conservative rival John Ennis by 326 votes — and with a general election around the corner, he believes the result is a shape of things to come.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Timothy said: 

“The result does show that in terms of a general election if people don’t want to have a Tory MP the best way is to vote Lib Dem. The Greens and Labour were far behind.”

He described the first few days as a councillor as a lot like starting any new job. He’s been given a laptop for casework, has Zoom meetings scheduled with the different executive members and will undertake training on things like planning.

He’s only been in position for less than two weeks but he said he’s been busy dealing with nuts and bolts local issues like potholes and grass verges.

Cllr Timothy said:

“I’ve already sent out emails to the council. One was talking about drainage off the Stray and its impact on nearby roads like St James’ Drive and St Winifred’s Road.”

Andrew Timothy (left) pictured at the by-election count.

Andrew Timothy (left) pictured at the by-election count.

At 25, Cllr Timothy is now the youngest councillor on North Yorkshire Council. 

He moved to Harrogate from the West Midlands a few years ago and the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands he works at Labcorp, formerly Covance, which is a science lab off Otley Road that is controversial due to its use of animal testing for medicines.

Cllr Timothy would not confirm that he works at Labcorp but did offer a comment on animal testing. He emphasised that the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) asks that all medicines be tested on animals before they are used on humans.

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At the by-election count at Woodlands Methodist Church, it was evident that the Lib Dem’s prospective parliamentary candidate Tom Gordon was now in charge of the local party, buzzing around with a notebook and liaising with different party members.

Cllr Timothy believes Mr Gordon’s background in the charitable sector means he understands the struggles that people go through day-to-day.

However, Cllr Timothy’s campaign was criticised for a leaflet that incorrectly said the Green Party weren’t standing in the by-election. The matter has been referred to North Yorkshire Police.

Cllr Timothy did not want to go into detail about the leaflet due to the investigation but said it was due to a “clerical error”.

Andrew Jones MP, who will face Mr Gordon for his fifth general election, wrote to Lib Dem leader Ed Davey about the leaflet and he repeated a previously made claim that the local party was now a “rogue political operation.”

Cllr Timothy said Mr Jones’ reaction “shows he’s worried about how the general election is going to go”.

He added: 

“He’s focusing on tarnishing us when really he should be making Harrogate and Knaresborough better”.

Cllr Timothy has big boots to fill, replacing veteran Lib Dem councillor Pat Marsh who resigned following controversial comments she made on social media platform X. He said he’s not in contact with her but hopes she’s doing OK.

He said:

“I’m honoured and slightly surprised so many people have put their trust in me. I’m thrilled to get the opportunity. Thanks again to the people of Stray, Hookstone and Woodlands, I won’t let them down.”

Town-centre residents launch petition to demand Station Gateway details

A resident of Harrogate town centre has launched a petition demanding to be informed about how work on the £12.1 million Station Gateway redevelopment will affect her and her neighbours. 

As we reported last week, Rachael Inchboard previously submitted a freedom of information (FOI) request to North Yorkshire Council to ask for the development plans to be made available urgently so that people could have their say. 

But although the council said the information would be published “as soon as it is practical to do so”, it revealed that would likely be in the summer, rather than the spring, as was previously stated. 

Now, Ms Inchboard hopes the petition, which she launched on behalf of Granville Road Residents’ Group, will help speed the process up. So far, it has been signed by 137 people; her target is at least 200 signatures. She told the Stray Ferret: 

“Residents like me who live in the town centre don’t know what’s going on. We’ve asked for the details but been refused. 

“We’d like to know specifically what the plans are so that we know whether or not we want to challenge them.” 

She fears the plan details could eventually be released so late that there will be no time to raise concerns or have them acted upon. She said: 

“A couple of years ago, just one local resident received a letter notifying her of one of the in-person consultations on the day it was happening, and the other residents found out about it from her. So we’re very aware that some of these consultations are very rushed. 

“There are a lot of issues that aren’t clear, and we don’t want that to happen again.” 

Granville Road Residents’ Group, which submitted an earlier petition in 2021 opposing the Gateway scheme, campaigns on behalf of people living on streets including Granville Road, Back Granville Road, Mount Parade, Back Cheltenham Mount and Strawberry Dale Avenue. 

Ms Inchboard said the issue was about more than just the Station Gateway – it was about accountability. She said: 

“People here are paying a lot of money in council tax, yet someone who’s just had a big pay-rise [Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council] can’t even get back to us about what’s going to happen just feet away from our front doors. There’s no transparency, and that has to change.”

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City council supports rejuvenation plans for Ripon’s Spa Baths

Ripon City Council has given its backing to plans designed to return Ripon’s iconic Spa Baths to its former Edwardian glory.

Ripon-based property investment and development company Sterne Properties Limited, is seeking planning approval from North Yorkshire Council for a mixed-used hospitality-led scheme that will see the restoration of the spa building, which includes ornate tiles, stained glass, period lighting and other features dating back to 1905, when it opened.

Many of the Grade II listed building’s decorative elements have not been seen for 88 years, as the spa was re-purposed in 1936 to accommodate a public swimming pool  and the addition of a pool hall saw the concealment of classical designs on windows, walls and ceilings.

Robert Sterne at Spa Baths

Robert Sterne, pictured at the ornate main entrance to the Spa building

Director Robert Sterne, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are pleased to have the support of Ripon City Council, alongside that of Ripon Civic Society, for our proposed rejuvenation of Spa Baths.”

He added:

“Our objective, as a long-term investor in our home city, is  to deliver high quality developments that breathe new life into listed and historically-important buildings and bring redundant properties back into active use.

“This is achieved through a sensitive balance of residential and commercial space and the delivery of workable schemes that are financially viable and environmentally sustainable.”

Sterne’s plan includes four new-build apartments and the regenerated complex will provide public access to the Spa building along with a new pedestrian route into the adjacent Spa Gardens.

The city council voted in favour of the scheme at its full meeting  last week and its response to the proposed plans will be lodged with North Yorkshire Council planners.

Councillors Barbara Brodigan and Andrew Williams, who are members of the the North Yorkshire Council Skipton and Ripon Area Planning Committee, left the council chamber before the agenda item was considered by fellow councillors.

As required for all Ripon planning applications that include a new-build element, ground stability tests have taken place at the Park Street site and results from them will be supplied to the planning department.

Main image: An architect’s perspective of how the refurbished Spa building will look. Image: architecture:ab 

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Councillors reject last-ditch bid to save Fountains Earth school

Councillors have rejected a bid to ‘call in’ the decision by the Conservative-run executive to close Fountains Earth primary school in Nidderdale.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive met last month in Northallerton to approve the closure following a consultation. It took effect at the end of March.

The school in Lofthouse near Pateley Bridge faced dwindling pupil numbers in recent years and had no pupils on its books.

The school received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted less than two years ago.

At a specially arranged meeting at County Hall, Cllr Andrew Murday (Liberal Democrat, Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale) asked that the decision to close the school be taken again, either by the executive or at a full meeting of the council.

Following Cllr Murday’s request, the children and families overview and scrutiny committee had the power to explore if the executive had all the information available to it when it made its decision.

Councillors heard from Stephen Ledger, a former parent at the school who said Fountains Earth had been the “heart of the community” until 2022.

He then described how “brilliant” permanent teachers left without explanation, which led to the school relying on agency staff. He said it left children “confused and unsettled” and confidence in the school from parents evaporated.

Cllr Stephen Ramsden, chair of Upper Nidderdale Parish Council, pleaded with councillors to help keep the school open for a September 2024 start. He said:

“With good skilled management this situation can be turned around”.

Cllr Murday again called for an investigation to take place first into the leadership of the Upper Nidderdale Federation, which ran the school, related to its academic and financial performance, as well as communication with parents.

He added:

“There is a problem throughout the country in funding rural schools. They are really important parts of the community.”

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire Council’s Corporate Director Children and Young People’s Service, read out a statement that addressed concerns raised.

He said the council did not have the power to investigate the governance of the federation.

Mr Carlton added:

“Due to the remote location of the school it struggled to retain staff. The federation considered the future of the school only after exhausting all avenues to sustain its future.  We realise the importance of schools in rural communities, despite this, we can’t keep schools open where there are no pupils on the roll.”

Councillors voted unanimously to reject the call-in request and agreed that the executive had received a thorough report and details from officers before making its decision.

Cllr Heather Phillips (Conservative, Seamer) said:

“This is the end of the matter and the school should be considered closed from the end of this meeting. It was a clear-cut decision made by the executive.”

Heather Peacock (Conservative, Upper Dales) added:

“None of us like to see a school closed but what happened at executive is they had all the information to make its decision.”

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Government rejects North Yorkshire’s bid for traffic light funding

North Yorkshire Council’s bid for £965,000 of government money to upgrade traffic lights has been rejected.

Sixty-seven local authorities successfully applied to the Department for Transport’s traffic signal obsolescence grant. North Yorkshire was one of 23 whose bids were rejected.

It means the council will receive the minimum £117,151 awarded to all local authorities, but has missed out on a slice of the extra £20 million available to successful bidders.

Several local authorities received more than £500,000. The highest award, for £2.5 million, was to Tees Valley Combined Authority.

The traffic signal obsolescence grant is targeted at upgrading obsolete traffic signal systems to improve reliability.

It was announced as part of the government’s Plan for drivers in October 2023.

The Stray Ferret asked the council what feedback it received on its application and how many signals will be upgraded with the funding.

A spokesperson said it was “yet to receive feedback”, adding:

“We expect the funding to cover the upgrade of 10 traffic light locations to extra low voltage / LED heads.”

Further details are available in this council report.

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Readers’ Letters: Of course the Lib Dems won the Harrogate by-election – the candidate wore a tie!

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. 

This letter followed news of the Liberal Democrats winning the Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone by-election in Harrogate earlier this month.

It is not surprising that the Lib Dems won the local by-election.

Their candidate was the only person dressed smartly, despite being a bit inarticulate when thanking everyone. The shock I suppose.

The Conservative candidate looked very sour. Who would want to vote for someone like that?

Let the lesson be learnt by everyone: dress smartly with a tie if you want to be seen as a good candidate, no matter which party you represent.

Who wants to vote for someone who looks as if they are just going down to the pub?

Valerie Cooke, Harrogate

Could Harrogate’s Conference Centre house spa facilities instead?

This letter responds to uncertainty over the future of Harrogate’s Convention Centre. In an exclusive, the Stray Ferret recently revealed North Yorkshire Council spent £1.9 million on consultants for now-scrapped plans for the site. 

The fate of the conference centre is too important for there to be any discord.

What do you think of the idea of Harrogate having spa facilities based in the conference centre? We were once so important as a spa town.

In 2024 we are losing our way – what are we now? What do we have to offer visitors?

In 1984 I set up Friends of the Valley Gardens to save the Sun Pavilion and Colonnade from being demolished. I knew Geoffrey Smith, James Herriot and David Bellamy and asked them to be presidents, to which they agreed.

We have the Valley Gardens and all it contains, as well as the Royal Hall, the Turkish Baths and the Royal Baths. Could the conference centre be used to house spa facilities, plus hairdressers, beauticians, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths etc? Essentially, everything to do with wellbeing all under the one roof, with easy parking too.

I am a golfer and walker and have often heard ladies saying it would be nice to have somewhere easy to park to go and be “pampered”. Not forgetting the gentlemen and all their needs.

It could also have a nice tea rooms with staff in uniform. I have lived here 60 years and can remember how genteel Harrogate was. As I said, now what is it?

It has really lost its way with thousands of houses being built – it seems that’s all the “powers that be” can think of.  They may as well hand it over to the developers and just build with no infrastructure.

Please no one give them the idea of turning the conference centre into flats – they would love that.

Anne Smith, Pannal

It’s ‘potluck’ if a Knaresborough bus actually turns up

This letter is in response to a story about North Yorkshire Council accepting £3.5 million of additional funding from the Department of Transport. The money, which is being used to support a one-year pilot scheme, will go towards expanding timetables, £1 bus fares for young people and improvements to bus shelters.

I read with interest your article about money to improve bus services in the Harrogate district, especially about the number 1 service from Harrogate to Knaresborough via Starbeck.

You mentioned buses to Aspin, Carmires and the Pastures, but there was no mention of the 1B to Aldi and Eastfield.

Sadly, since the X1B Connections bus ceased running, it is now potluck if – and when – a bus turns up at the Eastfield stop.

Are there any plans to improve the 1B service?

Paul Smith, Knaresborough

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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Grammar guerrilla takes Harrogate road sign matters into own hands

A vigilante has taken action against the council’s decision to eliminate apostrophes from Harrogate district road signs.

The move comes after North Yorkshire Council last week told the Stray Ferret it will abolish apostrophes from road signs after a new sign was installed on St Mary’s Walk.

The new sign, which read ‘St Marys Walk’, sparked concern among local grammar guerrillas – and it seems someone has now taken matters into their own hands.

Shortly after it was installed, someone, armed with a piece of black tape, drew an apostrophe on the new sign, which now reads ‘St Mary’s Walk’ (pictured).

(L) the new sign before being corrected. Another sign nearby (R).

The council said the new format was being adopted by other councils across the country, but it proved less than popular with local residents.

One man, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret last week:

“I do not feel I have been consulted about the council deciding to use poor English language.”

Another upset resident commented on the Stray Ferret’s Facebook post:

“Yes, let’s teach our kids how not to write properly, when the poor English teachers are trying to get students through their grammar tests and, later, exams.
“The teachers are having to waste their valuable time explaining to their students why the teacher knows what they’re talking about and  that North Yorkshire Council’s decisions are flawed and incompetent.”

A similar initiative happened in 2014 – which saw a similar fate.

The Guardian reported at the time that Cambridge City Council’s decision to abolish apostrophes led to a backlash from “self-declared defenders of grammar” who used marker pens to fill in missing apostrophes on road signs.

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