The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert tonight for the Upper River Nidd catchment area.

The stretch of the river from its source in Great Whernside, down to Pateley Bridge and as far south as Birstwith is covered by the alert, which was introduced at 7.29pm.

It applies to land around the Upper Nidd and its tributaries including How Stean Beck, Blayshaw Gill, Ramsgill Beck, Lul Beck, Foster Beck, Fosse Gill, Fell Beck and Darley Beck.

The alert says:

“Flooding is possible in this area. Monitor local water levels and weather conditions. Avoid using low lying footpaths or entering areas prone to flooding. Start acting on your flood plan if you have one.”

There are currently 106 flood alerts and 29 more serious flood warnings active in England.

Many are in the west of the country, which experienced the worst of today’s persistent rain.

The unsettled weather is forecast to remain in the Harrogate district for the foreseeable future.

Read more:

• Rain highlights concerns about state of Harrogate district drains and gullies
• Talks to save 24 bus from Pateley to Harrogate as cull looms

Talks are taking place to maintain the 24 bus route between Pateley Bridge and Harrogate.

The service provides a lifeline for many people in rural parts of Nidderdale, including Birstwith, Darley and Summbridge.

But North Yorkshire County Council said today its survival was in the balance — amid uncertainty over the future of 80 bus services in the county.

Until October 2022, all Monday to Saturday journeys on the 24 were operated commercially by the Harrogate Bus Company, which is owned by French transport firm Transdev.

But in October the company announced the service was no longer commercially viable and it intended to withdraw most journeys, which prompted the county county to prop it up until April this year.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan, said today:

“We are currently seeking costs from operators to continue service 24 after April in the hope it can be maintained at a similar level. We will update the public on the future of the service as soon as possible.

“The issues affecting the 24 service come at a time of immense pressure for bus services both nationally and across North Yorkshire.”

Cllr Keane Duncan

Read more:

• Bilton bus services to merge under new route changes
• £2 cap on Harrogate district bus fares starts today

Cllr Duncan said passenger numbers were currently on average about 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. In addition, operating costs have increased and there is a national shortage of drivers. The Conservative politician added:

“Combined with government grant funding coming to an end in March, around 80 routes are at risk of needing to reduce their frequency or cease altogether.

“While we already use £1.6m of council funds each year to support services that are not commercially viable, this funding is likely to become increasingly stretched given the scale of the challenge we are facing across the county.

“We continue to work closely with operators to encourage more people to choose the bus. We are supporting the government’s £2 fare cap, which applies to the 24 and tens of other services in North Yorkshire.

“We meet regularly and are sharing information in a bid to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect as much of the network as possible through this difficult period. This will ensure we have the best basis for building services back in the future.”

Bus fares charged by the Harrogate Bus Company and Connexions Buses were capped at £2 for three months from the start of this year as part of the government-funded Help for Household scheme.

Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate on the county council, said the 24 route, which passes through his division, was highly valued by many people. He added:

“I’m hopeful we will be able to keep the service running in the new financial year. In the meantime I would really encourage people to to take advantage of the £2 bus fare cap to demonstrate there is a demand for it.”

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

In this final week before entries close, we are revealing the last of what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Unsung Hero Award, which is sponsored by Big Bamboo.

This award is designed to shine a light on those people who are truly the glue of the team.

These people are not only integral to the day to day, but they also bring a personal touch that makes the business that bit brighter.

Those looking to nominate for the Unsung Hero Award need to provide details of the contribution and the impact this person has made as well as details of the person’s background and current position.

Do you know a person that deserves to win the Unsung Hero Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 sponsored by Prosperis is set to celebrate the best of businesses from across the Harrogate district.

With the deadline for entries fast approaching on Monday, January 16 we are revealing the top reasons why businesses simply cannot miss the opportunity to get involved.

The entry process is simple, fast and free, so what are you waiting for? Enter or nominate today!

Shout about your achievements

We know the Harrogate district is home to thousands of incredible small, medium and large businesses.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic and now a cost of living crisis, local businesses are doing amazing things for their staff and customers.

So why not get recognition for those achievements? Whether your business has seen significant growth, made positive changes for sustainability or inclusivity, we can help you celebrate.

Attract top talent and keep employees motivated

Now more than ever we know just how important it is to attract new employees and keep your existing employees motivated.

Winning or being shortlisted for an award is a great way to set your business apart from the rest. Who doesn’t want to make for an award-winning business?

Not only do we have awards celebrating overall business achievements, we also have awards geared specifically towards celebrating the work of your best staff.

So if you have a Rising Star Under 30 or an Unsung Hero at your business then show them your appreciation and nominate them today.

Exposure with the Stray Ferret’s audience

The Stray Ferret has a huge, local audience. We get more than 200,000 readers every month from across the Harrogate district and beyond.

With ten categories come ten winners and we will profile the great work of all of our winners. So this is a great chance to get your business in front of our readers.

Incredible judging panel

When you are looking to get recognition for your business, it is key that those on the judging panel are the best of the best.

That is why we have handpicked the leaders of top businesses from across the Harrogate district with expertise and experience in a wider variety of sectors.

We have Charlene Lyons, CEO of Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, Marcus Boardall, CEO of Reed Boardall in Boroughbridge, Martin Rae, CEO of Cloud Nine in Harrogate and James Farrar, COO of the York and North Yorkshire LEP in Northallerton.

Network with the best local businesses

The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be a great way to network with the event culminating in a glittering awards dinner on March 9.

With our stellar judging panel, sponsors and shortlisted businesses for each of our ten categories, this is not an event to be missed.

You can see a full list of award categories on the Stray Ferret Business Awards page. Entries close on Monday, January 16.

Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey will feature in an episode of Take a Hike on BBC Two tonight.

In the series, five hikers go head-to-head to find Britain’s best walks. Taking it in turns to lead, they are judged on their route, picnic, views and fun.

Tonight’s programme shows 73-year-old retired psychiatric nurse Edwin lead the other walkers on a nine kilometre hike between the two National Trust properties in the Harrogate district.

Brimham Rocks, near Pateley Bridge, combines heather moorland and unusually shaped giant rock formations created by an immense river 100 million years.

Brimham Rocks

Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, is one of the largest and best preserved Cistercian monasteries in England.

A trust spokeswoman said:

“There were certainly lots of giggles while filming the episode as the group were surprised with an activity for the brave to start their time at Brimham – you’ll have to tune in to see what they got up to.

“It really is a lovely programme and as always, will be a great opportunity to show off the beauty and fun on offer at both properties in the wonderful Harrogate district.”

The programme will be broadcast at 6.30pm and will be available to watch afterwards here.

Read more:

• Photo of the Week: Tree breaks through the mist at Brimham Rocks
• National Trust plans major £3.6m building project at Fountains Abbey

A Pateley Bridge resident has expressed frustration at a delay in the completion of major roadworks in the town.

Temporary traffic lights have been on the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley since storms caused a landslip in February 2020.

In October, North Yorkshire County Council began a £480,000 scheme to stabilise the road, which is on the steep slope out of Pateley to Greenhow Hill — the highest point in the Harrogate district.

The road was due to close on October 17 and re-open on completion of the work on December 16. But it remains closed , with the scheme now set to continue for at least another fortnight.

Former Pateley town councillor Chris Hawkesworth, who lives nearby, said he had been unable to find out why the scheme had been delayed and when it would be completed.

Mr Hawkesworth said large vehicles that ignored road closed signs and then turned on the narrow, steep hill had damaged his farmhouse wall and post box.

He said local people had to make an 11-mile detour to get into Pateley Bridge even though it is less than a mile away and businesses in the town were losing customers because of problems accessing the area.

Chris Hawkesworth on the B6265 near his house.

He added some couriers refused to deliver in the area and rubbish was going uncollected. He said:

“I can’t get any answers from anybody.

“I am glad the road is being sorted but you don’t expect this amount of chaos and lack of communication around it. We are supposed to be a sophisticated country.

“Some businesses in Pateley are more than 50% down on their takings.”

Andrew Murday, the Liberal Democrat county councillor for Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale, told the Stray Ferret he had spoken to Mr Hawkesworth about the matter.

Cllr Murday said the project was “geologically difficult” and had proved trickier to resolve than expected but it was a major scheme that was close to completion.

He said he understood how frustrating it was and sympathised with those affected, adding one delivery lorry had got stuck on the minor road Peat Lane when the driver tried to find a shortcut around the diversion. Cllr Murday said

“Of course people are going to complain and they are extremely inconvenienced and some businesses are being put under stress over it.”

January 18 completion — depending on weather

North Yorkshire County Council’s highways area manager, Melisa Burnham, said:

“Reconstruction work on Red Brae Bank, between Greenhow and Pateley Bridge, is coming to an end. This is essential work however we appreciate the disruption the lengthy closure has caused, and we are grateful for the patience of all road users.

“Our contractors created a path to allow access for pedestrians and cyclists during the Christmas and New Year period.

“Work has taken longer than anticipated as it became clear that we needed to increase the depth and length of the excavation to lay the foundations. Final works involve reconstructing the surface of the road.

“We expect the road to reopen on Wednesday, January 18. All works are weather dependent so we will keep the public updated if there are any changes to the schedule.”

One hundred new electric vehicle charging bays are due to be installed in the Harrogate district this year, bringing the total to 120.

The bays are expected to be available early this year but the dates for each locality have not yet been published.

Half of the district’s 120 bays will be in Harrogate, which will have 60. They include a dozen each at the Victoria multi-storey car park, the Odeon cinema and Hornbeam Park.

There will be 27 in Knaresborough, 19 in Ripon, six in Boroughbridge and four each in Pateley Bridge and Masham.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said the bays would help achieve a net zero-carbon economy by 2038, adding:

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

Read more:

• Knaresborough business criticises electric vehicle parking ‘madness’
• Harrogate electric buses to be free on Sundays

Chapel Street car park in Knaresborough

The decision to block off existing car park spaces for the new bays before they were in use caused controversy in Knaresborough last month when one business said it was damaging trade.

Hairdressers Kelly Teggin said she supported the introduction of electric charging bays but couldn’t understand why it had been done in the run-up to Christmas when the new bays weren’t even in use yet.

Harrogate

Victoria multi-storey car park – 12 Bays

Hornbeam Park – 12 Bays

Odeon – 12 Bays

West Park – 8 Bays

Park View – 6 Bays

Dragon Road – 10 Bays

Knaresborough

Conyngham Hall – 12 Bays

Chapel Street – 10 Bays

Leisure Centre (new) – 5 Bays

Ripon (new)

Cathedral Car Park – 6 Bays

Blossomgate Car Park – 4 Bays

Ripon (existing)

Leisure Centre – 5 Bays

Phoenix Business Park – 4 Bays

Boroughbridge (Phase 2)

Back Lane Car Park – Up to 6 bays

Pateley Bridge

Southlands Car Park – 4 Bays

Masham

Market Place – 4 Bays

A meeting of creditors of Harefield Hall Ltd is to take place next week as the business faces the prospect of being wound-up.

Harefield Hall is a family-run guest house, restaurant and wedding venue popular with walkers and tourists. The building, set amongst 28 acres of woodland, once belonged to the Archbishop of York and is rumoured to have also belonged to Henry VIII.

The Gazette, a journal of public record, last week posted a notice by Elaine Little, a director of the company, announcing the virtual meeting of creditors on January 9.

The notice said the meeting had been called under section 100 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which allows for the appointment of a liquidator.

A meeting of shareholders prior to the creditors’ meeting will consider passing a resolution for voluntary winding up of the company. The notice added:

“The resolutions to be taken at the creditors’ meeting may include the appointment by creditors of a liquidator, a resolution specifying the terms on which the liquidator is to be remunerated, and the meeting may receive information about, or be called up to approve, the costs of preparing the statement of affairs and convening the meeting.”

Harefield Hall is situated off Ripon Road, just outside Pateley Bridge.

Elaine Little

Two years ago Ms Little told the Stray Ferret she was looking forward with optimism after three covid lockdowns and flooding badly damaged business.

The Stray Ferret has called and emailed Harefield Hall seeking comment and clarification over whether it was still trading but not had a response.

Read more:

• Pateley school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted after major changes
• Revealed: locations of 100 new electric charging bays in Harrogate district

Free entry is available to Nidderdale Museum in Pateley Bridge tomorrow.

The museum, which is housed in a former workhouse, contains a huge array of displays and artefacts about traditional Nidderdale life. It will open tomorrow from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

It has 13 themed spaces devoted to areas such as leisure, agriculture, industry, religion, transport and costume, plus an original cobbler’s shop, a Victorian parlour room set, a general store and schoolroom.

Founded in 1975, the museum is run entirely by volunteers.

Charles Andrew, a trustee, said:

“To get the New Year off to a good start, we’re doing free entry on January 1.

“It is, after all, Nidderdale’s largest and finest indoor attraction, with a collection of over 31,000 items and 13 themed spaces that each showcase a different aspect of local life, and 15 life-size re-creations.”

The museum is usually open from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays only during the winter months. It opens far more frequently from spring onwards.

More information is available here.

Read more:

• Councillor ‘shocked and disappointed’ by parking changes at Nidderdale Showground
• Pateley school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted after major changes

Firefighters were called to separate incidents involving a microwave fire and a chimney fire in the Harrogate district this afternoon.

Crews from Boroughbridge and Ripon responded to reports of a kitchen fire at Southolme Walk in Boroughbridge at 1.48pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said it turned out to be “a small fire confined within a microwave which was out upon our arrival”, adding:

“Crews assisted the occupant to ventilate the kitchen of light smoke logging.”

Shortly afterwards, at 2.53pm, Ripon firefighters were back on the road again to respond to reports o a chimney fire at Bouthwaite, near Pateley Bridge.

The incident log said:

“They extinguished the fire using one hose reel jet and chimney rods. The cause was an accumulation of soot. Advice was given to the occupier.”

Read more:

• Ripon set to welcome in the New Year with city event
• Knaresborough Christmas tree fundraiser expands after huge demand