Police release suspects after town centre altercation

Police arrested three people after reports of an altercation involving a group of teenagers in central Harrogate last night.

Officers were called to Montpellier Parade at 7.40pm on Monday, with several vehicles rushing to the scene.

A witness told the Stray Ferret that officers pulled over and made arrests on Beech Grove, near its junction with West Park.

Police arrested three suspects on Beech Grove then released them all

Officers stopped on Beech Grove to deal with reports of an altercation involving a group of teenagers

However, after making enquiries at the scene, police released all three suspects. North Yorkshire Police said this morning that enquiries into the incident are continuing.

Information can be reported to the force by calling 101 and using reference 12200166372.

Cars return as cones come down on James Street

The cones which blocked off car parking spaces are no longer in place on James Street and cars have returned to the street in their numbers.

A reporter for the Stray Ferret found the cones stacked up on the side of the road this morning.

It is unclear who is responsible for removing the cones. It comes in the same week that the district and county councils both moved to support partial closure.

This move also comes the day after shop owners on James Street said they were open-minded to pedestrianisation.

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A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said its officers have not removed the cones. He added that the council will put them back in place.

These traffic cones have been on James Street for around four months now. North Yorkshire County Council said it put them there to widen pavements and make social distancing easier.

North Yorkshire County Council removed the cones from West Park after shopkeepers vented their frustrations to the Stray Ferret.

It remains to be seen whether the county council will abandon its plans on James Street like it did on West Park.

WATCH: Stunning view of improving picture on West Park Stray

West Park Stray appears lush and green after the grass was mowed for the first time since work began in spring.

However, anyone hoping to take advantage of the warm weather this weekend and enjoy the newly-mown grass will have to look elsewhere.

Harrogate Borough Council said an announcement about the reopening of West Park Stray will be made in the coming days, but for now, it remains fenced off.

A drone image of West Park Stray taken today, July 31, by David Simister.

Work to restore the Stray began at the end of April, with Lancashire-based Glendale Services appointed to carry out the work under ‘urgent circumstances’. The organisers of the fan park for the UCI Road World Championships last September, when the damage was done, have agreed to pay £35,500 towards £130,000 of work.

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The council said that sum was not purely for repairs following the UCI event, but comprised repair to other long-standing issues:

When seeding began in late June, scarecrows created by local primary school children were put up across the Stray to protect the grass.

Harrogate's Stray in March 2020

The Stray was still showing extensive damage in March

Council takes down pavement widening cones on West Park

North Yorkshire County Council has taken down its pavement widening cones on West Park after pressure from businesses.

The cones have moved back and forth in recent days but they will be removed permanently by the end of the week.

One of the reasons why the council put up the cones was because of the outcry surrounding pubs reopening for takeaway drinks. It led to customers spilling out into the road.

But it did not go down well with most businesses on the street. One retailer even threatened to rip them up.

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Many others on the street also said that the road was wide enough already and that the council did not consult with them.

The pavement widening measures on West Park.

The pavement widening measures on West Park.

A council spokesperson told The Stray Ferret that the cones are not needed:

“Our highways team visited a number of businesses along West Park yesterday and it was established that the parking bay suspensions are no longer required. The cones are piled up on the footway in a safe place and will be removed before the end of the week.”

This is a u-turn that most retailers on West Park will welcome but it may not go down as well with the pubs which are reopening this weekend.

District primary schools create scarecrows for Stray reseeding

Two scarecrows made by Harrogate district primary school pupils were placed on the Stray today as the borough council announced seeding work has started.

Pupils from Belmont Grosvenor School, Coppice Valley Primary School, Killinghall Primary School and five other schools created the scarecrows for West Park Stray, which is being reseeded.

Ben Grabham, from Harrogate Borough Council, confirmed the sowing of the grass seeds began this afternoon and that the scarecrows will remain in place while work is carried out.

West Park Stray is currently closed off to the public and the fences will continue to surround the area for a further four weeks.

It comes as the Stray is being re-seeded and repaired after damage caused from the 2019 UCI Road World Championships. The council estimated that the work would cost close to £130,000.

Works continue on West Park Stray, but the scarecrow prop could represent that sowing the grass seed will be soon.

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The announcement was made during one of the council’s regular Stray updates on their social media platforms.

Here's Ben with the latest update regarding West Park Stray… pic.twitter.com/mdFhY3xU95

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) June 25, 2020

 

Harrogate retailer threatens to rip up pavement widening cones

A Harrogate retailer has threatened to rip up pavement widening cones that cut off parking on West Park.

North Yorkshire County Council put up the cones this morning to encourage social distancing on West Park and Royale Parade in Harrogate.

It has not gone down well with the majority of business owners on the street. Many told The Stray Ferret that the road is wide enough already.

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Georgie Roberts owns women’s clothing store Georgie’s and was one of many businesses that found the cones this morning. She said:

“I am sick of the council. I will move the cones myself. I don’t care. It would be very nice to get a letter from the council to explain the plans. I am absolutely furious. We have got very wide pavements on West Park.”

Lisa Hawksworth is the manager of 27 West Park Antiques added:

“I can understand we’re trying to protect people but we are moving down to one metre. So the priority should be getting people back into the town to use the parking that is already there. It shocked me.”

The parking has been cut off on West Park.

It is not clear how long the cones will be up for. On other streets in Harrogate, they will be there until September.

When Brian Marshall, the owner of the Luxe Company, saw the cones he immediately sent a complaint to the council.

“This is farcical. The pavement is wide enough out there. We do not need this, why are they doing it now they are relaxing the social distancing rules? It’s ridiculous.”

Sally Monkman owns Boho Chic and echoed complaints about the council’s communication with businesses. She said:

“I had no idea that this was happening. They are killing the shops with this. It’s very difficult because they are not providing a different parking solution.”

The issue of pedestrianisation seems to divide the hospitality sector and the retail sector.

Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for Harrogate, said in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon that he supported using outdoor space for hospitality and added that jobs in the district “depended on it.”

James Street, which has already seen its pavements widened, has been earmarked for pedestrianisation.

Mike Jarvis, the manager of COOK Harrogate, was more welcoming of the measures. He told The Stray Ferret that there is enough parking around the area.

“I am not particuarly worried about it. I presume it’s a short term measure, it’s not the end of the world.”

Siobhan Dodds, the assistant manager at Arlo & Jacob, said:

“I think all of the parking at the front can actually put people off because it can look quite hectic. We are just finding the new normal, it could be a positive thing.”