It wasn’t the result they wanted but the sense of pride in Rachel Daly remained undimmed at Killinghall Nomads’ big screen showing of the Women’s World Cup final today.

Hundreds of people involved with the club were at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel in Harrogate to watch the match.

So were several national news crews, including ITV, which requested the coverage be switched from BBC in case former Nomads player Daly scored and the national channel cut to the joyful scenes.

The Stray Ferret, which is supporting the club’s petition for North Yorkshire Council to recognise Daly, was also there to sample the carnival atmosphere.

A young fan shows mad love for Rachel Daly.

Spain’s first half goal subdued the crowd and when Daly was taken off at half-time the mood fell flat.

Her substitution appeared to be for tactical reasons but it denied England the country’s leading goal scorer in a half in which they needed a goal.

The afternoon’s biggest cheer came when England goalkeeper Mary Earps saved a penalty.

The atmosphere went flat when Daly was taken off.

Huge excitement greeted every England attack, but this wasn’t to be the Lionesses’ day and the many young fans in the room experienced the sinking feeling familiar with older followers of England football teams over the last 50 years.

Despite it all, the club’s bond and love with Daly remained unshakeable. Everyone spoke of her with pride.

European Championships winner, Golden Boot winner, World Cup finalist… it’s a spectacular resume.  She is also on the shortlist of six for PFA Player of the Year award.

Mary Beggs-Reid, the club’s media manager, organised the event.

People shook their heads in disbelief when asked what they thought of the fact she hadn’t received even the slightest recognition by Harrogate Borough Council or its successor North Yorkshire Council and said unprintable things.

One asked why there wasn’t a big screen on the Stray. Another said:

“It’s hardly surprising people lose faith with councils when they fail to do something so bleeding obvious.”

The club’s campaign continues. You can sign the petition here.

Read more:

• Petition launched calling for Harrogate to honour Rachel Daly
• World Cup hero Rachel Daly in line for player of year award

Businesses in Harrogate will begin voting on June 1 on whether to continue to fund services such as street cleaning and Christmas lights.

Currently 462 town centre businesses with a rateable value above £19,000 pay a levy to Harrogate Business Improvement District.

The BID spends the money on additional services to those provided by local authorities to attract footfall into the town centre.

But its first five-year term is ending and it will cease operating if a majority of businesses vote ‘no’ to another five-year term.

BID chief executive Matthew Chapman at last night’s event.

Last night Matthew Chapman, chief executive of the BID, launched the organisation’s term two business plan at the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.

The plan reveals the BID is forecast to have £510,000 income a year — down on current £554,000 a year — because of a recent re-evaluation of rateable values on town centre businesses.

Mr Chapman said the BID, like many businesses, would have to “do more with less” but he maintained the organisation provided a valuable service through activities such as its street ranger Chris Ashby, street deep cleaning, Christmas lights, match-funded grants, street entertainment, targeted free parking and floral baskets and planters.

Street ranger Chris Ashby

Locally, Ripon, York, Leeds, Skipton, Ilkley, Otley, Bradford and Northallerton have bids although Knaresborough rejected one.

The business plan says:

“Harrogate BID is needed more than ever before and we ask you to please use your ballot paper to vote ‘yes’.”

Council to abstain in vote

However, the BID won’t be able to call on the local authority to support its bid — unlike five years ago.

Harrogate Borough Council previously used its block vote for businesses it ran to vote in favour of the BID.

But North Yorkshire Council, which replaced it this month, has said it will abstain.

Asked last night how he felt about this, Mr Chapman said:

“It’s a little disappointing but it could also be positive because it will be a true business vote.”

Mr Chapman added he wasn’t aware of any other councils that abstained in BID votes.

The ballot will run from June 1 to 28 and the result will be announced on June 29.

Read more:

• Harrogate BID to launch campaign for second term
• Crime commissioner’s office to move to Harrogate Police Station

Pubs, bars, and hotels in Harrogate have reacted with disappointment tonight to the prime minister’s announcement that the end of all lockdown restrictions will be delayed.

Alison Griffiths, landlady of the Prince of Wales pub in Starbeck, said she understood the “safety first” approach, especially as 10 of the pub’s regulars have lost their lives to covid.

But with a busy month of Euro 2020 fixtures ahead, she expects many customers will now prefer to watch the matches at home rather than in the stilted, socially distanced confines of the pub.

She added:

“People would rather be in their houses where they can stand up and shout”.

Andy Burrows, co-owner of District Bar on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate, said he understood the rationale behind the delay but said he’d grown weary of the restrictions.

“It just drags on, but it is what it is.

“Everyone has to be safe. We won’t complain and we’ll do what’s best”.

Mr Burrows said social distancing guidelines and masks dampened the bar experience and made it hard for staff to understand what customers were saying.

“But we’ve been lucky to have an outside area where people feel more comfortable.”

Read more:

• Kimberley Hotel owner goes into liquidation amid £3.5m debts
• Hospitality has lost ‘sexiness’ due to covid, says Harrogate hotel boss

Wayne Topley, managing director of Cedar Court Hotel, said the hotel faced a busy summer ahead with banquets, weddings and charity events booked in.

He said he awaited further details, adding:

The Harrogate district was shocked last week when two guests from London lost their lives in an apparent murder-suicide at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.

Eight days on, the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon, who were both aged 29, remain unclear.

Staff found the pair dead with stab wounds on the Tuesday night at 10.20pm. North Yorkshire Police said it believed Ms Gregory was murdered by Mr McGibbon, who then killed himself.

But the police and the hotel have said little since.

One of the key unanswered questions is why and how the pair booked their room or rooms. Under current coronavirus rules, hotels can only allow guests if the hotel is their main address or if their visit is essential for work, education or training purposes.

The family of Ms Gregory has said she was a childcare specialist. It is unclear what Mr McGibbon did for a living. The reason for their booking has not been revealed.

Devante Gravesande-Smith, a barrister from London who was a cousin of Ms Gregory, described her as a “loving and caring person, whose smile would light up a room”.

He claimed she was “lured to her death at the hands of her controlling and manipulative ex-boyfriend”.

We asked the hotel the purpose of the two people’s stay and how it verified the reasons.

A spokesman for the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel told the Stray Ferret:

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the incident and our thoughts are with all of those affected.

“The hotel complies with the government guidelines in respect of who can stay. We are unable to comment further on the specific guests.”

The Stray Ferret has also asked North Yorkshire Police for an update on the case. It did not reply by the time of publication and, eight days after the tragic incident, many questions remain unanswered.

Read more:

• Family tribute to ‘beloved’ Harrogate hotel murder-suicide victim
• Police treat Harrogate hotel deaths as murder-suicide

Temporary detective chief inspector Jonathan Sygrove of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team said when the deaths were announced:

“We are treating Ms Gregory’s death as murder and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“An investigation into the circumstances around the deaths is ongoing, but the evidence we have gathered at this stage suggests it was a suspected murder-suicide.”

There have been no police updates since.

The family of a woman who died at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel in what police believe to be a murder-suicide has released an emotional tribute.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon, who were both 29 and from London, were found dead with stab wounds on Tuesday at 10.20pm.

Police are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder.

Devante Gravesande-Smith, a young barrister from London, has described his cousin Ms Gregory as a “loving and caring person, whose smile would light up a room.” He tweeted:

“Chenise worked as a Child Care Specialist. Throughout her life she touched the hearts of those she worked with as well as her family and close friends.

“As a family we are deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Chenise’s tragic murder.

“We’re heartbroken to learn that our beloved Chenise was lured to her death at the hands of her controlling and manipulative ex-boyfriend.”

Enquiries into the circumstances around the deaths are ongoing but detectives are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder. They do not believe anyone else is involved.

Read more:

• Police treat Harrogate hotel deaths as murder-suicide
• Police confirm man and woman died at Harrogate’s Majestic
• Hotel guest’s shock after two die at Harrogate’s Majestic

Temporary detective chief inspector Jonathan Sygrove of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team said:

“An investigation into the circumstances around the deaths is ongoing, but the evidence we have gathered at this stage suggests it as a suspected murder-suicide.

“A post-mortem has taken place that has confirmed the couple died from stab wounds. We are treating Ms Gregory’s death as murder and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“This is a very sad case and our thoughts are with their families and friends and this difficult time. We have specialist officers from North Yorkshire Police, supported by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police supporting the family, and we will work with them as we investigate the circumstances leading to these tragic deaths.”

Police investigating the deaths of two people at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel have said tonight they think it was a murder-suicide.

North Yorkshire Police has now named the deceased as Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon, who were both 29 and from the London area.

They were found with stab wounds in a hotel room. Paramedics certified them dead at the scene.

Enquiries into the circumstances around the deaths are ongoing but detectives are treating the death of Ms Gregory as murder. They do not believe anyone else is involved.

Temporary detective chief inspector Jonathan Sygrove of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team said:

“An investigation into the circumstances around the deaths is ongoing, but the evidence we have gathered at this stage suggests it as a suspected murder-suicide.

“A post-mortem has taken place that has confirmed the couple died from stab wounds. We are treating Ms Gregory’s death as murder and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“This is a very sad case and our thoughts are with their families and friends and this difficult time. We have specialist officers from North Yorkshire Police, supported by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police supporting the family, and we will work with them as we investigate the circumstances leading to these tragic deaths.”

Read more:

• Police confirm man and woman died at Harrogate’s Majestic
• Hotel guest’s shock after two die at Harrogate’s Majestic
• Two dead at Harrogate’s Majestic hotel

Police have confirmed that a man and a woman from London died at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel last night.

Officers discovered the bodies at 10.20pm. Detectives believe that both victims, who were in their late 30s or early 40s, knew each other.

North Yorkshire Police also confirmed it is not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

Read more:

• Two dead at Harrogate’s Majestic hotel
• Hotel guest’s shock after two die at Harrogate’s Majestic

Detective superintendent Wayne Fox, of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team, said:

“We were called at around 10.20pm on Tuesday May 4 by hotel staff at the Majestic hotel to a report that the bodies of a man and a woman had been located in a hotel room.

“On arrival, a man and a woman, both in their late 30s/early 40s from the London area, were pronounced dead at the scene by colleagues from the ambulance service. Their families have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers.

“A detailed investigation is under way looking into the circumstances of both deaths. We can confirm that we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths and would like to reassure the local community that we believe that this is an isolated incident.”

A hotel guest has also spoken of his shock. The man, who requested anonymity, told the Stray Ferret:

“There were police and ambulance all over the car park. I would say around four police cars and a couple of ambulances. Plenty of officers and first aiders were milling around the hotel as well.

“I overheard some conversations between the police that led me to think that at least one person had died here but I have no idea of the circumstances and still don’t.

“They were here from 10pm to 1am. It’s not what anyone expects, it was a bit of a shock.”

Police are currently at the hotel on the corner of Springfield Avenue and Ripon Road. No further details are currently available.

A spokesman for the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa said:

“Following an incident last night, the police were called and we are currently assisting them with their enquiries.”

A hotel guest has spoken of his shock at finding police investigating two deaths at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel last night.

The guest arrived at the hotel at about 10pm to find police cars and ambulances outside, with officers and first aiders walking around inside.

The man, who requested anonymity, told the Stray Ferret:

“There were police and ambulance all over the car park. I would say around four police cars and a couple of ambulances. Plenty of officers and first aiders were milling around the hotel as well.

“I overheard some conversations between the police that led me to think that at least one person had died here but I have no idea of the circumstances and still don’t.

“They were here from 10pm to 1am. It’s not what anyone expects, it was a bit of a shock.”

Read more:

• Two dead at Harrogate’s Majestic hotel
• Trial starts of Harrogate car wash owner accused of modern slavery

We understand both people who died were hotel guests.

Police are currently at the hotel on Ripon Road. No further details are currently available.

A spokesman for the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa said:

“Following an incident last night, the police were called and we are currently assisting them with their enquiries.”