Children at Brackenfield School in Harrogate have planted a rose garden in memory of their hero Captain Sir Tom Moore.

The reception children at the independent school followed Captain Tom’s journey during the autumn term.

They admired his determination and positivity and even adopted his inspirational quote “tomorrow will be a good day” as a daily mantra.

Captain Tom red roses, a variety named in memory of the war veteran, were planted where the children will see them grow on their way into school each day.

Headmaster Joe Masterson said:

“Sir Captain Tom Moore has made a profound impact on the entire nation, including our young children at Brackenfield, who were greatly inspired by his outlook on life.

“The pupils thoroughly enjoyed creating our new rose bed, providing a space for our entire school community to reflect and a fitting tribute to Sir Captain Tom.”

Read more:

• Ripon Grammar School pupil with aspirations of becoming a lawyer has won an award from Oxford University. 
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The war veteran became a national treasure during the first lockdown when he began walking 100 laps of his garden at the age of 99 to raise money for the NHS.

By the time he’d finished he had raised over £30 million.

He died on February 2.

A 23-year-old murder suspect from Harrogate did not enter a plea today when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court.

Daniel Ainsley is accused of murdering Mark Wolsey, 48, who was found dead inside a flat in Mayfield Grove, Harrogate on March 5.

The case was adjourned for a further case management hearing on July 1, at which Ainsley, of no fixed abode, may enter a plea.

The trial was confirmed to take place on 18 October. Ainsley was remanded in custody until then.

Mr Wolsey was found with serious injuries after police were called to Mayfield Grove just after 10pm on a Friday night. He was certified dead at the scene by ambulance staff.

Extra police patrols were deployed in the area following the incident “to reassure those living and working nearby”.

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• Harrogate murder suspect named in court
• Court orders Harrogate builder James Moss to pay £11,000

Building thousands of new homes in Harrogate could lead to more raw sewage ending up in the River Nidd, the Harrogate & District Green Party has warned.

A Stray Ferret investigation published this morning revealed Yorkshire Water released raw sewage into rivers and becks such as the Nidd, Ure and Coppice Beck for 36,000 hours last year.

Water companies are legally allowed to release sewage through overflow pipes when the sewage system becomes too full.

New housing developments are being built on Skipton Road and Penny Pot Lane.

With more developments proposed for Otley Road. it could mean over 4,000 new homes being built on the western side of Harrogate alone.

The Greens say Oak Beck, which runs from near Beckwithshaw, through the west of Harrogate and into the River Nidd, could suffer the brunt of this.

Oak Beck

Arnold Warneken, who is standing for the party in the upcoming North Yorkshire County Council Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election, said more needed to be done to tackle the problem.

He said:

“Whose job is it to mitigate the negative impacts of housing developments on the environment?

“We would like to see that any developments in this area are built with consideration to the combined sewer overflows, that Yorkshire Water fixes long-standing issues, and ensures new housing developments do not exaggerate these issues.”

Read more

• Raw sewage released into Harrogate district rivers for 36,000 hours last year
• River Nidd fails water pollution tests due to raw sewage

Yorkshire Water said yesterday it is investing £137m in storm overflow improvements, investigation and increased monitoring by 2025.

“We are also investigating the environmental impact of 158 frequent spilling overflows as part of the Water Industry National Environment Programme.

“As frequency of spill does not necessarily equate to environmental harm and environmental permits do not set spill threshold limits, these investigations will be key to understanding environmental impact, and what action needs to be taken to resolve any impacts.”

Lockdown restrictions will ease on Monday, allowing beauticians and hairdressers to reopen.

Many people have eagerly awaited haircuts, pedicures and spa treatments since the third lockdown began in early January.

Consequently, businesses in the Harrogate district are bracing themselves for a hectic month. Many customers are struggling to get appointments.

The Treatment Rooms in Harrogate has been shut since December 30 and set up a waiting list six weeks ago to deal with high demand for bookings.

Alex Smith, owner of The Treatment Rooms, said:

“We’re fully booked for the first month and we wanted to make sure we were booking in our loyal customers first before we can fit in new customers.”

Ms Smith said this has been the busiest return from any lockdown so far.

“It could be because the weather’s getting nicer, pubs are reopening or because people have this hope that this will actually be the last time.

“Either way, we can’t wait to go back and see some normality.”

Aimes Health and Beauty in Knaresborough is almost fully booked April, but owner Amy Dodsworth thinks the beauty industry could be adversely affected after the initial rush.

Ms Dodsworth said:

“I think we will be affected by people maybe not feeling safe enough to go out yet, and even working from home might affect business because people won’t want their nails doing as much with no one to see them.

“But we’re looking at the positives. Now is the time to get pampered and have something to look forward to.”

Susan Schofield, owner of the salon Headroom Harrogate described the measures it has instigated to make customers feel safe:

“We have the screens between each customer and all of the team will be wearing masks and visors. We are also doing a few early mornings to ensure we can properly clean each station before every customer.

“Reopening is an exciting time but it is a strange feeling. We’re looking forward to seeing how the first busy week goes.”

Montpellier Beauty in Harrogate, which is also opening its doors on Monday, has kept in touch with clients about government guidelines to demonstrate continuity of care.

Owner Judy Robson said this lockdown has caused stress and uncertainty for the business.

“It has prevented us from implementing some development plans moving the business forward, but has also afforded us some reflection time to brainstorm!

“We have been in survival mode, but are now emerging excited about reopening and thankful that all our lovely, loyal clients have been so supportive and we can’t wait to get back.”

Has your hair got out of control since lockdown? Send images to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will publish the best ones.

Harrogate’s coronavirus testing centre will close at the start of June — as the government prepares to ramp up testing this week.

According to ministers, everyone in England, even those without symptoms, will be able to take a free rapid lateral flow test twice a week from Friday.

Test kits will be available either from various designated sites and pharmacies or through a home ordering service.

If someone returns a positive test, they will then need to take a more accurate PCR test.

Ascent Healthcare on Chain Lane in Knaresborough is the only site currently listed on the NHS England website as a pick-up site for rapid tests in the Harrogate district.

However, Harrogate’s testing site in the car park on Dragon Road, which has the potential to offer the kits and perform PCR tests, will close on June 1.

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• No coronavirus fines despite huge party on the Stray
• Gyms: Excitement mounts but group classes still limited

The Stray Ferret asked a North Yorkshire coronavirus press briefing today about the closure and plans to find a replacement testing site.

Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“We have an agreement to keep the site in its current location until June 1. So we are fine to use it in its current form up until that point.

“I guess with the plethora of lateral flow options coming online, including things like the pharmacies, it is likely there will be a lot of other local options.

“It is still fairly early days with the pharmacies so we are kind of waiting to see what the spread is going to be like and whether we will need to encourage more to come in.

“So I think the lateral flow side will be covered by other routes. We are looking across the board at how PCR testing will work from June but there will be other options, including the mobile unit.”

Daily coronavirus statistics

The Harrogate district’s seven-day coronavirus rate remained at 11 infections per 100,000 people today.

The district recorded another six cases, after several days averaging two cases a day.

Harrogate District Hospital, which has six covid patients, has not reported any new coronavirus deaths today.

The last recorded death at the hospital was on March 29.

Harrogate’s free walking tours are making a comeback with a new focus on the people behind the town.

Free Walking Tour Harrogate will restart on Wednesday next week with a six-person limit per tour. As usual, there will be four tours a day, five days a week.

With a tighter limit on numbers, tour guide Harry Satloka has urged people to book ahead online rather than just turn up to avoid disappointment.

The usual tour will now be accompanied by a new ‘locals tour’, which discusses the lives of Harrogate people.

Read more:

• Harrogate’s Battle of the Flowerbeds
• Remembering Debenham’s, Busby’s and Buckley’s

It will start in the usual place, at the war memorial, but will take people towards High Harrogate instead of Valley Gardens.

This new tour starts at 4.30pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, including Bank Holidays.

Mr Satloka told the Stray Ferret about his new tour:

“I call it the ‘locals tour for local people’ but, of course, it is open to everyone. It will be more focussed on the people of Harrogate, I want to tell their story.

“Over the years I have found more of these stories but since December I have had the time to figure out a way to show off these amazing people

“It will still be fun but there will be a more sombre element to this tour as it is based around World War One and the Edwardian period.”

The locals tour will tell the story of Walter Ogden, who was the youngest son of Harrogate jeweller James Roberts Ogden.

Walter Ogden was just 19 when he died at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917 in charge of a tank nicknamed Harrogate.

His story was only recently discovered during renovations at the Ogden Harrogate store in 2014.

McDonald’s in Harrogate has applied for outdoor seating and tables ahead of hospitality reopening on Monday.

The restaurant on Cambridge Road wants to place seven tables and 28 chairs, plus parasols, outside its premises.

An application for the licence has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council and a consultation period on the proposal will end on Tuesday.

McDonald’s franchises across the country have applied for similar licences to allow customers to sit outside.

Yesterday, Scarborough Borough Council approved a similar proposal submitted by the restaurant for premises in Huntriss Row, Scarborough.

Read more:

• Harrogate bars call on council to allow tables on Stray land
• Harrogate bars and cafes bid for pavement licences

From Monday, bars and restaurants will be able to serve customers outside as part of further easing of lockdown restrictions.

Several Harrogate bars and cafes have applied to serve customers on pavements outside their venues when they re-open on April 12.

Gron Kafe, Hidden Bar Harrogate and Cold Bath Brewing Co are among those to have applied to the council for pavement licences.

Government legislation last year made it easier to get pavement licences, as part of moves to stimulate the economy after covid.

Planning permission is temporarily waived for the licences and the process is sped up to limit the waiting times for those applying.

Police are appealing for information after a teenage girl was assaulted by a group of teenagers in Bilton on Sunday.

The incident happened at 5.50pm on the iron bridge behind Woodfield Primary School.

The girl was approached by a group of six or seven youths believed to be about 13 or 14 years old. One of the boys pushed her over, which resulted in bruising.

They were wearing dark hooded jackets and black joggers.

Read More:

• Police appeal after CCTV camera damaged in Ripon
• Increased police patrols after vandalism at Stonefall park

North Yorkshire Police is asking for help to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 822 Cleary. The reference number is 12210092122

You can also email jonathan.cleary@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The future of HG1 Radio in Harrogate is being reviewed after a sister radio station closed.

YO1 Enterprises closed West Yorkshire Radio days ago because it said it was “unsustainable in the short term”.

Now the company, which operates HG1 Radio and York station YO1 Radio, has said it is evaluating all its projects.

The York-based company issued a statement today detailing recent managerial changes.

According to Companies House, Chris Marsden, Simon Lloyd and Paul Atkinson all resigned as directors on March 22.

Today’s statement says Mr Marsden remains as programme controller.

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It also reveals Wayne Chadwick has taken over as managing director of the group and Dave Parker has been appointed operations director.

Mr Chadwick said:

“It is early days yet – and we are just starting to evaluate all of the projects the company has been involved with, including HG1 Radio. 

“We’ve not made any decisions yet – other than the closure of West Yorkshire Radio, which we felt was unsustainable in the short term.

“The changes bring with them a substantial level of investment and we have to ensure that this investment is put to the best use – and in particular is used to support our core operations in North Yorkshire.

“We remain very grateful to listeners and supporters of HG1 Radio, which is continuing to broadcast online.”

West Yorkshire Radio was launched to fill the gap left by Radio Aire and Pulse 2.

Chris Johnson, one of the presenters on West Yorkshire Radio, posted a statement on Twitter last week after YO1 Enterprises decided to go ahead with non-presenter programming.

He said presenters had decided to “terminate their involvement in the station”, which had been run on an “entirely voluntary basis” until that point.

Chikara Karino is on a mission from Chiba, Japan to the Harrogate district to spread the word of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as Mormonism.

The 19-year-old has spent the last three months in Harrogate as part of a two-year trip away from his home to teach people in the UK about his religion and convert them to the faith.

The missionary said he’s enjoyed his time in Harrogate & Knaresborough so far and feels at home due to our Christian tradition. He first came to the UK last summer when travel was allowed.

“The UK and Japan have very different cultures!

“In Japan a lot of the culture is based on Shinto Buddihism whereas here is Christian so I feel united with the people.”

“It’s so beautiful in Harrogate. I like it so much.”

The religion was founded in the 1820s and now has over 16 million members across the world. They consider themselves Christian but also believe God sent more prophets to earth after Jesus Christ’s death.

Whilst members of the church believe in the Bible, both the Catholic and Methodist churches do not recognise the religion’s form of baptism.

Its suit-wearing young believers go on “missions” to different parts of the world where, in non-covid times, they knock on doors and speak to people in the street about their faith.

He said he hasn’t converted anyone in Harrogate yet, but has appreciated the conversations he’s had with people who are curious about his religion over Zoom.

“It’s been such a crazy time but thanks to technology I’m so grateful.”

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• Column: Out of lockdown life springs eternal this Eastertide
• Harrogate footballer’s journey from Killinghall Nomads to Tokyo Olympics

Chikara said he preferred to be called a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints rather than a Mormon. He said this is because Mormon was an ancient prophet who edited The Book of Mormon, rather than a nickname for people who follow the religion.

There are around 200,000 believers in the UK.

He said he misses his mum, dad and six siblings in Japan as well as his favourite dishes of sushi and ramen. He hopes to visit Harrogate’s Japanese restaurant Domo when it reopens, as well as other local landmarks, such as Fountain’s Abbey.

He added:

“I want to thank everyone in Harrogate. I’m so grateful for their kindness. It’s been weird timing but thank you for letting us talk about Jesus and share what we believe in.”