Harlow Hill councillor and Shepherd’s Dog landlord Michael Schofield has created a tribute in his pub to “one in a million” friend Martyn Daly who died in 2021.

Martyn was the dad of England footballer and Women’s Super League player of the year Rachel Daly as well as a well-loved regular in the Otley Road pub for many years.

He was also dad to Andrew and step-dad to Greg and Rob.

Cllr Schofield and his wife Donna, with support from Martyn’s partner Cath, have put up a plaque and framed photo of him and Rachel that overlooks the TV where he enjoyed watching football with a pint of Stella.

The tribute was ready for when a packed pub full of Martyn’s friends and family watched the agonising World Cup final last month when England lost 1-0 to Spain.

Martyn would travel to America to watch his daughter play for Houston Dash and Cllr Schofield said it was bittersweet that he was not able to cheer England on in the final.

He said:

“Everybody turned up at the pub because they felt proud for him and wanted to be here for him and the family. He was one of life’s great ones.”

Like his daughter, Martyn was a very handy striker in his own right, playing for local clubs like Harlow Hornets and even scoring over 100 goals in one season.

Both Martyn and Rachel have worked shifts behind the bar of the pub and they would play super competitive games of pool together when she came back to visit Harrogate.

Cllr Schofield said he was a father figure to many at Harlow Hill, including to his own two children who grew up above the pub.

He said:

“What Martyn brought to the community and youngsters was something else. He always put other people before himself. He was always with a smile and a joke and he had time for everybody.

“If ever you felt down, he’d give you his big bear hug. He was an absolutely great guy.

“He needed celebrating in his own right. If you ask any of the guys my age who played football with him, they’d all the same. He was a great ambassador for his sport, Harlow Hill, the pub and for his family.”

“He’s sorely missed — everybody could do with someone like him in their life.”

Read more: 

• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly nominated for Europe’s top player
• Petition launched calling for Harrogate to honour Rachel Daly

The closure of the McColl’s convenience store on Harlow Hill in Harrogate has led to a resurgence for independent retailers in the area, according to the local councillor.

McColl’s on Otley Road closed last year after national chain Morrisons bought the company and said it would be shutting over 100 loss-making stores.

The shop was a Co-op for many years before being sold to McColl’s in 2016 as part of £117m deal for 298 stores.

However, McColl’s struggled with competition from independent shops nearby, as well as the Co-ops further down Otley Road and in Pannal.

McColl’s was close to the greengrocer Regal Fruiterers and Harlow Stores, and the area also features Nord Coffee House and the Sandwich Deli.

But this month North Yorkshire Council spelled the end of the building as a shop when it approved its conversion into a three bedroom flat.

Independent councillor Michael Schofield, who is also the landlord of the The Shepherd’s Dog pub on Harlow Hill, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the shop’s closure has had a positive effect on independent retailers in the area.

Cllr Schofield said:

“Whilst it is not good to see people losing their jobs when a business closes I believe it has helped create a resurgence for our independent retailers.

“We have seen Regal Fruiterers move into the area and a revamped Harlow Stores with longer opening times, both of which have actually helped drive an increase in footfall on Otley Road and enrich the community spirit.

“It is a shame that no-one could see the potential in the old McColl’s site for other outlet purposes such as a chemist, however the building requires a lot of work on its internal structure and therefore probably proved to costly for any interested business.”

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Harrogate councillor Michael Schofield has left the Liberal Democrats and will sit as an independent on North Yorkshire Council.

Cllr Schofield was elected in May 2022 in the Harlow and St Georges division after winning 45% of the vote.

However, after just over a year he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this morning that with the Lib Dems preparing for a potential general election next year he has stepped away from the party to focus on local issues.

He said:

“It’s a case of with the political turmoil going on nationally, and all parties gearing up for a general election, the worry is my local area will get left behind. I was elected to serve Harlow Hill and St Georges and my only aim is to do that.

“It’s time for a clean break and for me to serve in the town. People get bogged down with the electioneering. I’ll let people go and do and that. That takes me away from things I want to do and serving the community.”

Read more:

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Cllr Schofield, who is the landlord of the Shepherds Dog pub on Harlow Hill, said he apologised to any of the voters who voted for him because of his former political affiliation but added that he’s not a “national political animal”.

He said some of his former Lib Dem colleagues are “probably not happy” with his decision but he said he now feels liberated free of the party machine.

He added:

“I have a lot of friends within that group but my aim is do cross-party politics. The only way we can move forward is by having cross-party politics. If you have two parties arguing all the time you’re never going to move forward. I’m all for collaboration.”

Cllr Schofield’s decision to stand as an independent follows similar moves by councillors on different parties in recent months.

In April, Scarborough councillor Tony Randerson resigned from the Labour party and stood as an independent in a by-election that he won.

This week Conservative councillor for Camblesforth, Mike Jordan, quit the party citing dismay with the national party.

North Yorkshire Council has 45 Tory members and the same number of Liberal Democrat, Liberals, Labour, Green and Independent councillors.

A consultation about a potential Harrogate town council has been called “undemocratic” because it says residents would have to pay up to £60 a year extra without stating what powers it might have.

North Yorkshire Council is running a second consultation on whether a town council for Harrogate should be created.

Consultation documents say how much residents in band D properties are likely to pay through their council tax to cover services provided by the new town council.

North Yorkshire Council said the town council’s council tax precept would allow for an annual budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.

Knaresborough and Ripon both currently have their own councils that charge a precept to provide services such as allotments, public events and small parks.

However, it is unclear at this stage what services a potential Harrogate town council would deliver.

There would be 19 councillors elected to the town council with elections taking place on May 2, 2024.

‘Unfair and undemocratic’

Speaking at a residents’ meeting last week, Michael Schofield, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harlow and St Georges, criticised the consultation process and said people were not sure what they would be voting for if the town council was created.

He said:

“It’s alright talking about flower beds but we still don’t know what North Yorkshire Council’s executive are going to let a town council have control of.

“It’s unfair and undemocratic not to be told what we going being asked to pay for and voting for. They need to let us know.”

His view is shared by the final mayor of the Harrogate borough, Victoria Oldham, who was the Conservative councillor for Washburn on Harrogate Borough Council until March 31.

Read more:

• Second consultation to be held on whether to form Harrogate town council
• Just 3.5% responded to Harrogate town council consultation

Ms Oldham is backing the creation of a town council but said people interested in becoming councillors should be getting around the table with North Yorkshire Council now to discuss what powers it might have.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“There’s no point in saying you’ll have a town council if you don’t say what you’re supposed to be running so those people interested in being on the town council need to be coming together now and putting a plan forward. There needs to be some sort of mediation.

“Saying suddenly you have a town council and not knowing what you’ll be responsible for is going to be awkward.”

In response, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, Conservative Cllr David Chance, said:

“A town council for Harrogate is aimed at ensuring that the views of residents are represented at the most local level and helping to provide the services that are so important to the public.

“We are undertaking a consultation to get people’s opinions on the detailed
recommendations for the town council.

“Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council. When North Yorkshire Council launched on April 1 after the previous eight local authorities in the county merged, a central pledge of this change was to enable town and parish councils to take on greater responsibility if they want and are able to.

“Residents of unparished parts of Scarborough and Harrogate were invited last summer to say whether they wanted to create new town councils. More than two-thirds of residents who responded in the two towns were in favour of the idea.

“We believe that the chance for town councils for both Harrogate and Scarborough will be fundamental in making sure local democracy can be as effective as possible, and I would urge the public to have their say during the latest consultation, which is running until Friday, May 5.“

Residents can take part in the consultation by visiting www.northyorks.gov.uk/CGR. Paper copies are available by calling 01609 536400 or emailing cgr@northyorks.gov.uk.

A Liberal Democrat councillor in Harrogate says he will not be voting in favour of the controversial Station Gateway proposal next month.

Michael Schofield, who represents Harlow & St Georges, is the first local councillor and first Liberal Democrat to confirm which way he will vote when the decision is made by the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee in May.

The controversial £11.2 million project has been in development for three years after funding was won from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund to make the town centre more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.

North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative executive member for highways Keane Duncan has said the council will follow whatever decision Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors take at a meeting on May 5 regarding the scheme.

But Cllr Schofield, whose division includes the troubled Otley Road cycle path, says he will not be voting for the gateway to go ahead “in its current guise”.

He cited concerns over its design, cost, and impact on businesses.

The councillor is also the landlord of the Shepherd’s Dog pub on Harlow Hill and said the disruption during construction could lead to financial hardship for town centre shops, bars and restaurants. He said:

“Our independents were once thriving; they have have had to deal with covid and the cost of living crisis. I therefore cannot vote for something that may potentially deal them yet another blow.”

Since the scheme was announced, the cost of building materials has rocketed and inflation has topped 10%.

Cllr Duncan has said the scheme’s build quality will not be compromised but Cllr Schofield said this could result in higher costs for taxpayers. He said:

“Unless corners are cut, who will pay? It is unfair to ask other towns within North Yorkshire to foot the bill at the expense of their residents as it is also unfair to expect the good people of Harrogate to foot the bill.”

Read more:

• D-Day looms for £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway
• £3m from parking fines won’t be spent on Harrogate Station Gateway if costs rise

The gateway scheme would see Station Parade reduced to one lane which has been unpopular with some residents and businesses as has the proposed part-pedestrianisation of James Street. Cllr Schofield said other designs should have been considered. He added:

“It is my belief that there are other plans out there created by retired professionals in the field of urban design that have not been considered and are more sympathetic to not only the public realm but also the businesses in the town centre.

“We have been told it is the plan on the table or nothing which is very undemocratic when other plans are available that should be considered.”

A third round of public consultation about the scheme was published in January and showed 46% of views were negative and 45% were positive.

Cllr Duncan said previously:

“While overall opinion of the scheme is split almost 50:50, key elements of the scheme received positive support from the public who took part.

“They told us they believe the scheme will be positive for business, make getting around the town centre safer and encourage more people to walk and cycle.”