Views wanted on future of Starbeck and Knaresborough outdoor gyms

Harrogate Borough Council has launched a consultation on the future of free outdoor gyms in Knaresborough and Starbeck.

The authority recently removed equipment at Knaresborough House and Belmont Park, which it installed in 2011 at a cost of £9,000.

It said the equipment, which included a cross country skier, push up/dip station, seated chest press and leg press, had reached the end of its life and was “in danger of causing injury”.

Council officials want to replace the kit with similar equipment.

A public consultation has been launched online and will close on Sunday, September 26.

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A post on the council’s Parks and Environmental Service Facebook page said:

“This consultation will gather opinions from local residents to help us create the most suitable design for the fitness area.

“The public consultation report will be used to create a wish list for the design brief, which will influence the final decision.”

You can give your views on the future of the outdoor gym areas in Starbeck and Knaresborough here.

Ex-UFC fighter opens mixed martial arts gym in Harrogate

Former UFC fighter Ian Entwistle has started teaching mixed martial arts at Harrogate Amateur Boxing Club in Starbeck.

Entwistle had three fights with the UFC between 2014 and 2016. He fought in New Zealand, the United States and Croatia and his first round submission victory in America earned a performance of the night bonus.

He retired after he left the UFC but made a comeback in Bahrain last year with Brave Combat Federation, a Middle East promotion.

He has also fought on Cage Warriors, which is the biggest MMA promotion in Europe, and coached in Thailand and Australia.

Weighing in under the gaze of UFC boss Dana White (left).

Entwistle, who was born in Accrington, told the Stray Ferret his sister lived in Harrogate and he was in the process of relocating here.

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He will run classes five days a week that include wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing and Muay Thai, as well as one-to-one private sessions.

Anyone from the age of 14 upwards can attend.

He said:

“I am keen to work with students of all levels whether they are a beginner or a professional and help them achieve the success they seek.”

Classes times are:

Tuesdays 6-7pm
Thursdays 6-7pm
Fridays 5-6pm
Saturdays 10:30am-12pm
Sundays 10:30am-12pm

Starbeck all set for community day on August bank holiday

Starbeck Community Day will return this month after being cancelled last year due to covid.

The free bank holiday event on Monday August 30 will be held at Harrogate Railway’s Station View ground and will offer stalls, live music and a bouncy castle.

Chrissie Holmes, who organises the event as well as the Starbeck Christmas Lights appeal, said she has been inundated with messages from local residents excited about the family get-together taking place again.

She added she wanted the event, which is in its fifth year, to be about thanking people for their efforts during the last 18 months.

She said:

“It’s our way of paying people back for the pandemic.”

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There will be stalls selling craft and homemade goods as well as a bungee trampoline and bouncy castle for children. Barbecue food will be served and there will be a bar selling drinks.

There will also be performances from Harrogate Spa Town Ukes and Summerbell Dance Academy and a new Starbeck King and Queen as well as Prince and Princess will be crowned.

The event will take place from 12pm to 4pm.

Letter: Why I love Starbeck

 

In last weekend’s Stray Views Starbeck was described by one of its residents as “worse than Birmingham”. It prompted another resident, Chris Watt, to contact us and write a passionate defence of his community.

I love Starbeck! I’m not from the area. I’m a southerner and only moved here about a decade ago.

But ever since coming here, I’ve been welcomed by the wonderful community and been struck by the great spirit we have. So I was disappointed to see the letter comparing Starbeck unfavourably to other towns and cities.

Now let’s be honest. Starbeck has its challenges. Indeed, Harrogate more widely is a wonderful place to live, but despite its image as an idyllic spa town, it is not immune to the problems faced equally by others.

Across the town, there are areas of high deprivation, substance abuse, anti-social behaviour, crime and a lack of amenities.

These can all be addressed if we all work together as part of a wider community and promote all that is best about Starbeck.

And we have great resources to build on.

Our local schools are well regarded and involved in the community, inspiring pride in the area among our young people.

Starbeck in Bloom has won national awards and brightens our area.

Our church communities provide visible support to our area and work with residents to improve our area.

Harrogate Railway provide football teams and coaching for a range of age groups, provide facilities for community events and are partnering with our outstanding local hospital charity to raise funds for vital health services in our area. Similarly, Harrogate Pythons Rugby Club, also based at Station View, support a range of community initiatives.

Our sports and leisure facilities have also recently been boosted by the re-opening of our local swimming pool after its covid enforced closure.

The Starbeck Residents’ Association is now complemented by social media groups focused on improving our neighbourhood.

Our annual Christmas lights display is always a highlight of any seasonal visit to Harrogate.

We have a vibrant high street. In common with others around the country, this has been badly impacted by the covid lockdown and the rise of online shopping. Our high street clearly needs more care and attention. However, the fact that new and diverse enterprises continue to spring up shows its potential as a shopping hub for our town.

There are, of course, issues to address in Starbeck. But if our local community pulls together, then I strongly believe that the community spirit that I have experienced since moving to the area, can continue to make a real difference.

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Stray Views: Starbeck is worse than Bradford and Birmingham

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Harrogate is in trouble and needs to wake up

I can only say what I see. I am originally from Birmingham and still have my business there. We lived in Cottingley, near Bradford for 11 years before moving to Starbeck in 2018 to be near our daughter and grandkids.

Since living here, I don’t see any difference between Harrogate, Bradford or Birmingham. In fact, Starbeck is a lot worse. It’s certainly the worst place we have lived in for over 40 years and most of that time was around Birmingham, including Erdington, Longbridge and Bournville — where my business is.

The drug problem here is horrific (like everywhere), and almost everywhere I can smell pot smoking. Harrogate is overcrowded, and the roads into the town are ridiculously busy, as bad as the big cities, mainly due to the poor planning of the town over the decades.

I lived in Redditch in 1989-1990 and Harrogate compares to that time, but probably worse. Prospect Road area is now renowned for drugs, antisocial behaviour, supermarket trolleys everywhere daily, and broken glass and litter strewn everywhere, and if it is cleared up it’s back the same within days.

Harrogate town centre is just like any other which is struggling, and no one is doing anything about it other than seemingly making things worse with wrong decision after wrong decision. Don’t get me wrong, it is still nice, but the spiral is seemingly downwards and it needs radical common sense thinking to turn the town around.

Is Harrogate in decline? It seems it’s been in decline for a long time, and the town needs to wake up because as an outsider if this is my experience of it then the town is already in trouble.

Martin Morris, Starbeck

Harrogate is clean, tidy and beautiful

I read some of the comments about “is Harrogate in decline”? I recently moved to Harrogate after spending over 20 years living and working in Northampton. To me Harrogate is a lovely place to live.

It is clean, tidy, mostly well organised and has beautiful buildings and parklands. The hospitality industry is excellent. I am so happy I moved here and the locals are genuinely so friendly.

A note of caution: I went back recently to Northampton for a few days. They are one of the towns / cities trialling e-scooter hire schemes. They should be avoided at all costs until proper well informed regulations are in place and enforced. Scooter riders are a law unto themselves, riding on pavements with no helmets and multiple riders. They are then just abandoned on pavements until they’re next hired, causing blockages and generally look a mess and tacky.

I hope Harrogate resists such schemes until proper regulations are in place and enforced. You have a lovely town and i am very happy to be part of it now.

Peter Hannon, Harrogate

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Devolution will lead to more waste and incompetence

Any councillors expressing regret over the government’s decision to choose to have a super-council for North Yorkshire should focus instead on their own faults for backing the present arrangements, which have never worked very well anyway.

Now we have a proposed local authority, which will be even more unaccountable to the public and which will only consult on its own terms.

Experience shows that there are no savings with large unitary bodies, only more waste and incompetence in handling larger revenues. You only have to listen to the regular facts uncovered by the TaxPayers’ Alliance and similar to see what we are in for now.

Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has overruled many public concerns and is going the wrong way here too. It’s up to councillors and MPs to make him realise there are no advantages to Joe Public — only poor control of costs

John Holder, Harrogate

 

Harrogate social distancing planters find a happy home in Starbeck

Six of Harrogate’s social distancing planters now have pride of place on Starbeck High Street.

Andrew Hart, who owns the local post office and recently set up Starbeck Community Group, made a bid to Harrogate Borough Council to take them to Starbeck which was accepted.

After receiving a pavement licence from North Yorkshire County Council, the wooden boxes were delivered to Starbeck yesterday.

They now sit in front of the abandoned former McColl’s building, which was burnt out in a fire three years ago. Planters have also been placed in front of St Andrew’s Church.

Mr Hart paid £40 per planter for HBC to put fresh plants in them.

The planters were removed from James Street and Albert Street last week. They were both loved and loathed and came to symbolise the debate that surrounded not just covid but the high street economy, parking and pedestrianisation.

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The council bought them after receiving £144,411 from the European Regional Development Fund to boost high streets during the covid pandemic.

A condition of taking the planters is they have to retain ERDF branding, and Mr Hart said the council will be sending over the logos soon. They must be returned to HBC in March 2022.

Mr Hart said:

“I would like to thank North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council for their magnificent support in this project.”

 

Harrogate social distancing planters heading to Starbeck

Six of the social distancing planters that were in Harrogate town centre during covid restrictions look set to be moved to Starbeck High Street.

The planters, which occupied town centre parking spaces to the annoyance of some traders, were removed from James Street and Albert Street last week.

Harrogate Borough Council subsequently put out a call to local business owners interested in loaning the wooden boxes.

Andrew Hart, who owns the post office in Starbeck, said the council had agreed this morning to loan him six planters, providing he can get a pavement licence from North Yorkshire County Council, which he hopes will be a formality.

Mr Hart plans to put the planters outside the former McColl’s supermarket building, which was destroyed by fire three years ago. He said it has been an “eyesore” ever since.

Mr Hart said there would be enough space on the pavement for wheelchairs and prams to pass.

He added:

“The planters will distract the eye [from the McColl’s building], especially for people driving through Starbeck.”

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The flowers have been wilting in the sun at the council’s nursery on Harlow Hill in Harrogate because the council said it did not have the resources to water them properly.

Mr Hart has agreed to pay the council £40 per planter to put fresh flowers in the boxes. Once they arrive in Starbeck, they will be watered and maintained by volunteers.

The council bought the planters after receiving £144,411 from the European Regional Development Fund to boost high streets during the covid pandemic.

However, as a condition of using the EU money, the planters cannot be placed on privately-owned land and must be branded with the ERDF and HMG logos before being returned to the council by March next year.

‘I’ve missed this so much’: Delight as Starbeck Baths finally reopens

There was an emotional return for visitors and staff at Starbeck Baths today, as it finally reopened following the easing of covid restrictions.

The pool, which was built in 1870, had been closed since December 2020 despite the government allowing pools to reopen on April 12.

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the site, said the delay was due to staffing problems as well as social distancing restrictions.

The Stray Ferret visited this afternoon and spoke to staff as well as local resident Jean Padgett, who has been a regular swimmer at Starbeck Baths for over 40 years.

She described the baths as “small, warm, and ideal”, adding:

“I have missed this so much. I live locally, so if they close this it’s like signing my death warrant. My fitness has dropped over the last 18 months.”

There were murmurings in Starbeck that Harrogate Borough Council would never reopen the pool.

Ms Padgett added:

“I’d be devastated if it was closed.”

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Sarah Bowyer, who has worked at the baths for 26 years, described today as “emotional”.

She said the morning session was well attended and she was expecting to see more familiar faces in the coming days and weeks.

She added:

“We’ve had lots of phone calls from regulars.”

The baths are used not only for exercise but also for socialising too. Ms Bowyer said it was a lifeline for many residents in Starbeck, particularly older people who live on their own.

Jenny Paish worked at the baths for 30 years before recently retiring. She was helping out today and agreed it was a vital part of the community.

She said:

“It’s like a big family, it’s been massively missed.”

Police tell of ‘extensive difficulties’ at two Starbeck homes

Police told a court yesterday there had been “extensive difficulties” at two homes in Starbeck due to drugs and anti-social behaviour.

North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council jointly applied to Leeds Magistrates Court for closure orders on 19 and 31 Avenue Grove, Starbeck.

The court granted three-month partial closure orders on the properties, let by landlord John Willis, which means only Mr Willis and one person at each property can enter the premises until midnight on October 12.

Mr Willis was in court for the hearing.

Simon Mallett, a barrister acting for North Yorkshire Police, told the court there had been “a considerable amount of disorder in Avenue Grove” and drugs had been found in the two properties.

He added:

“There have been extensive difficulties arising from people in the properties or visiting the properties.

“We have received a very considerable number of complaints from residents about anti-social behaviour and drug use emanating from both properties.”

The court heard that all the tenants had left the properties except the two men allowed to stay.

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Julia Stack, community safety and CCTV manager at Harrogate Borough Council, said in a statement afterwards:

“This outcome should act as a reminder that we will not tolerate this type of anti-social behaviour.

“I want to reassure local residents that we will continue to monitor the situation and take further action if necessary.

Inspector Nicola Colbourne of North Yorkshire Police said in a statement afterwards:

“This action once again demonstrates our commitment to ensuring Harrogate remains one of the safest towns to live in.”

North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council successfully applied for a three-month closure order on 38 Mayfield Grove, Harrogate, another property let by Mr Willis, in March. This order expired last month.

Harrogate weightlifter in pole position for Commonwealth Games

Harrogate weightlifter Jack Dobson has become British champion and put himself in pole position for a place at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Jack, 27, who went to Starbeck Primary Academy and Harrogate High School, achieved a 310kg total at the British Weightlifting Championships in Twickenham, London — 15 kg more than the runner-up.

It means he is currently British Weightlifting’s top pick for the England men’s 96 kg class at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham but there are two more qualifying events at which rival lifters will have the opportunity to better his total and win selection.

In his first competition for two years because of covid, Jack hoisted 138 kg in the snatch and 172 kg in the clean and jerk, which are both slightly below his personal bests.

Jack Dobson weightlifter

Jack Dobson (centre) winning the British Championships.

He said:

“I wasn’t happy with my performance. Because it was my first competition back, me and my coach decided to be a bit conservative with the totals we aimed for.”

Jack’s ambition is to represent his country internationally. He missed the chance to do so in Georgia in 2018 because of lack of funding. UK Sport does not currently fund weightlifting, which means Jack has to pay for his trips.

To make ends meet, he works as a coach at Black Wolf Fitness in Knaresborough and also works as a personal trainer, sports masseuse and as a staff member of the parks an environmental services department at Harrogate Borough Council. He says:

“It hasn’t been an easy road but you have to take it on the chin and drive on. I just love Olympic weightlifting.”

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Jack sometimes trains with fellow Starbuck man Luke Richardson, who has twice competed at the World’s Strongest Man.

Many people mistake weightlifting for strongman, powerlifting or bodybuilding.

Weightlifting consists of two lifts: snatch and clean and jerk, with the winner achieving the highest overall total. It’s an Olympic sport but only three British athletes — Zoe Smith, Emily Campbell and Sarah Davies — achieved the qualifying standard for this month’s Tokyo Olympics.

Jack invested in some weights at home a few years ago so when gyms closed during covid he was able to improvise at home by adapting some wooden planks into a lifting platform.

Now he hopes the years of hard work will pay off with a place among the sporting elite at Birmingham 2022.