Local News
Readers’ Letters: Harrogate’s cycleway extension is an ‘extraordinary waste of public funds’
Readers’ Letters 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. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. This letter follows news of the cycleway on Har...
The Harrogate coach representing Great Britain at padel tennis
It was after finding her dad’s racquet as a child that Sophie Cousins first fell in love with tennis The Ashville College tennis coach has spent her whole life invested in the sport, one way or another. But it was not until recently that she became immersed in the ever growing sport of padel tenni...
Tool shop set to open in Knaresborough this month
A tool shop is set to officially open in Knaresborough later this month. Tool Mix will open on Hambleton Grove Industrial Estate on May 18. An official open day is planned to showcase the new business. According to Tool Mix’s social media it is “a one-stop shop for tools, workwear, storage and t...
Revamped Masham play area to open today
A Masham play area will reopen today following a refurb. Westholme Court play area, near Leyburn Road, underwent the makeover after the previous equipment was found to be unfit for purpose. Councillor Flo Grainger, who has overseen the project on behalf of Masham Parish Council, told the Stray Ferre...
Harrogate-born gymnast wins silver at European Championships
A Harrogate-born gymnast has won silver at the European Championships. Harry Hepworth, 20, was part of the Great Britain men’s artistic gymnastic team which competed at the tournament in Rimini, Italy, this past weekend. Great Britain led heading into the final stage before being pipped to gold by...
Editor’s Pick of the Week: Naked in Ripon, live sewage and Labour joy
It was, by far, our most commented-on story of the week. An event that drew gasps. Not the mayoral election, of course, but news that a naked walk is returning to the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park this summer. British Naturism, which is organising the event, helpfully sent us PG-rated, buttock...
How Labour defeated the Tories in North Yorkshire’s first mayor election
“We have not been doing the basics,” said David Skaith to reporters huddled around him after becoming the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. It was a seismic victory for Labour over the Conservatives, with a 14,794 majority. The result at Harrogate Convention Centre on Friday afternoon was...
Keane Duncan defends campaign as Conservatives lose North Yorkshire mayor election
Keane Duncan has defended his campaign for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire after the Conservatives lost the election to Labour. Mr Duncan admitted that the national political picture “inevitably” affected his race to be mayor, but said Rishi Sunak should stay on as Prime Minister. Labour’s D...
Harrogate businessman broke man’s jaw in unprovoked pub attack
A Harrogate businessman has narrowly avoided jail after breaking a man’s jaw with a single punch – apparently because the unsuspecting victim was wearing an orange hat. Robert Darling, 27, who was unknown to the victim, sidled up to the man who was sat talking to friends outside a pub in Starbec...
Glum Tories in Harrogate see blue wall crumble in Rishi Sunak’s backyard
There was much talk at the last general election about the collapse of Labour’s red wall in its northern heartlands. Today’s York and North Yorkshire mayoral election was an opportunity to see if the Conservatives’ blue wall of control in England’s largest county was equally wobbly. It had c...
Labour’s David Skaith pledges to ‘get basics right’ as mayor
Newly elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, has pledged to “get the basics right” as the first mayor of the county. The Labour Party candidate won the inaugural mayoral election with 66,761 votes. Speaking after the result, Mr Skaith, who is originally from Harrogate, said he...
Tense day ends in clear victory for Labour’s Harrogate-born mayor
Labour’s David Skaith emerged as the clear winner today in the race to become York and North Yorkshire’s first directly elected mayor. Mr Skaith beat Conservative rival Keane Duncan by almost 15,000 votes, in a result announced at Harrogate Convention Centre at about 2.30pm this afternoon. The m...
As it happened: Labour’s David Skaith wins North Yorkshire mayoral election
Labour’s David Skaith was elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire at Harrogate Convention Centre today. Mr Skaith will be paid £81,300-a-year to lead the new York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, overseeing an annual budget of £18 million. He will have new devolved powers from Westminst...
Summer timetable announced for Nidderdale Dales Bus
Summer timetables have been released for the Nidderdale Dales Bus service. The 820 and 821 buses, which start in Keighley, will run on Sundays and bank holidays throughout the summer. Both services will depart from Keighley Bus Station at 9.25am, through to Norwood, Fewston and Swinsty and Fewston r...
Bomb disposal called after WWII bullet found near Harrogate
An area near Harrogate was yesterday cordoned off after a WWII bullet was found. In a statement by North Yorkshire Police, the force said the “live bullet” was found yesterday (May 2) on Law Lane, in Shaw Mills. Police said a family, who were walking on a footpath, “stumbled” across the live...
Political leaders say North Yorkshire mayor vote ‘too close to call’
Political leaders in North Yorkshire and York have said the region’s first mayoral election was “too close to call” as voters went to the polls. Ahead of the result of the vote being declared at Harrogate Convention Centre at around lunchtime on Friday (May 3), bookmakers had Labour’s David ...
Brew York to open today in historic Knaresborough pub
The Mitre in Knaresborough is to reopen today under the ownership of Brew York. Brew York acquired the pub, whose future appeared uncertain after it closed last year. The Mitre is one of three venues taken over by the independent brewery via an agreement with Market Town Taverns. Brew York, which ...
Person hospitalised after industrial accident near Boroughbridge
A person was taken to hospital following an industrial accident near Boroughbridge on Tuesday. Yorkshire Ambulance Service today said the incident was reported just after 10pm on April 30. A spokesperson said the ambulance was dispatched to a unit in the Becklands Close area of Roecliffe. One patien...
Harrogate primary school launches bike-lending scheme
A Harrogate primary school has launched a free bike-lending scheme. Oatlands Infant School, which is part of the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, recently unveiled its ‘bike library’ to promote health and wellbeing. The school said the scheme will mean pupils, staff and family members can borro...
Harrogate to get its first repair café
A repair café is to open in Harrogate. The initiative, which is part of an international movement, promotes repairing items as an alternative to throwing things away. People are encouraged to come along with broken items and get them fixed on the spot with the help of volunteer repairers. There are...