Pannal and Devastation

So saddened by Yorkshire Water and the devastation they are and will cause. We received a letter from Y W only a few days before they entered and closed off Sandy Bank Quarry. They said they enclosed a map. No it was a very dark photo of where? Was this a competition and we were to guess the correct place and get a prize? No prizes but it was a puzzle. A lady I met said to me my husband is a surveyor and he had a bit of difficulty. Anyway puzzle solved as next moment they were in Sandy Bank Quarry with security vans and guard dogs. All closed off behind wire fencing no one to enter.  Now what was that for were the dogs going to attack if one tried to enter?? I had tried to get in touch with North Yorkshire Council through their Public Notice on the gate at S B Quarry I emailed them at the address given for Parks and Open Spaces and there was no such email address.. Now that was not a surprise. I had wondered if they would reply to me re the devastation going on.  Got my answer no they would not. I emailed North Yorkshire Council and no one seemed at all bothered. Then with luck I eventually got Joseph who was bothered and gave me some contacts. How refreshing to find someone who cared. Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council held a meeting in Pannal Institute which I unfortunately could not attend as I had DVT in my left leg requiring a hospital visit.  I am ok now and did attend the other two meetings in the Scout Hut on Woodcock Hill. Knaresborough and Harrogate Friends of the Earth put in very well written objections as did George Eglese who incidentally tells me his parents used to live at Hill Top Hall. In preparation Y W had twelve healthy trees felled as they "were in the way". This is nesting season but who cares! Bluebells and wild garlic about to bloom but will be covered by "hard standing" Owls other birds and animals have gone. I can se them from my window. Been informed by Y W work will take fifteen months and their way into the Crimple Valley is via Sandy Bank Quarry. Did you know people's ashes are scattered there as they obviously loved the Quarry. I came across one gentleman just standing half way in on the footpath and I was about to turn back when he said. It's ok I am scattering my wives ashes here as this was one of her favourite walks with the dog. So not only flowers, birds and animals are or rather were there. 

This is a miserable blog as one feels frustrated by Big Brother Companies that do not care what havoc they reap. They are laying sewage pipes but we know why it is to build houses in the Crimple Valley that was always the plan. Myself, David Wilby KC and Councillor John Mann asked Harrogate Borough Council to make Crimple Valley into a Country Park in honour of Queen Elizabeth 11 and they were open to the idea but then North Yorkshire Council took over and they like covering green spaces with buildings. When talking about house building there is to be a new "village" between Harrogate and York at Cattal where 3000 houses are to be built and the North Yorkshire Council Leader said we need to build 3000 houses every year in this area. So that gives you an idea of what we are in for. 

I was away for a few days and when I returned Tigs would not stop miewing her displeasure.

Mothers Day my oldest son came over (others were on holiday) and as a surprise we went to the Imax Cinema in York to see Elvis in Concert. I am a massive Elvis fan so that was wonderful. Elvis was brilliant I saw him at Prestwick Airport in March 1960. Never to be forgotten and there are a few of us in Pannal. 

Pannal - Sandy Bank Quarry Desecration

 Just had news about the fate of Sandy Bank Quarry. News came from Friends of the Earth not North Yorkshire Council or Yorkshire Water. From March 2026 to March 2027 our beautiful Quarry will be closed to us but not to very heavy lorries. Sewage pipes are to be laid through the Quarry and Crimple Valley. Now what will that be for is it because they are old or it it for housing connection? I would bet on the latter. Hard standing will be laid in the Quarry all the bluebells and wild garlic will be destroyed the sanctuary of the birds and animals will also be destroyed. Owls, pheasant woodpecker, numerous birds and small animals who live in the Quarry. My family has enjoyed the quarry for sixty years. The children have played in it even done their homework sitting at the top. Lovely walk through to Crimple Valley. Now is this important for our wellbeing or do we just destroy it. Who cares? We do. Why havn't we who live here been told. Do Yorkshire Water ride roughshod over birds, animals, land and us. Do they just turn up with their massive lorries and equipment. Do North Yorkshire Council repeat the mistake of their predecessors and don't tell anyone. We have not forgotten one morning at 6am Harrogate Borough Council arrived and removed our little listed hearse house at the Quarry entrance. How do I know it was 6am because I received phone calls from worried neighbours about what was happening. It was gone and I later heard the stone had been sold at a profit. I have informed the Stray Ferret and the Harrogate Advertiser bout what Yorkshire Water plan. I doubt we can stop them but lets just hope they bring chemical toilets. Closure for a year lets also hope they move out of Sandy Bank long before that. Will the flowers return or will they be under hand standing? Time will tell. Sad news to report. Sorry.

I am recovering from DVT. Had that a good few years ago and not very pleasant but as they say I live to fight another day. Harrogate District Hospital staff were very good. I sent them a thank you card. Although I cannot help but wonder who the numpties were that demolished Harrogate General as we do need a second hospital only having the District now. Fortunately I did not have DVT whilst I was away in Cheltenham at my youngest son and family's new home. which is massive and lovely. It is so nice to have my four children all settled with families and lovely homes. I also this week went to see my friend Jenny and Bruce in their new home. Having moved away from all the vast new housing round the Squinting Cat. to the peace of Sovereign Park the old Royal Bath Hospital now flats overlooking the Valley Gardens and very nice their flat is too. I was a patient in the Purey Cust Ward (he was Dean of York in the 1800s) when it was a hospital.

Tigs was not happy whilst I was away as she follows me everywhere but home now so happiness reigns. 

Just Pannal

I had a great holiday in Portugal with family in November but caught "something" on the plane over,  a rotten cold but was it as I have not really been right since. Cough and nose running like a tap. Christmas and New Year not firing on all cylinders but ok, Then it hit. It was awful. It got so bad I had a word with the surgery and said I had the flu vaccine only to be told the flu you have is not the same as the one you had the vaccine for. So now I know. Clearing now but it is taking its time. Been told there is a lot of it around. Yesterday I felt better and went down and cleared the patio area by St Robert's Church. It was a mess but looks better now. Still have the little flower beds to clear but I am not going in the rain. Village quiet with people walking around. Probably all in their cars going through the village. What I cannot understand with school time traffic is why a number of cars go through the village both up and down at school time. Why can't they leave earlier before school time (cars start parking on Main Street at 8.20am and they are gone by 8.55am) or after school time. Now if nobody knew that I have just typed it living on Main Street I know these things!

Had a little bit of excitement last week one evening. Blue lights flashing police surrounding a white damaged car and the driver was taken away in a police van. White car was collected about four days later. Was this the car that was damaged on Leadhall Lane and the driver collapsed on the pavement. Who Knows?

The offer on the Black Swan has fallen through which is a pity as we all got excited thinking it was going to be run again. It does seem sad as it is a lovely pub with a great garden. I remember it well in the 1960s and 70s when we used to take the kids round on a summers evening for a drink and a play in the garden. I remember one time when we took our first grandson round as a very little boy and he went on the slide and coming off at the bottom he landed on a big stone. Then I heard a voice saying Oh my God Anne Smith is here and she writes for the Harrogate Advertiser. Stone dug up and rapidly removed. Had some decent landlords I remember Anne the landlady who had long red hair and I think was an ex beauty queen. Still see her daughter Annette from time to time. Also Mark who was a great landlord. 

Noticed the flats at the old Dunlopillo Headquarters are now finished and up for sale with parking available at the rear. The front did not belong to Dunlopillo.

Did Tigs have a good Christmas and New Year do not ask her as the answer will be no as she had to contend with three dogs. Put all her belongings in the summerhouse but kept her food in the utility room as I wanted to see something of her. She was not happy with the dogs but they had all been brought up from puppies to ignore cats never to chase them but she did not know that. Tried to tell her but she would not listen a dog is a dog. Did make it up to her now everyone gone.