Article Seven

New canteen at HGS

LAST week saw students returning to school. As well as new faces students at Harrogate Grammar School saw a new building too. The new building named ‘The Hub’ is the newest addition to the ongoing work at the school. It is an extension of the current school canteen and provides ‘A much greater capacity for pupil’s lunches’.
The building work commenced at the end of May and was completed just days before the school reopened, costing a staggering £250,000. Steve Howell, the schools Business Manager said “Most of the money for the dining facilities came form North Yorkshire County Council following our bid. As such we could not have spent this money on other things. It was ‘special’ money for a special purpose.” The Hub has led to more seats and a reduced queuing time for pupils. The acoustics of the building are better as well as it being light and airy. The décor is modern and not cramped allowing it to be easily accessible.
The school is also investing £360,000 on becoming a specialist training school as well as spending £2m on 8 new classrooms, an extension of the sixth form block and a purpose built learning theatre. Building work will commence in October and will be completed in time for the autumn term 2010. Mr Howell said “Better facilities will improve students learning opportunities and make the school a more attractive place for students and staff.” The money for the new extensions is this time from the Government via the Learning and Skills Council in order for the school to create some facilities that they do not currently have.
The school is already over subscribed and is one of the top 20 schools in the UK. When these facilities become available it will more than likely become a first place choice for many parents of local primary school pupils as their children are sure to achieve excellent results with the help and support offered by the school.
Tiffany Jackson

Article Six

The great Tesco debate
HARROGATE is the last UK mainland postcode area to not have a Tesco mega store. Since November 2007 when planning permission was filed by Tesco to the Harrogate council which was declined, debate about this issue has raged.
Since then Tesco has filed even more proposals in order for the mega store to be built at New Park off Skipton Road. The latest application to be filed was on the 3rd of July, this year. Tesco want the application to be passed by mid October in order for the building work to commence. The proposal has some changes to it in order to keep the peace such as reduction of the retail space by 25% and making the store environmentally formatted to reduce energy consumption. Tesco also claim that the store will provide 360 new jobs for local people that lead to career development opportunities. A spokesperson for Tesco said “The new store will be cleaning up an eyesore by rejuvenating the Oak Beck area and bringing a public footbath back into use. It will offer hundreds of jobs as getting a job at the moment is quite a struggle with barely any work available in Harrogate. It will also make it easier for the local people to do their food shopping as they won’t have to travel into the town centre.”
A source claims “Harrogate council would allow it if they believed the community wouldn’t be in uproar about it.” Many community members are strongly against the idea with an online poll showing 44% for Tesco and 56% against it. Many people say ‘Harrogate is unique. We should keep it that way’. May Taylor (63), a local from the New Park community said “It will ruin New Park and the store itself will be the eyesore. New park is lovely as it is now and there are enough supermarkets in Harrogate for people to make their purchases. It will cause problems in the area as Skipton Road is already a busy road and to make it busier is mad. It’ll be gridlocked all the time.”
Harrogate council are still considering the latest application. In the mean time debating on the Tesco debate website has increased as opposition group’s marshal their support.

Tiffany Jackson

New canteen questions and answers

New canteen at HGS
Questions and answers


Q1) A lot of money has been invested into the new school dining facilities. Why did you decide that this would be the best area to upgrade with the funding rather than investing in new computers or sports facilities?
A1)Most of the money for the dining facilities came from North Yorkshire County Council following our bid. As such we could not have spent this money on other things. It was “special” money for a special purpose.

Q2) What improvements do you think the new canteen has made to break and lunch times for students?
A2)The Hub has led to more seats and a reduced queuing time. The acoustics are better and it is light and airy. We also have another facility for meetings and hope soon to install a projector.

Q3) How did you decide where to allocate the further funding that will be spent on 8 new classrooms, an extension of the sixth form block and a purpose built learning theatre?
A3)Again the Sixth form block money is “special” money, this time from the Government via the Learning and Skills Council. We worked with our architects to design a building that would blend with the rest of the school and give us some facilities that we do not currently have – namely the learning theatre, the hospitality suite and the media suite. We will also be able to replace the temporary buildings around school and improve the car-parking facilities.

Q4) How do you think this will benefit the students and staff?
A4)Better facilities will improve students learning opportunities and make the school a more attractive place for students and staff.

Q5) When will the new building work commence? When is it anticipated that the building work will be completed? How will you make sure this deadline is met?
A5)The building work will start in October and be completed in time for the Autumn term 2010. We will work very closely with our architects and project manager to make sure we are finished on time with regular progress meetings with the construction company.


Q6) Have you found overseeing these additional constructions a heavy workload, as well as managing the rest of the school?
A6)The building projects have taken up a lot of time to plan, but we know the benefits will be worth the extra efforts we have needed to make.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Best wishes for your project.
Steve Howell, School Business Manager
Harrogate Grammar School, Arthurs Avenue, Harrogate, HG2 0D
01423 531127
sgh.staff@hgs.n-yorks.sch.uk

Article Five

Local man in critical condition
A LOCAL man from the Harrogate area has been taken to Leeds General Infirmary last night after he was left in a critical condition following a hit and run. The incident occurred at 8.25pm when James Moore (29) was riding his motorbike along the Knaresborough bypass, when he was suddenly knocked off his bike by a car.
Hero of the hour Mark Slater was driving by and saw the biker at the side of the road. Mark put James into the recovery position and kept him warm until the ambulance arrived to take him to Harrogate District Hospital where he was attended to by doctors who commended Mark for his quick thinking and actions which saved the life of Mr Moore.
Mr Moore is currently in a coma fighting for his life after suffering from severe head injuries and a sever fracture to his spine which if he awakes from his coma, could leave him with permanent difficulties. He is currently on a life support under 24 hour care by the nurses at LGI. Doctors have said ‘his condition is very serious and they are doing the best they can for him.’
Dr Wells, head of the neurology department at LGI said “We’re taking it one step at a time. When he wakes from his coma which is a strong possibility, we will be able to see the extent of the damage caused to his spine and do everything possible to make his life after this accident comfortable. He had slight bleeding of the brain which was able to be controlled at Harrogate hospital. However it has left him with slight brain damage which has slowed down his reactions and learning abilities.”
Mr Moore’s wife is said to be ‘distraught and lost without her husband’. Susan Moore was unavailable to comment as she hasn’t left her husbands bedside. The police are searching for other witnesses to come forward. PC Giles has said “It is extremely important that if you witnessed this accident or were the car that knocked Mr Moore off his bike; you need to come forward and give information immediately, so the police services can understand what happened and why. This really brings to light the Think, Bike, campaign. The accident should be an eye opener to Harrogate motorists and remind them to look twice for bikes.”
If you were a witness to this accident please call 01423 673421
Tiffany Jackson

Article Four

British Bridal Exhibition returns to Harrogate
ONCE again the British Bridal exhibition returned to Harrogate and hundreds of excitable brides flocked to purchase their dream dresses. From the 13th-15th September the exhibition was held at the Harrogate International Centre where many top wedding dress desi9gners exhibited their new collections.
The exhibition is organised by the Ocean Media Group Limited who acquired the rights to the British Bridal Exhibition in Harrogate (BBEH) in 1999. The event takes place twice a year and is timed to meet the rush for summer and winter weddings which are the most popular timeslots for weddings. Over the years the event has expanded in both exhibitors and visitors, it has quickly become an international event with thousands visiting Harrogate to attend.
In March 150 exhibitors showcased more than 220 collections over 10,000 square metres. It attracted around 2500 unique bridal buyers. The event this time round in September saw 220 exhibitors showcase more than 330 collections in over 13,000 square metres of space, attracting over 3600 buyers. It was a huge event which had a lot of publicity and press.
Claire Parish, a visitor said “The dresses I’ve seen today are absolutely stunning, and I have found the perfect dress for my wedding. If it wasn’t for events like these I would be stuck looking at bridal magazines and not see the beauty and elegance of the dresses for myself.”
The event also offered blushing brides the chance to view bridesmaid collections. There was lots of support from staff recommending colour schemes and decorations. The men were certainly not left out. They had their own personal shoppers who helped to pick and tailor suits for the soon to be grooms, which would compliment their weddings style and theme.
As well as organising these magnificent bridal events, Ocean Media Group Limited also produces the Bridal Buyer Magazine which is the main source of bridal industry news in the UK. The company were said to be ‘thrilled’ with the turnout and success of the event and have said “The bridal market is continuously growing. There has never been a dip in the market which goes to show that the recession doesn’t dampen a bride’s enthusiasm.”
Tiffany Jackson

Article Three

Harrogate hotel best in the UK

HOTEL Du Vin of Harrogate was voted as the best hotel in the UK according to the Sunday Times Travel Magazine published this month. The hotel which overlooks Harrogate Stray beat competition form other top hotels around the country such as Hotel Tresantan, Cornwall, a luxurious five star hotel which is a favourite of many celebrities such as Elton John and Johnny Depp.
The general manager Nick Dawson is said to be ‘ecstatic and relieved’ after all the hard work that the staff put in to making the hotel the best it can possibly be. It is also another award to hang on their wall. Nick Dawson was happy with the hotel being awarded the best hotel in Harrogate but he feels ‘honoured’ to run such a high standard hotel that is now the best in the UK. He said “The hotel could not have achieved such an award without the dedication and support off all the staff here. They really are fantastic.”
Hotel Du Vin has always offered luxury and elegance. It was created in 1778 by an Act of Parliament, in a registered building that can never be knocked down. It houses forty-eight bedrooms featuring pristine beds of luxurious Egyptian cotton, monsoon showers with stylish furnishings and unique décor. Included are airy loft suites with private balconies overlooking the beauty of the Harrogate Stray. As well as these beautiful rooms the hotel offers spa treatments such as full body massages and sea weed wraps. Their staff are fully trained to offer the best service possible. In addition the hotel also has its very own restaurant that already has its own awards for the quality of their food.
A frequent visitor of the hotel, Maria Swan said “When visiting Hotel Du Vin it is clear to see just exactly why they have achieved such an award as everything is spot on which is what I expect from a hotel in such a lovely area. I want to be able to relax and rely on the hotel to deliver the best standards, which is certainly what this hotel does, and more.”

Tiffany Jackson

Article Two

High class jewellers involved in insurance scam

BRADLEY’S of Harrogate suffered at the hands of a terrible fire on the 22nd August of this year. The delay reopening of the store has created speculation that the fire was an insurance scam and fire investigators are currently investigating the fire further. One month on and refurbishment of Bradley’s has still not commenced and their website www.bradleysofharrogate.co.uk has temporarily been shut down.
The store has been up and running since the 1970’s but has been struggling recently due to the current economic situation. An anonymous source said “It may have been in Bradley’s interests for the fire to occur because of the current financial climate people are less willing to part with their money. Bradley’s operates in a Niche market and charges high prices for their luxurious items which people simply cannot afford.”
The fire broke out in Bradley’s basement and fire engines form Harrogate and Knaresborough rushed to the scene to battle the fire after being alerted by staff members, they had been evacuated as quickly as possible along with the staff from the buildings on either side of the store. The fast actions of the fire services meant they were able to control the incident and the fire was confined to the rear of the building in an area of about 10m by 5m meaning there was little damage caused in the building which has historic value.
People are beginning to wonder why Bradley’s is taking so long to reopen given the small scale of the damage. The anonymous source said “it certainly looks like it could be an insurance scam to help them with their money struggles.” The management of Bradley’s refused to comment on the fire and accusations.
If the investigation proves that the fire was an insurance scam then matters will ne handed over to the police who will deal with the situation.

Tiffany Jackson

Article one

THREE benches have been erected on Pannal Green in memory of three teenage boys from Harrogate who were killed in a car collision at the beginning of this year.
The Pannal community raised just over £3000 for the purchase of the benches which feature their own plaques dedicated to the boys. The benches are situated on Pannal Green as this is where these three young men spent their childhood playing football and spending time with their friends and family.
Craig Rayiru(19) and Joseph Wilson(18) were killed instantly in a horrific car accident on the 27th January of this year. They were on their way to a football match in a Citreon Saxo on the A661 near Spofforth. The car was involved in a head on collision with a Skoda Felicia driven by Howard Catley(49) who was rushed to hospital with serious injuries but later passed away. Daniel Rayiru(17) brother of Craig remained in intensive care with traumatic head injuries for seven days before his parents decided it would be best to turn off his life support. He passed away six days after his 17th birthday.
A neighbour Pat Ainslie said “The boys were a big part of the Pannal community. They were several people’s paper boys, and we had watched them grow up from boys to young men. When the accident occurred the whole of Pannal was in mourning at such a loss. These benches are a tribute to their lives and a place to go for friends and family to remember the boys. As well as the benches we want to have fairy lights strung up in the trees to light them up.”
The families of the boys are said to be ‘touched and grateful’ for all the support that the Pannal community has offered. Over the past few months that have been going through a difficult time, with one family losing two sons. Louise Rayiru commented that “It’s nice to see that people care and are pulling together and offering us support at this extremely difficult time.”
The inquest of this case will be held next Tuesday at Harrogate magistrate’s courts.

Tiffany Jackson

Questions for Mr Sheriff

Dear Mr Sheriff,
I am an upper sixth student at the school and for my media A level; I am to produce the first two pages of a newspaper. I am to feature several articles about the local surroundings and I would like to write an article about the new canteen facilities that have been built over the summer. To get more in depth knowledge about the topic I would be grateful if you could answer a few questions for me. If possible please could you return your answers via email? My email address is: tiffanyjackso20@hotmail.com. Thank you. Tiffany Jackson

1) A lot of money has been invested into the new school dining facilities. Why did you decide that this would be the best area to upgrade with the funding rather than investing in new computers or sports facilities?

2) What improvements do you think the new canteen has made to break and lunch times for students?

3) How did you decide where to allocate the further funding that will be spent on 8 new classrooms, an extension of the sixth form block and a purpose built learning theatre?

4) How do you think this will benefit the students and staff?

5) When will the new building work commence? When is it anticipated that the building work will be completed? How will you make sure this deadline is met?

6) Have you found overseeing these additional constructions a heavy workload, as well as managing the rest of the school?

Mission statement

From my research and results i have decided to create an ultra local newspaper. I'm aiming to cover political, social and economic issues within Harrogate. The newspaper will be published weekly, because of the small boundaries of the area covered; there would not be sufficient stories to publish it daily. There will be a charge of 85p for the newspaper although i expect my main revenue to come from local advertising rather than the cost of the paper. My target audience will be local people in their thirties onwards as from my questionnaire these are the highest category of people who purchase and read local papers. My results have shown that there are more female readers of the local newspaper than males, so i would have to bear that in mind and perhaps have a slight female bias in my choice of articles. I am anticipating that my newspaper will be read by a secondary audience in take-away restaurants, hairdressers etc. I anticipate that my audience will retain the newspaper after their initial reading for reference purposes that week.

I created a questionnaire to help me write my mission statement for my newspaper. I asked thirty people to complete my questionnaire all of various ages. I have gathered together the following results;

1)Are you male or female?
Male 13/30
Female 17/30

2)What is your age?
Under 18 2/30
18-25 3/30
26-35 7/30
36-50 14/30
Above 50 4/30

3)How often do your purchase your local newspaper?
Every week 17/30
Every now and then 5/30
When somebody I know is featured 5/30
When an article I'm interested in is featured 3/30

4) Do your purchase your local newspaper to browse the adverts?
Yes 7/30
No 13/30
Occasionally 10/30

5)When the newsaper is purchased is it then passed on to friends or family?
Yes 16/30
No 5/30
Occasionally9/30

6)What articles do you like to see featured in your local newspaper?
School articles 6/30
Political articles 7/30
Events articles 4/30
Sports articles 3/30
Local affairs articles 8/30
Other(please state) 2/30 1 article that would like to be seen featured is traffic articles
1 article that would like to be seen featured is court round up articles

7)Do you like to see celebrities or local citizens featured in your local newspaper?
Celebrities 5/30
Local citizens 15/30

8)After reading your newspaper is it then put in the rubbish or recycled?
Put in the rubbish 3/30
Recycled 1/30
Passed on 16/30

9)Would you like to see local advertising featured or national advertising featured?
Local advertising 13/30
National advertising 8/30
Both 9/30

10) How much would you be willing to pay for the local newspaper?
20-50p 6/30
50-70p 8/30
70-90p 16/30

From my results it is very clear that people are wanting an ultra local newspaper that will be aimed at people in their thirties and onwards to catch up on all the local news. They would also like to see local citizens featured as well as including local advertising. The majority of people would be wiling to pay between 70-90p for the newspaper as long as it had appropriate content. After the newspaper is read it is often passed on to friends and family, perhaps articles are being recommended, so next time these friends and family will purchase their own copies. Most people purcahse their local newspaper every week to catch up with local affairs which are the articles that people are most interested in. These results will help me create my mission statement for my newspaper which will be an ultra local newspaper.