Positive message from Starbeck Residents Association despite police refusal to close roads for  Remembrance Day parades

There are hopes that a Harrogate community’s annual Remembrance Day ceremonies will still go ahead this year despite plans to withdraw cover by North Yorkshire Police.
By Graham Chalmers
Published 4th Aug 2023, 12:16 BST
Updated 4th Aug 2023, 12:24 BST
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Starbeck Residents Association, which was was asked to take on the area’s Remembrance events last year, has reacted to news of a change of police policy towards smaller Remembrance Day events by saying it is hopeful they will still go ahead.

Chris Watt of Starbeck Residents Association said: “We were concerned to see it reported that North Yorkshire Police will no longer be managing traffic around the area's annual Remembrance ceremonies.

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"The Starbeck Residents' Association has been part of our community's ceremony for many years and last year was asked to take on its organisation which was led expertly by our committee member and military veteran Andy Dennis.

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Starbeck Residents' Association has been part of the Harrogate community's ceremony on Remembrance Day for many years and last year was asked to take on its organisation. (Picture National World/Gerard Binks)Starbeck Residents' Association has been part of the Harrogate community's ceremony on Remembrance Day for many years and last year was asked to take on its organisation. (Picture National World/Gerard Binks)
Starbeck Residents' Association has been part of the Harrogate community's ceremony on Remembrance Day for many years and last year was asked to take on its organisation. (Picture National World/Gerard Binks)

"Thankfully, we are unlikely to need any road closures so, hopefully, Starbeck's ceremony will be unaffected.

"But we will obviously be checking the situation as we organise this year's ceremony.”

Starbeck traditionally has two events at 11am and 3pm.

After North Yorkshire Police announced it would no longer be providing the Traffic Management function – or closing roads – for small Remembrance Day Parades as national policy stipulated the force needed to focus its resources on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, Knaresborough Branch of the Royal British Legion warned that the bureaucracy and cost involved in having to arrange their own traffic management meant Knaresborough’s Remembrance Day Parade was at risk of being cancelled this year.