Harrogate Bridal Show has been postponed until next year because of coronavirus.

The event was initially scheduled to take place this month at Harrogate Convention Centre.

But with the centre being used as a Nightingale hospital, the show was moved to the Yorkshire Event Centre from October 4-6.

But it was announced this week the event had been postponed until September 2021.

The event’s website says:

“It is with great regret to inform you all that the 2020 edition of the Harrogate Bridal Show, due to take place on 4-6 October, has been postponed to 2021. We were excited to re-unite the bridal community in the home of bridal this year, however in light of recent developments, we no longer feel comfortable running the event this year.”

“Retailers will be able to browse collections in full from the biggest names in bridal. Like a trade show, you will be able to move between showrooms to compare gowns, see the dresses move on models (through pre-recorded videos) and connect suppliers.”

This is your chance to tell us what you really think…

The Stray Ferret has launched a major survey on the future of Harrogate town centre.

To get people talking, we went out onto the streets of Harrogate to find out why people visit, how they travel and what problems they think are facing our town. Watch the video to see what they had to say.

Do you agree? Make sure your voice is heard by completing our short survey. Everyone who takes part will be entered into a prize draw for some great free gifts – a Stray Ferret umbrella or a 12 pack of special Stray Ferret beer brewed by Harrogate-based Roosters. Participants must be aged 18 or over.

Click here to have a say on the future of Harrogate. The survey results, which will be published on our website, will help shape future debate.

Read more:

• Is the future of Harrogate town centre more homes, less shopping?
• The Stray Ferret launches a big survey

With a rise in cases across the district and nationwide tighter restrictions looming, are people feeling concerned? Is another lockdown necessary?

The Stray Ferret has been speaking to people in Harrogate ahead of the Cobra emergency committee meeting on Tuesday morning and a statement from the Prime Minister to the House of Commons later in the day.

It is expected that he will introduce tighter restrictions to try and curb the virus. During Monday’s Downing Street briefing, the government’s chief scientific adviser said that the UK could see 50,000 new cases per day if action was not taken.

Read more:

• Number of covid cases in the Harrogate district rises to 919
• District MPs decline to comment on “broken” covid testing system

Responses in Harrogate were mixed, with some saying they were happy to do whatever was needed to reduce the rise in cases, and others raising concerns about the economy.

So far, cases since the start of the pandemic have reached a total of 919 in the Harrogate district with 19 new infections over the weekend.

Last week, North Yorkshire declared a “major incident” amid an increase in coronavirus cases in the county.

Bar owners and managers have expressed concern about the possibility of lockdown measures including curfews being introduced, as warnings have been issued around North Yorkshire.

Other areas of the country have seen a 10pm curfew introduced on bars and a ban on people mixing outside their households, in an effort to curb rising infection rates.

While no such restrictions are in place in North Yorkshire, Scarborough and Selby are now on Public Health England’s “watch list” because of their growing figures.

The Stray Ferret has spoken to some late-night bars in Harrogate about how this would impact their business.

Wetherspoons on Parliament Street is open for customers until 1am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and until midnight every other night. Claire Demain, a shift leader at Wetherspoons, told the Stray Ferret that another lockdown would be “catastrophic”.

“We are quite concerned – we are starting to think, ‘are we going to be next?’. An earlier closing time would impact us significantly, especially on a weekend when the majority of our trade is from younger people and we do take a fair bit of money on drink and food after 10pm.

“Being locked down for three months to start with was very detrimental… We have just got into a flow of things again and sales are picking up so if we get locked down again it would be catastrophic, because we survive on people being able to come out for a drink…

“I don’t know how we would financially or mentally recover from it again.”

Mojo, Harrogate

Mojo bar on Parliament street is another to express the “devastating” impact a 10pm curfew would have on business.

James Hudson, a spokesperson for Mojo, told us:

“The impact of closing our business at 10pm would be absolutely devastating, especially after our teams have worked so hard over the last few months implementing and working to new guidelines.

“Finding a balance between curbing this virus while not destroying businesses and livelihoods is challenging and not one I feel we have come close to managing. The timing of these new restrictions seems to be in line with colleges and universities reopening. I am not convinced this action will make any real difference.”

Read more:

• North Yorkshire bosses call for “greater vigilance” following a rise in cases in Harrogate 
• North Yorkshire declares covid emergency

However, not all bars are totally against the curfew.

Jay Smith, who has owned Montey’s bar since 1996, told us that it wouldn’t be “the worst idea in the world”.

Montey’s currently closes at 2am, though before COVID it was open until 4am. Mr Smith said:

“If you were sat in front of your economics professor, he would tell you to be worried, but you have to think that people are losing their lives and loved ones and that your staff – many of which have worked for you for years – are being exposed to people on a regular basis.

“If authorities come to the balanced decision that it’s dangerous and it needs to be calmed down for while then that’s the way it is.”

With Scarborough and Selby now on Public Health England’s covid watchlist after an increase in cases, Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, has urged people to be vigilant and follow the rule of six.

Harrogate Borough Council has told the owners of Blues Bar that its outdoor tables on the Stray must be removed by Monday.

The news has come as a shock to owners Simon and Sharon Colgan, who were yesterday told that the tables and chairs could remain outside their other bar, The Empress, on Stray land.

However, the council said it would allow the Empress’s tables to remain in place because there was no suitable alternative. For the Blues Bar, it advised using the pavement directly outside the bar, rather than the grass opposite.

Sharon said:

“There’s absolutely no reason for this, I don’t understand at all. On Monday, it’s meant to be a lovely day and we aren’t able to put the tables and chairs out. We can only get 20 people inside in a covid-friendly way – how are we going to make any money?

Mrs Colgan said she had heard other bars had been told they could keep their tables out on the grass throughout September and questioned why the Blues Bar was different.

Read more:

• More than 2,000 call for council to leave tables outside Harrogate bars
• Outdoor tables set to remain at Empress Bar

A spokesperson from Harrogate Borough Council said:

‘The location of the Empress public house does not make a pavement licence a practical solution. Therefore, we have worked hard to provide them with a temporary licence that allows them to use an area on the Stray and maintain social distancing. A positive outcome that the pub is happy with.

“The Blues Bar is fortunate that it does have a pavement licence and can use the space in front of its premises. Something they are already doing.

“This means we can ensure the grassed area remains in excellent condition for all to enjoy.”

The couple had initially been allowed to use outside space as part of a loosening of restrictions to help hospitality businesses cater safely for more customers. However, they were told last week that they had until yesterday to remove the outdoor furniture, after a letter from the council telling them that they can no longer use Stray land.

They called upon the council to reverse the decision, and gathered more than 3,000 signatures in a petition against it.

Yesterday, the council held a meeting with the owners and agreed to provide a temporary licence for the outside space at The Empress to enable social distancing. Four picnic benches and some bistro tables will be allowed on the Stray.

The couple were told at the time that Blues Bar was still under review, and today they received an email from the council denying permission for the tables to remain outside.

They have now been asked to remove them by Monday, and reminded that any chairs and tables left out over night should be removed from the grass while the bars are closed.

After six months of no school, pupils heading into sixth form seem keen to get back into the swing of things this week.

Having had no proper exams for their GCSEs, students in Harrogate told the Stray Ferret that, while they are nervous, they are just hoping to be able to get back to normal as they start their A-level years.

Year 12 student, St Aidan’s High School, Harrogate

Read more:

• Union concerns over disabled teachers returning to district’s schools
• Extra buses for safety as district’s pupils go back to school

We spoke to some of year 12s as they were going through the school gates to start their first day at St Aidan’s and St John Fisher Associated Sixth Form and, for some, they were starting a totally new school. One said:

“It’s very nerve-wracking but also very exciting to be able to have that structure back in your life. Years 12 and 13 will be separated and some teachers will be wearing PPE. I’m still nervous what will happen for my A-levels, but we just have to hope it’s all ok by then.”

Another added:

“This is my first ever day at St Aidan’s so I am nervous as I know it will be very different, but I am looking forward to meeting new people.”

Today was a big day, as many children across the district returned to school for the first time in six months.

The Stray Ferret has been outside the gates of St Aidan’s High School speaking to parents as they waved their children off for their first day back.

For children starting year 7, today is a particularly big milestone: the first day at high school, unfamiliar surroundings, new friends – and on top of this, having to get used to a strange ‘new normal’ with covid restrictions in place.

Ruth Dunn, Mum of a year 7 pupil at St Aidan’s.

Mary Buck, was one of those at the gates, saying goodbye to her daughter who was starting high school today.

“It makes it worse when she’s crying as it makes me cry. Normally her big sister would have been able to walk her in, but she wasn’t allowed with covic.

“My daughter has a medical issue, she doesn’t know her form tutor, she doesn’t know where she’s going. Normally they have a half-day and then a full day induction but they haven’t had this this year.

“The transition from primary to high school is a big change and they didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to all their primary friends.”

Read more:

• Union concerns over disabled teachers returning to district’s schools
• Extra buses for safety as district’s pupils go back to school

Despite the nerves and emotion felt among the pupils and parents, most expressed how important it is that they get back to school.

Another mum who was also dropping her child off for her first day at high school said:

“It couldn’t have gone on any longer – the children’s mental health was going to suffer. I feel very reassured by the school, It is my daughter’s first ever day at St Aidan’s but I know they have great processes in place.”

The headteacher at St Aidan’s, Chris Burt,  told the Stray Ferret that he recognises the significant step from primary school to secondary school:

“We have been delighted to welcome Year 7 into St Aidan’s for the first time today. Throughout the day. students will familiarise themselves with the building, meet their fellow students, meet their teachers and get a good feel for what a typical day will be like going forwards.

“The transition from primary to secondary school is a significant step for many students in normal circumstances; ever more so in the context that we are all working in at present and our staff and dedicated pastoral team are on hand to support them throughout.

“We are incredibly proud of how all of our students have coped over the last five months and we look forward to having everyone back in school tomorrow.”

A devolution deal is yet to be agreed but how do you want the future of North Yorkshire to look?

Harrogate people have mixed feelings on the subject of devolution and whether the district council should be scrapped.

The seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, want to see two councils for North Yorkshire: one for the east of the county and one for the west.

But North Yorkshire County Council would prefer a single unitary authority.

We canvassed views in Harrogate yesterday.

Devolution split opinions for people in Harrogate yesterday.

Lockdown led to a huge increase in demand for puppies. But as people start to return to work, there is concern that  ‘lockdown buyers’ will no longer have time to care for their new furry friends.

Karen Moss, who has fostered over 50 dogs for the Harrogate-based charity Miss Mollies Rescue, told the Stray Ferret she was concerned there could be an increase in owners returning adopted dogs. She said:

“There was definitely an increase in people wanting dogs during lockdown. People found they had more time on their hands and wanted to get out and about walking and found it the perfect opportunity to get a dog, which in most cases they have always wanted but working full-time was not ideal and never would be.

“There are rescue centres that are now having to take back dogs and puppies that people adopted during lockdown. We have been ok so far but when lockdown hit we had to close our charity shop, which impacted us financially so if we do get an increase in dogs it will be a worry.”

Karen Moss told us that she spends up to 18 months getting dogs ready to go to new homes.

“No dog is the same, I have to figure out how to get them to respond, some come quickly others take a lot of time. I have one dog at the moment that is now ready for a new home after 18 months… he couldn’t look at me when he first came, but now when someone comes to visit he will practically sit on their knee.”

Miss Mollies currently has a range of dogs looking for a new home for life. The Stray Ferret will be running a monthly ‘Lonely Pets’ page where you can find a wide variety of animals that are looking for a loving home.

A Harrogate chef says she has seen an increase in demand for cooking lessons after lockdown.

For over 3 months during lockdown, restaurants were either closed or offering limited services, so people spent more time cooking at home.

For some, it was a total disaster, yet for others, it was the start of new love affair with cooking.

Michaela Hanna, a freelance private chef from Harrogate has told the Stray Ferret that she has seen a rise in people wanting to improve their culinary skills, after feeling they were just eating the ‘same few dishes each week.’

‘ My go-to solution in lockdown was a meal delivery service, I created ‘meal of the day doorstep drop-offs.’ People often don’t know of the different foods out there and how easy it can be to tweak a dish to make it from a different country or slightly healthier etc. Now I am able to go out to people’s houses, there has been a lot of people who tried my drop off meals in lockdown and now want to learn how to do it themselves.’

Michaela Hanna, Fit Chef Harrogate.

The Stray Ferret went along to follow one of her cooking lessons.

James Tapster, who lives in Knaresborough connected with Michaela during lockdown trying many of her home delivery meals, and has since started having some lessons.

‘I have always had an interest in cooking but Michaela has really broadened my knowledge. We lead a busy life so it’s great to master some healthy, quick and tasty dishes that I can make and then use for a couple of days.’