The Harrogate district’s covid rate is now above 600 per 100,000 people as infections soar.

A further 125 cases have been confirmed in the district, according to latest government figures.

The district’s seven-day rate has climbed over the past week as the Omicron variant continues to spread across the UK.

The district’s average now stands at 644 infections per 100,000 people.

Read more:

• Harrogate and Ripon hospitals restrict visitors due to Omicron
• Pateley Bridge Christingle service is postponed

Across the county, the average stands at 562 and the England rate has soared to 1,006.

The figures comes as 119,789 cases were reported across the UK. The number is another record day for covid infections nationally.

Meanwhile, UK Health Security Agency figures show that a total of 99,081 booster and third vaccines have been given in the Harrogate district so far.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

Latest available figures show 13 covid patients are being treated at Harrogate District Hospital – an increase from eight last week.

Campaigners battling to save a historic Harrogate district pub from redevelopment have vowed to fight on despite suffering another significant setback.

The Henry Jenkins Inn at Kirkby Malzeard near Ripon dates back to the 18th century but has been closed for the last decade.

This has been much to the frustration of members of the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group who have raised £237,000 with hopes of running the pub as a community-owned venue.

They have made several attempts to buy the building and reinstate its protected status, all so far without success. Their latest setback came last month when Harrogate Borough Council rejected a third application for an Asset of Community Value (ACV) nomination.

Determined to continue their campaign, pub group chairman Richard Sadler said residents believe the case to reopen the Henry Jenkins is “stronger than ever” and that they are now planning their next move to submit a fourth ACV application.

He said: 

“The pandemic has taught us that community hubs – places where local people can meet up, socialise and make friends or do business – are more important than ever.

“Our legal advisers have scrutinised the official report justifying the council’s decision and found contradictions and inconsistencies.

“We can’t appeal against the decision but we’re entitled to reapply – and we believe there is a very strong case for doing so.

“It’s ridiculous that we have laws and planning policies to protect community facilities – yet the local authority that’s supposed to be helping us is still siding with a private developer.”

If approved, the ACV status would mean part of the pub is protected from a change of use or demolition and has to be considered for community bids.

But following the latest refusal, it will now remain in the ownership of developers who have planning permission to redevelop the pub which is steeped in history.

The Henry Jenkins pictured when it closed in 2011. Photo: Google.

The Henry Jenkins is one of the oldest inns in the Harrogate district and named after the Yorkshire super-centenarian that legend states lived to be 169-years-old.

The pub was first granted ACV status in 2017 but was then delisted by the council after it was partly sold to the developer.

Mr Salder said this decision made “no sense” and that the campaign group are now also considering making a request for the council to carry out a compulsory purchase order on the building.

He said: 

“It is within the council’s powers to restore the Asset of Community Value listing and if we can get the whole pub put back the ACV, that will put us in a much stronger position – because the owners will be forced to reconsider community bids.

“Our members have been helping support vulnerable people during the pandemic and several are working as volunteers at local vaccination centres.

“So we are already active in the community – but we have exciting plans to engage more supporters and increase our profile as we step up the campaign.”

Plans have been submitted to convert a former Harrogate working men’s club into apartments.

The National Reserve Club, East Parade, formally closed in July following an unanimous resolution from its members last year.

The organisation had been registered as a working men’s club since July 11, 1913, when it was known as the Harrogate Battalion National Reserve of the West Riding of York Club.

Now, documents submitted by ID Planning to Harrogate Borough Council propose converting the building into two apartments.

According to the proposals, a three bedroom and two bedroom apartment would be built.

Read more:

• Two Harrogate district village pubs to be turned into housing
• End of an era: Harrogate working men’s club folds after 108 years
• Plans to convert former Lower Dunsforth pub into flats

ID Planning, which has submitted the plan on behalf of Ashleigh and Caroline Wells, said in its plans that the scheme would help a viable use for the building.

It said:

“The proposed development offers an opportunity to secure a long-term, viable use for the building while delivering two dwellings in a highly sustainable, brownfield location.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Although the closure of the National Reserve Club represented the end of an era, the district is still served by working men’s clubs.

Clubs are registered with the Club and Institute Union, which represents more than 1,600 societies across the country.

According to the CIU website, nine clubs are affiliated with the union in the Harrogate district.

You can read an in-depth history on working men’s clubs in Harrogate written by historian Malcolm Ness for the Stray Ferret here.

The Harrogate district’s covid rate continues to climb on the day that the UK recorded 100,000 cases for the first time.

The district’s seven-day average has now increased to 597 infections per 100,000 people.

Across the county, the average stands at 525 and the England rate has soared to 953.

The figures comes as a record 106,122 covid cases were reported across the UK as Omicron infections continue to surge.

Meanwhile, UK Health Security Agency figures show that a total of 97,718 booster and third vaccines have been given in the Harrogate district so far.

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital restricts visitors due to Omicron variant
• Disabled Harrogate woman threatened with Christmas eviction from care home

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

Latest available figures show eight covid patients are being treated at Harrogate District Hospital.

Hospital bosses announced today that visiting on wards will be restricted from tomorrow (December 23) due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant.

Developers have lodged an appeal over a council decision to refuse 260 homes in Boroughbridge.

Barrat and David Wilson Homes already has outline approval as part of the first phase of a larger 450-home development at Stump Cross.

However, councillors rejected the scheme back in June over concerns that it “crammed as many houses in as possible” into an area.

One councillor, Cllr Nigel Simms, a Conservative who represents Masham and Kirkby Malzeard, described it as “like a sink development from Lancashire, not something that we should be having in North Yorkshire”.

Cllr Simms later apologised for any offence caused by his comment.

Now, developers have submitted an appeal over the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Read more:

• ‘Crammed’ housing plans for Boroughbridge rejected
• ‘Lancashire sink estate’ plans resubmitted in Boroughbridge

This proposal forms part of the first phase of housing at the Boroughbridge site.

Barratt and David Wilson Homes already have outline approval to build on the site and are seeking final permission. 

In documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the developers said:

“The development will respect Boroughbridge’s local character but also move the area towards a more sustainable future, through a significant increase in housing choice and mixed-use approach.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.

Pupils at Harrogate’s Ashville College have planted hundreds of trees in an effort to boost biodiversity on campus.

In partnership with the Woodlands Trust, pupils under the supervision of the independent school’s grounds team added 420 native British trees to the site.

The trees included a mixture of hazel, blackthorn, crab apple, dog rose and rowan and created a hedge running adjacent to one of its sports pitches and a public footpath.

Annual tree-plantings are among many initiatives led by the College’s dedicated Green Committee, which works hard to encourage pupils to think about how their actions can either harm or benefit the environment.

In the last two weeks of term, the Green Committee also ran a Fairtrade stall in the College’s Pre-Prep, Prep, and Senior Schools, where pupils were the vendors.

Cathy Price, Ashville College Green Committee lead, said: 

“The latest round of tree planting and the Fairtrade stall have come at the end of an extremely busy term for Green Committee members.

“Climate change and the environment have been on everyone’s radar, and this is going to continue. By making even small changes to our daily routines, collectively we make a big difference to the environment in which we live, work and go to school.”

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• Academy status could lead to investment in Harrogate school, says head

The trees planted are in addition to 500 native trees that were planted last November to enhance existing hedges or establish new ones to the southwest edge of the 64-acre campus.

The Woodland Trust has provided all the trees as part of its Big Climate Fightback campaign, which has so far seen more than 1.8 million trees planted by schools, community groups and businesses around the UK.

As the saplings grow, they will provide a habitat and movement corridors for wildlife and produce pollen, nectar, nuts, fruit and berries for insects, birds and small mammals.

The seven-day covid rate of infection in the Harrogate district continues to climb as a further 190 cases have been reported.

The district’s average has now increased to 555 infections per 100,000 people.

Across the county, the average stands at 497 and the England rate has soared to 898.

Today’s figures also reveal more than 95,000 booster and third vaccines have been administered in the district.

Read more:

• Harrogate hotel suffers £100,000 cancellations due to Omicron
• Covid rate surges in Harrogate district as jab clinics open for children

UK Health Security Agency figures show that a total of 95,631 booster and third vaccines have been given so far.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

Latest available figures show eight covid patients are being treated at Harrogate District Hospital.

Groups across the Harrogate district are encouraged to apply for grants of up to £4,000 to support local charities and community groups.

Bettys and Taylors Coronavirus Community Fund aims to help organisations which are finding it hard to fund running costs due to the covid pandemic.

The grants are open to a range of groups, including voluntary groups, registered charities, co-operatives, social enterprises and community interest companies.

Examples of areas which the fund can help is rental, heating and lighting costs.

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The fund, which is operated by Two Ridings Community Foundation, is focused on supporting those organisations which support health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities and loneliness.

Bettys said on its website:

“It is recognised that one of the most difficult things for many small charities and community groups is finding funding for the ‘business as usual’ every day running costs from heating and lighting to staffing and rent.

“This has become especially difficult at a time when the fundraising activities that would usually support these costs has been dramatically reduced and with much uncertainty around when it might be able to resume.”

Those successful could receive grants of between £500 and £5,000. Grants are available to groups across Yorkshire.

Applications close on 14 March, 2022.

For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit the Two Ridings Community Foundation website here.

A company has been awarded a £106,000 contract to resurface Ripon’s biggest car park.

The Cathedral car park, on Victoria Grove, has 193 bays and sits in the view of the city’s cathedral.

A.E. Duffield & Sons Ltd, which is based in Ripon, will take on the work as part of a Harrogate Borough Council contract valued at £106,512.47.

The council said in its contract notice that the site has become worn and hazardous to members of the public.

It said:

“Over the years the current surface of the car park has become pot-holed, with large areas of loose tarmac resulting in trip hazards to members of the public, and claims for vehicle damage.”

Read more:

• Call for wider parking bays in Ripon to cater for larger cars
• Ripon’s biggest car park set for three-week resurfacing

The contract is for a complete resurfacing of the car park, and to increase the number of parking spaces to 206, along with 10 disabled bays.

The council will also require the contractors to undertake trunking and ductwork in preparation for the installation of electric vehicle charging points.

A separate contract will be procured to install the charging points.

The work is due to start on January 17 and end on February 11, according to the company.

There have been calls by Ripon city councillors for the bays in the car park to be made wider.

North Yorkshire County Council officials have warned that it faces “enormous financial pressures” despite receiving £10 million in additional funding from government.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, announced that the authority will be granted £26 million in grants for the coming year.

Council officials said the funding was more than forecast due to an increase in funding from the government.

The fund includes core spending grants and funding for adult social care.

However, county council bosses have warned that the authority will still have to find £19 million in savings.

The funding includes:

• £1.6 million for new homes bonus
• £20 million social care grant
• £4.7 million for core spending

Ministers said the settlement reflected the extra pressures on local councils, particularly in social care and the covid pandemic.

But Cllr Gareth Dadd, executive county councillor for finance, said the money would already be “accounted for” at this “turbulent time”.

He said:

“The additional money is very welcome. However, this continues to be a turbulent time. We remain in the midst of the pandemic and are responding to the increased pressures this puts on the county’s communities and economy, as well as our own resources.

“At the same time, long-term challenges continue to grow, as we deal with massive pressures in the social care markets and unprecedented levels of inflation and national insurance contributions. This means that as welcome as the extra money is, it is already more than accounted for.”

The move comes as the county council is consulting residents in North Yorkshire on its upcoming budget.

The authority will have the means to be able to hike council tax by up to 4.5% this year, under government rules.

Those in a band D property in North Yorkshire currently pay £1,411.05 in the county council’s share of council tax.

Read more:

• £1.5m spent on unapproved plans for Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment
• County council leader reveals he was held hostage by distressed constituent

Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said reform was needed on funding for rural authorities as residents “already pay too much council tax”.

He said:

“Putting up council tax is never an easy option for this authority. We have always striven to be moderate in our increases.

“In considering the level of council tax, we must understand and balance the hardship families are currently facing and the added pressure a council tax increase may bring with the need to fund essential services to support the most vulnerable in our communities through this critical period.

“We continue to feel that residents in North Yorkshire pay too much council tax, particularly in comparison to London, and urge the Government to press on with funding reform to create a fairer solution for rural counties.”

The county council is expected to outline its budget plan, including council tax, in the new year.