Harrogate BID launches new town centre app to help businesses

Harrogate BID has launched a new app in an effort to help town centre businesses increase footfall and sales.

The app comes in partnership with LoyalFree, which has partnered up with the BID from today.

Harrogate is the thirty-first town in the UK to adopt the digital platform, which provides information for locals and visitors alike such as a local guide, exclusive deals and loyalty schemes, fun local events and interesting trails.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, told the Stray Ferret previously that the idea behind the app was to “showcase the best in town”.

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BID levy payers will benefit from advertising opportunities, customer insights and social media support from the app. Businesses already signed up include Cafe M, The Crown Hotel and Nutrition Joe’s Urban Cafe

Mr Chapman said he knows “first-hand” the benefits of using an app for businesses.

He said: 

“From my previous role with Huddersfield BID, which introduced LoyalFree more than a year ago, I know first-hand the benefits it can help deliver.

“The LoyalFree app now provides Harrogate town centre with a great digital platform to showcase all the amazing businesses here. There is so much on offer in the town, and we hope it will encourage more people to support our local high street.

“Even before our launch, a number of businesses have already signed up to the LoyalFree, which is really encouraging news.”

Sophie Hainsworth, co-founder of LoyalFree, said: 

‘‘We are delighted to be working with Harrogate BID. 

“It’s more vital than ever for digital solutions to support the high street experience, and we hope businesses take advantage of everything the app has to offer.”

The LoyalFree app can be downloaded for free here or by searching ‘LoyalFree’ on the iOS and Google play store.

Richard Osman coming to Harrogate for Theakston Crime Writing Festival 2021

Richard Osman, Mick Herron and Elly Griffiths are among the novelists who will appear at this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Hosted by programming chair, Ian Rankin, the event will return to Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from July 22 to July 25.

Making an appearance at this year’s festival will be Richard Osman, presenter of the TV show Pointless and author of The Thursday Murder Club and espionage expert Mick Herron, author of the Slough House series.

Elly Griffiths, Ann Cleeves and Mark Billingham will also be special guests, as well as queen of crime Val McDermid.

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Ian Rankin, best-selling Rebus author, said: ‘

“After a year of once-in-a-lifetime challenges, I couldn’t be more excited to stage this celebration of all things crime! With the announcement of our special guests, the countdown is officially on to this year’s festival and I’m looking forward to unveiling what else we have in store.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of event organiser Harrogate International Festivals, said: 

“The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is a lynch-pin in the publishing calendar – an annual pilgrimage for crime fiction aficionados – and we are thrilled to reveal the first taste of this year’s unmissable programme. 

“Harrogate International Festivals has long pioneered innovative and unique cultural experiences, and over the course of the past year we have shown great flexibility and creativity to continue with this mission.”

The festival will include four days of talks and panels from crime writing specialists, including the queens of domestic noir Clare Mackintosh and CL Taylor in conversation.

Weekend packages for the festival will go on sale on Monday. 

For more information on the event and details of covid government regulations visit http://www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/.

More than 180,000 covid vaccinations given in Harrogate district

More than 180,000 covid vaccinations have been given in the Harrogate district so far.

A total of 107,899 people have received a first dose and 73,644 have had second doses, according to Public Health England figures.

It means 181,543 vaccinations have been given in total.

Meanwhile, seven further covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district today.

According to Public Health England figures, it takes the total number of cases since last March to 7,788.

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The daily number of cases reported is based on PCR and lateral flow tests returning positive results.

However, if someone with a positive lateral flow test later has a negative result with a PCR test, the earlier result will be removed.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

According to NHS England figures, the most recent death of a patient who tested positive for covid was recorded on April 11.

It means the death toll at the hospital since last March remains at 179.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate stands at 21 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 17 and the England rate is 34.

Lidl submits plan for new Ripon store

German supermarket chain Lidl has submitted plans for a new supermarket in Ripon.

The company has tabled the proposal for St Michael’s Retail Park in the city following an online consultation.

Lidl has planned for a 1,100 square metre store, which it says will create up to 40 new full time and part time jobs.

The company announced its intention to expand into the city last year and earmarked the £10 million retail park as its preferred location.

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Now, plans for the supermarket have been lodged to Harrogate Borough Council which will make a decision on the development at a later date.

A spokesperson from Lidl GB said:

“Many people have welcomed the proposed Lidl store, which would bring competition, increasing choice and providing a boost to the local economy through job creation. 

“Many also mentioned that a store on this site would reduce the need to travel out of the city to shop and therefore keep expenditure in Ripon. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their support so far and we look forward to further sharing and discussing our plans with them.”

The plan for Ripon comes as Lidl has also tabled a proposal for its first Harrogate store on the on the site of the former Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road.

 

Questions raised over timing of Harrogate council’s UCI review

Questions have been raised over why Harrogate Borough Council has decided to hold a review on the UCI Road World Championships two years after the event.

The authority has launched a public survey of the competition, which was held in Harrogate back in September 2019.

The council’s overview and scrutiny committee set up the review to build on “its successes and identifying any areas for improvement to inform the organisation of future events”.

But both residents and businesses groups have said the council should listen to those who were directly affected by the nine-day event and raised questions over why the review is being held now.

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Anna McIntee, of Harrogate Residents’ Association, said the town was “exhausted” by the competition and traders let their feelings known at the time.

She added that she could not understand why a review was being held two years after the event.

Ms McIntee said:

“I do not really understand why it is two years on. It had such a large effect, businesses lost money.

“I just feel that they had a response from businesses at the event. So what has changed two years on?”

At the time, the event proved controversial due to road closures and £130,000 worth of damage to the West Park Stray.

It received a hostile reception from many local traders, who said they did not feel the benefits of the event coming to town, particularly as it led to many road closures that deterred people from coming into Harrogate.

David Simister, who has been named as the new chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce.

David Simister (left), chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce.

But a council-commissioned report by Ernst and Young claimed the championships brought in an estimated £17.8 million boost to the district economy.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said the event was a disaster for businesses and that the council should listen to those trader directly affected by it.

He said:

“For many town centre businesses, and in particular retailers, the UCI was a total disaster, and came at a heavy cost.

“The chamber held a meeting directly after the event and feelings were running very high. Two years on, and the same sentiments still stand.

“Because of the daily road closures, residents and visitors avoided the town centre. The ideal location for an event of this size, which caused so much disruption, should have been the Great Yorkshire Showground, with buses laid on to take spectators to and from the site.”

“The council says the aim of this review is to build on its successes and identify any areas for improvement to inform the organisation of future events. What it needs to do is to listen to those businesses who will be directly affected as a result.”

Meanwhile, Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate BID, said the UCI was “untenable” and the focus in future should be to bring smaller events to the town.

She said:

“While the Tour de France was hailed as great success, sadly the same could not be said of the UCI, and I have great sympathy for those businesses who lost money.

“It was a coup for Harrogate to host it – and the races were watched by cycling fans around the world – having the town centre closed for 15 days was simply untenable. Because of the disruption, people just stayed away from town, and this was evident, day after day, by the empty streets.

“The focus should be on attracting a wide range of smaller events to the town on a regular basis, which bring people in, which I know businesses would welcome.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“The overview and scrutiny commission has decided to look at the UCI Road World Championships with the aim of building on its successes and identifying any areas for improvement to help inform the organisation of future events.

“Following the consultation the task and finish group of the overview and scrutiny commission will produce a report.”

Those wishing to give their views have until June 16 to complete the survey.

Mixed reaction to proposed Harrogate wheelchair taxi licence changes

Plans to tackle a decline in disabled-friendly travel in the Harrogate district by introducing an unlimited number of taxi licences have been met with a mixed reaction from local cabbies and campaigners.

Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing committee will next Wednesday be asked to remove a limit on licences and make all new plates available only to wheelchair accessible vehicles after complaints that disabled people have been “cut off from society” because of a lack of travel options.

The move has been welcomed by campaigners who hope it will put an end to “the inequality that the current system imposes”.

But cabbies have warned unlimited licences would lead to “deregulation” in the taxi trade.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said the charity has long campaigned for a solution to the problem which has caused “social isolation and frustration” for disabled people.

She said: 

“While in recent years many of our cities and towns have increased their numbers of wheelchair accessible vehicles, the exact opposite has been occurring across the Harrogate district.

“This is despite an increasing demand, which sadly has led to a real problem for local disabled people.

“Disabled people go to work, have medical appointments and go shopping just the same as non-disabled people, but with the difference being that many are reliant on others for their transport.

“The impact of not being able to get a taxi on the same basis as a non-disabled person should not be under-estimated.”

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But Richard Fieldman, who runs A1 Cars of Ripon and Harrogate, said going through with the proposal would be a “big mistake” as more licences would mean the supply of taxis would outstrip demand.

He said: 

“I’m rather surprised they want to introduce an unlimited number of licences – it will have a massive impact on the trade because it will mean every man and his dog can get one.

“This isn’t about throwing a load of plates out there, this is about what is fair to the existing trade which has planned a lot of money and time into this.”

No increase in licenses for 30 years

Harrogate Borough Council has restricted the number of taxi licences to 148 for about 30 years, which in effect has meant the only way to acquire a licence is to buy an existing vehicle from someone.

In September last year, the licensing committee agreed to double the number of licences designated for wheelchair-accessible taxis from 11 to 23 after a study concluded disabled people were suffering from a “great deal of anxiety” over worries they could not get around.

However, the council has since run into difficulties over creating a “fair and lawful” system to distribute just 12 additional licences.

Dean Richardson, head of safer communities at the council, said in a report to Wednesday’s meeting: 

“It became apparent to officers that it would not be straightforward to design a fair allocation system which would not be susceptible to legal challenge by disappointed applicants.

“In the Harrogate district, wheelchair users have been facing increasing difficulty obtaining wheelchair-accessible licensed vehicles’ services.

“Wheelchair accessible vehicles are vital in allowing users to access essential services and for them to live their lives as anyone else would.”

The recommendation to committee members next Wednesday is to remove the limit on licences with all future licences to be designated as wheelchair accessible vehicles plates.

If approved, the changes would be reviewed within five years.

Man died in Harrogate swallowing suspected drugs he was hiding from police

A man died in Harrogate after swallowing a suspected package of drugs that he was hiding from North Yorkshire Police officers.

According to an Independent Office for Police Conduct report, on February 23, 2019, officers from the county lines drugs team saw the unnamed man who they suspected was involved in supplying controlled drugs.

After they stopped him, he immediately swallowed what was believed to be a package of drugs.

Officers and paramedics tried to help after the man started to choke and managed to dislodge the package from his throat.

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He was transported to Harrogate District Hospital where he received medical treatment, but died.

The report, published last week, added:

“Our investigation concluded there was no indication the officers may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence. 

“The officers were treated as witnesses and cooperated fully with this investigation. The evidence also suggested that all reasonable attempts were made to provide the man with medical assistance at the scene. The officers continued this work until paramedics arrived. 

“Their actions in this regard demonstrated a commendable degree of diligence and professionalism.”

The IOPC said the investigation was completed in September 2019, but was published following the outcome of an inquest in March this year.

The inquest reached a conclusion of accidental death.

Revealed: Somerset company’s Harrogate leisure contract worth £2 million

Harrogate Borough Council awarded a Somerset company a contract worth £2 million to develop plans to build a new Knaresborough leisure centre and refurbish Harrogate Hydro.

Alliance Leisure was formally chosen for the contract in November last year and appointed development manager for the £26 million projects.

The Stray Ferret asked the authority the value of the contract, which was awarded without competitive tender, but did not receive a response.

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Now, details on a local authority contract register have revealed that the contract is worth £2,107,161 and will last for 11 months.

The value is broken down into £873,783.50 for the Harrogate Hydro and £1,233,377.50 for the new Knaresborough leisure centre site.

Jim Anderson, who runs Ripon recycling firm K A Anderson, told the Stray Ferret in November he was “utterly dismayed” that the authority had given the contract to the Somerset firm.

He said:

“You see plenty of business struggling in Harrogate now.

“I just think there are lots of good local firms that could do the work. I think whatever the work, it should be given to them especially now.”

Council bosses plan to build the new Knaresborough centre on the existing leisure centre site.

The authority has started to draw up designs for the new facility after a consultation revealed that 80% of respondents supported the site.

But residents criticised the consultation and have since launched a campaign to save a local playing field next to the development from being built on.

Harrogate district records highest daily covid infections for two months

Nine covid infections have been reported in the Harrogate district today — the highest daily number for more than two months.

Today’s figure, by Public Health England, ts the highest since March 23 when 12 were reported.

It takes the total number of cases in the district since last March to 7,781.

The daily number of cases reported is based on PCR and lateral flow tests returning positive results.

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However, if someone with a positive lateral flow test later has a negative result with a PCR test, the earlier result is removed.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

According to NHS England figures, the most recent death of a patient who tested positive for covid was recorded on April 11.

It means the covid death toll at the hospital since last March remains at 179.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate stands at 17 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 14 and the England rate is 32.

Covid infections ‘creeping up’, say North Yorkshire health officials

Health officials say there are early signs covid infection levels are “creeping up” in North Yorkshire, although rates remain low, ahead of the key decision on whether to end all restrictions on June 21.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, told a briefing today that the county was “giving every inch of its fibre” to fully unlock on that date but a small rise in cases needed to be brought “under control”.

Harrogate, Scarborough, Hambleton and Craven all saw a slight increase in weekly infection rates at the end of May, while Richmondshire and Selby recorded a decline and Ryedale remained without a single case.

Meanwhile, the number of people hospitalised with covid across the county remains low at 10, while more than 494,000 people have now received their first vaccine and 339,000 their second.

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Speaking at today’s North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum briefing, Mr Webb said:

“We are unfortunately seeing some creeping up of the figures nationally and locally. The overall average position across North Yorkshire is 14 cases per 100,000 – that has crept up slightly as has the England average of 32.

“We need to get this under control and manageable going forward so that we can unlock further on June 21.

“The decision is in the hands of the national politicians and they have very clearly said they are going to look at data which comes through in the next fortnight.

“But we can have real confidence in vaccinations – there are very high levels of take up in North Yorkshire and we want everyone possible to have those two doses as that is our best defence against current and previous variants of this virus.”

Indian variant

Today’s briefing also heard how the so-called Indian variant of covid, now known as Delta, was still in “small numbers” in North Yorkshire and had not become the dominant strain unlike some areas of the country.

Areas including Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford have seen a large spike in cases of the more transmissible variant which has led to some concerns that there could be a delay to the end of all lockdown restrictions set to be decided by ministers on 14 June.

With this recent rise in cases, the next week or two will be crucial in seeing whether and by how much it pushes up the numbers of hospital admissions and deaths.

The difference this time – compared with previous waves – is the vaccine, which should be breaking the link between infection and illness.

Mr Webb added:

“The big game changer here is the vaccination rollout which has been so successful, but we have seen flare-ups in other parts of the country and we still need to be a bit cautious.

“I have talked before about living with covid – we are going to have to adjust as a society to having these flare-ups.

“Hands, face, space and fresh air – they are all really important. If we continue to do that and get our vaccines then these are the best things we can do to stop the spread of this virus.”

The latest Public Health England data shows Scarborough had an infection rate of 24 cases per 100,000 people on May 29, while the figure for Harrogate stood at 17, Craven 16, Selby 13, Hambleton 13, Richmondshire 4 and Ryedale 0.