Yorkshire Agricultural Society pays tribute to Duke of Edinburgh

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society which runs the Great Yorkshire Show has paid tribute to Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, and said he played an “integral part” in the  society’s heritage.

A statement from Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Philip “passed away peacefully this morning” at Windsor Castle, aged 99.

The Duke of Edinburgh first paid a visit to the show in 1977 and attended the show on its landmark 150th anniversary in 2008.

He visited the show on the third and final day along with Her Majesty the Queen to meet exhibitors and inspect livestock.

The Queen was patron of Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which organised the show, from 1952 to 1997.

Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said the Royal Family have been an “integral part” of the society’s heritage and paid tribute to Prince Philip.

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Mr Pulling said:

“It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society sends its sincere condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time.

“The Royal Family and Her Majesty The Queen have been an integral part of the Society’s heritage since it first formed in 1837 and on two occasions, in 1977 and 2008, we were honoured to welcome HRH Prince Philip along with Her Majesty The Queen to the Great Yorkshire Show.”

As part of his engagements with the Queen, Prince Philip often visited North Yorkshire to lend his support to various initiatives and events.

In May 2010, he opened the Scarborough Open Air Theatre and supported military events across the county.

The Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire described Prince Philip as a “hugely charismatic man, who was much loved and respected by so many”.

Tribute have also been paid by politicians, organisations and the Dean of Ripon Cathedral this afternoon.

Harrogate hospital goes 10 days without a covid death

Harrogate District Hospital has gone 10 days without reporting a death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

The last time it recorded a death was March 29, according to NHS England data.

Currently, the number of covid-positive patients who have died at the hospital since last March stands at 178.

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Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate stands at 14 cases per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 25 and the England rate is 29.

Due to a change in the way Public Health England reports cases of covid, the daily cases for April 9 has been left out.

A post on the Public Health England website said of the change:

“Newly reported cases at regional and local authority level within England are calculated as the daily change in the total number of cases.

“This means that for 9 April 2021, these show significantly lower numbers or zero, and should not be considered as the actual number of new cases reported on that date.”

Fire crews tackle house fire in North Rigton

Fire crews were called out to tackle a house fire in North Rigton this morning.

Firefighters were called to the property on Church Hill just before 7am. Two crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough tackled the blaze.

Tony Peel, station manager at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said crews found the ground floor of the house on fire.

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He said:

“Two crews were mobilised from Harrogate and Knaresborough.

“On arrival they found the ground floor of a semi-detached property well alight. Everybody was out of the property at the time.

“Crews deployed into the property have extinguished the fire.”

An investigation into the fire is ongoing.

90,000 receive covid vaccine in Harrogate as first doses drop

More than 90,000 people in the Harrogate district have received a covid vaccine but the number of first doses dropped dramatically last week due to supply shortages.

According to NHS England figures, a total of 93,618 people in the district have had a first jab.

The number is an increase of 1,325 on last week, which is down on the previous weekly increase of 10,175.

Last month, NHS officials wrote to GPs across the country and warned there would be a “significant reduction in weekly supply” from March 29.

No first doses of vaccines are being offered to the under-50s at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate this month.

The total number of first vaccines in the district includes:

The data also shows North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group has given 245,899 first doses and 38,899 second doses so far.

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Last week, Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire CCG, said it would focus on as “maximum coverage as possible” for those who have not been vaccinated in the first nine priority groups.

Meanwhile, no covid deaths have been recorded at Harrogate District Hospital since March 29.

The death toll at the hospital remains at 178 since the start of the pandemic.

Just five cases of covid have been confirmed in the district in the last 24 hours, according to Public Health England.

It takes the total number of cases since March last year to 7,608.

The district’s seven-day covid rate has increased slightly to 12 infections per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate stands at 26 and the England average is 30.

Tockwith Show cancelled due to covid uncertainty

The organisers of Tockwith Show have cancelled this year’s event due to “continuing uncertainty” about the impact of covid.

This year’s show, which was scheduled for August, was due to be the 75th since it was first staged in 1945.

However, Tockwith and District Agricultural Society’s committee said there were “too many question marks” over what would be allowed and how to ensure public safety in order to make this year’s event viable.

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Michelle Lee, the show’s president, said the committee did not want to hold an event that did not match up to the quality of previous years.

She said:

“The simple problem is we just don’t know what is going to be happening in August, whether there will be any restrictions still in force and what we would be required to do as the show organisers to meet any future guidelines.

“It would be great if we could leave it until July and then make a decision, but the reality of organising one of the biggest agricultural shows in Yorkshire is that the preparation needs to begin months ahead of the event, and we are already well past the time when decisions need to have been taken.”

Organisers still hope to hold the annual bonfire and fireworks night will still be held at the showfield in November.

Ms Lee added:

“It’s tempting to say by November everything will be back to some form of normality but, again, without a crystal ball we just don’t know.”

Ripley Show has also been cancelled due to the pandemic.

The organisers of Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally also postponed their event as there were “still too many uncertainties to proceed”.

The Great Yorkshire Show is still planned to go ahead this year and will be held over four days for the first time in its history.

Birstwith Show is also scheduled to take place on July 31.

Coneythorpe pub devastated by fire plans August reopening

A Coneythorpe pub devastated by fire a month before Christmas looks set to reopen in summer.

Fire crews battled for six hours to control the blaze at the Tiger Inn in November.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said the cause was believed to be accidental and broke out in the pub’s kitchen, which had only been fitted the previous January.

Neighbours said they were devastated by the fire and described the pub as a pillar of the community.

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Now, the owners of the Tiger Inn have said they are eyeing an August reopening and confirmed that repair works are underway.

Firefighters tackle the blaze at the Tiger Inn, Coneythorpe, back in November.

Firefighters tackle the blaze at the Tiger Inn, Coneythorpe, back in November.

A post on the Tiger Inn Facebook page said:

“The covid pandemic has been difficult for everyone and to have a serious fire on top of it was the icing on the cake so to speak.

“However we now have some excellent news for you all. We have finally got the go ahead from our insurance company and re-building works have started.

“Our anticipated re-opening will be early August when Team Tiger will be ready and waiting to welcome you all back in.

“We will try and keep you updated with progress as we go along but in the meantime stay safe.”

Harrogate McDonald’s applies for outdoor tables and chairs

McDonald’s in Harrogate has applied for outdoor seating and tables ahead of hospitality reopening on Monday.

The restaurant on Cambridge Road wants to place seven tables and 28 chairs, plus parasols, outside its premises.

An application for the licence has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council and a consultation period on the proposal will end on Tuesday.

McDonald’s franchises across the country have applied for similar licences to allow customers to sit outside.

Yesterday, Scarborough Borough Council approved a similar proposal submitted by the restaurant for premises in Huntriss Row, Scarborough.

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From Monday, bars and restaurants will be able to serve customers outside as part of further easing of lockdown restrictions.

Several Harrogate bars and cafes have applied to serve customers on pavements outside their venues when they re-open on April 12.

Gron Kafe, Hidden Bar Harrogate and Cold Bath Brewing Co are among those to have applied to the council for pavement licences.

Government legislation last year made it easier to get pavement licences, as part of moves to stimulate the economy after covid.

Planning permission is temporarily waived for the licences and the process is sped up to limit the waiting times for those applying.

HG1 Radio’s future under review after sister station closes

The future of HG1 Radio in Harrogate is being reviewed after a sister radio station closed.

YO1 Enterprises closed West Yorkshire Radio days ago because it said it was “unsustainable in the short term”.

Now the company, which operates HG1 Radio and York station YO1 Radio, has said it is evaluating all its projects.

The York-based company issued a statement today detailing recent managerial changes.

According to Companies House, Chris Marsden, Simon Lloyd and Paul Atkinson all resigned as directors on March 22.

Today’s statement says Mr Marsden remains as programme controller.

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It also reveals Wayne Chadwick has taken over as managing director of the group and Dave Parker has been appointed operations director.

Mr Chadwick said:

“It is early days yet – and we are just starting to evaluate all of the projects the company has been involved with, including HG1 Radio. 

“We’ve not made any decisions yet – other than the closure of West Yorkshire Radio, which we felt was unsustainable in the short term.

“The changes bring with them a substantial level of investment and we have to ensure that this investment is put to the best use – and in particular is used to support our core operations in North Yorkshire.

“We remain very grateful to listeners and supporters of HG1 Radio, which is continuing to broadcast online.”

West Yorkshire Radio was launched to fill the gap left by Radio Aire and Pulse 2.

Chris Johnson, one of the presenters on West Yorkshire Radio, posted a statement on Twitter last week after YO1 Enterprises decided to go ahead with non-presenter programming.

He said presenters had decided to “terminate their involvement in the station”, which had been run on an “entirely voluntary basis” until that point.

Senior Harrogate council officer who left suddenly paid £55,000

A senior Harrogate Borough Council officer who was responsible for the authority’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and left suddenly during the first lockdown was paid £55,065.

Paul Campbell, who was director of community for three and a half years, was paid the sum as part of a compensation for loss of office, according to the authority’s latest statement of accounts.

Mr Campbell’s departure came just days after the first national lockdown was announced. As part of his role, he was the authority’s gold commander for emergency planning which would have included responding to the pandemic.

According to the statement of accounts, £20,650 was included in the sum as a payment in lieu of notice. The director of community has an annual salary of £89,727.

The document also said the role of director of community was vacant from March 29. The council has since not replaced Mr Campbell.

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The Stray Ferret asked the borough council what the circumstances were around his departure, how it arrived at the payment sum and how his leaving impacted on the council’s covid response.

A spokeswoman for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“We don’t comment on HR issues relating to individual members of staff.

“The director of community role responsibilities are being shared by the other directors. The director of community’s departure had no effect on the council’s response to the pandemic.”

While no explanation has been given for Mr Campbell’s departure, a source who worked closely with him told the Stray Ferret at the time:

“After three and a half years Paul had seen so many budget cuts and cost saving reviews of waste services, the street cleaning service and the parks service, that I think he was planning to move on.

“I think he delayed it because he had the opportunity to work on the UCI championships and to establish the council’s housing company and push up the level of affordable housing.”

Mr Campbell’s role included overseeing a range of council services range including housing, parks, waste and health and safety.

He was also lead director for the UCI World Cycling Championships, which cost the council more than £600,000 and saw global audiences of more than 300 million. However, it left many town retailers unhappy and caused damage to the West Park Stray – which later cost the council £130,000 to restore.

County council to buy Cardale Park site for care facility

North Yorkshire County Council is in talks to buy land previously earmarked for a mental health facility at Cardale Park, Harrogate.

The council confirmed it has set money aside to purchase land at the site, which is owned by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

The land had previously been given approval for a 36-bed mental health facility, following the closure of Harrogate District Hospital’s Briary Unit, which helped adults with mental illness.

However, those plans were dropped in 2019 and inpatients on the unit were sent to Foss Park Hospital in York instead.

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Dale Owens, assistant director for commissioning and quality at the county council, said:

“We have agreed that funding set aside for extra care will be used to purchase land at Cardale Park to assist with social care market development in the Harrogate area.

“Different options will be considered before detailed plans are brought forward. A separate report will be brought to the executive in due course seeking approval for any final plans.

“Discussions are ongoing about the purchase and further details will also be brought to the executive.”

Cllr Jim Clark, a Conservative councillor who sits on the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel to represent North Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret he was pleased the site was going to be used.

He said:

“It is important that this site is used for the benefit of local people.

“I would have preferred it to be a mental health facility, but I am glad that it is going to be used for assisted housing for people instead.”

The trust, which runs mental health services in Harrogate, has relocated services following the closure of the Briary Wing.

The unit’s mental health crisis team moved to The Orchards in Ripon last year.

Despite assurances that the move was not a “long term solution”, the trust has yet to find a new base for the service.