Another person has died of coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital, it was revealed today.

According to NHS England, a patient who tested positive for coronavirus passed away on November 5.

It means the total number of covid deaths reported at the hospital is now 90.

A further 61 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the Harrogate district today by Public Health England.

It takes the district’s total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 2,971.

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital coping well with covid, says chief executive
• Covid R number rises to 1.6 in Harrogate district

Meanwhile, the seven-day case rate for the district stands at 279 per 100,000 people, which is still above the national average of 241.

Four of the North Yorkshire’s seven district and borough council areas — Scarborough, Harrogate, Selby and Hambleton — now have higher rates of infection than the England average.

Remembrance Sunday is going to look very different in the Harrogate district this morning.

The pandemic has seen the Harrogate remembrance parades at the town’s war memorial cancelled, with people encouraged to to stay at home.

Instead, those who wish to pay their respects have been urged to stand on their doorsteps for a two minutes silence at 11am.

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A service will be held at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Harrogate.

The Stonefall event will be a much smaller scale event due to the pandemic, with only a handful of people taking part.

Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club said a few of its members will lay wreaths on behalf of the Royal British Legion, politicians and local service groups.

Knaresborough pays its respects on Remembrance Sunday in 2019. Picture: Charlotte Gale.

Meanwhile, David Houlgate, from the Knaresborough branch of the Royal British Legion, asked that people commemorate the occasion from home.

He said:

“Unfortunately we can’t do anything this weekend due to covid-19.  So there will be no parade, no service and no official wreath laying.

“The Knaresborough Branch of the Royal British Legion is asking townsfolk to stay at home in order to protect themselves and those closest to them.

“They can attend the remembrance service in Whitehall via TV, remembering that this year is the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of both the Cenotaph and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

“At 11am, we ask that people please stand on their front door step, for a two minutes silence and remember.

“If people and organisations wish to lay  wreaths, individually, at some time later, please do on either Remembrance Sunday afternoon or on Armistice Day on the 11th.

“I’m sure that our fallen would understand the reasons behind these actions, in view of this terrible pandemic.”

In Ripon, a dedication ceremony was held in the city’s Garden of Remembrance last Sunday ahead of the national lockdown coming into force.

Numbers in attendance were kept to a minimum and social distancing measures were in place, as the Dean of Ripon, The Very Revd John Dobson, blessed the garden and led prayers.

Nationally, a small ceremony will be held at the London Cenotaph. People have been encouraged to watch it on TV at home to pay their respects.

A Harrogate pub has won the CAMRA pub of the year award after just one year of opening.

The Disappearing Chin, Beaulah Street, has been awarded the prize for the Harrogate and Ripon district.

Owners Hannah and Jack Woodruff opened the pub in April 2019 and say they pride themselves on their loyal customers and good beers.

The Campaign for Real Ale award looks to recognise those pubs which serve quality beer and are “worth seeking out and visiting”

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But this year has seen pubs fall on hard times due to the coronavirus pandemic, with 10pm curfews and closures during two national lockdowns.

Hannah said the award was a ray of light during dark times for the pub.

She said:

“It has been really positive for us.

“For us to be recognised that we are serving good beer, that is really important to us. We never thought that we would get it in our first year.”

Like other pubs in the district, the Disappearing Chin had to make alterations in order to be covid secure and keep customers safe.

A screen had been put up along the bar so punters can still chat with the bar staff and space was created both inside and outside.

The pub was hoping to celebrate its first birthday this year, but the celebrations fell victim to the first national lockdown.

Hannah and Jack had specially brewed beers from the north east prepared, as well as a cake.

Instead, the occasion was commemorated with a Zoom call amongst the pub’s regulars. Hannah said it was a “real boost to morale”.

Now, Hannah is looking forward to when restrictions are relaxed and pubs can return to normal.

She said:

“I’m looking forward to taking a mallet to that screen on the bar.

“I cannot wait for the point when we can get back to normal and get more people in.”

Latest Public Health England figures show a further 46 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the district in the last 24 hours.

It takes the total amount of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 2,765.

Yesterday, the district reported its record daily case increase with 96 positive tests confirmed.

The seven day case rate in the district has increased to 269 per 100,000 people and remains above the national average.

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Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital has reported another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

The death was reported on November 5 and takes the total amount of deaths up to 89, according to NHS England figures.

Health bosses said yesterday that 24 patients were being treated for coronavirus at the hospital.

EnviroVent has earmarked a new multi-million pound business park in Harrogate to relocate its head offices.

The company, which installs ventilation systems for homes and other premises, is currently based at Hornbean Park.

According to a planning application submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the company plans to relocate to a new business park off Burley Bank Road which is seeking final planning permission.

The site was handed £1.5 million in funding in August as part of the government’s Getting Building fund.

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The document, submitted by ID Planning on behalf of EnviroVent and Teakwoods Development Ltd, say the company wishes to expand and relocate to the 75,000 square foot unit.

It says:

“Envirovent are currently located at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate. They are a leading manufacturer and installer of ventilation systems for homes, property and employment premises. 

“The company is expanding and wishes to relocate to purpose- built premises at Burley Bank Road. 

“The new building will comprise 75,820 sqft (approx. 7044 sqm) in total with 16,845 sqft (1565 sqm) for use as offices, 13,725 sqft (1275 sqm) as assembly and 30,250 sqft (2810 sqm) to be used for storage.”

The reserved matters proposal forms part of phase one of development on the site.

The borough council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Care home visits will continue in North Yorkshire despite the country entering a second national lockdown.

The county council restricted visits during October but advised homes they could relax the rules in November to allow one designated visitor for each resident.

Officials have said the measure will continue through lockdown, but homes which report an outbreak will have to restrict visits.

Richard Webb, director of adult social care at the county council, said he was pleased that new government guidance will allow visits to continue.

He said:

“We know how very important it is to the mental health and emotional wellbeing of residents and their friends and families for visits to care settings to take place, if at all possible, without jeopardising safety,

“When covid-19 infection rates began to rise across communities in September we asked care homes to pause routine visits so as to protect residents.  However, we set up a task group which included residents and families to look into how visits could be made safe long-term.

“We acted on their recommendations so that from the start of November we could ask  all care homes to be open for one visitor for each resident, subject to keeping to rules on hygiene, physical distancing and protective equipment.

“We are very pleased that the new national lockdown regulations will enable these visits to continue.”

Read more:

• North Yorkshire bids to be part of care home visiting pilot

• Care home visit scheme branded ‘placatory’ by dementia patient’s daughter

It comes as the government has to set out further guidance to encourage care homes to allow visitors through lockdown.

The advice reiterates the use of PPE and social distancing when allowing visitors into homes.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire has also bid to be part of a national pilot for care home visits.

The scheme, which was revealed by care minister Helen Whately last week, would allow one relative or friend of a care home resident to be treated as a key worker.

This would enable people to visit loved ones in homes during the winter, though no dates when this might be implemented have been revealed.

Liberal Democrat councillors have called for the formation of a Harrogate Town Council once Harrogate Borough Council is scrapped.

The current two-tier council system in North Yorkshire is set to be replaced as part of the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s.

It means North Yorkshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils — including Harrogate — will no longer exist.

The county council and the seven districts are submitting rivals plans to government on how a new single-tier structure should look.

Now, Liberal Democrat councillors have urged both Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, to include a town council for Harrogate as part of their plans.

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Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Lib Dems on the borough council, said:

“It seems almost certain now that the days of two-tier government are numbered and that the borough council will soon be dissolved, with powers and responsibilities transferred to a new unitary authority.

“I believe that it is essential that services that apply to Harrogate only are devolved to a local level and to do that we will need to form a new town council, along the same lines as Ripon City Council and Knaresborough Town Council.”

Cllr Geoff Webber, leader of the Lib Dems on the county council, also supports the move.

What would a town council do?

Town and parish councils run services such as community centres and play areas, as well as maintaining bus shelters. Councillors are elected to serve on them.

The councils can also charge a precept as part of council tax bills to fund the services provided.

Under its plans, the county council has promised further powers for towns and parishes in a move it describes as ‘double devolution’.

The district’s plan for an east/west model has also pledged to hand further powers to parishes, should they want it.

It would see the councils able to run services and take on additional responsibilities.

The Stray Ferret has approached both council leaders for a comment on the issue, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Devolution — the story so far

Councils are in the process of submitting plans to ministers on how they would shake-up local government in North Yorkshire.

County councillors voted to submit the authority’s single council plan on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Borough Council, Scarborough Borough Council and Craven District Council have all backed submitting an east/west model.

Ryedale District Council, Richmondshire District Council, Hambleton District Council and Selby District Council voted on the issue last night.

Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, will decide on the government’s preferred option.

Whichever proposal he chooses, it will result in both the county council and the district and borough councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, being scrapped and replaced by one or more single-tier authority.

Ninety-six people in the Harrogate district — the highest daily total since the pandemic began — tested positive for covid, according to the latest daily figures from Public Health England.

Harrogate west and Pannal has recorded the most new infections in the district in the last seven days, with 41.

Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley has recorded the fewest, with five.

It was also revealed today that Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating 24 coronavirus patients – an increase of eight on last week.

The figure was published today by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

The hospital ended routine patient visits today as the country entered a second lockdown.

The only exceptions are for visits to patients at end of life; instances where difficult conversations need to take place; patients with physical or cognitive impairment; long-stay patients.

It comes as Steve Russell, chief executive of the hospital trust, told the Stray Ferret that the hospital was coping well with the virus.

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital ends routine visits to patients
• Harrogate hospital coping well with covid, says chief executive

The district entered a second national lockdown today, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson said was needed to protect the health service from increased demand.

The weekly case rate in the district is still above the national average, with 252 per 100,000 people.

Two Ripon schools have merged as part of a £1.5 million project.

Funded by North Yorkshire County Council, the scheme has brought together Moorside infant and junior schools onto one site.

The project involved refurbishment of classrooms, cloakrooms, toilets and a construction of a new workspace extension for pupils and staff.

It comes after county council bosses gave the go-ahead last March for the two sites to merge into one primary school and nursery.

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Authority officials said there are plans for an opening event when it is feasible to do so.

Claire Rowett, headteacher at Moorside school, said the outcome of the project was “exceptional”.

She said:

“The most rewarding part is seeing our children happily learning in a safe and stimulating environment, where they will grow and develop from when they begin in our Nursery up to when they leave in Year six, ready for secondary.

“We are already seeing the positive impact of our continuous and consistent approaches in providing high quality teaching and learning for our pupils, as one school community.

“Both during and after the completion of the building work, our governors and staff team – and their families – have voluntarily invested hours into setting up our fabulous new provision, and I will be forever grateful to them for sharing our vision, and being part of what has been a memorable journey to success.

“We have also appreciated a great deal of support from our wider community, including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and other locally-based businesses, who have also kindly donated their time and resources.

“We just can’t wait to be able to welcome previous and current members of our school and their families to see the transformation, when covid restrictions are lifted. We feel very excited about the future.”

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for schools said: 

“This development has benefited so many children and families in the Ripon area. 

“It’s enabled the creation of a newly refurbished school with specially-designed spaces to inspire children and help them achieve their potential with the extra resources and facilities available.”

The Harrogate district will enter lockdown for the second time this year at midnight tonight.

Restaurants, bars, non-essential shops and hotels will close, dealing a huge blow to the hospitality sector, which is a big part of the local economy. When they will re-open is unclear.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced another shutdown to combat rising infection levels and ease pressure on the NHS.

The move has prompted widespread anxiety.

Georgia Eckert, of Imagines Things Bookshop in Harrogate, said the lockdown comes “at the worst possible time” for retail.

Georgia Eckert, of Imagined Things Bookshop in Westminster Arcade, Harrogate.

Her store and other non-essential retailers will have to close with just eight-weeks to go until Christmas.

Meanwhile, despite the furlough scheme being extended until December, the self-employed in the district also have concerns.

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Mr Johnson has insisted stricter measures are necessary.

In the Harrogate district, the weekly covid infection rate stands at 252 per 100,000 people which is above the national average.

While hospitals in other parts of the country have seen increased admissions, Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating 15 coronavirus patients.

Public health bosses also announced today the district will gets its own local test and trace system.

The move comes just weeks after the town opened its own permanent coronavirus testing site off Dragon Road.

The government has said the measures will be reviewed in four-weeks time but what seems certain is that lockdown will test the district’s businesses to the limit.