American expats living in Harrogate are counting down the minutes to Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president today.
Mr Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States at 5pm UK time but due to covid the celebrations will be more subdued — not only in America but also Harrogate.
Harrogate has strong connections with the United States — many Americans have worked at nearby RAF Menwith Hill .
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said US armed forces and civil servants were apolitical and therefore no celebrations or marking of such occasions was conducted at military sites.
But some Americans will privately mark the moment when power passes from Donald Trump to Biden.
We spoke to two expats in Harrogate: one Democrat and one Republican, and both said they will be relieved to see the back of Mr Trump.
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Zahed Amanullah is a firm Democrat who proudly flies the flag for Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris. He told the Stray Ferret:
“I am very hopeful. Being an expat, it’s hard to sit here and watch what is happening. But in 2021 there’s a lot that people can do to be involved.
“Democrats Abroad, which I am a member of, has had a huge surge in membership. It’s not just talking about politics but getting involved in phone banks and hosting conversations.
“Joe Biden has turned out to be the man of the moment. He turned out to be the kind of person to not just defeat Trump but to guide a steady ship throughout 2021 and beyond.”
Next stop: Washington, D.C. pic.twitter.com/oW0C4LQVBf
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 19, 2021
Harold Clemens is a Republican who could not bring himself to vote for Trump. He told the Stray Ferret:
Conspiracy theorists leave their mark in Harrogate“I hate to say this but it is embarrassing to be an American at the moment. I have been a Republican since university because of their stance on business but I did not vote for Trump.
“There are few times in your life when you remember where you are when an event happens. For me it is the Gulf War, 911 and the storming of the Capitol.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the right people for the job. They can mend bridges and heal the political divide in America right now.”
Coronavirus conspiracy theorists are leaving their mark in Harrogate, much to the frustration of those leading the response to the pandemic.
Vandals have scrawled ‘The Great Reset’ on hoardings surrounding buildings on Beulah Street.
‘The great reset’ is a phrase used by conspiracy theorists who believe a global elite started the pandemic to take control.
Google saw a spike in searches for the term when Joe Biden won the US election despite the baseless nature of the claims.
Conspiracy theorists adopted the idea from the World Economic Forum, which urged nations to cooperate on building back better and in a more sustainable way after covid.
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This is not the first time coronavirus conspiracy theories have struck locally.
Last week, North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which represents organisations in the county leading the fight against covid, condemned vandals who sprayed ‘LIES’ in red graffiti on ‘stay local’ signs and ripped them down.
A statement by the forum said those responsible “show contempt for people’s lives” and warned their actions would not be tolerated.
Louise Wallace, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, said:
“We would like to thank the majority of people who are sticking to the lockdown rules and respecting the measures we are putting in place to stop the spread.
“It’s very disappointing to hear such acts of vandalism are happening and that a minority of people aren’t taking seriously the great danger to life that the virus poses.”
Superintendent Mike Walker, North Yorkshire Police’s lead on the coronavirus response, said:
Harrogate district braced for Storm Christoph“I realise a minority of people may be feeling tired of seeing coronavirus messages, or feeling frustrated about being asked to stay at home.
“It’s not the way any of us would choose to live our life under normal circumstances.
“However, that does not give anyone the right to deface a sign which warns the wider community of the risk of catching a virus.”
Residents in the Harrogate district are bracing themselves for heavy rain and floods as Storm Christoph heads towards northern England.
If the storm, which the Met Office has just named, combines with melting snow it could lead to major problems.
Forecasters have an amber warning in place from 6am tomorrow through to 12pm on Thursday.
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The amber warning currently covers the south of Harrogate as well as Nidderdale and Pateley Bridge.
A yellow warning (which is less severe than amber) for rain is also in place for the rest of the Harrogate district, including Ripon, Masham and Knaresborough.
Both include warnings of flooded homes and roads, leading to some communities being cut off as well as a “danger to life” warning.
Chief meteorologist Dan Suri said:
Police arrest suspected cocaine dealers in Harrogate“Following a cold spell where the main hazard was snow, our focus now turns to notably heavy rain moving across the UK this week.
“Some locations could see over 100mm of rain falling through the course just a couple of days with up to 200mm possible over higher ground.
“These amounts of rainfall along with snow melt present a real threat of flooding and people should keep a close eye on flood warnings.”
Police arrested two suspected drug dealers in Harrogate on Friday.
According to North Yorkshire Police, plain clothes officers became suspicious when they saw two men travelling through the town at 5.30pm and stopped their car.
A search of the vehicle discovered what the police believe to be cocaine and cash. The officers then arrested the two men, aged 22 and 38. It is not known where the men live.
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Police then searched the suspects’ homes and seized a “large amount” of what they believe to be cocaine and a “large amount” of cash.
Officers also seized small bags, scales and a mobile phone.
Both men have been released under investigation on suspicion of possessing cocaine with intent to supply.
The police also arrested the 22-year-old on suspicion of possessing criminal property.
Harrogate hospital among 10 trusts at full critical care capacityHarrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is one of 10 NHS trusts in England consistently reporting critical care beds at full capacity, according to the latest figures.
NHS data from December 31 until January 10 shows Harrogate District Hospital’s critical care ward is full.
The hospital’s base critical care capacity is seven beds but this can ‘flex’ to 10 and beyond, trust chief executive Steve Russell told the Stray Ferret in November.
It utilised 11 beds on January 6 and January 9 and although the number has fluctuated it has not dropped below eight this year.
The number of critical care beds in Harrogate is nowhere near as high as it is for many hospitals in larger towns and cities.
Nevertheless, the analysis by the BBC names it as one of 10 trusts out of 140 with consistently full critical care beds.
An NHS spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:
“Critical care services in the NHS are under unprecedented pressure, which is why we’ve increased capacity significantly to continue to provide care.
“Hospitals continue to work to increase their capacity to help patients with covid and other conditions but ultimately it is essential the public continues to follow the ‘hands, face, space’ guidance to prevent the spread of coronavirus, reduce the number of people who need hospital care and ultimately save lives.”
The total number of available critical care beds in England on January 10 was 5,503, with 4,632 occupied.
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Harrogate District Hospital reported it had 47 coronavirus patients on January 14.
The increase in coronavirus patients prompted the hospital to announce last week it had decided to postpone some non-emergency surgeries to free up space and staff.
Tim Gold, the chief operating officer at the trust, said:
Harrogate homebuyers fear missing stamp duty holiday over search delays“Clearly, this past week has seen a very significant increase of people needing inpatient care.
“This is placing a significant strain on services at the trust.
“In response to rising numbers we are increasing the number of beds available for patients with covid on wards and in critical care.
“We will be continuing to provide urgent and cancer care during this time.”
Homebuyers in Harrogate fear missing the stamp duty holiday over the delays for land searches at Harrogate Borough Council.
The stamp duty holiday which ends on March 31 and could save them up to £15,000.
With thousands of pounds on the line some are turning to private firms, even after paying the council to do the land search.
Local authority searches, which check there are no hidden surprises for buyers, are an essential part of the home-buying process.
The council told the Stray Ferret:
“Current approximate timescales are around seven weeks. A figure we are striving to improve.”
“We are also increasing staff to approximately nine full time.”
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While the council acknowledges that the land search delays are high, some homebuyers claim they are see in much longer delays.
Mr Costar put a land search request into the council on December 4 and has been told to expect it back by April 28.
He says the buyer of his home put in a search request in early September and has not received it back yet:
“If we do not get this completed before the end of March we will have to pay £3,000 in stamp duty. It is not going to stop us but it is a lot of money.
“It’s nuts really. York and Leeds have nowhere near the same amount of waiting time as we do in Harrogate.”
The Stray Ferret first reported the delays in October when homebuyers first complained to us about the issue.
Back then Harrogate Borough Council said the average search time was just over three weeks.
Just over a month later the council had increased the expected search delays to seven weeks, the council says that figure remains today.
Harrogate hotels ready to offer beds for coronavirus patientsThree major Harrogate hotels are ready to offer up beds to the NHS for coronavirus patients should they asked to help.
The Crowne Plaza, Cedar Court Harrogate and the Majestic Hotel and Spa have all thrown their weight behind the proposals.
Each have hundreds of beds which could be used to ease pressure on the NHS.
The hotel beds could be used for those patients on the recovery path, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed on Sky News.
NHS England’s media team has declined to give more details.
When asked about the potential for hotel beds to be used Mr Hancock said:
“We would only ever do that if it was clinically the right thing for somebody.
“But in some cases, people need step-down care, they don’t actually need to be in a hospital bed.”
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Wayne Topley, the managing director of the Cedar Court Hotels Group Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret:
“We are here to help and in the spirit of kindness we are focused on what our hotels can do to support the now critical effort.
“In Harrogate we are in touch with number of care providers, primarily the hospital itself. We have reached out to offer our support and they know we are here if they need us.”
A spokesman for the Cairn Hotel Group, which owns and operates the Majestic Hotel and Spa, also said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with other industry leaders to offer support and help to the NHS if and when needed.”
A spokesman for the Crowne Plaza, which is connected to Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital and pictured above lighting up for the NHS, said:
“We already have a good working relationship with the NHS team in Harrogate. We are open to further conversation.”
Harrogate District Hospital confirmed yesterday that it currently has 47 coronavirus patients, up from 28 a week ago.
This surge in patients has forced the hospital to postpone some non-emergency surgeries to free up space and staff to deal with coronavirus patients.
Jail for ‘prolific’ Harrogate drug dealerA drug dealer who brought crack cocaine and heroin into Harrogate has been sent to jail for five years and four months.
Lee Bavin, 27, of Manchester Road in Bradford, appeared at York Crown Court for sentencing today.
North Yorkshire Police has had Bavin on its radar since 2018 as part of a county lines investigation.
Officers stopped Bavin on his way to Harrogate at the time and found 40 heroin wraps and 140 wraps of crack cocaine in his underwear.
They also seized 82 methandienone tablets and his phone, which linked him to county lines.
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Police arrested Bavin again in January 2020 when a plain clothed officer watched a drug deal take place in Harrogate.
The officer followed the suspects to a block of flats where Bavin was hiding with more than £800, 19 wraps of heroin and a phone.
The courts granted the officer’s request to remand Bavin in custody at this point to “protect the wider public.”
Bavin subsequently faced charges of two counts of possesing heroin with intent to supply, one count of possesing crack cocaine with intent to supply and one count of possing methandienone with intent to supply.
He changed his plea to guilty to all offences when he appeared at court in November 2020.
Investigating officer, detective constable Tom Barker of Harrogate’s Operation Expedite Team, said:
Ripon youths break lockdown rules to attack residents“Lee Bavin is a prolific offender who showed no regard whatsoever to police action.
“I am hopeful that while he is in prison he is able to reflect on the crimes he has committed and receives help to rectify his criminal behaviour.
“Drug dealing causes misery in our communities we hope local people are reassured that we are committed to disrupting it and taking those responsible off the streets.
Youths in Ripon are breaking the national lockdown rules to attack residents, with police receiving a string of “distressing” reports in one day.
Police believe the incidents are linked with similar descriptions of small groups of teenagers between 14 and 18 years old.
Some of the reports include the youths throwing eggs and glass, spitting and punching people who challenged them and kicking at the heels of a postman.
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All of the incidents happened on Wednesday afternoon between 2pm and 3.30pm, according to the police reports.
Ripon City Police has released a statement to say that while there has been a “considerable reduction in incidents” as a result of lockdown:
“However, sadly, there appears to be a very small cohort of individuals intent on causing harm in our community and we are asking for your help and support in identifying those involved in several distressing incidents.
“Not only have these individuals caused distress, harm and injury to victims but they are breaking the lockdown rules, putting themselves and others at risk in the midst of a pandemic.
“These unprovoked attacks are distressing. It is likely that they are linked and we are doing all we can to identify those responsible to bring some justice for the victims affected.”
- 2.19pm, January 13 – Member of the public on Wakeman Road encountered 2 males aged between 15 and 18 years old who were throwing eggs. The males were abusive when challenged and then threw glass at the member of the public. Descriptions are; male one: approx. 5ft 9in tall, dark hair, medium build with a burgundy coat and Male 2: approx. 5ft 5in tall, dark jacket and dark trousers.
- 2.40pm, January 13 – Occured on Minster Road on the path near the Cathedral and Sainsburys in which 3 males aged between 14 and 16 years old threw stones at a member of the public. When challenged, one of the youths spat at and assaulted by punching the member of the public. Descriptions are male one: approx. 5ft 10in tall, wearing a red puffa jacket with a pale complexion and whispy moustache. Male 2: approx. 5ft 7in tall, wearing a grey hoodie and blue mask. Male 3 – no description available.
- 3.25pm, January 13 – Occured on Minster Road involving three youths who were kicking the heels of a postman. The descriptions match those of those given in the above incident.
A court has ordered Harrogate builder James Moss to pay £11,495 to a woman who was unhappy about the quality of his work.
The Harrogate Justice Centre held a virtual hearing yesterday with claimant Anna McIntyre, which Mr Moss failed to attend.
District judge Helen Wood said at the hearing:
“I understand that you have limited your claim to £10,000 to get this small claims court hearing and that it would cost £22,705 to put this right.
“I have no difficulty giving you what you have asked for. As well as the £10,000 for your claim I can give you £745 for your court fees and £750 for your expert fees.
“The company has filed a counter claim without any supporting documents so I am striking that out.”
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The judge added enforcement of the claim was “a different matter”.
In a separate case last month, Harrogate Justice Centre adjourned another civil claim against Mr Moss after he told the court he was self-isolating.
Karen Macgillvray-Fallis claimed £9,996 through the small claims court, which is close to the maximum threshold of £10,000.
The court said Ms Macgillvray-Fallis’s case would be held in January but it has yet to be heard.