WATCH: Harrogate gymnasts set up outdoor gym

Harrogate Gymnastics Club, led by head coach Chloe Carey, is “excited to be back” after over three months off.

Since closing the gym doors on March 18, the gymnasts have been taking part in online sessions and competitions via zoom. However, they are now able to train in small groups and have set up an ‘outdoor gym’ in order to keep practicing.

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The gymnasts videoed all compete at national level but have unfortunately missed out on this year’s competition due to coronavirus.

The gymnasts train in small groups and are socially distant at all times.

However, the girls are now determined than ever to get their training in as they wait for the go ahead on future competitions.

WATCH: Harrogate junior tennis players get back into the swing of things

The junior players at David Lloyds Tennis Club were able to get back on court yesterday after not being able to train for nearly two months.

The young players, five of whom play for Yorkshire, and their coaches were happy to be back training in the sunshine yesterday.

Roberta Gaskell is the current Yorkshire junior tennis champion

Although they haven’t been able to get back to their usual indoor training, the players have been able to play on the courts at Valley Gardens, getting some important training in before the Yorkshire championships in August.

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Jane Tate, one of the coaches at David Lloyd, told The Stray Ferret that it’s great to see everyone back training. She said:

“It’s great getting the kids back playing competitive matches, they’ve really missed it and it’s great to see them playing again.”

 

Harrogate couple to marry after twice cancelled wedding

A Harrogate couple has received some good news from The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate who has offered to host their wedding after their original plans were ruined.

Ali Farr and Ben Cross ,who both work for the NHS, had their wedding plans cancelled twice. Firstly due to lockdown and secondly because their chosen venue, St George Hotel on Ripon Road, went into administration.

The couple had their wedding invitations re-printed for free and then heard the venue had gone bust.

However, thanks to the help of Ali’s grandma and bridesmaids, The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate has offered their venue for the couples wedding on December 31- the day they’d been due to marry at the St George.

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Bride- to- be, Ali Farr told The Stray Ferret that she is still apprehensive and hopes there isn’t a second wave. She said:

“It has all been quite overwhelming, if it happens on New Year’s Eve it will be amazing, but I am trying not to get too excited just in case, but who knows what’s going to happen.”

The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate will host Ali and Ben’s wedding at the end of the year.

The Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate also offered their venue up for the couples wedding. Guests travelling from as far as Australia and Singapore have been told about the new date.

The couple, who have been working throughout the crisis, have still had no correspondence with St George Hotel except for the information given on their website.

Queues form outside Bettys as Harrogate shop reopens

Long queues have formed outside Bettys in Harrogate today as its shop reopened to the public.

Bettys closed all of its six cafes and shops back in March but today has opened their Harrogate shop, with Ilkley, Harlow Carr and York opening next week.

Queues have been forming all day outside the Harrogate shop.

Managing Director of Bettys, Simon Eyles said:

“We are truly delighted to be welcoming customers back to our Bettys shops, we’ve missed them. To ensure their safety and that of our colleagues, we have new shopping systems in place. So, while it might not be the full Bettys experience that customers are used to, people will still find the mouth-watering Bettys treats they have been missing and, of course, our warm Yorkshire welcome.”

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Queues are being monitored by the Bettys staff with a limited number of people allowed in at once. Hand sanitiser is provided on entrance as well as floor markings throughout the shop.

Screens have been placed in the shop to protect customers and staff.

All of the Bettys cafes remain closed until further notice.

Harrogate support helpline Just B is ‘Hear to Help’

Just B, the bereavement and counselling service run by St Michael’s Hospice, has encouraged those who are struggling to reach out.

The ‘Hear to Help’ initiative was launched by Just B, a service provided by Saint Michaels Hospice, as a response to covid-19. The community support line helps those feeling anxious or struggling emotionally during lockdown.

Numbers have risen during lockdown, and the specialist team is now answering calls for a wide range of needs, including bereavement, mental health troubles and relationship worries.

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Tony Collins, chief executive of Just B, said:

“We have all been challenged over the last few months by the ever-changing situation caused by coronavirus. As lockdown rules see some relaxation and a new normal begins to emerge, it stands to reason that different worries and concerns may appear as well all adjust to the changes in our daily lives.”

Just B has also joined with other charities as part of the NHS Staff Support Initiative which provides help to frontline NHS staff who are experiencing the devastating effects of Covid-19.

The Hear to Help support-line is available to all ages and lines are open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week. To speak to a specialist support worker call 01423 856799. 

Starbeck roadworks cause ‘worry and stress’ for wheelchair user

A Starbeck woman who uses a wheelchair has told The Stray Ferret that recent roadworks carried out in her area caused her a lot of worry and stress when they blocked her driveway with no notice.

FibreNation, a network provider, and SCD, a construction contractor, have carried out work in the Starbeck area.

Although pedestrian walkways were put in place, disabled users were not able to access them due to the lack of dropped curbs and narrow walkways.

Charlotte Claydon from Starbeck told The Stray Ferret that the recent roadworks have been a “nightmare”. She said:

“When they blocked off my driveway, I couldn’t see any workers in sight. Thankfully a passer-by in their car stopped and got out and went to find the nearest workman.”

Image showing the entrance to her driveway blocked off.

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The recent roadworks have also affected her everyday activities and have caused significant stress. She added:

“I walk my dog everyday and at one point I was unable to get onto the pavement because the temporary walkways weren’t wide enough. It makes my leisurely dog walk a bit of a nightmare. It adds to my stress, I get anxious anyway and having to plan my route even more makes it more difficult.”

Pedestrian walkways put in place are too narrow for her wheelchair.

When asked about this issue, SCD, which was carrying out work at the time, said their teams leave sufficient room for wheelchair and mobility scooters at entrances and walk boards and said that they “maintain wheelchair access at all times”.

Fibre Nation who were also carrying out works at the time has since told The Stray Ferret that they were not aware of any concerns that were raised. They said:

“In order for FibreNation to put the Starbeck community at the forefront of connectivity, our works must be undertaken in accordance with legislation, specifically the New Roads & Streetworks Act 1991. We adhere to a code of practice which outlines the specific requirements for the establishment and maintenance of work sites when carrying out our vital works.

FibreNation, Build Partners and the local authority all conduct frequent works inspections to assure compliance however should there be any concerns about a specific work site then contact should be made to our Careline, providing as much detail as possible so we can address any issues as quickly as possible.”

The rise of Pannal ‘Cyber Scouts’

Lockdown has not stopped Pannal Scout Group which, for the last three months, has been finding creative ways to deliver their usual activities online.

The now Pannal ‘Cyber Scouts’ includes Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers with young people, aged between 6 and 18, taking part. Despite suspending all face to face activities, the scouting group has continued to meet each week and has found creative ways to deliver activities online.

The group has completed numerous nights camping in their gardens as well as attending online campfires. The scouts have also done lots of baking, DIY and even completed an online Hogwarts escape room.

The scouts have been pitching tents in their back gardens.

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Andy Bielby, assistant scout leader for the 1st Pannal Scout Group told The Stray Ferret:

“Maintaining the sense of community and team has been important during lockdown and we know that our young people love catching up each week. Attendance online has been almost the same as face to face and it is important to address mental health issues by having a laugh and sharing stories.”

The scout group met via zoom with another group from New Zealand.

The Pannal Scout Group has also gone international by teaming up with another scout group in Christchurch, New Zealand. They have shared meetings and been learning all about each other’s countries and scouting methods.

Pateley Bridge Playhouse loses year’s worth of funds

The Pateley Bridge Dramatic Society has been hit hard financially by coronavirus – but the voluntary group remains hopeful for the future.

The amateur theatre company based in the Pateley Bridge Playhouse is set to miss out on a whole year’s revenue with the majority of funding coming from ticket sales and membership fees. The playhouse costs around £8,000 a year to run.

Inside the Pateley Bridge Playhouse

The president of the society, Ruth Dodsworth, told The Stray Ferret that it is a “very strange time”. She said:

“We are all volunteers and it is something we enjoy as a hobby. We get great support from the locals and it would be an awful shame to lose it.

It provides not only entertainment but it’s a great vehicle for everybody to socialise – it’s a companionship being involved in something like this.”

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Pateley Bridge Playhouse can seat 73 audience members, but with current social distancing measures the playhouse may only be able to seat a maximum of 12 people.

Since finishing the pantomime in February, the dramatic society has had to suspend all future performances with no set date to reopen. The company is eagerly awaiting government guidance on when it might be able to get back on the stage.

Shops outside Harrogate town centre feel “left out”

A number of shops that aren’t in the centre of Harrogate have told The Stray Ferret they lack a voice because of their location.

Retail shops on Skipton Road and Kings Road in Harrogate say they get no publicity compared with the stores in the centre of town – and worry that people don’t know they’re now open.

Anne-Marie Hall, the owner of Little Darlings, a children’s clothes and accessories shop on Church Avenue told The Stray Ferret:

“Now is make or break, especially if you aren’t in the town centre and you don’t get the natural footfall of customers. I just want people to know we are here.”

The shops in the centre of town who pay a levy to the BID, received free social distancing floor markings and posters. The shops owners further out were able to print posters made available by the council but said they had to buy stickers for floor markings.

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Inside Victoria Lane on Kings Road

Similarly, Victoria Lane, the owner of her shop on King’s Road said:

“I don’t think people know about this road, it’s an interesting parade of shops. We feel a bit left out. People can do a lot of shopping here, but they don’t know about it.”

Pateley Bridge shops ‘bounce back’ from lockdown

Pateley Bridge saw the “busiest Monday it has had in a long time” as locals headed to the shops.

The majority of shops opened on June 15 with the rest opening by the end of the week. A number of shop owners said they’d seen a positive response with the majority of customers making purchases rather than just browsing.

Keith Tordoff, owner of The Oldest Sweet Shop in England told The Stray Ferret that he is confident that Pateley Bridge shops will “bounce back very quickly.” He said:

“I think most people realise that we need to not leave it any longer. If it went on any longer there would be a question mark over some businesses surviving.”

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Inside the Oldest Sweet Shop in England.

Similarly Tim Ledbetter, owner of Sypeland outdoor shop said that yesterday saw “proper customers”, as everybody who went into the shop bought something. He told The Stray Ferret:

“It’s really positive and everyone’s pleased to be out shopping for something other than essentials, everyone is doing what they should be doing. It’s nice to be back. There’s a great community spirit and everyone’s pleased to see things back up and running.”

As well as retail shops, a number of cafés have opened delivering takeaway food and drink. Cocoa Joe’s, a café serving hot and cold chocolate drinks, said its first day back was busier than a normal Saturday.