The feva festival in Knaresborough is going ahead online this weekend, with 10 days of performances posted online for audiences to enjoy.

Coronavirus restrictions have forced the festival to become virtual this year, beginning on Friday, August 14.

The itinerary includes a brand-new play, ‘Shake The City’, about the lives of female clothworkers in 1970, as well as music and poetry.

The festival has proved popular with people in Knaresborough and this year the committee is hoping for an even wider audience to view the acts online via the website.

Lucy Barrow, chair of the feva organising committee, said:

“Obviously, we haven’t been able to pay the acts as there is no prospect of money coming in. Despite this, many have been still willing to record something which they have sent in for the online version of feva.

“It means that our loyal audiences in and around Knaresborough who usually come to the festival will still get to enjoy a little of what the live 10-day event would have had to offer, with top-of-the bill attractions like Simon Armitage and Snake Davis. As word has started to spread, there has been a wonderful reaction from the public for the effort that we are making.”

Previous years have seen theatre companies perform at the festival. This year it has relied on acts filming themselves.

Local businesses will also continue to be involved with art shows available to visit in a number of locations. The venues include McQueen’s Café and The Atkinson Pet Store on the high street, Floral Decor and Tanacetum on Kirkgate, Cave and Castle on Castlegate, Ruebury Flowers in the Market Place and Briggate Art.

Read more:

• Knaresborough’s Frazer theatre will have to remain close due to difficulties surrounding social distancing. 
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The event is also hosting a Knaresborough’s Got Talent competition. Residents are being encouraged to send in videos of their act for shortlisting by the committee.

They will then be posted on the Facebook page and a public vote at the end of the 10 days will choose the winner.

For more information visit the feva festival Facebook page or visit feva.info. 

Shahi Raj Indian restaurant has won a TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice award while working to try and recover after lockdown.

The award is based on customer reviews which have placed Shahi Raj in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide.

Since reopening last week, the restaurant is trying to rebuild its success despite decreased bookings. Capacity has had to be halved to meet safety guidelines, and some evenings only three tables have been in use.

The family-owned restaurant has been a part of the Boroughbridge community for 20 years. Restaurant manager Shahenur Rahman said:

“When I first received the award I was shocked because, in the present situation, we were still working hard to make sure the restaurant is safe for our customers. It was difficult at the beginning: before we were doing 10 to 15 sit-down meals a night during the week but that had to be halved for safety. Dining is still in decline as people are wary but we just have to make the best out of the situation.

“I don’t think it’ll get back to how it was for six to 12 months. We can’t just throw the towel in when things get tough.”

The Indian restaurant has struggled since lockdown but hopes that as people gain confidence they will return.

During lockdown the restaurant was delivering meals to members of the community who were in need of help. A takeaway was also set up to continue to generate funds whilst the restaurant had to remain closed.

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• Boroughbridge has been praised by visitors who say they feel “more than safe”. 
• District restaurants cautious to accept the Chancellor’s plans to boost hospitality.

Knaresborough’s branch of the Royal British Legion is raising funds to secure its future following a drop in income during the pandemic.

The branch has warned that without further donations it may have to close. It comes as other charities struggle to survive as they lose vital fundraising opportunities.

The legion held a stall at Knaresborough market this week to raise much-needed funds and collected just over £120.

David Houlgate, vice-chair of the Knaresborough branch, said:

“If the branch wasn’t there, there wouldn’t be a standard at the memorial services – it would have a real impact. It is imperative we keep going and after covid we need to be able to come out safe. We don’t want to disappear.”

The commemorative bench was in need of repair.

The legion is currently renovating a commemorative bench that sits across from the war memorial in the castle grounds. The bench was placed there in 1995 and was in need of repair earlier this year.

It will be repainted in time for VJ Day and, when the renovations are complete, a small service will be held in commemoration.

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• St Vincent’s charity shop in Knaresborough has become a “lifeline for the volunteers”.
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Mr Houlgate added:

“We were going to do it for VE day but lockdown prevented that. We will be holding a small service on August 15 but we are keeping the time private to try and limit the number of people attending – the health and safety of the public is a priority.

“We hold stalls on Knaresborough market twice a year in August and November to keep the legion in the public consciousness. This week’s stall was to encourage people to donate anything they can – it all goes to keeping the branch going. “

District charity shops have been overwhelmed with donations from the public, with some having to put an appointment system in place with a three-week wait.

As charity shops have reopened, people have flocked to donation spots, leading the shops to bring in new measures.

Some Oxfam shops have had to introduce appointment slots but, due to high demand, some customers are having to wait to make their donations.

The Oxfam Bookshop in Harrogate remains open for donations during opening hours without an appointment slot.

Walter de Buck, North Yorkshire area manager for Oxfam, said:

“We have three months’ worth of stock coming at once and we have to quarantine it. We are working with lower staffing levels, more donations and some donors are waiting three weeks for an appointment in some shops. We don’t like to say ‘can you bring it another time’ because we need the money these donations bring.

“We have had days with 200-300 bags coming into some shops which causes challenges. We understand it’s not ideal to be told to wait but we’ve not had to do it before. Some donors have been angry or disappointed, but it’s measures that we have to take seriously to ensure the safety of our volunteers.”

Saint Michael’s Hospice has seen huge numbers of donations.

Meanwhile, Saint Michael’s Hospice has had to stop any donations from the public. The drop-off facility will remain closed for 12 days to sort through the high volume of bags it has received.

The chief executive of Saint Michael’s Hospice, Tony Collins, said:

“Over the last 4 weeks we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community and the huge number of donations received. With items arriving faster than we could distribute them, we had to pause temporarily. Our donation drop-off point will reopen at 10am Monday, August 17.

“The planned launch of booking slots will allow us to continue to take receipt of shop donations from August 17 onwards, whilst adhering to the strictest Covid-19 guidelines for the safety of everyone.”

Police are warning Knaresborough residents to stay vigilant after a series of suspicious incidents, including three men approaching houses in the Aspin Avenue area last night.

The men were reported to be trying car doors and approaching houses around 12.30am. There have been no reports of thefts or burglaries.

Earlier in the evening, police received reports of a residential home on Manor Road being entered between 8.30pm and 9pm. It is unclear if anything was taken.

The combination of incidents has led police to warn residents in surrounding areas to take further precautions to ensure the safety of their valuables.

The police are warning residents to ensure their houses and valuables are secure.

North Yorkshire Police has offered advice to improve home safety:

• Keep all valuables, including car keys, out of sight and away from windows or letterboxes.
• Look at windows and their access points. Be aware of nearby bins and furniture that could be used to reach windows.
• Make sure there is a clear view at the front of your property. Burglars don’t want to be seen or heard and if they’re likely to be spotted they may move on.

Read more:

• Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with burglaries in Harrogate and Knaresborough. 
• Harrogate police has warned residents of a rise in fraudulent door to door sellers.

Local police have also ask residents to check any CCTV that they have of these areas overnight. Anything suspicious should be reported to police on 101, quoting the reference number 12200134639.

The cost of rural crime in North Yorkshire is the third highest among counties in the UK.

A report released by NFU Mutual found that in 2019, rural crime cost the county over £2 million. A rise of 22.6% on the previous year.

The report names theft of high value farm machinery as a factor for the cost increase. It also found that over lockdown, rural crime had continued – with some criminals travelling into the county to target farms.

Inspector Matt Hagen, head of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said:

“Our county is a largely rural area, and the borough of Harrogate is no exception – so tackling rural crime is extremely important to us. We know that offenders from areas outside North Yorkshire travel into our communities, intent on stealing quad bikes, farm machinery and other valuable property – and those crimes are reflected in the latest figures from NFU Mutual. The report also shows that criminals continued to target the countryside, despite the Covid-19 lockdown.

“Rural crime did not stop – and neither did rural policing. Our officers, some of whom have farming backgrounds, know just how devastating rural crime can be for its victims.”

Rural areas in the county have continued to be targeted over lockdown.

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Rural crimes including livestock attacks and machinery theft have been seen within the Harrogate district. North Yorkshire Police has urged farmers to remain vigilant and increase safety measures within their farms.

In an attempt to combat rural crime the police works alongside 142 rural watch volunteers. They act as the eyes and ears within the rural communities.

The M&Co shop in Ripon has been saved from store closure as the company goes through a major financial restructure.

M&Co appointed administrators in April after closing during the coronavirus lockdown. A total of 47 stores have been closed.

The company has described covid as its biggest challenge “in over 60 years”.

For over 40 years, the store has been a constant tenant on Ripon’s high street.

M&Co chief executive Andy McGeoch said:

“It quickly became clear that best way to save most jobs and most stores was to enter administration, with a new company acquiring the assets of the old business. I am really pleased that we have been able to maintain a presence in over 200 communities.

“Local economies rely to a huge degree on their town centres and we have seen too many High Streets hollowed out by successive shop closures. More and more people are beginning to realise that, if they don’t support their town centres, everyone’s quality of living really takes a hit, so we are proud to be playing a part in the drive to shop locally.”

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Alongside shop closures, the company has announced 380 job redundancies from a total workforce of over 2,600.

North Yorkshire Police is growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of a 16 year-old girl from Harrogate who has been missing for three days.

Casey Ackerley has been missing since Sunday, August 2.

She is believed to have travelled to the Leeds area over the last few days and stayed in a number of hotels.

Casey has been described as white, approximately 5ft 6in tall and a slim build. She has very long, light, brown hair and was last seen wearing a salmon pink tracksuit and white trainers.

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• The police are warning Harrogate residents of a scammer impersonating a police officer over the phone.
• A Harrogate street has been a target for criminals for the second time as a resident’s two cars were stolen. 

The police are appealing for anyone with information to call 101. Information of previous sightings can also be emailed to john.hobson@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To share information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 – quoting 12200132258 as the police reference number.

Harrogate Theatre has announced it will not reopen until 2021, saying that introducing social distancing in the auditorium would not be financially viable.

The theatre has also warned that 60% of permanent roles may have to be made redundant. It has said this decision is a direct result of the pandemic and the loss of income it has caused.

A theatre spokesperson said:

“We look forward to the day we raise our safety curtain and once again share the magic that live performance in our building brings. Whilst we understand the impact of this decision, as custodians of our organisations we will do everything in our power to safeguard the company to be able to entertain, educate and inspire for the next 120 years.

“We are extremely grateful for the funding received from Arts Council England and Harrogate Borough Council to cover losses incurred from March through to September.”

The social distancing requirements would be too detrimental for the theatre’s finances.

The theatre is heavily reliant on its annual pantomime which is performed over two months in the festive period. Its business model requires 90% of the seats to be sold over the two months, but with social distancing in place only 20% of seats can be used.

The spokesman said the theatre is cautious to invest in any shows this season in case of further lockdowns. It has moved most of its shows for the autumn season into next year and this winter’s pantomime, Cinderella, will go ahead in 2021.

The theatre’s emergency funding campaign, launched during lockdown, will continue.

Read more:

• Knaresborough’s Frazer theatre has to remain closed due to the restrictions inside the auditorium. 
• Harrogate Theatre welcomed further funding but insisted that more support is needed to help the theatre.

The contract for Harrogate’s Nightingale hospital has been extended for two weeks to allow for talks between the NHS and the council to continue.

The NHS contract was due to expire last Friday, July 31, with no announcement made at the time about whether it would be extended or the field hospital would be decommissioned.

Now, Harrogate Borough Council has said it is continuing talks with the NHS over the future of the site. If the hospital moves out, Harrogate Convention Centre would be able to host events and conferences over the winter, in line with covid guidelines.

A council spokesman said:

“We continue our discussions with colleagues from the NHS about their future plans, and a two week extension has been granted to the current agreement to allow those discussions to continue. However, at this stage, nothing has been decided.”

The delay is likely to cause concern among businesses in the town. Andrew Manby, a director of events company Joe Manby Ltd, previously told the Stray Ferret the NHS needed to make a decision to enable local businesses to plan for the future.

Hospitality in the town, including hotels, restaurants and bars, is heavily reliant on people visiting the convention centre for trade and public events. As the rest of the country begins to reopen, Mr Manby said Harrogate could be left behind if the Nightingale continues to occupy the whole venue.

The convention centre owners and managers are still planning ahead for future events whilst the future of the Nightingale is uncertain

The convention centre team, meanwhile, have been preparing measures to enable events to go ahead safely as soon as they are possible. Additional space could be offered free of charge, one way systems introduced, and even cameras allowing organisers to measure crowd density around the halls.

Longer days and additional dates could also be offered to event organisers to allow more people to visit over longer periods, supporting social distancing.

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• The construction of Harrogate’s Nightingale hospital cost almost £15 million 
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The two-week extension comes after the Prime Minister announced a £3 billion fund to support the seven Nightingale hospitals until the end of March. Since then, however, the one hosted at Birmingham NEC has been scaled back, allowing the venue to resume events from October with a smaller standby hospital in another part of the site.

The Harrogate Nightingale Hospital is yet to treat any coronavirus patients, but has been used as a facility for outpatient CT scans since early June. The NHS is not paying any rent to the council for use of the convention centre.

The Stray Ferret has previously reported the convention centre is under financial strain. The council is this week due to vote on a £1m investment which would pave the way for a £46.8 million renovation project.