There have been 22 further cases of coronavirus reported in the Harrogate district today.
The figure brings the total number of cases since the pandemic started to 3,558.
There were no further deaths reported at Harrogate District Hospital of patients who tested positive for covid-19.
To date, there have been 99 coronavirus deaths in total after it reported one more death yesterday.
It also comes as North Yorkshire prepares to move into tier two restrictions on Wednesday as the national lockdown ends.
Unloved Northern pacer train makes its final journey
Northern rail has finally bid farewell to its fleet of outdated pacer trains. The last pacer to carry Northern customers completed its journey yesterday having travelled from Kirkby to Manchester.
Pacer trains have been running for 35 years and news of their final retirement will be welcomed by many travellers who had to endure overcrowded, uncomfortable journeys on them on the Harrogate line.
They had become a political symbol of under-investment in rail transport in the north and their replacement has been long overdue.
Chris Jackson, Regional Director at Northern, said:
“The pacers have kept millions of northerners on the move and, while they have served us well and provided some communities with rail services they may have otherwise lost, it is time to give them a well-earned rest.
“Northern has overseen significant modernisation in recent months and the retiring pacers have made way for a fleet of 100 brand-new trains which are already servicing people across the north of England.”
Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary with Cabinet Responsibility for the Northern Powerhouse, said:
“The pacer fleet has connected communities on the Northern network for over 30 years, but today marks the sun finally setting on trains that have become loved by some, but hated by many.
“This marks a new era of transport in the north, with passengers enjoying a brand new fleet of trains, delivering more modern services and creating a more reliable network across the north.”
For many commuters though the pacer stayed on the tracks for too long and investment should have come sooner.
31 new positive coronavirus cases in Harrogate districtThirty one new people have tested positive for coronavirus in the district. It brings the total number of people who’ve had covid in the district to 3,381 since the start of the pandemic.
There have been no further reported deaths of patients who tested positive for covid-19 at Harrogate District Hospital.
Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day rate continues to track below the national average.
Currently, it stands at 203 per 100,000 people compared with the England average of 248.
The weekly covid rate fell below the England average this week for the first time since October.
IMAGE GALLERY: Pateley Bridge is lit up for Christmas
The shops may be shut and the special late night opening in December cancelled, but Pateley Bridge is lit up and ready for Christmas ..
Fifty seven more people in the district have tested positive for covid-19 according to figures released by Public Health England today.
It brings the total number of people who’ve tested positive for the virus to 3,357 since the pandemic began,
There were no new deaths of patients who tested positive for coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital. Yesterday the NHS released statistics of 2 more deaths at the hospital on November 11.
It takes the total number of covid deaths in the hospital to 93.
Meanwhile, the district’s weekly rate stands at 294 per 100,000 people.
It is the second highest in the county behind Scarborough, which stands at 580.
North Yorkshire is still tracking above the national average. The county has a rate of 311 compared with the England average of 267.
Villagers left devastated after fire at Coneythorpe pubNeighbours have been left devastated after a fire at a much-loved community pub in Coneythorpe last night.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were called to the Tiger Inn at 5.04pm after a fire broke out in the pub’s kitchen, which had only been fitted in January.
Crews from Harrogate, Knaresborough and Acomb were called out to the blaze which lasted for six-hours. Firefighters used an aerial ladder platform, main jets, breathing apparatus and hose reels to tackle the incident.
Owners said the fire was accidental and that they will be aim to reopen the pub “as soon as we possibly can”.
But neighbours say they are devastated as the pub is a pillar of the community in the village.
One resident, Carole Topham said she saw smoke coming from the building before calling the fire service.
She said:
“We saw billowing smoke at first and called the fire bridge who spent hours at the site.
“We are devastated for the owners, this is our community pub and we were looking forward to a Christmas get together.”
The damage after the fire, which broke out in the pub’s new kitchen.
Meanwhile, Karin Terry, another neighbour, said:
“The flames got bigger and bigger.
“We were very worried about a gas tank that was at the back of the building.”
The fire is a blow for the pub, which traditionally hosts a village Christmas party.
A member of the Gill family, which owns the pub, said they were “gutted” and had been looking forward to celebrating Christmas with the villagers.
He told the Stray Ferret:
Emergency sewer work to close road in centre of Ripon“Obviously the family is devastated about it. We had 15 weeks of closed down and reopened on July 2 and was almost as busy before we went into lockdown.
“We will reopen as soon as we possibly can do. We have just been speaking to the fire fighters today, it was an accidental fire and we just want to get back to where we have been.
“We are a bit gutted this year because we do a village Christmas party where all the villagers get together. We were struggling with the lockdown and social distancing and how we were going to fit everyone in.
“There’s about 70 odd people who live in the village and they all tend to get in here, but that’s gone out of the window now. We will just see when we can get reopen better and stronger than ever.”
Emergency work to repair a collapsed sewer in the centre of Ripon begins on Monday.
Kirkgate at its junction with Market Place East will be closed to vehicles, but there’ll be access for residents and businesses up to the point of the working area. A parking suspension on a section of Kirkgate will be also in place.
The current one-way system will be suspended while the road closure is in operation. All vehicles using Market Place East will be diverted along Market Place South to Westgate, Park Street, Firby Lane, Somerset Row, and Water Skellgate.
The repairs are being carried out during lockdown to minimise disruption and are due to end on December 2.
Yorkshire Water has said any remaining work will be postponed until the New Year to enable local businesses to welcome customers over the Christmas period.
Yorkshire Water’s Mark Allsop said:
Covid cases rise by seventy five in Harrogate districtThe emergency repair needs to begin as soon as possible. Work of this nature does take time and by starting during this lockdown period we hope to limit the disruption experienced by residents to a minimum.
“Throughout the works, existing water and waste water services will not be impacted, and we’d like to thank people in advance for their patience while this work is taking place.”
Seventy five more people have tested positive for coronavirus according to figures published today by Public Health England. There have been no further deaths of covid at Harrogate district hospital.
The total number of cases since the pandemic began now stands at 2,910.
On Thursday, the district reported its record daily case increase with 96 positive tests confirmed.
Health bosses said this week that 24 patients were being treated for coronavirus at Harrogate district hospital and that it is coping with the increased number of patients.
Meanwhile, care home visits will continue in North Yorkshire. 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.
Seventy new positive covid cases in Harrogate districtThe latest figures from Public Health England show there have been 70 new positive covid cases in the past 24 hours.
It brings the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic in the district to 2, 835. In Yorkshire and North East NHS figures published today showed 82 further deaths of people who had tested positive for coronavirus — none were in the Harrogate district.
On Thursday, the district reported its record daily case increase with 96 positive tests confirmed.
Health bosses said this week that 24 patients were being treated for coronavirus at Harrogate district hospital and that it is coping with the increased number of patients.
Meanwhile, care home visits will continue in North Yorkshire. 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.
Sixty three new covid cases in Harrogate district over the past 24 hoursToday’s official UK Government figures of 63 new cases in the district brings the total number of people who have tested positive for covid since the start of the pandemic to 2,502.
There were no recorded deaths of patients who tested positive for coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital today. According to NHS England figures, the total number of deaths at the hospital stands at 88.
The England wide lockdown announced over the weekend means all non-essential shops, hospitality and beauty salons will once again have to close until December 2 causing dismay amongst many of the districts retailers. Garden centres though and RHS Harlow Carr are to remain open.
The Prime Minister has said he hoped these restrictions would curb the infection rate to allow people to see their families in time for Christmas.