No new coronavirus deaths at Harrogate District Hospital

Harrogate District Hospital has reported no new coronavirus deaths for 11 days, according to the latest NHS figures.

It means the total number of deaths of patients who tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital remains at 81.

Meanwhile, the hospital trust discharged a further two patients this week, taking the total up to 141.

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A further 13 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in England’s hospitals. 2 were in the Yorkshire and North East region.

Patients were aged between 49 and 96 years old. All patients had known underlying health conditions.

It means the death toll from coronavirus nationally has increased to 29,173.

Extinction Rebellion hold demo on Harrogate roundabout

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate picked the Prince of Wales roundabout today to hold a demonstration highlighting the climate emergency.

The group told The Stray Ferret it had chosen the location as it wanted “somewhere striking” to draw attention to its cause and to re-ignite the group after lockdown.

It is hoping the demo will lead to more people wanting to join its ranks. Drivers blew their horns as they passed the group of around 20 demonstrators.

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Questioned as to whether the demonstration was safe or could have been distracting to drivers, Jess Thompson, coordinator for Extinction Rebellion Harrogate’s action group said:

“Our intention isn’t to distract drivers- we know safety is paramount. The banners were large and so drivers could easily see our messages. We want to highlight that time is up – we are living in a real emergency and we demand action.”

Ms Thompson told the Stray Ferret that the police had spoken to them and asked them how many were expected and how long they were staying there but took no action to stop them demonstrating.

 

 

 

Harrogate child sex offender jailed for 3 years

A child sex abuser from Harrogate has been jailed for 3 years at York Crown Court.

Daniel John Gresham, aged 34, was arrested in March this year. Police seized electronic devices from his home which were analysed by North Yorkshire Police’s Digital Forensics Unit.

The Online Abuse & Exploitation Team identified Gresham as the person responsible for making indecent images of children. Detectives were then able to prove that he had been sexually abusing the girl in the images over a  2 year period from 2013 and that he had then shared the images online earlier this year.

Gresham had earlier pleaded guilty to sexual touching a girl aged under 13 and also making and distributing indecent images of the same girl.

As well as being imprisoned for 3 years Gresham was made subject to a 15 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offenders’ register.

 

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Detective Sergeant Lee Allenby, of the Online Abuse and Exploitation Team, said:

“Despite the emerging operational difficulties posed by the coronavirus during this time, we were able to progress the investigation and secure charges against Daniel Gresham.

“More importantly, we were able to identify and safeguard a young victim who had been keeping her abuse a secret for many years. I have nothing but admiration for her bravery in supporting the investigation and I hope the outcome at court will help her to put this terrible experience behind her…

“..As for Gresham, he is clearly a dangerous individual who is now facing up to the consequences of his depraved actions.

“We will not rest until such offenders are arrested, convicted and put behind bars where they can do the least amount of harm to vulnerable victims and to society as a whole.”

Missing Harrogate woman found safe

Police say a woman from Harrogate who was reported missing yesterday has been found.

Monica Webber, aged 66, was last seen in the Dragon Parade area of Harrogate. North Yorkshire Police says Ms Webber has since been found safe in Berwick.

Police thanked those who helped in the public appeal.

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COLUMN: Not all of the chancellor’s measures will boost hospitality

This column is written for The Stray Ferret by Peter Banks, the Managing Director of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa and Chairman of Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association

Peter Banks

“I opened my eyes and realised it was all a dream….”

 

How many of us wrote a story that finished like that when we were at primary school? I know I did and I still remember with toe curling embarrassment how proud I was…..

When I look back on the last three months it does feel “otherworldly”, the first half of March when we weren’t affected at all, but we could feel the menace creeping  towards us, China, Italy, France, London, then us. Even the weather behaved itself, a beautiful spring. It almost felt like the Golden Summer of 1914 – the last hurrah before the world we knew was changed forever.

Sadly, this isn’t a dream, it is, to quote that dreadful new cliché, the new normal. This is now reality and we need to understand and manage it as well as possible.

Every day brings new challenges. If I can review a few of the most recent it will give you a feeling of a worms eye view from the sharp end of hospitality:

1.Track and Trace. The government has failed to create a system which tracks peoples movement. Therefore they have abdicated this responsibility to hospitality operators. We have to record everyone who comes into a pub or restaurant, contact details and time of arrival. I have had to introduce a “no track and trace, no beer” rule at our pub on the Holiday Park. Guests are very disgruntled at this invasion of their liberty, argue with us, abuse us and two guests even walked out as they “felt their rights were being threatened”. Please, it’s not our fault, we’re not being nosy, we are merely following the governments instructions and trying to help limit the spread of covid.

2. VAT reduction to 5% on accommodation and food in restaurants, cafes and pubs. On the surface a fantastic boost to the Hospitality industry as we will no longer be paying 20% tax on these items, just 5%. Why did Rishi take this sector specific action. The Government guidance states:

These changes are being brought in as an urgent response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to support businesses severely affected by forced closures and social distancing measures.

I believe that he wanted to throw a lifeline to the Hospitality industry, however – how many of you, dear readers, are going to expect to have the discount passed on to you? From a straw poll I have taken – the vast majority of my guests will want a discount. Therefore this 15% VAT reduction does not help the Hospitality industry at all, we will have the same level of demand (just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean that nervous people will go to the Pub), and we will merely pass 5% of a lower price onto the government. We will make exactly the same profit (or loss more likely!). So, a plea from me – if your local chippy has not dropped their price by £1.00, or your Hotel has not decreased your room rate by 15%, please don’t give the owner or manager a hard time.

Rishi deliberately made it sector specific to help that sector, not to put money in everyone’s pockets. If he’d wanted to do that he could merely have cut income tax or national insurance. I cannot state clearly enough, there will be many hospitality businesses that will not survive this winter, (today I heard that the iconic Yorke Arms is closing as a destination Restaurant). Please help them to keep as many staff employed as possible. Every time you ask for a discount you will be increasing the number of redundancies in that business.

You will still be paying the same price as before, It actually makes no difference to you. The government is just trying to ensure that the pub will still be open in April by allowing us to keep some more VAT.

3. £1000 for every furloughed worker still in employment on January 31 2021. This is a wonderful gift for many Hospitality operators who will need every scrap of financial help they can get next winter. However, what Rishi is asking us to do is continue employing a member of staff for the next six months rather than making redundancies and receive £1000 for taking that risk.

For a seriously damaged industry like hospitality that equation doesn’t stack up. Right now every operator that I know is making “clear, reasoned decisions to save as many jobs as possible”. That is a euphemism for having to make redundancies otherwise the business will not survive. Some sectors have increased profitability in this crisis, supermarkets, logistics, some manufacturing, yet they will also receive this boon. A sector specific extension to the Furlough scheme would have been better, the money could then have gone towards helping Hospitality through to next Spring when the good times will return (I hope!).

These examples are not dreams, they look fantastical, but they are reality. Six months ago 5% VAT on accommodation was laughable.  These keep me and my fellow Hospitality leaders awake at night, trying to unscramble meanings and the future from our very cloudy crystal balls. We reopen Rudding Park Hotel (Accommodation and Restaurant only) on Monday 13th July and I pray that I have made the right decisions and chosen the correct path.

The great news is that we are open, we have taken advantage of all of the government schemes, I have a fantastic team who have supported me through every challenge and we will be up, fighting and winning next spring when the good times come back.

We have to accept that the rules and mores that we used to work to have changed absolutely, and only those businesses that change will survive. It doesn’t matter how big and powerful you are, If you do not change you will become extinct.

The past three months has undoubtedly been the biggest leadership challenge of my  35 year career. The world has been fundamentally changed, and in my darker moments I wonder if I will ever be the same leader as I was before. That innocence of early March feels like it happened to a different person.

To quote LP Hartley in “The Go-Between” – “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there…”

We all look forward to welcoming you back to Rudding Park, and do what we enjoy, caring and looking after our guests. See you soon!

 

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Extinction Rebellion to hold regular rallies in Harrogate

Today was the second rally held by Extinction Rebellion in Harrogate since lockdown – organisers say they want to make it a monthly event.

Around 70 cyclists turned up this morning at the town’s Library Gardens and looped the town centre to draw attention to the need for more sustainable travel.

It’s only 3 weeks since the group’s last rally in the centre of Harrogate. Organisers say they’d wanted to do another event quickly as many people had been unable to come on the last one.

The rally set off from the Library Gardens

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Victoria Wild of Extinction Rebellion Harrogate told the Stray Ferret

“There was so much interest in the last one, people who had missed out wanted to come. Alot of people don’t feel safe on the roads as cyclists – particularly women and kids. We want to keep up the pressure to improve sustainable transport and it’s nice for everyone to get together on a rally”.

Last week, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways Don Mackenzie, told The Stray Ferret that cycling groups should “remain realistic” around improvements to cycling routes in Harrogate.

The council received just half of the £266,000 that was allocated to them by government to spend on temporary cycling and walking measures to help people use sustainable transport post lockdown.

No coronavirus deaths reported at Harrogate District Hospital

Today marks the 15th consecutive day without a reported death of coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital.  It’s also the 72nd anniversary of the NHS and the nation will clap at 5pm to mark the occasion.

A further 18 people, who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 28,889.

Patients were aged between 54 and 94 years old.   All patients had known underlying health conditions.

Ripon NHS anniversary

A flower bed in Ripon to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the NHS

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So far, the hospital has reported 80 coronavirus deaths. The last coronavirus death happened on June 18.

North Yorkshire Police says no major incidents last night

North Yorkshire Police said this morning that there were no major incidents last night after bars and restaurants opened after lockdown.

Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker, said:

“My thanks to everyone who enjoyed last night responsibly and to the licensees who have worked hard over the past weeks to prepare for opening. It’s inevitable that with alcohol consumption comes antisocial behaviour and we were prepared for an increase in demand. It was busy but no more than a usual Saturday night.”

These images were taken around Harrogate town centre at 9.30pm last night- the mood appeared upbeat.

Blues Bar

 

 

District Bar

District Bar, Cold Bath Road

John Street

John Street bars

 

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Fat Badger

UPDATE: Missing Ripon man found

Ripon police say Spencer Liddiard, 46, from Ripon was reported missing yesterday.

Officers had grown increasingly concerned for his welfare and put out a public appeal to help find him.

 

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This morning police issued a statement saying Mr Liddiard had been found safe and well.

Council “disappointed” over emergency cash for cycle lanes

North Yorkshire County Council said it remains committed to providing extra cycle and walk ways even though it said it was “disappointed” with the amount of money its been given by central government.

The county council bid for money from the Government’s “emergency active travel fund” to provide extra support for sustainable travel as part of the national recovery from coronavirus.

But the council was only allocated £133,000, half of the possible maximum available.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said:

“We have a long-standing commitment to active, sustainable travel, and that remains undimmed. The allocation from this first tranche of funding is disappointing, but we will learn from this bid and are determined to take full advantage of the next phase of funding and beyond”

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Harrogate District Cycling Action gave us this statement:

It’s disappointing that NYCC has only received 50% of the Tranche 1 amount provisionally allocated to it (which was £266,000). It must be because the plans presented weren’t ambitious enough.

There’s an opportunity later in the summer to bid for a further £1,065,000, and we would like NYCC to work with us in developing the best possible bid. The recent Harrogate Congestion Survey showed 77% support for improved walking & cycling infrastructure. This is an opportunity to invest in it, and it’s vital it isn’t wasted.

The authority said it was planning to bid for the second wave of cash. Cllr Mackenzie said:

“Initial feedback from the Department for Transport indicates that the drive behind this first tranche of the fund is to enable people travelling on public transport, particularly those going to and from work, to instead cycle or walk.

This is primarily an issue for large urban areas which have much higher levels of this sort of public transport usage.. Presently, our main impetus is creating town centre spaces to enable social distancing.

“We await guidance on the requirements for the second phase, which is likely to see an emphasis on schemes identified through our local walking and cycling infrastructure plans, which will be more permanent measures.