As the district and the country face an unprecedented public health challenge, The Very Reverend, John Dobson, has written this message to the people of the Harrogate District:

The coronavirus is having an incredible impact on the global community. We hear unprecedented accounts of an entire European country being in lock down. Our hearts go out for those who have died and to all affected. The threat to health and life has been matched by that to the economy, stock markets have tumbled, and our new chancellor has made massive financial provisions.  

The church is not exempt from this huge challenge. As an organisation that brings people together in fellowship as well as worship and prayer, the need for some to be isolated seems counter cultural.  At Ripon Cathedral, like many hospitality businesses and events venues, we are having to plan and make contingencies. The possibility of organisations cancelling their events with us is as disturbing for us as for them.   

The cathedral has an even more significant dimension to its mission; the need for spiritual reassurance and encouragement becomes even more obvious as our natural routine and sense of security are undermined. This is why we are taking all possible precautions to enable people to gather for worship in a way that is safe and responsible. We have the advantage of space! It is also interesting to observe how many people are choosing to come privately into the cathedral – open every day of the year – to light candles and pray.  

This time of national concern reminds me of the 2008 financial crash and the government’s bailout of the banks. I happened to be in the gallery of the House of Commons to hear the then Prime Minster, Gordon Brown, announce the unprecedented £150billion provision. No one knew what state the world’s economy would be in by the end of the week. Sitting in that mother of parliaments, I couldn’t help reflecting that it had seen many historic decisions over the centuries.   

At the end of the afternoon, I attended evensong in Westminster Abbey. Every stone seemed to bear witness to the message of God’s utter reliability in the long history of our country, with all its ups and downs. It seemed to put the problems of the day into perspective. Ripon Cathedral, whose 7th century crypt is the oldest built fabric of all English cathedrals, does the same. And it continues to encourage us all to trust in God and look out for our neighbour. That is a message particularly relevant today.  

There was a mixed picture of Saturday trading across the district today as shoppers did come out in Ripon, Harrogate and Knaresborough. Some traders in Harrogate, though, said they had started to feel a negative effect from the coronavirus crisis and were deeply concerned for the coming weeks.

The manager of Cafe M in Harrogate town centre, Lee Woodmass, said footfall had halved. Lee took over the independently run cafe in February. “Things were going well until last week and then takings halved”.

Shoppers, he said, have been asking where they can buy hand-sanitiser and his older customers are really worried.

Cafe M in Harrogate says takings are down

The picture was less bleak elsewhere though in Harrogate with some stores saying it felt like a regular Saturday. Vicky Wild who runs the Harrogate Fair Trade Shop on Cambridge Street, said the week had been very quiet but today it had picked up.

Queues for hand-sanitiser

In Ripon a small queue formed outside the Boots store on Market Place before it opened at 08.30am today. Sales were limited to two bottles each and soon ran out. There have been similar queues outside pharmacies all over the district. 

There has been real anxiety around finding a bottle and accompanying acts of altruism. 

Amanda Macey, from Ripon, told The Stray Ferret:

“I came Wednesday morning first thing and there was just one bottle left. A lady in the queue behind me was distressed, because she needed hand sanitiser for hygiene protection as a relative was coming out of hospital having received chemotherapy, so I stood aside, because her need was greater than mine.”

That good deed was rewarded when Amanda, pictured above,  who has contact with vulnerable people, did obtain  her two bottles.  

“You can get drugs in Harrogate during your school lunch break.”

“We have had letters sent home from school to say the children are having a drug awareness talk.”

“We’ve warned our own children from a young age about the dangers of drugs.”

These are just some of the comments from parents who have spoken to The Stray Ferret about their children’s experience of drugs and what goes on during a typical school day in Harrogate.

Families who have moved to one of the ‘safest towns in Britain’ for a better life, have revealed a real fear that their children could be exposed to drugs at a pre-adolescent age.

Our special focus follows the high-profile county lines drug raids, which police carried out in an unprecedented move to smash drug dealing.

The parents, whose children go to Harrogate’s state schools and asked to remain anonymous, have told how they fear the upmarket and traditionally wealthy town of Harrogate may be being deliberately targeted, as children and teenagers living here often have a higher disposable income, than in other areas.

One mother said a 16-year-old boy had told her how pupils can seek out drugs during the school lunch break, if they chose to do so:

 “We know there are definitely issues with drugs happening in or around school life. I’ve been told recently by a teenager: ‘You can buy drugs during your lunch break if you want. Everyone knows it and knows who to ask.’

“Of course they may go out of school to do this, but it is still rather worrying.”

Another parent, who has two teenagers, said: “We have letters sent periodically from school warning that there is to be a drug awareness seminar. I suppose it is good they are being pro-active, but evident that the police have concerns for our young people and who they might mix with.

“it is not just our school, it is happening in all of them. It is worrying.”

The parents have also said that the impact and fear of drug culture had hit home only recently, after recent police raids.

Harrogate is officially one of the safest towns in Britain, with North Yorkshire named as the county with the lowest crime rate in England and Wales, despite covering the fifth largest geographical policing area.

Yet undeterred by this, drug dealers from outside the area are using vulnerable young people to deliver drugs across our town and surrounding areas.

Here is what some Harrogate parents had to say:

“It is vital to educate your children at home about the dangers”

One Harrogate couple, who run their own business, say they are unsurprised by the recent police raids, but say it is vital that parents educate their children from quite a young age about the dangers of drugs, to encourage them to make the right choices.

The father-of-two, who had received the letter about drug awareness session, said: “There has always been drugs available in Harrogate, like anywhere, despite it being a wealthy and upmarket town, so recent events do not come as a surprise.

“Drugs are there for those who seek them out, but they are now more widely available and easier than ever to get hold of.

“We are not concerned about our teenage son. We have educated him at home about drugs and choices and feel confident he can make the right decisions for himself.”

“We’ve been to drug awareness seminars at school”

Another mother, in her 40s, who lives just a five minute walk from The Stray in Harrogate, said: “Our son is only 12, but already there has been mention of drugs. We have been to drug awareness seminars for parents at school and I am glad to see that all the schools in Harrogate seem to be “on it”. I think they have to be.

“We have lived here for 20 years. We love living here and feel very privileged to have such a lovely life in a good area. It is a great place to live and work.

The working mother added: “Our son is only young and in year 8, he’s not even a teenager yet, but we are definitely aware of things happening and want him to be aware and vigilant too.”

North Yorkshire Police dog Marley helps during recent county lines searches

What is being done to educate our children?

Pupils as young as 10 are taking part in drug awareness sessions, in schools across Harrogate and North Yorkshire.

Sessions start in Year 6, the top class in primary school and are also delivered in secondary schools.

North Yorkshire Police has eight school liaison officers (SLO) who support PSHE curriculum subjects including drug use.

They engage with working partners such as the Inspire Youth Project in Harrogate and Knaresborough, who deliver awareness around drugs, county lines and Child Sexual Exploitation.

Other projects include the Crucial Crew, who go in Year 6 primary classes and The North Yorkshire Youth Commission which delivers Kym’s Game, to encourage discussion around drug use and about keeping your friends safe.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “The aim is to educate children and young people around the types of drugs, their effects and the consequences – criminal as well as health related.

“In addition there is a large emphasis on teaching them to stay safe around drugs, as we do not presume that we can stop drug use all together.

“Parents can help by educating themselves. Sessions are available to parents if they wish. They are very well received and the feedback is excellent.

“Sadly, they are not as well attended as we would hope.”

What is ‘County Lines’?

‘County Lines’ is a term used when drug gangs from big cities expand their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out local dealers and exploiting children and vulnerable people to sell drugs.

These dealers will use dedicated mobile phone lines, known as ‘deal lines’, to take orders from drug users.

All kinds of illegal drugs are being supplied and ordered, including heroin and cocaine. Other drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy are also in demand.

In most instances, the users or customers will live in a different area to where the dealers and networks are based, so drug runners are needed to transport the drugs and collect payment.

A common feature in county lines drug supply is the exploitation of young and vulnerable people. The dealers will frequently target children and adults – often with mental health or addiction problems – to act as drug runners or move cash so they can stay under the radar of law enforcement.

Suspected drugs seized from one of the recent property raids

Destructive cycle

Detective Superintendent Fran Naughton, of North Yorkshire Police, said that county lines was an operational priority for North Yorkshire Police, with three dedicated proactive teams dedicated to the issue: “There are drug users in all towns and it’s important that vulnerable people are offered the help to get out of the destructive cycle of drug use. It’s a complex problem with many factors which is why partnership working with housing providers, drug intervention and local authorities and the health service is important.”

“The criminals will exploit younger people and children and force them to transport the drugs to the smaller towns, often using public transport. In a practice known as cuckooing, they also take over the homes of vulnerable people, again often drug users themselves, to store and sell their drugs while they are in the area.

“Any teenager is at risk of becoming involved, even those from affluent families.

“Our advice to parents is to talk to your children about drugs and be aware of the signs to look out.”

What should parents look out for:

Gangs are increasingly using social media to recruit children via mobile phones who aren’t typically vulnerable, so everyone needs to be alert to the following signs:

• Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area;
• Unexplained money, clothes, or mobile phones
• Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls
• Relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups
• Leaving home / care without explanation
• Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries
• Carrying weapons
• Significant decline in school results / performance
• Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks
• Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being

If you suspect a child you care for or know is being exploited, please call the police on 101, if they are in immediate danger, always call 999 

Visit https://northyorkshire.police.uk/ for advice and information for parents.

North Yorkshire Police says that public help and vigilance is needed, following high-profile county lines drug raids across Harrogate.

Detective Superintendent Steve Thomas, of North Yorkshire Police, has revealed a list of “key challenges” for the force and says although three county lines drug dealing routes into Harrogate have been smashed, there is still work to do,

He said that it was a priority for one of Britain’s safest towns that police resources were going into the fight against drug dealers, in a bid to keep them out of North Yorkshire.

Speaking at the recent Overview and Scrutiny committee, at Harrogate Borough Council, he said: “There is a drug using community here in Harrogate and weapons are being used to protect the business model to make it work.

“All our police resources have been put into county lines. We are working to stop the gap being filled after recent arrests and keep them out of Harrogate and North Yorkshire.”

His comments come after two police operations to smash drug dealing involving more than 70 officers from North Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Police and the National Crime Agency. They targeted a series of addresses relating to county lines dealing, which has seen 18 arrests to date.

He said that Operation Jackal had taken eight months of intensive police work – focusing on gangs in Bradford and also criminality in Harrogate, bringing a total of 18 arrests so far.

Lowest crime rate

Although Harrogate is officially one of the “safest” places to live in Britain, with the lowest crime rate in England and Wales, it has not deterred the infiltration of drug dealers.

People who live and work in North Yorkshire are around twice as unlikely to fall victim to crime compared to other areas, despite a 12% increase in recorded offences, with violent crime, stalking and robbery on the rise, according to the latest crime figures.

Acting superintendent Andy Colbourne

Acting Superintendent Andy Colbourne, of North Yorkshire Police, pictured above, added: “County lines remains a major priority for North Yorkshire Police and I hope our recent operation provides reassurance to the people of Harrogate that we will take action against the scourge of drug dealing, particularly where it affects some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“We urge anyone who has any information about drug dealing in their neighbourhood to contact us on 101 or if they prefer, to pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers. Every piece of information helps us to build up a bigger picture and informs our operational activity. As you can see, we are determined to rid our communities of the misery and associated crime that drug dealing causes.”

This afternoon has seen a succession of announcements as the coronavirus crisis deepens.

Public Health England announced that the number of people testing positive in North Yorkshire to coronavirus has risen to 4.

Harrogate Town’s match against Solihull Moors tonight has been called off after staff went into self isolation. The Club released a statement this afternoon:

We have four employees currently under self isolation and we have a duty of care for the health and wellbeing of players, staff and supporters.

Local and mayoral elections in England will be postponed for a year.  The Police and Crime Commissioner elections in North Yorkshire to replace the existing Conservative, Julia Mulligan, were to be held in May.

Elkie Brooks’s appearance at the Royal Hall has also been called off after the singer had a sore throat during rehearsals and was advised to rest.   This is not thought to be related to coronavirus.

Convention Centre Director to hold talks with local businesses

Meanwhile independent businesses are being invited to meet the director of Harrogate Convention Centre so the venue can support them through the coronavirus crisis. 

Paula Lorimer, who has been in post for just over a year, said she feels a sense of responsibility for the town’s economy, which relies heavily on visitors to the centre.  

She is sending out an invitation to independent retailers to visit and explain more about what they can offer to visitors, as well as hearing what the venue is doing to protect local businesses and jobs from the effects of coronavirus. 

While it is currently business as usual at HCC, changing advice from the government is likely to mean fewer events go ahead over the coming weeks across the UK. However, Ms Lorimer is working with organisers to find new dates at the venue.  She said:

“The biggest industry challenge is that there are only 365 days in the year and they have other events throughout the year. How do we get this big Rubix cube to squeeze in everybody else at a later time, in the autumn?” 

So far, two HCC events have been postponed by organisers, though one had not got a full contract in place before changing its plans. The next major event in the calendar is the Conservative Party Spring Forum on 3rd and 4th April, though there are other concerts and single-date events before then. 

Meanwhile, the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language has announced that its April conference in Manchester will instead be held in Harrogate next March. It will bring 3,000 delegates from 100 countries for its four-day programme. 

While the short-term changes are keeping her busy, Ms Lorimer is also keen to ensure her plans to redevelop and build up the convention centre are not affected by the coronavirus outbreak. 

“I’ve got to make sure this venue is in a fantastic place so, when we come out of this, we’re in a first-class position,” she said. 

“Appalling” and “unacceptable” say opposition parties after The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Britain’s most cancelled train is the 07:13 from Harrogate to Leeds.   

The paper published figures from ontimetrains.co.uk which provides statistics on rail punctuality. The paper revealed that the 07:13 was cancelled 28 times out of 55 since new timetables were introduced last year- failing to run on more than half of days in the December to February period analysed.  

Northern rail was stripped of its franchise in March for consistently poor performance and is now operated by the government.  

The Harrogate Line Supporters Group says it’s been told the cancellations were due to a shortage of staff and more services than normal needing repairs and that there are also serious problems with the 07:46 Harrogate to Leeds.   

Harrogate’s Conservative MP, Andrew Jones, who was Rail Minister for 8 months between November 2018 and July 2019 declined to comment to The Stray Ferret on the Sunday Times report. He has previously criticised Northern and supported the move to government ownership.

Opposition parties in Harrogate were united in calling for more money to improve the line. Judith Rogerson, spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said   

We have had to put up with an appalling service for far too long. Whilst I welcome the removal of the franchise from Northern Rail, that is only a first step in the right direction. Responsibility now lies squarely with the Government to provide the re-organisation and investment that our local railways desperately need. 

Mark Sewards of Harrogate & Knaresborough Labour party, said  

It’s completely unacceptable.. Labour has long advocated for our railways to be brought back into public control, and it seems that the government has accepted our argument by terminating Northern Rail’s contract. Money needs to be invested in the Harrogate Line and other train lines in the north of England which have been woefully neglected by a decade of Tory mismanagement. 

The Stray Ferret will be tracking the performance of rail services in the district in the coming months. 

The families of Chinese students at two Harrogate private boarding schools face the dilemma of whether or not their children should go home for the Easter holidays.   

China, where the disease originated, has seen 80,430 cases with 3,013 deaths and more than 6,000 seriously ill. 

Sylvia Brett, Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College, Highfield Prep School and Highfield Pre-School told The Stray Ferret:

 “A small percentage of our pupils are from Category 1 and Category 2 regions who, following our advice, haven’t been home since Christmas.   

“They will either remain in the UK during the Easter holidays or self-isolate away from school for 14 days on their return.   

“Some are quite naturally worried about friends and family at home and we’re working hard to support them emotionally through this time.  We’re also reviewing overseas trips currently planned for the Summer Term and will decide over the coming weeks whether they will go ahead.” 

The college has installed additional alcohol hand sanitisers around school. The prep school pupils, who normally shake hands with staff when they arrive at school in the morning, have been asked to get creative with alternative greetings such as foot taps, elbow bumps and even the Star Trek “Live Long and Prosper” greeting.  She adds:

 “We’ve been planning and preparing for the impact of coronavirus since the end of January.  It’s a very worrying time for everyone and our whole school community is working hard to help prevent the spread of the virus.” 

The College has a team of qualified nurses in its Wellness Centre and they’ve been medically briefed on the virus and have been liaising with both Public Health England and NHS111.   

A Contingency Planning Team is working on short, medium and long term plans, covering all aspects of running a school including providing lessons via an on-line learning environment and video conferencing if necessary.   

The college believes it’s time for people to keep cool heads and Sylvia Brett points out: 

“I think it’s really important for the sake of the children that we remain calm, but it’s also important that we’re prepared for any future developments and so we’re focusing on trying to achieve both of these things.” 

Ashville College says it is keeping the parents of its students regularly updated.  

The Boarding Schools Association (BSA), of which Harrogate Ladies College and Ashville are both members, gives very specific advice for boarding schools with Chinese students, saying. ‘We advise those who decide to travel that protective measures could well be in place before they return.  Depending upon how the virus spreads, this could include the need for returning pupils to be quarantined.’ 

The Medical Director of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has warned that coronavirus may lead to increasing numbers of people needing to self-isolate but that services are currently running normally.

As the number of confirmed cases in the UK rose today to 85, the Harrogate district has yet to have any– the closest being in Leeds and Ilkley.  Harrogate District Hospital has set up NHS 111 pods outside the main entrance so anyone showing symptoms of the virus can be tested away from other patients, reduce the risk of infection and the strain on the Accident and Emergency Department.

Dr David Scullion, Medical Director at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, told The Stray Ferret:

“Over the coming weeks many more of us may need to self-isolate at home for a period to reduce this virus’s spread. Everyone can continue to play their part by taking simple steps such as washing hands to prevent the spread of infection and calling NHS 111 first before going to the doctors or the Emergency Department if they have any concerns about or show symptoms of coronavirus”

Harrogate has a higher than average older population. 6.6% are over 80 years old. A population survey in 2017 found that 10,400 over 65s were living in the district with “limiting illness”.  The elderly are more vulnerable to becoming serious ill if they catch the virus- a rising number of cases would put a significant strain on local services.   

The Hospital, which has a budget of £175m, has 396 beds in total- 10 of which are intensive care and high dependency.  NHS England has told hospitals to consider ways to increase the availability of hospital beds and resources for coronavirus patients.  

The NHS 111 pods outside Harrogate Hospital

People leaving Harrogate hospital told the Stray Ferret they were concerned.

Duncan White who lives in Harrogate said  “ It’s a bit lame just to tell people to wash their hands. I’m not sure that GP surgeries and the Hospital here in Harrogate would cope with an ageing population in panic mode.” 

One woman who wished to remain anonymous said  “I am scared, I have a chronic illness already so I’m very frightened.” 

The Managing Partner of the Leeds Road GP Surgery in Harrogate, Andrew King, said  “We are following national guidelines and we are as prepared as the current guidance has prepared us to be”.   

One Harrogate Dentist, Dr Shohreh Ghasemi, who works both privately and for the NHS told the Stray Ferret  “People should try and remain calm as stress only worsens the effectiveness of our immune systems.” 

Anyone with initial concerns can access the NHS 111 online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.  For information click here.

NHS England has published advice on how to reduce the risk of infection. For more information click here. 

The Stray Ferret is an online news service for the Harrogate district. We are a team of experienced journalists who will be covering news, investigating the use of public money and holding our elected representatives at all levels to account.  

We were due to launch at the beginning of April but have decided to start publishing earlier in the event the coronavirus emergency deepens and we have cases locally. Our aim will be to provide the public with information and aim to answer questions you might have about protecting yourselves and your family.   

You can read about who were on the About Us section of the website.  We have more journalists coming to work for us in the coming weeks and our website is not fully complete so bear with us as we expand to cover more stories in the coming month.  

The Stray Ferret … fearless, factual and fair..