A further seven new covid cases have been diagnosed in the Harrogate district in the last 24 hours.

The figures, produced by Public Health England, take the total number of confirmed cases in the district since the start of the pandemic to 933.

However, residents across the Harrogate district have reported difficulty in accessing testing, even when they have symptoms. A mobile testing unit visits Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park twice a week.

The latest figures come amid a picture of a growing number of cases across the country, as the government prepares to introduce further restrictions in an attempt to reduce the spread.

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Last week, North Yorkshire declared a major incident amid an increase in cases in the county. Selby and Scarborough districts have also been listed as “areas of concern” by the government.

However, Harrogate District Hospital has not reported any deaths in patients with covid since July 19.

Police arrested three people after reports of an altercation involving a group of teenagers in central Harrogate last night.

Officers were called to Montpellier Parade at 7.40pm on Monday, with several vehicles rushing to the scene.

A witness told the Stray Ferret that officers pulled over and made arrests on Beech Grove, near its junction with West Park.

Officers stopped on Beech Grove to deal with reports of an altercation involving a group of teenagers

However, after making enquiries at the scene, police released all three suspects. North Yorkshire Police said this morning that enquiries into the incident are continuing.

Information can be reported to the force by calling 101 and using reference 12200166372.

Burglars stole a car from outside a house on Stonebeck Avenue after breaking in and taking the keys in the early hours of Sunday.

It happened between 1.30am and 2.30am, and the car was found abandoned with damage the following day.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Officers are appealing to anyone who saw or heard any suspicious people or vehicles in the area on Saturday night or Sunday morning, and in particular are appealing to any residents who have CCTV or smart doorbells that might have captured the suspects on camera.”

Anyone with information should call North Yorkshire Police on 1010. select option two, and ask for Mark Nursey, or email mark.nursey@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote North Yorkshire Police reference 12200165204.

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The president of Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club has reached the summit of Everest – without leaving Yorkshire.

David Hayes and 20 members of the group have been covering the equivalent distance of Everest since late August.

They covered 3,900 miles and climbed 106,000 feet – which they calculated to be the Yorkshire equivalent trekking 1,525 miles and 1,056m feet to Everest’s summit.

Among those taking part was Graham Chilvers, who completed his distance and height quota by walking up and down the steps at Knaresborough Castle each day with his dog, Jet. Four Rotarians climbed Yorkshire’s highest peak, Whernside, on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year, while Tony Doveston went up and down the stairs of the high-rise building where he lives.

Tony Doveston contributed to the Everest challenge by climbing the stairs in his high-rise apartment building

Guy Wilson trekked up and down the hill behind his house, David Russell and John Benedict cycled, while others rowed, used a step machine, and walked around the Stray in Harrogate. One hardy participant even contributed to the total distance as he recovered from knee replacement surgery.

On reaching the ‘summit’, Mr Hayes said:

“I am only standing here because of the enormous efforts of club members over the last few weeks.

“Daily they have walked, climbed, cycled and rowed to build up the real distance and height that were needed to get me here. They’re all in their 70s but they’ve put their bodies through a gruelling regime to get us to our goal.”

The fundraising total so far stands at £3,500, with donations still coming in. The money will be split between the Brigantes’ Covid Relief Fund, mental health charity Wellspring, and Carers’ Resource.

A blog of updates on the expedition can be found on the Brigantes’ website.

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Brighter, better and more extensive than ever: that’s the promise from the organisation now responsible for Harrogate’s Christmas lights.

Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) will be organising the displays for the first time this year and has appointed Gala Lights to make the town shine brighter than ever during the festive season.

Although the traditional Big Switch-On will not be possible, retailers and restaurants will be hoping the new and improved displays will draw people in to the town centre. The BID is hoping an online switch-on, taking place on Saturday, November 14, will help members of the community to get involved, as well as supporting local businesses.

Harrogate BID acting chair Sara Ferguson said:

“For a number of years, Harrogate’s annual Christmas lights have been funded by donations from local businesses and individuals, match-funded by Harrogate Borough Council.

“The appeal was launched on Stray FM and raised tens of thousands of pounds each and every year, with the switch-on taking place live on radio with stars from Harrogate Pantomime playing leading roles.

“Whilst none of that will be happening this year for obvious reasons, Harrogate’s Christmas lights will shine brighter than ever and be a reason for people to come into town during the festive season to shop, eat and drink.”

Custom made

The lights will be switched on in mid-November and will be strung between buildings, wrapped around lampposts and housed in trees, including those in front of the war memorial at the top of Parliament Street.

There will also be an illuminated, programmable and multi-coloured tunnel on the piazza in front of Victoria Shopping Centre, controllable via an app. Ms Ferguson added:

“Following a competitive pitch, we have chosen Gala Lights as our partner of the next four years. They are Christmas lighting specialists and work with towns, cities and BIDs throughout the UK. And for the first time in many years the lights are being custom-made for us.

“We are also looking at a lights switch on, but this won’t be a physical countdown in the town centre, but an online one involving local businesses and, hopefully, a big name or two.”

Gala Lights managing director Christopher Stille said:

“We are proud to be creating bespoke new Christmas lights for Harrogate town centre and we hope the new scheme will be well received by residents and visitors alike.”

Harrogate BID has recently expanded its team with the appointment of a ‘host’ to liaise with businesses and local authorities, and a project co-ordinator to support interim manager Simon Kent. It is funded through a levy on business rates applied to all businesses in the town centre over a set rateable value.

A man has been sent for trial at crown court after being charged with supplying heroin and possessing criminal property in Harrogate.

Stopped on Montpellier Hill in the town centre yesterday afternoon, the 45-year-old was charged in the early hours of today and appeared at York Magistrates’ Court this morning.

He will be sent for trial on a date to be confirmed. As well as supplying heroin, he is charged with possession of cash suspected to have been obtained through drug dealing.

Meanwhile, three other men – two aged 45 and one aged 37 – were arrested on Montpellier Hill on Wednesday as part of North Yorkshire Police’s work on county lines drug dealing under Operation Expedite.

Officers also seized 30 wraps of suspected heroin, £600 cash and a number of mobile phones and scales in the region as part of the investigation. The three men have been released while investigations continue.

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A hotel on the outskirts of Harrogate has closed its doors after two members of staff tested positive for covid-19.

Nidd Hall Hotel, which sits between Ripley and Brearton, closed on Tuesday afternoon and sent its guests home.

Mark Middleton, from Stafford, was staying at the hotel with his partner when he was told they would have to leave. Although he praised the staff for the way they handled it and the help they offered, Mr Middleton said after leaving the hotel he had been unable to get confirmation of whether anyone had received a positive test result.

He said:

“We both work and need to get in touch with our employer to see if we need to be tested or self isolate.”

The hotel has confirmed to the Stray Ferret that two members of staff received positive test results. It said all guests were offered the opportunity to re-book or receive a refund.

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A spokesperson for Nidd Hall Hotel said:

“We have chosen to temporarily close the hotel after two team members tested positive for covid-19. This is a proactive and precautionary measure, with health regulators confirming the hotel could continue operation due to our extensive protocols covering hygiene, social distancing and PPE.

“No guests are currently at the hotel and we are scheduled to reopen during the course of next week. The majority of guests who were due to visit in the coming days have rebooked to stay at other Warner Leisure Hotels or have chosen alternative dates to visit Nidd Hall, while a small number have opted to receive a full refund in line with Warner Leisure Hotels’ Coronavirus Guarantee policy.

“Warner Leisure Hotels operates to highest standards in reducing risk from covid-19 to ensure our guests feel safe and secure and have the confidence to enjoy their stay at all times.”

Community groups will be out in Hampsthwaite, Scotton and Tockwith tomorrow to check for speeding motorists.

The groups will be supported by North Yorkshire Police, using equipment to monitor speeds and pass information to officers.

The county-wide initiative could result in drivers being prosecuted based on the information supplied by the community groups. Jamie Smith, of North Yorkshire Police’s Traffic Bureau, said:

“Speeds of 60mph-plus through 30mph communities are unbelievably irresponsible, and clearly highlight that we need to continue doing everything we can to prevent them.

“If a child was to run into the road or a vehicle was to unexpectedly pull out of junction, the outcome would be unthinkable.

“Like us, residents are all too aware of these dangers and are fed up of motorists tearing through their communities and putting lives at risk.

“Community Speed Watch group do a very important job and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who gives up their time to support this valued work. We bring together police resources, tactics and teams along side these groups to pack a real punch against speeding and other dangerous road use.”

At the same time, officers from North Yorkshire Police will be on key routes through the county to check for unroadworthy vehicles. They will also be looking for other hazards, such as driving while using a mobile or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt, tailgating, and uninsured vehicles.

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A new head of destination management has been appointed by Harrogate Borough Council.

Gemma Rio will create a new destination management organisation (DMO) for the Harrogate district, driving tourism among both leisure and business visitors.

The DMO will bring together Visit Harrogate, Harrogate Convention Centre’s marketing team, and the district’s tourist information centres. It will work with other public and business organisations including HBC, Harrogate BID and Think Harrogate, as well as sector-specific groups including Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association.

Gemma Rio, Harrogate Borough Council’s new head of destination marketing

Ms Rio, who joins HBC from Tees Valley Combined Authority, will take up the new role in early October. She said:

“The Harrogate district is home to some genuinely excellent visitor experiences and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to establish its new destination management organisation to ensure those experiences attract more and more high-spending visitors.

“This is undoubtedly a challenging time for the visitor economy but there are already promising signs of recovery in the Harrogate district, with the Visit Harrogate website seeing record web traffic in recent months.

“I’m looking forward to supporting the sector in navigating these uncertain times, maximising the opportunity in increased domestic travel, and preparing for what we hope will be a robust 2021 spring/summer season.”

‘Not financially sustainable’

Visit Harrogate was established in 2013 as the district’s first DMO, funded through HBC as well as selling private advertising space on its website and brochures. In a report to HBC’s cabinet in September 2019, it was recommended to create a new DMO combining its functions with others including marketing of HCC, operating Tourism Information Centres and more. The report said:

“To maintain the current structures for Destination Marketing and Visitor Services is not recommended. There is a need to streamline and update the Tourist Information Centres, the Convention Centre future business strategy requires the development of a convention bureau and the current Visit Harrogate model is not financially sustainable.”

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Ms Rio’s experience at Tees Valley included establishing the area’s first destination marketing service in more than seven years, as well as successfully bidding for a significant group game of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. She has also developed a covid recovery programme for the Tees Valley visitor economy.

Prior to working in the North East, she worked at a senior level in an Australian economic development and destination management organisation. She also had roles in bringing business and leisure events to Townsville, North Queensland, to increase visitor expenditure in the area.

Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre

Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre, said:

“Gemma will bring a wealth of industry knowledge and experience having held leadership posts in destination marketing in Townsville Australia and as tourism manager at Tees Valley Combined Authority.

“I am sure the whole district will join me in welcoming Gemma and wish her every success here in Harrogate.”

A spokesperson from Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association said:

“Gemma’s appointment recognises the importance of a strong destination strategy for Harrogate district and can only be good news for the district’s hospitality sector, especially in the current economic climate.”

The annual Stray bonfire and firework display will not take place this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Usually drawing crowds of thousands of local spectators, the bonfire was set to mark its 50th anniversary this year. However, the latest restrictions announced by the government have made the event impossible.

Organised by volunteers from Harrogate District Round Table, it raises money for charity through donations from the public. It also sees local groups benefit, including the Scouts, who sell refreshments, and schools which are given a share of the profit from the sale of glow sticks and other items.

Harrogate District Round Table chairman Andrew Rickard said:

“We are genuinely devastated to have to postpone the 50th anniversary of the Harrogate Stray Bonfire and we have held off making this decision for as long as we possibly could, in the hope that it could go ahead. Unfortunately we have had to make the decision to postpone our 50th Stray Bonfire until 2021.

“As a Round Table, we are extremely proud of our annual charity Stray bonfire, not least because it provides a free event for all local residents, but also because organisations such as the Scouts and our nominated charities rely on it to bolster their much-needed fundraising efforts.

“We will be back next year (Covid restrictions permitting!) with a bigger and better event for our local residents to celebrate the 50th year of the Stray bonfire.”

In order to mitigate the losses from cancelling the event, the organisers have set up a fundraising effort to support local charities. They are asking anyone who would usually attend and who can afford to make a donation to do so on the Crowdfunder page.

All donations will be given to the organisations which usually benefit from the bonfire, traditionally held on the Saturday closes to November 5.

Read more:

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The bonfire is the latest major event to be called off in the Harrogate district over the coming months. Harrogate Christmas Market’s organisers announced they could not meet all Covid safety requirements at the end of August, pre-empting similar decisions for markets elsewhere in the country, including Leeds and Bath.

However, organisers of Knaresborough Christmas Market told the Stray Ferret they are still hopeful of going ahead in the run-up to the festive season – even if they have to run at a loss in order to support local businesses.

The 50th anniversary bonfire will be postponed to 2021 because of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, members of Harrogate District Round Table have not let the coronavirus lockdown stop them supporting other local organisations.

Among other activities since March, they have been working with Supporting Older People to buy, pack and deliver more than 200 food packages to vulnerable local people.