Businesses preparing to return to work after the coronavirus lockdown could be doing so in completely different ways – and employment levels in the Harrogate district could take a hit.

Mike Patterson, head of employment law at Berwins, said many businesses may have found the enforced change actually suits them and they will keep some of the new ways of working even after lockdown ends.

However, he said there are still many tough weeks ahead for businesses, especially as the furlough scheme changes from August.

“Initially, we were dealing with lots of queries about furloughing. We’re now starting to get into post-lockdown, getting business back up and running. A lot of people were waiting for Boris’s roadmap to see the timetable to get people back to work.”

Mike Patterson of Berwins Solicitors

A series of announcements, changes and retractions in advice since the beginning of the crisis, have made it harder for lawyers, accountants and others to keep up with the latest situation in order to advise their clients, Mr Patterson said. The furlough regulations, for example, were produced in one large document and, when the scheme was tweaked, the document was updated but no information was published about what had been changed, leaving advisors to read it repeatedly to find the updates.

The way the announcements were made this week also gave some businesses and employees hardly any notice, from Sunday evening, that they could be expected back at work the following day. Mr Patterson added:

“I would have felt more comfortable if it was a consistent message with the rest of the UK. I like to think I’ve got a bit of common sense, but everybody’s different in what’s normal, what they think they should do.

“You’re saying tomorrow at 8am people who can’t work from home should go to work? You’re putting it back on the employee to take that decision as to whether it’s safe to go in? That’s pretty unfair in terms of lack of notice and lack of planning.”

Now, many businesses are looking at how they can resume more normal working in the coming weeks and months. The extension of the furlough scheme and the possibility of bringing staff back part-time while the economy gets moving again has been met with relief.

“Speaking to a few businesses and seeing what people are doing, that’s quite a welcome move. Businesses are nervous of this cliff edge the chancellor keeps speaking about. It’s not going to be back to normal over night, it’s going to take time. It helps to have flexibility and phased returns.”

Physical presence

The practical aspects of returning to work are at the top of business owners’ lists of priorities, he said. Enabling social distancing and other aspects of health and safety in workplaces all have to be considered, but businesses are also looking at whether returning to previous operations is even necessary or desirable.

“The traditional view of ‘we have got to be physically present,’, that’s potentially going to be something of the past. Their arm has been forced, given this: they have got to adapt and allow home working. It comes back to physical presence and it will impact on the space they need.”

For some businesses, there has been very little change to how they work. For others, whether changing the services they offer or allowing greater flexibility as parents juggle working hours with childcare, it has been a period of operating differently.

Mr Patterson said the return to work will have to have an element of flexibility too, for both employers and employees, as different sectors return to trading at different speeds.

In the long term, Mr Patterson said it is inevitable some businesses will be forced to make cuts:

“The furlough is a welcome safety net for businesses and employers. The reality is it’s maybe a bit of a honeymoon period that will have to come to an end and businesses will have to make difficult decisions.”

Businesses reliant on tourism for their income have expressed fears that the local economy could struggle to recover if social distancing guidelines remain in place in the long term.

Hospitality business owners say that, with a high reliance on Harrogate Convention Centre for their trade, having it out of action – either while in use as a Nightingale hospital or because social distancing does not allow events to take place – is extremely worrying.

While many say they understand and agree with the Nightingale hospital remaining on stand-by, it leaves a question mark over the income of dozens of local businesses reliant on tourism and corporate events. Kim Wilson, chair of guesthouse association Accommodation Harrogate, said:

“It’s great it’s there and empty – we don’t want it to be busy – but it would be nice to have some deadline of when things will be back. I do appreciate nobody has that information though.”

Harrogate Convention Centre is currently home to NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and the Humber

The convention centre website says it contributes around £60m to the local economy, and its director has vowed to do all she can to support local businesses.

Having opened in September 2017, No 35 coffee shop on Cheltenham Crescent initially closed during lockdown, but re-opened offering take-away drinks at the beginning of May. Owner Nino Cutino said:

“Every year we’ve seen an increase in trade, which is good. We’re only very small, so a lot of our trade is the convention centre and take-away. I’m just unsure what’s going to happen. No-one knows.”

Mr Cutino said he fully supports use of HCC as a Nightingale hospital, and believes leaving it there for some time is the only sensible option, in case of a second wave of Covid-19, even if it impacts on local businesses. He added:

“It’s worrying, but we’re all just going to have to adapt, to try and overcome this.”

Ready to re-open

The Stray Ferret revealed last week that Harrogate Convention Centre is not currently being paid by the NHS for its use of the site, which is owned by Harrogate Borough Council. The current agreement runs until June, with an option to extend until July, and could continue beyond that if a new tenancy is agreed.

HCC director Paula Lorimer said: “We’re working hard behind the scenes to ensure we are ready to re-open once the time is right. Re-opening will be entirely dependent on government guidelines and advice, and at this time we continue to put the health and safety of our clients and staff first.”

Paula Lorimer

Some autumn events have been postponed to future dates, but she said there are still large events booked in which will go ahead with social distancing measures if possible.

Among those rescheduled to autumn is the Nursery Fair, now set to take place from October 18 to 20. Show organiser Adrian Sneyd said:

“Naturally, even looking this far ahead, safety of exhibitors and visitors is of primary importance and we will be taking advice and implementing methods to ensure that the show provides an effective business platform without putting participants at risk. This will be based on guidance applicable nearer the time but might need to include precautions such as having a different layout with wider aisles, considering how visitors access stands, and providing plenty of hand sanitizer.”

Upper Street Events, organisers of the Knitting & Stitching Show and Country Living Christmas Fair – which each bring thousands of visitors to Harrogate in the weeks before Christmas – said they were planning for the events to go ahead. A spokesman said:

“We are working hard behind the scenes and very closely with the venue and partners to ensure we are adhering to guidelines with regards to Coivd-19 and social gatherings for all events we run as a business. As organisers we are also exploring options around social distancing, hall layout, staggered entry, capacity and other health and safety aspects. At present we are not looking to explore other venues for either event.

“Decisions may change in line with Government advice, but all being well we look forward to be back in Harrogate later this year.”

Rescheduling events

The next scheduled event at HCC is in August and Ms Lorimer said plans are being made for it to be held safely. With a large venue, she said spreading events out into more space is possible, and HCC is sharing ideas with other venues for the best ways to achieve social distancing.

Ms Lorimer said she was working with organisers to reschedule events, rather than cancel them completely, which will help to support the recovery of the local economy as the crisis ends. She added:

“Harrogate Convention Centre is working closely with the HHTA (Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association) and other businesses over the next few weeks to share information, and to see if we can help support our town retailers as much as possible. Harrogate Convention Centre is the largest driver of economic impact, not just in Harrogate but the region, and we understand the important part we play in supporting the prosperity of the town.

“We are also pro-actively planning to target emerging industry sectors to ensure a healthy pipeline of activity. We will be back, better than before, just right now we don’t know when due to the current uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Residents in Harrogate have expressed concern about the confusing advice in the government’s changes to lockdown rules, after reports of rising numbers of people and cars on the streets.

Harrogate resident Paul Dutton said he worried that people who were already feeling more relaxed about restrictions would be encouraged to go even further in disregarding social distancing.

“I could see in the last week the roads were getting busier, there were more people out and about. We’ve been told not to go out unless we needed to. This will open the gates even further.

“I think people will push the boundaries, go to the coast, visit the sites of Yorkshire, take picnics and barbecues, walking through the fields. We just need to stay how we are.”

With his wife working as a GP in Leeds and his youngest son home from university, Mr Dutton said the family has been living as separately as possible within the house in order to reduce the risk of contamination. If people begin mixing again, he fears the family’s hard work to stay safe will be undone by another spike in cases which could bring it into their home through his wife’s work, no matter how careful they are.

Need for childcare

As a former Harrogate Grammar School teacher, he said he feels sorry for schools trying to find ways to meet the need for childcare if parents are pressured into returning to work. Suggestions of smaller class sizes would help with social distancing, but would be impractical for schools to implement, he said.

“If you are going to invite six or seven students back, which are they going to be? Are you going to rotate it? Are schools able to staff it in that way? It’s a huge conundrum. how do you resolve that? I really wouldn’t want to be in that situation now. I just feel if we waited another couple of weeks to see how the situation panned out, we could phase it in a different way.”

Social distancing will be almost impossible in schools, according to former teacher Paul Dutton

His concerns were echoed by Andy Johnson, a health and safety advisor mainly working on film and television projects, who said he has only had one job since the lockdown began. Not expecting his work to re-start properly until at least September, he is now offering his services to businesses which are looking at ways to re-open safely. However, as a widowed father with a teenage son at home in Harrogate, he is nervous about the risks of going into workplaces:

“It would depend on each individual case. If I was asked to go into a closed factory and do a risk assessment prior to it re-opening, as long as I could maintain social distancing, wear barriers, do my job and get out, I would be reasonably happy to do that. But not while people are working there.”

Mr Johnson said the “viral load” was a critical factor. People who come into contact with several people who have the virus on more than one occasion seem to become more seriously ill, he said, which meant opening workplaces and encouraging more travel could lead to a rise in the number of severe cases and deaths.

Lack of PPE

As a community first responder, he works alongside some paramedics and emergency medical technicians who also volunteer in their spare time. He said two of them are now suffering with coronavirus symptoms, including one admitted to hospital:

“They had what they thought was adequate protection. They think they’re safe, but they haven’t been safe. How can you ensure in a workplace that it’s safe? Chances are, you can’t. All you can do is what’s reasonable in the circumstances.”

However, with PPE in high demand, he questioned whether people going out to work would be able to find adequate protection for themselves, and whether workplaces could provide it for employees.

There have been no further deaths in patients with Covid-19 at Harrogate District Hospital, according to figures released today.

The last confirmed death was on Monday, May 4th, meaning there have been six days with zero deaths reported at the hospital.

The numbers released by NHS England today cover deaths confirmed up to yesterday evening. However, it can take several days for deaths to be confirmed, especially over weekends and bank holidays, so that data could still change over the coming week.

Nationally, NHS England said there have been 209 deaths in patients aged between 40 and 99. Of those, 12 patients aged between 55 and 97 had no known underlying health conditions.

Statistics released by the NHS only cover patients who died in hospitals. As well as the 51 patients who have died to date at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, there were 39 deaths in the community, including care homes, up to April 24th.

The hospital confirmed on Thursday that it had discharged 82 patients after treatment for coronavirus.

Organisations supporting vulnerable people through the coronavirus crisis have been given a boost thanks to donations from Bilton Community Fund.

The charitable trust gave £500 each to mental health organisation MIND, domestic abuse charity IDAS and Harrogate Samaritans, which provides 24-hour telephone support. The three charities were chosen in order to help them maintain vital services for people who might be struggling more than others during the lockdown.

Bilton Community Fund distributes profits from Bilton Gala, which was held for the final time in 2019, after falling attendance and financial losses meant it was no longer viable. However, the committee has continued to run the registered charity in order to support other community groups. Chairman Stuart Frost said:

“It was an extremely difficult decision to call time on Bilton Gala after more than 40 years, but all of us on the committee were determined to keep supporting our local community in other ways.

“When the coronavirus crisis started, we discussed what we could do to help and felt that it was important to support these good causes. We’re delighted that grants from Bilton Community Fund will make a real difference to so many people.”

The fund also donated £500 to Girlguiding North Yorkshire West, which is re-developing its Birk Crag residential and training centre in Harrogate. Once complete, it will be open to Rainbow, Brownie Guide and Ranger units from across the district, including around 150 young people in Bilton.

Bilton Gala drew crowds onto the streets with its annual opening parade

Ripon Cathedral will be lit up red, white and blue again this evening, after the city came together to ensure the 75th anniversary of VE Day was marked in style.

The west frontage of the building had lights projected onto it as the sun set on Friday, and will have the same again tonight and tomorrow for its neighbours to enjoy.

It provides a fitting centrepiece for the celebrations in the city, where people have done all they could to ensure that those who wanted to mark the milestone were able to do so, despite the coronavirus lockdown.

The Mayor of Ripon, Coun Eamon Parkin, and Nigel Guy ensured The Magdalens was at the heart of BE Day celebrations for their neighbours

Among those upholding the commemorations was the Mayor of Ripon, Coun Eamon Parkin, co-owner of The Magdalens pub, where bunting and wartime music played through a loudspeaker provided neighbours with the opportunity to celebrate from their gardens. Coun Parkin also played Churchill’s speech marking the end of the war in Europe, reminding people of the reason for the day’s celebrations.

No further deaths have been reported by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust in the data released by NHS England today.

The total for the district stands at 51 deaths, with the hospital confirming on Thursday that 82 patients had been discharged after treatment for Covid-19.

The last death confirmed by the trust was on Monday, May 4th. However, it can take several days for deaths to be confirmed and added to official figures, particularly over weekends.

Today’s figures show a further 207 deaths confirmed across England, in people aged between 37 and 100. Of those, 19 patients, aged between 60 and 95, had no known underlying health conditions.

Statistics released by NHS England only cover patients who were treated and died in hospitals. A further 39 people had died in the community across the Harrogate district until April 24, according to information released by the Office for National Statistics this week.

A festival designed to bring people together online has proved a hit with communities across the Harrogate district.

HG Community Lockdown Fest has more than 60 activities scheduled across the bank holiday weekend, including VE Day celebrations on Friday. Among the online performances was a wartime-style song from The Haddow Sisters in Harrogate (shown above), reminiscent of popular 1940s group The Andrews Sisters.

Each session is free, but participants are being encouraged to donate what they can to Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity when they sign up. The fundraising total at the end of Friday stood at £500.

On top of that, Harrogate Town AFC is putting its weight behind the weekend, auctioning off a signed shirt this afternoon and contributing more than £600 for the charity.

Local history

Mental health webinars, children’s Spanish classes, cooking workshops and an online beer-tasting will be held today. Tomorrow, with the weather expected to turn colder, organisers are hopeful that the programme of interior design, floristry, singing, yoga and local history will prove even more popular.

Rebecca Oliver, who helped to put the weekend of events together, said:

“It’s impossible to say how many participants we’ve had, but every event has had someone taking part – despite the amazing weather! We’ve got some great sessions still to come, including plenty on Sunday which are ideal for a rainy day.”

For more information, visit the event’s website: www.hglockdownfest.co.uk.

Police have named a man found dead in Harrogate this week as Aaron Atkinson.

The 38-year-old’s body was discovered at a property in Harrogate in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Two men, aged 46 and 40, arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery, have now been released on bail.

North Yorkshire Police said investigations into the death are continuing and further forensic tests are being carried out, but detectives are treating it as suspected murder. Officers have reassure the public that it was an isolated incident.

Art workshops, exercise classes and even beer-tasting will all be on offer this weekend as HG Community Lockdown Fest gets under way.

The event, masterminded by Harrogate women Rebecca Oliver and Catherine Wright, is designed to replace the weekend of activities cancelled because of the coronavirus lockdown. Rebecca said:

“All the things you take for granted on a bank holiday weekend – going to the coast, spending time with friends and seeing family – is all out of the window. We wanted to offer interesting things for people to do at home.”

Interacting in real life may not be possible, but the lockdown festival brings together dozens of local businesses to offer events online, which can be booked via its website.

There is no charge for the events, but people are being encouraged to make a donation – as much as they can afford – if they take part. The proceeds will be given to Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity (HHCC).

Among the activities include dance classes, a children’s puppet show, a clubbercise session and karate lessons. Artist Anita Bowerman (pictured above), Yorkshire Garden School and Born of the Forest will all run events themed around the great outdoors, while walking tour guide Harry Satloka will bring a mix of local scenery and history to people’s homes.

Harry Satloka will bring his walking tours online for the lockdown festival

Major Tom’s Social is running a live beer-tasting, with packs available to order and collect in advance, and Harrogate Library will be hosting story time for younger children. As well as holding a training session on Saturday afternoon, Harrogate Town AFC will be auctioning off signed shirts throughout the weekend to raise more money for HHCC.

The programme, which runs throughout the bank holiday weekend, also includes an opportunity to join the two-minute silence for VE Day at 11am on Friday, as well as the toast at 3pm. Rebecca added:

“We aren’t limited, space-wise, in terms of what we can do. Avoiding too many smaller things clashing but I don’t think it matters because a lot of it is going to be recorded, so you can always come back to things at another time.”