Harrogate Bridal Show has been postponed until next year because of coronavirus.
The event was initially scheduled to take place this month at Harrogate Convention Centre.
But with the centre being used as a Nightingale hospital, the show was moved to the Yorkshire Event Centre from October 4-6.
But it was announced this week the event had been postponed until September 2021.
The event’s website says:
“It is with great regret to inform you all that the 2020 edition of the Harrogate Bridal Show, due to take place on 4-6 October, has been postponed to 2021. We were excited to re-unite the bridal community in the home of bridal this year, however in light of recent developments, we no longer feel comfortable running the event this year.”
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- The total cases within Harrogate, since March, has now reached 926.
- Hotel closes after staff test positive for covid.
“Retailers will be able to browse collections in full from the biggest names in bridal. Like a trade show, you will be able to move between showrooms to compare gowns, see the dresses move on models (through pre-recorded videos) and connect suppliers.”
The toilet rolls aisle in Waitrose was empty at lunchtime today, sparking concerns that panic buying has returned to Harrogate.
A shopper sent this photo from the store to the Stray Ferret at about 1pm today. It is believed Waitrose stocked its shelves with toilet rolls this morning but they sold out in a couple of hours.
Reports on social media suggest some other supermarkets in the Harrogate district have also had a surge in demand for toilet rolls and other products, amid concerns the country could be heading for a second lockdown.
Flashback to March, when the Sainsbury’s store on Wetherby Road was affected by panic buying.
Yesterday the government announced new restrictions in response to rising covid infections.
Harrogate Town are preparing for a second trip to Wembley after reaching the FA Trophy Final.
Town clinched a place in the final after beating Notts County 1-0 at Meadow Lane last night.
Will Smith got the only goal of the game to defeat County as both sides met again just over a month since the National League Play-Off Final, which Harrogate also won.
Town will now play Concord Rangers at Wembley in the final, though a date is yet to be confirmed.
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The victory followed an announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson that a phased return of fans in October would be paused.
https://twitter.com/HarrogateTown/status/1308524021529620480?s=20
The FA had planned to hold both the FA Trophy and FA Vase Finals with up to 1,000 fans in attendance on September 27, but postponed the games earlier this month amid a rise in coronavirus cases.
Town boss, Simon Weaver, said he hoped to see supporters back in stadiums when they play in the final.
“We have had some difficult games along the way, but it was so important tonight that we did it for the supporters.
“Hopefully when it is Wembley time they will be allowed back in the stadiums.
“We said in the team talk ‘do it for the supporters tonight’.”
Meanwhile, Irving Weaver, chairman of Harrogate Town, said yesterday that clubs would reach a “cliff edge scenario” if a return of fans is delayed further.
He said:
Women to swim English Channel for charity“From mid-March through a normal close season we were helped by furloughing our employees. Now back into full swing anticipating fans returning, the black hole is upon us. Around thirty percent of a club’s total income is derived through the turnstiles. Without a subsidy the pain will be severe.
“I know that the government are well aware of the situation. Let us hope that there is help on the way, not just for football but for spectator sport in general.”
Two women from the Harrogate district are to swim the English Channel this weekend for charity.
Andrea Stark, from Harrogate, and Jacqui Hargrave, from Knaresborough, have been open water swimming together for seven years. But this will be the duo’s biggest challenge yet.
They are part of a four-person relay team in which each person will raise money for a different cause. Andrea is raising money for the mental health charity Samaritans. Jacqui is swimming for Harrogate-based Saint Michael’s Hospice, which supported her best friend in her final days.
The swim normally takes 15 hours and the rules state each person can only swim one hour before another member of the team takes over. The team has to tackle currents and find their way around shipping lanes – so the swim could be up to 30 miles long.
The team of four are set to embark on the English Channel Challenge on Friday.
Andrea, a nurse at Harrogate Hospital, said:
“We’re beginning to let ourselves get excited but it’s still all very dependent on the weather. We are definitely ready, we’ve done lots of training and swam at Whitby to get used to the current and the temperature.
“It’s taken us 7 years to build up to this. We love it so much and we prefer the open water and the feeling it gives – you’d be amazed at the positive impact it has on your mental health. Our families have been amazing too. There will be times when our bodies hurt but that’s when we’ll think of those charities and it’ll keep us going.”
To support Andrea, click here.
Jacqui, who writes an open water swimming blog, said:
“I am feeling more confident now, I really want to get it done – we all do! It’ll be invigorating and a challenge for us but we’ve done all the preparation and we’ve planned it all out.
“Under a quarter of people succeed but we are all very determined to accomplish this. Our driver is very experienced and understands the water so we’re in safe hands. It’s just about pushing ourselves against the harsh currents and of course the cold. The charities need their work promoting especially with all the uncertainty.”
To support Jacqui, click here.
Read more:
- An ice cream shop in Knaresborough has raised money for the local charity, Frank’s Fund.
- Former Ashville pupil will attempt to swim the channel this month.
The women are due to enter the water on Friday morning but the weather could postpone it by a few days. Their swim has already been postponed once following lockdown.
Richard Powell, a deputy health centre manager from Chesterfield, and Leanne Davis, a paramedic from Rotherham, make up the rest of the relay team.
Harrogate Town and other football clubs face a “cliff edge scenario” if fans are not allowed back into stadiums for six months, Town’s chairman has warned.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson put plans for fans to return at the start of October on hold today when he announced further restrictions to tackle rising coronavirus infections.
Supporters were due to return to grounds in small numbers, with some Football League clubs trialling 1,000 fans at games last weekend.
Irving Weaver, Town chairman, has said his club and others could experience “severe pain” if their loss of income is not subsidised.
He said:
“Today’s statement by the Prime Minister was not unexpected but if there is a further six months delay before we can allow fans into our stadiums then we are running into a cliff edge scenario.
“From mid-March through a normal close season we were helped by furloughing our employees. Now back into full swing anticipating fans returning, the black hole is upon us. Around thirty percent of a club’s total income is derived through the turnstiles. Without a subsidy the pain will be severe.
“I know that the government are well aware of the situation. Let us hope that there is help on the way, not just for football but for spectator sport in general.”
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Mr Johnson told MPs it would not be possible for fans to return to stadiums from 1 October. He added:
“I recognise the implications for our sports clubs, which are the life and soul of our communities.
“The Chancellor and the Culture Secretary are working urgently on what we can do now to support them.”
The Prime Minister added the restrictions could remain in place for six months.
Shrewsbury Town were among those to take part in a pilot last weekend with 1,000 supporters present for the first time since March.
Harrogate Town kids coaching centre closes after covid caseHarrogate Town Football Club has closes its player development centre for two weeks following a positive case of coronavirus.
The player development centre works with children aged between four and 15 to offer football coaching and support. The club was told yesterday one of its members had tested positive.
The club has confirmed only the development centre has been affected and its first team’s game against Notts County tonight is unaffected.
In a statement, Harrogate Town, said:
“Yesterday we received formal confirmation that one member of our Player Development Centre has tested positive for Covid-19.
“All players and staff in attendance who may have come into contact with the player have been informed, and appropriate government guidance followed. As a precautionary measure we have decided to close the PDC for 14 days. There have been no other confirmed cases within the PDC or any area of the club.”
Read more:
- The total cases within Harrogate, since March, has now reached 926.
- Hotel closes after staff test positive for covid.
Yesterday, a further seven cases of coronavirus were reported in the district.
In the past week, the Stray Ferret has reported five schools in Harrogate have confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Today the Prime Minister announced that indoor team sport would be banned in an attempt to avoid a full lockdown.
Police release suspects after town centre altercationPolice 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.
NHS Spitfire to fly over Harrogate this morningThe NHS Spitfire is due to fly over Harrogate District Hospital at 11.51am this morning.
The aircraft was scheduled to pass over the town last week but its mission was aborted due to bad weather.
With the weather set fair, today’s journey will hopefully go ahead.
The aircraft, which has the words ‘Thank U NHS’ on its undercarriage, has so far raised more than £90,000 from its flypasts for NHS Charities, which is a federation of 250 charities that support the NHS.
Donors can nominate a name to be written on the aircraft’s airframe. There is room for 80,000 names.
Read more:
- Eyes to the skies as spitfire flies over Harrogate hospital
- Mission aborted: No Harrogate hospital NHS Spitfire flypast
The aircraft was due to have left Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire at 10am today.
From there it was scheduled to fly over hospitals in Wakefield, Leeds and Bradford before arriving in Harrogate and then head on to York, Northallerton, Darlington and Teesside.
Alcoholics Anonymous in Harrogate has reported a surge in enquiries since lockdown began — and one member has urged local people struggling to overcome addiction to attend a meeting.
Known for its 12-step programme for dealing with addiction, AA meetings provide a safe space to discuss experiences. The only attendance requirement is a desire to stop drinking.
Harrogate, which has long had a reputation as a drinking town, has twice as many AA meetings per capita than York and four times as many as Leeds.
The Harrogate district has 16 weekly AA meetings, including in Knaresborough and Ripon.
In-person meetings recently resumed after taking place for most of the year on Zoom. Public Health England has confirmed that AA meetings are exempt from the government’s “rule of six”.
Michael, which is not his real name, told the Stray Ferret he had been attending meetings for almost two years.
He said alcoholism often went “under the radar” in affluent Harrogate. Many people with problems were often functioning in highly paid and pressurised jobs rather than conforming to the stereotype of being asleep on a park bench, he added.
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Indeed Michael said he made a lot of money during a successful business career but pain inside caused him to drink. He explained:
“To the outside world I had the ideal life. But there was something that wasn’t right inside and my drinking escalated over 20 years.
Michael started rehab for a month in January 2019 and has stayed sober ever since. He credits AA with helping turn his life around.
Public Health England figures published last week revealed there are 8.4 million high risk drinkers in the UK, a figure that has almost doubled since February.
Many people drank alone at home when pubs closed during lockdown. But Michael said self-isolation is not unusual for people in the depths of alcoholism. After socialising with friends at the pub he would regularly carry on drinking at home with a bottle of wine or some beers.
Michael said when he first went to an AA meeting he was surprised it wasn’t all “doom and gloom”.
He added:
“My preconception was they would be depressing environments. It surprises people that you find people laughing and are happy. It’s not doom or gloom, it’s warm, caring and supporting. That can come as a shock to people.”
For a full list of AA meetings in the district visit this website.
WATCH: What do you want from Harrogate?This is your chance to tell us what you really think…
The Stray Ferret has launched a major survey on the future of Harrogate town centre.
To get people talking, we went out onto the streets of Harrogate to find out why people visit, how they travel and what problems they think are facing our town. Watch the video to see what they had to say.
Do you agree? Make sure your voice is heard by completing our short survey. Everyone who takes part will be entered into a prize draw for some great free gifts – a Stray Ferret umbrella or a 12 pack of special Stray Ferret beer brewed by Harrogate-based Roosters. Participants must be aged 18 or over.
Click here to have a say on the future of Harrogate. The survey results, which will be published on our website, will help shape future debate.
Read more:
- Is the future of Harrogate town centre more homes, less shopping?
- The Stray Ferret launches a big survey