Libraries in the district have reopened this week for people to return their books and request books. There are plans to reopen for browsing by the end of July.

As well as returning their books, people can also take part in the ‘select and collect’ scheme. The scheme allows people to ask for specific titles but also asks for the reader’s preferred genres, the authors they like in order to create a personalised bundle.

Harrogate library is in the first phase of reopening. From next week people can book computer slots and collect the books they have requested.

Jane Trigoso, Harrogate library supervisor, said:

“The select and collect system has been inundated with requests but I know a lot of people are keen to get back to browsing and physically be in here choosing their books. From next week people will be able to come in and collect their bundles and also sign up if they want to become a new member.”

It’s unlikely these bookshelves will have any visitors until the end of the month.

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Through this period the library has increased its online posting to try and offer the group activities regular visitors are used to. Jane added:

“People can also look on our facebook page to see competitions, online events and story times too. So staff and partners we’ve worked with in the past are reading the stories online.”

Visitors to the library today were pleased to see it had began to reopen. Tom Benson said:

“I used to come her pretty much every week to grab a book so I’m really happy its reopened. I’ve been told I can request books for next week so I need to have a think what book I want. All the systems are for safety and that makes me feel good about it.”

Philip Davies said:

“I’ve really missed it, I’m an avid reader and it’s important to use the libraries. I’ve missed having them open, I’m quite happy with the measures in place and feel at ease.

Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones voted against offering financial support for migrant victims of domestic abuse.

Non-EU nationals with limited leave to enter or remain currently have “no recourse to public funds”, meaning they are not entitled to any financial support such as housing benefit, child benefit, tax credits or Universal Credit.

Charities say the condition is forcing some survivors to return to their abusive partners.

An amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill yesterday intended to change this to give migrant survivors of domestic abuse a safety net if they are escaping from their abuser or trying to start a new life.

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The rule was introduced in 2012 and critics say it forms a key part of the government’s so-called “hostile environment” for migrants coming to the UK.

Last night’s vote in the House of Commons was met with dismay from local and national charities.

Carmel Ossard, spokesperson for the Independent Domestic Abuse Service (IDAS) which runs a women’s refuge in Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret they had written to Andrew Jones asking him not to support the amendment.

She said:

“For migrant women who are faced with a choice of destitution or to remain with their abusive partner, it is not an acceptable situation and we hoped our local MPs would have supported this amendment.”

The Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants also spoke out against the vote.

It said:

“Extremely sad news. The government has chosen to continue creating a hostile environment for migrant survivors, instead of granting them the safety & protection they need.”

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones to explain why he voted against the amendment but he has not responded at the time of publication.

Harrogate District Hospital has reported a coronavirus death for the first time in more than two weeks.

The hospital had not recorded any new deaths for 16 days in a row until today.

That person died on Friday, July 3 and it takes the hospital up to 81 deaths.

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England’s hospitals reported that a further 36 people had died with coronavirus in today’s NHS figures.

Patients were aged between 53 and 98 years old. Two patients, aged 83 and 85, had no known underlying health conditions.

Harrogate RUFC welcomed back familiar faces and reopened its club house doors.

It was the “first time the club house opened since lockdown” and players and supporters enjoyed a BBQ and a long-awaited pint. Food was enjoyed outside and a one-way system was adopted through the clubhouse.

As well as this, the rugby club launched its “Ride to Rudding” scheme, which was originally due to have started before lockdown. The initiative encourages people to cycle to the club rather than drive.

Andy Annat provided the BBQ for the reopening of the clubhouse.

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Mike Cowling, commercial chairman for Harrogate RUFC told The Stray Ferret:

“We were always planning to launch the scheme officially, but lockdown delayed that. This is the start of something going forward, we had about a dozen people ride to the event at the weekend which is great.”

The club was given a small transport grant from Harrogate Borough Council which allowed it to install a bike shelter to further encourage players and supporters to cycle to the club.

In order to encourage more people to cycle, the club held a free prize draw for all those who arrived on bikes across the weekend. The winner was Woody Auld who plays for the U10’s.

More than 3000 people have signed a petition to save Stray FM as its owners plan to merge it into a larger service.

As well as the signatures, the campaign to save Stray FM has received more than 200 stories about what the station means to local people.

The petition was set up by the local Lib Dems when the plans were announced by Bauer Media in late May. The group’s leader in Harrogate, Councillor Pat Marsh, has written to Bauer urging bosses to reconsider their decision to replace Stray FM with a national station, Greatest Hits Radio.

A regional drive time show covering Yorkshire and Lincolnshire is planned, but the remaining programmes will follow the national schedule.

Cllr Marsh said Bauer Media should “reconsider its decision and explore alternative arrangements which recognise the community asset that Stray FM is in its current form, providing ‘proper local radio’ to the area”.

The Lib Dims are against the plans to merge the local station and have rallied public support to save it.

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Cllr Marsh added:

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people who have joined our campaign in just a matter of weeks, it’s a real testament to just how important it is to the community that we save Stray FM. Reading so many people’s personal stories of what Stray FM means to them has been nothing short of truly heart-warming.

“This is not a done deal. There are many avenues that we’re exploring and we will do all we can to see Stray FM continue.”

North Yorkshire Police has admitted it did not get its response to a large gathering and drug use on the Stray last month “100% right”.

It comes as hundreds of people gathered on the Stray last month where police found canisters of laughing gas and empty takeaway boxes and beer bottles in what was described as a “festival atmosphere”.

Now, Steve Thomas, detective superintendent at North Yorkshire Police and commander for Harrogate, has said the force did not “get to grips” on the gathering quickly enough.

He apologised to councillors on a Harrogate Borough Council scrutiny committee for the initial response but added the force will now respond earlier to such incidents.

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He said:

“I’m really sorry that we were not able to get to grips with it in time for it not to affect the people that reported it to us.

“I was working on the evening that it happened and as soon as we were aware, we deployed through the force control room additional resources.

“Unfortunately, once you get a gathering of that size, it is a question of trying to engage as best as possible and trying to encourage them to remove litter in a sensible way.

“It was quite difficult and I’m not saying that we got that entirely right but we certainly learned from it.

“What we did from that point onwards is increase our patrol strategy to make sure that we were earlier to engage with the groups rather than letting it get either too big or too much alcohol consumed.”

Since the incident, police have sought to educate on the use of laughing gas and issued a warning after finding an “awful lot” of canisters.

Steve Thomas, detective superintendent at North Yorkshire Police (middle right), answered questions from Harrogate Borough Council’s scrutiny committee.

Speaking about the dangers of inhaling the gas, Sergeant Heidi Lewis, children & young people engagement officer, said:

“People may believe that because this gas is widely available and easily purchased, that it is harmless. However, inhaling this gas can lead to unconsciousness and ultimately suffocation, as the body is essentially starved of oxygen.

So when you know the risks irresponsible use of this gas poses, it’s not so much of a laugh is it?”

Early morning rant alert. Part 1 of 2 #Harrogate #Stray #Sunshine pic.twitter.com/nDyqaC9eF3

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) June 25, 2020

Following the gathering, volunteers and council staff cleaned up the Stray with one describing it as the “biggest mess in six years”.

It comes as North Yorkshire Police still tops forces across the country for the most coronavirus fines handed out since March.

The force handed out a total of 1,171 fines to people breaching coronavirus regulations up to June 22 with the majority of the fines issued to people visiting the county’s beauty spots.

Officers said most visitors had come from West Yorkshire to the county.

Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper said Harrogate can “thrive again” following lockdown. However, he warned that some jobs and businesses in Harrogate will not survive.

Speaking alongside HBC chief executive Wallace Sampson last night at the first-ever virtual Harrogate District Chamber Meeting, he said “hard questions” need to be asked around the future of Harrogate retail.

He said he shopped online for the first time during lockdown and questioned if many shoppers who enjoyed the convenience of online shopping will ever return to the high street.

Cllr Cooper gave a vote of confidence in Harrogate International Centre and said the council is in discussions with the NHS about its future.

He said:

“We’re pleased to do our bit for national effort but we have to ask, we’re going to need the ability to hold large scale conferences to support the local economy.”

Wallace Sampson said the role of Harrogate town centre will change forever due to the lockdown.

Like Cllr Cooper, he said the conference centre will be crucial to how the town recovers but suggested it’s started to fall behind its competition.

He said “without a doubt” HBC needs to invest in the buildings to keep up with state-of-the-art conference facilities being built in other towns and cities. He said an investment case will be brought before HBC later this summer.

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Mr Sampson also praised HBC for its work supporting businesses during the lockdown. He mentioned various initiatives the council has undertaken including business rates holidays and a rent holiday for its commercial tenants.

He said:

“Without the rapid action of the council and a real can-do attitude from our staff, it is quite possible that many businesses wouldn’t have got through this difficult period.”

Both Mr Sampson and Cllr Cooper also praised the work of Harrogate BID during the lockdown.

Cllr Cooper said “the BID has had its problems but now some of the problems have gone away,” perhaps referring to the resignations of four of the BID’s board earlier this year.

Wallace Sampson and Richard Cooper at last night’s virtual meeting.

Mr Cooper and Mr Sampson answered four questions from Chamber members with two based around transport.

One person asked if Harrogate town centre should be pedestrianised, adding “Harrogate could be stunning – but isn’t”.

Cllr Cooper said:

“Yes, we have problems, but every time I visit my parents in Huddersfield I realise just what an amazing place we live.

“Regarding pedestrianisation, I’m on record as I’m saying I favour, as a trial period, to block off James Street, Albert Street and Princes Square.

“It’s funny, people who don’t want pedestrianisation shout very loudly. But I go and ask people and nearly everybody says they want it.

“If you do want pedestrianisation – you need to say so.”

Friends of the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate have launched an online exhibition focussing specifically on art works created through lockdown.

The exhibition, which opens on August 1, is open to all artists and creative people. The artwork will be displayed in 6 different categories including painting and drawing, ceramics and sculpture and an additional category for students.

The final date for submissions is 5pm on July 25th.  Organisers of the event will then choose the best pieces to be included in the exhibition.

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Submission from ceramic artists Eric Moss.

Deputy Chair of the Friends of the Mercer Project, Catherine Wright, told The Stray Ferret:

“It is funny where inspiration can come from, especially during these tough times. This exhibition is a great opportunity to share your work and show a bit of positivity during this dark time.”

Donations from the sale of artworks will go towards supporting Wellspring Therapy and Training in Starbeck and Henshaws.

For more information on how to enter visit https://www.friendsofthemercerartgallery.co.uk. 

Saint Michaels Hospice has seen a huge number of donations since opening its temporary drop off point in Harrogate this weekend.

This comes as 6 of its charity shops across the district reopened on Saturday, including 4 in Harrogate as well as its Knaresborough and Ripon branches.

In order to ensure that all donations are quarantined for 72 hours, customers are being asked to donate their items to the drop off point on Hookstone Wood Road rather than at the individual shop.

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Since Saturday the charity has seen huge numbers of donations.

Chief Executive of Saint Michaels Hospice, Tony Collins, said:

“We are delighted that we are able to begin opening the doors of our wonderful shops…we are thankful that so many local people have been keeping their donations safe at home for us. In order to manage the required quarantine of goods to the highest possible of standards; we have centralised the receipt of donations for the safety of everyone.”

Since Saturday, the charity has seen an overwhelming amount of donations and expects to see many more in the coming weeks. The Saint Michaels Hospice Donation Drop Off Point is open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm.

No deaths of patients who tested positive for coronavirus have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital for 16 consecutive days, according to the latest NHS figures.

It means the death toll at the hospital remains at 80.

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Nationally, 15 more patients have died in hospitals across the country after testing positive for coronavirus. Of that number, three were reported in the North East and Yorkshire.

NHS England said the patients were aged between 42 and 93 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.

It takes the number of total deaths in England’s hospitals up to 28,904.