BID advertises for new manager at £45k per year

A new manager is being sought for Harrogate BID as it enters its third year of operating.

The organisation is offering a salary up to £45,000 for the permanent role, which will lead the business organisation as it tries to support town centre businesses through and beyond the coronavirus crisis.

Simon Kent, who helped to establish the BID (Business Improvement District) in late 2018, was appointed interim manager last April and announced in December he was stepping down. The BID had been without a manager for six months prior to that, following the resignation of its first manager after less than four months in the post.

The newly-advertised job description says the manager will be responsible for the budget of £3m over the five-year term of the BID, managing staff and partners, driving forward projects and delivering on key performance indicators (KPIs).

Harrogate BID acting chair Sara Ferguson said:

“This is very much a hands-on role, and ideal for someone already used to leading a team, supervising a number of external contractors, and leading high-profile consumer campaigns with tangible results for sponsors and stakeholders.

“Additionally, the position will require the successful candidate to report to a board of directors on a regular basis, understand the sometimes challenging differences between the private and public sector, liaise with other interested parties, to act as an ambassador, and be (traditional and social) media savvy.

“Most importantly, they will bring with them fresh and exciting ideas to help promote Harrogate as a must-visit destination for residents and visitors alike, looking for a welcoming and friendly destination to ‘stay, shop, eat and drink’.”

The manager will report to the 14-person BID board, made up of representatives of different sectors in the business community. The role has a six-month probation period.

In the last year, the BID has used its funds – taken from a levy on business rates – to carry out additional street cleaning, provide signage to aid social distancing, and put up Christmas lights around the town centre. It also brought a giant elf to Harrogate in the run-up to Christmas, encouraging families to come into town in order to support local businesses.

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Harrogate woman: my nine-month long covid battle

A Harrogate woman whose sense of taste and smell has not recovered since she caught covid in March has said the creation of a long covid clinic in Harrogate offers “light at the end of the tunnel”.

Daniela Stockmann believes she caught covid the week before lockdown in March. Ms Stockmann is a young and active woman but says covid left her breathless.

At first, it felt like flu but then she lost her sense of taste and smell and began to struggle breathing.

In March she experienced severe pain, which she says “felt like my senses burnt away”.

Almost nine months on, Miss Stockmann still hasn’t fully regained her senses or energy. She can’t smell candles and a variety of foods are either tasteless or have a “rotten and chemical” taste. She added:

“It can be really frustrating. I start to smell and taste some things again then I discover I can’t with some things anymore.

“This week, for example, I had a hot chocolate with a piece of dark chocolate on top and it tasted vile. Anything burnt, even slightly, as well is really difficult for me to eat.”

Simple ingredients, such as garlic, onions and peppers have been removed from Ms Stockmann’s diet as she tries to learn more about her long-lasting symptoms.

Miss Stockmann also suffers from irritable bowel syndrome and says coronavirus has added to the list of foods she cannot eat, which has caused her to lose weight.

She said:

“I have tried to speak to my doctor but they couldn’t do anything. They didn’t know how to help because no one has been through it properly. It left me quite isolated.”

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Ms Stockmann says she can still be left out of breath after a dog walk and can’t do as much at the gym anymore.

The news of a long covid clinic coming to Harrogate came as a relief to Ms Stockmann, who is hopeful it will help her understand why she has yet to fully regain her senses.

“I’m hesitant to keep ringing my doctors because I feel like I am wasting their time. I just suffer in silence.”

She is a member of several online forums and has discovered other long covid sufferers with similar symptoms. She hopes her story will encourage others to speak out and understand how serious coronavirus can be for all ages.

Ms Stockmann doesn’t know how long her symptoms will last but hopes if she is referred to the clinic by her GP she will find answers.

The five Harrogate streets that attract the most pothole reports

Arthurs Avenue has more potholes reported than any other road in Harrogate, according to statistics from North Yorkshire County Council.

The avenue, which Harrogate Grammar School is situated on, had 17 potholes reported In the year April 1 2019 to March 31 2020.

Roads in the west of Harrogate appear to attract the most complaints.

Arthurs Avenue displays some of the scars from work on its surface.

The second most reported road for potholes was nearby Rossett Drive, with 12.

Another street in the vicinity, Pannal Ash Road, was joint third, along with Oakdale and Wayside Avenue, with 11.

The council, which is the highways authority for the county, supplied the figures after the Stray Ferret submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

68 covid infections reported in Harrogate district today

Another 68 covid infections have been reported in the Harrogate district today — down from yesterday’s record high of 101.

The figure from Public Health England takes the total number of cases since March to 4,480.

The seven-day average rate of infection has soared from 141 people per 100,000 to 198 people per 100,000.

The North Yorkshire average is 251 and the England average is 449. Richmondshire and Hambleton are the worst affected districts in the county.

North Yorkshire entered tier 3 at one minute past midnight on New Year’s Eve.

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Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital has reported a further death in a patient who had tested positive for coronavirus in the last 28 days. The patient died on Boxing Day, but it was only included in figures released today by NHS England.

It brings the total number of patients who have died with covid-19 at the hospital to 109 since the start of the pandemic. One death was reported on each of December 26, 27 and 28.

A media briefing this week revealed there has been a big increase in the number of people being tested at the covid testing centre in the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate.

Matthew Robinson, senior resilience and emergencies officer at North Yorkshire County Council, said that on December 21, 280 people were tested at the site, the highest daily total to date.

This is more than double the figure of some previous weeks, which reflects the growing spread of the virus.

From December 21-27 over 1,200 covid tests took place.

Watch Harrogate man in World’s Strongest Man final on TV tonight

He conquered Europe in 2020 and tonight you can see how Harrogate’s Luke Richardson fared when he lined up against the best strongmen in the world.

Luke, 23, was one of 10 men in the final of the World’s Strongest Man, which is being broadcast on Channel 5 at 7.30pm.

The event took place in Florida in November and the Stray Ferret revealed last month how Luke fared.

If you want to know, you can type his name into the search function on our website but as many people don’t want the outcome spoiled, we won’t mention it here.

Whatever happened, 2020 was a remarkable year for Luke, a former lifeguard at Starbeck Baths who only transitioned from powerlifting to strongman just over a year ago.

He finished fourth at Britain’s Strongest Man and won Europe’s Strongest Man, which was held at Allerton Castle, near Knaresborough.

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All these events have been broadcast on Channel 5, providing huge national exposure for Luke over the festive season. He has 64,000 followers on Instagram.

Luke was one of 40 men who qualified for the World’s Strongest Man.

He finished second in his heat, which was shown on TV on Boxing Day, to American Jerry Pritchett to book his place in tonight’s final.

The final includes events such as the keg toss, Hercules hold, deadlift and the Atlas stones.

Luke has lived in Harrogate all of his life. He attended Starbeck Community Primary School and Harrogate High School and now trains at Absolute Fitness in Boroughbridge and LR Strength Shed in Wetherby, which he and training partner Richard Parish opened.

Harrogate council proposes council tax hike

Harrogate Borough Council is to propose a £5 increase in council tax next year — the maximum amount permitted.

The proposed £5 hike would see the average band D property bill increase from £245.92 to £250.92.

The local authority, which is planning its budget for 2021/22, generated £15.6 million in council tax in the current financial year.

If the £5 increase goes ahead, it will receive an additional £392,000, bringing the total to £16 million.

The council also plans to make £1.14 million spending cuts to balance its books.

This would largely come from a review of its park and environmental services department and by setting up a new company to run leisure facilities.

The £5 increase represents the most a district council can propose for council tax — a 2% increase or £5, whichever is highest.

Anything further would require a local referendum.

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In a report due before senior councillors this week, Paul Foster, head of finance at the borough council, said the authority faced “unprecedented financial determinant” due to the pandemic.

He said:

“The financial implications are challenging to estimate with certainty as there continue to be a number of unknowns.

“From how long, and to what extent, national and local restrictions will continue to what measures will remain to combat the spread of virus, to what recovery will look like, such as how our customers will behave over time.”

Mr Foster added the council has “not been immune” to funding cuts from central government and has seen its general grant allocation reduced by £8.2 million since 2010.

The budget proposal is set to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on January 6 before going before full council at a later date.

£27 county council rise

It comes as North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner are expected to outline plans for their share of council tax this month.

Last month, county council officials said they were considering a 1.99% increase — equivalent to a £27 rise.

The move comes amid pressures from coronavirus and cuts in funding from central government.

The county council had anticipated a funding gap of £186 million by next year due to austerity. However, it has since found £173 million in savings.

Now the authority needs to find £103 million over the next three years to cover loss of central government funding.

Harrogate district venues ‘frustrated’ by abrupt tier change

Pubs and restaurants in the Harrogate district have spoken of their frustration at the abrupt move into tier three just hours before their “biggest day of the year”.

Hospitality venues across the district would usually be buzzing with excitement on New Year’s Eve.

But instead most venues are closed, with only takeaways possible.

All the restaurant and cafe owners the Stray Ferret spoke to today agreed with the need for stricter restrictions but insisted more notice should have been given, as they have been left with unused stock.

Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group whose properties include the Fat Badger, White Hart Hotel and the Yorkshire Hotel, said:

“I agree stricter restrictions are needed to get a grip on the virus but giving us such little notice is unacceptable. It’s a kick in the teeth for the biggest day of the year taken away with just a few hours notice.

“Frustration — that would be the word I use to sum up the year.”

Mr Cotton said food would be wasted this weekend as charities are unable to make use of perishable items at such short notice.

Many businesses have been trying to use up stock.

The Smiths Arms in Beckwithshaw posted on Facebook it would donate to the Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

The Little Ale House micropub in Harrogate said it would be selling cask and keg beers at reduced prices.

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The Dining Room restaurant in Boroughbridge changed its business model this year by moving to daytime-only trade during the week and saving its fine dining for Friday and Saturday evenings.

The owners will continue with their plans to serve takeaways this evening but said yesterday’s announcement would have a major impact on trade. Co-owner Chris Astley said:

“Luckily we won’t waste stock because we can still go ahead with our takeaways but it doesn’t make the past year easier.

“I am relieved because when you have people turning up, clearly from different households, it is very difficult to manage. We just have to keep going.”

Takeaway from The DIning Room, Boroughbridge

The Dining Room in Boroughbridge will go ahead with its plans to offer takeaway food tonight.

Sarah Williams, runs Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Rooms in Knaresborough, said she was expecting the announcement:

“It’s not unexpected especially when you look at the data. Of course it’s not what you want to do but it is the right thing to do.

“We had a successful summer and have received grants, which mean we are surviving and aren’t in any danger of closing but not everyone has been so lucky.”

Harrogate council handed £405,000 to tackle homelessness

Harrogate Borough Council has been allocated £405,000 to tackle homelessness in the district.

The funding is from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s homelessness prevention grant stream.

Grants totalling £310 million have been awarded to local authorities nationally.

The funding can be used to provide temporary accommodation for rough sleepers, to offer financial support for people to find a new home or to prevent evictions.

Kelly Tolhurst, minster for housing and rough sleeping, said the funding would “help councils provide better support to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place as we look to end rough sleeping once and for all”.

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Harrogate homeless shelters

The council has erected temporary emergency homeless units on Tower Street in Harrogate for rough sleepers to use when temperatures drop this winter.

However, despite the recent cold snap they have still yet to be used.

The four units are set to be in place for three months.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council confirmed today the accommodation has yet to be used.

 

Harrogate charity launches UK’s first meals on wheels loyalty scheme

A Harrogate not-for-profit organisation is launching the UK’s first meals on wheel loyalty scheme to bring the service into the 21st century.

Harrogate and Ripon Food Angels has been providing meals on wheels since 2012.

A total of 120 people are signed up to receive the daily and weekly meals. A main meal costs £5.20 and £6.40 with a dessert.

Under the loyalty scheme, beginning on January 4, anyone buying 20 meals will receive a free teatime treat.

The treat options include a sandwich, soup and crisps, a slice of cake and a pack of tea bags.

Harrogate and Ripon Food Angels is part of Harrogate Neighbours, a charity that provides services for older people.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said:

“More and more people are having to shield and isolate and perhaps wouldn’t think that a regular hot meal delivery service of this kind is right for them, but we hope that by re-branding it and bringing the service into the 21st century we can appeal to more people in need of this vital service.”

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Harrogate Neighbours has received a number of awards for its meals on wheels service.

The charity aims to improve the lives of older people in Harrogate. Besides delivering meals, it offers a domiciliary service to prevent isolation.

It also operates two sites; Heath Lodge, a residential care home and The Cuttings, an extra care housing scheme.

To inquire about volunteering, click here.

Woodlands pub could get controversial new name and £200,000 facelift

The Woodlands Hotel pub on Wetherby Road could be renamed West Riding Harrogate and given a £200,000 refurbishment.

Star Pubs and Bars, whose parent company is Heineken, has applied to Harrogate Borough Council for permission to overhaul the premises to give it a “fresh, modern appeal”.

According to the pub company’s website, £196,136 would be spent on the plans, which include creating a new covered seating area.

However, the proposed name change is proving controversial.

Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat borough councillor for Harrogate Hookstone, said local people were attached to the Woodlands name and she hoped the owners would rethink plans to change it.

Cllr Marsh told the Stray Ferret she believed there had been a pub called the Woodlands on the site since at least the 1940s. She said:

“I welcome the investment as it’s a very good local pub in the heart of the community but please don’t change the name.

“Why would they want to name it West Riding? We’re in North Yorkshire. The logic of that name doesn’t chime with me so I’d be very disappointed if it happens.

“They’ll do themselves a disservice and they need the local community to support it.”

A computer generated image of how the pub might look.

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Star Pubs and Bars is advertising for a landlord to take over the pub, which it says has an annual turnover of more than £600,000.

Its website says:

“The pub has the ability to attract both the local community and visitors, which combined with the right food and drink offer provides excellent opportunity for the new operator to drive trade and build the pub’s reputation.

“The refurbishment will allow for distinct trading areas for both dining and casual drinking. It will also be given a fresh, modern new look to maximise its appeal.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Star Pubs and Bars for a response but did not receive one by the time of publication.