No museums in the Harrogate district will be re-opening their indoor facilities to the public on 4th July, but there will be one new museum experience in Ripon from today (Friday 26th June).

The dates for re-opening of museums in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and Nidderdale, are to be confirmed – in part because volunteers involved in the day to day running of the facilities need to be available.

However, Ripon Workhouse Museum, run by charity Ripon Museum Trust, will re-open its gardens to the public from today.

The ‘Inside Out Museum Trail’ will see the gardens of the former workhouse in Allhallowgate, open on selected days during June and July, with pre-booked timed slots to ensure that visits are spread out through the day so the site does not exceed a safe capacity.

The trail will help visitors discover features of the Workhouse Museum from the outside as well as an opportunity of enjoying the Front Garden, the Master’s Garden and the Victorian Kitchen Garden.

The Royal Pump Room in Harrogate remain closed

The museum buildings will not be open to the public, but a peak inside the windows will give a glimpse of how people lived in the workhouse. Some of the exhibits, photographs of life in the Workhouse and information boards have been moved nearer to the inside of the museum windows, so people can see them from the outside.

Director of Ripon Museum Trust, Helen Thornton, said:

“We wanted to open up our beautiful outdoor spaces at the Workhouse Museum for all to enjoy as soon as it was allowed and safe to do so. The Workhouse site has so much to tell us about how the poor lived and inspires us to think about these issues today.”

The Prison and Police Museum and The Courthouse Museum which are also run by Ripon Museum Trust, but re-opening dates are yet to be announced.

Read more:

• Nidderdale school fully re-opens
• Ripon housing development refused

There is also no opening date for the Nidderdale Museum in Pateley Bridge.

Museum chair Sue Welch, said:

“Our re-opening date is under discussion, but it won’t be July 4, as we have some matters to resolve first regarding staffing.”

A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council, said that no dates have yet been agreed for the reopening of the Royal Pump Room, Knaresborough Castle and Courthouse  Museum and Mercer Gallery.

Two scarecrows made by Harrogate district primary school pupils were placed on the Stray today as the borough council announced seeding work has started.

Pupils from Belmont Grosvenor School, Coppice Valley Primary School, Killinghall Primary School and five other schools created the scarecrows for West Park Stray, which is being reseeded.

Ben Grabham, from Harrogate Borough Council, confirmed the sowing of the grass seeds began this afternoon and that the scarecrows will remain in place while work is carried out.

West Park Stray is currently closed off to the public and the fences will continue to surround the area for a further four weeks.

It comes as the Stray is being re-seeded and repaired after damage caused from the 2019 UCI Road World Championships. The council estimated that the work would cost close to £130,000.

Works continue on West Park Stray, but the scarecrow prop could represent that sowing the grass seed will be soon.

Read more: 

• Hundreds of young people gathered on the Stray to enjoy the sunshine but left huge amounts of litter behind.
• Council cuts down 12 trees on West Park Stray

The announcement was made during one of the council’s regular Stray updates on their social media platforms.

Here's Ben with the latest update regarding West Park Stray… pic.twitter.com/mdFhY3xU95

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) June 25, 2020

Harrogate District Hospital has not admitted any new coronavirus patients for the eighth day in a row.

It is also at the lowest number of inpatients since the start of lockdown. That news comes as the hospital reached 135 patient discharges.

The hospital has not reported any new coronavirus deaths since Saturday, so it remains at 80 deaths.

A spokesperson for the hospital said it was fantastic news:

“A massive thank you to all Harrogate hospital staff. Thank you as well to everyone who has played their part socially distancing, shielding and looking after themselves these past few tough months.”

The hospital also encouraged people to continue following social distancing guidelines to keep the number of coronavirus patients down.

The junior players at David Lloyds Tennis Club were able to get back on court yesterday after not being able to train for nearly two months.

The young players, five of whom play for Yorkshire, and their coaches were happy to be back training in the sunshine yesterday.

Roberta Gaskell is the current Yorkshire junior tennis champion

Although they haven’t been able to get back to their usual indoor training, the players have been able to play on the courts at Valley Gardens, getting some important training in before the Yorkshire championships in August.

Read more: 

• Harrogate district prepares for “staycation” madness
• WATCH: Harrogate parents pleased at the reopening of playgrounds 

Jane Tate, one of the coaches at David Lloyd, told The Stray Ferret that it’s great to see everyone back training. She said:

“It’s great getting the kids back playing competitive matches, they’ve really missed it and it’s great to see them playing again.”

North Yorkshire Police has issued a drugs warning after an officer found “an awful lot of” laughing gas canisters on the Stray.

It comes after hundreds gathered on the Stray yesterday in what some described as a festival atmosphere.

Inspector Paul Cording was out on the Stray at 4.30am when he found, among the beer bottles and takeaway boxes, gas canisters.

That discovery has led to a warning from the police directly to young people and their parents.

Read more:

• What happened on the Stray last night?
• When a group of young men won praise for cleaning up rubbish on the Stray
• A police appeal for information after a man exposed himself on the Stray

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?”

The ‘Talk to Frank’ website has more information about the risks of inhaling gas canisters. Find it by clicking or tapping here.

Hundreds of young people gathered on the Stray in the sunshine yesterday evening in what some described as a festival atmosphere.

A volunteer who has cleaned the Stray for the last six years described the aftermath this morning as the worst he ever has seen.

His comments came as council workers and volunteers cleaned up the majority of the mess – something which they have been forced to do more regularly in recent weeks.

In amongst the bin bags are empty beer bottles, takeaway boxes, and laughing gas canisters. The grass is also scorched in some areas and there were reports of people using the Stray as a public lavatory.

Beer bottles and empty takeaway boxes.

The Stray Ferret found remnants of waste this morning and spoke to disgruntled locals.

Mike Lewis said that last night’s events have put him off going for his evening strolls on the Stray. He said this morning:

“It’s just vile to see. I don’t have a problem with these young people enjoying themselves but when they leave all of this it is poor. I have been cleaning up the Stray for six years but this is the worst I have ever seen. This is outrageous.”

Read more:

• Why Harrogate council cut down trees on the Stray
• When a group of young men won praise for cleaning up rubbish on the Stray
• A police appeal for information after a man exposed himself on the Stray

He described it as a losing battle and called for tougher punishments for offenders. Those calls are something the Stray Defence Association (SDA) is backing.

There are still remnants from the night before.

Judy d’Arcy Thompson, who is chair of the SDA, told The Stray Ferret:

“Several public spirited people have helped by collecting litter. Sadly, those efforts are swamped by the avalanche of rubbish others leave. It is disgraceful. We are doing our very best to get those in authority to deal with it.”

Roger Hattam was on the Stray last night and took pictures of large groups. He told The Stray Ferret:

“I understand that these are young people trying to have a good time. We just need the council and the police to monitor the situation and talk to them. We need to make sure they aren’t spreading coronavirus to any elderly relatives.”

What are the authorities doing about it?

Harrogate Borough Council has issued a robust response to the litter this morning and labelled those responsible as selfish.

“Unfortunately these people don’t even bother to use any of the many bins provided and just leave rubbish where they were sitting. We are doing what we can with the resources available and have increased our collections to try and manage the problem.”

The council also said that it already spends hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ money every year to pick up litter.

Early morning rant alert. Part 2 of 2. #Litter #Drugs #TalkToFrank #BrokenWindowTheory #Respect #TakeYourLitterHome #RantOver pic.twitter.com/PaCDuK6ana

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

North Yorkshire Police inspector Paul Cording was out on the Stray at 4.30am today. He posted a video on Twitter where he described it as “the morning after the night before”.

“It is absolutely strewn with litter. There’s even some clear plastic zip bags and an awful lot of laughing gas canisters. The other thing I would describe is broken window theory. If one person thinks it’s okay to drop litter then everyone else will as well.”

Harrogate Borough Council bosses have said setting an emergency budget is not considered necessary at this time, despite the authority facing a £15 million shortfall due to coronavirus.

Council officials have outlined a financial recovery plan as part of the authority’s response to loss of income as a result of the pandemic.

It comes as councils across the UK are warning that some may have to issue section 114 notices – an emergency measure in dire financial circumstances – and potentially cut services to deal with the financial gaps.

Read more:

• Harrogate Council faces £15 million coronavirus shortfall
• Major Harrogate housing scheme blocked for second time
• Council ends rent free period for commercial tenants

Meanwhile, Leeds City Council recently warned that it faces £200 million costs amid the pandemic. Leader of the council, Judith Blake, said the authority may have to cut vital services in order to balance its books.

But, the borough council has said that any section 114 notice or mid-term budget is not necessary and it will monitor the situation.

Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet will meet virtually again next week to discuss its financial recovery plan.

In a report due before a cabinet meeting next week, Wallace Sampson, chief executive of the authority, will say that the council will review its 2020/21 budget and reserves as part of its recovery plan. It says:

“Across local government some councils are having to consider whether to produce a new mid-year budget or to issue a section 114 notice in the event that resources are unlikely to be sufficient to meet expenditure.

“However, at this time it is considered that neither of these actions are necessary, although the situation will be regularly monitored.”

The authority faces a £15 million shortfall due to loss of income on such things as leisure and car parking. A grant of £1.65 million was granted to the council by government to help with cash flow.

In an effort to tackle the deficit, senior officers at the authority have outlined a financial recovery plan which will go before senior councillors.

As part of the plan, council bosses will review the authority’s 2020/21 budget, reserves, investment plans and capital expenditure including borrowing.

Officers are expected to report more on the council’s financial position once the reviews are complete.

Meanwhile, the authority has already frozen all but essential spending and implemented a recruitment freeze on all but critical services.

It comes as both the district council and the county council face a combined deficit of around £57 million due to the pandemic.

What is a section 114 notice?

A section 114 notice means that a local council cannot set a balanced budget and new expenditure is banned.

Once a notice is served by the council’s chief finance officer, councillors and senior officials have 21 days to come up with a new budget to balance its books.

In 2018, Northamptonshire County Council was forced to serve two section 114 notices as it failed to tackle its spiralling spending which resulted in an estimated £70 million deficit. The council will now be scrapped in April 2021 and replaced with two unitary authorities.

A district councillor who has championed the cause of market traders is calling on Harrogate Borough Council to treat them fairly, in the wake of lockdown losses.

Independent Ripon Councillor Pauline McHardy, pictured above, with market trader Mike Finan (centre) and his son Will, told The Stray Ferret:

“For hundreds of years, the markets in Ripon and Knaresborough have made a major contribution to their local economy, by providing an important service for shoppers and bringing additional footfall that benefits other retailers, cafes, pubs and restaurants – but they appear to be undervalued by the local authority.”

The three-time Mayor of Ripon, who supported the ‘Love Your Local Market’ campaign set up in 2012 to fight for the future of markets across the UK, added:

“I have been speaking with non-food traders who have been coming here for years and they feel that, while other parts of the business community have been given proactive support from the council, in terms of advice and financial assistance, they have been left to sink or swim.”

Campaigners have called for traders at Ripon and Knaresborough markets to be given more support

HBC has given a three-month rent break to all commercial tenants in its premises, at a cost of £200,000 to the authority.

Cllr McHardy added:

“Other local authority areas in Yorkshire, including Hambleton, Craven, Leeds and Ryedale, have helped traders with either rent-free periods or reduced rents. However, following 11 weeks in which they were unable to earn any money, they found themselves having to pay full rents in Ripon and Knaresborough. It’s time for Harrogate Borough Council to start treating them fairly.”

Stallholder Mike Finan, whose family has sold women’s clothing on Ripon Market for more than 50 years, said:

“It has been really tough having weeks with no money coming in. When we returned to the markets at Thirsk and Northallerton, we were helped by the fact that rents have been reduced by 50 percent for June, but Harrogate has given us nothing.”

Steve Teggin, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said:

“The value of these traders to our communities can be seen week in, week out, as market day is a magnet that attracts much-needed business to our town centre. They deserve more help.”

Read more:

• Lightwater Valley prepares to re-open
• Ripon housing development refused

Traders selling goods classed by the government as non-essential, did not have to pay rent during the weeks when they have been unable to stand, but food stall holders trading at scaled-down markets during the lockdown, were charged full rents.

Brian Murphy whose family has sold fruit and vegetables at Ripon Market for more than 100 years, said:

“At Otley, we have not been charged any rent during the coronavirus crisis and that continues, but we have had zero financial help from Harrogate.”

When approached for comment on the continuing concerns raised by stall holders, Harrogate Borough Council reiterated a previous statement in which it said:

“Where we have charged, fees have been held at last year’s rates. It’s disappointing to hear that one or two traders feel we’ve not been supportive. We’ve done all we can to ensure our markets can fully re-open safely and to enable traders to get back to business as usual.”

Playgrounds are set to reopen from 4 July delighting many parents and guardians in the district.

The sunny weather has brought many people out into the parks to enjoy the outdoors and from next month the playgrounds will also be open for children to enjoy.

One parent told The Stray Ferret:

“Its really hard to keep telling them that everything is closed so it’ll be nice to have a bit of normality back”.

Read more:

• Harrogate Brigantes Rotary have launched a children’s poetry competition to raise money for their covid relief fund. 
• WATCH as the grandparents meet their grandchild for the first time since lockdown began. 

But not all were in agreement, some parents are still worried about how these places can be kept clean:

“I’m a little nervous just because of all the touching and the kids in close quarters, I don’t know if they’re going to be cleaning it regularly.”

Harrogate parents were pleased with the announcement that playgrounds could reopen but still hoped safety measures would be put in place.

The announcement is a welcome relief for parents and guardians who have had children waiting to be allowed to use their local parks.

Harrogate Borough Council has said it’s looking at plans to open the facilities and more information will be released soon.

ODEON has announced its Harrogate cinema will reopen on 16 July with tickets going on sale online today.

Customers can expect to buy tickets for classic films such as 1914, Empire Strikes Back and The Greatest Showman. New releases will begin by the end of July.

The new ‘ODEON safer experience’ will be a little different to what film-lovers are used to. It will be a contactless experience with the usual boxes of popcorn being replaced by pre-packaged options. The new grab and go range will also limit customers to bottled drinks.

Family groups and social bubbles will be allowed to sit next together, but between separate customers there will be an unoccupied seat. Staggered show times will also limit the chance of long queues.

Staff will be trained on the new safety measures and equipped with masks and gloves.

Screens on the counters and markings on the floors will become the new normal for ODEON customers.

Read more:

• Safety measures could see waiters wearing masks and visors in Harrogate’s restaurants. 
• Hotel staff are being re-trained to make sure everywhere is covid secure for the planned reopening on 4 July. 

Carol Welch, Managing Director for UK and Ireland, said:

“We are excited to confirm that from 4 July, our UK cinemas will begin reopening. We’ve carefully planned every step of our guest journey and put safety measures in place to provide a controlled and safer cinema experience.

“New measures include social distancing in our auditoriums and foyers, additional cleaning regimes, and a request to book tickets online prior to arrival.”