A chef in Harrogate is trying to help people cook up fresh meals with whatever food they have left in their kitchens as supermarkets are raided by panic buyers.

Darren Gladman made his name as the head chef at Rudding Park and has since been forced to retire with illness but is now using his expertise to get people cooking free of any charge.

Many supermarkets in the Harrogate district no longer have basic food like potatoes, pasta, and rice but Darren thinks there’s plenty you can still do.

Got a full grocery cupboard but not sure what to cook?

He told The Stray Ferret:

“I am in self-isolation because I have underlying health problems but I still want to help people, it’s nice to see the community pulling together and I want to do my bit.

“The first things to go are always the easiest things to cook but when people are just eating pasta and ready-made sauce they are not getting a decent meal.”

Darren has been inundated with requests but The Stray Ferret thought we’d test him out and asked him what he would do with an aubergine, coconut milk, and some eggs.

Without missing a beat he suggested roasting the aubergine, cooking up a spiced coconut sauce and egg fritters for a quick and fresh Thai-inspired meal.

Anyone scratching their heads over what to cook can get in touch with Darren on The Square Bar and Restaurant Facebook page.

Images taken of Harrogate at around 7.30pm:

Many restaurants within the Harrogate district remained opened today but it was very much a situation of business as ‘unusual’.   

The Tannin Level, which is in its 35th year of operating in the centre of Harrogate said that many people are ‘just assuming closure, which is not the case.’ 

 The owner, John Roberts, told the Stray Ferret he thought the government had let them down: 

‘We are stuck between a rock and a hard place, the government are telling people not to come but we aren’t being told to close so we are trying to stay open. The hospitality industry have been hung out to dry” 

Mama Doreen’s emporium, a popular tea room in the centre of Harrogate told the Stray Ferret that they were ‘not giving up.’  

Jessica Wyatt who started the independent tea room in 2009 has closed the eating area but is now offering a delivery service and takeaways.  

“If customers can’t come to us we will go to them. With 800 people booked in for mothers day we do not feel it would be a safe environment for anyone, so we have decided to close our tearooms and deliver afternoon tea to peoples doors.’ 

‘We had a busy weekend, I think people knew it may be the last time they would be able to eat out for a while, but since Sunday sales have been down by 30 percent. I hope that our new takeaway menu offers our customers an alternative and will hopefully bring a little joy through these difficult times by being able to have cake and afternoon tea delivered to your door.” 

Mama Doreen’s Emporium delivery message

Some Cafes staying open  have tried to make allowances for “social distancing”.  

Bowe and Co, a family run café in Boroughbridge reduced covers from a capacity of 30 to 15, now only offering tables of two. The owner of the small café, Adrian Domenico said 

“We are doing what we can to stay open but whether we will have a viable business by the end of the week or the end of tomorrow is unknown. We have just paid off our final business loan yesterday, but it looks like we may have to plunge into debt again.” 

With a huge degree uncertainty and potential job cuts and closures many restaurants are looking for alternative ways of making money and whilst many are ensuring social distancing. Al Bivio, an Italian restaurant on Hornbeam Park, told the Stray Ferret that “social distancing is not an issue when people aren’t coming through the door.”.

 Sandra Doherty, CEO of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said:  

“We’re doing all we can to support businesses by spreading the word about what they’re offering in these difficult times. 

“Many cafes and food shops are now offering deliveries to customers, including drop-offs without contact for people who are isolating. This is a fantastic way that local people can both support our valuable businesses and get good quality food delivered directly to the door. 

“Our priority now is to ensure a clear message goes out that the Harrogate district is still open for business, even if it’s in a slightly different way from the usual” 

The West Park Hotel, Harrogate

Provenance inns, which owns the West Park Hotel and have 7 gastro pubs and boutique hotels across North Yorkshire, remained open for now but has seen most rooms cancelled:  

A spokesperson from the company has said 

 “The safety of our guests and staff is paramount, we are disinfecting all hard surfaces, door handles and chairs after each use as well as making sure we have a minimum of 2 metres between each table. We were fully booked for Mothers day but unfortunately have seen 30 percent cancellations since last nights government announcement, as well as most of our accommodation being cancelled or postponed”.  

Bettys has closed all six of its cafes and its cookery school in an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Staff put up a notice on the door of the Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms in Harrogate detailing the decision based on government advice.

The Bettys shops will remain open as usual, as will the mail order service for collection or home delivery.

Bettys staff have put this notice on the door.

A spokesperson for the tea rooms said today: “Although we’re sad to close our cafés, it is absolutely the right thing to do at this time.

“In the coming days and weeks, we may have to take further steps to do our bit to get everyone through this strange and difficult time.

“Bettys has been around for 100 years, and once this passes we’ll still be here; kettle on, cakes freshly baked, with a smile for all who visit us.”

The government asked the public to avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and social venues yesterday to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Larger hotels and restaurant owners in Harrogate reacted by calling on the government to provide them with financial support.

Students from Harrogate are scrambling to get back home from Spain as coronavirus forces the country into lockdown.

Bethany Sadler from Harrogate had been studying at the University of Granada as part of her year abroad with the University of Birmingham.

The 21-year-old, who studies English and Drama, told The Stray Ferret that the situation in Spain has been “spiralling out of control.”

She said: “The scariest part was how quickly everything changed. We were only placed on lockdown over the weekend.

“We were told on Friday that the university was going to stay open but now we aren’t even allowed outside.

“The police will approach you if you venture outside to ask you what you are doing.”

COVID-19 has hit Spain hard with 9,428 confirmed cases and 335 deaths.

Bethany said she was extremely anxious that she would not be able to book a flight home but landed safely today.

She said that many of her friends had been spending up to £1,000 by booking flights and taxis to make it back to the UK.

It comes as seven people have tested positive for coronavirus in North Yorkshire with one patient being cared for at Harrogate District Hospital.

The NHS is asking people to stay at home for seven days if they have a high temperature or a new, continuous cough.

For the latest advice from Harrogate District Hospital on COVID-19 click here