Harrogate Theatre has announced that it has raised £40,000 in its emergency appeal.

The theatre, which has always been widely supported,  has faced a funding crisis as it was forced to lower its curtains in March, due to coronavirus.

Alex Monk, a spokesperson from the Theatre told the Stray Ferret:

We rely on a very small amount of public funding, most of our earnings are from ticket sales, so our income has been stripped away, It’s been a worrying time… To raise £40,000 ( and still rising) is just phenomenal… a lot of that has been from audience members that have donated their ticket money from a cancelled show to our emergency fund.

We need £4,000 a week to keep the theatre going…Things are all moving and changing very quickly.. Our current closure notice is up until July at the earliest.

We are exploring models for social distancing in the theatre for when it is safe and possible to open our doors. This does reduce the capacity to around a third which would have severe financial implications.

Members of the community are pulling together to help raise money to try and keep the theatre-going.

Dance Matt,  a children’s entertainment business in Harrogate is doing a virtual 12-hour dance-a-thon children’s mini disco starting at 8 am tomorrow. All money raised will go to the theatre’s emergency appeal. Matt Pullan, who runs the company, has raised £410 so far, with a £500 target.

It’s a very special place to me, I used to go to the panto every New Years Eve with my gran. I’m sure the theatre has touched us all at some point, so I wanted to do something to raise money to contribute… It will be a long 12 hours, but it will absolutely be worth it.

Alex Monk thanked Matt Pullan for his gesture:

This is just one of many of the kind offers we have received. It shows the real strength and place that Harrogate theatre holds.

Harrogate district’s reservoir car parks will remain closed over this coming Bank Holiday weekend.

Yorkshire Water says it has had several reports of people swimming in its reservoirs over the last week despite the closure, something it is trying to deter over safety fears.

With the car parks closed there will be fears of similar scenes to last weekend when people ended up dumping their cars on the sides of busy roads.

Washburn Parish Council told the Stray Ferret that people arrive at Fewston and Thruscross reservoirs to find closed car parks end up wrecking the verges.

Not only is it wrecking the verges but it is causing problems for the emergency services.

Yorkshire Water has said that it is still working on a plan to keep everyone safe while they enjoy the reservoirs but it wasn’t ready yet.

The company’s initial concern is for its key workers who visit the reservoirs regularly to do vital engineering checks.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said today that people should not visit unless they are within walking distance – a policy which is contrary to government advice.

“Unfortunately, lots of people are still visiting our reservoirs despite car parks being closed and we’ve had several incidences of people parking inappropriately on roads nearby causing traffic issues. This has caused issues for emergency services, so please don’t visit this weekend and hopefully we’ll be back open soon.

“We have also received several reports of people swimming in our reservoirs this week. Whilst it might be tempting when the weather is hot, please remember that it is not safe to do so. Reservoir temperatures rarely go above 12 degrees and there is no lifeguard around in case something goes wrong.”

The NASUWT teachers’ union representative in Harrogate has warned that reopening schools will be a logistical nightmare.

Sharon Calvert, who has decades of experience in teaching, said the local teachers she represents are very worried about plans to welcome back some classes from June 1.

“These young children will not keep their social distancing, The first thing they will want to do is run inside and hug their teacher, it will be impossible to keep apart. The headteachers I know are mortified about these plans,” she told the Stray Ferret.

She believes that schools should not be given any deadline to reopen. Instead, she says that they should only open when it is clear that it is safe.

Sharon said the guidance from the government is as “clear as mud.”

“This is very serious, it is like we are being asked to send our children over the top. The children don’t seem to be affected quite as badly but the children could take that home to someone who is vulnerable. The teachers are just as worried about spreading it to their families.”

What are schools planning?

North Yorkshire County Council has said it will leave individual schools in the Harrogate district to decide whether it is safe for them to reopen, as previously reported.

Each school will need to take a risk assessment and the council has said it will give them support and advice.

That leaves it up to headteachers across the Harrogate district to decide when they will reopen and how teaching will work with social distancing.

One primary school, Saltergate, in Harrogate has said when it opens it will try to replicate the system in Denmark. The school sent a notice to parents to say they will keep groups of around seven children in “protective bubbles.”

They will also keep social distancing to the best of their ability, focus on regular handwashing, and introduce staggered start and finish times.

Harrogate District Hospital has now released 104 patients after treatment for coronavirus.

It’s a really positive milestone for the hospital, with seven more patients released than last week’s figures.

On top of that, the hospital has not announced any more coronavirus deaths in today’s figures.

So far, the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has reported 58 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Outside the hospital, the latest information from the ONS shows there have been 51 deaths in care homes in the district.

Harrogate Business Improvement District has backed calls for council bosses to listen to businesses over pedestrianisation plans in the town centre.

The organisation joins Independent Harrogate which has argued for local businesses to be listened to over the town centre which it says faces a serious economic crisis.

It comes as temporary pavement widening measures were put in place by North Yorkshire County Council on James Street, Commercial Street and parts of Albert Street last week to help with social distancing.

But the bollards served to reignite opposition to permanently widen some footpaths and lose car parking as a result of a “gateway” plan for the town.

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of the Harrogate BID, said it backed the call for businesses to be listened to and will also ask the county council to urgently review car parking signs in order to make it easier for people driving into the town.

She said: “The temporary measures to assist with social distancing are both necessary and welcomed. They will help make customers and workers more comfortable about returning to Harrogate town centre.

“However, at the same time, it’s imperative that those driving into town by car know where they can park – both on-street and in car parks – and at the same time are not penalised for doing so.

“Harrogate BID is here to represent every town centre business who, between them employ thousands of people. Any plans for further pedestrianisation need to be carefully considered, and must take into account the views of all town centre businesses.

“Another important factor within this needs to be improving traffic flow, which will enhance everyone’s experience driving in and around the town.”

“Our aim is to make Harrogate a must-visit destination; one that is accessible for people arriving by all means of transport, including on foot, public transport, cars, bicycles and scooters.

“In the meantime, we will be asking our partners North Yorkshire County Council for an urgent review into town centre parking signage.”

The temporary bollards put up to widen James Street in Harrogate to help give space for social distancing have served to reignite fierce opposition to a plan to permanently widen the pavements by losing the on street car parking.

A £7.8m pot from the Transforming Cities Fund was secured in March to create a “gateway”  to connect the bus and railway stations with the town centre making it easier for walkers and cyclists.

The plan fits into a wider strategy for Harrogate drawn up by the borough council in its 2016 Town Centre Strategy and Masterplan. It states:

The council’s preferred option is for the full pedestrianisation of James Street. This option will serve to link the public realm schemes at Prospect Square and Station Square.

The gateway scheme though is still subject to extra funding by the county and district councils and further consultation.

Artists impression of the station square and the top of James St from the town centre masterplan 2016

The loss of on street parking or any pedestrianisation of James St is fiercely opposed by retail group, Independent Harrogate. Yesterday in its mission statement, it argued the plan is out of date and that, post coronavirus lockdown, the town is facing such a serious economic crisis, reducing any on-street parking would be a disaster. It urged the councils to:

listen to their business rate payers and to address the damaged fundamentals of Harrogate before proceeding with their long-term vision; and then do so in consultation with Independent Harrogate’s members and all businesses who trade there.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the county council’s Executive Member for Access told The Stray Ferret that their aim was to keep everyone onboard and to make it easier for shoppers:

“North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council both know that when you talk about pedestrianisation some people get anxious. Some are in favour, others see it as terrible. At this stage re-allocation of the road means taking away car parking spaces and widening the pavements.”

When the consultation starts it’s hard to see how either council will be able to win Independent Harrogate over without significant changes to the proposals.

The money awarded to the project in March has to be spent within 3 years.

Individual schools in the Harrogate district will be left to decide whether it is safe for them to reopen next month.

North Yorkshire County Council said it will give schools their full support and bespoke advice. Each school will need to take a risk assessment.

It comes after the Government set out its road map which involved schools welcoming back some classes from June 1.

Some schools in the Harrogate district may be ready to reopen by then but the council thinks that many will stagger their openings.

There will not be any punishments for parents who decide against sending their children to schools.

More than 200 schools across North Yorkshire have stayed open to vulnerable children and the children of key workers during the coronavirus lockdown.

Stuart Carlton is the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Service at North Yorkshire County Council.

He said: “We are advising schools to prepare to be open from June 1 at the earliest, awaiting Government confirmation that they will.

“We are here supporting schools and headteachers as best we can to make the correct and safest decisions in line with Government advice.”

Some councils have taken a different view. Calderdale, Bury, Liverpool, and Hartlepool have all advised against a wider school reopening.

If you are a parent, teacher, or headteacher and have concerns about the schools reopening then please get in touch with the Stray Ferret by  sending us an email.

Today’s figure bring the total number of deaths at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust to 58. One patient died on Monday, the other yesterday.

NHS England has today reported 166 deaths across the country- patients were aged between 33 and 99. 37 of those deaths were from the North East and Yorkshire region.

The trust announced last Thursday that it had treated and discharged 97 patients with coronavirus since the outbreak began.

Outside the hospital, the latest information from the ONS shows there have been 51 deaths in care homes in the district.

The organisation has reported that its Covid-19 patient notification system was not operating for a period of time on Saturday, meaning some of the deaths reported during that time may come through in data released later this week.

The number of jobless claims in the Harrogate district soared by around 150% at the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

ONS data shows that on March 12 there were 1,010 claims in Harrogate and Knaresborough and that increased to 2,570 by April 9. Ripon and Skipton saw a similar rise from 745 claims to 1,935.

In the UK, the claims rose at a record month-on-month rate by 69.1% to 2.1 million from March 12 to April 9, 2020.

That’s according to new data from the Office for National Statistics, which can be found here.

Both the Harrogate and Knaresborough as well as the Skipton and Ripon constituencies saw a much higher rise of 150% in claims than the UK average.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, warned on his website that the unemployment figures could rise as more data becomes available.

“It would be wrong to view these figures as a one-month phenomenon. As the effect of lockdown continues to run through our local economy, as furloughing ends and as lockdown eases we are likely to see more shocks in the unemployment figures.”

It comes as the number of people using Harrogate’s food bank more than doubled when the coronavirus lockdown was introduced.

In the painting of the honorary colonel (who we learnt today is become, Captain Sir Tom Moore) is surrounded by a rainbow.

Artist, Neil J Arms from Cumbria, is the man behind the work of art. He told the Stray Ferret:

I have been an artist for 33 years but this is my probably my proudest piece of work ever…When I found out that Captain Tom Moore was the Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College, I decided that would be the perfect place for the painting to be hung.”

Mr Arms, along with his two daughters, travelled from their home in Cumbria to deliver the painting to the AFC this morning.

Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hall was there to receive the painting. He said:

Were delighted to be able to take receipt delivery of a painting of Col Tom Moore. We say it taking place of pride in the college forevermore… We are hoping he can virtually visit the college soon and when that time comes we will do a formal unveiling of it for him.

Mr Arms has raised £712 through a Just Giving page for NHS charities.