Harrogate’s permanent coronavirus testing site opens

Harrogate’s first permanent coronavirus testing site is due to open today just over a week after builders moved in.

The Department of Health and Social Care centre is in the Dragon Road car park, which has been home to the mobile testing centre over the past few months. It will test up to 320 people a day.

It has been replaced with a series of modular buildings with floodlights all linked up to a generator to keep it accessible as the nights turn darker.

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After an initial pilot period, it will be open between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week.

That is far more than the previous mobile testing centre. That had generally been open for four hours a day, two days a week.

People will also be able to turn up on foot, unlike at the mobile testing centres. However, tests must still be booked in advance.

Staff making the finishing touches to the testing centre.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, the director of public health in North Yorkshire, said:

“We have worked hard to retain and increase the level of testing across the county, so we are pleased that our efforts have resulted in the creation of these two sites, which will be up and running shortly.

“We will continue to lobby for further expansion of testing facilities across the county.”

The Stray Ferret asked the DHSC the cost of building the permanent testing centre in Harrogate but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Harrogate Muslims identify new site for district’s first mosque

Harrogate’s Muslim community has identified a new site for the district’s first mosque after its initial location encountered difficulties.

The Harrogate Islamic Association had hoped to convert the former Nidderdale Children’s Resource Centre in Starbeck, as previously reported.

However, complications relating to change of use and parking has led the association to set its sights instead on a former church hall in Harrogate.

This former children’s centre in Starbeck was the first choice for the mosque.

The hall is attached to the Trinity Methodist Church on Park Drive close to the Stray and town centre.

FSS Property is advertising the former church hall as “well maintained” and “fully functional for its current intended use”.

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The 2,000 square foot building is on the market for £575,000, whereas the former children’s centre in Starbeck was expected to cost about £425,000.

Zahed Amanullah, from the HIA, told the Stray Ferret he was hopeful it would have enough funds:

“We have been fortunate in that, even after we finished fundraising for our first mosque, people have been getting in touch to offer money.

“The biggest thing for us was to see that support from the community. We are confident that this new place will not be contentious.”

He added that although the former church hall does not have a garden or kitchen like the site in Starbeck, it has a bigger prayer space.

The Harrogate Islamic Association is growing in popularity.

The HIA, which started in 2011 and now has 100 members, began publicly fundraising for £85,000 in September to achieve the shortfall in funds,

Its appeal currently has almost £102,000.

If all goes to plan Mr Amanullah hopes the group will be able to open the mosque around March to April next year in time for Ramadan.

Match Preview: Grimsby Town vs Harrogate Town

Harrogate Town will be looking for a third league win on the bounce tonight when they head to the east coast to play Grimsby Town.

Town have taken confidently to life in League Two of the English Football League and recorded victories over Barrow AFC and Bradford City in their last two fixtures. The club is currently in 7th place, which is in the playoff positions and just two points behind leaders Cambridge United.

Grimsby, who are managed by the popular Ian Holloway, are also looking for a third win in a row after recent victories against Cheltenham and Leyton Orient.

The two clubs have already played each other this season in the EFL Trophy. That game at Blundell Park ended 2-2 with Grimsby winning on penalties.

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Town manager Simon Weaver has largely stuck with the same team that won promotion last season, minus Jack Diamond, who has been replaced by former Celtic midfielder Calvin Miller.

There is competition for places between veteran striker Jon Stead and Aaron Martin, who joined the club from Guiseley just before lockdown.

Weaver opted for the lively Martin in the first few games but in the last two games has picked the more experienced Stead.

Grimsby have had a recent run of misfortune with injuries, and James Hanson, Max Wright, Elliot Hewitt and Danny Rose all expected to miss out tonight.

Harrogate embraces zero-waste shopping

An increase in people wanting to live more sustainably has prompted the Refilling Station in Harrogate to move to larger premises.

The business reduces waste by asking customers to bring their own containers to buy products such as household cleaning products, dried food and toiletries.

The shop was originally based on Grove Road but outgrew the space as the concept took off.

It remained open during lockdown and this month relocated to larger premises on Cold Bath Road.

Lydia Ross, manager of the Harrogate store, said she was overwhelmed by the number of customers supporting the business. She said:

“We’re more visible now and we have lots of other shops around us. It was really tough during lockdown, we were just bombarded; we had queues outside the old shop and we were limited for space.”

Harrogate Refilling station

The increase in customers has enabled the shop to extend its product range.

Customer numbers have continued to grow in the new premises, enabling the shop to expand its products.

Kirsty Dodds, who owns the Refilling Station stores in Harrogate and Chapel Allerton in Leeds, said:

“At the beginning people were saying it was a good idea but it was a new concept in town, but it’s growing now.

“It is becoming more normal to shop this way.”

Harrogate Nightingale ‘could open with five days notice’

The Harrogate Nightingale hospital will be ready to take patients at five days notice by the end of the week, according to its medical director.

Dr Yvette Oade said it was “hard to predict” when the hospital, which was set-up at a cost of £27m to cater for covid patients in Yorkshire and the Humber, might be needed.

But she said people should be “very concerned” because the infection rate was rising rapidly across the region and hospital admissions were increasing.

The government said last week the Harrogate Nightingale was being put on standby.

Speaking on BBC Look North last night, Dr Oade described the hospital as “an insurance policy” that would be required if hospitals in the region reached maximum capacity. She added:

“You only draw on your insurance policies when things have not worked to plan.

“Right now the hospital isn’t needed, our colleagues are doing a great job around the region.

“People should be very concerned. Infection rates in Yorkshire and the Humber are one of the highest in the country. We’ve seen hospital admissions rising quickly.

“By the end of this week we will be ready to open to patients if given five days notice.

“Right now the hospital isn’t needed. It’s hard for me to predict when this hospital might be needed. The important thing is if we are needed then we will be ready.”

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Last week Lord Newby, the Ripon-based Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords suggested the hospital might not be able to open fully because it “simply does not have the staff available to allow it to operate safely”.

Asked about staffing, Dr Oade said the Harrogate Nightingale would need staff from other NHS organisations.

She added:

“If we get to the stage where we need the Nightingale hospitals it’s likely that because our acute trust will be so full that some of those procedures that they are currently doing will need to be halted.”

Harrogate face mask litter a ‘sign of the times’

A Harrogate resident who takes pictures of discarded face masks believes they are a “sad sign of the times”.

Glyn Hambrook, a retired university lecturer, has built up a collection of images over the past couple of weeks.

He doesn’t go out of his way to find them littered on the ground but has still managed to snap 17 on his daily school run.

The official guidance in England is to wear reusable masks when possible. If you use a single use mask you should dispose of it in a black bin bag.

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However, Mr Hambrook has noticed an increasing amount thrown on the floor, leaving them to others to clean up.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I am by no means an environmental activist but I noticed how, as coronavirus restrictions eased, the truce we had with nature seemed to become lost. To me, these images I have taken are quite poignant. They blend the tragedy of the pandemic with the melancholy of autumn.”

Besides creating a sad sight on the streets, the masks pose risks to wildlife. The RSPCA has encouraged people to “snip the straps” of masks amid concerns about the number of animals caught in litter since lockdown.

Have you noticed face mask litter on your street? Send in your pictures and stories to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate Turkish Baths: decision on same-sex sessions due next year

Harrogate Borough Council is set to decide next year whether to end same-sex sessions at the town’s Turkish baths.

The council, which runs the baths, told the Stray Ferret today it planned to publish a report based on its recent consultation by early next year.

The council has said a timetable consisting entirely of mixed sessions would reflect “equality and balance”.

It opened an online consultation in July seeking views on the possible axeing of same-sex sessions. The consultation, which ran while the baths were closed, has now finished.

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Harrogate’s Turkish baths remain closed for sessions but have been open since August for treatments only.

A spokesman for the council said it would publish its report on the consultation “in December of possibly January”. A decision will be taken shortly afterwards.

The baths stopped male-only sessions back in 2011 in the wake of reports of “inappropriate behaviour,” only to bring them back five years later.

It is unclear when a new timetable, if implemented, would happen. The government has not indicated when saunas or spa rooms are set to reopen.

Image Gallery: Ripon and Harrogate resplendent in readiness for remembrance

In the run up to this year’s Remembrance Day, almost 40,000 knitted poppies have appeared around Harrogate and Ripon.

Between 25,000 and 30,000 poppies can be seen at prime locations throughout Ripon, after people involved in the Ripon Community Poppy Project spent thousands of hours making the stunning displays.

Many of the poppies were put in place over the weekend. The cascading display on the walls of the town hall (below), was installed with help from a Ripon fire station crew.

The ones seen in Harrogate town centre were donated to the Poppy Appeal campaign last year.

They were put up this morning by a small socially distanced group including Harrogate Mayor Cllr Stuart Martin.

Fiona Burks, of independent business Yarn Etc helped to coordinate the effort, and will be offering poppies to businesses for their window displays.

Cllr Stuart Martin said:

“The comments we’ve had since putting them up this morning are just tremendous. People are so pleased that we’re making an effort for Remembrance Day and you can’t help but smile when you see them.”

Cllr Martin is encouraging people to commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11 by observing two minutes of silence from their doorstep, and placing poppies in windows.

In Ripon … 

Cascading display down Ripon’s town hall.

The entrance to Spa Gardens.

Volunteers in Ripon fitting the knitted poppies to the railings along Kirkgate.

 

Along the shopping street of Kirkgate.

Spa Park. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

Along the railings outside the Wakeman’s House.

Ripon bus station poppies

Ripon bus station. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

In Harrogate … 

Across from Harrogate war memorial. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

Along the railings outside of Bettys cafe in Harrogate. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

poppies

On the corner of Cambridge Street, Harrogate. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin.

Harrogate Town fans criticise number of people allowed in stadium

Harrogate Town supporters have raised concerns about the number of people allowed in the club’s home ground on Saturday to watch the team play.

With spectators banned from attending matches due to covid, many fans paid £10 to watch a livestream of the game against Barrow.

Town won 1-0 and many fans in the Harrogate Town Supporters Facebook group hailed the team’s performance at the EnviroVent Stadium.

But 15 fans posted comments in the group about what they considered to be an excessive amount of people in the stands.

Although fans are not permitted to attend fixtures, club directors and staff, media and match volunteers, such as ballboys and girls, are allowed in.

One fan said it “was an absolute joke the amount of people in the ground today”.

Another said it was “not fair on the fans” and one described it as a “kick in the teeth”.

Harrogate Town declined to comment when approached by the Stray Ferret.

The club has won a lot of praise recently for its off the pitch initiatives as well as its performances on the pitch.

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Earlier this month, club chairman Irving Weaver told the Stray Ferret it was a “big loss” not having supporters in attendance during the club’s first-ever season in the English Football League.

Do you think there were too many people at Wetherby Road on Saturday? Watch the highlights below and judge for yourself.

Art event will raise money for Harrogate hospital charity

Local artist Jos Haigh will sell her work at a preview event to raise money for Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity.

The event, at the Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate on November 27, will showcase Ms Haigh’s vibrant wildlife art while also generating funds for the charity.

One hundred percent of the sale prices will go to the charity, which funds specialist equipment, training and services at Harrogate District Hospital outside what the NHS provides.

The charity recently funded colouring and art materials for patients at the hospital during the pandemic.

People who attend the preview event will have the opportunity to meet Ms Haigh, who lives in Harrogate and exhibits all over the country, as well as enjoy mince pies and mulled wine.

Christmas gifts and the charity’s newly launched 2021 calendar will also be on sale.

Ms Haigh told the Stray Ferret her works of art had been in a gallery in York for three weeks but lockdown had restricted viewings so she decided to donate them to the charity. She added:

“I chose to donate these paintings after the extremely tough year HDFT has had dealing with a global pandemic as well as the usual challenges that healthcare brings.

“I wanted to say a rainbow thank you to my local NHS trust for all it has done and continues to do.”

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Sammy Lambert, business development, charity and volunteer manager at HHCC, said: 

“We are so grateful for this incredible donation of paintings from Jos. They are beautiful and will brighten up people’s homes, even more so in the knowledge that they are supporting their local NHS.”

The preview evening is free to attend but tickets must but pre-booked. To get one, email hdft.hhcc@nhs.net.

If you can’t make the evening, Ms Haigh’s paintings are available to view and purchase here.