Harrogate rotary launches kids poetry competition

The Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club have launched a poetry competition for children to raise funds for its covid relief appeal.

Children, under 12 years old, can enter the can enter their poem until the end of the summer term (17 July). The £5 entry fee will be donated to the group’s covid relief fund which helps local causes and organisations.

Children can submit any number of poems under the following subjects- “my hero”, “I wish”, and “a better world”. Poems must be no more than 28 lines long and the writer of the best poem on each subject will receive a £30 book token.

Club member Guy Wilson said:

“When Covid-19 struck we were making plans for ‘save our planet’ concerts next year in the Royal Hall, linked with an exhibition by the children in Ripon Cathedral and a poetry competition. Sadly we have had to cancel, or at least postpone, all of these. But then it struck us that, using our good contacts with schools, we could run a different poetry competition.”

The covid relief fund has been used to support local charities, including Wellsprings.

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The covid relief fund continues to support local causes, Guy Wilson added:

“The Club has given away over £9000 in cash or kind to care providers and charities in need in the Harrogate area. At first the priority was ’emergency help’ but now the focus has changed to helping local charities that are coping with the longer term issues that are arising such as mental health, such as Wellspring Therapy & Training, Supporting Older People and Carers’ Resource.”

For further information click here.

Harrogate restaurants battle for survival

Harrogate’s highly competitive restaurant scene is preparing for an announcement this week from government on when restaurants are allowed to reopen but the financial scars of lockdown could mean some don’t survive.

David Straker, co-owner of popular Harrogate restaurant William & Victoria told the Stray Ferret that the situation is perilous for many restaurants in the town.

He said:

“It’s hard. It’s really, really hard. We’re fortunate here as we own our property and we have a fantastic loyal clientele which is absolutely paramount to a business.”

William & Victoria received a government grant and has taken advantage of the Bounce Back Loan scheme. From Thursday to Sunday it has also been providing a takeaway service which Mr Straker said has helped keep the restaurant afloat.

Mr Straker added that Harrogate restaurants were already having a “hard ride” before lockdown and many could cease trading the longer they are not able to open at full capacity. He said running a restaurant is all about “getting as many people through the door as possible”.

David Straker, William & Victoria.

He added:

“The streets in Harrogate aren’t paved with gold. It’s hard work. There are big rents and they need a big turnover.

“We’re all fighting. At the minute, it’s about survival. That’s what it’s all about.”

Nick Rahman, owner of Cardamom Black on Cheltenham Parade, told the Stray Ferret that due to the size of his property he wasn’t eligible to apply for a government grant of up to £25,000. He said this has created haves and have-nots in the town.

He said:

“There are two stark realities [for restaurants] and I’m on the dark side of it. All of my rivals are doing full fit-outs and decorating but it’s not something we could do. It’s been really tough for us.”

“We’re in a really bad position and we’ve had a big loss over the last 12 weeks. We’re just trying to survive. We just hope we can make that money back quickly.”

Cardamom Black is preparing to re-open on July 4th but Mr Rahman said extra cleaning and social distancing measures are “huge, significant costs.”

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Sara Ferguson, owner of Sasso on Princes Square, said because of economies of scale, the larger restaurant chains in the town have been able to better protect themselves against the losses incurred by lockdown.

She said:

“It gets tougher all the time to be an independent”

Like William & Victoria and Cardamom Black, Sasso has been providing a takeaway service to customers throughout lockdown. Not only has it provided a vital revenue stream it has been “psychologically” important to Ms Ferguson as it has continued the relationship with loyal customers. She said it’s important for the town that independent restaurants survive the months ahead.

She added:

“The more independents there are, the more vibrant we are as a town and more diverse our offering is but there may well be restaurants unable to go forward”.

Harrogate courts reopen to backlog in cases

Harrogate Justice Centre has reopened today for the first time since lockdown to deal with a backlog in cases.

The centre, which encompasses both the Magistrates and County courts, is opening with social distancing guidelines in place.

From Monday to Wednesday this week it will solely deal with family law matters before it moves onto criminal matters on Thursday.

Ministry of Justice (MOJ) officials have assessed Harrogate Justice Centre and approved it to hold socially-distanced hearings.

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The Harrogate Justice Centre has put out stickers to mark where people can queue at a safe distance and blocked off the waiting area outside.

Around 159 courts and tribunals service locations have remained open throughout the pandemic and close to 100 more have reopened since the start of April.

Stickers for socially distanced queues outside the court.

There is a major backlog in cases which has been made worse by the lockdown. There were 483,678 cases waiting in Magistrates courts and 40,526 cases waiting in Crown courts in May according to the Criminal Bar Association (CBA).

But Caroline Goodwin QC, who is chair of the CBA, said that the courts estate is “on its knees” and has been for a long time.

“It is pretty low really to suggest that the backlog which we know is a pre COVID-19 issue and practically has nothing to do with COVID-19 is in fact due to COVID-19. What we are facing is a culmination of mismanagement and years of starving the system of investment. We are not blind.”

The MOJ has also started to identify suitable venues to house so-called ‘Nightingale’ courts.

These would use public spaces, such as civic centres or university moot courts, to allow traditional court buildings to manage more work while maintaining social distancing.

Currently, Harrogate Justice Centre is not aware of any ‘Nightingale’ courts planned in its area.

No coronavirus deaths in Harrogate with lowest UK toll since lockdown

Harrogate District Hospital has not reported any coronavirus deaths today as the UK records the lowest daily toll.

The hospital in Harrogate remains at 80 deaths in total and has also discharged 125 patients.

New statistics from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) show that there have been 15 coronavirus deaths in the UK. It means that the UK has now recorded 42,647 deaths.

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It will be welcome news for many but there is usually a lag in reporting after weekends.

That is across all settings including care homes and anywhere in the community, not just hospitals.

Separate NHS figures out today revealed that England’s hospitals reported 20 deaths – the fact that these hospital deaths are lower than deaths in all settings may seem confusing.

Our understanding is that the DHSC figures are for all settings reported on the previous day whereas the NHS hospital figures could be from days or even weeks ago.

Queues form outside Bettys as Harrogate shop reopens

Long queues have formed outside Bettys in Harrogate today as its shop reopened to the public.

Bettys closed all of its six cafes and shops back in March but today has opened their Harrogate shop, with Ilkley, Harlow Carr and York opening next week.

Queues have been forming all day outside the Harrogate shop.

Managing Director of Bettys, Simon Eyles said:

“We are truly delighted to be welcoming customers back to our Bettys shops, we’ve missed them. To ensure their safety and that of our colleagues, we have new shopping systems in place. So, while it might not be the full Bettys experience that customers are used to, people will still find the mouth-watering Bettys treats they have been missing and, of course, our warm Yorkshire welcome.”

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Queues are being monitored by the Bettys staff with a limited number of people allowed in at once. Hand sanitiser is provided on entrance as well as floor markings throughout the shop.

Screens have been placed in the shop to protect customers and staff.

All of the Bettys cafes remain closed until further notice.

‘Well done lads’: Harrogate men win praise for cleaning the Stray

A group of four young men has won lots of praise for cleaning up rubbish on the Stray this weekend.

Dan and Tom Locke as well as Jack Wignall and James Wilson have been using the area to play football and frisbee during the lockdown.

In recent days they have noticed people leaving more and more rubbish on the Stray so decided to take action on Saturday evening.

The group managed to fill around five bin bags with rubbish by riding their bikes around for about three hours.

Hannah Lee Skinner came across the group on Saturday. She posted a picture of them online, where hundreds commented to call them heroes.

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Tom Locke, who is 22-years-old and works at Newnham Street Garage, told The Stray Ferret:

“We just want people to consider the others and the environment more. I have been starting to notice that small changes can make a big difference. Hopefully people will follow our lead or at least pick up their own rubbish. It wasn’t too difficult to do, we had a laugh.”

He added that people were very appreciative on the Stray but when he asked them to help out they would say that it wasn’t their rubbish.

This really MUST stop. Why do people, sadly especially the young ones, leave their garbage behind them?
Please , please use the bins and also take your litter home. pic.twitter.com/S1EDcAGOtl

— Stray Defence (@StrayDefence) June 18, 2020

The Stray Defence Association (SDA) recently called for people to take their litter home after finding empty beer bottles, sweet wrappers and leftover takeaway food.

Litter has been an increasing problem in recent days with pleasant weather and the lockdown leading to more people meeting up on the Stray.

Harrogate Borough Council has welcomed more people using the district’s parks but added that people should dispose of their rubbish correctly.

Harrogate support helpline Just B is ‘Hear to Help’

Just B, the bereavement and counselling service run by St Michael’s Hospice, has encouraged those who are struggling to reach out.

The ‘Hear to Help’ initiative was launched by Just B, a service provided by Saint Michaels Hospice, as a response to covid-19. The community support line helps those feeling anxious or struggling emotionally during lockdown.

Numbers have risen during lockdown, and the specialist team is now answering calls for a wide range of needs, including bereavement, mental health troubles and relationship worries.

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Tony Collins, chief executive of Just B, said:

“We have all been challenged over the last few months by the ever-changing situation caused by coronavirus. As lockdown rules see some relaxation and a new normal begins to emerge, it stands to reason that different worries and concerns may appear as well all adjust to the changes in our daily lives.”

Just B has also joined with other charities as part of the NHS Staff Support Initiative which provides help to frontline NHS staff who are experiencing the devastating effects of Covid-19.

The Hear to Help support-line is available to all ages and lines are open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week. To speak to a specialist support worker call 01423 856799. 

Visible return of rough sleeping in Harrogate as lockdown eases

With more tents and sleeping bags on the streets, there has been a visible return of homeless people and rough sleepers around Harrogate.

Back at the start of the lockdown, the government rolled out the ‘Everyone’s in’ scheme to put people in hostels, hotels, and B&Bs.

Harrogate Borough Council housed its homeless community in hostels in the town as well as hostels and hotels in Leeds as part of that scheme.

Both the council and the Harrogate Homeless Project (HHP) worked with them to give them medication, food, laundry facilities, showers, and around 25 mobile phones.

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Neither the charity nor the local authority believes that there has been an actual rise in homeless numbers, just that some people in temporary accommodation are venturing out more.

Liz Hancock, the chief executive of HHP, told The Stray Ferret:

“We have been working hard to maintain our services during coronavirus while also keep our staff and clients safe. We do have worries about the mental health of those shielding when they are stuck inside for so long, we have distributed puzzles, books, and colouring activities to help.”

She added that she is worried about the homeless people it looks after venturing outside more and potentially bringing coronavirus back into its hostels.

But Liz Hancock also insisted that when the ‘Everyone’s in’ scheme comes to an end, homeless people will not just be turned out onto the streets. What happens next is up to the council.

What is the council’s homeless plan?

With the £3.2 billion ‘Everyone’s in’ scheme comes to an end soon, the council will work with those in temporary accommodation to find a more permanent place.

Part of the council’s plan is to get more people into Avondale Hostel, which it has just bought. It plans to renovate the building and make sure that it is only families living there.

This is the plan for the Spa Lane hostel.

Another key part is the council’s new hostel on Spa Lane. The construction works have been delayed and the expected completion date of October has been moved back to early next year.

Cllr Mike Chambers, the cabinet member for safer communities, told The Stray Ferret:

“It was a major challenge bringing in rough sleepers, we do not have that many but we do have some. We managed to make sure that all those who wanted to come inside could do. We will give everyone in temporary accommodation an opportunity to get more permanent accommodation.”

Starbeck roadworks cause ‘worry and stress’ for wheelchair user

A Starbeck woman who uses a wheelchair has told The Stray Ferret that recent roadworks carried out in her area caused her a lot of worry and stress when they blocked her driveway with no notice.

FibreNation, a network provider, and SCD, a construction contractor, have carried out work in the Starbeck area.

Although pedestrian walkways were put in place, disabled users were not able to access them due to the lack of dropped curbs and narrow walkways.

Charlotte Claydon from Starbeck told The Stray Ferret that the recent roadworks have been a “nightmare”. She said:

“When they blocked off my driveway, I couldn’t see any workers in sight. Thankfully a passer-by in their car stopped and got out and went to find the nearest workman.”

Image showing the entrance to her driveway blocked off.

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The recent roadworks have also affected her everyday activities and have caused significant stress. She added:

“I walk my dog everyday and at one point I was unable to get onto the pavement because the temporary walkways weren’t wide enough. It makes my leisurely dog walk a bit of a nightmare. It adds to my stress, I get anxious anyway and having to plan my route even more makes it more difficult.”

Pedestrian walkways put in place are too narrow for her wheelchair.

When asked about this issue, SCD, which was carrying out work at the time, said their teams leave sufficient room for wheelchair and mobility scooters at entrances and walk boards and said that they “maintain wheelchair access at all times”.

Fibre Nation who were also carrying out works at the time has since told The Stray Ferret that they were not aware of any concerns that were raised. They said:

“In order for FibreNation to put the Starbeck community at the forefront of connectivity, our works must be undertaken in accordance with legislation, specifically the New Roads & Streetworks Act 1991. We adhere to a code of practice which outlines the specific requirements for the establishment and maintenance of work sites when carrying out our vital works.

FibreNation, Build Partners and the local authority all conduct frequent works inspections to assure compliance however should there be any concerns about a specific work site then contact should be made to our Careline, providing as much detail as possible so we can address any issues as quickly as possible.”

No new coronavirus deaths at Harrogate District Hospital

Today’s statistics from the NHS, which show no new deaths at Harrogate District Hospital, comes after the total number of reported deaths of patients of coronavirus yesterday rose to 80.

A further 26 people, who tested positive for the covid, have died. It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 28,318. 5 were in the Yorkshire and North East region.

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Patients who’s deaths were reported today were aged between 61 and 94 years old.   All patients had underlying health conditions.