The rate of covid in the Harrogate district has more than doubled since the end of May.

Latest North Yorkshire County Council data shows there are currently 113 positive cases per 100,000 people in the district.

The rate was at as low as 52 cases per 100,000 people on May 30.

Whilst the rate has begun to climb up again for the first time since March, it is still far below the peaks seen in January and April 2022.

Source – North Yorkshire County Council

North Yorkshire County Council public health consultant Dr Victoria Turner said the rise was being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of omicron.

The sub-variants have also caused high rates in other countries across the world.

She said:

“There is evidence that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than previous variants, and there is limited protection from infection with previous variants against BA.4 and BA.5.

“The ways to prevent the spread of BA.4 and BA.5 remain the same as for other covid variants. Meeting outdoors where possible or in well-ventilated areas indoors, wearing a face covering in enclosed or crowded spaces, and good hand and respiratory hygiene will all reduce the risk of transmission.”

Dr Turner said anyone who has tested positive for covid should stay at home for five days.

Covid tests are available to be purchased from pharmacies.

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Another round of consultation is to take place on the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

The decision to hold a third round of consultation, in response to concerns about traffic, means the scheme is unlikely to start until winter — if at all.

The project, which would pedestrianise part of James Street and reduce some traffic on Station Parade to single lane to encourage walking and cycling, appeared certain to go ahead when North Yorkshire County Council‘s executive approved it in January.

The plan then was to submit a business case to West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is funding the initiative, by last month and for work to start later this year.

But there have been no updates since and the political landscape has changed since local elections on May 5.

Don Mackenzie, the Harrogate-based executive councillor for access who hailed the gateway as the “greatest investment in decades” in Harrogate town centre, did not seek re-election and there is a new executive team in charge at North Yorkshire County Council.

Don Mackenzie defending the scheme at a business meeting last year.

Harrogate Borough Council, which supports the scheme, faces abolition in nine months.

Now the county council is saying it will consider feedback from a new round of consultation before deciding whether to proceed.

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Karl Battersby, corporate director of business and environmental services, said today:

“We received significant feedback as part of the two consultation exercises carried out thus far, and we are grateful that local residents and businesses have engaged with this project.

“While there has been no formal legal challenge in response to issues raised regarding the consultation last autumn, we acknowledge that the impact of the changes on traffic levels and traffic flows were key issues that were raised as part of the consultation.

“We intend to provide further information on those aspects as well as consulting on the formal traffic regulation orders, which would be required to carry out the changes on James Street and Station Parade.

Mr Battersby added:

“The results of the consultation will be fully considered before a final decision is made to submit the business case to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to secure the funding.

“Subject to consideration of the outcome of the consultation, work could begin during the coming winter with completion in winter 2023/24.”

Christmas shopping fears 

When the scheme was approved in January, business groups called for work not to take place in the run-up to Christmas to avoid any disruption on shops at this key time.

Responding to today’s news of a possible winter start, David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said:

“The last thing town centre businesses – particularly those in retail and hospitality – want is major disruption in the run up to Christmas.

“It’s essential nothing is done to hinder trade in this important period. It is vital that if construction work has begun, then everything must be done to minimise any impact it may have.”

Mr Simister added:

“Whilst we must respect the decision taken earlier this year to press ahead with the Harrogate Station Gateway project, I welcome the news that there is going to be further consultation, in particular providing more information on the traffic modelling which was a highly contentious element of the scheme.

“I’m also interested in the materials being used, and how the area in front of Victoria Shopping Centre will look.”

Businesses are concerned about work on James Street taking place in the Christmas shopping period.

Mr Battersby responded by saying:

“Any date for the start of work on the project will be subject to feedback from the forthcoming consultation and submission of the business case to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to secure the funding.

“However, we would ensure that work would avoid the Christmas period, and before work began we would develop a construction management plan, which we would share with businesses.”

Mr Battersby added the council intended to provide further information on traffic levels and traffic flows, in addition to statutory consultation on the formal traffic regulation orders, which would be required to carry out the changes on James Street and Station Parade.

The Harrogate scheme forms part of a wider £42m funding bid that also includes projects in Selby and Skipton that would support a shift towards more sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling and public transport.

A demonstration by ambulance workers was among the highlights of a major trade union conference in Harrogate this week.

About 500 delegates from the GMB union have been in the town for the annual congress.

It is the first time the union, which represents over 500,000 members, has held its major event in Harrogate since 1928.

The congress, which ends tomorrow, began with ambulance workers demonstrating against the ‘worst ever’ pressures they are under.

The union said calls had almost doubled to 14 million a year since 2010 and the average response time for serious calls had increased from 20 minutes to 51 minutes in the year to April 2022.

Rachel Harrison, GMB national officer, said:

“Ambulance workers have faced more than a decade of cuts while demand has almost doubled.

“It’s no wonder they are leaving in droves while the service itself is teetering on the brink of collapse.

“Our members face unbelievable stress and even abuse while they do their best to administer care and save lives.

“We need urgent investment across the health and care services, otherwise we risk an unprecedented crisis.”

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Armed police were called to a “serious disturbance” on Skipton Road in Harrogate today.

There was a heavy police presence for over an hour when the incident happened near the junction with Westmoreland Street.

A North Yorkshire Police statement at 12.25pm said:

“We’ve just been dealing with a serious disturbance in Harrogate.

“You may still see police in the area around Skipton Road but a man has been arrested.

“The man in his 20s is on his way to custody, suspected of an affray which involved threats to another man. We’ve launched an investigation.

“Anyone who saw anything should call us on 101, select option 1 and speak to our Force Control Room. Please quote reference NYP150622-0139.”

Several witnesses, who asked not to be named, spoke to the Stray Ferret about the incident, which appeared to last for about an hour before two armed officers escorted a man in handcuffs into the back of a police van.

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A witness said the activity appeared to centre on a flat on Westmoreland Street, which can be accessed via a ginnel off Regent Parade, where most police vehicles were parked.

Several business owners told the Stray Ferret they heard a commotion for over an hour late morning.

A 13-year-old girl from Harrogate has been charged with assaulting three police officers.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also accused of being drunk and disorderly on the same day.

North Yorkshire Youth Court, sitting in Harrogate, heard on Friday that the teenager assaulted a police constable and a police community support officer in Ripon Market Place, where the girl was said to be drunk, on March 24.

She is also charged with assaulting another police constable twice on the same day at Harrogate police station on Beckwith Head Road.

In a separate case also heard on Friday, the same girl was accused of using threatening behaviour against a male in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre on April 3 this year.

Both cases were adjourned until June 26.

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Hundreds of North Yorkshire school children will perform alongside one of the world’s oldest and most famous military bands in Harrogate this week.

About 350 children from schools will share a stage with the Band of the Grenadier Guards.

The band, known for its scarlet tunics and bearskin hats, has a history dating back 300 years and 15 monarchs.

The concert to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee will be held at Harrogate Convention Centre on Friday at 7pm.

The North Yorkshire County Schools’ Big Band, the Junior and Primary Schools Choirs and Wind Band, Richmond Chamber Choir and the County Youth Choir will also be performing.

They will play music from each decade of the Queen’s reign, including Waterloo by Abba, I Want You Back by The Jackson 5 and Hey Jude by The Beatles.

The Band of the Grenadier Guards will perform numbers including Crown Imperial, music from West Side Story, Symphony by Clean Bandit before rounding off the evening with the National Anthem.

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Ian Bangay, head of North Yorkshire county music service, said:

“North Yorkshire Music Service and school bands, orchestras and music ensembles have a long history of producing talented musicians. We are very proud that one of those former music service musicians, George Hirst, will be returning with the Grenadier Guards, which he joined last year.

“It’s a great honour and a fantastic experience for our young people to be performing with one of the world’s most prestigious and recognisable military bands to mark the platinum jubilee. It should be an evening for everyone to remember for many years to come.”

Tickets are available here.

The Ernest Jones shop on James Street in Harrogate has closed.

Removal vans were spotted outside the jewellery store yesterday morning.

The store has been a fixture on James Street for 20 years, having opened in 2002.

Attempts to clear the unit began yesterday morning.

There have been a number of shops opening and closing in Harrogate recently, particularly on James Street.

Last week Oliver Bonas announced its new Harrogate store would open on James Street in September.

Ernest Jones set up in 1949 in London’s Oxford Street and now has more than 100 stores across the UK.

The company did not respond to the Stray Ferret’s enquiries by the time of publication.

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A pop choir from Harrogate has been chosen to perform alongside Barry Manilow on his UK tour next week.

Love Pop Choir will sing It’s A Miracle and Let Freedom Ring with the American superstar at the First Direct Arena on June 25.

Lauren Elliott, who owns the choir, said the all-female group was giddy at the prospect of sharing a stage with Barry. She said:

“I can’t believe how many Barry fans we have in the choir. It’s been full-on hysteria since we got the news!”

Douglas Hallenbeck, the Manilow tour choir coordinator, approached Ms Elliott by email.

At first she thought it was a wind-up and almost deleted the message before she discovered it was genuine.

Lauren Elliott (centre) with her two choir directors.

Thirty-four members of the choir, which has had to bring in some male voices at Barry’s request, will be on stage in front of more than 10,000 fans. Ms Elliott said:

“We are beyond excited at this amazing opportunity.

“My only wish is that choir numbers were not limited, as I would love to have included every single lady from all our groups in Harrogate, Cookridge, Roundhay, Otley, Ilkley and Saltaire. They are all fabulous!”.

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Love Pop Choir, which meets on Thursday evenings at Harrogate Rossett School, sings pop songs from the 1960s onwards, but especially 1980s numbers. No experience is required.

Asked why so many choirs have sprung up lately, Ms Elliott said:

“It doesn’t matter how good your day is, when you go to choir you always come away feeling really good.”

Love Pop Choir will also be singing at The British Transplant Games gala at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on July 31.

The choir is fundraising for The Leeds Children’s Transplant Team’s Charity by completing 100 hours of singing by the date of the gala event. Donations can be made here.

Love Pop Choir performing at Harlow Carr.

A review into Harrogate’s controversial hosting of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships is finally set to be published – almost three years after the major cycling event was held.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission are behind the review, which will be published ahead of a meeting on July 4.

The nine-day cycling event was hailed by organisers as a “once in a lifetime moment” for Harrogate, but was also criticised by businesses and residents in the town who had complaints about disruptions during road closures.

It is also infamously remembered for leaving Harrogate’s West Park Stray severely damaged after the parkland was used as a spectator area during heavy rainfall, with repair works and upgrades later costing £130,000.

Conservative councillor Nick Brown, who has chaired the cross-party review, previously said the commission hoped to publish a final report last year, however, there have been several delays.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said:

“I can confirm that after long deliberations, covid and the recent local elections, it is planned for me to present the review on 4 July.

“The purpose of the review is to fully understand the impacts of this large-scale event for people who live and work in the area, and to also make any recommendations based on the evidence presented during the investigation.

“It should make interesting reading and perhaps will be useful for the new North Yorkshire unitary authority which will be involved in holding future events.”

Cllr Brown also said the views of residents and businesses had been “extremely useful” in shaping the review which involved a survey last year.

The review is separate to an economic impact study carried out by accountancy firm Ernst and Young at a cost of £19,000 to the council.

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This study concluded the championships resulted in an economic boost to the local economy of £17.8 million and was watched by a global television audience of 329 million.

It also said 84% of people who came to watch the event were satisfied or very satisfied with it.

However, it did not take into account a reported drop in earnings for some businesses, whose complaints rumbled on long after the event was held.

Retailers unhappy

Retail campaign group Independent Harrogate previously conducted its own survey looking into the event’s economic impact. After speaking to 22 of its members, the group claimed losses amounted to nearly £1m.

Based in Harrogate as the host town, the championships were held in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years after a joint-bid by British Cycling, UK Sport, Welcome to Yorkshire and the government’s sport and culture department.

The event organisers were Yorkshire 2019 – a now-dissolved company which was set up by the government and later contributed £35,500 towards the West Park Stray repair costs.

A further £95,000 was spent on park upgrades by Harrogate Borough Council which spent a total of £606,000 on hosting the event.

The biggest single cost was £200,000 for the fan zone on West Park Stray.

North Yorkshire Police has denied changing its mobile speed vans in response to an image that has been circulating on social media.

The photograph (above) of the dark blue and yellow vehicle has caused a stir on local Facebook groups, with people complaining that the new vans are harder to recognise.

The image, which has been shared thousands of times, has also sparked a big debate about speeding and mobile cameras in the Harrogate district in general.

Many comments support them and say drivers should not to go too fast in the first place. However there are also a number of people opposing the vehicles, claiming they are just “money spinners”.

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The van is alleged to have been spotted in North Yorkshire, however the force has denied it being one of its fleet.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“This isn’t our van, our vans don’t look like that.”

He added that it appeared to have no links to North Yorkshire Police and therefore was unable to comment further.