This opinion column is written by Marilyn Stowe. Marilyn built the largest family law firm in the UK which she ran from Harrogate. She sold her firm in 2017 to private equity left the law and is now a writer and speaker.

How sad is Harrogate right now? Long gone are those days of my glorious morning commute to Harrogate, stunning views of the Harewood Estate and the Yorkshire Dales in the distance, on the one side and on a clear day, even the Kilburn White Horse on the other, accompanying me en route, until I finally sped up the hill into a town already active at 7.30am, busy with folk walking purposefully to work on the Stray.

I used to turn right at James Street to check out the shops, in case something caught my eye for a spot of lunchtime shopping and finally it was second right, into Raglan Street, to my office filled with colourful flowers outside, so pretty we regularly entered the Harrogate in Bloom competition and did quite well.

I was lucky working in the gorgeous Old Court House. Newly qualified, I had nervously appeared there, pre its refurbishment, before crusty magistrates. My own office, up the imposing stone stairs faced out onto the park. It used to be the solicitors’ waiting room where I paced about practising what to say.

What a difference 30 years can make! “She’s always dressed in terrifying black ” a client’s husband once said of me after one meeting he left sweating, and I laughed because I dressed in black, precisely for that reason. When I finally left work in 2017, out went entire wardrobes of black and oh what a joy that was.

For the last year though, I’ve dressed in drab dark navy. Sweater, shirt, loose pants, gilet – all navy blue. When this damn thing is over, they will all get thrown in the bin and my mood will improve. Meanwhile I’ve got used to sitting on a bench outside Starbucks shoving a paper mask in my handbag to drink a skinny flat white in the drizzle, mask on again to shop in Marks and Spencer – and let’s not forget Boots. For a bit of comfort Hotel Chocolat is open too. Even so, Harrogate is empty. Soulless. Locked down just like us.

This isn’t the Harrogate I love. It’s not the joyous Harrogate of my Granny’s Edwardian era when she reminisced how she and her own grandmother used to holiday here to take the waters and watch a show.Today, horribly, many empty shops in town will never reopen.

So why cant we try and save as many as we can – now?

Why are some shops and offices trading well, taking advantage and not the rest? Why can’t we get a hair cut? Why can’t we at least sit outside in cafes and enjoy ourselves? With half the population vaccinated, and if vaccination is working as well as they tell us, then why not?

Harrogate urgently needs to be released from captivity, it will take years to recover. No wonder I’m dressed in dreary navy blue to sit on a street bench. When freedom finally comes, watch out for the Woman in Red.

That will be me.

Read More: 

• More than half the district’s population receives covid vaccine
• Harrogate bars call on council to allow table and chairs on Stray land

Harrogate District Hospital has recorded its longest period without a covid-related death since Christmas.

Latest figures revealed by NHS England today show 10 days have passed since the last death.

It is the longest period without a covid fatality since the 14 days from December 11 to December 25.

Infection rates soared after Christmas, as did admissions, peaking at 68 on February 13.

At one point last month there were seven deaths in three days.

The dark days continued this month, when 10 people died in nine days.

But patient numbers have fallen rapidly recently and are now down to single figures.

A total of 814 covid patients have been admitted to the hospital since the pandemic began.

Six hundred and three have been discharged.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust announced today it had introduced free WiFi at its hospitals in Harrogate and Ripon.

We've introduced a new, free WiFi network for patients & visitors at Harrogate District & Ripon Community hospitals.

To use the service, please connect to the NHS_PUBLIC_Wi-Fi network, enter your name & email details & agree to the T&Cs. You'll then be granted access. pic.twitter.com/SH0HfTlyE4

— Harrogate NHS FT (@HarrogateNHSFT) March 27, 2021

No daily infection figures for the Harrogate district had been released by Public Health England by the time of publication today.

Read more:

• More than half of Harrogate district population receive covid vaccine
• Ripley Show cancelled due to covid

Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble. This hidden gem of a lockdown business inspired by witches has been brewing up a different kind of magic.

Coven Bakehouse, set up by friends Mark Gibson and James Paylor, started out of a small home kitchen in Harrogate earlier this year.

While a conventional oven is working for now they are keen to upgrade to a professional kitchen as soon as possible.

Orders are already picking up for their brownies and cookies – with more treats are on the way – so they now have an eye on a shop unit on Knaresborough’s High Street.

Both Mark and James, who are both 27 and met when they were 16, work in industries that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more:

• Bespoke Harrogate jeweller is a ‘hidden gem’
• Harrogate artisan bladesmith is a ‘hidden gem’

However, the pair hope to have the doors open to customers in Knaresborough by the end of summer.

Indulgence is the name of the game here. Coven has a limited collection of caramel egg brownies, chocolate orange brownies and various gooey cookies.

James Paylor, a graphic designer and co owner of Coven Bakehouse, told the Stray Ferret what inspired the branding:

“That came from my partner, she works at Mother Shipton’s Cave and she is obsessed with witches. You have to be to work there.

“We were throwing around lots of names and as soon as she said it we knew it was the right thing. From then things started to fit into place.

“So it would perfect to start out our first shop in Knaresborough.”

Mark Gibson, who is a chef by trade, also told the Stray Ferret:

“It was halfway through the first lockdown when we saw lots of businesses selling cakes and stuff.

“We were looking at what they were doing and knew we could do it a hell of a lot better.

“So we knew if we were going to ever start a business, which is what we have always wanted to do, then now was the perfect time.”

This is part of the Stray Ferret’s ‘hidden gem’ series. We are trying to highlight small independent businesses. They need to be tucked away but growing in popularity with an eye-catching and unique product or approach. Send us an email with your nominations.

Harrogate Borough Council has taken its temporary homeless shelters away after four months in Tower Street car park.

The four yellow containers were only supposed to be used in an emergency when other accommodation was not available.

We asked the council if units had been used but did not receive an answer. The units had not been used when we last reported on them in early January.

Councils are obliged to provide accommodation for rough sleepers under the severe weather emergency protocol.

The protocol is usually activated by sub-zero temperatures but other forms of extreme weather, such as high winds, heavy rain and heatwaves can also trigger it.

When they were first installed some people raised concerns about their suitability.

Read more:

• Harrogate council spends £350,000 on B&Bs for homeless people
• Harrogate homeless units still not used this winter

The council, however, defended their use and highlighted the fact they are heated and insulated.

Now that the weather has improved and the homeless shelter on Spa Lane in Starbeck is near completion, the units are no longer needed.

A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“The accommodation units are being removed because they are no longer required.”

New government guidance last year warned of the dangers of coronavirus in night shelters.

It also asked local authorities to consider “self-contained accommodation options”.

Cllr Mike Chambers, the cabinet member for housing and safer communities, previously told the Stray Ferret the units were “comfortable and appropriate for someone who needs some shelter for a couple of nights”, adding:

“Each of the shelters has windows, heaters and toilets. We have several hostels and we are an exemplar council for looking after homeless people.”

A Harley Street surgeon has offered a Harrogate mother breast reduction surgery for free if the money she raised goes to charity.

Kelly Michaud, from Harrogate, started fundraising for her breast reduction surgery last month after suffering with back and shoulder pain for years.

The 26 year old mother has 34H breasts. She has received unwanted attention from a young age and had to change several outfits to avoid “showing them off”.

After years of being rejected surgery on the NHS she decided, as a last resort, to go private.

To date Kelly has raised over £10,000 for the surgery after several media outlets, local and national, covered the story.

Since then, Dr Dan Marsh from a private Harley Street clinic has offered to complete the surgery for free with the money raised going to breast cancer charity.

A BBC article added that Mrs Michaud will be paying for some appointment and hospital fees totalling £2,500. The free operation is set to go ahead in September.

Read more:

• Harrogate Neighbours fundraise for Alzheimer’s charity.
• Nidderdale community raises thousands to welcome refugee family.

Previously Mrs Michaud said the reduction would change her life in so many ways and allow her to play with her children without feeling pain.

She is also hoping to raise awareness on the issue and has started a petition for breast reductions to be more accessible to women.

The fire service has launched an investigation into the cause of a blaze which devastated a house in Starbeck last night.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, North Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Ambulance Service attended the fire on Avenue Grove at around 8pm.

When crews arrived they found that the fire started in a bedroom on the first floor but had quickly spread to much of the first floor. Nobody was in the house on arrival.

Read more:

• Homes evacuated in Starbeck due to fire
• Starbeck home owner ‘absolutely devastated’ after fire

It also caused smoke damage to the ground floor and neighbouring homes. Two people required treatment for smoke inhilation.

The homeowner told the Stray Ferret last night that the fire started in her son’s bedroom while she was downstairs celebrating her birthday. She said she did not know what caused the fire.

Crews used breathing apparatus, three hose reel jets, 45mm jet, delta lance, triple extension ladder, lighting and thermal imaging camera to put out the fire.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue attended last night.

They evacuated neighbouring properties, cordoned off the area and advised people to avoid the area while they were dealing with the incident.

Now North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has confirmed that it is investigating the cause of the fire.

Neville Scott, red watch manager at Harrogate fire station, told the Stray Ferret last night that:

“It had the potential to be a very serious incident and spread to other properties because it was a terraced house.

“But the firefighters were able to prevent that.”

The home had a smoke alarm and the fire service said it was a reminder of how important it is to have a working fire alarm in all homes.

Organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show have said they are hopeful the event will still go ahead despite other large events being cancelled in the district.

Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) has said it is continuing to plan for the event but will only go ahead “if it is safe to do so”.

The Great Yorkshire Show is planned for July 13-15.

This week, Ripley Show was cancelled. The event was due to take place on August 8 but organisers said it would be impossible to enforce social distancing reasonably.

To welcome its usual visitor numbers of over 100,000, the Great Yorkshire Show is reliant on a positive outcome from the government’s trial events in the coming months.

A spokesperson for the YAS said:

“The safety of show visitors, exhibitors and staff is paramount, and we are continuing to discuss how we deliver the most covid safe show possible.

“We await the outcome of the government’s pilot events in anticipation of further guidance on the staging of larger events after existing restrictions are lifted on June 21.”

Read more:

• Can the Great Yorkshire Show and the vaccine centre take place together?
• Over half of Harrogate district population have received their first dose of the vaccine.

The organisers have not given a date for an official decision to be made but said it will be reviewed alongside government guidance.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has released similar comments previously suggesting that the show is under constant review. However, this has raised questions about the vaccination centre.

The showground, which can carry out up to 1,800 vaccinations a day, has been the Harrogate district’s main vaccine site since December.

A spokesperson for YAS said organisers were still in discussions with the NHS over the centre.

The leader of Harrogate Borough Council says it is a “mistake” that council meetings must return in-person before all coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Cllr Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of the authority, said local authorities should be given a choice whether to hold meetings remotely or in-person.

It comes as the government yesterday announced that emergency legislation, which has allowed virtual decision-making during the pandemic, will end on May 7.

Cllr Cooper said:

“I think it is a mistake not to carry on with remote meetings until we are at least fully out of covid restrictions.

“Ideally I would like to see the provision remain in place to enable councils to have the choice to meet remotely or in person. This will allow us to ensure that we are entirely covid safe but also to choose to hold, in particular, short or small meetings in a way which reduces our impact on the environment.

“I am hopeful that a way will be found to make this happen.”

The Local Government Association, a body which represents local authorities across the UK, said the decision was “extremely disappointing”.

Since last May, all borough council meetings have been held over Microsoft Teams and streamed live onto YouTube.

Read More:

• Virtual meetings could ‘drag council into 21st century’ and open up democracy to a wider audience
• Harrogate Borough Council halts covid business grants
• Growing support for meetings to remain virtual post-Covid

In a letter to councils, Luke Hall, minister for regional growth and local government, said while he recognised there may be some safety concerns, the vaccine rollout and fewer covid cases “should result in significant reduction in risk for local authority members meeting in-person”.

He added the government would hold talks with leaders over how remote meetings could be made permanent, as he also urged councils to continue providing remote access for members of the public through live-streaming.

Mr Hall said:

“I am aware that some authorities, though by no means all, have made calls for the government to make express provision for remote meetings beyond the scope of the pandemic.

“I am today launching a call for evidence on the use of current arrangements and to gather views on the question of whether there should be permanent arrangements and if so, for which meetings.”

The announcement comes after Harrogate councillors last week agreed to look into how remote and in-person meetings could be streamed online in the future.

Council meetings have been held over Microsoft Teams and streamed onto YouTube throughout the pandemic.

In January last year and before the pandemic struck, councillors voted against an idea of live-streaming because of claims it would have been too expensive.

But Cllr Chris Aldred said covid has now shown there is a “clear interest” in people being able to watch meetings online rather than in person.

He told a meeting of the council’s general purposes committee:

“People are clearly interested in the deliberations of their local council and we ought to continue to give them the opportunity.”

Cllr Pauline McHardy also said:

“We shouldn’t exclude members of the public that do want to listen into meetings but are too far away or perhaps don’t drive.

“These are supposed to be public meetings and we should be open, transparent and always above board.”

In his letter to councils, Mr Hall said any local authorities concerned about holding physical meetings should consider resuming these after May 17 when large indoor events of up to 1,000 people or 50% capacity are due to be allowed.

Harrogate Borough Council is set to award two decarbonisation contracts worth £2.4 million to companies outside the district and without open tender.

The projects aim to cut carbon emissions at the Harrogate Hydro leisure centre and Harrogate Convention Centre.

Funding for the schemes was secured from the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

Reports to senior councillors recommend awarding the contracts to Alliance Leisure, based in Somerset, and Engie Regeneration Ltd, which has registered offices in Newcastle.

Read more:

• Harrogate council awarded £2.4m to cut carbon emissions
• Dutch firm awarded £1.1m design contract for Harrogate Convention Centre

Projects to cut carbon emissions

Harrogate Hydro, which opened in 1999, will replace its gas boilers with air source heat pumps, install solar panels on the roof and put in place new energy monitoring and control system.

The £1.8 million contract for the works is recommended by council officers to be handed to Alliance Leisure, which was also hired as development managers for the council’s wider £26 million leisure investment.

A council report said the appointment was made in line with the UK Leisure Framework, which is a framework developed in accordance with EU procurement regulations that enables public sector organisations to directly appoint Alliance Leisure for leisure centre projects.

The report says the direct appointment of the company is “fully compliant” with procurement rules and provides “a faster and more efficient procurement route”.

Meanwhile, the HCC received £583,914 to convert its lighting to LEDs, install solar panels and heat pumps and introduce variable speed drives to control the fans and pipework insulation.

Engie Regeneration Ltd, which is part of Engie Group and specialises in refurbishment of public buildings, is set to be awarded the contract for the works.

A £500,000 project is planned to decarbonise Harrogate Convention Centre.

Council officers said in a report that Engie had already gone through a competitive tender process within the procurement framework it has used.

It added that the direct award would mean the council could deliver the scheme “within the tight timescales set out in the grant conditions”.

Both schemes form part of the borough council’s goal to reach a net-zero carbon economy by 2038.

The authority hopes the improvements will cut emissions by 577 tonnes a year at the Hydro and 70 tonnes at the convention centre.

No open tender process

The contracts are to be the latest to be awarded without an open competitive tender process.

The council has been criticised previously for not working with local firms, including when it appointed Ipswich firm Jacob Bailey last year to redevelop its tourism website Visit Harrogate without a competitive tender process.

Other contracts awarded without tender include:

• A £1.1m contract to Dutch firm Arcadis to design the first phase of the £47 million redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre
• A £40,926.29 to Glendale Services, based in Lancashire, to restore the West Park Stray following the UCI World Cycling Championships.
• Alliance Leisure being appointed development manager for £26 million investment in leisure services, including a new facility in Knaresborough.

In cabinet papers due before councillors next week, council officers said a full tendering process could take up to six months.

It added that the grant conditions for the decarbonisation projects state that the programmes must be completed by September 2021.

The report said:

“To run a full open tendering procurement process would not allow us to meet the tight grant condition timescales, and the council could potentially lose the funding and or be obliged to repay the grant funding in part or in full.”

Senior councillors on the council’s cabinet will make a decision on the contracts on March 31.

A woman in Starbeck says she is “absolutely devastated” after a serious fire at her home tonight.

The owner of the house, who did not wish to be named, told the Stray Ferret the fire started in her son’s bedroom while she was downstairs celebrating her birthday.

She said she didn’t know how it started but she was “absolutely devastated”.

The house had only recently been redecorated.

Read more:

• Homes evacuated in Starbeck due to fire
• ‘Clean your chimneys’, urges fire service after two fires near Ripon yesterday

Neville Scott, red watch manager at Harrogate fire station, said:

“It had the potential to be a very serious incident and spread to other properties because it was a terraced house.

“But the firefighters were able to prevent that.”