A new £2 million spa and well-being centre in Harrogate has been completed after a six-month delay because of the coronavirus crisis.

The zen garden and sun terrace at The Harrogate Spa have now been finished, at a cost of £20,000.

They are the final pieces of the development, which officially opened in July without the planned outside area. Situated adjacent to the Doubletree by Hilton Majestic Hotel on Ripon Road, the spa offers an indoor pool and treatment rooms as well as a gym, studio and cafe.

Andy Barnsdale, The Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa General Manager with one of the new water features.

Lynn Roach, The Harrogate Spa director, said:

“We were just a week away from our official opening when the government announced the closure of our industry, which put the brakes on us finishing our two outside areas.

“I’m delighted to say we have now completed our work and they are a superb addition to The Harrogate Spa.

“The zen garden will become a place of tranquillity for those enjoying our facilities and experiencing one of our fantastic holistic treatments.

“We are the only spa facility in Harrogate town centre, and have now written our own chapter in the town’s ongoing spa heritage story.”

A care home in Harrogate has adopted new technology in the fight to save lives from coronavirus this winter.

Vida Grange, which is a specialist dementia home in Pannal, has installed alcohol gel-secreting door pads to limit the spread of coronavirus among staff and residents.

The pads are designed to kill germs on doors, which can help to protect people from coronavirus. They could be particularly useful in care homes, where many residents struggle to remember the importance of hand hygiene.

Yorkshire company Surfaceskins, which created the pads last year, has seen a global spike in interest in the pads. But this is the first home in the Harrogate district to introduce them.

Adam Walker, Surfaceskins inventor, with James Rycroft, the managing director of Vida Healthcare, at Vida Grange in Pannal today. They are seen holding the pads.

At an event today at Vida Grange to mark the deal, James Rycroft, the managing director of Vida Healthcare, which owns Vida Grange, described the pads as a “welcome addition to our armoury”, He added:

“Sometimes people forget to use the alcohol gel but you can’t escape the Surfaceskins.

“The coronavirus pandemic took the world by surprise so we are trying to do all we can to protect our residents and staff.”

Read more:

• Care home visits in district may be allowed after October
• Harrogate hospital prepares for winter with 100 coronavirus beds

Mr Rycroft said new technologies and strict procedures were helping to protect residents.

Some staff at the care home have tested positive for coronavirus in recent weeks but, so far, none have passed the virus on.

Adam Walker, one of the inventors of Surfaceskins and a Harrogate resident, said:

“This product does not clean your hands but it is designed to keep itself sterile. We still need people to use gel dispensers and wash their hands. However, if you do that and use a dirty door you could still infect yourself. The Surfaceskin helps clean hands stay clean. It is a vital missing link.”

Mr Walker added the product was not a knee-jerk reaction to coronavirus. He said he came up with the idea about 10 years ago.

Two charities, based in Harrogate, have combined efforts to bring plans back on track for a new shop to open on Oxford Street.

Artizan International was struggling to meet its planned opening date of October 13 after Covid impacted its funding.

The charity offers local craft sessions for disabled people but the pandemic put its mission on.

The organisation also works with groups in Peru and Ecuador to design and produce fabrics used to make crafts for the charity to sell. Funding from these crafts allows the charity to continue supporting those struggling with poverty abroad.

But the lockdown in South America halted the supply chain, leaving the charity without the merchandise to sell in order to support those relying on them.

This prompted Harrogate Scrubbers to step in.

During the height of the pandemic the volunteers provided over 3,000 sets of scrubs for local health facilities and were just as keen to step in to help Artizan International sew some of the crafts.

Susie Hart, chief executive and founder of Artizan International, said:

“Our goal has been to empower and support differently abled people to provide them with the same opportunities in life, and in developing countries an income and employment so they can support their own families.

“The recent amazing donation of the premises on Oxford Street was a dream come true as it provided us with premises to showcase their work and increase the revenue we can generate for them.

“We are so grateful to the people who have come forward to help.”

The charity was overwhelmed by the support it received following its social media plea for volunteers.

Claire Strachan, a member of Harrogate Scrubbers, said:

“We have a group of over 850 volunteers who were an unstoppable team, with many feeling lost when the appeal came to an end. Asking the group to support the charity has given some group members that sense of purpose back and it is so inspiring to see the enthusiasm return.”

Artizan International has long-term plans for the shop. It hopes to open a cafe and provide employment for people with hearing difficulties.

It plans to continue support those with different abilities here and abroad, providing them with skills and a way to earn an income.

Harrogate Cat Rescue is urging owners to neuter their pets following a surge in the number of kittens.

Celia Dakin currently has 30 kittens at the organisation she runs from home in Harrogate. This is about double the norm, partly due to lockdown.

All of the animals must be vet checked and neutered before they can be adopted.

Ms Dakin said owners should do the responsible thing before allowing their cats outside to roam.

She said:

“I have more kittens in foster now than I had when I was working for a national charity, which is down to people not neutering their cats and of course the pause on the trap-neuter-return programme.”

The trap-neuter-return programme, which charities operate, prevents colonies of cats reproducing. The programme was stopped during lockdown, which has contributed to an increase in kitten litters.

Ms Dakin said owners needed to take responsibility for ensuring their cats were safe.

She added:

“I can’t stress how crucial it is. It may only cost an owner as much as a meal out. Each cat has its own needs and owners need to be aware of them. It is your responsibility as an owner.”

Cats often have several litters a year, as their pregnancies only last for nine weeks. Celia said that cats are controlled by their hormones, particularly males who will often fight for females.

Ms Dakin’s rescue centre offers all cats and kittens another chance.

She said she often saw social media posts by cat owners showing pictures of their unexpected kittens. They were often then given away, sometimes without vet check or neutering.

Read more:

• Harrogate cat rescue thrives over lockdown, rehoming 19 cats in three months.
• Puppy scammers target Harrogate mum trying to buy a puppy to train to help her disabled daughter. 

Ms Dakin hoped her rescue centre and social media posts would promote the message of neutering.

She said cats were treated as second-class to dogs.

“You wouldn’t have the same problem with dogs because they are much more protected but for cats there’s limited protection.”

A 19-year-old male from Harrogate appeared in court on Saturday less than 24 hours after being arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply.

North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team, which tackles county lines drug crime, arrested the man on Cheltenham Mount, Harrogate on Friday morning.

Officers chased the male on foot after suspecting a drug deal was taking place.

A quantity of suspected crack cocaine was seized by officers.

The 19-year-old was charged with possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and remanded in custody.

On Saturday morning, he appeared at York Magistrates’ Court (sitting in Leeds). The case has been sent for trial on November 9.

Read more:

• A suspected stabbing left a man with a punctured lung but the attacker was spared from prison. 
• The police said the stabbing on Harcourt Drive, Harrogate, is “not suspicious”. 

The police said typical signs of cuckooing – drug dealers taking over a vulnerable person’s home to sell and store drugs – are:

• Increased callers and cars at the property
• Increased antisocial behaviour at a property
• Not seeing the resident for long periods of time

Signs that a young person may be being exploited, include:

• Frequently going missing from school or home
• Unexplained money, clothes, or mobile phones
• Carrying weapons
• Significant decline in school results / performance
• Significant changes in emotional well-being

If anyone has any information, they can call North Yorkshire Police on 101. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A further 35 coronavirus cases have been reported in the Harrogate district in the last 24 hours.

Latest Public Health England figures released today show the total number of cases in the district since the start of the pandemic has increased to 1,196.

Across North Yorkshire as a whole, 115 daily cases were also confirmed today.

Read More: 

• Harrogate hospital prepares for winter with 100 coronavirus beds
• Harrogate Mind increases services as demand for support grows

The weekly case rate county-wide stands at 88.7 per 100,000 people, according to the public body NHS Digital.

It comes as an IT error left 15,841 cases between September 25 and October 2 unreported across the UK.

The technical issue meant daily figures were higher than first reported. In Harrogate, 67 cases were confirmed on Sunday after the error was fixed.

Public Health England said those who tested positive had been informed. But those who had come into close contact with them were not.

A notice on the PHE coronavirus statistics page added:

“This means the total reported over the coming days will include some additional cases from the period between September 24 and October 1.”

Have you had experience of track and trace? Have you been contacted through the app or experienced delays related to the computer errors this weekend? We would like to hear from you. Contact us on Facebook or e-mail contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

North Yorkshire County Council has organised several events and launched a new app as part of Libraries Week, which began today.

The app enables library members to view their account, search the library catalogue and reserve and renew books, as well as download e-books and e-audio books.

The week, which promotes libraries, also includes online events and activities.

Despite library closures due to Covid, about 3,000 people joined the library service over lockdown and there was a big increase in the number of e-books and e-audio books borrowed.

In the Harrogate district, the community library in Bilton and the main Harrogate library are offering virtual story tellings on Facebook this week.

Four authors and the poet, Andy Croft, are holding virtual events for North Yorkshire residents.

To find the event schedule, click here.

Bilton and Woodfield Community Library is among the libraries taking part.

Harrogate library is also holding a superhero competition for families. Craft packs can be collected from the library by families and once completed their superhero will go on display in the library.

Read more:

• The home library service offered comfort and a pass time for those isolating through lockdown. 
• The proceeds from Summerbridge author’s first book will be donated to Yorkshire charity. 

Greg White, the county council’s executive member for libraries, said:

“Nowadays, many customers expect services to be available easily on their phone. This app aims to meet those expectations.

“You’ll be able to find a local library, check its opening hours and check whether a book you’re looking for is there.”

Libraries are open to the public but each one has a limited capacity to ensure social distancing.

As well as wearing a mask, visitors are asked to limit their visit to 20 minutes.

A man suffered a punctured lung following a suspected stabbing – but the attacker was spared prison.

Daryl Hart, 46, from Harrogate, was drunk and high on cocaine when he attacked the man with an unidentified weapon.

The named victim suffered several puncture wounds to his back and two to the front, prosecutor Angus Macdonald told York Crown Court.

One of the wounds caused a punctured lung. The others were described as “superficial” but still required hospital treatment.

Hart, of Albany Avenue, had travelled to Scarborough on one of his regular visits to see family in the area and ended up at the West Riding pub on Castle Road, where he had “too much to drink” and started causing bother.

Fight breaks out

He and a named female left the pub to go looking for drugs and were followed by the victim to a flat in the town. The victim forced his way into the flat and attacked Hart, whereby a fight ensued.

Hart used “some sort of weapon” on the victim who suffered multiple wounds, said Mr Macdonald.

Read more:

• Police release footage of high speed chase through Knaresborough
• Harrogate car salesman jailed for running over man

He was arrested and charged with wounding with intent. He denied the allegation but admitted an alternative charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

This plea was accepted by the prosecution, which offered no evidence on the wounding charge. Hart appeared for sentence on Friday.

Bit man’s ear

The court heard that prior to the offence in August last year, Hart had racked up a litany of violent offences.

In 1996, he attacked a man with a stick, breaking his arm. In another incident, he bit a man’s ear, severing it, after throwing him down some stairs.

In a separate incident in 2002, Hart and another male dragged a man out of his flat at knifepoint. The victim was stabbed with a kitchen knife, resulting in yet another jail sentence.

Defence barrister Taryn Turner said that Hart, who had serious health problems due to drink and drugs, had stayed out of trouble for a long time both before and since the incident in Scarborough.

Recorder Paul Reid criticised Hart for his shocking record and his drink and drug-fuelled attack on the man in Scarborough.

Weapon used

He said although the victim was “the first to use any sort of violence”, Hart then used “some sort of weapon” to cause the puncture wounds.

He told Hart: “It is entirely unclear what (that weapon was) and you have never said what it was.

“Normally, an offence like this, where a weapon is used to cause serious harm, would result in immediate prison, but you were not the initial aggressor and pleaded guilty.”

Mr Reid said he had also noted Hart’s “appalling” health, his remorse and the fact that he had otherwise stayed out of trouble and had been trying to lead a “quiet life”.

For these reasons, Mr Reid said he could suspend the inevitable jail sentence.
The 14-month sentence was suspended for 18 months and Hart was ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation programme.

A not-guilty verdict was recorded on the wounding with intent charge.

A bull, which escaped from a farm over the weekend, was shot dead yesterday after it roamed on to Pannal Golf Club and became aggressive.

Some players felt the animal’s presence uncomfortably close before the police turned up at about 11am.

The Stray Ferret spoke to a golfer, who asked to be referred to as Shed, who had to play a shot a mere 30 yards from the bull. He said:

“We saw how the bull had been racing around the course. There were marks all over. Then we got to the 12th and we saw the bull in the woods. I needed to play a shot from quite close and it was starting to scratch at the ground in agitation. I still managed to hit the ball and it was quite a good shot.”

The bull’s owner, who had been keeping a close eye on the animal from a quad bike, told police it had pre-existing health conditions.

According to North Yorkshire Police, the farmer suggested the “most humane course of action was to put it down”.

Read more:

• Could cars be banned outside primary schools in Harrogate?
• Harrogate’s Muslim community raises £85,000 for first Mosque

The police cleared the golf course and sent everyone to the club house before officers worked with a slaughterman to kill the bull.

A spokesperson for the force said the bull had pre-existing health conditions, adding:

“The animal was clearly distressed and was becoming aggressive towards members of the public. Officers were worried it could injure someone or cause a serious collision if it ran onto the main road nearby.”

Today saw the VLM — the Virtual London Marathon. Here are some images of runners taking part in Harrogate – some kindly sent to us by the Harrogate Harriers. Did you run the VLM today and raise money for your nominated charity? If you did please share them with us and we’ll add them to this image gallery. contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Stephen Clegg

Tracy Iles finishing her Virtual London Marathon

Theresa Oldroyd on her VLM

Adam Prentis, chairman of Harrogate Harriers said:

“Today it was simply fantastic to see so many people coming out to support the incredible Virtual London Marathon runners around Harrogate. Some were Club runners, many were social runners, but all have continued to train really hard for months with the principle objective of raising thousands of pounds for their chosen charities. Congratulations to all who undertook the Marathon today. Really great effort.”

Debbie Songhurst at 23 mile point

Nicole Sutton from Ripon

Read More: 

• Stray Jewels with Susan Rumfitt:  the magic of silver 
• Hidden Gems: the Ripon florist who’s turned a wasteland into a wonderland