A series of free virtual events is being organised to boost digital and technology businesses across the Harrogate district.

Harrogate Digital is staging a week of online events, covering everything from digital connectivity to delivering complex projects. Each event will be delivered by experts in their fields.

Forming part of Leeds Digital Festival, it runs from September 28 to October 1.

Alistair Forbes, who works with Harrogate Borough Council to support local business growth, said plans for a full day of Harrogate talks had to be put on hold in March because of the coronavirus crisis.

However, the new online-only programme, spread over a week, has more speakers than the original and will allow for a larger audience.

He said:

“The original idea was to run an in-person event as part of Leeds Digital Festival in March. The majority of speakers were all signed up to have a day of talks in a venue in the town centre. We just had to postpone that.

“We did consider an in-person event, because there will be some held as part of Leeds Digital Festival. But being online makes it much more accessible.”

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Harrogate Digital was founded in 2017 with the aim of supporting tech businesses in the district to grow, helping bring the best professionals to the area, and offering networking opportunities between businesses in the sector.

It is run by Martin Whincup from law firm Berwins, tech entrepreneur and business mentor Sanjay Parekh, and Mr Forbes, in his role as SME growth manager for Harrogate Borough Council and Leeds City Region LEP.

Prior to the covid lockdown, Harrogate Digital held various events, including one in 2019 focused on women in technology at the Everyman Cinema

He said:

“It was a relatively quick and easy thing to set up, with the intention of not trying to replicate something already started, but with the goal to create a dedicated network for people that work in digital, technology and creative. That didn’t really exist in Harrogate.

“There are lots of great networking groups, but they’re quite general and don’t necessarily fulfil the needs of digital and tech businesses.”

Incubator hub

Having spent three years working with businesses in the sector, Mr Forbes will use the week of events at the end of the month to outline the next steps in Harrogate Digital’s plans.

It will be rebranded as Co-Lab, a new community for tech people and businesses which will offer advice and support to tech businesses. Plans to refurbish Springfield House within the Harrogate Convention Centre site and turn it into an incubator hub have been delayed by the venue’s use as a Nightingale hospital, but Mr Forbes said he is hopeful that the hub will open in the first half of 2021.

Funding of £500,000 has already been secured for the initial plans through Leeds City Region business rates pool. Any further funding achieved will be used to expand the support programme offered by Co-Lab.

Mr Forbes said demand for support from new and growing businesses has been high over the summer, giving him hope for the future of the district’s economy.

“We have had all sorts of different enquiries and ideas come forward from existing businesses I was already working with for new businesses or divisions.

“There are also people who have been made redundant from previous roles and want to start up a new tech-related business. That appears to be as strong as ever.

“Harrogate has been well-known as a place to start a business even if it’s based from home, but there has been a resurgence over the summer in terms of people with new ideas and starting businesses.”

A Harrogate charity has reported a 44% increase in demand for its counselling services in recent months.

Wellspring Therapy and Training, which provides affordable professional counselling for people suffering with their mental health, said it expected demand for its services to continue to rise.

News of its extra demand coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day today.

A total of 65% of adults and 75% of young people nationally have said their mental health has worsened since the pandemic.

Wellspring’s centre remains closed as it continues to offer video and telephone counselling.

It offers counselling at a price chosen by the individual, according to their situation, meaning it could be as little as £5.

Freya, who did not wish to reveal her real name, has used Wellspring’s counselling service throughout lockdown.

The charity expects its referral rate to continue to rise as the long-term effects of lockdown are felt.

She said:

“All these emotions were sitting there like a great weight, but not going anywhere. After my first counselling session at Wellspring, I came away with such a sense of relief and gratitude. When lockdown happened, we ended up doing video calls instead.

“It’s lifted so much of the pressure and the anxiety. I also think I’m more able to deal with things when I do experience difficult emotions now. I am able to move forwards and think about the future. I’d highly recommend Wellspring and encourage anyone weighed down by life’s pressures to get in touch and see a counsellor. It’s a safe place.”

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Lockdown has amplified anxieties over issues such as money, jobs and social interaction.

The charity is passionate about helping those who are struggling to find hope again.

Harrogate district Parkruns look set to return by the end of October.

Parkrun sees runners of all abilities take part in a 5km run every Saturday morning. But the organisers paused the event at the beginning of March, just ahead of the national lockdown.

Now, after months of drawing up plans and waiting for social distancing rules to relax, Parkrun is ready to resume.

Parkrun holds three events in the Harrogate district: in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Crowding at the starting and finishing lines is one of the main concerns. The official Parkrun framework admits there is no way to maintain social distance at these points.

But Tom Williams, the global chief operating officer of Parkrun and Harrogate resident, told the Stray Ferret the benefits outweighed the coronavirus risks:

“We are a charity but it has been a huge challenge to support people’s health and wellbeing in a virtual way. I believe that by bringing back the Parkrun it will make a big difference.

“Where we have already brought the Parkrun back [in other countries] we have seen runners return in their numbers so we expect the same in the UK.”

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The government has banned social gatherings of more than six people from Monday, but with some exceptions.

Mr Williams said he did not think the new rules would affect Parkrun because it is an outdoor sports event with minimal contact but he said it would monitor the situation.

In one of Parkrun’s recent surveys, almost 80% of respondents said they would return to Parkrun in four weeks’ time if the events were to come back in a safe way.

Police are appealing got information after a number of cars were damaged along St John’s Road in Harrogate around 11.30pm on Tuesday.

Three youths – one girl and two boys – dressed in dark clothing are believed to have been involved.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, we are appealing for any witnesses who saw the damage take place or for any CCTV or doorbell-camera footage which may have captured something relevant.”

Anyone with information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Jessica Deacy – 1568.

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The reference number is 12200157107.

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A horror film festival is coming to Harrogate this Halloween in a supposedly haunted Victorian ball room of the Crown Hotel.

Harrogate Horror Film Festival will return with coronavirus safety measures in place, including limited places for its film screenings and splitting into two rooms if there’s enough demand.

Organisers Dead Northern will kick off the week on October 26 with a pub quiz. There will be lots of pop up events around the town leading up to the weekend at the Crown Hotel.

Highlights of the festival include an exclusive screening of Host, a film made during lockdown, as well as a night of dinner and live entertainment at Cardamom Black.

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The organisers had planned to hold a daily ghost walk, but that is now up in the air following the government’s ban on gatherings of more than six.

People will be able to watch some of the shorter independent films for free during the week but there will be a charge for the more polished viewings.

Josh Lawson, one of the founders of Dead Northern, told the Stray Ferret that only the ghost walks will be affected by the new government restrictions:

“Dead Northern has been in talks with cinemas about the new rule of six. We think it is something we are exempt from. We can keep people in bubbles of six and apart from others.

“It will be less family friendly compared to last year. There will be films like Ghostbusters but we need to bring in a more adult audience because of coronavirus.”

Tickets will go on sale next week on the Dead Northern website from £5 for a screening and goes up to £100 for the full week. The full week ticket includes every event except the evening at Cardamom Black which will cost an additional £40.

The three MPs whose constituencies include the Harrogate district received almost £17,000 in expenses between them in the latest round of claims, which were published today.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority reveals details of MPs’ expenses every two months.

For the latest period, which covers March to the end of May, Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith claimed £4,649.21, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones claimed £4,718.82 and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams claimed £7,497.56.

The largest sums for all three were to pay the Conservative Policy Research Unit, which is a pooled research facility for Conservative MPs. Each MP claimed in excess of £3,000 for this.

Jones’s details include four mileage claims for £96.75 each, which relate to 215-mile trips to and from London.

One claim is dated March 23, the day the country went into lockdown. Another is on March 26 – the date Parliament shut down. MPs were still expected to attend the House of Commons until then.

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Smith’s smallest claim is 77p for an item of stationery. He also claimed £575 office costs for rent. His entry on the IPSA register does not include any claims for travel.

Adams’ claims include £12 for having his constituency office window cleaned on May 11 and £493 for gas and electricity. He also submitted receipts for £3,550 accommodation costs for rent.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 58-year-old man was assaulted by another man in broad daylight on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate.

The man sustained head injuries and cuts to his face during the incident, which happened between 3.15pm and 3.30pm on Sunday.

The attack happened near the Sainsbury’s Local store and afterwards the offender headed towards Valley Gardens.

A police statement issued today said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and are particularly appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the assault, including a man and woman who assisted the victim following the attack.

“The offender is believed to be approximately 18-20 years old , 5ft 8in tall, white with a pale complexion, of slim build and wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up and jeans.”

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for 1751. You can also email stephanie.maslen@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200156170.

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Captain Sir Tom Moore will visit Harrogate’s Army Foundation College later today to inspect graduating soldiers.

The visit is part of his new role as Honorary Colonel Officer of the college.

He will be there to inspect 294 Junior Soldiers from Cambrai Company on their passing out parade.

The Junior Soldiers of Cambrai company began their training in March but due to coronavirus, they had to do 10 weeks of virtual training before returning to Harrogate in May.

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He made his first visit to the college in August when he took a tour of the site and met with junior soldiers. The college also gave Sir Tom Moore his new Colonel’s rank slides.

A new bakery shop plans to open in Harrogate this month to serve up fresh bread, cakes and sandwiches.

Bakeri Baltzersen is the newest venture from the team behind Baltzersen’s cafe. The bakery will open on the same street as the cafe and coffee shop on Oxford Street.

The owners originally planned to open in May but were forced to put their plans on hold by the coronavirus pandemic.

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Now work has once again started at the Bakeri Baltzersen unit next to Harrogate Theatre and the key cutting and shoe repair shop Timpson.

The sign is up and so are the shelves for the bread as workmen start to decorate the premises in keeping with the Scandinavian style of Baltzersen’s.

Behind the scenes of Bakeri Baltzersen.

In recent months Baltzersen’s has been using part of its cafe as a temporary bakery shop. It will return to being a coffee shop when this new bakery opens.

Paul Rawlinson, the owner of Baltzersen’s, took inspiration from his Norwegian grandmother for the cafe, which opened in 2012. The business expanded in late 2018, opening a coffee shop in the neighbouring unit on Oxford Street.

News of the venture is a boost for the town’s traders at a time when many businesses are struggling to survive as a result of the pandemic,

The Stray Defence Association has urged people using the Stray to respect the new six person limit on gatherings.

During the summer crowds gathered on the Stray, breaking social distancing rules.

The association hopes there will be no repeat of this from Monday when groups of more than six people will be forbidden from gathering, except in exceptional circumstances.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday this would “stop the spread of the virus and save lives”.