Yesterday, we reported on the anxieties of shoppers returning to clothes stores in the district. Given the fear expressed by many of stepping foot back onto the high street, is Harrogate doing enough to entice them back in?

As part of examining what the town is doing to win over shoppers, we looked at Harrogate’s closest retail rival and a city which attracts a lot of shoppers from the district.

16 miles down the road in Leeds, the city is putting in place a range of measures to bring customers back and encourage them to part with their hard earned cash again.

The city is offering free car parking for another month, as well as deep cleaning the streets and offering hand sanitiser on demand.

The city council has worked with the local BID to come up with measures to entice shoppers in and also offer reassurance, including one way systems and more outdoor space for street cafes in areas like the Corn Exchange and Park Row.

Read more:

• Harrogate retail prepares to fight for survival
• Many in district still fearful of shopping for clothes
• Harrogate Monsoon store saved from closure

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said the measures were important to get the city back up and running again.

She said: “Getting our city centre and district centres back open again will be a key priority in the weeks ahead, however it needs to be done in a careful and controlled way in order to keep everyone safe.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in creating and implementing this plan, and I’d like to again thank the people of Leeds for their resilience and ask that it continues in terms of following the rules and adhering to the two-metre social distancing especially.

“Things may look a bit different in our public spaces, but if everyone follows the rules they will be safe places to work and visit as we start the process of recovery in Leeds.”

In light of the measures being put in place, can Harrogate compete and win over the anxious shopper?

Harrogate Borough Council was handed £141,000 from the European Union to help reopen and advertise the high streets, but a plan of how the money will be spent has yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, the authority’s decision to reintroduce car parking fines left local trade associations frustrated and deeply disappointed.

Harrogate BID launched a deep clean of the town centre earlier this week.

Harrogate BID has also outlined its own plans to make the town centre attractive to shoppers again and started to put measures in place.

A deep clean is already underway and the group is in negotiations with a supplier to introduce high street daytime hosts and nighttime street marshalls in a couple of weeks.

The hosts will be tasked with giving shoppers peace of mind as lockdown is eased by welcoming them to the town centre, giving out information and noting hotspots that need to be cleaned.

Areas like James Street have already had pavements widened and retailers have also been offered social distancing posters to reassure shoppers that their experience will be safe.

Floor stickers will help to show customers where to stand two metres apart.

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of Harrogate BID, said the organisation was aware of the challenges that face retailers in the district but added that she was optimistic of shoppers coming back.

She said: “We are trying to make it as welcoming as possible.

“I feel like people are a bit sick of lockdown and there will be changes on the high street for sure, but people will have time to shop.

“I’m hoping that people will feel a bit more relaxed.”

Tomorrow in our final report, we look at the longer term plans for Harrogate.

Extinction Rebellion’s Harrogate branch is planning a bike ride in the town centre to highlight the need for change as the coronavirus lockdown eases.

The group, which only formed in Harrogate in January, says its aim is to highlight the issues facing the town, under the title No Going Back.

The bike ride will set off from Library Gardens on Station Parade at 10.30am on Sunday and complete two laps of the town centre, finishing at the war memorial. Organisers have asked participants to ride in groups of no more than six from the same household, and keep their distance from others who are not in their family group.

Anyone not able to cycle is encouraged to show their support with banners, bells and whistles, and to take photographs of the event. Organiser Vicky Wild said:

“During lockdown, an awful lot more people are cycling and walking. We don’t want to go back to the way it was.

“I’m someone who goes to work and the ships on a bike. I’ve lost count of the number of people who say, ‘I would love to do that, but I don’t feel safe’.

“It’s just trying to change the conversation a bit around public transport in Harrogate. Personally, I have certain routes I go on that I know are fairly safe. For some people, there are certain roads you just don’t want to go on.

“When I was cycling round during the lockdown at the beginning, it was heaven – it was lovely. I went twice round the Prince of Wales roundabout just because I could, because there were no cars on it. I don’t think I’ve ever been round it before.”

With traffic already heading back towards pre-lockdown levels, the group is keen to draw people’s attention to how different things have been and urge them to consider what can be done to make long-term changes.

It is also holding an online meeting tonight to discuss setting up a citizens’ assembly for Harrogate. That body would be made up of members of the public, rather than political party representatives, to look at facts and make decisions about the future of the town.

The group had held one event – a stall on Cambridge Street highlighting climate change, pictured above – before the coronavirus lockdown put paid to its plans for the year. Now, members are looking at action they can take safely in the coming months. Vicky added:

“The idea of Extinction Rebellion is things should be fun and inclusive and family-friendly. We’re trying to do things that won’t alienate people but will get people on board and asking questions.”

Full details about the citizen’s assembly meeting and the bike ride can be found on the Extinction Rebellion Harrogate Facebook page.

Harrogate District Hospital has reported one coronavirus death and care homes have recorded six more deaths in a week.

The death at the hospital happened yesterday and was reported with a total of 88 in England’s hospitals.

Patients were aged between 43 and 102 years old. Three patients, who were aged between 53 and 87, had no known underlying health conditions.

Up to May 29, care homes have recorded 78 coronavirus deaths. It’s an increase of six deaths from the previous week’s figures in care homes.

Read more on this story

• When the NHS Nightingale contract is set to come to an end
• Why nearly 1000 hospital staff took time off work in the first month of lockdown

Up to June 10, the hospital has reported 72 deaths. So, even with the lag in data of ten days, care homes have reported more deaths.

On Thursday, the hospital reported that it had discharged 118 patients who tested positive for coronavirus – an increase of nine on the previous week.

Harrogate’s oldest swimming pool could be closed as the council looks to cut costs in a major overhaul of its leisure services.

In a report set to be considered by Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet next week, officers say the future of Starbeck Baths – built in 1870 – would need to be considered following the redevelopment of its other pools and gyms.

The council is proposing to build a new Knaresborough leisure centre at Conyngham Hall, replacing the existing pool on King James Road. It will also refurbish the Hydro in Harrogate, with more gym space added, and complete the rebuilding of Ripon Spa Baths, with an opening date currently set for September 2021.

The plans form part of a proposal to transfer the running of leisure services to a local authority controlled company (LACC), which HBC believes would save £284,000 of taxpayers’ money. With investment in new and existing pools, and the closure of Starbeck Baths, the council projects savings to be more than double that figure.

In a report to be seen by HBC’s cabinet next week, head of culture, tourism and sport Michael Constantine says:

“With the closure of Ripon Spa Baths and Knaresborough Swimming Pool and new facilities at Knaresborough, Ripon and Harrogate the future of Starbeck Baths would need to be considered. Analysis indicates that without Starbeck continuing to be operational the cost to the council would be £2.790 million, a saving of £0.191m pa.

“Delivering the service by a LACC, following investment in new facilities, will result in an estimated saving of £585k per annum compared to the delivery in-house, with Starbeck no longer operational.

“This demonstrates that under the operational management of the LACC, the schemes have the potential to be entirely self-funded through prudential borrowing depending on future decision regarding Starbeck Baths’ continued operation.”

Meanwhile, Conyngham Hall has been identified as the best site for Knaresborough’s new leisure centre, after considering sites at Hay-a-Park and Knaresborough House, as well as building a new facility on the existing site.

The report recommends leaving the existing pool open until after the new one is built. Both would remain operational while the Hydro was refurbished, giving capacity for residents to use them and somewhere for staff to work, before the older pool was closed.

With the new Ripon pool set to open next September, building work on the new Knaresborough Pool could begin in summer 2022 and be completed in December 2023. At that point, the Hydro would be closed for work to begin, and would reopen in March 2025. The old Knaresborough pool would then be closed, and plans for the site have not been announced.

Discussions have been held between the council and trade unions over plans to transfer sport and leisure services to a private company.

Unison has this morning confirmed that it has met with Harrogate Borough Council representatives to discuss the proposal to form a Local Authority Controlled Company (LACC) to run its leisure facilities.

Unison branch secretary David Houlgate said:

“We are thankful that the Council is now talking to us and the meeting yesterday was helpful.  We are also pleased that the Council has let us have some written detail too.  We need to take a good look at that but already we can make the following observations:

“Clearly the council has ambitious plans for new and upgraded facilities and we cautiously welcome this but it has to be remembered that sport and leisure is a discretionary service so we would not wish to see high spending in this area impact on other, more critical, services elsewhere which could put jobs at risk.”

As well as the council’s six six leisure centres and its Active Health service, the plans could include transferring Little Explorers Day Nursery, the Turkish Baths, and community centres in Jennyfield, Fairfax and Knaresborough to the LACC.

According to a report set to be considered by HBC’s cabinet next week, transferring services stands to save £222,000 in business rates and £76,000 in VAT, with improved financial performance of £130,000 per year. There would be additional costs of £144,000, leaving savings of £284,000 per year, in the council’s figures.

The council has projected an increase in revenue of around £500,000 – equivalent to 10 percent of its current income – as a result of being run by a single-focus company.

The report also states that the council commissioned four studies into its leisure services in and alternative ways of delivering them, in 2018. It adds:

“SLL’s final report was presented to Cabinet on December 16, 2019 and as a result cabinet agreed in principle to progress the creation of a Company to run its sport and leisure facilities and services.”

Discussions between HBC and unions this week follow a public disagreement between them. Unison said on Monday it was disappointed that the council had failed to make any contact with its members – a claim which HBC branded “ridiculous”.

More on this story:

• Unions speak out about the lack of communication on plans which have “no overwhelming public support”
• HBC tells unions: “To expect a running commentary… is unrealistic”

The council consulted with residents last month about the proposals. In the report to cabinet, the results show 46 percent of the 433 people who responded either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the plans. Twenty-seven percent agreed or strongly agreed, while 27 percent neither agreed nor disagreed.

“We have seen the council report and it would appear that this decision was actually taken last year, so we do wonder what the point of the recent resident’s survey was.  Having now seen the survey responses it does seem to confirm our view that there is not much support from the 433 residents who responded, for sport and leisure to be run by a LACC.”

The union has welcomed measures to protect employees, including keeping them in the local government pension scheme. However, it raised concerns about changing terms and conditions after the LACC is formed, and the possibility that an outside provider will be found to run services in future.

The proposals to create the LACC will be put before the council’s cabinet when it meets online next Wednesday, June 17.

Harrogate Borough Council is in the process of removing young trees from West Park Stray which are of ‘low vitality.’

A total of 12 trees have been identified by the arboricultural team to be removed, these will then be replaced with 26 new trees planted in autumn.

The council has said it is taking action quick to allow for felling to take place before the reseeding work, in order to not disturb the site in the future.

The West Park Stray is currently being re-seeded and repaired after damage caused from the 2019 UCI Road World Championships. Harrogate Borough Council estimated that the work would cost close to £130,000

Read more: 

• Council make controversial decision in regard to Stray repairs 
• Henshaws art centre closed due to coronavirus 

The council’s took a controversial decision to award a direct contract to a Lancashire firm for the restoration work, rather than put it out to tender – the contract was labelled as “urgent”.

The decision upset local contractors who were unhappy that they weren’t asked to do the work.

Harrogate’s Monsoon Accessorize store has been saved despite the company announcing a string of store closures after falling into administration.

Monsoon brought in administrators late on Tuesday before being bought out by Adena Brands Ltd through a pre-pack deal which was announced this morning.

Administrators FPR Advisory secured the deal with Adena, which is owned by Monsoon’s founder Peter Simon, which will see 450 jobs transferred over to the company.

But, 35 stores will still close across the UK and 545 staff will be made redundant.

Read more:

• Harrogate retail prepares to fight for survival
• Many shoppers still fearful of shopping for clothes ahead of high street reopening

Harrogate’s Monsoon Accessorize store on James Street is not included on the list of closures released today.

The news comes as non essential retail, such as clothes stores, will reopen on Monday after lockdown is eased.

Mr Simon has promised to inject £15 million into Monsoon so it can continue trading and will work with administrators to negotiate leases on 162 stores and secure more than 2,300 retail jobs.

Tony Wright, joint administrator and partner at FRP, said: 

“We had to move quickly and decisively to secure the future of Monsoon and Accessorize, as many jobs as possible and the presence of these two iconic brands on the UK high street. After assessing a range of options this deal achieves those goals with least disruption to the business in an already challenging retail environment.

“We are now committed to working with Adena Brands as they enter talks with landlords to agree future terms across their store portfolio and look to transfer more jobs to the buyer. We’ll also be working with the Redundancy Payments Service to support all affected employees through this difficult time.”

Will shoppers return to the high street on Monday?

Since the lockdown easing was revealed by the Prime Minister, a number of major and independent outlets have already announced that their doors will be open on June 15.

But once shops are open and the store lights are on, the focus will shift to how customers react after 10 weeks of closure and increasingly more people shopping online.

The Stray Ferret went around the district and asked people in town centres whether they were uneasy about returning to shops.

Read more:

• Harrogate retail prepares to fight for survival
• Harrogate’s deep clean is underway

In our video above, people raised concerns over changing rooms in clothes stores and shops reopening too early.

Melanie Lancaster, from Ripon, said it was not necessary for the city’s high street to reopen yet.

“I’m not going to shop when the shops open.

“I know that they are saying that they are going to quarantine clothes, but I would still not feel comfortable doing that.”

Sandra Watkins, from Harrogate, said she was concerned with younger people and whether they would be mindful when shops reopen.

She said: “I’m more concerned perhaps with my teenage daughter still being quite young, are they going to be mindful going back into places like Primark?”

Some smaller traders do not expect customers to be stepping through their doors immediately, but bigger retailers have a challenge.

Shop space which once saw customers move freely around will be altered by one way systems, two metre distances and limited customers.

Esther Pugh, a retail expert at Leeds Beckett University, said the experience of shopping will be changed by social distancing, but added that she remained optimistic about customers returning to the high street.

She said: “Stores use their layout to help navigate the space and move around.

“But it will be a challenge because the guidelines will effect the experience.

“I am optimistic and I think people need to feel positive. I think the shops need to be innovative and turn this into something new for shoppers.”

Tomorrow, we will report on what is being done to entice shoppers back onto Harrogate’s high street and into retail stores.

Harrogate Borough Council has announced a £2.3 million new scheme to support smaller businesses in the district such as charities and bed and breakfasts.

The discretionary grant aims to help those businesses that may have previously missed out on other coronavirus grants. The government allowed grants of up to £25,000 to be offered, but the council has capped this at £10,000 to help as many businesses as possible.

As a discretionary grant the council has more input into the final decision process, in comparison to previous grants offered during the crisis.

In particular, B&B owners are hoped to benefit from the scheme. The eligibility criteria also includes charities and small businesses including those in shared offices and flexible workspaces. The businesses must have been trading before 11 March 2020 and have fewer than 50 employees.

One bed and breakfast owner from the Harrogate District, who wanted to stay anonymous, said:

I’ve had no income since the second week of March and there are things we have to continue paying for so if we got any money it would mean I don’t have to pay it all. This grant is the difference between re-opening soon or being unable to.”

B&B’s are still awaiting formal notice that they can re-open, but before then grants allow them to secure some income.

Read more: 

• The council have been given over £140,000 from the government to re-open the high street. 
• Harrogate charity, Wellsprings therapy and training, have launched a fundraising appeal to help more people in need during lockdown. 

Kimberley Wilson, the chairman of accommodation Harrogate, said:

“In Harrogate most bed and breakfasts were covered by the initial grant. We are hoping the few that weren’t covered will now be able to access this discretionary grant to help their business in the future”.

What-A-Movie has announced it will be bringing a drive-in cinema to locations across Harrogate and Ripon, where you can watch a movie with friends whilst social distancing.

The screening will take place at the Yorkshire Show Ground in Harrogate on 11 July and 12 July and at Ripon Racecourse on 18 July and 19 July.

What-A-Movie will be showing 3 films a day, including family favourites The Lion King, Grease, Mamma Mia Here We Go Again and The Jungle Book.

Mike Hanson, one of the directors at What-A-Movie said:

“With mental wellbeing becoming an increasing concern within lockdown, this is a great opportunity as the restrictions are eased for families to get out and enjoy a shared, fun experience in lovely surroundings and leave with a smile on their faces.”

Read More: 

• Shortlist for Harrogate crime fiction festival revealed 
• Yorkshire Tea goes viral with Black Lives Matter tweet 

The screenings will take place in accordance with Government guidelines, with contactless ticket scanning on entry and cars parked at least 2 metres away from others. Food and snacks can also be ordered on site and will be delivered to cars.

A donation from ticket proceeds will be made to charities including Care Workers Charity and Racing Welfare.

To book tickets, visit – https://www.what-an-event.co.uk/what-a-movie/