Subscribe to trusted local news
If you are accessing this story via Facebook but you are a subscriber then you will be unable to access the story. Facebook wants you to stay and read in the app and your login details are not shared with Facebook. If you experience problems with accessing the news but have subscribed, please contact subscriptions@thestrayferret.co.uk. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
29
Nov 2021
Family moves to Rudding Park to escape minus one degree home
A Beckwithshaw family has booked into Rudding Park hotel to escape its freezing home after two days without power.
Sylvia Skipper's home was among thousands in the district to lose electricity when Storm Arwen struck late on Friday.
Power has returned to most but about 800 properties in the Harrogate district are still affected, according to a live map by Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire.
Ms Skipper, who lives on Shaw Lane, said her family had been without power since 9.20pm on Friday. There has been no hot water or heating, despite the freezing conditions, and they have been unable to cook. She said:
Northern Powergrid's live map shows 660 homes are without power in the Summerbridge and Bishop Thornton area, along with 60 in Spofforth, 30 in North Stainley, 20 in Pannal, 20 in High Birstwith, 20 in Kirkby Malzeard, fewer than 10 in Knaresborough, fewer than 10 in Greenhow Hill.
Ms Skipper said:
Read more:
- Storm Arwen: More than 700 Harrogate district homes still without power
- Harrogate mum who struggled to feed kids wants to break stigma
Steve Crisp, whose home between Beckwithshaw and Leathley is also without power, said:
He and his wife were luckier than some because they had a log burner, which provided heat and a means to cook beans on toast.
'One of worst storms for 20 years'
Northern Powergrid's latest update at 11pm last night said it had restored power to around 208,000 of the 240,000 customers. About 100 engineers from other power companies had been drafted in to help. It added:
Rod Gardner, Northern Powergrid’s major incident manager, added:
0