Harrogate Borough Council has said it has no plans to close the open spaces it manages amid concerns about the number of people using them.

City of York Council closed Rowntree Park on Saturday after police and council officers received reports of groups gathering, in contravention of social distancing rules.

Government ministers have also urged people only to visit parks to exercise.

Some claimed on social media that people in Harrogate also broke social distancing rules over the weekend when they were enjoying the snow in Valley Gardens.

However, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

We also asked Yorkshire Water, which manages Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs whether it had any plans to restrict access but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

Update - A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water has since sent the following statement:

Read more:

• More snow warnings for Harrogate district


• Bettys to close shops and takeaways ‘until further notice’