Some of Harrogate’s most popular venues have spoken of their concerns for the future of their staff and businesses if North Yorkshire moves to tier two.

North Yorkshire County Council warned yesterday the county could move from tier one to tier two by the end of the week amid rising covid infection rates.

Martin Greenhow, managing director of the Mojo group, said covid restrictions had already been “catastrophic” for the hospitality sector. He added:

“Moving through the tiers is like squeezing hard on the trigger of the executioner’s gun.

“We’ve already seen a reduction in trade of about 70% between pre-covid levels and the introduction of the curfew. Moving into tier two we’re expecting an 80% drop-off in trade, going by other sites’ progress.” 

North Bar in Harrogate is also concerned about the likely impact. Assistant manager Jessica Parkinson said:

“We’re worried for the staff, what it means for them, as we’ve already had to cut hours and seen less footfall, which is very sad.” 

However, Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group, whose properties include the Fat Badger, the White Hart Hotel and the Yorkshire Hotel, said the main difference between tier one and tier two for venues was policing. He added:

“Do you look at groups of people and assume that they’re not a family or one household when they actually might be? There are lots of exceptions to the rule, such as meetings. For work reasons you’re exempt, so the rules are open to abuse so easily.

“Staff can politely ask the question but can’t be expected to strictly enforce this as we’re not the police.

“It does rely on the public doing what they should in terms of the government guidelines. It is not up to hospitality to police this.”

Police have been informed after the Bishop of Ripon  and at least two other bishops, received death threats because they commented on twitter about Dominic Cummings’ 260 mile journey with his wife and son to isolate in County Durham at the height of the coronavirus lockdown.

After tweeting, The Rt, Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, said she had received an email, saying: ‘Stay out of politics, or it will be the death of you.’

Dr Hartley told The Stray Ferret:

“I’ve never received a death threat before and it was frightening. I thought about what happened to Jo Cox, and it has made me extra cautious. At least three bishops received similarly-worded emails and all have been reported to the police by our respective dioceses.”

On Sunday, the Prime Minister, said Mr Cummings had acted ‘responsibly, legally and with integrity’  but his defence of his key adviser attracted strong criticism from a number of Church of England bishops, including Dr Hartley, who wrote on twitter:

“Integrity, trust and leadership were never there; just a misguided ideology of power that has total disregard for the most weak and vulnerable and those who work to protect and care for us with relatively low pay.”

Dr Hartley, who became Bishop of Ripon in 2018, pointed out:

“After my initial tweet, I have never known an inbox like it with the hateful things said, but fortunately, the supportive and kind messages I received outnumbered the unpleasant ones. I would just ask the person or persons who made the threats to reflect upon what they have done and consider the impact of their actions.”

Like Mr Cummings, the bishop’s parents live in Durham, but she has not seen them for ten weeks, because she followed the government’s lockdown instructions. In twitter exchanges she said:

“My father finished radiotherapy treatment just before lockdown. I’ve missed his birthday, Mothering Sunday and countless other catch-ups that would have happened. And that’s a fraction of a story compared with others.”

Dr Hartley believes that the Church does have a role in commenting on politics and its impact upon society.

Skipton and Ripon MP, Julian Smith, has not as yet stated publicly if he believes that Mr Cummings should resign, be dismissed or stay in post.