Harrogate Christmas Fayre begins today. With plenty of stallholders to buy gifts from, attractions to enjoy and festivities to embrace, it looks like being a memorable few days.

Market Place Europe is running the event in conjunction with Harrogate Borough Council from today until December 12.

It is a new venture so there are lots to look out for. The event will be spread out over more locations and days than the previous Harrogate Christmas Market, which took place on Montpellier Hill.

Here is everything you need to know:

Where will the stalls be?

There will be about 50 local and European stallholders on Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent.

For this weekend only there will also be stalls in Valley Gardens, where more than 60 local traders will sell a variety of festive arts and crafts plus food and drink at a separate artisan Christmas market.

When will the fayre be open?

It will be open between 10am and 7pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am and 9pm Thursday to Saturday, and 10am and 4.30pm on Sunday.

Little Bird Made’s Artisan Festive Market in Valley Gardens will be open from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5.

Do you have to wear a face mask?

Harrogate Borough Council has advised visitors to wear face masks around the fayre and on the free Candy Cane Express road train, which will shuttle people around town.

A map of the Christmas road train.

The government brought in new rules this week stipulating people must wear face coverings in shops, shopping centres, transport hubs and on public transport.

Children under 11 and those with a health condition or disability which means they cannot wear a face covering are exempt.

What will the weather be like?

According to the Met Office, outbreaks of rains and drizzle will clear in the morning to leave a largely dry day. It will be cloudy at first with some brighter spells in the afternoon.

Temperatures are set to increase tomorrow but it is not set to stay mild for long.

From then we are set for a chilly weekend with some sunny spells and showers. It will be occasionally windy with some rain and snow possible on Monday morning.

Will there be rides and transport?

A free road train will take visitors around Harrogate from today as part of the Harrogate Christmas Fayre.

The Candy Cane Express will stop at James Street, St Mary’s Walk and Crescent Road. It will also pass Montpellier Hill, Cheltenham Parade, Station Parade and Victoria Avenue.

Not only that but there are also festive rides, including a carousel and ferris wheels at Crescent Garden and a helter skelter at the war memorial. All of those rides cost £3 for a ticket.

The Helter Skelter next to the war memorial in Harrogate town centre.

Free parking at Harrogate multi-storey

Parking will be free after 3pm in Harrogate’s Victoria multi-storey car park on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The initiative will last until December 23 and will be paid for by Harrogate Business Improvement District to encourage Christmas shoppers and revellers into the town midweek.

The Harrogate district is divided over whether to wear a face mask once the legal requirement is lifted on July 19.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that wearing a face covering in shops and businesses would become a personal choice in a few weeks’ time.

But people will still be encouraged to wear them in certain circumstances.

The lifting of the requirement will come alongside the scrapping of other restrictions, including the one metre social distancing rule and the reopening of nightclubs and mass events.

The Stray Ferret asked readers on our Facebook page whether they would still continue to wear a face covering after July 19.

About 150 replied and opinion was sharply divided.

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Some said they would continue to wear masks in crowded spaces and public transport.

Danni Wilson said:

“Yes, in certain circumstances. I’ve not had a cold in nearly two years.”

Robert Schofield said:

“Out of respect for the safety of others, I will wear a mask on public transport and in enclosed public spaces and commercial spaces.”

Alex Hero added:

“Yes on public transport, busy shops and crowded areas.”

However, others said it should be up to individuals to choose whether or not to wear a face covering.

Bradley Syril said:

“Everyone’s own choice, if they want to they can but I don’t think they should judge or discriminate anyone who doesn’t. We’re all old enough and grown up enough to make our own decisions.”

Philippa Graham said:

“In some circumstances, yes. Small busy shops, crowds and public transport. It needs to be up to the individual to risk assess their own circumstances.”

Others were adamant they would not wear a face covering.

Stephen Bellamy said:

“No I won’t be wearing a mask after 19 July. That is my choice.”

A Ripon woman has said she is being discriminated against after a hair salon turned her away even though she has a face mask exemption.

Jan Spence, 58, has chronic asthma and anxiety so she wears a lanyard around her neck to let other people know why she does not wear a face mask.

Ms Spence recently visited Moo Hair in Harrogate to use a voucher she bought before lockdown. However, when she arrived the hairdresser she was booked to see refused to let her in.

It is something Ms Spence has not experienced before and she told the Stray Ferret she did not want to experience it again so she decided to speak out to raise awareness. She said:

“I felt really degraded, I cannot help having a health condition. It can be quite debilitating at times.

“So it was upsetting when I was turned away. I have had both coronavirus jabs and I had a negative lateral flow test in the morning so what else can I do?”

When Ms Spence approached Groupon, which she bought the voucher through, the customer services team gave her credit to spend on something else.

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Caroline Allen, who owns the salon on Cheltenham Mount, operates a policy that everyone has to wear a face mask to be allowed inside.

Ms Allen told the Stray Ferret her rule was designed to keep staff and clients safe:

“We are all learning here. We have never lived through anything like this before. I go by the rules set out by the central body for hairdressers and barbers.

“I have to protect everybody in the salon, we get some very vulnerable clients in here so we all wear face masks.

“It can put me in a very difficult position but it is one I am going to stick by. I am sorry that Jan is so upset.”