Outdoor dining forcing Harrogate wheelchair users on to roads

A disability charity in Harrogate has said the sudden increase in outdoor dining has caused safety concerns for wheelchair users and visually impaired people.

Hospitality businesses have taken advantage of new pavement licences this week.

Many have been busy but the extra tables and chairs on pavements has prompted Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, to urge venues to consider people with disabilities.

She said:

“We have heard some concerns already, not only from wheelchair users but also from people with other mobility issues and people with visual impairments.

“It can be difficult if there are tables and chairs on streets where they don’t expect them.”

Ms Snape said tables and chairs on narrow pavements with no segregated pedestrian area were the main problems. She said it encouraged people to spread out on their chairs and take up the whole pavement, adding:

“It forces passers-by to go on the road, which isn’t easy if you are a wheelchair user, especially if there isn’t a dropped kerb.”

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The new outdoor cafe culture has caused other problems, with one wheelchair user telling the charity they had been unable to get a coffee because an outdoors area wasn’t able to accommodate their wheelchair.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire

Ms Snape said badly managed queues were also a concern because they forced wheelchair users into roads.

She said:

“It’s great to see everywhere so busy and nobody wants to see restrictions. I suspect most businesses just haven’t thought about these issues. Be kind. Be respectful. These problems could be easily solved.

“But if it becomes a massive issue something will have to be done and some controls put in place.”

 

 

Seven more covid cases in Harrogate district

Seven coronavirus cases have been reported today in the Harrogate district by Public Health England.

The figure is an increase on yesterday’s five cases and takes the district’s total since the start of the pandemic to 7,608.

The seven-day average rate of infection now stands at 19 per 100,000 people in the district.

The North Yorkshire seven-day average is 22 and the England average is 27.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The total since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

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In other covid news today, North Yorkshire Police Chief Inspector Charlotte Bloxham revealed at this morning’s North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum press briefing that officers issued no fines for covid breaches in the Harrogate district in the past week.

Meanwhile, 25 pharmacies in the Harrogate district have signed up to become collection points for free rapid lateral flow tests and more are expected to come on stream in the coming days.

Harrogate hospital to recycle face masks using new machine

Harrogate District Hospital has ordered a machine that turns single use plastics, including face masks, into reusable material.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is one of eight health trusts pioneering the new technology.

Covid has forced hospital staff to use far more personal protective equipment (PPE).

But some face masks are thrown away after just a few hours.

Research from a waste company suggested the UK throws away 53 million masks every day and just 10% are recycled.

Official government guidance urges people to dispose of face masks as waste rather than recycling.

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But with so many masks going to landfill and incinerators, hospitals have turned to Cardiff company TCG Solutions’ new machine.

Called a Sterimelt, it melts down polypropylene, which is a material used in the manufacture of face masks, into solid blocks of plastic that can be repurposed and used as items such as bins.

Philip Davison-Sebry, founder and managing director of the company, said:

“What was once going out to landfill, can now be turned into new material.”

The machine, which costs £55,000, turns polypropylene into reusable plastic blocks, which can be used to make bins, chairs and other items.

Although the machine is not up and running yet in Harrogate, the trust hopes to start recycling as soon as possible.

Volvo stolen from driveway in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses after a car was stolen in Harrogate this week.

The electric blue Volvo V40 estate was stolen from a driveway on Hutton Gate between 10pm on Monday and 2am on Tuesday this week.

A police statement said:

“In particular, we are appealing for information about the vehicle’s movements and whereabouts, and if any suspicious activity was noticed during this time period in the area. The vehicle is believed to have traveled towards Leeds.”

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Kayleigh Corcoran, or email kayleigh.corcoran@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12210096907.

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Collect coronavirus tests at 25 pharmacies in Harrogate district

Twenty-five pharmacies in the Harrogate district have signed up to become collection points for coronavirus tests and more are expected to come on stream in the coming days.

Rapid lateral flow tests are now freely available for people who do not have covid symptoms as part of government attempts to control the spread of the virus.

The NHS map showing collection points has 14 sites in Harrogate, five in Knaresborough, three in Ripon and one in Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham respectively.

It is a major improvement since the initiative began on Friday when only a single pharmacy in Knaresborough was signed up to the scheme.

Such sites enable people to take rapid lateral flow tests twice a week. If someone tests positive they then need to take a more accurate PCR test.

Public health officials hope the pharmacies and a mobile testing unit will plug a potential gap in collection points, which could be left when the Dragon Road testing site in Harrogate closes on June 1.

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Health officials told a coronavirus press briefing today that they are still working with Harrogate Borough Council to find a replacement site for PCR testing.

As well as pharmacies and testing sites, people can also order tests to be sent to their homes, or get tests through work or school.

Dr Victoria Turner, a public health consultant, told today’s press briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum:

“We are in the best position in terms of case numbers for about six months, we are not quite at the low levels of last summer yet.

“But with lockdown rules easing there is a chance that cases will start to rise. Test positivity has come down in recent weeks and there has been a significant increase in lateral flow testing.

“We have had lots of pharmacies sign up to the national testing programme but we are expecting even more to come online in the next few days.”

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, also said:

“Just on the point of lateral flow tests, I was in a pharmacy the other day and asked about the interest in testing.

“They told me that they have had the most interest from those who are over 50. It might be that younger people are going through other outlets but it is something to explore.”

Harrogate District Hospital currently has just five coronavirus patients but recently reported its first covid death in nearly two weeks.

The seven-day average rate of infection now stands at 16 per 100,000 people in the district. The North Yorkshire seven-day rate is 21 and the England average is 36.

Five covid cases reported in the Harrogate district

Five coronavirus cases have been reported today in the Harrogate district by Public Health England.

The figure is down on yesterday’s 11 cases and takes the district’s total since the start of the pandemic to 7,601.

The seven-day average rate of infection now stands at 15 per 100,000 people in the district.

The North Yorkshire seven-day rate is 20 and the England average is 27.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The total since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

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Harrogate Town launches football academy

Harrogate Town plans to launch an academy that enables 16 to 18-year-olds to train full-time with the club and progress into the first team.

Subject to approval from the English Football League, the academy will enable young players to develop under UEFA-licensed coaches.

Knaresborough Town manager Paul Stansfield, who used to play for Harrogate Town, will head the academy.

He will be supported by professional development phase coach Ross McKay. Phil Priestley will act as goalkeeper coach and Josh Walsh will be academy secretary.

Lee Barraclough has been appointed head of recruitment and a full-time physio and part-time doctor will be recruited.

The academy team will compete in the EFL Youth Alliance North East.

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First team manager Simon Weaver said:

“It’s vital that we launch our own academy, it’s a massive step in the right direction for the club in terms of fulfilling the vision of where we started and what we foresee being our future.

“The goal at this club has always been to produce youngsters from the first stage in our player development centre to the youth teams and see them move into the first team and beyond so this is hugely important for us.

“There’s a lot of local talent, but by having an academy we are able to spread the net farther and wider in the hope that we produce some really good talented youngsters.”

Harrogate Town’s under-19s, under-17s and under-19 alliance teams will continue to compete in their respective leagues, alongside the newly established academy.

 

‘I’m moving my family from Bilton due to anti-social behaviour’

A family has told the Stray Ferret that crime in Bilton has got so bad they are planning to move away from the area.

Last week we reported a growing fear of crime in the Harrogate suburb after a girl was assaulted.

Now one family member, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of having their property damaged, has said things have become so bad they want to leave.

The person said they had witnessed graffiti, arson and drug dealing and felt “at the mercy of luck” about being victims of crime themselves.

They added the area now has “too many unsavoury characters and not enough police presence”:

“The church is a hangout for drinkers and older kids day and night. I’ve watched many acts of vandalism such as graffiti, bottles being smashed, things set on fire and gates kicked in. When I’ve been able to reach the police nobody ever comes despite the offenders hanging around here for hours.

“Drug dealing occurs regularly outside the shops, my neighbours car was stolen, my neighbour was also mugged in the alley by the Co-op so I never let my kids walk that way now.

“Every morning I check my car to see if it has fallen victim to having the tyres slashed or paint thrown over it as many residents have had. Now there are reports of potential dog snatching so we have had to stop letting ours go in our yard unattended.”

They also said efforts to create a neighbourhood watch group had failed:

“At times it has been really stressful living here and we feel we are purely at the mercy of luck. A neighbourhood watch was set up two years ago but only a handful of us went to the meeting and I’ve heard nothing since.

“We plan to leave before summer, which is the worst time for us with drunk kids hanging outside in groups all night.”

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In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said:

“Over the past 100 days, antisocial behaviour in the Bilton area has accounted for around five percent of all antisocial behaviour reported across the Harrogate district. The majority of these reports are potential breaches of covid regulations.

“Any amount of antisocial behaviour ruins the quality of life for local people and can escalate. So it is vitally important that members of the public report incidents to us, so that we aware of them and can take action.

“The area has its own beat manager and local police community support officers who carry out regular patrols of the area and also work closely with the local Safer Harrogate community safety partnership.

“We urge members of the public to report incidents to us on 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also report incidents online at Report it – North Yorkshire Police | North Yorkshire Police”

Harrogate’s Ashville College appoints first female head

Ashville College in Harrogate has appointed Rhiannon Wilkinson as its first female headteacher in its 144-year history.

Ms Wilkinson, who was headmistress at Harrogate Ladies’ College from 2009 until 2013, will take up the position in September.

She will become the 11th headteacher in the history of the independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged three to 18.

Richard Marshall, the previous headteacher, died in November aged 48 of cancer.

Elspeth Fisher will remain as acting head until September 1 when she will revert to her former position as a deputy head.

Ms Wilkinson said:

“I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Ashville College and returning to the Harrogate District which I always saw as my forever home.

“As a head over the last 12 years, I am confident that my versatility and commitment to serve young people and their families, whatever their background, need or ability, will enable me to succeed at Ashville College.

“Ashville is rich in heritage and remains true to its strong Methodist values, it is small enough to care but big enough to challenge both its day and boarding pupils.”

She added she hoped to “build on the successes of my predecessors, in particular the unfulfilled legacy of Richard Marshall”.

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Ms Wilkinson, who graduated in modern history at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, has taught in – and led – schools in the UK, Hong Kong and Brunei, and most recently was the founding head of Whittle School Shenzhen in China.

After leaving Harrogate Ladies College she became head at Wycombe Abbey independent school in Buckinghamshire.

A statement issued by the school today said Ms Wilkinson was the unanimous choice of the board of governors.

Jamie Search, chair of governors at Ashville, described Ms Wilkinson as “an exceptional educational leader”, adding:

“In her four years at Harrogate Ladies’ College, she did an exceptional job and is credited with transforming the fortunes of the school.

“We feel incredibly privileged to have someone of Rhiannon’s calibre and experience joining Ashville College.”

 

Harrogate firefighters help toddler with head stuck in toilet seat

Firefighters were called to help a toddler that got its head stuck in a toilet seat in Harrogate yesterday.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident at Allotment Gardens yesterday afternoon at 5pm.

According to the incident summary, the crew advised the child’s mother to use soap to lubricate the area.

She was then able to remove the seat.

No other information was available at the time of publication.

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