R number falls below 1 in the Harrogate district

The R number has fallen below one in the Harrogate district for the first time since the second wave of the pandemic took off.

The number has fallen to 0.9 — anything below one means the spread of the virus is declining.

Infection rates have fallen dramatically in the second half of November and are now lower than they were at the start of lockdown.

Public Health England confirmed another 36 infections in the district today.

However, leading public health figures suggested at a media briefing today of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, a partnership of agencies that tackles emergencies, the county could be put in tier two or even tier three tomorrow.

However, the national government will decide.

Such a move would devastate many pubs that do not serve substantial meals, as they would be unable to open.

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Today’s briefing also revealed Harrogate District Hospital currently has 31 covid patients, which is four more than last week.

North Yorkshire as a whole has 272 covid patients. There were 302 at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in spring.

No deaths were reported at Harrogate District Hospital today. However, there were four in the previous three days, bringing the total to 98.

A total of 54 care homes in the county currently have covid outbreaks.

Pupil attendance in schools is 87 per cent.

Central Harrogate has had the most positive cases in the Harrogate district in the last seven days, with 23.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley has had none.

Harrogate district pubs fear closure as tier announcement looms

Pubs in the Harrogate district have said they are being “demonised” and fear some will not survive if tier two restrictions are announced tomorrow.

Tier two and tier three restrictions stipulate pubs that do not serve “substantial” meals will be unable to reopen when lockdown ends next week.

North Yorkshire public health officials suggested today the county could be placed in tier two, although the national government will decide.

But unless the county is in tier one, there will be no end in sight for the enforced closures of many bars and pubs.

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Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA fears more than 70% of pubs will close in the district under tier two or tier three.

Rural pubs and those in smaller towns will be the ones to suffer most, it added.

Megan Fairweather, social media secretary of Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA, said:

“After the hardest year that pubs have ever faced, the uncertainty of the new tier system does not bring much hope.

“One Harrogate pub informed us just last week that in the first lockdown, they threw away £7,000 worth of alcohol.

“If we are lucky enough to be in tier one, pubs then face the uncertainty of changing tiers. Beer cannot just be served as soon as it arrives in a pub.”

The group has written to Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones asking him to support its campaign against further restrictions on pubs.

‘Safer than shops’

Richard Park, owner of The Little Ale House in Harrogate, said:

“Pubs should not be demonised like this. We are not aware of any infections in our pub, we think it’s much safe here than the shops.

“We are not going to go under but I fear what will happen to other pubs in the area. Pubs try hard to be safe and then we are closed down.”

Alan Huddart, club treasurer of Bilton Working Men’s Club, said:

“We are ready to open but it all hinges on us being in tier one. We don’t serve substantial meals so would be unable to open if we were in tier two.”

Jack Woodruff, co-owner of Harrogate’s Disappearing Chin, echoed his sentiments:

“If we are in tier one it would be tough but it would be okay. But if we are in tier two then we would have to close.

“This has been quite frustrating. We have worked hard and invested a lot in keeping the pub safe.”

£20,000 costs a month

Paul Kinsey, who owns the Viper Rooms, said:

“We can get £3,000 a month from November. My rent, insurance, maintenance and finances cost £20,000 a month.

“So I am not sure what bill that is meant to pay. We still don’t know what a ‘substantial meal’ means and night clubs are still ignored.”

 

Tier one hopes for Harrogate district fade away

The Harrogate district’s hopes of remaining in tier one at the end of the national lockdown seem to be fading away.

Local public health officials, who manage the coronavirus response in North Yorkshire, have been speculating ahead of an announcement tomorrow.

In a weekly coronavirus press briefing this morning, those officials said coronavirus rates can give you a feel for what tiers different areas will be in.

The average case rates in North Yorkshire is 195 per 100,000. England’s average case rates are currently 207 per 100,000.

Areas like Scarborough and Selby are the only areas above the national average at 296 and 240 per 100,000 respectively.

The Harrogate district has seen a drop in case rates in recent weeks. It now has the second lowest rates in North Yorkshire at 157 just above Ryedale at 131.

What tier restrictions will we be under?

The national lockdown ends next week on Wednesday, December 2. When the lockdown ends we will return to restrictions based on three tiers.

North Yorkshire was in tier one before the national lockdown. The government will confirm tomorrow which tiers each area will be under.

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However, local public health officials also said today that they would favour a system where North Yorkshire is split into different districts.

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

“We don’t have those details on tier restrictions yet. All we have at the moment are the speculation and the drafts we had before lockdown.

“If we look to the criteria that will potentially be in place we hope that most of the county would be in tier two. But we know that some areas could be in tier three.”

What are the three different tiers?

The government has strengthened the tiers. They still range from tier one at medium through tier two at high and tier three at very high.

Tier one:
Tier two:
Tier three:

What about Christmas?

Coronavirus restrictions will be eased across the UK between December 23 and December 27 to allow for a Christmas closer to normal.

It will mean that three households will be able to form a temporary bubble. It must be fixed but there will be no limit on numbers joining bubble.

Those who are self-isolating should not join one of these so-called Christmas bubbles.

If someone is in an at-risk group the government has said they must their their own judgement and consider the risks of mixing over Christmas.

Help give homeless and elderly people free Christmas hampers

The Wesley Chapel in Harrogate is fundraising to buy hampers for people who are alone this Christmas after covid prevented its usual lunch from taking place.

For the past 35 years the Methodist chapel has provided Christmas day lunches for up to 100 people.

All guests are offered a full Christmas dinner, entertainment, carol singing, and a snack before being transported home.

It has given mainly elderly, lonely and homeless people not only a hot meal but also company.

Now it has set up a crowdfunding campaign to buy a minimum of 120 hampers.

Esther Hitchen, a volunteer helper for the Wesley Chapel, said:

“Sadly, this year we are unable to provide a Christmas Day lunch due to the covid restrictions.

“Instead, we are organising hampers, which will be delivered to the door of our guests on the 25th of December.

“We hope it will brighten up their day and help them feel less alone this Christmas.”

Any funds that don’t get used will go towards next year’s Christmas dinner.

You can support the appeal here.

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Sell your bohemian wares at 53 Bo Grove

This article is sponsored by 53 Bo Grove.

When Kyrensa Bentley launched 53 Bo Grove in September last year, she wanted to create an independent bohemian destination for lovers of unique and quirky antiques in and around Harrogate.

Since then, the Aladdin’s cave of vintage, retro and antique delights has developed into a much-loved community space, complete with farm shop and cafe.

And now, collectors and creators in the Harrogate area have the opportunity to launch their own pop-up-shop within 53 Bo Grove.

The team is looking for artists, sewers, knitters, crafters and collectors of vintage clothes and toys to add to the bo-ho market, and is particularly keen to feature eco-friendly products and pre-loved items.

Kyrensa said:

“We feel that by having a collective of sellers, we can offer not just a wide range of products, but a community space for people to visit. Because visitors can get so many different things in one place, you never know exactly what you’re going to find or see.

Although crafters and collectors often sell their products online, I think people are missing visiting physical shops, and with our farm shop, café and collection of different sellers, 53 Bo Grove is a social and tactile experience – it’s underrated how much having a physical space is part of being a retailer.”

Kyrensa and the team look after all of the pop-up-shops, so collectors and makers can continue to collect and make without needing to attend to their shop in person – and the affordable rent and community spirit make 53 Bo Grove the perfect place to transition from online-seller to physical retailer.

To find out more or to book your own pop-up shop, email 53bogrove@gmail.com or call 07957 364962 Monday to Friday.

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New report reveals additional £1.6m civic centre cost

A new council report has revealed it cost £1.6m to fit out the interior of its civic centre at Knapping Mount.

The report, set to go before cabinet next week, sets out the final construction cost at £11.5m and the new figure of £1.6m. The council says that the overall project came under its £13m budget.

It comes after the contractor, Harry Fairclough Ltd, went into administration – delaying the final construction bill.  The report also reveals that the delay was partially caused by negotiations over defects.

The Stray Ferret investigated the overall cost of the move from Crescent Gardens to Knapping Mount in July and put the figure closer to £17m.

We revealed that the council’s calculations for the costs of the civic centre did not take into account the value of the land at Knapping Mount. The land had originally been earmarked for housing.

Read our investigation for a breakdown of how we reached that figure.

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We also reported on how the decision to build a circular building could have added up to 20% onto the build cost – making the design and construction expensive.

In our calculations in July we had a figure of £400,000 for the fit out costs and £865,000 for design expertise. The newly confirmed figure of £1.6m for fitting out the building makes the true overall cost to the tax payer at more than £17m.

The council disputed our figures. It argued that the overall cost was lower because of money received in the sale of its other premises.

From the sale of its other council buildings, this new report identifies an extra £2.47m saving which the council has described as a “massive saving”.

The Stray Ferret’s investigation has not disputed the council’s figures.   We argued that the council could have also benefited from the sale of the land at Knapping Mount which we estimated at £4.5m with outline planning permission and built a cheaper building in a cheaper location.

Cllr Graham Swift, the deputy leader at Harrogate Borough Council, said ahead of the cabinet meeting:

“Cabinet made a strong commitment to publishing the overall costs of the civic centre project, but this has not been possible before now.

“We have an amazing new civic centre which we can all be proud of, and we have achieved significant savings against the original overall budget in the process.”

Will falling covid rate save Harrogate district from tier 2?

Covid rates in the Harrogate district and North Yorkshire overall are continuing to fall sharply — but will it be enough to prevent the county moving into tier two restrictions next week?

Public Health England reported just 21 infections for the district today, which followed 11 announced yesterday.

The district’s seven-day average rate of infections is now 157 per 100,000 people — about half of what it was a fortnight ago.

North Yorkshire’s current rate is 196. The England rate is 207.

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The government is due to reveal on Thursday which tiers each area will be in.

It would appear North Yorkshire is likely to be in tier one or tier two — and the difference between the two is vast.

In tier one, pubs and restaurants can open with table service; in tier two, they can only open if they serve substantial meals and there is no household mixing indoors.

The decision could therefore determine whether many hospitality businesses stay open — and possibly even survive.

Harrogate and Knaresborough libraries partially reopen

Harrogate and Knaresborough libraries are set to resume their reduced lockdown services this week.

The libraries closed last week after a member of staff in each one tested positive for covid.

The buildings have been given a deep clean and staff who needed to have self-isolated.

Harrogate library will resume services tomorrow and Knaresborough is expected to be back in operation on Saturday.

Library members will be able to use the select and collect service, which allows them to order books by phone or email and pick them up from the library entrance.

Library computers will also be available for essential use, but must be booked in advance.

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Harrogate will open from 10am to 4pm on weekdays and from 10am to 2pm on Saturday.

Knaresborough will open from 9.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday, 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9.30am to 1.30pm on Thursday and 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 7pm on Friday.

North Yorkshire county councillor Greg White, executive member for libraries, said:

“We have robust safety measures in place, including collecting contact tracing details, strictly limited numbers and plentiful hand sanitiser, so customers can continue to use our select and collect and to book public computer sessions with confidence.”

All libraries in the county are currently closed for browsing.

Sneak peek: new organic food shop in Harrogate

Fruit and vegetables fresh from the ground are front and centre at Joy, a new organic food shop that opened on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate today.

Nicola Mawdsley, who is behind the venture, wants to expand the range to compete with smaller supermarkets.

Nicola got the keys to the building five weeks ago and has managed to pull her vision together despite the coronavirus lockdown:

“It has had its challenges. The local traders and suppliers have really stepped up to help make this what it is.

“I am excited to open the doors. I cannot wait to start welcoming people through the doors.”

The idea behind Joy is to be a one-stop shop. The stock will change with the seasons but it will always be as environmentally-friendly as possible.

Currently it has plenty of fruits and vegetables, pastas, pickles, chocolates, herbs, teas and coffees. All sourced as locally as possible.

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Now the doors are open Nicola will expand the range, with organic wines and gluten-free beers high on her agenda.

It is not just about the produce: the shop also has baskets to rent and plenty of eco-friendly and reusable bags.

Would you like to spread the word about your shop opening? No matter how small the shop get in touch with the Stray Ferret.

Bid to turn former Harrogate post office into 25 flats and offices

Harrogate’s former post office could be radically transformed into a four-story building containing 25 flats plus offices.

Property development company One Acre Group has submitted plans on behalf of Post Office Ltd to Harrogate Borough Council to convert and extend the disused building on Cambridge Street.

If approved, the three-storey sandstone terraced building would be converted into a four-storey mixed use facility consisting of 25 one and two-bedroom flats and office space.

The post office controversially relocated to WH Smith last year amid claims by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones the service was being “downgraded”.

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A heritage report commissioned by One Acre Group describes the ex-post office, which was designed by architect Sir Henry Tanner and built at the turn of the last century, as an ‘unimposing building of little distinction’.

The report adds the building contributes ‘very little’ to the character and appearance of the Harrogate conservation area in which it is located, and would in fact provide ‘minor beneficial effects on the character and appearance’.

The report adds:

“The proposed development will secure high density residential development within a highly accessible location through the conversion and extension of an existing vacant building in easy access to a wide range of shops, services, job opportunities and public transport infrastructure.”

The application also seeks to demolish the building’s rear extension, car parking, refuse area and cycle parking.

One Acre Group, which is based in Harrogate, commissioned planning consultants ELG Planning, which has offices in Harrogate and Darlington, to draw up heritage and planning reports on the proposal for the council, which must now decide whether to approve the scheme.

If it does, work could start in the summer.