Taxi fares for hackney carriages in the Harrogate district are set to increase for the first time in two years.

Under Harrogate Borough Council proposals, the flag fall, or starting charge, will increase from £3.30 to £3.40 during the day and from £4.95 to £5.10 at night.

Also, 3% will be added to the fare for running miles and waiting time.

Rates will also increase for Christmas and New Year from £6.60 to £6.80.

The proposed increase will come into force on December 1.

Read more:

• Reprieve for shoppers fined at Knaresborough retail park
• Harrogate council scraps parking charges for lockdown

The last fare increase was in December 2018.

A council decision notice said:

“The setting of fares is a statutory duty placed upon the council and it is the council’s responsibility to strike a balance between setting a fare that is acceptable to the customer and to the taxi driver.”

Taxi drivers called for the increase and said many drivers had lost work due to coronavirus.

In a letter to Cllr Mike Chambers, cabinet member for safer communities, one firm, whose name was not disclosed, said:

“The taxi trade has suffered immensely during the coronavirus lockdown, with many experiencing little or no work whatsoever and certainly at present things are still far from being normal for the trade as far as income is concerned.”

Objections must be made by letter or e-mail to the council by November 19.

Deliver woof  is a Harrogate based company that provides the perfect place to shop if you want to make your beloved dog feel super special this Christmas. From personalised advent calendars to yummy Christmas dinners, your pooch will be able to indulge but in a healthy and safe way.

Charlotte Wilson, Founder of Deliver Woof.

Charlotte Wilson started Deliver woof during the first lockdown when she had to temporarily close her makeup and lash business, due to restrictions. She saw a gap in the market for high-quality, personalised treats and accessories

“I am a crazy dog lady, with three furry babies of my own; Rocky, Lillian and Bruno. I used to look for quality personalised accessories for them but there didn’t seem to be much on offer, so whilst I had some free time on my hands I decided I was going to give it a go… Deliver Woof has been the best thing to come out 2020 for me, and now my makeup & lash business has closed again at what is usually the busiest time of the year, I can’t tell you how much every order means to me!

All the products, (even the treats) are designed and hand made by Charlotte at her home in Harrogate.

Let’s face it, our four-legged friends are more than just pets, they are part of the family… so when it comes to Christmas it’s surely only fair that they get to join in on the festivities… After all they are there for us 365 days of the year, offering unconditional love.

Bentley, with his personalised Deliver Woof treat.

Well that’s definitely the case for my dog anyways. Bentley, is a 9-year-old black lab and may as well be called shadow… as he follows me everywhere. He wakes me up each morning with his tail banging against the door, and no matter how long he’s been left in the house he is always happy to see me (the difference between dogs and men!)

So with the festive season fast approaching and all non-essential shops closed, its time for some online shopping, not just for friends and family but for our loyal furry friends.

Here are the Deliver Woof items that Bentley has on his Christmas list… I have already received these products and I am seriously impressed with the quality, they are very classy and I love the fact that everything is personalised:

Credit: Josey Grace Photography

Advent calendars: A great addition to your mantlepiece!  All made out of luxury cotton. Personalisation and silhouettes of your dogs breed with Santa hats & red noses included. The calendar features 24 numbered pockets and two large pockets for Christmas Day. Allowing your pet to count down from 1st December to Christmas Day with yummy treats! Advent calendar can be filled with a selection of treats from Deliver Woof or you can fill it with your own treats.

Price- £34.99 (without treats) and  £44.99 (with treats)

Size: 70cmx80cm (also can be personalised for kids or other pets too)

Stockings: Make Christmas extra special for your dog this year with the beautiful Personalised Christmas Dog Stocking. Made out of luxury cotton, Pom poms & vinyl personalisation. Choose any name & silhouette to be personalised onto your Xmas Stockings. There is a selection of different coloured pom-poms to choose from and the stockings come in either beige or red.

Price – £14.99

Size:18x36cm.(also can be personalised for kids or other pets too)

Dogs Christmas dinner:  A dog-friendly Christmas dinner that includes deliver woof treat selection of human look-alike foods such as sausage & Parma ham, breadsticks, chicken sandwiches and much more. Personalisation onto Christmas dinner packaging is included.

Price: £11.99 ( to serve one) and £16.99 (to serve two)

As all items are handmade they will typically be dispatched within 3-5 working days after order is placed. Support local, shop Harrogate!

If you have anything lifestyle related that you would like me to cover, please get in touch- ami@thestrayferret.co.uk.

A Harrogate woman has opened up about her coronavirus testing experience to alleviate fears about the process.

Susan Bowers Scarre, a social media marketing professional, went to the testing centre in the car park on Dragon Road, Harrogate yesterday.

She did not have the usual covid symptoms but was asked to get a test as part of a covid research study.

The Stray Ferret has previously reported people having difficulty booking tests but Susan said the entire experience lasted about five minutes and was straightforward.

“I was a little apprehensive because I didn’t know what to expect. I heard before that it was hard to make an appointment but I could have booked anytime in the day.

“The centre was extremely efficient. There were staff at the door who show you to a private room and make sure you know what to do.”

It wasn’t the most pleasant experience: Susan had to swab her tonsils and nostrils but it was soon over.

Once finished, she put the swab into a vial, which then went into a bag and the bag went into a box on the way out.

Read more:

• Covid patients in Harrogate hospital nearly double in a week
• Harrogate primary school’s plea: help our pupils who are isolating

So far Susan has not received her results, which she believes to be negative, but she expects them in the next couple of days.

The full-time testing centre in Harrogate replaced the mobile testing centre site in October.

It has the capacity to do 320 tests a day but is currently averaging 200 a day. The centre is made up of a series of floodlit modular buildings.

The seven-day rolling average rate of covid infections for the Harrogate district has risen above 300 people per 100,000 for the first time.

The rate, which was 160 just over a fortnight ago, is now 307, which is above the England average of 254.

The figure adds to recent data suggesting North Yorkshire, and the Harrogate district in particular, is currently faring worse than many other parts of the country in the fight against coronavirus.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, acknowledged the county was now in a “very different place” to pre-lockdown little more than a week ago. He said:

“Infection rates are soaring in many areas.

“We had been doing very well and we went into the current lockdown in the lowest tier of intervention. Sadly, our current rates put us in a very different place.

“Our economy is also suffering. Our hospitality sector, famous the world over for its hearty welcome and high-quality food and drink, is in lockdown again. And although we have generally good levels of employment across the county, we also struggle with low wages and high house prices in many areas.”

Read more:

• Covid R number rises to 1.6 in Harrogate district
• Covid patients in Harrogate hospital nearly double in a week

The rise has sparked fears that Harrogate may be placed in a higher tier of restrictions when lockdown is due to end on December 2.

It was revealed yesterday that the number of patients being treated for coronavirus in Harrogate District Hospital has nearly doubled in a week, from 15 to 28.

Figures were also released showing the new covid testing site in Harrogate is testing 200 people a day.

Remembrance Day was commemorated differently this year because of covid but residents across the Harrogate district still paid their respects to those who lost their lives in battle.

Although annual services and parades were unable to go ahead, people held two-minute silences at home and some paid their respects at war memorials.

In Harrogate …

After a two-minute silence and the playing of the Last Post by a single bugler, pupils and a small number of staff from Ashville College laid wreaths at the school’s on-site war memorial.

The rest of the college participated in the annual commemoration from their classrooms.

Upper sixth pupils and joint heads of school Niamh Boyle (left) and Massimiliano Ernesto Nobile (right) with year 6 pupil Taylor Henderson (centre).

Local people congregated at the Harrogate war memorial at 11am yesterday for the two-minute silence.

On Sunday members of the Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club gathered at Stonefall Cemetary. A small service was led by Rev. David Hoskins.

Photograph: Guy Wilson.

Rotarian Manuel Camacho laying a wreath. Photograph: Guy Wilson.

In Ripon …

On Sunday, the Ripon branch of the Royal British Legion and standard bearers representing the Royal Navy, Royal Engineers and Royal Air Force, stood at the war memorial in Spa Gardens.

Local MP Julian Smith and the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, laid wreaths in the mist.

Yesterday, about 40 people gathered at social distance outside Ripon Cathedral at 11am to observe the two-minute silence. Prayers after the silence were led by the Dean of Ripon, The Very Revd John Dobson.

In Pateley Bridge …

The chair of Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, Tim Ledbetter, laid a wreath on behalf of the chamber.

Elsewhere …

At the North Yorkshire County Council’s offices in Northallerton, Cllr Jim Clark laid a wreath.

Peter McCormick, a senior partner of Harrogate law firm McCormicks Solicitors, has been appointed interim chairman of the Football Association.

The news was announced yesterday following the sudden resignation of Greg Clarke for describing black players as “coloured” and other comments he made about gay and female players.

The Football Association, which was formed in 1863, is the governing body of football in England and Wales.

A Leeds United fan, Mr McCormick is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment lawyers.

He is now the first person to have been chairman of both the Premier League and the FA.

McCormicks Solicitors, which is based on East Parade, describes itself as a ‘fearless law firm with a fearless reputation’.

Mr McCormick, who was awarded an OBE for services to charity in 2000, was elected vice-chairman of the FA in 2017.

Read more:

• Upset and cynicism over October redundancies says Harrogate lawyer
• Laura’s Law: Is your ex weaponising your children?

An FA statement yesterday said:

“Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA chairman with immediate effect and the FA board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course.

“We would also like to reaffirm that as an organisation, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to promote diversity, address inequality, and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game.”

Clarke said in a statement:

“I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include.

The organisation behind plans to build the Harrogate district’s first community-owned woodland has just 10 days left to raise the final £50,000.

The Long Lands Common Community Benefit Society, which aims to buy open farmland between Harrogate and Knaresborough, has so far secured £252,400 of its £300,000 target.

It has set a deadline of November 20 to reach the target.

The society recently delivered 48,000 leaflets to local homes encouraging people to buy shares in the scheme.

It now plans to take news of the appeal national and offer people “their own piece of Yorkshire land”.

The greenbelt section of land sits between the Bilton Triangle and The Avenue in Starbeck.

A duck pond and a sensory garden are just some of the ideas for the land. Photograph: Gary Lawson.

It consists of 30 acres of farmland that was previously looked at by North Yorkshire County Council as a location for a bypass.

The society hopes buying the land will prevent another bid for a bypass, create a green space local people can enjoy and increase the biodiversity in the area.

Chris Kitson, one of the organisers, said:

“We want to be part of the solution. Habitats are being lost by local developments and we want to address that imbalance.

“We are very hopeful about reaching our target. We just need more people to buy shares and help make a positive change.”

Read more:

• WATCH as we look at the land hoped to be used for the community woodland. 
• The local green party has began a petition against Harrogate Spring Water’s plans to expand its site. 

One of the first items on the society’s agenda is to improve access to the woodland by creating an accessible entrance suitable for wheelchairs and prams.

Once the money is raised the Long Lands Common team will consider other plans, including creating a duck pond, wildflower meadow and a sensory garden.

The volunteers hope that through further social media campaigning and word of mouth the target will be reached and plans can get underway.

To learn more and buy shares, head to the website here.

The Harrogate district has suffered a worrying increase in the rate of covid infections in recent weeks.

The rolling seven-day average of new cases per day has risen from 160 per 100,000 a fortnight ago to 287 today.

The R number, which refers to the virus’ reproduction rate, has gone up from 1.4 last week to 1.6.

Another 68 infections were confirmed today, taking the total since the start of the pandemic past 3,000.

But the spread of the virus is uneven. Some parts of the district have been hit harder than others.

Unsurprisingly, the more densely populated areas are suffering most.

Here are the five local community areas to have experienced the highest and lowest number of infections over the last seven days, according to government figures.

Highest

1 Harrogate East 45

2 Killinghall and Hampsthwaite 41

3 Harrogate West and Pannal 35

4 Central Harrogate 26

5 Hookstone 25

Read more:

• Record daily number of covid infections in Harrogate district
• Covid R number rises to 1.6 in Harrogate district

Lowest

1 Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley 7

2 Masham, Kirkby Malzeard & North Stainley 9

3 Boroughbridge & Marton-cum-Grafton 11

4 Ouseburn, Hammerton & Tockwith 13

5 Ripon North & West 14

A primary school in Harrogate has launched an urgent appeal to help pupils who are struggling with self-isolation at home.

Grove Road Community Primary School currently has 11 staff, including the head teacher, and about 140 pupils self-isolating either because they have coronavirus or have been in contact with somebody who has.

Chris Harrison, the assistant head, told the Stray Ferret its appeal for help had generated an “incredible” response so far:

“We have been trying to look after those families. With job strains and the added pressure of the kids being at home it stacks up.

“Our original appeal was for food but we have had so many food donations. We’d particularly like to thank Resurrected Bites and Chartwells.”

Read more:

• Pupils test positive for covid at Harrogate’s Rossett School
• Harrogate district misses out on mass coronavirus tests

Now the school is asking people to donate toys to help with happiness or digital devices to help with learning.

The government said it would give devices to schools for pupils to use at home but Grove Road was not allocated any.

Some of the food donations that have flooded in.

Mr Harrison said this was the first time many pupils have had to fully isolate for two weeks.

He added it was particularly difficult for families without outdoor space.

Anyone who can help with the school’s appeal should get in touch with the school on Twitter or give the reception a call on 01423 506060.

A Harrogate man who made more than 3,000 face shields during the first coronavirus lockdown has started production again.

Sid Lovatt began 3D printing as a hobby but it soon took over his life when he became inundated with requests in the spring.

He set up a couple of printers in his home and they were churning out shields 24 hours a day. At one point Mr Lovatt was donating around 100 a day.

The printers can be set to transform sheets of plastic into different objects — in this case, face shields.

The 3D printer set-up at Geek Bar in Harrogate.

Now the UK is in the midst of a second wave Mr Lovatt, who had stopped production entirely, has dusted off the 3D printers for another round.

Read more:

• Covid R number rises to 1.6 in Harrogate district
• Horticap students ‘absolutely gutted’ at new lockdown

Doctors surgeries and care homes are among those requesting face shields during the second wave of coronavirus.

Mr Lovatt will make the masks and the Supplies for Key Workers in and around Harrogate Facebook group, which helps local people affected by covid, will deliver them to those in need. All for free.

This time though, Mr Lovatt will operate alongside a team in the Geek Bar in the centre of Harrogate, where he works.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We will be making around 30 face shields a day now so it’s not near the same demand as last time.

“Hopefully it will stay that way but we’ve got some stock left over to fill any gaps. This time we will have eight people all working to make the face shields.”