Debenhams could be missing from Harrogate town centre once it re-opens following the coronavirus crisis, after the national chain filed for administration.

It is the second time that the company has called in administrators, and it said the move was designed to get it through the current challenges in order to re-open stores once restrictions are lifted.

However, it is unclear how many and which of its branches will re-open, with 50 permanent store closures already announced. One Harrogate business leader said he was unsurprised by the news, as the chain had been in trouble for some time, and he did not expect the Harrogate store to re-open.

Bob Kennedy, chairman of Harrogate BID, said: “I’m sure there will be a Debenhams that comes out of administration. I would be very surprised if the Harrogate store was part of their plans.”

Mr Kennedy said he felt it was more likely the building would be split into smaller retail units on the ground floor and residential above. Such a large building was not likely to be appealing to many retailers, he said, as changes on the high street continue to affect brands’ needs.

The size of the Debenhams store makes it unlikely to appeal to a single retailer, according to Bob Kennedy

Regarding the pressures on other town centre businesses while the coronavirus continues, Mr Kennedy said the BID is doing all it can to ensure they make a strong start once trading is possible again.

“While nothing can be done physically at the moment, the board members are trying to put things in place so when we do all get re-open we are in the best possible position to try and catch up on some trade we’ve lost,” he said.

 “One of the main priorities is to make sure the town has had a good deep clean. Then to focus on the autumn and the run up to Christmas and making sure we try to have plans in place to make that as good as it can possibly be.

“For all these businesses that have lost an absolute fortune, hopefully it’s a chance to catch up and pull at least some money back.”

The construction site of Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital has been a hive of activity this week.

When it opens, the temporary hospital will have up to 500 beds available to care for coronavirus patients.

The convention centre’s contract caterers have returned and volunteered to work for nothing to feed the 400 strong team of contractors building the hospital this week.

So far, six patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have died at Harrogate District Hospital with 163 confirmed cases in North Yorkshire.

One Harrogate street has been keeping spirits high during the coronavirus lockdown by getting involved in a daily exercise class.

“Right. Now some squats,” Mel Milnes bellowed out at around 8.30am on Spring Grove to a group of around 20 eager participants.

The classes started out with just one side of the street a couple of weeks ago before the rest of the neighbours wanted to get involved.

From then it has become a daily ritual at the same time from Monday to Friday.

Mel is not pretending to be a fully qualified fitness instructor but, then again, this isn’t an intense fat burning class.

She told the Stray Ferret: “Each day we have been getting more and more people involved. It’s just meant to be a bit of fun, it’s just a bit of a laugh and the street has really enjoyed it. We are self-isolating but the street has gotten closer together. We are even organising a pub quiz later this week, which we’re all going to do from our gardens.”

Mel has led many of the classes but she has also got other people lined up for the microphone, with an eight-year-old girl trying it out tomorrow.

How has your street adapted to life on coronavirus lockdown? Get in touch with the news team on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

2nd April 2020
Fitness class on Spring Grove, Harrogate

2nd April 2020
Sue Riley leads the fitness class on Spring Grove, Harrogate

2nd April 2020
Fitness class on Spring Grove, Harrogate

2nd April 2020
Fitness class Spring grove

Army and NHS staff toured the site of Harrogate’s new Nightingale Hospital on day three of construction.

When it is up and running, which could be possible over the next week, it will help the NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Three temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals have already been announced – in London, Manchester and Birmingham – with more understood to be in the planning stages.

Although the NHS has not yet revealed full details about the project, an announcement is expected imminently.

It comes as the number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire has risen to 149, with six deaths at Harrogate District Hospital.

2nd April 2020
Construction at Harrogate Conference Centre

2nd April 2020
Construction at Harrogate Conference Centre

2nd April 2020
Convention Centre Harrogate, new signage

2nd April 2020
Convention Centre Harrogate, construction work outside the Royal Hall

2nd April 2020
Harrogate Convention Centre

2nd April 2020
Harrogate Convention Centre

2nd April 2020
Harrogate Convention Centre

2nd April 2020
Harrogate Convention Centre

2nd April 2020
MOD arrives at Harrogate Convention Centre

2nd April 2020
Fleet of Emergency vehicles arrives at Harrogate Convention Centre

2nd April 2020
Emergency staff arriving at Harrogate Convention Centre

A university student is making good use of her time in lockdown by providing free concerts for her Harrogate neighbours. 

Lucy Crocker, 22, played songs from her front garden in Mallinson Oval last Friday, hoping to lift spirits. 

So many of them came outside to listen from their doorsteps and driveways that she is planning to make it a weekly concert. 

She said: “I saw videos of people giving concerts on their balconies and I thought, ‘I could do that’.  

“When I’m at university, we have informal student recitals every Monday and I miss that when I’m away.” 

Former Harrogate Grammar School student Lucy plays viola and sings, and says she can play a few chords on the ukulele. Her first performance consisted mostly of music she already knows, but she has been taking requests from her neighbours and practising their suggestions. 

“I don’t know that much modern music – I’m more used to playing in orchestras,” she said. “But I’m OK at playing by ear, so if I know the song I can usually play it.” 

Lucy plans to continue her concerts for as long as people are at home to hear them. She is preparing to sit the final exams for her earth sciences degree at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, from home, where her parents and younger brother are also in lockdown. 

There are other families living nearby, as well as elderly people, and Lucy said she was keen to bring people together, even if from a distance. 

“I wanted to have a little bit of interaction with the neighbours that isn’t just on a messenger basis,” she said. “They all came out and seemed to enjoy not just the music, but all being out at the same time and chatting to each other across the road.” 

Among those who appreciated the performance was Margaret Willis, who has family living in Harrogate and helping out with food supplies but is missing seeing people every day. 

“All us oldies were out in the road,” she said. “We all kept our distance but it was nice to get out and chat to neighbours.  

“I think it did us all good. Everybody said how lovely it was. Even people who hadn’t been out for ages brought a chair out and sat down to listen – it was really good.” 

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in North Yorkshire has risen to 149, with six deaths at Harrogate hospital.

It goes up at a time when the signage also goes up at the new ‘Nightingale Hospital.’

Construction workers, NHS and army staff have been working flat out to convert part of the Harrogate Convention Centre.

On day three of the build, workers installed the hospital signage for the staff and ambulance entrances.

Lots of work is going on outside the Harrogate Convention Centre.

When it is up and running, which could be possible over the next week, it will help the NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Three temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals have already been announced – in London, Manchester and Birmingham – with more understood to be in the planning stages.

Although the NHS has not yet revealed full details about the project, an announcement is expected imminently.

It comes as the number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire has risen to 149, with six deaths at Harrogate District Hospital.

Two more patients with coronavirus have died at the hospital in Harrogate, bringing the total number up to six since the start of the pandemic.

One of the patients died on March 29 and the other died on March 31.

It’s unclear how old the patients were or whether they had any underlying health conditions, but they were between the age of 13 and 99.

The NHS announced today that a further 486 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died, bringing the total deaths in England up to 2,137.

All of their families have been informed. 20 of the 486 had no known underlying health conditions.

Ripon Rugby Club has been left devastated and feeling numb, following the sudden death of club treasurer and long-term supporter Jonathan Rutter.

He died in Harrogate Hospital last week after contracting coronavirus. The club is planning to hold an event in his memory when the coronavirus crisis is over.

A Harrogate theatre has launched an emergency appeal and invited people to sponsor its seats.

With coronavirus forcing Harrogate Theatre to cancel its shows for the foreseeable future, the 120-year-old venue now faces “a very uncertain future.”

The theatre has asked people to make a donation, buy tickets for the autumn and winter shows, join its membership scheme and now to sponsor a seat.

It costs £600 to sponsor a seat or £1000 a pair for a five-year term.

That money gets an engraved gold plate featuring the sponsor’s name, with a certificate and invitation to a thank you event a the theatre.

“And now we’re levelling with you – we have never needed your support more than we do today. None of us are entirely sure what the next few weeks and months hold, but the one thing we know is that when all the dust has settled, we want to still be here to bring that joy that everyone will so desperately need.”

The army has started work to convert part of the Harrogate Convention Centre into a ‘Nightingale’ hospital.

NHS and army staff are both on-site today as the basic building blocks were being delivered to create what the NHS refer to as a “surge” hospital move into place.

When it is up and running, which could be possible over the next week, it will help the NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the NHS has not yet revealed full details about the project, an announcement is expected imminently.

Three temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals have already been announced – in London, Manchester and Birmingham – with more understood to be in the planning stages.

So far, three patients with coronavirus have died at Harrogate District Hospital, while the number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire is now at 108.

The government has cancelled all weddings, including those across the Harrogate district, to tackle coronavirus.

For existing bookings that are postponed or cancelled, revised wedding dates will be accepted from September 1, 2020.

New bookings can now only be made from January 1, 2021.

In three weeks time, the government will review the decision to suspend weddings and the service will contact all affected couples.

Those with the soonest ceremonies will be given priority.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Greg White, the Executive Member for Customer Engagement, said:

“We realise people will be disappointed at having to postpone their wedding plans. We are also sure that they and their guests will understand just how important it is for all of us to heed the directive to stay at home as we all play our part in tackling the Covid-19 outbreak.”

The registration service has also suspended appointments to register births and asked residents to register deaths over the phone.

It’s unclear when appointments to register births will resume but residents can still make a claim for child benefit or universal credit.

Those wishing to register a death must do so over the telephone as offices will be shut to personal callers.

When doctors have sent the medical certificate of cause of death by email, they can make a telephone appointment.

Following the call, forms for the undertaker and a formal death certificate will be sent in the post.

Those who have a paper copy of the medical certificate from the doctor can drop the envelope through a letterbox at one of the offices or by email.