Harrogate parents’ group Ready Steady Mums has been given the green light to resume its weekly walks, as they fit under the “support group” category within the government guidelines.

The group was forced to call a halt for the second time in early September when the “rule of six” came into place, which meant that, in most circumstances, groups of more than six could not gather.

However, after making contact with the office Andrew Jones MP to ask if it could keep going, Ready Steady Mums has been reassured it isn’t breaking any rules as it is a support group for new parents. The group split into ‘bubbles’ of seven parents with babies plus one volunteer and headed out onto the Stray again yesterday morning, in line with the limit of 15 people gathering for organised outdoor events.

Laura Brett, a former mental health midwife who founded the group, said:

“It was so good to be out again. It’s not a lot different to what we usually do – people often split into smaller groups as we go along – but it’s just being intentional about it. We give it a good two or three minutes between each group setting off to keep a certain amount of distance, and we stayed in those groups even for tea and biscuits afterwards.”

In good weather, the group sits out on the Stray for a socially-distanced picnic after the walk

Formed in 2016, Ready Steady Mums provides people with the opportunity to stay fit and socialise during the early weeks and months of parenthood. 

The group usually meets at St Mark’s Church at 10am on Friday, walks together around the Stray and then enjoys tea, coffee and cake inside the church. Resuming after lockdown, the refreshments became a picnic outside, in line with social distancing requirements.

From her background in mental health midwifery, and her new role in fundraising and promotions for Harrogate charity Wellspring, Laura said the group is even more important now than ever. New mums and dads don’t get as many chances to meet and talk to others in the same position, and people are finding their mental health is suffering.

“I’m very serious about the whole covid thing – I had it and I know how awful it is – but I think the mental health epidemic and isolation are also really worrying.

“I walked with one woman today who said, ‘I love it – it’s free, I don’t have to commit, and it’s just so inclusive’. She had moved into Harrogate over lockdown with a new baby.

“Even if we just do it for her, it’s so worthwhile.”

Read more:

• Dementia charity warns of impact of second lockdown
• WATCH: Are people in Harrogate ready for another lockdown?

Thirteen more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district in the last 24 hours.

The figure from Public Health England takes the total number of cases in the area since the start of the pandemic up to 974.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced further measures earlier this week, including a 10pm curfew for bars and restaurants, in an effort to halt the increase in coronavirus cases.

Meanwhile, no deaths from patients who tested positive for covid-19 have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital in two months.

The last time a death was reported at the hospital was July 19.

Further restrictions were announced for Leeds today in an effort to curb coronavirus infections. Matt Hancock, health secretary, confirmed that households will be unable to mix in homes or gardens from midnight.

Leeds City Council has also advised people not to meet up in pubs and restaurants.

Read more:

• Covid case confirmed at Ripon Grammar School
• Covid restrictions won’t stop “beautiful” weddings, says Harrogate celebrant

The headteacher of one of the largest primary schools in Harrogate has called for extra road safety measures outside the building to help parents and children comply with social distancing.

Tim Broad, headteacher of Western Primary School, said some people were taking risks crossing the busy Cold Bath Road at pick-up and drop-off times to avoid crowding at the nearby pelican crossing.

Mr Broad has asked North Yorkshire County Council to provide a temporary lollipop person outside the school, but the local authority has so far not agreed any action.

Mr Broad, who has worked at the school for 20 years and has been headteacher since January, said:

“This is the first time I can remember feeling deeply concerned that we could have a road traffic accident.

“The first week back was chaotic. We had a meeting on the Friday evening and changed the system as best we can.

“But we still have some children and parents trying to cross the road where it isn’t safe.”

Read more:

• Harrogate’s Christmas lantern parade cancelled for 2020
• Covid case confirmed at Ripon Grammar School

Western has 500 pupils, including its nursery intake, and the sheer volume of pedestrian traffic creates a social distancing hazard compounded by the narrow pavement outside the school and the busy road.

The school has introduced staggered start and finish times and uses three entrances and exits and to ease congestion.

But concerns remain, hence the school’s request for a temporary crossing patrol or signs urging drivers to slow down.

Mr Broad said the council had been responsive to the school’s concerns but it was proving frustratingly difficult to get action.

The Stray Ferret approached North Yorkshire County Council for comment but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

Plans to pedestrianise Montpellier Parade and allow bars and cafes to put tables there may not get off the ground because they appear to contravene the Stray Act.

North Yorkshire County Council told the Stray Ferret on Wednesday it was was considering a request by Simon and Sharon Colgan, the owners of the Blues Bar, to close the highway.

But although Montpellier Parade is a highway it still forms part of the Stray, which is covered by a 1985 Act of Parliament.

The Act says the 200 acres of Stray land should not be used for commercial gain.

Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, which upholds the Act and safeguards the Stray against building, said individuals were free to enjoy a drink on the Stray but commercial gain was prohibited. She added:

“Presumably Harrogate Borough Council will have to do what the Stray Act dictates.”

Read more:

• Council considers plan to pedestrianise Montpellier Parade
• Blues bar denied permission to keep tables on the Stray

A spokesman for HBC, which is responsible for management of the Stray, said: “Montpellier Parade is part of the Stray. We will consider the recommendations provided by the highways authority.”

A spokeswoman for NYCC, which is responsible for highways, said it was still investigating the possibility of closing Montpellier Parade.

The Colgans sent their request to NYCC after HBC ordered it to remove tables from Stray land opposite its premises.

A further 16 people have tested positive for covid in the Harrogate district, according to the latest daily figures from Public Health England.

Only one day since the end of May has seen a higher number of daily infections in the district.

The figure brings the total number of district infections to 961 since the start of the pandemic.

The Dragon Road car park in Harrogate will host another Department of Health and Social Care testing site tomorrow from 11am to 3pm.

Read more:

• Covid case confirmed at Ripon Grammar School
• Covid restrictions won’t stop “beautiful” weddings, says Harrogate celebrant

The exhibitions and conference sector has been “cut adrift” and left without support, says a Harrogate events company.

Andrew Manby, director of family events firm Joe Manby Ltd, said the Chancellor’s announcement today offered no specific support for the industry which already faces a “long way back” financially.

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, outlined billions of pounds’ worth of support for businesses, including subsiding part-time workers’ pay.

But Mr Manby said he had hoped for sector specific measures for an industry which has been closed down since March. Harrogate has seen a string of major events, conferences and exhibitions cancelled during the pandemic and its convention centre converted into a Nightingale Hospital.

Read more:

• Harrogate couple cancel wedding for third time
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Mr Manby said today’s announcement did not appear to offer any ray of hope and added that the outlook was bleak for the sector.

He said:

“We need to reflect on what has been said, but on first glance it looks very grim indeed.

“it is an extremely difficult situation and where that leaves the exhibition market long term, I have no idea.

“It was always going to be a long haul back anyway.”

He added that further restrictions on events, which the Prime Minister said could last for six months, leave the industry in a difficult position. Live events, including sport, were due to have pilot events from October for the first time since the pandemic started.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson abandoned the pilot schemes earlier this week after he outlined further restrictions to tackle an increase in coronavirus cases.

In an effort to offer more support to businesses, Mr Sunak outlined a range of measures in the House of Commons which included an extension to the VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sector.

Some Harrogate businesses welcomed the move, but added that further support would be needed for other firms.

Indoor sports clubs say they can only hope they’ll be able to reopen after changes to government guidelines forced them to close their doors.

Any indoor sport with more than six adult participants has now been banned from today, after being exempt from the ‘rule of six’ introduced last week.

In Harrogate, some indoor sports clubs say the future looks “worrying” as they don’t know when they’ll be able to re-open – or whether their members will return.

Andy Hawkswell, founder of Harrogate Indoor Cricket League, said:

“It was a bit of a shock and of course very disappointing. We had 14 to 16 teams playing in the league this year – the demand was high because the summer season was halved.

“It’s worrying that after having so much time off, they may not come back. For a lot of the players, there is a huge social aspect to the game and they will miss out on that now.

“Unfortunately it’ll probably be a year out and we’ll have to hope there’s enough interest for next year if people return.”

This troop has had to suspend training again with its coach looking for employment elsewhere.

Megan Fairweather runs the Fire and Ice Cheerleading squad in Harrogate. It is a youth team, but some members are over 18 so the exclusions still apply.

The squad was only set up in September 2019, leaving Megan without financial support. She worries that with further delays the members won’t return.

She said:

“We haven’t been open since March – we were planning to reopen this week but we’ve had to cancel that. The government has come out with a list and because cheerleading isn’t registered as an official sport yet, it wasn’t put on the list.

“It’s a lot more complicated because it’s a contact sport. Even if we were to open with just strength and conditioning training some of the troop may drop it because they come to do stunts and they can do those at their gymnastics or dance classes.”

Hospitality owners in Harrogate have welcomed further help from Chancellor Rishi Sunak after he outlined billions of pounds’ worth of measures for the winter.

Mr Sunak announced an extension to VAT cuts for hospitality, a wage subsidy for part-time workers and more loans for struggling businesses.

Outlining his plans to the House of Commons today, he said the measures were designed to “protect jobs and the economy over the winter period”.

Among the announcements was a decision to subsides wages of workers who work shorter hours. The government will top up wages for workers covering up to two-thirds of their hours for the next six months.

Read more:

• Harrogate couple cancel wedding for third time
• Second lockdown would see Harrogate businesses face battle to survive, says chamber

It comes as the furlough scheme is set to finish at the end of October.

Kimberly Wilson, chair of Accommodation Harrogate, said the support for part-time workers would be welcomed by bed and breakfasts.

She said:

“That will be useful, especially going into November and December it will save jobs.

“But we need to get the full detail of how it is going to work to see how it will help us on the ground.”

Ms Wilson added that further support would be welcomed as B&Bs have seen trade affected by cancellations in conferences, exhibitions and events.

Further measures will also see the VAT cut for the hospitality sector extended until March. Amid the pandemic, the government cut the rate to 5% to support those in the hospitality and tourism sector.

Peter Banks, managing director at Rudding Park Hotel and Spa, said the measure would be useful but should be targeted at businesses which are struggling.

He said:

“If Rishi does this it would be superb. 

“It could be more targeted as it is conference, wedding and city centre businesses that are suffering. However, any help will be gratefully received.”

Mr Sunak told MPs that loans to support struggling businesses would be extended into November and offer terms of up to 10 years to reduce monthly payments.

Grants for the self-employed will also be offered into the winter.

The toilet rolls aisle in Waitrose was empty at lunchtime today, sparking concerns that panic buying has returned to Harrogate.

A shopper sent this photo from the store to the Stray Ferret at about 1pm today. It is believed Waitrose stocked its shelves with toilet rolls this morning but they sold out in a couple of hours.

Reports on social media suggest some other supermarkets in the Harrogate district have also had a surge in demand for toilet rolls and other products, amid concerns the country could be heading for a second lockdown.

Flashback to March, when the Sainsbury’s store on Wetherby Road was affected by panic buying.

Yesterday the government announced new restrictions in response to rising covid infections.

Two women from the Harrogate district are to swim the English Channel this weekend for charity.

Andrea Stark, from Harrogate, and Jacqui Hargrave, from Knaresborough, have been open water swimming together for seven years. But this will be the duo’s biggest challenge yet.

They are part of a four-person relay team in which each person will raise money for a different cause. Andrea is raising money for the mental health charity Samaritans. Jacqui is swimming for Harrogate-based Saint Michael’s Hospice, which supported her best friend in her final days.

The swim normally takes 15 hours and the rules state each person can only swim one hour before another member of the team takes over. The team has to tackle currents and find their way around shipping lanes – so the swim could be up to 30 miles long.

The team of four are set to embark on the English Channel Challenge on Friday.

Andrea, a nurse at Harrogate Hospital, said:

“We’re beginning to let ourselves get excited but it’s still all very dependent on the weather. We are definitely ready, we’ve done lots of training and swam at Whitby to get used to the current and the temperature.

“It’s taken us 7 years to build up to this. We love it so much and we prefer the open water and the feeling it gives – you’d be amazed at the positive impact it has on your mental health. Our families have been amazing too. There will be times when our bodies hurt but that’s when we’ll think of those charities and it’ll keep us going.”

To support Andrea, click here.

Jacqui, who writes an open water swimming blog, said:

“I am feeling more confident now, I really want to get it done – we all do! It’ll be invigorating and a challenge for us but we’ve done all the preparation and we’ve planned it all out.

“Under a quarter of people succeed but we are all very determined to accomplish this. Our driver is very experienced and understands the water so we’re in safe hands. It’s just about pushing ourselves against the harsh currents and of course the cold. The charities need their work promoting especially with all the uncertainty.”

To support Jacqui, click here.

Read more:

• An ice cream shop in Knaresborough has raised money for the local charity, Frank’s Fund.
• Former Ashville pupil will attempt to swim the channel this month.

The women are due to enter the water on Friday morning but the weather could postpone it by a few days. Their swim has already been postponed once following lockdown.

Richard Powell, a deputy health centre manager from Chesterfield, and Leanne Davis, a paramedic from Rotherham, make up the rest of the relay team.