The Harrogate district’s hopes of being in the lowest tier of restrictions when lockdown ends in 10 days time received a boost today when just 28 covid infections were reported.

The figure, from Public Health England, is the lowest since the 26 positive cases on October 18.

Infections soared after then and were well above the national average this month until a considerable recent slowdown.

Just 31 were reported yesterday.

The R number, which refers to the virus’ reproduction rate, was 1.6 a fortnight ago but is now down to 1.1.

The seven-day rolling average rate of positive cases has declined significantly from over 300 to 190.

Read more:

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In more good news today, no hospital deaths were reported.

North Yorkshire was in the lowest tier of restrictions pre-lockdown and the recent trend has raised hopes it may be classified the same when the government announces new measures later this week.

Boroughbridge and Marton-cum-Grafton has become the district’s current covid hotspot, with 29 infections in the last seven day — one more than Killinghall and Hampsthwaite.

Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley has recorded the fewest positive test results in the last seven days, with just seven.

The rate of covid infections in the Harrogate district is rising sharply and is now well above the national average.

The R number, which refers to the reproduction rate, was 1.4 last week and is 1.6 today. This means every 10 people that test positive in the district will infect another 16.

The latest R number for the UK is 1.1 to 1.3.

The seven-day rolling average rate of infection for the Harrogate district was 160 cases per 100,000 people two weeks ago; last week it was 251 and today it is 279.

The England average is 241.

Read more:

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North Yorkshire as a whole appears to be struggling. Four of the county’s seven district and borough council areas — Scarborough, Harrogate, Selby and Hambleton — now have higher rates of infection than the England average.

For many months North Yorkshire fared better than many parts of the country.

Although widely accepted that lockdown will take time to bring down infections, these are worrying figures for county health officials.

Local covid hotspots

The Harrogate district accounts for three of the top 10 covid hotspots in North Yorkshire, according to a breakdown of positive test results in the last seven days by local community area.

Harrogate east is third on the list with 42 infections, one place ahead of Killinghall and Hampsthwaite, which has 41. Harrogate west and Pannal is eighth with 36.

Catterick Garrison and Colburn in Richmondshire tops the list with 52.

The only local area in the bottom 10 is Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley, which has recorded just seven positive tests.

Killinghall CE Primary School is set to close today after someone at the school tested positive for coronavirus.

The school, on Otley Road in Killinghall, sent a letter to parents this morning asking them to pick up their children at staggered times according to year groups, starting at noon.

The letter, written by headteacher Sarah Bassitt, said the school will open again tomorrow and all children are expected to attend unless they develop Covid symptoms.

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The letter said the school, which has just over 100 pupils, had identified a “very small” number of staff who had “close contact” with the individual concerned. It says:

“We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a confirmed case of Covid within the school community. I appreciate that you may be concerned by this information.”

The Stray Ferret approached the school and North Yorkshire County Council for further information. The school declined to comment but the council has not yet responded.

A primary school headteacher and parents are calling for urgent speed measures in Killinghall before a child is killed or seriously injured.

Sarah Bassitt, headteacher of Killinghall Church of England Primary School, spoke out after a fruitless two-year campaign to tackle speed outside the school.

Traffic hurtles downhill along Otley Road into the village at a 60mph limit, which only reduces to 30mph about 200 metres from the school. Often cars are doing at least 40mph when they pass the building.

Ms Bassitt said many schools had 20mph limits outside and traffic calming measures, such as speed humps.

But two years of writing to North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police have not led to similar outcomes in Killinghall.

Ms Bassitt said:

“The criteria seems to be that you have to have a child killed before anything is done.

“That hasn’t happened mainly because of the vigilance of parents and teachers.

“It’s very dangerous and different to what happens at other schools. It feels like we are hitting out heads against a brick wall.”

Ms Bassitt said some parents were so exasperated they had even used fake speed guns to encourage drivers to slow down.

Otley Road, outside the school in Killinghall.

Parent Gary Donoghue, who has led the campaign, said children were scared to walk to school.

Mr Donoghue said there should be a 20mph limit outside the school.

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He also called for the 30mph limit coming into the village to be moved back to the junction with Lund Lane to allow traffic more time to slow down before passing the school. He added:

“We are looking for prevention rather than repercussions. We don’t want something to happen to our children so they are the ones who bring about change.

“There seems to be a lack of acknowledgement that there is a problem. But when your child is scared to walk to school that is an issue. I wish someone from the council would come and speak to us.”

The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire County Council several times for comment but did not receive a response.

A new French-inspired furniture shop is due to open in Killinghall today.

Once Upon A Time, which is being run by two friends, will also sell flowers, candles, coffee and homemade cakes.

Tina Parker, who lived in France for several years, said she and Sian Ross “could possibly be mad” for opening at such a difficult time.

But she thought the impact of coronavirus had made people more appreciative of small independent shops. She added:

“People missed their local shops when they closed and are more willing to support them.

“We want it to be a destination shop where people come and have a coffee and pick up a gift besides looking at the furniture.”

The interior of the new shop

Ms Parker previously owned French Loveliness, which was also in Killinghall and closed last year. The new shop is about 100 metres along Lund Lane, towards Hampsthwaite.

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Ms Parker and Ms Ross, from Summerbridge, share a passion for French-style design.

Their shop will be open from Wednesday to Sunday each week.

The new Tesco Express in Killinghall is unlikely to open until late next year at the earliest.

The store is due to be built on the site of The Three Horseshoes pub on the main Ripon Road in the middle of Killinghall.

The pub posted a message on its Facebook page on Saturday saying it will close on September 27. But it could be some time before the Tesco Express opens.

In July, Harrogate Borough Council approved plans by Ilkley developers Dynamic Capital Killinghall to convert the site to a convenience store.

The plans also involve constructing four flats and installing six electric vehicle charging points.

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At a meeting of Killinghall Parish Council last week, Cllr John Moretta said the developers had suggested once work gets underway it is likely to take a year to complete.

Last month Tesco applied for an alcohol licence from 6am to 11pm seven days of the week at the site, which has hosted a pub for 150 years.

Tesco subsequently submitted three more planning applications for signage, lighting and an ATM machine. Work is unlikely to begin until these matters are resolved.

Fellow parish councillor George Novelli told last week’s meeting the store would be “absolutely vital for the village”, which has grown considerably in recent years. A Tesco spokesman said:

“We believe the new store will be a positive addition to the local community and we aim to be serving customers there in 2021.”

The Greyhounds Inn opposite The Three Horseshoes remains closed.

A power cut in Harrogate this morning led to 6,603 homes losing electricity.

The power cut affected homes in the HG3 postcode, which includes Beckwithshaw, Killinghall and Pannal.

Northern Powergrid said power returned at 9.30am this morning.

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Tesco has applied for a licence to sell alcohol at the site of the Three Horseshoes pub in Killinghall, which will be demolished and rebuilt as a supermarket.

The company wants to sell alcohol from 6am to 11pm seven days a week in the shop, which it says will create 15 part-time and full-time jobs.

In July, Harrogate Borough Council granted Ilkley company Dynamic Capital Killinghall planning permission to demolish the building and build a shop and four flats.

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The council received a petition signed by 232 people objecting to the loss of the pub, which has served Killinghall for 150 years.

Locals also asked public body Historic England to grant the pub listed status, which was rejected.

However, HBC planners decided “the proposal would provide substantial social and environmental benefits” and approved it.

The pub reopened in July after being closed during the lockdown.

A Tesco spokesperson said:

“We believe the new store will be a positive addition to the local community and we aim to be serving customers there in 2021.”

A local business agrees. Tanya Umpleby, owner of Cooking Fantastic and The Cud Life Campsite and Holiday Cottages said:

“We have a lot of families who stay and want to go out cycling, but won’t because of how busy the A61 road is and there’s only one tiny footpath.”

Almost 50 new homes will be built on the edge of Killinghall after the government’s Planning Inspectorate overturned a decision by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse the plans.

In October 2018, HBC’s planning committee rejected the application from Linden Homes because it said the development would harm the appearance of the area and that residents will be forced to use their cars because of a lack of more sustainable options.

The council had also warned that trees covered by tree preservation orders (TPO) may have to be removed due to their proximity to some of the proposed 46 homes.

The homes will be built opposite Pharmall animal food store on Otley Road, close to the junction of the A59 and B6161. The site is not designated for development within HBC’s Local Plan.

Read more:

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Killinghall is one of Harrogate’s main pressure points for new housing and land to the north and east of the site has planning permission for around 345 homes.

However, inspector John Dowsett disagreed with the conclusions of HBC’s planners and said the Linden Homes development “should be perceived as an extension” to an already built-up area on the edge of town.

He added that the homes would not harm the appearance of the area because the existing field is the result of a nineteenth-century division of a larger field and “does not reflect the original, historic, field layout”.

Mr Dowsett also dismissed concerns that any trees with TPOs would have to be removed.