Harrogate social distancing measures to be reviewed next month

The use of planters on James Street in Harrogate for social distancing purposes is set to be reviewed as lockdown restrictions ease.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire County Council‘s executive member for access, told the Stray Ferret the issue would be reviewed next month.

June 21 is the date in the roadmap when the government is due to lift all limits on social contact.

At the start of the pandemic North Yorkshire County Council closed off parking bays to give pedestrians more room to spread out, in a move that upset some businesses.

A year later, planters and traffic cones remain on several streets in Harrogate and Knaresborough and it’s unclear how long they will stay.

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The measures continue to be a bone of contention. Harrogate Residents Association has set up a petition calling for their removal. So far, 561 people have signed.

Anna McIntee, one of the association’s founders, said:

“Please remove the planters that are blocking parking for customers on James Street and Albert Street in Harrogate town centre.

“It’s vital customers have convenient access to our shops as they try to recover from the pandemic.”

 

Expanding IT company relocates to £140,000 offices in Knaresborough

An expanding IT services provider has spent £140,000 on moving from Harrogate to larger premises in Knaresborough.

Integral IT is now based at Whitfield Business Park on Manse Lane, where it occupies two floors in open office space to fit 15 administrative and technical support staff.

Set up 15 years ago by managing director Jonathan Edwards, the company now supports almost 100 Yorkshire small to medium-sized enterprises that have between 10 and 200 members of staff.

Mr Edwards said unlike other businesses that were moving towards home working post-pandemic, his team was more productive working together in a physical space.

He added the pandemic had boosted business as more clients recognised the need for IT support. He said:

“Over the last year, we’ve seen a raft of new contract wins as businesses recognise the importance of having a reliable IT partner who makes it possible for them to function seamlessly, wherever their team is based.

“Now more than ever, companies big and small need the reassurance of having expert IT support on hand to solve any issues as well as having the ability to provide comprehensive cyber security services to protect their data.”

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The company offers 24/7 IT services for over 1,200 staff across the UK and further afield in the USA.

It is gearing up for further expansion — Mr Edwards said he expected to have “pretty much” filled the new offices by Christmas as he continues to recruit.

Knaresborough pet store to close and go mobile

A Knaresborough pet store will close at the end of next month and go mobile after seeing a decline in footfall.

Jack and Carly Atkinson, owners of The Atkinson Pet Store, said they were disappointed to be closing so soon after opening in August.

The pair felt they had found a missing niche on the town’s High Street when the business opened. However, months of lockdown have taken their toll.

Mr Atkinson said the number of shoppers had fallen and many customers remained hesitant to go out.

The pair hope going mobile will mean they can still provide the same service while saving money on overheads. They said they had a regular customer base that is keen to continue supporting them.

The shop will close on June 30 and the owners hope to be operating on a mobile basis soon after.

The business will rebrand as Let’s Play FETCH and the Atkinsons will be going on the road in their van delivering food, toys and accessories.

People will be able order via a new website or via a Facebook page.

Mr Atkinson said:

“We are disappointed because we thought it would last for years to come. We have provided a service to the people of Knaresborough for a year so we want to continue that. We just needed a bit more.

“Footfall was down and people’s shopping habits have changed. We’ve had to take it with a pinch of salt.”

Mr Atkinson added he and his wife will continue offering a personal service but they will operate at customers’ front doors rather than behind a till.

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Knaresborough vaccine site cancels all appointments for today’s clinic

The vaccination centre in Knaresborough cancelled all appointments for today’s clinic due to staff problems.

The site, run by Homecare Pharmacy Services at the former Lidl supermarket, needs to have a pharmacist present at all times to oversee injections.

But the pharmacist scheduled to attend today was unable able to make it so the clinic was cancelled.

Jason Baskind, managing director of Homecare Pharmacy Services, told the Stray Ferret:

“We did not have too many people signed up today but we did have to cancel the clinic today. Most people did get a notification but unfortunately some did not.

“The pharmacist was not able to attend so it cannot go ahead. As part of our contract we have to have a pharmacist on site.

“But we will be back tomorrow and for the rest of the week, including the weekend.”

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The vaccine centre reopened last weekend and administered 1,800 jabs after supply shortages forced it to close for almost a month.

The site, which is now able to give both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs, is set to re-open tomorrow for the rest of the week.

It aims to give an average of 1,000 jabs a day.

Parkrun tentatively scheduled to return to Harrogate and Knaresborough in two weeks

Parkrun could resume in Harrogate and Knaresborough in just over a fortnight’s time after an absence of more than a year.

Organisers hope to restart the weekly 5km run in the two towns on June 5.

The government’s roadmap out of lockdown has permitted parkrun since March. But obstacles have remained in the way of organisers, who still have to negotiate with whoever owns the land on which the runs take place.

Harrogate Borough Council has given parkrun permission to return on the Stray in Harrogate and Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.

However, a spokesperson for the National Trust, which owns Fountains Abbey in Ripon told the Stray Ferret:

“We are still working closely with the organisers and volunteers at parkrun. We have no set date for a return yet.

“The National Trust is committed to working with parkrun. But we have to limit the numbers of people in our busiest areas.”

The Harrogate district appears to be in better position than much of the rest of the country. So far parkrun only has permission for 161 of its 589 locations.

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That low number means that the return of parkrun “hangs in the balance.” A spokesperson for Parkrun UK said:

“A combination of obstacles, including misunderstanding the government’s roadmap, reluctance, hesitation and unnecessary red tape threatens to delay the return of parkrun indefinitely.

“Parkrun UK must make a decision two weeks ahead of the planned return on whether restarting events on June 5 is viable.

“With all other sports returning, alongside the reopening of indoor dining and hospitality, further roadblocks to parkrun’s return feel unreasonable.”

Organisers ‘hopeful’ Knaresborough Christmas market will return

Knaresborough Christmas Market will hopefully go ahead as planned this December, according to its organisers.

Following last year’s cancellation due to covid, the committee is pressing ahead with its plans to hold the festive market on December 4 and 5.

Normally the weekend event hosts around 80 stalls but organisers have said this may have to be reduced.

They said it wasn’t possible to control the number of visitors in the Market Place but this should not be a barrier if all social distancing rules are lifted on June 21 as planned.

Hazel Haas, chair of the Knaresborough Christmas Market committee, said:

“We are hoping to go ahead as usual depending on the rules at the time. We are hoping for the best but planning for the worst.”

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The committee said it is only taking reservations for stalls for now and will take payments closer to the time.

It is a similar story in Harrogate, with the town’s Christmas market committee also confident this year’s event can be held.

Charity Corner: the Knaresborough centre putting mental wellbeing first

An arts charity in Knaresborough puts mental wellbeing at the forefront of everything it does making sure local residents have the space to express their creativity.

Orb Community Arts offers numerous different classes and 1-2-1 sessions to support people who may be struggling with their mental health.

In this month’s Charity Corner we wanted to acknowledge Mental Health Awareness Week and highlight one of the district’s smaller charities doing all it can to support people.

The charity offers different classes from guitar lessons to a ukulele orchestra; you can lay down your own track in the studio or plant some vegetables in the garden.

Set up 12 years ago, the charity has evolved into a centre with over 200 users and seven core members of staff as well as plenty of volunteers.

Orb arts room

The charity’s art room is decorated with artwork created during the sessions.

The charity’s strapline “positive mental health” is what it aims to achieve. It hopes to remove the stigma surrounding acknowledging your mental health and make it as important as physical health.

Leon Fijalkowski, strategic director, said:

“Since moving to Knaresborough a decade ago we have grown. We are there for everyone including people who may think they don’t have poor mental health. Our centre can help you speak openly about your mental health and do something about it.”

In the summer the charity will be working with the Woodland Trust to explore the Nidd Gorge offering mindfulness, drawing and foraging classes. The charity are passionate about the embracing nature and the impact it can have mentally.

orb recording studio

David Littler in his natural habitat is one of the charity’s music studios.

The charity relies on a number of funding streams and charitable donations.

During the pandemic they received a £65,000 grant as part of the covid response fund from the National Lottery.

It welcomes people from across the district and says moving onto zoom during the pandemic has helped them reach more people.

If you want to find out more about the charity you can get in touch here.

orb garden

The garden is the pride and joy of several of the users. It includes several vegetable patches, a pond and a hobbit hole for reflection.

Knaresborough flowerbed marks Royal British Legion centenary

The Knaresborough branch of the Royal British Legion has designed and planted a flowerbed to commemorate 100 years of the charity’s work.

The Royal British Legion (RBL) has been supporting those in the armed services and ex-servicemen and women for a century and the Knaresborough branch wanted to recognise this locally.

The branch has worked with Harrogate Borough Council for more than two years to create the design, which features two poppies on either side of “100”, for the space next to the bowling green.

A total of 4,000 plants were used in the flowerbed including 3,900 polyanthus in red, white and blue and some black grass for the centre of the poppies.

Knaresborough flowerbed

The flowerbed can be found in the grounds of the castle near the bowling green.

The RBL was formed on May 15 1921 by bringing together four national organisations of ex-servicemen that had been set up after the First World War.

That was also the the first year poppies were sold, with the appeal raising more than £106,000 to help veterans with housing and jobs.

Alan Pitchfork, the chair of the Knaresborough branch, said:

“The Legion was as important now as it was 100 years ago.

“Throughout the last 100 years service men and women had served their country and in many cases this had left them scarred for life, both physically and mentally, with many more losing their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today.”

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Each year town residents raise around £30,000 for the RBL, but the branch is hoping more people will join as currently there are just a handful of active members.

Mr Pitchfork added:

“For the branch to keep functioning we do need more people to join.

“The fear also is that soon there simply will not be enough members to sustain the branch, which would mean retiring the Standard and an end to the Parade through the town on Remembrance Sunday.”

Anyone who is interested in becoming a member can call him on 07984700429.

The branch already has further plans in place for this centenary year, including the return of its pop-up market stall and the knitted poppy tribute at Knaresborough Castle this autumn.

‘Let’s crack on’: Knaresborough and Pateley vaccine sites reopen

Two vaccine centres in the Harrogate district are reopening after a month of supply issues slowed the rollout.

Homecare Pharmacy Services‘ clinic in the former Lidl car park in Knaresborough will operate on Saturday for the first time since April 17.

When it re-opens the pharmacy staff will be giving both the Pfizer-Biontech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.

It will be open five days a week but the owners hope eventually to be open seven days a week.

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Jason Baskind, managing director of Homecare Pharmacy Services, told the Stray Ferret:

“The last clinic we held was without a doubt the best so far. The team gelled well, there were no queues and we managed to give out 1,219 jabs.

“It was frustrating that we had to close after that but now we are back and we are ready to go, so let’s crack on.”

Pateley Bridge’s vaccine centre is also starting to see supplies come through. It opened on Wednesday this week to administer about 400 jabs.

The site, run by Pateley Bridge Pharmacy, had been in talks with the NHS about using the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine, which is more difficult to store.

However, because the site is small the owners did not want to risk wasting vaccines so it is sticking solely to Oxford-AstraZeneca.

The outlook has improved compared to last month, when a letter leaked to the Stray Ferret said there would be no more first doses for a while due to shortages.

New police commissioner to review controversial mobile speed cameras

North Yorkshire’s new Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has announced a review of the county’s controversial and unique mobile speed camera van system.

Speaking yesterday to the media outside the police force’s headquarters in Northallerton, Conservative Philip Allott outlined his priorities ahead of taking up office.

Mr Allott, from Knaresborough, was elected to the role, which is paid a £74,400 salary, last week with a majority of 30,295 votes on first and second preferences.

Signalling a determination to take his oversight of both emergency services in a different direction to that of his fellow Tory predecessor Julia Mulligan, Mr Allott said there were “big concerns” over camera vans, which have multiplied since they were first introduced in 2011.

Despite the force’s insistence the vans are deployed at accident black spots, widespread concerns have persisted for a decade that they are being sited at places to maximise the revenue they generate rather than improve safety.

Mr Allott said:

“People say the camera vans are in the wrong locations. People say their village doesn’t get a camera van. People say there are other solutions.”

He declined to elaborate on the concerns, but added:

“There will be a rethink in terms of how that is handled and that will be something that involves a consultation process.”

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County lines the top priority

In another apparent change in direction, he said he wanted to strengthen ties with councils and other bodies. He said the commissioner’s office could not work in isolation to tackle issues such as county lines drug dealers, which he ranked as his leading priority, or antisocial behaviour.

The commissioner said he would seek to forge closer partnerships with schools to identify children who act as couriers and with social services to identify vulnerable people whose homes may be used as county lines bases.

He said there were now 47 active county lines networks operating in the county, representing a huge increase on 14 months ago when Ms Mulligan revealed there were 11 drug supply lines from urban areas such as Cleveland, West Yorkshire, Liverpool and Manchester affecting North Yorkshire.

Mr Allott said:

“It is a community issue. Unfortunately during the pandemic recreational drugs has seen an increase in some activity. That’s something we need to deal with.”

The commissioner said while prosecuting county lines dealers would be a priority, he stressed treating the victims of drugs would be a focus for him.

He added:

“The victims are often the drug takers themselves who often end up in a downward spiral.”

He also pledged to put the needs of victims and vulnerable people above others, saying talks were under way about improving the connections between North Yorkshire and York’s CCTV coverage. He said actions to improve safety for women, both on the street and domestically, would be pursued.

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Rural crime response needs beefing up

However, the first of an extensive list of priorities that Mr Allott outlined was work to improve responses to rural crimes, such as hare coursing, thefts from farms, by strengthening the Rural Taskforce, with more officers.

During campaigning, a number of candidates highlighted how the Rural Taskforce was currently incapable of properly covering England’s largest county because it included only a handful of officers based in York.

He said the county’s size and rurality could be a key factor in many issues that both the police and fire service faced.

To respond to this, Mr Allott said he would examine increasing the number of multi-service officers who act as on-call firefighters, PCSOs and first responders in rural locations.

He said a trial of multi-service officers in Craven had proved to be “a great success”.

Mr Allott said:

“That is almost a modern day version of the village constable. That means somebody’s within that community and living within five minutes of the fire station.

“Because there’s funding there to fund that as a full-time job, it gives somebody an opportunity to be a firefighter who wouldn’t otherwise be able to do it.”

Newer fire engines needed

Nevertheless he said as the county’s fire service, which has been described as among the worst funded brigades in the country, had an “elderly fleet of vehicles” and a lack of equipment for staff, he would hold “honest discussions” with the government.

He said:

“We need to give the fire service the tools so they can do the job and do it well. We have to put together a concrete case as to why the government’s funding formula discriminates against us.

“We have got the biggest county in England with massive borders and lot of parks and green space between residential areas.”