Knaresborough Rotary Club’s new president is a skydiving enthusiast and hopes her leadership can encourage more members.

Helen Westmancoat has taken over the presidency determined to encourage new members to join the club. Following over 30 years in the scouting movement she also hopes to support young people in the community through the club’s fundraising.

Helen isn’t just a rotary member she is also an avid skydiver having completed 42 jumps. Her hobby began as a fundraising attempt and now she hopes to introduce it to the scout groups she works with.

She said:

“The diving started in 2011 when I worked at York St John’s and there was a call to do a dive for the student support charity. I can’t do it alone in this country now as I’m over the age limit that it allows but I do hope to more maybe abroad in the future.

The main thing to focus on now is the rotary, raise the profile to encourage more members. We’re open to everyone, all ages.”

Helen wants to use her presidency to increase membership and “look forward”.

Read more:

• Knaresborough delivers scheme puts £50,000 into local economy. 
• Civic society campaigns for pedestrianisation of some streets in Knaresborough. 

Over the coronavirus period the club has continued to meet virtually to plan how it can help the community during and following the pandemic. It is currently working with Knaresborough Connectors to help those in need as well as providing face masks to public facing groups such as Knaresborough food bank.

“We will be doing community things working to support people in the town following the pandemic as well. We did have a plan for which charities to support this year but with everything going on the main for me is Knaresborough Connector’s. It’ll be a challenging year but we are committed to helping people, if we can use this as an opportunity that’ll be great.”

A Knaresborough yoga charity that helps people with disabilities needs £10,000 to reopen safely.

Yorkshire Yoga, set up in 2005, said that the coronavirus lockdown has had a “real dent” in its finances so set up a fundraiser online.

The over 60s with disabilities make up a quarter of its classes. Many of them will have been living alone during the coronavirus lockdown.

It also holds classes pregnancy and postnatal classes as well as pilates, chair-based yoga, pilates, dance fitness and children’s yoga classes.

Read more on this story:

• When Henshaws will stop its supported living service
• Why Henshaws is also closing its Arts and Crafts centre

As Yorkshire Yoga’s funds mostly come from paid classes, rather than grant funds, the coronavirus lockdown has meant it has had no income for months.

The charity has also been eating into its limited funds to support its most vulnerable clients in their homes.

Find the fundraising page by clicking or tapping here. So far 26 people have raised £1,400 of the £10,000 target.

Chris Cox, Yorkshire Yoga’s manager, said:

“We believe this will be a lifeline to ensure that people have access to free physical and mental wellbeing practices which will maintain some kind of normality during an unprecedented time of stress and anxiety. We provide a much loved and valued service for the community.”

Pubs and restaurants in Knaresborough reopened today after months of lockdown. Landlords were feeling “quite anxious but a little bit excited too”.

Knaresborough’s pubs were beginning to fill up around lunchtime but many saw fewer numbers than the same time pre-lockdown.

The town’s pubs were offering drinks and foods on a mainly pre-booked system, with walk-ins allowed if there was space. Many of the landlords had to reduce seating and menus to accommodate current guidelines, but all of them were excited to finally reopen their doors.

Tony Robb, one of the landlords at Mother Shipton Inn, said:

“I’m feeling a bit nervous we just wanted to make sure everything was in place with the tables and sanitiser. We’ve got plenty of space but we’ve still taken a few seats away. We’ve been looking forward to it though, we’ve been waiting for this day. I think people want to get back to some normality and get out and socialise.”

Sam Small from the Mother Shipton Inn, added:

“Its a complicated feeling, I’m quite anxious but a little bit excited too. We just want to make sure everyone feels safe, we’ve done everything we can. Its quiet for this evening but looking good for tomorrow. I don’t think its going to take off straight away but I’d rather it was a little steady.

Turning over the open sign came with much excitement this afternoon, as pubs and restaurants prepared to serve once again.

Read more:

• Ripon’s largest pub reopened early this morning to serve their customers after months of lockdown. 
• The reopening of hospitality is crucial for the Harrogate district following a tough lockdown. 

Ashleigh Lambert, owner of Six Poor Folk said:

“We’re open and it’s lovely. It’s taken a lot to get to this point and it’ll be nice to see our regulars again. We’ve got quite a lot of bookings for this afternoon, and then we’re fully booked from 6pm. It’s just getting used to the different measures, hopefully it’ll all come together.”

Customers were also pleased to return to their local pub, Gary Stafford has been waiting to return to Mother Shipton Inn. He said:

“We’ve been waiting for this day its just great to come back, I feel very comfortable. I missed just being able to chat to someone a bit different.”

A number of pubs in Harrogate and Knaresborough have taken the decision to not open their doors on Saturday, despite being given the green light to reopen.

This decision comes as many pub owners argue that it is too soon to reopen. They would rather “watch what everyone else does” this weekend. Many pubs said they were too small to open or not financially stable enough.

Blind Jacks in Knaresborough is one pub which has taken the decision not to open on Super Saturday. Owners Christian and Alice Ogley told The Stray Ferret that they do not want to rush into anything.

They said:

“We have ever precaution in place in order to keep it as safe as possible, but we have one chance to get this right from the beginning. We want to make sure we are completely ready.”

Read more: 

• WATCH: Are you ready for pubs to reopen? 
• District pub, hotel and restaurant owners demand more clarity 

North Bar in Harrogate has been running a pop-up beer shop during lockdown but realised that reopening fully on 4 July was going to be a difficult task.

North Bar in Harrogate

Debra Przychodna, general manager of North Bar told The Stray Ferret:

“We decided to delay our reopening because we want to avoid risk, people are going to get very excited this weekend. We have had so much support from customers and we are really looking forward to when we can finally reopen.”

Similarly Hales Bar on Crescent Road in Harrogate has taken the decision not to open due to the size and layout of the bar. Manager Amanda Wilkson hopes to reopen next weekend but only from Thursday to Sunday.

The number of reptiles handed in to a rescue centre in Knaresborough has doubled over lockdown because owners can’t afford to look after them.

Knaresborough exotic rescue has seen the number of animals given to them double over the past three months to 40 animals. Pet owners have said it is due to financial strains caused by coronavirus.

Daniel Holmes, owner of the rescue, said:

“A lot of people are scared because they don’t know how they’re going to feed their animal.”

Snakes, snails and hedgehogs are just a selection of the animals the rescue centre has taken in over lockdown.

Read more:

• WATCH as the Nidderdale Llamas offer virtual treks and birthday facetimes.
• The REAL stray ferret finds its own way home after disappearing from its cage. 

The rescue centre cares for huge reptiles such as reticulated pythons, which can grow to 30 feet, down to smaller animals such as mice.

The centre tries to adopt out as many of the animals as they can, but lockdown has made that more difficult. It hopes to continue their adoption scheme as lockdown eases.

Gyms in the Harrogate district have lost clients and money as they remain closed during the pandemic, one reported a 65% loss in revenue.

Indoor gyms are having to remain closed with no indication as to when they can reopen. Some local gyms have had to find new ways to adapt. Gym owners in the district have had to reduce their prices and move online or outdoors to continue to support their clients.

The workout sessions online or in local parks have proved popular with those clients who have missed their normal workout routines. But some are still wary that it may not return to normal for a while as clients regain confidence to return.

Innovate gym in Harrogate focuses on group sessions for women in the district, the owner Chris Lupton said:

“Due to only being able to provide online sessions we reduced our pricing to £50-60 so we lost about 65% in revenue. If it wasn’t for the job retention scheme people would have had to go or had their hours reduced.

“We are planning to continue online training as half of the clients said they want to have a mixture of gym and online classes in the future. I don’t think things will be normal for a year or so now so it’s necessary to find new ways to make money and work with clients.”

Ryan Tansley, owner of CrossFit Harrogate, has also moved his workouts online to maintain a section of his client base. He said:

“It was certainly not a good thing, we lost a few members after they were furloughed or worried about financial problems. But we still have to pay the rent so the government grant really helped.

“We’ve decided to halve the membership price as we know we can’t offer it all through our online programmes.”

Online workouts will have to continue as gym owners wait to hear when they can reopen.

Read more:

• Champion swimmer finds new ways to keep swimming during lockdown – including using a bungee cord. 
• Harrogate gymnasts have moved their equipment outdoors to continue training.

Sarah Jordan owns Red Strength gym in Knaresborough, it specialises in personal training and decided to close entirely with all of the staff furloughed. She said:

“It’s been terrible, I’ve had to furlough everyone its been really difficult. We are completely closed, I am sure others are the same. Personally, I went to work in a care home for 6-8 weeks for extra income and to get a level of interaction but since outdoor PT has been allowed I’ve don’t that. Everybody is happy to train outdoors and its also brought a lot of new clients in too.”

Knaresborough Delivers continues to grow as it changes its focus to give more back to local businesses and encourage people to shop local.

The scheme was set up to help local businesses sell their products online during the pandemic. It allowed customers to order food parcels and greeting cards amongst other products from the comfort of their homes.

But as lockdown eases its focus has shifted to putting more money back into the local economy. The online shop will continue to serve local people but it will now give back 90% of the price to the local business.

Previously 30% was taken to cover the website and delivery costs but now the customer will pay a small delivery charge. This ensures the local business receives as much profit as they can.

The scheme’s efforts are appreciated by local businesses as they have found a new platform to sell their products. Aron McMahon from Turning Point brewery said:

“Knaresborough Delivers was a revelation for us, we had an online site but we didn’t have the human resources to run it and as a new business to the area people still wouldn’t know us. We’ve done really good out of this and its help us get closer to our local customers which is really important to us and we hope it can keep going.”

Ashleigh Lambert, co-founder of Knaresborough Delivers told The Stray Ferret:

“We are going to start doing recipe boxes, cocktail boxes and protein boxes by working with local chefs. Since the start of lockdwon we have put £50,000 into the local economy and supported 15 local businesses and given work to three local poeple who have been furloughed or out of work. The new pricing strategy means 90% goes straight back to the business and the other 10% will be used to cover our costs.”

The scheme has found ways to support several businesses in the area with themed boxes including afternoon tea.

Read more:

• As hospitality is given the green light to reopen in July a Knaresborough pub explains how they’re planning to reopen. 
• Knaresborough shop owners are feeling optimistic as they reopen their doors following lockdown. 

James Hirst, owner of Hirsts Bakery who also uses the platform, said:

“It was a really nice addition to what we were doing in the shop, it helped us still get our products to those customers who couldn’t come out.”

Knaresborough Delivers is a scheme that has found a way to prosper through the pandemic and hopes to continue supporting the town’s economy. It plans to move to bigger premises to allow people to have a shop to use as well as the online site.

Knaresborough Civic Society has launched a campaign to pedestrianise Castlegate and the Market Square.

The society feels that both areas are always busy with both cars and people and there isn’t enough space for adequate social distancing.

The Civic Society said its aim is to enhance the public space available and protect the town’s heritage. It also included plans to convert the area currently used by cars on Market Square into extra space for businesses or town events.

The Civic Society chairman James Monaghan said:

“Now is the ideal time to take bold steps to enhance Knaresborough’s public space, improve the pedestrian experience and make our streets safer.

“Castlegate is a popular shopping destination with narrow pavements. On busy days you already find shoppers walking down the middle of the street and maintaining social distancing on the pavements is impossible”.

Scenes such as these have encouraged the Civic Society launch their campaign for pedestrianisation.

Read more: 

• WATCH to see how the Knaresborough pub Six Poor Folk is planning to reopen safely. 
• Knaresborough Chamber launches a new plan to help businesses reopen following lockdown. 

Castlegate business owner Andy Grinter supports the plans, he said:

“Its obvious that without action, we don’t stand a chance of social distancing. Without taking urgent, innovative measures we’re putting lives and livelihoods at risk. It’s clear that pedestrians need more space to walk and queue safely whilst maintaining social distancing.

“Giving customers room between premises and in public spaces will enable shops and businesses to bounce back and recover trade.”

The Society has written to North Yorkshire County Council and is now calling for other local groups to come forward and back their campaign.

St Vincent de Paul’s charity shop is described as a “lifeline” for its volunteers as it reopens this week.

The Knaresborough charity shop is now open for the public to browse and donate their unwanted goods to. Other charity shops in the district are yet to open due to their small shops, but as the St Vincents store measures are in place to open safely.

The shop has a one way system in place and all donations will be quarantined for 72 hours before being placed on the shelves. It has also began selling white goods for customers who may not be ready to venture to large homeware stores.

The charity’s main aim is to tackle poverty, alongside financial help, it also offers emotional support to those who are sick, lonely, in prison, or suffering from addiction.

Annette Haigh is the area manager for St Vincent’s North and West Yorkshire stores, she said:

“All our volunteers were excited to get back, all of them had to pass a back to work check before they returned to make sure they weren’t feeling ill or had been in contact with anyone who has recently been infected.

“Many of our volunteers live alone so it’s a lifeline for them, we’ve never not been in touch over lockdown whether thats a phone call or a coffee over zoom.”

The shop has clear signs for shoppers to keep their distance and all clothes will have been quarantined before going on display.

Read more:

• Other charity shops in the district aren’t opening just yet – some say it is down to the limited space inside their stores. 
• Knaresborough shop owners were hopeful as they begin to reopen. 

The shop, on Knaresborough’s high street, has a sanitising station on entry which all customers are encouraged to used and the shop is cleaned daily. Annette added:

“It was steady the first few days but as more non-essential shops reopen and the market gets busier tomorrow we’re optimistic for more customers. We have a lot of elderly customers and people who are shielding so it may be a bit quiet for a little while until more people get out to the shops.”

A decision on 120 homes on the outskirts of Knaresborough has been deferred to the chief planner by Harrogate councillors.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee met yesterday on Zoom and cited concerns from residents over footpaths and a lack of trees facing Boroughbridge Road.

Castleford-based developers Galliford Try Partnerships Yorkshire has proposed a mix of 2,3 and 4-bedroom homes on the site in Scriven, which forms housing allocation K37 under HBC’s Local Plan.

48 of the homes will be classed as “affordable” and will contribute to the district’s need for building 208 additional affordable homes per year, HBC said.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee meets on Zoom.

After concerns over pressure on local infrastructure were raised following the submission of Outline Planning Permission, the developers reduced the number of homes from 146 to 120.

The development faced an objection from Scriven Parish Council who said it will result in “saturation” for Knaresborough town and its facilities.

The objection said:

“Knaresborough is under tremendous pressure and the historic market town, which all the residents recognise and enjoy, is being destroyed by over development.

“Currently, there appears to be no provision for additional educational facilities or doctors surgeries to cater for this major influx of population.”

Parish councillor Miranda Armitage spoke to the Committee and said the proposals should be revised to add a mini-roundabout which would make access to the site safer.

She said:

“The entrance/exit is totally inadequate and downright dangerous.”

Read more:

• Bilton homes would be ‘catastrophic’ for environment, residents say
• Major Harrogate housing scheme blocked for second time

A report from HBC said overall the benefits of the development “significantly and demonstrably” outweigh any harm for the area.

Speaking to the Committee on behalf of the developer, Stephen Hughes, said they are happy to look at the changes suggested by the Committee.

He added:

“It’s a key scheme for us, representing an investment of £25million. Despite an unprecedented economic backdrop we see this as a significant scheme.”