The number of coronavirus patients at Harrogate District Hospital has tripled in the last week, a media briefing heard this morning.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum the hospital was treating nine patients compared with three seven days ago.

However, the number remains well below the 67 patients the hospital was treating at the height of the second wave in February.

Ms Bloor added the increase has been mirrored across the county:

“Unfortunately the number of patients does continue to rise. As of yesterday, there were 136 patients across our hospitals in North Yorkshire and York.

“This is up from a figure of 112 this time last week – and 16 of those 136 patients are in intensive care.

“If the number of patients with covid does continue to rise, it could have an impact on our hospitals’ ability to carry out planned procedures.

“We are not seeing that significantly at the moment but we do just need to keep an eye on those numbers.”

A breakdown of the figures shows there are nine patients in both Harrogate and Scarborough hospitals, 26 in York and 92 in South Tees.

Read more:

• Harrogate district charities receive £45,000 from Local Fund
• Harrogate district records 31 covid cases as rate drops dramatically

There has not been a covid-related death at the Harrogate hospital in more than three months.

This is due to high levels of vaccine uptake but Ms Bloor said there was still work to do to ensure more people are protected, particularly the younger population.

She said: “The vaccination programme is now open to all age cohorts and is particularly focusing on the younger cohorts.

“With the easing of restrictions from July 19, it is potentially understandable that younger people may feel there is now no advantage of getting vaccinated but we are seeing some younger people in hospital with covid who are actually quite poorly.

“I would continue to urge everyone to come forward for their vaccination – it is the best method of protection.”

Infection rates falling

It comes as Harrogate’s weekly infection rate continues to fall. The rate reached a record high of 534 cases per 100,000 people on July 18 and now stands at 348.

Health officials believe the drop in cases across the country could be down to schools closing for the summer holidays and people meeting up outdoors due to the recent sunny weather.

What they have said for certain though is that the number of people being admitted to hospital with covid needs to start falling as well to show that the virus is really in decline.

Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“The number of people in local hospitals with Covid over the last week has continued to increase, however, we do know that hospitalisation data does tend to lag a bit.

“If that starts to go down too, then we can start to be a bit happier that the decline in cases we are seeing at the moment is a real one.”

North Yorkshire County Council has revealed 17 “unacceptable risks” led it to ban fans from Harrogate Town’s friendly against Sunderland on Saturday just 24 hours before kick-off.

The risks included an inadequate level of stewarding, the CCTV system not being tested under match conditions and the ground’s control room, which oversees fan safety, not being connected to a phone line or the public address system.

In a statement sent today to the Stray Ferret, Matt O’Neill, assistant director for growth, planning and trading standards at NYCC, said the council sent a trading standards officer to last Wednesday’s friendly against Rotherham after safety concerns were raised.

It said the club submitted a risk assessment and stewarding plan on the morning before the Sunderland fixture that identified seven unacceptable risks. This was reviewed by NYCC officers, who found another 10 risks.

The statement said:

“We therefore concluded that there were 17 areas of unacceptable risk in total.”

The statement added the council was in discussions with the club to overcome the issues before the first home fixture of the new English Football League Division Two season against Rochdale on August 7 but that “the safety of everyone entering the facility must come first”.

Read more:

• Harrogate Town fans fear season opener will be played behind closed doors
• Fans barred from Harrogate Town match vs Sunderland due to safety fears

The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Harrogate Town’s managing director Garry Plant today but was told he was on leave. Nobody else from the club was put forward for an interview.

The club released a statement this afternoon that said it was “working hard behind the scenes to rectify the issues raised”.

It added:

“We would like to reiterate our sincere apologies to those supporters who had planned to attend but could not, through no fault of their own.

“Clearly this is a testing period for the club and we appreciate your continued support as we work through the issues raised.”

Fans have voiced concerns that the club’s opening home game of the new season will be played in front of an empty stadium due to unresolved issues.

Katherine Swinn, speaking on behalf of the Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club, told the Stray Ferret yesterday that fans had “numerous unanswered questions”.

She said:

“I think the club have dealt with the situation very poorly. The lack of communication is appalling. This situation needs to be addressed urgently and a full and frank statement provided by the club otherwise the speculation will continue.”

Here is the full statement from Matt O’Neill, assistant director for growth, planning and trading standards at NYCC.

“Following safety concerns raised with us, our trading standards officers attended the match held last Wednesday night between Harrogate Town FC and Rotherham United.

“At this point it was clear there were a number of urgent matters to be addressed at the football ground, if the Sunderland match was to go ahead as planned last Saturday.

“The risk assessment and stewarding plan the club subsequently provided on Friday (23 July) morning identified seven unacceptable risks. Our officers reviewed the risk assessment and found that mitigation measures in place for a further ten risks were insufficient and we therefore concluded that there were 17 areas of unacceptable risk in total.

“These included an inadequate level of stewarding and a lack of effective communication between stewards and lack of confirmation about medical support. They also included the fact that the control room where safety of the ground is overseen, was not connected up to the public address system or the fire panels, had no phone line and a CCTV system which had not been tested under match conditions.

“Discussions now continue to see what can be done to find a safe solution looking ahead. The safety of everyone entering the facility must come first.”

“Together with partner agencies in the Safety Advisory Group we pulled out all the stops to try to support the club to deal with a range of safety measures that had to be addressed to enable the match to go ahead.

“Safety standards are put in place to protect the spectators and ensure a safe match by the Sports Ground Safety Association (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) and, as the public would expect, they must be met.”

North Yorkshire County Council has been accused of a “total and utter failure” to prevent weeds from overgrowing pavements.

The county council is the highways authority, responsible for more than 9,000 kilometres of roads.

A full meeting of the council heard that residents from across North Yorkshire had voiced disbelief and anger over the volume of weeds left to grow up to two-and-a-half foot high besides roads.

The meeting heard that weeds were a problem across North Yorkshire and that more environmentally-friendly ways of killing weeds, such as hot water or steam treatments, were being used in Harrogate.

Several councillors spoke out about problems in their areas.

Councillor Helen Grant, the North Yorkshire Independent group representative for Central Richmondshire, described the standard of roads and pavements around Catterick as “appalling”.

Cllr Robert Heseltine, an independent for Skipton East, said the traditional back streets of Skipton had become “like a jungle”.

Cllr Heseltine added:

“I’ve had more complaints over this issue than I’ve had over everything else in 40-odd years of public life.”

Combine harvester needed to tackle weeds

Stokesley division Liberal Democrat member Cllr Bryn Griffiths told the meeting urgent action was needed. He said:

“I’ve got comments from residents in Tame Bridge. Their pavements look more like a green corridor for wildlife. You are probably talking about a combine harvester going around some of our estates to get the weeds out.

“What we are looking at is gullies getting blocked in future and we’ll have flooding which is entirely avoidable.”

Read more:

• Harrogate’s ‘rewilding’: untidy or biodiversity boon?
• Knaresborough’s grass verge vigilante fed up with council

The meeting heard claims that the amount of weeds was also due to the authority using particularly weak weedkiller and deciding to start clearing weeds at the end of July instead of in May.

Richmond Cllr Stuart Parsons, the North Yorkshire Independents group leader, said the weed situation was “a total and utter failing”, adding:

“If the county council doesn’t get its act together soon it’s going to find itself with a massive repair bill for all the pavements.”

Mild winters

In response, the authority’s executive member for highways, Cllr Don Mackenzie, who is also the Conservative representative for Harrogate Saltergate, said he was aware that areas close to the kerbs had become “quite affected by weed growth” and the council recognised that residents wanted weeds to be dealt with.

He said an increase in weeds was being experienced throughout the country due to mild winters, reduced use of salt, less traffic and pedestrians, and the council did not want to use chemicals more than once annually due to the environmental consequences.

Councillor Mackenzie denied there had been an issue handing contracts to NY Highways, which he said was experimenting in Harrogate with other more environmentally-friendly ways of killing weeds, such as hot water or steam treatments.

After saying residents were free to spend five minutes clearing weeds from gutters, Cllr Mackenzie was accused of “smoke and mirrors” to hide the gravity of the issue and that the concerns involved some busy roads.

Harrogate Town’s pre-season friendly against Sunderland today will be played behind closed doors after county council safety officials raised concerns.

Just 24 hours before the match, the club said it received a letter from North Yorkshire County Council‘s safety advisory group informing them of issues which “made them uneasy”. No further details were revealed.

About 800 Sunderland fans were believed to have been due to travel south for the match at the EnviroVent Stadium

There are just two weeks to go until Town’s first match of the season at home to Rochdale.

Read more:

• Harrogate Town fan groups locked in bitter dispute over new supporters trust
• Newcastle to send under-23 team to Harrogate tomorrow after covid outbreak
• Harrogate Town promotion-winning goalkeeper joins Bristol Rovers

It’s another blow for Town supporters, who last week were denied the chance of watching their side play against Premier League Newcastle United’s first team after a covid outbreak forced Magpies manager Steve Bruce to send an under-23s team instead.

Town said supporters who bought a ticket for the Sunderland game would receive a full refund.

A Harrogate Town statement said:

“At just after 2pm on Friday 23rd July the club received a letter from North Yorkshire County Council safety advisory group who had identified a number of issues that made them uneasy about the match going ahead with a crowd.

“We are working with the SAG to address the points they have raised for future fixtures.

“All supporters who purchased a ticket for the fixture will receive a full refund.

“The fixture will be available to watch live free of charge via Sunderland AFC’s official website.

“Anyone who had already purchased a stream at £10 via live.harrogatetownafc.com will be refunded.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused”

A Sunderland AFC statement said:

“SAFC understands that supporters will be extremely disappointed by this news and its last-minute nature, with many fans incurring considerable personal expense to put travel plans in place.

“We share this disappointment and will work closely with HTFC to ensure that all ticket holders receive a full refund as soon as possible.

“Following today’s update stating that supporters would no longer be permitted to attend the fixture, SAFC has taken the decision to stream the fixture on the SAFSee platform free of charge.

Supporters who have already purchased a streaming pass will also receive a full refund.”

County council officials said the club submitted a risk assessment and stewarding plan on Friday morning following safety concerns raised after the Rotherham United game on Wednesday night.

However, the authority said the assessment and plan was “unfortunately not sufficient”. It added that “discussions continue to see what can be done to find a safe solution looking ahead”.

Among the issues that needed to be addressed were medical support, stewarding and spectator safety, according to the council.

Matt O’Neill, assistant director for growth, planning and trading standards at NYCC, said:

“Together with partner agencies in the Safety Advisory Group we have pulled out all the stops to try to support the club to deal with a range of safety measures that had to be addressed to enable the match to go ahead.

“Safety standards are put in place to protect the spectators and ensure a safe match by the Sports Ground Safety Association (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) and, as the public would expect, they must be met.

“We recognise that this will be disappointing for the fans who were looking forward to the friendly match against Sunderland AFC, especially after such a difficult last season due to covid restrictions. However, the safety of everyone entering the facility must come first.”

The chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals has vented her frustration after banners promoting a major event were promptly removed by North Yorkshire County Council.

Yesterday was the first day of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which attracts hundreds of crime writing fans to Harrogate.

The four-day festival, which is attended this year by the likes of Ian Rankin and Richard Osman, is one of the first events since the pandemic that the arts charity has been able to full stage.

So Sharon Canavar was less than impressed by what she regarded as a lack of support from the county council after numerous banners put up across town on Wednesday were removed by midday yesterday,

Ms Canavar tweeted:

“When you put your banners up welcoming guests to Harrogate last night and North Yorkshire County Council are snipping them down before midday this am. How come everyone else gets away with it for weeks?

“Don’t have time to follow him round to get them back for use this weekend. So £s wasted. Great, like this gig isn’t hard enough at the moment.”

The events industry has been hit hard during the pandemic. Large events are only just beginning to go ahead as lockdown restrictions ease.

Ms Canavar said last month it was nerve wracking making decisions on events due to the uncertainty of the roadmap out of lockdown.

Read more:

• The Prime Minister has welcomed the news that the Convention Centre has hosted it first events post-pandemic
• Harrogate town centre mural takes shape

The county council said it supported local events, especially after the pandemic, but road safety was paramount.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said:

“Banners attached to barriers or fencing beside the highway can create a safety hazard. At such locations, banners can distract drivers and other road users or obstruct visibility.

“We assess the risks before taking action to remove such banners, and high-risk areas such as those mentioned are prioritised.

“If event organisers contact the highways office, we will always be happy to advise them.”

The number of covid patients in North Yorkshire hospitals has increased by 40 per cent in the last week — but just three are in Harrogate.

A media briefing today revealed there are currently 112 covid patients in the county compared with 80 a week ago.

There are three patients in each of Scarborough and Harrogate hospitals, 19 in York and 87 in South Tees.

Coronavirus rates have soared to record levels. Harrogate’s seven-day average rate of infection is now 511 cases per 100,000 people, surpassing the previous January peak. But the number of hospital patients being at Harrogate District Hospital is well below the 67 seen in February.

The North Yorkshire average rate of infection is 570 and the England rate is 520.

Locally, Ripon south and east has become the new covid hotspot, with 69 infections in the last seven days.

Read more:

• Harrogate district records highest covid rate since start of pandemic
• Leading Harrogate’s biggest school during covid

Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of health and adult services told the media briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum there had been no cause for celebration following Freedom Day on Monday. He said:

“As we meet today it is quite a bleak and depressing record even though we have had on Monday the lifting of restrictions.

“The current county average across North Yorkshire is 570 per 100,000 and that is the highest recorded figure that we have had in North Yorkshire.

“We have the highest figure we have ever had in Scarborough, higher now than the surge that we had in November.

“So that is quite stark in terms of the situation that we are currently facing.”

Mr Webb added there had been a “significant spread of the virus amongst younger people”. However, case numbers were increasing in all age groups. He said:

“I would ask you to continue to wear your face mask, to keep your hand hygiene and to keep ,where you can, to a distance from other people.

“You may feel confident personally, however, other people may be anxious and they may not feel confident and they may be worried about the spread of this virus.”

Construction on Harrogate’s £10.9 million Station Gateway project is expected to start in February next year, according to a council report.

Detailed designs for the project, which includes proposals such as reducing Station Parade to one-lane, are currently being drawn up.

It could also see part of James Street pedestrianised in an effort to encourage more walking and cycling.

A progress report due before North Yorkshire County Council on Friday, says:

“Scheme construction is anticipated to commence in February 2022 following approval of the final business case by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

“Completion of the scheme by the Department for Transport deadline date of March 2023 remains challenging.”

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The report adds that further public consultation on the detailed design plans is expected in September ahead of a final business case being complete.

A final proposal for the project is anticipated to go before the county council’s executive in December.

The report follows the recent publication of a 160-page document analysing responses to the first round of consultation to the scheme, which is a joint initiative between Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Of 935 people who replied to a consultation question about traffic on Station Parade in an online survey, 49 per cent preferred the one-lane option, 27 per cent preferred the two-lane option and 24 per cent preferred neither.

Of the 934 who replied to a question about pedestrianising the northern section of James Street, between Princes Street and Station Parade, 54 per cent said they were either positive or very positive about it while 38 per cent were negative or very negative towards it.

The planters on James Street in Harrogate and the cones in Knaresborough are to be removed imminently as part of today’s lifting of lockdown restrictions.

However, the Ginnel in Harrogate is to remain closed to traffic for an unspecified period of time to support outdoor hospitality.

The planters and cones were introduced last year as social distancing measures for town centre shoppers.

However, they have proved unpopular with some businesses, which say the loss of parking spaces has affected trade.

Traders opposed to the cones in Knaresborough.

Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, said:

“It is our intention to remove all the social distancing measures and parking suspensions next week.

“I cannot confirm that it will happen on Monday since there may be some clearance work needed on the highways after the Great Yorkshire Show, which closed on Friday evening, but I do hope it may all be completed on Monday.

“The closure of the Ginnel in Harrogate is the only social distancing measure likely to remain in place.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough businesses call for social distancing cones to go
• Elderly woman waits two hours for ambulance after James Street fall

Asked why the narrow street would stay closed to traffic when the government is lifting all social distancing measures tomorrow, Cllr Mackenzie said:

“The Ginnel is a very narrow, little-used street where closure will remain a little longer to support outdoor hospitality.”

Lucy Gardiner, co-founder of Harrogate Residents Association, said it was “extremely pleased” to hear the planters were going. She added:

“After months of writing to the councillors and expressing the many concerns from the retailers and residents it is absolutely the right thing for them to do, to actually show they are listening.

“Convenience is an integral part to the high street, which was highlighted by Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association in his recent presentation to the chamber of commerce.

“There is still demand for traditional shopping methods and Harrogate needs to lead the way for the high street — not became like every other pedestrianised place.”

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Why my friends won’t be returning to Harrogate

Station Gateway: economic concerns need addressing

Independent Harrogate, which represents more than 180 businesses. supports the proposed ‘Station Gateway‘ in general but we do have some serious concerns that it might have a negative impact on the local economy.

The scheme fails to address the need for park and ride schemes, a large number of electric car charging points and extensive safe cycling routes away from traffic that link with low-traffic neighbourhoods, therefore reducing congestion and in turn reducing carbon emissions.

And, to prevent congestion and an increase in carbon emissions, Station Parade must retain its two lanes, with enhanced cycling facilities reserved for East Parade.

We support James Street remaining fully open whilst supporting the narrowing at its junction with Station Parade to aid pedestrians crossing the road.

We urge North Yorkshire County Council to meet groups to discuss the finer details of the proposals.

William Woods, Independent Harrogate

Why is Kex Gill work taking so long?

Given that it is now more than two years since the Kex Gill route was finalised and finance was put in place, it is staggering that North Yorkshire County Council is now warning the scheme could be delayed because it hasn’t bothered to secure the land, in precisely the same way no one thought to consult the Duchy of Lancaster regarding the much-delayed Otley Road cycle path. Do they never learn?

David Howarth, Harrogate

Read more:

• £10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway scheme moves to design stage
• Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Neil Renton, the headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, was in Marks & Spencer in Leeds on his wedding anniversary one weekend recently when his phone rang.

He was told a student on a coach trip to Flamingo Land had tested positive for covid and a decision had to be made on which children should isolate the next day.

He called Dr Dora Machaira, a health improvement officer in North Yorkshire County Council‘s public health team, who has been the go-to woman for schools needing advice on covid, and, after numerous calls, made the necessary arrangements.

The episode sums up what life has been like running a school during the last 16 months. Face masks, lateral flow tests, bubbles, test and trace and isolate have become as much a part of the lexicon of education as maths, English and science.

The lowest point came just before Christmas: the second wave was taking off and the school received news of more infections, which meant closing an entire year group. Mr Renton recalls:

“On a Sunday night I was wondering ‘how are we going to tell 290 students that they are not coming in tomorrow?’ There’s nothing more painful than having to go to parents and say, ‘your child will have to isolate’.”

At the same time Kirsty Moat, the associate headteacher who Mr Renton describes as “my co-pilot”, tested positive and about 50 other staff, some of whom were badly affected by the disease, were also absent.

Attendance fell to 47 per cent

Mr Renton thinks about the current academic year in covid phases rather than terms.

During phase one, in September and October, case numbers were low.

“There was a feeling of confidence that we had reopened and things were back to normal.”

November to January was the second and most difficult phase. At one point pupil attendance fell to 47 per cent as more and more children isolated. All of years 11 and 13, which have about 300 students each, were closed at some points.

The January lockdown that followed, which was the third phase, was almost a relief because the school had learned from previous remote learning and felt confident it could cope, especially as every student has an iPad.

The return-to-school fourth phase in March was relatively smooth, with low case numbers. But the fifth phase since half-term has been almost as tough as pre-Christmas. He says:

“We haven’t had any year group closures in the latest phase but today we have 159 students isolating.”

‘Pushed to the limit’

Mr Renton is fulsome in his praise for North Yorkshire County Council’s public health team; but less so for the Department for Education, which he says has “pushed headteachers to the limits” with last minute, complex guidance and U-turns.

“We hear the PM announce something then guidance comes out two days later.”

Read more:

• Record number of Oxbridge offers at Harrogate Grammar School
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Harrogate Grammar, which is one of 13 schools in north and west Yorkshire belonging to Red Kite Learning Trust, is one of the largest schools in the north of England with 2,018 pupils.

Its size means it has been better able to assimilate the financial cost of covid than some smaller schools. It has employed extra cleaners, had to cover for absent teachers and even put up a marquee to improve social distancing.

The remarkable generation

Throughout it all not one child has been seriously ill. Mr Renton mentions several times during the interview how selfless and mature pupils have been in responding to a pandemic that doesn’t predominantly affect their generation.

“We should call them the remarkable generation, not the covid generation.”

He acknowledges, however, there is a “growing sense of frustration” among young people at the sacrifices they’re making, especially when they watch packed crowds at football matches.

Terms ends on Friday and, with covid infections rocketing, he admits the school is “limping” towards the finishing line.

He’s looking forward to a week away during the six-week holiday and, hopefully, a quieter 2021/22 school year when the NHS will assume responsibility from the school for pupil test and trace.

Mr Renton, who hasn’t had covid although his son in year 10 at the school had to isolate for 10 days, started as headteacher in September 2019 in what now seems like a golden bygone pre-covid era.

He chuckles at the memory of an early planning meeting to discuss arrangements for the Tour de Yorkshire.

“Now we look back at that time and laugh because every week we are dealing with much bigger and more complex logistical problems.

“My first two years of being a headteacher has been a crash course in leading through crisis and changing circumstances.”