Police and council to check Harrogate venues comply with outdoor rule

Police and council officers are to conduct checks on outdoor hospitality shelters in the Harrogate district to ensure they comply with government regulations.

Harrogate Borough Council warned of the checks amid concern about whether all of the shelters in the district comply with what is classed as outdoor.

Many hospitality venues have created shelters to take advantage of today’s latest easing of lockdown rules, which allow licensed premises to serve customers outdoors.

Government guidelines say that to be considered outdoors, ‘shelters, marquees and other structures can have a roof but need to have at least 50% of the area of their walls open at all times whilst in use’.

A source close to one small business owner told the Stray Ferret they were ‘surprised’ the council, which is enforcing the national government guidelines, had agreed to some of the structures.

The issue has also raised numerous comments on social media.

A council spokesman said its officers would be carrying out visits across the Harrogate district in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, “to offer support, advice and guidance to businesses and check on compliance with the latest regulations”.

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He added:

“Temporary outdoor shelters are determined by national government advice.

“Any Harrogate district businesses wishing to find out more, or whether planning permission is required, should get in touch and we will be happy to advise.”

Asked to comment on claims some venues breached the guidelines, he said:

“Without knowing the details of the premises who have raised concerns we cannot comment further.”

The council spokesman was unable to say how many venues had applied to erect outdoor structures.

But many large Harrogate hospitality venues, including the West Park Hotel, the Fat Badger , La Feria and Gianni’s Brio Restaurant and Pizzeria, as well as the Fox and Hounds and the Grantham Arms in Boroughbridge have done so.

Perhaps the most spectacular is the Cedar Court Hotel‘s £50,000 tipi, which can accommodate 36 people.

Wayne Topley, managing director of the hotel, said it was built in full compliance with the regulations. He added it could be adapted for weddings and conferences.

“It’s a temporary structure but we hope to use it for a couple for years to come.”

 

 

New plans for Lamb and Flag pub in Bishop Monkton

The Lamb and Flag pub in Bishop Monkton could be converted into a retail or commercial unit after previous plans to turn it into housing were withdrawn.

Carol and Trevor Pawson submitted plans last year to convert the 200-year-old pub, which also had bed and breakfast rooms, into five homes.

However, planning documents on the Harrogate Borough Council website reveal that a new buyer for the pub has been found and they are expected to submit a fresh application for commercial and retail space on the site.

The Pawson family declined to comment on the future of the building when asked by the Stray Ferret.

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Bishop Monkton, which the Domesday Book referred to as the Tun of the monks, has seen an increase in residential development over the last 50 years.

Despite new developments and growing populations, village pubs have found it difficult to survive.

At one time, there were seven pubs within Bishop Monkton’s parish boundaries but it is now currently served by just the Mason’s Arms.

Nearby Burton Leonard lost a pub in recent years when the Hare and Hounds was replaced by housing.

CAMRA lists district pubs open this weekend to encourage visitors

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in Harrogate and Ripon has pulled together a list pubs that are opening this weekend to encourage visitors.

Under the new restrictions only those selling substantial meals can reopen meaning many pubs in the Harrogate district are remaining closed.

CAMRA has put together a list of all of the pubs across the Harrogate district able to open this weekend. The group has also put together other lists including pubs offering an alcohol takeaway service.

The branch has warned that without public support some pubs may not make it through to the new year.

The branch secretary, Steve Fairweather, said:

“Pubs in our area face a very uncertain future following the tier two restrictions and reevaluation of tiers on the 16th December.

“Please show your support for your local pubs over the next few weeks, either by going for a meal or using take away services offered as government support is minimal and we fear that if we don’t support them now, it will be too late for most come January.”

The group is also encouraging people to write to their MP. It says it is important to gain government support for local pubs that are struggling.

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What classes as a substantial meal caused controversy this week after the government was forced to correct a statement made by George Eustice, the environment minister, who said a scotch egg “probably would count”.

The government has confirmed bar snacks are not substantial meals. Guidelines state it must be a “table meal”, it is expected to stand alone as a person’s main meal day or evening.

Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA has said the smallest meals it has seen being served locally are half a pizza and a ploughman’s meal at £3 each.

Pateley Bridge: no covid cases for 10 days but pubs stay shut

According to government statistics, there has not been a single new covid infection for at least 10 days in Pateley Bridge and nearby Nidd Valley.

Yet it seems many pubs in the Nidderdale town, which were hoping for a pre-Christmas boost after a dire year, are set to stay shut on Wednesday when lockdown ends.

Dan Elliot, general manager of the Royal Oak, sums up the frustration:

“Unless we go into tier 1 we will stay shut.

“The rules don’t suit small businesses like us. It seems they are making it viable for big chain pubs but the rules absolutely don’t work for your little country pub like us.”

The Royal Oak, which has four staff, serves meals so could open. But social distancing guidelines make it pointless, says Mr Elliot.

“There’s no way whatsoever to make it profitable.

“We’ve always had a good food trade but it’s more of a drinkers’ pub. For a pub that relies predominantly on locals and drinkers you have no hope.

“Unless you have space for loads of tables, or try and cheat the rules by doing cheap substantial meals, it’s just not viable.”

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The pub, which spent £300 putting up plastic screens in the bar and also erected sheltering to encourage customers to go outdoors, is a key part of the community.

Takeaway meals served at weekends during lockdown have been a lifeline to many older people.

It plans to continue selling weekend takeaways as well as providing £8 oven-ready Christmas Day meals.

But nobody knows when it will welcome locals, cyclists and walkers back through its doors — and this isn’t easy to accept in a place where there has not been a single new infection for almost two weeks. Mr Elliot says:

“We’ve done test and trace and we have not had any cases yet. I believe only one pub or restaurant in Pateley has had a case and it shut straight away and did a deep clean.

“It does feel a little bit like the blanket restrictions just don’t seem to fit pubs like us.”

Mr Elliot says he isn’t aware of any Pateley pubs that are re-opening.

“Covid had already taken all the enjoyment out of running a pub because we spend more time telling customers off for doing wrong things rather than asking how their day is. Now it’s taken the profitability out of it.

“Eat Out to Help Out was really good but since then it’s just slowly dwindled.

“If we go to tier 1 we could be OK because we could have up to six people at a table so we could have 36 people inside and 36 outside.

“We are expecting a bit of a backlash for not opening when we could but I don’t think people realise it isn’t financially viable.”

The Stray Ferret asked Julian Smith, whose Skipton and Ripon constituency includes Pateley Bridge, what his message was for small businesses struggling in tier two and whether he supported the government approach. He had not replied by time of publication.

 

 

 

 

Harrogate district pubs fear closure as tier announcement looms

Pubs in the Harrogate district have said they are being “demonised” and fear some will not survive if tier two restrictions are announced tomorrow.

Tier two and tier three restrictions stipulate pubs that do not serve “substantial” meals will be unable to reopen when lockdown ends next week.

North Yorkshire public health officials suggested today the county could be placed in tier two, although the national government will decide.

But unless the county is in tier one, there will be no end in sight for the enforced closures of many bars and pubs.

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Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA fears more than 70% of pubs will close in the district under tier two or tier three.

Rural pubs and those in smaller towns will be the ones to suffer most, it added.

Megan Fairweather, social media secretary of Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA, said:

“After the hardest year that pubs have ever faced, the uncertainty of the new tier system does not bring much hope.

“One Harrogate pub informed us just last week that in the first lockdown, they threw away £7,000 worth of alcohol.

“If we are lucky enough to be in tier one, pubs then face the uncertainty of changing tiers. Beer cannot just be served as soon as it arrives in a pub.”

The group has written to Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones asking him to support its campaign against further restrictions on pubs.

‘Safer than shops’

Richard Park, owner of The Little Ale House in Harrogate, said:

“Pubs should not be demonised like this. We are not aware of any infections in our pub, we think it’s much safe here than the shops.

“We are not going to go under but I fear what will happen to other pubs in the area. Pubs try hard to be safe and then we are closed down.”

Alan Huddart, club treasurer of Bilton Working Men’s Club, said:

“We are ready to open but it all hinges on us being in tier one. We don’t serve substantial meals so would be unable to open if we were in tier two.”

Jack Woodruff, co-owner of Harrogate’s Disappearing Chin, echoed his sentiments:

“If we are in tier one it would be tough but it would be okay. But if we are in tier two then we would have to close.

“This has been quite frustrating. We have worked hard and invested a lot in keeping the pub safe.”

£20,000 costs a month

Paul Kinsey, who owns the Viper Rooms, said:

“We can get £3,000 a month from November. My rent, insurance, maintenance and finances cost £20,000 a month.

“So I am not sure what bill that is meant to pay. We still don’t know what a ‘substantial meal’ means and night clubs are still ignored.”

 

‘Very few’ covid infections in North Yorkshire pubs

Pubs and restaurants have been responsible for hardly any covid outbreaks in North Yorkshire, according to the county’s public health director.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant said there had been “very few instances” of coronavirus spreading between customers in the hospitality sector.

He also said schools and workplaces had been responsible for few transmissions. The main source of spread, he said, was households.

Speaking today at a press briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of agencies that tackle emergencies, Dr Sargeant said:

“We have had very, very few instances of pubs where there has been outbreaks and spread to customers. It has largely been staff members that we have picked up.

“The predominant spread in North Yorkshire is between households.

“Our school heads and the teams supporting them have done a brilliant job of keeping schools safe from spread of covid. We are in contact with our care homes on a daily basis.”

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Harrogate has the highest weekly rate of infection of the seven districts in North Yorkshire, with 116 cases per 100,000 people. It also has the highest cumulative number of cases, which stands at 1,473, mainly because of its size.

Dr Sargeant said this could partly be due to the district’s high number of care homes.

North Yorkshire is currently classed in the lowest of the three tiers that were introduced this week, which means it continues to follow only national measures, such as the rule of six and 10pm curfew.

But neighbouring West Yorkshire is in the second tier, which bans different households mixing and socialising indoors.

This has led to fears some people may decide to cross the border into North Yorkshire if pub closures are imposed in West Yorkshire.

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold command for North Yorkshire Police’s response to covid, said the force would be prepared to police those coming into the county.

He said:

“We will just have to see what the impact is of other areas being in the higher tiers and what impact it will have on us.

“It is the minority who decide to throw caution to the wind and breach those restrictions. Absolutely, we will be ready to deal with those individuals.”

Some northern mayors, such as Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester, have criticised the government for a lack of consultation.

But Richard Webb, director of adult care at the county council, said it had been well consulted by the UK government:

“We are in constant conversation with different arms of government and there is no one single point of government.

“I can only speak from our own experience. We have been involved in discussions all along the way and that feels quite productive and helpful. We are in a national emergency so things will move at quite a quick pace and in that situation you can’t necessarily consult with everyone.”

More than 100 Eat Out to Help Out businesses in Harrogate district

From next week people will be able to ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ by taking advantage of a 50% discount on food and non-alcoholic drinks in the Harrogate district.

More than 100 restaurants, cafes, bars, and pubs in the district have signed up to the new government scheme to boost hospitality.

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It is valid all day Monday to Wednesday from August 3 to 31, as long the town or city is not in lockdown.

Customers can get a maximum of £10 off food and drink when they eat or drink in. There’s no minimum spend and it can be used in conjunction with other offers.

The government has released a list of establishments registered for the scheme, which we have compiled by area. If your business is not on the list then get in touch.

Harrogate – 66

Knaresborough – 14

Ripon – 9

Boroughbridge – 6

Nidderdale – 6

Masham – 4

Hospitality reopening crucial for Harrogate after tough lockdown

The reopening of bars, restaurants and hotels across the Harrogate District is a vital moment as the hospitality sector looks to recover from the battering of three months worth of lockdown.

Since March, the industry, worth around £200 million a year for Harrogate alone, has borne the brunt of the economic impact of lockdown with furloughed staff, loss of customers and no income.

It’s been three months since the last pint was pulled and hotel doors were closed on an industry that relies on the public to venture out and part with their hard earned cash to survive.

Now, as revellers await that long awaited beer with friends or an evening meal, hospitality owners say they need to make the best of the lockdown relaxations.

Peter Banks

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Hotel and Spa in Harrogate.

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa, said the sector was entering “the great unknown” this weekend but it was vital for it to reopen.

He said:

“We are delighted that we are allowed to reopen.

“But we do not know what level of demand we are going to see or how customers are going to behave.

“The government has given us guidance that is open to our interpretation and everybody is doing what they think is best.

“It is like going into the great unknown.”

Meanwhile, the sector, which employs around 9,500 people across the district, has reopened at a key time.

Space has already been created by North Yorkshire County Council for some bars and restaurants, with temporary pedestrianisation expected on Parliament Street and Kings Road.

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Measures to ensure social distancing are also in place with pubs taking bookings for tables ahead of reopening and people registering their details with restaurants before they enter in order to help with track and trace.

But, while some are happy to see the sector reopen, owners are under no illusion that the spring months will be key for businesses to survive.

Simon Cotton, managing director of the Fat Badger pub and White Hart Hotel, told The Stray Ferret recently that for some firms the next three months is crucial to survive the winter period when custom often drops off.

Mr Banks added that some businesses were already looking six months ahead and planning into next year for bookings.

“The next three months will be crucial because people have built up a war chest of income.

“My concern is that from September or October that is going to reduce and the amount of money that will be in circulation will drop and it will be a tough winter.”

With that in mind, as Harrogate’s hospitality sector opens its doors once again, it will be on us to visit our favourite bars, restaurants, hotels and cafes to ensure they survive.

“We want to get it right” – district pubs delay reopening

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.”

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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.

Outside North Bar

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.

Police plan more patrols as Harrogate pubs reopen

Police are planning more patrols this weekend as pubs in Harrogate reopen for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.

Some venues may not reopen this weekend and others will have booking systems in place but many will come back from July 4.

Not only will there be an increased police presence on the streets but there will also be more drink and drug driving patrols.

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North Yorkshire Police is urging everyone to play their part and “celebrate respectfully and peacefully.”

Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker said:

“As we see our high streets, communities and now licenced venues open up again, we urge people to drink responsibly and respect local residents and their peace and quiet. Licensees have had a very difficult few months, please don’t make things worse for your favourite pub or bar by risking their licence through antisocial behaviour or worse.”

Richard Flinton, Chair of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum and Chief executive of NYCC, added:

“It is very positive to see how carefully the lifting of the lockdown measures are being considered by the many pubs, restaurants and hotels which will start to trade again. If we get this right we will manage the risks and be able to enjoy some semblance of normality with our friends and family again – while not spreading the virus.”