Harrogate district pubs were ‘praying for tier one’
Pubs in the Harrogate district have voiced their disappointment at being placed in tier two at the end of lockdown.
Rick Jones, who owns the Water Rat and Valentino’s, said: “We were all praying for tier one. But with a very limited number of areas going into tier one it is not a surprise.”
He expects the impact of tier two to mean that business at the Water Rat pub will be down by around 30% compared to the same time last year.
Mr Jones added: “Celebratory casual drinks in December won’t be happening. There’s only so many times you can go out with your own household. There’s a vaccine in sight. We just have to face this and ride it out.”
While trade will be down for his pubs, wet-led pubs that cannot serve substantial meals with drinks have to close.
Richard Park, of the Little Ale House, also said: “It is something we were expecting but we are of course disappointed. It just makes no sense to close small, safe pubs like ours.
“Just because we don’t have the capacity to cook substantial meals, whatever that means, we are forced to keep our doors shut.”
Megan Fairweather, the social media secretary at Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA, added:
“After an agonising wait, licensees across the country have had their worst fears confirmed – in all but three council areas in the country, pubs will either be closed or only able to open if they are serving substantial meals.”
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.
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.”
Ripon coronavirus testing site opens
A mobile coronavirus testing site opened in Ripon today for the first time.
The small-scale site will be open at the coach park near the bus station on a weekly basis. The Stray Ferret understands it will be there every Wednesday.
Ripon has some of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the district, but this will prevent people travelling out of the city for a test.
Tests must be booked in advance on the government website. Those who do so then must arrive in a vehicle, which will protect staff from infection.
A portable cabin parked near Ripon’s Christmas tree on Market Square has been removed.
The cabin appeared two days after the city’s biggest ever display of Christmas lights was switched on and somewhat spoiled the view.
Councillor Stuart Martin told Monday’s virtual meeting of Ripon City Council the cabin had been moved following a request to Yorkshire Water, which ordered the cabin as part of sewer repair works at the junction of Market Square East and Kirkgate.
Cllr Martin, who is also a district and county councillor, said:
“If, as expected, the lockdown is lifted on December 2, the works will be halted until the New Year.”
Ripon spent an extra £65,000 on Christmas lights this year, with the tree in the market place the centrepiece of the attraction.
The Market Square has been a major focal point in Ripon since the 12th century and is one of the most famous landmarks in the Harrogate district.
When the sewer works began, cllr Martin told the Stray Ferret:
“It is not right to put this slap bang in front of a Grade II* listed building, next to the Christmas tree. This has obviously caused a lot of upset.
“The positioning could have been better.”
Work on the sewer repairs at the junction of Market Place East and Kirkgate
Following Cllr Martin’s intervention, Harrogate Borough Council asked Yorkshire Water to find a more appropriate place for the cabins.
In the spirit of making the best of a bad situation, people on an online Ripon community group suggested decorating the cabins as giant presents or as Santa’s sleigh.
Another wrote:
“We have so little to look forward to this year. Surely it’s not too much to ask to be able to take a photo of our beautiful square!”
Kittens thrown from moving vehicle in Ripon
Police are investigating reports that two kittens were thrown from a moving vehicle to their deaths in Ripon.
Police say the incident happened at around 2pm last Thursday between Water Skellgate and Bondgate Green.
Witnesses described the vehicle as brown or gold in colour. It was driving eastbound from Ripon towards the A61 bypass.
Anyone who saw the incident have been urged to call 101 and quote reference number 12200204632.
Reports on social media suggest that the kittens were alive when they were thrown from the vehicle and later died from their injuries.
Harrogate district sports clubs and gyms celebrate return
Sport and leisure clubs in the Harrogate district have reacted with delight to this afternoon’s government announcement that they can reopen next week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed lockdown will end on December 2 and the country will return to a tier system.
Gyms, sports clubs and non-essential shops will all be able to re-open.
Chris McVey, chair of Pannal Ash Junior Football Club, which has 400 boys and girls, said it hoped to resume training on the weekend of December 5 and 6.
“It’s good news but to be honest I’m still bemused by it all. I don’t know why the boys and girls couldn’t train. I don’t know what their fitness levels will be like after a month off but it will be great to be back.”
Harrogate Gymnastics Club tweeted it was ‘brilliant news’.
Phillip McKay, owner of independent Ripon gym Intrim, agreed. He told the Stray Ferret:
“When you see people queueing for McDonald’s and gyms closed, it doesn’t make sense. Gyms have so many health benefits.”
Mike Barnett, coach of Harrogate Ladies rugby club, said:
“The announcements are really positive for the players physically and also mentally as they are doing something they love with their friends again. We are still not at a place to do matches but they will be pleased to get back together.
“We just need to wait for the official line from the RFU and what tier Harrogate is placed in.”
There was good news for Harrogate Town fans too, with the government also raising the prospect of some fans possibly being allowed to return to outdoor events. Harrogate Town celebrated the news on Twitter.
Government guidance today said adult sport would be permitted outdoors in tier one areas but must follow the rule of six indoors.
Outdoor sports can also take place in tier two areas but only one household can take part in indoor activities.
Tier three also permits outdoor sports but limits household mixing and encourages people to avoid contact sport.
Competition launched to find district’s best Christmas lights
The search is on to find the best lit house in the Harrogate district this Christmas! With the help of Yorkshire Lighting and Electrical Services, the Stray Ferret is looking for those who’ve gone that extra mile to make Christmas 2020 more magical than ever.
The competition will launch on Facebook on Monday 23 November, and anyone can nominate themselves or a neighbour.
Glen Molloy from Yorkshire Lighting said:
“I’m delighted to be working alongside the Stray Ferret to try and bring some Christmas cheer in these hard times. It’s been a difficult year for everybody, and I’m hoping this will bring some joy to those neighbourhoods that get involved. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the hard work that goes into lighting up so many houses for Christmas 2020.”
Aside from the pride of the title of ‘Best Christmas Lights in the Harrogate District’, the winner will receive a £150 voucher from Harrogate company Lights4Fun – so they can go even further next year!
Simon Norton, Marketing and Customer Experience Director at Lights4fun said:
“This year more than ever before, the home is at the heart of Christmas. There are many ways in which lighting has lifted our spirits, from outdoor displays that brighten the evenings of those passing by to placing candles in windows in support of key workers. As a Harrogate business we are proud to partner with the Stray Ferret in their search for the best dressed Christmas house. We truly care about our community and are always so proud to support our local causes and businesses.”
A coronavirus testing site in Ripon could open in an effort to expand capacity.
Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said at a press briefing today the authority was “scoping” a mobile site in the city from next week.
However, no further details have been revealed.
Ripon has some of the lowest rates of covid infections in the Harrogate district.
Today’s press briefing also revealed the full-time Harrogate testing site on Dragon Road is averaging 180 tests per day – well below its capacity of 320.
A further 50 cases of coronavirus were confirmed today in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England.
The figure takes the total number of cases up to 3,254.
There are further encouraging signs that the spread of the virus is slowing.
The seven-day average rate of infections for the district has fallen to 241 per 100,000 people, down from 307 last week.
It means the district has fallen from having the second highest rate in the county to the fourth highest behind Selby, Craven and Scarborough.
The R number has also gone down from 1.6 to 1.2.
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health for North Yorkshire, told today’s press briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, a partnership of emergency agencies, that consensus was needed over future restrictions.
He said the tier one measures, which were in place in the county until the second lockdown, did not give people “a sense of seriousness about the situation”.
Building site hijacks Ripon Christmas display
To the dismay of Ripon residents, a building site has been erected in the city’s historic market place alongside the city’s Christmas display.
Ripon spent an extra £65,000 on Christmas lights this year, with the tree in the market place the centrepiece of the attraction.
But just two days after the lights were switched on the festive mood soured slightly when Yorkshire Water, which is carrying out emergency sewer repairs on Kirkgate, set up portable cabins right next to the tree in the heart of the city.
The market place has been the centrepiece of the city since the 12th century and is one of the most famous landmarks in the Harrogate district,
Cllr Stuart Martin, the Harrogate district’s mayor, told the Stray Ferret:
“It is not right to put this slap bang in front of a Grade II* Listed Building, next to the Christmas tree. This has obviously caused a lot of upset.
“The positioning could have been better. Hopefully it will be moved in a couple of days.”
The Stray Ferret understands Harrogate Borough Council has asked Yorkshire Water to find a more appropriate place for the cabins.
In the spirit of making the best of a bad situation, people on a Ripon community group suggested decorating the cabins as giant presents or as Santa’s sleigh.
Another wrote:
“We have so little to look forward to this year. Surely it’s not too much to ask to be able to take a photo of our beautiful square!”
The Stray Ferret approached Yorkshire Water for a comment but had not received a reply by the time of publication.
The company has said Kirkgate will be closed until December 2 and any remaining work will be postponed until the new year.
Huge bears brighten up Ripon for Christmas
A display of six-feet tall bears is brightening up Ripon in time for Christmas.
Hornseys, a gallery on Kirkgate, has acquired the bears as part of its shop front display.
The Charlie Bears are worth thousands of pounds but the gallery is not in a rush to sell them.
Daniel Hornsey, the gallery owner, told the Stray Ferret it has been his most popular display ever.
“People find it uplifting, we can always hear them talking about which bears they like most.
“It is a wonderful story. Anything that brings joy to people at the moment is a very good thing.”
Watch our video above to see the display in its full glory.
