Deaths and test results
The total number of coronavirus positive test results in York has now crept up to 910. There have been no further hospital deaths.
Coronavirus York updates; 14th July 2020
Coronavirus York updates; 13th July 2020
Death and test results
There have been no changes to the cumulative number of Coronavirus hospital deaths reported in York or in the number of positive test results.
Coronavirus York updates; 11th July 2020
Deaths and test results
So no further positive test results or York Hospital Trust deaths yesterday (10/7/20).
The York Council has so far not provided any reports on the effectiveness of the COVID 19 test result process. By now we would have expected to see at least the number of contacts identified per positive test result and the number who have been spoken to.
Coronavirus York updates; 10th July 2020
There have been no further hospital deaths or positive virus test results in York.
Coronavirus York updates; 9th July 2020
Lock-down eased further
Outdoor theatres and swimming pools will be able to open, along with recreational sports.
Dance studios and sports like badminton and volleyball together with indoor pools, gyms, nail bars and sports facilities will reopen 25th July
There will be restrictions on numbers in gyms and pools and people will be encouraged to shower and change at home where possible, though changing rooms will be open.
Club cricket can also resume from this Saturday, 11 July, with “a limited number of spectators” allowed and clubhouse bars will be able to open, subject to social distancing rules.
There is no word yet on when other spectator sports will be able to admit spectators and under what conditions.
Deaths and test results
There has been another positive coronavirus test result in York. This brings the total to 903.
There have been no further deaths in the York Hospital Trust area.
Coronavirus York updates; 8th July 2020
Deaths and test results
Good news today with no more hospital deaths and no new positive COVID 19 test results.
The number of hospital deaths remains at 214 (7/7/20). It has remained at this figure for over 3 weeks.
The cumulative number of positive tests results remains at 902 (7/7/20). The last positive result was announced on Saturday.
National announcements on housing and hospitality
- a £1,000 bonus for each worker that companies bring back from furlough and employ through to January next year;
- a “kickstart scheme” to directly pay firms to create jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds;
- cash for businesses to take on trainees and apprentices;
- an eight-month temporary cut in stamp duty, with no charge on property transactions below £500,000;
- larger grants for improved energy efficiency in homes.
- a cut in VAT on food, accommodation and attractions from 20% to 5% until 12 January;
- an “Eat Out to Help Out” discount of up to £10 per head to get Britons back to restaurants, cafes and pubs
Coronavirus York updates 7th July 2020
Deaths and positive test results
One additional positive Coronavirus test result has been added to the government stats. This brings the cumulative total to 902.
There has been one additional Coronavirus related death in a York care home during the last week (26/6/20) according to ONS published figures
There have been no additional deaths at York Hospital Trust sites
Council expenditure on marketing hits £350,000
The Councils expenditure figures for June have now been published. All accounts for amounts exceeding £250 can be viewed by clicking here.
Taxpayers will be taking a particular interest in the amount being spent on COVID-19 related marketing.
The total has now reached £354,326.65 since February.
This includes ££68,659.00 spent in June.
By far the largest supplier was the York based marketing company “Ideas Group” who were responsible for the Councils post pandemic PR strategy. This included some of the signs that can be seen round the City centre.
They submitted bills for £43,000 in June.
Libraries reopening
Many of York’s libraries and reading cafes have reopened. Those wanting to borrow books must make an appointment before visiting.
Museum opening plans
York Castle Museum and York Art Gallery will both open to the public again on August 1st. According to the York Museums Trust the Yorkshire Museum will remain closed.
The Merchant Adventurers Hall coffee room will be reopening on Thursday 9th July.
Minster School
The authorities have confirmed that the Minster School will close permanently from the end of its summer term.
Hand sanitisers
The York BID has installed hand sanitiser stations on some streets in the city centre
Park and Ride
The Askham Bar park and ride site – which reopened at the weekend – was very quiet today
Better bus services announced by First York from this weekend
First have issued notifications of the following service changes
Askham Bar Park & Ride has now re-opened; services will operate every 15 minutes at weekends, every 10 minutes Monday-Friday during peak times and every 15 minutes throughout the day.
Timetables
From Sunday 12th July, the following changes will take place to help with safe, socially-distanced travel for necessary journeys. Full details of the changes and timetables can be found in the ‘Forthcoming’ section of our timetables page. The changes are being made to help manage continued capacity restrictions on buses due to social distancing as further lockdown measures are eased.
City Services
Service 1 – there will be changes to early evening services, and late evening services will be operating to a revised timetable (up to every 30 minutes). Sunday daytime services will be increased to run up to every 20 minutes during busy periods.
Service 4 – there will be changes to early evening services, and late evening services will be operating to a revised timetable (up to every 30 minutes). Sunday daytime services will be increased to run up to every 20 minutes during busy periods.
Service 5/5A – minor timetable changes will be occuring. The 22:00pm and 23:00pm from Strensall will now operate at 21:50pm and 22:50pm respectively, and the 22:55pm from Acomb will now operate at 22:45pm.
Service 6 – there will be changes to early evening services, and late evening services will be operating to a revised timetable (up to every 30 minutes) for the majority of the late evening period. Services will leave Clifton Moor during the evening at 00/30 minutes past the hour, and from Campus East at 15/45 minutes past the hour. Sunday daytime services will be increased to run up to every 20 minutes during busy periods.
Service 10/10A – service timetable has been updated to reduce the amount of time spent waiting at bus stops, due to the current reduced traffic levels.
Service 11 – these buses will run every 30 minutes for the majority of the day.
Service 11S – this service will not operate.
Service 12 – these buses will run every 30 minutes for the majority of the day.
Service 200 – this service will continue to operate 3 early morning services.
University Services
Service 66 – evening and Sunday services will be increased to every 40 minutes.
66A, 66X – will not operate. Alternative journeys will be provided by Service 10, 10A and 66.
Service N66 – will not operate.
Park and Ride Services
Service 2A – service frequency will be increased to every 10 minutes for the majority of the day Monday – Saturday, and every 12 minutes during Sunday daytime. Evening frequency will be restored to every 30 minutes.
Service 3 – will not operate. Alternative journeys will be provided by service 12 between Askham Bar Tesco and York.
Service 7 – service frequency will be increased to every 10 minutes for the majority of the day Monday – Saturday, and every 12 minutes during Sunday daytime. Evening frequencywill be restored to every 30 minutes.
Service 8, 66A, 66X – will not operate. Alternative journeys will be provided by Service 10, 10A, 66.
Service 9 – service frequency will be increased to every 10 minutes for the majority of the day Monday – Saturday, and every 12 minutes during Sunday daytime.
Service 59 – will not operate.
Please only travel if your journey is necessary.
Coronavirus York updates; 6th July 2020
Deaths and test results
The number of positive virus test results in York continues to edge up.
It has now topped 900 cumulative cases.
Better news on deaths where no more have been recorded at York Trust hospitals.
The total remains at 214.
Household waste sites – appointments still needed.
Just a reminder that the York Council is still asking residents to make an appointment if they wish to use the household waste site at Hazel Court. The Council said that they would be phasing out the requirement in the light of low user numbers.
Mansion House reopening to public
The Mansion House will be reopening for guided tours on Wednesday 22nd July.
The managers say, “From next week, we will be launching an online booking page, where it will be possible to book onto a 45 minute guided tour, which will run throughout the day from Wednesday to Sunday. On each tour we will allow no more than six people, so we can stay in complete control of distancing, and deliver the best experience possible”.
Coronavirus York updates; 5th July 2020
Test results and deaths
The government has revised its stats to show an additional positive test result in the York area on 29th June. This took the cumulative total to 899.
There has still not been any comment from the authorities about the success or otherwise of the contact tracing process in the local area. The next meeting of the York Councils “outbreak management board” is not due to take place for another week.
The cumulative total of deaths at York Trust hospitals remains at 214.
Where is the plan?
Some traders are reporting that takings yesterday were down compared to the previous Saturday.
The Council has been criticised for multiple failures with its parking strategy. It appears that the “phone only” 2 hours free parking was not applied if a shopper tried to pay for an extra hour (they were liable to be billed at full rate for the first 2 hours).
As we said when the scheme first started it was simply to complicated to be understood by casual visitors (even assuming that they had downloaded the mobile RingGo parking app).
Key shoppers car parks like Castle & Marygate were excluded from the scheme.
The Council compounded the problem by saying that the Castle car park would be closed, but without saying when. (They need to forget that idea for at least 12 months. This would give the City centre economy time to recover and for alternatives to become established)
Some traders have suggested that there should be free parking at all car parks from 3:00pm each day. That would at least have the merit of being understandable (and would also help the evening economy).
The Councils’ preferred alternative transport mode – cycling- still suffers from a lack of secure parking. This is also an acute issue at some suburban shopping locations.
The provision of additional “social distancing” space – at the expense of highways and car parking – has been largely random. In most cases like Marygate car park the provision has mostly been ignored by users.
In others, contraflow cycle lanes have introduced additional hazards.
All in all then, the lack of a thought through recovery strategy is becoming of more concern each day.
Marketing alone will not be enough.
In an occasional lucid moment the York Council has displayed some advertising flair. Not least with the widely applauded “Don’t be a Tosser” anti litter campaign.
They may also say that people are right to be very cautious about visiting busy locations. They would be right in saying that safety must come first.
But that doesn’t excuse the absence of a 3 – 6 month revitalisation strategy.
As regulations allow; arts, music, poetry, comedy and sports should come to open spaces throughout the City. Sub-urban areas and villages must be included. Most shops, takeaways, restaurants and hairdressers in those areas have now reopened.
They – like the arts – have had little support from the authorities.
A festival atmosphere would provide a huge lift for the morale of residents and visitors alike. It should encompass large visitor magnets like the Minster, Museums and Guildhalls.
But it does needs to start quickly now.
Coronavirus York updates; 4th July 2020
Deaths and test results
There have been no further deaths at York Trust hospitals The total (3/7/20) remains at 214. The last death was recorded on 18th June.
The cumulative total of positive test results (public + private centres) remains at 898 (2/7/20).
Modest increase in visitor numbers today
There appears to have been a small increase in the numbers of people on City centre streets today compared to last Saturday. Some pubs have opened and there are outside cafe tables available on Parliament Street. Most visitors seem to be adopting a cautious approach and are observing social distancing requests. Few are wearing face masks.
There has been come criticism of the Councils “2 hours of free parking” initiative which one trader described as impenetrably complex. The deal doesn’t apply to the main shopper car parks like Castle and Marygate.
Births, deaths and marriages
York Council announces changes at York Register Office and York Crematorium
In line with the easing of government restrictions from 4 July, York Register Office will reopen for weddings and civil partnerships and the Crematorium will welcome more people from this weekend.
Since government restrictions were imposed in March, the council has regularly kept how services at the crematorium can continue under review, with the health and safety of mourners, funeral directors and staff our priority.
Recent government advice means that we are delighted that weddings are able to resume from 4 July the council has been working on plans so that the Register Office can safely hold marriages.
York Crematorium
As part of the updated government advice and taking into account social distancing measures required as well as the ever-present risks relating to the spread of Coronavirus, the Crematorium can now welcome up to eighteen people excluding the funeral director and clergy or celebrant in the main crematorium chapel.
Due to the size of the small chapel and the need to maintain social distancing, the number in the small chapel is being kept at five.
Numerous safety measures remain in place.
The council will also be working with funeral directors and staff to review how the changes to the 2m rule may work in practice to potentially allow higher numbers of mourners to attend.
Once the restrictions have been fully lifted, the council will ensure that services of remembrance at York Crematorium will be offered to all families and a city-wide multi-faith remembrance ceremony will be held, supported by local faith leaders and the Council.
York Minster has also confirmed that a special memorial service to comfort relatives and friends bereaved during the Coronavirus pandemic will take place at the Minster, when such events can take place.
York Register Office
Weddings are returning to York Register Office this weekend.
Initially the Register Office have and will sort bookings for those who booked a wedding or civil partnership before the pandemic struck and will be in touch with all couples to offer them the opportunity to get married.
As with other Register Offices in the region that are able to reopen and in line with government advice, the council is maintaining the 2m social distancing. This means initially 8 guests (excluding the couple and officiants) will be allowed in the large room in use, in addition to the small witness only weddings which remain as two witnesses only as normal.
While it is not possible to safely accommodate higher numbers at the register office the council is actively seeking alternative venues that would allow 30 people to attend and will make further announcements should this be possible.
Six weddings are booked for this weekend and we hope the couples have a fantastic day and happy marriage.