For the past two weeks, villagers on the west side of Staithes, a quintessential English coastal retreat in North Yorkshire, could have been forgiven for feeling a certain sense of smugness.
The neighbourhood was placed in a ‘medium risk’ Covid category by the UK government – frustrating but relatively easy to manage – while their counterparts on the other side of a small wooden bridge were placed in a ‘high risk’ category.
Those on the ‘dark side’ as it was quickly nicknamed, were banned from meeting friends indoors and told to limit their journeys. They were set to move into even stricter measures when the national picture deteriorated.
After being caught in the crossfire as the government scrambled to find an answer to halting the coronavirus pandemic, both sides of the cobbled village now find themselves in the same boat, plunged into even stricter measures as England enters its second national lockdown.
Staithes is usually a magnet for international tourists seeking the homeplace of British adventurer Captain James Cook, famous for charting parts of Australia and New Zealand. However, the tourist flow has since dried up and the town has been spilt in two halves.
After being confused by the different rules for weeks, they are now experiencing a new-found solidarity, united in unhappiness.
“The national lockdown effectively bans us from crossing the bridge,” said local Colin Harrison, a retired solicitor. “It’s ludicrous.”
The anomaly occurred because of different infection rates in the council areas bordering the river known as the Roxby Beck.
One side is governed by the north-eastern Redcar and Cleveland Council, which was placed into tier two due to an acceleration in Covid deaths, whereas the other side of the bridge is ruled by Scarborough Borough Council in North Yorkshire and presently in the lesser risk tier one category.
Dealing with the divide has been baffling for some but under the second lockdown rules travel to different areas is banned, effectively isolating anyone on the Redcar side of the village.
Mr Harrison lives in the higher risk side and runs holiday home lets with properties on either side of the village.
As his wife returned from posting a letter just 20 metres away in the lower risk side, Mr Harrison explained the difficulties now facing them.
“When people arrive they just assume it is all one tier, but it isn’t,” said the 59 year old.
“A narrow beck has divided the village. I can’t go into the pub with my friends or to their homes, I can only see them outside. We were about to go into tier three and we’d have been prevented from crossing the bridge.
The move to unify lockdown rules has not brought a new sense of solidarity to the place.
“People on the other side of the village have jokingly told us to ‘get back to the dark side," said Mr Harrison.
“People living here have been adhering to the rules, regardless of how ridiculous it seems, but in the school half term holidays we witnessed hundreds of people descending on the village showing no regard for the rules or social distancing.”
Mr Harrison’s holiday homes were booked up and he has had to cancel all the guests due to the new rules.
John and Mary Phillips, who are both healthcare professionals, were visiting the area on holiday staying in a let on the tougher tier side.
“We are all set to leave on Thursday so we are not breaching the rules," said Mr Phillips. "We think when we come out of lockdown every area will be in tier three, if it had happened this week then we’d have faced an eight mile journey to the nearest shop from our holiday home instead of a 50-metre walk.”
Tim Barber runs Real Yorkshire Tours which takes international visitors on trips across North Yorkshire and to Staithes.
"Where I have visited Staithes on tours since the summer, I have found the situation with the village split into two crazy," he told The National.
“All my guests have commented about the confusion and arbitrary barriers where different rules apply and sympathise with the residents who are more likely to live in the higher restriction area of Staithes Beck.
“With my Good to Go risk assessment in place, I have not crossed the beck with clients, although in reality we would be no more at risk. Where I would normally walk with visitors to the lifeboat station and onto the breakwater, I have kept to the North Yorkshire side of the village.”
Steve Marsham had joked that the “virus doesn’t like bridges now” in reaction to the situation.
"As I come under Redcar and Cleveland council I'm in what they consider a high risk area as it covers Middlesbrough, the infection rates around me are minimal but I have to abide by a mad rule that as I'm in a certain council area I'm high risk," he told The National.
“If people cross the bridge from Cowbar, technically they cannot be granted the same freedoms as those that live in the side covered by a different council? Madness!”
With the second lockdown about to commence the villagers can briefly unite in the knowledge they all face the same rules and no one should cross the bridge.
But they know once it is lifted, life for some will remain even stricter.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
HOW TO WATCH
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Lexus LX700h specs
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
