UP to 50 NHS frontline workers can look forward to a free holiday this autumn thanks to the generosity of upper dale hotels and B&Bs.
About a dozen tourism operators last year signed up to a scheme to provide the free getaways as a way of paying tribute to the NHS for its work during the coronavirus pandemic, but it had to be postponed twice because of Covid restrictions.
Now, organiser Dave Hynes, of The Quirky Quarry B&B, is hoping the easing of lockdown this spring and summer will allow for the scheme to go ahead in November.
He said: “We have holiday cottages, B&Bs and hotels. We have about a dozen on board, such as Dave Falconer, of the Teesdale Hotel, who has given four rooms. Franck Marie, of The Forresters Hotel, has given three rooms and the High Force Hotel has been really good, they have given two luxury rooms.”
Mr Hynes added: “I think this is marvellous because it was only going to be myself, but then it snowballed.
“I think we can accommodate up to 50 people from the Durham and Darlington NHS Trust.
“Hopefully it won’t be cancelled again and with a bit of luck it will all go smoothly.”
Any other tourism operators who would like to join the scheme can contact Mr Hynes by ringing 01833 641222 or 07956 321414.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
