HUNDREDS of people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccination at the new centre in Skipton since it opened just two days ago.

From Wednesday, eight GP practices across Craven, Wharfedale and Airedale, have been sending patients to Gateway House, originally built for Homeloan Management (HML) and vacated by financial company Computershare, last year.

The building, which is on the edge of Skipton and next to the A59/A65 roundabout, is easily accessible, and has parking for hundreds of cars.

It means people will go there to have their vaccinations instead of the former centre at Skipton Hospital.

Skipton councillor Andy Solloway, one of the centre volunteers, said it was a perfect site for a vaccination centre.

“Green fields built on for an office operation that lasted barely a few years, but the silver lining is that it is a perfect vaccination centre.

"It would probably make a good health care facility going forward too. From a white elephant into a life saver.”

He added hundreds of people had been vaccinated on the first day and described it as 'magnificent teamwork'.

A spokesperson for NHS Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “The larger site provides ample parking and volunteers will be available to help people get to their appointment. All patients with an appointment will be contacted by their GP practice to let them know about the new location.

“GP practices are contacting people in priority group six - those with underlying health conditions and carers of elderly or disabled people- for their appointment, in line with national guidance, and those patients who are now due their second dose of the vaccine.

People do not need to get in touch with their GP practice about their vaccination, the NHS will contact you when it is your turn.”

The eight medical practices, all members of the Wharfedale, Airedale and Craven Alliance of GP Practices, are: Addingham Medical Centre, Addingham; Dyneley House Surgery, Skipton; Grange Park Surgery, Burley-in-Wharfedale; IG Medical, Ilkley Moor and Grassington; Ilkley and Wharfedale Medical Practice, Ling House Medical Centre, Keighley; North Street Surgery, Keighley, and Townhead Surgery, Settle.