Ripon Spa Baths up for sale amid housing fears

Harrogate Borough Council has officially put 116-year-old Ripon Spa Baths up for sale despite fears it could be turned into housing.

The Grade II listed building has gone on the market in advance of a new £10.2 million Ripon Leisure Centre opening this year.

Commercial property agents Sanderson Weatherall has advertised the baths for an undisclosed price.

The sale document includes a quote from the council’s planning department saying the property could be suitable for “low density residential use” or “community uses”.

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Ripon City Council passed a motion this month to prevent Harrogate Borough Council selling the baths to a private developer for residential or other redevelopment.

The sale has angered city councillors, who say the borough council did not consult with them.

Ripon Civic Society also called on the borough council to consider how the building could be used to improve health provision in the city.

Harrogate Borough Council declined to comment when the Stray Ferret asked how much it hoped to raise from the sale.

A spokesman previously said:

“Ripon Spa Baths has served the community well over the years and is now being replaced by a modern, state-of-the-art pool at Ripon Leisure Centre, following significant investment by the borough council.

“This new six-lane 25-metre pool will offer 70 per cent more water space, extensive changing facilities, bicycle and car parking and complements the extensively improved leisure centre.

“The future sale, and redevelopment of the listed building, would allow this local asset to be redeveloped (subject to planning approval), retain key features and remain as a city landmark.”

History of Ripon Spa Baths 

The original complex, located next to the Spa Gardens, has the distinction of being the last spa to open in England.

It also became the only spa granted a royal opening when Princess Henry of Battenberg carried out the ceremony in October 1905.

A reconfiguration of the building in 1936, saw the complex converted into the city’s first public swimming pool.

Ornate stained glass windows and other architectural features remain to this day.

Harrogate business groups want Station Gateway cash spent elsewhere

Three Harrogate business groups have come together to ask for some of the money set aside for cycle lanes on Station Parade to be spent elsewhere.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council launched a four-week public consultation on the Harrogate Gateway Project today.

The councils set out plans last week to pedestrianise James Street, build cycle lanes on Station Parade and improve cycling facilities in the town centre.

Under the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, the county council secured £7.8 million in ring-fenced funding.

Now that the public consultation has started, the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Harrogate BID and Independent Harrogate have had their say.

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The groups suggested East Parade and Cambridge Street as places they feel the money would be better spent.

However, Harrogate Borough Council has said the funding can only be spent improving the bus and train station area only and has to be focussed on transport-related activity.

Sandra Doherty from the chamber, Robert Ogden from Independent Harrogate and Sara Ferguson from Harrogate BID said:

“The challenge we are facing is how do we achieve a net-zero carbon town centre economy and simultaneously create a trading environment in which todays’ businesses can thrive?

“The Harrogate Gateway project gives us the opportunity to start the job of achieving this.

“While we welcome measures to reduce traffic congestion on Station Parade, we feel East Parade would be best placed for the new cycle lanes.

“We also believe that money would be better spent enhancing Cambridge Street, as this is very much the ‘gateway’ into Harrogate town centre from both the bus and railway stations.

“Also, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that previous studies have revealed that between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of visitors to Harrogate arrive here by car.

“Considering Harrogate’s role in Bicycling Touring Club, the Tour de France Grand Depart and the UCI World Cycling Championships, the town has somewhat lagged behind others.

“If this project is about making Harrogate accessible to more sustainable forms of transport, we particularly need to encourage visitors with electric and hybrid vehicles.”

Harrogate hospital coronavirus patients down by 19 in a week

Harrogate District Hospital still has more coronavirus patients than during the peak of the first wave but the number has started to drop sharply.

It was revealed at the weekly North Yorkshire coronavirus media briefing today the hospital had 48 coronavirus patients yesterday. Last week there were 65, only a couple away from the record number of 67.

The hospital is the only one in North Yorkshire treating more patients than during the first wave but the situation appears to be heading in the right direction.

It was also revealed today that one more person died at the hospital after testing positive for coronavirus. The latest death, which happened on Sunday, brings the total to 156.

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The Stray Ferret asked today’s briefing whether public health officials were concerned about the high number of patients shortly before lockdown measures ease.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said in response:

“Last week one of my colleagues reported that the numbers had not come down but they have dropped this week from 67 to 48.

“They are still higher than the first wave so we are keeping an eye on it but in terms of the lockdown easing, that is obviously a national decision.

“But we are pleased that the number of coronavirus patients in Harrogate is starting to come down.”

Public Health England confirmed another 13 covid cases in the Harrogate district today.

The district now has a seven-day rate of infection of 89 people per 100,000, which is just above the North Yorkshire average of 83 but below the England average of 117.

Harrogate district vaccine boost as over 50s prepare for jab

The Harrogate district is to receive a vaccine boost this week, as inoculations are set to be rolled out to the over 50s.

A vaccination site in Knaresborough, which will be able to administer jabs to 1,000 people a week, is due to open in the town’s former Lidl on Saturday.

It means the district, which now has vaccination sites in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough, is on track to achieve the government target of offering all over 50s the jab by April 15.

The Knaresborough site is run by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which is based in the town.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said today it was likely other community pharmacies could start offering the vaccine in North Yorkshire as the rollout filters down to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of July.

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Speaking at a media briefing today. Ms Bloor said the Knaresborough site would administer 800 vaccines next week and had the capacity to give up to 1,000 jabs per week. She added:

“This is just part of the wider rollout across the country. I think it is likely other community pharmacies will start to come on stream.

“As of yesterday, North Yorkshire and York reached 249,000 first doses of the vaccines. So it’s significant progress and the teams are doing a fantastic job.

“We have moved further down the priority list, so we are working on the over 65s. There’s no need to contact your GP. You will be contacted directly.”

Horrible Histories car park show heading to Harrogate

Horrible Histories is heading to Harrogate in April for a car park show at the Yorkshire Event Centre.

The centre, which is based at the Great Yorkshire Showground, will host Barmy Britain shows at 2pm and 5pm on April 3.

The event will also take place at Harewood House on April 5 at 11am.

It will feature the stories of Queen Boudica, King Henry VIII, Guy Fawkes, Dick Turpin, Queen Victoria and more.

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Families sitting in cars will be able to watch actors on stage and on a large screen while listening on their radios.

The audience can get involved by honking horns, flashing lights and turning on their wipers.

Neal Foster, actor and director at Birmingham Stage Company, said:

“I’m over the moon to be back on tour with Barmy Britain after its hugely successful tour last summer.

“It’s weird and wonderful to be performing in car parks and to see the audience having fun behind their windshields. We can’t wait to get back out there.”

The Birmingham Stage Company has produced 18 different Horrible Histories shows and taken them around the world.

Tickets are available here for the Harrogate and Leeds shows and cost £42.50 per car or £62 per car on the front row.

Harrogate woman, 105, opens care home visiting pods

A Harrogate care home resident, who turns 105-years-old this week, has celebrated by opening visiting pods.

Molly Robinson lives at The Gatehouse Residential Care Home and was guest of honour at today’s unveiling.

The care home has previously only been able to allow video calls and window visits, so it has seen plenty of demand for the pods.

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Care home manager Adam Carling told the Stray Ferret:

“This allows us to have those visits in person again. The impact on wellbeing is what we need.

“It’s lovely and warm, comfortable and accessible. It is easy to have those meaningful conversations in here.”

When asked what Molly’s secret was to a long life, she said: “I’m not telling him.”

Police move into new Pateley Bridge station

North Yorkshire Police today officially moved out of its station in Pateley Bridge and into a new home across the road.

Officers from Harrogate outer neighbourhood policing team will now share space with Harrogate Borough Council on King Street.

North Yorkshire Police said there will be no change to its counter service at the Nidderdale Plus Hub on Station Square.

The counter service is open to the public on Mondays 10am – 6pm, Tuesdays to Fridays 10am – 4pm, and at weekends from 10am – 1pm.

According to the police, the move is expected to save £19,000 per year.

The former police building on King Street will go on the market next month, at an asking price of £142,000.

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Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, agreed to sell the former site after consulting with Lisa Winward, the chief constable, before Christmas.

North Yorkshire Police said Pateley Bridge would copy the “successful principles of co-location” that already exist in Ripon, Thirsk, Selby, Bedale and Masham.

The current Pateley Bridge police station on King Street in the town. Picture: Nidderdale AONB.

The current Pateley Bridge police station on King Street in the town. Picture: Nidderdale AONB.

Inspector Alex Langley said today the proximity of the new and old buildings would make it easy for people to adjust. He added:

“Importantly, we are also continuing to run our front counter services at the Nidderdale Plus office as before.

“Our new facilities ensure an effective, efficient and sustainable neighbourhood policing service is provided to Pateley Bridge.”

Ms Mulligan added:

“By co-locating North Yorkshire Police with Harrogate Borough Council in Pateley Bridge we will achieve value for money for the taxpayer.

“There will be no change to the access available for Nidderdale residents to our policing teams in the area.

“Selling the police station will also reduce the amount we have to spend on upkeep of a large and underused property and the proceeds will be reinvested in frontline, visible policing which I know is the priority of most people in and around Pateley Bridge and across North Yorkshire.”

‘Time to share the roads,’ says Harrogate cycling group

A Harrogate cycling group which consults with local councils believes that it is time for cars to start sharing the road with cyclists more.

The Harrogate and District Cycle Action (HDCA) comments come ahead of another proposed shakeup of the town centre to encourage cycling and walking.

North Yorkshire County Council will launch a consultation on Monday into its “gateway” project, which includes James Street and Station Parade.

The comments also come in the week that debate raged on about the closure of Beech Grove and proposals to make Oatlands Drive one way.

The Stray Ferret has seen record numbers of comments about these stories on our social media posts this week, in which people seem to be increasingly polarised.

Some local residents came out against the schemes because, they said, it would reduce access and choice for them. But others welcomed the news.

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Contrary to claims that the road closures appear random, the Harrogate and District Cycle Action (HDCA) group said that they all play into a wider vision for the town.

Kevin Douglas, chair of the HDCA, told the Stray Ferret:

“The main aim is to get people cycling for short journeys into the town centre. We hope to have segregate cycle lanes on all the arterial routes.

“Some think that we want the roads to be car free but we just want to be able to share the roads safely.

“Even the most experienced cyclists feel unsafe with big lorries passing them close by and would feel much safer with a segregated lane.

“There has not been any new cycling infrastructure built here since 2015 so it’s not like we have been dominating.

“Housing developers should also think about cycling routes. They build roads for cars but don’t seem to consider bikes, it’s nonsense.

“There are lots of new homes going up in Killinghall and there’s the greenway nearby. It would make sense to connect the village to that existing route.”

Mr Douglas, when asked about demand for all these new cycling routes, pointed to North Yorkshire County Council’s congestion survey in 2019.

That survey, answered by 14,000 people, found that 77% would use improved cycling and walking infrastructure if it was built.

Plans for new discovery walks at Ripon wetlands

A new scheme to encourage residents to explore the beauty and heritage in their local area is heading to Ripon.

North Yorkshire County Council is expanding ‘Discoveries on Your Doorstep’ after the success of its walks in Scarborough and Selby.

They range from castle the canal towpaths and give local residents a glimpse at areas they might otherwise overlook.

Wetland walks is the title of the new scheme, which is due to be launched soon at Ripon City Wetlands.

It will focus on nature rather than the heritage theme of the two existing options elsewhere in the county.

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The county council has said it is trying to help areas which have been struggling with exercise since coronavirus struck.

A co-ordinator for the project, Josh Wood, said:

“Research suggests that for some people motivation for wanting to be outside and exercising was driven by discovering the local area, rather than wanting to be outdoors for health.

“Since the coronavirus pandemic struck, data suggests some communities are more affected than others by a lack of physical activity.

“So we think it is most appropriate to target the communities which have missed out most.”

“We want to leave people with fond memories of being outdoors while exercising and being active without that being the main reason for being outdoors.”

It is another boost for nature reserves near Ripon after the Nosterfield Nature Reserve won a £132,000 government grant to enhance wildlife.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Friday. Welcome back to our traffic and travel service to help the Harrogate district keep moving.

Whether you travel by car, bus or train we will keep an eye out for any possible disruption to your journey.

It’s Connor again back on the travel desk from 6.30am. Spotted an accident or a road closure? Send your updates to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

If traffic is moving well or it’s at a standstill then we will let you know with our updates every 15 minutes.

Full update – 9am

Thanks again for your interest in the traffic and travel live blog. My colleague Suzannah will pick it up first thing on Monday morning so come back at 6.30am then.

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