Ripon Civic Society (RCS) has welcomed the move by Harrogate Borough Council to appoint consultants who will draw up a masterplan for the city.
RCS chair Christopher Hughes told the Stray Ferret:
“As one of the founder signatories of the Neighbourhood Plan for Ripon, we look forward to sharing our thoughts with the selected consultants.”
The society believes that people with an informed knowledge of the city, its planning issues and opportunities, should play a key role in guiding Ripon’s future direction. The city has suffered this year with the pandemic, with both the Ripon Spa Hotel and the Old Deanery closing down.
With a fee of £85,000 for a 12-month contract, consultants will be tasked with devising an “inspiring and innovative” vision that will be at the heart of the Ripon Renewal Project.
The contract is due to start on January 10.
Ripon Civic Society believes heritage attractions can help make the city a meeting place of choice
The move to develop a masterplan for the city comes at a time when future growth is on the horizon.
The major Barracks scheme known as Clotherholme will see Homes England deliver 1,300 homes in a number of phases on the outskirts of Ripon.
In the city centre, Ripon’s ancient Cathedral is planning its most significant development in centuries, with a £6 million extension, designed to provide modern facilities and additional space.
Mr Hughes pointed out:
“The society has always believed in adopting an holistic approach, which takes account of the things that make Ripon special, such as its heritage assets, Market Square and spa quarter.”
He added:
“There is also a need to look at how people arrive in Ripon – and how they move around when they get here in this very walkable city.
“If we get it right, there is the opportunity to position our city as the meeting place of choice.”
The appointed consultants will have to set out “clear and robust” delivery timescales, funding options and a business case for Harrogate Borough Council to use to bid for money for projects.
The contract brief says:
Councillor’s petition criticism infuriates Knaresborough and Ripon traders“The aim of this project is to maximise the opportunities within Ripon which will regenerate the city and boost the local economy.”
Market stallholders and Knaresborough Chamber of Trade have reacted angrily after a councillor discredited a petition they raised about increased charges.
At the online full meeting of Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) in October, Steve Teggin, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, presented a ‘save your market’ petition with 4,000 signatures, raised during the summer at the town’s Wednesday market and Ripon’s Thursday market.
Following the meeting, Councillor Andrew Paraskos, HBC’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, contacted individual signatories, saying in a letter sent by post to their homes, or to email addresses:
“The statements made in the petition were misleading and incorrect.”
Harrogate Borough Council has an uneasy relationship with stallholders at its markets in Knaresborough and Ripon
The petition said:
“Harrogate Borough Council is increasing the cost of rent and stall assembly to traders by over 25 per cent. This will mean that it will not be financially viable to continue trading for several market traders.
“Other local councils helped market traders who could trade during lockdown providing essential food products. This was through charging no rent or discounting rent.
“When non-food traders were allowed to return, after not being able to trade for 3 months, full rent was charged (by HBC), despite other local councils providing financial assistance.”
Twenty non-essential traders applied for local authority discretionary grants and each received payments of £10,000 in two instalments – the first in the summer of £2,000 and then £8,000 in October. At the time the grant money was welcomed by those who had received it.
However, the stallholders are unhappy about an increase of £5 plus VAT from August 1 for the supply and assembly of stalls by the council. Traders who erect their own stalls have not had to pay the additional fee.
The bid to get a council u-turn on increased charges failed, but Cllr Paraskos’s letter has reignited feelings of distrust between the traders and the council and the relationship has deteriorated. A statement on the letter was given by HBC:
“It is not unusual for an elected member to correspond with the electorate on a range of different issues, whether related to their cabinet responsibilities or ward matters.
“In this case, it was important to set out in clear terms the council’s position on Knaresborough and Ripon markets after much mis-reporting and false claims circulating.
“There were only 747 unique names and addresses among the signatories on the petition.”
Mr Teggin told the Stray Ferret:
“I speak on behalf of stallholders, when I say attempts to undermine the petition is an insult, not only to the people who signed it, knowing it was factually correct, but to the market traders in Knaresborough and Ripon who have played an important role throughout the coronavirus crisis.
“We have already lost traders who have found the increased cost too much to bear and we cannot understand why Harrogate Borough Council treats us with such disdain.”
Brian Murphy, who represents Ripon’s stallholders, pointed out:
Ripon Elf Hunt brings festive family fun“The monthly invoice for rental and assembly of stalls that I paid the council in June was £550 including VAT and in August it shot up by £156 to £706 – that’s an increase of more than 25 per cent.
“I feel that with his letter, Cllr Paraskos was calling me and other market traders liars, but he has failed to substantiate in what ways the wording on our joint petition was ‘misleading and incorrect’.
“Attempting to cast doubts over a petition signed freely by the people who visit and value the markets in Ripon and Knaresborough, is yet another kick in the teeth from a council that is completely out of step with neighbouring authorities, who genuinely support and have a good relationship with stallholders.”
Ripon and Nidderdale Mumbler has teamed up with nine sponsors to create a free, family-friendly, city centre Christmas trail.
Some of Santa’s hard-working elves are taking a break from working at the North Pole to make their way to the city to hide in the windows of shops, cafes, an estate agents and the library.
The Great Ripon Elf Hunt has been designed to be safe, fun and completely free.
It will start on Saturday, running each day through to Christmas Eve – Thursday 24 December
There will be nine different elves in the windows of participating city centre businesses and Ripon Library.
Once all of the elves have been found, families can go into any of the participants and pick up a reward left by Santa – or simply do the trail for fun.
Just one of the nine elves that are ready to go into hiding
Families are being asked to download and print their own answer sheets from the Ripon and Nidderdale Mumbler website and bring pens or pencils.
A limited number of answer sheets will be available at all business premises and the library.
Organiser Niki, from Ripon and Nidderdale Mumber, told the Stray Ferret:
“It has been a difficult year for everyone. I was inspired by the amazing trails happening in other cities and towns, but wanted to create something a bit closer to home for Ripon!
“My hope is that the trail will encourage people into Ripon to finish their Christmas shopping and that it will increase footfall for lots of businesses around the centre whilst also being a fun afternoon for all the family!”
The Great Ripon Elf Hunt is COVID-secure and does not require entrants to go into premises, as all window displays will be visible from the street.
Those taking part are asked to do the trail in groups of no more than 6, or within their household or support bubble.
Niki, added:
“We hope this will encourage families to visit Ripon, use the wonderful range of shops we have and be a great afternoon of entertainment for the family.”
To spread the word, families are requested to tag Ripon and Nidderdale Mumbler in any social media posts and use the hashtag #GreatRiponElfHunt
The supporting businesses and organisations are: Appleton’s, Caffe Tempo, Cathedral View Cafe, Davis & Lund Estate Agents, Karma, Oliver’s Pantry, Ripon Library, Solemates, and The Easy Learning Shop.
Former Wrens retailers relocate to new Ripon baseIt’s business as usual for two independent retailers, following the closure of Wrens department store in Ripon.
Mike and Liz Cooper and Hedley Hall have made the short journey from Fishergate to Queen Street, after Wrens’ owner Mark Butler helped them find new premises.
Mike and Liz sell jewellery, watches, fine porcelain and furniture at their Red Buttons business; Hedley specialises in antiques, collectables and vintage models.
They had traded together at Wrens for seven years.
Mike and Liz Cooper at the newly-opened shop premises they share with Hedley Hall
With some swift action and negotiation with the landlord, the two businesses were able to make their move.
They look forward to successful trading in the crucial Christmas period and beyond.
Mike told the Stray Ferret:
“Liz and I have always got on very well with Hedley and it’s great that we are still working together.
“Mark was very helpful in letting us know about the vacant shop and putting us in touch with the landlord.”
Among its services, Red Buttons transforms jewellery into custom-crafted pieces.
Mike, who learnt his skills during 30 years at Goldsmiths jewellers, following 12 years in the Royal Navy, said:
“Our business at Wrens just grew and grew, alongside a good mixture of other independent retailers.”
Liz, added:
“It was a real shame when Mark reached the point where he could no longer make it work after two periods of lockdown. We thank him for what he has done for us.”
Hedley expressed similar sentiments:
Additional construction costs of Ripon swimming pool ‘confidential’“Mark is an absolute gentleman and has played a major role in helping numerous small businesses in Ripon – my own included.
“It is important for Ripon to have vibrant, independent shops and other businesses, which add to the attraction of the city for residents and visitors alike.
“We all have a part to play in its success as a retail destination.”
Harrogate Borough Council has said additional costs caused by the delay in completing Ripon’s new swimming pool and leisure centre refurbishment, cannot be revealed due to commercial confidentiality.
Construction firm Willmott Dixon was awarded a £10.2 million contract last year to build the pool and refurbish the leisure centre.
The scheme involves creating a six-lane pool, a health suite, two dance studios, a spin studio and new play areas outside.
The council approved the initiative in June 2019.
16 months before the council approved the swimming pool development a sinkhole opened up in the leisure centre car park.
Following the incident in February 2018, which saw the car park barriered off and closed, the council issued this statement:
“The sinkhole will not affect the project to construct a new pool for Ripon. We are still waiting for the structural engineer’s report, which will influence the design of the new building. We’ve always known about the potential of sinkholes on the site which is why we’ve been carrying out tests to understand what foundations may be required.”
At the June 2019 planning meeting, three members of the eight-member committee abstained rather than support the project, after ‘deep concerns’ were expressed about the sinkhole risk in an area of Ripon known for widespread gypsum deposits.
Masham councillor Nigel Simms voted against the application because he believed ground stability issues made it an untenable use of public money.
The city’s gypsum problem was highlighted in a major technical report commissioned by the Department of the Environment in 1996, titled ‘Assessment of Subsidence Arising from Gypsum Dissolution (with Particular Reference to Ripon, North Yorkshire)’
Work started on the Camp Close site, at Dallamires Lane, on 25 November 2019 and the 17-month project was scheduled for completion by 21 May 2021. It is now due to be completed in November 2021.
Councillor Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by COVID-19.
Construction on the site was halted for five weeks during the first lockdown and did not stop during the second lockdown.
In May, Willmott Dixon operations director Nick Corrigan told the Stray Ferret that approximately 30 workers, including management, had been back on site since 30 April.
In Cllr Lumley’s 13 November press release, he said: ‘Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.’
Grouting is a method used to stabilise unstable ground.
The Stray Ferret submitted a Freedom of Information request seeking details about the cost of ground works on the site.
The council said it holds the information but it was exempt from disclosure. It did, however confirm that there would be extra cost, saying:
“Additional ‘site preliminaries’ will be payable to the main contractor as a result of the extension of the construction contract.”
The council, added:
“A public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that its disclosure would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.”
A sign saying that Ripon’s new swimming pool and refurbished leisure centre will be ‘opening in Summer 2021’ was still in place this week.
Regarding questions about the cost of ground remediation, the council said:
“In this instance, specific information regarding the amount of the contract committed to ground stabilisation could be a disincentive to provide pricing for public sector opportunities which could then lead to a lack of future competition which could increase prices and represent worse value for money within the sector.
“The council therefore considers maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.”
£500,000 restoration of historic Ripon church begins
Work has begun on the £500,000 restoration of St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church — one of Ripon’s architectural gems.
Years of fundraising by parishioners and awards from trusts, boosted by a £75,000 grant from Historic England, have made the project possible.
Parishioner and chair of fundraising, Barrie Price, said:
“After all our trials and tribulations of nearly five years, the contractors came on site to commence phase one of our restoration programme.
“This covers the whole of the central area of the church, excluding the rear section, and is expected to be completed by the end of March.”
St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church on Coltsgate Hill.
The grant from Historic England, awarded after a successful application from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, will enable the construction of a south porch extension, including toilets.
St. Wilfrid’s, which opened in 1862, is recognised as one of finest parish churches in England.
Its ornate reredos screens designed by Victorian architect Edward Pugin provide dramatic backdrops to the high altar and adjacent side altar, dedicated to St Joseph.
Both architectural works of art, sculpted from solid blocks of stone, provide focal points within the grade II* listed building.
In 1909 fittings from the private chapel at nearby Studley Royal were transferred to St Wilfrid’s following the death of the Marquess of Ripon — the city’s first mayor since the reformation — who had previously created the Lady Chapel within the church.
These include 10 stained-glass windows installed along the north and south aisles and dating from 1878.
Now, more than 50 years after the church’s last major refurbishment, the reredos, along with other parts of the building’s fabric, will be repaired and cleaned by specialists.
Mr Price, an accountant and former Ripon City and Harrogate district councillor, said:
“We were all ready to go earlier this year, but the first covid lockdown brought a temporary halt to everything, with the church having to close to meet the government’s social distancing requirements.”
A Nidderdale vicar has called on parishioners to book early for Christmas services to avoid disappointment.
Places of worship are allowed to re-open today although people can only interact with their households or support bubbles, and must conform to social distancing rules.
With Advent underway and Christmas approaching, many Christians will be keen not to miss out on festive services.
The Rev. Alastair Ferneley, Vicar of Dacre with Hartwith and Darley with Thornthwaite, said the church was keen to offer comfort and joy after such a difficult year but added:
“We do need to maintain social distancing, so it is essential for people to book in advance for most of our services.
“My message is, please book sooner rather than later for the public Christmas services – not just to avoid disappointment, but also to help our planning.
“If it turns out no one wants to come to a particular service we can save a lot of time and effort on decoration, Christingles, heating, etc.”
Booking in advance for Christmas services across four Nidderdale parishes will help with planning.
The Rev. Ferneley said churches needed to consider issues such as appropriate seating for families and bubbles. He added:
“Parishioners will need to wear a face covering in church and we are sadly not able to sing as a congregation while inside, though we can offer carols sung by a few socially distanced singers and/or on CD.”
The government has issued new guidance, saying carol singing outside can be part of public worship.
The Rev Ferneley said:
“This is difficult to plan for given the unpredictability of the weather, but we may be able to begin and end services outside so we might have a bit of a sing as part of some of these services.
“We will fully understand if people are not comfortable with coming to services at the moment, which is why we are also offering numerous online alternatives whereby people can join in our Christmas celebrations – either via a live stream or a pre-recorded service.”
For further details you can email Alastair Ferneley at irreverend@btinternet.com.
Ripon’s only department store closes it doors
Ripon’s only department store has closed its doors after the second COVID-19 lockdown wiped out a crucial month of trading.
Owner Mark Butler, who set up the ‘House of Independent Retailers’ seven years ago, told the Stray Ferret:
“I’m very sorry to say that losing the month of November, was the killer for us.
“Our monthly overheads are £7,000 and we haven’t been able to make a penny at a time of year when people start buying their Christmas gifts
“We had hoped that Christmas would be our saviour, but that was not to be and we had to take the painful decision to close.”
Wrens department store, which is now closed
The Fishergate store, which provided sales space for 52 independent retailers, ranging from those selling a single product to a section dedicated to womenswear, was located in the building previously occupied by the Philip Hall department store.
Its award-winning concept, which earned a national prize for innovative retailing, gave start-up and other small retailers low risk means of entry to the market, with affordable rents and low overheads.
Mr Butler, who has received hundreds of messages of goodwill since news of the closure was shared on social media, said:
“We are leaving with our heads held high and proud to have played a part in helping more than a dozen fledgling businesses to get off the ground and set up in their own shops.”
He pointed out:
“We are parting on good terms with all of our retailers, who are now in the process of collecting their stock and we have maintained a good relationship with our landlord.”
After the first three-month lockdown was lifted in June, Mr Butler said that survival of the business would be reliant on staycationers coming to campsites and holiday lets in the Ripon area.
He hoped that people who had not been able to go on overseas holidays, would have money to spend in the shops, but the footfall did not materialise and this, combined with the loss of day-trip customers arriving by coach, dealt another blow.
As he prepares to lock the premises for good, he had a message, saying:
Derelict land in Ripon blocked off amid safety concerns“I sincerely wish all independent retailers a successful Christmas, with people shopping locally to help them make it through this very difficult time.”
Work is underway to block off derelict land on a former building site in Ripon that has been identified as a safety hazard to children and an eyesore.
Harrogate Borough Council is installing hoardings at a cost of £5,000 on the land at Skellgarths.
The land, at the junction with Duck Hill, formerly housed Ripon’s first purpose-built public library, which was demolished in 2014 after the site was bought for housing redevelopment.
Ripon city councillor Councillor Mike Chambers, who is also a district and county councillor, told last week’s virtual city council meeting the developer was declared bankrupt in January 2019 and the land now belonged to the Crown.
He added:
“However, following lengthy discussions I have had with the Harrogate Borough Council enforcement team about tidying up the site, it has been agreed that hoardings with a gated access will be put in place to cover off the area.”
Because the developer is bankrupt, there is no means of recouping the cost of blocking the area from view and it was agreed Ripon City Council will make a £1,250 donation towards the works.
The derelict site is on the route to Fountains Abbey, Newby Hall and Ripon city centre
Council leader Andrew Williams said:
“We should make the payment on the proviso that when the land is eventually sold by the Crown, we and Harrogate Borough Council will be reimbursed.
“In the meantime, the area has to be tidied up and made safe. My concern is that there are footings on the site that are full of water and we wouldn’t want children to get in there and come to any harm.”
A suggestion made by Cllr Williams at the city council’s October meeting that the hoardings include artwork produced by a local group, was reiterated by Councillor Stuart Martin.
Cllr Martin, said:
“The artwork could include images that promote the city’s history and heritage attractions.”
Not all members were in favour of making a donation towards the cost of the project.
Councillor Pauline McHardy, said:
“I’m not opposed to the hoardings, but don’t see why we should be asked to pay £1,250 out of precept money. People in Ripon should not be facing double taxes.
“Harrogate Borough Council receives plenty of council tax from our residents and should pay for the work from this,”
Ripon museum volunteers involved in major workhouse exhibition
Ripon Museum Trust has been involved in a major new online exhibition presented by The Workhouse Network called ‘More Than Oliver Twist.’
Volunteers from the Workhouse Museum in Allhallowgate – one of three heritage attractions operated in the city by the trust – worked on the project presented on the Google Arts & Culture platform.
The exhibition sets out to discover the real stories of people in the workhouse system through the 1881 census returns.
Researched and interpreted by volunteer researchers at six sites across The Workhouse Network, the stories have been used to create an online exhibition, with work from artists Morgan Tipping and Mel Rye, exploring six of these lives and the contemporary echoes of their historic experiences.
The immersive exhibition combines audio narrative and visualisations, enabling audiences to encounter the multidimensional lives of people then known as ‘paupers.’ The work is drawn directly from the research, museum collections, workhouse buildings, volunteers’ experiences and related contemporary lives.
Ripon’s Workhouse Museum
Within the exhibition, audiences will find The Life of Hannah Wade, a creative interpretation of the life of an inmate at Ripon Union Workhouse, now Ripon Workhouse Museum and Garden.
Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust, which also runs the Police & Prison Museum and Old Courthouse museums, said:
“We’re delighted to see the results of this project, which our volunteers worked incredibly hard on. The content that has been created is remarkable: moving, thought-provoking and central to what we are trying to do here – to use the past to consider more deeply the issues of today.”
Sharon Heal, director of the Museums Association says:
“This fantastic project brings the stories of people who lived and worked in workhouses alive. I was fascinated by the story of Louisa Ledger and her struggle, that many women past and present have faced, to raise her children against the odds.
“The contemporary reflections help us explore the lives of invisible people who would otherwise be forgotten and have special resonance as we live through a pandemic that is hitting those worst off in society hardest.”
The project has also created the largest database of poor individuals and families yet constructed to shed light on the diverse experience of the poor.
More than 325 biographies of these everyday people who experienced hardship and support under the very first system of national welfare have been created – the largest national database of biographies of people known at the time as “paupers”.
The project is funded by Arts Council England and supported by Nottingham Trent University and The National Archive.