Tim Flanagan, Author at The Stray Ferret

Ripon’s £65,000 plan to light up Christmas

Ripon City Council is going to provide a £65,000 Christmas boost for retailers, residents and visitors, with a major extension of its festive lights and decorations.

The overall scheme will create a circuit covering three miles of the city’s streets.

Council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“The covid 19 pandemic has made 2020 a very difficult year for many parts of our community and we hope this gives everyone an end of year lift.”

The project will see additional money spent this year on lighting and decorations, which will be extended beyond Market Place and the central retail core to the outer edges of the city centre.

Principal gateways, including the junction of North Street with Palace Road and Princess Road, with its landmark Victoria Clock Tower, will be lit up over the festive period with lights and decorations attached to lamp posts.

New Christmas lighting will extend to Hugh Ripley Hall on Skellbank

The circuit will also include Bedern Bank, Minster Road, Water Skellgate, Park Street, Blossomgate, Marshall Way, Rotary Way, Stonebridgegate, Allhallowgate and Finkle Street.

It will also extend to Skellbank and the Hugh Ripley Hall, the building named in honour of Ripon’s first mayor.

Funding for the scheme is coming from the council’s events budget, which had originally been intended to support a programme of community events throughout the year in Ripon.

These included the 75th anniversary celebrations for VE and VJ Day, and the St Wilfrid’s Day procession, that had to be either cancelled or scaled back because of the coronavirus crisis and social distancing restrictions.

Cllr Williams said:

“It was disappointing to have to cancel so many events, but public safety is of paramount importance. “

The Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin, who chairs the city’s Christmas Lights Group, said:

“This huge expansion is designed to help all of our retailers, hospitality businesses and heritage attractions, by making Ripon a more attractive place for shoppers and visitors alike.”

He added:

“The covid 19 pandemic has overshadowed all aspects of life since March, but after months of dark clouds, we hope to provide a silver lining, with an investment in lights and decorations that will benefit the city this year and in future years.”

A place of healing in the heart of Nidderdale

Less than 12 years ago when Katie Kavanagh was 14 weeks pregnant, her 29-year-old husband Peter was fighting for his life with stage three bowel cancer.

For the young couple looking forward to the birth of their first child, a difficult journey lay ahead, but one which took them on the path to a new way of living.

Peter’s life was saved by the treatments and care he received at the Yorkshire Clinic in Bingley, but his recovery and return to health has come through the holistic approach that he and Katie have adopted.

Katie told the Stray Ferret:

“The Yorkshire Clinic were brilliant in the way they looked after Peter and following on from this, a fundamental part of his longer-term recovery came with changing the food he had previously been eating to a plant-based diet.”

Now with children aged 10 and 11, they have moved on from respective careers as a financial adviser and school teacher.

Peter has built a successful renewable energy company based in Knaresborough, while Katie has used the knowledge gained in supporting her husband’s recuperation to create The Acorn Wellness Retreat on the Brimham Rocks Road at Hartwith.

As part of its work, the not for profit business has links with MacMillan Cancer Support and Breast Cancer Haven.

Referrals are received from the two charities and the centre helps a number of people each year who are recovering from illness or are carers in need of respite and rejuvenation. The cost of providing the free places is covered by the revenue raised from paying clients.

A practitioner prepares for a yoga session at The Acorn Wellness centre

A practitioner prepares to take a yoga session. (Photograph courtesy of Acorn Wellness Centre)

The retreat provides therapies that are in tune with the nature of its green and sylvan surroundings, with the natural grain of wood and a woodland theme featuring throughout its interior, complementing the grounds with its signature sycamore tree.

Since The Acorn opened in 2016, foods including vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, and containing no animal products, have been on the menu.

The other key ingredients in the holistic approach to achieving wellness are mindfulness sessions, various types of yoga, massage, sleep and relaxation therapies, supported with the use of herbal medicines, essential oils and use of rare earth stones.

Katie added:

“We have a dedicated team of practitioners who work together with the aim of creating a wheel of wellness within a calm and relaxing setting, where clients benefit from the sights and sounds of the natural environment.”

As well as helping people to recuperate after serious illness, the centre has clients who come either on their own or in groups, to relax by getting in tune with nature.

With social distancing requirements arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people receiving treatment at any one time is currently restricted to a maximum of six.

Mobile unit serves Ripon’s Post Office customers

Business was brisk at the Post Office mobile unit in Ripon as market day shoppers brought increased footfall to the city centre.

The city’s Post Office in Finkle Street, which has been serving customers for more than 60 years, closed its doors on Wednesday evening, as preparations progress for a relocation to a unit in The Arcade off Market Place.

The mobile unit, which will be located in Old Market Place until September 28, normally serves outlying villages in the Ripon area, but will stay in the city until the opening of the new premises.

Opening hours are 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am until 1pm on Saturday.

Ripon Postmistress Amy Kaur, outside the new premises in The Arcade

Postmistress Amy Kaur told The Stray Ferret:

“We are looking forward to opening in The Arcade. It’s a better location for us, because it has level access. The steps outside the old premises made access difficult for the elderly, disabled, wheelchair users and people with children in prams and pushchairs.”

As well as providing the full range of Post Office services, the new location will include a Quidz In value store.

The mobile Post Office unit, headed by Gordon Royle, now covers more than 20 towns and villages in the Ripon area and will be back in the outlying areas from September 28.

Gordon said:

“During the current coronavirus crisis, when many people living in rural communities remained isolated in their homes and unable to travel to Ripon, the mobile service has grown in popularity.”

Hotel closures deliver blow to Ripon tourism

The Old Deanery Hotel’s closure early next year, combined with the closing of Ripon’s Spa Hotel, is a double blow to the city’s tourism sector.

As the city slowly emerges from lockdown, concerns have been raised about its future tourism prospects with a reduced choice for overnight visitors.

Tourism in Yorkshire and Humber is worth more than the whole tourism expenditure in Ireland or Denmark, while the number of people in the region employed in the sector is approximately 250,000.

Visitors are drawn to Ripon’s ancient church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, known as the Cathedral of the Dales, and the city’s heritage includes the world-famous nightly Hornblower ceremony.

As operators of visitor attractions look to the future, there are concerns about the loss of the bed spaces that they provided.

Ripon’s Prison and Police Museum

Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust, which runs The Workshouse Museum, The Prison & Police Museum and Old Courthouse Museum, told the Stray Ferret:

“Covid-19 has impacted all tourism sectors and it is perhaps too early to say what the long-term picture will be. The closure of two hotels in Ripon is very sad and the decision must have been really hard but understandable given the circumstances we have all faced.

“I think it has long been acknowledged that a tourism city like Ripon could do with more hotel beds to develop the cultural and heritage tourism offer further. Undoubtedly Ripon as a whole would benefit from more hotel beds.”

The trust re-opened its heritage attractions in mid-July and secured the Visit England’s ‘Good to Go’ kitemark for all the Covid-19 safety measures put in place to keep visitors, staff and volunteers safe.

Helen added:

“We are cautiously pleased with our performance in August. We didn’t know what to expect in terms of numbers but so far so good! We certainly did have tourists visiting who were ‘staycationers’, staying in the area in a variety of accommodation types.”

The trust has benefited from Heritage Lottery funding and works with organisations including Welcome to Yorkshire, Visit Harrogate and we other attractions in Ripon and the surrounding area, to promote the city-wide offer.

Richard Compton, the owner of Newby Hall on the outskirts of Ripon, is also saddened by the loss of two hotels, but remains optimistic.

He said:

“There are many new ways nowadays through which people stay in a particular place to enjoy the tourism offer – AirBnB for example – and I hope that the hotels will re-emerge in some form or other as places that welcome visitors to stay so that they can service Ripon’s tourism offer.”

The Stray Ferret asked Ripon’s MP Julian Smith if he had any support to offer to operators of tourist and visitor attractions in his constituency, but no response was received by the time of publication.

It’s time again for celebration in Kirkby Malzeard

The hands of time are moving once more in Kirkby Malzeard after the clock on St Andrew’s Parish Church was fixed by a horological specialist.

The village timepiece has been repaired and re-set, after being stuck on 11.38 and 30 seconds since the morning of August 18, when a failed spring caused its pendulum to drop and stop swinging.

Installed in 1909 as part of a major restoration following a fire that destroyed the 12th century church in the previous year, the tower clock has been chiming the hours for 111 years.

An example of Edwardian precision engineering, it was built by William Potts & Sons at their former Cookridge Street Works in Leeds and the company, now part of the Smith of Derby group, has been carrying out an annual inspection and service ever since.

Photograph of Kevin Ireland and Christopher Slater with fixed clock

Time to celebrate – specialist clock engineer Kevin Ireland (left) and Christopher Slater with the clock at St Andrew’s Parish Church in Kirkby Malzeard working again

For the past 18 years, much of the maintenance work has been carried out by horological engineer Kevin Ireland – who was on hand to get it working again this week.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s a flatbed clock designed for ease of maintenance and features a compensated pendulum made from metals that expand and contract depending upon changes in temperature, to ensure that an even swing is maintained.

“The pendulum is fundamental to accuracy of the time kept and this one also includes gravity escapements – parts of the mechanism that ensure the movement of the hands of the clock are not affected by weather conditions such as high winds.”

This same device forms part of the internal workings of the large Ripon Cathedral clock, also installed by Potts.

Seeing the St Andrew’s hands back moving again provided a moment to celebrate for parish sexton and verger Christopher Slater. He has been looking after the clock for half a century and spent 33 of those years climbing the 30 stone steps to the ring room twice each week, to carry out winding duties with a huge metal key.

In 2003, with support from the community, Mr Slater, his wife Mary and daughter Susan, raised the funds for an electronic mechanism to be added, which automatically winds both the clock and its chimes.

That installation was also carried out by Potts. Mr Slater, said:

“On behalf of all who live in Kirkby MaIzeard, I would like to thank Kevin and his colleagues for ensuring that we all know exactly what time it is.”

United call to protect Ripon and Knaresborough markets

Harrogate Borough Council is facing a united call to protect the ancient markets in Knaresborough and Ripon.

Following in the footsteps of Ripon Independent councillor Pauline McHardy, Knaresborough Town Council has called on HBC to rule out any additional charges to traders.

At a full meeting of HBC in July, Cllr McHardy called for fair treatment of market traders and sought an assurance that no more rent rises were in the pipeline.

A motion proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor and former town mayor of Knaresborough Andrew Willoughby was supported by the town council, which will now write to HBC’s chief executive Wallace Sampson calling for Knaresborough’s market to be protected.

Cllr Willoughby said:

“For the second time, Harrogate Borough Council are trying to push through a move to ‘self-erect’ market stalls, which will make trading impossible for some, mean more cancelled markets due to the less durable nature of these stalls and, as we have seen in Ripon, a much diminished market.”

Ripon Market.

An increase of more than 25% for the supply and assembly of market stalls for traders in both Knaresborough and Ripon came into effect from August 1.

Speaking at the same meeting where Cllr McHardy called for no further increases, Cllr Andy Paraskos, HBC cabinet member with responsibility for the district’s markets, pointed out that a number of measures have been put in place by the council to both support market traders and promote the markets.

This included waiving fees for traders unable to attend markets because of government restrictions during the covid lockdown period and promotion of market days on social media.

He added:

“There has been a rumour going around that Harrogate Borough Council is wanting to get rid of the markets. This is not true.”

Ripon Grammar named best school in the north

Ripon Grammar School has been named the top grammar school in the north of England.

The school, which was founded in 1555, received the accolade from Corporate Vision magazine’s national awards.

The awards highlight educators who are considered to be leaders in their field.

Chloe Smart, education and training awards coordinator at Corporate Vision, said:

“Skills, personality, outlook, ethos, drive, hobbies and ambition, are all rooted in early life.

“The role of an educator is utterly fundamental to the fabric of our society.”

Ripon Grammar School sign

The Corporate Vision education and training awards were open to organisations including boarding schools, independent schools, early education organisations, adult education institutions, training centres, vocational schools and grammar schools.

Ms Smart said:

“The education and training awards were launched to spotlight the paragons of education and training and we have endeavoured to showcase those that have truly come to define the sector they work in.”

Church wall repair planned after six-month road closure

Harrogate Borough Council will have to grant itself Listed Building consent before a 40 metre section of church wall in Kirkby Malzeard can be reconstructed and repaired.

The large retaining wall partially collapsed during wet weather in February, causing the closure of a key transport route between Kirkby Malzeard and Masham.

While the reconstruction is necessary before the road can be reopened to through traffic, it is also required to protect the integrity of the ancient churchyard of St Andrew’s Parish Church.

Graves have been left in a precarious position because of the collapse of a ten metre section of the wall, which saw stone fall onto Church Street, forcing the closure of the road.

A planning application for the reconstruction, in addition to the repair of a further 30 metre section of the wall, is being submitted by the council and is currently at the consultation stage, which finishes on September 15. Comments can be submitted on the council’s planning website, using application number 20/02721/LB.

Photograph of St Andrew's Parish Church Kirkby Malzeard

St Andrew’s Parish Church in Kirkby Malzeard

However, the matter is not straightforward, because St Andrew’s is a Grade I listed building and special permissions are required.

The churchyard dates back to the 12th century and consultee Historic England said in a letter to the planning authority:

“The church complex, including the churchyard and wall is considered to have exceptional heritage significance which derives from its architectural styles, legible plan-form, good surviving historical fabric and its continued focal point for rural community life.”

Government legislation says that if graves need to be disturbed for works, such as construction or the provision of utility services, licences and/or faculties will be required.

A report by archaeologists employed by HBC said:

“The overriding objective of the archaeological mitigation will be to avoid, or keep to a minimum, any disturbance of archaeological deposits, specifically graves and grave monuments.

“The objective of the mitigation strategy is to ensure that any archaeological deposits that might be uncovered can be recorded and that any human remains that are disturbed are treated appropriately.”

Ripon hedgehog rescue centre forgotten in coronavirus crisis

It is six years since animal lovers Jacqui and Peter Morrell set up the HAPPY hedgehog rescue centre in Ripon.

Since 2014, they have saved the lives of hundreds of the endanger creatures through Hedgehog Appreciation Prickly Pals Yorkshire – an acronym that Jacqui thought up on a day out in Scarborough.

From that trip to the coast, the couple could hardly have expected the demand that there would be for their services, which have seen them involved in the rescue of up to 1,000 hedgehogs.

Jacqui told the Stray Ferret:

“We get calls day and night from people in many parts of the country who have found an injured or poorly hedgehog. If they are calling from somewhere that is a long way from Ripon, we refer them to the hedgehog rescue centre that is closest to them.”

HAPPY is part of a nationwide network of hedgehog rescue and preservation organisations and Jacqui and Peter can also refer callers to centres in Italy and Cyprus if required.

Photograph of Jacqui Morrell holding a hoglet

In good hands – a hoglet that is being looked after by HAPPY

The need for these organisations has increased year on year. In July The International Union for the Conservation of Nature put hedgehogs on its Red List for British Mammals classified as being ‘vulnerable to extinction’.

It is ironic that the announcement should come in a summer when rescue centres across the UK have had fears for their own survival, as fundraising and awareness events, including Hedgehog Awareness Week in May, were cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.

Jacqui, pointed out:

“We feel we are the forgotten victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the fact that the need for our services has increased.”

HAPPY, which is registered with the British Hedgehog Society, has achieved a 75% success rate in the rehabilitation and return to the wild of creatures that are among the country’s best-loved animals.

Jacqui and Peter, who have become skilled in the care and treatment of the animals in the HAPPY Hogspital Unit and the hedgehog hotel they have created in their garden, are thankful for the support received from Bondgate Pet Supplies, Bishopton Vets practice and the Ripon community.

With fundraising activities such as talks to community groups currently suspended, the need for help in cash and kind continues and anybody who would like to help them in their work can find out more on the HAPPY Facebook page.

Ripon’s ‘ring of bright water’ brings otter sightings

Sightings of an otter in Ripon Canal, have provided a silver lining to a lockdown summer overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. The animal recently featured on social media and recorded at play in the canal.

Jonny Hart-Woods, the Canal and River Trust’s senior environmental specialist for Yorkshire and the North East, told the Stray Ferret:

“The great news is that improvements in water quality brought about by environmental legislation, have seen increased fish stocks and when the right conditions come together wildlife will return.”

Sightings remain rare, but Mr Hart-Woods pointed out:

For the European otter, the dish of choice for most days is salmon or sea trout and the rivers and canals, where these fish are in plentiful supply, provide the ideal habitat for this large top of the food chain predator.

In addition to water quality improvements, the work of the Canal and River Trust in maintaining bankside trees and bushes and looking after adjacent wetland areas, has created an environment that has attracted birds and other creatures that feature in a hungry otter’s daily diet.

Sadly the otters are also vulnerable to being killed by cars with one recently killed on the Boroughbridge road.

Mr Hart-Woods said:

“Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for otters to be killed or injured while crossing a road. While it is sad, people who are thrilled by the thought of one day seeing these incredible creatures, can take heart in the knowledge that the otter population in the river Ure catchment is increasing.”

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more: