Hundreds gathered on Ripon Market Square yesterday evening as the city council signalled the beginning of the festive season with its Christmas lights switch-on.
With heavy rain relenting by early afternoon, the crowd, largely made up of family groups, grew throughout the day, visiting the square to see Santa and his reindeer and enjoy the free fairground rides and musical entertainment.
Families met with Santa and his reindeer Alfie, Dancer and Izzy
Among the early visitors to see Santa were two-year-old Taylor, her 12-year-old brother Toby and their mother Catherine (pictured above).
The three free fairground rides proved popular throughout the afternoon and into the evening
Live musical entertainment was provided from 2pm by local singer-songwriter Freddie Cleary, and tribute acts Tamsin and Kaylie and Jersey Beyond (pictured below)
By 5pm when the Mayor of Ripon Cllr Sid Hawke performed the switch-on, the large crowd was in festive mood, joining with him in singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
The Christmas lights on Kirkgate
Among those hoping that Ripon’s traders have a happy and successful festive season is city council leader Cllr Andrew Williams.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“This is going to be a very challenging end of year for the vast majority of people with the cost of living crisis meaning they have less disposable income to spend.”
He added:
“We hope, however, that the lights will help to attract increased footfall and provide a festive boost to the city’s economy with local residents, as well as visitors, supporting Ripon’s independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs by spending their money here.”
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Consent granted for demolition of Ripon homes affected by subsidence
Planning consent has been granted for the demolition of a block of four empty homes in Ripon’s conservation area, which have been affected by subsidence and sinkhole issues.
The properties at 1,3 and 5 Bedern Court and 17 Skellgarths, were evacuated in October 2020 after being deemed unsafe for habitation.
A section of Peacock’s Passage, which is adjacent to the site, has been fenced off ever since.
Permission has also been granted for steps (pictured below) to be demolished and for the erection of hoardings following demolition of the block, so the area can be enclosed while investigation of the site is carried out.
A report from Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) planners states that:
“Demolition of the buildings is considered appropriate to ensure safety within the conservation area and to allow for investigations to determine an appropriate redevelopment of the site.”
The report says that the four properties:
“Have been adversely affected by the local ground conditions that arise notably from the dissolution of gypsum.”
It also points out that HBC’s building control officers:
“Have been involved with these buildings as a dangerous structure in recent months so we are aware of the concerns regarding their stability.”
Bedern Court Ltd, a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit residential development, employed engineers to monitor and report for more than a decade on signs of movement in the affected block, after subsidence occurred on an adjacent site.
With signs that subsidence causing damage to the block of the four properties is continuing, the application seeking permission to demolish was submitted to HBC in September.
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Council answers call to remove bins from Ripon car park
Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) has taken swift action to remove two bins from Sainsbury’s car park in Ripon, that were causing access problems for disabled people and parents with buggies and prams.
The issue was raised with both HBC and North Yorkshire County Council by Jeremy Dunford, a trustee of Ripon Disability Forum, who pointed out that the waste and recycling bins on the pavement linking The Arcade to the supermarket, were leaving little room for people in wheelchairs, or families with young children to pass safely.
The bins seen in situ before they were removed
Following their removal, Mr Dunford told the Stray Ferret:
“Getting this resolved so quickly shows the benefits of community groups and councils developing relationships to address issues in a proactive way.
“However, it does also highlight the need for greater thought being given to works so that remedial action is not then needed after the event. It is cheaper and more cost effective this way.”
Mr Dunford added:
“As always, we encourage people to raise such issues with us to try and get them resolved in the best way that is possible.”
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Reindeer head to Ripon for Saturday’s Christmas lights switch on
Ripon’s festive season gets into full swing this week, with late night shopping tomorrow and the switch on of the city’s Christmas lights on Saturday.
Tomorrow, eight independent retailers located on North Steet and Fishergate will remain open until 8pm and there is the opportunity for shoppers to win a hamper.
The participating retailers are: The Castle, The GreenHouse, Memorable Moments. Carlton Couture Bridal, Absolute Bliss Health & Beauty, Eastwick, St Michael’s Hospice and Halls of Ripon department store.
On Saturday, Ripon Market Square will be a hive of activity from 1pm ahead of the Christmas lights switch on, which takes place at 5pm.
Santa’s reindeer return to Ripon Market Square on Saturday afternoon
The reindeer, which proved popular when they visited Ripon for last year’s switch on will be returning with Santa and once again and there will also be free fairground rides and a climbing wall for children to enjoy.
The Ripon City Council event will also provide free musical entertainment from 2pm with singer-songwriter Freddie Cleary followed by Christmas songs from Tamsin and Kaylie, before the Jersey Beyond tribute act take centre stage.
This year, the council’s festive programme in Ripon is being supported by Ripon Business Improvement District, which is paying for the production and distribution of a Christmas brochure, setting out the events that will be happening in the city between now and New Year’s Eve.
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A charity that supports desperately ill children and their families will benefit for the fourth consecutive year from a fundraising event staged by Ripon cafe owner Tina Whincup.
Ms Whincup, who owns Caffe Tempo in The Arcade, will be hosting story time with Santa on the evenings of December 13 and 14, to raise money for Yorkshire Children’s Trust.
The popularity of the event is underlined by the fact that tickets sold out within days of going on sale.
Santa will be reading Christmas stories at Caffe Tempo next month to raise money for Yorkshire Children’s Trust.
Ms Whincup told the Stray Ferret:
“We are going to raise a record of at least £700 this year through ticket sales and a silent auction being conducted online for an exclusive Caffe Tempo jumper, made for us by The British Christmas Jumper Company.
“The trust is a wonderful charity that helps families across Yorkshire and I would encourage people to support them in whatever way they can.”
The auction for the jumper lasts until Sunday (November 20) and anybody wanting to make a bid can find out more details by clicking here.
Yorkshire Children’s Trust was founded by two sets of parents after their daughters were diagnosed with leukaemia. The charity helps children and their families cope with the emotional and financial strain of many life-changing illnesses, something the founders of the charity understand after dealing with their own children going through the long and harsh treatments for cancer.
The charity doesn’t receive any lottery, NHS or government funding and relies heavily on voluntary donations.
Halifax closure leaves Ripon with one remaining bankFollowing this afternoon’s closure of the Halifax, Ripon will have one remaining bank and no access outside shopping hours to city centre cash machines.
The closure comes less than three months after the long-established Barclays branch closed its doors on August 25, leaving HSBC – which has no external cash machine – as Ripon’s only bank.
The Barclays bank Ripon branch closed in August.
Cash machines are available during shopping hours at Sainsbury’s on Market Place East and Booths at the Marshall Way Retail Park.
Announcing its branch closure in July, Halifax said in a statement:
“Like many other high street businesses, we’ve seen people using our branches less frequently in recent years as more customers choose to do most of their everyday banking online.
“We’re responding to the way our customers use our branches. We’ll continue to invest in our branch network, but we have to make sure our branches are where customers need and use them most.
“As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to close this branch because customers are using it less often. In addition the majority of customers are also using alternative ways to bank.”
A report produced by Barclays in May to explain the rationale behind its closure decision, showed that more than 3,000 customers visited regularly for personal or business banking purposes in the last year.
But the bank added that only 121 customers use the branch exclusively for banking. Eighty percent of customers also use online and telephone banking.
The report said 41% of Ripon customers also use nearby branches, such as Harrogate and Thirsk.
Ripon Racecourse has finished ahead of a strong field of entrants to become a winner at the 2022 Racecourse Association Showcase & Awards event.
Ripon, known as Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse, beat Hamilton Park, Go Racing in Yorkshire, Scottish Racing and The Jockey Club to collect the Racing Connection Award.
Their winning entry was the Goodbye Flys Stables Championship, which saw a total of more than £14,000 going to stable staff over the course of the 2022 season.
The showcase & awards, held on Thursday at Pontefract, is the marquee event of British racecourses and celebrates excellence and innovation in racecourse operations and raceday experience.
The Racing Connection Award celebrates initiatives that enrich and extend the reach of the sport to customers, including racegoers or colleagues from the thoroughbred group (professionals connected with the horse).
Entrants were asked to demonstrate the passion, enthusiasm, knowledge and skill of those who work in the sport, enhancing both customer enjoyment and education of horseracing.
Wilf Walsh, chairman of the RCA, commented:
“Congratulations to Ripon Racecourse for their fantastic initiative to bring stable staff into the heart of the raceday experience.
“In what has been a challenging year for racecourses, I was buoyed by the quality of the initiatives on show, not least this one which I hope will act as inspiration to other racecourses in future.
“The RCA will share the best practice arising from this year’s Showcase Awards amongst all racecourses in the year ahead.”
Jonathan Mullin, operations and marketing manager at Ripon Racecourse, said:
“We’re delighted to win our second showcase award, keeping our place in the winners’ enclosure after winning the spotlight award with our green scheme in 2019.
“We felt it was important to highlight and acknowledge the great work that stable staff do in the industry. Together with our sponsor, Goodbye Flys, we found a good way of rewarding them and it is fantastic that it has been recognised.
“We’re looking forward to bringing the championship back next year along with some other initiatives and it would be fantastic if we could make the finals at the 2023 showcase and awards at Aintree.”
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Thousands pay their respects as Ripon remembers the fallen
Thousands of people gathered at Spa Gardens and on nearby streets, as Ripon remembered the dead of two world wars and other conflicts this morning.
Services were held at the war memorial and in Ripon Cathedral, with both attended by the Bishop of Ripon the Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd. John Dobson (pictured below) and clergy from the cathedral.
Spa Gardens, which like all other parts of the city has been decorated with thousands of red hand-knitted poppies created by the Ripon Community Poppy Project, provided a fitting backdrop for the ceremony at the memorial.
It was here that Andrew Cowie, president of the Ripon branch of the Royal British Legion, read out almost 400 names that appear on memorials at the gardens and in the cathedral.
Following a two-minute silence, wreaths were laid, including one on behalf of Ripon City Council, put in place by the Mayor of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke (pictured below).
Wreaths were also laid by other dignitaries and representatives of all branches of the armed forces and the emergency services.
The service included hymns accompanied by Ripon City Band and the Last Post and Reveille played by Linda Graham, while lone piper Peter Spencer, of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Pipe Band played the lament Flowers of the Forest. which preceded the two-minute silence.
Royal Engineers from Claro Barracks, were present, alongside retired service men and women and members of the Ripon Branch of the Royal British Legion.
Following the service in Spa Gardens 60 soldiers based at Claro Barracks led a march to the cathedral, passing Ripon Town Hall, where the mayor took the salute.
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New call for action on Ripon eyesore site
Ripon councillors are calling for further action to smarten up a derelict site on one of the city’s key tourist routes.
The former Express petrol station and convenience store on Skellbank, has been empty for years.
It is located in a largely residential area of the city, on the route to Fountains Abbey and diagonally across the road from Hugh Ripley Hall, named in honour of Ripon’s first mayor.
In early 2021 Harrogate Borough Council planning enforcement officers instructed the owner to tidy the site, cut back vegetation and leave it in an acceptable manner prior to any further development.
The site as it looks today
However, as it remains in a derelict and overgrown state, city councillors at Monday night’s full meeting agreed to call for further enforcement action to be taken by HBC.
Councillor Stuart Flatley’s request for HBC to serve a Section 125 notice on the site owner was unanimously supported, after he said:
“This area is on the route to the Fountains Abbey World Heritage Site and has been in this unacceptable condition for many years and we can’t let this continue.”
City council leader Andrew Williams who seconded the proposal, said:
“As well as supporting this, I would like to go a step further and look at a compulsory purchase order for the site, so that it can be cleared and used for much-needed additional car parking spaces that can serve visitors to the city, hospital and Hugh Ripley Hall.”
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Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a local planning authority with the power to take steps requiring land be cleaned up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area.
If it appears that the amenity of part of their area is being adversely affected by the condition of neighbouring land and buildings, they may serve a notice on the owner requiring that the situation be remedied.
Bid to save bus linking Ripon, Thirsk and NorthallertonRipon councillors are bidding to save the number 70 bus service that links the city with Thirsk and Northallerton.
They have agreed to contact North Yorkshire County Council and call for a re-think following an email to the city council that said funding for the service will come to an end from April.
The news from the passenger transport authority was met with disappointment at Monday’s full city council meeting, at which leader Andrew Williams, said:
“The loss of this service will mean that people from Ripon will not be able to use public transport to travel to Northallerton and go to North Yorkshire’s new seat of local government.
“This seems a ridiculous situation at a time when the COP 27 conference is being held in Egypt and world leaders are talking about the need to reduce carbon emissions by using more environmentally-friendly means of transport.”
Ripon residents can currently travel on the 36 bus to attend Harrogate Borough Council meetings or deal with matters such as planning applications.
Cllr Williams said:
“With devolution, this will all change from April when the new North Yorkshire authority comes into being and Harrogate Borough Council ceases to exist.
“That’s why we need to both protect and promote the valuable number 70 service and encourage more people to use it and make it viable.”
Cllr Julie Martin-Long said:
“The service is also a means of accessing mainline trains for travel to the north of England and onward links to airports in the north east.
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