There was a full complement of Ripon city councillors and a unanimous vote of thanks to Charlie Powell, when the council held a special meeting to recognise his long service.

Over 19 years the former councillor, who retired from local politics at the May elections, served both the Moorside and Minster wards.

In addition to being a parish councillor, he also represented Ripon for 10 years as an independent on Harrogate Borough Council.

The long service award was presented by the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon, Cllr Sid and Mrs Linda Hawke.

Speaking at Thursday’s meeting, council leader Andrew Williams, said:

“Charlie served diligently and played a key role in a number of developments, not least his work in encouraging Curzon to open a cinema in the city, more than 30 years after the Palladium Picture House closed its doors.”

He added:

“With Curzon’s opening in 2013, local residents no longer had to make the journey to Harrogate or Thirsk to see the latest film releases.”

Curzon’s cinema on North Street Ripon

Cllr Pauline McHardy, said:

“Charlie has provided wonderful service to help improve the lives of people in Ripon and we all wish him a long and happy retirement from local politics.”

Before seeking election, Mr Powell served for 15 years in the Royal Engineers, then became a firefighter in Ripon for two years before starting out on a business career that took him all around the world.

He spent 18 years in Saudi Arabia, where he worked for the military aircraft division of the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), then moved on to become a senior administrator with Waste Management International Ltd in Jeddah.

The business acumen that he gained over many years was put to good use in negotiations with Curzon  and in guiding the development of Quarry Moor Park and Nature Reserve as a place for public enjoyment.

A former deputy mayor, he has also been a stalwart supporter of Ripon in Bloom.

Ripon’s residents, day trippers and tourists, are spoilt for choice when it comes to heritage attractions in the city and surrounding villages that they can visit.

Top of the hundreds of historic buildings and sites in the area is Ripon Cathedral, founded in 672 AD by Wilfrid, the city’s celebrated patron saint.

Ripon and District Light Railway

Within earshot of the iconic building’s quarterly clock chime is a light railway with engines, track and station, that can be found in the canal-side garden of Neill Clayton on Dallamires Lane.

Ripon & District Light Railway – a project developed over 36 years by Mr Clayton and a small group of rail and engineering enthusiasts –  is among 14 locations that can be visited free of charge as part of the Heritage Open Days programme being promoted by Ripon Civic Society  (RCS) in partnership with Ripon Business Improvement District.

Details of the programme, which runs from  September 9 to 18, can be found by clicking here.

Ripon Cathedral will provide central tower tours as part of the programme of Heritage Open Days

The cathedral, dating back 1,350 years and the railway, with its component parts gathered from the Victorian and Edwardian periods, are the oldest and youngest heritage gems in a treasure trail of locations representing different aspects of the religious, social and economic history of the Ripon area.

Included among the locations that will be open to visitors is another church that bears the name of the city’s patron saint.

St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church on Coltsgate Hill, is considered an architectural masterpiece with its Pugin-designed reredos and classic stained glass among many spectacular features in the Grade II* listed building.

The Heritage Open Days at the church will run from 10.30am until 16.30, except for Sunday September 18, when the times will be 11.30 until 16.30.

The Chapel of St Mary Magdalen

Just half a mile away, another religious establishment – the Chapel of the Hospital of St Mary Magdalen, built in the 12th century to care for people suffering from leprosy – enjoys the same Grade I listed status as the cathedral and 82-foot Ripon obelisk.

The stand-out structure on Market Square, features in the open days programme on September 13 when people are invited to gather there at 11am for a guided walk and talk about Ripon’s former industries, led by members of RCS.

Tourism and trains

Among the city’s different industrial sectors, tourism has been a key element of the city’s economy since the 1800s when Fountains Abbey was established as a visitor attraction.

The opening, in 1849, of the Leeds and Thirsk Railway, increased accessibility to the area and in 1902 a scheme was promoted to link Ripon Railway Station on North Road, to the city centre and Fountains Abbey with a narrow gauge electric street tramway.

Mr Clayton, pointed out:

“Sadly, the scheme did not come to fruition because of fears about costs and the disruption that would be caused in laying tracks through medieval streets.”

He added:

“While the plan came to nothing, it provided the inspiration for our venture and we look forward to giving those who come to our open days on September 11 and 12, an insight into what might have been, by showing them a static display.

“Unfortunately, as we are weather-reliant, we can only proceed if it is not raining and we are not allowed to provide rides for members of the public.”

Because of  the size of the site, visitors will be shown around in groups of up to six.

The other locations involved in the Heritage Open Days are: Clifton Castle (near Masham), The Ruin, St James and the Methodist Church (Grewelthorpe). St John’s Parish Church (Sharow) and, in Ripon: the Courthouse and Workhouse museums, The Gazebo, Masonic Hall and Grammar School Library.

Two appliances from Harrogate Fire Station and North Yorkshire Police have attended an incident involving a milk tanker this morning.

The emergency services were called to Knaresborough road after one of the tanker’s tyres burst and the wheel then started to over-heat.

No injuries have been reported.

Fire officers and police directed traffic on the road, while other fire officers tended to the overheated wheel.

The incident occurred close to the junction with Lancaster Park Road used by ambulances and other visitors to Harrogate Hospital. Traffic is moving in the area.

Read more:

• Don’t call 999 to report hosepipe ban breaches, say police
• Cocaine dealer jailed for ‘peddling misery’ in Harrogate

The burst main on North Street in Ripon has been repaired after parts of the city endured many hours without water for the second time in four days yesterday.

However, the section of road between the clock tower junction and the BP petrol station remains closed and barriered off.

Residents await updates on social media from Yorkshire Water on the progress made and number of properties affected.

The company said this morning that water supplies had been restored to homes in the Ripon area.

John Graham, of Joda Freight, which has been employed by Yorkshire Water to deliver bottled water to areas affected by the mains burst and loss of supply, is on standby to deliver more pallets this morning. 

John Graham of Joda Freight, whose company has been employed by Yorkshire Water to deliver bottled water.

He slept in his vehicle overnight and told the Stray Ferret this morning: 

“We delivered approximately 24 tonnes of water to Market Square and other parts of the city yesterday and are ready to top up supplies as required today.” 

One of the drop off points for the pallets of water was on North Street.

About 4,000 homes in Ripon were without water for most of Friday after a mains burst on North Street. A mains on the same street also burst yesterday.

Read more:

• Yorkshire Water giving out free bottled water at Ripon’s Market Place

• Calls to grit more Harrogate district roads set to be rejected

Tickets are now available for Ripon Poetry Festival, which has grown year on year to become the biggest event of its kind in Yorkshire.

The four-day feast of readings, performances, workshops and book launches, runs from September 22 to 25 at venues across the city.

Claire Thompson, who is outreach librarian at Ripon Library and one of the judges for the festival poetry competition, told the Stray Ferret:

“We attracted a record 260 entries this year from poets of all ages.

“This prompted us to produce separate anthologies of poems written by children and adults, selected for publication after catching the eyes of judges.”

The respective children’s and adult anthologies will be launched at 5.30pm and 7.30pm on September 24 in the Operatic Hall at Ripon Arts Hub.

Ripon Bowling Club at Bondgate Green is the venue on September 23 for The Testament of Jake Thackray.

Festival curator Andy Croft, who is a talented poet, prolific author and publisher, said:

“We were so impressed with the standard of entries received from children, that we decided they should have a book of their own.

“This will be the fifth time that we have staged the festival and this year’s line-up includes well-known poets Linda France, Helen Mort, Tara Bergin, Henry Raby and Jim Greenhalf.”

The festival will include posthumous launches of new books by Yorkshire poets David McAndrew, who taught English for many years at Ripon College and Vernon Scannell, whose work titled Farewell Performance, is being published to mark the centenary of his birth.

Humorous songs written by the late singer-songwriter, journalist and poet Jake Thackray, will  be performed by Mike Wilson and Keith Wilshere in an evening of entertainment at Ripon Bowling Club.

In addition to the arts hub and bowling club, a wide range of venues will be used to increase accessibility to events.

These include Community House, Evolve, The Walled Garden, Jennyruth Workshops, The Leper Chapel on Magdalen’s Road, Ripon Library, The Walled Garden and Thorpe Prebend.

As well as being available through the Ripon Poetry Festival website tickets can be purchased on the door or in advance from the Little Ripon Bookshop on Westgate.

Ripon motorists are paying up to 11.2 pence more per litre for unleaded petrol than their Harrogate counterparts, while those driving diesel cars, vans and lorries are paying on average 8 pence a litre more at the pump.

This morning, at the Morrisons Esso station on Harrogate Road a litre of unleaded was being sold at 179.9 pence.

But 12 miles away in Harrogate, Asda’s price for a litre of unleaded had reduced  to 168.7 pence.

It means a motorist adding 40 litres of unleaded fuel to their vehicle would pay an extra £4.48.

On Saturday the Morrisons petrol station in Harrogate was selling the cheapest unleaded in town at 170.4 pence per litre, but by contrast, the petrol station at its Ripon store site was charging 178.9.

Morrisons’ Esso petrol station on Harrogate Road, Ripon, where a litre of unleaded was 11.2 pence more than Asda and 9.5 pence more than at its Harrogate store.

Ripon resident Stewart Readman, who contacted the Stray Ferret to point out the difference in prices, said:

“I have an app that gives details of petrol and diesel costs in the area and further afield and would have thought that at a time when some  people are struggling to get by, that the petrol station operators would be a bit more even-handed when they are in a position to reduce prices.”

When asked how it justifies the price difference between its petrol stations in Harrogate and Ripon, a spokesman for supermarket giant Morrisons, said:

“In the UK petrol prices vary from town to town and even neighbourhood to neighbourhood and we will always strive to be competitive in each local area.

“Occasionally this can mean price differences between different areas open up. We continually review our prices and will look to reduce this difference as soon as we can.”

Read more:

• Expert has grounds for concern over Ripon Leisure Centre spending
• Ripon Museum Trust looks to the future

Ripon hornbowers, from the left: Allison Clark, Patricio Maglio, Richard Midgley, Wayne Cobbett have paid a moving tribute to George Pickles.

“George was hornblower on the two occasions that I served as mayor and I have many fond memories of the way in which he performed the setting of the watch with style and dignity.

“He was the last of the city’s solo hornblowers, before the decision was taken to appoint a team to work on a rota basis to carry out the nightly ceremony at the obelisk on Market Square.

“George was a man with a lovely sense of humour, who captivated audiences when he told them about Ripon’s rich history and traditions.

“The city council will mark George’s passing with a minute’s silence, when we return from recess in September.”

A leading authority on Ripon sinkholes has called on Harrogate Borough Council to ‘get a reality check’ and abandon plans to spend yet more money on the city’s leisure centre.

The council said this month it plans to carry out further ground stability measures at the site, which could take a year.

A report to be considered by HBC’s cabinet on Wednesday, says the work will cost £3.5 million. If approved, this will take the running total on the project to more than £18 million.

The original contract awarded in November 2019 to construction company Willmott Dixon, had a price tag of £10.2 million for delivery of the scheme. The completion date was originally scheduled for May 2021.

Chartered geologist and town planner Dr Alan Thompson, who was the principal author of a major report on the city’s subsidence issues, has said the site will always carry a “significant residual risk” of problems.

Dr Thompson added that by not considering relocating to a new site, the council was “ploughing more and more money into a scheme which is destined to fail”.

He has sent a letter by email to council chief executive Wallace Sampson and all cabinet members expressing his concerns.

But the council’s cabinet looks set to vote in favour of further expenditure on remediation works at the site, after issuing a statement a week ago, in which it said:

“Harrogate Borough Council is set to ensure people in Ripon can keep fit and active for years to come by carrying out ground stabilisation works underneath the original leisure centre.”

The statement added:

“Since the leisure centre was first built in 1995, there has been a monumental improvement in engineering technology to assess ground conditions. The contractor has used this technology to produce a comprehensive report and programme of work, which will be provided to the cabinet.

“If approved by the cabinet on 17 August, the investment project is due to start in the autumn. Once the stabilisation works are complete – anticipated to be the following autumn – the first floor of the original leisure centre will reopen.”

The council’s view is considerably at odds with Dr Thompson’s opinion on the situation.

Stantec report finally revealed

The chartered geologist and town planner, whose comprehensive 1996 Ripon gypsum report was funded jointly by central government and Harrogate Borough Council, has spoken out, after studying detailed reports completed in June by consultants Stantec into ground and structural conditions at the leisure centre site.

Ripon Leisure Centre

The reports, which were obtained following a Freedom of Information request to the council by Ripon resident and chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh, were supplied to Dr Thompson, who said the documents:

“Have confirmed in great detail what was already known: that the leisure centre was built on very unstable land.

“They have also brought into sharp focus just how unstable it is, with the piled foundations deteriorating at an alarming rate, as a direct consequence of the ongoing nature of the subsidence processes.

“These findings have substantial implications in terms of the costs of further investigation and remediation, adding to those which have already been incurred.

“Disturbingly, however, the remediation which is being proposed — similar to that which has already been implemented beneath the new pool — cannot resolve the underlying cause of the problem: that of ongoing gypsum dissolution at depths of around 40 metres beneath the site.

“However much money is poured into this site, there will always be a significant ‘residual risk’ because of the unresolved problem of dissolution.”

Dr Thompson added:

“Astonishingly, the option of relocation has been excluded from consideration, for the stated reason that it is “not considered by Harrogate Borough Council to offer a more cost-effective approach”.

“By not allowing that option to even be considered, Harrogate Borough Council has blatantly tilted the balance in favour of ploughing more and more money into a scheme which is destined to fail. “

‘Outrageous failure’

In a direct appeal to Mr Sampson, Dr Thompson added:

“I would therefore urge you – and the council – to get a ‘reality check’ on what is going on here – in particular, the council’s outrageous failure to benchmark the escalating costs against the option of relocation.

“At the very least, proper, professional and independent consideration needs to be given to the concept of relocating the leisure centre and the new pool to an alternative site which is not affected by gypsum-related subsidence.

“Only by doing that, and by factoring the residual risk of staying at Camp Close into the equation, can the true cost-effectiveness of the options be properly compared.”

Read more:

• Ground remediation under Ripon Leisure Centre to cost £3.5 million
• Plan to open temporary gym at Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre
• Ripon leisure scheme, overdue and over budget

The Stray Ferret put Dr Thompson’s concerns to Harrogate Borough Council.

In response, a council spokesperson said: 

“Our consulting engineer has previously stated that in their professional opinion a do-nothing approach is not advised. And although there is no immediate change in the geological risk profile to the building – that was originally built in 1995 and has provided sport and leisure services for more than 25 years – it is recommended that ground stabilisation works are undertaken.

“Therefore, in order to ensure people in Ripon can keep fit and active for years to come, we plan on carrying out these necessary ground stabilisation works in the coming months.

“We’d also like to reaffirm these works are underneath the original leisure centre and not underneath the new six-lane 25metre swimming, which has had the necessary foundations in place.”

With three linked heritage attractions that bring thousands of visitors a year to Ripon, the city’s museum trust is looking to the future by building on a picture of the past that has increasing relevance to today’s society.

Having celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, Ripon Museum Trust (RMT) continues to develop its activities through community engagement and a volunteer programme that enables the museums to create a living history experience.

With almost £100,000 of Heritage Lottery money, RMT is assembling the team of professionals required to draw up a bid, seeking further funding  that would enable it to open up parts of the Workhouse Museum, never before seen by visitors.

RMT director Helen Thornton told the Stray Ferret:

“If we are successful, we will be able to provide access to the women’s and men’s dormitory areas on the upper floors of the east and west wings of the master’s accommodation.

“Our plan also includes installation of a lift, that would increase accessibility for people in wheelchairs and families with young children.”

She added:

“We are keen to tell the full story of the lives of previous inmates, which has particular relevance to today and the financial difficulties that are faced by many.”

Echoes from the past

The current cost of living crisis, which is putting more families and individuals into poverty and reliance on charities, has echoes that go back to 1776, when the original Ripon Union Workhouse opened in Allhallowgate, prior to construction of the Victorian establishment on the site with its 1854 dateline set in stone.

The former hospital wing within the complex is home to Community House, a social enterprise which, among other vital services, provides food support through a foodbank to an ever-growing number of users.

Side by side, the buildings in the workhouse grounds exemplify the fact that history can and does repeat itself.

Some 246 years ago it opened its doors to men, women and children caught in the poverty trap and here in 2022, many families are facing the modern-day equivalent, through crippling debt, much of it caused by increasing gas and electricity charges.

RMT chair Richard Taylor at the Prison & Police Museum

A unique offer

Ripon Museum Trust has a unique offering, by virtue of the fact that the Workhouse is the most complete museum of its kind in the UK and the only one whose entire exhibit is dedicated to focusing on the lives and experiences of the destitute and downtrodden of former generations.

Through a trail that also takes in the Prison & Police and Courthouse museums, visitors can follow the journey from poorhouse to punishment cell as seen through the eyes of those whose impoverishment put their lives into a desperate downward spiral.

Richard Taylor, who has chaired the trust for 28 years, said:

“It’s a powerful story put into context through items that can be seen at the three museums.

“In liaison with the community and our volunteers, we have developed an exhibition, which runs until November 27, called Ripon Museums in 40 Objects.

“It  has been designed to provide an insight into the hard times faced by former citizens unfortunate enough to find themselves in any of these establishments.”

These children were able to find out what it was like to face a magistrate before the courthouse became a museum

The blue lamp outside the Prison & Police Museum is one object not included in the list, but has special relevance to Mr Taylor.

He said:

“The P&P as we call it, was the first museum operated by the trust and I was delighted when my suggestion of adding the lamp was taken up many years ago.

“It has acted as a kind of guiding light directing visitors to the building ever since.

“We are currently looking for people to join our board of trustees and would like to hear from anybody who feels they can play a part in helping the trust to plan for its next 40 years.”

It’s a landmark year for Ripon Racecourse as it prepares for its most important race of the season tomorrow.

With the city celebrating the 1,350th anniversary of the founding of Ripon Cathedral by patron saint Wilfrid, the Boroughbridge Road track will hold the race that has been run in his honour since 1839 and has been supported by bookmaker William Hill since 1994.

The William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap, run over six furlongs, has attracted a field of 15 sprinters from top yards — all vying for the winner’s prize of £51,540, with a further £48,460 going to the owners of the placed runners.

Jon Mullin, marketing and operations manager at the racecourse, told the Stray Ferret:

“This will be William Hill’s 29th year of sponsorship. It is by far their longest-standing sponsorship and is something we are really proud of.”

Horses at the finish line at Ripon Races. Picture: Steve Fareham/Geograph.

With the weather set fair, a large crowd is anticipated and Mr Mullin added:

“Advanced sales have been promising. The  club enclosure sold out three weeks ago and we’re hoping plenty of people come along to enjoy a great afternoon of racing.”

While the Great St Wilfrid takes centre stage, the card also features  the William Hill Hornblower Conditions Stakes. Both races will be shown live on ITV.

The track’s roots are firmly established in the ancient city and the link between course, tradition and custom will be apparent when a Ripon hornblower signals the start of the stakes race at 1.40pm.

Mr Mullin said:

“Families are always welcome and under 18s will be admitted free.”

The gates will be open from 11.30am.