Diseased and damaged trees at Quarry Moor Nature Reserve in Ripon that pose a potential risk to public safety will be felled.

A total of 17 trees, some of which are affected by ash dieback disease, were identified as requiring removal in a report prepared for Ripon City Council by arboriculturists.

The felling will be carried out by specialist contractors in liaison with the council and Natural England.

City Council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“The trees that need to be felled to ensure the safety of the public, are in a number of different parts of the nature reserve.

“Some have been affected by ash dieback and others have become weakened through storms earlier in the year.”

Quarry Moor was donated to Ripon by Alderman Thomas F Spence in 1945 and has been held in trust for the benefit of local people ever since.

The nature reserve was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1986 in recognition of its unique geology and rare, species-rich magnesian limestone grassland.

Through careful management over the years, it has become a place of nature conservation and quiet recreation, while providing a habitat for a variety of wildlife species.

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Television pictures bridged the 220 miles between Ripon Cathedral and Westminster Abbey today as attendees at both iconic buildings were in one voice for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Images on four screens located throughout the cathedral, captured the respectful solemnity, pageantry and precision of the monarch’s state funeral – the like of which has never been seen before.

The service at the abbey, as well as celebrating The Queen and her unparalleled 70-year reign, included prayers for King Charles III who was made a Freeman of Ripon in 2002 when, as Prince of Wales, he was recognised for his ‘unique contribution to the regeneration’ of the city.

In 2004, The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited the town hall and went on a walkabout in the city to mark the 400th anniversary of Ripon’s Royal Charter, granted by James I.

Ripon, which revels in its long-established royal roots, traditions and customs dating back to 886 AD and Alfred The Great, has, over the past 11 days, played a key role in marking her passing and the end of a remarkable reign.

Services at the cathedral attended by civic dignitaries from across North Yorkshire and local residents, have provided the opportunity for reflection and prayer within the ancient building.

Ripon’s streets have been quiet today with the majority of city centre businesses closed.

The normally bustling Kirkgate was quiet today as Ripon paid its last respects to The Queen

While people attended in hundreds at the cathedral for the televised state funeral, a small group of regulars at The Hornblower Tavern paid their respects to Her Late Majesty, by watching the service at the city centre pub.

Shelly Burrell of Ripon’s Hornblower Tavern, which screened The Queen’s funeral service

Landlady Shelly Burrell, dressed all in black, told the Stray Ferret:

“We have seven television screens here that usually show football matches and other sporting events.

“When a number of our regulars asked if we would screen The Queen’s funeral so that they could watch it together, we were happy to do so.”

A congregation of 500 attended Ripon Cathedral this afternoon, to commemorate and give thanks for The Queen’s service to the nation.

The Anglican Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd. Nick Baines, gave a sermon from the pulpit, in which he said that Her Late Majesty:

“Held herself to the highest standards of accountability throughout her reign.”

He added:

“We give thanks for her disciplined and selfless service and faith and witness through all these years.”

Ripon Cathedral was full for this afternoon’s service

The service, was led by the Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd. John Dobson and included a reading from The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Richard Compton and prayers from the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley.

The bishops of Leeds and Ripon are pictured with Dean John Dobson and Richard Compton, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire

Members of the Ripon Cathedral Choir who sang at this afternoon’s service

Dignitaries from across North Yorkshire, including the Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Victoria Oldham, the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon Councillor Sid and Mrs Linda Hawke and members of Ripon City Council, were present for the service.

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Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Ripon Business Improvement District is urging businesses who are looking for help or advice with navigating the ever-changing business cost market to get in touch.

Appointments with the BID’s cost-saving expert, Rishi Sood of Place Support Partnership (PSP) were originally planned for September 19, but have re-scheduled to October 20, following the Queen’s death.

BID manager Lilla Bathurst (pictured) said:

“Our aim is to deliver on issues that are important to our member businesses and cost saving in the current economic climate is considered high priority.

“In response to business needs, PSP were commissioned by Ripon BID to support local businesses through our Place Saving Programme focussing on business critical spend areas including energy, telecoms, merchant services and water.”

Appointments can be made via info@riponbid.co.uk or by calling call 01765 530 910.

The new units on Cambridge Street.

Project to bring Harrogate retail unit back into use complete

A project to bring a vacant Harrogate retail unit back into use has been completed.

The boarded-up shop on Cambridge Street was purchased by Broadland Properties in 2020 and the 25,000 sq ft former Topshop store has now been reconfigured into a mixed-use retail and leisure development.

It now includes Cosy Club, Sainsbury’s Local and Skipton Building Society.

Matt Harriman, associate direct at GV&Co which project managed the scheme, said:

“It’s great to see this scheme come to such a successful conclusion, with an impressive line-up of new retail and leisure tenants taking their place on this busy Harrogate high street.

“The unit had been vacant since 2017 and we managed the extensive enabling works to divide the property into separate units, with new services and several structural changes to suit the revised layouts, as well as external refurbishments over three phases. These included new windows, stone cleaning, and stonework repairs.

“Now fully let and brought back to life with Sainsbury’s, Cosy Club and Skipton Building Society all in place, we have thoroughly enjoyed working with a big project team that included engineers, GGP, architects, DLA, RGP building control specialists, Ball and Berry letting agent, Robinson Webster managing agent, Ryden, Brentwood Consulting Engineers, and contractor JP Wild for Broadland Properties.”

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The televised state funeral of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will be screened at Ripon Cathedral from 9.30am on Monday.

All are welcome to attend to see the coverage from Westminster Abbey, where the funeral service will begin at 11am.

Before then, at 3.30pm on Sunday the cathedral will hold a service of commemoration for the region with the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt. Revd Nick Baines.

Those intending to attend the service are asked to be seated by 3pm and those unable to attend can see the service screened live on YouTube.

Throughout the period of mourning for the Queen, the cathedral is open for extended hours each day from 8am until 7pm for the lighting of candles and prayer until the day of the funeral.

People are invited to sign the books of condolence, leaving their own messages. Flowers can be left in a dedicated area of the cathedral grounds near the main entrance.

There was sorrow as well as smiles among the women of the Ripon Community Poppy Project (RCPP) Knit and Natter Group, when they met for the first time following the Queen’s death.

To lighten the mood, a knitted display, reminding the group of that, now famous, television moment, when Her Majesty had afternoon tea with Paddington Bear, enjoyed pride of place.

Alongside a photograph of The Queen, the display, included Paddington with his suitcase, a handbag, marmalade sandwiches and a corgi wearing a crown.

The knitted figures and accessories, were created by group members Carol Dunkley, Angela Turnbull and Lynn Hart,

A photograph of The Queen was in place among the knitted display

In the months leading up to the Platinum Jubilee, the Knit and Natter Group, along with others working from home, knitted virtually non-stop to create miles of bunting, carrying the initials ER, which was wrapped around the city.

It was a huge collective effort that earned a letter of thanks from one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting at Windsor Castle.

Yesterday, as they continued to produce the next poppy displays in time for Remembrance Sunday, they paused for silence.

Hazel Barker, who founded RCPP with former mayor of Ripon Councillor Stuart Martin, told the Stray Ferret:

“There was sadness, as we held a minute’s silence to contemplate Her Majesty’s incredible reign and what she did for this country.

“Thoughts of her passing were then followed with the many happy memories that members of the group have of her, including her visits to Ripon.”

Hazel, added:

“It was clear with the James Bond film for the 2012 Olympics and the meeting with Paddington, filmed for the Platinum Jubilee, that Her Majesty had a great sense of humour.”

As part of yesterday’s reflective meeting, cups of tea and coffee were accompanied by sandwich biscuits, baked by Hazel and fittingly including a marmalade filling.

In special Evensong and Vigil services last night led by the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson, the congregation joined in one voice to remember the late monarch and offer sympathy and support for the new king – a Freeeman of the City for 20 years.

From the opening of the doors at Ripon Cathedral to the setting of the watch on Market Square events in the city underlined its deep royal roots.

It began with private prayers at the cathedral from 8am until 9pm and throughout the day people wrote  messages in the books of condolence for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Books of condolence were signed throughout the day and will remain in place in the north transept of the cathedral for people to leave their messages.

The Bishop of Ripon the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley gave blessings at the end of the Vigil Service in the cathedral and the setting of the watch ceremony

After the service the senior clergy and mayor of Ripon walked to the market square for the setting of the watch.

A plaque by the front door of the town hall, says that the honour bestowed on King Charles III in October 2002, when he was the Prince of Wales, was ‘In deep appreciation of his unique contribution to the regeneration of Ripon.’

Standing on the same steps that The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh stood on in May 2004, when Ripon celebrated the 400th anniversary of its Royal Charter, Mayor Councillor Sid Hawke was joined by the bishop and dean, canons Ailsa Newby, Michael Gisbourne and Richard Cooper and head verger Charlie Brown, as hornblower Allison Clark, announced that the watch had been set. (see main image)

Today there will be hourly prayers at the cathedral from 8am and a special choral Evensong at 5.30pm, to mark the proclamation of the King.

Tomorrow at 10.30am there will be a sung Eucharist service led by the Bishop of Ripon, followed by a choral Evensong at 3.30pm.

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Just 13 weeks ago, the bells at Ripon Cathedral rang out in joyous celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, but today the bells were muffled as they rang out for an hour at midday to mark the passing of the UK’s most enduring monarch.

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson, led the jubilee civic service for North Yorkshire held at the cathedral on June 2, which was attended by the great and the good of the county.

From today and over the period of national mourning, the doors of the iconic church, founded 1,350 years ago by St Wilfrid, will be open to all, who wish to pay their respects to Her Majesty.

This can be done by signing the book of condolence in the north transept, through private prayer, by attending a service or leaving flowers.

Dean John, told the Stray Ferret:

“Back in June, we marked 70 years of The Queen’s magnificent service, now we come to celebrate her life and pray for her family.”

In a message on the cathedral’s website, he said The Queen was:

“One of the world’s greatest figures of our time, one who dedicated her life as monarch to the wellbeing of the people of this nation, the commonwealth and the wider world.

“She was a faithful Christian who drew on her faith to serve God and the common good in the role that God had given her.

“She wasn’t pious and didn’t let her exalted status unduly affect her. She reigned with great integrity, as seen in the images of her sitting alone at the funeral of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. She was a great servant of her people and an unequalled example of public service over the last century.”

The cathedral, which the Queen visited in 1985 for the Royal Maundy Service, has been the focus of celebration for its 1,350th anniversary since April, attracting visitors from across the region as well as overseas.

Over the coming days it is ready to welcome visitors, who wish to make their own tribute and reflect on Her Majesty’s remarkable reign.

Today, there will be an Evensong Service at 5.30 and a Vigil Service at 8.15.

The Cathedral will be open daily from 8am.

The Great North Art Show, which was due to begin at the cathedral tomorrow, is being postponed.

In the heart of the city of Ripon tonight, Her Majesty The Queen’s passing was marked with a respectful and dignified silence after the 9pm setting of the watch.

The ceremony, with its royal roots dating back to 886 AD and Alfred The Great, was performed by the obelisk on Market Square in the shadow of Ripon Town Hall, with its Union Jack Flag at half mast.

In June, this same space was the centre of the city’s celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with large numbers in attendance.

A small group bowed their heads after the fourth blast of the horn by hornblower Patricio Maglio, as they joined him in the two-minute silence.

The silence marks the start of what will be many tributes the city and its residents will pay the Queen in the days of mourning to come.

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Ripon councillors are determined to ensure festive cheer for retailers, residents and visitors to the city centre this Christmas.

While some towns and cities in the UK are putting plans for seasonal lighting on hold because of concerns over rising energy costs, Ripon will be going ahead with its civic display and switch on event.

However, concerns have been expressed. At Monday night’s full meeting of the council, Liberal Democrat councillor Barbara Brodigan asked:

“With the increasing cost of electricity, could we be seen as being profligate or frivolous at a time when people are having to cut back on their use of power?”

Last year’s Christmas lights switch on in Ripon.

Independent council leader Andrew Williams, said:

“These are indeed difficult times and there there will be more ahead, but we want to ensure that the civic lights are in place to bring some degree of Christmas spirit to the city to benefit our independent retailers and give a lift to residents and visitors.”

This year, the 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.

Cllr Williams said:

“The council has been paying for the brochure for a number of years and we welcome this support from the BID.”

The Christmas lights are paid for from the parish precept and in 2020, the display  was extended following a £65,000 injection of funding from the city council’s events budget, made possible because of the money that became available after a number of planned public events had to be cancelled because of the covid pandemic.

In 2021 there was further investment in the display, designed to boost the Ripon economy by attracting more visitors.

Last year’s switch-on event on November 19 saw a large crowd gather on Market Square.