The Children’s Society is going to receive a late Christmas present from the people of Pateley Bridge.

A Christmas Eve Christingle service has raised money for the charity for more than 30 years. It was postponed last year due to covid but has been rearranged for Wednesday evening, to coincide with the feast of Candlemas.

Organiser Joyce Liggins told the Stray Ferret:

“We were determined that the society, which does incredible work to help young people, would not miss out and holding the Christingle on Candlemas seemed highly appropriate.”

The 6pm service at the Parish Church of St Cuthbert will not include Christmas carols, but there will be a Christingle song and attendees will be given a Christingle kit as they arrive, which will be made up during the service and the candles lit.

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Ms Liggins added:

“We hope that people will come along and support this service and the society, which will benefit from donations.”

Those unable to attend can still donate through a JustGiving page.

Since 1968, Christingle services have been held across the UK to raise money for the society, which helps vulnerable young people.

The Christingle tradition has, like the bringing of an evergreen tree into a house, its roots in Germany and dates back to the 18th century, when it was introduced by Moravian Bishop Johannes de Watteville.

The managing director of Brimhams Active, which operates Harrogate Borough Council’s leisure centres, has defended the company’s stance on a proposed £8,000 price increase for one of its users.

This has, however, led to a clash with Ripon City Council leader, Andrew Williams.

Volunteer-run Ripon City Swimming Club (RCSC), which has been teaching children to swim for more than 100 years, said it had been priced out of using Ripon’s new swimming pool.

The club, which had previously held weekly sessions at now-closed Spa Baths at an annual cost of £4,500, told the Stray Ferret it was ‘mortified’ by a price hike to £12,500 per annum for use of the city’s newly-constructed facility, when it opens later this year,

Cllr Williams described the increase as ‘disgusting.’

This, in turn, prompted Brimhams Active managing director Mark Tweedie to contact the council leader by email, in which he said:

“For commercial, safety and quality assurance reasons we are mandated to be the sole provider of swimming lessons in the facilities we operate on behalf of the local authority.

“In this regard we have had numerous meetings and correspondence with RCSC over a significant period of time to try and come to an arrangement that would allow the club to continue to hire the pool with an adjusted offer that meets set standards and does not duplicate the Brimhams Active Learn to Swim programme.”

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In the email exchange, which has been seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Tweedie added:

“The Brimhams Active Learn to Swim programme is accredited by Swim England (the governing body for swimming). It teaches swimmers how to be competent and confident in the water through a recognised quality assured framework.

“Young people joining the scheme have the added value benefit of free access to Brimhams Active operated pools during any general swim sessions providing more opportunities to develop their swimming and love for swimming.”

‘We need to operate commercially’

He added:

“We have offered to work with and directly support the club to enable them to adjust their offer so they can continue to help young people develop their swimming without duplicating the Brimhams Active Learn to Swim programme.”

“Working with us to adjust their offer would enable the club to continue to hire the pool at the same rate they were previously paying. However, should the club want to maintain their current offer we have provided the option for them to hire the pool at a commercial rate recognising the club would be in effect competing with the Brimhams Active Learn to Swim programme.

“The club would also need to adhere to the same rigorous safety and quality standards as Brimhams Active. The commercial rate is an exclusive rate offered to the club and is based on the true costs of hiring the facility.

“We need to operate commercially in order to cover the operating costs of the facility as well as generate vital funds for the local authority to continue to be able to provide efficient and effective public services.”

‘You need to rethink’

In his response to Mr Tweedie, Cllr Williams, said:

“You state ‘for commercial’ as your first words and that is exactly the problem, you are seeking to use your position to have a monopoly on the way in which children are taught to swim by using only your lessons.

“The Ripon (City) Swimming Club have taught many children how to swim and in a way which is affordable for many hard-pressed families.

“You conclude again with the need to operate commercially. Might I remind you that the land upon which the yet to be opened pool sits was gifted to the children of Ripon for recreational use not for the commercial benefit of a soon to be defunct local authority.

“You need to urgently rethink your approach on this matter.”

The acrimonious tug of war over the now-derelict former Henry Jenkins Inn in Kirkby Malzeard, has entered a new phase.

David Fielder, who owns the western portion of the building, has submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council to convert it into a single dwelling.

The application, which will be considered by council planners later this year, was considered last night by Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Parish Council, which decided to adopt a neutral stance, by neither objecting to, nor supporting the proposal.

Mr Fielder, who attended the meeting, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m happy with that decision, as it shows that the parish is not opposing the application and I hope that we can move on from here.

“Planning permission is already in place for the eastern annex of the building to be converted to residential use by my business associate Justin Claybourn and I believe it would make sense for HBC to approve my similar application and hopefully bring this saga to an end.”

One of Harrogate district’s oldest pubs

The Henry Jenkins, which is named after a man that legend states lived to be 169-years-old, is one of the oldest inns in the Harrogate district. It closed in 2011.

In 2017 the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group successfully obtained an Asset of Community Value listing for the building.

However, in 2018, the listing on the eastern annex was removed by the council, when the property was sold to Mr Claybourn.

Since then, the campaign group has made three unsuccessful attempts to have the listing reinstated on the eastern portion of the building — which it said was crucial to its plans to reopen the Henry Jenkins as a community facility comprising a pub, bistro and coffee shop.

HJCP chair Richard Sadler said:

“Harrogate Borough Council quite rightly has rigorous policies to protect and enhance community facilities ‘unless it can be clearly demonstrated … there is no reasonable prospect of the existing use continuing on a viable basis with all options for continuance having been reasonably explored’.

“Well in this case there is every chance the Henry Jenkins Inn can be revived and refurbished as a community-owned pub and restaurant. More than 170 villagers have banded together and raised more than £230,000 in pledges and shares and we should now be in a strong position to qualify for another £230,000 in government match funding.”

Case for re-opening ‘stronger than ever’

Mr Sadler added that the case for regenerating the 250-year-old Henry Jenkins was stronger now than ever, with the pandemic leading to increased awareness of the importance of places for people to meet up and socialise.

“Here in Kirkby Malzeard, as elsewhere, we have more people working from home, many more new houses are planned and there’s an urgent need for a broader range of facilities.

“A revitalised Henry Jenkins would boost the local economy – providing jobs, encouraging people to go out more in the village and attracting more visitors to the area.

“We already have one pub – the Queen’s Head – but this is one of the largest villages in the area and all the evidence suggests there is room for a different type of pub serving a different clientele.

“We trust that our elected representatives will do the right thing by sticking to their policies and putting the long-term interests of the wider community above those of a private developer looking to make a quick profit.”

Ripon City Council has launched a bid to take control of the city’s Thursday and Saturday markets.

The ancient markets have been operated by Harrogate Borough Council since local government reorganisation in 1974.

But with Harrogate Borough Council set to be abolished in 15 months, Ripon city councillors have decided to act.

Independent council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“In recent years stall numbers have reduced and we firmly believe that the market needs an overhaul that will revitalise it.

“We are looking to work in partnerships with other like-minded market towns, such as Knaresborough, as we feel that we can build new working relationships with our neighbours, to deliver better services.”

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Ripon City Council has already called for other key assets, including the city’s town hall, Hugh Ripley Hall, Spa Gardens and Spa Park to return to local ownership from Harrogate Borough Council.

It says provisions in the Localism Act, designed to protect assets of community value (ACV), should be used to achieve this prior to the formation of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority next year.

Moves are already underway to retain community use at Spa Baths, after the city council successfully applied in September to have the historic building listed as an ACV.

Stray cockerels cared for by volunteers on moors near Ripon have gone missing amid fears they have been killed and fed to dogs or ferrets.

Animal lover John Richmond, a former mayor of Ripon, and eight volunteers set up a daily rota to tend to up to 30 abandoned birds.

But last week only 15 could be found at ‘Cockerel Corner’ between Kirkby Malzeard and Dallowgill, where they normally gather to be fed.

Following a thorough search of the moorland undergrowth, one of the birds was found dead with a pellet hole in its chest.

Mr Richmond told the Stray Ferret:

“I believe that the birds, who have become very tame and trusting, came out expecting to be fed and half of them were shot by a person or persons with air rifles and the carcasses taken off in a vehicle to be fed to dogs or ferrets. I have reported this to North Yorkshire Police.

“In the meantime the team of volunteers, who come from Harrogate, Ilkley, Knaresborough and Masham are determined to keep feeding the remaining hungry cockerels, though it is proving difficult to get the birds to come out of the undergrowth at feeding time.

“The birds clearly remain traumatised by what they have experienced and we are at a complete loss to understand why anybody would do this to harmless creatures.”

The former mayor, who was awarded the British Empire Medal last year for services to the community, took over feeding the cockerels when his cousin Ken Ellis became too poorly to continue the daily task.

Mr Ellis died in July and since then a growing number of volunteers have been assisting Mr Richmond in looking after the birds.

Mr Richmond, who is 86, added:

“I am still looking for more volunteers who can help out with looking after the cockerels and if they want to know more, they can contact me on 01765 607 096.”

An opening date for Ripon’s new swimming pool has still to be announced.

Harrogate Borough Council said on November 26 that the planned opening on December 8 had been postponed to an unspecified date in January. The delay was attributed to a fault in the lining of the pool.

In mid-December, when the council announced the multi-million pound leisure protect would be named the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre, in honour of the Olympic diving hero and former Ripon Grammar School student, the council said the pool would be opening “early in the new year”.

But with less than two weeks of January remaining, no opening date has been revealed.

A council spokesman told the Stray Ferret it “should have further news in the coming days”.

Ripon has been without a public swimming pool for more than two months since Spa Baths closed on November 7.

The new pool and leisure centre has been beset by historic issues of ground stability that affect the Camp Close site at Dallamires Lane. It was originally due to be completed in May 2021 and cost £10.2 million, but it is currently eight months overdue and £4 million over budget.

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Regular visitors to a Ripon nature reserve have launched a petition and called a public meeting over concerns about the scale of clearance works.

The Change.org petition titled ‘Keep Hell Wath Natural’ has gone online, while a paper petition has already been signed by more than 100 people.

The online petition calls for a stop to any more work at Hell Wath until the public meeting, which will take place at 7pm on February 23 at Ripon Bowling Club.

People are being invited to sign the petition to:

“Preserve the natural beauty, habitat and surroundings of Hell Wath open space, to protect the environment; animals, plants, hedges and trees and for this not to be changed or to become man-made or over-managed.”

Trees have been cut down on various parts of the site

What do the objectors say?

Objectors are concerned about the extent of clearance works being carried out as part of the Skell Valley Project which they believe has progressed without detailed consultation or proper engagement with local residents, who have been visiting Hell Wath for up to 50 years.

Brian Don of Keep Hell Wath Natural, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’ve been going there for 35 years with my children and grandchildren and we have enjoyed the natural beauty of the place.

“We can understand a degree of cutting back of trees and shrubs, but what we have witnessed is devastation, with trees taken out and wide-scale clearance of hawthorn and blackthorn, followed by work on the pond, which has left an absolute mess.”

Janet Anderson, who has been visiting Hell Wath for most of her life, added:

“The removal of trees and bushes has taken away the habitat of birds and  small animals, such as hedgehogs. The bullfinches you used to be able to hear singing here have gone.”

Another local resident, Sandra Miles, who has been visiting Hell Wath for 50 years, said:

“I feel that this is being imposed on us and they don’t want to know what we have to say. It has been causing me sleepless nights.”

What does the Skell Valley Project say?

Nabil Abbas, manager of the Skell Valley Project, said:

“When the nature reserve at Hell Wath was designated almost 30 years ago the grassland areas were very open, but since that time the amount of scrub on the site has increased hugely. These changes are very clear looking at historic aerial photographs of the area.

“The increasing dominance of scrub has already resulted in the loss of areas rich in wild flowers which are an important feature in the designation of the nature reserve, and left unchecked the scrub threatens to overpower those open grassland areas, which provide habitat for many plants, insects and birds.

“The three days of scrub removal which took place in December had a really minimal impact on the overall cover of scrub on the site, so there is still abundant habitat around the nature reserve for bird species which use scrub.

“The scrub removal is being undertaken in line with the nature reserve management plan to conserve the balance of different habitats on the site, maintaining open areas for wild flowers, which are crucial for butterflies, bees and other pollinators, which in turn provide feeding opportunities for birds.

“The silted up wildlife pond, which was first installed in the mid 1990s but now regularly dries out, has been brought back into good condition so that it can provide habitat for amphibians, dragonflies and other insects.

“The habitat restoration has been undertaken in mid-winter when aquatic wildlife is inactive, and outside of the bird breeding season, to minimise any impact on wildlife.

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What consultation has taken place?

With regard to the consultation process, Mr Abbas said:

“In 2018, in preparation for the successful first stage application to National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Skell Valley Project a range of engagement, consultation and audience development tasks were undertaken by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAONB) project team.

“This included engagement with individuals from the community as well as local parish councils, Ripon City Council, local landowners, local schools and colleges and the Ripon City plan committee.

“Throughout 2019 and 2020, ahead of the second stage bid, the Skell Valley Project team hosted a number of ‘Community Conversations’ workshops at Ripon Community House and Ripon Library.

“These sessions were designed to invite the local community to agree on a vision for the Skell Valley, discuss ideas for actions or initiatives which will help bring about the shared vision and to work together to develop those ideas and talk through how they compare with the current plan.

“These were widely advertised at key areas around Ripon, on social media and through the local press. including the Stray Ferret, Ripon Gazette, Harrogate Informer and BBC Radio York.

“More specifically at Hell Wath, the team hosted a free activity day to better engage with families as well as a public bioblitz event to record wildlife at the nature reserve.

“Both of these events were well attended. Following the successful stage 2 bid to the NLHF, the Skell Valley Project hosted the official launch celebration at Hell Wath in September 2021 which was open to the local community to come and enjoy the space and find out more about the project.

“Prior to any work taking place a Hell Wath the Skell Valley Project team posts public notices on site, on social media, and our website as well as engaging with the press for the more impactful work to keep the local community informed.

“Given that some people do not have access to social media, the project has also funded a new noticeboard which will be erected at the main site entrance to enable better communication.”

Mr Abbas confirmed that the Skell Valley Project would be happy to attend a public meeting. He said:

“Should a public meeting be held about the future of Hell Wath we would be happy to attend. The team are always willing to answer any questions or concerns about work carried out as part of the Skell Valley Project.”

Owners of properties in Bedern Court in Ripon face a demolition bill of at least £75,000 as arguments over a long-standing insurance claim continue.

Three apartments and a house in a block at the 29-unit residential complex were evacuated in October 2020 as sinkhole activity raised fears of a catastrophic collapse.

Bedern Court Ltd (BCL) – a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders – is preparing a complaint to send to the insurance ombudsman, but, with the continuing deterioration of the stricken block, is faced with having to find the money to take the building down.

BCL chair, Mat Pritchard, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are already doing everything we can to mitigate the risk and, with time running out, have obtained quotes from four demolition contractors.

“These have come in at £75,000 and upwards and, unfortunately, in the absence of settlement from the insurers, the bill will have to be paid by the owners of the 29 properties.”

In pursuit of its claim, BCL has supplied insurers Aviva and QBE with detailed reports from geologists and a monitoring engineer. But Mr Pritchard pointed out:

“As we have been getting nowhere with the insurance companies, we have sought legal advice and decided to make a formal complaint to the ombudsman.”

He added:

“In addition to our protracted discussions with the insurers, we have kept all authorities updated and have used fencing to shutter off part of the courtyard area as a safety measure.”

Fencing also remains in place to block entry from Skellgaths into Peacock’s Passage, which runs alongside the affected block.

Ripon City Council wrote to North Yorkshire County Council in November calling on it to demolish the block, after city council leader Andrew Williams said:

“If the perilous state of the building means it’s not safe to walk along Peacock’s Passage, it can’t be safe to walk or drive past it on Skellgarths. It needs to be demolished as quickly and safely as possible.”

However, NYCC has said that this matter is not its responsibility and now the city council has written to Harrogate Borough Council asking it to carry out a detailed risk assessment at Bedern Court.

A Ripon orchestra is set to host its first concert of the year.

The St Cecilia Orchestra’s concert will be held at Holy Trinity Church, Ripon on Saturday, January 29, with a programme entitled ‘Glorious Strings’.

The concert showcases the orchestra’s string section in Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, along with two shorter works: the Romance in C by Sibelius and Webern’s Langsamer Satz.

The Serenade was written around the time Tchaikovsky was working on his 1812 Overture, but the two works could not be more different in style.

It is billed by Classic FM as among the best the composer ever wrote and one of the late romantic era’s definitive compositions and is particularly revered for second movement, a graceful waltz.

To complete the programme, clarinettist Tom Verity will join the strings in a performance of Finzi’s Clarinet Concerto.

The concerto, composed in 1949 in response commission from the Three Choirs Festival, is one of Finzi’s best-known and most widely performed works and shows the composer’s particular empathy for the clarinet as a solo instrument.

Tom is currently principal clarinet of the Welsh National Opera and has performed as guest principal with many orchestras including the Philharmonia and Hallé.

His chamber music highlights include working with Stephen Hough and with the Heath Quartet, and he also plays with Klezmer-ish, a classical/world music fusion quartet, whose albums Music of the Travellers and Dusty Road have been described as ‘a joyous combination of playfulness and precision’ by The Times.

Tickets are £15 for adults and free for under 18’s. Available online from the St Cecilia website, from the Little Ripon Bookshop and Henry Roberts, or reserve by phone on 01423 531062.

In line with current guidance, audience members should wear face coverings and the seating will be socially distanced. There will be a short interval, but unfortunately no refreshments in order to minimise mingling.