Alert resident averts Ripon travel chaos againNorth Yorkshire County Council has performed another u-turn to avoid travel problems for people going for vaccinations in Ripon.
For the second time in seven weeks, the council’s highways department has had to hit the brakes on plans to close a bridge on a key diversion route.
The bridge over the River Ure on Boroughbridge Road was due to close for inspection all day tomorrow.
But alert resident Paul Stockburn pointed out that such a move would have caused problems because Boroughbridge Road is already serving as a diversion for a section of the nearby Dishforth Road that is closed for road works.
Had the closure gone ahead, it would have created difficulties for people driving along Boroughbridge Road in and out of Ripon.
The bridge, which is half a mile from Ripon racecourse vaccination centre, was first due to close for inspection on 19 January.
But six days earlier part of Dishforth Road closed for eight weeks for work by Yorkshire Water. It remains closed.
Conflicting closure signs on the Dishforth and Boroughbridge roads. But the bridge over the River Ure will be open tomorrow
When Mr Stockburn pointed this out, the highways department said it would re-schedule the bridge closure when Yorkshire Water’s pipe renewal work was complete.
So Mr Stockburn, who lives in Copt Hewick, was surprised to see road closure signs appear again this week. He told the Stray Ferret:
“I couldn’t believe my eyes because I know that the Dishforth Road is still going to be closed tomorrow.
“The county council appear incapable of working out that eight weeks from 13 January gives a finish date of 10 March.
“Unbelievably, they were about to make exactly the same mistake.
“You wonder, did they ask Yorkshire Water first, before deciding they were going to close the bridge on 5 March?”
After receiving a call from Mr Stockburn, the Stray Ferret contacted NYCC to let it know the Dishforth Road closure was ongoing.
Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at the council, apologised and said:
“Yorkshire Water has been undertaking an eight-week programme of works on Dishforth Road therefore our contractors scheduled the one-day bridge inspection for this Friday when the work was due to be complete.
“Unfortunately Yorkshire Water need to extend their works until March 14 so we are in the process of rearranging the bridge inspection and have removed the advance notice signs.”
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Prior to the start of its work, Yorkshire Water sent a letter to all households in Copt Hewick. It said:
“We understand that these works will be inconvenient, which is why we’ve liaised closely with North Yorkshire County Council highways department regarding every aspect of this essential scheme.’”
The importance of the Boroughbridge Road diversion route, increased on February 2 when the covid vaccination centre opened at Ripon racecourse.
Starlings leave their mark in RiponBird spotting has taken on a whole new meaning recently for some Ripon residents.
During early evenings, local people with their eyes on the skies can currently witness thousands of starlings swoop and switch in stunning synchronised movements.
The murmuration provides a delightful display for those looking on in amazement.
But for people living beneath the flight path, it’s a different story as the starlings leave their mark.
Following each performance, residents of Newby Street, Vyner Street and the adjacent roads, face a clean-up operation.
The aerial bombardment of the Bondgate area sees cars, rooves, pavements, gardens and back yards coated.
A murmuration of starlings in acrobatic flight over Ripon.
One resident, who lives in the Bondgate area but asked not to be named, told the Stray Ferret:
“There is no doubting that it is a magnificent spectacle, but they do leave a deposit.
“Some people who live around here are having to wash their cars every day.
“The worst hit have to scrape the stuff off windscreens or they wouldn’t be able to see where they are going.”
Spectators can also find themselves in a spot of bother if they don’t have an umbrella as they watch the winged wonders in full flow.
According to the wildlife charity RSPB, flocks of starlings – some native to the UK and others from Europe – come together to roost through the winter months.
Their beating of wings in flight is said to sound like a murmur, which gives the mass gathering its murmuration description.
The starlings stay safe from predators by sticking together in large numbers, making sure they are not easy prey.
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In colder months, by acting in unison, they generate collective body heat.
With thousands in close flight, this gives them the essential extra warmth they need to survive bitterly cold days.
For people engaged in car washing, window scraping, roof, path, garden and yard cleaning, who are not necessarily as thrilled as others by the natural phenomenon, there is good news.
Spring has sprung and later this month, with warmer weather on its way, the murmuration will be grounded until the autumn.
Ripon’s Quarry Moor play area to be upgraded for summerOne of Ripon’s favourite play areas is to be refurbished in time for summer.
New equipment will be installed in Quarry Moor park, funded by the 2021-2022 parish precept.
The park, just off the A61 on the southern approach to Ripon, was donated to the city in 1945 by Alderman Thomas Fowler Spence.
It currently includes an activities centre for children as well as outdoor play equipment.
Ripon City Council leader, councillor Andrew Williams, told the Stray Ferret:
“The play equipment, that adds to the park’s attraction for families with young children, has been in need of replacement for some time.
“With the prospect of the covid lockdown being lifted later this year, we want to ensure that the work is completed in readiness for the summer months.”
The land, which includes woodland walks, was left in trust by the former mayor on the understanding that it would be:
“Kept for Ripon children for all time.”
The 24-acre site was a limestone quarry for hundreds of years until the 1950s. It was also used for military training during the Second World War.
In 1986, after extensive conservation work by volunteers, it was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Quarry Moor Activities Centre
The area includes species-rich calcareous grassland and a protected wildflower meadow.
A woodland path was added in 2019.
Ripon prides itself on being child-friendly and for many years the city council has supported free family events.
These include the St Wilfrid’s Day procession in August, the switch-on of Christmas lights and New Year’s Eve entertainment on Market Square.
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The coronavirus crisis and social distancing requirements, in place since last March, caused the cancellation of mass participation activities.
For the upcoming financial year, £100,000 is being allocated for public events from summer onwards.
It is hoped that covid will be under sufficient control to allow them to go ahead.
Ripon’s parish precept for 2021-2022 will generate £400,000. Council taxpayers in the city will pay £70 towards it, in addition to council tax paid to North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.
Ripon Grammar launches furry fundraiser for Prince’s TrustA virtual pet show is enabling Ripon Grammar School students to help young people affected by the pandemic.
The imaginative idea ensures the show can go on, using Instagram as the platform to show off dogs, cats and other pets.
The school’s Prince’s Trust charity team is asking for photographs showcasing the best and cutest pets, for a suggested donation of £2. Cash and pet hamper prizes will be awarded in three categories for dogs, cats and other animals.
More than 50 favourite photographs have already been entered. The closing date is March 10 and winners will be announced later in the month.
All money raised will go towards the Prince’s Trust, which helps young people all over the UK. The charity helps them to build confidence and skills, while supporting them into education, jobs and training.
Organiser Alice Simmerson, who has entered her own dog, Flo, into the show, said:
“I feel confident that, despite lockdown, we can achieve our aims to raise a large sum of money for such a good cause.”
Will this cat win one of the Ripon Grammar School Pet Show prizes?
Student Molly Acton said she and the other members of the 13-strong RGS Prince’s Trust team feel strongly about helping young people adversely affected by the pandemic.
She added:
“I feel proud to be raising money for this charity, despite being confined to home. Even though we may be struggling to control our own lives, we can still help others.
“With education interrupted, the loss of apprenticeships and increasing youth unemployment, young people especially have suffered at the hands of the pandemic. If we can help in any way to make their lives easier and more sustainable, we must.”
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Previously, a team led by Marcus Bartlem raised £200 for the Prince’s Trust with a cake sale at school before the recent lockdown. It also sold candy canes before Christmas and aims to raise around £1,000 in total by the end of this academic year.
Marcus said:
“I’m happy the money is going to such a good cause, helping young people to stay on their feet when the coronavirus has derailed so many lives.”
Future fundraising plans include completing the Three Peaks walk, within guidelines, in 24 hours, and a funky tie or socks day once school re-opens.
Ripon councillors request 14 speed sign sitesRipon City Council has asked North Yorkshire County Council to approve its request for 14 vehicle activated speed signs.
The county council, which is the highways authority, has the ultimate say over where the signs can be placed.
It has indicated it will approve use of the signs, which are intended to encourage drivers to obey speed restrictions rather than punish them, on no more than eight Ripon streets.
But Ripon councillors have identified 14 hotspots for the traffic-calming measure and hope they will all be approved.
The signs show drivers their speed and whether they are going too fast. The cost of adapting each lamp post to include a sign is £500 plus VAT.
Paula Benson, clerk to Ripon City Council, told February’s full council meeting the county council had said it was prepared to approve the use of the signs on no more than eight Ripon streets.
Councillors voted unanimously to call on the county council to approve more locations.
They also said that if additional money was required for signs and installation it should come from the city council.
City, Harrogate district and county councillor, Stuart Martin, said:
“Members of the public have told us where these signs are needed.
“We should stick with the locations that have been identified and requested.”
Council leader Andrew Williams added:
“Ripon is not a small village, it’s a growing city with more traffic and therefore increased risk to pedestrians.”
Whitcliffe Lane – one of 14 locations on the city council list for a speed awareness sign.
Because the signs are mobile, they can be moved around the city and put in selected traffic hotspots for a few weeks at a time.
Councillor Pauline McHardy, said:
“It’s a way of educating motorists driving in different parts of Ripon, by making them aware of their speed.”
Among the locations on the city council list is Kirkby Road, where residents have likened a 300-metre stretch with no white lines to a ‘race track’.
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Across the city, Whitcliffe Lane has also been put forward as a street in need of a speed sign.
The lane is alongside a new housing development at the former Ripon Cathedral Choir School site, which has increased traffic.
This situation is being repeated in other parts of Ripon, where new housing schemes are coming on stream.
Ripon sinkhole site set for makeover
A central Ripon site where the emergence of a sinkhole prevented new homes being built is to be given a makeover.
Harrogate Borough Council was set to build 17 homes to replace a block of flats in poor condition on Allhallowgate.
However, serious ground stability issues came to light during demolition of the existing properties.
The potential for sinkholes to open up led to the development, which was backed by funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, being scrapped.
Harrogate Borough Council decided the project was no longer economically viable in 2019.
Hoardings were erected around the site and an entry gateway was chained and locked to protect public safety.
Now Mike Chambers, the cabinet member for housing and safer communities at Harrogate Borough Council, has positive news.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“The area is going to be tidied up, levelled, re-seeded and greened to improve its appearance.
“It has become overgrown and the hoardings are a bit the worse for wear.”
There is funding to refurbish the remaining Allhallowgate flats.
Covid social distancing requirements have limited progress so far.
Cllr Chambers said:
“As the lockdown eventually lifts, we can start to progress projects.
“Our initial aim is to make the site safe and look more presentable.
“In the longer-term we will need to decide whether it is going to be a new public open space, or an area for use by the residents of the remaining Allhallogate block.”
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The residents of the demolished block were all permanently re-housed. Cllr Chambers said:
“We moved quickly and managed to purchase 18 replacement properties in the Ripon area through the housing revenue account.
“This means that there has been no net loss in the stock of properties available for social housing.”
Funding has also been allocated for extensive refurbishment and improvement of the remaining Allhallowgate block.
Ground instability problems caused by the soluble nature of gypsum have been seen in many parts of Ripon.
The Stray Ferret reported in October about the evacuation of a residential block at Bedern Court, caused by subsidence in the area.
In February 2018, a sinkhole opened up on the car park of Ripon Leisure Centre, off Dallamires Lane.
In 2016, a dozen homes in Magdalens Road were evacuated after a 66-ft wide sinkhole opened up.
Ripon Workhouse Museum provides illuminating experienceThe Workhouse Museum in Ripon is providing another illuminating experience.
The Allhallowgate building is being lit up shortly after dark each evening with displays celebrating the city’s past.
The images are being projected onto the museum, which is currently closed due to lockdown.
Organised by Ripon Museum Trust, the idea follows the successful Christmas lighting display, which used the building as a backdrop.
Ripon’s proud history of community service is captured in a photographic display projected onto the Workhouse Museum shortly after dark.
Called Serving Our Community – Images from Ripon’s Past, the light show features historic photographs from the Ripon Re-Viewed collection.
It includes images of civic leaders, emergency services, voluntary groups and others who have provided community service in the city.
The message taken from the past applies to current times, making the point that ‘together we are stronger’.
Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust said:
“We had some fantastic feedback from the community on our Christmas lighting display and we wanted to keep it running.
“After talking with Ripon Re-Viewed, we came up with the idea to display some brilliant historic photos of Ripon in days gone by,
“It’s a way to bring the community together through our shared past, at what is a difficult time for many. Hopefully the display will intrigue and inspire anyone passing by the museum.”
Designed and created by locally-based audio-visual and lighting specialists Fusion LX, the light show runs for two hours each evening.
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Mandy Whitehead, project lead at Ripon Re-Viewed, said:
“A big thank you to the Workhouse Museum and Fusion LX for the opportunity at this time to share some of the fabulous images from Ripon’s past, of local people serving our community.
“We hope it will give the local community an insight into life in Ripon across the years.”
The display can be viewed for two hours just after dark.
Ripon’s three museums are currently closed due to the national lockdown.
Full details of the museums’ reopening will be published online at riponmuseums.co.uk as soon as they are available.
Ripon’s Spa Hotel for sale at £1.5 millionRipon’s Spa Hotel, which has been closed for 11 months, is back on the market at a reduced asking price of £1.5 million.
The historic Edwardian building opened in 1906 – a year after the nearby Ripon Spa.
It is being marketed by agents Colliers International for continued use as a hotel.
An executive summary from Colliers states:
“This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire a renowned Yorkshire hotel in a desirable trading location.”
The summary adds the 40-bed hotel, with its range of public rooms, has enjoyed “strong regular repeat custom based on its standing in the Ripon area”.
The hotel is in search of a buyer to return it to its former glory as Ripon’s principal hotel.
Colliers adds there is:
“Potential to further develop the trade, particularly with additional wedding and special event business, following a refurbishment to a purchaser’s specification.”
In July, the Stray Ferret reported that the hotel, which had been on the market for £1.75 million, had ceased trading.
A spokesperson said at the time:
“It is with regret that we have to close and it is with sadness that we need to make redundancies. We cannot speculate on the future of the hotel.”
Ripon’s largest hotel was, over many decades, the principal location for major Ripon civic and social events.
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It hosted business conferences, banquets, annual lunches and dinners and wedding receptions.
At the height of its popularity, the hotel was achieving net annual turnover of up to £1 million.
Alongside other hospitality businesses, the Spa Hotel went into covid lockdown last March, but never reopened its doors.
Its permanent closure, announced in July, made it the first major victim of covid in the Ripon tourism sector.
The Old Deanery Hotel, which has 11 bedrooms, a meeting room and facilities for wedding receptions, subsequently announced its permanent closure.
The collective loss of more than 50 bedrooms raised concerns about the city’s ability to accommodate visitors and tourists staying overnight or for longer periods.
Civic Society backs NHS use for Ripon Spa BathsRipon Civic Society is urging Harrogate Borough Council not to rush the sale of Ripon’s Spa Baths.
The society believes serious consideration should be given to using the grade II listed building to increase health provision.
RCS chair Christopher Hughes told the Stray Ferret:
“Ripon Civic Society urges that disposal of Ripon Spa Baths must not happen without transparent evidence that its potential contribution to health provision in our growing city and wider value to the community have been thoroughly addressed.”
The Ripon Neighbourhood Plan identified the baths as an important and accessible location for Ripon’s NHS facilities.
It set out how it could enhance health facilities for the city in coordination with the nearby Ripon Community Hospital and general practices.
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The plan, which involved input from HBC, Ripon City Council, RCS and other partners, states:
“The Spa Quarter provides the largest area of protected open space for the city centre, the enhancement of which through integration of currently separated Spa Park and Spa Gardens, (it) is significant for the city centre’s atmosphere and amenity.”
Mr Hughes said RCS was surprised to learn that Harrogate Borough Council is selling the Spa Baths:
He added:
“What is important is that the Ripon Neighbourhood Plan acknowledges the eventual disposal of the Baths if and when they should become redundant. They are a principal part of the Spa Quarter and part of the big picture for Ripon city centre.”
The society believes the new Ripon Renewal project provides an immediate opportunity to explore how the Spa Baths can best contribute to the city’s regeneration.
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesman said:
“Ripon Spa Baths has served the community well over the years and is now being replaced by a modern, state-of-the-art pool at Ripon Leisure Centre, following significant investment by the borough council.
“This new six-lane 25-metre pool will offer 70 per cent more water space, extensive changing facilities, bicycle and car parking and complements the extensively improved leisure centre.
“Once the project is complete, it will provide much needed state-of-the-art facilities that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents, and provide one of the most modern leisure facilities in the region.
“The future sale, and redevelopment of the listed building, would allow this local asset to be redeveloped (subject to planning approval), retain key features and remain as a city landmark.”
Brexit and covid can’t halt Ripon company’s growthDespite covid and “mountains of paperwork” caused by Brexit, Ripon Engineering Supplies is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary with further expansion.
Established in 1981 by Richard Lawrence, the company supplies engineering products to the trade and public.
It employs 13 staff at its new Camp Hill Close premises and plans to add to that number – despite the huge recent challenges.
Mr Lawrence, the managing director, told the Stray Ferret:
“Brexit has had a bigger negative effect on the business than covid.
“We’re just hoping it’s teething problems, as the UK adjusts to being out of Europe.
“It’s not looking too promising at present – and I’m sure we’re not alone in facing these issues, including the frustration of dealing with mountains of time-consuming paperwork.”
China-made products subject to tariffs
Many products are manufactured in China and are subject to tariffs when they are transported through the channel ports.
Besides increasing costs, the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is also causing delays.
Daniel Smith, the company’s sales and marketing manger, said:
“Some items that we were able to order and receive the next day are now held up for weeks at the docks.”
However, the company, which stocks over 50,000 items ranging from a 4 mm nut costing a penny to large welding equipment costing £5,000, remains focused on the future.
Storemen Zac Garrington (left) and Joel Francis are among the locally recruited staff.
Healthy year-on-year growth of between 10 to 12 percent means Ripon Engineering Supplies is now operating from its fifth location in the city.
Each move to larger premises has been prompted by increased demand.
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Mobile shop launched
As part of its strategic plan, the company has launched a mobile shop serving North Yorkshire.
Its one-stop shop on wheels takes essential components and tools to customers, including food factories, famers, engineers, mechanics and local government departments.
As well as providing a rapid response service, the covid-secure Mercedes Sprinter van reduces the need for people to visit the Camp Hill Close premises while social distancing requirements remain in place.
Mr Lawrence started as a sole trader with a second-hand Transit van and three children to feed, selling nuts, bolts, tools and a myriad of other products.
Two of those children, Mark and Sam, now work for the business and provide a ready-made route to succession for the day when Mr Lawrence and his wife and fellow director Paula, decide to take life a little easier.