Tim Flanagan, Author at The Stray Ferret

Save our Markets petition goes to council tonight

Concerns that Harrogate Borough Council wants to ‘kill off’ ancient markets in Knaresborough and Ripon will be voiced at a meeting this evening.

Almost 4,000 people have signed a Save our Markets petition set up by stallholders in both locations.

The petition began after HBC increased rents by more than 25 per cent for stallholders standing at markets across the Harrogate district.

The increase, which came into effect on 1 August, applies to stalls that are supplied by the council and erected and dismantled by its employees.

Traders with their own self-erect stalls do not have to pay the additional money.

The market traders’ petition will be presented at this evening’s virtual full council meeting, at which Steve Teggin, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and a life-long supporter of markets, will speak on behalf of stallholders.

David Tomlinson, who was involved in co-ordinating the petition in Knaresborough, runs a stationery stall at the Wednesday market.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“At a time of uncertainty caused by the covid pandemic, which continues to affect all aspects of the business community, we are having to fight for our future.”

Brian Murphy at his stall on Ripon Market.

Mr Tomlinson, pointed out:

“There is a genuine feeling in Knaresborough that the council wants to kill the markets off. Their introduction of a 25 per cent rent increase shortly after many stallholders had been unable to trade for 11 weeks, could not have been worse timing.”

Some traders received £8,000 last month from the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund, which supports small and micro businesses affected by covid.

Mr Tomlinson said this helped to offset losses during the 11-week lockdown but did not offer long-term security.

His concerns were echoed in Ripon, where Brian Murphy’s family has run a stall selling fruit and vegetables for more than 100 years.

Mr Murphy, who represents the city’s market traders, said:

“In every other local authority area, council’s have gone out of their way to support the continuity of the markets by giving both food and non-food stallholders rent-free periods or rent reductions – but not Harrogate.”

At a full meeting of HBC in July, Councillor Andy Paraskos, cabinet member with responsibility for the district’s markets, said a number of measures have been put in place by the council to support traders and promote the markets.

This included waiving fees for traders unable to attend markets because of government restrictions during the covid lockdown period and promotion of market days on social media.

He told the meeting:

“There has been a rumour going around that HBC is wanting to get rid of the markets. This is not true.”

A HBC spokesman told the Stray Ferret earlier this month its new payment system was “more flexible” and would lead to some traders paying less. He added:

“It currently costs us £15 each time we need to assemble a stall on behalf of a trader and given the number of stalls at both weekly markets, it ends up costing the taxpayer thousands of pounds per year.”

Ripon to lose two high street shops

Ripon is to lose two long-established shops, with the closures of Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Ponden Home.

Closing down sales signs are in the windows of both shops after Edinburgh Woollen Mill group – which owns both brands – filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators.

Staff at Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s store in Market Place East and Ponden Home in Kirkgate were informed of the situation in a letter on Friday.

The notice of intent is designed to give time for the group, which owns other high street names, including Jaeger and Peacocks, to enable insolvency experts to assess the business and advise on future actions.

The Ponden Home shop in Kirkgate.

While some parts of the giant retail group may be saved, the closing down sale notices were quickly in place at the group’s Ripon stores.

The notice of intention lodged in the High Court temporarily halts existing or pending creditor action by creating a 10-day period that protects them from the immediate threat of liquidation.

In a statement, Steve Simpson, chief executive of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill group, said the move would “provide a short breathing space to assess options”.

He added:

“Like every retailer, we have found the past seven months extremely difficult.

“This situation has grown worse in recent weeks as we have had to deal with a series of false rumours about our payments and trading, which have impacted our credit insurance.

“As directors we have a duty to the business, our staff, our customers and our creditors to find the very best solution in this brutal environment.”

Ripon schoolgirl smashes charity fundraising target

When Lacey Dyason decided to take part in the Brave the Shave challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support, she hoped to raise £500.

At the time of publication, the eight-year-old pupil of Ripon Cathedral Church of England Primary School had raised more than £1,900 and counting.

As well as joining in the nationwide event to bring in funds for Macmillan, Lacey also supported the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real hair wigs to children with cancer.

Saks Hair Salon in High Skellgate, which works with the trust, was the setting for Lacey’s hair cut and shave, watched by her mother and father Louise and Barry, with support from grandparents Doreen and Stewart Ellis.

Photo of Samantha Waggitt preparing to cut Lacey Dyason's hair

Hairstylist Samantha Waggitt prepares to cut Lacey’s long her

The double gesture, from one of the youngest people in the UK to take part in Brave the Shave won the hearts of many in the city.

Steven Holmes, headteacher of Lacey’s school, wrote in the school’s newsletter:

“We are so impressed with her loving attitude and the way that Lacey is aspiring to be the best person she can be.”

On Lacey’s Macmillan fundraising page, the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, said:

“Well done you brave young lady, we are very proud of you.”

Similar comments have flooded in from 69 donors, whose donations ranging from £5 to £100 mean Lacey has raised almost four times her original target.

With her fundraising page, Lacey’s Brave the Shave, still open, it looks certain that she will exceed £2,000.

So what does Lacey think of her new look?

She told the Stray Ferret:

“I was a bit shocked when I looked in the mirror, but I think it’s ok.”

Grandmother Doreen, who was among those who attempted to dissuade Lacey from having her head shaved, pointed out:

“Along with Barry and Louise, I tried to talk her out of it, but she was determined. We are so proud of her.”

Barry, added:

“We were absolutely amazed by the generosity of all the donors and would like to say a big thank you to everybody who has supported her.”

Lacey doesn’t have to worry about feeling the colder autumn weather.

Louise, said:

“It was her birthday earlier this month and among her presents, she received seven woolly hats – one for every day of the week!”

Book tells story of Nidderdale in lockdown

At the height of the coronavirus crisis, Helen Flynn, co-chair of Nidderdale Plus, vowed that nobody in Nidderdale or the Washburn Valley would go without help.

The community hub based in Pateley Bridge has been playing a key administrative role in marshalling an army of volunteers.

Among the 600 people to come forward was a team from Bewerley Park Outdoor Learning Centre – itself temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The centre’s instructors Ian Coates and Heather Tuffs, along with trainees Byrony Hart and Rowan Bonney rallied to the call.

Over four months, they walked, cycled and drove thousands of miles, making free deliveries of vital items to people stuck in their homes.

Photograph of Jenny and Frank Braithwaite

Jenny and Frank Braithwaite, who were among the hundreds of people in Nidderdale to receive home deliveries during the coronavirus lockdown

Help for people in self-isolation continues, but is not as intensive as it was at the outset, when the team worked six days a week.

Over the period, a close working relationship grew between the Bewerley team and the Chandler family, whose Spar Shop, at the foot of Pateley Bridge High Street, became a centre for handling telephone orders and assembling and distributing boxes and bags containing food, drink, prescriptions, pet supplies and other essential items.

The goods were supplied by the Spar shop and a host of other retailers in the town.

While making her deliveries on a bicycle with a trailer provided by Bewerley Park’s former head, Sam Cook, Heather Tuffs was also collecting stories, messages of thanks, photographs, anecdotes, poems and hand-drawn pictures for a book which she has called Lockdown 2020.

Heather told the Stray Ferret:

“I was inspired by the way in which the Chandlers were going the extra mile to help people and thought it needed to be recorded and recognised that, at a time of need in Nidderdale, they rose to the occasion.”

She added:

“It was also a way for me to say thank you for being able to meet so many lovely people in parts of Nidderdale I’d hadn’t previously been to.”

After hard days of pedal-powered deliveries – some of them involving the steep climb up Greenhow Hill – Heather wrote, designed and published her book, paying for it from donations made by the people who appear in it.

Its 160 pages capture the community’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

Retailers such as Kendall’s and Weatherhead butchers, fishmonger Fish With a Twist, Pateley Bridge Pharmacy, Park View Stores, Dales Market Corner, the Sandwich Box, worked in collaboration with the Chandler Spar Shop, Nidderdale Plus, The Rev Daryl Hall and countless volunteers.

The publication, which includes a touching reference to husband, father and grandfather Colin Chandler, who died in November 2007, came as a complete surprise to the family.

Speaking on behalf of them, Lee Chandler, said:

“We already know that Heather is a very special, kind and caring person and her book, which brings both smiles and tears, is something that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. We’re sure Dad would have been proud.”

Lights appeal will ensure that Pateley sparkles

Pateley Bridge may have lost its Christmas late night shopping event this year but the town has rallied round to ensure it will sparkle during the festive season.

The Mayor of Pateley Bridge, Councillor Mike Holt, was keen to highlight the efforts that have been made and to point out that Christmas in the town has not been cancelled.

Cllr Holt told the Stray Ferret:

“While the town council, along with traders is disappointed that the coronavirus crisis means we can’t hold the late night shopping event in December, Pateley Bridge will not be missing out on the festivities.”

He said the town had been forced to take a “longer-term view” because of the social distancing requirements caused by the coronavirus crisis. But organisations had pulled together. He added:

“Pateley Bridge High Street – which will have enhanced Christmas decorations – is alive and kicking, with new openings this year.

“A collective effort has seen the town council working alongside Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, Harrogate Borough Council and the local community and we will be in a better position than many other places.”

Cllr Holt added:

“Christmas markets in Harrogate and Knaresborough have been cancelled because of restrictions on large-scale gatherings and earlier this year the highly-popular scarecrow trails across Nidderdale also had to be called off, for the same reason.”

The Mayor of Pateley Bridge Councillor Mike Holt

HBC will be providing two large Christmas trees and a successful Christmas lights appeal led by the Chandler family, who own the Spar Shop and the bakers Yorkshire Born & Bread, along with the owners of Dales Market Corner and and Park View Stores, has raised thousands of pounds.

The money will be used to maintain and improve the lights in the town.

In previous years the purchase, maintenance, erection and storage of the Christmas lights and displays, and the two large Christmas trees for the town, has been funded by HBC and Pateley Bridge Town Council, but financial cutbacks have meant that greater emphasis has been put on fundraising among local retailers and residents.

Cllr Holt said:

“The fact that we have been able to raise enough money to improve the lights this difficult, lockdown year speaks volumes for the people of Pateley Bridge.”

Healthcare concerns about Ripon Barracks scheme

The question of how healthcare provision will be expanded and funded to accommodate the proposed 1,300-home Ripon Barracks development has been raised by the city’s MP, Julian Smith.

Mr Smith approached the NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group after a constituent contacted him with concerns about the potential impact of the proposed development on healthcare services.

Besides 1,300 homes, the development also includes plans for shops and businesses, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.

A letter of response from Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS NYCCG, has been published on Mr Smith’s website.

It says NYCCG has a process in place for monitoring new developments and accessing funds under the community infrastructure levy introduced by Harrogate Borough Council in July.

The levy is a charge paid by developers to local authorities to support the infrastructure costs of their projects.

Ms Bloor pointed out in her letter that the NYCCG is:

“Aware of the issues raised about access and demand for local medical services in Ripon and is in active discussion with GP practices and Harrogate & District Foundation Trust, which runs Ripon Hospital.”

She added: “We are developing a long-term plan to address improvements to health services in Ripon.”

Many questions have been raised about the proposed barracks development, which is a partnership project between the public bodies Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

Known as Clotherholme, the scheme includes Claro and Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks.

During consultation, residents have asked about the impact it will have on the city’s infrastructure – from roads to schools.

Ripon City Council has claimed that the transport assessment was “flawed” because it was undertaken during a period when there was less traffic – something Homes England disputes.

The deadline for comments on the scheme is today. You can submit a comment on the Harrogate Borough Council planning website, using reference 20/02973/EIAM.

Ripon Cathedral artwork tells Bible stories in stitches

An embroidery art installation created using more than a million stitches can be seen at Ripon Cathedral.

Following this year’s successful Wing and a Prayer display featuring 10,000-plus origami angels, the cathedral is now hosting Jacqui Parkinson’s Tree of Life exhibition.

For this exhibition, three large stitched panels will be displayed at the cathedral until November 1.

Each panel has, at its centre theme, a tree representing pivotal moments in the Bible.

The installation is complemented by the sculpture Open Heaven, which is a life-size figure of Christ hanging from a ladder, which represents Jesus reaching towards heaven.

Photograph of a sculpture of Christ at Ripon Cathedral

A sculpture of Christ crucified on a ladder is part of the exhibition

Jacqui enlisted the help of a body casting team to create the figure along with a young friend who was able to cope with the stress of enduring a complete body cast.

She explained: “The idea of a figure of Jesus on a ladder came to me, strangely, in a dream.

“It was outside my comfort zone to get this made. Luckily a young and thin friend of ours agreed to go through the ordeal of a whole body cast, and there he is in fibreglass for all to see!”

Jaqui also created the Threads through Revelation exhibition, which toured 13 British cathedrals between 2016 and 2018.

She said:

“After the enormous effort of 14 panels in Threads through Revelation, I decided to do a smaller project.

“It still took me 18 months and over a million stitches! The three panels of Tree of Life tell the stories of the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve’s fall, in the first pages of the Bible, the crucifixion, and the promise of a new heaven and earth in the last pages of the Bible.”

The previous Wing and a Prayer Installation, which saw paper angels carrying prayers suspended over the cathedral’s nave, captured the imagination of parishioners and the public while raising more than £130,000 in donations to be shared with Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Valentino’s opens new hotel rooms in Ripon

This has been a difficult year for the hospitality sector, but Rick Jones, who owns Valentino’s and the Water Rat, has his eyes on the longer-term picture.

The closure of Ripon’s Spa Hotel, quickly followed by news that The Old Deanery will be closing in early 2021, are indicators of hard times for hoteliers.

So the question arises – Is this a good time to invest £500,000 refurbishing a restaurant and creating bedroom space on your premises?

For Rick, who was born and bred in Ripon, the answer was an emphatic ‘yes’.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“Rather than spending my time panicking about the pandemic, I decided to invest in my business, so that we will be in good shape when the coronavirus crisis is behind us.

“You can either get yourself stuck in a lockdown mentality or look forward and have faith in Ripon’s future.”

Rick is an optimist, who has faced and overcome potential calamity before.

When he took charge of the Water Rat restaurant pub in 2007, he had to act quickly to prevent the waters of a flooded River Skell from washing away the trade at his newly-acquired venture.

The Lazio suite at Valentino’s

Having saved the drowned Water Rat 13 years ago and remodelled it, the experience gained has proved invaluable in the reconfiguration of Valentino’s, where the sign on the wall reads ‘Restaurant with Rooms.’

Rick’s confidence would appear well-founded.

Since its reopening in early July the restaurant, with its Roman-style food, has proved popular with diners.

There has always been a need to book in advance, but even more so now, with social distancing measures meaning that the number of tables has had to be reduced.

Literally building on the venue’s popularity and carrying the Italian theme throughout the Westgate premises, Valentino’s is now offering five newly-opened en-suite bedrooms ranging from the £120 per night Toscana room for two people, to the £190 per night Lazio suite sleeping up to four.

Last month, people in charge of tourist and heritage attractions in the city expressed concerns about the possible impact that the loss of hotel bed spaces could have on visitor numbers.

Rick believes that the Valentino’s development will go some way towards redressing the balance. He pointed out:

“Each of the rooms has been designed to have its own individual look and feel and we hope that they will appeal to people who want to come to enjoy the attractions of Ripon and the wider area.”

Nidderdale vicar sets new world record

The Rev Michael Sabell, has bettered the unusual world record he set 33 years ago.

Holy Trinity Church in Dacre Banks, was the setting for the successful record attempt, in which he signed The Bible for 14 hours.

The retired vicar, who is severely deaf, completed a ‘signathon’ over 14 days, in which he used sign language to read pages from the Old Testament in hour-long sessions.

Beating the world record he set in 1987 by two hours, The Rev Michael also raised funds to create a sign language version of The Bible.

Photograph of The Rev Michael Sabell with signathon supporters

The Rev Michael Sabell (centre) with supporters of his world record signathon attempt, including (right) the Mayor and Mayoress of Pateley Bridge, Cllr Mike and Dr Janet Holt. (Photographs courtesy of The Rev Alastair Ferneley)

The Rev Alastair Ferneley, Vicar of Dacre with Hartwith & Darley with Thornthwaite, told the Stray Ferret:

“We were delighted to support him in his record attempt, which has raised hundreds of pounds that will go to the British Sign Language (BSL) Bible Translation Project.”

Rev Alastair, pointed out:

“Michael was originally planning to do 13 hours of signing over 13 days, but continued for an additional hour and extra day, to conclude the challenge on the 40^th anniversary of his ordination.”

Parishioners were able to see the daily signing and among those to support the record attempt were the Mayor and Mayoress of Pateley Bridge Councillor Mike and Dr Janet Holt.

Cllr Holt, said:

“We would like to congratulate the Rev Michael for beating his own world record and, in the process, raising deaf awareness as well as money for the BSL Bible Translation Project.”

The project aims to produce the first real translation of The Bible from the Greek and Hebrew texts to BSL, using deaf presenters, Bible scholars and translation experts’

They will provide a video-based Bible in sign language, giving deaf people independent access to scripture.

District’s market stallholders receive £8,000 grants

Market stallholders in Ripon and Knaresborough who applied for discretionary grants have each received an additional £8,000.

The payments have been welcomed but stallholders say they will continue to call for a rent reduction.

The money has come from the government’s Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund, which supports small and micro businesses affected by Covid,

Harrogate Borough Council has administered the payments, which follow an award of £2,000 each in August to stallholders who made an application.

The traders who received the unexpected additional payment are among those whose goods were classed as ‘non-essential’ at the time when the government said that only scaled-down open air markets with strict social distancing measures in place could be held.

Food stall holders, whose goods were classed as essential, were allowed to trade throughout the lockdown period.

Andrew Sutcliffe (pictured above) who sells womenswear on both Ripon and Knaresborough markets, told the Stray Ferret:

“Traders still need to look to the longer-term and the fact that the council has increased our rents by more than 25 percent, which is unacceptable in the current economic climate.

“The additional payment was unexpected and is, of course, welcome as it helps offset the losses we made in the 11 weeks when we could not stand at any market.”

The council’s rent increase for the supply and erection of stalls it provides came into effect on August 1, prompting traders in Ripon and Knaresborough to launch a joint Save our Markets petition.

The petition, which calls on the council to reduce rents, has been signed by almost 4,000 people.

Brian Murphy, who has a fruit and vegetables stall and represents market traders in Ripon, said:

“The food suppliers who came week in, week out to markets where there were only a handful of stalls, have received absolutely nothing – except for a rent increase. That’s why we continue to call for a reduction.”

He pointed out:

“I also trade at Otley Market, which is controlled by Leeds City Council and they have gone out of their way to help all traders, with rent-free periods and rent reductions.

“They have just announced that rents will remain reduced by 25 percent until the end of December.”

A council spokesman said 20 market traders received the grants.

The spokesman defended the rent increase:

“We wanted to introduce a more flexible way markets are run and the traders we can attract. Many traders at Knaresborough and Ripon already use self-assembly stalls at other markets they sell at where the council will not erect stalls.

“Depending on the trader, they may actually pay less this financial year. The pitch rental remains the same as 2019/20 and we have offered traders an incentive if they erect their own stalls of a £5 reduction per week.

“Those who don’t wish to erect their own stalls will pay the same rate as 2019/20 but will pay a surcharge to cover some of the costs of us erecting a stall on their behalf.

“It currently costs us £15 each time we need to assemble a stall on behalf of a trader and given the number of stalls at both weekly markets, it ends up costing the taxpayer thousands of pounds per year.”

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