The Bishop of Ripon has spoken out about vandals after another incident in the city.
Dr Helen-Ann Hartley’s comments come after she saw the Welcome to Ripon sign on the North Bridge approach to the city had been vandalised.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“I was greatly saddened to see the Welcome to Ripon sign smashed up.
“Sadly, a minority are clearly intent on inflicting harm on our local community.
“While I appreciate there are many challenges that people face today, destroying things of value is not the answer.
“I hope whoever is doing this, can pause to reflect on how their actions hurt others, and think again before they smash something else up.”
Destroyed and discarded — the sign was torn down and thrown off the bridge.
The sign, bearing the words: ‘Welcome to Ripon, Stay Awhile Amid its Ancient Charms’ was erected in 1986 by the city’s civic society, in memory of former member Catherine Elmes.
Dr Hartley said:
“I remember early on when we moved here, I walked into Ripon and stopped at the sign and took a photo of it.
“I felt pleased to be in our new home here.”
The plaque in memory of Catherine Elmes on the vandalised sign
The North Bridge ‘welcome’ sign is one of two on the approaches to the city centre — the other being at the junction of Harrogate Road and Quarry Moor Road.
Vandalism, alongside other anti-social behaviour, is a recurring problem in Ripon.
The cabmen’s shelter — a rare heritage item and listed building on Market Square — had its windows smashed twice in the space of three months.
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Prior to this, vandals also broke windows at Ripon Town Hall and the Ripon Cathedral office and deliberately damaged the protective rubberised surface of the children’s playground in Grove Lane.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott visited the city last month and pledged investment in policing to address the spike in anti-social behaviour.
He said he intended to give local officers the resources they needed, including a phased investment in the city’s combined police and fire station on Stonebridgegate.
