No corner of the Harrogate district has been immune to new housing in recent years but the sheer scale of the 1,300-home Clotherholme development will alter Ripon forever. Planning approval was...
Editor’s Pick of the Week: Tim Stedman returns, a new mayor awaits and Ripon prepares for 1,300 homes
No corner of the Harrogate district has been immune to new housing in recent years but the sheer scale of the 1,300-home Clotherholme development will alter Ripon forever. Planning approval was passed by a whisker last year. Since then, the government agencies behind...
Who are North Yorkshire’s mayoral candidates?
Voters will head to the polls in five days time to elect the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. The Stray Ferret has profiled each of the six candidates vying for the role on May 2. Each major party is contesting the election, as well as two independents. Below,...
Local history spotlight: Naomi Jacob
(Lead image: Pixabay and Ripon Civic Society) North Yorkshire boasts numerous connections to the literary world across the centuries; the Brontë family immortalised Haworth and the dramatic scenery of the moors, Whitby Abbey famously inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula,...
New details of Ripon’s 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme released
Work on the 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme in Ripon is expected to begin next year and last until 2037, according to a newly published update. Land at Claro Barracks, Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks will be bulldozed to make way for the homes, a primary school and a...
Ripon primary school named as one of the most diverse in North Yorkshire
Moorside Primary School and Nursery in Ripon has been named as one of the most culturally diverse schools in North Yorkshire and has been recognised for its inclusivity. The school has pupils from 17 different nationalities and has become the first in the county to be...
BT answers Ripon Civic Society’s call to repair historic city centre telephone kiosks
Telecoms giant BT has answered a call from Ripon Civic Society to carry out repair work on the four vandalised telephone kiosks that stand in line in the city centre. Richard Taylor, co-chair of the heritage watchdog, raised concerns about the dangerous condition of...
Black Dyke Band to give fundraising concert in Ripon
The world-famous Black Dyke Band will provide a boost to fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support at Ripon Cathedral next week. The band, which won the 2023 National Brass Band Championships at the Royal Albert Hall, has waived its fee for the concert on the evening...
Entries open for the 2024 Ripon Poetry Festival
The search has begun for entries from people of all ages for the seventh Ripon Poetry Festival competition. This year's event runs from September 19 to September 22 and the closing date for entries is July 31. Advising would-be entrants, festival curator Andy Croft...
Conservative mayoral candidate promises ‘bold ambition’ for North Yorkshire
Keane Duncan believes he has a “bold ambition” for North Yorkshire. The 29-year-old candidate for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is tasked with securing the position for the Conservative Party on May 2. Mr Duncan, who is also executive councillor for highways on...
City council supports rejuvenation plans for Ripon’s Spa Baths
Ripon City Council has given its backing to plans designed to return Ripon’s iconic Spa Baths to its former Edwardian glory. Ripon-based property investment and development company Sterne Properties Limited, is seeking planning approval from North Yorkshire Council...
From lidos to Eurovision: Ripon teacher’s quirky musicals
It was during an open day at a lido in Cumbria that composer and playwright Emily Roberts found the inspiration for her latest musical. The premise of All Those On Board suddenly popped into her head while she was chatting to campaigners of a multi-million pound...
Will you play a part in this year’s Ripon Theatre Festival?
Could you play a part in helping this year's Ripon Theatre Festival (RTF) to run smoothly? Organisers of the fast-growing festival that runs from July 2 until July 7, are calling out for new volunteers to join the team for 2024. More than 30 volunteers are needed each...