Editor’s Pick of the Week: Knaresborough’s shabby castle, market unrest in Ripon and lightning strikes

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It is, without doubt, one of the loveliest views in North Yorkshire — not to mention a fabulous spot to eat fish and chips.

Knaresborough Castle is a gem. But the landscaping around it has become a bit of a mess. Some of the trees and shrubs look like they haven’t been pruned since Oliver Cromwell’s troops laid siege in 1644.

This week Knaresborians pledged to do something about it by petitioning North Yorkshire Council, which manages the castle on behalf of the Duchy of Lancaster, to tidy it up. Local photographer Charlotte Gale, who has taken more photos of Knaresborough than most, said even the famous viaduct view was becoming difficult to capture.

Expect to hear lots more about the county’s only council-owned castle: its lease is up for renewal soon, and people want certainty over its future before schemes such as a cliff lift can take off. It’s not inconceivable the castle could be hived off to English Heritage, and entry fees introduced.

Question marks also linger over the future of Knaresborough’s Wednesday market and Ripon’s Thursday market. Ripon traders had to bring their own gazebos this week after the council stopped providing its set-up service to save money, and our man on the ground discovered people weren’t overly keen on the new arrangements.

The set-up service remains in Knaresborough pending the outcome of discussions between North Yorkshire Council and Knaresborough Town Council about the latter taking over the market. Some traders reckon Knaresborough has shown a greater willingness to fight for their market than Ripon, but nothing is resolved there yet.

Huge thunderclaps could be heard on Thursday when storms arrived. Lightning struck in Pannal and one resident told us she had a narrow escape.

It’s been a big week on the local hospitality front. A new fine dining restaurant is coming to Harrogate; Mother Shipton’s Inn at Knaresborough has reopened and The Lime Tree Inn at Great Ouseburn is advertising for a new operator. Winter comfort eating, here we come.