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29
Aug
Ripon Market faces uncertain gazebo future
Ripon’s historic market faces an uncertain future after yesterday (August 28) marked the end of an era.
It was the last time North Yorkshire Council set up the stalls at the weekly Thursday market — a service it and its predecessor Harrogate Borough Council provided for decades.
The council is stopping the service at Ripon and Knaresborough markets to save £35,000 a year. However, the move has not yet been implemented in Knaresborough because its town council is in talks with the county council about taking over the market.
From now on in Ripon, traders will have to put up their own lightweight, gazebo stalls if they wish to maintain their pitches.
Some fear it will change the character of the market and increase the likelihood of the flimsier new stalls not being erected in bad weather.
Image: Ripon City Council
'Ripon City Council just wasn't bothered'
Fruit and veg trader Brian Murphy, whose family has sold goods at the city’s Thursday and Saturday markets for 110 years, said it was a “massive change for Ripon market”.
In a social media post, he added:
Despite fighting it for 12 months this week is the last week that north Yorkshire council will erect stalls for the traders who want /need them. We fought it as much as we could. Ripon market will not be finishing but may take a while for traders who aren't used to or have never done self-erect.
A quick shout out to two councillors who tried to help us fight this but in the end I'm afraid Ripon City Council just wasn't bothered about the market and what it brings to the city every Thursday. Knaresborough got behind their market and are in the process of taking it over from North Yorkshire. Unfortunately, our fight was in vain as too many councillors don't see the benefit the market brings. As I said before it will carry on but may take a bit of time to adjust.
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