Readers’ Letters: Ripon should have world class facilities for the city’s visitors

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This reader gives his opinion on the potential of the Cathedral Annexe project. 

The Cathedral Annexe and a new entrance from the car parks would provide visitors with a welcome focal point and encourage more people to stay for longer in Ripon. 

Improvements to the gardens would enable far more community use than has ever been possible before. 

Long-term, reducing traffic and integrating the cathedral forecourt with Kirkgate and the gardens would create a fantastic area, and bring the cathedral and its thousands of visitors closer together with shops, cafés and restaurants.

We have a world class cathedral, a world class concert venue, exhibition hall and community centre. We should have world class facilities for the city’s visitors.

David Ingham, Ripon

The below opinions are taken from the comment section of our free-to-read stories.

This reader addresses the news that the council is to consult on closing three children's centres in Harrogate.

Looks like another reason to blame covid for making cuts. Despite claims that many people are moving online with services, it is still right to have these physical services to allow people to get on the starting position to use the services.

I'm sure the council will do anything they can to undermine the Labour government and it is becoming more clear that NYC are involving themselves quite heavily in this. 

I wonder if the Conservatives had won the general election, would NYC be doing this cutting of services now.

Richard Coppinger

This reader shares his views after the Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents' Association called on the council to scrap plans to extend the Otley Road cycle path.

I'm a member of HAPARA. The committee deserve a lot of credit for much of their work for the community over the last 10 years, but I'm hugely disappointed by their negativity when it comes to cycling. 

They say they support cycling but then set out to destroy every cycling scheme proposed for the Otley Road area. Do they want people to be able to cycle safely from the thousands of new homes to be developed west of Harrogate into town or not?

Rather than just repeating ad nauseam what cycling paths they don't want, can they publicise what they do want? Will money always be better spent on buses or something else? Cllr Schofield is right. We need both an excellent bus service and an excellent cycle infrastructure. 

As for the nonsense about cyclists never using the Otley Road cycle path. I've been on it twice this week. 

The first time walking down the road, I saw a middle aged man cycling up it. The second time I was cycling up the path and was overtaken by a young teenager who then cycled off down Harlow Moor Road.

Malcolm Margolis

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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