Ripon City Council is going to provide a £65,000 Christmas boost for retailers, residents and visitors, with a major extension of its festive lights and decorations.
The overall scheme will create a circuit covering three miles of the city’s streets.
Council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“The covid 19 pandemic has made 2020 a very difficult year for many parts of our community and we hope this gives everyone an end of year lift.”
The project will see additional money spent this year on lighting and decorations, which will be extended beyond Market Place and the central retail core to the outer edges of the city centre.
Principal gateways, including the junction of North Street with Palace Road and Princess Road, with its landmark Victoria Clock Tower, will be lit up over the festive period with lights and decorations attached to lamp posts.
New Christmas lighting will extend to Hugh Ripley Hall on Skellbank
The circuit will also include Bedern Bank, Minster Road, Water Skellgate, Park Street, Blossomgate, Marshall Way, Rotary Way, Stonebridgegate, Allhallowgate and Finkle Street.
It will also extend to Skellbank and the Hugh Ripley Hall, the building named in honour of Ripon’s first mayor.
Funding for the scheme is coming from the council’s events budget, which had originally been intended to support a programme of community events throughout the year in Ripon.
These included the 75th anniversary celebrations for VE and VJ Day, and the St Wilfrid’s Day procession, that had to be either cancelled or scaled back because of the coronavirus crisis and social distancing restrictions.
Cllr Williams said:
“It was disappointing to have to cancel so many events, but public safety is of paramount importance. “
The Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin, who chairs the city’s Christmas Lights Group, said:
“This huge expansion is designed to help all of our retailers, hospitality businesses and heritage attractions, by making Ripon a more attractive place for shoppers and visitors alike.”
He added:
“The covid 19 pandemic has overshadowed all aspects of life since March, but after months of dark clouds, we hope to provide a silver lining, with an investment in lights and decorations that will benefit the city this year and in future years.”
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