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26
Jul 2024
Group set up to support Ripon Cathedral's £8 million expansion
A campaign group has been set up to support Ripon Cathedral’s plans to build an £8 million annexe.
More than 40 people attended this week’s launch of the Cathedral Support Group and about 120 people have so far pledged support.
The objectives are to mobilise support, increase awareness of the importance of the annexe project and its impact on Ripon and to engage with people, stakeholders and businesses.
Speakers at the launch event highlighted concerns such as the absence of changing facilities for choristers, the lack of storage space and inadequate toilets.
The launch event
A cathedral guide said he was embarrassed by the current situation, with the cathedral appearing more like a warehouse than a place of worship and a former primary school headteacher said visiting schoolchildren could spend half an hour walking to and from the nearest secure toilets.
The £8 million scheme would include a song school, 80-seater refectory, Changing Places toilet, shop and additional storage space.
Meg Munn, a member of the organisation’s steering group who chaired the meeting, said she believed most people in the city supported the cathedral and the group would give them a voice and “counteract spurious myths”.
Ms Munn said:
Ripon Cathedral is not only a wonderful historic building but a real asset for the city and the region. The proposed annex would provide much needed facilities and ensure that all of the cathedral can be open to the public. Everyone in the city would benefit from the increased visitor numbers. It is time for the people of Ripon to get behind this development.
Ripon Cathedral
She said the annexe would bring more visitors to the city and encourage people to stay longer, with figures using the Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Model indicating even a modest increase of 35,000 visitors a year would generate an additional £3 million for the local economy.
Ms Munn said the group included people from religious and secular backgrounds and was not controlled by the cathedral.
The cathedral submitted its planning application 18 months ago and paused it in January to listen to feedback following widespread concerns. There is still no timeframe on when it will be assessed by North Yorkshire Council.
Some people claim the proposed refectory would harm other hospitality venues in the city by pulling customers away.
There are also concerns about the loss of 11 trees on Minster Gardens, including a veteran beech.
A petition to save the trees set up by Jenni Holman has been signed by more than 2,600 people.
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