Developer confirms its commitment to regenerate Ripon’s Spa Baths

Ripon-based development and investment company Sterne Properties has reaffirmed its commitment to regenerate the city’s historic Spa Baths.

Last June, the Stray Ferret revealed the company was acquiring the building from the then Harrogate Borough Council for an undisclosed sum.

But negotiations have taken longer than expected and Harrogate Borough Council was abolished at the end of last month and replaced by the new North Yorkshire Council.

Company director Robert Sterne said:

“This is a complicated site and obtaining planning for it will be a long process, but we remain 100 percent committed to our hospitality-based regeneration proposals.

“We look forward to presenting our proposals to Ripon City Council.”

In September 2021, the city council successfully applied to have the Edwardian baths building listed as an asset of community value by Harrogate Borough Council. But at last night’s full council meeting, members voted unanimously  to no longer pursue any future ambitions for its own development of the site.

With its track record of developing buildings for the city’s leisure, hospitality and retail sectors – including Curzon Cinema, Claro Lounge and Halls of Ripon – Sterne Properties feels well-equipped to take on the challenge of Spa Baths’ renaissance.

The company has had success in returning redundant properties, such as the former NatWest Bank building next to Ripon Town Hall and an empty furniture store on North Street, into destinations that add value to the city’s offer.

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Council upholds listing Sharow pub as asset of community value

Harrogate Borough Council has upheld its decision to allocate the Half Moon Inn at Sharow as an asset of community value.

The council awarded the pub asset of community value status in November 2022 following a campaign by local residents and the parish council to keep the venue open.

However, Mark Fitton, the owner of the pub has challenged the council’s decision and described it as “flawed”.

In a letter to Mr Fitton, which was seen by the Stray Ferret, the council confirmed that it expected to complete a review of its decision by January.

Now, a spokesperson for the authority has confirmed it had upheld its original decision.

It means residents and campaigners will have six months to attempt to raise funds to purchase the property.

The pub on Sharow Lane opened in 1822 but closed in 2016.

Since then, a long running saga has unfolded over how best to put the building to use.

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Mr Fitton lodged a plan to convert the former pub into a house in March last year.

However, Harrogate Borough Council refused the proposal on the grounds that “insufficient evidence” had been submitted to demonstrate that no community use existed for the property.

Mr Fitton has now taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, the body that deals with planning disputes.

He has also resubmitted the proposal to the council.

Campaigners renew efforts to raise £250,000 to buy Skelton-on-Ure pub

Residents in Skelton-on-Ure are renewing efforts to raise £250,000 to buy their village pub.

The Black Lion, on Skelton Lane close to Newby Hall, between Boroughbridge and Ripon, was bought in December 2019 by Admiral Taverns.

However since then it has stood derelict, leaving locals questioning its future.

After the pub was put up for sale, residents called on people to pledge to buy a share in the pub in order to raise funds to buy it and revitalise it.

The pub was recently listed as an asset of community value by Harrogate Borough Council, which gives the group a six-month window to raise cash.

Now, residents have renewed efforts as they warn the “clock is ticking” on the chance to save the pub.

Sandy Delf, one of the residents involved in the Black Lion Community Hub and Pub group, said:

“So far the value of shares and promises in kind to help is in the region of £140,000. With government matched funding this would at present double monies to around £275,000.

“But the project still needs more funds. The community group are appealing for more pledges.”

The Black Lion pictured prior to its closure.

The group, which has received support from rural community charity the Plunkett Foundation, aims to raise £250,000 in order to access government match funding as part of the community ownership fund.

Shares in the pub cost £250 each and are open to people and businesses to submit an expression of interest.

For more information on how to pledge a share in the pub, visit the Black Lion Community Hub and Pub website here.

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Campaigners vow to fight on to save Kirkby Malzeard pub

Campaigners battling to save a historic Harrogate district pub from redevelopment have vowed to fight on despite suffering another significant setback.

The Henry Jenkins Inn at Kirkby Malzeard near Ripon dates back to the 18th century but has been closed for the last decade.

This has been much to the frustration of members of the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group who have raised £237,000 with hopes of running the pub as a community-owned venue.

They have made several attempts to buy the building and reinstate its protected status, all so far without success. Their latest setback came last month when Harrogate Borough Council rejected a third application for an Asset of Community Value (ACV) nomination.

Determined to continue their campaign, pub group chairman Richard Sadler said residents believe the case to reopen the Henry Jenkins is “stronger than ever” and that they are now planning their next move to submit a fourth ACV application.

He said: 

“The pandemic has taught us that community hubs – places where local people can meet up, socialise and make friends or do business – are more important than ever.

“Our legal advisers have scrutinised the official report justifying the council’s decision and found contradictions and inconsistencies.

“We can’t appeal against the decision but we’re entitled to reapply – and we believe there is a very strong case for doing so.

“It’s ridiculous that we have laws and planning policies to protect community facilities – yet the local authority that’s supposed to be helping us is still siding with a private developer.”

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If approved, the ACV status would mean part of the pub is protected from a change of use or demolition and has to be considered for community bids.

But following the latest refusal, it will now remain in the ownership of developers who have planning permission to redevelop the pub which is steeped in history.

The Henry Jenkins pictured when it closed in 2011. Photo: Google.

The Henry Jenkins pictured when it closed in 2011. Photo: Google.

The Henry Jenkins is one of the oldest inns in the Harrogate district and named after the Yorkshire super-centenarian that legend states lived to be 169-years-old.

The pub was first granted ACV status in 2017 but was then delisted by the council after it was partly sold to the developer.

Mr Salder said this decision made “no sense” and that the campaign group are now also considering making a request for the council to carry out a compulsory purchase order on the building.

He said: 

“It is within the council’s powers to restore the Asset of Community Value listing and if we can get the whole pub put back the ACV, that will put us in a much stronger position – because the owners will be forced to reconsider community bids.

“Our members have been helping support vulnerable people during the pandemic and several are working as volunteers at local vaccination centres.

“So we are already active in the community – but we have exciting plans to engage more supporters and increase our profile as we step up the campaign.”

Ripon council considers bid to buy Spa Baths

Ripon City Council is to consider bidding to buy the city’s Spa Baths as part of the campaign to keep the building in community use.

Harrogate Borough Council plans to sell the Grade II listed building when Ripon’s new pool opens at the end of the year.

It has identified an unnamed preferred buyer but last month’s decision to list the 116-year-old building as an asset of community value has put any sale on hold to give the community chance to raise funds to launch a bid.

Ripon City Council is now taking the first steps towards pursuing that option after taking part in an initial meeting with the preferred bidder.

At Monday’s full city council meeting, leader Andrew Williams said:

“We had a constructive discussion with the bidder and will continue to work with them and look at any proposals they have for community uses as part of redevelopment of the site.

“However, to ensure that we keep our options open, following Harrogate Borough Council’s agreement to list the building as an asset of community value, we need to take the process to the next stage.”

Photo of Ripon Town Hall

Ripon City Council is to request to be treated as a potential bidder.

Councillors agreed to a motion put forward by Cllr Williams to “submit a written request to Harrogate Borough Council to request to be treated as a potential bidder under the provisions of the Localism Act”.

Councillor Stuart Martin, who seconded the motion, was among the councillors who attended the meeting with the preferred bidder. He said:

“We will continue to talk with the bidder, but must take every step to secure Ripon City Council’s position, without putting unnecessary obstacles to further discussions in the way.”

Housing fears

The future of the Edwardian building has been uncertain since owner Harrogate Borough Council put it on the market in February, saying it would be surplus to requirements when Ripon’s new multi-million swimming pool opens.

This sparked fears the baths could be sold for housing.

The campaign to retain it for community use, led by Ripon City Council and Ripon Civic Society, received a boost last month when the building was designated an asset of community value.

The baths were converted from a spa to a public swimming pool in 1936 and has the distinction of being the only English spa to be opened by a member of the royal family.

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Future of Kirkby Malzeard pub to be made in weeks

A decision on whether a Harrogate district pub under threat from demolition will regain its protected status will be made by next month.

The Henry Jenkins Inn at Kirkby Malzeard has been at the centre of a long-fought battle between villagers and a developer since it closed in 2011 and was later removed as an asset of community value by Harrogate Borough Council.

In a latest attempt to secure its future, a petition from the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group was delivered to a council meeting last Wednesday. The petition urged the authority to “do the right thing” and reinstate the 18th century pub’s protected status.

The council has now issued a statement saying it will make a decision “no later than 10 November”.

A council spokesperson said:

“The council received an asset of community value nomination for the ‘eastern part’ of the Henry Jenkins public house on 16 September from Henry Jenkins Community Pub.

“It is currently being assessed against the criteria in the Localism Act and a decision will be made no later than 10 November as required by the legislation.”

The status of an asset of community value means buildings must be used by the community and are protected from a change of use or demolition.

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If approved, the campaign group hopes to buy and take over the running of the pub for which it says it has the backing of £237,000 in share pledges.

One of the Harrogate district’s oldest pubs

The Henry Jenkins is named after the Yorkshire super-centenarian that legend states lived to be 169 years old.

It is one of the oldest inns in the Harrogate district and is the last of several pubs in the area named after Mr Jenkins, who is reputed to have lived from 1500 to 1670.

The Henry Jenkins pictured when it closed in 2011. Photo: Google.

The Henry Jenkins pictured when it closed in 2011. Photo: Google.

Despite its rich history, members of the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group say it has now fallen into a state of disrepair and is in need of a change of ownership in order to bring it back to its former glory.

Speaking at last week’s meeting, group member Richard Sadler said the pub was an “intrinsic part of the history, culture and identity” of Kirkby Malzeard, but had recently become a “blight” on the village.

He said: 

“We have now put together a business plan and have community share pledges for £237,000 to buy the pub.

“But there is a problem. The council has delisted part of it simply because that part was sold off.

“That is why we are asking the council to do the right thing and put the whole pub back as an asset of community value so we have a chance of bringing it back as a thriving pub for future generations.

“This could be a huge boost to our village and the whole region.”

Bitter battle over former Kirkby Malzeard pub enters new phase

The bitter battle between a community campaign group and the owner of a now-derelict pub in Kirkby Malzeard rages on.

More than 10 years after the last pint was pulled at the Henry Jenkins Inn, the fight has entered a new phase.

Campaigners want to refurbish and resurrect the centuries-old inn and see it return as a community-owned and run pub, restaurant and coffee shop.

To support their case, they have launched a petition calling on Harrogate Borough Council to restore Asset of Community Value listing, so it covers all of the building in Main Street.

They hope that the petition will contain 500 or more signatures when it is presented at the full council meeting next Wednesday.

Also preparing an approach to the council is David Fielder, owner of the western portion of the building, which was the original pub before an eastern annex was added.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I am going to apply for a change of use from public house to residential.”

Photo of the former Henry Jenkins

Flashback to how The Henry Jenkins Inn looked before it closed

Fielder Holdings, Mr Fielder’s pub company, sold the eastern part of the building to his business associate Justin Claybourn, who subsequently applied for a change of use to allow conversion to a single dwelling.

The council’s decision to refuse the application was overturned at a planning appeal in December.

At the online hearing, planning inspector Helen Hockenhull said:

“I am not persuaded that the loss of the annex would make the remaining pub unviable for an alternative community use.

“The scheme would therefore not result in the unnecessary loss of a community facility reducing the community’s ability to meet its day to day needs.”

‘No prospect of reopening’

In making her decision, Ms Hockenhull took into account the fact that Kirkby Malzeard already has a pub – The Queen’s Head, as well as Kirkby Malzeard Mechanics Institute, which is also licensed to sell alcohol.

In a hammer blow to campaigners, she concluded:

“There is no reasonable prospect of the public house reopening.”

However, the campaign group thinks differently, though its ambitions are reliant upon securing the purchase of the whole site from its two owners.

In May, they offered £200,001 for the entire Henry Jenkins building, saying it would use £237,000 of pledges made by supporters to fund the deal.

Richard Sadler, press spokesman for the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group, said:

“It’s vitally important that this pub is recognised for what it is: The Henry Jenkins has been an essential part of the fabric of this village for hundreds of years, the overwhelming majority of villagers want it back as a pub and community facility – and they’ve put their money where their mouth is.”

But Mr Fielder said:

“Both my part of the former pub and Mr Claybourn’s eastern annex remain for sale. For the whole site any purchaser would need around £500,000 to secure a deal.

“We’ve always been willing to speak with the campaigners, but there is a significant difference between their valuation and our own.”

Possible £250,000 support

If the campaigners, who have the support of Kirkby Malzeard Parish Council, district ward councillor Nigel Simms and former MP and now pub campaigner Greg Mulholland, are successful in their application to obtain ACV listing for all of the Henry Jenkins, Mr Sadler, claimed:

“The group would be well placed to qualify for up to £250,000 under the government’s new Community Ownership Fund.”

He does, however, admit:

“If the whole of the pub is not recognised as an ACV, that could sink our chances.”

“That’s why we’re calling on the council to do the right thing. It never made sense to delist half a pub just because it has changed hands – the council should be helping local communities rather than private developers.”

Talks planned in battle to save Ripon’s Spa Baths

Councillors in Ripon are hoping to meet soon with Harrogate Borough Council’s preferred bidder for the city’s Spa Baths.

The future of the Grade II listed building has been uncertain since owner Harrogate Borough Council put it on the market in February, saying it would be surplus to requirements when Ripon’s new multi-million swimming pool opens.

This sparked fears the 116-year-old baths could be sold for housing.

The campaign to retain it for community use, led by Ripon City Council and Ripon Civic Society, received a boost this month when the building was designated an asset of community value.

This gives communities a right to bid to buy the building before it is sold on the open market.

The identity of Harrogate Borough Council’s preferred bidder is being kept under wraps due to commercial confidentiality but city council leader Andrew Williams said he was looking forward to constructive discussions.

Replacing Spa Baths: Ripon’s new swimming pool, which will open this year.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We met with the borough council last week following our successful application to have the baths listed as an asset of community value.”

“At that meeting, we were told that the preferred bidder intends to include an element of community use as part of wider redevelopment of the site.

“We are keen to find out what that community use would be and if there is a way forward that is acceptable to all involved.”

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The 116-year-old building was converted from a spa to a public swimming pool in 1936 and has the distinction of being the only English spa to be opened by a member of the royal family.

A civic society plaque near the entrance records the fact that Princess Henry of Battenburg performed the opening ceremony in 1905.

 

 

 

Six months to save Ripon’s Spa Baths for community use

Ripon City Council is seeking a ‘constructive partnership’ with Harrogate Borough Council as it bids to keep Spa Baths as a community facility.

City councillors voted unanimously last night to adopt a two-pronged approach in their attempts to maintain the Grade II listed building for public use.

Their bid to prevent the site being sold for private development received a major boost last week.

Harrogate Borough Council confirmed the city council’s application to have the building listed as an Asset of Community Value had been successful.

This gives the local community six months to put together a bid to buy the building.

Councillor Graham Swift, Harrogate Borough Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, will be invited to meet with the city council at the earliest opportunity to discuss matters.

In tandem with this, consultants will be invited to submit expressions of interest for drawing up a business plan and development brief looking at options for the building, which is part of the city’s Spa Quarter.

Photo of civic society plaque on Ripon Spa Baths

The Ripon Civic Society plaque underlines Spa Bath’s historic importance.

At last night’s meeting, city council leader Andrew Williams, said:

“Harrogate Borough Council was attempting to plough on with its plan to sell Spa Baths without any proper consultation.

“However, we now need to draw a line under this and move forward in a constructive partnership with them to decide what’s best for Ripon and the future of this city, with its growing population.

“Cllr Swift has indicated his willingness to meet with us and we welcome this and hope the meeting can be arranged as soon as possible.”

The 116-year-old Edwardian spa, whose use was converted to a public swimming pool in 1936, was put up for sale for an undisclosed price by Harrogate Borough Council in February.

It was deemed ‘surplus to requirements’ with a new swimming pool scheduled to open at Camp Close, off Dallamires Lane in November.

At last night’s meeting, Councillor Pauline McHardy, said:

“It’s sensible for us to have two strings to our bow — six months can quickly pass by and we need to act now.”

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A number of potential community uses for the building have already been put forward by members of the public and Councillor Stephen Craggs, added:

“Future use of the building should take into consideration the needs of young people in the city.”

 

Battle to save Ripon Spa Baths being sold for housing receives boost

The battle to prevent Ripon Spa Baths being sold for housing received a major boost today when the historic building was listed as an Asset of Community Value.

Harrogate Borough Council put the historic baths on the market in February, leading to concerns it could be sold to a private developer and turned into housing.

Ripon City Council, Ripon Civic Society and Ripon Together called for any sale not to be rushed through and applied for the 116-year-old Grade II listed building, which has a distinctive terracotta-clad frontage, to be listed as an asset of community value.

Ripon city council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret today the application had been accepted.

It means the local community now has six months to put together a bid to buy the building, which Harrogate Borough Council has said will be ‘surplus to requirements‘ when the new Ripon Leisure Centre opens this year.

Cllr Williams said he was “highly delighted” by today’s news. He added:

“I hope it means we can now guarantee a future for the site that doesn’t involve it being turned into expensive apartments.

“People across the community have been calling for it not to be housing. There has been very broad support for it remaining as a community asset.

“We now need to explore all the options open to the local community with proper professional advice, to secure the long-term use of the spa baths for community use.”

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Next steps

Cllr Williams said it seemed unlikely the baths would remain as a swimming pool and what happened next remained unclear.

“I’ll be talking to the full council on Monday, looking to appoint professional advisors on what can be done with the building and to create a development brief for how it can be used by the community.

“A new use needs to be found, and I doubt it will still be a swimming pool. But it does provide an exciting opportunity to reinvent the site and city as a whole”.

The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council for comment but has yet to receive a response.

What does Asset of Community Value status mean?

According to Harrogate Borough Council’s website, a building or land can be listed as an asset of community value if:

Once an asset is listed, owners can’t dispose of it without:

The owner doesn’t have to sell the asset to the community group.

History of plans to sell Ripon Spa Baths