1,300-home Ripon barracks development under fire at city council meetingCall for compulsory purchase of grade II listed Ripon buildingResidential plan for semi-derelict Ripon siteDouble yellow lines planned for ‘dangerous’ Ripon junctionToilets rapidly replaced after arson attack at Ripon playgroundVandals torch toilets at Ripon children’s play areaContract awarded for Ripon’s first city centre Changing Places ToiletRipon city centre is to get its first Changing Places toilet following the award of a £162,000 contract to Killinghall company Dalebuild Ltd.
The facility will be built on the site of the existing toilet block at the back of Sainsbury’s supermarket.
The toilets are larger and more accessible for people with disabilities and restricted mobility who cannot use standard accessible toilets. They include equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and space for carers.
News of the contract awarded by North Yorkshire Council was announced at last night’s full meeting of Ripon City Council by Councillor Andrew Williams.
The new toilet will be built on the site of the existing block near the bus station
The city council leader and North Yorkshire Council member for the Minster and Moorside division that includes the city centre, said:
“Now that the contract has been confirmed, we look forward to seeing it built and in use as soon as possible.”
“With its proximity to the bus station, it is a great addition to Ripon, making the city centre more accessible for local residents and visitors.”
After a successful bid by the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council and Ripon Disability Forum, £40,000 was granted through the government’s Changing Places Fund towards the cost of the new facility.
Jeremy Dunford, a trustee of RDF which, through its Access Ambassadors initiative, is working alongside businesses and other organisations in the city to make Ripon more access aware and accessible, told the Stray Ferret:
“Changing Places toilets allow families greater freedom when caring for a family member with specific needs.
“They allow whole families to shop, visit and travel with more confidence and security. For independent people with greater need it means their independence is supported by the facilities they need.
“This is great news for businesses, residents and visitors to the city of Ripon.”
Changing Places toilets at other Ripon locations
Ripon already has a Changing Places toilet at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre but not one in the city centre,
However, Ripon Cathedral has plans to include one as part of its proposed £8 million annexe development on Minster Gardens, These would be in replacement for the current public toilets on the site.
Main image: The Changing Places toilet design ensures that they are fully accessible.
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Environment Secretary urged to speed up repair on Ripon riverside pathEnvironment Secretary Steve Barclay is being called on to speed up repairs to a length of riverside footpath in Ripon.
A section of the path that runs from Borrage Green Lane to High Cleugh is in danger of collapsing into the River Skell and has been blocked off with six foot high fencing at either end.
Parts of the path on the popular riverside route have been undercut by high and fast-running waters caused by higher than average rainfall.
Councillor Andrew Williams near the affected part of the path that has been fenced off.
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, who also represents the Minster and Moorside division on North Yorkshire Council, told members at Monday night’s full meeting:
“A long section of path is in a dangerous state and is currently not safe to use, so the North Yorkshire rights of way team has made it as safe as possible.
“They have also agreed to repair the path, but will only be able to do this when they have a permit from the Environment Agency to go into the river to carry out the work.”
The recently-repaired wooden bridge over the Skell is part of the popular route.
Members agreed to Cllr Williams’ proposal to call on Mr Barclay and Ripon’s MP Julian Smith to intervene on the city’s behalf to ensure the Environment Agency issues the permit as soon as possible, so repairs can be carried out when the river drops to a safe level.
Cllr Pauline McHardy, who seconded the proposal, said:
“This footpath is supposed to be accessible to wheelchair users and families with prams and buggies and we need to ensure that it is returned to a condition that enables it to be enjoyed by everyone.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes surprise visit to RiponRipon received a surprise visitor when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived for an unannounced hour-long walkabout and meetings with local businesses and politicians.
Yesterday’s Totally Locally street party organised by the city’s independent traders and supported by Ripon Business Improvement District, provided a platform for Mr Sunak, along with Keane Duncan, the Conservative Party candidate for next month’s York and North Yorkshire mayoral election, to mingle with crowds on Market Square.
The Bank Holiday Monday event, which was launched last year, is designed to raise awareness of what the ancient city has to offer in a modern-day economy.
BID manager Lilla Bathurst, said:
“The Prime Minister was able to see for himself what the collaborative efforts of Ripon’s strong mix of independent retail and hospitality businesses can achieve.
“There are clear indicators, both in terms of the investment in new openings and refurbishments in the city centre and footfall analysis, that a post-pandemic revival is underway.”
City councillor and deputy mayor elect Jackie Crozier (pictured below) whose award-winning Little Bird Made artisan markets are held on Market Square and locations across Yorkshire, introduced Mr Sunak to coffee maker Tom Bolland of the Happy Barista — a regular attendee at the Little Bird events.
For 11-year-old Lilly, daughter of Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, there was an opportunity for a photograph with Mr Sunak outside Ripon’s historic town hall.
Rishi Sunak, pictured with Cllr Andrew Williams and his daughter Lilly.
Cllr Williams said:
“There’s an interesting fact that links our current Prime Minster with one dating back to 1827, because the Marquess of Ripon, who donated the town hall building to the then borough council in 1897 after two terms as mayor of the city, was born at 10 Downing Street while his father Viscount Goderich was in office.”
Mayoral candidates
The election for the first mayor of the York and North Yorkshire combined authority will take place on Thursday May 2 and, in addition to the Conservative Keane Duncan, the other candidates are:
- Felicity Cunliffe-Lister (Lib Dem)
- Kevin Foster (Green Party)
- Paul Haslam (Independent)
- David Skaith (Labour),
- Keith Tordoff (Independent)
Main image: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is discussion with Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst.
Gallery: Sensational fireworks display sees New Year arrive with a bang in RiponThe New Year arrived with a huge bang as Ripon ushered in 2024 in spectacular fashion last night with a fireworks display, the like of which has never been seen before in the city centre.
For 10 minutes from the stroke of midnight on the Ripon Cathedral clock, revellers who had earlier danced to the Caribbean beat of the Jamsalana Steel Band were treated to an exhibition of precision pyrotechnics.
A pulsating palette of colours burst upon the night sky in wave after wave of controlled explosion and at its conclusion a gathering of more than 2,000 people on Market Square spontaneously applauded.
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, who put £1,000 of his North Yorkshire Council locality budget towards the cost of the display, told the Stray Ferret:
“We wanted it to be bigger and better than last year’s fireworks finale and it certainly was!”
He added:
“I’ve never seen anything like this in the city centre before and while I know it won’t have been to everybody’s liking, the automatic reaction of the audience spoke for itself.”
The number of people on Market Square grew throughout the evening and by midnight, more than 2,000 were present to see the fireworks
Last night’s New Year’s Eve event, paid for from the parish precept, has been staged over decades by the city council and is firmly established on the authority’s annual calendar.
Before Jamsalana (pictured below) struck up, there was the ever-present reminder for Ripon residents and visitors of the city’s rich heritage, when Wayne Cobbett, a member of the hornblower team, set the watch with blasts at the four corners of the obelisk.
The instrument that he uses, is the 1996 horn, donated to the city to celebrate the 1100th anniversary since Alfred the Great, the first Anglo-Saxon King of England, gave a ceremonial horn to the people of Ripon in thanks for the courage they showed in fighting off a Viking incursion in 886 AD.
The Mayor of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke, who was celebrating his birthday, was present for the setting of the watch and later, in another city tradition, he returned to Market Square with Mayoress Linda Hawke after leading a candle-lit procession from the cathedral, attended by clergy and members of the congregation.
The procession included the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson, Canons Michael Gisbourne, Matthew Pollard and the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Revd Anna Eltringham, who blessed the crowd from the town hall balcony.
Main image: The spectacular fireworks display provided the finale to an evening of celebration on Market Square
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