Ripon-based investment and development company Sterne Properties is in the process of acquiring the city’s historic Spa Baths from Harrogate Borough Council for an undisclosed sum.
In an exclusive interview with the Stray Ferret, company director Robert Sterne, said:
“It is our intention to restore the Grade II listed building to its former glory, when it was the centrepiece of the city’s spa quarter.
“Turning the clock back to 1905, it started life as a leisure and hospitality attraction, designed exclusively for the richer members of society, but our proposed hospitality-based regeneration of the building will make it fit for the modern world and open to all.
“Through a painstaking and detailed refurbishment, working closely with architect Andrew Burningham of AB Architecture, the spa complex will be returned to its days of Edwardian elegance.”
Sterne Properties has ambitious plans to refurbish the Grade II listed building.
Ornate and classical features, originally designed to attract well-heeled Edwardians to take spa treatments, will be seen once more in their full splendour and will be accessible to the people of Ripon and visitors to the city.
With its expertise in 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.
Mr Sterne said:
“We have 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.
“At this stage, we are considering a number of different community-focused uses.
“The initial planning application that we have lodged with Harrogate Borough Council, in the run up to completion of our acquisition of the building, is for a careful ‘strip back’ which will reveal design features that have been either covered up or out of sight since the 1930s, when the spa was re-purposed to accommodate a public swimming pool. “
Mr Sterne added:
“Our thinking is guided by knowledge of Ripon’s people who, like myself, learnt to swim at Spa Baths and see it, with affection, as part of their own and the city’s heritage.
“We believe that by working alongside all interested parties, including the city council and civic society, we can, subject to all relevant planning permissions, deliver an enhanced community asset, with new features, such as a conservatory, that we can all enjoy and take pride in.”
Martin Sterne, who set up the family-run property business in 1990s, added:
“We aim to make our mark on our home city by investing in it and creating developments that leave a lasting legacy.”
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Ripon Curzon cinema to reopen this month with James Bond film
The Curzon cinema in Ripon is set to reopen on September 30 with a screening of Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond in No Time To Die.
The two-screen North Street venue has been closed since the first covid lockdown in March last year.
Plans for it to reopen on June 4 were put on hold due to social distancing problems caused by the venue’s small size.
Becky Tobin, regional manager for Curzon, said the team was “very excited” to finally be reopening:
“We are thrilled that you will also be seeing some familiar faces as a lot of the team have decided to return and are looking forward to seeing our regulars and members again.
“The returning team, along with the new recruits, will be getting into the swing of things in the next few weeks with some onsite training of our revamped food and drink menu.”
The venue will welcome back its patrons with James Bond-inspired martinis.
Tickets will be for sale online as early as next week.
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The cinema, which opened in Ripon in November 2013, is part of a BAFTA award-winning company that allows members to view films at home through its streaming service, as well as in Curzon venues across the UK.
As the covid lockdown restrictions on cinemas and live theatre were progressively eased by the government earlier this year, the Curzon remained closed in Ripon, sparking fears the city’s only cinema would not reopen.
Ripon’s Curzon cinema finally looks set to reopenThere are finally positive signs that Curzon is planning to reopen its Ripon cinema, but the company says that the date is not yet known.
The premises on North Street have been closed since the first covid lockdown in March last year.
At present, Ripon is not listed among the 13 locations on the Curzon website, but a recruitment advert in the cinema’s windows suggest it is gearing up for a reopening.
However, when approached by the Stray Ferret about the duty manager position being advertised under the heading ‘We Are Recruiting’ a member of the Curzon customer service team, said:
“I can confirm that we are reopening but we do not have a date set yet for this to happen.”
The duty manager’s role is described by the cinema chain as involving ‘work alongside the general and assistant managers on all aspects of running the cinema.
This is currently the only role in Ripon being advertised on the jobs section of the Curzon website.
The advertisement in the windows at North Street says the company is seeking a person who, among other things, has ‘strong communication skills’ can ‘lead by example to provide top class customer service at all times’ and is willing to ‘act as an ambassador for Curzon at all times.’
Recruiting, but no confirmed reopening date as yet for Curzon’s Ripon cinema.
The London-headquartered BAFTA award-winning integrated film company was founded in 1934.
Alongside its cinemas, members can view film at their homes through its streaming service.
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As the covid lockdown restrictions on cinemas and live theatre were progressively eased by the government earlier this year, Curzon issued confusing and contradictory statements about its plans for the two-screen Ripon venue, when approached by the Stray Ferret for updates on its plans.
Curzon’s opening in Ripon in November 2013, provided film lovers in the city and the surrounding rural areas, with their first cinema since the closure in 1982 of the Palladium Picture House on Kirkgate.
Post lockdown, those seeking the cinema experience have been able to see films screened at Harrogate’s Odeon and Everyman.
Future of Ripon’s Curzon’s cinema remains unclearFilm enthusiasts in Ripon remain in the dark about the future of the city’s Curzon cinema after the company released contradictory statements about its plans for the North Street site.
The cinema chain has said it gave ‘misleading information’ to the Stray Ferret when we got in touch in May about its reopening plans.
As the government moved towards the easing of covid lockdown restrictions, the company said in a statement on May 18:
“Curzon Ripon is planning on reopening June 4, 2021.”
Not coming soon… advertising for one of the films that was due to be shown at Curzon Ripon before it closed in March last year.
However, less than 24 hours later, on 19 May, it said:
“Unfortunately, due to Curzon Ripon’s venue being so small, with only 20 seats, they are unable to open safely at present with the government guidelines for social distancing.
“As soon as they can safely reopen there will be updates on the website.
“We apologise for the disappointment this may cause but we want to be able to reopen safely whilst following guidelines.”
Now, after a Curzon customer raised fresh concerns about reopening with the Stray Ferret, the London-headquartered company said this week it would like to ‘apologise for the misleading information’ given and for ‘the delayed reopening of our Ripon venue’.
But the question marks over its reopening remain.
The company said in a statement:
“As soon as we open the venue it will be shown on our website.
“We haven’t lifted our covid restrictions in any of our venues, due to this we can’t re-open Ripon until we lift our social distancing measures.”
Ripon not on Curzon website
The two-screen Ripon cinema, which opened in November 2013, is not currently featured on the company’s website, where 13 venues are listed.
Seven of the Curzon cinemas are in London, while in the north the company has locations in Sheffield and Knutsford, both of which have three screens.
Annual memberships range in price from £65 for a package that provides five credits for tickets or home cinema streams, to Curzon Cult + costing £850 per annum for 10 weekly credits.
A film lover, who was bought the basic £65 package in March 2020 as a birthday gift and asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret:
“More than a year after I received the gift from my family, I contacted Curzon’s national number in May to ask when I could watch films in Ripon again.
“I was advised go to the cinema on June 4 and it would all be sorted out.
“Then I saw the story on the Stray Ferret saying that the cinema would not be opening on 4 June.
“I was annoyed and rang Curzon to ask why they had given out wrong information, but gave up after being on the phone for more than an hour listening to a repeat message saying that they were dealing with a high volume of calls.
“This is a very unsatisfactory situation and Curzon is doing itself no favours by treating its customers like this.”
Read more:
In its statement on Tuesday, Curzon said:
Ripon Curzon won’t open on June 4 after all“For our Ripon members who brought an annual membership there will be a full extension for the time they missed out on their membership due to us closing our venues.
“If anyone missed out on a screening due to our venue closure, we do offer a full refund for this, if they could contact us with a booking reference.”
The owners of the Curzon cinema in Ripon have said the venue won’t be reopening on June 4 after all.
On Tuesday, the London-headquartered cinema chain told the Stray Ferret:
“Curzon Ripon is planning on reopening June 4.”
Now the company has issued a new statement saying:
“Unfortunately, due to Curzon Ripon’s venue being so small, with only 20 seats, they are unable to open safely at present, with the government guidelines for social distancing.
“As soon as they can safely reopen there will be updates on the website.
“We apologise for the disappointment this may cause.
“But we want to be able to reopen safely whilst following guidelines. “
The North Street venue opened on 31 October 2013. It incorporates two screens seating 58 and 34 respectively.
The complex includes a bar, restaurant and VIP area. It was created following a £2 million refurbishment of a former furniture store.
The Stray Ferret contacted the company amid growing speculation on social media about whether or not the venue would reopen.
Cinemas across the country reopened this week but audience numbers are limited. But the Curzon in Ripon remained shut.
The cinema chain says Curzon Ripon is too small to open safely on June 4.
Ripon is no longer listed on the Curzon website page featuring its UK venues. In addition, the website for Curzon Ripon is currently coming up with the message ‘Page not found.’
The same applies to other web pages previously used to promote the Ripon offer.
The situation was further confused by apparently conflicting articles in national trade media.
An article in RadioTimes.com dated 4 May, said:
“Curzon is set to open in line with government guidance on May 17.
“Mayfair, Richmond, Wimbledon and Sheffield will open June 4. Tickets go on sale May 10. “
Ripon was not mentioned in that story.
There was also no reference to Ripon by name in an article published on Monday in screendaily.com .
Its 17 May story included the following:
“Eight Curzon cinemas are reopening from today (May 17), with a further five on June 4.”
That adds up to a total of 13 but there are only 12 Curzon cinemas listed on the company’s website.
Ripon isn’t among them.
Read more:
The 12 UK venues currently featured on the company’s website – include six in London.
Other locations are Canterbury, Colchester, Oxford, Richmond and Sheffield.