A petition headed ‘Save Your Market’ is being launched in Knaresborough tomorrow.

Market traders in both Knaresborough and Ripon hope public support will force Harrogate Borough Council to cancel rent increases of more than 25% from Saturday which, they say, will put some of them out of business.

The petition, which will be available to sign at stalls at Knaresborough Market tomorrow and Ripon Market on Thursday, calls for ‘urgent’ public support to make the council think again about the increase. It says:

“Increasing the cost of rent and stall assembly to traders by over 25% will mean that it will not be financially viable to continue trading for several market traders.

“Other local councils helped market traders who could trade during lockdown providing essential food products. This was through charging no rent or discounting rent.

“When non-food traders were allowed to return, after not being able to trade for 3 months, full rent was charged despite other local councils providing financial assistance.

“This 25% increase is being introduced on August 1 and excludes VAT which is charged by Harrogate Borough Council but not by other councils, most traders are not VAT registered so cannot recover the VAT.

“This will lead to the loss of more traders from the ancient markets of Knaresborough and Ripon.

At a full council meeting earlier this month, Councillor Andrew Paraskos, the HBC cabinet member whose portfolio includes the markets across the Harrogate district, said:

“There is a rumour going around that Harrogate Borough Council is wanting to get rid of the markets. This is not true.”

In response to questions raised by Ripon Independent councillor Pauline McHardy, he said measures had been put in place to support and promote the markets – including the waiving of fees for those traders who were not allowed to attend for 11 weeks because of government restrictions and the holding of rental levels at the 2019-2020 rates from April until July.

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Stephen Teggin, pictured, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and a long-time supporter of the town’s market – which is the longest continuously operating in England – described the council’s handling of spending across the district as ‘unfair’.

In response to news that the council plans a multi-million pounds package of spending on Harrogate Convention Centre, Mr Teggin told The Stray Ferret:

“It’s all about Harrogate. We are struggling like mad to keep Knaresborough going and attract tourists and the council finds £50m to keep something going that already loses money.”

Ripon Cathedral has taken the first step towards seeking approval for a £6 million extension of the ancient building.

If successful, plans which will be submitted to Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) following public consultation, would see the first major extension in hundreds of years, for a building containing the oldest built fabric of any English cathedral –  St Wilfrid’s crypt – dating back to 672 AD.

The church attracts visitors and pilgrims from around the world and in autumn 2019, launched the Ripon Cathedral Renewed project.

Key elements of  the plan are the provision of toilets. which will include Ripon’s only adult changing room; a cafe and creation of rehearsal space for Ripon Cathedral Choir, which currently rehearses in a former burial vault.

With the provision of new storage space, it is also intended that large areas within the cathedral will be opened up to the public for the first time in centuries.

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An initial approach has been made to the council and the Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, told The Stray Ferret:

“We are at an early stage of our formal engagement with HBC as we look to develop our plans and work out what would be needed for a planning application.”

He added:

“There will be a presentation of plans in the cathedral from mid-August  – showing people where our thinking has got to and asking for their comments.”

The plans are part of the cathedral’s strategic vision Growing God’s Kingdom which aims to see the cathedral as a force for good, serving both the church and wider community – locally, regionally and nationally.

When the Ripon Cathedral Renewed project was launched, Dean John (pictured above), said:

“It is clear that the development of the cathedral is vital to bring this national treasure into the 21st century.

“As custodians of this fantastic building we are only too aware of the legacy we uphold. We have this ancient history, this wonderful architecture – what we haven’t got are the facilities that people need.

“Each generation has, over 13 centuries, taken on what has been handed to it and made its own contributions. We take none of this for granted and we have a responsibility, in our generation, to make our contribution now.”

He added:

“Over the last few years it has become increasingly obvious to a growing number of people that the development of Ripon Cathedral is vital as we seek to serve the communities of the region now and in the future.”

Two of Ripon’s key tourist and heritage attractions have reopened their doors to the public and a third will re-open next month.

The Workhouse Museum & Garden and Prison & Police Museum, reopened yesterday (Wednesday) and the Courthouse Museum is expected to be open again from August 1.

Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust, said:

“I am so excited to be able to offer a warm welcome to visitors once again. The whole team here has worked extremely hard to get ready to provide an enjoyable and safe museum experience.”

She added:

“I hope people will be inspired by the fascinating history we have at Ripon museums and will have fun with their families exploring our beautiful gardens and discovering the amazing stories within our walls.”

The museums will open six days a week, closing on Mondays for a deep clean, as part of a package of measures designed to ensure the safety of visitors, volunteers and staff.

Numbers of people allowed in at any one time are being limited. Visitors must have pre-booked and paid for their tickets and should present their email ticket on a mobile phone or a printed copy at museum receptions.

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Ripon Museum Trust is also introducing additional cleaning and hygiene measures on its three sites, with social distancing markers in place to help visitors keep a safe distance apart.

Anybody displaying symptoms of coronavirus is asked not to visit.

The measures have been taken following government guidance and following Public Health England recommendations. The trust has received accreditation from Visit England, which recognises that government and industry Covid-19 guidelines are being followed, ensuring processes are in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.

Visitors to the Workhouse Museum will be able to purchase refreshments and can bring a picnic to eat in the museum’s grounds.

Ripon Museum Trust previously received £40,100 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to safeguard its heritage buildings and provide much-needed support for essential costs during the coronavirus crisis.

Harrogate has lost its “feel-good factor” due to poorly designed housing being built in the town, according to a key member of Harrogate’s Civic Society.

Speaking to The Stray Ferret, Stuart Holland, joint chairman of the group, warned that the housing is putting the town’s “unique ambience” under strain.

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However, he said it can still be protected through good design.

He said:

“We’ve got to encourage better design but we won’t change it overnight.”

Several major housing schemes have been built across the district in recent years, with more in the pipeline as part of Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

Yet the design of many of the new homes are a familiar source of complaint for people living here.

Formed 40 years ago, the civic society published a new strategy earlier this month that hopes to influence better housing design.

Mr Holland hopes the strategy can help the group reinvent itself so it’s more relevant to a new generation of people who care about the town.

But what would the Victorian architects who designed heritage buildings like the Pump Rooms, Royal Hall and have to say about the new housing schemes?

According to Mr Holland, they would “be horrified”.

He added:

“They’d say they’re so small, they lack detail. But we’re spoilt in Harrogate with the architecture we’ve got. We can’t expect to be building the homes of the late 1880s.”