Stiches that bridge time between ancient and modern craftsmanship are linking the skills of two outstanding leatherworkers in the Ripon area.
The handmade heritage stretches back to the foundation by Wilfrid of the city’s cathedral in 672 AD
Master craftsman Andy Bates, a mentor on the BBC’s Make It At Market BAFTA Award-nominated series, has been sharing his in-depth knowledge with Bridie Rimmer, whose bespoke handmade Luxe Rebel Leather Co, brand of leather jackets and fashion wear is proving popular with glam rock and and country music stars.
The like-minded leatherworkers who produce goods of the highest quality for different types of clientele, first met at a leathercraft workshop run by Andy at Ripon Workhouse Museum last year.
A selection of Luxe Rebel Leather Co garments, all made by Bridie Rimmer
Andy said:
“It was a serendipitous meeting, because we were able to discuss how the skills and techniques of leathercraft, which go back centuries, still apply to this day and Bridie is using them to create specialist high-end bespoke goods that have great visual appeal, while my customers commission me to produce one-off items ranging from belts to boots and items that are used in theatrical productions.”
One of Andy Bates’ dramatic pieces of leatherwork.
Bridie’s clients include Canadian Jo-Jo O’Donoghue, lead singer with the fast-rising glam rock band Jo-Jo and the Teeth and her stunning designs are also worn by other artists including country musician Kezia Gill.
She has also caught the attention of the organisers of an industry award, where Rebel Luxe Leather Co has been shortlisted for a sustainability award for her environmentally-aware operation, which sees waste is minimised through use of offcuts to make other small leather goods. Some left over leather is also donated to local schools.
Speaking about how she developed her latent talent, Bridie said:
“I taught myself how to make a jacket from an existing one and after many frustrating attempts, it worked! I then developed the patterns to change them into a unique rebellious stylish piece.
“I am completely self-taught in leather and when I wanted to expand and explore more into the leather world, Luxe Rebel Leather Co. was born; with creativity and chic style at its core.”
Jo-Jo O’Donoghue, lead singer of Jo-Jo and the Teeth in a jacket made by Bridie Rimmer. Picture: Kamila Jarczak
She added:
“I am passionate about finding my customers’ unique styles and igniting their confidence by working closely together to develop a piece that personally speaks to them, in a way that nothing else in the current fast-fashion industry could.”
In the footsteps of Saint Wilfrid
Andy, who is a keen archaeologist, historian and member of the Heritage Crafts organisation, pointed out:
“We can trace back the leather-sandaled footsteps of Ripon’s Patron Saint Wilfrid, and find his link to leatherworking both here and in Hexham.
“‘More than 1,300 years later, working alongside Bridie and others willing to share their know-how and craftworking tips, I am planning to run more workshops.
“This is in the hope that they will become the catalyst that helps craftsmen and women to join forces and put Ripon back on the map as a centre of excellence for the production of hand-crafted leather goods.”
Main image: Andy Bates and Bridie Rimmer, pictured with examples of their work at Bridie’s Melmerby studio.
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Bonfire Night: guide to events in the Harrogate district
Bonfire Night is approaching. From torch-lit processions and alpacas to live music and traditional bonfires, we’ve collated a list of bonfires in the Harrogate district.
If you know of an event we haven’t included, email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will add it.
Friday, November 3
Ripon City Bonfire
Ripon City Bonfire will take place at Ripon Racecourse.
The bonfire will be lit at 7pm and fireworks will begin at 7.30pm
Gates open at 5.30pm.
Advance tickets start at £2 and can be bought at various venues in the city.
No own fireworks other than sparklers are permitted for safety reasons.
There will be no parking available at the racecourse due to the poor weather conditions.
Spofforth village fireworks
The event will be held at Spofforth Cricket Club.
There will be hot food, a bar and live music to enjoy ahead of the fireworks display.
Gates open at 5pm.
Family tickets cost £12.50 and can be bought at the village deli or post office.
Knaresborough Cricket Club and Aspin Park Academy PTA Fireworks Night
The event will be held at Knaresborough Cricket Club.
As well as a firework display, guests can expect food and drink, music and light-up toys for sale.
Gates open at 6pm and fireworks will be lit at 7pm.
Tickets start at £3 and can be bought at the gate.
Belmont Grosvenor School Bonfire Party
Belmont Grosvenor School will host a bonfire party in the school grounds.
There will be a bonfire, fireworks, food and drinks stalls, children’s activities, and music.
Gates open at 6pm, the bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm and the firework display will begin at 7.20pm.
Tickets are free for U18s and cost £10 for adults. They can be bought at the gate or by contacting the PTA on pta@belmontgrosvenor.co.uk or 07525 907156.
Anyone is welcome to attend.
Stray Bonfire. Pic: Mark Dimmock.
Saturday, November 4
Stray Bonfire, Harrogate
The bonfire will be lit on the Oatlands Stray near to St Aidan’s Church of England High School.
It will take place from 5pm until 8.30pm and include fireworks, food and drink, and live music.
The event is free to attend but Harrogate Round Table, which is a charity, encourages donations. Proceeds will go towards Harrogate Homeless Project.
Yolk Farm, Minskip
Yolk Farm, near Boroughbridge, is hosting a dog and baby-friendly event without fireworks.
There will still be a bonfire and tickets include entry to the yard where visitors can see the animals, including goats and alpacas, as well as the opportunity to feed the pigs.
Hot food will also be on offer.
Gates open at 5.30pm and the bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm
Tickets can be bought online for £5.
Upper Nidderdale Scouts Group Pateley Bonfire
The event will be held at Pateley Bridge Showground.
Guests can expect a torchlit procession and bonfire, which begin at 6.30pm, and fireworks at 7pm.
There will also be hot food and a best Guy competition.
Entry is by donation and doors open at 6pm.
No sparklers are allowed.
Masham Bonfire
Masham Bonfire will be held on The Holme.
Food will be served from 5.30pm, followed by the bonfire at 6.15pm.
There will also be a firework display at 7pm.
The event is free to attend.
Kirkby Malzeard Community Bonfire
The event will be held at North Close Farm.
There will be a bonfire, fireworks and food and drink on offer.
Gates open at 6pm and the bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm.
It is free to attend but organisers have asked for donations to continue running the events.
Sparklers are not permitted.
Birstwith Community Bonfire
Birstwith bonfire will be held on the field behind West House on Nidd Lane.
As well as the bonfire, which will be lit at 5.30pm, visitors can enjoy a bar, hot dogs and a children’s stall.
Organisers will be raising money for a vehicle-activated speed sign near Birstwith School.
No dogs or sparklers are permitted.
Gates open at 5pm.
Wath & Melmerby Community Bonfire
The event will be held Roger Clarke Motor Engines in Melmerby.
Visitors can expect a bonfire, fireworks, a BBQ and a bar.
It begins at 6pm and tickets cost £5 per family.
Sunday, November 5
Lightwater Valley, Ripon
Lightwater Valley will put on a firework display accompanied by the music of Swan Lake.
Admission is included in a day entry ticket.
The display will begin at 5.15pm.
The Queen’s Head, Kettlesing
The Queen’s Head will have a bonfire and fireworks on offer.
There will also be pizzas, sparklers and a charity cake to stand available.
The event will be fundraising for Felliscliffe School.
It begins at 5pm and the bonfire will be lit at 6pm.
Entry is £5 for adults and £2 for children under 16.
Scotton Cricket Club
The event will be held at the cricket club on Lower Moor Lane.
Gates open at 6pm, the bonfire will be lit at 6.45pm and the firework display will begin at 7.30pm.
Visitors can look forward to a bar, a BBQ and a cake stall.
Car parking is limited, so organisers have recommended people walk or car share to the event.
Donations are welcome on entry.
Harrogate Railway Football Club
A firework display will be held at the club, which is on Station View in Starbeck.
There will be a DJ, fairground rides, a bar and a BBQ on offer.
The event is in association with Friends of Starbeck School and entry is £2.
Gates open at 4pm, followed by fireworks at 6.30pm.
There is no parking available at the venue.
Read more:
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Ripon and Boroughbridge firefighters called to factory blaze
Firefighters from Ripon and Boroughbridge were called to a fire in a factory yesterday.
An electrical fault in machinery used to make food stock caused the blaze, according to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Crews were called to the factory at Hallikeld Close, Melmerby at 5.09pm.
The incident report added:
“Electrical wiring was destroyed, some fire damage to the room of origin occurred and smoke damage to the rest of the premises.
“Crews extinguished the fire using one hose reel and breathing apparatus.”
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- Last summer concert brings hundreds to Ripon Market Square
Ripon brothers with 40 years of service reveal why Wolseley is the perfect place to work
This story is sponsored by Wolseley.
Ripon brothers Andy and Rich Hudson love working at Wolseley’s distribution centre in Melmerby.
Between them they have clocked up almost 40 years of service at the plumbing and heating merchants, which has its UK headquarters in Ripon and Warwick.
In fact it has been somewhat of a family affair, with their father and aunt also working for the firm until retirement.
Andy said:
“My Auntie Connie was with Wolseley for most of her working life and is still the telephone answer service when you ring head office.”
The company, which has a £1.8bn turnover, employs almost 5,000 staff in the UK, of which 270 are based in Ripon and 150 at the distribution centre in Melmerby.
It is Melmerby, a short ten-minute drive from Ripon, where the two brothers are based.
Twenty years of service
Andy said:
“I’m coming up to 20 years service. I started off as a general picker, packer.
“The advantage of working at Wolseley is there is always the opportunity to work somewhere new within the distribution centre and expand your knowledge base.
“I excelled at what I was doing in one area and then I moved into a different area.
“I’ve been trained on various manual handling equipment, fork trucks and more. There are about six or seven trucks I’m actually trained on. So Wolseley invest heavily in their employees to get the best out of them.”
Safety is key.
Varied work
Andy, who is currently working in the stock team, credits his long service to the variety of work.
He said:
“There are always different areas you can work in and different ways you can advance through the company.
“I’ve done various qualifications with Wolseley. I’ve done an NVQ in warehousing. I’ve also just completed a Wolseley Talent Booster and I’m about to start another course shortly through our Wolseley Talent Guild.
“This is in-house training and they have recently invested in the training suite at Ripon head office. So anybody can be put forward for this training by their manager. I’ve completed the training booster for Team Leader and I’m about to start training for manager level.”
Andy said there is always scope for growth at Wolseley.
Wolseley is currently training more than 130 apprentices across the UK and boosting the skills of more than 150 existing employees.
Andy added:
“All the way through there is training and support from your managers. Everybody wants the best out of you.
“I feel very valued and it’s such a nice atmosphere to work in.
“Every day is different. There are no two days the same.”
How it began
Wolseley started life in a very different form in 1887, moving into the heating space in the 1960s. Wolseley moved into Ripon in 1971 as The Wolseley Hughes Group.
It was based on Boroughbridge Road, where it remains to this day, and was made up of three companies OBC, Yorkshire Heating Supplies and Granville Controls.
In 1985, the company expanded its site and by 1996 was known as Wolseley Centres.
Wolseley is a leading specialist provider of plumbing, heating, cooling, and utility products to trade customers. Trading under a number of leading brands including Wolseley Plumb & Parts, Wolseley Pipe, Wolseley Climate, William Wilson, Jointing Tech, Burdens, and Fusion Utilities. It has over 560 branches nationally, three centres of excellence in the utilities space, support centres in Warwick and Ripon, and four distribution centres.
Rich Hudson has worked for Wolseley for almost 18 years and is currently the warehouse Team Leader at Melmerby.
He said:
“There is plenty of variety and plenty of opportunities to keep you interested.
“There are different machines to learn to operate and different departments you can move into – it never gets stale.
“There are also a lot of learning opportunities. Wolseley is currently putting me through an NVQ qualification in leadership and management. They offer qualifications for any area you want to go into.
“I met my lovely wife, who also worked for Wolseley, so they must be doing something right!”
Now is the time to join Wolseley’s distribution centre in Melmerby as a Warehouse Operative. Earn up to £24,211 per annum with generous benefits. Apply today by clicking or tapping here.
Eco business park near Ripon set for expansionMelmerby eco business park set to expand
A business park at Melmerby, near Ripon, has been granted planning permission to build a further three units at its 60-acre site.
The park, owned by Potter Space, is located close to the A1 (M) and has previously won awards for its carbon neutral unit.
The new units will add 70,000 square foot to the site and include solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and cycle stores.
Potter Space operates five business parks across England with a business model that prioritises sustainability, biodiversity and wellbeing.
Jason Rockett, managing director at Potter Space, said:
“We’re pleased to be able to bring our latest investment plans to fruition at our Ripon business park and create more high-quality warehousing and industrial space to meet demand.”
Read more:
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- Harrogate district unemployment figures remain low
Nominations open for Knaresborough Business Awards
Nominations for the first Knaresborough Business Awards are now open.
The awards, which will be held in August, have been organised by Knaresborough Business Collective.
Members of the public can now nominate their favourite Knaresborough business in 15 categories, including business of the year, favourite family run business, favourite group or class and favourite place to stay.
To nominate, click here.
Drivers heading to Melmerby business parks braced for ‘crazy’ road closureTraffic problems are expected this week when the principal route to and from two of the Harrogate district’s busiest business parks is closed for two days.
Between 7.30am and 5.30pm on Thursday and Friday, an eight-tenths of a mile section of Melmerby Green Lane, between the A61 and Barker Business Park, will be shut for carriageway repairs.
The daytime work on those days presents a huge headache for heavy goods vehicle drivers because the so-far un-signed detour route from both business parks will inevitably mean drivers will have to turn left towards the village of Melmerby on a road which has a 7.5 ton weight limit on it.
The weight limit sign on the approaches to Melmerby
HGV drivers making deliveries at both business parks were scratching their heads when the Stray Ferret visited. One said:
“I haven’t a clue where the diversion route will take me, but if I have to turn left and head towards Melmerby, the size of my lorry means I will have to break the weight limit.”
Another HGV driver said:
“This is a crazy situation, Thursdays and Fridays are two of the busiest days of the week for deliveries.
“Why couldn’t they have planned the roadworks at night, like they did with the work on the Ripon bypass bridge?”
North Yorkshire County Council’s highways team, says:
“Drivers will be able to follow a diversion route to avoid Melmerby Green Lane while the work is in progress and there will also be advance notifications on the A1.”
Within 100 yards of the Potter Space business park is the weight limit sign
NYCC’s highways area manager Melisa Burnham, said:
“We appreciate there will be some disruption involved and have done everything possible to minimise that, with a fully-signed diversion and advance warnings on the A1, particularly aimed at HGV drivers who may be heading to the business park.
“We are pleased to be carrying out work on Melmerby Green Lane and the road will be safer and better to use when it is complete.
More information is available on the roadworks map at www.northyorks.gov.uk/roadworks-map
Read more:
- Night time working to minimise disruption on Ripon bypass
- Double delay for Kirkby Malzeard road users
Hot Seat: navigating choppy waters at Ripon firm Wolseley
Few major employees in the Harrogate district have experienced more turbulent times recently than Wolseley.
The plumbing and heating merchants, which has a £1.8bn turnover, employs almost 5,000 staff globally, of which 270 are based in Ripon and 150 at a distribution centre in Melmerby.
Besides covid, this year Wolseley has been at the sharp end of Brexit and been sold to private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier and Rice for £308 million.
The man navigating the choppy waters is Simon Oakland, who has been chief executive of Wolseley UK since January last year.
Mr Oakland, who has a background in private equity, has been with the company in its various guises since 2012.
He doesn’t hide how difficult the last 18 months have been, particularly for staff in Ripon. The site, which opened in 1971, provides support functions, including accounts, payments, IT support and HR and have such felt the brunt of all the changes.
“As a business we have been through a lot of difficulties. There had been damaging cost cutting measures and we’ve been through a few strategic initiatives that haven’t been successful.”
The company, he says, lost customer focus when it integrated divisions in 2017. But a divisional restructure, completed in July last year, was the catalyst for recovery, he says.
The new suite at Ripon.
The figures back him up. In the financial year ending 31 July 2020, Wolseley lost £250 million of sales. Profit, forecast to be £60 million, came in at £6 million, partly due to covid.
But recently published accounts for the financial year ending 31 July 2021 show £75 million profit – considerably up on the pre-covid £54 million figure of 2019. Mr Oakland says:
“This is the first year of genuine growth since 2012.
“From August 1 last year we have had a strong recovery. The market is strong, but we’ve taken a lot of market share.”
He highlights the acquisition of 32 branches of Graham Plumbers in July as evidence of recovery.
Brexit blues
Brexit has not affected demand but it has disrupted the supply chain by making it harder for small European manufacturers to import into the UK.
It’s also created “real complexity” with exporting products to Northern Ireland, says Mr Oakland. The company now has to provide detailed certificate of origin forms and prove its products to Northern Ireland wont be moved on to the Republic of Ireland. He says:
“The process of importing from Europe is going to continue being a small stone in our shoe.
“The process of moving products to Northern Ireland is going to be very complex. Even with the number of exemptions in place now it’s incredibly complex. If those exemptions come off it will be even more complex.”
Read more:
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Until this year Wolseley was part of a FTSE 100 company called Ferguson PLC, which operates in the US, Canada and the UK. But its demerger from Ferguson and sale to Clayton, Dubilier and Rice led to huge change.
“The demerger caused a lot of work and that significantly impacted teams in Ripon, especially finance and IT. We were fully integrated on IT with US and Canada and had to migrate.”
Private equity firms don’t have the best reputations but Mr Oakland says:
“I spent 20 years in private equity. I get private equity inside and out. There are different styles. Some buy defunct businesses and liquidate stock. At the other end you have firms that understand the sector and try to support and grow the business.”
Clayton, Dubilier and Rice fall into the latter camp, he says, and “bring real strategic insight”. But it wasn’t an easy sell to staff.
“I took the decision in July 2020 to be totally open with colleagues and told them it was likely we would be sold to a private equity firm. They took a lot of confidence from the fact that I have been a partner in a private equity firm. That helped to defuse the uncertainty and the Chinese whispers.
“The real theme was that we would be able to tap into our independence.”
50 years in Ripon
Wolseley was founded in 1887, when Frederick York Wolseley launched the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine. The firm expanded into manufacturing and in 1899, the first Wolseley horseless carriage went on sale in the UK at £120.
It acquired a number of heating companies in the 1960s. Today plumbing and heating account for £1 billion of the £1.8 billion turnover. Your home’s boiler, pipework, bathroom fittings and gas and electricity meters could well have been made by Wolseley.
Part of the refurbished Ripon site.
The company opened its Ripon office on Boroughbridge Road in 1971. The site reopened this year after a £500,000 refurbishment, which included a new learning and development suite for training courses. Mr Oakland says:
“It’s completely transformed the business in Ripon. It was very tired inside.”
Mr Oakland was born in Dewsbury and his grandparents lived in Starbeck. He is based in Warwickshire and says he looks forward to his trips north:
“I love it. It takes me back to the places where I went to as a kid.”
He enjoys food and wine and tries to complete one or two triathlons each year. Training isn’t easy when you’re on the road three or four nights a week but after a period of upheaval, quieter times at Wolseley may be ahead. He says:
Ripon company that played key role in covid marks 50 years in the city“The business is in a really good place now.”
It was many happy returns for Wolseley today, as the company marked 50 years in Ripon with the reopening of its headquarters.
The building on Boroughbridge Road underwent a £500,000 refurbishment during lockdown.
While that was underway, Wolseley continued to supply vital plumbing and building materials to the NHS in its fight to save lives and beat the pandemic.
At today’s family open day, Wolseley chief executive Simon Oakland told the Stray Ferret:
“The NHS required critical building materials and parts for the repair and maintenance of hospitals and we provided them throughout the lockdown.”
The Wolseley UK headquarters on Boroughbridge Road.
The Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate was one of the major infrastructure projects the company supplied.
Mr Oakland said:
“We are proud to have been involved in supplying every Nightingale Hospital in the UK and have also supported the UK mass vaccination programme through the provision of refrigeration equipment.”
New training centre
The company, which opened its headquarters building in 1971, has 280 employees based in Ripon, and a further 120 at its Melmerby distribution centre.
The Boroughbridge Road site provides administrative services, including finance and IT support and UK-wide the company has 500 branches with 5,000 employees.
Ripon City Band provided musical entertainment.
At today’s community party to celebrate 50 years in Ripon and the centre’s reopening, head of office and finance director Mark Stibbards, told invited guests:
“We have some people who have worked for us for 40 years and they are part of a great team.
“We employ locally in this area and have throughout our history, supported Ripon charities and other organisations, including Ripon Walled Garden, Ripon Cathedral Primary School and Ripon City Football Club.”
A new training centre on the site will not only develop the talent of the Wolseley team but also provide opportunities for community organisations that help individuals improve their skills and employability.
Farhan, who works in the IT department at Wolseley is pictured with his wife Samera and their six-year-old daughter Maiza on one of the children’s rides.
Today’s celebration event was attended by the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson, representatives from charities, Wolseley employees and their children, former company directors and members of the community.
Read more:
The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, who cut a ribbon to signal the reopening of the offices, said:
“I was born and bred in this city and have known Wolseley for most of my life.
“The 50 years of investment and employment they brought by selecting Ripon for their headquarters is greatly appreciated.”