A riverside footpath in Ripon has been closed  for public safety after sections of supporting stonework collapsed into the fast-running Skell.

The stretch of path between Iron Bridge on Bondgate and the bridge at Bondgate Green, was deemed unsafe by North Yorkshire Council highways engineers, who assessed the damage this morning.

Part of the collapsed section of footpath

They were alerted to the collapse by Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, who told the Stray Ferret:

“This is a popular riverside route for walkers and people exercising their dogs.

“With parts of the path in a perilous condition, the decision to close was taken until necessary repair works can be carried out. In the meantime, I would urge that members of the public obey the closure signs and do not put themselves at risk, particularly at this time when the River Skell is running so high and fast.”

A member of the highways team who assessed photographs taken at a number of locations along the path, said:

“Looking at the images it is the right decision to close the unstable footway until the stone can be retrieved from the river when levels are lower and the repairs can be undertaken.”

The path will be under regular monitoring and remain closed until the extent of repair work required has been established.

Main picture: Stonework that was supporting the footpath can be seen in the water

Ripon’s New Year’s Eve free concert and fireworks display on Market Square is set to go ahead.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid’s announcement this week that no additional covid restrictions will be put in place in England before the New Year effectively gave Friday’s event the green light.

However, with the Omicron variant bringing a surge in the number of recorded covid cases in the Harrogate district, Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams is urging caution for the large public event.

He said:

“We ask anyone planning to attend to take a lateral flow test and only venture onto Market Square if it gives a negative result.

“We already had the licence for the event from Harrogate Borough Council and had been keeping a close eye on announcements from the government regarding covid measures.

“Now that we have the go-ahead, we hope that people will come and enjoy the night of free entertainment and ensure their own safety and that of others by taking sensible precautions.”

Fireworks display

Safety concerns about holding a fireworks display in Market Square to herald in 2022 have also been resolved. An alternative area of land to the rear of Ripon Town Hall will be used to discharge the display.

Entertainment will begin with the Ripon Hornblower ceremony at the obelisk at 9pm and will be followed by performances from an Oasis tribute act and the Big Boyband Reunion.

The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, will address the audience at 11.55pm and, following a blessing by the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the fireworks display will start as the town hall clock strikes 12.

New Year’s Eve celebrations have been held on Ripon Market Square since 1986 but covid caused the cancellation of the 2020 event.

Ripon’s annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display is in doubt because of safety concerns about letting off fireworks behind the town hall

Ripon City Council, which has staged New Year’s Eve celebrations on the site since 1985, is exploring other options after being advised it can no longer set off fireworks on land behind the town hall.

It could spell an end to any further fireworks displays taking place in the Market Square.

Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“Following the redevelopment of the Claro Lounge (pictured below) next to the town hall and the flats above, which have balconies to the rear, the fireworks company have advised that it is no longer safe to discharge fireworks on the land behind the town hall.

“Harrogate Borough Council has been asked for permission to use part of the car park behind Sainsbury’s but this request has been refused. Discussions on this are ongoing.

“It may well be that as a result we are not able to find a suitable safe location to discharge fireworks from at future Ripon City Council events.

“I am currently exploring the possibility of having a laser light display for New Year’s Eve and will provide an update when I know whether this will be possible, or if we have managed to find a safe location to set the fireworks off from.”

Fireworks displays provided the finale to the Yorkshire Day weekend event concert on 31 July (pictured above) and the Last Night of the Proms concert in September.

On New Year’s Eve, there will again be free live music on Market Square from 9.30pm, with performances from the Big Boyband Reunion and Oasis tribute acts.

Additional safety measures have been taken at a Ripon residential block in danger of collapse through subsidence caused by sinkhole activity.

Ripon City Council is in the process of writing to North Yorkshire County Council, calling for the four properties at Bedern Court to be demolished.

In the meantime, Bedern Court Ltd (BCL) – a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit development – has installed the steel fence (pictured above) inside the courtyard to keep people away from the affected block.

The new fencing is in addition to the continuing closure of Peacock’s Passage, at the side of Bedern Court on Skellgarths (pictured below).

BCL chair Mat Pritchard, told the Stray Ferret:

“With its worsening state and the risk of collapse or falling masonry and tiles, we have concerns about use of parking spaces close to the property. The fence also prevents access to the block.”

BCL has set up a wardens group to keep an eye on the block, which was has remained empty since its evacuation more than a year ago.

Mr Pritchard pointed out:

“They will advise of any further deterioration that they witness and we will continue to liaise with all relevant authorities.”

At its full meeting earlier this month, Ripon City Council agreed to write to NYCC, calling for it to demolish the stricken block on the grounds of public safety.

At the meeting, council leader Andrew Williams, said:

“The movement of the affected block caused by sinkhole activity in the area is gaining speed and the implications for public safety are enormous.

“The block fronts onto the public highway and pavement and the potential impact of collapse and possibility of opening up of more damaging sinkholes in neighbouring areas cannot be ignored.

“If the perilous state of the building means it’s not safe to walk along Peacock’s Passage, it can’t  be safe to walk or drive past it on Skelgarths. It needs to be demolished as quickly and safely as possible.”

BCL, which is still awaiting settlement of a long-standing insurance claim relating to the affected block, has provided its insurers with reports from a monitoring engineer and geologist in support of the claim.

Ripon City Council has called for the urgent demolition of four homes in the city that are in danger of collapse because of sinkholes.

A council meeting last night heard the properties at Bedern Court were in a “perilous” state and “the implications for public safety are enormous”.

The homes, which have remained empty since they were evacuated in October last year, border Skelgarths, one of the arterial routes through and into the city.

Peacock’s Passage, a footpath that runs alongside Bedern Court, was blocked off with permission from North Yorkshire County Council a year ago, after the owners of the stricken block raised concerns about public safety.

Peacock’s Passage has been barriered off since the evacuation of four properties at Bedern Court

Last night’s meeting saw councillors vote unanimously to support the call to contact the county council and request urgent action.

City council leader Andrew Williams, told the meeting:

“The movement of the affected block caused by sinkhole activity in the area is gaining speed and the implications for public safety are enormous.

“The block fronts onto the public highway and pavement and the potential impact of collapse and possibility of opening up of more damaging sinkholes in neighbouring areas cannot be ignored.

“If the perilous state of the building means it’s not safe to walk along Peacock’s Passage, it can’t  be safe to walk or drive past it on Skelgarths. It needs to be demolished as quickly and safely as possible.”

Skelgarths borders the affected block

Mat Pritchard, chairperson of Bedern Court Ltd, a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit development. told the Stray Ferret:

“All authorities, including the parish, district and county councils, have been contacted by us and kept updated on the increasingly desperate situation that we are facing and we welcome this news from Ripon City Council.

“We have taken all of the measures that we can, but feel that we are rapidly running out of time.”

Reports from a monitoring engineer employed by Bedern Court Ltd indicated that ground movement is ongoing and appears to be speeding up.

While monitoring the signs of movement, Bedern Court Ltd continues to await the outcome of a long-standing insurance claim relating to the affected properties.

A year after four Ripon homes had to be evacuated because of subsidence, the owners are continuing to press for settlement of a long-standing insurance claim.

Fears of a building collapse at the 35-year-old Bedern Court scheme on Skellgarths have increased following a new report by a monitoring engineer.

Leaseholders and owners feel they have been put in a desperate situation caused by circumstances beyond their control.

The claim is currently with global insurance company Arch, and while owners and tenants of the four affected properties hope for good news, the engineer’s report has highlighted a worsening situation exacerbated by sinkhole activity in the area.

Four homes at Bedern Court have remained empty after being evacuated a year ago

Mat Pritchard, chairperson of Bedern Court Ltd (BCL) – a non-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit development – told the Stray Ferret:

“The report from our monitoring engineer indicates that the ground movement is still ongoing, and appears to be speeding up.

“The risk of catastrophic collapse has ratcheted upwards and we are now seriously worried that the block could be very close to some kind of tipping point.

“We greatly fear a situation where it does collapse or partially collapse, and someone gets killed or injured.”

In addition to the monitoring report, BCL commissioned a separate investigation from a geotechnical engineering practice.

This looked at the history of the site and concluded that the subsidence issues experienced there do constitute an insurable risk that should be covered by insurance.

The report was sent to Arch in June and Mr Pritchard, who owns one of the affected properties with his wife Jane, said:

“We have been in very regular contact with the insurers in an attempt to get this matter resolved as swiftly as possible, but we are still waiting.

“All authorities, including the parish, district and county councils, have been contacted by us and kept updated.

“We have taken all of the measures that we can, but feel that we are rapidly running out of time.”

Ripon’s MP, Julian Smith, is supporting property owners and tenants in their call for urgent action over homes in danger of collapse.

Mr Smith has contacted local authorities in an attempt to facilitate an urgent meeting about the situation.

Mat Pritchard, Chair of Bedern Court Ltd (BCL), a not-for-profit company controlled by leaseholders and owners, said:

“We are thankful to Mr Smith for his decisive intervention.

“He clearly recognises the need to act quickly and has responded to our call for emergency planning authorities to meet with us.”

Mr Pritchard added:

“The seriousness of our situation can be seen in the fact that Peacock’s Passage, just next to our building, has been barriered off and chained up because it isn’t safe for people to use as a footpath.”

The warning sign says it all

Subsidence, that saw large cracks opening up in external and internal walls, led to the evacuation of four properties last month – 1, 3 and 5 Bedern Court and 17 Skellgarths.

Read more:

• Subsidence causes evacuation of four Ripon homes
• City’s MP lays wreath as Ripon remembers the fallen

They are part of the same block, in the brick-built 29-property residential complex, which opened in 1986.

Peacock’s Passage, which also shows visible signs of subsidence, runs between Bedern Court and the adjacent Sanctuary Court and links Skellgarths to Kirkgate.

The footpath closure was granted after BCL contacted North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC).

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, for NYCC, said:

“North Yorkshire County Council, as the Local Highway Authority, has closed the footpath as a precautionary measure at the request of Harrogate Borough Council Emergency Planning team.

“It is Harrogate Borough Council’s responsibility to co-ordinate future actions, but our highways team will continue to assist where required.”

Mr. Smith was contacted by BCL, because of the precarious and worsening condition of the block and the potential danger it poses to passers-by, adjacent properties and road users.

Mr Pritchard pointed out:

“BCL has taken all appropriate actions and is doing everything in its power to protect residents and other people, but with the unpredictable nature of sink holes in Ripon and the unsafe state of the block, we need the authorities to act, and act quickly.”