Gusts of over 60 mph are causing disruption in the Harrogate district this morning. A Met Office weather warning is in place for wind until 9pm but the strongest gusts are forecast this morning, with Greenhow Hill near Pateley Bridge already recording 63 mph.
A tree came down on the A59 Knaresborough Road near Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough and rail operator Northern has said its trains are running at reduced speed on several lines and to check before travelling.
Let us know how the storm is affecting you by emailing us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
2.05pm – Harrogate ice rink closed for rest of day
The Ice Rink Harrogate will be closed for the rest of today due to high winds.
A Facebook post from the operator said:
“The Ice Rink is closed for the rest of the day (21/12/23) due to the high winds. We will open as usual tomorrow.
“All people booked on any session affected will be contacted by email to change their booking to another day before the 8th of January.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
1:23pm Tree down on the Oval in Harrogate
Storm Pia has caused a large tree to fall down on the Oval in Harrogate.
12.10pm Harrogate ice rink closed
High winds forced the closure of Ice Rink Harrogate, the temporary Christmas feature in Crescent gardens.
“Due to the high winds the Ice Rink is closed until 2:30pm today. A further review will take place at noon. All people booked on any session affected will be contacted by email to change their booking to another day before the 8th of January.”
11.58am: 40,000 customers affected, says Northern Powergrid
Northern Powergrid, which delivers electricity on behalf of suppliers, has said 40,000 customers in the north-east, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire have been affected by Storm Pia. It said in a statement:
“Our teams responded quickly and have already managed to reconnect more than 28,000 of those who have been impacted. We will keep customers updated regularly via text message, on our website and on our social media channels.”
It added West Yorkshire had suffered the most impact so far.
10.55am: Local attractions closed today
Remember, Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough and the National Trust-owned Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal near Ripon are closed today due to high winds. The horticultural charity RHS Garden Harlow Carr has also cancelled its Glow event tonight and offered a full refund to people who had bought tickets.
9.25am: Storm damage at Crowne Plaza in Harrogate?
A reader has sent us these photos of apparent storm damage at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Harrogate.
Read more:
- Rare mother of pearl clouds above Harrogate and Knaresborough
- Harrogate heroin and cocaine dealer jailed for over three years
9.05am: Tree down on edge of district
Bus driver Jonathan Ruston, pictured below, has been helping with clearing a fallen tree he encountered this morning.
He said it was on the A659 going into Otley, past the garden centre, just before Otley town centre.
Pic Jonathan Ruston
7.30am: Four stalls open at Ripon Market
Most stallholders have kept away from Ripon Market, which usually takes place on Thursday, except for a fruit and veg stall, a fishmonger, baker and a cheese seller.
Fishmonger Martin Carrick out early this morning serving regular customers Darren and Janet Ratcliffe.
Fishmonger Martin Carrick, whose family has been working at the market for 80 years, said:
“We will. be here for he full day, we have a large vehicle that isn’t affected by the wind like the stalls are and we are looking forward to serving people with their Christmas orders.”
His brother Kevin Carrick, who operates a fruit and veg stall, was also on duty as normal. He said:
“This is our most important market of the year in Ripon and I hope people read the Stray Ferret and know that we will be here all day.”
Kevin Carrick at his fruit and veg stall this morning.
The Stray Ferret has been monitoring Storm Pia and previously reported the closure of several local attractions, including Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon and Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough.
Harrogate’s RHS Garden Harlow Carr has cancelled its Glow event amid the weather warning.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Read more:
- Storm Pia to bring 61mph gusts to Harrogate district
- Harrogate heroin and cocaine dealer jailed for over three years
Historic deal will see Ripon end years of neglect from Harrogate, says councillor
A “historic” deal is set to unshackle Ripon from years of neglect by councillors in Harrogate, it was claimed today.
North Yorkshire Council‘s ruling executive agreed to set up a project team to oversee Ripon people taking control of Ripon Town Hall, the market place and car park, public toilets and the Wakeman’s House.
The assets were controlled by Harrogate Borough Council until it was abolished in April.
North Yorkshire Council agreed to trial local management as part of its commitment to what its Conservative leadership calls “double devolution”.
Councillor Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group who represents Ripon Minster and Moorside, praised the move at today’s meeting and launched an eviscerating attack on Harrogate Borough Council.
He said:
“This is for Ripon potentially a historic day in the building of a more constructive relationship with the unitary authority than it had previously with a rather fractured relationship that existed with Harrogate Borough Council.”
‘More grass on market than centre court at Wimbledon’
Cllr Williams said Ripon’s poor relationship with Harrogate led the city council to formulate “ambitious and complex” plans to take control of assets. He added:
“They all interlink to develop the central area of Ripon, which has sadly been neglected for some time.
“If you look at the Wakeman’s House that we are hoping to take ownership of, no work has been undertaken on that for over 10 years. The lease income from the business in there has been spent elsewhere.
“Ripon Town Hall last had maintenance carried out on it in 2004 when the queen visited.”
The Wakeman’s House
Laughter was heard when Cllr Williams added:
“The market place will soon have more grass growing on it than the centre court at Wimbledon.”
He then criticised the decision to close public toilets at 9pm when the city encouraged visitors to watch the nightly hornblower ceremony. He added:
“We firmly believe Ripon people know Ripon better than anybody else and know best how to make it a success rather than it currently is, which is underachieving its potential.
“The people of Ripon and the council are firmly behind the principle of double devolution.”
Cllr Barbara Brodigan, a Liberal Democrat who represents Ripon Ure Bank and Spa, told the meeting she endorsed Cllr Williams’ comments.
The executive agreed unanimously to proceed with the proposals.
Knaresborough also set for more local control
North Yorkshire Council invited town and parish councils to submit expressions of interest to run local assets in November last year.
Harrogate was excluded from the process because it doesn’t have a town council and moves to set one up have been delayed by local Conservatives.
Twelve parish councils submitted expressions of interest.
Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon City Council were among those selected to advance their proposals, with a view to formally taking over on April 1 next year.
Knaresborough bid to manage the markets and assets associated with managing the market, such as road closure signs and tables.
But Little Ouseburn’s proposal to take charge of grass cutting of the green area outside Broomfield Cottages.was rejected because it “did not evidence legal competence”.
Read more:
- The Ripon Inn opens today after multi-million pound refurbishment
- 14 Harrogate town centre flats to go on market