Residents in Skelton-on-Ure are aiming to raise £250,000 to buy their village pub, which has been shut for three years.

The Black Lion, on Skelton Lane close to Newby Hall, between Boroughbridge and Ripon, was bought in December 2019 by Admiral Taverns.

However since then it has stood derelict, leaving locals questioning its future.

The pub was put up for sale in June after its owners said it did not have a “long-term sustainable future”.

Admiral Taverns, which owns 1,600 pubs across the UK, said selling was the only option.

However, a group of residents are now calling on people to pledge to buy a share in the pub in order to raise funds to buy and revitalise it.

Sandy Delf, one of the residents involved in the Black Lion Community Hub and Pub, said:

“The ultimate aim is to open up a welcoming community pub and hub for the village and wider community.”

Read more:

• Much-loved Skelton on Ure pub up for sale
• Skelton on Ure residents plead with owners to save ‘eyesore’ pub

The group, which has received support from rural community charity the Plunkett Foundation, aims to raise £250,000 in order to access government match funding as part of the community ownership fund.

Shares in the pub cost £250 each and are open to people and businesses to submit an expression of interest.

The Black Lion pictured prior to its closure.

Mrs Delf said the venture was “especially vital in the current and recent past economic climate”, adding:

“Rural communities have particularly suffered from isolation and mental health issues as services such as public transport have become ever more diminished.”

The pub was recently listed as an asset of community value by Harrogate Borough Council.

The listing means residents have more time to raise funds to buy the property.

For more information on how to pledge a share in the pub, visit the Black Lion Community Hub and Pub website here.

An independent panel of judges, braved heavy showers to view and cast their votes for the 23 entries in the Ripon Business Improvement District’s Christmas Windows competition.

The panel, including the city’s Mayor and Mayoress Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda and the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson have had their say, but the final outcome of the competition rests with a public vote and the winning entry will be announced on December 19.

Dean John judging the window at Specsavers

Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst, said:

“Like Strictly Come Dancing, the votes of the public will be added to the marks given by the judges.”

More details on how to vote for your favourite Christmas window click here

Children were involved in producing the window display at Cathedral View Cafe

Ms Bathurst, pointed out:

“The theme that we set was peace and sanctuary and the judges were asked to bear this in mind when assessing the entries.”

She added:

“We are delighted with the number of businesses that took part, as the window displays combined with the city’s festive lights and our free parking after 3pm initiative on the Fridays running up to Christmas, all add to the attraction of Ripon.”

Dean John, said:

“It’s great to see the business community embracing the central Christmas messages of peace and sanctuary in an imaginative way that helps to lift all of our spirits in these difficult times.”

Men live 10 years longer in Harrogate than Knaresborough, according to a new report.

The North Yorkshire Director of Public Health annual report 2021-22, published today, shows male life expectancy in Harrogate is 85 compared with 75 in Knaresborough.

Women live on average to be 87 in Harrogate and 79 in Knaresborough. In Ripon, men and women live on average to 79 and 84 respectively.

The commentary in the report suggests the difference is down to deprivation. It says:

“Large parts of North Yorkshire have better than average life expectancy when compared with England as a whole. However, there are areas where life expectancy is worse, particularly in Scarborough, but also in parts of Selby, Harrogate and Richmondshire.

“The gap in life expectancy between our most deprived and least deprived wards can be as much as 11 years for men and 10 years for women.

An image from the report showing life expectancy.

The report says there was a “marked decrease in life expectancy between 2019 and 2020 for both England and Yorkshire and Humber”, adding:

“This has improved slightly for 2021, but the longterm impact of the pandemic on mortality is yet to be fully determined.”

Read more:

• Staffing problems still affecting mental health services for Harrogate district residents
• ‘Intimate gem’ Knaresborough pub wins rare award for beer quality

In a section on ‘lessons learned’ the report says the rural nature of North Yorkshire presented challenges responding to covid.

It says:

“For North Yorkshire in particular, we learned to adapt our response to the pandemic to ensure that the rural nature of large parts of the county did not create additional barriers to access covid support.

“For example, we had to adapt the standard covid testing model of having a small number of large testing centres in urban areas to provide multiple mobile options that could travel across the county to rural areas.

“Similar issues were seen with access to vaccination sites; more sites opened up across the county as the pandemic progressed, but additional services eg voluntary transport provision were required to expand access to those unable to travel, and weekend clinics were added to help enable working age population to attend.”

Report author Louise Wallace, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, said in her foreword:

“The pandemic has had a profound impact on the lives of everyone in North Yorkshire. The ways in which we work, interact, travel, socialise, learn, live, bring new life, experience illness, loss, and death, have all been affected.

“However, there remain parts of our population who experience more than their fair share of the burden of these impacts, with the pandemic only widening pre-existing inequalities across our society.”

Does your business or workplace have a good story to tell? We’re looking to recognise the best and the brightest in the Harrogate district’s business community.

On March 9 next year, the Stray Ferret Business Awards will celebrate those businesses at a glittering black tie ceremony in the Pavilions of Harrogate and we want your entries.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023, sponsored by local financial advisers Prosperis, are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district including Ripon, Masham, Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Pateley Bridge and Knaresborough.

We are delighted to announce four of the region’s most influential leaders are on the Stray Ferret Business Award’s judging panel:

• James Farrar:  COO, York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership
• Charlene Lyons: CEO, Black Sheep Brewery 
• Marcus Boardall: CEO, Reed Boardall 
• Martin Rae: CEO, Cloud Nine

There are 10 award categories − from Dynamic Leader to Business Growth and Inclusivity.

It doesn’t matter if the business is large or small − the awards are to recognise excellent organisations, their leaders or unsung heroes.

It’s free to nominate and we will profile the great work of all the winners, so we would encourage you to put forward your business today.

You can see a full list of award categories on our Awards page. Entries close January 16.

In tough times we need, more than ever, to celebrate success and give individuals and teams the recognition they deserve.

With fuel bills soaring, a guide to more than 40 activities that people can join in to keep warm this winter has been produced by the Ripon Cathedral Community Connections group (C3).

The guide titled Find a Warm Welcome in Ripon, features the activities and facilities that churches, including the cathedral, charities, community groups, the library and other organisations across the city are providing, as people of all ages face a cost-of-living crisis caused by rising gas, electricity and heating oil prices.

Anne-Marie Tarter, of C3, told the Stray Ferret:

“The response from the community to production of the guide has been magnificent – for example, the Ripon churches told me what they were already doing and then added in whole new sessions specifically designed for people wanting a warm place to go this winter.”

Holy Trinity Church is providing a wide range of activities to help people keep warm

She added:

“Before long I had an amazing list of ideas for people looking for a warm place in Ripon and these have been included in a 4-page booklet.”

The activities cover people of all ages from families with babies and toddlers to the elderly and include free play sessions, free breakfasts and lunches, opportunities to become involved with sewing, knitting and other craft groups and indoor bowling.

Full details can be found by clicking here.

Read more:

• Hundreds attend Ripon’s Christmas lights switch-on
• City council opens funding scheme to more Ripon organisations

Hundreds gathered on Ripon Market Square yesterday evening as the city council signalled the beginning of the festive season with its Christmas lights switch-on.

With heavy rain relenting by early afternoon, the crowd, largely made up of family groups, grew throughout the day, visiting the square to see Santa and his reindeer and enjoy the free fairground rides and musical entertainment.

Families met with Santa and his reindeer Alfie, Dancer and Izzy

Among the early visitors to see Santa were two-year-old Taylor, her 12-year-old brother Toby and their mother Catherine (pictured above).

The three free fairground rides proved popular throughout the afternoon and into the evening

Live musical entertainment was provided from 2pm by local singer-songwriter Freddie Cleary, and tribute acts Tamsin and Kaylie and Jersey Beyond (pictured below)

By 5pm when the Mayor of Ripon Cllr Sid Hawke performed the switch-on, the large crowd was in festive mood, joining with him in singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

The Christmas lights on Kirkgate

Among those hoping that Ripon’s traders have a happy and successful festive season is city council leader Cllr Andrew Williams.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“This is going to be a very challenging end of year for the vast majority of people with the cost of living crisis meaning they have less disposable income to spend.”

He added:

“We hope, however, that the lights will help to attract increased footfall and provide a festive boost to the city’s economy with local residents, as well as visitors, supporting Ripon’s independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs by spending their money here.”

Read more:

• City council opens funding scheme to more Ripon organisations
• Bid to save bus linking Ripon, Thirsk and Northallerton

A historic luxury car and bronze horse sculpture are set to be auctioned later this month.

Ripon based auction house Elstob & Elstob is set to auction off a classic Ferrari and a 105cm bronze horse sculpture.

The Ferrari F355 GTS, one of the most sought-after cars of all time, will be sold at auction on November 25. The bronze horse sculpture by Sally Arnup will follow on November 30.

The exotic car is a 1995 model of the Ferrari F355 GTS in a red livery.

The model is well preserved with a black leather interior. It has racked up only 40,390 miles from three previous owners since its release in 1994.

The car is expected to sell for between £40,000 and £60,000.

The auctioneer, David Elstob, said:

“However revolutionary it was at the time, the F355 is now considered the last of the ‘old school’ Ferraris before the introduction of the 360 and, as such, is greatly revered by collectors and motoring enthusiasts alike.

“Its popularity has been further sealed by the classic Ferrari wedge-shaped styling and iconic pop-up headlights. It is a truly beautiful machine and a nostalgic icon of its time.”

Also in the auction taking place on November 25 is a 2011 BMW 6-Series and a 2012 Ford Transit Campervan.

Read more:

• Ripon auction to sell paintings of Derby winners found after 180 years
• Hot Seat: the Ripon auctioneer bringing a modern edge to antiques
• Ripon auctioneer recruits new painting and sculpture specialist

Sally Arnup’s bronze horse sculpture

The sculpture named Arab Horse Aslan was created in 1985 by Yorkshire-based artist Sally Arnup (1930-2015).

She is considered to be one of the finest bronze sculptors of her time with her life-like recreations of animals.

Her work resides in major collections worldwide and she had received commissions from Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, among others.

The bronze horse is expected to sell for between £10,000 – £15,000.

Elstob & Elstob’s paintings and sculpture specialist, Rohan McCulloch, said:

“This fantastic sculpture of a trotting horse really captures the fluidity and elegance of this beautiful animal. Arnup is famed for the life-like qualities of her pieces and used to work with the live animal in front of her rather than using sketches or photographs.

“In fact, it is said that the subjects often came to live with her family for weeks at a time while she studied them in detail.”

The late Duke of Edinburgh commissioned Ms Arnup to sculpt a statue of his fell pony Storm for his 80th birthday. He said:

“It is no mean achievement to be able to convey the character, and characteristics, of individual animals in bronze.

“Sally Arnup has a wealth of experience in the sculpture of animals, and she also has the talent to capture their personality.”

The sculpture is set to headline the paintings and sculpture sale which takes place on November 30. Two miniature oil paintings depicting two Derby winners owned by the acclaimed John Bowes will also feature int he auction.

Fire crews were called to a kitchen fire in Ripon yesterday.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue received the call to flats on the city’s Blossomgate at 3.17pm.

A woman who lived in the flat was treated for smoke inhalation but did not require hospital treatment.

Crews from Ripon and Harrogate attended the kitchen fire. North Yorkshire Police and paramedics were also on the scene.

An incident log from the fire service said:

“Ripon and Harrogate crews attended a kitchen fire. Two breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet was used.

“Female occupant was treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics on the scene.”

Read more:

• Firefighters called to sauna fire at Rudding spa
• ‘Harrogate firefighters being used as guinea pigs’, says union

During the current climate, we all need a bit of sparkle in our lives.

And what better way to inject some festive cheer than switching on the Christmas lights.

Here are the dates for your diary for switch-on events across the district:

Harrogate – Thursday, November 17

The countdown to Christmas in Harrogate will officially get underway this evening, with Harrogate BID flicking the festive switch.

There will be no official switch-on event this year, however Christmas lights around the town centre will start to dazzle for the first time this evening.

The whole town will be illuminated by the weekend.

Ripon – Saturday, November 19

Ripon’s festive season gets into full swing this weekend, with the switch-on of the city’s Christmas lights on Saturday.

The city’s Market Square will be a hive of activity from 1pm, ahead of the lights switch-on, which takes place at 5pm.

The reindeer, which proved popular when they visited Ripon for last year’s event, will be returning with Santa and once again there will be free fairground rides and a climbing wall for children to enjoy.

The Ripon City Council event will also provide free musical entertainment from 2pm.

Knaresborough – Friday, November 25

Boroughbridge – Wednesday, December 7

Santa’s sleigh out and about in Boroughbridge in 2018.

The annual late night Christmas Shopping and lights switch-on event, organised by the town’s Chamber of Trade, will take place on Wednesday, December 7.

The event kicks-off with the official switch-on of the Christmas tree lights in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by short performances by school choirs.

Boroughbridge Lions will have Santa and his sleigh on display and there will be children’s rides, along with the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge with a mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.

The shop window display competition theme this year is “A Christmas Panto”.

The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.