This article is sponsored by Linley & Simpson.

An exclusive new development of luxury four-bedroom bungalows has gone on the market in the picturesque village of Rainton.

Boasting a cricket club, green and pub, the idyllic rural setting provides the perfect location for Grange Farm.

As village locations remain in huge demand, one property has already been sold.

However, there are two spacious detached homes with double garages remaining, with prices starting from £630,000.

They have been built by Harrogate-based independent developers JWK Developments Ltd.

Plot 1 at Grange Farm Barns, Rainton.

Lucy Collinge, new homes marketing executive at Linley & Simpson, the agent selling the properties, said:

“It is unusual for a development of bungalows to come to the market – particularly as new builds.

“These properties are around 1,800 sq ft. However, they are really energy efficient as they are fitted with air source heat pumps and underfloor heating.

“The specification is high quality with stunning contemporary open-plan fitted kitchens, french doors opening to a private garden and patio and tiled bathrooms and ensuites. There is also a feature oak handrail in the hallway.”

The homes boast a carefully considered layout, with living and sleeping accommodation shared on the ground floor, as well as featuring a principal bedroom to the first floor in a dormer bungalow style.

A bathroom at a similar development in Alne, near Easingwold, by JWK Developments.

A separate sitting room and optional study or snug allows for a second reception room, ensuring that these homes provide for versatile living accommodation.

The ground floor also provides a utility room, cloakroom WC, house bathroom, two further double bedrooms and a single fourth bedroom/study.

Ms Collinge said:

“They also feature large landscaped gardens, which have been planted with crabapple trees and are really pretty. They are very much in-keeping with the village landscape.”

Rainton is a quintessentially English village, nestled between Ripon and Thirsk.

It is close to the junction of the A1 and A168, providing the commuter with options when travelling by car. Central Harrogate and York are 16 and 25 miles to the south respectively and Leeds is 38 miles away.

A kitchen at a similar development in Alne, near Easingwold, by JWK Developments.

For longer journeys, the nearest train station is Thirsk which is just seven miles away. From here, it is possible to catch direct trains to Leeds, London, Manchester Airport, Sunderland and York.

Ms Collinge added:

“Rainton has got a lovely village green and a maypole and it certainly looks the part.

“You’ve also got great transport links on the doorstop giving seclusion without remoteness.

“Rainton really is a stunning village in a fabulous location – the perfect place to buy a new home.”

James Knight, director of JWK Developments, said:

“Grange Farm is a truly unique development and the importance of an energy efficient and sustainable home has been recognised.

“From Mitsubishi air source heat pumps, underfloor heating to the ground floor and electric vehicle charging points, this offers buyers luxury eco-friendly living.”

To enquire about plots 1 and 2 at Grange Farm Barns, call Linley & Simpson on 01423 540054

Rousing military music resounded on city streets yesterday morning as Ripon’s Royal Engineers held their annual freedom march.

Members of the 21 Engineer Regiment based at Claro Barracks, who returned to the UK in September from postings in Cyprus and Poland, were joined by a band from the Royal Corps of Army Music, as 300 uniformed men and women marched past the town hall and down Kirkgate for a service held in their honour at the cathedral.

Eyes right as the Royal Engineers march past Ripon Town Hall and take the salute from city Mayor Councillor Sid Hawke and other civic dignitaries.

In line with tradition the Engineers, who were awarded the freedom of Ripon in 1949, exercised the rights bestowed on them 73 years ago, by marching in step to the sound of the band with drums beating and bayonets fixed.

The march down Kirkgate.

In addition to the six-month United Nations peacekeeping role in Cyprus that the Engineers took up in March and the detachment to Poland, Ripon-based sappers have served on operations in Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, providing light role close support that enables the army to live, move and fight.

The Royal Engineers attended a service at Ripon Cathedral

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Read more:

• Ripon’s Salvation Army faces a ‘tsunami’ of need
• Advent service lights up Ripon Cathedral

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Christmas markets are taking place across the Harrogate district.

Here’s our guide to what’s taking place. If you know of one that isn’t included, let us know and we will add it. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

RHS Harlow Carr, Bath House Gallery: Christmas Crafts 

10am, Thursday, October 20 to 4pm, Friday, December 23 

Country Living Christmas Fair, Harrogate Convention Centre 

10am, Thursday, December 1 to 4pm, Sunday, December 4 

Great Yorkshire Christmas Fair, The Yorkshire Events Centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate

9.30 to 5am Thursday, December 1 to Sunday December 2022 (4.30pm finish on Sunday)

Harrogate Christmas Fayre, Harrogate town centre

10am, Friday, December 2 to 4.30pm, Sunday, December 11 

Pateley Bridge and Bewerley late night shopping, Pateley Bridge High Street

December 2, 5.30pm

Little Bird Artisan Market, Valley Gardens, Harrogate

Saturday, December 3, 10am to 5pm, and 10am to pm on Sunday, December 4

Knaresborough Christmas Market, Knaresborough Market Place

10am, to 5pm Saturday, December 3 and 10am to 4.30pm on Sunday, December 4, finishing with firework fiesta over the viaduct at 4.30pm 

Knaresborough Artisan Market, Gracious St Methodist Church, Knaresborough HG5 8AN

10am to 3pm, December 3

Copt Hewick Christmas Fair, Copt Hewick village hall and church

11am to 3pm, December 3, cash-only event, Santa arrives at noon and carols at 1.30pm

St Luke’s Church Parish Christmas Fair, St Luke’s Church, Franklin Square, Harrogate

10.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday, December 3

Belmont Grosvenor School Christmas Fair, Belmont Grosvenor School, Birstwith

Saturday, December 3, £3 entry for adults, free for children

Minskip Christmas Gift Fayre, Minskip Village Hall

Saturday December 3, 1pm to 4pm – all gifts priced at under £10

Nativity Festival, St Cuthbert’s Church Pateley Bridge

Saturday December 3, 10.30am to 2.30pm. Followed, at 7pm by Christmas carol singing accompanied by local choirs. (Tickets for the carol concert cost £5 and will be available on the door or from church members)

SYD* Christmas Craft, Vintage & Collectables Fayre, Masham Town Hall 

10am, Sunday, December 4 

* Saving Yorkshire’s Dogs 

Knaresborough Winter Fayre, Knaresborough Market Place

10am to 4pm, Saturday, December 10

Little Bird Artisan Market, Valley Gardens, Harrogate

Saturday, December 10, 10am to 5pm, and 10am to pm on Sunday, December 11

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has resigned as a councillor on Harrogate Borough Council.

The news has not been publicly announced yet. However, the council’s website confirms she is no longer a councillor.

The Stray Ferret was alerted to the news by another councillor and has attempted to contact Ms Metcalfe directly, as well as the Office of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and Harrogate Borough Council for further details. So far only Harrogate Borough Council has replied to clarify there won’t be a by-election.

A spokesman said:

“Under the terms of the Structural Changes Order we are unable to run by-elections to fill vacancies arising after September 30, unless the total number of unfilled vacancies exceeds one third of the whole number of members.  Therefore there will not be a by-election for this seat.”

Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative, was elected to the £74,000 commissioner’s role in November last year after her predecessor Philip Allott resigned.

At the time she represented Claro on Harrogate Borough Council and Knaresborough on North Yorkshire County Council.

Read more:

• People waiting up to an hour for 101 calls to be answered, says North Yorkshire Police
• Criminals in North Yorkshire could make written apologies to victims

She did not seek re-election to the county council in May’s local elections but retained her borough council seat. Her departure today comes four months to the day before the borough council is abolished to make way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

Ms Metcalfe has strong local connections: she was born in Ripon and now lives in Aldborough, near Boroughbridge.

She joined the Conservatives in 2014 and has twice stood unsuccessfully for Parliament: first in Doncaster Central and then in Leeds West.

A fire service review she led this year generated controversy because of its decision to reduce the number of fire engines stationed at Harrogate from two to one overnight.

Morrisons supermarket has blamed a faulty fridge on a lack of stock at its Ripon store.

Heather Rowlatt, a former staff member at the branch contacted the Stray Ferret this week, claiming more than one department was without produce.

She attached a photo of a closed-off fruit and vegetable counter and said there was also no meat, bread or bakery goods.

Ms Rowlatt said:

“My partner asked staff, but all they said was ‘I don’t know’. He had to shop elsewhere.”

It follows comments on community social media channels, which have questioned dwindling stock levels at Morrisons in both Ripon and Boroughbridge in recent weeks.

A Morrisons spokesperson said:

“After talking to colleagues at both stores, it seems that Boroughbridge haven’t reported any issues with stock, however the Ripon store have unfortunately had a broken fridge – which can be seen in the photo.

“I can confirm that this is all fixed and the Ripon store is fully stocked once again.”

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In November, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced his autumn statement, which included scrapping planned investment zones in the Harrogate district and across the country.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation honours were also revealed, which is set to include district MP Nigel Adams.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but, as usual, we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found out on Mr Jones:

• On November 10, Andrew Jones debated the possibility of the River Nidd at Knaresborough achieving bathing water status in the House of Commons.
• Mr Jones called for a debate on green building regulations in the House of Commons to be “sped up”.
• Mr Jones asked for reassurance from ministers on November 15 that park home residents would get support for energy bills amid concern over rising prices.
• In response to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement on November 17, Mr Jones said he felt Mr Hunt had made some “difficult decisions but right ones”.
• In response to new IPSA guidance over expenses for festive decorations, Mr Jones said he has “never used parliamentary expenses to pay for festive decorations or parties and I never will”.
• On November 28, Mr Jones asked whether ministers would focus education funding on “creating estates to deliver the skills needed in the growth sectors of the future” after Harrogate College announced a £16 million estates scheme.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• Mr Smith made three spoken contributions in the House of Commons in November on matters relating to Northern Ireland.
• On November 8, Mr Smith tweeted that he was pleased that Ripon Museums had secured a grant from Arts Council England.
• Mr Smith commemorated Armistice Day by placing a tribute on behalf of Skipton and Ripon in parliament’s garden of remembrance.
• Mr Smith also laid a wreath on Remembrance Sunday in Ripon as part of commemorations on November 13.
• The Ripon MP paid tribute to local constituency Cllr Margaret Atkinson on November 14, who died suddenly. He said she had “a passion, focus & dedication to public service which she pursued for many decade”.
• Mr Smith made no public comment on Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement, but he retweeted the Treasury Twitter account announcing measures included in the statement.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

• On November 8, it was revealed by The Times newspaper that Nigel Adams is in line for a peerage in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation honours.
• On November 23, Mr Adams asked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for more support for bus services as he warned that 80 services across the county were at under threat.
• Mr Adams spoke only once in the House of Commons in November, which was to ask the Prime Minister for support on buses in North Yorkshire.
• He made no public comment on Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement.

Read more:

• Harrogate district MP Nigel Adams to step down at next election
• Harrogate district MP in line for peerage in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours

Harrogate and Ripon have been spared its HSBC banks shutting after the company announced a raft of closures today.

The bank said it will close 114 branches from April 2023.

HSBC UK said the closures were down to a change in customer habits and that it would invest “tens of millions of pounds” in its remaining banks.

Among the closures include branches in nearby Wetherby and Skipton.

However, Ripon’s branch on Westgate and Harrogate’s on Prospect Crescent have been spared closure.

The HSBC – which has no external cash machine – is Ripon’s sole remaining bank branch after Halifax closed on November 14.

The Halifax closed less than three months after the long-established Barclays branch closed its doors for good on August 25.

Jackie Uhi, HSBC UK’s managing director of UK distribution, said: 

“People are changing the way they bank and footfall in many branches is at an all-time low, with no signs of it returning. 

“Banking remotely is becoming the norm for the vast majority of us. 

“Not only can we do it anywhere at any time of day or night, many more things can be done at the customers’ convenience and don’t rely on a branch visit.”

Read more:

• Halifax closure leaves Ripon with one remaining bank
• Harrogate’s Windsor House gets new co-working space and cafe

Plans have been submitted to build a two-storey, 66-bed care home on Ripon City AFC‘s ground.

The club, which has played at Mallorie Park for more than 100 years, revealed last month it planned to relocate.

Leeds-based care company LNT Care Developments has now submitted plans to Harrogate Borough Council to transform the ground into a home specialising in general and dementia care, including 25 parking spaces.

A visual of the proposed new home.

LNT has developed over 200 care homes in the UK since 2005. A planning statement, prepared on behalf of the company to support the application, says:

“The proposed care home would provide a character and form of development that should positively
enhance the character of the site and surrounding area, whilst also offering an important local
community service.

The development would also have a positive impact within the area by improving employment
opportunities, not only during the construction phase but also in the longer term when the care home
becomes fully operational.”

Read more:

• Ripon City Football Club reveals plans to relocate
• Controversial 21-house scheme in Markington to be discussed tonight

Neither LNT nor Ripon City AFC has disclosed how much the deal is worth.

The club said in a statement last month that funds from any sale would be used to develop a new facility, which would include floodlit 3G and grass pitches, seated stands as well as a multipurpose clubhouse.

The location of the new ground has yet to be revealed but the club has published a proposed layout of how it would look.

The proposed layout for the new Ripon City AFC facility

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.”