Ripon man jailed for stealing two bikes in Harrogate

A Ripon man has been jailed for 26 weeks for stealing two bikes in Harrogate.

Dwain Carl Layton, 31, of King Edward Road, appeared before York Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with stealing the bikes from a garage on Kingsley Road on June 28.

The bikes were estimated to be worth £1,000.

Layton pleaded guilty to the charge and was jailed.

The magistrates said the sentence was handed down after Layton had failed to comply with requirements of post custodial sentence supervision.

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It added that the offence was aggravated by “the defendant’s record of previous offending”.

Layton was also ordered to pay compensation of £100 and a victim surcharge of £154.

Ripon business gets Dragons’ Den star endorsement

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Ripon business has been endorsed by retail entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.

The GreenHouse, which is based on North Street, opened three months ago and offers an array of home and garden supplies.

Owner Rebecca Crallan messaged Mr Paphitis on Twitter as part of his Small Business Sunday campaign, which picks six weekly winners to be endorsed on his social media.

The winners also get a chance to network with other small businesses and include a profile on the Small Business Sunday website.

Mr Paphitis picked The GreenHouse and, as a result, shared the Ripon business with his 490,000 Twitter followers and 34,000 Instagram followers.

Ms Crallan said:

“The GreenHouse has only been open three months but I’ve been warmly welcomed by the community in Ripon, both shoppers and fellow retailers alike. 

“It is great to have support from Theo because it’s been tough trying to raise our profile and Theo has recognised our hard work and helped spread the word about what we do to his following.”

Harrogate jewellers wins shop frontage grant

A Harrogate business has been awarded a £750 grant to improve its shop frontage.

Fattorini’s on Parliament Street, which reopened under new management in March, has been granted the money by Harrogate Business Improvement District.

Harrogate BID Matthew Chapman, left, and Fattorinis Director Wayne Beales outside the Parliament Street jewellers.

Harrogate BID Matthew Chapman, left, and Fattorini’s director Wayne Beales outside the Parliament Street jewellers.

The grant was part of £10,000 awarded to BID levy payers to help improve the frontages of their businesses.

Other businesses awarded grants include The Den, Cold Bath Brewing, Drum and Monkey and the new Coach & Horses.

The jewellery business used its £750 to refurbish the Victorian canopy and install a new facia board and signage.

Wayne Beales, Fattorini’s director, said:

“Being a BID levy payer, I’m delighted that our application for a grant was approved.

“The painted canopy and new signage has really helped us shout about our revival. It has certainly made us stand out from other businesses on Parliament.

“I would also recommend all levy paying retailers to take advantage of the next round of BID improvement grants, so Harrogate town centre can really shine.”

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Harrogate district MP quizzed on reaction to Tory resignations

The Stray Ferret has approached all three Harrogate district Conservative MPs for their reaction to this evening’s momentous political developments.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid have both quit the Cabinet amid a row over the handling of misconduct claims against ex-Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher.

Their resignations have sparked frenzied speculation about more Cabinet resignations and whether Boris Johnson will survive as Prime Minister.

We have emailed Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon and Nigel Adams, MP for Selby with Ainsty, asking for their reaction to the resignations and whether they feel Mr Johnson should resign. None has replied yet.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, has retweeted Mr Sunak and Mr Javid’s resignation statements. Mr Smith has been critical of the government’s decision to rewrite parts of the Brexit deal.

Mr Jones is not active on social media but he was among the Conservative rebels who voted for Mr Johnson to step down last month.

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Mr Adams, who is minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, is regarded as a Johnson loyalist. He last tweeted earlier today about England’s victory over India in the Test match.

David Goode, chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats, told the Stray Ferret:

“Johnson being Johnson will try to. hang on. Until the wider Conservative Party finally make a decision and get rid of him he will stay as long as he can.

“The Andrew Jones’ of this world have to step up and be counted now.”

 

Write-on Ripon open mic evening returns on Thursday

Prolific Ripon author, poet and creative writer Maggie Cobbett will be among those in attendance when the Write-On Ripon open mic event returns on Thursday evening after a short break.

Maggie, one of the city’s best-known authors, told the Stray Ferret:

“Our ‘cavern of creativity’ as we call the cellar area at Curzon Cinema, is proving a great meeting place for all kinds of  writers.

“The open mic evenings staged so far have attracted a broad base of talent, from first-time novelists to people seeking a platform to read out work jotted down in a notepad.”

Event organiser, creative writer and the founder of Ripon Spookers, Dion Child, said:

“It’s marvellous to have experienced and published authors like Maggie at our open mic evenings.

“I’m sure that those who are new to writing benefit from her friendly advice, while enjoying listening to her reading out poems and extracts from her books.

“We took a break in June because of the platinum jubilee and I suspect that the sights and sounds of that wonderful four days of celebration in the city will be reflected in some of the pieces that we hear on Thursday.”

The event, at Curzon Cinema on North Street, free to attend and runs from 7.30pm until 10pm

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National recognition for plant specialism at Himalayan Garden near Ripon

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

National recognition for plant specialism at Himalayan Garden

A visitor attraction near Ripon has been awarded National Plant Collection status by Plant Heritage.

The Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park at Grewelthorpe has been given the award for its collection of rhododendron subsect fortunea, of which it has 29 different types across its 45 acres.

Plant Heritage is a national horticultural charity aiming to conserve the diversity of garden plants in the UK and prevent species becoming extinct.

Jago Wallace, pictured, head of the national collection of rhododendrons at the garden, said:

“We have worked hard to achieve this award, undertaking specific recordings, research, care, and maintenance of these plants to keep them in good condition.

“We have created a new national collection bed to help visitors see the fortunea more closely. With the propagation of our plants being a major aim, all of the garden team have attended master classes on rhododendron propagation, which gives us the skills to improve the care of our national collection.”

The Himalayan Garden also aims to run master classes in future to allow visitors to learn the art of rhododendron propagation.

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Gritter firm builds community links with cricket sponsorship deal

Econ Engineering is sponsoring Thirsk Cricket Club

A Ripon gritter manufacturer has agreed a deal to sponsor Thirsk Cricket Club for the 2022 season.

Econ Engineering, which has recently completed the construction of a £7m engineering facility in Sowerby, has backed the club as it builds its links with the local community.

The company has an 85% share in the UK winter roads maintenance vehicle market

Jonathan Lupton, Econ Engineering’s managing director, said:

“We are delighted to associate our name with Thirsk Cricket Club, and see this as the start of a long and fruitful partnership.

“Sowerby is now home to our 1,000-strong gritter hire fleet, which is also where they will be serviced ahead of going back out to councils, civil engineering companies and highways contractors across the UK.

“Our rental fleet had previously been based at our Ripon headquarters; however, it has now grown to such a size we needed a new base, therefore extending our operation into Sowerby.

“We are looking to increase our workforce by 50, and we hope we can attract a good number of these from the local community, hence us starting to forge a close relationship with the local community.”

Thirsk Cricket Club secretary David Richardson added:

“We would like to thank Econ Engineering for becoming our latest sponsor. The backing will enable us to continue our coaching for those looking to develop their skills within this sport.”

Appeal after indecent exposure at Newby Hall

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a man exposed himself to a group of three women at Newby Hall.

The naked man approached the women on the woodland walk in the gardens of the hall at about 3.40pm on Thursday last week.

Officers are looking for any witnesses who were in Newby Hall gardens at the time.

The hall is situated between Boroughbridge and Ripon.

A police statement said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help identify the man and in particular, we’re appealing to anyone who’d been at Newby Hall gardens on the day and may have information which could assist our investigation.

“The man is described as being white, aged 40-50 years old, 6ft to 6ft 2′ tall, of a medium build with a slight beer belly and dark brown hair in the style of a short back and sides that had grown out.

“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email Richard.Jackson@northyorkshire.police.uk You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 1505 Jackson.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220113065.”

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Stray Views: Harrogate plant nursery consultants ‘offensive waste of money’

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Plant nursery consultants ‘offensive waste of money’

What on earth do we have planning departments and development experts employed for if our local authority is still prepared to waste £50,000 on external consultants to help us find somewhere to build a large greenhouse?

At a time when the cost of living is tight to say the least, this is the most offensive waste of taxpayers money. Have we not better things to do? How much tatty street furniture could be replaced? How many care workers would it employ? How many potholes would it fill? The list goes on.

It just pains me to see that something like this is deemed to be a priority. I despair.

Mark Fuller, Harrogate

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Ripon Spa Baths refurbishment welcomed

Brilliant news that Spa Baths will be refurbished and protected in future. 

A large part of my childhood too, as with the developer and his family. I’d love to see it when it’s back to its former glory.

Trish Baker, Ripon

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Ripon Tennis Centre opens new £180,000 padel tennis courts

Two new padel tennis courts have opened at Ripon Tennis Centre following a huge wave of support from residents and businesses.

The £180,000 facility is already proving popular with players, who have been taking advantage of taster sessions with the club’s coaches.

The project was put forward to help boost the Park Lane club’s membership in the wake of the pandemic.

It follows a successful crowdfunding campaign, which saw more than £30,500 raised in 28 days.

Additional funding has also been provided by Sport England, alongside a loan from the Lawn Tennis Association.

Carol Tetlow, the club’s honorary secretary, said:

“We had lost a considerable number of members as a result of the pandemic. Many of them dropped out or didn’t come back, so that meant there was significant financial loss. We also weren’t able to use the indoor courts, so we lost financially from that as well.

“So we were looking at a way to come back bigger and better. With padel being an explosive, exciting new sport, we had a look into that.”

The two courts – one indoor and one outdoor – have been built on derelict land at the centre, which also boasts two indoor tennis courts, six outdoor floodlit courts, a gym and a licensed café area.

The new padel tennis courts at Ripon Tennis Centre.

It is a welcome boost for the Ripon area, as prior to the courts’ construction, the nearest padel options were in Harrogate and Middlesbrough.

Ms Tetlow said:

“We’ve already had lots of enquiries.

“It’s clearly a sport that’s taking off in a big way. Anybody can play it, you can walk on a court and just hit the ball and feel like you’re having a good game.

“It’s good for any ability. It’s also good for any age. Because it’s less running around than tennis, people who are less mobile enjoy it. We have a member who is just over 80-years-old and he had a go and thought it was fabulous.”

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Ms Tetlow started playing tennis seven years ago and has been the centre’s secretary for around two years. She offered to take on crowdfunding campaign, which she described as “hard work, but very rewarding”.

“The best thing was going around Ripon’s shops, cafes and restaurants and asking if they would contribute something and so many people said ‘if it’s for Ripon, yes’.”

Ripon Tennis Centre.

The club has recently taken on a new coach, Christopher Stanford, who will teach padel, as well as tennis.

Future plans for the padel courts include kids’ clubs, social evenings and block bookings. An official launch event is also in the pipeline.

Ms Tetlow said:

“At the moment we are just letting as many people play as possible, so they can have a go and see what it’s like.”

A mashup of tennis and squash that originated in Mexico, padel has been described as one of the world’s fastest growing sports.

It is played between four players on reduced-size tennis courts. Competitors use paddle racquets and can bounce the ball off walls.

Ripon student wins University of Oxford translation prize

A Ripon Grammar School student with a talent for translation has won a first prize in a prestigious University of Oxford languages competition which attracted 14,000 entrants from all over the UK.

In addition to sixth form student Anna Cope scooping the national title for her skilful German translation in the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators, Year 10 student Jack Wright won the regional award for his outstanding Italian translation.

Both entered the advanced level of the competition, aimed at A-level students.

Anna, 16, who is studying biology, chemistry and German at A-level and taking evening classes in Russian, said she was absolutely delighted to hear she’d initially won the regional competition.

She said:

“I’d have been happy getting a commendation. But to hear I’d actually won the national for the best German translation for level 4 was quite mind-blowing.”

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The gifted linguist, who aims to take a gap year after sixth form to learn a new language and experience a new culture before applying for universities abroad, including in Greece and Korea, to study psychology, law or modern languages, said she found the translation challenging.

She added:

“The hardest part was wording it in a way the writer would have spoken it. It’s hard to decide whether something is descriptive or analytical when it’s in another language and you may be struggling to understand the entirety of the text.

“I had to use synonyms to replace words that simply wouldn’t make sense in English such as switching ‘with stopped breath’ to ‘with bated breath’.”

Meanwhile, Year 10 pupil Jack, who was born in Italy but now lives outside Ripon, was delighted to receive the North-East regional prize: “I speak, read and write in Italian, and so when I saw the competition I thought, ‘Why not?’.

The 15-year-old, who plans to pursue a career as a 3D designer, had to translate an extract of an Italian novel.

He said:

“It was OK for the most of it but had a few metaphors which required some thinking to translate into English. I gained some confidence in my abilities from the competition, especially when I found out that I’d won the regional, it came as a surprise.”

Eight RGS students in total entered the competition, which is inspired by the life and work of Anthea Bell, one of the finest and most influential literary translators of the 20th and 21st centuries, and judged by a team of 36 undergraduates and professional translators.

Bambudda restaurant in Ripon to close

Asian restaurant Bambudda in Ripon is to close this month.

The eatery on Kirkgate posted a message on its Facebook page this afternoon to say that it will shut its doors for the last time on July 11.

Opening in 2017, Bambudda built a name for itself in the city for offering quality Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian and Thai food.

The message said:

 “We are very grateful for your support in last few years. Thank you for all lovely messages, all the amazing staffs in Ripon Team”.

The message added that anyone who has vouchers at the restaurant is able to use them at its Darlington restaurant, which will remain open.

Bambudda is one of Ripon’s most popular restaurants and the post this afternoon prompted a flurry of responses from Riponians who enjoyed eating there.

The comments included ‘Big loss for Ripon, been a few times and always been excellent food and service’ and ‘Thank you for all the support you gave me providing food for the elderly and vulnerable during lockdown — was appreciated by many in Ripon’.

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