A pub in Skelton on Ure has gone up for sale after the owners said it did not have a “long-term sustainable future”.

The Black Lion pub, which sits on Skelton Lane and is close to Newby Hall, was bought in December 2019 by Admiral Taverns.  However since then it has stood derelict, leaving locals questioning its future.

The company, which owns 1,600 pubs across the UK, said it saw selling it as the only option.

It is currently listed online by agents Everard Cole for offers in the region of £375,000 described as needing a “full refurbishment” with space for 105 covers, inside and out, and sitting on 0.8 acres of land with a former caravan site to the rear.

The listing also says the owners will consider offers “for existing pub use” only, suggesting local residents may get their wish and see the return of their much-loved village pub.

In May a number of residents contacted the Stray Ferret calling for the pub to reopen in its former glory.

The Stray Ferret went to Admiral Taverns for a comment but hadn’t received a reply at the time of publication.

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A Ripon man who tried to meet an underage girl for sex was found with a lock knife when he was arrested in Harrogate.

Mark David, 32-years-old, appeared at York Crown Court today when he admitted carrying a lock knife in High Street, Starbeck.

The offence occurred on December 15, 2019 which was the same day he had arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl for sexual purposes.

Prior to his plea to the knife offence at the crown court, David had already admitted two counts of attempted sexual communication with two girls under 16 years of age.

Those offences occurred in Harrogate between November 25 and December 16, 2019. The communication was via Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger.

David, of North Street, Ripon, also admitted the offence of arranging to meet an under-age girl for sex in Harrogate.

Judge Simon Hickey granted David bail until sentence on July 11 but warned him that all sentencing options were open to the court, including jail.

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With the warmer weather (finally) arriving, nothing beats a walk in the Harrogate district’s beautiful countryside with your four-legged friend.

We are truly spoilt for dog walks in the area – from the peaceful Nidd Gorge to the rolling hills of Nidderdale.

But all that rambling is guaranteed to work up a thirst.

To help quench it, we have put together a list of four dog-friendly pubs in the Harrogate district.

Obviously there are too many to possibly mention, so get in touch with your favourites and send your photos to nina@thestrayferret.co.uk

The Knox – Bilton, Harrogate

The Knox often crops up as a dog-friendly favourite, with furry companions being considered very much part of the family.

The pub’s website says:

“Dogs are more than welcome at The Knox, and if you ask one of our team members, they’ll be more than happy to bring your four-legged friend a fresh bowl of water. From time-to-time, we may even have treats available to keep your dog occupied and happy, just be sure to ask one of our team.

“We’re an extremely busy pub and we want your furry friends to feel relaxed, safe, and happy at all times during your visit.”

Sportsman’s Arms, Wath, Nidderdale

The quaint hamlet of Wath is in a wonderful area for walking; the circular route from Pateley Bridge is particularly good, four miles out along the northern fellside and back along the river.

Once you have stretched your legs, you can enjoy a refreshing pint and a spot of lunch in the bar area of this family-run 17th-century country inn, while your dog curls up under your seat.

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The Royal Oak, Staveley, Knaresborough

Landlady Catherine Audsley outside The Royal Oak in Staveley.

Staveley is actually home to a nature reserve, which takes you on a lone walk that stretches beyond the village. It has many wild and rare species of flowers and wildlife and is perfect for a summer dog walk (they are permitted on leads).

Once you have admired the otters, of which there are regular sightings, head to Royal Oak, a traditional country pub that reviewers on Trip Advisor have described as “the most dog-friendly place I have ever been to”.

The pub’s website says:

“A selection of local ales and various seating areas offer somewhere for everyone – even the four-legged friend.”

The huge beer garden is also very impressive if you want to catch some rays.

The Royal Oak, Ripon

Another Royal Oak, this time located in Ripon’s historic Kirkgate, this renovated 18th century coaching inn is a firm favourite with dog owners.

Enjoy a walk at nearby Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden and then head into Ripon for a wander.

The pub’s city centre location is a great base to explore this fabulous part of the district.

Dogs are allowed in the bar area and there is even a selection of dog-friendly tables in the restaurant if you have worked up an appetite.

Veterans of the Royal Engineers, some of whom served in the Falklands War, will be in Ripon this weekend to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

They are former members of 11 Field Squadron, which used to be part of the 38 Engineers Regiment based in the city.

On Sunday, between 10.45am and 11.15am a short wreath laying ceremony will take place at the War Memorial in Ripon Spa Gardens.

No Ripon-based Royal Engineers died in the war, but the event, open to anyone wishing to attend, will give the chance to reflect and remember Royal Engineers from other parts of the UK who lost their lives fighting Argentinian land sea and air forces.

Before then, an informal reunion will be held tomorrow between 2pm and 7pm at Ripon Bowling Club on Bondgate Green.

Those wishing to attend the reunion at the bowling club are asked to contact Stan Darbyshire for further details and to register their attendance. He can be contacted on email at duffbudgie11@outlook.com or by phone on 07878 980630.

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The Royal Engineers have had a long and distinguished presence in Ripon, recognised by the fact that the Regiment was awarded the Freedom of the City in 1949.

This gives them the right to hold an annual Freedom Parade through Ripon.

Last year’s parade was held in September, when more than 200 soldiers took part in the march with a band playing and bayonets fixed, before a service in their honour was held at the cathedral.

Medals parade at Claro barracks

Mayor Sid Hawke meets the medal recipients.

Over 150 individuals from 21 Engineer regiment were issued HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medals for serving for over five years.

The medals were presented by Councillor Sid Hawke, the Mayor of Ripon with Major Daryl Murphy, the regimental second-in-command and Major Neil Chalmers, quartermaster, also handing out medals.

With most of the regiment deployed overseas in Poland and Cyprus, it was a greatly reduced medals parade. Those deployed had already received theirs last week.

A pre-school in a village near Ripon has been praised for the way it cares for and educates its pupils.

Kirkby Malzeard Pre-School was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in its latest inspection, which found children were well-behaved and had good manners.

Inspectors said their communication and language development was supported “exceptionally well”, with activities adapted for different ages and abilities. They said:

“Children are extremely happy and settled in the pre-school. On arrival, they are greeted enthusiastically by the warm and caring staff.

“Children know the routine well. They confidently hang up their coat, place their lunch boxes in the trolley and go to the bathroom to wash their hands before they go and play.

“Children feel safe and secure. They speak confidently to staff and initiate friendly conversations with peers.”

Ofsted visited the pre-school on May 4 and rated it ‘good’ in every area, maintaining the ranking from its previous inspection six years before.

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Inspectors recommended offering children more opportunities to build their independence at snack time, though they said the snacks provided were healthy and children had plenty of opportunities for outdoor play.

They also suggested improving the way staff find out from parents about children’s abilities when they begin pre-school, so they can “plan even more meaningful experiences from the start”.

With the eldest children about to begin primary school, the pre-school is preparing to welcome new pupils from September.

Early years lead Tracy Sidgwick said:

“We’re very happy with the report. We feel it’s a good, true reflection of our provision.

“The recommendations were just small tweaks we need to make and they’re easily done. In fact, pre-covid, they were done, but things have been a bit different and it has brought to our attention that we hadn’t reverted back to what we did before.”

Ms Sidgwick said she was especially pleased with the fact the inspectors had spoken to children at the pre-school, which she said gave a real feel for the setting, and with the positive comments given by parents.

The report said:

“Parents are exceptionally happy with the care their children receive. They describe the pre-school as ‘phenomenal’, and that staff are ‘fantastic and always smiling’.

“They are happy with the communication they receive and say it is a ‘safe and happy environment’ for their children to be in.”

A man was rescued from the River Ure at Sharow, near Ripon, today.

Firefighters were called to the river near Lowfield Lane at 9.39am this morning.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log, water crews from Ripon, Boroughbridge, Richmond, Harrogate and Selby “responded to a report of a male partially in the river”.

The incident log adds:

“The man was brought back up the embankment by fire crews and paramedics on a spinal board, to a waiting helicopter, for transfer to hospital with hypothermic symptoms.”

No further details have been provided.

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There is anger and dismay in Ripon this week, following the announcement by Barclays that it will close its city branch in August.

Barclays has been present on Market Square East for generations and there has been a bank under various names at this prime location since 1785.

The anger is further fuelled by a Barclays report outlining the reasons for closure, which revealed that counter transactions went up in the two years to March 2020.

This week and last the Stray Ferret has been gauging reaction to the planned closure and among those to speak with us was 81-year-old Richard Tite, who has been a regular user of the bank’s counter services for 42 years. He told us:

“When they made their corporate decision to close Ripon and a number of other branches, Barclays showed that they just don’t care about people of my age, who don’t know how to use online banking and rely on the personal service.

“Having a human being that you can speak with and have your questions answered, is very reassuring and I must say that the staff here in Ripon are very good.

“I have no complaint about them, it’s the people above them that show that they simply look on people like me, who have been customers for more than 40 years, as if we don’t count.”

The decision to close Barclays’ long-established Ripon branch has brought an angry reaction.

“This is an absolute disgrace, I have been banking with Barclays for years, but I won’t be for much longer.

“I’m going to close all the accounts I have with them and put my money elsewhere.”

There was a similar response from another person, who also wished to remain anonymous. They said:

“I read in the Stray Ferret that the decision to close has been taken in spite of the fact the the Ripon branch has an increasing number of customers and that just doesn’t make any sense to me.

“Barclays sent me a round robin letter saying there are other branches, such as in Harrogate, that I can use,  but that is not a proper option, because, on top of the inconvenience, there is the increased costs of fuel if you drive over, then you have to pay through the nose to park, simply to get your hands on your own cash.

“The sooner I can transfer my money elsewhere, the better.”

Banking choices in Ripon

Banking choices in Ripon are limited. Besides Barclays, there is HSBC, the Halifax, The Yorkshire and Skipton building societies.

Banking services are also available at the Post Office in The Arcade.

The cash machine currently at Barclays will no longer be available after August 25, meaning that people wanting to make a withdrawal in the city centre will have to go to HSBC, the Halifax or Sainsbury’s.

Police have found a missing man from Ripon after appealing for information from the public to find him.

The man disappeared after being seen in Sainsbury’s in the city at around 2.30pm yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement saying officers had “concerns for his welfare and are trying to locate him”.

It appealed for information about his whereabouts but later said the man had been found safe.

We have subsequently updated this article by removing the man’s personal details.

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From street parties to concerts, the Harrogate district celebrated the Queen’s platinum jubilee in style this past week.

Across the district people draped themselves and their neighbourhoods in red, white and blue as part of the four-day bank holiday weekend.

In Harrogate, a jubilee square was set up just for the occasion while Ripon had a feast of celebrations in the market square.

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Masham featured a parade of floats and fancy dress, and Knaresborough had an array of events to mark the jubilee.

The Stray Ferret was out every day capturing the celebrations and you can watch our montage of how the district celebrated the jubilee below.

Two Ripon Air Cadets have completed and qualified on two of the most sought-after courses run by the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Sergeants Thomas Arcidiacono and Tobias Bennett have wasted no time after the Ripon unit’s return to normal parade activities following the covid lockdowns by applying themselves to some of the toughest training available to RAF Air Cadets.

Sgt Bennett was one of only a handful of cadets selected from 600 in the area to train and complete the Air Cadets Pilot Scholarship(ACPS) course at Tayside Aviation in Dundee.

Sgt Tobias Bennett (nearest camera) who passed his aviation course at in Dundee with flying colours

During his two-week course he passed aviation training and exams to go solo in the Aquila A221 at the age of just 16 years old.

Sgt Bennett said:

“It was a surreal experience that will stick with me for the rest of my life.”

He hopes to join the RAF as a pilot to continue his passion for aviation. He also wants inspire fellow cadets and said the course has given him the ability to add a further level of depth to his teaching at the C&E Yorkshire Wing Aviation Centre.

Sgt. Arcidiacono had a very different experience as he was selected as one of only 50 cadets from around the country to take part in the Air Cadets Junior Leaders Course.

The squadron’s Officer Commanding, Warrant Officer Wayne Cobbett, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are all extremely proud of the achievements Tobias and Thomas.”

He pointed out:

“For Tobias to be qualified to go solo in the Aquila A221 at such a young age is a tremendous achievement.”

WO Cobbett added:

“The course taken by Thomas was not  for the faint-hearted. It is physically demanding and requires real commitment and determination and involves nine weekend training camps and an assessment week in leadership, military skills and tactics.

“It also involves the award of a Level Two Certificate in Team Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management.”

Sgt Thomas Arcidiacono (left) pictured giving instruction on the junior leaders’ course

Sgt Thomas Arcidiacono, said:

“The Junior Leaders’ course was easily the best thing I have done throughout my six years of being in the cadets.”

He thanked the support staff that ran the course, when he added:

“Even if they were tough at times; it is their support and guidance that drove me to do more and achieve what I never thought possible and become a Qualified Junior Leader(QJL).”

886 (City of Ripon) Squadron – Ripon Air Cadets, takes on cadets from age 12 (and in Year8) and are taking names for their September intake and Open Evening on Friday September 2, 2022.

For further information, contact the squadron’s Officer Commanding, WO Wayne Cobbett RAFAC on oc.886@rafac.mod.gov.uk

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