This article is sponsored by Ripon City Council.

Ripon City Council invites people of all ages from the Harrogate district and further afield  to join its citizens in a once in a lifetime celebration in this Right Royal city, where the biggest free Platinum Jubilee party in the north is being held over four days to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and her selfless 70 years of service to this country.

Three days of continuous FREE musical entertainment from June 2 to 4 on a stage in front of Ripon Town Hall will see 24 of the country’s leading tribute acts perform, alongside FREE fairground rides for all the family and face painting, Punch and Judy and magic shows for children.

Full details can be found by clicking or tapping here to see Ripon City Council’s Platinum Jubilee brochure.

There’s something for everybody – from parents with a three-year-old wanting to have their face painted, to a 103 year-old great grandmother who wants to come and enjoy the nostalgic wartime songs made famous by forces sweetheart Vera Lynn.

All the fairground rides are free and there will also be a Twister ride suitable for adults

Seating will be provided on Market Square for the comfort of those wanting to take the weight off their feet while watching the tribute acts.

Music in Ripon’s Market Square

The extensive concert programme will feature just about every musical genre, from rock and roll to soul and Britpop to disco dancefloor fillers and popular classics.

Ripon’s Market Square will be in the national and international spotlight at 9.45pm on Thursday June 2, after Ripon Community Poppy Project successfully applied for the city to be be one of the 1500 locations included in the UK-wide chain of Platinum Jubilee beacons that will be simultaneously lit across the land.

Beacons will also be lit in Commonwealth countries.

During the three days of activities on Market Square,  Jubilee celebrations, including the beacon lighting  in London and elsewhere in the UK, can be seen live on a large TV screen.

Adding to the very special nature of the beacon lighting event, a lone piper will play Diu Regnare, which has been written specifically for the Platinum Jubilee.

The Platinum Jubilee Horn sounds

Another huge highlight will come at 9pm on Saturday June 4, when Ripon’s world-famous setting of the watch ceremony will be in the spotlight as the city council presents the Platinum Jubilee Horn, commissioned and made by craftsmen to provide a lasting memento of this history-making celebration.

The setting of the watch, which is the world’s longest unbroken ceremonial activity, will also be performed at 9pm on each concert night, by one of the city’s very-own ‘fab four’ hornblowers, resplendent in their distinctive uniforms and tri-cornered hats.

The concerts, with a programme that has been carefully arranged to include something for people of all ages and musical tastes, will start at 10.30am on Thursday June 2 and Friday June 3 and at 11am on Saturday June 4. They will go on into the night, finishing at 11.30pm on each of the three days.

Local residents and visitors to the city can enjoy three full days of free musical entertainment provided by 24 acts and going on until 11.30pm

Concert goers can listen to tribute acts singing the songs of Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Madonna, Little Mix, Phil Collins, George Michael, Katherine Jenkins and many more.

Music from Ripon City Band will accompany an afternoon of family fun in Spa Park on Sunday June 5. They will start at 2pm with a Jubilee Big Band welcome and conclude at 4.30pm with a rousing Last Night of the Proms performance, ending with Land of Hope and Glory.

Ripon Community Poppy Project – whose Knit and Natter group made the miles of Royal bunting that adorn the city’s streets – will be running the activities in the park, that also includes face painting, Jubilee-themed crafts and a treasure  hunt for children,

Ripon, whose regal roots reach back to 886 and King Alfred the Great, is primed for the biggest royal bash in its long and distinguished history and 1,136 years after the first blast of his ceremonial horn, the city council, citizens and visitors, will celebrate and thank the most enduring member in a long line of monarchs – HRH Queen Elizabeth II – for her remarkable service.

For those who wish to celebrate by raising a loyal toast or two in Ripon’s many pubs and restaurants, the regular Transdev 36 bus service may be an advisable means of getting to and from this city that certainly knows how to throw a party.

Barclays bank in Ripon is to close in August even though the amount of counter transactions is going up.

The branch, on Market Place, currently opens four days a week, from Monday to Thursday.

A report explaining the reasons for closure says the number of counter transactions went up in the two years to March 2020.

It added that more than 3,000 customers visited regularly for personal or business banking purposes in the last year.

But only 121 customers use the branch exclusively for banking. Eighty percent of customers also use online and telephone banking.

The report says 41% of Ripon customers also use nearby branches, such as Harrogate and Thirsk.

Barclays, which will close on August 25, is one of five banks currently open in the city alongside HSBC, Halifax, Skipton Building Society and Yorkshire Building Society.

Last year it announced the closure of its Wetherby branch.

Read more:

• Ripon paint specialists turn steam train ‘platinum purple’ for Jubilee
• Ukrainian refugee plans to rebuild her life in Ripon

A senior Harrogate Borough Council officer has tried to allay concerns that a church wall in Kirkby Malzeard could collapse again.

Jonathan Dunk, executive officer for strategic property and major projects, told councillors today that the “appropriate” action was being taken to repair and monitor the wall at St Andrew’s Church.

The works are finally set to start on Monday after a section of the wall collapsed during heavy rainfall in February 2020.

Speaking at a meeting today, Ripon Spa councillor Mike Chambers said he was concerned that other parts of the wall, which is opposite the village primary school, could give way.

Mr Dunk said:

“We have taken professional advice from Mason Clark – our structural engineers who are used to dealing with these types of listed assets.

“Our advice was that we needed to rebuild the section that collapsed and we are making appropriate repairs to another 15-metre section.

“We are then going to monitor another section that is in much better condition and is therefore at lower risk. We have got the right balance.”

Mr Dunk also said “time is of the essence” for the repairs, which will cost £491,670 and mean the collapsed wall is no longer blocking Church Street:

“The road has been closed for two years – it is causing inconvenience and we need to address that quickly.

“The longer the wall is left unprepared, then there is a risk of further collapse.”

The works will involve a five metre high section of wall being rebuilt, while steel rods will also be driven into the surface for reinforcement.

September completion date

September is the target completion date – and the council said the works could not have been completed before now because the use of lime mortar requires moderate temperatures during spring and summer.

It also said the project required “detailed surveys and an extensive project plan”, including feedback from Historic England.

Read more:

• 33 homes set to be built in Kirkby Malzeard
• Bilsdale mast ‘on track to be completed this year’

However, local councillors have accused the borough council of paying too much attention to Historic England and not listening to their concerns.

Speaking on Wednesday, councillor Jane Aksut, a member of Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Parish Council, said:

“All of the work has been delayed by interventions from Historic England, who have raised concerns about the ‘visual impact’ of pattress plates needed to restrain the bulging wall.

“We regret that Harrogate Borough Council paid more heed to the view of Historic England rather than to the parish council and residents, who argued that a swift and robust repair to keep the wall safe and the road open for the long term, is more important than how pretty the wall looks.”

Plans have been approved to build 33 homes in Kirkby Malzeard.

Mulberry Homes Yorkshire submitted the proposal to Harrogate Borough Council to construct the scheme off Back Lane in the village.

The development will see a mixture of one, two, three and four bedroom houses built at the site.

A total of 40% of the homes will be allocated for affordable housing.

In a letter to the council, Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Parish Council said it welcomed the reduction in homes for the site.

Initially, outline planning permission was granted for 37 homes.

Victoria Preston, clerk at the parish council, said:

“We note that the total number of units proposed is to be 33, rather than the maximum permitted under the outline consent of 37, and we feel that this is a useful reduction, given the concerns of residents in respect of the increased flow of traffic which the development will create through the village.”

Read more:

• Wall repair costs to Harrogate council double to nearly £500,000
• Homes England submits 480-home Otley Road plan

The developer said in documents submitted to the council that the scheme would respect the local area and its characteristics.

It said:

“The result of this design process is a proposed development of 33 dwellings, which would be delivered through a variety of house types that promote local distinctiveness.

“The development would be designed to respect the site location, the physical characteristics of the site and the positive architectural elements of existing development which contribute to its sense of place.”

A prolific offender who threatened people with a knife and tried to stab a man in Ripon with an eight-inch blade has been jailed for two years.

Christopher Dalton, 39, brandished the blade at an address in Ripon, where his former partner and others were terrorised by the knife-wielding thug who was waving the blade around while shouting threats, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Rob Galley said that on the night before the incident, Dalton had been sending threatening Facebook messages to a named man who he believed was in a relationship with his ex-partner.

Dalton had messaged him asking to meet up for a fight, telling him:

“About time we had it out. I’m going to do you with a knife.”

The following day, he went to the address in Cedar Close armed with the eight-inch blade. 

He jumped off his bike outside the property, then pulled out the knife and shouted: 

“Come on, let’s have it out!”

Bear hug restraint

He then walked up to his former partner, who was outside the property, and pointed the knife at her, before “waving it around in front of her face”. 

He then shouted abuse at the woman and told her “I’ll fxxxxxx kill you”.

Read more:

• Unprovoked attack on Ripon teenager
• Policing in Ripon comes under a barrage of fire

Her male friend or partner, who went to her aid, was said to be in “genuine fear for his life”.

As one of the other named men at the scene tried to put him in a bear hug, Dalton tried to stab him. 

He and three of the other people present managed to restrain Dalton, who was “flinging his arms around, with the knife (pointed) towards them”, said Mr Galley.

Police turned up but Dalton, who was drunk and on drugs, continued swearing and shouting threats. As he was cuffed and led away by police, he shouted to two of the named males:

“You’re fxxxxxx dead.”

He then turned to his former partner and shouted:

“I’ll smash your mum’s house.”

51 previous convictions

He was charged with affray, carrying an offensive weapon and sending threatening messages intending to cause stress or anxiety to the male victim.

Dalton, of Westgate, Ripon, admitted all three offences and appeared for sentence via video link today (Monday, May 16) after being remanded in custody. 

York Crown Court.

Ismael Uddin, mitigating, said Dalton had been drinking and taking drugs when he sent the threatening Facebook messages the night before the incident on April 18.

He said the “catalyst” for Dalton’s shocking behaviour was that he thought his former partner was in a relationship with this man.  

Mr Galley said Dalton had 51 previous convictions for 88 offences dating back more than 20 years, including violence, theft and public disorder. 

His “appalling” record also included two previous convictions for carrying an offensive weapon in public, ostensibly golf clubs. He was recently given a short prison sentence for a series of shop thefts in Ripon.

Judge Nicholas Lavender QC told Dalton: 

“You intended to cause fear of serious violence and you caused serious fear. You were carrying a knife and came close to stabbing someone with it.

“Your offending is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.”

Jailing Dalton for two years, Mr Lavender QC said he presented “a danger to others”.

Dalton was also handed a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting the male victim and going within 100 metres of an address in Ripon. 

Ripon paint specialists T&R Williamson have played a part in painting the popular steam train Taw Valley “platinum purple” ahead of the Queen’s jubilee.  

T&R Williamson hold a Royal warrant for their supply of products to the Royal household, used for the Royal mews and Royal carriages.  

Group chairman Abubaker Sheibani said:  

“We are thrilled to have been able to extend this Royal connection to this unique project. It is a fitting and truly memorable way of commemorating Her Majesty becoming the first British monarch in history to reign for 70 years.” 

After a public vote at Severn Valley Railway, it was decided the train will be renamed Elizabeth II during the jubilee celebrations. 

The royal project has also attracted the attention of leading British model company, Hornby, who are producing a collector’s model of the new purple locomotive.  

T&R Williamson, along with Thomas-Howse Paints and Metprint Ltd, have created a “platinum purple” paint tin to mark the occasion. It will be filled with traditional sweets and transforms into a money-box when empty.    

Harrogate estate agent makes historic land sale deal for £4 million

Harrogate estate agent Linley & Simpson has sold a patch of land in North Yorkshire for over £4 million.  

The land in Church Fenton has been bought by Yorkshire Country Properties, which plans to build 50 new homes on the residential site.  

This sale is the biggest this year for the award-winning land and new homes team at Linley & Simpson, and is one of the company’s most significant deals.  

Director David Waddington said:  

“Given the coveted location, there was no shortage of interest among developers in the site, which was sold with full planning permission”.  

The agency says North Yorkshire house buyers are increasingly turning to new builds post-Covid, particularly for family homes in rural areas. They suggest this is also a result of rising energy costs across the country.  

They are hoping this trend will continue, creating more demand among developers for land in prime locations across the region.  

After receiving a hero’s welcome from the mayor of Ripon, Ukrainian Tanya Bogdanovska is looking forward to rebuilding her life in the city.

Councillor Eamon Parkin, along with his consort Nigel Guy, greeted Ms Bogdanovska, her partner Lewis Edwards and his mother Ali, at The Magdalen’s pub.

To a round of applause, he spoke of the heroism of the young couple who have captured the hearts and minds of the Ripon community.

In her first media interview, Ms Bogdanovska, who made the long journey to seek sanctuary in the UK with support from her partner and his family in Ripon, told the Stray Ferret:

“All of the time, I think about Ukraine and the ongoing suffering of the people there facing Russian aggression and cruelty.

“Thankfully, members of my family managed to escape the attacks on Zaporizhzhia and move to a safer part of the country, but I have friends who didn’t make it.”

The flag of Ukraine has been flying over Ripon Town Hall in a show of solidarity.

Ms Bogdanovska said:

“On February 24, Lewis and I were teaching children and the next day we were fleeing for our lives, heading for the Slovakian border.”

Having made the 500-kilometre journey on roads packed with cars and coaches carrying  women, children and men over the age of 60 to the safe haven of a NATO country, they and eight friends set up a shelter to help fellow refugees following on behind them.

The shelter was set up largely through the generosity of Ripon people, who read of their plight on the Stray Ferret and dug deep to donate more than £20,000 to a gofundme page launched by Lewis’s family,

Before setting up the page, they received invaluable advice from Nicola David, chair of Ripon City of Sanctuary.

Mr Edwards said:

“Tanya and I stayed for as long as we could in Slovakia but, as we were officially refugees ourselves, there was a limit on the time we could be there.

“However, we and our eight friends were able to help those on their journey to seeking sanctuary and people who were left trapped in Ukraine, by providing vital supplies such as medicines and sourcing military ambulances.

“It was a surreal situation to find ourselves in, but we knew we had to do something.”

Since his recent return to Ripon, Mr Lewis and Ms Bogdanovska have been welcomed with open arms everywhere they go. She said:

“We are grateful for the kindness and love that we have received and are moved by the support being given to my countrymen and women who remain fearless in their fight against the Russians.”

As part of getting her life back on track, Ms Bogdanovska is seeking employment from any local company that may be looking for a graphic designer and illustrator.

Skipton and Ripon Conservative MP Julian Smith has called on the government to negotiate a settlement over the Northern Ireland protocol rather than make changes unilaterally.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to visit Northern Ireland today amid reports that the government is set to introduce legislation that would override part of the Brexit agreement.

The protocol was agreed as part of post-Brexit trading arrangements, but has faced scrutiny following the Northern Ireland Assembly elections on May 5.

Unionist politicians have raised concern about how the measures are working and refused to engage with the assembly, meaning a new administration cannot be formed.

Mr Smith, who was the government’s Northern Ireland secretary from 2019 until 2020, called for ministers to negotiate a settlement.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning:

“The protocol is popular with business. 

“There are major technical issues, but business likes the fact that they face both ways to the UK and EU markets.”

He called for both EU and UK government negotiators to come up with a “fudge” over the protocol:

“I think we need the EU and UK negotiators to spend some positive time in a locked room and come up with a deal.

“We need a political deal. We need a fudge.”

Read more:

• Conservative councillor Victoria Oldham nominated as final Harrogate mayor
• Sid Hawke to be Ripon’s next mayor

A car flipped on to its roof when it swerved to avoid a deer on the A1 near Boroughbridge in the early hours of the morning.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the vehicle left the road and one person was stuck inside.

Its incident log says firefighters used “stabilisation and extrication gear” to free the trapped person.

Harrogate fire station said this morning that one female was out of the vehicle when firefighters arrived and another female was trapped inside. Both are believed to be unharmed after the second female was freed.

The incident, which occurred at about 2.30am, was one of two serious traffic accidents logged in the Harrogate district last night.

At 9.40pm, Ripon firefighters were called when a car collided with a house on Kingston Avenue in the city.

The incident log says:

“No people were trapped, one male occupant of car was treated for a minor ankle injury by paramedics.

“Crews assisted ambulance and police at the scene and gave advice.”

Read more:

• Sid Hawke to be Ripon’s next mayor
• Parents describe ‘chaotic’ morning after Boroughbridge school bus cut

With less than three weeks to go until the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations begin, preparations are already under way across the Harrogate district.

Bunting has gone up in Harrogate town centre, while knitters in Ripon have put together a fitting royal display.

Knaresborough Business Collective has joined in the fun by putting up commemorative flags outside shops across the town, with even more being added this week.

Knaresborough

The town has plenty of plans for celebrations throughout the jubilee weekend, as do many communities across the district.

Ripon and Harrogate have also dressed up the streets in preparation for the four-day party.

The Stray Ferret has put together a comprehensive guide to what’s happening across the four days. You can find the full details here.

Knaresborough

Bunting on High Skellgate in Ripon.

Bunting going up in Harrogate this week.

If your street, village or town is putting up decorations to mark the occasion, let us know by emailing details and photographs to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.