‘Inspired every day’: Studley Royal gardener retires after 45 years

The head of landscape at Studley Royal Water Garden in Ripon has retired after 45 years, working on the garden he calls “the most beautiful in the world”.

Michael Ridsdale has worked for the National Trust for 45 years, with 37 of those at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

He is the trust’s longest serving gardener.

Over the years Mr Ridsdale has worked to restore the garden and its buildings to how they would have been in their heyday of 1871.

His 37 years at the helm of the gardening team haven’t all been plain sailing: he’s had to deal with severe flooding and foot-and-mouth disease, which threatened the garden’s large deer herd in 2001.

Key projects for Mr Ridsdale have included the conservation of follies, bridges and paths throughout the site, silt removal from the Skell river and Studley lake, restoration of the monastic precinct wall and the ongoing conservation of Fountains Hall and the Elizabethan garden.

He also spent four years restoring the Moon Ponds after their formal shapes were almost completely lost.

Moon Ponds: from this (above) in 1983 to this (below) today

Mr Ridsdale said:

“That early project set the tone for how we would look after and care for the site.

“The confidence in our restoration began to build and we created something magical, recreating what visitors would have seen in 1781. It’s one of my proudest achievements.”

Three years after Mr Ridsdale’s arrival, Studley Royal and the ruins of Fountains Abbey became a World Heritage Site in 1986.

Mr Ridsdale added:

“It was the most wonderful recognition for all the hard work we’d done, and recognition from the international community that this place was on par with other cultural sites around the world.”

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He said the “forever changing” gardens kept him inspired all these years and he wishes he had another 50 years to complete all the ongoing restoration.

But Mr Ridsdale won’t be too far away: he has taken on a new role as a volunteer at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

Talks planned in battle to save Ripon’s Spa Baths

Councillors in Ripon are hoping to meet soon with Harrogate Borough Council’s preferred bidder for the city’s Spa Baths.

The future of the Grade II listed building has been uncertain since owner Harrogate Borough Council put it on the market in February, saying it would be surplus to requirements when Ripon’s new multi-million swimming pool opens.

This sparked fears the 116-year-old baths could be sold for housing.

The campaign to retain it for community use, led by Ripon City Council and Ripon Civic Society, received a boost this month when the building was designated an asset of community value.

This gives communities a right to bid to buy the building before it is sold on the open market.

The identity of Harrogate Borough Council’s preferred bidder is being kept under wraps due to commercial confidentiality but city council leader Andrew Williams said he was looking forward to constructive discussions.

Replacing Spa Baths: Ripon’s new swimming pool, which will open this year.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We met with the borough council last week following our successful application to have the baths listed as an asset of community value.”

“At that meeting, we were told that the preferred bidder intends to include an element of community use as part of wider redevelopment of the site.

“We are keen to find out what that community use would be and if there is a way forward that is acceptable to all involved.”

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The 116-year-old building was converted from a spa to a public swimming pool in 1936 and has the distinction of being the only English spa to be opened by a member of the royal family.

A civic society plaque near the entrance records the fact that Princess Henry of Battenburg performed the opening ceremony in 1905.

 

 

 

Turn your autumn fruit into juice at Ripon Walled Garden

People are being invited to turn their pears and apples into juice while supporting a Ripon charity.

The annual Apple Day event takes place at Ripon Walled Garden on October 9.

Ripon Community Link, a charity that helps young people and adults with learning disabilities, is staging the event.

There will also be craft stalls, food and drink, children’s activities and an appearance by local singer Ian Hepburn.

The event derives its name from the day’s main activity — apple pressing.

Sarah Johnson, fundraising manager for Ripon Community Link, said:

“The team from Old Sleningford Farm, long standing supporters of the charity, bring their apple pressing equipment and help visitors press their own apple and pear crops into juice.

“It’s a great way to use up any excess fruit and prevent it from going to waste and a really interesting and fun process to do, the whole family can get involved.”

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Ms Johnson added that Apple Day, which didn’t take place last year due to covid, was one of Ripon Community Link’s key fundraising events.

The Ripon-based charity works across two sites: Ripon Walled Garden and St Wilfrid’s Bungalow.

Apple Day is free although the charity suggests a £2 donation per person or £5 per family. For more information call 01765609229 or click here.

Curzon Ripon is back with a Bond blockbuster

The finishing touches are being put in place ahead of Thursday’s reopening of Ripon’s Curzon Cinema.

More than 18 months after the two-screen cinema closed its doors because of the coronavirus crisis, filmgoers will be able to take their seats for the much-anticipated James Bond blockbuster, No Time to Die.

Daniel Craig’s fifth and final appearance as 007 looks sure to attract large audiences.

The 8.30pm screening on Thursday is already sold out, but tickets are still available for the 5pm and 7pm showings of the film.

Photo of Curzon ready to reopen

Ripon Curzon is set to reopen on Thursday.

Screening times, membership and bookings details for the Ripon venue are now available online.

With two screens, the premises on North Street are the smallest of Curzon’s 14 UK locations.

Initial plans to reopen on 4 June were put on hold due to social distancing issues caused by the venue’s size.

When announcing the reopening, Becky Tobin, regional manager for cinema chain, said the team was “very excited” to finally be back:

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We are thrilled that our customers will also be seeing some familiar faces as a lot of the team decided to return and are looking forward to seeing our regulars and members again.

“The returning team, along with the new recruits, have been getting into the swing of things with some onsite training of our revamped food and drink menu.”

The venue will welcome back its patrons with James Bond-inspired martinis.

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The cinema, which opened in Ripon in November 2013, is part of a BAFTA award-winning company that allows members to view films at home through its streaming service, as well as in Curzon venues across the UK.

As the covid lockdown restrictions on cinemas and live theatre were progressively eased by the government this year, the Curzon remained closed in Ripon, sparking fears the city’s only cinema would not reopen.

Fuel Watch: Which pumps are working across Harrogate district

Despite warnings from the government that there is no fuel shortage, drivers have been struggling to fill up cars across the Harrogate district.

As tankers arrive to refill stock at forecourts, the Stray Ferret has created this live blog to help people find petrol and diesel.

Have you just been to fill up? Help other drivers in need by letting us know what the situation is like at your local petrol station.

Send an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with your reports and we will add them to this rolling coverage throughout the day.

6.40pm – Queues look to be calming down at petrol stations in Harrogate

Queues are short at the Esso garage on Skipton Road.

6.10pm – Update on Harrogate’s petrol stations

The BP filling station on Leeds Road in Pannal has shut all its pumps.

6pm – Queues building at Morrisons in Boroughbridge 

After a delivery of fuel earlier today, the queues have been continuous at Morrisons in Boroughbridge.

One of our Stray Ferret readers James has gone in touch to say queues are now five cars deep for the pumps.

5.20pm – Esso garage on Knaresborough Road receiving a fuel delivery tonight

A local taxi driver has got in touch with the Stray Ferret to say the Esso garage on Knaresborough Road, heading out of Starbeck, is without fuel.

The station, which also has a Tesco Express store, is expecting a fuel delivery this evening at 7pm.

Please keep getting in touch with your updates.

3.30pm – The fuel station picture across the district

Harrogate

Knaresborough

Boroughbridge

Pateley Bridge

Ripon

2.52pm – Tanker arrives in Boroughbridge

A tanker is replenishing fuel supplies at Morrisons in Boroughbridge. Traffic is already queueing to get in.

2.15pm – Fuel station situation across Harrogate

Our reporter has been out and about in Harrogate check on fuel stations across Harrogate.

2.05pm – Esso on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road serving fuel

The Esso station on Wetherby Road has fuel and our latest update says there is no queueing.

1.50pm – One pump only at Knaresborough forecourt

The Co-Op petrol station on Wetherby Road in Knaresborough currently has just one pump serving fuel at the moment.

1.30pm – Morrisons at Boroughbridge out of fuel

Morrisons at Boroughbridge is out of fuel. Let us know if it reopens and what the situation is like on forecourts elsewhere in the district.

12.15am – Fuel storage warning

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has warned drivers of the hazards of storing fuel in cars and at home.

The fire service released the advice after people were pictured over the weekend filling up containers across the UK.

“We would like to remind people to take extreme care when handling and storing fuels and to be aware of the risks associated with the incorrect use and storage.

“In homes fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases.

“Any storage place should be well away from living areas and be secured to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson.”

11.30am – Pateley Bridge low on fuel but set for delivery

The Dales Market Corner in Pateley Bridge has reported that it no longer selling diesel and only has a small amount of petrol left.

It has created a £30 petrol limit which the staff have said they will try to keep for local people after some “came from miles around in a panic over the weekend”.

Stacey Brookes, manager at the Dales Market Corner, posted on Facebook about the situation this morning.

After a “very difficult weekend” the petrol station is expecting delivery of diesel and petrol at 6am tomorrow. It should be ready for customers 30 minutes later.

10.30am – Ripon petrol stations open and ready for busy week

As dawn broke in Ripon this morning, the city’s three main petrol stations were open in readiness for the working week ahead.

There was a steady flow of motorists filling up their vehicles at the two Morrisons Esso stations on Harrogate Road and within the supermarket’s site.

Across Ripon, on North Street, the BP station at the Spar store was also busy from early on.

As motorists rushed to the pumps over the weekend, the Morrisons Supermarket station was temporarily closed on Sunday.

Tim Flanagan

 

Ripon’s biggest car park set for three-week resurfacing

Ripon’s biggest car park looks set to undergo an £85,000 resurfacing.

Harrogate Borough Council has advertised a contract to carry out the work at Cathedral car park, on Victoria Grove.

The 193-bay car park sits in view of the cathedral and is used by drivers for long sand short stays.

The council said in its contract notice that the site has become worn and hazardous to members of the public.

It said:

“Over the years the current surface of the car park has become pot-holed, with large areas of loose tarmac resulting in trip hazards to members of the public, and claims for vehicle damage.”

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The contract is for a complete resurfacing of the car park, and to increase the number of parking spaces to 206, along with 10 disabled bays.

The council will also require the contractors to undertake trunking and ductwork in preparation for the installation of electric vehicle charging points.

A separate contract will be procured to install the charging points.

While it is unclear if any disruption will be caused by the works, the resurfacing contract is due to start on November 8 and last for three weeks.

Companies wishing to undertake the work have until October 20 to bid for the contract.

Full Fibre broadband is coming to Harrogate, what does this mean?

This article is sponsored by CityFibre

Kim Johnston, Regional Partnership Manager for CityFibre in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, answers some of the frequently asked questions regarding the full fibre roll out across the region.

What is CityFibre and what is it doing in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon?

CityFibre is on a mission to future-proof the UK’s connectivity from the ground up – literally! We’re building brand new digital communications infrastructure across the region, bringing the best available technology (full fibre) within reach of nearly every home and business.

This is a game-changer for the region as it will last for generations and help to drive the region’s growth now, enabling residents and businesses to benefit from ultra-fast internet speeds, while also unlocking a world of opportunities in the future.

This is all part of our up to £4 billion Gigabit City Investment Programme, which will see us bring full fibre within reach of up to 8 million homes and businesses across the UK by 2025.

What’s your role at CityFibre?

As a commercial lead in the region, I’m the main point of contact for local stakeholders and a key advocate of the many benefits that a full fibre network will bring to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Right at the heart of what we are trying to achieve are the local communities we will serve. It’s also very important in my role to ensure the build progresses smoothly and that residents and businesses are kept updated every step of the way.

Why is full fibre different to what I’ve got already? 

The difference between full fibre and ‘regular’ fibre is significant, and even if you think you have ‘fibre broadband’ today, the chances are there’s copper in there somewhere holding you back. In fact, if your router connects to a normal telephone socket, then that’s what you’ve got.

Around 80% of UK homes still connect to the internet via networks built for telephones – copper networks designed to carry sound, not data. Our networks are designed specifically for the digital age and take 100% fibre optic technology all the way from the home to the point of connection.

Full fibre enables Gigabit speeds, reliable services and bandwidth that can grow as we need it. No more buffering when you’re trying to watch the latest Netflix series, a stable, reliable connection on Zoom calls and the family able to play on their consoles and computers simultaneously without any groans of ‘the broadband is down’.

What does Gigabit mean?

A standard broadband connection has an average download speed of around 6Mbps and ‘superfast broadband’ averages speeds of around 30Mbps.

Internet service providers (ISPs) that are offering broadband connections on our full fibre network can deliver colossal ‘Gigabit speeds’ of up to 1,000Mbps for both download and upload.

That’s over 30 times faster than a superfast connection!

Where are you working at the moment?

We are currently working in Knaresborough and Harrogate, with our build starting in Ripon in 2022.

You’ll be able to spot our teams in action in Knaresborough and Pannal in Harrogate and, before too long, we’ll have reached nearly every home and business locally.

How will I know when it’s coming to my area?

We use digital advertising and door knocking, where applicable, to inform residents of our plans, and we will post a letter through your door before construction is due to start in your street to let you know we are coming.

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What do the works entail?

Most of the new full fibre network will be laid underground. This requires construction crews to dig trenches which can cause some disruption. However, the teams work quickly and should only be working outside each individual property for a couple of days, during which you may be asked to move your car or manoeuvre around barriers.

In some locations, existing telephone poles will be used to feed the cable to properties overhead, resulting in minimised disruption.

If you have any issues regarding access to your property or any questions regarding the build, please do speak to the build teams on-site who will be able to answer any questions.

How do I get it?

CityFibre doesn’t provide the end service to the customer, we only lay the fibre cable. Our networks are open access; currently in the area residents can purchase full fibre connections on our network via TalkTalk. A number of other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be coming on board in the next month or two.

The easiest way to check if you can connect is to use the postcode checker on the CityFibre website. If it’s not available yet, you can register your interest and once works are complete, CityFibre will email you a list of available full fibre providers.

 

To be one of the first to get access to one of the fastest and most reliable broadband
services in the region, register your interest here!  

Eyecatching sculpture at Fountains Abbey highlights flood fears

The National Trust and the Climate Coalition have unveiled an eye-catching new sculpture near Ripon to highlight the impact of flooding created by climate change.

Artist Richard Woods, who is known for his colourful architecture pieces, is behind the installation called Forever Home.

This work depicts an upturned house in the River Skell in the grounds of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

Fountains Abbey is one of 31 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that is already seeing the impact of climate change.

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It was installed during Great Big Green Week, a national celebration of action to tackle climate change, which ended yesterday.

Mr Woods said:

“I’ve always incorporated sustainability into my work, whether it’s the wood I’m using or the inspiration for the piece, it’s at the centre of everything my team and I create.

“This piece sits in such a beautiful landscape at Fountains Abbey.

“I hope it makes people stop and think about what will happen to these places if we don’t take immediate action to slow down the impact of climate change.”

Quite the juxtaposition.

Fiona Dear, head of campaigns at The Climate Coalition, said:

“We want Forever Home to inspire action and hope that, through this and the tens of thousands of people coming together for Great Big Green Week, a clear message is sent to the Prime Minister ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate talks in November.

“We care about nature and climate change, and we need your government to deliver a clear plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions to limit global heating and stop floods, heatwaves and droughts getting even worse.”

Patrick Begg, outdoor and natural resources director at the National Trust, said:

“The big flood events we’ve witnessed over the past few years in Cumbria, Yorkshire and the south-east, underline the growing risk from climate change to the places we love the most.

“We’re seeing a stark increase in the amount of our own properties at risk of flooding.”

New Ripon pool may not be ready to open in November

Ripon’s new multi-million pound leisure development may not be ready to open in November, as previously indicated.

The scheme, for which known costs were in excess of £10.2 million before a six-month delay was announced last year, was originally scheduled to open this summer.

Last autumn, a press release by Harrogate Borough Council said the development at Camp Close, off Dallamires Lane, would open in November.

But in an update issued by the council a spokesperson, said:

“We can confirm the new swimming pool in Ripon is due to open towards the end of the year.

“An official opening date will be confirmed in the coming weeks once the facility has been handed-over by Willmott Dixon, our appointed contractor carrying out the works.”

Ripon swimming pool opening sign

An ‘opening in summer 2021’ sign was later replaced by one saying ‘opening in autumn 2021’.

The statement, added:

“Following this handover, we will carry out the necessary staff training and rigorous testing to prepare the new facility for opening.

“The addition of the new swimming pool is a major development for Ripon and the surrounding area and we’re delighted to announce that it will be officially opened later this autumn.”

£10.2m contract

A £10.2 million contract was awarded to Willmott Dixon before work started on site in November 2019.

The 17-month contact was for delivery of a six-lane pool, along with refurbishment of the existing Ripon Leisure Centre.

This specified a completion date of 21 May this year, but this was later amended to November.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport said, at the time, that the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by covid.

In the release dated 13 November, he added:

“Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.”

Ground stability issues

Cllr Lumley’s statement came two months after a ‘void’ was discovered near the entrance to the existing leisure centre building, which was constructed in the mid 1990s.

A previous sinkhole that opened up in February 2018 caused the closure of the leisure centre car park and despite concerns raised about the suitability of the Camp Close site for addition of a swimming pool, the scheme was granted approval at a council planning meeting in June 2019.

Following discovery of the second ‘void’  Stantec, an international engineering, design and consultancy practice, carried out an initial inspection and in a report, seen by the Stray Ferret, raised concerns about the load-bearing capacity of existing piles under the leisure centre, which would have been used to support the connection between it and the new pool.

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What will the final cost be?

The Stray Ferret has submitted two Freedom of Information requests to the council in an attempt to establish what additional costs have been incurred, on top of the original £10.2 million contract for the scheme.

In its response to the first request, the council said that the information it held was ‘confidential’. In its response to the second request, it said ‘the final costs are not yet known.’

Ripon Choral Society returns with Verdi’s Requiem

Ripon Choral Society will perform Verdi’s Requiem in its first live performance for 20 months.

The music was chosen because it fits the theme of remembrance, which the concert has adopted to honour the victims of covid.

Musical director John Dunford said:

“In choosing music for our return to rehearsals, I was conscious of the great loss of life, nationally, across the world, and from within our own membership.”

“The Verdi Requiem is a monumental, moving and theatrical work and few choral works capture the imagination like it.”

The 140-member choir will make its return at Ripon Cathedral on Saturday, November 13.

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The soloists include Samantha Hay (soprano), Anna Burford (mezzo-soprano), Gareth Daffyd Morris (tenor) and D’Arcy Bleiker (bass), accompanied by Orchestra D’Amici.

The choir welcomes anyone to its evening rehearsals at St John’s Church in Sharow, near Ripon, every Wednesday from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Dunford said:

“I am convinced there are a lot of people who think this is not for them and I am even more convinced they would love what we do if they gave us and themselves a chance to experience it.

“This requires time and is not instant, particularly if you have not done this sort of singing before, but it can all be learnt.”

The concert will start at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £23 for reserved seating or £20 for unreserved.

For more information click here.