Ripon Operatic Society returns with Jesus Christ Superstar

Ripon Amateur Operatic Society will stage its first major production since covid tomorrow when it performs Jesus Christ Superstar.

The award-winning musical will be performed at various days over the next two weeks in the newly-refurbished theatre at Ripon Arts Hub on Allhallowgate.

The 120-seater theatre underwent a major refurbishment when it was forced to shut last year.

It has a new ventilation system, new seating, improved sound and lighting and a modernised bar.

Photo of Ripon Arts Hub

The newly-refurbished Ripon Arts Hub.

Shows will be held on selected days over two weeks  — October 7 to 9 and October 14 to 16 — with evening performances at 7.30pm and additional 2.30pm matinee shows on Saturday 9 and Saturday 16 October.

The rock opera, which follows Jesus’ last two days through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, is set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

It includes songs such as “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, “Superstar” and “Heaven on Their Minds”.

Ripon Arts Hub re-opened in September after 18 months of fundraising by volunteers behind the scenes,

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The upgrade of the premises, which are owned by the society, was partly funded by a £54,339 grant from the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, launched to help cultural organisations and heritage sites to recover from covid.

As well as being the setting for the society’s own productions and rehearsals, the re-vamped venue provides Ripon’s first community arts space.

Tickets are available at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/riponoperatics

Dean’s banquet raises £16,000 for Ripon Cathedral

The Dean of Ripon’s annual banquet has raised £16,000 for the city’s cathedral.

Last year’s event was cancelled due to covid but the 2021 evening of feast and fundraising was attended by 150 guests, including sponsors, local businesses, parishioners and members of the public.

The Very Rev John Dobson, said:

“What a pleasure it was to welcome the guests to the 2021 Dean’s banquet in the spectacular surroundings of Ripon Cathedral.

“For over 1,300 years people have gathered in this sacred space to celebrate life’s joys and blessings. I am extremely grateful for the remarkable levels of generosity that have been shown by the community, particularly over the last year.”

Photo of the Dean of Ripon

Dean John said thanks for the generosity shown.

The sparking evening was supported by business partners Raworths solicitors, in Harrogate, and wealth management firm Brewin Dolphin, Leeds.

A champagne reception welcomed guests back in to the cathedral once more and a four course dinner, provided by the Yorkshire Party Company, was followed by a live auction conducted by John Tennant and a silent auction.

A number of high value raffle prizes were donated, including dinner for two at Grantley Hall, two cases of wine and a family season pass to Newby Hall.

The prize draw proved popular, raising £1,170 on the night. The vouchers and prizes were donated by local businesses keen to support the cathedral as it recovers from the financial impact of the pandemic.

Guests were entertained by magician Rob Hutchinson and danced to a silent disco wearing headphones.

The date of next year’s banquet will be Friday 14 October to mark the end of the 1,350th anniversary of St Wilfrid celebrations, which will be taking place throughout 2022.

For further information about how to get involved or to pre-book places contact margarethammond@riponcathedral.org.uk.

 

 

 

 

Ripon playground remains closed due to rats

Three weeks after rat infestation closed a children’s play area in Ripon, the gates remain chained up.

Vermin control measures are in place at Quarry Moor playground, which is owned and operated by Ripon City Council.

To tackle the problem, the council has been clearing discarded food waste and put up signs asking visitors to the adjacent nature reserve to take their rubbish home with them.

Photo of Take Rubbish Home sign

Discarded food items attracted rats to the area.

The playground will remain closed until the rat problem, which poses a threat to public health, is eradicated.

Among those monitoring the situation and removing dead rats from the site is Trevor Welbourn, who regularly visits Quarry Moor park with his Labrador, Sparky.

Mr Welbourn told the Stray Ferret:

“Before the pest control measures were put in place, I was here one morning and there must have been at least 20 rats in the car park, eating discarded food.

“I come most days. I’ve removed 16 in the past week.”

Photo of Mr Welbourn and Rocky

Helping to rid the area of rodents — Trevor Welbourn and Rocky.

A statement by the city council when the park closed on September 15 said:

“The rat problem is worse than ever this year and we have unfortunately had to take the decision to close the playground on the grounds of public health.

“We will work with our partners at Harrogate Borough Council to address the pest problem and will explore all options available, including the use of poison, with both HBC and Natural England.

“We will make changes to the way rubbish is death with on site, all bins will be removed and we encourage all visitors to take their waste home with them.

“The volume of waste collected on site is huge. We usually collect a minimum of eight bags of rubbish per day, which is a constant food supply for the ever growing rat population.

“We will trial a metal trade waste bin in the car park in the short term but ask everyone to take their rubbish home.”

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The city council announced a refurbishment of the park this year, funded by council taxpayers through their parish precept.

The park, just off the A61 on the southern approach to Ripon, was donated to the city in 1945 by Alderman Thomas Fowler Spence.

 

New pink battery recycling bins for the Harrogate district

North Yorkshire County Council has installed new bright pink bins across the district for people to safely recycle batteries.

The council said punctured batteries are thought to have caused several fires at waste transfer stations and need to be disposed of correctly.

The fluorescent pink bins can be found at 3 household waste recycling centres across the Harrogate district.

The county council said the most important batteries to recycle are lithium-ion batteries found in mobile phones, laptops, and toys – as they are the main cause of battery fires when thrown away inappropriately.

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County Councillor Derek Bastiman, executive member for waste management, said:

“There are serious risks with batteries being disposed of in the general waste stream in wheeled bins and at the HWRCs.

“Although Yorwaste staff do a brilliant job in checking for batteries being disposed in the general waste there are inevitably some that slip through the net. This is why we have introduced these new bins located near the waste and recycling containers.

“Getting into the habit of collecting batteries can be very simple. Try setting up a small container such as an old ice cream tub or plastic bag, and when it’s full take the batteries to one of the sites. Collection points can also be found at supermarkets, schools, DIY centres and local shops.”

For all battery recycling bin locations, click here.

‘The Grantley effect’: Property boom near luxury hotel

This post is sponsored by Lapicida

Since opening its doors in 2019, Grantley Hall has quickly earned a reputation as a top destination for the rich and famous.

It is a stately countryside stay, a glitzy resort, a wellness retreat and a foodie haven. And it is without doubt the place to be you want to show off on Instagram.

The 18th-century mansion, which has been dubbed by guests as “The Ritz of Ripon”, opened as a hotel after a £70m refurbishment.

It boasts 47 rooms, four restaurants, including one with a Michelin star, and 30 acres of sweeping wooded parkland and grounds.

The Palladian playground also has an elite performance fitness centre, with equipment so plush –  I would genuinely be scared to perspire – and a luxurious spa with two swimming pools. There’s even a nightclub.

Then there are the lavish events that are held regularly at the hotel, for example this month you can attend a champagne party and discover the “floral secrets of the stars” with a celebrity florist. There are also various super car meets across the year, so you can show-off your Lamborghini and swill champagne.

The fact that you can live your best life without leaving the grounds of the hotel, has sparked a property boom in the Grantley area, according to the owner of a Harrogate estate agents.

‘The Grantley effect’

Jeremy Hopkinson OBE, owner of Hopkinsons, said as well as property prices going up, people are also requesting to live within a 20-mile radius of Grantley Hall, making it one of the most desirable areas to live in the district.

He has labelled this ‘The Grantley effect’.

He said:

“We have seen a strong demand for the villages within a short drive to Grantley Hall.

“For example properties in Ripley, Hampsthwaite and the Burnt Yates area, as well as the immediate villages close to Grantley.

“Clients have approached me to see if there are properties that can be offered off-market.

“I have one client at the moment looking for a period family home within a 15-20 minute drive of Grantley.

“The whole Grantley set-up appeals to a wide range and age of buyer. They offer a high quality service and obviously you have got some fantastic bedrooms there as well.

“People are staying for two or three nights at Grantley and then ringing me to see if they can view properties close to it.

“I’ve currently got two local clients trying to find something in the area because they like going there. I’ve also got a couple from London coming to view properties because they have heard about Grantley.”

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Property boom 

Mr Hopkinson OBE said the whole district is currently seeing a major property boom.

He said:

“It’s a very interesting time. Most estate agents are short of properties because they have been so busy.

“In this area there has been a 10 per cent increase in property prices this year – specifically for country homes which are in huge demand.

“People want a change of scenery and more space for everybody. I think they want a view and bigger gardens and are prepared to travel to Ripon or Harrogate and get the train down to London for work.

“There are also more people wanting to move into the area.”

Mr Hopkinson OBE said he had just sold three major properties off-market in the area, including one as a result of the buyers wanting to use the spa at Grantley Hall.

He said:

“It has boosted sales of properties around that area and will continue to do so.

“It’s a very desirable area and people want to be in a short drive of it. This is good news for the local economy basically. They use local producers and employ a lot of staff locally as well.”

Three properties that have sold or are for sale in villages near Grantley

A £1.7million five-bedroom detached home in Burnt Yates that has just been sold by Hopkinsons.

Click here to view the property

A detached five-bedroom property for sale by Hunters in Kirkby Malzeard for £750,000.

Click here to view the property

Nicholls Tyreman is selling this new semi-detached three-bedroom home in Birstwith for £395,000.

Click here to view the property

‘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