A man who fell out of a canoe in the River Ure near West Tanfield earlier today has died.
The police have also confirmed that there was a second man in the canoe, but he managed to get out of the water and is currently in hospital.
Residents nearby reported that a police helicopter and plane were circling the Nunwick area at around midday.
The police plane later located the body further down the river near Nunwick.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:
“Police received a report at 11.15am this morning that two canoeists had got into difficulty in the River Ure near West Tanfield.
“Officers immediately attended the location with colleagues from the fire, ambulance and rescue services.
“One man had got out of the water and was taken to hospital for treatment.
“Sadly, the body of another man was located by an NPAS police aircraft, in the river north-west of Nunwick.
“His family have been informed.”
Harrogate salon turns away woman despite face mask exemption
A Ripon woman has said she is being discriminated against after a hair salon turned her away even though she has a face mask exemption.
Jan Spence, 58, has chronic asthma and anxiety so she wears a lanyard around her neck to let other people know why she does not wear a face mask.
Ms Spence recently visited Moo Hair in Harrogate to use a voucher she bought before lockdown. However, when she arrived the hairdresser she was booked to see refused to let her in.
It is something Ms Spence has not experienced before and she told the Stray Ferret she did not want to experience it again so she decided to speak out to raise awareness. She said:
“I felt really degraded, I cannot help having a health condition. It can be quite debilitating at times.
“So it was upsetting when I was turned away. I have had both coronavirus jabs and I had a negative lateral flow test in the morning so what else can I do?”
When Ms Spence approached Groupon, which she bought the voucher through, the customer services team gave her credit to spend on something else.
Caroline Allen, who owns the salon on Cheltenham Mount, operates a policy that everyone has to wear a face mask to be allowed inside.
Ms Allen told the Stray Ferret her rule was designed to keep staff and clients safe:
New on-demand bus service for Ripon and Masham“We are all learning here. We have never lived through anything like this before. I go by the rules set out by the central body for hairdressers and barbers.
“I have to protect everybody in the salon, we get some very vulnerable clients in here so we all wear face masks.
“It can put me in a very difficult position but it is one I am going to stick by. I am sorry that Jan is so upset.”
Ripon and Masham are to get a new on-demand bus service as part of a pilot scheme to improve links to rural areas.
YorBus, which is run by North Yorkshire County Council, launches on July 1 and is due to be trialled for 12 months.
The service allows passengers to book a ride when and where they need one.
Once a passenger has chosen a pickup and drop-off location, they will need to head to a bus stop for a pooled ride.
Residents can book the bus through an app or by phone. The app will be available from June 28.
YorBus covers the area shaded in blue.
The app allows passengers to plan and track their bus journey, including how long the bus will take to arrive.
It will operate from 6.55am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on Saturdays.
There will be a flat fare of £1.20 for adults and 65p for children between the ages of 5 and 17. Children under 5 can travel for free. Concessions can also be used.
YorBus is also fully accessible, with low floor access and a ramp for those with wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Cllr Don MacKenzie, the executive member for access, stated:
“The YorBus project is intended to provide transport to help people to travel to work, to go shopping, to attend medical appointments and to access other services, which they need. We hope it will offer a viable and affordable alternative to the private motor car.
“The flexibility of the scheme also means that a high proportion of seats on buses will be occupied on every journey, which will lead to better value for money and greater environmental benefits too.”
To promote the launch of YorBus, the council is running roadshows to speak to residents about the service, stopping off at the following locations:
The owners of the Curzon cinema in Ripon have said the venue won’t be reopening on June 4 after all.
On Tuesday, the London-headquartered cinema chain told the Stray Ferret:
“Curzon Ripon is planning on reopening June 4.”
Now the company has issued a new statement saying:
“Unfortunately, due to Curzon Ripon’s venue being so small, with only 20 seats, they are unable to open safely at present, with the government guidelines for social distancing.
“As soon as they can safely reopen there will be updates on the website.
“We apologise for the disappointment this may cause.
“But we want to be able to reopen safely whilst following guidelines. “
The North Street venue opened on 31 October 2013. It incorporates two screens seating 58 and 34 respectively.
The complex includes a bar, restaurant and VIP area. It was created following a £2 million refurbishment of a former furniture store.
The Stray Ferret contacted the company amid growing speculation on social media about whether or not the venue would reopen.
Cinemas across the country reopened this week but audience numbers are limited. But the Curzon in Ripon remained shut.
The cinema chain says Curzon Ripon is too small to open safely on June 4.
Ripon is no longer listed on the Curzon website page featuring its UK venues. In addition, the website for Curzon Ripon is currently coming up with the message ‘Page not found.’
The same applies to other web pages previously used to promote the Ripon offer.
The situation was further confused by apparently conflicting articles in national trade media.
An article in RadioTimes.com dated 4 May, said:
“Curzon is set to open in line with government guidance on May 17.
“Mayfair, Richmond, Wimbledon and Sheffield will open June 4. Tickets go on sale May 10. “
Ripon was not mentioned in that story.
There was also no reference to Ripon by name in an article published on Monday in screendaily.com .
Its 17 May story included the following:
“Eight Curzon cinemas are reopening from today (May 17), with a further five on June 4.”
That adds up to a total of 13 but there are only 12 Curzon cinemas listed on the company’s website.
Ripon isn’t among them.
The 12 UK venues currently featured on the company’s website – include six in London.
Other locations are Canterbury, Colchester, Oxford, Richmond and Sheffield.
Harrogate and Ripon vaccine centres to close in AugustThe vaccination centres at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and Ripon Races will close in August after clinical leaders decided they were no longer needed.
The two GP-led sites have administered more than 120,000 jabs so far. The Harrogate centre will close on August 13 and the Ripon site will close on August 31.
The pharmacy-led centres in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge are set to play a larger role in the vaccine rollout as a result.
NHS England believes the pharmacy sites, along with regional vaccine hubs in Leeds and York, will provide more than enough capacity to administer vaccines after August.
Dr Chris Preece, a GP partner at Church Lane Surgery in Boroughbridge and clinical director of the Knaresborough and Rural District Primary Care Network, said the vaccination programme in the Harrogate District had been “phenomenally successful”. He added:
“As the programme moves towards vaccinating younger and more mobile cohorts, we’re already seeing evidence that people are choosing to travel to one of the larger, regional vaccination hubs, rather than waiting to be contacted by their GP practice.
“We would like to place on record our extreme gratitude to the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon Racecouse for their support and the generous use of their facilities.”
Dr Ian Dilley, a GP partner at East Parade Surgery in Harrogate and clinical director of the Mowbray Square Primary Care Network added:
“With the huge number of people now vaccinated in the local area, we feel August is an appropriate end date.
“We need to be mindful of the other pressures that will be placed on doctors’ surgeries as we head towards autumn and winter, and the annual flu vaccine campaigns that GP practices need to provide.
“We also need to enable our kind hosts at the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon Racecourse to provide their own events as restrictions continue to be eased and more public events are permitted.”
The primary care networks will continue to run vaccination clinics from both the Harrogate and Ripon sites for the next three months,
Parkrun tentatively scheduled to return to Harrogate and Knaresborough in two weeksParkrun could resume in Harrogate and Knaresborough in just over a fortnight’s time after an absence of more than a year.
Organisers hope to restart the weekly 5km run in the two towns on June 5.
The government’s roadmap out of lockdown has permitted parkrun since March. But obstacles have remained in the way of organisers, who still have to negotiate with whoever owns the land on which the runs take place.
Harrogate Borough Council has given parkrun permission to return on the Stray in Harrogate and Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.
However, a spokesperson for the National Trust, which owns Fountains Abbey in Ripon told the Stray Ferret:
“We are still working closely with the organisers and volunteers at parkrun. We have no set date for a return yet.
“The National Trust is committed to working with parkrun. But we have to limit the numbers of people in our busiest areas.”
The Harrogate district appears to be in better position than much of the rest of the country. So far parkrun only has permission for 161 of its 589 locations.
That low number means that the return of parkrun “hangs in the balance.” A spokesperson for Parkrun UK said:
Ripon grants scheme opens for applications“A combination of obstacles, including misunderstanding the government’s roadmap, reluctance, hesitation and unnecessary red tape threatens to delay the return of parkrun indefinitely.
“Parkrun UK must make a decision two weeks ahead of the planned return on whether restarting events on June 5 is viable.
“With all other sports returning, alongside the reopening of indoor dining and hospitality, further roadblocks to parkrun’s return feel unreasonable.”
Community groups in Ripon are being invited to apply for grants of up to £1,000.
Ripon City Council’s small grants scheme has £20,000 available for allocation in the 2021/2022 financial year.
The scheme is designed to be an easy way to access a source of funding for local organisations.
A council spokesperson said:
“The council recognises the disruption to our local groups and organisations caused by the covid pandemic.
“We aim to support as many different activities in the city as possible in the financial year.
“With this in mind, the scheme will not have a closing date in 2021/22 and will remain open until funds are exhausted.
“We will review the applications received at each meeting of the council.”
The Jennyruth Workshops charity provides training and work opportunities that help to build confidence (Photograph courtesy of Jennyruth Workshops)
Among those to receive an award last year was Jennyruth Workshops, which is a charity that provides work and life skills for adults with learning disabilities.
An award was also made to Ripon YMCA, which provides supported housing for young people aged 16-35.
Other grant recipients in the 2020/2021 financial year included Ripon Community Link, Ripon City AFC, Ripon City Photographic Society, Ripon City Panthers Junior Football Club Friends of Hell Wath and Abbeyfield Ripon and District Society Ltd.
If an applicant is not a wholly Ripon-based organisation it may be necessary to ringfence any grant from the council towards a Ripon-based event, project or activity.
Applications must clearly benefit Ripon people as the grants scheme has been funded by an increase in the precept – money collected through the council tax levied on Ripon residents.
The council will not consider applications from commercial organisations, individuals, political groups or for projects of a directly political nature.
All valid applications will be considered by full council. Further details are available here.
Full English in Ripon’s Wetherspoon back on the menu as indoor dining returns
A full English breakfast inside pubs was back on the menu this morning as England’s lockdown restrictions eased.
For Eddie and Shirlie Button it meant a welcome return to The Unicorn, Ripon’s largest pub and hotel.
The couple, who are regulars for full English breakfasts, as well as for coffee and curry nights at the Wetherspoon pub, were the first customers through the door today at 8am.
Like other pub-goers across the district, they were thrilled to be able to eat indoors after such a cold few weeks.
Mr Button told the Stray Ferret:
“Before the lockdown, we would normally come for breakfast on a Sunday. We will probably come a couple of times this week, as a bit of a treat.”
Mrs Button is pleased to be able to put the frying pan back in her kitchen cupboard. She said:
“I’ve been cooking breakfasts at home for more than four months.
“We created our own ‘Spoons-style service.”
Eddie and Shirlie Button, were the first customers for more than four months to eat inside the Wetherspoon-owned pub.
The Unicorn’s deputy manager, Jonny Mahoney, said:
“It’s great to be able to welcome people back.
“Because our beer garden is relatively small, we decided not to open an outdoor service in April and waited until today.”
The hotel, which has more than 30 rooms, will reopen for guests this evening and the pub will be open from 7am until 12noon Monday to Thursday and 7am until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Social distancing and hygiene measures are in place alongside online and paper-based track and trace.
Ripon museums reopen today with new exhibition
The death of Harriet Rodwell, who committed suicide in the city’s workhouse in 1855, features in a new exhibition opening in Ripon today.
Ms Rodwell’s hard life and sad demise is remembered in Fragments — one of five textile installations.
Created by 6-Ply — a group of North Yorkshire textile artists — it is part of the Lives Unravelled exhibition at Ripon’s Workhouse Museum.
The display, dedicated to Ms Rodwell and created by Eileen Sweeney, reflects the fact that only fragments of the former inmate’s life remain.
The Prison & Police Museum – one of Ripon’s three heritage attractions now reopened for visitors
The new exhibition marks the reopening of the city’s three heritage attractions.
The workhouse, along with the Prison & Police and Old Courthouse are operated by Ripon Museum Trust.
The custom-made Lives Unravelled exhibition is Inspired by historical research into the lives of workhouse women.
It will be on display until September 5.
Artists have used a variety of materials and techniques to convey the real experiences and imagined emotions of being a woman in the workhouse.
Pieces installed as part of the exhibition, also include Room for Mother and Infant, by Hazel Waite; Jane Button’s “Fancy Apron”, by Sarah Lowe; Veg, Glorious Veg, by Mary Exelby and Apron of Feelings, by Jenny Bradbury.
Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust said:
“It’s so exciting to be able to reopen our museums with this very moving and powerful temporary exhibition by local textiles group 6-Ply.
“We’re delighted to share these works with visitors and I hope they encourage people to consider the lives of people who lived and died here.”
Following today’s reopening, the museums will be open Tuesday to Sunday and on selected Bank Holidays, including bank holiday Monday, May 31.
Entrance to the exhibition is included in the cost of museum entry. All tickets to Ripon museums are valid for repeat visits over a 12-month period.
Bookings can be made via the museum trust website or by calling 01765 690799.
Ripon Museums have covid safety measures in place and have been awarded the Visit Britain We’re Good to Go industry standard.
Ripon’s saint will still have his dayThe covid lockdown is gradually easing, but Ripon’s annual celebration of St Wilfrid and his legacy will be scaled back for a second year.
St Wilfrid’s Day is one of the city’s biggest occasions of the year, marked with events and a large procession pre-pandemic. Thousands of people would line the city streets and congregate on Market Square.
Organisers are planning for a smaller celebration this year while looking to use 2021 as a platform to promote activities next year and beyond.
As well as being the 1,350th anniversary of St Wilfrid founding a church on the site of Ripon Cathedral, 2022 marks the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
The St Wilfrid’s Procession committee is in discussions with Ripon City Council about having a presence on Market Square over the weekend of 31 July and 1 August.
Committee secretary Sue Simms told the Stray Ferret:
“We did not feel running a large-scale procession this year would be a responsible choice.
“The situation was complicated by the fact that we would have needed to start applying for road closures back in October.
“Because of the coronavirus crisis, we couldn’t plan ahead with any degree of confidence at that time.”
As part of last year’s scaled-back St Wilfrid’s Day celebrations, the Ripon Morris Band performed at social distance in Church Lane.
The procession committee is planning for actors dressed as St Wilfrid and monks to take the traditional walk around Ripon, along with a pony or donkey on Saturday July 31.
It will end on Market Square, where the council is planning to stage a weekend of activities and entertainment for residents and visitors.
Ms Simms said:
“We hope to have space on Market Square to promote and celebrate our saint’s day.
“The objective is to build interest in taking part as entrants and organisers of the procession in future years.”
Last year celebrations of the city’s patron saint were limited to the St Wilfrid trail, with Ms Simms’ husband Paul, dressed as St Wilfrid, walking the route normally taken by a St Wilfrid actor on horseback, along with floats, Ripon City Band and others.
Across the city, businesses and residents maintained the tradition by putting St Wilfrid displays in windows and gardens.
Looking forward, Ms Simms would like to hear from anybody wanting to become involved in the 2022 procession. She can be contacted on 07964854006.
In past years, pubs, schools, churches, friends, businesses, shops, streets, social, children’s and sports clubs have taken part.