Ripon Amateur Operatic Society prepares to raise the curtainsRipon Amateur Operatic Society is raring to reopen its improved, new look theatre after an 18-month closure.
The society received grants from an Aviva Community Fund scheme and Arts Council England totalling more than £80,000 during the pandemic.
The funding has enabled Ripon Operatic Hall to be renovated with improved accessibility, which will be further enhanced when a wheelchair lift is fitted in the coming months.
The actors are now eager to get back under the lights and the first performance back will be the youth group’s We Will Rock You from July 21.
The studio space during and after renovation work.
The society’s theatre on Allhallowgate has become a community asset, with a range of groups including baby ballet and zumba also using the space.
Committee member and performer Linda Aikman said:
“Lockdown affected us enormously because we’re performers and it’s what we love to do.
“The money means we have a safe space to put on our shows. It’s now a place for everyone, it was really important for the committee to make sure the theatre is somewhere everyone can enjoy.”
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The society staged numerous shows before the pandemic.
Its performance of Oliver! has been rescheduled for the third time and will now be performed at Harrogate Theatre in April 2022.
Bid to open Lidl in Ripon wins support of city council
Plans for a Lidl supermarket in Ripon have won the support of the city council.
Council leader Andrew Williams described a planning application by the German supermarket chain as a ‘win, win, win, situation’.
He said:
“It will bring 40 new jobs, increase choice for Ripon’s residents and also serve our growing population, with the new homes that we have coming on stream.”
Cllr Williams was speaking at last week’s full city council meeting at which he and fellow members supported Lidl’s planning application.
Lidl will join M&S Food at St Michael’s Retail Park if its plans are approved.
Harrogate Borough Council will decide whether to accept Lidl’s application to open a 1,100 square metre store at the £10 million St Michael’s Retail Park.
But the backing of Ripon City Council suggests there is support locally for the plan.
The Rotary Way site, off the bypass, is already home to a Marks & Spencer Food outlet, which opened last July.
Ripon, with a population of 17,000-plus and growing, is well-served by supermarkets, with Aldi, Booths, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s also trading in the city.
Lidl put forward its Ripon proposal following an online consultation.
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Following the consultation, a spokesperson from Lidl GB said:
“Many people have welcomed the proposed Lidl store, which would bring competition, increasing choice and providing a boost to the local economy through job creation.
“Many also mentioned that a store on this site would reduce the need to travel out of the city to shop and therefore keep expenditure in Ripon.”
The supermarket has also submitted an application to open its first Harrogate store on the site of the former Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road.
On-demand bus service launches around RiponNorth Yorkshire County Council has launched its pilot on-demand bus service called YorBus, allowing travellers to book public transport at times to suit them.
People who live in Ripon, Masham, Bedale and the surrounding villages can use the YorBus app to chose a pick-up and drop-off bus stop and travel within the service area at their leisure.
There is a flat fare: adults will pay £1.20 and children aged five to 17 will pay 65p. Those under five travel for free.
Those living in the blue area can access YorBus to travel around it
The service will run from 6.55am to 6pm during the week and 9am to 6pm at weekends. There is no service on bank holidays.
The app allows the customers to keep track of the bus’s location and gauge how long it will take to arrive.
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Customers can download the YorBus mobile phone app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Those who do not have a smart phone can book their public transport over the phone on 01609 780780.
The council has assured those who struggle with mobility that the service will be fully accessible with low floor and ramp access.
This service is going to be regularly reviewed and, if successful, will inform its decision for a wider rollout within the country.
Ripon paddling pool to get toilets this summerRipon city councillors have voted unanimously to put portable toilets next to the paddling pool on Borrage Green Lane this summer.
The large pool, in its neatly-kept park setting just off Harrogate Road, is a popular venue on warm days.
But the Harrogate Borough Council-controlled pool and adjacent playground hasn’t had toilets for many years, which can deter people staying for long.
The safety sign at Ripon paddling pool.
City council leader Andrew Williams told Ripon City Council this week:
“I contacted the borough council and am pleased to report that they have agreed to us installing portable toilets for the duration of the summer holidays.
“Of necessity, many families will be staying in Ripon this summer because of the impact of covid and we want to ensure that they can get the most out of the public facilities that we have around the city.”
The search is now on for a suitable supplier, who can install the facility in time for the school summer holidays and keep it clean and safe.
Payment for the temporary toilets will come from Ripon City Council’s strategic investment fund.
Councillor Pauline McHardy, said:
“We need to do all that we can to help people with young children.
“It has been a very difficult time for them and many are priced out of being able to go on holiday this year.”
Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, raised concern about insurance, as liability will rest with the city council.
Cllr Parkin said:
“I’m fully in support of providing facilities for families, but remember that the last time we considered providing portable toilets here, the insurance cost alone was astronomical.”
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It was agreed that the toilets will be temporarily added to the council’s insurance policy.
Councillor Stuart Martin added:
“I think we should have no problem in finding a local supplier who can provide what we need.”
145 homes in Ripon given final approvalHarrogate Borough Council officers have given final approval for 145 homes in Ripon.
Harron Homes will build the homes at Bishop’s Glade, off Bellman Walk.
The developer already had outline permission for 131 homes, which was granted by the council in 2017. But the company sought approval for a further 14 last year.
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The council’s planning committee deferred the application to the council’s chief planner to approve in June last year.
Now, the development has been given final permission to go-ahead.
The proposal will include a mixture of three, four and five-bed homes. The developer has also agreed to allocate 58 homes as affordable housing.
Harron Homes describes the development as “a hidden gem which borders picturesque woodlands and open fields easily accessible for a morning walk to set you up for the rest of your day”.
Safety fears about proposed Ripon bypass roundabout sculptureCouncillors have expressed concern that plans to erect a sculptural montage of ancient buildings of Rome on a Ripon bypass roundabout could cause traffic accidents.
The five-metre high cast resin sculpture, with information plaque and lighting, is planned to celebrate Ripon Cathedral’s 1,350th anniversary.
But there are concerns it may distract motorists and cause accidents.
The cathedral plans to commission five major art works over a four-year period.
The proposed location for a boat sculpture depicting St Wilfrid’s sea travels.
Three of the works require approval from Harrogate Borough Council and a planning application has been submitted.
Under the theme of From Rome to Ripon, they will tell the story of the city’s patron saint and cathedral founder St Wilfrid.
The concept is supported by Ripon City Council, but at a meeting on Monday evening, they agreed to seek a meeting with the cathedral’s project team to discuss concerns.
City council leader Andrew Williams said:
“In principal, I fully support the artwork proposal, but I feel that we need to look again at the sculpture proposed for the roundabout.
“The bypass is a very busy road and I am concerned that the artwork with lights on could be a distraction to road users and lead to accidents.
“I also question how sensible it would be to have an information plaque on the sculpture – we wouldn’t want pedestrians to walk on to the roundabout to read it.
“Surely there must be a better location than this for the artwork.”
Fellow councillors agreed there was a need for further discussion with the applicant.
The council will write to Harrogate planners calling for the application to be deferred until this aspect of the plan is resolved.
The other two sculptures requiring planning permission are, firstly, of a boat containing figures that represent St Wilfrid on his sea travels. He made several visits to and from Rome during his time in Ripon.
This would be the first of the installations in June of next year.
The second installation, cast in bronze and standing five metres high, would depict St Wilfrid and a follower, which is planned for the corner of the Market Square that looks down onto Kirkgate.
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It is proposed that this will be in place by June 2024.
The artwork currently earmarked for the Ripon bypass roundabout would initially be installed from June 2025 in the narthex at the the western end of the cathedral, before being relocated.
Dishforth farm creates strawberry picking experience for wheelchair usersA farm in Dishforth has created a pick your own strawberry and raspberry experience suitable for older people, wheelchair users and people with prams.
It seems such a simple idea but not many pick your own farms around the country offer it.
Mark and Mary Bean run Beau Fraise’s Fruity Berry Fruit Farm, which can be found on Dishforth Road in Dishforth, near Ripon.
The idea was sparked by Mary’s sister, who uses a wheelchair, as well as some of the farm’s previous customers who struggled with access.
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A lot of work has gone into the project.
It has taken about 11 months, 35,000 welds, 70 tonnes of soil, 4,000 strawberry plants and 1,500 raspberry plants but it is now open to the public six days a week. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Mark, who has done the majority of work himself, told the Stray Ferret:
“We have been doing strawberry picking for about 15 years but we decided we needed to make a change for this year.
“This has been a lot of work, a mammoth task really, but it has also been a labour of love.
“People love it, the word seems to be spreading quite quickly and I have lots of messages from people interested. So we have been quite busy already.”
Now the farm is up and running, Mark and Mary are planning to set aside a day a week when only those who are elderly and disabled can go.
The first of those days was held today when a group from Hampden House care home in Harrogate went for a special visit.
Number of covid patients at Harrogate hospital falls to twoThe number of covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital has fallen to two, despite a sharp rise in infections in the district.
In a sign that the vaccination programme is working, Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum today there are now fewer covid patients at the hospital than last week, when there were three.
The number of cases of the Delta variant in the Harrogate district has nearly quadrupled in the last two weeks. The district’s seven-day rate of infection is now 155 per 100,000, just below the England average of 159.
Despite the steep rise, the hospital has not faced the same pressures as in previous waves. At the peak in February, there were 68 covid patients at Harrogate hospital.
According to the latest NHS England figures, the hospital’s last covid-related death was reported on April 11.
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Ms Bloor also said today that Ripon racecourse vaccination site, which opened in February, is due to close in August.
The closure of the Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre in Harrogate this month has seen many people travel to Leeds, York or Bradford for jabs, although there are pharmacy sites in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.
Ms Bloor said pop-up vaccination sites could open in the district this year.
She said:
“We want to be able to flex the programme as sites and vaccines allow.”
Ripon student wins coveted National Youth Theatre placeCarys Peedell is following in the footsteps of leading British actors by winning a place on the National Youth Theatre summer course.
The Ripon Grammar School sixth form student will be treading the boards where the likes of Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig and Orlando Bloom developed their acting talent.
Carys, 17, won the highly-prized place following a two-stage virtual audition.
As well as entitling her to become a member of the National Youth Theatre company until she is 25, attendance on the course will open the door to casting auditions and opportunities for productions up and down the country.
Carys Peedell plans a career in acting
Carys has dreamt of being a star of stage and screen from an early age.
She said:
“I’ve loved acting for as long as I can remember – when I was little, I would constantly dress up and make films with my sister.”
Being a quiet child, she was only offered minor parts in primary school productions but she confesses she wrote her own version of a play at nine years old to guarantee a leading role.
Through performing, Carys has conquered her shyness. She said:
“I found I could be loud and confident when playing someone else. People saw me in a different light and that’s when I decided I wanted to be an actor.”
The National Youth Theatre now beckons. She said:
“It’s an amazing opportunity and has been the launch pad for many successful acting careers.”
Carys, who studied acting, dance, singing and musical theatre with Upstage Academy in Ripon, achieved distinctions in all her London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art exams, including grade eights in solo acting, duo devising drama and group acting.
One of the highlights of her acting career so far has been, along with acting partner Alfie Davies, winning at the Harrogate Competitive Festival for Music, Speech and Drama last year.
A regular in Upstage Academy’s Harrogate theatre summer musicals, Carys most recently played the part of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and is now preparing to film High School Musical, in which she is to play Sharpay Evans.
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She is also working on a production of Two by Jim Cartwright with a cast of keen Ripon Grammar School actors, to be performed at Ripon Grammar School on July 19.
Previous school roles include parts in Toy Story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Oliver and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for which she also won awards.
‘The roads around Ripon’s Market Square are unfit and unsafe’Pressure is growing for urgent work to take place to improve the state of some of Ripon’s busiest roads.
Ripon City Council voted unanimously last night to write to North Yorkshire County Council calling for resurfacing work to be carried out as a matter of urgency.
The principal areas of concern are parts of the Market Place roads where block paving has lifted and cracked because of the volume of traffic.
North Yorkshire County Council has carried out temporary repairs by putting tarmac over the worst-affected sections, leaving the surface looking like a patchwork quilt.
Councillors want to see comprehensive repairs to the city centre roads, as Market Square is the focal point of entertainment and activities, including the weekly Thursday and Saturday markets.
At last night’s meeting, two Conservative county councillors joined independent city councillors to call for urgent repairs.
Councillor Stuart Martin, who is chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Mike Chambers, are also Ripon city and Harrogate district councillors.
They said they have been pushing for repairs to the Market Place East and West roads and other roads in the city.
Councillors say roads around Ripon Market Square are unfit and unsafe
Speaking about the long-term calls for repairs, Cllr Martin, who represents Ripon South on North Yorkshire County Council, said:
“You can’t defend the indefensible. We have been consulting about the east and west carriageways for some time and they need to be sorted out.”
Cllr Chambers, who represents Ripon North at County Hall, added
“We have been pushing for repairs to the road surfaces and will continue to do so.”
The county councillors were responding to a call from city council leader Andrew Williams for North Yorkshire County Council to use reserve funds to pay for work.
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Last week, in response to Stray Ferret questions about the state of city centre roads, Barrie Mason, North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director for highways and transportation, said:
“Ripon Market Place is being considered for future funding within our forward programme for 2022/23.
“A number of the areas of most concern are associated with poorly performing utility reinstatements and we are seeking urgent action on these from the companies concerned.”
But Cllr Williams told last night’s meeting:
“We can’t wait until next year. The roads around Market Square are unfit, unsafe for motorists, cyclist and pedestrians and unacceptable.”
The square will also be a key venue for next year’s events celebrating the queen’s platinum jubilee.