Ripon is to get its own coronavirus vaccination site, North Yorkshire health bosses revealed today.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said a site would be set up in the city.

However, a location has yet to be confirmed.

It comes days after councillors on Ripon City Council called for a vaccination site for the city and surrounding areas earlier.

They suggested Hugh Ripley Hall would be a suitable location.

Councillors said it was “unacceptable” for older people to have to travel to Harrogate or York, particularly as the government has pledged nobody should have to travel further than 10 miles for inoculations.

Ms Bloor told a press briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of emergency agencies, the CCG would continue to look at whether further sites were needed in the county.

Hugh Ripley Hall, which Ripon councillors have offered for use as a covid vaccination centre.

She said:

“We are continuing to review whether further may be needed, particularly given the availability of a more mobile vaccine in the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“I am pleased to say that subject to final checks and NHS England approval, we do now have plans in place to open a site in Ripon in the next week or so.”

Read more:

• Urgent call for covid vaccination centre in Ripon
• York vaccination site to offer jabs to people within 45 minutes travel

Meanwhile, Ms Bloor said residents in the district may also be invited to a new national vaccination hub at Askham Bar in York.

She said:

“The way that the site is operating is that anybody within a 45 minute drive of the site who has not yet received a vaccination through their local site may receive a letter from the national team to book an appointment.”

However, she added patients could wait for a local invite if they received a letter from the York hub and could not attend.

The site opened on Monday and will operate seven days a week from 8am until 8pm.

Professor Mike Holmes, a GP in York, told a City of York Council Executive meeting last week that the new centre will offer up to 8,000 extra appointments in the first phase of the expansion of the site.

The centre became the latest vaccine site to open near Harrogate, with another due to be set up at Elland Road stadium in Leeds.

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan, is being called to act to solve chronic anti-social behaviour problems in Ripon.

Just weeks after the city council pledged to join forces with the neighbourhood policing team to tackle the on-going issue, it says the situation has worsened.

At Monday’s virtual full council meeting, elected members reported incidents of violence, nuisance and anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

Councillor Sid Hawke told the meeting:

“We are sick of these yobbos, who go around making trouble.”

Ripon Market Square – identified as a hot-spot of anti-social behaviour.

Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“I was in my car recently and a group of four thugs deliberately rode their bikes towards me on the wrong side of the road.

“Some elderly people have told me that they are frightened to go onto Market Square because they feel intimidated.

“The problem is getting worse by the week and it’s time for us to go to the top and call on Julia Mulligan to do something — she is responsible for policing in the county and the buck stops with her.”

These sentiments were echoed by many other councillors, who supported a motion to contact the commissioner, calling on her to provide more police officers for Ripon.

Read more:

• Council and police to join forces to tackle anti-social behaviour in Ripon
• Ripon youths attack residents

Concerns were also expressed about the efficiency of CCTV cameras in the city centre and the fact that there are only a limited number in use.

Councillor Pauline McHardy said:

“If there were more cameras in use, it would deter some of the youths who are causing trouble and police could concentrate their patrols on the areas that are not covered by CCTV.”

However, councillor Stephen Craggs said:

“All that CCTV does is to push the problems elsewhere. What we need are more police to keep the city streets safe and that’s what we should be asking Julia Mulligan for.”

The Stray Ferret approached the commissioner’s office for a response and was told by a spokesperson that the she is unable to comment until she has received correspondence from Ripon City Council.

Approximately 17 percent of Harrogate district council tax is used to pay for the police and fire service.

Nine flood alerts and warnings are in force this morning across the Harrogate district as persistent rain causes river levels to rise to dangerous levels.

Notorious flooding location Knaresborough caravan park and Goldsborough mill farm were put on the more severe ‘warning’ level during the night.

The warning says “flooding of property, roads and land in Knaresborough is possible today” as Nidd river levels are expected to continue to rise. It adds:

“Areas most at risk are riverside land at Knaresborough caravan park. Please activate any property flood protection products you may have, such as flood barriers and air brick covers, and stay away from fast moving water.”

Roecliffe caravan park, near Boroughbridge, is identified as the most vulnerable location in an overnight warning for the River Ure, which says:

“Flooding of property/roads and farmland is expected imminently. Please put your flood plan into action, and plan driving routes to avoid low lying roads near rivers, which may be flooded and stay away from fast moving water.”

Ure near Ripon

An alert was put in place for the lower Ure, just east of Ripon city centre, overnight. An update just before 4am this morning says:

“Flooding of low-lying land and roads is possible today,”

An alert was also activated overnight for the River Crimple, near Follifoot, and its tributaries including Horn Beck, Clark Beck, Hookstone Beck, Rud Beck, Toad Hole Beck and Park Beck.

It warns flooding of low-lying land and roads is possible.

Nidd risk

There is widespread risk along the River Nidd.

Alerts were issued yesterday afternoon for the river just above and below Pateley Bridge. Last night a warning was put in place for around Hunsingsore and Cattal.

Alerts for the lower and middle catchment areas of the Nidd also remain in force.

More heavy rain is expected today and tomorrow morning.

If you are affected by flooding, contact us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

‘Clean your chimneys’, urges fire service after two fires near Ripon yesterday

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has warned of the dangers of not checking chimneys after its crews attended two chimney fires in villages close to Ripon within hours yesterday.

Ripon firefighters were called to Sawley just before 3.30pm yesterday and then to Marton-le-Moor shortly after 6.30pm.

The Marton-le-Moor fire was caused by a beehive blocking smoke in the chimney. The cause of the fire in Sawley is unknown.

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said they had heard of birds nests causing fires in chimneys but never beehives.

Both fires were confined to the chimneys and left no external damage.

Read more:

• Fire crews attended a fire in Langthorpe after a dog bed was put in a microwave.
• Senior police officer says public fear needs to return to curb infection rates.

The homeowners were advised to get their chimneys checked following the incidents in case the heat damaged the chimney stacks.

The spokesperson urged residents to clean their chimneys regularly to clear obstructions, such as nests and leaves and to remove the build-up of soot.

It said chimneys for smokeless fuels should be swept once a year; chimneys for fires that burn wood and bituminous coal should be swept twice a year.

Two men have been arrested today after a man was robbed at knifepoint in Ripon yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police said the victim was walking on Bondgate at about 5.30pm yesterday when four men approached and threatened him with a knife.

They stole his belongings and then followed him home and forced him to let them in. Once inside, the four robbers stole a number of other items then escaped down Aismunderby Road.

Police said a 20-year-old man from Ripon and a 19-year-old from Harrogate were arrested by police at about 10am today in connection with the robbery.

Both men are currently in police custody.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could help with the investigation to call 101 and quote reference number 12210027815.

Read more:

• Ripon police received several reports in one day last week after numerous young people broke lockdown to attack residents.
• Man left with broken nose after being assaulted on Ripon street.

Two couples from Ripon were caught up in unexpected drama yesterday when a tree fell under the weight of snow.

Nicole Bond and her partner Ben Crewe were walking near College Lawns, just off Palace Road, yesterday lunchtime when they heard a cracking noise.

Assuming it was pallets being broken up on the nearby business park, they thought nothing of it – but seconds later realised what was happening. Nicole said:

“Ben looked up and shouted ‘run!’. I froze, but he ran out of the way. Luckily, I was right by where the tree fell, but I didn’t have to move.

“There was a couple that didn’t have time to move. As the tree was falling, there was a massive plume of snow that came up and covered everybody.”

As soon as the snow settled again, Nicole realised how big the tree was – and the damage it could have done.

“I thought the worst had happened. We were screaming, ‘are you OK? Are you hurt?’ Ben went into complete action mode and started pulling branches to get to them and I called for an ambulance.”

The huge tree fell under the weight of snow in Ripon. Photo: Nicole Bond

Very quickly, Ben managed to reach the couple. The woman was shaken but didn’t seem badly hurt, but her husband had a head injury that was bleeding.

Ben and Nicole used their clothes to apply pressure and stop the bleeding, following instructions from the call handlers on the phone.

They were warned that, thanks to the road conditions, it could take 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive – but it only took around five minutes before paramedics were on the scene. They treated the injured couple before taking them to hospital for further assessment.

Read more:

• LIVE: More snow forecast for Harrogate district tonight
• Covid vaccinations postponed after snow

Nicole has since been contacted by the woman to say they are both recovering, her husband having been treated for concussion, and to thank her and Ben for their help on the scene.

It was only chance they were all in the wrong place at the wrong time: Nicole and Ben took a different route for their usual dog walk because of flooding. Having spent the morning helping drivers make their way along snowy roads near home, they had just paused to take a video of the road conditions in the area – and a few seconds more or less could have made all the difference to how the incident played out.

Nicole added:

“It’s just crazy. It was all over within 10 minutes, including the ambulance getting there. We barely even had time to think at all.

“I was quite glad I took Ben out for a walk with me, and for the ambulance staff keeping everybody calm. It could have been a lot worse.”

The fallen tree in Ripon has already been broken up and made safe. Photo: Nicole Bond

Youths in Ripon are breaking the national lockdown rules to attack residents, with police receiving a string of “distressing” reports in one day.

Police believe the incidents are linked with similar descriptions of small groups of teenagers between 14 and 18 years old.

Some of the reports include the youths throwing eggs and glass, spitting and punching people who challenged them and kicking at the heels of a postman.

Read more:

• Man dies on Ripon building site
• Parts of Harrogate district miss out on vaccine centre pledge

All of the incidents happened on Wednesday afternoon between 2pm and 3.30pm, according to the police reports.

Ripon City Police has released a statement to say that while there has been a “considerable reduction in incidents” as a result of lockdown:

“However, sadly, there appears to be a very small cohort of individuals intent on causing harm in our community and we are asking for your help and support in identifying those involved in several distressing incidents.

“Not only have these individuals caused distress, harm and injury to victims but they are breaking the lockdown rules, putting themselves and others at risk in the midst of a pandemic.

“These unprovoked attacks are distressing. It is likely that they are linked and we are doing all we can to identify those responsible to bring some justice for the victims affected.”

• 2.19pm, January 13 – Member of the public on Wakeman Road encountered 2 males aged between 15 and 18 years old who were throwing eggs. The males were abusive when challenged and then threw glass at the member of the public. Descriptions are; male one: approx. 5ft 9in tall, dark hair, medium build with a burgundy coat and Male 2: approx. 5ft 5in tall, dark jacket and dark trousers.
• 2.40pm, January 13 – Occured on Minster Road on the path near the Cathedral and Sainsburys in which 3 males aged between 14 and 16 years old threw stones at a member of the public. When challenged, one of the youths spat at and assaulted by punching the member of the public. Descriptions are male one: approx. 5ft 10in tall, wearing a red puffa jacket with a pale complexion and whispy moustache. Male 2: approx. 5ft 7in tall, wearing a grey hoodie and blue mask. Male 3 – no description available.
• 3.25pm, January 13 – Occured on Minster Road involving three youths who were kicking the heels of a postman. The descriptions match those of those given in the above incident.

A man has died after an incident at a building site in Ripon.

North Yorkshire Police issued a brief statement this afternoon confirming the news. It said:

“Police were called to a report of an industrial incident in Ripon at about 10.30am on Wednesday.

“A man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Enquiries are ongoing jointly with the Health and Safety Executive.”

A member of the public contacted the Stray Ferret on Wednesday saying Harrogate Road in Ripon was closed and a large number of police, fire engines and ambulances were in attendance.

The police initially declined to reveal any information but today confirmed a man, who has not been named, had died.

No further details about the incident have been released.

Read more:

• No suspicious circumstances in Pateley Bridge couple’s death
• Four covid deaths in three days at Harrogate hospital

Those north of Ripon and living in large parts of Nidderdale are missing out on the government’s vaccine centre pledge.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised that everyone will be within 10 miles of a vaccine centre, but there is still work to do in North Yorkshire.

A map released as part of the UK Covid-19 vaccines delivery plan shows that, while there are two centres in Harrogate, there are no places to get a jab in Ripon or Nidderdale.

Residents in Masham currently have to travel to Leyburn or Northallerton if the NHS calls upon them to be vaccinated.

With the elderly and vulnerable first in line for a vaccine, the government believes that it is important they do not have to travel far.

96% of England’s population currently has a vaccine centre within 10 miles but the government hopes to increase that to 100% by the end of January.

Read more:

• Can you help deliver hot meals to vulnerable people?
• No plans to close Valley Gardens amid concern over gatherings

Its vaccine delivery plan outlines how 206 hospital hubs, 1,200 local vaccination sites and 50 large vaccination centres should be able to make that a reality.

The plan also reveals how in “highly rural areas,” where public transport is an issue, the local vaccination centre will be a mobile unit.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a government press conference yesterday:

“The third part of the plan is expanding where you can get vaccinated. As of Friday, 96% of the population in England lived within 10 miles of a vaccination site and we’re expanding the number of vaccination sites further, right across the whole of the UK.

“This expansion will include community pharmacy and roving vaccination centre on top of the hospitals and GP practices and the seven mass vaccination sites that we’ve opened.

“This huge expansion means that by the end of January, everyone will live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre either fixed or roving.”

Have you or a relative struggled to get to the vaccination centre? We’d like to hear from you. Get in touch on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Ripon City Council will not be increasing its parish precept for the 2021-2022 financial year.

In 2020-2021 council taxpayers in the city were charged £71.89, on top of the tax paid to North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

The precept in Ripon provided a total fund of £400,000 last year.

A total of £100,000 from next year’s budget is being allocated for public events from summer onwards in the hope that coronavirus will be under sufficient control by then to allow them to go ahead.

Money is also being set aside for the renewal of children’s play equipment at Quarry Moor Park and external decoration of Hugh Ripley Hall – the building on Skellbank named in honour of the city’s first mayor.

City council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“With the current covid crisis and the impact it is having, we decided to keep the precept at the same level as last year.

“It has been a difficult time for everybody with three lockdowns, causing disruption to, among other things, the city’s retailers and the education of children.

“In addition, public events that have been a feature of life in Ripon over many generations had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus.

“However, we must look to the future and make plans and allocate prudent funding that enables us to move forward safely when the lifting of restrictions allow.”

Ripon’s 2020 Christmas lights were extended after an additional £65,000 from the parish precept was spent on them last year.

During 2020, the council set aside £65,000 for a number of public and civic events, including the 75th anniversary celebration of VE Day, Saint Wilfrid’s Day procession, summer bank holiday entertainment, Remembrance Sunday and Christmas and New Year festivities — all of which had to be cancelled.

Read more:

• Council tax hike for Harrogate district
• Oliver’s army fights on in lockdown Ripon
• More weeks of traffic disruption ahead in Ripon city centre

The parish precept money, that would have been spent on these events and others, was subsequently diverted to pay for Ripon’s Christmas lights to be extended to help retailers and make city streets more attractive.

That move attracted criticism from some people who thought the money could have been better spent by providing direct financial support for retailers and other businesses affected by the pandemic.