‘Independent shops will lead Ripon’s revival’, says ex-Wrens owner

Philly Butler firmly believes there is a bright future for independent retailers in Ripon.

For eight years, she and husband Mark provided a base at Wrens department store for fledgling businesses — more than a dozen of which grew and set up their own shops in the city.

‘The house of independent retailers’, as Wrens was known, closed this month after the cumulative effects of lockdown lost trade in the crucial summer and pre-Christmas periods took its toll.

Among 52 Wrens’ occupiers that had to look for a new location to sell their goods was Philly’s own fashion and accessories business Daisy Clover Boutique.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“Mark and I hoped above hope that we could continue with Wrens, but lost business along with the shut down of our tea room because of social distancing requirements were killer blows.”

But despite the disastrous impact of covid on retailers large and small, Philly remains confident of a post-coronavirus comeback for the high street in Ripon. She said:

“I think that the ‘shop local’ message has finally resonated with people who realise that independents are an important part of the community and you are being served by your friends and sometimes neighbours.”

Photo of winter hats at Daisy Clover boutique

A selection of winter hats at the Daisy Clover boutique

She added:

“Before I could find new premises, I received dozens of calls from customers asking where they were going to be able to get their winter hats.

“These are people who ask and care about my children and the family pets and these type of relationships have been built by retailers right across Ripon.”

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Ripon’s vacant shops are smaller than those in bigger retail centres, such as Harrogate and Leeds.

Smaller units are likely be much easier to fill than large units vacated by the likes of Debenhams, which could be to Ripon’s advantage.

Philly said:

“Units of this size don’t remain empty for long in Ripon, because in normal times, small businesses with something special to offer can rely on footfall all year round, from summer tourists, to market day visitors and loyal local customers.”

Her niche is an ever-changing display of one-off hand-selected womenswear made mostly from cotton, silk or cashmere and imported from Europe.

Philly also has another string to her bow as a perfume designer who helps people create customised aromas for themselves or as personalised gifts. She said:

“At times like these, it’s amazing how the smell of a lovely scent can raise your spirits.”

Ripon critical care worker urges people to take the vaccine

A Ripon woman who works in a critical care unit has become one of the first people in North Yorkshire to receive the covid vaccine — and has urged others to do the same when their time comes.

Physiotherapist Laura Terry’s job at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough brings her into daily contact with covid patients.

Having seen first hand the impact of the virus, she had little hesitation when the chance to be vaccinated emerged at the hospital on Sunday. She said:

“It was a no-brainer. The emotional impact of what I’ve seen at work has really affected me. I don’t usually bring my job home but a lot of things have stayed with me a long time.

“I’ve never seen so many people so sick. People are essentially dying alone because nobody is allowed in. The last time some see their families is on FaceTime.”

Ms Terry, who went to Ripon Grammar School and lives near Fountains Abbey, studied at Teesside University.

Her regular contact with covid patients made her eligible for the vaccine. It was over in minutes and she has had no side effects besides a sore arm the next day.

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“I’m a perfectly healthy person but I have a duty of care to my patients and colleagues, as well as my family and friends.

“Hopefully having the vaccine provides them with some reassurance that they are not going to get covid from me.”

She said it was frustrating to hear people who have never seen for themselves the impact of covid in “denial” about its impact.

“I’ve seen what it does to families. I’ve seen them in distress. If you can take that distress away from a family by having the vaccine then I would do that.”

 

Christmas meals for older people in Harrogate district

About 85 meals will be delivered to the doors of older and vulnerable people in the Harrogate district on Christmas Day.

Harrogate and Ripon Food Angels has been providing meals since 2012 but this is the first time it is providing the service on December 25.

Staff and volunteers dressed festively will cook, pack and deliver a traditional Christmas dinner, Christmas pudding, mince pie and a cracker for those in need of a meal and some cheer.

Harrogate and Ripon Food Angels is part of Harrogate Neighbours, a charity that cares for older people.

It cooks 100 to 150 meals daily at its Starbeck base for beneficiaries, whose needs have been assessed.

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In previous years, the food angels have delivered double their daily quota of meals on Christmas Eve to prepare people for Christmas Day.

But Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, told the Stray Ferret this year’s long Christmas bank holiday weekend meant some people would be alone for long periods, hence the decision to venture out on the 25th.

She added:

“Our priority is to tackle social isolation and to support those most in need in our community all year around, but particularly on special occasions.

“When we received the requests for our meals on wheels service to run on Christmas Day, we quickly reached out to some volunteers who agreed without hesitation to deliver meals on the day.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have such dedicated and supportive volunteers and we look forward to feeding the community and spreading some Christmas joy to those who may be on their own for the first time this Christmas.”

To volunteer to deliver meals, or to support Harrogate Neighbours through donating, fundraising, sponsoring an event or to join the team, visit www.hnha.co.uk or call 01423 888777.

Ripon housing development on old industrial site refused

Harrogate Borough Council has refused a 13-home development in Ripon city centre due to its impact on local heritage.

Red Tree Developments wanted to demolish buildings at the site of the former NY Timber yard to build the homes.

The site on Trinity Lane was home to a timber yard from 1860 to 2018.

Red Tree bought the 0.64-acre plot, which is adjacent to the listed buildings, Holy Trinity Church of England Junior School and St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, from Cairngorm Capital for an undisclosed sum this year.

In the planning application, the developer said the timber yard, which is not listed, must be replaced due to its “poor state of repair”:

“In order to create a high-quality residential scheme which achieves all of the required standards it is essential that the building is replaced.”

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The building in 1929.

However, Christopher Hughes, chairman of the Ripon Civic Society objected to the plans and said the structure should be retained due to its historical importance.

He said:

“It’s an important survival of Ripon’s industrial heritage and its importance is underestimated and in this application totally overlooked.”

The council’s chief planner John Worthington refused the plans which he said would cause “unacceptable harm” to the Ripon Conservation Area. He also criticised the plans for offering no affordable homes.

The Stray Ferret asked Red Tree Developments for a response but we did not receive one at the time of publication.

Vaccine to be given at Great Yorkshire Showground next week

The Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate is to be used for the vaccine rollout from next week.

The first vaccination is due to be given on Tuesday and the programme is expected to last for several months.

The government has asked the 17 GP practices in Harrogate and the surrounding district, including Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham to oversee the rollout.

The practices are appealing for volunteers to marshal the car park and signpost patients through the vaccination site at the showground, which is owned by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

No details have been given to the media about the rollout but a post on the Harrogate covid co-operation Facebook group yesterday on behalf of the GP practices revealed the news. It said:

“Harrogate and rural district are working together in order to plan for delivering a mass vaccination programme and we need to ask primary care staff and volunteers to help.

“We will need staff and volunteers to undertake a variety of roles and we need to plan for vaccinations to be carried out seven days a week, 8am-8pm, including bank holidays.

“This is a huge ask, but we would like volunteers to indicate if they would be willing to help in some capacity.”

The 250-acre showground has ample car parking and is used to staging large events, most notably the three-day Great Yorkshire Show, which was cancelled this year.

But nothing in the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s 183-year history compares with the task in hand.

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The GPs’ post today said it required 18 volunteers a day. Morning sessions will start with an 8am briefing and the first jabs will be given at 8.30am.

Morning sessions will end at 1.15pm and afternoon vaccinations will take place from 2.30pm to 6.15pm.

The GPs’ post said:

“Unfortunately we aren’t able to offer vaccinations to volunteers at this stage as we have to prioritise certain patient groups.

“Next week is the first stage of the vaccination programme and we are going to need volunteers from the New Year onwards to fulfil the same types of roles for probably a number of months.”

Anyone interested in volunteering is invited to register their interest and complete the questionnaire here.

Teens arrested after another weekend of disturbances in Ripon

Police in Ripon have arrested two teenagers and said they will step-up patrols after another weekend of anti-social behaviour.

One teen has been charged with being drunk and disorderly; the other remains “under investigation”, the police said.

The force said Ripon suffered ‘several incidents of anti-social behaviour’ over the weekend, including teenagers throwing objects in the road and walking in front of cars.

A statement on Ripon City Police’s Facebook page said teenagers were not only committing anti-social behaviour but also ignoring covid warnings. The statement added:

“They do not register the risk and have stated it’s their choice.”

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The statement urged parents in Ripon to ask their children about their whereabouts last weekend. It added:

“We have increased officer presence and are proactively patrolling areas whilst responding to calls but we can’t be everywhere.

“Parents have the biggest role to ensure that children are not causing trouble, committing crimes, not distressing our community or putting themselves at risk.”

Last weekend’s incidents were the latest in a series of anti-social incidents.

On the previous weekend vandals smashed windows at Ripon’s town hall and cathedral office.

North Yorkshire Police declined to comment on those incidents when approached by the Stray Ferret last week.

Ripon nature reserve gets £132,000 government boost

The Lower Ure Conservation Trust has received a £132,800 government grant to enhance the wildlife of the Nosterfield Nature Reserve.

The 250-acre nature reserve at Nosterfield is in the Swale/Ure Washlands near to Ripon and Masham.

In a survey conducted two years ago more than 1,100 species of animals, birds, insects and plants were recorded on the former quarry in a single 24-hour period. The trust says this makes it one of the most wildlife-rich areas of the country.

Sand and gravel were produced from a former quarry until the late 1980s. It was designated a reserve in 2001.

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The money comes from the government’s £40m Green Recovery Challenge Fund, announced yesterday.

The LUCT’s director Simon Warwick said it will “significantly increase” the scale of the trust’s work and help protect the nature reserve’s wildlife.

Mr Warwick said:

“We know that many of the wetland habitats that existed in North Yorkshire two and three hundred years ago are now very rare. Many of the meadows and mires that existed in abundance have been obliterated.

“Land has been drained and dug up.  We are recreating some of those habits here at Nosterfield and this grant will help to significantly increase the scale of our work.”

Ripon town hall and cathedral office hit by vandalism

Vandals targetted Ripon town hall and the cathedral office as anti-social behaviour problems continue in the city.

Both buildings were hit on Tuesday night. Workers found smashed glass the next morning and informed the police.

The Stray Ferret approached North Yorkshire Police to see if they were investigating but the force communication’s department refused to comment.

Julia Barker, manager at the Ripon Cathedral office, said:

“We found the window broken on Wednesday morning. We didn’t see anything which could have been used to break them, just the glass.

“The building is part of the extension in the 1980s so we have not lost anything historic. It has happened a couple of times before but I have been here for seven years.”

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The police and councillors in Ripon recently joined forces to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Sergeant Clare Mayes, who is responsible for neighbourhood policing in Ripon presented a report on the issue to the council recently.

Covering the period from August 26 to November 22, her report showed that the city’s police, has been dealing with ‘hotspots’ for anti-social behaviour.

These include Market Square, the old college site and parts of the Moorside ward.

She said:

“We wrote letters to parents warning that action would be taken if their children became involved. This approach appears to have done the trick.”

Do you live in Ripon and witness repeated anti-social behaviour? If so get in touch on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Former Wrens retailers relocate to new Ripon base

It’s business as usual for two independent retailers, following the closure of Wrens department store in Ripon.

Mike and Liz Cooper and Hedley Hall have made the short journey from Fishergate to Queen Street, after Wrens’ owner Mark Butler helped them find new premises.

Mike and Liz sell jewellery, watches, fine porcelain and furniture at their Red Buttons business; Hedley specialises in antiques, collectables and vintage models.

They had traded together at Wrens for seven years.

Photograph of Mike and Liz Cooper

Mike and Liz Cooper at the newly-opened shop premises they share with Hedley Hall

With some swift action and negotiation with the landlord, the two businesses were able to make their move.

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They look forward to successful trading in the crucial Christmas period and beyond.

Mike told the Stray Ferret:

“Liz and I have always got on very well with Hedley and it’s great that we are still working together.

“Mark was very helpful in letting us know about the vacant shop and putting us in touch with the landlord.”

Among its services, Red Buttons transforms jewellery into custom-crafted pieces.

Mike, who learnt his skills during 30 years at Goldsmiths jewellers, following 12 years in the Royal Navy, said:

“Our business at Wrens just grew and grew, alongside a good mixture of other independent retailers.”

Liz, added:

“It was a real shame when Mark reached the point where he could no longer make it work after two periods of lockdown. We thank him for what he has done for us.”

Hedley expressed similar sentiments:

“Mark is an absolute gentleman and has played a major role in helping numerous small businesses in Ripon – my own included.

“It is important for Ripon to have vibrant, independent shops and other businesses, which add to the attraction of the city for residents and visitors alike.

“We all have a part to play in its success as a retail destination.”

£85,000 project to create a masterplan for Ripon’s future

Consultants are to be paid £85,000 to devise an “inspiring and innovative” vision for regenerating Ripon.

Harrogate Borough Council has advertised a 12-month contract to draw up a masterplan for the city.

The scheme, called the Ripon Renewal Project, will provide a framework for future development that also considers current initiatives, such as the regeneration of the former Ripon barracks.

Applicants have until December 22 to apply. Work is due to start on January 10 and last all of next year.

Whoever is appointed will be tasked with setting out “clear and robust” delivery timescales, funding options and a business case for the council to use to bid for money for projects.

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The contract brief says:

“The aim of this project is to maximise the opportunities within Ripon which will regenerate the city and boost the local economy.”

A computer generated image of the proposed Ripon Barracks site

A computer generated image of the proposed redevelopment of Ripon barracks.

The brief says the council will use its own funds as well as funding from York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and North Yorkshire County Council for the initiative.

Ripon has a population of about 16,000 people.

Plans for the 1,300-home re-development of the former Ripon barracks were submitted in September.

The development is a joint project between public bodies Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is part of the Ministry of Defence.

The planned homes will include a significant number of two and three-bedroom mid-range houses plus apartments.

The project also includes a community centre, employment space, shops, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.

Residents have raised concerns about issues such as transport and health.