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.

 

Lightwater Valley fined £330,000 after boy thrown off Twister ride

The company that owns Ripon theme park Lightwater Valley has been fined £330,000 after a child was thrown off its Twister ride and suffered “life-changing” head injuries.

Lightwater Valley Attractions Ltd received the fine at York Magistrates Court for the incident on May 30 last year.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive, which regulates workplace health and safety, found that although the theme park’s Twister procedures said those between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres tall must wear seat belts, several children under 1.5 metres were not wearing seat belts on this ride. CCTV footage and statements by members of the public backed up this claim.

Many belts were found not to be functioning correctly. On several occasions, the final position of the lap bar restraint allowed significant gaps to remain in the containment and did not fully contain smaller passengers.

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Lightwater Valley Attractions Ltd, which is registered in Sherborne, Dorset pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £333,344 and ordered to pay costs of £16,183.

Speaking after Friday’s hearing,, HSE inspector Andrea Jones said:

“A child suffered life-changing head injuries at Lightwater Valley theme park.

“Our investigation found that the theme park did not implement suitable operating procedures and monitoring of ride operators in relation to the ride restraints.

“This was an entirely avoidable incident. Several children were put at risk and Lightwater Valley has now been held to account for their failings.”

The child’s mother spoke of how “the little boy I took to Lightwater Valley that day is not the same boy that woke up after the surgery. I still grieve for my little boy”.

‘Considering the fine’

Lightwater Valley said in a statement:

“We have from the outset accepted full responsibility for this accident and our sincere and heartfelt apologies go out to the young boy, his family and his friends.

“We have co-operated fully throughout the HSE’s investigation and are carefully considering the fine imposed by the court.

“Since the incident we have been providing support and assistance to the family and will continue to do so.

“The health and safety of visitors to our park remains our top priority and we are determined that an incident such as this will never happen again. We have undertaken a full review of our health and safety systems and procedures following the accident.”

The great house near Ripon that inspired Jane Eyre

Four miles north of Ripon is a house that inspired one of the greatest novels in English history.

Charlotte Bronte stayed at Norton Conyers in 1839 and heard the legend of a mad woman who was confined to the attic in the previous century. Thus was born the idea of Mrs Rochester and Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre.

A secret staircase, found when floorboards were lifted in 2004, attracted international attention because it matched the novel’s description of a hidden flight of stairs from near Mr Rochester’s bedroom to his wife’s attic prison.

There is, however, so much more to Norton Conyers than Jane Eyre, even though it is perhaps less well known than other nearby great houses, such as Newby and Beningbrough.

Charles I and James II both stayed at the grade two late medieval house, which has been in the Graham family since 1624. It usually opens to the public 28 days a year although covid prevented this in 2020.

Sir James Graham and Lady Halina in front of the clock tower.

Sir James Graham, the 11th baronet, and his wife Lady Halina have occupied the family seat since 1982 and clearly adore it but the effort of maintaining such a large, historic site is considerable. Deathwatch beetle has been a particular menace.

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The couple are now trying to raise £260,000 to renovate the beautiful clock tower, which is leaning and in danger of collapse. Swarms of wild bees got into the wood and caused it to rot.

The sum would also go towards repairing the roof above the adjacent 17th century stables, Smithy, laundry and bakery. Lady Halina says:

“We’ve received a £60,000 grant from the Country Houses Foundation. We don’t know where the other £200,000 will come from.”

The secret staircase that was discovered at Norton Conyers in 2004.

The clock tower bell dates back to 1724 but hasn’t sounded since 1986, when the clock last worked.

Clock experts Smith of Derby have been hired to get the clock and bell working for the first time in almost 35 years.

Visitors regularly talk of Norton Conyers’ special atmosphere. Archaeologists have been working there for more than 25 years and new discoveries are constantly being made: just six weeks ago restoration work on an ancient door discovered symbols designed to ward off evil spirits.

Lady Halina says:

“There is so much more to the house than Jane Eyre. But it is a lot of work. The house is our blessing and our curse!”

The four poster bed that James II stayed in.

Calendar’s Christine Talbot opens new Martin House store in Ripon

ITV Calendar’s Christine Talbot has officially opened the new Martin House store in Ripon.

It’s the thirteenth shop for the charity in the region and was due to open in November. The charity’s shops, along with its furniture showroom, raise around £1.2 million each year to support the charity.

Martin House in Wetherby cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions from across West, North and East Yorkshire, providing respite care, emergency care, end of life care and bereavement support.

Christine, who is an ambassador for Martin House, said:

“I’m very proud to support Martin House, and I’m thrilled to be able to open this lovely new shop, which will help to raise money for an amazing local charity.”

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Stephanie Rimmington, head of retail at Martin House, said:

“We’re delighted to open this new shop in Ripon. There have been some real challenges to overcome as a result of the pandemic, but we’re looking forward to welcoming new customers, and becoming part of the Ripon community.

The pandemic has had a huge impact on our ability raise money, which makes it all the more important for our shops to do well, so we hope the people of Ripon will support us.”

Harrogate district restaurants tables filling up fast

Restaurants in the Harrogate district have seen their tables fill up fast as the national lockdown comes to an end.

Eateries will be able to open their doors for the first time tomorrow after a month under the new tier two rules.

With strict rules forbidding Christmas parties and household mixing they do not expect to see anywhere near the same takings as in the summer.

However, many are already seeing the results of pent up demand of a month.

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John Roberts, the owner of The Tannin Level in Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret that the phones started ringing as soon as the area made it into tier two:

“We are filling up fairly quickly now which is great. The weekends are looking very busy already over the next three weeks.

“It will be interesting to see how the weekdays in December, which are normally occupied by Christmas parties, will perform.”

Vivien Kovacs, one of the owners at Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria in Knaresborough, added:

“The business has been fine over lockdown because we have done takeaways. We are now preparing to open tomorrow.

“We will not be able to serve the same numbers of people because of the stricter rules but we are hoping for a good December.”

Rick Jones, who is one of the owners of Valentino’s and the Water Rat, also told the Stray Ferret:

“It looks like this first week back will be a busy one, it’s already looking quite full. The restrictions will limit the number of people we can serve.

“We will not see similar takings over December compared to previous years but we are just happy to see people and to cook.”

North Yorkshire will come out of lockdown just after midnight tonight. Here is a breakdown of the new rules.

The new tier two restrictions gives hope for the restaurants and hotels but wet-led pubs that cannot serve a “substantial meal” will need to stay closed.

‘Time to hand Harrogate Nightingale back to council’

One of the Harrogate district’s most senior politicians has said the time has come to accept the Harrogate Nightingale hospital will never be used for covid and handed back.

Lord Newby, the Liberal Democrats leader in the House of Lords, said the NHS should let Harrogate District Council take back control of the building.

Lord Newby spoke to the Stray Ferret after receiving what he described as “non answers” to a series of questions he submitted to the government about staffing and bed capacity at the Nightingales in Harrogate, Sunderland and Manchester.

He asked how many nurses were required and was told by the Conservative peer Lord Bethell that “each Nightingale team has been developing a clinical model that can be scaled up as and when additional capacity is required in the region”.

Lord Newby said last month he doubted the Harrogate Nightingale had the staff to fully open and has now said:

“The only conclusions which one can draw are that the NHS has no firm plans to staff up the Harrogate Nightingale.

“If it were ever to be used for covid patients, it would obviously have to be staffed by existing staff now working in regional hospitals – all of which are already stretched – and cannot easily release doctors and nurses..

“I do not therefore believe that the facility in Harrogate will ever be used for covid and that the government should now accept this reality and hand the site back to the council.”

‘Flawed concept’

The government has described the Nightingales as “insurance policies”. But with the peak of the second wave of the pandemic believed to have passed, and a vaccine on its way, the chances of them being used have receded.

Lord Newby said the concept of using the Nightingale was “flawed from the start”. He added:

“The government should instead have looked at ways in which it could have freed up facilities in existing NHS facilities to allow for greater intake of covid patients, if this had been required.”

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The Stray Ferret has requested interviews with the NHS about the Harrogate Nightingale, which was set up to treat covid patients in Yorkshire and the Humber, on numerous occasions but so far has not received one.

A spokesperson for the hospital said in a statement:

“The NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and the Humber is getting ready to care for patients should it be needed and has been operating a clinical imaging service since June to support local trusts in delivering diagnostic and surveillance CT scans, with more than 3,000 patients having now been seen at the clinic.”

Lord Newby replied:

“‘Getting ready’ is very different from ‘being ready’. The fact they’ve got a scanner there is irrelevant. The are plenty of other sites in Yorkshire where they could have put this.”

Ripon man tried to save kittens thrown from moving car

A Ripon man who tried to save kittens thrown from a moving car has spoken of the moment one of them died in his hands.

The council worker, who does not want to be named, was driving a recycling van at 2pm between Water Skellgate and Bondgate Green last Thursday.

He saw something in the road and then later saw, a couple of cars in front, a person on the driver’s side of a brown or gold car throw a kitten in the air.

Susan Lund, the man’s wife, recalled the moment to the Stray Ferret:

“He stopped the van and picked up the little kitten. It was still breathing but it soon died in his hands.

“The kitten’s face was all smashed in from the impact. My husband was very upset by all of this.

“I think it is beyong shocking and absolutely abhorrent. They were just tiny babies. The person who did this was evil.”

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The couple believe that they were just six to eight weeks old and were tabby type kittens.

Animal rights group PETA has heard about the incident and offered a £2,000 reward to find those responsible.

Elisa Allen, PETA director, said:

“A person capable of deliberately causing a helpless animal this kind of suffering demonstrates a deeply worrying psychological state and must be found.

“Someone in the area must have seen something or know something about the cruel individual(s) who committed this callous act.”

Anyone who saw the incident have been urged to call the police on 101 and quote reference number 12200204632.