Ripon Spa Hotel will close its doors for good after its owners failed to find a buyer, having put it on the market a year ago for £1.75 million.

The owners say they will continue to try to sell the hotel at a reduced price of £1.5 million but have declined to speculate on the future of the site.

It is Ripon’s largest hotel with 40 bedrooms and its closure is the first major coronavirus casualty for the city.

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The hotel’s owners told the 30 staff who were still working there that they will be made redundant.

A spokesperson for Ripon Spa Hotel told The Stray Ferret:

“It is with regret that we have to close and it is with sadness that we need to make redundancies. We cannot speculate on the future of the hotel.”

Ripon Spa Hotel has been privately owned by the same family for more than a century. When they put the hotel up for sale last year, it was the first time the property had been on the market in 115 years.

The hotel not only offered places to stay but it was also available for wedding parties, conferences, charity events, and sporting holidays.

It is likely that the lack of a buyer for the hotel over the past year will lead to speculation about its future and a potential change of use.

Police are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault in Ripon which left a man with a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and loss of hearing.

The 21-year-old victim was attacked outside Gianni’s Pizzeria in Westgate between 1am and 1.25am on Saturday, July 11.

Police are keen to speak to a group of three men and a woman who, after the assault, were seen getting into a dark-coloured hatchback car. One of the men is believed to have been wearing a grey Armani jumper.

Anyone with information about the group, or the assault, should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for Lynn Maguire, or email lynn.maguire@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively, to report information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200117545.

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The UK’s largest housebuilder, Barratt Homes, has pulled out of a 390-home development in Littlethorpe, Ripon.

The housebuilder had signed a deal with land promoter Gladman to build on the land at West Lane but Barratt’s withdrawal means Gladman is looking for a new developer to take on the project.

Barratt Homes told The Stray Ferret that the decision was not related to the lockdown but in a year-end trading update last week, the company announced its revenue has fallen by 30% due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2018, Harrogate Borough Council granted permission on appeal for 390 homes at Littlethorpe race track after previously it was rejected in 2017 for being a “substantial intrusion into the open countryside” and its impact on nearby Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey.

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In June 2020, a scoping document was sent on behalf of Barratt Homes to bring the development up to 470 homes, which has now been withdrawn.

The site forms part of Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan and outline planning permission for 390 remains.

Barratt Homes said it remains “committed” to the Harrogate District.

Liam Tate, planning manager at Barratt Developments Yorkshire East told The Stray Ferret:

“Barratt Developments is no longer pursuing the application in Littlethorpe. We are committed to providing high-quality new homes and investing in local communities across the region, as demonstrated at our Kingsley Meadows development in Starbeck.”

On a rainy Wednesday morning, there was more of a trickle than a flood of customers for the 8am opening of the new M&S Food store in Ripon.

Store manager Paul Nicoll told The Stray Ferret:

“Because of COVID-19  and the requirements for social distancing, we decided on a ‘soft’ opening to ensure the safety of customers and staff.”

He added:

“That’s why we didn’t make a big thing about publicising our first day opening time.”

The new store opened today with staff eager to serve their new customers.

The store, which is the first to open on the St  Michael’s Retail Park on Rotary Way, Ripon, was scheduled to start trading on April 29, but the planned opening was put on hold because of the coronavirus crisis.

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Even with the government relaxing social distancing from two metres to one, the need for caution was evident in store, with hand sanitiser, a one way in and one way out system for customers and staff wearing masks.

The first shopper through the doors was Janis Stone of Bishop Monkton, who said:

“I’m delighted that M&S are back in Ripon, I used to go to the small store they had in the city centre until it closed.”

She added:

“I think they will do very well here.”

Homes England has published updated plans online for the 1,300 home development at Ripon Barracks, after concerns were raised from Ripon residents about transparency during lockdown.

The development, which encompasses Claro Barracks, Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks is being developed by the government’s housing agency, Homes England, and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

There are 1,300 homes mooted and it’s designated within Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

The development will be called Clotherholmes and the new plans include a community centre, employment space, shops, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.

Homes England had been accused of “a lack of transparency” around the plans due to lockdown, with local resident Barbara Brodigen telling The Stray Ferret that local residents have failed to have their voices heard.

Whole process online

Homes England said they initially wanted to publish the proposals online and to display them at a public event. However, due to the restrictions in place as a result of Covid-19, they have instead put the whole process online which includes information boards, an FAQ document and a pre-recorded presentation from the project team.

Ripon councillor Mike Chambers told the Stray Ferret he welcomed the plan but said its “achilles heel” is its lack of transport provision.

He said:

“I’m very concerned about displaced traffic and rat runs. I’m continuing to press to ensure we have the best possible traffic plan going forward so residents can live their lives as they want.”

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People can submit questions about the development until July 26. Responses will then be added to the FAQ document and uploaded to the project website.

A planning application is due to be submitted to Harrogate Borough Council later this summer.

Martin Wilks, Ripon Barracks project manager at Homes England, said:

“After being impressed with the level of interest shown in our proposals last autumn, we provided local groups with further opportunities to comment on our proposals – we paused, listened, and refined our proposals.

“We now feel confident that our updated plans meet the needs of Ripon’s community, both present and future, as well as providing a number of additional benefits that will allow community spirit to be placed at the heart of the development of Clotherholme.

“These include greater access to green space through the establishment of parkland in Laver Banks, more diverse employment opportunities through the provision of flexible workspaces, and a range of facilities such as allotments, sports pitches and mixed-use community spaces.”

Meanwhile, Julian Smith MP has published a response from Homes England on his website, dated July 9, after he raised concerns from residents in a letter last month.

Market traders in Ripon and Knaresborough who were hoping for financial help from Harrogate Borough Council, face a rent increase of more than 25% this summer.

Before the coronavirus crisis hit the economy of the Harrogate district, the council had agreed its budget for 2020-2021, which included a rent rise for stall holders, which should have come into effect on April 1st – but was put on hold.

The council’s market rates for Ripon and Knaresborough as published on its website, show that from July, the summer rental for regular traders will rise from £19.50 to £24.50 and the winter rate increase from £16.40 to £21.40. This additional £5 is to cover the setting up of the stalls by the council, and will be charged per stall rather than per market trader.

Dave Tomlinson, trades on Knaresborough market and said:

“Its quite depressing really, all the other markets seem to be helping us apart from HBC. It’s pretty appalling and the morale is way down. The council are very shortsighted because if they continue to put the rent up they will lose traders. I know for a fact we’d lose two traders and maybe even two more and thats a lot of money to lose.”

At Wednesday’s full council meeting, Councillor Andrew Paraskos, cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, whose portfolio covers the markets in the Harrogate district, said that rates would be held at the 2019-2020 level “until the end of July”.

Knaresborough Market, bouncing back quicker than Ripon

The Stray Ferret asked the council when the new rates will come into effect, but was still awaiting clarification at the time of publication.

On Wednesday, Cllr Paraskos pointed out that a number of measures have been put in place by the council to both support market traders and promote the markets, including waiving of fees for traders unable to attend because of government restrictions and promotion of market days on social media.

He added:

“There has been a rumour going around that Harrogate Borough Council is wanting to get rid of the markets. This is not true.”

The Ripon stallholders representative, Brian Murphy, said:

“After the financial struggle many have experienced, including those non-food traders who didn’t earn a penny for 11 weeks of lockdown, any rent increase will feel like a kick in the teeth.”

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The discussion on market rents was prompted by Ripon Independent Councillor Pauline McHardy, who submitted a written question calling on the council to follow the lead of neighbouring local authorities. Other local authorities had given rent holidays reductions to help traders post lockdown.

As well as asking for stall holders to be provided with rent-free periods or reductions for a given time, Cllr McHardy, said:

“I hope that the council is not planning rent increases this year or next.”

Cllr McHardy has invited Cllr Paraskos and Cllr Graham Swift, the council’s cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, to visit Ripon Market with her and speak with traders.

A Yorkshire-wide community fund set up by an estate agent has helped local organisations buy equipment that their budgets don’t cover.

Linley and Simpson has made £30,000 available to local schools, sports clubs and community clubs.

The 6th Ripon Cathedral Scout group were given £250 through the scheme, it helped them to buy equipment for their water activities.

Group Scout leader, Ian Bardon said:

“We used the funds to buy a stand-up paddle board as our scouts love water activities. It’ll be very beneficial as we can use it on future camps, it’s a bonus to us from the pandemic as funds are tight. Depending on when we can return we’ll be using it as soon as possible and the young people love it, it’ll definitely get some good use.”

The nursery at Bishop Monkton Primary School will use the funds to develop their outside area with more facilities for the children.

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Bishop Monkton Primary School also applied for the fund and received £500 to put towards outdoor equipment. Headteacher Sally Cowling said:

“We applied for extra funding as school budgets are extremely tight. Budgets have to be managed carefully and can usually cover the essentials but do not stretch to ‘the extras’. As our nursery has expanded some of the school field has now been allocated for their use.  Nursery staff are keen to develop this area by putting a climbing frame, swings and slide on it and making it safe for the younger children.”

Will Linley, Chief Executive of Linley & Simpson added:

“We pride ourselves on playing an integral part in our local communities and this initiative is all about helping a range of good causes where support such as this can make a big difference. We are encouraging local businesses and community groups to continue applying for the grant so that we can help them to get back on track.”

Residents and staff at a care home in Ripon have been praised by the mayor of Harrogate for their response to coronavirus.

Borrage House was visited on Friday by the mayor and mayoress of Harrogate, Cllr Stuart Martin and his wife April, to say well done on having no cases of covid-19 so far.

Cllr Martin told the Stray Ferret it was “a real privilege” to visit a care home in Ripon that had such a good record in keeping residents safe.

Borrage House manager Sarah Aitken thanked residents and staff for their perseverance during these difficult times.

Sarah told the Stray Ferret:

“Without wanting to jinx it, we’ve had no cases of covid-19 or any suspected cases. When everyone feels like the world’s ending in care homes it’s nice to have a bit of good news.”

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Residents were also given a boost earlier this week when opera singer Katherine Jenkins performed a live stream direct to four care homes across the UK, including Borrage House.

Sarah said song and music have been key to keeping residents upbeat and occupied.

Agnes, a resident at the care home who will soon be 100, loves Katherine Jenkins and the performance brought back happy memories.

Sarah said:

“Katherine sang ‘We’ll meet again’. That has a lot of memories for Agnes. She met her husband during the war when she was working at a munitions factory.”

Although the country is opening up, care homes are still vulnerable. Sarah said the 40 residents at Borrage House have embraced technology to keep in touch with family members, even though it might be confusing for some because they are used to having regular in-person visits.

She said:

“We have to support them and that’s up to us to keep things positive and happy. They are aware, we’re not hiding anything from them.

“We’ve got laptops, families have been doing FaceTime. That’s been fabulous. They’ve been brilliant. They’ve adapted brilliantly to it and understand that this is the way it is for now.”

A persistent breeze whipping its way around the western entrance of Ripon Cathedral on Saturday evening, could not extinguish the new light of hope being carried into this ancient place of worship.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt. Rev. Nick Baines (pictured right) in a ceremony designed for the whole of the diocese, marked the return of public prayer to churches. Only private prayer has recently been allowed in buildings which were shut for weeks because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Easter candle was lit from a brazier of burning twigs, before it was carried into the cathedral by Canon Michael Gisborne.

The Bishop, said:

“May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.”

The lockdown that forced the closure of churches and places of worship of all religions across the UK, meant that the Paschal candle could not be lit in the cathedral on Easter Sunday.

Its use in the ceremony added to the symbolism of the event, which was followed by a service attended by dozens of parishioners and guests – all of whom were asked to sanitise their hands, give name and contact details to assist the NHS Test and Trace programme and observe social distancing.

The cathedral opened for private prayer on June 15 and since then has seen a steady flow of people across its threshold, coming to pray, light candles and speak with its priests.

Ripon Cathedral now open for public prayer

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The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, said:

“We are encouraged by the positive response to our opening for private prayer; notwithstanding all the necessary demands to ensure the public are kept as safe as possible, it is clearly the case that there is a significant need both amongst regular worshippers and the wider community to cross the thresholds of our churches and cathedrals both for private prayer and public worship.

“At Ripon Cathedral we are very keen to respond to the heightened awareness that many now have of God’s presence and activity in their lives.”

Some services and reflections will continue to be streamed on YouTube and these can all be accessed via the cathedral’s website.

On a normal Saturday, City Barbers in High Skellgate Ripon, would open at 9am – but this was no normal Saturday.

A queue of men of different ages, with different hair lines and lengths of hair, started to form from 6am and waited in orderly fashion for their turn in one of the two chairs.

Adam Blackburn, a customer of the shop for more than 15 years and with a full head of hair, told The Stray Ferret:

“I just couldn’t wait to get it cut, so got up early, but when I arrived here at 6.30, there were 17 people ahead of me!”

The queue stretched up High Skellgate and, at the time writing, up to 25 men were waiting for their first post-lockdown hair cut.

Desperate for a trim – it’s been 3 months since many had a trip to the barbers

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At the Fadezone Hair Studio on North Street, where three barbers were in operation from 9am, customers also waited patiently on the pavement, some reading newspapers as they awaited their first trim in more than three months.

At both shops and all other hairdressing businesses around the city, owners have put social distancing and hygiene arrangements in place, including the installation of perspex screens to protect customers and staff, along with the wearing of face shields and masks, use of hand and surface sanitisers and prominently displayed signage.