New drama school opens in Ripon this weekend

A new drama school for children will open in Ripon this weekend.

Ripon Theatre Arts has been created by Rosie Riley, an actor and graduate of the London musical theatre school, The MTA.

The school, which is for children aged six to 12, will will take place in Ripon Amateur Operatic Society’s hall on Allhallowgate on Saturdays.

Ms Riley said recent months had been “difficult” for young people and hoped her classes would help them build confidence, have fun and make friends. She added:

“We have strictly followed the government guidelines for this. However, I believe it’s really important to help the next generation get back on their feet. It’s been so difficult for all the young people being in lockdown and if we can help with any personal development, I think we have done our job of helping them get back on track with their life.

“I have been itching for a challenging project to get my teeth into and when schools were able to open, we jumped at the opportunity. We were also aware, due to another school closing, that a lot of children now had no Saturday club. I didn’t want this to happen, so here we are!”

Rosie Riley

Ms Riley, pictured here, said the time is right to open the school.

Ms Riley has over three years of teaching experience and has also performed in several off-West End theatres, as well as appearing in the Channel 4 show The Last Leg.

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Children will have to queue to maintain social distancing when they enter the building and wear face coverings while performing. Each child will be given a 2m square space to use.

To get in touch with Ms Riley, email ripontheatrearts@hotmail.com.

Plans for 13 homes at former Ripon timber yard

Red Tree Developments has submitted plans to demolish buildings at the site of the former NY Timber yard in Ripon and build 13 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 The Federation of Holy Trinity Church of England Junior School and St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, from Cairngorm Capital for an undisclosed sum this year.

It has now applied to build three two-bedroom homes and 10 three-bedroom homes, which it said would alleviate demand for these types of properties in the city.

Jessica Coombes, associate director at Manchester property specialists CBRE, which negotiated the sale for Cairngorm Capital, said:

“The site is within walking distance of Ripon town centre with its wealth of services and amenities, including doctor and dental surgeries and the Duck Hill shopping quarter.

“With excellent schools nearby, including Ripon Grammar and the Holy Trinity junior school and a close-knit community feel, it is ideally placed for residential use.”

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Red Tree’s planning application is one of the first proposed housing developments in the district to qualify for Harrogate Borough Council’s new Community Infrastructure Levy.

The council introduced the levy to complement Section 106 agreements, which are agreed between the authority and developers to pay for infrastructure that might be affected by new developments, such as roads and schools.

Six workers rescued from Ripon takeaway

Six workers have been rescued from a takeaway in Ripon after residents raised concerns about their living and working conditions.

Representatives from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, Harrogate Borough Council, the police, fire service and Immigration Enforcement, a division of the Home Office, swooped on the takeaway, which has not been named, on Wednesday last week.

The six people safeguarded during the visit have been placed in temporary accommodation.

Officers noted several possible indicators of labour abuse but could not find any signs of modern slavery offences, according to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority,

The council and the fire service will now investigate a number of housing and fire safety issues at the property.

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The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority works in partnership with other agencies to investigate labour exploitation.

Contact Crimestoppers anonymously if you suspect someone is being exploited for labour on 0800 555111.

Ripon community groups speak out against school demolition

Local groups have come out in opposition to Persimmon Homes’ proposed plan to demolish the former site of Ripon Cathedral Choir School.

Ripon Civic Society, which is dedicated to protecting the city’s historic buildings, has written to Harrogate Borough Council asking it to refuse the application.

It argues if one historic building can be demolished, it will set a precedent for others in the city.

Christopher Hughes, chairman of Ripon Civic Society, is strongly opposed to the housing developer’s plans:

“If the application to demolish were to be permitted, it opens the door for the cynical neglect of other important buildings in Ripon, not least the former Girls’ High School. The society urges the local planning authority to refuse this application at the earliest opportunity.”

The Rotary Club in Ripon has also come out against the plans. Bill Swaney told the Stray Ferret that the council should require an independent survey of the building before making any decision on its future.

Persimmon Homes submitted plans earlier this month to demolish the former site of Ripon Cathedral Choir School and replace in a “like for like” manner.

The building would then be used to house 12 apartments. It is part of a wider plan to build 105 homes in the vicinity.

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Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission to redevelop the site in February 2019. The council’s deadline for comments on the revised application is September 21.

The building was originally constructed as a late 19th century grandstand. It was converted in the early 20th century into two semi-detached dwellings, then extended for use as a school.

Ripon Cathedral Choir School began using the site in 1960 until it closed in 2012. It had planned to merge with a local preparatory school but this fell through.

Persimmon Homes submits plans to demolish Ripon Cathedral Choir School

Persimmon Homes has submitted plans to demolish the former site of Ripon Cathedral Choir School and build 12 apartments.

The housebuilding company originally received permission to convert the building on Whitcliffe Lane into flats and build 105 more homes in the vicinity.

But it now claims the historic building, which was home to Ripon Cathedral Choir School until 2012, is not “structurally sound” and should be rebuilt in a “like for like” manner.

A Persimmon report found significant fire damage, cracks in supporting walls and decay in the roof structure. The company said its original plans to convert the building would therefore put its workforce and future home-buyers at risk.

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Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission to redevelop the site in February 2019. The council’s deadline for comments on the revised application is September 21.

The building was originally constructed as a late 19th Century grandstand. It was converted in the early 20th century into two semi-detached dwellings, then extended for use as a school.

Ripon Cathedral Choir School began using the site in 1960 until it closed in 2012. It had planned to merge with a local preparatory school but this fell through.

Its closure left Ripon Cathedral choir without a dedicated space to rehearse. The choir now rehearses in a former burial vault but the £6 million extension of the cathedral is intended to provide it with a new home.

Plans submitted for 1,300 homes at Ripon Barracks

Homes England has pushed forward with its plan for a 1,300 home development at Ripon Barracks.

Harrogate Borough Council has now validated a planning application for the site. It is a move the developers see as a “major step forward” towards construction.

The Clotherholme development will encompass Claro Barracks, Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks. Homes England is working with Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) on the project.

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

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

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Residents in Ripon are particularly interested in the proposed infrastructure which would come with a development of this size. Ripon City Council has already said the transport assessment was “flawed” because it was undertaken during a period when there was less traffic – something Homes England disputed.

Homes England expects Harrrogate Borough Council to make a decision on the planning permission in early 2021. Comments can be made on the Harrogate Borough Council planning website until October 7, using reference 20/02973/EIAMAJ.

Marie Kiddell, head of planning and enabling at Homes England, said:

“The validation of this planning application is a major step towards creating Clotherholme and helping meet local housing needs; 30% of the homes will be affordable alongside those for sale on the open market.”

Catherine Davies, head of estates at DIO, said:

“This proposed development supports the MOD’s ongoing commitment to invest in a more fit for purpose Defence estate. We look forward to seeing it progress further in the coming weeks and months.”

Harrogate district gets £2m discount with Eat Out to Help Out

Diners in the Harrogate district who took part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme got a discount of more than £1.9 million in August.

New figures out today from HM Treasury also revealed that people in the Harrogate and Knaresborough and Skipton and Ripon constituencies ate 314,000 meals in the scheme.

The scheme was designed to help the struggling hospitality sector get back on its feet. The Stray Ferret reported that many cafes and restaurants saw a big spike in interest last month.

Some restaurants were fully booked and were forced to turn some diners away who were trying to take advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out discount.

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In Harrogate and Knaresborough 153 restaurants signed up compared with 205 restaurants in Skipton and Ripon.

Some restaurants across the Harrogate district have seen such a boost that they have extended the discount without any government backing to fund it.

Lydia Hewitt-Craft, supervisor at So! Bar and eats Harrogate, said:

“It’s been massively helpful and it’s a relief because it was hard at the start when everyone was worried about coming out but this has been great for us.”

Nertil Xhallo, manager at Sarando on Station Bridge, said:

“It has been really busy, we’ve had a lot of bookings. Most people have returned which is good. The offer has been helpful for the business.”

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of Harrogate BID and owner of two Harrogate restaurants, said:

“I think it’s been a massive help, everyone I have spoken to says it’s been worth doing. I think with the uncertainty going forward its given all those places a boost.”

District’s house building sites hotspots for burglaries

North Yorkshire Police is urging for vigilance following an increase in burglaries on new home development sites across the district.

During the past 24 hours, two incidents have been reported. One at a new site one in Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, and the second in Penny Pot Gardens in Harrogate.

Boilers are the main item to be stolen. The perpetrators are cutting the gas and water pipes before removing the boilers, meaning some of the homes are left flooded.

Other targeted locations in the district include Knaresborough and Ripon. Furnishings valued at £70,000 were stolen from two show houses at a site in Knaresborough. In Ripon, a dumper truck was stolen from a site in the nearby village of Markington.

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The police are asking local residents to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity.

It has also asked if any CCTV overlooking any of the targeted sites is checked for activity such as large vans driving around the sites.

Information can be reported using the 101 number, dial 1 and pass the information onto the Force Control Room.

The Old Deanery set to close in major blow for Ripon

The Old Deanery in Ripon will close next year to become another financial victim of the coronavirus pandemic.

It has been a hotel, bar and wedding venue for the last 17 years just opposite Ripon Cathedral. The manager said it will close at the end of the lease on June 30 2021.

Any bookings before that point will not be affected by the closure. The Old Deanery made the announcement with “deep regret”.

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Chris Brown, general manager at The Old Deanery, said:

“Due to the extreme trading conditions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and continued restrictions indefinitely affecting our wedding and event trade, the directors have made the difficult decision to cease trading.”

The Ripon Cathedral Chapter will once again take on the 17th Century Grade II listed building when the lease ends next year.

Mr Brown added that his team “would like to thank you all for your support over the years and look forward to seeing you again in the next ten months”.

When The Old Deanery made the announcement lots of customers commented that it was sad news and shared memories of their time there.

Ripon’s Himalayan Gardens seeks 40 volunteers

The Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park near Ripon is recruiting 40 new volunteer rangers.

The site has been growing in size in recent years. The gardens are now set over 45 acres and it is becoming increasingly difficult to look after the space.

To try and combat that, the gardens has launched a Natural Health Service volunteer drive and it’s not just for gardeners.

They hope that it will help those who have been made redundant as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Stephen Ward, the new head gardener, used his personal experience of redundancies to shape the initiative. He said:

“The trials and tribulations I have been through are what thousands of people are going through at this time. I want to help those people by providing a place for them to come to that will help them to move on to something better.”

The coronavirus pandemic has been difficult for the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park. They missed out on their peak season. As a result, they are looking at ways they can keep the revenue coming in during the winter months.

Part of the plans include Christmas bundles, heading out to Christmas markets with their products and even taking their converted horse box cafe to events. The gardens will close as usual in November so these could make a big difference.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park near Ripon can find out more on their website. Mr Ward has said he will take people for a site visit and chat with them about their skills.

The garden’s believe they have the north’s largest collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, and magnolias with nearly 20,000 plants

Winner of Yorkshire in Bloom Tourist Attraction Award for 2018 and 2019, and Best Business Award 2019, the park is also home to over 80 Contemporary Sculptures.