Struggling Ripon premium meat online retailer Farmison & Co is in negotiations with a potential buyer.

The firm, which employs 92 staff, is in advanced discussions with another online butcher, Tom Hixson of Smithfield.

A company called Tom Hixson Farmison was registered with Companies House this week. Thomas Hixson is listed as the sole director.

It is hoped the deal will be finalised next week and save jobs at one of Ripon’s biggest employers.

Farmison is based on Bondgate Green in Ripon

Last year Farmison founder John Pallagi sold the firm, whose customers include Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, to Scottish private investors Inverleith LLP.

Mr Pallagi remained as chief executive and a new three-year business plan was agreed.

But Mr Pallagi told the Stray Ferret today the plan had “faltered” and he hoped the situation would be resolved soon.

He has approached Ripon and Skipton Conservative MP Julian Smith and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for help after the company encountered “choppy waters” caused by issues such as war in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis and Brexit.

Mr Pallagi added:

“The most important thing now is protecting jobs and protecting the supply chain. I’m hoping a sale will support that.

“I’ve got people who have worked with me here for 11 years and we have gone from nothing to staying open during the pandemic and delivering seven days of the week.

“It’s unfortunate that we have got into this situation.”

Mr Pallagi said he was “not overly chuffed” at seeing the company he had built up face difficulties.

But he added he believed the Farmison model was the right one and the firm could have a strong future.

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Mr Pallagi co-founded Farmison to work with local farmers and encourage people to ‘eat better meat’.

Despite sales doubling to £12m in 2021, the company then made a loss of £2.6m and faces an uncertain future if a deal is not reached.

The Stray Ferret has approached Tom Hixson of Smithfield for comment.

A dental practice offering NHS care in Ripon is set to close in three months’ time.

Bupa’s practice on Finkle Street will shut its doors on June 30, with the national company citing a lack of dentists to provide care.

The Finkle Street branch has provided NHS and private dental care. The Bupa Clock Tower practice in North Parade is unaffected, as are Harrogate’s Raglan Suite and Bupa Dental Care in East Parade – but none of these is accepting new adult NHS patients.

Finkle Street is one of 85 across the country to be closed, sold or merged over the coming months. As well as problems with recruiting, Bupa said rising costs influenced its decision.

Bupa Dental Care general manager Mark Allen said:

“As a leading dental provider in the UK, our priority must be to enable patients to receive the care they need.

“For the majority of affected practices, this decision will allow commissioners to procure local providers for the NHS contract, tailoring services and investment to the needs of the local community, thereby providing a better opportunity for patients to continue access to NHS dental services.”

Bupa said it will hand back its dental contract in Ripon to the NHS, allowing commissioners to find a new provider for NHS dental services.

Read more:

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However, the issue of NHS provision has already raised concerns in the Harrogate district.

It was raised in the House of Commons last month when Daisy Cooper, MP for for St Albans, said only half of children in North Yorkshire had seen an NHS dentist last year.

Last month, the chairman of North Yorkshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee, Cllr Andrew Lee, said he had raised the issue of NHS dental access in the county with the government.

The NHS website does not list any practices in the Harrogate district as accepting new adult patients for NHS treatment. Only two – Bupa’s Clock Tower in Ripon and Boroughbridge Dental Centre – are shown as taking new patients aged under 18 on the NHS.

Previously known as Oasis Dental Care, the Finkle Street practice had five surgeries and employed six dentists, a hygienist, seven dental nurses, a practice manager and two receptionists when the Care Quality Commission last inspected in 2016.

Bupa has not confirmed how many jobs will be lost as a result of the closure, but said it would redeploy staff “where possible”.

Mr Allen added:

“We fully understand the impact today’s decision has on our patients and our people within these practices. This decision has not been taken lightly and closure is a last resort.

“Despite our continued efforts, the dental industry is facing a number of significant and systemic challenges that are placing additional pressure on providing patient care, in particular recruiting dentists to deliver NHS dental care.

“This decision enables us to focus our efforts on high-quality, continued sustainable care for patients across our wider portfolio.”

The Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall restaurant has retained its Michelin star.

The restaurant, based within the 17th century luxury hotel in Ripon, is headed by well-known chef Shaun Rankin.

It was awarded its first Michelin star in January 2021 after being open for just 18 months.

The restaurant is the only one in the district with a star in the latest ratings, which were published on Monday.

Mr Rankin is originally from Yorkshire and bases his menus on locally sourced ingredients. The kitchen uses ingredients found in its own garden or within a 30-mile radius

Following the announcement this week, Mr Rankin said:

“It’s absolutely fantastic to hear that we have retained our Michelin star for a third year running – the team and I could not be more proud. It’s an absolute pleasure to be able to work alongside such incredible local suppliers and I’m honoured to be able to use such a rich variety of their produce on our taste of home menu.

“Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall would not be what it is today without each and every guest that has dined with us over the years, so I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all those who have supported us over the years.”

Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall.

This isn’t the first Michelin star for Shaun Rankin. He opened his first restaurant, Bohemia, in Jersey in 2003 and it gained a Michelin star two years later.

He did it again in 2013 at his second restaurant, Ormer in Jersey which was awarded a Michelin star after only four months.

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Last weekend’s planned installation of the £300,000 temporary gym in the car park at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon did not go ahead.

As reported in the Stray Ferret, the installation was scheduled to take place between March 25 and 26, with the leisure centre and adjacent children’s playground shut during the operation.

However, a spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said this morning:

“Unfortunately, due to the predicted high winds, the installation was postponed until this weekend.”

The spokesperson added the leisure centre and playground is now due to close at 6pm on Saturday (April 1) until Monday morning (April 3) to ensure the gym can be put in place.

Its Installation will enable the closure of the existing gym on the upper floor of the 28-year-old leisure centre next to the new swimming pool that opened last March, paving the way for ground stabilisation works costing £3.5million to be carried out under the building.

A week ago the council, which runs the site through its leisure company Brimhams Active, said the temporary facility would open next month:

In its statement, the council added:

“The gym will include the high-quality, state-of-the-art Technogym equipment currently available in the existing leisure and wellness centre, as well as expert advice and guidance from the Brimhams Active team.

“Customers will still be able to use the changing and shower facilities in the new pool area – as well as the sauna and steam suite – as they will remain open as normal.

“Group exercise classes will also continue to be provided at Hugh Ripley Hall.”

The non-stop knitters of Ripon Community Poppy Project have transformed the city centre with their Easter displays.

Members of the project’s Knit and Natter Club and many more who work from home, have been creating the decorations since September and their meticulous handiwork can be seen around Market Square and other key locations.

The intricate displays, made up from 1,360 knitted eggs, more than 2,000 hand-crafted chain links and 53 woollen pictures featuring spring lambs, chicks, rabbits and flowers, have been fixed to railings, the Ripon Town Hall balcony and this post box (pictured above).

Hazel Barker, who co-founded the RCPP with former Ripon mayor Councillor Stuart Martin, told the Stray Ferret:

“Our knitters work all year round creating displays for annual events including Remembrance commemorations in November and Winter Wonderland at Christmas.”

Councillor Stuart Martin (right) putting a display in place with Carol Dunkley and Bob McLennan

She added:

“In 2022, we took on the mammoth task of creating miles of royal-themed banners and other decorations that were wrapped around the city’s streets to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

“Now we are busily adapting these as well as creating new displays to mark the coronation of King Charles III.”

Ms Barker added:

“The Ripon Community Poppy Project was launched in 2018 to create displays for the city to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and we haven’t stopped knitting ever since!”

The main pic shows an Easter display with (from left): Hazel Barker, Lyn Hart, Betty Hardisty, David Hardisty, Sandra Searle, Alwyn Hartley and Pat McLennan.

To celebrate Charles III’s coronation, the Stray Ferret and Ogden of Harrogate are holding a competition for children to design two crowns fit for the royal occasion.

The lucky winners will have their dazzling crowns displayed in Ogden of Harrogate’s shop window – showcased alongside Ogden’s very own Imperial State Crown.

We’re inviting school pupils of all ages to get creative. Two winners will be selected: one of primary school age and one of secondary school age.

We will be posting photos of entries regularly across on our social media channels during the competition – so, the more the merrier.

The Ogden Crown: 

Traditional luxury jeweller, Ogden of Harrogate, was founded in 1893 by James Ogden.

The company established its royal connections nearly a century ago, after Prince George, son of George V and Queen Mary, became a frequent customer of the St James’s store in London.

In celebration of George VI’s Coronation in 1937, Ogden of Harrogate’s team hand-crafted two replicas of the Imperial State Crown.

One of Ogden of Harrogate’s replica crowns.

The jewels on the crown mirror those in the Royal crown, including the Cullinan 2 diamond – a cut from the largest diamond ever discovered.

The Ogden crowns boast exact replicas of the diamonds, ruby’s, pearls, emeralds, and sapphires found in the Imperial State Crown.

Robert Ogden, director of Ogden of Harrogate, said:

“It is a treat to have the crown out.

“It is only on display during Royal occasions”.

How to Enter:

To enter: please submit a photo of your crown drawing, painting or creation to our website here.

The competition will run from March 27 until April 21.

The crowns will be on display in the Harrogate store from 28 April until 13 May.

Will you be crowned a winner…?

A charity that helps children with disabilities enjoy the thrill of riding ponies is appealing for volunteers.

Riding for the Disabled Association enables children from four specialist schools in the Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon areas to ride each week.

But each child requires three volunteers to supervise and some children are missing out because of a shortage of helpers.

The charity is therefore hosting an open session on April 25 to allow people to see what’s involved.

It seeks people aged over 16 to give three hours of time on Tuesdays, particularly in the afternoon, during term times.

Experience with horses and children is not essential and training is provided. Sessions take place at Harrogate Riding Centre at Burn Bridge.

Children can only ride if they have three people supervising.

Shona Crichton, principal at The Forest School, Knaresborough, said:

“For some of our children at The Forest School, the experience of being on a pony is transformational. We see children as young as five who have incredibly complex physical and or learning needs overjoyed at the freedom of movement they can’t achieve on the ground.

“Positive mood changes, confidence, social development and building core strength are other vital benefits. We are really grateful to the Riding for Disabled volunteers who give their time to make this happen”.

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Margaret Flannery, who has been volunteering for four years, said:

“I love it. Where else can I get my steps in for the day whatever the weather as we’re in an indoor arena, have a laugh with a great bunch of people, do something different to my normal routine and see what a difference I’m making to the children.

“We really need more volunteers to join us though if we are to keep the sessions running so I hope we can recruit some more much needed volunteers as I’d really miss it if we couldn’t keep going”.

About 10 volunteers are wanted. To find out more, contact Jane on 07786980195 or visit here.

Live music, al fresco dining and entertainment will draw residents and visitors into central Ripon on Easter Monday.

The day of entertainment will see Kirkgate closed to traffic on April 10 from 10am to 4pm, allowing people to enjoy the party atmosphere and businesses to see the impact of pedestrianisation.

The street party will feature live music from Hyde Family Jam, as well as pop-up entertainers and street food from Jaflong Indian and Manchega’s tapas.

The event will be part of the new Totally Locally scheme being adopted by traders and Ripon Business Improvement District, designed to encourage people to spend with independent businesses in the city.

Promoting the event, the BID said:

“Totally Locally have calculated that if every adult in the population were to spend just £5 per week in local shops and businesses, that would contribute £13.5 billion per year to the local UK economy.

“If every adult in Ripon spent just £5 per week in their local independent shops that would result in an extra £3.1 million per year going into our local Ripon economy.

“Kirkgate is the heart of independent business. The street party on Easter Monday is a celebration of the ‘buy local’ movement.”

Independent businesses interested in getting involved in the event can contact Manchega.

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A new sculpture has been completed at the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park near Ripon.

Yorkshire chainsaw sculptor Karl Barker spent three days carving out the model, which was made from a felled Hungarian oak tree.

The tree, which stood at 9ft tall, was felled for safety reasons last year.

In its place, the Himalayan garden team commissioned Mr Barker to create a new sculpture ahead of its reopening on Tuesday, April 4.

He came up with the idea to create a ‘hungry owl seat’.

Mr Barker said:

“As a chainsaw carver based in the heart of North Yorkshire I make a range of bespoke, wooden chainsaw sculptures each one filled with character and charisma. 

“I offer a stump carving service and am delighted to have created the hungry owl seat, transforming what was left of the Hungarian Oak Tree into something visitors can interact with for years to come.”

Will Roberts, owner of the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, said:

“We are delighted with the beautiful piece Karl has created for us. At the start of his three days beavering away with his many chainsaws we really didn’t know what was going to emerge from the stump.

“We really think visitors are going to love the new owl seat and wonder who is going to be the first to sit in it.”

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