It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The third in our series of networking events in association with The Coach and Horses in Harrogate is a lunch event on March 30 from 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Ripon-based Econ Engineering has announced a new sales manager.

Steve Sinnott, who has been at the company for 10 years, has been promoted to the position.

Mr Sinnott will be tasked with overseeing the company’s sales operations and work with regional area managers.

He said:

“I am delighted to accept this position at Econ. Over the years the business has gone from strength to strength and continues to be the number one provider in the market.”

Jonathan Lupton, managing director at Econ Engineering, said: 

“Steve has been a valuable member of the team over the last decade. He has played an integral part in the growth of the business and looked after some of our largest accounts.

“We continue to be the market leader in the winter and roads maintenance sector, which is reflected in our current order book, thanks in part to winning several major new contracts.

“We are pleased to offer Steve this new role in recognition of his dedication. Along with other members of the sales team, our newly recruited Driver Trainer and Demonstrator, who is due to start in early March, will report to Steve to ensure that Econ’s current and future product developments are showcased to customers and potential prospects on location across the UK.”

Ripon digital agency launches rebrand

A Ripon digital agency has launched a rebrand for 2023.

Bronco, which is based at the Phoenix Business Centre, launched the brand refresh this past week as part of its 20th birthday.

Becky Naylor, founder of Bronco.

It includes changing the tone of its social media and an image redesign to reflect the firm’s personality.

Becky Naylor, owner of Bronco, said:

“2023 is an exciting year for Bronco. Our team has stuck it out through lockdown, we have veteran members on the team, many of whom have made it well over a decade of service with Bronco.

“Today Bronco offers a full range of services that is always expanding and adapting to the current marketing world.

“Our new identity better reflects our personality as friendly, honest, straight talking and experienced. If you want to look good online, wherever that may be, we’ll have a solution for you and we’ll dig deep to help you find it.”

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A councillor has called on the government to intervene on fuel prices because some motorists in North Yorkshire are paying 10p per litre more on petrol or diesel than others.

The Competition and Markets Authority found last summer there were “significant differences in price” between forecourts across the UK.

The issue was raised during a recent meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Skipton and Ripon area constituency committee.

Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Wathvale and Bishop Monkton, said he was surprised to recently pay £1.359p for a litre of fuel at Bishop Auckland in County Durham whereas in Boroughbridge the price was 10p more expensive.

Cllr Brown asked Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, if he could lobby the government to launch a review into the issue. 

He said:

“There is effectively a rip-off for customers of petrol and diesel. Could you press for an urgent review by government into fuel prices?

“I can’t believe that a 10p difference is justifiable for 40 minutes down the road. The RAC have been banging on about this for quite a while but nothing has been done. There needs to be a proper review.”

Mr Smith said:

“I do agree there’s huge inconsistencies in rural areas. We can lose out. I’m happy to write to the business department about that.”

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The main factor for petrol prices is whether there is much competition nearby, including from supermarkets who offer cheaper fuel.

Companies that run petrol stations in remote locations also argue they sell less fuel so have to charge higher prices to cover their overheads.

Fuel prices have remained high since the Russian invasion of Ukraine although they have fallen since last year when petrol and diesel could be bought for over £2 a litre for the first time ever.

Asda petrol station on Dragon Road during the fuel supply crisis in September 2021.

In last week’s budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended a 5p cut in fuel duty for another 12 months.

Andrew Williams, independent councillor for Ripon Minister and Moorside, said “there’s no competition” for fuel in Ripon, which has meant motorists at the pump have suffered. 

He said:

“The fuel price in Ripon is usually 3p higher than in Boroughbridge and there’s a difference of 8p between Ripon and York. It seems grossly unfair.”

Calls have been made to retain a village school near Boroughbridge that faces closure as a forest school.

Under plans put forward by North Yorkshire County Council, Skelton Newby Hall Church of England Primary School will shut in August 2023.

But, Cllr Guy Critchlow, chair of Skelton cum Newby Parish Council, told county councillors today the site was a “ready-made forest school” with a large amenity space and playground.

Forest schools teach pupils in an outdoor learning environment and focus on play and exploration for education.

A council report said numbers at the school had been “falling over the past few years” and there were concerns about the impact on pupils’ education.

As of this year, nine children and one nursery pupil were on the school roll. It has capacity for 52.

Senior county councillors voted today to publish notices of the school’s closure with a final decision to be taken on May 30.

At the meeting, Cllr Critchlow argued that the school could be viable as a forest school. He said:

“We deserve the opportunity to rebuild our school and demonstrate its viability.

“We cannot do this alone. We want to work with and not against the council.”

Read more:

• ‘Badly let down’ Woodfield school closure confirmed
• Baldersby school commemorative event to be held ahead of closure

Meanwhile, Cllr Nick Brown, a Conservative who represents the Skelton-on-Ure village on the county council, told councillors he was disappointed discussions had not taken place with the community and the parish council prior to the proposal being published in December 2022.

He added the process should be delayed in order to consider whether to use the site for a forest school.

He said:

“In light of the recent budget and the proposed increase in childcare provision, to enable much more employment opportunities surely a one-and-a-half acre school site would lend itself perfectly to nursery provision in a rural, safe environment.”

However, Cllr Annabelle Wilkinson, the executive councillor for education, said the site and its outdoor learning area alone had not been “sufficient enough” to attract parents.

She added:

“The school building and site is not owned by the county council. 

“The owners will take decisions about the future use of the school site and building after the closure proposal has been determined.”

The council has proposed that, should the school close, then the catchment area will be taken in by Kirby Hill Church of England Primary School.

Representations on the closure can still be made to the council by April 27.

A new addition to Ripon’s hospitality sector has arrived with the opening of The Silva Bells restaurant and cafe at the bottom of Kirkgate.

Eight months after the closure of the Bambudda Asian fusion restaurant, a total refurbishment and kitchen re-fit has been carried out at the corner-site premises, located across the road from the city’s cathedral.

Following successful negotiations with landlord Mike Johnson, Silva Bells’ managing director Jenk Pepec and his business partner David De Silva invested time and money in delivering the new look.

The name recognises the vital role that Mr De Silva and his wife Betty played in getting the new venture off the ground.

Members of The Silva Bells’ chefs and kitchen team: (from left) Jack O’Brien, Lloyd Gardener, Carl Smith and Stu Hooren

Mr Pepek, who gained expertise through working in the hospitality sector in his home city of Bursa in northern Turkey and subsequently in Birmingham and York after he moved to the UK, told the Stray Ferret:

“I fell in love with this place the first time that I saw it and after a lot of hard work new life has been breathed into it.”

The business employs 17 people and is open six days a week, serving a selection of modern British and European cuisine and incorporating Mediterranean dishes.

Mr Pepec said;

“Our menu includes items ranging from traditional Sunday roasts to a ‘create your own’ pizza and we will also be serving dishes featuring locally-sourced game.

“We have received a warm welcome and look forward to contributing to the community of this charming and historic city.”

The main image shows Jenk Pepec (centre) with members of The Silva Bells’ front of house team — from the left: Gaby Symonds, Mia Kitching, Harry Jewers and Jack George

Read more:

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• Free entry to heritage attractions in the Ripon area

A £300,000 temporary gym in the car park at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre site in Ripon will be opening next month.

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.

To ensure the temporary gym can be installed safely, the leisure and wellness centre and playground will be closed from 6pm Saturday (March 25) until Monday morning (March 27) .

The announcement has come from Harrogate Borough Council 10 days before it is abolished and becomes part of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority.

Last July, the council announced that the temporary gym would open ‘in the autumn’ (of 2022) but this date was subsequently put back.

This morning the council, which runs the site through its leisure company Brimhams Active, said:

“A temporary gym at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon is set to open next month (April) to ensure residents can keep fit and active.

“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 council statement added:

“The temporary gym, which has started to be installed, is being used to provide customers with an alternative offer while the ground stabilisation works take place.

“These works come following the discovery of a void underneath part of the original leisure centre. The void is understood to have been present for a number of years and was only discovered when the reinforced concrete slab, which provides the foundation for the new swimming pool, was cast.

“On discovery of this void, the borough council appointed a contractor to carry out a thorough investigation programme under the original leisure centre to determine what work may be required to ensure the facility can continue to be used for many years to come.”

Councillor Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active, said:

“We remain committed to enabling people to enjoy physical activity. By providing a temporary gym, while the ground stabilisation works take place, we can minimise the disruption to current and potential customers and ensure they can continue to maintain their health and well-being goals.”

“The fantastic new swimming pool will also remain open as usual and continues to provide an excellent health and wellness experience.”

Former Made in Chelsea reality TV star Josh Patterson ran into Ripon yesterday evening to complete the 21st leg of his marathon effort to raise £1million for the Samaritans.

The 33-year-old aims to run 76 marathons in 76 days, covering every city across the four nations of the UK.

After completing the Ripon stage at the city’s cathedral, he told the Stray Ferret:

“My goal is to raise £1million so that as many people as possible going through mental struggles can get the crucial support they need from the the charity.

“As well as raising money, I’m aiming to raise the profile of the incredible life-saving work that Samaritans do by answering phone calls from people in vulnerable situations and listening, giving guidance and letting those who need help know that they are never alone.”

Josh Patterson is pictured with (from left) Millie Gray, Lottie Venables, Leanne Anderson and Lisa Medd, who ran with him yesterday.

Mr Patterson posted some spectacular images of the Ripon leg of his challenge on his Instagram page here.

On the Justgiving page he has set up, he said he has personally been affected by mental illness over the years and pointed out:

“It is simply unimaginable to have to face mental health problems alone. Just £5 equals one lifesaving phone call  (and) raising £1million will fund 200,000 phone calls.”

For yesterday’s Ripon marathon stage, Mr Patterson was joined by a number of local athletes, including Lottie Venables, who said:

“What Josh is doing is absolutely remarkable and I admire him for the way he is raising money for such an important cause.”

Today Mr Patterson is on the road again, with the 22nd leg of his marathon quest in York.

Read more:

• How to see the murky depths of Ripon’s waterways
• Ripon nursery creates joy and happiness

”

A Ripon man with a passion for underwater drones is hoping to turn his hobby into an income stream. 

Adam Makewell takes out with his waterproof ROVs (remote operated vehicles) on weekend dives with his son Cameron, 12, in Ripon Canal and the River Ure.

He says the technology has commercial potential he could explore:

“These ROVs are actually quite advanced pieces of kit – they can go down as deep as 100 metres – and could be very useful for all sorts of purposes.

I’ve already used them for mapping the river-bed with sonar, but they could be used for underwater archaeology, to monitor water quality, habitat health and reservoir walls, to check outer nets on fish farms, or inspect boats’ hulls below the waterline.

Putting in a qualified diver takes quite a bit of money; I could provide a quicker, cheaper option. If I could get enough work and make it pay, there’s nothing I’d rather do.” 

Adam Makewell on the riverbank with one of his ROVs.

In the meantime, Adam is continuing to explore more stretches of the River Ure with son Cameron, spurred on by the thought of what they may find. He said:

“I’ve already found all sorts down there – car keys, sunglasses, even some solar panels that had been blown off a barge in the marina.

And the wildlife is crazy – there’s so much more to see than you’d ever imagine when you look at a body of water: grayling, trout, roach, chub, crayfish and freshwater shrimp. There are a couple of large perch we’ve named Tom and Jerry, and a big pike we’ve called Gary! 

“We’ve also used the drone with a grabber to clear rubbish from the canal – so far we’ve removed over 50 bottles just from one stretch of the Ripon canal and three bin bags of cans and other rubbish.”

One of Adam Makewell’s underwater drones with some of the bottles he’s removed from the riverbed in Ripon.

He added: 

“This started as a hobby during lockdown, but it’s becoming almost an obsession. Rather than sitting in the house wishing, I prefer to get out there and do it. If I can turn it into a job, I’ll never ‘work’ again.”

The underwater drones are tethered and have a maximum range of 100m.

• You can follow Adam’s underwater exploits via livestreams and videos on his YouTube channel, RC Xploration.

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A nursery in Ripon has been praised for the sense of joy it creates in its children.

In a report published this week, Ofsted said Stepping Stones in Blossomgate offered “purposeful” activities and helped children to become more independent.

Rating the setting ‘good’, inspector Jen Lyons said:

“Lively, interesting and purposeful activities filtrate the rooms, giving a sense of joy and happiness for the children and staff at this nursery.

“Children are settled and happy attending and have built strong attachments with their key workers and other staff. Children are focused and engaged in carefully planned activities built around their interests and next steps.

“Joyful songs are heard throughout the day and children’s faces light up during group singing sessions. Babies learn about jungle animals, exploring different textures through making animal footprints in play dough.

“Children experience moments of awe and wonder, such as while using shakers and playing with glittery water in the baby room. This effectively supports the development of children’s emotional well-being.”

The inspection, which took place in February, found staff helped children to develop their understanding in key areas of the curriculum.

Indoor activities, such as learning the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff, were followed by imaginative play outside when the children pretended to be characters from the fairytale.

Read more:

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Ms Lyons said the nursery’s approach of making learning enjoyable helped children to engage and make good progress.

She added:

“Children with special educational and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff are quick to spot the signs of children not meeting relevant milestones.

“These children make good progress from their starting points as staff know how best to support them. Parents are kept well informed of their progress and are happy with their learning and development.”

Looking at areas for improvement, the report recommended the nursery should ensure consistent teaching about personal care, such as washing hands before meals.

Stepping Stones manager Clare Brigantes said she was pleased with the latest Ofsted report and that the recommended improvement was already in place.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“Normally, you feel on edge about an Ofsted inspection, but she was very friendly and made everyone feel at ease.

“The day just flowed and it was really nice – the staff were able to answer her questions and the children were having a really good day.

“The inspector asked us to get emails from parents about their experiences. Some of them made me cry.

“They say thank you when they’re picking up and we get Christmas cards and things, but it’s lovely to hear their experiences and how they really feel about what we offer.”

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The third in our series of networking events in association with The Coach and Horses in Harrogate is a lunch event on March 30 from 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

The GreenHouse, an environmentally and ecologically-focused business in Ripon, is celebrating a successful first year this week.

Rebecca Crallan, who owns and manages the independent retailer based in North Street, told Business Breakfast: 

“We’ve had a fantastic first year year and are looking forward to many more.”

The business operates with a planet-friendly ethos, selling home and garden supplies designed to have minimal impact on the environment through use of refillable bottles, biodegradable packaging and the sale of items ranging from compostable sponges to bamboo toothbrushes, wax food wraps to solid shampoo bars.

Ms Crallan added:  

As a footnote to its first year of trading, The GreenHouse has donated 137 pairs of socks to homeless people via Thriving Earth’s donation initiative

Harrogate climate firm appoints new scientist

A Harrogate-based climate technology firm has appointed a new climate scientist.

Flotilla, which is based on Station Parade, has hired Dr Charlotte Weaver to the company.

Dr Weaver joins the firm after working with charities such as the United Bank of Carbon.

She will be tasked with carrying out data analysis of Flotilla’s carbon accounting to ensure its accuracy for businesses to use to monitor their carbon footprint.

Dr Weaver said:

“I am ambitious and hard-working with a passion for the environment. Flotilla’s drive for creating a greener future through helping businesses reduce their emissions thus really appeals to me.

“I’m also excited to be part of the talented, experienced, and friendly team that is Flotilla.”

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A large number of North Yorkshire Police cars descended on a village near Ripon to intercept a convoy of suspected stolen vehicles.

According to police, patrol vehicles acting on information received spotted three vehicles travelling along the A19 and A168 southbound near Thirsk.

The three vehicles — a Nissan Navara, a Range Rover Sport and a Mercedes van carrying two Land Rovers — were then stopped by officers in Sharow, near Ripon.

A police statement said:

“Officers checked the vehicle identification numbers of all the vehicles and several were suspected to be fake.

“Three people, two men and a woman, all in their 30s and from the Cleveland area, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. The woman was further arrested on suspicion of driving whilst disqualified. They remain in custody at this time.

“All of the vehicles were seized and taken to a secure location for forensic searches and further enquiries.”

A Sharow resident who witnessed the police operation,  said he had never seen so many police vehicles in the village.

The villager, who asked not to be named, said he noticed eight police patrol cars.

Read more:

• ‘Once you’ve been to Bettys you’ve done Harrogate’, claims Ripon councillor
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