Following this afternoon’s closure of the Halifax, Ripon will have one remaining bank and no access outside shopping hours to city centre cash machines.
The closure comes less than three months after the long-established Barclays branch closed its doors on August 25, leaving HSBC – which has no external cash machine – as Ripon’s only bank.
The Barclays bank Ripon branch closed in August.
Cash machines are available during shopping hours at Sainsbury’s on Market Place East and Booths at the Marshall Way Retail Park.
Announcing its branch closure in July, Halifax said in a statement:
“Like many other high street businesses, we’ve seen people using our branches less frequently in recent years as more customers choose to do most of their everyday banking online.
“We’re responding to the way our customers use our branches. We’ll continue to invest in our branch network, but we have to make sure our branches are where customers need and use them most.
“As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to close this branch because customers are using it less often. In addition the majority of customers are also using alternative ways to bank.”
A report produced by Barclays in May to explain the rationale behind its closure decision, showed that more than 3,000 customers visited regularly for personal or business banking purposes in the last year.
But the bank added that only 121 customers use the branch exclusively for banking. Eighty percent of customers also use online and telephone banking.
The report said 41% of Ripon customers also use nearby branches, such as Harrogate and Thirsk.
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Ripon Business Improvement District is urging businesses who are looking for help or advice with navigating the ever-changing business cost market to get in touch.
Appointments with the BID’s cost-saving expert, Rishi Sood of Place Support Partnership (PSP) were originally planned for September 19, but have re-scheduled to October 20, following the Queen’s death.
BID manager Lilla Bathurst (pictured) said:
“Our aim is to deliver on issues that are important to our member businesses and cost saving in the current economic climate is considered high priority.
“In response to business needs, PSP were commissioned by Ripon BID to support local businesses through our Place Saving Programme focussing on business critical spend areas including energy, telecoms, merchant services and water.”
Appointments can be made via info@riponbid.co.uk or by calling call 01765 530 910.
The new units on Cambridge Street.
A project to bring a vacant Harrogate retail unit back into use has been completed.
The boarded-up shop on Cambridge Street was purchased by Broadland Properties in 2020 and the 25,000 sq ft former Topshop store has now been reconfigured into a mixed-use retail and leisure development.
It now includes Cosy Club, Sainsbury’s Local and Skipton Building Society.
Matt Harriman, associate direct at GV&Co which project managed the scheme, said:
“It’s great to see this scheme come to such a successful conclusion, with an impressive line-up of new retail and leisure tenants taking their place on this busy Harrogate high street.
“The unit had been vacant since 2017 and we managed the extensive enabling works to divide the property into separate units, with new services and several structural changes to suit the revised layouts, as well as external refurbishments over three phases. These included new windows, stone cleaning, and stonework repairs.
“Now fully let and brought back to life with Sainsbury’s, Cosy Club and Skipton Building Society all in place, we have thoroughly enjoyed working with a big project team that included engineers, GGP, architects, DLA, RGP building control specialists, Ball and Berry letting agent, Robinson Webster managing agent, Ryden, Brentwood Consulting Engineers, and contractor JP Wild for Broadland Properties.”
Man denies assaulting Harrogate Sainsbury’s staff member
A 35-year-old man appeared in court this week charged with assaulting a staff member at Sainsbury’s in Harrogate.
Skyler Zienlinski, of Fern House, Spa Lane, pleaded not guilty to assault by beating at the store on Cambridge Street on August 1, 2022.
Mr Zienlinski, who appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday, also denied carrying a dismantled scissor blade in a public place without reasonable excuse.
He admitted stealing £40 worth of bottles of wine and Desperados from Sainsbury’s and causing criminal damage to property belonging to the store on the same day.
The court set a trial date of November 21 in Harrogate for the alleged assault and carrying an offensive weapon.
Mr Zienlinski was released on bail under the condition that he does not enter the Cambridge Street store.
Harrogate Sainsbury’s set to replace some manned tills for self-service
Sainsbury’s supermarket on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road looks set to remove eight manned checkouts to make way for more self-service tills.
Over the past decade, self-service tills have become increasingly the norm for shoppers.
A survey published by The Grocer last year found that manned checkouts were still the most popular choice for both men (42%) and women (39%), but 31% of shoppers now prefer to pay using self-service.
The Stray Ferret understands from a source at the Wetherby Road store, which is the largest supermarket in Harrogate, that it plans to replace eight manned tills with self-service checkouts later this summer.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson confirmed it plans to introduce more self-service checkouts, which it said would meet customer demand for the service.
She said:
“We regularly review the services available in our stores to make sure we offer the most convenient experience to our customers.
“This summer we will slightly increase the number of self-service checkouts at our Harrogate store so that we can meet customer demand for this service.
“Our colleagues are on hand to help anyone who may need support using them and we continue to offer manned checkouts for our customers who wish to use them.”
The spokesperson added that no jobs will be lost in the Harrogate store but staff that did work on the checkouts will be working “in a slightly different way”.
Self-service checkouts are now ubiquitous in every major supermarket but they are not always popular, particular with older shoppers who like to have a chat with the person serving them.
This year a pensioner in London called Pat McCarthy launched a petition against Tesco, which is also replacing manned tills with self-service checkouts.
At the time of publication, it’s been signed by over 170,000 people.
Ms McCarthy, 69, wrote:
Barclays closure causes anger and dismay in Ripon“What used to be a great shopping experience has now become physically difficult, overwhelming, and a ‘nightmare’.
“I love chatting with the staff, albeit briefly, especially as l live on my own. Talking with human staff is important to me. Now that experience has been taken away.”
There is anger and dismay in Ripon this week, following the announcement by Barclays that it will close its city branch in August.
Barclays has been present on Market Square East for generations and there has been a bank under various names at this prime location since 1785.
The anger is further fuelled by a Barclays report outlining the reasons for closure, which revealed that counter transactions went up in the two years to March 2020.
This week and last the Stray Ferret has been gauging reaction to the planned closure and among those to speak with us was 81-year-old Richard Tite, who has been a regular user of the bank’s counter services for 42 years. He told us:
“When they made their corporate decision to close Ripon and a number of other branches, Barclays showed that they just don’t care about people of my age, who don’t know how to use online banking and rely on the personal service.
“Having a human being that you can speak with and have your questions answered, is very reassuring and I must say that the staff here in Ripon are very good.
“I have no complaint about them, it’s the people above them that show that they simply look on people like me, who have been customers for more than 40 years, as if we don’t count.”
The decision to close Barclays’ long-established Ripon branch has brought an angry reaction.
“This is an absolute disgrace, I have been banking with Barclays for years, but I won’t be for much longer.
“I’m going to close all the accounts I have with them and put my money elsewhere.”
There was a similar response from another person, who also wished to remain anonymous. They said:
“I read in the Stray Ferret that the decision to close has been taken in spite of the fact the the Ripon branch has an increasing number of customers and that just doesn’t make any sense to me.
“Barclays sent me a round robin letter saying there are other branches, such as in Harrogate, that I can use, but that is not a proper option, because, on top of the inconvenience, there is the increased costs of fuel if you drive over, then you have to pay through the nose to park, simply to get your hands on your own cash.
“The sooner I can transfer my money elsewhere, the better.”
Banking choices in Ripon are limited. Besides Barclays, there is HSBC, the Halifax, The Yorkshire and Skipton building societies.
Banking services are also available at the Post Office in The Arcade.
The cash machine currently at Barclays will no longer be available after August 25, meaning that people wanting to make a withdrawal in the city centre will have to go to HSBC, the Halifax or Sainsbury’s.
After closing time at HSBC and Sainsbury’s, the only accessible bank machine in the city centre will be at the Halifax.
A report produced by Barclays to explain the rationale behind its closure decision, showed that more than 3,000 customers visited regularly for personal or business banking purposes in the last year.
But the bank added that only 121 customers use the branch exclusively for banking. Eighty percent of customers also use online and telephone banking.
The report says 41% of Ripon customers also use nearby branches, such as Harrogate and Thirsk.
Police have found a missing man from Ripon after appealing for information from the public to find him.
The man disappeared after being seen in Sainsbury’s in the city at around 2.30pm yesterday.
North Yorkshire Police said in a statement saying officers had “concerns for his welfare and are trying to locate him”.
It appealed for information about his whereabouts but later said the man had been found safe.
We have subsequently updated this article by removing the man’s personal details.
Harrogate gran in tears after being wrongly accused of stealing in Sainsbury’s
A Harrogate grandma was left in tears after a Sainsbury’s shop worker accused her of stealing an item she had already paid for.
Pam Forster has shopped at Sainsbury’s on Wetherby Road in Harrogate for more than 20 years but said she won’t be going back after her experience on February 27.
Ms Forster was leaving the store when the security barriers started beeping and a shop worker asked to see her receipt. But because she had used the self-checkout machines and chosen not to get a receipt, she didn’t have one — she had bought a pair of wellies and some food and didn’t expect to have to return any items.
Because Ms Forster didn’t have a receipt, the member of staff asked her to accompany her to the till so they could print a receipt. The shop worker then looked through Ms Forster’s bags, matching items with items listed on the receipt.
During this, she said a packet of salmon had not been paid for but Ms Forster insisted it had. The shop worker left Ms Forster to speak to a colleague and later returned to say “you really should get a receipt next time, sweetheart” and walked away.
Ms Forster’s receipt
The Harrogate office manager was left “mortified and very upset”, adding she didn’t know if she was free to leave at this stage because she was left standing near a till.
Ms Forster eventually left and “cried the whole way home”. She knew she hadn’t stolen anything and, after checking, found the salmon was indeed listed on the receipt.
Ms Forster said:
“She just walked away and left me, I was mortified. All she needed to say was ‘sorry love, you were right I just missed it on the receipt’ but instead she just left me standing there. It really wasn’t a good experience.
“I imagine she was embarrassed that she’d missed it on the receipt but if she’d just apologised I’d have drawn a line under it. Instead I was left feeling humiliated.”
Ms Forster said she previously visited the shop every week and that “98% of her wardrobe is from Sainsbury’s” because it’s so easy to get it all from one place.
She called the customer care line the same day and managed to speak to a phone operator, who said someone would be in touch. Her daughter also tried to contact the retailer but no one responded.
Since the Stray Ferret contacted Sainsbury’s about the incident, the supermarket has been in touch with Ms Forster to offer a £15 gift card as a gesture of goodwill. Ms Forster said she rejected it because she won’t be going back.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said:
Ripon beauty queen qualifies for UK final“We are in touch with Ms Forster to apologise and reassure her that we’re investigating this experience.”
Ripon beauty queen Victoria Hind has been crowned Miss North Yorkshire Galaxy 2022 to qualify for the grand final of Miss Galaxy UK in November.
Ms Hind won Miss Harrogate Galaxy last year to reach the UK final and although she didn’t place, she said the experience has made her more determined for this year.
The winner of Miss Galaxy UK will travel to the USA with contestants from all over the world to compete in the Miss Galaxy International final.
Ms Hind said she always wanted to compete in pageants but felt too anxious prior to lockdown. Stepping out on the stage has given her a huge boost in confidence, she added.
Her experiences with anxiety and dyslexia has encouraged her to start discussing the issues on social media.
She hopes to build her platform and talk openly about the challenges she’s faced ahead of the final in November:
“I want to show young children that dyslexia doesn’t have to hold you back, you still can do anything you want to do. If I can show one kid that then it’s worth it.”
Photograph: Brian Hayes Photography
It isn’t always crowns and ballgowns for Miss Hind: during the day she works at Sainsbury’s in Ripon.
The 23-year-old will also continue with her charity duties as Miss North Yorkshire by working with Ripon Food Bank, Saint Michael’s Hospice and Dogs for Good.
Last year, she walked in a Saint Michael’s Hospice fashion show, which raised over £7,000. Her Halloween party for Dogs for Good, which trains dogs to live as assistance dogs in people’s homes, raised £350.
The Miss Galaxy UK final at the Park Hall Hotel in Lancashire consists of four rounds; an interview round, an evening wear round, a fashion wear round and a swimwear round.
The recent final in November 2021 saw Ms Hind compete against 58 other girls in the 18-27 age category.
Man jailed for biting Harrogate police officer and spitting at another
A prolific offender who bit a Harrogate police officer and spat at another during the covid pandemic has been jailed for over a year.
Police were called to Sainsbury’s supermarket on Wetherby Road after Mark Murtagh, 34, attacked a security guard, York Crown Court heard.
The security man had been following Murtagh around the aisles, sensing he was up to no good, said prosecutor Muneeb Akram.
Murtagh suddenly turned round, asked the guard why he was following him and aimed a volley of vile racial abuse at him.
The security officer brought out his phone and tried to call police, but Murtagh knocked it out of his hand, sending it flying across a shopping aisle.
A staff manager called police who quickly arrived to arrest Murtagh, who had no intention of going quietly.
As he tried to resist arrest, he shouted abuse at the two officers, telling them to “take these cuffs off” and “hand over your jacket”. Mr Akram said:
“(Murtagh) said he had covid and coughed directly at (the named female officer), causing spit to land on her.
“He’s restrained to the floor by officers (but) tries to resist and attempts to get back up with his legs by swinging them around.”
As Murtagh attempted to “push himself away” along the floor using his arms, he tried to bite the male traffic constable’s leg.
The named officer managed to push Murtagh’s face away but as he did so, he was bitten on the wrist, causing puncture wounds which drew blood.
The officer finally brought Murtagh under control by spraying CS gas in his face and he was taken into custody.
The officer was said to have suffered psychological harm following the incident at about 5pm on September 10 last year.
Murtagh, of Findon Terrace, Bradford, was charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, one count of resisting arrest and racially aggravated assault on the security guard.
He admitted the offences on the day his trial was due to be held and appeared for sentence via video link on Wednesday.
Mr Akram said Murtagh had 26 previous convictions for 42 offences including violence, resisting police officers, drink-fuelled disorderly behaviour, drugs matters, theft and handling stolen goods.
Vincent Blake-Barnard, for Murtagh, said the father-of-one’s violent behaviour in the supermarket was “born of frustration” due to problems he had at the time.
But judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, branded his behaviour “disgraceful”.
He slammed Murtagh for violently resisting two officers “doing a tough job, serving the public”.
Jailing Murtagh for 14 months, the judge told him:
“This was a lengthy and distressing arrest. Police officers are entitled to perform their duties without being assaulted.”
Murtagh will serve half of that sentence behind bars before being released on parole.
Sainsbury’s sets opening date for Harrogate town centre storeSainsbury’s has confirmed that its new store in Harrogate town centre will finally open next month.
The Sainsbury’s Local on Cambridge Street will welcome customers on January 13. The supermarket chain had hoped to open in the summer but only received planning permission in July.
The store will create about 25 jobs and some roles are still available.
Surplus food from the store will go to Harrogate District Foodbank, which has partnered with Sainsbury’s to help those who need it most.
New store manager Simon Wilton said:
“I’m delighted to confirm the opening date for our new store and we’re really looking forward to welcoming customers from next month. My colleagues and I are working hard to get everything ready for opening.
“It’s been a fantastic team effort so far and we can’t wait to bring our passion for food and brilliant customer service to Cambridge Street.”
The development will bring the former Topshop unit at 33-37 Cambridge Street back into use after four years.
The developer plans to split the building into three separate units. Sainsbury’s occupies the largest on the left side.
Skipton Building Society is also planning to move in but it is unclear at this stage which business will take on the third unit.