The New Year arrived with a huge bang as Ripon ushered in 2024 in spectacular fashion last night with a fireworks display, the like of which has never been seen before in the city centre.

For 10 minutes from the stroke of midnight on the Ripon Cathedral clock, revellers who had earlier danced to the Caribbean beat of the Jamsalana Steel Band were treated to an exhibition of precision pyrotechnics.

A pulsating palette of colours burst upon the night sky in wave after wave of controlled explosion and at its conclusion a gathering of more than 2,000 people on Market Square spontaneously applauded.

Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, who put £1,000 of his North Yorkshire Council locality budget towards the cost of the display, told the Stray Ferret:

“We wanted it to be bigger and better than last year’s fireworks finale and it certainly was!”

He added:

“I’ve never seen anything like this in the city centre before and while I know it won’t have been to everybody’s liking, the automatic reaction of the audience spoke for itself.”

The number of people on Market Square grew throughout the evening and by midnight, more than 2,000 were present to see the fireworks

Last night’s New Year’s Eve event, paid for from the parish precept, has been staged over decades by the city council and is firmly established on the authority’s annual calendar.

Before Jamsalana (pictured below) struck up, there was the ever-present reminder for Ripon residents and visitors of the city’s rich heritage, when Wayne Cobbett, a member of the hornblower team, set the watch with blasts at the four corners of the obelisk.

The instrument that he uses, is the 1996 horn, donated to the city to celebrate the 1100th anniversary since Alfred the Great, the first Anglo-Saxon King of England, gave a ceremonial horn to the people of Ripon in thanks for the courage they showed in fighting off a Viking incursion in 886 AD.

The Mayor of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke, who was celebrating his birthday, was present for the setting of the watch and later, in another city tradition, he returned to Market Square with Mayoress Linda Hawke after leading a candle-lit procession from the cathedral, attended by clergy and members of the congregation.

The procession included the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson, Canons Michael Gisbourne, Matthew Pollard and the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Revd Anna Eltringham, who blessed the crowd from the town hall balcony.

Main image: The spectacular fireworks display provided the finale to an evening of celebration on Market Square

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Ripon City Council has announced that the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Sid Hawke, has been nominated to serve a third mayoral term.

He was the city’s mayor in 2008/09 and has now been nominated as mayor elect for 2023-24.

Cllr Hawke’s wife, Linda will accompany him during his year in office as mayoress.

Elected to Ripon City Council in 2002, he represents the Ure Bank Ward on both Ripon City Council and on Harrogate Borough Council.

Cllr Hawke said:

“I am delighted to be nominated by Ripon city councillors in the selection for the position of mayor for the second year running.”

Born and bred in the city, Cllr Hawke is semi-retired and has previously served in the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in Ripon.

The current mayoral year has proved a busy one for the mayor and mayoress, including the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations in June, the mourning of Her Majesty’s death in September and the subsequent proclamation of King Charles III – all of which involved major civic events in Ripon.

The city’s annual mayor making ceremony will take place on May 10 and on May 21. Cllr Hawke will be installed as mayor in a service at Ripon Cathedral.

On becoming mayor for the third time, he will be matching fellow Independent councillors Eamon Parkin and Pauline McHardy, both of whom served three terms in mayoral office.

Cllr Parkin will serve as Cllr Hawke’s deputy.

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Ripon will welcome in 2023 in traditional style on Saturday evening, with residents and visitors invited to the city’s New Year’s Eve gathering on Market Square.

The celebrations begin at 9pm when a member of the hornblower team will signal the setting of the watch with blasts of their horn at the four corners of the obelisk.

The ceremonial event, dating back to 886 AD – the year in which when Alfred the Great became the first Anglo-Saxon King of England – will provide the prelude to a night of free entertainment.

The watch will be set by a member of the Ripon hornblower team prior to the start of the musical entertainment

Following the hornblower, three tribute acts will take centre stage for the final concert of the year organised by Ripon City Council.

The acts are Beyond Faith, performing the songs of George Michael and Wham, Xelle with the favourite numbers from the best-known girl bands and Parklife, singing Britpop hits of the 1990s.

Shortly before midnight a torchlit procession of civic dignitaries led by the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda, will make its way from Ripon Cathedral to Market Square, in time for the countdown that heralds in the New Year.

The procession will follow the Watchnight service at the cathedral which begins at 11.15.

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The winners of the Ripon Business Improvement District Christmas windows competition have been announced.

In the online public vote, the silver salver and first prize went to the Wakeman’s House Cafe in Market Place South, while the window display created by young people at Ripon YMCA in Water Skellgate (pictured below) received the judges’ award and silver cup.

Both of the winning entries caught the eye of the independent judging panel, which included the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda and the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd. John Dobson.

BID manager Lilla Bathurst, said:

“This is the first year that we have run the competition and we were pleased to receive 23 entries from across the city.

“The theme that we set was peace and sanctuary and the judges and online voters were asked to bear this in mind when assessing the window displays.”

The Wakeman’s House Cafe entry with its doves, crib, and small, cosy Christmas houses captured the theme perfectly with a window design created by Jenny MacNair.

Ms MacNair, who works at the cafe, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are absolutely delighted to win the public vote. All members of our team contributed to the display by bringing in ornaments and other decorations.”

An independent panel of judges, braved heavy showers to view and cast their votes for the 23 entries in the Ripon Business Improvement District’s Christmas Windows competition.

The panel, including the city’s Mayor and Mayoress Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda and the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson have had their say, but the final outcome of the competition rests with a public vote and the winning entry will be announced on December 19.

Dean John judging the window at Specsavers

Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst, said:

“Like Strictly Come Dancing, the votes of the public will be added to the marks given by the judges.”

More details on how to vote for your favourite Christmas window click here

Children were involved in producing the window display at Cathedral View Cafe

Ms Bathurst, pointed out:

“The theme that we set was peace and sanctuary and the judges were asked to bear this in mind when assessing the entries.”

She added:

“We are delighted with the number of businesses that took part, as the window displays combined with the city’s festive lights and our free parking after 3pm initiative on the Fridays running up to Christmas, all add to the attraction of Ripon.”

Dean John, said:

“It’s great to see the business community embracing the central Christmas messages of peace and sanctuary in an imaginative way that helps to lift all of our spirits in these difficult times.”

Ripon’s week of events to remember and honour the dead of two world wars and other conflicts, began today at the Royal British Legion  Garden of Remembrance next to the cathedral.

Canon Ailsa Newby led prayers at a ceremony of blessing for the garden, which was created by the Ripon branch of the RBL in 2018.

The event, attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda, saw representatives of all armed forces gather, along with standard bearers (pictured below) veterans and members the Ripon branch of the Royal Engineers Association.

Canon Ailsa said:

“In this coming week tokens of remembrance will be placed in memory of those who fell in the cause of freedom for our country.

“In the name of the Royal British Legion we pledge ourselves to help, encourage and comfort others and to support those working for the relief of the needy and for the peace and welfare of nations.”

The ceremony included a two-minute silence and afterwards small wooden poppy crosses, were placed near the RBL plinth in the garden by a number of attendees.

A serving officer with the Royal Engineers puts a poppy cross in place

Remembrance Sunday

Attention now turns to Ripon’s Remembrance Sunday service, which will be held on November 13 at the war memorial in Spa Gardens.

There will be a two-minute silence before wreaths are laid in honour of the fallen, by civic dignitaries, members of the armed forces, the RBL and representatives of other organisations.

Those planning to attend are asked to arrive by 10.30am.

On completion of the service at the war memorial, the civic party will proceed to the town hall where there will be a march past and salute.

The march past, including members of the Royal Engineers, standard bearers, veterans, Ripon City Band, cadets, scouts and guides and representatives of other organisations, will head down Kirkgate to the cathedral, where a service will be held.

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