Ripon aims to take control of its markets from HarrogateRipon City Council has launched a bid to take control of the city’s Thursday and Saturday markets.
The ancient markets have been operated by Harrogate Borough Council since local government reorganisation in 1974.
But with Harrogate Borough Council set to be abolished in 15 months, Ripon city councillors have decided to act.
Independent council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“In recent years stall numbers have reduced and we firmly believe that the market needs an overhaul that will revitalise it.
“We are looking to work in partnerships with other like-minded market towns, such as Knaresborough, as we feel that we can build new working relationships with our neighbours, to deliver better services.”
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Ripon City Council has already called for other key assets, including the city’s town hall, Hugh Ripley Hall, Spa Gardens and Spa Park to return to local ownership from Harrogate Borough Council.
It says provisions in the Localism Act, designed to protect assets of community value (ACV), should be used to achieve this prior to the formation of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority next year.
Moves are already underway to retain community use at Spa Baths, after the city council successfully applied in September to have the historic building listed as an ACV.
Ripon council leader calls swimming club price hike ‘disgusting’The leader of Ripon City Council has said it’s “appalling and disgusting” that a volunteer-run children’s swimming club won’t be able to use the city’s new £15m pool after Harrogate Borough Council tripled its fee.
The Stray Ferret reported yesterday that Ripon City Swimming Club has been offered space at the Jack Laugher Leisure Centre, but only if it stumped up £12,500 a year — almost three times what it was previously paying. This has effectively out-priced them.
The pool will be run by Brimhams Active, the arms-length leisure company set up by Harrogate Borough Council last year.
The club said it was ‘absolutely gutted” it won’t be able to afford to use the pool, which is due to open this month although no date has yet been set.
Ripon council leader, Cllr Andrew Williams, told the Stray Ferret that the move by Brimhams Active sent a negative message to young families in Ripon. He said;
“I couldn’t believe what I was reading in the Stray Ferret article.
“The idea they want to charge a commercial rate to local volunteers who are trying to provide something to local children. They should be given the pool free of charge. It’s disgusting and appalling.”
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Brimhams Active had wanted to amalgamate the club, which taught children to swim at the now-closed Spa Baths as far back as the 1930s, with its own swimming lessons. However, the club declined because it wanted to remain separate from the council.
Cllr Williams accused Brimhams of “exerting its commercial position unfairly”. He said he plans to raise the issue at the next Ripon City Council meeting in February.
“They didn’t come under the council’s umbrella with Spa Baths, so why now? It doesn’t wash at all. Brimhams wants to monopolise swimming lessons in the district.
“The situation has been badly handled by Brimhams and Harrogate Borough Council.”
The council’s response
A spokesperson for Brimhams Active said:
“Our Learn to Swim programme that is accredited by Swim England – the governing body for swimming – teaches swimmers how to be competent and confident in the water, and follows a recognised framework that provides a love for swimming and the skills and motivation required to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. It also provides reassurance to our customers that they will receive the highest level of coaching and safety standards.
“We have offered to work with Ripon City Swimming Club, enable them to fit into this district-wide development pathway and become a Swim England accredited recreational swimming club for children who have completed the fundamentals of our Learn to Swim programme.
“The club have also been offered the use of the pool at the same rate they were previously paying, should they wish to work with us and accept this offer.
“Should the club not wish to accept this offer, they are welcome to explore the hire of the pool at the commercial rate.”
Resurfacing to begin on Monday at Ripon’s largest car parkParking spaces will be temporarily reduced in Ripon from next week while resurfacing work is carried out at the city’s biggest car park.
Work on the 193-bay Cathedral Car Park starts on Monday and is scheduled to be completed by February 11.
Signs say that over the three weeks, there will be ‘restricted parking’ available.
Other public car parks serving the city centre are at The Arcade, Market Place North (except on Thursdays) Victoria Grove, St Marygate and Marshall Way retail park.
Plea for wider bays
Before local company A. E. Duffield begins the £85,000 contract, Ripon City Council has reiterated its call for spaces on the car park to be widened to accommodate the larger vehicles that many people now drive.
At Monday evening’s city council meeting, members were told by town clerk Paula Benson that Harrogate Borough Council had not as yet responded to correspondence about the request for enlarged spaces.
It agreed to make further contact with Harrogate Borough Council after council leader Andrew Williams said:
“With the work due to start next week, we need an answer from them.”
The call for spaces to be increased in size came at the city council’s December meeting, when Councillor Pauline McHardy said:
“Modern vehicles are wider and with the current size of the spaces, people find it difficult to get in and out of their cars.”
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Cllr McHardy’s call for enlargement was seconded by Councillor Chris Davis, who told the meeting:
“The bays are narrow and I’ve often found it difficulty to find a parking space that my car will fit in.”
Councillors voted unanimously to make the request to Harrogate Borough Council.
Long and short stay
The Cathedral Car Park is used by drivers for long and short stays and in the contract notice for the work, Harrogate Borough Council said the site had become worn and hazardous to members of the public.
It added:
“Over the years the current surface of the car park has become pot-holed, with large areas of loose tarmac resulting in trip hazards to members of the public, and claims for vehicle damage.”
The contract is for a complete resurfacing of the car park, and to increase the number of parking spaces to 206, along with 10 disabled bays.
The council will also require the contractors to undertake trunking and ductwork in preparation for the installation of electric vehicle charging points.
Ripon could have a new bus service by AprilA new, comprehensive bus service for Ripon could be up and running as soon as April.
Ripon is served by regular Transdev 36 buses, which link the city with Harrogate and Leeds.
But local buses are limited and Ripon City Council’s transport group has been trying for several years to create a more joined-up service.
Councillor Peter Horton, who chairs the transport group, said plans to create a more integrated bus timetable for all parts of Ripon were being put out to tender by North Yorkshire County Council.
He told Monday’s Ripon City Council meeting:
“The integrated passenger transport authority now has monies available from the Doublegates housing development to help fund the comprehensive scheme we put forward.
“This would serve our growing city up to six days a week.
“The hope is that the service could be operating by April, but that will depend on the response to the tender from bus operators.”
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Developers of both the Doublegates scheme off Clotherholme Road and St Michael’s Retail Park at Rotary Way were required to contribute towards the cost of public transport improvements in Ripon, as part of a Section 106 planning agreement.
Cllr Horton said:
“Now that funds are in hand we hope to see matters progress as quickly as possible.”
More than 1,500 attend New Year’s event in Ripon
Upwards of 1,500 New Year’s eve revellers were on Ripon’s Market Square as the hands on the town hall clock reached midnight.
The only major public gathering to be held in the Harrogate district, went ahead last night, in spite of a couple of eleventh-hour issues.
While other events across the UK and the world, from Edinburgh to New York, were cancelled because of coronavirus concerns, the city’s residents came out in force to let their hair down at the end of a covid-restricted year.
Because of circumstances beyond the city council’s control, the planned fireworks finale was called off and there was also a late change to the concert performers, with the Movie Night Show singing duo (pictured below) taking over from the Big Boyband Reunion.
Oasis tribute act Definitely Mightbe (Pictured below) were the headline act on a night of free music, which saw crowd numbers steadily climb as people headed to Market Square after dining or drinking in Ripon’s restaurants and pubs.
Concerns raised on Thursday about the level of emergency medical cover for the event were overcome and two ambulance crews were on duty throughout the night.
A team of six from the OSR Medical Ambulance Service (pictured below) which works in partnership with the NHS to cover large public events, was on hand to deal with any incidents or injuries and reported just one – a young woman who cut her foot on broken glass.
In his New Year address from the town hall balcony, the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, had special praise for volunteers, who have been involved in the roll out of the covid vaccination programme throughout 2021.
He said:
“It has been a challenging 12 months and I, as mayor of this great city, would like to pay thanks to the many volunteers who have worked incredibly hard this year at the vaccination site.
“I also thank those who have helped the vulnerable, neighbours and elderly in these difficult times”
Cllr Parkin, pictured below with the Bishop of Ripon The Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley – who gave the final blessing, added:
“The city council is also indebted to the many people, from doctors and nurses, to delivery drivers and retail staff, who have worked so tirelessly to support all of us over the past year.”
Prior to his address and the bishop’s blessing, the mayor and Dean of Ripon The Very Revd. John Dobson led a candle-lit procession (pictured below) from Ripon Cathedral to Market Square.
The procession, symbolising the bringing of light and hope to the New Year, followed an end of year service of carols and prayers at the cathedral.
Three hours before the clocks struck midnight, the evening of entertainment began in traditional style, as Richard Midgley (pictured below) one of Ripon’s four hornblowers carried out the setting of the watch ceremony at the four corners of the obelisk.
From March 2020 until the lifting of lockdown on 19 July 2021, covid regulations saw Richard and his colleagues confined to performing the 9pm nightly ceremony behind closed doors at their own homes.
The tradition dating back to 886 AD and the much newer New Year’s Eve celebration, which has been in place since 1986, are part of the fabric of a proud and ancient city.
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Ripon set to host New Year’s Eve celebrationRipon’s New Year’s eve concert to go ahead without the fireworks
Ripon City Council has confirmed that tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve concert on Market Square will go ahead.
Earlier today, the council said that the fireworks display, which would have provided the finale to the night of free entertainment, had been cancelled, because of circumstances beyond its control.
The circumstances remain unclear, but the question mark over the other elements of the event has now been lifted.
City council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“Because of absence through covid at the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, we wanted to be sure that tomorrow night’s event has appropriate paramedic cover.
“We have had discussions with the YAS this afternoon and they are satisfied that we will have the level of cover required and are happy for the concert to go ahead.”
Cllr Williams repeated his request that those planning to attend take a lateral flow test beforehand and only venture onto Market Square if the test gives a negative result.
Tomorrow night’s free entertainment will begin with the Ripon Hornblower ceremony at the obelisk at 9pm, followed by an Oasis tribute act and the Big Boyband Reunion.
The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, will address the audience at 11.55pm, followed by a blessing by the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley.
The fireworks display, which was scheduled to start as the town hall clock strikes 12, will not take place.
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Ripon’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display cancelledA fireworks display, which had been due to take place tomorrow night as part of Ripon’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, has been cancelled.
No reason for the cancellation has yet been given and it is currently unclear whether the rest of the night’s activities will take place.
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, told the Stray Ferret:
“We are having to cancel the display due to circumstances that are beyond our control and are also in discussion with authorities regarding the concert element planned for tomorrow.
“We will provide a further update later.”
Free entertainment was due to begin with the Ripon Hornblower ceremony at the obelisk at 9pm, followed by an Oasis tribute act and the Big Boyband Reunion.
The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, was then due to address the audience at 11.55pm and, following a blessing by the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the fireworks display was scheduled to start as the town hall clock strikes 12.
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Ripon’s New Year’s Eve celebrations set to go aheadRipon’s New Year’s Eve free concert and fireworks display on Market Square is set to go ahead.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid’s announcement this week that no additional covid restrictions will be put in place in England before the New Year effectively gave Friday’s event the green light.
However, with the Omicron variant bringing a surge in the number of recorded covid cases in the Harrogate district, Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams is urging caution for the large public event.
He said:
“We ask anyone planning to attend to take a lateral flow test and only venture onto Market Square if it gives a negative result.
“We already had the licence for the event from Harrogate Borough Council and had been keeping a close eye on announcements from the government regarding covid measures.
“Now that we have the go-ahead, we hope that people will come and enjoy the night of free entertainment and ensure their own safety and that of others by taking sensible precautions.”
Fireworks display
Safety concerns about holding a fireworks display in Market Square to herald in 2022 have also been resolved. An alternative area of land to the rear of Ripon Town Hall will be used to discharge the display.
Entertainment will begin with the Ripon Hornblower ceremony at the obelisk at 9pm and will be followed by performances from an Oasis tribute act and the Big Boyband Reunion.
The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, will address the audience at 11.55pm and, following a blessing by the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the fireworks display will start as the town hall clock strikes 12.
New Year’s Eve celebrations have been held on Ripon Market Square since 1986 but covid caused the cancellation of the 2020 event.
New covid guidance as Ripon prepares for another big weekendRipon City Council has issued new covid guidance in the run-up to staging another large public event in the Market Square this weekend.
The guidance follows measures brought in by the government this week to combat the Omicron variant of the disease.
The first of two artisan Christmas markets will be held on Sunday, alongside free fairground rides for children and a festive grotto with Santa (pictured below).
The city council said in a statement:
“Anyone who is planning on attending our events is encouraged to take a lateral flow test beforehand to help to stop the spread of covid.
“Please help us by following the guidance below if you are visiting our grotto, fairground and Christmas market on December 5 and 12.”
The guidance is as follows:
- People going to events are strongly advised to take a lateral flow test at home before attending
- Anyone with a positive test result must stay at home, and household members should follow national guidance for close contacts
- Face coverings should be worn indoors and in crowded spaces
- Keep a respectful social distance between yourselves and people who are not in your group
- Do not travel to the event if you are feeling unwell. If you start to feel unwell whilst at an event, you should leave the site immediately
- Follow all covid-19 measures in place at events, including regular hand hygiene
The Little Bird artisan market, featuring stalls offering locally-produced hand-made goods ranging from food to furniture, will be be open from 10am until 3pm on Sunday.