SAVE RIPON'S MARKET-PETITION NOW CLOSED

UPDATE: The petition to save Ripon's market is now closed and has been presented to NYC. There were a total of 2587 signatures.

On Monday October 7th at 6 p.m. the County's Council will be making a presentation to Ripon City Council about its proposals for the market. This meeting is open to the public. Supporters of the petition and residents of the city are encouraged to attend the meeting to listen to what might happen.

There has been a market at the heart of the city of Ripon since the 12th century when, in 1108, King Henry I granted the right to hold a “fair”. But now, just over nine hundred years later, there are doubts over whether it will continue in its present form.

North Yorkshire Council has indicated that it is proposing to stop erecting stalls for traders,a subsidised service only offered at Ripon and Knaresborough markets. At the other three market sites under the Council's jurisdiction, Skipton, Northallerton and Thirsk, this facility is not an option. The Council has stressed that it has no intention of closing the market, it is simply the way the stalls are placed into position that will be affected. It states that Ripon market is running at a loss, as is the market at Knaresborough, and that it is “unsustainable” for this option to continue as it presently does. The Council claims that it would also need to invest tens of thousands of pounds in new trailers and vehicles to overcome logistical problems created by the weight and size of the stalls.

In response, around 75% of stallholders who trade at the ancient market, and have done so for many years, have indicated that they will no longer attend if they have to “self erect” their stalls, as they have neither the ability to bring, nor the time to erect, their own stands. This would have a knock-on effect for the smaller traders who do bring their own stalls, as they then would be operating within a reduced market, which would not tempt in buyers, either local or visiting, in the same numbers. This lively market is always busy, much appreciated by locals, and comments can often be overheard from visitors saying they wished they had such a wonderful market in their home town. But if the stallholders don't come, then the market becomes less vibrant, meaning the city will lose its weekly buzz, bringing in less footfall.

The petition was launched by Councillor Barbara Brodigan, a member of of Ripon City Council, which hopes to take over the running of the market from North Yorkshire Council through its double devolution programme. It called for a full economic and community impact assessment before any decision was finally made.