JN2053 - Article Two: Don't stay too long, for we've only ancient charms...

“STAY awhile, amidst its ancient charms” reads the sign as you enter the historic city of Ripon.

For the trendy young people of the North Yorkshire city – including a number of young executives choosing Ripon as their base for work in Harrogate and Leeds – the aforementioned charms, such as the famous hornblower, are proving far too ancient.

The announcement that one of these charms, Ripon’s Spa Baths, are to no longer serve as a swimming pool has provoked calls from DMB Live Music Promotions honcho Dave Moss-Blundell for the building, including the listed foyer, to be turned into a centre for the arts.

“I’m imagining a centre that could host all the arts Ripon has to offer – from artists and orchestras to actors and actresses to opera singers and rock and roll bands, with rooms for them to meet and practice in and a sizeable venue for them to perform in,” explained Moss-Blundell.

Looking at the current provision for the arts and in particular, Moss-Blundell’s primary concern of local music, it is clear to see that Ripon is lacking, even more so when compared to nearby Harrogate, York and Leeds.

Ripon’s leading band The Call recently split up after releasing two successful EPs which earned them airtime on XFM and BBC Radio 2. They staged a farewell gig for their loyal army of fans at Hugh Ripley Hall in the city centre on April 12.

The concert proved a very sweaty swansong, but the hall is without a stage and friends of the band were forced to set up a make-shift bar - facilities that you would take for granted at a music venue.

One gig-goer, Adam Horrocks, 20, of Edens Way, said that while the venue didn’t take away from the band’s performance – the setting wasn’t suitable for a concert.

He said: “The Call were absolutely brilliant but it was strange their final gig being at Hugh Ripley Hall, I used to do karate there!

“I’ve seen the lads play at the O2 Wireless Festival on the same bill as The Who, so seeing them here, for their final gig, while intimate – was certainly different and not in a quirky way.”

Is this a recurring theme in the city? Notes-from-the-back-row has plotted the venues where local concerts are performed on a map, click the pins for more information and on the Hugh Ripley Hall pin, a slideshow from The Call’s final gig.

NOTE: For best performance, click the link beneath the map and it will open in a new window.


View larger map to read full descriptions and watch the slideshow.

With recent sell-out concerts in the city involving names such as John Power, former guitarist with the legendary La’s of ‘There She Goes’ fame, and Colin MacIntyre, formerly of the Mull Historical Society, and local bands Blue Jupiters, Avocado Affair and Toyshelf all attracting attention – there’s definitely something happening in Ripon’s local music scene.

The musicians and promoters of Ripon are moving out of the shadows of their local rivals, but with a limited range of venues and practice facilities – it will only be a matter of time before Ripon’s left only with it’s ancient charms, as the more current ones go searching for brighter lights.

JN2053 - Article One: Baths for the arts?

A LOCAL music promoter has called for Ripon’s historic baths to be turned into an arts venue – after a planning application to turn the building into housing was announced by Harrogate Borough Council.

The historic swimming baths, which celebrated a centenary in 2004, are no longer to be for public use and will be transformed into luxury flats to raise capital for the new swimming pool on Camp Hill, which are set to cost £3.1 million.

The 1930s pool has fallen beyond repair and a new pool is needed. However, it will be based alongside the city’s Leisure Centre far from the city centre and built on land, a treasured green space, which was given to the children of Ripon by Alderman Wade many years ago.

‘Save Our Spa’, a local group set up to canvas support to save the building for public use, this week presented a petition signed by over 3,000 residents calling for a full public consultation on the future of the Baths to Harrogate Borough Council.

Dave Moss-Blundell, whose music promotions company DMB Live has recently staged a number of concerts in Ripon, spoke out at the Council’s plans.

He said: “I think it’s atrocious that the Council plans to sell of such a historic building to a property developer.

“The Spa Baths have been part of Ripon for so long and while the pool may be no longer of use, the beautiful building can still play a big part in the lives of the Ripon people of this city.

“It just feels as if the Council is now taking something away from us by turning the Spa Baths into something that isn’t for all our benefit.”

Moss-Blundell is keen for the building to be used for a cultural purpose and after the success of his recent gigs and the promise of up and coming Ripon bands Blue Jupiters and Avocado Affair, believes there is definitely a public willing to take advantage of a purpose built venue.

He said: “I’ve noticed a bit of a buzz in the city this year, things are happening – the development on the west side of the Market Place, for one, will definitely add a lot to the city.”

There has been demand in the past for the Council to provide a much more substantial provision for the arts in Ripon but this has fallen on deaf ears, according to the local promoter.

“People have tried before and the council hasn’t listened, though, so we shall see.

“I’ve been putting on concerts in places not built for them and while we’ve made the most of the venues available to us – Ripon is really lacking somewhere built to stage performances.”

A proposal has surfaced this week to use the Baths for healthcare purposes, as an extension to the near by hospital and talks are reportedly ongoing between the local hospital trusts, councillors and GPs about the future of the site.

Listen to The Guardian's Martin Wainwright's audio report on the baths 'scandal' from when he visited Ripon recently.

Moss-Blundell, however, feels that the art-nouveau architecture of the building would be wasted on a healthcare extension.

He said: “Just have a look at the building, it’s a fantastic piece of architecture and as much as I appreciate the need for an extension to the hospital, I think that the listed part of the building should be used for something cultural and for enjoyment – not to be associated with unfortunate illness!”

Discussions continue.

Up on the roof...

No, not The Drifters, but protestors against the expansion of Heathrow airport. Up on the roof? Why, the House of Commons of course.

Yesterday, campaigners from Plane Stupid took on the Commons security (not much of a task, it appears) to mount a protest at Westminster, lasting three hours.

It's the airport's plans to build a third runway by 2020 and increasing the amount of flights by 60,000 in 2015 which have provoked the action and the activists unfurled a banner stating as much.

They were given blanket coverage by the 24-hour news channels - which surely only further encouraged them to extend their roof-top sit in? After e-mails from viewers, the channels ended coverage and the publicity eager Plane Stupid group.

Show me the money!

Guido Fawkes makes a good point when he asks the BBC's political reporter Nick Robinson to detail his expenses, as the debate on parliamentary spending rumbles on.

Today's papers detail the lost battle of MPs to block the Freedom of Information Act, which they had tried to block in attempt to avoid the disclosure of their spending related to second homes.

The Speaker, Michael Martin, and Tory MP Derek Conway have both come under attack in recent weeks. It was revealed that Martin's wife had racked up bills going into thousands travelling around London spending her money in expensive London fashion boutiques while Conway had employed his sons, at considerable expense, to do - it turned out - very little.

Campaigner and author Heather Brooke, said: "This ruling will wrest control from the old boys' club and put it back it where it belongs - with the constituents."

I'm not so sure, whether MPs spending will be reined under control is yet to be seen. But I for one, would relish the chance to enjoy Mr Robinson's expense budget. The Ivy for tea, anyone?

Preston news map

A Google 'news' map, created as part of the work in my Digital Newsroom workshop with Alan Rawlinson utilizing content from the Lancashire Evening Post's website lep.co.uk


View Larger Map

Wikileaks?

Haven't really taken to this blogging malarkey, have I? Oops.

Read an interesting article in The Guardian on Saturday about Wikileaks where whistleblowers are able to leak official documents while retaining their anonymity.

When Northern Rock went under last year - the press were gagged. Wikileaks had the entire sales prospectus viewable to the public as well as a couple of very interesting letters from British lawyers, Schillings.

However, a recent injunction against the site - or more specifically the company used to register it's domain name has seen the wikileaks.org page fall. The site can still be found via a search engine and still has a vast collection of official documents available for perusal - including a briefing forTony Blair's famous 2002 meeting about NHS IT funding. The site could cause considerable impact on my politics patch if it continues.

Thinking with regards to our presentation in a couple of weeks, it's digital technology like this that is making the newsroom a totally different place. Using Wikileaks as a source for stories may on the face of it, sound somewhat shady - but as journalism develops reporters must cast their net much further in an attempt to catch a good scoop.