Cathedral prays for bank holiday weather cheer

RIPON church leaders are praying for better weather ahead of the cathedral’s annual beer festival to raise funds for urgent repairs to the historic building.

Breweries from across Yorkshire are taking part in the festival on May Day Bank Holiday Monday in the grounds of Ripon Cathedral.

Money raised from the event will go towards the cathedral’s new repairs and renewals fund, which aims to find £120,000 for work including maintaining the cathedral’s crumbling stonework and 12th century gargoyles which are considered to be among the best in Europe, and paying for a new computer system upgrade.

The festival will also feature food and live music alongside a selection of 30 different local ales including, Hambleton Bitter & Stallion, Wold Top Bitter, Roosters, Black Sheep, Timothy Taylor’s, and a local cider, grown and produced at Old Sleningford Farm near Ripon.