City hopes to join TV bid to save high street

Fears have been raised that Ripon could be plunging into a deeper economic crisis as it rapidly shifts away from its economic foundations of traditional industries such as farming, and falls behind its more affluent neighbour of Harrogate.

A summit to help bolster its economy was recently held involving representatives from North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and Ripon City Council, as well as the Greater Ripon Improvement Partnership and the Chamber of Trade and Civic Society – with another meeting planned around Easter.

Now the Yorkshire Post has learned that the Greater Ripon Improvement Partnership has submitted a request to Harrogate Borough Council to be its partner in bidding for a share of the £1m pot available under the Portas scheme.

Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, said last night: “This is one of a number of initiatives to get Ripon’s economy back punching above its weight.

“It is great that this application is going forward.

“I support all initiatives to improve the retail environment in Ripon, we have got some great shops but we have also got quite a lot of empty shops as well.”

The move to create the Government pilot scheme, which Local Government Minister Grant Shapps has called a “golden ticket”, followed last year’s review of high streets by Mary Portas aimed at halting the decline of high streets and closure of local shops.

A ‘town team’ will be created in each area, made up of the key players in their community such as the council, shopkeepers and the local MP.

The Department of Communities and Local Government, which is coordinating the scheme, told the Yorkshire Post it would not comment on how many applications had been received until the deadline at the end of March.

The East Yorkshire town of Goole is also believed to be submitting a bid.