A Savory Is Born

Every year a saviour comes to Ripon on a white horse. He comes to save our souls and his name is St Wilfrid – or it might just be Bomber! It can only be a month or so before another blessed saviour comes to town on his white charger this time allegedly to save our city from the economic quagmire; it is of course Edwin J Booth – though he may just come in his Bentley!
How he is going to pull off this remarkable feat we cannot say. Suffice it to say there are many members of our councils, both parish and borough, who are utterly confident that this is the case.
Booths supermarkets' target group is the middle class shopper - the kind of people who drink wine regularly, people who at present, use the local butchers and delicatessen. Booths have clearly demonstrated by their actions that they care not one iota for the future of their trading neighbours in Ripon and for those traders the future looks bleak indeed.

Who Are They Watching?

It is an unpleasant and unnerving thought that we might be watched by complete strangers as we go about our daily lives. Of course we are all accustomed to the
proliferation of surveillance cameras in the UK and this has given rise to comparisons with Big Brother – CCTV in our streets and shopping arcades, in shops, on police vehicles and ‘body worn’ cameras on the police themselves. But is it all being done for benign reasons of public safety and crime prevention and where are we safe from the state’s prying eye?

You would think, would you not, that the answer would unquestionably be in your own home, but here in Ripon at least, this may not be the case.
Harbinger would like to know why at 08.50 on the 22nd April this surveillance camera appears to be pointing directly into the upstairs (bedroom?) windows of the apartment opposite. The camera remained at this angle for at least 15 minutes and then turned to face up the street.

The Human Rights Act states: CCTV operators must be fully aware and signed up to the system Codes of Practice and Procedures, including matters relating to Human Rights, Data Protection, PACE Act 1984
It says: ‘Everyone has the right to respect for private and family life, his home and his correspondence’. And further: ‘All surveillance carried out must be ‘necessary in a democratic society’.

There may of course be a perfectly innocent explanation for this but if this were my bedroom, or worse, that of my teenage daughter I would be feeling rightly indignant and would, under those circumstances seek to identify who is responsible for this gross infringement of privacy and human rights.

Come on Harrogate Council: explain yourselves.

Market Square Madness

What a delight it is to see our lovely Ripon market place used, as it should be, for a market. The visiting continental market has used the space wonderfully and Riponians are wandering about enjoying the space at last. The market square could be used every day for all sorts of events and markets; sadly however this is unlikely to last as the cretins will soon have it tarmaced over and the cars all over it once again. "Get out of the way, we don't want you people here, this is a car park."

St Bernard Bateman and climbing partner Don (Whillans) Grundy, moments after their successful attempt on Duck Hill (North Face).

St Bernard led the first pitch from base camp at ‘The Deli’ in an audacious ‘Alpine Style’ assault; this included the first of two challenging traverses. Having set up a hanging belay at the bottom of the ‘Difficult Steps’ he allows the immensely experienced ‘Don’ to lead through the gruelling and technically demanding second pitch

“ It wasn’t easy”, said Don “ after yesterday’s rain some of the steps were greasy but my crampons eventually found grip and I mantleshelved out and set up the second hanging belay to bring St Bernard up”.

The pair completed the infamous ‘Difficult Steps’ in record time despite the prevailing conditions only leaving the final, and most dangerous pitch – the Kirkgate Traverse – to St Bernard.

The crossing of Kirkgate can be incredibly dangerous due to signage suggesting an absence of traffic but “thanks to the incompetence of Harrogate council's parking dept' one can be mown down at any time” said St Bernard “and that’s the way we like it – fast and dangerous!” Astonishingly the Kirkgate Traverse was achieved without mishap and the triumphant pair gained the summit (known as 'The Chair') and planted the traditional flag of victory before the weather began to close in and it started to spit.

Youthful Mayor Elect Says "I'll Put Ripon First."

George Pickles: A Very Naughty Boy.

I really can't be bothered with this silly little story, and yet it seems to have grabbed the headlines in the Gazette for weeks now.
So, the hornblower George Pickles has had an official reprimand from our esteemed Mayor 'earinged' Sid Hawke for 'attending events without official permission' and 'communicating with the press'. Perhaps Mr Pickles should restrict himself to his original remit in which case I shall expect to see him patrolling the town in the early hours in order to ensure we all sleep safe in our beds.
I suppose it is indicative of a wider stupidity, arrogance and insularity on the part of many members of our council though why we should be suprised at this defeats me.