“Ripon has so much to offer, it's such a beautiful place.”- Independent traders group proves traditional high street is evolving

The meeting was made up of independent traders keen to be a part of the Totally Locally campaign, which supports Ripon as a place to live, work, and play.

This year, the campaign's collaborative approach has drawn attention to the city and given visitors something to remember.

The meeting was a hive of ideas, including individuals who spoke actively on a variety of topics with seasonal festivals as far as February, 2024.

Chris Sands, founder of the Totally Locally campaign said: ”Ripon is in many ways a role model, it's got the chance to become that model city.

“There might be two or three towns in the UK that have done it as well.

“The campaign just encourages people to gather and work collaboratively, cutting out years of arguing about the little things like logos.

“All the ideas are already here, the group is so engaged.

The group would like to encourage residents to attend the meeting to build on the city’s burgeoning reputation as a cultural hothouse in the north.

The campaign, which could be described as a form of ‘polite anarchy’, nurtures the input of community groups, and supports independent traders in a bid to help ‘level the playing field’.

Mr Sands said:“That’s the beauty of it, there’s no one person leading it.

“It’s just brand building, which allows people to associate events with the quality they’ve come to expect.

“Ripon has so much to offer, it's such a beautiful place.”

Totally Locally events have built a reputation for ethically sourced produce, quality arts and music, with an affection for Ripon's history and growing cultural impact.

Notably, the recent injection to boost the city’s footfall is thanks to the groups who have formed unanimously around the campaign.

Lilla Bathurst, Ripon BID manager said: "It was great to see so many businesses coming together to discuss ways to drive footfall and encourage spending in independent businesses.

“With the traditional high street evolving, and consumers demanding more experiential-led visits, it is all the more important for businesses to collaborate and find ways to capitalise on this."