New fire and police station replaces 'dated' base

The new base in Ripon will accommodate both police officers and firefighters

A police and fire station in North Yorkshire has officially reopened after a major refurbishment.

The two services made a joint investment of nearly £1m to modernise the "out-of-date" facility in Ripon.

The upgrade included spaces to interview victims of crime, a place for the public to speak to police officers and a modernised workspace for staff.

David Skaith, Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, cut the ribbon at an opening ceremony on Monday.

Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, Tim Forber, said the "first class" facilities on Stonebridgegate were part of continued efforts to boost its neighbourhood policing service.

"The police station in Ripon closed a number of years ago and we'd had a joint building with our fire service colleagues, but it was out of date and in very poor condition," he said.

"It was not a fit place for the public to come, particularly if they were a victim of crime, and absolutely not a place where my officers were properly looked after."

Chief fire officer Jonathan Dyson said the day marked the culmination of a year-long project

Jonathan Dyson, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, said the project had been more than a year in the making.

"We hit one massive snag, which was that we found more extensive asbestos in the building than we anticipated," he said.

"It delayed things a little bit but it was right that we did it and it's credit to the teams and our support staff."

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