Our Sponsors – Ripon Theatre Festival

Our Sponsors and Supporters

Ripon Theatre Festival is a charity, powered by volunteers and fuelled by donations, corporate sponsorship, grants and charitable awards.

Ticket income brings in less than a third of the revenue required, so we are hugely grateful to the wonderful businesses, generous individuals, supportive public bodies and local councillors who help make the festival happen.

In addition to direct financial support we value their time and expertise – we simply couldn’t do it without them.

In return we try to deliver a programme which chimes with their ambitions for our community and we offer a range of marketing, PR and hospitality benefits for corporate sponsorships.

Please get in touch if you would like to play a part in our future success.

Red Carpet Sponsors

The Ripon Inn opened in October 2023 following an extensive, multi-million-pound refurbishment of the historic Ripon Spa Hotel. An elegant Edwardian building located in the centre of England’s third-smallest city, The Ripon Inn is continuing a purpose it has filled for more than 100 years.

Open all day, every day, to enjoy delicious pub food and well-kept drinks in a completely renovated bar and outdoor terrace, The Ripon Inn is well placed to serve as the place to eat, sleep, drink and explore this historic corner of North Yorkshire.

Kettlewell Fuels is North Yorkshire’s trusted independent heating and fuel oil supplier to the domestic, agricultural, and commercial sectors.

As a family-run business, Kettlewell Fuels is committed to helping customers make the best fuel choices. The company offers consistently competitive prices for its fuels and services, including new fuels designed to suit its customers’ changing environmental needs.

Kettlewell Fuels has a versatile delivery fleet that handles the demands of busy market towns and rural areas with ease. The company delivers to homes, farms, and businesses throughout the region, and even in the remotest locations, limited access is rarely an issue.

One of Kettlewell Fuels’ top priorities is supporting the local communities in which it operates. This support continues through its experienced, friendly and local customer service team, which is always available to provide helpful advice and assistance.

Ripon BID is an independent, not-for-profit, business-led initiative working to create the environment for businesses in the Ripon city region to succeed. The BID delivers exciting projects and events to drive footfall and spend in the city, raise its profile, help it recover and grow its position as a vibrant destination.

The team at Ripon BID gives businesses the support they need to flourish, provides a powerful lobbying voice and works hard to make Ripon a better place to work, live and visit.

Leading Lights

Elstob Auctioneers is one of the leading auction houses in the North of England and has an established reputation for selling high-quality antiques, fine art and jewellery.

Located in spacious, modern premises on the outskirts of Ripon, they offer exclusive and comprehensive auction and valuation services to national and international clients whilst providing a regional focus for Yorkshire, County Durham and Cumbria.

Regular quality sales, including Silver, Jewellery, Pictures and Sculpture, Asian Art and Antiques, occur throughout the year. Other services include professional valuations for sales, probate, insurance and family division, and the provision for single-owner and corporate sales.

Ripon-based investment and development company Sterne Properties has been operating in Ripon for 30 years. Most of their investments have focused on rejuvenating and re-purposing redundant and semi-derelict buildings in their home city. The company focuses on regenerating properties in Ripon for retail and leisure purposes whilst developing upper floor residential units on the same sites.

Their diverse portfolio includes the Claro Lounge, Caffe Nero, Cafe at Number 10, Appleton’s, The Little Ripon Bookshop and Halls of Ripon. The company also has the Spa Baths with plans to return the building to its former Edwardian splendour.

Operated by Lightwater Quarries, Concrete4U is a leading supplier of concrete and aggregates to both small and large customers across much of North Yorkshire, including the districts of Harrogate, Hambleton, Richmondshire and York. A family-owned business, their philosophy is based on putting the customer at the heart of everything they do, whilst ensuring a sustainable future. The quarry has been in operation since 1976.

Lightwater Holdings also owns The Old Coach House B&B which is conveniently located just outside the city for anyone wishing to stay nearby to enjoy festival events. Popular North Stainley pub, The Staveley Arms is also part of the family of businesses, offering locally-brewed ales and home-cooked food. See our Where to Stay and Places to Eat and Drink pages.

Specsavers Opticians and Audiologists in Ripon’s Market Place offers the highest standard of service and expertise in eye and ear care. With a full range of services, including eye tests and hearing tests, plus ear wax removal, the friendly team of qualified specialists are there to look after customers and can also visit them in the comfort of their own home. From stylish glasses and sunglasses to prescription contact lenses and hearing aids.

Celebrating ten years’ trading and winning gold in the British Property Awards for Ripon Rentals, Solo Estate Agents provide property sales and lettings and some commercial rentals and sales. Their comprehensive service accommodates all property types, styles and locations, covering Ripon, Thirsk, Northallerton, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Wetherby and beyond.

Solo are a team of experienced and enthusiastic agents. Their extensive knowledge of the local property market enables them to provide a better, more modern estate agent service. Ideally placed to provide expert opinion, they pride themselves on taking the time to listen and to provide honest advice.

The Stray Ferret is an independent online news service for the Harrogate district, with a journalist based in Ripon since the very beginning. The Stray Ferret provides a platform for people in the district to ask questions, share views and voice opinions on issues of public importance.

The company is committed to holding power to account by being first for daily breaking news and to using in-depth, investigative reporting to raise awareness around serious issues. The Stray Ferret is also passionate about championing everything that makes the area so fantastic, celebrating the achievements of individuals and businesses, and highlighting upcoming events.

Known as Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse, Ripon Races has been hosting some of the most exciting, prestigious and enjoyable racing in the country for more than 300 years. Ripon Racecourse moved to its current location at Boroughbridge Road in 1900 and has been an important fixture on the racing scene ever since.

With total prize money well in excess of a million pounds, the fixture list at Ripon incorporates some outstanding races. In August alone, the course stages two major highlights. The William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap and its Listed EBF Champion Two Year Old Trophy which often attracts leading young horses from major stables.

Other popular fixtures include afternoon and evening racing throughout the season, Family Days and Ladies’ Day.

The company behind artisan markets across the region, Little Bird serves local communities with the best curated stalls, whilst giving traders the best opportunities to showcase and sell their handmade goods.

The team at Little Bird feels passionate about showcasing local talents, artisans, and small creative pop-ups. They bring people together in a vibrant and friendly atmosphere, creating a fun space to hang out with family & friends, where you can eat, drink, shop and be merry. Get the social back into shopping!

Arch Consulting is a an Enterprise Software and Services company, specialising in the extension of processes running on SAP S/4HANA and Business Suite. It has customers all over the world of many shapes and sizes.

Arch hosts and maintains the website for the Festival.

Golden Frog was established in 2010 and is based in office in the centre of Ripon. The company boasts an in-house team, and an enormous network of tried and tested service providers, enabling the agency to provide a full service: PR, Marketing and Sales operations. For a fraction of the cost of an employee, companies can benefit from expertise across the full spectrum of services they offer.

The Golden Frog lives on the banks of fast-flowing rivers and streams in Panama. As a result of its natural habitat, it can’t be heard and so has developed a series of waves to communicate with mates and attackers. Like their namesake, Golden Frog stands for innovative communication, helping their clients, however small, to be visible, raising their profile and enhancing their reputation.