Neighbourhood know-how, places and people
Location, location
An attractive and bustling market town in the Amber Valley, Ripley is ideally placed within easy access of cities and countryside. Around 60 local bus services leave from the town and railway stations at Alfreton and Langley Mill are just 3.7 and 4.6 miles away. At the heart of the town is an attractive paved Market Place - a useful car park when there isn't a market - overlooked by the imposing Town Hall, built in 1880.
History
Ripley was transformed after the great canal builder Benjamin Outram moved to Butterley Hall in 1790 and with Francis Beresford founded the ironworks which became the Butterley Company. Developing local mineral resources, the company produced everything from the roof of St Pancras Station to cast-iron rails, but from employing c.10,000 people in the 1950s, by March 2009 the company was in administration and demolition of the great worksite began later that year. However, business parks with a range of new enterprises have been established and Ripley has shown it is up to the challenge of adapting to our changing times. Butterley Hall is now the base for the joint headquarters of Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service and Derbyshire Constabulary.
Community
The town has kept its well-respected hospital, with a highly effective League of Friends, and is the home to local community radio station, Amber Sound. Ripley can justifiably proclaim itself to be a great place in which to live.
Retail therapy
The Market Place hosts weekly stall markets on Fridays and Saturdays and the town has a comprehensive range of shops in a compact area: High Street flanks the market place with several shopping streets running off at right angles. As well as supermarkets and chain stores, Ripley has friendly independent shops that offer great customer service, stock high quality, individual items and are a pleasure to visit. Established favourites include Clarkes department store, dating from 1912, and Hurst's Pharmacy, founded 1855. Newer to the scene: Depledge & Wood offers gorgeous gifts and lifestyle goods and Fort sells bridal wear, men's and ladies' clothing. Home improvers or restorers can take a short walk along Nottingham Road to look around Derwent Windows' wonderfully restored showroom in the Old Church and a little further out are the premises of another local company to be proud of - Zycomm, UK experts in radio communications.
Take a break
Both the Seafish Restaurant on Cromford Road and Ripley's Fish and Chips in the town centre (with gluten-free options) are recommended sources of the popular favourite. Locals also recommend the Nepalese Kathmandu Gurkha II. The Thorn Tree Inn is conveniently situated on the Market Place, and the Brown Bear Coffee Shop at Hurst's and Amber on Oxford Street are just two of many cafés to offer a warm welcome and excellent homemade food.
Leisure time
There are no less than 14 local playgrounds but the latest popular addition to the scene is the 'splash pad' installed in the old paddling pool at Green Flag award-winning Crossley Park in the heart of the town. Ripley Leisure Centre has a gym, sports hall and swimming pool. The Town Hall stocks a range of leaflets detailing local walks, including the route of the 1817 Pentrich Revolution. Ripley Greenway is an enjoyable and peaceful off-road walkway for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. Butterley Reservoir, built to service the Cromford Canal, is also popular with walkers, anglers and birdwatchers. Visitors shouldn't miss the Midland Railway at the former Butterley Station - one of our most impressive railway heritage sites with train rides, two railway museums, model railway and more.
