About 400 vehicles are expected to take part in tomorrow’s 25-mile Knaresborough Tractor Run.
The tractors are due to set off from the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate at 9am before snaking around the district.
The spectacular convoy will head to Ripley and Knaresborough before travelling to Staveley, Burton Leonard and Markington, Bishop Thornton and Glasshouses.
It is expected to arrive in Pateley Bridge at midday for a hog roast and then continue to Bewerley, Dacre, Darley, Birstwith and Hampsthwaite before finishing in Knaresborough at 4pm.
The number taken part won’t be known until tomorrow as drivers can turn up on the day.
Participation costs £20 and an extra £10 for each passenger. You can enter here or turn up at the showground.
All proceeds are donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance — a cause close to the hearts of many farmers taking part because of the way it helps people in remote and rural areas.
Last year, a total if 383 tractors took part and the event raised £21,000.for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Although the route uses some minor roads, the convoy takes about an hour to file by and traffic delays are possible for vehicles caught up in the event.
The route snakes around Nidderdale
Tractor Run committee chairman and Ramsgill farmer Steven Brown urged anyone with a tractor, farmer or otherwise, to take part, and anyone without one to turn out to support the event. He said:
“Come along and join in the fun. We reckon it’s the biggest tractor run in the UK, so the chances of seeing anything similar elsewhere are slim.”
Prizes will be awarded for tractors in three categories: vintage, classics, and modern.
Read more:
- ‘Britain’;s biggest tractor run’; set to return to Harrogate district on Sunday
- Knaresborough businesses criticise ‘ludicrous’ empty electric vehicle charging bays
New 5G mast at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground approved
A bid to improve 5G connectivity by installing a new telecommunications tower at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate has been approved.
A planning application was submitted to Harrogate Borough Council by telecommunications company EE to erect a lattice tower that will host three antennae, two dishes and several cabinets.
The firm said in documents the proposal would not only boost WiFi at the showground but also provide “much improved and upgraded coverage to surrounding businesses and residents who currently see limited indoor coverage”.
The council has now approved the proposal.
In planning documents, Harlequin Group, which lodged the plan on behalf of EE, said:
“It should be noted there is no 5G coverage within the immediate or surrounding area whatsoever.
“The area, in particular the Great Yorkshire Showground, has been subject to coverage supplied by way of a temporary emergency solution during events.
“The proposal will be tucked within a building corner, meaning that the equipment will be obscured on two of the four sides.”
The proposed location for the 5G mast.
Allister Nixon, chief executive of the Great Yorkshire Showground told the Stray Ferret previously:
“The Great Yorkshire Showground is an intrinsic part of the local community that hosts numerous events throughout the year and brings significant employment and money to the area.
“To ensure that we can continue to develop and evolve with the changing demands of customers and business, it is vital to ensure that the latest connectivity is present; the proposed lattice tower is centrally located and has been designed to allow multiple operators to host on the same infrastructure.
“The public benefit goes beyond the Great Yorkshire Showground, with the proposal able to provide upgraded coverage and capacity to the surrounding residential properties, commercial properties, visitors and businesses in the locale. It is therefore believed that this proposal enables the provision of future connectivity for numerous individuals and companies.”
Read more:
- New 5G masts proposed for Harlow Hill water tower
- Plans for two masts to meet ‘acute need’ for 5G in Harrogate
Bid to improve WiFi at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground
A 25-metre telecommunications tower could be installed at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground to improve WiFi.
The showground attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year but many often struggle to get online.
A planning application has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council by telecommunications company EE to erect a lattice tower that will host three antennae, two dishes and several cabinets.
A design and access statement submitted by telecommunications technology company Harlequin Group on behalf of EE to the council said the proposal would not only boost WiFi at the showground but also provide “much improved and upgraded coverage to surrounding businesses and residents who currently see limited indoor coverage”. It added:
“It should be noted there is no 5G coverage within the immediate or surrounding area whatsoever.
“The area, in particular the Great Yorkshire Showground, has been subject to coverage supplied by way of a temporary emergency solution during events.
“The proposal will be tucked within a building corner, meaning that the equipment will be obscured on two of the four sides.”
The proposed location, according to planning documents.
EE claimed the enhanced network “should be considered critical infrastructure within the UK to support the local community in perpetuity”. It said:
“At present, a temporary mast is brought out during events such as the Great Yorkshire Show that take place within the showground. Whilst this has been a solution that has worked adequately in the past, currently there is an ever-growing demand to find a more permanent solution.
“Local residents and businesses who currently experience little to no coverage, as well as visitors to the showground, have been pushing for a fixed solution that would consistently meet the demands of the surrounding area.”
‘Vital to ensure latest connectivity’
Allister Nixon
Allister Nixon, chief executive of the Great Yorkshire Showground told the Stray Ferret:
“The Great Yorkshire Showground is an intrinsic part of the local community that hosts numerous events throughout the year and brings significant employment and money to the area.
“To ensure that we can continue to develop and evolve with the changing demands of customers and business, it is vital to ensure that the latest connectivity is present; the proposed lattice tower is centrally located and has been designed to allow multiple operators to host on the same infrastructure.
“The public benefit goes beyond the Great Yorkshire Showground, with the proposal able to provide upgraded coverage and capacity to the surrounding residential properties, commercial properties, visitors and businesses in the locale. It is therefore believed that this proposal enables the provision of future connectivity for numerous individuals and companies.”
Councillors will decide whether to approve the planning application.
New events to attract thousands more visitors to Yorkshire Event Centre in 2023The Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate is expecting to host tens of thousands more visitors after securing several new deals for 2023.
The new events include an epic comic convention, the UK’s biggest outdoor holiday home show, a model rail showcase and an electric vehicle extravaganza.
Heather Parry, managing director of the Yorkshire Event Centre, said:
“We are excited to be heading into 2023 with a number of new, high-profile shows to be held here for the first time. All of these have strong national profiles, guaranteed to attract thousands of visitors into the region, and we are proud to host them here.”
Harrogate Model Engineering Exhibition and Model Rail 2023, on Friday and Saturday, March 10 and 11, will have large-scale traction engines, model boats, military, earth-moving display, live steam, model trucks, aero modelling, railway locomotives and over 40 club and society displays.
Model Rail 2023 will feature the largest model railway in the UK. ‘Heaton Lodge Junction’ is a 200ft x 50ft masterpiece that took over seven years to build.
Fully Charged LIVE North 2023, which is billed as the world’s number-one electric vehicle and clean energy show, is expected to attract 10,000 to 15,000 visitors to the YEC.
The show, which will be held from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21, will complement a series of other Fully Charged LIVE shows which are held in Europe, America, Canada and Australia, as well as Fully Charged LIVE South, which is held in Hampshire.
Founded by actor, author and presenter Robert Llewellyn, the hugely popular Fully Charged YouTube channel has more than 163 million views and nearly a million subscribers, and covers electric vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from electric bikes to electric boats, as well as covering the clean, sustainable energy sources that these technologies can run on.
Fully Charged at the Yorkshire Event Centre: (l to r) presenter Robert Llewellyn, YEC venue manager Richard Moorhouse, Dan Caesar and YEC sales manager Ben Chatburn.
Comic-Con will be at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the weekend of June 3-4 as part of a national tour. Visitors can expect big-name guests, amazing set and prop builds, major attractions, cosplay, anime, traders, gaming and more.
Finally, organisers of the UK’s biggest outdoor holiday home show, HERCMA, recently announced their relocation to the Great Yorkshire Showground.
Rebranded as The Great Holiday Home Show, it will be held from Friday, September 8 to Sunday, September 10 for the public, followed by a trade-only show from Tuesday, September 12 to Thursday, September 14. The outdoor show of holiday homes, caravans and motorhomes, is set to get a brand-new look, with new content to be announced nearer the time.
The Great Yorkshire Showground has 250 acres of outdoor space and can also host large-scale indoor events.
The YEC is based on the 250-acre Great Yorkshire Showground, which has 250 acres of outdoor space to offer event organisers and free parking. It can host large-scale indoor events across the two halls in the Yorkshire Event Centre or in one of the 14 rooms at the Pavilions of Harrogate.
Businesses and events held at the Great Yorkshire Showground contributed £73.7 million to the local economy in 2019, the latest year for which figures are available.
Read more:
- Harrogate to host Comic Con Yorkshire 2023
- UK’s biggest outdoor holiday home show to come to Harrogate
Is Harrogate ice cream van the best in the country?
Harrogate ice cream seller John Taylor is in line for another industry award.
Mr Taylor, whose van is parked outside Victoria Shopping Centre most days from March to September, is one of the most familiar faces in Harrogate.
Besides selling in Harrogate town centre, he takes his van to events across the district and to the streets of Harrogate, Ripon and Boroughbridge during summer.
He has now been named in the final three in the mobiler of the year category at the Ice Cream Alliance‘s Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show, which will be held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate in February.
The mobiler category recognises all aspects of running an ice cream van. Last year Mr Taylor scooped the gold award at the same event for the taste of his Mr Whippy ice cream but he thinks winning the mobiler category would top that.
Although the number of vans has decreased significantly in recent decades, Mr Taylor, who runs C and M Ices, said there were still about 3,000 to 4,000 operating and he was thrilled to be recognised in the top three by his trade association:
“This is our equivalent of the Oscars or the Premier League. It is the highest accolade you can win.”
Read more:
- Harrogate’s award-winning ice-cream man keeps up the family tradition
- Harrogate M&S manager calls for longer Christmas fayre to bolster town centre
The three finalists will go in front of a five-person judging panel.
Harrogate born and bred Mr Taylor, whose family has been selling ice cream since 1889, said 2022 had been a better year due to the warm summer and he hoped to be back outside the Victoria Shopping Centre in spring. He added:
Harrogate’s showground vaccination site to close next week“The weather is our kingmaker. Whatever happens to the economy, and things like covid, if the weather is not good you can’t make a living.”
Harrogate’s covid vaccination centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground will close next week.
The site is set to shut after two years of operation.
More than 250,000 vaccinations have been carried out at the centre, 30,000 of which have come during the autumn booster campaign.
The vaccination site will close on Wednesday, November 23.
Cath Dixon, clinical lead at the Yorkshire Health Network which runs the clinics, said:
“This has been a monumental team effort by all concerned over the last almost two years. We are extremely grateful to the staff at the events centre for their support and flexibility especially when events returned and they continued to support the vaccination programme while also delivering business as usual. They have been amazing partners during this whole process and we can’t thank them enough.
“We also owe huge thanks to our army of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to keep the site operational in all weathers including the pouring rain and significant falls of snow, always willingly and cheerfully.”
Vaccinations will continue to be offered to those eligible until November 23.
The site will be open from 8.15am until 5.30pm each day, apart from Sunday when it will be closed.
Read more:
- Harrogate care costs climb to £54,000 a year as ‘colossal’ price rises bite
- Hospital ‘not anticipating’ service cuts due to energy price surge
- ‘Get jabbed’ plea as ‘wave of covid’ predicted in North Yorkshire
People aged 50 and over, pregnant women, carers, frontline health and care workers, care home residents and people of all ages who are vulnerable are eligible for a covid booster jab now.
However, first and second doses will also be available. A clinic for those aged five to 11 will be held on Friday after school and all day Saturday.
Those aged between 12 and 17 will also be offered vaccinations this Saturday afternoon until 5.30pm.
Those eligible for a vaccine can book via the NHS website or walk-in appointments are available.
Ms Dixon added:
Less than a month to get jabbed at Harrogate’s showground“We are here till 23 November and would encourage anyone who has been invited to have a covid vaccination but has not yet come forward to book a jab before the site closes.
“Covid is still circulating in our communities and we still have people in hospital with this virus so please take advantage of the opportunity to protect yourself and those around you and stay well this winter.”
Autumn covid booster vaccination clinics are only available at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground for less than a month.
Tim Yarrow, operations manager at Yorkshire Health Network, which is overseeing the vaccination programme, today urged anyone eligible to book now.
Those showground site, which is currently seeing 1,400 patients a day, is due to close on November 23 and there are currently no plans to re-open it.
It means people will have to seek appointments at local pharmacies when the showground site closes.
People aged 50 and over, pregnant women, carers, frontline health and care workers, care home residents and people of all ages who are vulnerable are eligible for a covid booster jab now.
Those who are able to book their vaccinations can do so via the NHS website.
The showground is not accepting walk-in appointments. Access to the site is available by car from the road alongside Sainsbury’s.
The NHS is ramping up its winter vaccination campaign.
Health bosses in Harrogate previously said that they expect to see more covid patients in hospitals in the coming weeks.
Dr Bruce Willoughby, Harrogate GP and part of the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, said:
“Health and care services in North Yorkshire and York, like everywhere, are already extremely busy. We do expect to see more cases of covid in the coming weeks as people mix freely again and spend more time indoors as the weather gets colder. The risk of catching covid is highest indoors and in crowded places.
“More people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the pandemic. The best time to have the flu vaccine is in the autumn or early winter before it starts spreading.”
Health officials are also urging people to book a flu vaccine this winter. People can book their jab via their GP surgery.
Read more:
- Harrogate care costs climb to £54,000 a year as ‘colossal’ price rises bite
- Hospital ‘not anticipating’ service cuts due to energy price surge
- ‘Get jabbed’ plea as ‘wave of covid’ predicted in North Yorkshire
‘I was so very lucky to have met her’: Former director of Great Yorkshire Show pays tribute to the Queen
The former director of the Great Yorkshire Show, Bill Cowling, has paid tribute to the Queen who he chaperoned during her last visit in 2008.
Mr Cowling, who is also a retired Deputy Lieutenant of North YorkshireDeputy , said her death was a “tremendous shock” and it felt like losing a family member.
He described the Queen’s visit to the showground in Harrogate as one of the highlights of his career.
He recalled talking to her in the back of a Range Rover and enjoying lunch with her at the president’s pavilion.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“I was so very lucky to have met her. To think I sat and talked to her over an extended period of time was a huge honour. It’s something I shall remember forever.
“Her ability to put me at my ease – and everybody else she met – was an amazing thing. She was such a consummate professional at what she was doing.”
Read more:
- ‘I chatted to the Queen in the back of a Range Rover’: Her Majesty’s many visits to the district
- Flags raised back up to full mast across the district as Charles III proclaimed new sovereign
Mr Cowling said not only was the Queen a lover of animals, but she also had a great appreciation of agriculture and rural life.
He said:
“She knew what she was looking at in the way of horses, but also cattle and sheep. She had a huge interest in all the exhibitors and their livelihoods.”
The Queen unveiling a plaque to commemorate the start of work on the Regional Agricultural Centre in 2008.
Mr Cowling said, like the rest of the nation, he will now start coming to terms with the change.
He said:
Hundreds of vintage tractors to go under the hammer in Harrogate“There’s no doubt a change has happened. But I’m confident King Charles III will make a splendid King. Again at the show, I was privileged to have met him a few times and his interest and empathy with rural life is the same.”
Hundreds of vintage tractors are set to go under the hammer in Harrogate this weekend.
East Anglian-based auctioneer Cheffins will bring more than 900 lots to the Great Yorkshire Showground for the annual Harrogate Vintage Sale on Saturday.
It is the largest sale of its kind in the north of England, attracting visitors from the UK and Europe.
There will be 130 classic and vintage tractors on offer, with highlights including a 1919 International Titan 10-20 tractor estimated at £12,000 to £15,000.
The vehicle has been part of several renowned collections, including one at Toddington Manor, and was also once in the ownership of major collector Paul Rackham.
Read more:
- Union Jack flies high at Newby Hall’s Tractor Fest
- Record turnout for return of Knaresborough farmers’ tractor run
Also on offer is a 1948 Field Marshall Series II, which is in immaculate condition and previously won Best in Show at the Carrington Rally and Best Series II at the Marshall Golden Jubilee. It has an estimate of £10,000 to £12,000.
There will also be several restored Massey Ferguson 135s, and a 1956 Porsche A133, which has also been renovated, and is expected to fetch between £9,500 and £10,500.
A 1948 Field Marshall Series II
Oliver Godfrey, head of the machinery department at Cheffins, said:
“The Harrogate sale has always been a key date in the vintage and classic calendar and attracts enthusiasts from all over Europe.
“Whilst offering collectors a mid-show season opportunity to pick up new kit, the sale also provides a fantastic day out.
“We expect buyers to be particularly interested in the Titan tractor, as it is a rare and fabulously maintained example, which has been in the hands of some of the most well-known collectors on the circuit.”
The sale will take place on Saturday, August 20 from 10.30am at the Great Yorkshire Showground.
To view the catalogue, click here
Campaign to promote cycling arrives in Harrogate this monthA campaign for anyone wishing to rediscover or start cycling is arriving in Harrogate this month.
Ten free workshops for adults will take place in Harrogate in August and September as part of the Big Bike Revival 2022; aiming to break down barriers to cycling, improve bike confidence and help people cycle more safely on the roads.
Free bikes and helmets can also be pre-booked in advance and locations include Cardale Park, Hornbeam Park, OneWellness Clubs, on Mowbray Square, St Marks Church and the Great Yorkshire Showground.
Places are filling fast, according to organisers Cycling UK, so anyone inspired to get more active by the Lionesses, Tour De France or Commonwealth Games is advised to book early.
Read more:
- Beech Grove decision leaves Harrogate in slow lane for cycling
- New cycling plans for Harrogate to be drawn up next month
Workshops will be delivered by accredited British Cycling coach, Kate Auld, from The Personal Cyclist, which is based in Harrogate.
She said:
“These sessions are about encouraging and supporting everyone to try cycling again. I wanted to get behind this important campaign to help everyone rediscover the joys of cycling in daily life; from getting fitter to saving money on fuel.”
According to latest research by Cycling UK, leisure cycling increased from 35% to 55% during 2020 and 42% of people in England own or have access to a bike. In 2020 this rose to 47%.
To book contact Kate on 07779 152750 or email: thepersonalcyclist@gmail.com.
The full programme:
BIKE CONFIDENCE SESSIONS:
- Tuesday, August 1 at 12pm, Cardale Park
- Tuesday, August 20 at 12pm, OneWellness Clubs
- Wednesday, September 7 at 10am, St Marks Church
- Thursday, September 8 at 1pm, Hornbeam Park
- Tuesday, September 13 at 12pm, Great Yorkshire Showground
SOCIAL CYCLE DATES:
- Wednesday, August 17 at 12pm, from Cardale Park
- Wednesday, August 31 at 12pm, from One Wellness Clubs
- Thursday, September 8 at 10am, from St Marks Church (WAITLIST)
- Friday, September 9 at 1pm, from Hornbeam Park
- Wednesday, September 14 at 12pm, from the Great Yorkshire Showground