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Jun 2023

Business

Knaresborough bed race set for huge crowds and glorious weather

Published: 9 Jun 2023, 17:30 BST

by John Plummer

Thousands of people will flock to Knaresborough tomorrow for the town's busiest day of the year.

The Great Knaresborough Bed Race will see 90 teams of seven tackle a 2.4-mile course through the town's streets and river.

Knaresborough is looking resplendent with 48 Pride flags displayed to celebrate Pride month, and with the Met Office forecasting temperatures up to 26 degrees centigrade, the town will be buzzing.

People are being urged to bring cash as the limited number of cash machines in Knaresborough are likely to run out of money.

Knaresborough Lions, which organises the event, has arranged a free park and ride bus operated by Connexions from GSPK at Manse Lane and ALM at St James Business Park.

If you wish to park closer, King James's School is offering £5 all day parking with money going to MacMillan Cancer Support.

Teams will gather at Knaresborough Castle in the morning to be judged for the Best Dressed Team award.

Whoever wins, leads the parade from the castle to Conyngham Hall at 1pm. Each team is allowed up to 20 supporters to parade with them in fancy dress.

The race gets underway at 3pm at Conyngham Hall.

Road closures will be staggered throughout the day, starting at 10.45am in Market Place and surrounding roads. The main A59 is due to close at 12.30pm and roads used for the route will be sealed off at 2.30pm.

Some routes could be closed until 6pm but most are expected to re-open sooner.

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A diversion to Harrogate will be in place around Briggate/Calcutt/Forest Moor. Buses will use this route while the A59 is shut. Trains will still be running.

The annual bed race was first held in 1966. This year’s theme for the pre-race fancy-dress parade is “That’s Entertainment”.

Martin Brock, chairman of the bed race committee at organisers Knaresborough Lions, said preparation was a "massive undertaking". He added:

"We could not put the race on without kind help from our sponsors, our volunteers, the local council and the local media.

"If we planned now to close down the fifth biggest town in North Yorkshire for a day, I doubt we would get permission. However, with the event in its 56th year, people will bend over backwards to help us get it on.

"Almost everyone you see working on the day will be a volunteer, from our divers, to the RayNet radio comms team, to many of the marshals, so give them a smile as you pass by."

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Knaresborough bed race set for huge crowds and glorious weather

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