This Is Y Magazine Digital Edition - June 2020

WILD GIRL B R OA D C A ST E R , W R I T E R A N D WO R L D R E CO R D B R E A K E R , H E L E N S K E LT O N I S TA K I N G A D V E N T U R E TO A W H O L E N E W L E V E L .

Shore Thing Glorious beaches and enchanting coves Tommy Banks What’s cooking in lockdown with the award-winning chef?

Book it Yorkshire in words Garden of the decade An amazing accolade from RHS Chelsea Flower Show yorkshire.com

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W E LCO M E In reaction to such difficult times, Welcome to Yorkshire have accepted the challenge to act as the conduit for the region’s crucial tourism resurgence and are collaboratively working with the county’s business and tourism representatives on a robust recovery plan, with the aim to reopen, recover and rebuild our much-loved attractions and locations, following current and changing Government guidelines.

For some this may already have happened, for others the planning part is well underway. Ensuring businesses are prepared post-COVID-19 is of paramount importance, with a considered step by step schedule for the ultimate goal of being ready to Welcome BACK to Yorkshire visitors from the region, countrywide and across the globe, when the time is right.

The Yorkshire tourism sector is worth £9bn to the county’s economy and employs almost 225,000 people, but has taken a big hit as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to work as #YorkshireTogether to support a safe, sustainable future and promote all that it has to offer.

This month’s online Welcome to Yorkshire This Is Y magazine, is again packed with Yorkshire’s finest, including celebrity interviews, fabulous features and inspirational stories from the county’s businesses. Plus page after page of spectacular countryside, breathtaking coastline, vibrant cities, towns, villages, outdoor locations, heritage sites, food and drink , the arts and lots, lots more. And, back by popular demand, is another Yorkshire quiz...a bit of fun in ‘testing’ times!

Sit back, make yourself a nice pot of Yorkshire tea and enjoy! #YorkshireTogether

JAMES MASON Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire

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W E LCO M E TO J U N E 16

CONTENTS 6 BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL

Inspirational ideas from businesses adapting.

10 HELEN SKELTON

Always up for a challenge, with a new book and farmyard frolics.

As lockdown starts to gradually ease and many are beginning to explore the great outdoors again (social distancing and respecting all things rural), we celebrate Yorkshire’s breathtaking coast (Shore Thing) and some of the county’s most spectacular natural landmarks (Best Assured). With walking being the way forward, surely there’s no better place to participate in stepping out.

14 YORKSHIRE DAYS IN

Lockdown inspiration.

Helen Skelton talks life in lockdown and fun on the farm. There’s mouth-watering menus and delicious delights from top chef Tommy Banks. Plus, Yorkshire garden designer Mark Gregory makes his mark, as his 2018 Welcome to Yorkshire Chelsea Flower Show masterpiece has been voted the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award Garden of the Decade.

22 BECOME A MEMBER

Join Welcome to Yorkshire.

An arts attack, caused by the coronavirus crisis, has had a massive impact on creative collaborations across the globe, we’ve caught up with a couple of multi-award-winning maestros to find out more.

Prolific playwright Alan Ayckbourn and celebrated dance devotee Sharon Watson share their passion for projects and arts aspirations.

There’s inspirational business advice too.

C A R O LY N N I C O L L

16 WHAT’S ON THE MENU

Food for thought from Tommy Banks...Britain’s Youngest Michelin-starred chef.

20 LET’S GET QUIZZICAL

Test your Yorkshire knowledge.

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ADAPTING YOUR BUSINESS Get ready for lockdown lifting.

26 SHORE THING

Celebrate Yorkshire’s coastline.

32 BEST ASSURED

World Cup of Yorkshire…

Natural Landmarks.

36 WE CAN VOUCHER FOR THAT

Gift ideas to support local businesses.

38 BOOK IT

Lose yourself in literature.

42 EVERYBODY DANCE

Sharon Watson of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

46 PLAY TIME

Alan Ayckbourn’s latest production is a global first.

Editor, This is Y magazine

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48 GARDEN OF THE DECADE

Welcome to Yorkshire’s Chelsea Garden tops ten years of cultivated creations.

50 PLAN YOUR JOURNEY

(when the time’s right)

ON THE COVER Helen Skelton is an English broadcaster, writer and world rcord-breaker. She co-presented Blue Peter from 2008 until 2013 and since 2014 has been a presenter on Countryfile.

GET IN TOUCH Editor Carolyn Nicoll cnicoll@yorkshire.com

WANT TO KNOW MORE? If you want to find out more about something in our features click on this symbol.

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W E LCO M E TOYO R K S H I R E @ W E LCO M E 2 YO R K S # T H I S I SY W E LCO M E TOYO R K S H I R E

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YO R K S H I R E H I G H L I G H T S

BUSINESS AS

UNUSUAL

Main picture: The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford. Below: Prashad are cooking wth love. Opposite page clockwise from top left: The Deep in Hull. Wentwirth Woodhouse. Delicious food from Prashad.

Each day the news updates and reaction to the coronavirus changes. With lockdown gradually lifting and government guidelines being revised, businesses are adapting to the current COVID-19 climate in a truly inspiring way.

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touching of flags, upside down golf holes (yes really) in a cup design to prevent fingers being put into golf holes, plus hand sanitiser at the first tee and the end of the course, being just some of the ways the club have reacted to the current climate to ensure the safest possible playing conditions. Just minutes from the coast Hornsea Golf Club is considered to be one of the county’s finest.

PRASHAD C O M M U N I T Y C H A AT

F E S T I VA L F E V E R Disappointed that this year’s Wentworth Festival in the stunning grounds of Wentworth Woodhouse is not happening? Fear not, because Wentworth Lockdown Festival 2020 is LIVE and direct to your living room, online on Saturday 6th June from 7pm. An exciting 90 minute special on what would have been the day for this year’s big outdoor music event.

Featuring Wentworth Festival friends past & present. Get the drinks in, get comfy & there’s no need for wellies or sunscreen. A great way to party festival style and get in the mood for next year’s line-up on 5th June 2021 when The Feeling, Lightning Seeds, and many more are planned to rock up.

TEE TIME With exercise and the great outdoors being more important than ever, Yorkshire’s magnificent golf courses are welcoming players back in a ‘drive’ to get the sport going again post-COVID-19. With numbers being increased from two playing together to four (not fore), this is a sport where social distancing can easily be practised. Hornsea Golf Club encourage members and visitors to book online. Social distancing (with a sectioned off putting area), no

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Multi-award-winning Prashad, an Indian vegetarian restaurant in Drighlington, West Yorkshire have a mantra of ‘cooking with love’, which has recently taken on a whole new meaning. The family business not only prepare and deliver delicious dishes to your door BUT have now also introduced their #CommunityChaat.

A ‘pay-it-forward’ initiative to feed local communities during the coronavirus crisis, including meals for NHS workers, care staff, key workers or struggling local families with mouths to feed. Every time you order a Prashad dish, you now have the option to donate a little extra, with each additional amount going towards Prashad’s culinary creations being served during the current coronavirus pandemic to those who need it most.

DEEP INSIDE With planning and preparations underway to get The Deep ready for reopening when the time is right (watch this space), the organisation are currently continuing to fundraise to support the 3,500 animals in their care. Plus, there’s some exciting online entertainment to educate and inform, including diving in The Deep’s jawdropping Endless Ocean tank (2.5 million litres of water and 87 tonnes of salt make this display home to some of the world’s most incredible creatures), seeing how the animals are fed and details of the various wildlife who inhabit this amazing underwater space. There’s also an exciting online game to be launched soon.

M E D I A , M OV I E S , MUSEUM & MORE Whilst the National Science and Media Museum is temporarily closed as a result of coronavirus, its collections and their inspirational stories are publicly on display digitally, with online learning

materials for all ages, a collection online website, and social media exhibitions, including a recent look at the history of Yorkshire Hollywood.

For games fans, the museum has even ventured into new virtual worlds, making it possible for Animal Crossing players to add objects from the Science Museum Group collection to their game universe.

P R E M I E R E L E AG U E Raising two fingers (it’s an iconic scene) to COVID-19, the latest Kes film premiered online last month and is available to watch free until 18th June.

Based on the novel A Kestrel for a Knave by Yorkshire writer Barry Hines, Kes reimagined retells the classic Yorkshire tale of boy and bird through puppetry, music and dance.

H A R E WO O D AT H O M E Whilst the gates of Harewood are closed due to coronavirus (keep checking for updates), the virtual doors are wide open and over the past months the storytelling and behind the scenes has very much been online. Harewood is a charity and feels a duty to make its acclaimed collections available to all, from the incredible artwork and objects in the House, to the vibrant and at risk birds in the Bird Garden, this year celebrating 50 years and some milestones in conservation.

Virtual exhibitions, mindfulness sessions and Q&As with fascinating people means that during June everyone can continue to enjoy Harewood at Home, whilst being poised to welcome visitors back as soon as it is safe to do so.

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YO R K S H I R E H I G H L I G H T S

P L AY H O U S E P R O J E C T S In response to the coronavirus situation Leeds Playhouse are prioritising their Creative Engagement community work with existing and new participants, keeping people socially and creatively connected through their Playhouse Connect project whilst the theatre is closed. This includes online projects, video call sessions and sending resources to young people with learning disabilities and their families, people with dementia, refugee and asylum seekers, older people and schools. Over 200 creative craft activities and interactive storytelling videos for the theatre’s female refugee Asmarina Voice choir to share with children have been delivered and a ‘School of 2020’ creative project for year 11 students in Leeds has been launched.

The Playhouse has been signposting digital streaming of its co-produced work, including the Barber Shop Chronicles, viewed nearly 500,000 times, plus Night of the Living Dead: Remix with imitating the dog.

June activity includes a Haiku Exchange inviting people to write a form of Japanese poetry and the Playhouse is livestreaming Schlomo’s Homeskool Beatbox Adventures.

T H E S H OW M U ST G O O N Following an impressive art exhibition back in March at the stunning setting of Rudding Park and presented by British art historian, the BBC’s Dan Cruickshank, a version of the event is now available online. Promoting and supporting local artists, with a range of fantastic paintings on display and for purchase, Henshaws Online Art Show features work by a range of talented creatives, including Yorkshire landscape artist Sarah Garforth.

WA L K I N G H O M E Opera North has announced Walking Home: Sound Journeys for Lockdown, a commission for BBC Arts and Arts Council England’s Culture in Quarantine programme. Building on the Leeds-based company’s history of award-winning and innovative sound walks and installations, five artists are writing and recording new works to be listened to whilst walking. Crossing folk, jazz, Middle Eastern and African traditions, classical and contemporary music, including a vibrant cross-section of music-making in Britain today. Featuring cellist and composer Abel Selaocoe; qanun virtuoso Maya Youssef; oud player and composer Khyam Allami, vocalist, violinist and songwriter Alice Zawadzki; and accordionist and experimentalist Martin Green of the folk trio Lau, the artists are currently writing and recording their pieces in home studios across the UK and Europe. Walking Home will be available soon.

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Top to bottom: Leeds Playhouse. Sarah Garforth’s work at Rudding Park.

Opera North Khyam Allami, Requiem for the 21st Century 06, © Opera North.

FIVE ARTISTS ARE WRITING AND RECORDING NEW WO R KS TO B E L I ST E N E D TO W H I L S T WA L K I N G .

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Left: Opera North Maya Youssef Š credit Sarah Ginn.

A S E R I E S O F S H O R T STO R I E S A N D A T R E A S U R E H U N T, W I T H C L U E S L O C AT E D I N S T R AT E G I C P L AC E S TO E X P LO R E .

BEHIND THE MASK

Above: Nidderdale Llamas.

Right: A children’s book set in Hawes. Below: Beautiful landscapes around Hawes.

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Taking bookings for from July onwards, the team at Nidderdale Llamas are currently working hard with their furry friends on the logistics of social distancing whilst trekking with the cuddly creatures AND they are busy holding sessions with the llamas to ensure that they are comfortable with mask wearing, that is guests wearing masks on treks, not the llamas.

M O O N U T M O U N TA I N Written during the pandemic by Rachel Lambie of Hawes, Wensleydale, Moonut Mountain is a truly magical outdoor adventure children’s book (aimed at 6 to 12 years). Set in what is usually a thriving tourist area, like many other rural parts of Yorkshire, Hawes has suffered a huge economic loss in recent months and writer Rachel decided to create stories to entice families back to the area when encouraged to do so. Moonut Mountain is a series of short stories and a treasure hunt, including local businesses which have suffered through the coronavirus crisis, with clues located in strategic places for visitors to explore. Character names are based on local historic attractions and the quirky things of the surrounding countryside, and an app and interactive website will reveal correct treasure hunt answers and points gained linked to prizes. The family who collect the most points will be entered into the Golden Moonut competition. Moonut Mountain will be launched in August.

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INTERVIEW

HELEN S K E LT O N Broadcaster, writer and world record-breaker, Helen Skelton takes adventures in the great outdoors to a whole new level. A familiar face from BBC’s Blue Peter, Countryfile and the London and Rio Olympics, there’s now a Yorkshire house renovation, farmyard filming and some SAS recovery. Carolyn Nicoll caught up with the multi-talented presenter during lockdown in Leeds.

I came to live in Yorkshire because of my husband’s work.

Richie (Myler) plays scrum-half in rugby league for Leeds Rhinos. In many ways Yorkshire feels very much like Cumbria, where I grew up. I love the vast outdoor space and the older I get the more I know I need to be near greenery, so to me Yorkshire is home from home. There’s a real ease of getting to places I need to be for my work. We live with our two boys, just outside Leeds and I often travel into the city for different projects at some great radio and TV production companies. But, equally I can be on the moors in 20 minutes and deep in the Dales in just 30 minutes. For me it’s the best of both worlds.

As well as the stunning Yorkshire countryside, I also love the amazing coastline, its beautiful beaches, the bustling towns and the lovely little fishing villages.

We spend a lot of time as a family at the coast, my kids and I particularly love the sea. Even in the winter it has a wonderful feel to it, sometimes wild and atmospheric. Of course, another favourite is the Yorkshire food.

Absolutely delicious and such a great range of local, fresh produce from farmers across the county.

I genuinely feel really lucky that Yorkshire is where my family and I call home and we certainly plan to stay long-term.

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A big project at the moment is renovating a Yorkshire heritage property whilst living in it. I have made a career out of committing to daft ideas and this is another. It’s nothing new to me, I have moved a lot and done up many homes. My eldest son is five and has lived in six homes already. Falling in love with the cottage which is now our home was something I just couldn’t help. Built in 1850, it’s not at all practical for my chaotic family and dog but I just couldn’t get past it. But the fact that it’s impractical and there’s something very humble about it, plus it’s got a massive garden is exactly why I love it so much. Its back catalogue of various interesting owners is fascinating. However, restoring a property with so much history is definitely proving a financial challenge. That’s renovation for you.

Like everyone else, the coronavirus situation had a big impact on my family’s daily life.

We’re at home a lot more than we are in the park, which is a shame for the children and we haven’t seen grandparents or my family for months, as they all live in Cumbria. I am struggling not seeing my parents but other than that I can’t complain. My kids have loved not going to school, and selfishly so have I!

No two days have been the same during these unusual and changing times. My main commitment has been keeping the kids busy, so the usual tree climbing, football kicking and fight splitting up. I really enjoy working from home but it does mean the boys have been on TV quite a bit, including the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5, as they just pop up in the background.

As with most situations, there have been lots of positives as a result of lockdown, including not having to drive long distances for work. Normally I am expected to go all over the country, but working from home has been great, although a bit frantic at times. Having the kids at home is what I’ve really enjoyed, no set routine and waking up, looking at the weather and thinking “what shall we do today?”

Home schooling my boys has been a bit tricky, plus cleaning and trying to stay on top of the washing. There really are so many more fun things to do!

Luckily I’ve had lots of work projects to keep me busy, especially with my kids clothing company, Toy Breaker, posting out orders or speaking to mums.

It was launched just before lockdown so has been a challenge trying to keep it all going. I’ve also recently started presenting a new Radio 5 live show on Sunday afternoons at 3pm. It’s great!

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I G E N U I N E LY F E E L R E A L LY L U C K Y T H AT YO R K S H I R E IS WHERE MY FA M I LY A N D I CALL HOME.

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Helen’s adventures Completing the Namibia Ultra Marathon (only the second woman ever to do so).

Kayaking over 2,010 miles down the Amazon River for Sport Relief (breaking two Guinness World Records).

Tightrope walking at 66 metres between the Battersea Power Station towers.

I H AV E B E E N PA R T O F M A N Y A DV E N T U R E S , A N D H O P E F U L LY I CAN HELP I N S P I R E G I R L S TO GET OUTDOORS.

Wild Girl is my latest book and unfortunately the current coronavirus crisis disrupted the book tour plans, speaking to schools and at book festivals. As a result there have been many online meetings, I think we’re all getting used to talking to many faces on a screen.

I’m a bit of a ‘Wild Girl’ and have been lucky enough to be part of many adventures, so this is a guide to hopefully inspire girls in particular to get outdoors, because there are lots of awesome experiences out there to enjoy. I wanted to share some of my exciting stories, from kayaking the length of the Amazon to cycling to the South Pole, it’s an aspirational and practical guide to exploration for curious young minds who seek adventure, like me! I think it’s important to be motivated and overcome the toughest of situations, embracing fears and staying positive.

Endurance excursions to some really remote parts of the planet and extreme wilderness areas taught me so much and I really wanted to encourage lots of young women to be positive and tackle any extreme challenge they want to. Really it can be done if you put your mind to it. There are some great illustrations in the book too from Liz Kay, a wonderful Yorkshire artist.

Lots of my TV projects involve filming at wonderful Yorkshire locations. For Countryfile I was recently at Hope Pastures in Leeds. They rescue horses, ponies & donkeys that have been abused and the team dedicate their time to rehabilitating and rehoming the animals wherever possible. It’s a wonderful place and I take my boys there all the time for a visit.

Big Week at the Zoo filmed at the Yorkshire

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INTERVIEW

T H E C O N S E R VAT I O N W O R K B E I N G D O N E AT T H E YO R K S H I R E W I L D L I F E PA R K I S T R U LY A M A Z I N G .

Wildlife Park was a real treat too. It’s such a joy to spend so much time with so many different species of animals and the conservation work being done at this great location in South Yorkshire is truly amazing.

This month it’s back to presenting with This Week on the Farm, lots of exciting stuff happening from Cannon Hall Farm in Barnsley. At Easter the TV show Springtime on the Farm (I filmed my bits from the garden during lockdown) was really fun to film and a big ratings winner, so it’s wellies back on for some more. A lot of This Week on the Farm has been filmed by the farmers themselves, and I’ll be cohosting with Jules Hudson. There are some fantastic animals involved, from newborns to Ted the Highland bull, it’s all going on in South Yorkshire. There are gorgeous lambs, sheep shearing and even a financial advisor who has swapped spreadsheets for asparagus, working as a vegetable picker in North Yorkshire. It’s great to see what’s happening in the farming world and who doesn’t love seeing all those gorgeous animals. It’s a little bit more relaxing than SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Being part of SAS: Who Dares Wins was a fantastic experience and I would love to do it all again. Thrown in straight off the back of filming loads of other projects and dealing with personal things that were going on, I perhaps wasn’t really mentally or physically ready for such a huge TV challenge, but in spite of all that I got a lot further than I thought and really loved it. It is way harder than it looks, as there is so much going on that you’re involved with that doesn’t make the final edit. We

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never slept, but that doesn’t necessarily come across, so it’s hard for viewers to understand how tired and overwhelmed we all were.

When I get time to relax I enjoy playing tennis, biking and hiking, especially walking with my dog Spiderman. There are many gorgeous places to explore and enjoy so close to home. I think that’s the case for lots of people across Yorkshire, there’s a lot of countryside and even the cities are close to some stunning green spaces and pretty parks.

Opposite: Bolton Abbey and Kirkstall Abbey. Above left to right Rasputin the polar bear at The Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

Cannon Hall Farm. Below: Helen completes her journey to the South Pole © Helen Skelton.

I’m most looking forward to seeing my parents again when I’m allowed and when it’s safe to do so. My dad FaceTimes me every day and shows me the view from where I grew up. Missing close family is a big thing at the moment for so many.

Getting back to filming with a crew (rather than just me in the garden) will be lovely, there are so many amazingly talented colleagues who I haven’t seen in ages.

A perfect Yorkshire day out...where to begin...in Leeds it would have to be the majestic Kirkstall Abbey, plus beautiful Harewood House and also Lotherton Hall, both are historic properties with great bird gardens, wildlife and gorgeous grounds. In the Dales I’ll be off to Bolton Abbey and then up to the lovely village of Appletreewick.

For the coast, again spoilt for choice, but Whitby, Sandsend and Staithes are particular favourites. I can’t wait!

This Week on the Farm filmed at Cannon Hall Farm in Barnsley starts on Tuesday 16 June, 8pm on Channel 5.

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I N S P I R AT I O N

YO R K S H I R E

DAYS I N

Welcome to Yorkshire have created Yorkshire Days In a one-stop shop full of inspiration and ideas for life on lockdown.

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Right: Stargazing with the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Below: The Hepworth Creates challenges. Bottom: A train jigsaw from Wolds Way Lavender.

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he COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lots of us needing to self-isolate and has restricted people from visiting their favourite restaurants, attractions and shops.

As a result, we wanted to create a Yorkshire Days In section online. The concept is simple - we have put together a range of fun and inspirational ideas that can be done by you and your family at home. We’re working with all your favourite places to provide a place packed full of ideas to keep you entertained. These include recipes to try, books to read or even how to create your own science experiment!

Keep checking back as we will be adding more and more content to these pages, and don’t forget to join in the conversation on social media too using #YorkshireTogether and share how you have made the most of Yorkshire from your own front room.

4 OF THE BEST

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DIY cocktails

We know that it is not just the kids that have to stay in but also plenty of adults too.

Luckily, we’ve got something that’s just the tonic to help you out on those long evenings.

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HIF at home

This gives you access to all the fun of the festivals – without stepping outside your home. They’re providing a host of content and talent and your home, phone or laptop is the venue.

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Kids’ recipes

From tasty cakes to brilliant biscuits, crowdpleasing tea options and simple snacks, the team at Little Vikings have put together some of our favourite family-friendly recipes.

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Virtual tours

Can’t visit some of your favourite places in real life?

Then why not check them out via a virtual tour! From stately homes to arena tours, we’ve got you covered.

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W H AT ’ S O N T H E M E N U ?

TO M M Y BANKS

It’s a true family affair for multi-award-winning chef Tommy Banks who works alongside his parents Anne and Tom, brother James, plus close family friend Matthew Lockwood.

Carolyn Nicoll found out what’s cooking.

I was incredibly lucky to grow up on a Yorkshire farm, spending a lot of time outside, always around nature and amazing produce, which has really helped me as a chef. The funny thing is, I wasn’t that interested in cooking to start with. My parents ran a B&B at home on the farm and I helped out to earn a bit of money so I could play sport as much as possible, particularly cricket. They then bought the Black Swan, pretty much at exactly the same time I left school, so I started working for them, but with no intention of really being a chef. I ended up doing more work in the kitchen and it went from there, with no formal training, just a love of the local produce, devouring cookery books and learning on the job. I’m still a massive cricket fan though, so it’s cricket first, then cooking, but cricket doesn’t pay the wages for me.

Perhaps in a different life and if I’d been a better player, I would have loved to have been a professional cricketer.

Home is Oldstead, a tiny village on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, it’s where I grew up and where I still live today. I love it. The place is beautiful, really peaceful and quiet. I have such a strong connection with this part of the world and feel that it’s actually quite a spiritual home for me.

I feel lucky to work with so many fantastic Yorkshire businesses, the list is endless. There’s a whole network of amazing, small producers and companies in the county, and without them we wouldn’t be able to keep our restaurants going. Being able to get great meat from R&J butchers in Kirkby Malzeard, to being able to pick up local produce like freshly picked asparagus from Spilmans, and fresh, raw milk from Cow Corner, both in Thirsk, to

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collaborations with distilleries like Cooper King over in Sutton-on-the-Forest, it’s crucial for the business to have such quality on the doorstep.

The coronavirus crisis has had a huge impact on work and everyday life in general. Not only has the usual daily routine massively changed, but it’s also meant that we’ve unfortunately had to close both our restaurants – the Black Swan at Oldstead and also Roots York. It’s had an impact on all of us, my parents, brother James and the whole team, we’re all part of it. However, the situation has forced us to diversify our business. We launched our Made In Oldstead Food Boxes, which include two freshlymade three course meals for two people, oven ready and delivered right to your door. It’s been incredibly successful, but we have had to adapt very quickly to a very different way of working. Getting it off the ground has been a big task and incredibly time consuming. The idea is to take the food boxes nationwide, we’re aiming for this to happen imminently, so check in for the latest details. My team and I have also enjoyed cooking meals for the incredible staff at York Hospital, it’s been a real honour to visit and to be able to help in a small way with everything that’s going on.

At the moment my day starts on the farm, or in the restaurant garden, as there’s always so much to do there.

I then head to an industrial kitchen unit we’ve taken on, this is where we produce our food boxes as we’ve closed our restaurant kitchens, plus there’s more space for the team to work and to social distance. Doing this has allowed us to get colleagues back working full-time which is brilliant.

I spend most of my day up there cooking, and managing everything that’s going on.

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The restaurants are the biggest projects I’m missing at the moment. I was also really excited and looking forward to cooking at Lord’s Cricket Ground London this year, my love of cricket again, but unfortunately it’s not happening. This year would also have been my first time as Patron of Malton Food Lovers Festival, which is an annual celebration of Yorkshire’s finest produce and cooking, also known as Yorkshire’s Foodie Glastonbury! It’s such a fantastic event in the Yorkshire food calendar, but has had to be put on hold for the foreseeable future.

Although look out for it because it’ll definitely be worth coming along to and being a part of when it does happen.

When life gets back to some sort of normality, I cannot wait to get both of the restaurants open again, and to welcome all of our lovely guests back. My fiancé Charlotte and I were also due to get married this year, but we’ve had to rearrange it, so of course I’m very much looking forward to that!

It’s quite hard to find the positives in what is such a tragic time for our industry, but it really has shown me the goodwill of people.

We’ve had such a supportive response from our team members with the whole procedure of closing the restaurants, and of course, the great support from our guests too with their wellwishes and purchases of food boxes.

Tommy Banks factfile

My work inspiration comes from so many places, but mainly from travelling around, seeing what’s going on and chatting with people, but also from our top team, including the fantastic and talented chefs that I work with every day.

I’ve been enjoying BBQing as much as I possibly can, just a simple steak and asparagus with hollandaise sauce is a real treat. The weather has been really good, which is so fortunate and allows for some great outdoor dining.

My perfect Yorkshire day out would be going to the coast, the Yorkshire seaside, visiting a nice, long beach like Hunmanby Gap in Filey.

Then drive back across the moors, stopping at a pub en route for good fish and chips and a pint.

Made In Oldstead Foodboxes - Live every Saturday at 9am, for delivery the weekend after.

Britain’s Youngest Michelin-starred chef in 2013 (age 24).

Won the Great British Menu in 2016 and 2017.

Chef Director of Roots York and Yorkshire’s Michelin-starred Black Swan - Awarded Best Restaurant in the UK 2018 by the Food and Travel magazine.

Black Swan awarded Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the World 2017

by Trip Advisor.

Co-host of the BBC’s The Big Family Cooking Showdown.

Simple recipe Tommy Banks’ wild garlic capers Prep 24 hours Cook 10 minutes 100g wild garlic seeds 25g salt 25g sugar 100ml water 80ml white wine vinegar 80ml malt vinegar

Collect the three-headed seeds from the white flowers on wild garlic, pickle them and they turn into salty, caper-like flavour bombs. They taste amazing on rich meat and roasted fish. Here you can see them dressing the top of our skate wing dish on the Roots York menu.

Mix together your wild garlic seeds, salt, sugar and water. Leave and allow to brine for 24 hours.

The next day, pour off the brine, but don’t rinse the seeds, and put your seeds in a sterilised jar.

Combine both your vinegars in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool, then pour the vinegar over the seeds and put the lid on. Leave to pickle for one month before using.

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YO R K S H I R E Q U I Z

LET’S GET QUIZZICAL Test your Yorkshire knowledge with 20 in 2020 to see how much you really know about the county that gave us Castle Howard, Kaiser Chiefs and cat’s eyes (they’re not any of the answers btw)…

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1 Founded in Knightsbridge, London, back in 1831, an absolutely fabulous department store opened its doors in Leeds in 1996.

What is it called?

2 Featured in literature and film, a legendary heroic outlaw shares his name with a stunning Yorkshire coastal village and bay? Who is he?

3 Born in Leeds, married a ‘Bradford’ lad, and recently celebrated 40 years of her international bestselling novel A Woman of Substance.

Who is the writer?

4 Nestled in the Yorkshire Dales is the longest show cave in Britain, stretching 6 kilometres (3.7 miles)

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and home to the Devil’s Tongue. What is the name of the cave?

5 Pre-Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie’s delicious farce Quality Street was so well known in its day that it gave its name to the UK’s popular choice of chocolate. Made in which Yorkshire town since 1936?

6 It may have been hard times but there were great expectations when this much-loved writer, back in 1854, performed extracts from A Christmas Carol at Bradford’s stunning St George’s Hall.

Who is he?

7 Celebrating Channel 4 HQ coming to Yorkshire and on 2 November 1982

the channel launched.

Which Bradford-born TV presenter was the first face on Channel 4?

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8 A notorious highwayman passed away in York in 1739. What is his name?

9 In 1976 Elton John’s Don’t Go Breaking My Heart was a hit single.

He performed and recorded with which Bradford singer?

10 This black and white lighthouse is located in a stunning Yorkshire coastal area. Where is it?

11 What is a Fat Rascal?

A. A Yorkshire food treat B. A Yorkshire countryside game C. A character from a Yorkshire book?

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ANSWERS: HARVEY NICHOLS • ROBIN HOOD BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD • WHITE SCAR CAVE • HALIFAX CHARLES DICKENS • RICHARD WHITELEY • DICK TURPIN • KIKI DEE SPURN POINT • A • ULTIMATE • WENTWORTH WOODHOUSE GUY (GUIDO) FAWKES • THE HUMAN LEAGUE MOTHER SHIPTON’S CAVE • PUT YOUR RECORDS ON DAMIEN HIRST • PUFFIN • PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK

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12 Six minutes of pure adrenaline rush, Lightwater Valley is home to the longest roller coaster in Europe at 1.5 miles. What is the name of this thrilling ride?

13 Considered to have the longest façade of any country home in Europe. What is the name of this impressive heritage property found in Rotherham?

14 Born in York in 1570 and arrested in parliament in 1605.

Who is this guy?

15 Don’t You Want Me was a chart-topping song in 1981. Which Sheffield band had the hit?

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16 Opened in 1630 and nestled in the picturesque town of Knaresborough, this is the oldest known, entrance-charging tourism attraction in England. What is the name of this ‘petrifying’ place?

17 Leeds lass Corinne Bailey-Rae had a number 2 hit in the charts back in 2006 with which song?

18 Charity (20022003), Myth (2010), The Hat Makes the Man (2004-2007) and The Virgin Mother (2005-2006) are currently on display at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Which celebrated artist created them?

19 Beginning with ‘p’ this bird can often be spotted at the Yorkshire coast and shares its name with a book publishing company.

What is it called (it’s not a penguin)?

20 The UK has 15 national parks, the first (founded in 1951) spans many counties, including Yorkshire. Which one is it?

Answers at the top of this page (no cheating!)

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W E LCO M E TO YO R K S H I R E

BECOME A MEMBER. THREE MONTHS FREE

G O O D F O R YO U A N D YO U R B U S I N E S S .

G O O D F O R YO R K S H I R E .

W H AT ’ S I N I T F O R YO U ?

Welcome to Yorkshire membership provides businesses with a chance to showcase to the world what they have to offer. Alongside promotion on our award-winning website yorkshire.com. Members can tap into a wide variety of resources including access to free social and training events, PR support, potential editorial coverage, money-saving offers, the opportunity to be nominated at the White Rose Awards (the UK’s largest

tourism awards ceremony) and be part of Welcome to Yorkshire’s annual Y conference (the biggest onstage tourism show in the UK), plus so much more.

Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £9billion to the Yorkshire economy and can be as strong again, after the coronavirus situation, if we continue to bring together businesses from all four corners of the county, to continue to achieve even more and be seen on the world stage as a top tourist destination, showcasing the county globally.

During such unprecedented times it’s important for Yorkshire businesses to work together, share tourism and business advice, as well as supporting and promoting the county’s businesses and attractions.

The aim is to be as strong as ever once lockdown is lifted, to continue offering fantastic staycations and to attract international visitors once again (when it’s safe to do so).

0113 322 3500 Discuss your options

Welcome to Yorkshire has a social reach of almost 20 million and together we are stronger #YorkshireTogether

B E A PA R T O F I T Welcome to Yorkshire are currently offering three months free membership, to current and new members.

That’s 15 months membership for the price of an annual package.

Sign up at yorkshire.com/membership

W H AT D O O U R M E M B E R S S AY ?

Becky Whitaker Owner, People Buy People As a member I have worked with the team at Welcome To Yorkshire for many years, both as a venue and a supplier. They have always been extremely professional, friendly & helpful. I like the the opportunity to get involved with different events as a delegate & as an exhibitor and have always made valuable connections, gathered leads & generated business.

I think the key to this good relationship with WTY is to communicate regularly. I see the hard work the team have all put in throughout difficult times and how it has paid off with the massive success of the likes of the Tour de Yorkshire.

Becky Leach Marketing & Communications Manager, The Deep Welcome to Yorkshire have been a great support to The Deep for many years across our business, including social media, web, print, PR and events. Working closely with the them has helped to increase awareness of our product across the region and has resulted in a big increase in web traffic to our site. The team are always on hand for advice or assistance and go the extra mile to help.

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BUSINESS TIPS

A DA P T I N G YO U R B U S I N E S S Lockdown may be gradually lifting, so here are some ideas and suggestions to help your business adapt now and prepare for the next step, whilst at all times adhering to government rules and regulations. Welcome to Yorkshire would love to hear from you if you’re doing something that you’d like to share to help other businesses.

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Advice for all

Stay up to date with latest official advice from Visit Britain (view VB’s latest newsletter) and the Government and specifically for business here . Make use of the resources and information on the Government’s Business Support website.

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Creating vouchers

Many businesses already sell gift vouchers but, for those who don’t, consider creating some for customers to buy now. They’re ideal for presents for birthdays and anniversaries, plus upcoming events, such as Father’s Day. Gifts can range from an overnight stay to a cup of coffee and cake. If you have a website, add them to your online store; if you don’t, can you set up a system via email or phone for people to place their orders? Promote these through social media channels including Welcome to Yorkshire and encourage customers to buy ahead for special occasions.

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Delivery options

If customers still can’t come to you, can you deliver to customers?

Some restaurants and cafes offer a delivery service on meals to homes and even local B&Bs. Worried they won’t stay warm? Frozen meals are also a great idea, especially for those who are unable to leave the house. If you’re a retailer, can you increase your online offering, or add a little extra such as free gift wrapping.

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Pre-orders

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Contactless payments

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Offer essential items

If you’re uncertain how high demand will be for occasions such as Father’s Day, why not set up a preorder system now. You’ll know stock levels required to fulfil the minimum demand, and customers will want the opportunity to plan ahead and ensure they can still get the treats they want to buy.

If you’re still open to the public or planning to open soon, encourage people to use card payments to minimise cash handling.

Supermarkets are running low on popular items, can you buy something similar from local suppliers to offer customers?

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Customers to return

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Key dates in the calendar

Offer a discount for returning customers. Send an email to visitors who have stayed before, or include a leaflet in a takeaway delivery bag offering 10% off their next purchase.

With Father’s Day coming up, and birthdays and celebrations still to buy for, engage with events on social media to make the most of promoting your business. Encourage customers to use this as a time to get organised and buy presents.

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Keep staff up to date

Make sure your staff know what possibilities are ahead. It’s a difficult time for many people but letting people know all possible outcomes can allow for practical planning.

Scenario mapping is a useful tool to make sure you’re as prepared as possible for all eventualities.

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Update your customers

Let your clients and customers know what’s happening too. If you remain closed or plan a date to open in the future, make sure you put this on social media, along with a note on your door, so customers aren’t making unnecessary journeys. If you’re a Welcome to Yorkshire member, tell us about any changes and we’ll add this to yorkshire.com.

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Check in

If you run a B&B or self-catering accommodation could you install a lock box so when welcoming guests again they can check in themselves and limit interaction? This is handy anytime for guests who need to arrive out of hours.

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Promote neighbours

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Promote local activities

support each other and be kind. Make your street a destination, so people don’t have to travel far to find the supplies they need. Are there other ways you can support one another? Can your delivery driver offer to drop off products for other businesses too to limit how many staff are travelling? Can you combine products together and offer a more convenient package for the customer?

Make sure you’re letting future guests know about local walks, activities in the countryside and businesses where there’s no need to travel far. Check first that businesses/ walks/facilities are still open to the public.

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BUSINESS TIPS

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Communal areas

Whilst a buffet breakfast is always popular, for the immediate future when lockdown starts to lift, consider changing to table service only.

Can you move seating areas around so that there’s more space in between chairs? Use signage as reminders for people to wash their hands regularly, and increase the number of times checks are made to ensure spaces remain as clean as they can.

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Change your offering

If you’re a producer can you add something new to your offering that’s more essential to daily life, or reduce your offering to key items to limit any wastage. Can you work with another local business to offer something new? Sandwiches from a pub, and cake from a bakery, would make a perfect picnic for a family to take on a walk in the countryside once restrictions start to lift more.

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Support other local business

Outside of work, try and support other local businesses where you can by buying from them.

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Outdoor space

Do you have an outdoor seating area you can utilise so people don’t have to sit indoors? Can you expand an existing one? As the weather gets warmer, could you invite local bands to play or set up an outdoor cinema, a perfect activity to keep the kids entertained whilst off school.

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Assess your costs

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Think ahead

If you’re still unable to keep your business open, use the time to assess your finances. Where can costs be saved? Can you access better deals by changing your energy provider or bank?

If you have closed your doors for a while, use the time to plan ahead.

Can you spend the time on those tasks you never get round to, whether it’s updating photography on your website, getting your online presence up to date, checking supplier costs to see where you can save, or enrolling on a course to find out more about marketing? Many business services who offer training are delivering online options at the moment.

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Offer upgrades

When reopened, if you’re not at capacity, ensure those who are visiting have an experience to remember. Can you give a room upgrade or offer local produce in the room?

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Prioritise time for yourself

This might be difficult with continuing concerns and worries, but it’s so important to take time out where you can and focus on your wellbeing. Whether it’s a picnic in the garden, exercising locally or playing a board game with the kids, try and factor time in each day to do something for yourself.

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Cancellations and refunds

Many businesses have been affected by customers wanting to cancel future trips. Whilst you will all have your own policies and procedures in place a suggestion might be to look to rearrange rather than cancel.

Join in the conversation on social media using #YorkshireTogether or email us at info@yorkshire.com.

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SHORE THING Andrew Vine steps out to walk the Yorkshire coast and discovers a landscape of breathtaking beauty.

When the time is right, you can too.

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t’s the most magnificent stretch of coastline in Britain, with majestic cliffs, glorious beaches and enchanting coves, and putting your best foot forward is the perfect way to savour it at a leisurely pace.

Walking Yorkshire’s coast is to feel embraced by the beauty all around you, a constantly changing panorama of scenery. The path meanders through historic seaside towns including Whitby and Scarborough, the fishing villages of Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay and takes in seemingly endless, awardwinning beaches including Filey and Bridlington.

At a steady couple of miles an hour along the clifftops or sands, the coastline reveals its grandeur and loveliness. Vistas of headlands and bays open up, stretching away as far as the eye can see, timelessly beautiful and as exhilarating now as when the first people to settle at the coast saw them centuries ago.

The sense of space and scale, the vast sky, the sparkling blues and greens of the summer sea stretching away to infinity, moorland of purple heather and yellow gorse overlooking the path, all combine to make this an inspiring walk that truly brings the senses alive.

Dots on the clifftop miles distant

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gradually grow into Whitby Abbey, Scarborough Castle or Flamborough Head lighthouse, as the coast beckons you to discover the next treasure waiting along the path.

History and heritage feel vividly alive as you walk, of fishing communities which still put to sea in traditional cobles directly descended from the Viking longships that once landed, of smugglers who hid contraband in the caves that honeycomb secluded bays, of pioneers who made Yorkshire the birthplace of the great British seaside holiday.

And walking brings you thrillingly close to the rich array of wildlife for which Yorkshire’s coast is a haven – huge seabird colonies that nest on the sheer chalk cliffs, seals that bob their heads above the surf or bask on the rocks at low tide, porpoises that break the waves and even, if you’re lucky, whales.

Yorkshire’s coastline is on an epic scale, stretching about 120 miles from Redcar in the north to the unique natural wonder of Spurn in the south, where land and sea are locked in an endless battle for supremacy. It’s possible to walk the entire length, and dedicated long-distance walkers will find it as satisfying to complete as any route in the country.

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COAST

CHALK CLIFFS GLEAM WHITE & S E E M TO G LOW WHEN THE SUN IS ON THEM.

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COAST

Previous page: High Stacks at sunrise.

This page clockwise from bottom left: One of the most famous landmarks in Whitby are the 199 Steps that lead up to St Mary’s Churchyard - some historians believe that St Hilda would use the steps to test the faith of her followers. Beautiful walks on the East Yorkshire coast. Scarborough harbour with the castle above. Robin Hood’s Bay from Ravenscar © Mike Kipling/NYMNPA.

But one of the great things about the coast path is that it naturally divides into shorter, easily manageable sections which are family-friendly and suitable for walkers of any age or ability, whether you’re looking for half a day’s ramble, or just an unhurried stroll of a mile or two.

It’s well signposted, easy to follow and you’re never far from somewhere to take a break and find something to eat or drink, which means that there’s no need to set out with a rucksack weighed down with supplies for a full day.

The path takes in every highlight of Yorkshire’s coast, all its landmarks and the extraordinarily rich and diverse heritage. For 50 miles, it follows the Cleveland Way from Saltburn to Filey, then joins the Headland Way around Flamborough and into Bridlington. From there, it’s along the beach to Hornsea and Withernsea, and finally to Spurn.

Beginning on the seafront promenade at Redcar, the path climbs to the cliffs at Saltburn, leading on to Staithes, the fishing village that became an artists’ colony at the turn of the 20th century, where time seems hardly to have moved on since then.

Charming Runswick Bay is next and then Sandsend, with its two miles of beach leading into Whitby, where the sense of its heritage as a fishing and whaling port is so powerfully felt at every step. The path is a stroll through the town’s history, passing alongside the harbour, across the swing bridge and up cobbled Church Street, then climbing the 199 steps to St Mary’s Church and the iconic ruined 13th century Abbey that make Whitby’s skyline so unforgettable.

Beyond lies Robin Hood’s Bay, nestled in the cliffs and coyly staying out of sight from the path until you round a headland and it reveals itself, pretty as any picture.

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The trail climbs again, to the mighty 600ft peak at Ravenscar and then, visible from nearly 10 miles away, is Scarborough, Queen of Resorts, crowned by her castle, and coming closer with every step.

The path becomes a promenade through the heart of Britain’s original seaside resort and one of its bestloved, from the North Bay, round the Marine Drive and into the bustling South Bay. It passes the Spa, the site where the first tourists came to take the waters of a mineral spring believed to benefit health 400 years ago, beginning the enduring love affair between Scarborough and its visitors.

Cayton Bay, surfing capital of the Yorkshire coast, is next and the trail leads to a grandstand view of elegant Filey and its Brigg, the finger of rock pointing out to sea, a magnet for families exploring its pools teeming with tiny creatures at low tide.

And then comes one of the Yorkshire coast’s most imposing features – the towering chalk cliffs of Bempton, North Landing and Flamborough Head, gleaming white and seeming to glow when the sun is on them.

From there, it’s an easy downhill stroll into Bridlington, with its busy harbour which is Britain’s leading port for lobster and crab fishing, and miles of golden beaches which stretch away to the horizon.

Those sands are the route onwards to Hornsea and Withernsea, and then to the magical finale of the coast – Spurn, the fragile sliver of land that is a living entity, forever on the move as the tides erode it and then bring in sand and shingle to reinforce it.

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COAST

T H E PAT H TA K E S IN EVERY LANDMARK AND THE RICH AND D I V E R S E H E R I TA G E .

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COAST

Opposite: The incredible caves dotting the East Yorkshire Coast. This page clockwise from top left: Puffin at Bempton Cliffs. Cayton Bay, surfing capital of the Yorkshire Coast. Whitby Abbey.

Rockpooling near Flamborough.

THE ROUTE MAKES THE S P I R I TS S OA R H I G H E R T H A N A N Y C L I F F TO P A L O N G T H E WAY.

A circuit of this utterly captivating place poised between the sea and the River Humber, where the beach shape-shifts constantly like a restless sleeper trying to get comfortable, is just one of the shorter walks that the path breaks down into.

Others explore the coast’s wildlife and heritage.

Walking from Bempton to Flamborough Head in spring or early summer is to be in the midst of one of Britain’s greatest natural spectaculars – half a million seabirds nesting on the cliffs and soaring on the air currents at your eye level as they head out of their nests in search of food.

There are gannets, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars, but the stars of the show are puffins, with their colourful bills, clockwork-toy flight and guttural call. All are easily visible, especially from the viewpoints at the RSPB’s Bempton Cliffs reserve.

Walking from Staithes to Runswick Bay or from Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay is to step back 300 years to an age when smugglers sailed darkened ships into lonely coves to land contraband.

Robin Hood’s Bay was their prime destination because it knew how to keep a secret. The closely packed cottages that make it so enthralling and picturesque were once riddled with interlinked secret passages, enabling smugglers to pass their wares from the seashore to the top of the village without them ever seeing the light of day.

Or simply wander from Scarborough to Cayton Bay for the breathtaking views back across the town from the clifftop. But whether out for a stroll, or exploring everything Yorkshire’s coast has to offer, walking it makes the spirits soar higher than any clifftop along the way.

Yorkshire Coast Path by Andrew Vine, is published

by Safe Haven Books. Go to yorkshire.com/yorkshirecoastpath

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BEST ASSURED

Who doesn’t love a vote? People passionately pressing a button or scribbling a cross in a box, hoping their first choice will reign supreme. Well in the absence of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and with no major political election on the horizon, Welcome to Yorkshire once again rose to the challenge with the World Cup of Yorkshire.

This page: Malham Cove.

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irst it was Iconic Buildings (congratulations to The Piece Hall), but then followed the vote for Yorkshire’s favourite Natural Landmarks. With a nation experiencing some lifting of lockdown, looking forward to unlocking the latches and being let loose once again, it was a hard fought battle amongst first-class locations to find the final winner.

Add these to your must-visit list for when the time is right but in the meantime...

Malham Cove came out on top in the WTY World Cup of Yorkshire – Natural Landmarks. Nestled in the southern base of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the village of Malham was mentioned in the Domesday book as ‘Malgun’,

Clockwise from top left: Malham Cove. Aysgarth Falls.

T H E V E R T I C A L FA C E O F T H E COV E R E AC H E S 260 FEET HIGH. and has been a settlement for at least a thousand years.

Traces of Iron age boundaries are still visible today and a century ago it was a place for industrious mills and deep mines. Today it’s more about hill farming and tourism. The cove is an impressive curved shaped cliff formation of limestone rock, with the vertical face of the cove reaching 260 feet high. At the top of the cliff is a spectacularly large area of deeply eroded limestone pavement, with a fascinating pattern rarely seen in England (more on this later!). The towering majesty of Malham Cove predominantly looks out across Malham village. Attracting visitors for centuries, it’s a great and natural amphitheatre for climbers with mid-grade routes. The area is also popular in all seasons with walkers and the cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), so special care must be taken when visiting.

GORGE-OUS Aysgarth Falls was a fabulous finalist. This impressive landmark comprises a gorge through which the River Ure rapidly flows over a series of stepped waterfalls consisting of horizontal layers of hard limestone and thin bands of soft shale. The rugged rocks are part of the Yoredale geological series that were laid down on the sea floor over 300 million years ago and the falls are a product of the Ice Age. Rich in wildlife, the River Ure is home to the rare white-clawed crayfish, a vast variety of interesting insect life including mayflies and stoneflies and on warm summer evenings brown trout may be seen in the quieter sections of the river, leaping into the air to catch flies. Many bird species are also frequently spotted at the river, with the dark brown dipper and its white breast sometimes seen

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‘bobbing’ at the water’s edge or diving under for food, plus pied and grey wagtails can be seen and sometimes a colourful kingfisher. Footpaths through woodland and wild flowers often offer a glimpse of squirrels and deer. This spectacular setting is protected as part of the Aysgarth Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

An impressive beauty spot it has inspired many visitors over the years including leading English art critic John Ruskin, celebrated artist J.M.W. Turner and poet William Wordsworth, who all visited and were bowled over by the falls outstanding beauty.

Kevin Costner can be seen wading through the water at Aysgarth Falls in the BAFTA-winning film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, although unfortunately this cannot be guaranteed to be happening during any future visits.

ACCO R D I N G TO LO C A L L E G E N D, T H E C A L F WA S S P L I T F R O M T H E COW BY A G I A N T C A L L E D R O M B A L D.

THE SEMI-FINALISTS Overlooking the picturesque spa town of Ilkley, high on the moor, are the outstanding Cow and Calf rocks.

A large formation of outcrop boulders, also known as Hangingstone Rocks. Made of millstone grit, a variety of sandstone, one is large and there’s a smaller one sitting close to it, just like a cow and a calf.

According to local legend, the Calf was split from the Cow when the giant Rombald was escaping an enemy and stamped on the rock as he leapt across the valley. It’s rumoured the enemy was his angry

Above: The Cow and Calf Rocks in Ilkley.

Opposite from top: Limestone pavements at Malham.

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wife and she dropped the stones held in her skirt to form the local rock formation The Skirtful of Stones. Legend also has it that there was once a Bull, but it was quarried for stone during the spa town boom in the 19th century that Ilkley was part of, but there appears to be no evidence of the Bull’s existence.

Of course, it’s a much more peaceful setting now, with pretty pathways, masses of moorland, stunning views, a popular pub and a café.

The rocks are a great place to explore and climb, if experienced, and the moor is ideal for walking, hiking, pony trekking and picknicking.

Hollywood greats Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette filmed emotional pivotal scenes from the heart-wrenching film Miss You Already at this dramatic location and the BBC TV series Gunpowder was also shot there.

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Natural landmarks Final 32

HIGGER TO R Peak District

Climb the steps to the top of Malham Cove and you’ll be rewarded with a vast limestone pavement. Once a glacier, this natural wonder was created as the water melted and is a location favoured by many photographers for its dramatic look in a stunning setting.

Formed through rain water percolating through the soil and becoming acidic, this gradually dissolved the limestone surface.

Beneath the soil, rain water picked out the joints in the stone and eroded them over time, gradually widening the cracks by dissolving the rock, creating deep fissures, known as grykes.

If it looks familiar it may be because it featured in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part I, as Harry & Hermione set up camp in a tent on the limestone rocks. It’s no surprise as this is a pretty magical place with amazing views of the valley below. The Pavement was also used as a location in the 1992 film of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights starring Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes.

After all this exploring, enjoy a tasty tipple, delicious dining and even an overnight stay in the village of Malham at The Lister Arms (voted Yorkshire’s favourite pub in 2019) or Beck Hall (super dog friendly).

S TA N A G E EDGE Peak District

B E M P TO N CLIFFS Bempton

KILNSEY C R AG Kilnsey

THREE PEAKS Yorkshire Dales

Ingleton

B L AC K NAB Saltwick Bay

GAPING GILL Ingleborough

OT L E Y CHEVIN Otley

BRIMHAM ROCKS Summerbridge

FILEY BRIGG

MALHAM COV E

Filey

Malham

COW A N D CALF Ilkley

NORLAND MOOR Sowerby Bridge

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I N G L E TO N FA L L S

H A R D R AW FORCE Hardraw

H OW STEAN GORGE Harrogate

AY S G A R T H FA L L S Aysgarth

SPURN POINT Spurn Head

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD Flamborough

S E M E R WAT E R Raydale

BUCK STO N E S

HARDCASTLE C R AG S

Kirkless

Hebden Bridge

TO P WITHENS Haworth

L I M E STO N E PAV E M E N T S Malham

ROSEBERRY ALMCLIFFE TO P P I N G C R AG Great Ayton

DA L BY FOREST Dalby

HOLE OF HORCUM Pickering

STUMP CROSS C AV E R N S Harrogate

Leeds

THE STRID Bolton Abbey

BUTTERTUBS Yorkshire Dales

S U T TO N BANK North York Moors National Park

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Left from top: Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Hotham’s Gin School and Distillery.

Swinton Park. Opposite left to right from top: The Grand Yorkshire Train in the Yorkshire Dales.

Gisborough Hall. Grimm & Co in Rotherham. The Feverhsm Arms and Verbena Spa. Las Iguanas.

Oulton Hall. Shibden Mill Inn. York’s Chocolate Story. Whitby Gin.

The Best of Yorkshire? We can voucher for that. Welcome to Yorkshire is dedicated to supporting and promoting members, especially during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.

Book it. bank it. enjoy it.

WE CAN VO U C H E R F O R T H AT W

e have created an online page with links to brilliant businesses and lovely locations, to encourage the purchase of vouchers for people to buy as gifts for fabulous friends and loved ones, enabling receivers to have an exciting experience or tasteful treat to look forward to and an opportunity to support Yorkshire’s tourism industry now. You can book it now, bank it and enjoy your experience at a later date.

This is also a perfect way to showcase the county’s wonderful venues and attractions, as well as inspirational ideas to give as a special surprise.

For anniversaries, birthdays, Father’s Day or just to brighten up somebody’s day, give a gift experience to look forward to. From delicious dining to afternoon tea, alpaca walks to wonderful wildlife, shopping to surfing, chocolate to gin, theatre to theme parks, tandems to trains, aqua parks to gliding, a spa day to an overnight stay...and so much more to give.

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BOOK IT L I T E R AT U R E I N YO R K S H I R E

As the sun shines and lockdown limitations restrict roaming through the county, here’s a novel idea, get out in the garden and lose yourself in a great piece of Yorkshire literature.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

D R AC U L A

E M I LY B R O N T Ë

B R A M STO K E R

Considered the most haunting and tormented love story ever written, Wuthering Heights is the tale of the troubled orphan Heathcliff and his doomed love for Catherine Earnshaw.

A Victorian gothic novel telling the story of a vampire named Count Dracula who tries to move from Transylvania to England in pursuit of new blood. Published in 1897 it has since become the basis for an entire genre of literature and film.

T H E LO R D OF THE RINGS J. R . R . TO L K I E N This epic fantasy novel tells the story of a war in the fictional world of Middle-earth. An all-powerful ring is discovered by Bilbo Baggins in the earlier novel The Hobbit. The free people of Middle-earth, such as Men, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits, must overcome dark powers and destroy the ring.

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A L I C E ’ S A DV E N T U R E S I N WO N D E R L A N D LEWIS CARROLL Lewis Carroll had strong connections to Yorkshire. His father was Canon at Ripon Cathedral. Locals believe that a carving of a rabbit in St Mary’s Church in the market town of Beverley bears a striking resemblance to the White Rabbit in Carroll’s literary masterpiece, Alice in Wonderland. Ripon Cathedral is also home to some spectacular

Above: A beach at Withernsea in the Tolkien Triangle.

medieval woodcarvings one of which shows a griffin catching a rabbit who subsequently escapes down a hole.

Coincidence? We think not!

A L L C R E AT U R E S G R E AT A N D S M A L L JA M E S H E R R I OT The warm and joyful memoirs of the world’s most beloved animal doctor; James Herriot and his menagerie of heart-warming, funny, and tragic animal patients.

MR MEN R O G E R H A R G R E AV E S 1 9 7 1 The Mr Men books have captured the hearts and imaginations of children for generations. Among the favourites are Mr Bump, Mr Happy, Mr Silly and of course Mr Tickle.

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I N S P I R AT I O N

Far left: Sowerby Bridge where Roger Hargreaves went to school. Left: Thirsk.

Below: Whitby.

Below left: Top Withens.

A R E A S TO D I S COV E R W H E N LO C K D OW N IS LIFTED BRONTË COUNTRY Haworth is the epitome of the Brontë’s legendary work. There’s an enchanting mystique to the wild and rugged moors that surround this beautiful village - you can practically hear the echoes of Catherine and Heathcliff around every cobbled and heatherstrewn corner. Follow the path beside the Brontë Parsonage and you’ll be out in the wilds in minutes, climbing up and out of the village and into a world of labyrinthine trails. Spot the signs to Top Withens - the inspiration for Earnshaw’s house in Wuthering Heights - and make tracks to the beautiful Brontë Falls.

WHITBY Cosy taverns, unique boutiques and quirky gift shops adorn Whitby’s streets, while fishing trawlers and lifeboats fill the harbour that sits beneath the awe-inspiring Abbey which formed the inspiration to Bram Stokers Dracula. Whitby’s sweeping, sandy beach is the perfect place for families to spend an afternoon. Little ones will enjoy rock pooling with a fishing net and bucket to store their

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TO L K I E N T R I A N G L E

newly found treasures or catching crabs off the pier. On the beach itself, you’ll find donkey rides, picnic food stalls and even lifeguards watching the waves – perfect for a relaxed family outing.

THIRSK Wonderfully positioned midway between the stunning North York Moors and the beautiful Yorkshire Dales; Thirsk is a perfect base for anyone visiting Yorkshire. Surrounded by rolling hills and spectacular limestone valleys, where historic castles and ancient abbeys whisper secrets about times gone by. So when the time is right, put your best foot forward from your cottage, tent or B&B and get ready to start exploring Herriot country.

J.R.R. Tolkien resided in the East Riding of Yorkshire from April 1917 until October 1918. Much of his early mythology and invented languages were written during this time.

Tolkien even directly copied some East Yorkshire place names into his work, with the village of Wetwang, appearing in the Fellowship of the Ring. This area is now fondly referred to as the Tolkien Triangle.

C L E C K H E AT O N NEAR HUDDERSFIELD This quirky corner of West Yorkshire, combines inspirational scenery with traditional market towns. Explore the riverside village of Marsden or culturally diverse Huddersfield.

With picturesque moors, the picture postcard town of Holmfirth or the towpaths of the canals and rivers of the Holme Valley, offering a great opportunity to discover the breathtaking outdoors of Yorkshire.

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I N S P I R AT I O N

AT T R A C T I O N S T O A D D T O YO U R V I S I T W I S H L I S T T H E WO R L D O F JA M E S H E R R I OT An award-winning museum and visitor centre, the World of James Herriot attracts lovers of BBC’s All Creatures Great and Small (new series planned for the end of this year) from all around the globe. Visitors see where James Herriot, the world’s most famous vet, lived, worked and relaxed. Discover the car he drove, step into the TV set, try your hand at being a vet and even experience what it was like to hide in a World War 2 air raid shelter.

D I S COV E R T H E C A R JA M E S H E R R I OT D R OV E AS WELL AS THE HOME O F S A I N T S A N D WA L K THROUGH THE BRONTË SISTERS FRONT ROOM.

WHITBY ABBEY Named Britain’s most romantic ruin and founded in 657, Whitby Abbey has over the years been a bustling settlement, a kings’ burial place, the setting for a historic meeting between Celtic and Roman clerics and the home of saints including the poet Caedmon. Discover how over 2,000 years of history make the Abbey one of England’s most important archaeological sites.

and Anne wrote their great novels. The parsonage is now a beautifully preserved museum that still retains the atmosphere of the time when the Brontës lived there.

The rooms are filled with their personal possessions and furniture including the original table where Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre were created.

B R O N T Ë PA R S O N A G E

Yorkshire has a wonderful literary history and the county’s stunning landscapes continue to inspire. Here are some of the festivals and events that attract world-renowned literary icons. Check out online updates for future Yorkshire literature festival information.

Set in the picturesque village of Haworth against the stunning landscape of the Yorkshire moors, Haworth Parsonage was the home of the Brontë family from 1820 to 1861 and the place where Charlotte, Emily

T E L L U S A S T O R Y

Above: The Brontë Parsonage Museum.

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IN THE NEWS

E V E R Y B O DY DA N C E From flash mobs to flamenco, classical to contemporary, for the mind and for the masses ‌ just how important is dance during such testing times? Former Phoenix Dance Theatre, artistic director, Sharon Watson, has just started in her new role as chief executive and principal at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and talks about her passion for performance, a love of Leeds and aspirations for the arts post-pandemic.

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Coronavirus has affected everyone and what a shame, that to some degree, life will never be the same again. But what an opportunity to leave behind what we don’t need, which I think is something this vicious virus has demonstrated, that there are things that we can step away from and not have to return to. What does concern me though is how do we get back to enjoying what we all appreciate in terms of the arts...dance, music, concerts, all of those things that actually require multiple people working and performing together. One prominent national theatre director, recently described the serious situation for the arts as being in the ‘premier league’ of the pandemic, as it will be the last to recover and return to any kind of normality. It doesn’t mean to say that our world can’t look very different or present itself with new opportunities, but in a literal sense with regards to the impact of social engagement and emotional contact the arts will take a massive hit.

Building confidence with performing artists and audiences is crucial going forward, as well as continuing to keep supporting and embracing how we are able to present our work.

If you look across the world with regards to what’s happening now, you can see the one thing that people are doing is dancing...by themselves, in front of screens, sharing dance on social media. Moving and articulating the body in some shape or form has so many benefits. The mental stability that dance can give you, even in isolation, is an emotional connectivity and we cannot let coronavirus rule this part of our art form out of our lives. I wish it had more respect for what it’s able to do and maybe when we come out of this long, unfortunate and unprecedented situation, the Government and gatekeepers will be able to add value to what they often call soft skills and will somehow realise that they are actually essential skills carrying a significant monetary value to the economy.

Dance is definitely an important part of the conduit between what’s happening in the world with the coronavirus crisis and helping maintain people’s mental health through physical movement.

There is an amazing arts scene in Yorkshire, especially in my home town of Leeds. If you’re looking for dance, for inspiring art that’s new, different, traditional, with a view on the world, it’s here in the city’s DNA of dance. Which was put into Leeds way back when my former PE teacher at Harehills Middle School, (the late) Nadine Senior, had the insight to nurture this particular art form and we have not let her down since.

I couldn’t have pursued my career as a professional dancer when I was growing up in Leeds as there wasn’t a vocational training school then. Although Nadine was an inspirational lady and saw the talent in her pupils, developing their skills, but there was nowhere to present them for the next stage. The only option at the time was to go to the London School of Contemporary Dance, whose team would regularly come up to Yorkshire and work with us as young dancers. At the age of 16 I packed my bags and headed for the capital with Nadine’s help and the rest is history. I think it was the last year she sent students to London, before actually taking action herself in terms of building a vocational school for the talented dancers she was already nurturing. Nadine was the founding principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, where I am now, as chief executive and principal, one of her former pupils.

I F YO U ’ R E L O O K I N G F O R D A N C E T H AT ’ S N E W, D I F F E R E N T, TRADITIONAL, WITH A V I E W O N T H E WO R L D, IT’S HERE IN THE C I T Y ’ S D N A O F DA N C E .

Taking up post at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, I never expected it to look like this, that’s for sure. The coronavirus situation means that I’m currently operating in a very different way to how I’d usually work.

It is amazing though. I’ve walked into an organisation that has a can-do attitude, from staff and students. In days, weeks, months to come it will be my opportunity to have galvanised all of those different ways of working and thinking, and that’s what I’m doing right now, with a lot of listening, sitting in the background and picking up conversations, because the immediate is making sure we don’t lose anyone along the way, no one is forgotten. It’s so encouraging, the energy here, you can feel the drive to move forward is focused 100% in the direction of success.

I’ll hopefully help build on that, looking at new opportunities this particular scenario brings. We’ve got challenges, of course we have, the same as anyone who is part of a people-based organisation, but what a beautiful challenge

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IN THE NEWS

Top to bottom: Sharon Watson has just started in her new role as chief executive and principal at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. NSCD Student Rehearsal of work by Yukiko Masui.

Opposite: Windrush production images Š Brian Slater.

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IN THE NEWS

it is to have the voices and the thinking behind what the future of the school can be and will look like, keeping in mind the fact that we have a fantastic global reputation.

Windrush: Movement of the People was a real highlight in my eleven years as artistic director at Phoenix Dance Theatre. The last four years presented a real opportunity for me. The early days were a challenge of making sure the company was stable and getting itself back on the map, but as the confidence and belief in the organisation grew, it helped me to really think about the company’s USP. To try and maintain the distinctiveness of its history, three young black men who were inspired to make a difference to the dance scene and to really carry that philosophy, thinking through and maintaining that to today.

My first narrative piece of work, Windrush: Movement of the People, with the timing of and the presentation of the whole Windrush scandal wrapped around it, meant everything about this production made a statement, for me, for the company and for society. It was supported by some amazing people and made a great impact. For Phoenix moving forward, remaining current and relevant is so important. I hope it continues to be brave and courageous, as its history is its foundation and its strength.

When life is back to normal, whatever that is, I just can’t wait to be with people again. Knowing that when I wake up in the morning I will be walking into a building that’s buzzing with young, enthusiastic performers who are looking for their next opportunity. Seeing staff who are willing and able to help make the next transition for themselves and for the dancers coming through. That the music I hear coming from the studio, from various phones and devices, is inspiring people to create. All of these things impact my own development. I love being around people and encouraging them. AND I’m very much looking forward to getting out to my first music concert. I thrive on music, it’s the thing you can take anywhere, at any time and it can impact your mood at any given moment.

For anyone wanting to pursue a career in dance...feel the fear and do it anyway. There’s got to be something that gives you a buzz and drive. I think it is the most amazing career one can pursue and it has so many rewards in numerous ways. Sometimes I think, I did that, I experienced that. What is amazing is how you hear it reflected back to you, the way that you’ve impacted and changed lives from those that have engaged in dance, or had the pleasure of watching you dance or seen the dance that you’ve created. Those curtain calls can sometimes be the biggest, most rewarding experiences for an individual, knowing that the people on the other side have truly appreciated what you’ve done.

Dance in Leeds is flourishing. It adds to the economy, turns out amazing artists and some of the great works and companies are here. The Northern School of Contemporary Dance is developing some phenomenal individuals. We talk about the landscape of Yorkshire and how beautiful, versatile and transformative it is … which is very much reflected in our dance culture. There are those working in isolation, with dance companies or with portfolio careers. The work itself is international, so from our city of Leeds we are talking to the world with brilliant, quality art. It makes me proud.

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IN THE NEWS

P L AY T I M E Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre is currently proudly presenting a global first, Alan Ayckbourn’s newest production, Anno Domino, online. The show premiered on the SJT’s website on 25th May and is now available exclusively as an audio recording.

At the age of 81, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning writer has teamed up with his wife, actress Heather (Heth) Stoney, to record the new show during lockdown, after the SJT’s summer season was suspended due to the coronavirus crisis. The plan was hatched by Alan Ayckbourn, a former radio producer and the theatre’s Paul Robinson to create a brand new audio production, in which Alan and Heather could produce and record in their own home.

Original arrangements had to be changed when the pandemic hit theatre productions hard. Sir Alan was set to direct the world premiere of his new play, Truth Will Out, alongside a new production of his 1976 classic Just Between Ourselves, as well as SJT Artistic Director Paul Robinson’s production of The Ladykillers at the Scarborough theatre this summer.

Anno Domino looks at the break-up of a long-established marriage and the effect that has on family and friends. In it, the two actors play four characters each, with an age range of 18 to mid-70s. It’s the first time the married couple have acted together since Alan’s last appearance on a professional stage, in William Gibson’s two-hander Two for the Seesaw at the Rotherham Civic Theatre, back in 1964.

Since the mid-sixties Alan Ayckbourn has pursued a hugely successful writing and directing career, while Heather Stoney has continued to act, appearing in many of Alan’s productions. Heather’s last full season as an actress was at the SJT in 1985, during which she appeared in the world premiere of her husband’s Woman in Mind.

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“The inspiration for Anno Domino came from the idea that all relationships ultimately, however resilient they appear to be, are built on sand!” explains multiaward-winning Alan Ayckbourn. “And it only takes one couple to break up abruptly to take us all by surprise, then all of a sudden everyone is questioning their own unshakeable relationship. A so-called domino effect, in fact.”

Anno Domino is said to be one of the playwright’s ‘lighter’ productions, as a hopeful and joyous piece, to provide perfect entertainment in a very contemporary response to the current coronavirus situation. It also marks the first time Alan Ayckbourn has both directed and performed in one of his own plays.

In reaction to the unusual times we’re

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all experiencing, Sir Alan acknowledges that for some it’s not such a big change.

“Lockdown life has been pretty normal for me. Maybe when I (don’t) start rehearsals in a couple of weeks, it will hit me. But when I’m writing like I am now, I avoid everybody – except Heth and the cat!”

But during such a tricky period for the arts, does Alan Ayckbourn have any concerns? “I think the future of the theatre hangs in the balance, frankly. But then in my lifetime it invariably has done as a new challenger emerges to threaten its existence – radio, movies, TV, the internet, virtual reality etc. BUT, in the end, survive it will – as the admirable Bones almost put it: “It will be theatre, Jim, but not as we know it!”

Anno Domino is available to listen to until Thursday 25th June.

Opposite bottom left: Heather Stoney and Alan Ayckbourn in Two For The Seesaw 1964 © Scarborough Theatre Trust.

Opposite top: Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough.

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IN THE NEWS

GARDEN OF THE DECADE The Welcome to Yorkshire garden, inspired by the iconic Yorkshire Dales, won the highest honour of gold, Best Construction Award and the coveted People’s Choice Award back in 2018 at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show...AND it’s only just gone and been given the blooming amazing accolade of the Garden of the Decade.

With the Chelsea Flower Show not happening this year, as a result of the coronavirus crisis, a virtual retrospective, online and on TV, celebrated the show’s greatest garden designs and masterpieces from years past.

The Welcome to Yorkshire 2018 cultivated creation, complete with cowpat and vegetable patch, received the most public votes and was the garden to come out on top as the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award favourite from the last decade, as announced on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show programme on BBC One. Lovingly created by proud Yorkshireman Mark Gregory, the multi-award-winning garden marked Mark’s 30th consecutive year at the world-renowned show in 2018 and what a fitting tribute to a top class designer as this year would have been his 100th garden at RHS Chelsea, if the coronavirus crisis hadn’t hit hard.

“What an honour it is to be awarded BBC RHS People’s Choice Garden of the Decade” beamed garden designer, Mark Gregory MD of Landform Consultants. “I’ve built and designed gardens at Chelsea every year since 1988, which adds up to more than 3 years of my life! Not being there this year has been more than a little surreal but to win Garden of the Decade means the world. Chelsea is always a team effort and this award is for everyone involved, I’m so proud to have been a part of it and I hope this garden and the 2019 Welcome to Yorkshire garden will inspire people to visit the home county of which I’m so proud.”

Ten gardens over ten years were shortlisted for the public to vote for their favourite and three of the gardens were Welcome to Yorkshire gardens. Created for the county by brilliant designers, two by overall winner Yorkshire’s Mark Gregory (2018 Dales and 2019 heritage and canal inspired) and in 2016 Matthew Wilson’s impressive rural reflection of York Minster’s expansive East Window.

But back to the most desired of the decade, a Wensleydale wonder, the delightful design evoked a truly stunning Yorkshire landscape, with drystone walls, flowerfilled meadows, a fast-flowing stream and tumbling beck.

Centre stage was a picturesque and authentic stone bothy with a beautiful cottage garden filled with flowers and veg.

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“It is some achievement to win the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award from the last decade for the Yorkshire garden, especially considering the high calibre of competition”, enthused James Mason, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire. “Hopefully this will be a reminder of what a picturesque part of Yorkshire Wensleydale really is. I’m really pleased for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Wensleydale Creamery and all the businesses in the Yorkshire Dales who showed great support for the garden and their continued love of such a spectacular part of the world, which once again deserves to be showcased far and wide.”

Mark Gregory is one of the most talented garden designers in the world and it’s incredibly fortunate that he just happens to be a Yorkshireman too, who had two gardens in the top ten and the overall winner. The Welcome to Yorkshire team have always loved showcasing the county at Chelsea to visitors from across the globe, who every year make a beeline to see a little piece of Yorkshire in London.

“We were delighted to support the stunning Welcome to Yorkshire RHS Chelsea Garden back in 2018, and thrilled that Wensleydale was the inspiration for the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award from the Last Decade,” enthused Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Chairman, Carl Lis. Jubilant garden designer, Mark Gregory, was born and bred in West Cowick, East Yorkshire and has been at the forefront of the horticultural and landscaping industry for more than 35 years. After studying at Askham Bryan College and training at RHS Garden Wisley, Mark set up Landform Consultants in April 1988 and started work on his first Chelsea show garden two weeks later. An RHS Chelsea Flower Show stalwart, 2019 saw proud Yorkshireman Mark work on his 99th garden in his 31st consecutive year at the show and this year would have been his 100th. The gardening guru has personally designed five show gardens, the last four of which were all awarded gold medals at Chelsea.

Mark Gregory impressively winning the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award Garden of the Decade with the Welcome to Yorkshire garden, will further inspire visitors to experience and explore for real, this picture postcard part of the Dales (but for now following Government guidelines considering COVID-19).

Discover Wensleydale for yourself when it is safe to do so.

Top: Mark Gregory winning the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award Garden of the Decade with the Welcome to Yorkshire garden is an incredible achievement.

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REDCAR SALTBURN

BOWES

KIRKBY STEPHEN

A685

TO THE M6 FOR BIRMINGHAM AND CUMBRIA

A67CATTERICK LEYBURN A66

A683

A685 DENT

KIRKBY A684 STEPHEN HAWES

BOWES

YORKSHIRE DALES REETH

TEBAY

KIRKBY LONSDALEYORKSHIRE SEDBERGH

NORTHALLERTON

A1

LOFTHOUSE HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE A684 A683 HAWES PATELEY BRIDGE MASHAM GRASSINGTON DENT

KIRKBY LONSDALE

SETTLE

INGLETON A65

MALHAM HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE

RIPON

A169

PICKERING MALTON

HELMSLEY

A64

YORK

FILEY

DRIFFIELD

BRIDLINGTON

A165

A166

MALTON

A614 DRIFFIELD

A1079

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD

A165 SEAMER

A64

PATELEY BRIDGE A658

FILEY SCARBOROUGH

A170

KNARESBOROUGH A19

BOLTON ABBEY A59 GRASSINGTONHARROGATE

SETTLE SKIPTON MALHAM

THIRSK BOROUGHBRIDGE

A61 RIPLEY

ROBIN HOOD’S BAY SEAMER

HELMSLEY

BANK A19 RIPONSUTTON

SCARBOROUGH

PICKERING

A170

NORTH YORK MOORS

THIRSK

WHITBY

DANBY

OSMOTHERLEY

NORTHALLERTON

ROBIN HOOD’S BAY

STAITHES

A172 SUTTON BANK

LEYBURN

DALES

INGLETON

MASHAM

SALTBURN GOATHLAND

NORTH YORK GUISBOROUGH MOORS A171

YARM

BEDALE A1 RICHMOND A6108

WHITBY

A171

REDCAR DANBY

A172 A19 RICHMOND MIDDLESBROUGH OSMOTHERLEY

REETH

SEDBERGH

GUISBOROUGH

YARM

A1 A66

BARNARD CASTLE

TEBAY

STAITHES

MIDDLESBROUGH

BARNARD CASTLE

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD

A165 BRIDLINGTON

WETHERBY A65 KNARESBOROUGH HORNSEA POCKLINGTON MARKET A629 ILKLEY A166 WEIGHTON OTLEY A59 A64 A1 A61 HARROGATE KEIGHLEY SKIPTON SALTAIRE ILKLEY BEVERLEY A19 WETHERBY A614 HAWORTH A658 A1079 A65 A629 OTLEY SELBY HORNSEA M1 A164 BEVERLEY KEIGHLEY A64 M606 M621 A19 A63 A63 SALTAIRE

BRADFORD

LEEDS

HAWORTH

HEBDEN HALIFAX TODMORDEN BRIDGE

BRADFORD

HEBDEN BRIDGE M62

YORK

LEEDS

MIRFIELD HUDDERSFIELD

WAKEFIELD

HALIFAX TODMORDEN

BARNSLEY MIRFIELD

M1

PEAK PENISTONE

DISTRICT

A1

BARNSLEY ROTHERHAM M18

HULL

A63

HUMBER BRIDGE

PONTEFRACT

M180

GOOLE

DONCASTER

WITHERNSEA

A164 BRIDGE HUMBER

GOOLE

A63 M18

WAKEFIELD

HUDDERSFIELD

HOLMFIRTH

M62

A1

HOLMFIRTH

PENISTONE

HULL

SELBY

PONTEFRACT

A15

WITHERNSEA

A180

SCUNTHORPE

GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES

DONCASTER

BRIGG

A18

ROTHERHAM PEAK A57 DISTRICT

A57

SHEFFIELD TO LONDON

BY RAIL

TO LONDON

BY RAIL

SHEFFIELD

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KEY Motorways

P L A N YO U R

JOURNEY

Wherever you’re coming from, getting to Yorkshire by rail, road, sea or air couldn’t be easier – and the journey takes you through some of our most stunning scenery on the way.

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A Roads Rail Routes Airports Heritage Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Parks Ferryport

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GETTING HERE

YO R K S H I R E B Y R A I L You can get to Yorkshire by high-speed train from London or Edinburgh in less than two hours. The Midlands is even nearer to Yorkshire’s cities, and TransPennine services offer direct links from the North West and North East.

For timetables and reservations contact: London North Eastern Railway (www.lner.co.uk) Grand Central (www.grandcentralrail.com) National Rail Enquiries (tel 08457 484950 www.nationalrail.co.uk) East Midlands Trains (www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk) Hull Trains (www.hulltrains.co.uk) Northern Rail (www.northernrail.org) Supertram Sheffield (www.supertram.com) Transpennine Express (www.tpexpress.co.uk) Metro (www.wymetro.com)

YO R K S H I R E B Y AIR AND SEA

Don’t forget P&O Ferries operate direct overnight links into Yorkshire from Rotterdam, Holland and Zeebrugge, Belgium. For more information go to www.poferries.com.

The Yorkshire county is served by a number of airports, providing daily flights to and from many destinations.

With excellent transport links, Yorkshire is also easily accessible from many other airports throughout the UK, through high speed train links and an extensive motorway network.

I N F O R M AT I O N CENTRES Tourist Information Centres can offer plenty of great ideas so you can make the most of your visit. For all the Tourist Information Centres in Yorkshire; www.yorkshire.com/tic.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport (tel 0871 2202210 www.flydsa.co.uk) Leeds Bradford Yorkshire’s Airport (tel 0871 2882288 www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk) Humberside Airport (tel 0844 8877747 www.humbersideairport.com) Manchester Airport (tel 08712 710711 www.manchesterairport.co.uk)

Find a wide choice of guide books and maps with lots of dedicated walking and cycling routes at Tourist Information Centres across the county, or more ideas from Welcome to Yorkshire at www.yorkshire.com/outdoors.

And you can explore Yorkshire’s hills, moors and valleys on some of Britain’s best loved and most spectacular leisure trains, with lovingly preserved vintage rolling stock and historic steam locomotives.

These include the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Middleton Railway, Wensleydale Railway, Fellsman (for the Settle-Carlisle Railway) and Kirklees Light Railway. To discover more about these super train trips go to www.yorkshire.com.

YO R K S H I R E B Y R O A D Britain’s biggest and fastest highways cross Yorkshire from north to south and east to west, making getting here with your own car or by coach very simple indeed.

Glasgow M8 Edinburgh A74

The A1 and M1 connect from the north and south, while the M6 and M62 link Yorkshire with the Midlands and the North West and the M18/M180 gives easy access to the coast and countryside of northern Lincolnshire.

For details of the quickest (or the most scenic) driving routes see the AA or RAC websites www.theaa.com and www.rac.co.uk.

Coach and bus companies with services to (and within) Yorkshire include: Arriva (www.arrivabus.co.uk/yorkshire) Transdev Blazefield (www.transdevplc.co.uk) East Yorkshire Motor Services (www.eyms.co.uk) First (www.firstgroup.com) Coastliner (www.yorkbus.co.uk) Dalesbus (www.dalesbus.org) Moorsbus (www.moorsbus.org) Brontë Bus (www.keighleybus.co.uk) Connexions Buses (www.connexionsbuses.com) Find further information on regional and local bus and train services from Traveline Yorkshire (www.yorkshiretravel.net).

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A1

Carlisle

Newcastle

M6 Leeds Bradford Yorkshire’s Airport

York

Leeds Liverpool

M62

Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Manchester

Hull

Ferryport

Humberside Airport

A1

M6 Birmingham M1 Car

M5 M4 Bristol

M5

M25

London

Exeter

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