John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

Yemi’s Food Stories: Brunch at The Hideaway in Boroughbridge

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food and shares cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

The Hideaway is one of those places that locals would like to keep quiet to ensure they can always get a table – but a good secret is worth sharing. At least that’s what I told some Boroughbridge residents I ran into at the restaurant, after they said I am going to be calling Yorkshire’s attention to their ‘hideaway’.

Head chef Ben Keightley invited me to try the brunch-style menu, which takes inspiration from world cuisines. With options ranging from American-style fried chicken and rarebit, to Asian salads and a Moroccan lamb dish, this was an offer I could not refuse.

There was a definite buzz about the restaurant, and I could tell they have made quite an impression since they opened. The décor is calm, inviting and welcoming and the relaxed atmosphere and layout accommodates everyone.

There is a little corner of the restaurant in which you can buy gifts including handmade soaps, candles, books and scarves. I thought this was a lovely way to end the meal.

Moroccan-inspired lamb

I opted for the Moroccan-style braised lamb, served with garlic flatbread, tzatziki, rocket and pomegranate.

I can’t resist fresh bread, so this was at the top of my list and I wasn’t disappointed! The bread was fluffy and slightly crunchy on the outside. The lamb was tender with the fat well rendered down, flavoursome and fragrant from the spices without having any heat.

Yoghurt-based sauces are sometimes bland, but this was well seasoned and provided the creaminess to the dish that married well with the braised lamb. I also loved the simple yet stylish plating.

The red onion and lamb delivered umami and the rocket brought a touch of bitterness. The sauce provided a necessary creaminess and the pomegranate seeds gave pops of sweet juiciness.

The magic happened when you get a bit of every element on your fork.

This was a dish I couldn’t stop eating and one that I would definitely recommend. It is substantial, filling and reasonably priced at £15.95.

Buttermilk chicken

The second dish I tried was the buttermilk chicken with coleslaw and charred sweetcorn.

There is something about charred sweetcorn that immediately takes me back to my childhood in Nigeria. The smell of corns roasting over hot coals would always draw you in.

I am partial to flavour, temperature, and texture combinations, so the play on sweet, savoury, crunch, creaminess, bitterness and acidity was lovely.

I am not a fan of raw onions, but I loved the touch of acidity that the onion brought to the red coleslaw – which was also delicious. Creamy dressings can often feel and taste heavy, but this one was delicate.

The charred corn was sweet and juicy with pops of crunchiness, and the rocket salad complemented the creamy slaw well.

This dish reminded me of my American holidays; crunchy yet juicy fried chicken, drizzled in sweet maple and mustard dressing.

Next time, I think I’ll try the halloumi or truffle fries on the side of this dish.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. For me, a touch more mustard would help to cut through and restrain the sweetness of the maple syrup.

But, this brunch dish is only £14 and is a great value for money.

With plans to start a Friday and Saturday tasting menu on April 4, this is set to be an exciting hangout for all and certainly worth a trip to Boroughbridge.

Review: Macbeth reimagined at Leeds Playhouse

Lauren Crisp is a book editor, writer and keen follower of arts and culture. Born and raised in Harrogate, Lauren recently moved back to North Yorkshire after a stint in London, where she regularly reviewed theatre – everything from big West End shows to small fringe productions. She is now eager to explore the culture on offer in and around her home town. You can contact Lauren on laurencrispwriter@gmail.com.

Following a previous run in 2022, Leeds Playhouse’s deputy artistic director Amy Leach returns with her dark and edgy directorial vision of the Bard’s Scottish play.

As the performance opens, the stage is stark; an enormous wooden drawbridge stands in the centre, surrounded by a forest of scaffolding towers, each one throwing a searchlight into the air. Hard-edged, cold and inhospitable, the scene is set for the treachery to come.

This central drawbridge rises and descends as the action unfolds, revealing a myriad of imaginary settings, from foggy, desolate moorland, to the interior, intimate spaces of the story, charged with secrecy, whispers and lies. The set, designed by Hayley Grindle, is distinctive and, for me, the play’s crux. Intense, dramatic sound and lighting heighten the atmosphere.

Striking, too, is the cast and creative team’s accessible vision. With its diverse company, the production is created to be accessible to all, with a dedication to audio, amplification and the integration of sign language.

Deaf actor Adam Bassett’s Macduff’s words are relayed out loud by other characters; at times, the transition between language styles is a little tricky to follow, yet more often the approach makes the dialogue even more impactful.

The cast, with their familiar regional accents and their own twists on the delivery of the Bard’s words, make this relatively straightforward to grasp (good news for the Shakespeare-shy among us). Macbeth, played by Ash Hunter of West End Hamilton fame, delivers a convincing portrayal of the eponymous lead.

Yet, the interpretation and addition of certain scenes featuring the male characters are overplayed. I found the joviality and machismo a little wearing, with an excess of fist-pumping and some exaggerated drunken behaviour. An early fight scene is less rousing than it is jarring, oddly choreographed into something that came across as a Game-of-Thrones-style dance battle, setting a strange tone.

Elkanah Wilder, Karina Jones and Charlotte Arrowsmith (witches) with Ash Hunter (Macbeth). Pic Kirsten McTernan

Another effect of this over-egged manhood is to detract some attention from the fundamental female element of this play. Here, Lady Macbeth comes second to her husband, and the witches, so often the most enthralling, outlandish characters, do not garner the attention they deserve.

Characterisation, as a whole, is not mined as deeply as I would like or expect. For a play that, once stripped back, is so very human at its core, we lose a sense of humanity amid all the action. This production takes a great deal on, but it might be a case of ‘less is more’.

There is, though, much to be valued in the addition of a new, accessible edition of a play seen by centuries’-worth of theatregoers, but never seen like this; one that seeks to appeal to audiences in novel ways, and to draw new crowds.

Macbeth is at Leeds Playhouse until Saturday 23 March.

Developers revive plans to build in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley

Developers have revived plans to build 17 homes in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley.

North Yorkshire Council refused an application by Harrogate firm Square Feet Ltd and Leeds-based Antela Developments Ltd to build 17 homes at Almsford Bank Stables in September.

It was the third attempt to build on land off Leeds Road, south of properties on Fulwith Road and Fulwith Grove.

The plans were opposed by the campaign group Save Crimple Valley and received 360 objections and no letters of support.

Now the developers have appealed against the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which will adjudicate.

The council’s reasons for refusal included that the scheme would “urbanise and erode the distinctive rural character of the Crimple Valley landscape”, cause harm to the setting of the grade two listed Crimple Valley Viaduct and result in the loss of a “relatively large number of mature trees, including trees protected by a tree preservation order”.

The 4.4 hectare-site, which has historically been used for equestrian purposes, would see seven affordable build and 10 self and custom build homes.

Loss of 48 trees

A statement of case by the developers said the appeal “is made in the context of the government’s requirement to meet the need for self and custom build housing and seeks to assist in addressing the significant and sustained unmet need in Harrogate for self and custom housing plots”. It then details why it believes the council’s reasons were flawed.

It says the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, supports windfall sites for self and custom build housing on the edge of settlements.

It argues views of the viaduct “have been carefully considered and protected” and “extended areas of native planting will reinforce the green nature of the corridor”. The document adds:

“The proposal does not therefore urbanise or erode the rural character of this part of Harrogate but has been sympathetically designed to respect the edge of settlement location and the setting of the Crimple Valley Viaduct.

“The proposed replacement and mitigation planting results in a net increase in tree cover.

“On the basis of the evidence set out, the development as proposed is both suitable and sustainable and there is a justification to grant planning permission.”

A tree report submitted in documents to the council says 48 trees “together with a short stretch of hedge requires removal for the access road”.

It adds:

“The trees to be removed are generally poor quality, mostly small in stature and easily replaceable, the retained trees and woodland can be robustly protected.”

In 2021, plans for 65 homes at the site were withdrawn. In 2022, a smaller application for 35 homes was refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

Geoff Brown steps down as chief executive of Ripon Farm Services

Ripon Farm Services has appointed Richard Simpson to succeed Geoff Brown as chief executive.

Mr Brown, who will transition to chairman, has enjoyed one of the longest-serving and most successful leadership careers in the district.

He was one of five men who founded the business in 1982 and has been at the helm ever since, overseeing huge growth.

In a statement today, the company said Mr Simpson will have “full responsibility for the strategic development of Ripon Farm Services and the day-to-day running of the business”.

It added Mr Simpson, who is from a farming background, became commercial director three years ago and has “extensive experience in transforming companies large and small” and would bring “a fresh perspective to Ripon Farm Services”.

Mr Simpson said:

“Ripon Farm Services is a truly great business and following Geoff to lead the company is the most challenging thing I have ever done. What an incredible legacy he has built.

“We must all work together to ensure that the values on which the company is built are preserved and enhanced in the years to come.”

The statement said Mr Brown, who was awarded an MBE last year, “will continue to be ever-present in the company and advise on strategic direction to ensure the seamless transfer of knowledge and expertise”.

It added:

“He will also be able to dedicate more time and energy to his upcoming charitable endeavours in his role as president of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.”

Mr Brown said:

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all employees, customers and the folks at John Deere who have been instrumental in our journey over the past 40 years. The unwavering commitment, hard work, and passion have been invaluable in shaping the company into what it is today.

“That said we must keep moving forwards. There is a lot to do, and we must continue to improve, embrace innovation, and always strive to surpass customer expectations.”

Mr Brown at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Mr Brown said his successor “has been instrumental in driving the changes we needed to make in the last three years” and had “a proven track record of driving growth, fostering innovation and nurturing talent”.

Joedy Ibbotson, division business manager at John Deere UK, paid tribute to Mr Brown:

“Under his leadership the business has grown to become one of the largest and leading John Deere dealers in the UK.

“Geoff should be immensely proud of what he has built, for over 40 years his unrelenting commitment to serving farming and rural communities has been foundational to Ripon Farm Services success.”

Ripon Farm Services, which was established in 1982, employs more than 300 people.

It is one of the largest John Deere dealers in the UK with 14 sites in Yorkshire, Teesside, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

It is responsible for the sale and aftersales support of agricultural machinery, ground care equipment and professional turf equipment by John Deere and other major manufacturers.

Cedar Court Harrogate to open £500,000 restaurant

A new restaurant called Amber’s is to open at the Cedar Court hotel in Harrogate.

The hotel, which has been undergoing an extensive refurbishment over the last 12 months, is investing £500,000 into the venture.

It is hoped the restaurant, which will seat 75 people, will open next month.

The hotel said in a press release today it would be a “high-quality dining experience through its menu, service and décor” serving traditional British dishes.

A private dining and entertaining venue, the Imaginarium, is also being launched alongside the restaurant with capacity for up to 28 people.

The Cedar Court also announced a refreshed banqueting space for dinners, events, and weddings with a capacity of 250 covers, known as the Queen’s Suite, will also open.

The venue has undergone ground floor renovations, including updating the lounge, bar and other public areas over the last year.

Cedar Court Hotel

Hotel group managing director Wayne Topley said:

“Since I joined Cedar Court five years ago, I wanted to put a special dining concept into Cedar Court Harrogate.

“The significant investment underlies our belief in Harrogate as a real Yorkshire gem, a first-choice dining destination for visitors and local residents alike.

“Amber’s will be a very elegant dining experience, with stylish and traditional design features giving this part of the hotel a new lease of life and energy and new offering this part of Harrogate.”

They name Amber’s was inspired by the pioneering scientist Lady Amber Fitzwilliam, who was a long-time resident at Cedar Court, formerly known as The Queens Hotel in the 1900s.

Cedar Court has been working on the design and planning for the restaurant since last summer with Yorkshire-based, Studio Two Interiors, which has worked on hospitality projects including Lucia’s Wine Bar & Grill, Cut & Craft and Six by Nico.

Rossett School making ‘significant improvements’ after poor Ofsted

Ofsted has said Rossett School in Harrogate still requires improvement but progress is being made.

A previous visit by the government schools’ inspector in November 2022 concluded Rossett ‘requires improvement’ amid concerns about high staff turnover, disruptive pupils and extremely high absence rates among disadvantaged students.

This poor grading led to a government inspector returning on January 23 this year for a monitoring inspection.

Monitoring inspections do not grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but identify and report on progress.

The new report, which has just been uploaded on Ofsted’s website, said in its judgement:

“Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is necessary for the school to become good.”

Its main findings said “significant improvements” had taken place since former Harrogate Grammar School deputy headteacher Tim Milburn was appointed headteacher in September last year.

The Red Kite Learning Trust, which the school joined at about the time of Mr Milburn’s arrival, created an interim executive board to strengthen governance and support school leaders.

The Ofsted report said:

“The school has secured improvements in pupils’ behaviour. Leaders have raised everyone’s expectations of pupils’ conduct. A new lesson structure has had a positive impact.

“Disruption to learning has reduced, and pupils engage well in lessons. Incidents of internal truancy have reduced significantly since the previous inspection.”

But it added the number of suspensions has increased this year and “a minority of pupils continue to demonstrate challenging behaviour”.

‘Sharper focus’ on attention

The report said leaders “have a sharper focus on attendance than was previously the case” but “some pupils do not attend school often enough”.

It added:

“The number of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who are persistently absent from school, although improved, is still too high.”

The inspector concluded:

“The lessons I visited on this visit were purposeful and pupils were focused. Pupils are now benefiting from a curriculum that is helping them to know and remember more of what they have been taught. The school has clear improvement plans to address the next steps identified at the previous inspection.

“School and trust leaders have ensured that the school is improving quickly. You are aware that there is more work to do to improve published outcomes, particularly of disadvantaged pupils, and to increase pupils’ attendance.

‘High expectations’

Rossett said in a statement the 2022 report had been a “catalyst for significant change” and there had been a “sharpened focus on ‘attitudes and behaviour’.

Mr Milburn (pictured above) said:

“We will continue to have high expectations for all students, whether it be about attendance, punctuality, uniform, or behaviour.

“These high expectations, which are rooted in our shared values, allow the individual and the whole community to work and learn in a safe, productive, and happy environment. Where students challenge those expectations, we will continue to take appropriate action that minimises the effect on those who are routinely choosing to do the right thing.

“This is an area where parental support is so powerful, and we will continue to work together to improve in this area.”

From ballgowns to Fresh Prince streetwear, the vintage clothing on offer in Harrogate

There’s lots to love about vintage clothing. Where retro clothing imitates fashion from past eras, vintage is the real deal. Its authentic, original nature is part of the appeal, with fans often referring to the quality and sometimes even craftsmanship that is without comparison in similar modern pieces.

Vintage clothing — items more than 20 years old — is popular for other reasons, too. Each piece is a rare find and has its own distinctive style. It offers the chance to buy designer brands at a more affordable price. Fans love the cultural eras that vintage clothing represents and the stories it can tell. Compared to mass-produced clothing, it feels personal and unique.

Vintage clothing, along with pre-loved and charity shop pieces, is also part of a wider retail trend in secondhand clothing, driven in part by a more eco-conscious, sustainable approach to fashion that recycles and reuses pieces. It’s in direct contrast to the ‘fast fashion’, disposable ethos of cheap, high-street clothing.

Data analytics and consulting company GlobalData predicts that the UK’s clothes resale market will be worth £7.2bn by 2026, a rise of 39 per cent from 2023.

Some of the vintage clothing for sale in Harrogate.

‘An interesting place to shop’

In Harrogate, fans of vintage clothing are in for a treat. With three well-established shops and a recently-opened fourth, there are vintage pieces that appeal to all tastes and styles.

You’ll find high-end clothing harking back to the days of the Swinging 60s and the Roaring 20s. Quirky pieces that were probably even niche for their time. Beautiful hand-embroidered dresses and ballgowns. And streetwear from the 90s and 00s – decades that, to many Harrogate residents, seem like only yesterday.

“For the size of Harrogate, we do very well for vintage,” says Steve Elvidge, owner of Space, which this year celebrates its 15th anniversary in the centre of Harrogate.

When Space launched in 2009, the shopping opportunities for fans of vintage clothing were limited, if non-existent. Steve said:

“When we came to Harrogate, there wasn’t anything like us. There wasn’t much alternative culture of the kind that you find in university places such as Leeds. We offered an interesting place to shop where people could find cool, unique clothing.”

From the start, Steve wanted to appeal to as many people as possible, setting up Space as a collection of 12 units run by independent sellers with their own individual focus, as it remains today. Between them, they offer a wide range of vintage and retro clothing, furniture and homeware. He said:

“We’ve now got designer vintage clothing for the more traditional end of the market but we also have American sportswear and original 60s and 70s items. We get a lot of regulars who live here, as well as visitors and tourists.

“The appeal of vintage has definitely grown over the last decade. People want to buy one-off pieces that you are not going to see on anybody else. And I think there’s a greater awareness of sustainability and a move away from cheap, disposable clothing.”

‘Unique, original pieces’

Cathy Smith had a unit in Space during its early days, before opening her own premises on Cold Bath Road in 2010. Since then, she has seen a growing interest in vintage and pre-loved clothing, and agrees that Harrogate has a nice mix of shops catering for all styles and tastes.

Her boutique, Catherine Smith Vintage, has gained a strong reputation mainly through word of mouth, and welcomes regular customers both from the local area and from London. Cathy said:

“I’m one of the few people who sells high-end genuine, rare vintage as well as high-end, pre-loved modern pieces. I have clothing, jewellery and accessories from designers such as Chanel, Hermes and Dior. The chances are that I’ll have the rare pieces you’d normally only get in London or specialist shops.”

Catherine Smith vintage clothing Harrogate

Clothes at Catherine Smith Vintage Boutique.

Among Cathy’s personal vintage favourites are 1920s flapper dresses, Chanel jewellery, and the Art Deco period and its later influence on 1970s designer brands such as Biba and Ossie Clark. But the range in her boutique can go back as far as the Victorian period, and she also tries to curate a vintage collection that reflects current catwalk trends.

She has recently been looking at pieces by Jean Paul Gaultier and Tom Ford for Gucci and YSL, because “the 1990s has been having a real revival.” She said:

“My range appeals most to people who want to put unique, original pieces into a modern wardrobe. I have customers who are looking for something specific and are real vintage connoisseurs, while others just pop in for a browse.”

Clothes with a tale to tell

It’s the story behind vintage clothing that appeals to Maggie Ballinger, of Circa on Westmoreland Street. A former history teacher with an interest in fashion, Maggie loves finding pieces with a tale to tell – like the fabulous, vividly-coloured ballgown worn in 1964 by a contestant on the original Come Dancing television show.

Maggie remembers watching the programme as a teenager and being captivated by the dresses, so when one was offered to her, she couldn’t resist and gave it pride of place in the shop. She said:

“It had three petticoats underneath so it stuck out. It was painted in beautiful colours, which surprised me as the show at that time was televised in black and white and I always think of the dresses as light blues and greys. And it was absolutely tiny! The lady that bought it was going to put it on a mannequin in her bedroom so she could look at it, like a piece of art.”

Maggie Ballinger at Circa

Circa launched in May 2012 and sells vintage clothing as well as modern, more unusual pieces. Maggie expanded the range after lockdown to include homeware and small items of furniture. As with the ballgown, Maggie tends to stock clothing that appeals to her or that she thinks her regular customers will like. Despite finding the stories behind vintage pieces fascinating, she thinks most of her customers are attracted by their distinctive quality. She said:

“It’s very rare that something doesn’t sell. Some of my customers are into a certain era and really know their stuff. The 1980s seems like yesterday to me, but it’s now vintage and really appeals to my younger customers.”

The new vintage

It’s the 80s – as well as the 90s and 00s – that are the focus for Anton and Victoria Webster, the new kids on Harrogate’s vintage block. Their colourful, vibrant shop, Karma Co, on Cold Bath Road, is bursting with streetwear that, as their website says, reflects ‘Fresh Prince flair to grunge goddess vibes’.

The business launched just four months ago and Anton said feedback had been “amazing”. He’s been pleasantly surprised at the mixed demographic of his customers, and has even welcomed a few ‘proper’ celebrities, although he won’t say who. He said:

“People love what we are doing, and that means a lot to me. I love to see people’s reactions when they find something they remember from years ago or have not seen before. We get some customers who are really clued up on vintage streetwear, but others who just like it because it’s casual but it’s got the style.”

Anton Webster outside Karma Co.

A former student of Harrogate Art College, Anton has worked in vintage fashion for 20 years and thinks it appeals to people looking for something that no one else has. Younger customers are also keen on re-using and recycling clothes, and one of Karma’s aims is sustainable fashion that eliminates waste, such as their range of remade items.

Quality is also a big factor, with heavier threads than you’d find today and types of wool that are no longer available. He said:

“The classic sportswear brands like Adidas and Nike are really popular. We love getting rare and limited editions in. We currently have an original 80s Adidas sweatshirt which was only released in Asia and is in perfect condition. I’ve never seen another one like it. People would love to wear it, but I’m tempted to frame it!”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yemi’s Food Stories: A taste of Paradise in Killinghall

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Great food and fine-dining are rarely associated with garden centre cafés, but Paradise Food at Daleside Nurseries in Killinghall bucks the trend and blows the notion out of the water.

This is a café serving dishes that are as classically inspired as it gets, from silky velouté and emulsions to perfectly cooked dishes and amazing garnishes.

My first dining experience there was the Friday night dinner, which comprises of a seasonal set menu.

Booking is required as they have a pre-determined number of covers. It is perfect for an intimate dinner with a loved one, a group of friends or family. The set menu costs £120 per person with drinks available on request.

Every dish came out looking elegant and, better still, tasted amazing.

To start

We were welcomed with four types of dainty complimentary amuse-bouche to wake up the tastebuds.

My favourites were the smoked haddock – which was light, crunchy and golden – and the carrot and nigella seed strudel. It was fragrant, delicate and delicious.

The quail dish

I ordered the quail dish starter.

It consisted of a succulent stuff quail leg, which was juicy and tender. The sharp soy sauce gave a saltiness and tang that matched the rest of the dish well. I didn’t need a lot of the sauce as it was packed full of flavour.

Main course

For main, I had the turbot with gnocchi, roast parsnip and sea herbs.

The fish was exceptionally cooked, and all the accompaniments were perfectly done, with the vegetables having the right bite and flavour to them.

There was a quenelle of spinach and porcini which was delicious, but I found it a bit too strong when eaten on its own. Adding some to each bite of fish was lovely and really complimented it.

The turbot and gnocchi main.

Dessert

For dessert, I ordered the blood orange and thin shelled chocolate tart, which came with a nut brittle that I would happily buy in a bag!

I had food envy when I saw the venison main and the rhubarb dessert, which had the cutest madeleines I’ve ever seen. My friends said they were delicious.

All the elements I tasted were stunning.

The venison.

Lunch menu

To write a complete piece on Paradise Café, I decided to go back for their lunch time menu, which didn’t disappoint.

I had a three-course meal comprising of a starter of Yorkshire duck press, with confit orange and orange gel served with brioche, a sharp mustard aioli and sugared pistachios.

The main was a perfectly cooked cod that glistened and gently flaked away, topped with herbs and a sauce vierge-like dressing, with a silky smooth velouté that perfectly rounded off the dish.

The crispy chips, hispi cabbage, tender artichokes, with a tangy and delicate lemony dressing, and the rest of the sea vegetables married well together.

It was a simply delightful dish.

The cod

I finished my meal with the layered coffee and walnut cake served with some whipped cream. The cake was strong on the walnut flavour but light on the coffee note. The thin coffee icing layer delivered the coffee flavour that I was missing.

This cake would be enjoyed by those with a sweet tooth; I found the icing between the cake layers too much, so I needed the whipped cream to balance it out.

The cost of the three-course meal came to £52.50, which is great value considering the dishes.

Paradise Café is the place to go if you want delicious fine-dining food in a natural, relaxed and comfortable environment, tended to by a professional and attentive front of house team.

Review: Emma Rice’s Blue Beard at York Theatre Royal is must-see

When I read the synopsis for Blue Beard, I was intrigued but, truthfully, none the wiser as to what to expect. I knew that, with celebrated, visionary theatre-maker Emma Rice at the helm, it would be something a little unconventional.

Rice’s reimagining is indeed off-the-wall; eccentric, creative, chaotic and hypnotic, Blue Beard is unlike anything I have ever seen.

Based on a 17th-century French fairy tale, we meet the eponymous villain: serial husband Blue Beard (Tristan Sturrock), a smarmy, suited magician, who, rather fittingly for the bloodshed to come, woos his future bride, Lucky (Robyn Sinclair), by sawing her in half on stage.

Once married, the pair run off to live in Blue Beard’s mansion with rooms aplenty, all of which Lucky is free to roam, apart from one: a secret forbidden chamber. When he leaves home on business, Lucky is given strict instructions by Blue Beard not to enter, but (of course) curiosity gets the better of her. Unlocking the secret door, she witnesses a scene of horror: the lifeless, bloodied bodies of her new spouse’s many former wives. What will she do next?

Left to right, Stephanie Hockley, Robyn Sinclair, Patrycja Kujawska. Credit: Steve Tanner

This review comes with a warning: the play is bonkers. But it’s bonkers done to perfection. Trust me – ride the wave and you’ll reap the rewards. The production is rich and overflowing with invention and imagination.

The stage becomes a hallucinatory, fantastical, out-of-time universe with dangling glitter balls, Tarantino-style slo-mo fight scenes, magic tricks, acrobatics and cabaret. Choreography is slick. Set and costume become integral, essential story-telling tools, as does Stu Barker’s sublime score.

A multi-talented cast of actor-musicians gives its very all, including narration by a straight-talking, foul-mouthed Mother Superior figure (Katy Owen) which only heightens the play’s eccentricity. Everything has a place and a purpose, including a more subdued, modern-day subplot intertwined with the main narrative.

Now for the best bit, and why, even if you begin soul-searching in the first 15 minutes or so of the play, wondering what on earth you are watching, you’ll be glad you stayed the course.

The mood shifts. The flashy flamboyance and hectic hedonism of the first act recedes. Having retreated into fantasy, we crash-land in the stark present, and it is at this point that the production reveals its true purpose and power.

Mirabell Gremaud and Tristan Sturrock. Credit: Steve Tanner

I don’t want to give too much away; the play lives on its denouement. The finale, a quietly powerful and desperately urgent commentary on violence against women, is so expertly juxtaposed with the mayhem that came before that the effect is spine-tingling. It’s a real gut-punch.

The production looks back on the “grief of centuries” for women, and how it continues today. The raw, heartfelt exclamation of one female character at the end says it all: “I should be able to walk home alone”.

Blue Beard is at York Theatre Royal until Saturday 9 March.

Government opens two-week consultation on Nidd bathing water status

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has urged people to back the long-running bid to improve the River Nidd as it enters a key period.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has opened a consultation on 27 applications for bathing water status, including one for the Nidd at the Lido in Knaresborough.

If successful, the Environment Agency will be obliged to undertake measures to improve water quality at the Lido, which would impact the rest of the river,

Conservative MP Mr Jones, who has led the campaign, submitted the bid to Defra in September.

More than 30 farming groups, parish and town councils, businesses and environmental groups have supported it.

They include Lido landowner Frank Maguire, the chief executive of Yorkshire Water, nearby Conservative MPs, nearby businesses including Blenkhorn’s Boats and the Watermill Cafe and parish councils representing Pateley Bridge, Birstwirth, Bewerley, Little Ribston, Scotton and Lingerfield, Hampsthwaite, Kirk Hammerton and Moor Monkton.

Mr Jones (left) and Knaresborough Lido owner Frank Maguire.

Mr Jones said

“It is good that our bid for bathing water status has reached the next stage. We need to demonstrate strong support for the bid and so I encourage residents and businesses to take part.

“If we achieve bathing water status that means the Environment Agency will put in place plans to address water quality problems at the Lido which will have benefits up and downstream from the site.”

He said Yorkshire Water had already committed £180 million to reduce the operation of storm overflows in addition to £147 million already committed in its business plan, and added that according to the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, water run-off from farmland is the biggest Nidd pollution factor.

Mr Jones said:

“I know that local people are behind the bathing water bid but we need to show Defra that this is the case and we need to do so right now because of the tight deadline for this consultation.

“The site is ideal. There are plenty of local facilities on site, the landowner is supporting the case and the site is well-used recreationally. The consultation is short and if you need more information about the bid it is available online. We only have until March 10 to give our views so we need to act quickly.”

Details on how to take part in the consultation are here.

Main image: a photo from Mr Jones’ Defra submission showing people at the Lido in June last year.

Moroccan-inspired lamb

Buttermilk chicken

Read more:

Read more:

Loss of 48 trees

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

‘Sharper focus’ on attention

‘High expectations’

Read more:

‘An interesting place to shop’

‘Unique, original pieces’

Clothes with a tale to tell

The new vintage

Read more:

To start

Main course

Dessert

Lunch menu

Read more:

Read more:

Read more: