Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 780 of 1190

Trains between Harrogate and Leeds cancelled due to person hit by train

Trains between Harrogate and Leeds have been cancelled or delayed due to a person being hit by a train. UPDATE: Police have confirmed that the person has died at Horsforth train station, Leeds.

The delays and cancellations are expected to continue until 12pm and possibly longer, Northern said.

Emergency services attended the incident which happened at around 7am this morning near Leeds.

A statement from Northern said:

“Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between Leeds and Harrogate all lines are blocked.

“Train services running through these stations will be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 12:00 19/04.”

https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1516312793384894464?s=20&t=YU0fpNbz6dDWiydEACU6SA

The LNER (London North Eastern Railway) tweeted:

“It is with great sadness to report due to a person being hit by a train.

“A bus replacement is available for customers travelling onwards to #Horsforth and #Harrogate. Please see station staff on arrival at #Leeds.”

Rail replacement buses are currently running from Harrogate to Horsforth. The journey times are expected to increase by 30 minutes due to the incident.

Northern tickets will also be accepted between York and Leeds on Transpennine Express Services.

Ripon Spa Croquet club offers free sessions at new home

Ripon Spa Croquet Club is enjoying a renaissance in its new surroundings of Studley Royal Cricket Club.

Covid lockdown from March 2020 and the subsequent sale of Spa Hotel, where the croquet players had been based for almost 30 years, signalled the need for relocation.

The move to SRCC is now complete, with hoops in place to play on a lovingly-tended surface adjacent to the cricket pitch.

The aim is to build on the club’s heritage, which saw international matches and world-class players do battle on the lawns of the hotel’s gardens.

The club’s international pedigree

Formed in the early 1990s as Ripon Spa Hotel Croquet Club, It was founded by Croquet Association Federation officer Keith Smith, hotel owner Andrew Hutchinson and managing director Samantha Currie.

It soon attracted players from across the district, including Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Pateley Bridge.

By 1997, Ms Currie, Mr Hutchinson and clubmate Syd Jones all achieved world rankings and took part in the GC World Championships in Cairo.

While the club’s historic achievements provide many happy memories for its older members, the emphasis now is on the future.

Chair and chief coach Ted Flexman told the Stray Ferret:

“With the fabulous facilities that we have at the Studley Royal ground, there is the potential to create one of the best croquet clubs in the north.”

One man went to mow – Studley Royal Cricket Club groundsman Trevor Rose.

The club is offering two free introductory taster sessions on April 25 and 27 to attract new members. The sessions are open to people of all ages and anybody wishing to attend should contact the club in advance. Further details are available by clicking on this link.

Club secretary Sue I’Anson said:

“This is a great game for people of all ages and abilities, with the more seasoned players helping newcomers to master the technique of swinging the mallet and making good contact with the ball.”

This has certainly been the experience of member Rod Grant, who added:

“I’d never played croquet before and then Ted invited me have a game and I have enjoyed taking part ever since.”

Sue I’Anson is pictured with, from the left Ted Flexman, Roger I’Anson and Rod Grant

Top facilities

SRCC, with teams in the York & District Senior League Premier Division and 3 more in the Nidderdale League divisions 2, 5 and 7, has one of the best clubhouses of any amateur cricket club in Yorkshire and its pitch among the biggest in the county.

Mr Flexman said:

“We have been made very welcome here and look forward to a long and happy relationship as we play our complementary sports side by side.

“Both require good hand/eye coordination and we hope that some of the bowlers and batsmen try their hand at swinging a mallet.”

Roger I’Anson, who is in the process of obtaining his coaching qualifications, added:

“As well as the joy of taking part in the sport, whether a beginner or experienced player, it’s a tremendous way of making friends, with the clubhouse providing an excellent venue for pre and post-match socialising.”

Harry Whitaker, the owner of Mastachoice Fencing and Fabrication and apprentice Charlie Lister, constructing a storage shed that will be used to store croquet equipment

Roger I’Anson, who is in the process of obtaining his coaching qualifications, added:

“As well as the joy of taking part in the sport, whether a beginner or experienced player, it’s a tremendous way of making friends, with the clubhouse providing an excellent venue for pre and post-match socialising.”

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Chocolate project seeks new business links to build on students’ growth

Chocolate may be associated with Easter for many people, but for one Harrogate social enterprise it’s a year-round obsession.

Harrogate Chocolate Factory has been making its own chocolate “from bean to bar” for the last three years.

With new equipment being brought in, it will significantly increase its manufacturing capacity over the coming weeks. More bars will soon be available from its website and from local stockists including Crimple and Artizan.

CEO Hadyn Moorby-Davies said the way the project has developed has been rewarding:

“You have got to have some optimism to start projects like this, but it’s really satisfying seeing it now.”

After a delay thanks to covid, last summer Harrogate Chocolate Factory Cafe opened next to the Odeon cinema on East Parade. The last year has proven to be a successful one and now Harrogate Skills 4 Living Centre (HS4LC), the organisation behind the project, is looking to build on its growth by engaging with the business community.

The chocolate factory and café are staffed by people with learning difficulties. They were set up to provide a stepping stone to employment, providing real-world experience in a familiar and supported environment.

From there, students go on to placements with local companies, ranging from small businesses to large corporations. Among the list of places to have taken students so far are Labcorp, Rudding Park, the Army Foundation College and Ilk Homes at Flaxby.

Students and staff at Harrogate Chocolate Factory Cafe

Angie Russell, who runs several local businesses including Skye Blue Cleaners and Harrogate changeovers, has also taken on two students from HS4L. She said:

“We advertised for somebody to work in the laundry. Paul [from HS4L] said he had someone who might be interested.

“My initial reaction was ‘no, we can’t’. My perception was there would be to many problems with stairs and so on. He said, ‘can we come and have a chat?’.”

With some of her fears allayed, Angie took on a student for a couple of hours a week doing administrative tasks such as sending out letters. Now, she is working in the laundry, and Angie has taken on another student to join her housekeeping team.

The result has been a complete turnaround in Angie’s attitude to the programme, so much so that she’s now working with HS4LC to increase its engagement with the business community and provide more opportunities for students – and for businesses themselves.

“Having someone who comes in who doesn’t care if you have a Gucci handbag or who said what about who – it changes the atmosphere.

“The employers we work with have a genuine interest in the students. People get to realise there are far more benefits to employing that diverse workforce: it can just brighten up a room.”

The training the students are receiving at the Harrogate Chocolate Factory and Café could be perfect for Harrogate hospitality businesses, which have reported significant problems recruiting since the covid pandemic began.

While many business owners are nervous about the practicalities of taking on an employee with learning difficulties, often, they are more risk-averse than is necessary.

Students are given a job coach who comes to work with them to begin with. That direct support remains in place for as long as is needed, whether it is a few months or throughout their employment.

However, in many cases, once they get to know the role, the students are confident to be left alone with their coach checking on them and their employer from time to time.

The chocolate factory itself has proven that students can adapt to, or even enjoy, some of the most mundane tasks.

Hadyn added:

“It’s really that routine with steps that is great for people with autism. We’ve got quite a few students who really love that routine.

“Often, the boring jobs that nobody wants to do, they like it because they can focus on it. That was quite satisfying to realise that initial idea worked.”

Now, as part of their plans for expansion, staff at HS4LC have launched Engage 22. The project is designed to put the interests and aspirations of students at the heart of the services on offer, from the training they receive to the social activities they can attend.

The charity’s home on North Park Road has been offering classes for many years, but the calendar of events is still expanding. Gym memberships, swimming sessions and cinema trips are all adding to the variety of art, craft, music, dance and drama lessons.

Angie said:

“They really aspire to working. They can see their friends and peers doing similar stuff and living independently.”

Hadyn added:

“Our purpose is to overcome inequality and help people do what they want to with their lives.”

Bill posters from Harrogate’s Royal Hall reveal varied past

Bill posters from Harrogate’s Royal Hall show the venue has hosted a surprisingly varied range of performances including boxing, sea lions and even a game of football.

Since opening as The Kursaal in 1903 it has welcomed some of the biggest names in entertainment, including The Beatles, Louis Armstrong and Little Richard.

Other huge names of the 20th century such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sir Ernest Shackleton also visited to perform lectures in Harrogate.

A collection of bill posters from the Royal Hall’s past are held in its artifacts room. They were collected and donated to the Royal Hall by the late Mike Hine, who was a leading member of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust.

If you’d like to find out more about the history of the Royal Hall, it runs several open days throughout the year.

We’ve included some of Mr Hine’s collection below.

40 years on: Remembering when Harrogate hosted Eurovision

On April 24 1982, millions of people from 30 countries had their eyes on Harrogate when the town hosted the 27th Eurovision Song Contest.

Four decades later, it seems almost unbelievable that little Harrogate got to host one of the biggest events in Europe. It turned out to be an occasion to remember.

Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam recalls in one of his books:

“The contest itself was a great publicity coup for the town, generating a tremendous atmosphere.

“Michael Hine, former Harrogate tourism promotion manager, said ‘It was the most exciting event to work on and it promoted the newly built conference centre to the world… The atmosphere in the town was truly amazing. “

How the conference centre looked on the night.

On the four previous occasions the UK had staged the event, it had been held three times in London and once in Brighton. But in 1982, Harrogate had a shiny new conference centre up its sleeve when the search was on for a venue.

Philip Broadbank, who is the only surviving Harrogate borough councillor from 1982, looks back on the manoeuvrings that led to its selection and recalls the trial night.

Then Giles Rocholl, a 19-year-old trainee press photographer at the time, gives his memories of a week like no other in Harrogate’s history.

Philip Broadbank: ‘It showed Europe there was life outside London’

“When the UK won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981 it was widely known that a UK venue would be needed and I think somewhere outside London was sought – probably to show the rest of Europe that there was life in the UK outside London!

It was known that the conference centre in Harrogate would be open and available for use and that it was big enough to host the event. Harrogate wanted something big to show the conference centre off and the organisers of the event were asked to consider Harrogate to host the venue. It was accepted as the venue and it was scheduled to be the big opening event of Harrogate Conference Centre.

I don’t recall any bids being made but the event was seen as a huge publicity boost for our district. I wasn’t involved in the behind-the-scenes negotiations and it was kept confidential until it was deemed certain to go ahead.

The signs on the convention centre.

I am the only councillor left who was on Harrogate Borough Council in 1982 and none of the staff involved then are still working for it. Tony Miles was the officer in charge of the centre – he passed away some time ago. Paul Lewis was deputy director of the conference centre and I think he is now living somewhere in Wales.

My recollection is that everybody involved the construction of the conference centre was confident that it would be open for business by April 1982. They were looking for a big event that would draw attention to the building and the district and when the UK won the 1981 contest.

In those days the venue was big enough to host the Eurovision Song Contest – something that would not be possible now. In March 1982 there were a couple of events held at the centre to test out the technical, organisation and sound arrangements and there was the trial run held on the Friday night. There was quite a buzz about the place because such an event with a potential live audience of around 250 million people certainly put the district on the map.

Jan Leeming looking at the scoreboard.

There was a dress rehearsal the night before and nearly 2,000 free tickets were distributed to local people to be in the audience. My wife and I were there and it was a great night with lots of interest and excitement both for the event itself and the opening of the centre after six long years and controversial problems and issues with the construction of the building.

We picked out the song that we thought would win – A Little Peace by Nicole of West Germany, which did indeed turn out to be the winner. There was one act, from Denmark whose singer jumped around on stage and hit a giant pom-pom on his head while singing the song in Danish. He stormed off stage halfway through his song because he resented the audience laughter at his act.

Nobody could understand why until the following night, when it was televised live, Terry Wogan explained it was a song about not having the nuclear bomb dropped on his head. Obviously the Friday night audience didn’t have the benefit of subtitles to read while the artists were performing.

The Eurovision Song Contest broadcast obviously put Harrogate on the European map that night and helped to promote the centre for bookings.”

Giles Rocholl: ‘It was a week-long festival of fun’

Photographer Giles Rocholl was a 19-year-old trainee press photographer at Ackrill Newspapers Group, which was based at Herald Buildings, Montpellier. The site later became the Slug & Lettuce pub.

“In the three years I had worked, this was by far the biggest news event the town had hosted. Swarms of photographers and news crews from all over Europe descended on Harrogate. The hotels were fully booked with parties and photo opportunities throughout the week running up to the big night.

Eurovision British entrants. Pic by Giles Rochell

Giles Rocholl (centre) with UK Eurovision entrants Bardo. Pic courtesy of Giles Rocholl

“It felt like a festival of fun and I managed to cover several events over the week. So many languages, colourful costumes, laughing and singing — it was an exciting and vibrant time.

“I was envious of the German photographers’ top of the range camera kit and particularly their Metz Flashguns — a beast of light production. I got one a few years later for myself.

“On the big night I remember having a brief chat with the late, great Terry Wogan and snapping a photo of my editor’s wife Rosie with him before the contest. Jan Leeming looked stunning and even more charming than she appeared on TV.

Eurovision winner Nicole. Pic by Giles Rochell

Giles Rocholl’s picture of West German winner Nicole. Pic courtesy of Giles Rocholl

“During the show the press had our own hall to view the events going on above us on stage at the conference centre and when the winner Nicole was announced the German photographers all leapt up and were overjoyed.

“We photographers were all escorted up to the stage by security and Nicole and her band were lined up ready for us. As we all filed in, I felt I could not get a good photo because I was squeezed out by the mass of photographers so I very naughtily broke ranks and went around the back of the performers as I saw they were turning around to wave and thank the audience.

“I managed to get the shot I wanted of Nicole and felt that having all the photographers in the background added to the focus on her. Happy days!”

Harrogate to honour Australia and New Zealand’s war dead

A ceremony to honour World War Two air force casualties from Australia and New Zealand who are buried in Harrogate will take place at Stonefall Cemetery on April 24.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) will host the Harrogate International Partnership’s Anzac Day Ceremony. It will highlight more than 100 casualties who were serving with the Australian and New Zealand air forces.

These include flight officer Terence McKinley, 21, who piloted a Halifax bomber on a test flight on November 14 1943 when both starboard engines failed just after take-off and the aircraft crashed just behind the Vale of York Hotel, Thirsk.

Four of the five crew on board also lost their lives.

McKinley had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross a few months before his death after completing a tour of duty.

His citation describes him as ‘outstanding’ and says ‘his fine fighting spirit, courage and leadership have gained him the entire confidence of his crew’.

The Anzac Day Ceremony has been organised by Kate Spencer, who looks after the twinning between Harrogate and Wellington for Harrogate International Partnerships.

Ms Spencer said:

“I felt it was the right thing to do for these young airmen who, like thousands upon thousands of others, saw their lives cut drastically short in service of their country and the Commonwealth.

“I have the full backing of the RNZAF and Wellington City Council, who are delighted that this inaugural ceremony will now be held this year and for many more years to come. With the help and support of Colin Gibbs BEM and Elizabeth Smith of the CWGC, the ceremony will be a fine tribute to honour all these young Australians and New Zealanders who lie here together.”

The ceremony will see representation from both the Australian and New Zealand High Commission as well as the Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate and Andrew Jones MP.

The music will be provided by Tewit Youth Band and a pupil from Harrogate Grammar School will sing the New Zealand national anthem in both Maori and English.

Members of the public are invited to gather from 2.30pm for the ceremony start at 3pm.

Castley grandmother turns lockdown story for grandchildren into first book

A story written by Castley grandmother Gillian Lishman for her four grandchildren over lockdown has been turned into her first published children’s book.

During those early months of the pandemic Ms Lishman couldn’t work her job as a reflexologist or see her youngest family members. With time on her hands, she began to write them a story.

She was inspired by the nature surrounding her dairy farm in Castley, which is a village close to Huby and Weeton.

One oak tree, with its large hollow trunk, stood out so she began writing a story about a mouse that lives there and the adventures it gets up to with friends.

These include Old Owl, who lives at the top of the old oak tree, Scruffy Mouse, who has a workshop where he makes and mends things, and Mattie Mouse, who lives in London and works for the London Parks and Gardens Trust.

Ms Lishman would write a new chapter each week and post it to her grandchildren along with her own illustrations. She said:

“They loved it and are all really into the book.”

Despite having no professional writing experience, Ms Lishman searched for publishers online and found Austin Macauley.

They turned the chapters that had been sent to her grandchildren into a book called Little Mouse which was published in February.

She said the book is aimed at children between four and 10 and has a positive message about caring for friends.

Despite lockdown separating Ms Lishman and her husband from their grandchildren, the book was one positive outcome:

She said:

“If it hadn’t have been for covid the book would never have happened!”

Little Mouse is available to buy at Amazon.

A Nidderdale home at last for refugee family

After a number of frustrating hold-ups, Nidderdale Community Welcome (NCW) has finally found a house for a refugee family from Syria.

The group, founded in late 2020, has raised more than £13,000 to fund the initiative and had originally hoped to bring a family here before Christmas.

But the house they had in prospect did not materialise.

Now there is positive news and NCW chair, Peter Wright, told the Stray Ferret:

“A local landlord has kindly agreed the rental of a three-bedroom property in Pateley Bridge for a minimum period of two years.”

With this key element of the resettlement support programme in place, NCW has submitted its application to the Home Office, uprating from ‘approval in principle’ to ‘final approval.’

Peter Wright of Nidderdale Community Welcome, anticipates that a refugee family from Syria will be arriving in Pateley Bridge this summer

Mr Wright, pointed out:

“It is anticipated it will be granted shortly, with a view to a family being welcomed into the Dale in early summer.”

He added:

“We have decided to stay with our original intentions of welcoming a Syrian family, many from Syria are still in camps in the Middle East whilst the conflict in their country continues.

“We have every sympathy with those from other countries displaced by war, Afghanistan and Ukraine who we hold in our thoughts and prayers, we believe the support we can offer best suits a vulnerable family from Syria.

“NCW will assist the family to sign up for all the allowances they will be eligible for as part of our national response and commitment to those displaced by conflict.

“Refugees are keen to be a valuable part of the community they move into, and to integrate as soon as they are able, but many also wish to be able to return home as soon as conditions allow.”

NCW is working in conjunction with Ripon City of Sanctuary and Harrogate District of Sanctuary, who will be helping the family learn English so they can become self-sufficient and participate in daily life. Courses will be run both locally and in nearby towns.

People from around the dale and further afield have already provided funding, resources, and their time and skills towards making the NCW project a success.

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Green Shoots: Keeping Harrogate district trees healthy

If there is one thing the people of Harrogate can actually agree on, it’s that our trees make it a healthier and better place to live.

Beech trees help soak up pollution from cars on Otley Road and the cherry blossoms provide a brilliant show at this time of year on the Stray.

David Humberstone has been a tree surgeon all his working life and owns The Tree People in Harrogate. A tree surgeon is responsible for the care and general treatment of trees to keep them healthy.

He said people are passionate about their trees here:

“What I love about my job the most is the variety. I enjoy all of it. You can be climbing up a majestic tree that’s been there for 100 years.”

Trees face many threats, from diseases like Ash Dieback to the recent storms, but often it’s people’s own tastes and preferences about how they look that can put them at risk.

Harrogate Borough Council receives around 1,400 planning applications a year from residents wanting to prune, chop or cut down trees, often in their gardens.

Mr Humberstone said part of his job is persuading people that sometimes less is more, and not intervening can help a tree live a longer and healthier life in the long run.

“Harrogate residents usually are quite passionate about gardens but too many people want a clinical garden where everything’s perfect.

“I find nature finds a better way, man’s intervention is not always desirable. We encourage trees to be thinned, but if you over thin, wind speed can increase and it loses leaves.”

“A lot of people want to cut back as hard as they can to maximise light. But you can shoot yourself in the foot as a tree can react not always in a good way.”

Cherry blossoms on Harrogate Stray.

Plant more trees

The Climate Change Committee says the UK should be planting 30,000 hectares of trees a year, but we’re still some way off that target.

Harrogate Borough Council is currently planting 10,000 trees in Bilton Fields as well as at Upper Horse Shoe Fields in Knaresborough.

The planting is part of the government’s White Rose Forest initiative to create 10 community forests in England. Oak, hornbeam, hazel, alder, cherry, crab apple and other native trees will be planted.

Mr Humberstone said it’s vital that more trees are planted in the district, whether on a large scale or in someone’s back garden.

He said:

“One mature beech tree can take the pollution from two houses.

“Yes, it also takes a long time for a tree to establish. It gets comfortable for a few years before roots take off and grow. When it gets to 50 years old it is just getting out of its teenage years, it’s very important to maintain our big trees.

“The planet needs more trees and we need to plant more. It breaks my heart when I have to take a good tree down.”

And whilst the equation that more trees will improve the environment is straightforward, they have other benefits that you might not know about.

Mr Humberstone added:

“A beech tree has a pubescent leaf. It has hairs on it that help catch dust particles in the air. So not only does it provide oxygen, it filters dust out of the air. When it rains that dust is washed to the ground. Trees have so many benefits.”

Built environment

Like many of us, Mr Humberstone has a couple of favourite trees that he likes to admire as he works around Harrogate.

“On Granby corner there is a beautiful elm on the corner. On Devonshire Place there’s another beautiful elm. I’m a bit nostalgic as when I started I was cutting down lots of elm.

“Elm doesn’t rot in water and they used it to build Victorian piers.

“I am also very passionate about the yew tree. There’s whole books written about them. Its rock hard and is poisonous. They use it in drugs to fight fight cancer.”

And as Harrogate’s built environment has continued to grow with new housing developments and buildings, sometimes leading to conflict with the natural environment, Mr Humberstone said he will always be fighting the tree’s corner.

40 years on: Jan Leeming’s memories of when Harrogate hosted Eurovision

On April 24 1982, some 300 million people from 30 countries watched the Eurovision Song Contest in Harrogate.

It remains perhaps the biggest occasion in the town’s history but strangely, you’ll struggle to find any evidence today that it ever took place.

There’s no plaque, no museum exhibition, no statue. Visitors think you’re winding them up when you point to Harrogate Convention Centre and say it hosted the event associated with Abba, Lulu, Terry Wogan and the dreaded ‘nul points’.

But it happened and as the 40th anniversary looms, we have compiled a two-part feature based on the memories of three people who were closely involved on the day, starting today with BBC presenter Jan Leeming.

At Eurovision, whichever country wins gets to host the event the following year so Bucks Fizz’s dress-tearing routine in 1981 triggered a search to find a venue. It would be the fifth time the UK had hosted the event. Three of the previous occasions were in London and one — famously in 1974 when Abba won — in Brighton. Since 1982, the UK has only won Eurovision in 1997.

The opening sequence of the BBC coverage answered the question ‘Where is Harrogate?’.

Tomorrow’s article will look in more detail about why Harrogate was chosen.

But the decision to select a small, relatively unknown town prompted the BBC to begin its more than two-hour live broadcast, which can be viewed here, with a five-minute sequence enlightening viewers to the joys of places like the Stray and the Drum and Monkey.

The phrase ‘Where is Harrogate?’ was emblazoned across the screen in each of the languages of the countries taking part and was followed by a montage of scenes depicting Harrogate as some kind of middle England utopia full of beautiful people, elegant shops and idyllic countryside.

The sequence ended with smiling couples stepping out of limousines at the convention centre on the night of the big event to see if the British pop duo Bardo could win. They couldn’t, eventually fading to seventh behind Nicole, whose song A Little Peace became West Germany’s first ever success. Here are the memories from the woman who held the night together.

Jan Leeming: ‘I was thrilled, flattered — and very worried!’

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Jan Leeming recalls:

“My agent rang up and said ‘the BBC would like you to present Eurovision’. I was thrilled, flattered and very worried because Katie Boyle had presented it previously and she was fluent in French. Back then the presenter had to speak in English and French. I am an actress and, apparently, I have a good French accent but I am not fluent.

I was told I’d got the job just as my husband and I were going on holiday to Hong Kong so I took the script in my suitcase and learned it while we were away because the camera at the event would be too far away to read the autocue.

Sitting on an accordion outside the convention centre. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

I think I arrived in Harrogate a day, maybe two, in advance. There was only one proper rehearsal so we didn’t have much time. When I wasn’t working I was mainly ensconced in a hotel — I can’t remember which one — but I did get a flavour of Harrogate because they took all the contestants around town to do some filming. My best and oldest friend lives in Leeds and I have been to Harrogate with her several times since. It’s a really beautiful town.

Eurovision was the kind of thing the BBC did very well in those days. It was a huge production, with Michael Hurll as overall director. There were 18 countries taking part and 30 countries watching. Every country took their feed from the BBC and had people working on booths at the convention centre. Terry Wogan was working in one of the booths but our paths didn’t cross.

Jan in the dress she didn’t choose to wear. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

All 18 countries’ songs were accompanied by the BBC Radio Orchestra. The orchestra was led by Ronnie Hazlehurst but each country brought out their own conductor for their performance.

It was the only time the BBC ever paid for my wardrobe. I had to pay for the clothes I wore when I was reading the news and when I was representing the BBC at evening events. One of my favourite designers was Gina Fratini and I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to wear one of her dresses but the BBC said it would have been too much like an advert for her and I could have a dress made in-house instead. It was a very nice dress but not one I would have chosen, so it was a bit of a sore point. I wouldn’t have minded if the BBC had always paid for my clothes!

Looking up at the scoreboard.

I was paid £1,000 to present Eurovision. My salary when I went from radio to TV was £10,500 and then it gradually increased over several years. In 1982 I was earning about £13,000. So to be paid about £1,000 to present Eurovision was fantastic. In those days men were paid far more than women and we had to put up with it. As one person told me when I remonstrated — “if you don’t like it, Miss Leeming, there’s the door”.

My nerves were awful when I walked out at the start of the show. I do remember writing in my diary that I would have given anything for a train ticket home. Most actors and presenters tell you nerves never leave you and frankly, they’re what enhance your performance.

It turned out to be a wonderful occasion. I don’t remember much about the show but I remember the party afterwards because the Spanish guitarist asked me to dance. He tossed me around the floor and then wrote on my invitation to the party ‘mi casa, su casa’ (my house is your house) — and I never saw him again! I kept that invitation until a few years ago.

The cake sent by Silvio’s. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

There was a business in Harrogate called Silvio’s and it sent me the most beautiful cake, which obviously was shared out amongst the crew. But I didn’t stay long afterwards. I had a husband and a son to get home to.

The UK didn’t host Eurovision again for years because we didn’t win it again until 1997 and the winners got to host it the following year. Then in 2003 we got ‘nul points’.

I wouldn’t have chosen the winning song. I was very surprised that it won. It was called A Little Peace and it was sung by a German girl called Nicole who went on to have a long career, in fact I think she’s still going. But there was more variety and individuality to the songs then. They all seem to be written to the same format now. Everybody copies everyone else. But perhaps I’m only saying that because I’m an old lady now!

Wearing her Eurovision dress shortly before it was auctioned. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

The BBC gave me the Eurovision dress and I kept it for years, waiting to find it an appropriate home. Eventually I gave it to Celebrity Cash in the Attic to be sold by auction in 2014 because I wanted to promote the male testicular cancer charity Orchid. It was auctioned in Chiswick and went for £250.

Prior to 1982 the UK had won Eurovision five times. Since 1982 we have only won it once. Terry Wogan sort of made fun of it and I don’t think the English take it seriously enough. Sweden apparently runs six weeks of heats. Terry called it the Euro Yawn or the Euro Bore but back then it was watched by over 300m people. I looked up what it gets these days and now with all the hype it only gets 100m.

Mind you there wasn’t that much telly around back then. Now you have 360 channels and nothing to watch. Everything was a bit different in the 1980s. It was before the cult of celebrity and social media. I don’t seem to recall it having all the razzmatazz of Eurovisions today.

Eurovision wasn’t quite the pinnacle of my career: the pinnacle was a documentary I made after five years of research into a free French pilot called Rene Mouchotte whose name is on the Battle of Britain memorial. You can watch it here. That was the biggest achievement of my career. But Eurovision was very near the pinnacle. It was an absolute honour and privilege to present it.

Jan Leeming’s new podcast Addicted to Love is now available on Spotify, iTunes etc. Further information is available here or on Twitter @Jan_Leeming.