Editor’s Pick of the Week: Naked Ripon, Kex Gill cost warning and pizza heaven in Harrogate

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Some say it’s too cold to grow grapes in Yorkshire. The same could be said for walking around naked, but that hasn’t deterred those hardy souls at British Naturism from organising two naked walks at the Himalayan Gardens and Sculpture Park, between Ripon and Masham.

Let’s hope the venue’s unusual microclimate proves conducive to the occasions.

Bravery of a different type was on display at the Royal Hall in Harrogate this week, when local musician William Dutton’s dream of bringing a professional orchestra to the town came to life.

The crowd was big and the vibe was good — let’s hope this is the start of something that could have a significant impact on the local arts scene.

Hats off to Harrogate golfer John Parry, who qualified this week for the PGA Championships in the United States, which is one of the game’s four major tournaments. That’s some achievement. Good luck to John, who tees off on Thursday.

Last week the Stray Ferret reported the cost of the A59 Kex Gill road realignment had risen from £68.8 million to £82.5 million.

This week we revealed there is a real risk that the sum could continue to rise. The realignment is due to be finished by June next year but then a second phase of work to decommission the existing road is due to last another year, so there is plenty of time for the cost to soar further.

Finally, it emerged this week that two new places will be selling pizzas on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road. The former Lancaster’s Bakery will become Cold Bath Bakehouse and the former Catherine Smith Vintage Fashion shop will become a pizza bar run by the owners of the nearby Hoxton north café.