Princess Anne visited Harrogate today for the sell-out opening day of the Great Yorkshire Show.
About 35,000 people converged on the Great Yorkshire Showground in mercifully cooler conditions than those forecast.
Here’s what happened.
6.50pm: Traffic returning to normal after successful first day
You can’t ask for much more than a sell-out crowd and a royal visit, which is what happened today. But if you’re being greedy you’d also want nice weather and smooth running traffic.
Many people arrived lathered in sun cream only to be greeted by grey skies and even some spots of rain. But it was perfect weather for bimbling around.
The traffic situation could have been bette but keeping 35,000 people moving around the country lanes near the showground is always going to be a challenge.
We will be back on the morning with more live traffic updates.
6.05pm: Lots of traffic still exiting the showground on Rudding Lane.
5.55pm: Still long queues as people exit showground
There is currently a long queue on Rudding Lane of traffic leaving the showground trying to get on to the A658 John Metcalf Way.
5.40pm: Queues on John Metcalf Way
This is the current view from the traffic island at the Kestrel roundabout looking towards Follifoot. The roundabout is far less busy than this morning and there are no queues heading from Wetherby but traffic approaching the roundabout from the John Metcalf Way have lengthy tailbacks.
5.21pm: Woodlands junction is quiet
The Woodlands junction is currently far quieter than usual at this time.
5.12pm: Long queues as visitors leave the showground
Traffic is heavy in both directions on Hookstone Road as vehicles pour out of the showground. This is the current situation:
4.39pm: Rush hour traffic starts to build
People are leaving day one and rush hour traffic around Harrogate is bound to be busy. We will be on the roads providing updates but if you have news of a jam please email us at [email protected].
Shuttle buses took a while to get to the showground this morning, particularly after 9am. The heavy traffic and security arrangements for the royal visit didn’t help. Buses run every 20 minutes from stand 13 and are free.
3.42pm: Highlights of Princess Anne’s visit
Princess Anne, no stranger to the event, has been on the traditional royal tour of the showground today.
2.35pm – Learn to scuba dive with a Harrogate business
The landlocked showground might not be the first place you think of to try scuba diving, but for £10 you can have a go with Harrogate-based business Diveshack UK.
Owner Tim Yarrow has brought a tank with him as well as wet suits and towels for people to use. Mr Yarrow takes groups diving in UK locations including Flamborough and Orkney as well as abroad to Malta.
He said:
“I came last year so I thought I’d give it another go. We’ve got the tank this time and it’s a bit of an interest factor.”
Mr Yarrow is no stranger to the showground. He is also the operations manager at Yorkshire Health Network who delivered covid vaccinations at the site in 2021 and earlier this year.
He joked the previously clinical hall where vaccines took place is now filled with bales of hay.
Last month Mr Yarrow was knocked back by Harrogate Borough Council in his bid to build a state-of-the-art scuba diving facility in Knaresborough. He said he is planning to appeal the council’s refusal.
He added:
“The feedback from the public to the plans were really supportive. I am adamant it will be a benefit to the area and will be unique. There’s a neccessity as we have a huge number of people in the area who are divers.”
1.21pm – Police warn of ‘several miles’ of queues
“There is currently significant disruption on main roads in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area, particularly the A59 and A658.“Southbound traffic has been queuing from the Kestrel roundabout (A658 and A661) past Knaresborough and all the way back to the A1(M) – a distance of several miles. Traffic management is in place.“If you don’t need to use these routes and you’re not visiting the Great Yorkshire Show, please find alternative routes.”
12.30pm – Puss the cat’s owners return – without their cat!
Puss the cat memorably escaped from last year’s Great Yorkshire Show after sneaking into a Scottish farmer’s sheep trailer. After a week of searching there was an emotional reunion with her tearful and relieved owners, which the Stray Ferret captured.
We caught up with Annette and David Mitchell again this morning who have returned to show their sheep.
It seems Puss is now an experienced escape artist and tried to sneak in again this year, before she was spotted and safely put inside. At a recent show in Carlisle, Puss also came along for the ride after spotting an open window in their trailer.
Annette said:
“We’ve got to keep an eye on her now. But it’s good to be back at the show – minus the cat!”
11.50am – Princess Anne arrives at the show
Princess Anne arrived at the Great Yorkshire Show this morning.
She becomes the latest royal to attend the show. Prince Charles made the visit in 2021.
11.31am – Encouraging visitors to return to Harrogate
A total of 140,000 people are expected at the show over the next four days. Tourism body Visit Harrogate is trying to entice them to return by showcasing attractions such as the Turkish baths.
Matthew Chapman, chief executive of Harrogate Business Improvement District, has joined staff at Visit Harrogate on the stand.
11.21am – Shuttle bus delays
Regular shuttle buses are operating between the showground and the bus station in Harrogate but we are hearing there are long queues to get on board and the journey is taking a long time.
11am – Princess Anne arrives in Harrogate
Princess Anne has arrived in Harrogate ahead of her visit to the show.
She arrived by helicopter on the Stray this morning.
10.10am – Ripon Farm Services keeping up appearances
It wouldn’t be the Great Yorkshire Show without Ripon Farm Services and the man in charge, Geoff Brown, who has been coming to the show for 60 years.
Here he is alongside a John Deere 8RX 370, which retails for a cool £560,000.
9.49am – First set of visitors flock to the show
The first set of visitors are inside the showground as the show kicks off.
At the moment, it’s mercifully cool at the showground. In fact there are currently a few spots of rain.
9.35am – Drivers ignore road closure signs
Some cars are ignoring these signs on Wetherby Road only to register displeasure when they are then told further down they have to turn left down Forest Lane.
SEP traffic management staff, which are handling the traffic for the event, handle events like the Grand National and the British Grand Prix at Silverstone so they’re used to dealing with drivers.
9.25am – Delays at Woodlands junction
There are delays at the notorious Woodlands junction. This is the current view heading along Hookstone Drive where traffic is barely at a crawl.
Meanwhile, pictured below is the scene on Wetherby Road heading into Harrogate.
8.55am – Long delays at Kestrel roundabout from Wetherby
There are now long delays at the Kestrel roundabout in all directions.
Traffic lights are operating and this is the current scene on the approach to the roundabout from Wetherby.
8.45am – Delays at Kestrel roundabout
There are delays of about half a mile approaching Kestrel roundabout on John Metcalf Way.
On Haggs Lane there are also some slight delays as traffic approaches John Metcalf Way.
8.27am – John Metcalf Way quiet
The junction of John Metcalf Way and Rudding Lane is currently quiet this morning.
Traffic appears to be running smoothly elsewhere ahead of the show.
8.15am – Traffic being managed on Rudding Lane
No significant delays at the entrance on Rudding Lane where stewards are helping to manage the flow.
8.01am – No major delays at Rudding Lane junction
There is currently no major delays at the junction of Wetherby Road and Rudding Lane where traffic onto town is being diverted.
7.55am – Sainsbury’s and fuel closed
A reminder that Sainsbury’s, including the fuel station, is closed during the show.
7.48am: Gates open to public at 8am
Exhibitors are starting to enter. We just saw a large group of American sheep breeders who have flown in mainly for this — a reminder of how big the event is.
7.31am – Road closure on Wetherby Road
Vehicles travelling from Harrogate to Wetherby on Wetherby Road are alerted at the Woodlands junction that the road ahead is closed.
Currently traffic is running smoothly in all directions at the Woodlands junction.
7.22am – Traffic flowing smoothly
This is the current scene on Wetherby Road approaching the Woodlands junction this morning. Traffic is flowing smoothly but traffic management is in place.
6.50am: Harrogate set for royal visit
Last year Prince Charles attended in glorious sunshine. This year his sister Princess Anne, who is 17th in line to the throne, will be visiting for the first time since 2018 (pictured below).
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society seems to have developed a hotline to the weather gods since the disastrous, flood-hit 2012 event, with perfect weather forecast yet again.
6am: Traffic arrangements
With all 140,000 tickets sold, traffic measures are in place this week to reduce congestion.
Wetherby Road and surrounding streets are set to be the most affected as traffic orders prioritise getting visitors to and from the showground with minimal queuing.
Signs are already in place down the A658 directing show traffic towards Harrogate.
On all four days of the show, traffic will be one-way from the Kestrel roundabout to the showground, from 6am to 2pm.
This will then reverse at 2pm to enable cars to leave the site towards the Kestrel roundabout.
A traffic order will be in place to prevent vehicles turning right from Wetherby Road onto Rudding Lane. The restriction does not apply to buses or to residents.
Drivers will also be prevented from travelling north across the A661 from Rudding Lane to Forest Lane.
You can read the full guide to transport and travel during the show here.
