Editor's Pick of the Week: Theresa May in Harrogate, weeds in Ripon and an angry landlord

Try getting your head around this: a council pays £75,000 for a new sports tourism event that gives businesses an autumn boost. But the road closures it entails leave businesses hopping mad because nobody can reach them.

That’s what happened this week when the owner of the Galphay Inn between Ripon and Masham realised punters might not be able to come for Sunday dinner next weekend because the road will be closed to facilitate the safety of runners taking part in the Long Course.

A year ago, I joined other journalists in a raging downpour at the Nidderdale Showground for a media gathering to announce the launch of Long Course Weekend Yorkshire. Since then, the host location has switched from Pateley Bridge to Masham and there has been hardly any promotion.

Let’s hope the three-day event, which begins with a swim in Grimwith Reservoir on Friday, doesn’t sink — and business coffers are swelled.

There was no shortage of coverage this week for the news that former Prime Minster Theresa May will be coming to the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival in September. Ms May will be pushing her new book, The Abuse of Power, and talking about her time in government. Will she utter her 2017 election mantra ‘strong and stable’? Her robotic style was hardly Oscar Wilde.

Finally, have you been past Ripon Spa Baths lately? It’s sprouting more weeds than a summer meadow. Councillors are expected to approve plans to redevelop the grade two listed building in the week ahead.

Let’s hope something transpires soon as the fenced off, former swimming pool is ruining the grand old spa quarter. Spa Gardens has been resplendent as ever this summer and the new Ripon Inn and tennis courts opposite add to the appeal. But they need to sort out the baths before mushrooms start growing on the roof.