08
Jul
A wedding and a ministerial visit among first day highlights at Harrogate's Great Yorkshire Show
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A total of 140,000 visitors — 35,000 a day — are expected daily at the show between now and Friday. You can read about the traffic management plans here and read an interview with Rachel Coates, the first female show director, here. There is a free shuttle bus running every 10 minutes from the main bus station in Harrogate. Here's what happened on day one.
7pm: Collision cleared
The organisers have issued an update about tonight's crash on Rudding Lane. It says:
"Following the earlier road traffic collision on Rudding Lane, this has now been cleared and traffic is now flowing freely from the Green and Brown Car Parks."
5.50pm: Serious collision on Rudding Lane
The organisers have just out up this post:
"There has been a serious road traffic collision on Rudding Lane near to the entrance to Rudding Park Hotel and the road is currently blocked with the police in attendance. Show traffic leaving the Brown car parks will be directed to turn right onto Rudding Lane towards the A658 and traffic leaving the Green Car parks will be directed left towards the A658 joining the one-way system."
I hope you have enjoyed our day one coverage. There's been a wedding, a ministerial visit and some significant traffic issues. Look for a day one round-up soon on the Stray Ferret.
5.39pm: Crowds drifting away
The crowd is beginning to thin although many people are still enjoying the sun and a drink outdoors.
4.41pm: Farmers flip tyres
The weather may be better suited to flipping burgers, but some 30 hardy men and women have been flipping tyres in the first ever Britain’s Fittest Farmer contest at the show.
The event includes five tests of strength: truck pull; wheelbarrow run; sandbag showdown; tyre flips; and beer keg heave.
The contest runs all day although some competitors were delayed getting in this morning, which disrupted the schedule.
Organised by trade publication Farmers Weekly, the winners will be invited to the national final at Jeremy Clarkson’s Oxfordshire farm.
Will Arden, a farmer from Lincolnshire, was Britain's Fittest Farmer last year. Here he demonstrates the tyre flip.
Two of today's competitors.
Farmers had to flip the tyre as many times as possible in two minutes.
3.58pm: Temperature soars
It's warmed up considerably this afternoon. It's still pleasant but each successive day is forecast to get hotter, with 29 degrees expected on Friday. Bring your hat and sun cream.
Visitors to last week's show.
Will Arden, a farmer from Lincolnshire, was Britain's Fittest Farmer last year. Here he demonstrates the tyre flip.
2.51pm: Farming being tested more and more, says NFU president
Much of the business of the show is conducted on the opening day and this year is no exception. The showground has been awash with politicians and VIPs, albeit no royals.
At 10.51am we reported David Skaith, the Labour mayor of York and North Yorkshire, had commissioned a report revealing more than half of farms in the county were failing to make a profit and recommending actions.
Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union, met Mr Skaith at the showground today.
A NFU statement said it welcomed the report “but made clear that, like any industry, the conditions for success need to be in place, especially in the policy area”.
Mr Bradshaw and NFU crops board vice-chair James Mills told Mr Skaith that current government policy treats business wealth as personal wealth – and that ultimately they aren’t the same thing.
They said everything is reinvested into a farming business, and this would be threatened by changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.
Mr Bradshaw said:
“Since the Second World War there has been an understanding around how farmers produce food, but that understanding is being tested more and more.”
(from left) NFU president Tom Bradshaw, mayor David Skaith and NFU West Riding county chair Richard Pears at the show today.
2.20pm: Rousing tunes
The Yorkshire Volunteers Band has been marching around the main ring in their scarlet tunics playing some rousing tunes. After Coloney Bogey, they finished with On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at, the unofficial Yorkshire anthem.
1.55pm: Couple get married at Great Yorkshire Show
A couple who got engaged at last year’s show tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony today.
Peri Dunford and Mark Jones are both involved in the show’s forestry section. Peri does horse logging and Mark does both horse logging and competitive pole climbing.
Last year Peri proposed to Mark after he scaled one of the competition poles. This year the couple, from Garstang near Preston, returned to get married in front of about 25 guests and about the same number of media representatives.
Peri was led down the aisle by two draught horses called Stig and Tyne to meet Mark in front of the registrar.
It wasn't the show's first ever wedding but it was the first in the forestry section.
Mark planned to take part in the pole climbing heats on the day and both he and Peri will be demonstrating horse logging,
The happy couple plan will honeymoon in Iceland and Norway.
Peri Dunford and Mark Jones tie the knot.
12.29pm: Traffic 'now moving freely'
There have been reports of long queues to get in this morning, and problems accessing the car parks. The show organisers issued an update just over an hour ago, which we reported on this blog at 11.05am (see below).
But in an update a few minutes ago, the show organisers said: "All routes are still busy, however, traffic is now moving freely."
12.10pm: Business group bangs the drum for Harrogate
Harrogate Business Improvement District has bagged a nice cool tent near the members' area as its base for the next four days.
The BID, which is funded by town centre businesses to promote Harrogate's retail sector, is sharing the tent with local organisations. Today it's the Turkish baths. Three’s A Crowd, Richard Grafton, the Crown Hotel and Neuhaus Chocolates will join on other days.
Bethany Allen, operations and projects executive at Harrogate BID, said: “It’s a fantastic chance for us to shout about all things Harrogate and promote our town as the jewel in Yorkshire’s crown to a wider audience."
BID operations and projects executive Bethany Allen (left) and interim chief executive Gemma Rio.
11.05am: 'All routes extremely busy'
The show organisers have issued a travel alert following reports of delay
It says:
"All routes on the approach to the Great Yorkshire Showground are extremely busy, especially Wetherby Road & Oatlands Drive. This is down to the high volume of vehicles accessing our car parks.
Our parking team are working hard to park visitors as quickly and safely as possible. Thank you for your patience."
10.51am: Watch: 70-second interview with Mayor David Skaith
David Skaith, the Labour mayor of York and North Yorkshire, launched a report today saying more than half of all farms in the county aren’t making a sustainable profit.
The report recommends how the financial outlook can be improved and what support could be provided for farmers.
We grabbed a short interview with Harrogate-born Mr Skaith at the show.
10.07am: Farming minister arrives
Daniel Zeichner, a minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whose portfolio includes farming. has just arrived at the show. Allister Nixon, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the farming charity that organises the show, greets him. Media were told to expect Mr Zeichner's arrival at 9.30am but he arrived at 10am and didn't stop to talk to the press.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner (left) with Allister Nixon
9.13am: Showground starting to fill
One hour in and it's still relatively quiet but that is beginning to change as crowds flock in. It is easier getting around since covid prompted the move to a four-day show. Daily ticket sales are now capped at 35,000 and are only by advance purchase.
Traffic queueing on Skipton Road at about 8am this morning.
The place for Instagram photos.
8.16am Traffic update
Traffic was slow on Skipton Road at about 8am this morning. Traffic is often slow on Skipton Road so this is hardly surprising but it was queueing almost all the way from New Park roundabout to the traffic lights at the junction with Claro Road. It was clear then along Wetherby Road, which is inbound only this morning. Remember, the one-way system has been extended on the A658 towards Harrogate from the Thistle Hill junction this year.
7.31am: Gates open at 8am
The 166th Great Yorkshire Show is due to get underway at 8am — and the forecast could hardly be better. Non-stop sun is forecast today with temperatures reaching 23 degrees, It's due to get warmer as the week goes on, with a peak of 29 degrees possible on Friday.
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