Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visited Knaresborough banking hub on Friday.

Ms Reeves joined shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and shadow Economic Secretary Tulip Siddiq at Kirkgate.

Reeves hailed the hub, which opened on November 17, as an example of what the Labour Party would like to see across the country if it wins the next general election, which is expected to take place in 2024.

Labour has committed to setting up at least 350 banking hubs following a 64 per cent drop in the number of banks in Yorkshire since 2015.

Ms Reeves said:

“There’s now 20 banking hubs around the country.

“Banking hubs are there to replace bank branches because Knaresborough was without a bank for three years.

“[There’s] not a single bank branch in this town and banking hubs are an alternative to banks.

“When there are no banks left in the town the idea is that the banks come together to open a hub that you can use whichever bank you’re with, but there’s only 20 of them and we know that there are many more high streets in towns and villages that don’t have banks at all.

“Labour is making a commitment today that in the first term of a Labour government, we would open at least 350 banking hubs so that more people have access to banking facilities and to cash, which is something that unfortunately today too many people don’t have access to.”

Ms Siddiq added:

“When a local community no longer has access to a bank branch, we know it is the poorest in society along with high street businesses who lose out the most from the loss of vital in-person services.”

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Knaresborough photographer Charlotte Gale came to get cash from the banking hub and speak to the three members of Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet about why she needs cash for her business.

Ms Gale said:

“I always run out of 5ps.

“That’s the way my stuff is priced – it’s 95p.

“There’s always a struggle to get a 5p.”

Alongside its plans to bring back banking to communities, Labour also pledged to give councils the power to tackle shuttered-up shops, tackle antisocial behaviour and shoplifting through dedicated police patrols, replace business rates with a fairer system and end late payments to support small businesses.

Mr Reynolds said:

“Under the Conservatives, our high streets have been allowed to fall into decline, with more and more high street anchors like banks closing.

“Labour will put an end to boarded-up premises and ghost high streets with our plan to bring banks back to the high street, fix business rates, tackle empty properties and get police back on the beat on your high street.”

In Yorkshire and the Humber 464 banks – or 64 per cent – have closed since 2015 and just 264 remain open.

This is the second biggest percentage of bank closures in the country, with 66 per cent of banks being closed in the south-west.

In the whole of England, there are 3,208 bank branches.

Mark Hunter has won a contest to become Knaresborough’s next town crier.

In a ‘cry-off’ with two other entrants described by organisers as “almost too close to call”, Mr Hunter was selected to succeed Roger Hewitt.

The competition took place during Knaresborough Community Festival on Saturday, which celebrated the town’s many community organisations.

Organised by the Knaresborough & District Chamber, which manages the town crier position, the event saw competitors give renditions of Mr Hewitt’s pre-prepared cry and their own original contributions.

Retiring town crier Roger Hewitt introduces the second round of the competition. Pic: Charlotte-Gale

Mr Hewitt and fellow judges Cllr Kathryn Davies, Mayor of Knaresborough and chamber executive member Charlotte Gale selected Mr Hunter to be the town’s next town crier and the other two candidates — Leigh Hudson and Andrew Richards — to serve as deputies.

Knaresborough-born and bred Mr Hunter has sung in the choir at St John’s Church and is the church’s current director of music.

He is also a keen amateur naturalist and wildlife photographer.

Ms Gale said:

“We’re delighted to invite Mark to be Knaresborough’s next town crier.

“It was a fantastic competition and we’d like to thank all our contestants for the huge effort they put into it and for their entertaining performances on the day. It certainly made the role of judging a tough one.

“We will be very sad to see Roger go and we’d like to pay tribute to eight years of outstanding service, but we are also looking forward to a new chapter and the continuation of this historic role in Knaresborough.”

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Mayor of Knaresborough Kathryn Davies added:

“Records show there has been a town crier in Knaresborough since the early 1600s, although the tradition probably dates back to earlier times.

“In those days the town crier used to be called the bell man. Literacy amongst the general populace would have been low and the bell man fulfilled an important role in delivering news to local townsfolk.

“Although literacy rates are now much improved, the popularity of the role means that Knaresborough Town Council, Knaresborough and District Chamber and the people of Knaresborough are keen to maintain this important tradition for the town.”

Main pic: Charlotte Gale, Leigh Hudson, Mark Hunter, Roger Hewitt, Mayor Kathryn Davies and Andrew Richards (entrant)

Knaresborough residents will get a rare opportunity to audition for the role of town crier next month.

Roger Hewitt, who is part of a lineage dating back to 1680, is to step down from the role after eight years at the end of May.

Potential successors are invited to pitch for the role at the annual Knaresborough Connectors‘ community festival on April 22 at Meadowside Academy on Halfpenny Lane.

Contestants will announce town news and events, deliver proclamations and ring a bell to capture the attention of the public. There will be a pre-prepared shout for all participants and they will also be asked to prepare an original shout.

It will be judged by Mr Hewitt and the mayor of Knaresborough.

Knaresborough and District Chamber member Charlotte Gale said:

“We are seeking a talented individual with a strong, clear voice and a passion for communicating important messages to the community.”

“Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your talents and become a key part of our town’s heritage.”

The town crier shouts at the town’s ancient Wednesday market as well as other markets and at community and charity events in the town. Knaresborough and District Chamber member manages the role and provides the uniform.

Mr Hewitt offered some words of advice to anyone interested in succeeding him:

“You have to shout but a big voice is not enough. You have to be able to write your own stuff, it has to be engaging.

“It’s all about intonation, accuracy, engaging your audience and doing your best. It’s a good thing that volume isn’t the main thing!”

You can register to take part in the contest by emailing hello@knaresboroughchamber.org and including a brief introduction stating why you would make a great town crier and your connection to Knaresborough.

Top rotary award for Roger

(left to right) Knaresborough Rotary president David Kaye, Roger Hewitt and rotarian Bob Weddall

Knaresborough rotarians surprised Mr Hewitt by presenting him with a Paul Harris Fellowship after he gave a speech to the group.

Paul Harris founded Rotary and the award is the highest which can be given by rotarians.

Rotarian Bob Weddall said:

“Roger is, as town crier, the personification of Knaresborough. A brilliant ambassador for the town he enjoys chatting to visitors and has played a major role in recent events celebrating the platinum jubilee and proclaiming the Queen’s passing and the accession of the new King.

“His unfailing good humour and willingness to serve the community make him a worthy recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship”.

Knaresborough and District Chamber member Charlotte Gale added:

“Roger has been an exemplary town crier and is a hugely popular and recognisable figure in the town.

“For the past eight years his regular and often witty cries have kept townsfolk informed about all the latest Knaresborough news and he has also opened countless town events and welcomed many new businesses to the town.

“Everyone at chamber would like to extend a huge thank you to Roger for eight years of dedication to the role and wish him well in his retirement.”

Roger’s life and times

Pic: Charlotte Gale

Born in Bradford in1948, Mr Hewitt moved to Knaresborough in 1976.

At 21 he started to train as a teacher but changed his mind and instead joined the scientific civil service but in 1988 he resumed his teacher training and  after a spell in Bradford he spent 23 years at Harrogate Grammar School.

Appointed as a chemistry teacher, he taught physics and biology at key stage 3.

After retiring,  he was appointed as town crier by the chamber of trade and town council in 2015.

His main task is to open the market at 11am each Wednesday wearing the splendid regalia made in Knaresborough by Gill Ford.

In town crier competitions, he has twice won the trophy for best dressed crier.

In the 1980s Roger was a member of Knaresborough Players and also performed as Father Christmas at school events and at the town Christmas market.

For one very challenging Christmas market he was both Father Christmas and town crier, doing quick changes in the stock room of the old chemist shop.

Knaresborough was packed at the weekend for what is being hailed as the town’s busiest ever Christmas market.

A total of 68 stalls crammed into Market Place to greet customers from all over the country and beyond.

The attractions also included a Christmas tree festival at St John’s Church and a fireworks finale, provided by local firm Ferrensby Fireworks.

Hazel Haas, who chairs the Christmas market committee, estimated up to 10,000 people attended on Saturday and up to 6,000 people turned out yesterday. She said:

“It was amazing. I’ve never seen it so busy. Many people said it was the busiest ever. In fact some traders sold out of their entire weekend stock on the Saturday.”

Ms Haas attributed the success to the quality of stalls, which she said had gradually improved over the years, and to the fact that the event still offered a cheap weekend for people in tough times.

The Christmas tree festival, the fireworks and the park and ride were all free so visitors could soak up the atmosphere and explore the town without having to spend any money.

So many coaches attended that extra space was required to accommodate them and King James’s School agreed to help at late notice.

The Christmas market is a joint initiative between the Rotary Club of Knaresborough, the Lions Club of Knaresborough and Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

“We were thrilled with the support for the market again this year, as well as our fantastic local businesses. We had worked really hard to promote all the town has to offer in the lead up to the event and feedback so far has been great, with one business even reporting they’d had their best ever day.

“People travelled from far and wide and at one point we even had a queue of coaches waiting to drop off market visitors. I spoke to one couple who had travelled from Leicester having seen the town featured in the recent film ‘A Very Yorkshire Christmas’ and another man who was visiting from the Netherlands. The town felt so wonderfully festive and even the showers on Sunday did nothing to deter visitors.”