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The Yorkshire Party is calling for Yorkshire Day – August 1 – to be made a bank holiday within the region.
White rose bunting has been installed in Harrogate to mark the yearly celebration, which occurs tomorrow.
The Yorkshire Party, which campaigns for devolution for Yorkshire in the form of a Yorkshire Regional Parliament, wants to take things further.
It said today an extra summer bank holiday would enable the county to celebrate its Yorkshire heritage and break up the long period between May and Christmas, which currently has only one bank holiday.
Yorkshire Day bunting on Princes Street.
England has eight bank holidays — fewer than many other countries.
Dr Bob Buxton, the Yorkshire Party’s co-leader, said:
“There’s a strong argument that England should have more bank holidays. Why not have one to celebrate our regional identity here in Yorkshire, at the height of summer?”
“Scotland and Northern Ireland both have their own bank holidays; there’s no reason why Yorkshire couldn’t do likewise, which could give a massive boost to Yorkshire’s tourist and leisure sectors, from the coast to the Dales.”
Yorkshire Party candidate Mike Jordan finished fourth – ahead of the Lib Dems and Reform UK – with 4.2 per cent of the vote in this month’s Selby and Ainsty by-election.
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Ripon-based singer-songwriter Freddie Cleary will provide the entertainment when The Salvation Army holds its Yorkshire Day celebration next week.
The event on Tuesday August 1, is being held in the church hall on Lead Lane from 10am until 2pm and is free to attend.
Church leader Pat Clark, said:
“We hosted a Yorkshire Day celebration pre-pandemic and it proved a great success, so we decided to organise another one this year.”
She added:
“It’s a way of reminding all members of the local community that we are here for them all year round, not just as an emergency service for those who find themselves in difficulties.
“On the day there will be lots of reasonably priced refreshments including home-made cakes, sausage rolls and sandwiches, scones provided by Morrisons and icecream.”
In addition to the refreshments, brand new or good as new gifts, household items and toys will be on sale and there will be a uniform swap.
Families wanting to be involved in the swap are asked to take good clean items of uniform to the church hall in advance of Yorkshire Day. The hall is open from Monday to Wednesday between 9:30 am and 3 pm.