A KEEN walker has penned the history of one of Darlington’s oldest rambling clubs to commemorate its 75th anniversary. As part of the Darlington CHA and HF Rambling Club’s threequarter of a century celebrations, retired architect Bill Golightly
HAMBLETON District Council could halve the number of its elected members to save about £200,000. The authority has announced it is looking into the move, which would need the permission of the Boundary Commission. The council cabinet gave the
DEVELOPERS of a controversial cattle mart development have offered to help reinstate the fireworks display at Heighington. As reported last week, efforts are under way to bring back the bonfire and other events such as the village fete. Shortly
BERTIE the sheep is settling in well at his new home after his rescue from eviction at a Saltburn churchyard. The Dutch Texel, rescued by Paul Tidy and his partner Andrea Cooke after he was rejected by his mother as a lamb, helped to keep the
A NORTHALLERTON florist is backing a campaign to encourage more men to buy flowers for their wives, girlfriends and loved ones. Hutton Flowers, in the town’s Barkers Arcade, is supporting the campaign, which has been launched by one of its suppliers
THE official launch party to mark the 450th anniversary of Prior Pursglove College brought together young and old to kick-start the festivities. Lesley Hunter, the oldest known former student at Guisborough Grammar School, the former name of the
DEVASTATED employees have been left in a desperate situation after being laid off without notice. Staff from Castle Print, which has branches in Richmond and Thirsk, were shocked when company director and owner John Hutchinson announced on January
LEYBURN is prepared to pull together to save services threatened by the cuts, a senior councillor claims. Fleur Butler, leader of Richmondshire District Council and ward councillor for Leyburn, has spoken out as local authorities try to find savings
A NUMBER of community organisations and businesses have offered to host a pared-down tourist information service in Richmond as the current one faces the axe. Councillors say they are encouraged by the number of options for a replacement tourist
HUNDREDS of workers have been re-assured about their jobs after the £205m sale of the Quorn meat-free brand. Premier Foods announced it had agreed to sell the company, whose main production facility employs 320 at Stokesley and a further 62 at
THE owners of a Darlington dry cleaning and laundry business have celebrated three years in business by taking on extra staff and investing in a revolutionary new machine. Husband and wife, Gavin and Debbie Johnson, bought Cleancare Fabrics in
A TEESSIDE shipping company has recorded a 50pc growth in business over the past year. Casper Shipping, in Middlesbrough, has started 2011 by signing two major new accounts with ship owners. The company, which was founded in 1872, has 32 employees
A NORTH Yorkshire steel firm has struck a partnership in the Middle East to compensate for plummeting demand at home. Severfield-Rowen, of Dalton, near Thirsk, said the outlook for the UK steel industry was poor due to rising costs of raw materials
A FAther-and-son team chalked up their 15th title win at Skipton Auction Mart on January 24. Malcolm and Robert Swires, of Haverah Park, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, won with their newly-calven Holstein Friesian commercial heifer, giving 32.5 litres
A THOUSAND farmers are expected to descend on Bishop Burton College next week. Bishop Burton College is preparing itself for an influx of farmers, food producers and rural and allied businesses on Tuesday and Thursday. Organised by the college
THE Government has been accused of “environmental vandalism” in its plans to sell off Forestry Commission woodlands and forests. Mary Creagh, shadow environment secretary, made the accusation in a Commons debate on Wednesday. Earlier
YORKSHIRE’S annual Farmhouse Big Breakfast charity this year raised £3,350. A total of 213 breakfasts, using locally-produced food, were cooked and served up over six sittings at the three day event at St George’s Court B&B, Old Home Farm, High
FARMERS in England face a massive drop in income, according to the Government’s own figures. Lowland grazing units are forecast suffer a 48pc fall, dairy farmers 24pc and pig farmers down by two-thirds. Sheep prices are currently cushioning
Richmond revival continues apace OVER a recent lunch with a notable citizen of Richmond, conversation fell to how the dining out scene in the town has changed. A little more than five years ago options for an evening meal were severely limited
ONCE renowned for his innovative modernist designs, Diarmuid Gavin believes trends are increasingly heading towards a return to traditional gardens where the plants are the stars. He is pleased that the age of shiny stainless steel, bright
Chapman’s Odyssey by Paul Bailey is published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £16.99. Veteran wordsmith Paul Bailey makes a welcome return to the world of fiction with his first novel since 2003’s Uncle Rudolf, and revisits familiar themes from
Alastair Campbell talks to Hannah Stephenson about power, politics and happiness. ALASTAIR Campbell is not happy. His partner, Cherie Blair’s former adviser Fiona Millar, is having the carpets cleaned during our interview at their north London
THE Middlesbrough Town Hall series found the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra, directed by leader Bradley Creswick, pulling in the largest audience of Teessiders I’ve seen for many years. The concert featured the orchestra’s principal flautist,
WORK by local filmmakers will be shown alongside Hollywood blockbusters at the first film festival in Barnard Castle. It takes place this month over five days, organised by the Witham Cinema, with the aim of attracting visitors from far and
LANDSCAPES which appear to question what is real are on show in the Myles Meehan Gallery at Darlington Arts Centre. The paintings by Paul Collinson are the end result of a three-stage process that starts with him constructing a model scene –
PAINTER Ann Kilvington has fond memories of her childhood in Thirsk, particularly of time spent at the Ritz Cinema, which celebrates its centenary next year. Kilvington’s contribution is to have spent a year as artist-in-residence, capturing
“THE rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road, a reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire.” So wrote GK Chesterton in 1914. He wasn’t talking specifically about the roads of the North York Moors, but the description
EVERY morning at sunrise, hundreds of rooks fly over our house, chattering among themselves as they head for some distant feeding ground. There are times I can hear their approach some moments before they appear. And then in the evening at
DISCUSSIONS continue as to where a tourist information centre might be sited in Richmond if the district council withdraws its funding. A number of community organisations have put their hands up to become its new home, including the Station
Sir, – Upon reading the latest Richmondshire Museum Winter 2011 newsletter, I was saddened to read that the efforts of the local museum committee have failed to be recognised with the award of a Heritage Lottery grant to create a new gallery
Sir, – Stockton High Street has been struggling for a long while now. The High Street has hardly any retail offer and is in desperate need of private investment. I believe if Stockton High Street is going to be successful again we need a retail
Sir, – In Yarm we appear to only hear of major Stockton council issues affecting us, such as parking, when details are posted on lampposts. We have three councillors representing Yarm, yet not one apparently did anything , as the proposals wound
Mike Bridgen meets two brothers who have restored a Victorian stud farm to its former glory. ARARE Victorian stud farm has been given a new lease of life after undergoing full restoration. Myton Stud Farm is owned by brothers Nick and Nigel
Sir, – In response to A Jones’ letter published last week (D&S, Jan 28), as I pointed out in my letter published on January 21, I live very near to the offending junction. I walk past it at least four times every day, usually at the busiest
Sir, – I refer to the letters “Don’t ruin High Street” and “Council’s parking proposals” that appeared in your newspaper in January 2011. I am concerned that Mr Chatburn, as a newcomer to the area, thinks that he will be able to cure all Yarm
Sir, – 2010 was the year when the UK public entered the deficit twilight zone. I first became aware that something was amiss when the milkman stopped deliveries. Apparently, the dairy had run out of pints. At first, I thought the poor man had
Sir, – Bravo! Great Ayton residents who turned out in their hundreds to the public meeting last Thursday. Bravo! The school children that presented their letters at the meeting. Bravo! Author G P Taylor for supporting the stay-open campaign
Sir, – Darlington council’s policies make it a difficult place to run a business, that’s why there are so many shops for sale or rent in places like Bondgate. Businesses need a good reason to locate in Darlington town centre, not obstacles at
Sir, – Jean Jones, the chairman of the South Durham Conservative Ladies’ Group, makes some wild statements (D&S letters, Jan 21) about Darlington town centre. She claims the Labour council has reduced car parking spaces and that other car
Sir, – With the closure of the bridge and road at Morton on Swale, may I suggest an alternative to the inevitably long diversion which those commuting between Bedale and Northallerton now face. My idea is the temporary reopening of the railway
From this newspaper 100 years ago. Shortly before midday on Wednesday, as Mr A C Bamlett’s motor car was proceeding from his house towards the works it came into collision with the fleece’ bus at the corner of Station Road. A crank of the motor car
HAMBLETON has led the way in carrying out radical surgery to the way local councils work. The shared services initiative with Richmondshire has shown how neighbouring councils can work together while protecting frontline services and making significant
NORTHALLERTON first team entertained mid-table York RI, keen on continuing their recent league form and produced their third league win in four games by beating the visitors 31-7. North again produced an inconsistent performance but did more
NORTHALLERTON Town moved up to fifth bottom thanks to a 2-1 win at bottom club Morpeth last Saturday The home side, who haven’t won this season, took the lead through Danny Carr after 12 minutes, but Northallerton equalised through a Darren
WITH league leaders Richmond Town Academy without a game last Saturday, Colburn Town had the chance to close the gap at the top when they faced bottom club Hawes B. Having put 23 goals past them the previous week the result was never really
THIRSK Men’s first XI suffered their heaviest defeat of the season against a welldrilled Ben Rhydding side, losing 5-1. A tense first-half finished 0-0 with Thirsk having to defend deep and chances were hard to come by, Pete Harding producing
A TOTAL of 28 racers including the reigning champion, three previous class champions and seven former race winners lined up for the first round of the 2011 Inline Garage Services Ironman Kart Championship at Teesside Autodrome last weekend.
with Noel Peacock Trial victory THE Richard Sadler bandwagon continued on a victory roll on home ground at Holgate, near Marske, Richmond, on Sunday, where the MRS Sherco teamster won the Noel Peacock Trial from John Sunter and Richard Timperley
KILDALE reached the semifinals of the Frank Bainbridge Cup after hard-fought 3-1 home win over Sportsmans FC last Sunday. The visitors had disposed of league champions Richmond Turf in the League Challenge Trophy the previous week, so arrived
Wensleydale 33, Bishop Auckland 39 BISHOP Auckland Under-17s won 39-33 away at Wensleydale, but tried their hardest to lose this match, showing both their best and worst aspects of their game. Despite having the vast majority of possession and
THE Cheltenham Gold Cup with be the next race for Howard Johnson’s Tidal Bay after finishing a creditable second in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham last Saturday. Staying on late in the day, Tidal Bay finished under two lengths off Neptune Collonges
Brimham Riding Club. – Feb 7: Tack and togs sale, Henry Jenkins pub, Kirkby Malzeard 7pm Stalls £6 members, £10 non-members in advance. Food served. Zetland Hunt Pony Club. – Feb 13, Mar 26: Unmounted rallies. Contact Andrea on 0786-0185443. Northallerton
A RACECOURSE has bucked the economic trend to record the UK’s second highest percentage increase at the turnstiles. Sedgefield racecourse saw a total of 23,001 punters through the gates last year, a 16 per cent rise on the previous year. Only
