'C’EST une affaire', now hopefully in French this means it’s a deal, and Spectator suspects these are words many of you feared we would never hear in this country again. Sadly it’s not a result on the all consuming Brexit debate, it’s for another B that this happy conclusion has been reached. The good folk of Bedale have come to a deal with residents of the French town of Azay-sur-Cher to cosy up and be mates.

And it’s now official after Bedale Town Council resolved that the charter between the two towns should be validated, but on a totally non committal cash basis. There were concerns from some councillors that this move could cost the town and they were worried about financial commitments.

But chair of the Twinning Association Pam Hallett assured them: "It is purely support, there are no financial implications at all. Our aims are to promote and foster friendship and understanding between Bedale and Azay-sur-Cher. This will simply be to encourage visits and foster the development of contacts."

Local schools are in contact with each other and there are moves to encourage particularly youth groups and sporting organisations to get involved in the hands across the sea or under the tunnel connection with this attractive town in the heart of the Loire Valley. A Bedale contingent has been to Azay-sur-Cher for a visit and their Mayor and supporters have been over here to cement the relationship and generally see and appreciate the worlds inhabited by each other.

More reciprocal visits are in the pipeline, and all at no cost to anyone but themselves which seems to have been one of the most concerning issues. It all appears so far away from the fractiousness of Brexit, but let’s hope the seeds are sown and dare we say 'que ça dure', that would be long may it last to you and I.