A week in the life of Pateley Bridge, with Keith Tordoff

Once again I am here to sing the praises about this wonderful area! The last week saw myself and Kirsty on Tuesday going along to the council offices for the Tour De Yorkshire (TDY) 2017 Roadshow.
Methodist Julia, myself and Methodist Mike at the Altogether Now sing along.Methodist Julia, myself and Methodist Mike at the Altogether Now sing along.
Methodist Julia, myself and Methodist Mike at the Altogether Now sing along.

It is hoped that residents and businesses will get behind the event which passes through Nidderdale and Pateley Bridge on Saturday, April 29.

We have seen some wonderful shop displays, bikes hung on premises, and land art including the TDY 16 on the hillside at Greenhow last year.

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The world’s media will be following the event live, which this year includes the ladies’ and men’s races all on the Saturday in Nidderdale. The ladies’ race will be coming through Pateley Bridge at around 10.30am and the men’s about 3.15pm.

Just one amusing anecdote from the meeting was when someone who shall remain unnamed suggested there was a possibility of using a local cricket pitch for public parking on the day.

Unbeknown to the unnamed person, sat behind him was the chairman of the said suggested cricket pitch! Silence all round and the chairman spoke making it clear the gates to the ground on the day would be well and truly locked. Oops!

On Wednesday I had a meeting with Karen Mills from Harrogate Borough Council to discuss Pateley Bridge’s entry in the Yorkshire In Bloom competition.

It was a most useful meeting.

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On this topic I received a letter from Julian Smith MP kindly providing a foreword for Pateley Bridge’s entry, part of it reading: “It gives me great pleasure to introduce Pateley Bridge’s entry into this year’s Yorkshire in Bloom competition. Pateley Bridge is a beautiful village with a charming High Street and a fantastic selection of independent shops.”

“Here, here” as they say in the House.

Following Pateley Bridge’s success in the Great British High Street Awards, last week saw the Yorkshire Post property section featuring Pateley Bridge and highlighting how winning the competition had boosted interest in properties available for sale.

A fantastic place to live, work or visit – a message which through winning the competition is now known nationwide, if not also worldwide. On Thursday, small super heroes descended on Pateley Bridge. This was all to do with World Book Day.

I am sure their “super powers” helped them at school that day.

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Talking of school pupils, I bumped into Alan Sutton (better known as Sooty who used to be the Leeds United’s physio) who said it would be fantastic to find out about pupils from the area who had gone on to do amazing things in life.

I started by saying I am here to “sing the praises” and guess what, on Friday I was there singing away in the afternoon at Pateley Bridge Methodist Church along with around 20 other local people.

The afternoon sing along is called “Altogether Now” and is organised by Methodist Mike and Methodist Julia.

Anyone is welcome to go along on a Friday afternoon between 2pm and 3pm and any donations made go to the registered charity Dementia Forward. I am sure one of the songs we sang had been put in specially for my visit and that was “The sweet, sweet memories you gave-a me”.

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For those of you who are not aware, I run a certain type of business on Pateley Bridge’s High Street which ties in with the title of that song. Have you guessed? I suppose, just as another of the songs we sang goes, “whatever will be, will be (Que Sera)”.