Bring on the bunting in Pateley Bridge

Sandra Walker (partnership administrator) gets to work on some of the bunting watched by Jenny Booker (volunteer), Katy Penn(partnership manager), Paula Newson Smith (chair of Nidderdale Plus Partnership) and Mike Perry (vice chair of Nidderdale Plus Partnership). (1603081AM1)

The community partnership, which champions Nidderdale, is aiming to decorate Pateley Bridge High Street in preparation for the peloton riding through the town on Friday, April 29.

Volunteers have cut up yellow, white and blue triangles of fabric and are inviting creative residents to take them away, stitch them up and bring them back by March 23.

Material has also gone out to local primary schools, which have been invited to make around 1,000 flags for the race.

Sandra Walker, partnership administrator at Nidderdale Plus, which is also hoping to reach a target of 1,000, said: “We are asking people to make a minimum of three flags, but some people may choose to make more. The idea then is they can just literally sew up the two sides and then turn it inside out and bring it back to use before March 23. We can then put it on tape for it to hang across the High Street, all the way down over the bridge to Bridgehouse Gate.

“If people want to they can also make it fancy and decorate it with things like bikes or the Yorkshire rose. It will be interesting to see what comes back!”

On April 29, Stage One, which sees the peloton set off from Beverley, will pass through Tadcaster, Wetherby, Knaresborough, Ripley and Pateley Bridge, where the first King of the Mountain will be won at Greenhow Hill, on the way to the stage finish in Settle.

Mrs Walker said: “There is a real buzz about the tour coming through and everyone is excited. “The shops on the High Street are entering into the spirit by putting something in the window and we have got bikes up in the window.

“It is bringing back memories of the Tour de France. You couldn’t fail to be impressed and I think that has created more enthusiasm for it as we want to show off Nidderdale.”

It is hoped the event, which will be seen by millions of people on TV across the globe, will boost business and tourism in Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale.

Mrs Walker said: “There’s so much to offer in Pateley Bridge and the surrounding area, so I’m hoping that people will come and stay and use our B&Bs and hotels and visit our local attractions.”

Material and instructions are available from the Nidderdale Plus office, in Station Square, King Street, Pateley Bridge.For more information on the community project contact Sandra or Katy on 01423 714953 or email [email protected]

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