The Grand Opening of the Orangery

Thank you to the Fawcett Brothers, who own the Fairfax Arms in Gilling East, in entrusting me to organising the Grand Opening of their new Orangery. Along with it, a networking event with Welcome to Yorkshire. I worked along side Sarah Barrowby from Welcome to Yorkshire who organised that Sir Gary Verity would come along and open the Orangery.

With around 100 guests arriving ,the sun answered my prayers and duly came out to add to a successful event.

Head Chef Ben Turner was in charge of the kitchen. Very grateful to Ben's wife, who was very considerate to have her baby a couple of days before- another prayer answered. Canapé were well received and then a brilliant bbq with 28 day old steaks from R and J Butchers.  Hodgson's fish was equally tasty with top quality prawns which with chorizo added made for mouthwatering kebabs.

If you have not already been along to enjoy the £250k investment of the new build of the Orangery I hope you will do so soon. There is something about still inside this light and airy space and watching the world go by as you eat.

No expense has been spared to create an outdoor sitting area which overlooks the village stream .It is furnished with delightful flower filled baskets

The Orangery has already been host to a christening, various birthday parties and before and after wedding celebrations.

Anne-Marie and Christian, the joint general managers-  are on hand to discuss your needs. Should you would like to book the Orangery telephone on 01439 788212

Life in Leeds

This week saw me in Leeds I had meetings at the Welcome to Yorkshire Offices for the PSMG. This is a group represented tourism businesses from all across Yorkshire . I was kindly chaparoned by Charles Forgan who is based at the Captain Cook Museum in Whitby. We went in on the train from Northallerton.

Dry  Sand Foundry is where Welcome to Yorkshire are based in Foundry Square,Holbeck in Leeds. It is just a quick walk from the station over the wharf and then round a corner and over a little footbridge .It was a lovely morning and there is always something about water and locks that interest me . A passage in time.

Our meeting lasted around two hours which was time to see what has been happening over the last quarter and more importantly what will happen in the coming one.

Sir Thomas Ingelby, from Riply Castle, is our chair. There is lots of exciting things happening and some of them will be revelled in march at Y17. The rest are cogs in the wheels and decisions that are made by the board which will be implemented in the future.

I love going to meetings in the City and thrive on the responsiblity of bringing new ideas to the table. The board loved one of these ideas and I will let you know when it is in place when it happens. All I can say about it now it will benefit a lot of businesses throughout Yorkshire .

There is a big part of me that shows I am a country girl at heart. As Jack always says when he see the White Horse of Kilburn on the hill he knows he is nearly home. So when I saw the Horse out of the window of the train I knew I was nearly home.