Patrick Monahan Comes Back to Harrogate!

This astounding funny man returns to Harrogate after his premier appearance at the Sitting Room Comedy Club returns to play HarrogateTheatre for a 1 night performance on Monday night (tickets £13). Having seen Patrick in person I can recommend his brand of humour for all the family and it is a show not to be missed.
 (http://www.patrickmonahan.co.uk/ and http://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/) 
You may also want to have a look at his new DVD due to be released shortly.

New Harrogate Food Event!

New plans for a Harrogate Food and Drink Festival! take a look at http://www.harrogatefoodanddrink.com/ for more details. The plans are to involve local producers supported by Deliciously Yorkshire http://www.deliciouslyorkshire.co.uk/dy/ and backed up by local cafe's, restaurants and anyone in the industry who wishes to be involved in promoting the special food and drink offering we have in this county!

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival 2012!

www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime/ has all the details of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2012 the dates are 19th July to the 22nd of July at the Old Swan Hotel which is only a short walk from us (http://www.smallhotelharrogate.co.uk/ 10% discount for booking directly) Some of the big names who have already signed to appear are John Connolly, Mark Billingham, Charlaine Harris and Harlan Coben with more to follow. This event is popular with writers workshops for the budding writer who can gain experience from the source.

Meet Patricia Cornwell! on the 26th November!

An event to be held at the Barcelo Majectic hotel in Harrogate organised by the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival which is held annually in Harrogate (www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime/) has arranged this special event with one of the leading ladies of crime writing. Tickets are a bargain at £10 or £7.50 for friends of the festival. Ms Cornwell will be talking to BBC Radio Four's Mark Lawson about her extraordinary life and career and the inside scoop on her new book "Red Mist" which is being released on the 24th of November. Doors open at 7pm and will last approximately 1 hour.

If you are attending this event we are only 5 mins walk away and do a 5% discount for booking directly with us. Take a look at www.smallhotelharrogate.co.uk for more info.

Countryside live in Harrogate 22nd Oct!

Fab weeked out for all the family including Knitting and Crafts where you can have a go and see all sporting events as well for more information take a look at the web site http://www.countrysidelive.co.uk/

Yorkshire Dales connections to Sherlock Holmes

Not many people know that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle spent much of his young life in Yorkshire and many of his characters and locations were drawn from this area as well. For example Masongill Hall which is supposed to be the inspiration for the Hound of the Baskervilles is located here. It was also the estate which owned the cottage rented by Conan-Doyle's mother so it was a location he knew well. Masongill is a small village near Ingleton which was where his originally Scottish mother moved to, to  be near Dr Bryan Waller who had rented a room from them in Edinburgh. Conan Doyle's father was committed to an asylum in 1883/4 for alcoholism and epilepsy which at that time meant his mother not even if she had wanted to divorce him. Therefore it may have been that she had a relationship with Dr Waller and rumours abounded that she was seen crossing the lawns in the early hours, however these are nothing but rumours and local gossip. While Conan Doyle visited his mother in Yorkshire many times and wrote countless letters to his mother over the years describing activities he had done and enjoyed for example he was a keen golfer. He apparently had a tempestuous relationship with Dr Waller as in one letter he talks about how he hit him in a fight though eventually they seem to have put their differences aside as he was best man at Conan Doyle's wedding. It is a well know fact that Conan Doyle married his first wife Louisa Hawkins at the nearby St Oswald's church in Thornton in Lonsdale, in the porch there is a framed copy of the certificate dated 1885 and you can buy copies for 50p.
It is also speculated that the name for his famous detective was inspired by a visit to Ingleton where he played golf at Park Foot Farm the vicar of this parish was T.D. Sherlock this was just prior to his publication of "A Study in Scarlet" in 1877. There is also a plaque in the church marking the death of the vicar's brother who was struck by lightening at Ingleton Station. However on the matter of Sherlock's first name in his letters Conan Doyle often mentions the fact that he never met the physician Oliver Wendell Holmes a man he had a great deal of respect for and so may have immortalised him in his work.
All of these locations are a short drive from Harrogate and can easily be pared with othe literary activities for example visiting the home of the Bronte's in Howarth.
http://www.smallhotelharrogate.co.uk/

Introduction to Printmaking

One Day workshop with Hester Cox whose work is on show and she will guide participants to create painterly prints using the direct method of monoprinting and then develop their understanding of intaglio and relief printmaking you will create a drypoint print and a linocut. The workshop is suitable for beginners and artists wishing to explore a new medium. Cost £22.50 including all materials and refreshments. It will be held at the Mercer art gallery ring 01423 556188 to book.