News & Features

SHROVE Tuesday saw the return of a fun event in Northallerton following a 20 year absence.

More than 30 runners from shops and businesses in and around the North
Yorkshire town came together on Tiesday 16th February, responding to a challenge set by gourmet food and wine store Lewis & Cooper.

The contestants ran a course on the town�s Applegarth Playing Field that was designed to represent the distance from Northallerton Town Hall to the High Street market cross � just short of 54 metres. Many were in fancy dress.

Lewis & Cooper joint general manager Victoria Howard said the firm had decided to reinstate the race to introduce a bit of fun and friendly camaraderie to traders and businesses in the town.

�We�ve had so much doom and gloom about the recession, parking charges and the credit crunch in recent years,� she explained. �We just wanted to get people out for a bit of a laugh.

�If it helps promote the town for the fantastic shopping venue it is � complete with plenty of thriving independent stores as well as some committed chainstores � then that�s a welcome bonus.�

The 34 competitors and their supporters, together with a large crowd of other spectators, helped raise more than £300 in entry fees and donations for the Friends of the Friarage Hospital�s £50,000 appeal for a dedicated cancer multi disciplinary team (MDT)room.

Former Lewis & Cooper employee Andrew Coulthard won the race when it was last run, in the High Street, in 1990. Andrew, now a duty manager at Hambleton Leisure Centre started the reinstated contest.

Competition was keen, with Greg Ient, 16, first over the line, despite losing a running shoe early in the race.

Greg, from Northallerton, is a Northallerton College student and keen all round sportsman. He was running in the colours of his part time employer, electrical retailer Maxwell�s and carried off the new
perpetual trophy.

Victoria Howard, who put in a respectable performance running in a rag doll costume, said: �Greg was a clear winner � well done to him, and thanks to everyone who made the effort to take part or to come and watch. We look forward to it becoming an annual fixture from now on!�

The organisers also extended their thanks to Northallerton Town
Council, whose groundsmen helped prepare for the race, and to town mayor Councillor Tony Hall, who refereed the race, along with David Tucker, from Business Against Crime in Hambleton.

The full line up of firms who took part (no. of entrants in brackets):
Armstrong Watson (2)
Bags2School (2)
Barkers (3)
Belson Homes (2)
Bettys (3)
Boyes (2)
Hambleton Leisure Centre (1)
IRS Recruitment (1)
It�s Nut Free (2)
Lewis & Cooper (4)
Maxwell�s (2)
Mitchell�s Newsagents (2)
Morrison�s (2)
Nigel Lightfoot Elec. Contractor (2)
Northallerton Town Council (3)
The Peppermill/Wine Press (1)