Lovely North Yorks town finally gets award - a year later!

It's been a while in coming but the final bit of proof that Pateley Bridge did win the Great British High Street competition is finally coming to town.
The leading members of Pateley Bridges brilliant Great British High Street competition bid team with Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, pictured left.The leading members of Pateley Bridges brilliant Great British High Street competition bid team with Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, pictured left.
The leading members of Pateley Bridges brilliant Great British High Street competition bid team with Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, pictured left.

Nearly a year after its amazing success in the national contest, the winner’s plaque will arrive in Pateley Bridge, courtesy of local constituency MP Julian Smith, who was appointed as the Government’s chief whip recently.

Chairman of Nidderdale Chamber of Trade said the MP for Skipton and Ripon had played a big part in Pateley’s phenomenal success.

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Keith said: “I have no doubt that the support of Julian Smith MP was a major contributary factor in Pateley Bridge winning the prestigious title.

“He even visited Pateley Bridge during the process of the competition , giving interviews including to the Nidderdale Herald who themselves were were such a major part of the eventual success of the bid .

“He wrote testimonials in support of the bid which were presented to the judging panel and also provided a written statement which was read out to the judges when they visited Pateley Bridge.”

It’s just about 12 months now since Pateley Bridge won the title Best High Street in the village category of the Great British High Street awards, following the whole community’s efforts to fill vacant units on the high street and work to develop new businesses and jobs.

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The judging panel of experts praised the way Pateley Bridge High Street had worked with local schools, churches and residents.

The town also took home the Social Media Bronze Award.

Even Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, was impressed.

He said at the time: “This is a truly well-deserved for all those people in Pateley Briddge who have worked hard to create a vibrant and successful high street in the town.

“They have shown that anything is possible when you have community spirit and a real can-do attitude.”

Julian Smith MP will officially hand over the winner’s plaque on behalf of the Government next Friday, December 8.