JUDGES for Yorkshire In Bloom will visit Richmond in five weeks time, and work is well underway to ensure the town is looking its best.

Original Richmond and Richmond Business and Tourism Association entered Yorkshire In Bloom to raise the profile of the town as a beautiful place to live and visit.

Working closely with Richmondshire District Council and Richmond Town Council the committee is creating a lot of interest among the community on how Richmond is presented and cared for.

This interest in Original Richmond in Bloom is gathering momentum and local businesses are stepping up to the challenge.

Two neglected areas have been selected for major improvements and businesses are sponsoring these areas through funding and manpower.

Work has started at the Gas Holder Garden near the waterfall, and at Park Wynd, McLuckie Projects and Yorkshire Country Holidays have taken on part of the old Mill Orchard with the support of Hunton and Garget Solicitors.

Just the Job Environmental Enterprises are working on their orchard at Gallowfields and are also providing care for hanging baskets around the Market Place, strimming areas and providing large flower-filled boxes to go at each of the signs at the entrances to Richmond.

Generous support is also coming in, including donations of plants from Ravensworth Nurseries and local gardeners. Richmond Town Council and the Business and Tourism Association have given financial support and local businesses, Hunton and Garget Solicitors, and ProPharma are sponsoring staff to volunteer to work on tasks alongside individuals from the community. Purple Creative, City Secret and Kersty Jordan have all given freely of their time to create publicity for the initiative.

There is much work to be completed in the next six weeks along the judging route, which starts at The Station, where Richmondshire Landscape Trust will be putting on a display about the town’s wildflower meadows.

From The Station the route crosses the Mercury Bridge, down to The Batts along to the Old Orchard and the Gas Holder Garden. The group then goes up Millgate and Tower Street into the Market Place, taking a walk along Finkle Street and King Street into Queens Road, passing Friary Gardens and Pottergate Garden.

From there the judges will be taken by car along Darlington Road, up Cross Lanes, down Gilling Road and along Beechfield Road up to the racecourse. They will then return to visit Just the Job before heading off to Hurgill Road and round to the Westfields Allotments.

The return trip takes the judges down Cravengate to the Green and across the Green bridge back into the parish of St. Martins. Theakston Lane will bring them back to The Station and up into the Market Place to finish at the Town Hall.

In addition to the overall judging of the town, the judges will also be assessing five separate Small Business entries – York House, Millgate House, Yorkshire Country Holidays, King Street Kitchen & Gift and Just the Job.

Marcia McLuckie, leader of the Original Richmond In Bloom committee said: “Richmond, always beautiful, is ‘Going for gold’, so must look its very best when judging takes place on July 3.”

Before judging day, the committee are asking for all the encouragement, constructive criticism, compliments - and all the help anyone can give.

To find out more visitwww.originalrichmond.co.uk.

To become involved email info@originalrichmond.co.uk or telephone Marcia McLuckie on 01748-825525 / 07740 927608