Thirsk Projects

Renaissance Market Towns projects in Thirsk include:

• Auction Mart - Thirsk Auction Mart is located in a purpose built building, the Thirsk Rural Business Centre. The RMT programme supported the Auction Mart build additional space for livestock, allowing them to increase the amount of animals they can sell. This is of great benefit to local farmers who can sell their animals at one auction mart rather than travelling to various marts. Additional storage facilities also mean that they can now store lots for auction, such as furniture. additional storage has also been provided for business located at the centre allowing them to develop their business. www.thirskmarket.com

• Rural Arts North Yorkshire - RANY is an arts charity is an arts charity based at the Old Courthouse in Thirsk.  They run an outreach programme taking taster sessions, workshops, courses and projects in visual and performing arts across the whole of the County. At the Courthouse they also run courses, have meeting rooms and conference space and assist those looking for funding for arts activities. RMT funding allowed RANY to build an extension to the Courthouse providing additional studio and meeting room space. Find out more about RANY

• Rural Target Fund - small projects delivered by North Yorkshire County Council, funded by Yorkshire Forward’s RMT programme. These have included:

- Roses and Stead’s Yard - The investments enhanced accessibility and the environment of a key area which connects the market place to a range of key facilities, including Doctors’ surgeries, the swimming pool, hospital and an old peoples’ home.
- Ginnels and signage - This project improved the ginnels by resurfacing them and therefore aided pedestrian access between the market place and car parks in Thirsk. Appropriate signage was also installed along with a new arch feature in the Market Place.
- Beckside - This path improvement project involved designing a footpath to create a safe route for pedestrians. Coping stones and railings were installed to form a barrier to the beck.

• Hillside Rural Activities Park - opened in 2008. The park is close to the A19 trunk road, between the villages of Borrowby and Knayton, North Yorkshire. Covering 28 acres, the park has a full size football pitch, a 7 wicket cricket pitch and three all weather tennis courts, providing a home for Leake Cricket Club, Leake Tennis Club, Knayton Football Club, Borrowby Show and the Hillside Scout Group. The site also has a children’s playground which we hope to expand further, a 1400m jogging / walking track around the perimeter and an open grassed area suitable for pony and riding club rallies. The land for the park has been acquired and the facilities constructed with grants from a number of funders including Yorkshire Forward, Biffaward, the Rural Enterprise Scheme, the Rural Target Fund, Hambleton District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Awards for All, the Football Foundation, the Foundation for Sport & the Arts and the Local Network Fund. The park is open to the public for the benefit of the local community. www.hrap.co.uk