Dalby's £4.3m revamp (From Gazette & Herald)

Dalby's £4.3m revamp

YORKSHIRE'S biggest woodland has passed its first milestone with the launch of an exciting new courtyard development at Dalby Forest, near Pickering.

The Forestry Commission has created craft units, community rooms, caf, bike hire and offices around the existing visitor centre, working with Yorkshire Forward, the European Regional Development Fund and Ryedale Council, as part of a £4.3m overhaul.

The first stage cost £850,000, and means visitors can now enjoy a cappuccino on a stylish patio, browse the work of local artists and rent hi-tech bikes for a whizz through the 8,600 acre wood.

Alan Eves, Forest District Manager for the North York Moors, said: "It's marvellous to see the first element in our plans come to fruition and a tribute to the team overseeing the project, especially our funding partners. The courtyard is already a hive of activity, offering an attractive gateway into the forest for visitors and much needed commercial space for rural enterprises."

Elsewhere in the forest, work has begun to create a £2m eco-friendly visitor centre and 55 kilometres of all weather mountain bike routes, costing £400,000. Both projects will be completed within a year, promising a significant boost to the local economy.

Dalby currently attracts over 250,000 visitors each year and was planted in 1923 to expand the nation's timber reserves. Now recreation outstrips felling as the main commercial revenue, further bolstered by the success of outdoor concerts by the likes of Embrace, UB40 and Paul Weller.

The project is the biggest of its kind undertaken by the Forestry Commission in northern England, after its £5m refurbishment of Keldy Holiday Cabins in nearby Cropton Forest two years ago.

The courtyard development was supported by £375,000 from Yorkshire Forward, £170,000 from the European Regional Development Fund, £50,000 from Ryedale Council and £225,000 from the Forestry Commission.

Crafts units have been taken by the following local enterprises:

lPurple Mountain Biking Adventures: Female owners Vicky Griffin and Chris Flintoft, from Rosedale, have established a major centre at Dalby offering bike hire, retail outlet and on-site mechanic. Purple Mountain has also created a new caf in the courtyard, open daily.

Rachel Gretton: Originally from Hartlepool, Rachel, 27, is one of the north's foremost young artists specialising in glass sculpture. She set up her business two years ago with help from the Prince's Trust and is preparing for exhibitions in Harrogate and York. She now lives in Malton.

lReflections: Peter and Lorna Handford moved from Cornwall to the North York Moors two years ago. Both developed a passion for stained glass and they now have an outlet for their work in Dalby.

Vanessa Thompson: Born and bred in Middleton, near Pickering, Vanessa specialises in silk painting and mosaics. Previously she was a special needs teacher with children and now leads events and workshops for artists.

Updated: 15:13 Wednesday, April 12, 2006