Enter into the spirit of the season at the Milton Rooms in Malton

From learning about the fascinating world of auctioneering to harking back to the tight harmonies and sequinned glamour of Abba, there’s a range of shows to provide the perfect antidote to all the stresses of Christmas shopping.

And the Milton Rooms is already showing some of the benefits from the extensive programme of renovation, repair and improvement work begun with funding made available by Ryedale District Council.

Work is nearing completion on the replacement of the downstairs ladies and gents toilets and the installation of a lift to allow disabled people to access them. Work is set to start on the complete overhaul of the lighting and sound systems which will bring a huge improvement to the Milton Rooms experience.

Work has already begun on surveying and repairing the roof structure of the building and anyone in Market Place at the time could hardly have failed to spot the use of a huge hydraulic lift platform to facilitate the work.

Anyone wanting to know the value of that antique vase which has been locked away in a cupboard for safe keeping should head down to the venue on Sunday, November 21 for An Afternoon with Charles Hanson.

The TV auctioneer is best known for his appearances on Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt and Flog It and has become one of the most respected experts in the industry. He was recently seen on BBC2’s Celebrity Antiques Road Trip where he appeared with Jerry Hall and Philippa Perry.

He will talk about his career, fantastic things he has valued and describe his experiences on TV.

He will also inspect some of the items brought along by the audience, speak about the history and how estimate much it could be worth.

Something completely different on Thursday, November 25 with blues-rock trio The Steve Fulsham Band headlining Ryedale Blues Club. Then the following day, Keep The Faith are in town with their Motown and Soul sounds.

And on Sunday, November 28 is a second book-signing event in association with Kemps Books of Malton. This time the comedian and science podcaster Robin Ince will be talking about his new book The Importance of Being Interested.

Santa gets a look-in for the young ones in a series of shows on Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12, in Emerald the Elf and Father Christmas, which will also feature Santa’s Grotto and a gift for each child.

Then, just before Christmas, on Saturday, December 18, it’s party time with dancing along to top Abba tribute band Sensation. The harmonies, costumes, dance moves and humour makes them one of the most sought-after tribute bands in the country as they create an authentic Abba experience.

For more information go to www.themiltonrooms.com

Events coming up

Sunday, November 21

An afternoon with Charles Hanson

An entertaining afternoon with celebrity antiques expert and auctioneer Charles Hanson.

He is best known for his appearances on Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt and Flog It, where his enthusiasm and eccentricity has made him one of the most popular and respected experts in the industry. He will talk about his career, amazing ‘finds’ and tales of his life on television.

He will also be valuing some of the audiences' items, so bring along a treasure and Charles will pick a selection to tell you about its history and how much it could be worth. 3pm. Tickets £8 from www.themiltonrooms.com

Thursday, November 25

Ryedale Blues Club – Steve Fulsham Band

The Steve Fulsham Band are the North’s top blues-rock trio, providing a sparkling mix of gems from the past and their own compositions. Steve is an outstanding guitarist and the band are a must-see for all fans of live music. 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from www.themiltonrooms.com

Friday, November 26

Keep The Faith – Motown & Soul Evening

Keep The Faith are favourites on today's Motown, Northern Soul and Soul scenes and have appeared at many UK festivals and events. With a line-up of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, saxophone and female lead and backing vocals, the band plays authentic arrangements of songs which originated in the mid-60s. Jenni Tarr has recently taken over lead singing duties. She is a singer and actress who has performed in many musical theatre tours, including 'All Our Yesterdays', 'Rolling Back The Years' and "The Detroit Express Theatre Show". 8pm. Tickets £17.50 from www.themiltonrooms.com

Sunday, November 28

Robin Ince – The Importance of Being Interested

Kemps Books in association with the Milton Rooms presents Robin Ince. The comedian quickly abandoned science at school, bored by a fog of dull lessons and intimidated by the barrage of equations. But, 20 years later, he fell in love and he now presents one of the world’s most popular science podcasts. Robin will talk about his new publication, The Importance of Being Interested, answer questions and sign copies of the book. 8pm. Tickets: Book and tickets £25 (The Importance of Being Interested rrp £17.99), ticket only £10, under-18s £6, from www.themiltonrooms.com

Fun-filled seasonal festive treats

Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12

Emerald the Elf and Father Christmas

Following last year’s hugely popular show, Emerald the Elf returns to The Milton Rooms and needs your help to find something special for Santa for Christmas!

Tickets include a family table for the show plus a visit to Santa’s Grotto afterwards with gifts for each child. There are performances each day at 10.30am, 12 noon and 2pm. Tickets £5 from www.ticketsource.co.uk/magical-quests-north

Saturday, December 18

Sensation – Abba Tribute Band

Celebrate Christmas with one of the most sought-after Abba tribute bands in the world. The authentic Abba experience will take the audience back to the golden days of the band, with stunning harmonies, costumes and choreography. Tickets £15 from www.themiltonrooms.com

Looking for volunteers

The Milton Rooms is looking for more volunteers. Anyone with a few hours to spare can join the team of volunteers and meet new people, learn new skills and support the venue. Email info@themiltonrooms.com for more information.