The New Murrey and Blue blog

“….THERE will be thrills and spills of a distinctly ghostly type in Skipton this month as stroke survivor Malcolm Hanson conducts his once-famous ghost walks around the town’s supernatural hot spots on Friday evenings….”

The above extract is from the Craven Herald and I hope most sincerely that Malcolm’s ghost walks are a spooky success.

I don’t know Skipton, so when I read the above article I was struck to learn that the Black Horse hotel was “once owned by Richard III”! Really? Well, I had immediately visions of Richard as Mine Host, bidding all guests a warm, right royal welcome. Can you imagine it? Being welcomed at the door by the King of England, who will engage you in interesting small talk as he makes you feel utterly at home? I wonder if he serves Old Plantagenet Extra Smooth or House of York Splendour? Would we have to tug our forelocks or sink into respectful curtsies? Perhaps he’d be informal and assure us that such things aren’t necessary?

Now (thank you to my friend Diana Whitty for finding the entirely appropriate photograph) it seems that royalty is definitely up to drawing the odd pint or too. Richard must have started a trend!

As my grey cells played happily with various agreeable scenarios with Richard, another friend (Alex Marchant) shot my imagination down in flames. Apparently there’s a board outside the Black Horse that says Richard only stabled his horses there. Oh. So no charming Mine Host Richard and engaging conversation as he recommends the dish of the day? Dang!

But I’m sure that the ideal evening out in Skipton would be one of Malcom Hanson’s excellent ghost walks, followed by a cracking good meal at the Black Horse.