I probably don’t do that much for Yorkshire Tourism. Actually I might even kill it off a tad. Face it, just how many times do I drone on about the dreadful Yorkshire Weather and rhubarb. Basically I’m screaming – “if you like Rhubarb Crumble with huge dollops of freezing horizontal rain, then Yorkshire is the place for you. “

Well let’s buck the trend. Time for a bit of Mr Blue Sky Yorkshire in the form of a very warm (YES I did say VERY WARM) walk around the countryside surrounding Castle Howard.

Now let’s rewind the Tourism Promotion clock, back to the mid 1970s. I was living in Redcar, a quirky Yorkshire seaside town, surrounded by heavy industry, it was a place that was sadly in decline. The town decided to run a competition amongst its various schools, let the pupils come up with posters and slogans to promote the area to tourists. The best ideas would get displayed in the town’s public art gallery.

Well guess what, this muppet, was awarded a ‘Runners Up’ badge. Looking back they probably awarded ‘Runner Up’ status to hundreds and hundreds of kids. I can’t remember the winning entry but mine is engraved on my mind. It was a really bad painting of the sea front with my catchy catchphrase painted in black across the top. I captured the essential essence of Redcar in B’s.

“COME TO REDCAR – BEER, BINGO AND BEAUTIFUL BEACHES”

How did that not win………

Yes maybe I do need to work on my Yorkshire Promotional Skills. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Here’s a little known fact about Redcar. The Oscar nominated movie Atonement was partly filmed here. One of the movies most iconic scenes is of the troops waiting in Dunkirk to be evacuated. That part of the movie was filmed on Redcar Beach.…..

37 thoughts on “Mr Blue Sky”

  2. I wonder what I’d put on a poster for our town? Something for the holiday makers, the weekend awayers, the vacation malarkies, the lets stay in the UK this yearers.
    It’s not a tourist destination, more a passing through to some e.g., Tenby, Saundersfoot, Pendine.
    However, having said that, there is plenty of caravan parks dotted around hither and thither in the countryside around here, so maybe this is the place to be pretty vacant (I know you’re gonna want to start singing a punk song now).

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  4. Pingback: ReBlogging ‘Mr Blue Sky’ – Link Below | Relationship Insights by Yernasia Quorelios

  9. Thanks for the inspiration, going to build a tourist trap in my hometown: a graveyard. Help me with the signage? Thinking each mock grave, will have a short story about the unknown person, who was a murdered stranger sightseeing close by. A bright white picket fence will be key. At least one freshly tilled mound would be clutch.

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    1. Maybe a one way entrance gate, that latches on the outside, with a different gate for the exit. An electric lock that requires payment on the exit gate. And a cork board sign with missing person posters(all family members looking for missing relatives who were tourists).

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      6. Btw. just asking again, would you allow me to quote you with your words you commented to one of my quotes, lately: “I guess it’s whatever the path, you enjoy the ride.” I would appreciat it 😊

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  14. As an Australian, I loved, loved, loved Castle Howard; it was on my bucket list of places I wanted to visit during our holiday some years past. And I have a pic with the lake behind me to prove it. I remember being transported about on a tourist tractor/train (at the Castle) feeling like a youngster. So, what I’m saying is – I thoroughly enjoyed Yorkshire and surrounds. It was a most enjoyable holiday.

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