CIVIC AWARDS 2024
At the recent AGM in Richmond Town Hall, the Richmond and District Civic Society presented three 2024 Civic Awards to worthy winners. These were recommended by the society’s planning group, and fully endorsed by the committee, for a combination of good architecture and design, as well as outstanding benefit to the local community.

The awards were presented to the Walled Gardens and Fig House at Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas, the Travellers Rest at Skeeby and the Richmond Information Centre.

The Fig House and magnificent two-acre Grade ll walled gardens was brought back into use by highly acclaimed landscape garden designer Tom Stuart Smith. The visionary design creates a 21st century garden with echoes of its original purpose as a kitchen garden. The Garden was re-opened in May 2018, and along with the new Fig House has become a very attractive and sought after wedding venue.

The Travellers Rest reopened in May 2023 after 15 years. The reopening came after sustained hard work by Skeeby Community Pub Society which formed in 2008 and purchased the pub and completed a major refurbishment for £300,000 which saved it from being turned into a house. The building has been carefully restored and extended by a major community effort designed to bring a new focus to community life in the village.

The Richmond Information Centre moved from the library to the Grade ll Richmond Market Hall in 2020 during the pandemic. Run by volunteers, the hub not only provides an invaluable facility to help visitors and residents alike, but is also a simple elegant design fitting well into the historic Market Hall. The Centre provides information on events through the What’s On Richmond and other leaflets, guidance on accommodation and parking and also introduced free guided town walks in 2023.

In presenting the awards, RDCS Chair Colin Grant said, “The society has decided to reintroduce these awards again after several years in recognition of both the outstanding contribution each has had to the local community, as well as the excellent design and architecture which has been employed. There is no winner, second and third, each was chosen on their own merits.”

Caption: from left to right Colin Grant, Chair the Civic Society, Judith Harwood, Chair of the Richmond Information Centre, Joe Ayre Chair of the Skeeby Community Pub Society and James Allison Managing Director of Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas.