Straywords is coming…hear our roar!!

So what is missing from Harrogate that two chaps the wrong side of 21 can find? Well, after realising that the majority of online content relating to the town is aimed at the tourist, the day tripper, the man at the conference we have decided to start a blog/online magazine/not quite sure yet dedicated, in part, to what goes on in the town. What qualifies us for such a task I hear you ask? Well we are both longstanding residents of the town – in fact we were both born here in the old Harrogate General – and both love it. We genuinely think Harrogate is a great place to live for people of all ages and not just because Location, Location, Location tells us so.

 

So why now and what purpose will it serve? Firstly because we genuinely believe in this project and know that we can make it a success – I for one am bored of existing publications in the town. The Advertiser is fantastic and serves its purpose as a local paper but it seems to be lacking in the content aimed at anyone under 45. I know one of the only reasons many of my peers flick through their parents copy is to see if they know anyone in the court round-up. And then there is Plush – the glossy full of advertising and little else. There is a whole to be filled. Now seems to be the right time – the idea has been mooted in the past but no action taken – work always seems to have got in the way and time is a precious commodity. I think myself and my co-conspirator feel the time is right, the inclination is there.

 

Armed with a reasonable understanding of the web, a couple of laptops and passionate views on anything and everything from music to local pork pies we intend to talk about the things we love. The things that we hope other people will love too. Personal blogs are fine to air your rants and express your interests but this gives what we would normally do individually a collective purpose.

 

So what can the reader expect? Hopefully insight into what is going on in the area – the bars, the coffee shops, the galleries, the dales. There is an absolute wealth of culture in the area that seems to get overlooked by the masses. On a wider scale we hope to review albums, films and indulge in idle tittle tattle too!

 

Essentially we are doing this because we want to and for no other purpose other than to see where it takes us and hopefully find those like minded people who don’t spend their weekends drinking pinot grigio in Pitcher and Piano.

 

So what can I tell you about my partner in crime? We have been friends pretty much all our lives and expect we will be supping pints in The Old Bell for many years to come. He also has a fantastic way with words which I suppose will help in the cause! On a slightly negative note, he introduced me to golf for which I shall never be able to forgive him. James is a wise man, a raconteur and a wit to boot.

 

Here is a recent portrait of James looking as smug as a fat girl with a fiver to spend in Greggs.