Happy October
A big sigh… I mean sign
You know when something becomes such a familiar eyesore that it’s almost part of the scenery? That was the case with that one particular shop sign at the entrance to Main Street.
For years, the sign has been cracked, crumbling, and a bit of a hazard if we’re being honest, greeting anyone coming down from Church Lane. Let’s just say, it wasn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat. A few locals reached out to both the old and new shop owners, asking, quite reasonably, “What’s the plan with the sign?” Fair enough — it was in a right state.
Then came the wave of social media noise. You know the type, those local pages where everyone’s got a strong opinion, but rarely a plan of action. Lots of shouting into the digital void, but not much doing….sigh
Eventually, the sign came down. Whether it was due to the online moaning, health and safety concerns, or just a long-overdue decision is anyone’s guess.
But here’s the kicker: what’s behind the sign isn’t any better In fact, now we’ve got new complaints, different words, same vibe. It’s made me chuckle. 😂😂😂 Sometimes people just ‘reap what they sow’. And often, that’s something to be even more annoyed about.
After chatting with the well-respected community voice behind Incredible Edibles, it turns out someone actually made a solid suggestion on one of these FB group pages:
💡 Why not all chip in to create a new sign? Not necessarily advertising the shop, but something for the town.
So, I added my own thoughts
💡 What if it became a “Welcome to Garforth” sign, sponsored by the businesses on the high street? It could even include their logos, giving everyone some visibility while tidying up the space.
It’s a small idea, but one that turns complaints into collaboration. We’ll see if it gathers steam or just becomes another story under the next Facebook thread of fury.
NEW MEMBER
🌱 We’ll soon be welcoming Mark Warner from Plate2Plate Compost!
Based at Swillington Organic Farm, Mark has built an incredible local business that’s turning food waste into something good for the planet. Plate2Plate gives households and businesses a simple way to be more sustainable and be part of the solution, not the problem. Take a look at how it works (and how you can get involved) 👉 Plate2Plate Compost
Huddle cafe
I see things are moving into the shop and the windows are in – fingers crossed for an opening soon
Halifax Building Take Over
Someone I know has taken on the building – you wouldn’t recognise it inside; what a sledgehammer can do
Keep your eyes and ears open for spring 2026
🎶 Garforth Community Choir – 10 Years of Joy!
Last Saturday, I had the absolute pleasure of celebrating the Choir’s 10th birthday at the Working Men’s Club. There were balloons, table sweets, prizes, and of course… cake! It was such a lovely evening, with Liz, the brilliant choir master, and Pam, the ever-dedicated secretary who’s been part of this journey from the very first conversation. Together, they brought us a night of pure joy and entertainment right here in Garforth.
I felt humbled and happy all evening — goosebumps, hairs standing on end, and a grin so wide my cheeks ached by the end of it.
The Garforth Community Choir was actually the very first project I ever got involved in. It all began with a simple chat, an idea that maybe something could be done to bring people together and help with loneliness and Isolation in the community. We started with 19 singers… and now there are 54 members, ranging in age from their 30s right up to 91. That kind of community spirit makes my heart melt. 💛
Here’s to the next 10 years of singing, smiling, and proving that music really does bring people together.
* I’m partway through editing a video of the songs I captured – so you can see the range of their beautiful talent
Click here to join in – new members always welcome https://www.themaindeal.co.uk/garforth-community-choir
What’s On
Every Wednesday – Quiz Night at The Podger from 8 pm – great fun, iPads and interaction as well as a bite to eat beforehand from their Sizzling Menu
Every Thursday – Music Quiz Night at Quirky Ales from 730pm – where the good, homemade brew keeps flowing
O C T O B E R
Sunday 12th – 10.00 am – 2.00 pm – Garforth Market at The Gascoigne
Sunday 12th – 10.30 am – 12.00 pm Garforth Community Wildlife Apple Pressing day
Saturday 25th – from 12 pm – Walk in Piercings at Luna Aura Garforth – https://fb.me/e/35yrwn9A3
Check out all that’s on at Luna Aura, from Carve & Cocoa with The Greengrocers and Antenatal courses https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566842834718
Sunday 26th – Penny’s Community Arts session at The Welfare Hall, please book on – it’s a brilliant community session, all ages welcome, adult supervision needed with Children https://www.facebook.com/pennyscommunityarts
* Check out Facebook events for all other local activities, as well as Discover Garforth: Events and Socials https://www.facebook.com/groups/3898345080427100
Coming up in November
Sat 8th – Pat Fulgoni & Sam Bolt with Rattleshake – part of Leeds Blues Club https://bit.ly/46P7EEH
Planning
🚦 We’ve finally got some traction!
After 2.5 years of pushing for action on Garforth’s most congested roads (Ninelands, Church Lane, Green Lane), I’ve now got someone from Highways coming out to see the problem and hopefully discuss my proposal for intermittent yellow lines.
Why bother? Because, believe it or not, if people can’t even get to the high street, they stop coming, and that hurts local businesses. My aim is a solution that keeps traffic flowing and encourages drivers to actually stick to the 20mph limit, instead of flooring it whenever they see a gap…. which is what’s happening now
Here’s the reality:
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They may hate the idea
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It may not be viable
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The council’s pot of money is small – yellow paint is cheaper than digging out areas
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But… solid yellow lines just shift the problem, they don’t fix it
I’m hopeful, and I should have an update for you in November…. whatever that may be
IF YOU SEE THESE AREAS CONGESTED WITH TRAFFIC – please take photos and email me your images (I will hide Registration plates) Christine@themaindeal.co.uk – it helps to build a case before my meeting
🚗 Barley Hill Car Park – changes from 1st October
From 1st October, Barley Hill Car Park will introduce charges. The first hour is free; after that, a small fee applies.
Now, I’ll be honest — “it is what it is” (a phrase I usually can’t stand), but we’ve got to work with it. If parking and traffic are better managed, whether on the roads or in the car parks, it actually makes it easier for people to drive in, stop, and shop locally. And really, isn’t that the point?
For the record, I’ve never quite understood the “you can’t park in Garforth” line. I’ve never had an issue!
💡 Tip: The PayByPhone app is handy. If you think your appointment at the clinic, hair salon, or restaurant might run over, you can easily top up your parking time straight from your phone, no dashing back to feed a meter or trying to find some coinage.
PARKING AT THE SPRINGS
From the 6th October, The Springs will have a maximum 5-hour stay ( 2 hours extra for using the cinema). I can’t see people spending any longer there than 5 hours, even at Christmas time. I suspect this is being enforced due to commuters/car shares
TRIM THEM BACK
Garforth Crick Club – Green Lane – Conifers/poplars: On Richmond Row and Boonesborough Grove. Trim back the excess growth of the conifers/poplars to a height of 6.5m so that we can replace the netting. We would only trim back enough to raise the netting, ensuring that the visual integrity of the conifers/poplars is maintained.
Until November – Shouting about the same problem doesn’t solve it… But rolling up your sleeves might
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