On 29 August Save Our Shire received written permission to place an advertising banner for a Treasure Hunt on the Richmondshire District Council railings outside the Tourist Information Centre in Richmond. On Monday of this week (4 September) the banner was removed, apparently stolen.

The police were informed and on Tuesday, in the course of their enquiry, they visited the RDC and found that the banner was in the RDC's possession. S.O.S. had enquired earlier if the RDC knew anything about it but had been told that they did not.

The reason the RDC now gives is that the banner was removed as it was initially said to be political. Since when has a Treasure Hunt been political? S.O.S. is and always has been strictly non-political as is clearly stated on this website. The current excuse given for the banner's removal is that S.O.S. is in conflict with the RDC but does this constitute a valid reason to ban the advertising of an innocent Treasure Hunt?

As the RDC did not admit possession of the banner until interrogated by the police, its removal might well be construed as theft and one has to ask to what lengths this out-of-control Council will stoop in the battle to prevent the development of Yorke Square and the move to Colburn.

THE MISSING BANNER: S.O.S. members Jean Wrangham and Linda Cripps were astonished to find that the banner had been removed from the railings.

 The banner was sponsored by pensioner Jean Wrangham, a member of Save Our Shire, seen here on the right of the picture with Linda Cripps.

Jean stated:  “I am scandalised. Save Our Shire’s campaign has always been about the people of Richmondshire and this Treasure Hunt was just like that, an affordable family event at the end of the first week back at school.  That’s why I decided to sponsor the banner – people need to know about the event – now everything has been made that bit harder.”