Owner of Rudding Park in Harrogate celebrates 50th anniversary of award-winning success with help of pupils

The owner of Harrogate’s Rudding Park has marked 50 years since his family bought one of the town’s most beautiful hotels by planting a time capsule.
By Graham Chalmers
Published 25th Jan 2023, 12:00 GMT
Updated 25th Jan 2023, 12:02 GMT
50th anniversary time capsule ceremony 2023 - Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park in Harrogate, with Follifoot C of E Primary School pupils William, Imogen, Alex, Florence, Olive, Florence and Beatrice.50th anniversary time capsule ceremony 2023 - Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park in Harrogate, with Follifoot C of E Primary School pupils William, Imogen, Alex, Florence, Olive, Florence and Beatrice.
50th anniversary time capsule ceremony 2023 - Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park in Harrogate, with Follifoot C of E Primary School pupils William, Imogen, Alex, Florence, Olive, Florence and Beatrice.

Set in 300 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland, Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park, was joined by local schoolchildren just as he was 25 years ago on the occasion of the silver anniversary.

Replicating the format from 1997, school children from Years 1-6 at Follifoot C of E Primary School were invited to enter a competition to create a piece of artwork which depicted a winters’ day in Follifoot.

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The winning pupils came along to see Mr Mackaness plant the new time capsule alongside the one planted in 1997 to mark the 25th anniversary of the family’s ownership of Rudding Park.

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Flashback to 1997 - How the Harrogate Advertiser reported on the 25th anniversary time capsule ceremony with Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park and Follifoot school pupils.Flashback to 1997 - How the Harrogate Advertiser reported on the 25th anniversary time capsule ceremony with Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park and Follifoot school pupils.
Flashback to 1997 - How the Harrogate Advertiser reported on the 25th anniversary time capsule ceremony with Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park and Follifoot school pupils.

"As a local business, we have akways recognised the importance of reaching out to our local community.

"When we planted our first time capsule in 1997 we made a promise to invite the next generation of school children to help us mark 50 years.

"To see that come to fruition is quite something. The children created some fantastic entries.”

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Winning entries were placed inside the capsule along with a number of Rudding Park branded items to reflect the times including the following:

A face covering

A Christmas bauble

A medal from the inaugural Rudding ParkRace 10K,

A silk scarf work by the Reception team

A copy of the Rudding Review – a newspaper with an overview of 2022.

Rebecca Holland, Head Teacher at Follifoot Church of England Primary School said “We are extremely lucky to have Rudding Park on our door step.

"They have generously supported the school with numerous fund-raising activities over the years.

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"To be approached to involve the children one again in such an important milestone was an absolute thrill.”

The award-winning luxury spa hotel at the edge of Harrogate has seen many improvements over the half century it has been owned by Mackaness Family.

Rudding Park’s recent awards successes includes Accessibility Award, AA Hospitality Awards 2022, and Hotel Spa of the Year, AA 2019-2020.

More information at www.ruddingpark.co.uk

Related topics:Harrogate