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Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill (KMLD) Business and Community Group has received praise from other business support organisations for their innovative and determined approach to put the area on the map.

Kirkby Live, which is supported by KMLD, promises a number of live music events during 2023, in collaboration with the village's Mechanics Institute.

The first event takes place on Saturday January 28 and will showcase outstanding live act Hyde Family Jam, a brilliant alternative band from York whose high energy, enthusiastic brand of ‘folk gone wrong’ carries with it a generous fan base which is certain to benefit local traders.

Parish Councillor, Richard Hughes, who set up Kirkby Live, said he hopes that the event will help to show Kirkby as a complete destination, giving visitors room to explore whilst making use of facilities and hospitality provided by the area's growing number of venues.

The Hyde Family Jam headline at Kirkby Malzeard

Mr Hughes said: “We want to be a place to live, play, work and invest.

“There’s lots going on in Kirkby and we are totally convinced that it’s the way forward.

“Supporting local businesses, not just to make it a fun and enjoyable place to live.

“We want to keep our shops and our pubs. We want to keep all our facilities and we are very aware of the ‘use them or lose them’ situation and work to counteract this.”

Mr Hughes’ energy to develop his community is impressive. He said: “Not only do we want to make these elements successful and residents to use them, we want to make them accessible for others to come in and use them from outside the area – because that brings money in and that’s what we need to do.

“You can’t just not have new trade in case it damages anybody else.

“What we must do is support all facilities and use them to bring people in from all areas.

“The principle of competition is using it to your advantage.

“For example village pubs communicating together and both benefiting off the back of an event.

“The main comments we receive from the holiday cottages etc are that we are a lovely village that needs more choice.”

Kirkby Live, featuring Hyde Family Jam, takes place at The Mechanics Institute, Kirkby Malzeard on Saturday January 28 at 7.00pm.

Kirkby Live will help to show Kirkby Malzeard as a great place to “live, play, work and invest”