Shop named as the ‘best dressed in Doncaster’ for Tour de Yorkshire

That's because Pauline's shop on Bentley High Street has beaten off top notch competition to be judged the best Tour de Yorkshire shop window in a borough-wide competition organised by Doncaster Council..

Hers was judged the best entry by a panel of judges including the Doncaster Free Press, Club Doncaster, and Visit Doncaster

Pauline, who has run her shop for nearly 60 years, teamed up with her husband Ray to create a display that wowed the judges, complete with a bike that lights up in the dark.

Ray, aged 83, climbed up a ladder to fix three bikes, painted yellow, to the wall of the shop, with some help from his grandsons Adam Butler and Owen Middleton

He even fitted one of them with lights to illuminate it in the dark and look as though it is moving. They also created models of of the Y-shaped Tour de Yorkshire trophy, added Yorkshire flags and yellow and blue bunting.

Pauline said: “When we heard the race was coming round, Ray got some bikes together and climbed up a ladder to fix them up.

“I’ve had a shop here 59 years. Ironically, It won a shop window display competition in the first year it was open. Now we’ve won one again all these years later. I’m very proud.”

There is also a trophy in the window – and its one a with story. It was presented to her son Andrew Middleton, when he was a winner on the TV show Scrapheap Challenge.

Pauline added: “It has been impossible to get yellow ribbon in Bentley – its all been used in Tour de Yorkshire decorations.”

The prize for the best dressed window in the town centre went to Flowers by Kerry Gough, on Wood Street, with a creation made up of wheels, bunting and flowers.

Kerry said she loved doing her window displays and was hoping to watch the Tour de Yorkshire, even though it did not pass her shop.

“It’s not passing my street but I wanted to be part of it,” she said.

Runner up in the town centre was Martin’s estate agent, on Hall Gate. They had matched their own colourful artwork of Doncaster landmarks, drawn by employee Lorna Kitchin and Hall Cross School pupil Tia Bunn, with a yellow bike.

Winner of the best dressed shop on route was Danum Home Hardware, on High Street, Bentley. They had used cycle helmets as flower pots, and included a bike, a Tour de Yorkshire podium, and bunting in her display.

Manager Mandy Denman said: “I was really excited to win. I think the quality of entrants has been amazing and the businesses here have really smashed it with the window displays.”

Runner-up on the route was Tranquilty health and beauty salon, also on Bentley High Street.

Owner Beverley Carmody and her friends put up flagpoles and created shapes using false fingernails and spatulas. They also fixed bikes to the wall and did a cycling ‘King of the Mountains’ type paint scheme on the wall.

“It’s great to get recognition for the work,” she said. “We’re going to have a party on the day of the race.”

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “Congratulations to our Best Dressed Window Competition winners and thank you to all our businesses for taking part and embracing the spirit of the Tour de Yorkshire 2019.

“They really rose to the challenge with their creativity and enthusiasm and with such a high standard of entries both in the town centre and all along the route, it was a very tough competition to judge.

“Yet again, they have done Doncaster proud.”

The Tour de Yorkshire starts at Market Place, Doncaster, at 1.05pm on Thursday, May 2.