On Sunday, our Market Place will be awash with brightly lit market stalls, run by independent and local traders, offering (deep breath...):

Arts and crafts, local beers, breads, books, cakes, cards, cheese, decorations, Christmas trees and wreaths, cosmetics, crystals, deli treats, flowers, fruit and veg, games, handbags, handmade chocolates, health foods... Phew. And we haven't even got to the letter "i" yet. Lots of stuff!

You'll fine more stalls in the Market Hall. And then, in the Town Hall you'll find Santa (and even more stalls). There'll be musicians, both strolling round the town and on stage, as well as a treasure hunt featuring eight huge parrots, who'll help you win free tickets to the Georgian Theatre Royal's famous pantomime. Oh yes they maybe will!

​It sounds irresistible.

The Fair and Market kick off at 10:00 on Sunday and end at 16:00. (Santa will take a mince-pie break at midday, and finish at 15:30 - it's an exhausting job.) And there'll be a Park-and-Ride bus service (wheelchair-accessible) from Richmond School car park on Darlington Road to the Friary Gardens, 09:30 - 16:30.The Market Place will be closed to traffic 06:00 - 18:00, for a very good cause.

It's not often we feature the places you can't go to at present, but hey - it's winter, and many attractions are taking a break.

Richmond Castle is now only open at weekends, until Christmas. So come and visit our Castle at the weekend!

The Georgian Theatre Royal's tours are on pause until 2025. So is the Richmondshire Museum. Kiplin Hall is carrying out extensive visitor improvements over the winter months, and will re-open in all its fabulosity on 7 February.

But The Station is still open and buzzing with activities: films, exhibitions, workshops... Pizzas, ice-cream, local ales... As always, it's a great place to get in from the cold. And next Sunday, 1 December, our Market Place will be full of Christmas Market action, including musicians, a treasure hunt, Santa in the Town Hall, and dozens of festive stalls. No chance of dozing off then!

Emails from Egypt, postcards from Peru, tourists from Taunton - we get them all, and there's often a common theme: they know the Yorkshire Dales from way back and have fond memories that they want to refresh. That pub in Mallerstangdale; the riverside walk from Yockenthwaite; that landlady in Crackpot...

If you've got far-off friends or relatives who've caught the Dales bug, we can help. We can't scratch every itch, but we have some lovely guidebooks, calendars and local histories in stock in our pod in Richmond's Market Hall. We also have an online shop with our most popular local publications: Richmond Walks; Pootling round Richmond and Swaledale; the Little but Wondrous Guide to Richmond; the Short History of Richmond Racecourse and its Grandstand (now at a daft bulk-buy price of just £5) and Joe Willis's informative but hilarious Swaledale. Details and online ordering are at richmondinfo.net/shop. 

Happy Christmas!

PS: we also have an enormous range of charity Christmas cards. Come in and fill a bag!

This week's lucky dip into What's On Richmond has pulled out Paddington in Peru. What luck! This is the follow-up to the single greatest, most fabulous, most hilarious, best-natured film ever made, Paddington 2. (You don't agree? Our webmaster would like a word with you...)

The film will drop at the Station Cinema this coming Friday, 8 November, with multiple showings every day. Thrill to the bear's adventures as he heads back to Darkest Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy, only to discover that - No, no plot spoilers! You'll have to experience the chaos and the fun for yourself.

You can find screening days and times at stationcinema.com/whatson. You can also book online.

While you're at The Station, why not make an occasion of the occasion? Treat yourself yourself to a meal and a drink at the Station Cafe|Bar. You can reserve a table at 01748 825967. There's something for everyone on the menu, and a yummy range of dishes for youngsters.

​Will there be marmalade? There should be!