Information About Pontefract

Day 23 of the 30 Day Blog and following on from a previous comment I’m going to blog a little bit about the town I live in: Pontefract.

I daresay that Pontefract isn’t a household name, but one of it’s biggest exports will be: Haribo. That’s right, Pontefract is the home to the UK arm of the world famous confectionery producer. Sweets such as Starmix, Tangfastics and Kiddies Supermix are all made in pontefract town centre. Demand for the products is so high that the company as recently been awarded a government grant towards building an additional factory a few miles away in Normanton

Pontefract isn’t just about sweets though. It is also a busy market town and has been since the middle ages. The main market is held on a Wednesday with smaller markets on a Friday and Saturday. Couple market day with good weather and the town centre is heaving with people looking for a bargain.

There is also Pontefract Castle which was the site of the demise of Richard II of England. The castle was constructed (approximately) in 1070 by Ilbert de Lacey on ground which had been given to him by William the Conqueror as a reward for his supprt during the Norman conquests. The castle is still a popular tourist attraction and has many events taking place throughout the year.

Just outside the town centre is Pontefract Racecourse which is the longest continuous racing circuit in the country at just over 2 miles. There are numerous race meetings here during the season, and the facilities are very good with modern bars and refreshments in all enclosures. The racecourse is situated in Pontefract Park which is open all year round to the general public. On a warm suumer’s evening it is not unusual to find lots of people running around the racecourse to keep fit. There are also several travelling circuses and fairs which visit the park during the year.

I hope you enjoyed this brief blog about the town where I live…

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