You won’t be able to find red roses at one Hull Asda store on Friday…
This Friday is August 1, which can only mean one thing – it’s Yorkshire Day. To celebrate its Yorkshire born-and-bred roots, Asda will be “banning” red roses from some of its stores in the county, including one in Hull.
Instead, the chain will be showing a blooming good display of white roses. To help people celebrate Yorkshire Day in proper Yorkshire fashion, Asda will also be putting a range of Yorkshire favourites on Rollback for the day, so customers can mark the occasion in style with some local treats.
Asda says Yorkshire Day is “a moment to champion everything that makes Yorkshire great, from proper brews and giant Yorkshire puddings, to stunning countryside and straight-talking grit”. In its own cheeky nod to its firmly-planted roots in the county, and Yorkshire’s historic rivalry with Lancashire, red roses are out for August 1.
The floral stunt will see select stores, including Hull’s Mount Pleasant, empty of red rose bouquets. But it is only for one day – all red roses will be back on sale across the stores the next day, Saturday, August 2.
With a business that is proudly woven into the fabric of Yorkshire life, Asda is joining in with the Yorkshire Day celebrations. Katherine Town, senior buying manager of flowers at Asda, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our Yorkshire roots and wanted to mark the day with a bit of light-hearted fun.
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“The white rose is such a strong symbol of the county, so we thought, why not let it have the spotlight for the day? We hope the displays bring a smile to our customers’ faces, while showing our continued love for this brilliant region.”
Founded in 1965, the Leeds-headquartered retailer is celebrating its 60th birthday this year. To accompany the ongoing celebrations, customers will find Yorkshire Tea and other Yorkshire-made produce on special offer this Yorkshire Day.
The date of August 1 is significant. It alludes to the regimental anniversary of the Battle of Minden, on August 1, 1759, and the wearing of roses in the headdress on that day – in the case of Light Infantry, successors to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, a white rose.
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The date is also the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, for which Hull MP William Wilberforce famously campaigned. Traditionally, the reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity is read in York in Old English, Latin, Old Norse and modern English to mark Yorkshire Day.
In East Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Declaration will be read by the chairman of East Riding Council, Cllr Liam Dealtry, at Sewerby Hall and Gardens, near Bridlington. The declaration will be supported by the award-winning East Riding town crier, Michael Wood, who brings to life local news through his proclamations.
The venue will be celebrating everything that makes Yorkshire truly special on Yorkshire Day (standard admission charges to Sewerby Hall and Gardens apply). From, 10am to 4pm, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of entertainment, celebrating Yorkshire culture and heritage.
Among the highlights will be morris dancing, flat cap flinging, Yorkshire pudding and spoon racing and a Yorkshire theme makers fair. In Sewerby Hall’s Edwardian kitchen, visitors can discover traditional Yorkshire recipes found in the East Riding Archives and there is chance to make your own Yorkshire flag to take away (11am to 3.30pm).