Businesses and brands go the extra mile for Le Tour
Businesses across Yorkshire were busy stocking up ahead of the Tour de France, but some took it a step further.
From creating giant scarecrows to filling the world’s biggest beer, businesses of all sizes celebrated the world’s biggest cycling event arriving to the county.
A big effort was made by McCain Foods, an official supplier of the event, which commissioned the creation of a giant 4,550 square metre scarecrow in a potato farmer’s field.
Located at Alton Farms, lying just off part of the stage two route on the A59, it was created by an expert team of field artists over the course of five days using bio-degradable paint. It even appeared in ITV’s Emmerdale.
The Airedale Shopping Centre in Keighley also embarked on a challenge to get the attention of airborne camera crews by aligning white, red and blue cars on its roof to form a French flag.
Car manufacturing company ŠKODA, the official vehicle sponsor at Leeds’ Harewood House, supplied more than 250 support vehicles for the Tour and cyclists were busy posing on top of the cars.
Businesses throughout Yorkshire also re-branded themselves for the Tour, even replacing original banners and boards with new ones.
Leeds leisure and retail destination The Light became ‘La Lumière’ and hosted a six-week programme of cycling events ahead of the event. A Three mobile store located on Leeds’ Commercial Street also became ‘Trois’ for the day as employees dressed up in French attire.
Food businesses also joined in with the celebrations.
Little Valley Brewery based in Cragg Vale, which brews a range of organic beers, created a new beer to mark the Tour, themed on Yorkshire cycling champion Brian Robinson.
Stodd Fold Brewing Company based in Halifax even entered the Guinness Book of Records for the largest glass of beer. It was filled with a total of 3,664 pints of Stod Fold’s Gold Ale.
Castleford-based cheesemongers Cryer & Stott teamed up with Leeds Bradford Airport and Jet2.com, visiting six French towns and cities that were twinned with Yorkshire towns for the Grand Depart.
Coming back with a taste of the finest fromage, they made a mini aeroplane out of cheese.
