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Lockdown-Caring for Your Car During Lockdown

Lockdown

How to Care for Your Car During Lockdown

Between heading out and staying at home, the latter is the favourable choice these days, which means that you’re probably not doing a whole lot of driving. But just like your body needs exercise to stay healthy, your car isn’t designed for prolonged periods without movement. 

The more time it spends in one place, the higher your risk of facing an unwelcome repair bill come the next time you turn the key. The good news is that you don’t have to do much to keep your hatchback, van or people carrier in shape. Below are some tips to care for your car during lockdown. 

Keep it Charged

Without a regular boost from the engine, batteries are prone to running flat. The easiest way to prevent this is to go for a drive, but idling will also help. Batteries in older cars and those parked outside in cold or hot weather will drain the power faster. Hooking up your car to a trickle charger can keep it juiced up over longer periods. 

Check the Tyre Pressure

Staying in one place can cause your car’s tyres to develop flat spots, so it’s a good idea to go for a short drive every now and then – which is also important for maintaining the circulation of fluids among mechanical parts. Be sure to check your tyre pressure (including the spare) and make the necessary adjustments. 

Add a Personal Touch

You probably have some extra time on your hands as of late. And with less money going to fuel, perhaps a little more cash, too. Think about whether there are any personal touches that you’ve been wanting to add to your car. It can be something as simple as slipping on some new seat covers or a complete colour change with a wrap. 

Another great option is to get your own custom number plate. A local company like Number 1 Plates makes it easy to create your own legal pressed number plates through their online builder. They sell high-quality metal registration plates with a range of customisation options. Plus, your new pressed plates will be delivered right to your door. 

Avoid Using the Parking Brake

Cars parked in humid and coastal areas are particularly susceptible to corrosion, as are older models. One way to reduce your risk of rust is to avoid engaging the parking brake, since this can cause damage to the system over time. Of course, this only applies if your garage is on flat land.

Choose Your Parking

Another potential source of rust comes from parking on soft surfaces such as fields, as this can cause moisture to travel up the undercarriage of your car. If you can’t get on a pavement, then gravel is your next best option. Consider the safety of your parking area. It’s always wise to remove any valuable items from your car when you’re not in it. 

Taking the above steps will go a long way in keeping your car in tip-top shape during lockdown. Don’t forget to give it a good wash when things go back to normal.

Scrap Tyre Dumping Returns

Bald Car Tyres- Bald tyres are lethal and also dangerous to ALL road users.

Bald Car Tyres

Bald Car Tyres can be killers

So, Pellon tyres in Halifax West Yorkshire. Incredibly, so have never seen so many bad tyres. Removed from customers wheels. Hence, in 40 years of trading as a tyre business. These bald tyres are a danger. Hence, to all other road users. Of course, and the people who drive about with them on. Car tyre prices have escalated threefold. In the past two years. Consequently, due to the cost increase in the raw materials. Hence, that go on to making tyres. Also, cheap tyres are flooding the European tyre dealers. So, causing a battle for cheap car tyres. Therefore, between all the tyre manufacturers, This is helping to stabilise the price increases. But only very slowly.

We have all had to cut back in these difficult times, but to cut back on buying car tyres will put the vehicle owner and other motorists in great danger. Everybody should change their tyres before they become bald tyres. There is nothing worse. Then coming across a heavy shower, after a beautiful sunny day. Hence, a car with bald tyres. Will start to skid on the wet surface. Thus, and could cause an accident through aquaplaning. For this reason, this is when the tyre is separated. Thus, From the road surface on a wet road, sometimes due to a bald tyre on a wet road, this causes the tyre to lose grip and then the loss of the cars steering causing an accident tom happen.

Bald Car Tyres

When your bald tyres are separated from the road surface by a thin layer of water. So, your tyre does not grip because of the absence of tread on the tyre and the car can go in any direction when the brakes are applied, according to R.O.S.P.A this is the cause of many motorway crashes.

Also, you may have seen F1 cars during a race, in dry weather the racing cars are fitted with bald tyres (called slicks), but when the weather turns wet, the cars are changed to tyres that have a tread pattern. This is the same for an average car; it is highly dangerous to drive on “bald” tyres and also illegal.

 Use your sense and buy new tyres, even cheap tyres are better than having “bald tyres.”

A large section of the public car drivers do obey the law when it comes to replacing their tyres, we have been very busy since last November, and it is not all the people that run about on bald tyres, far from it. Many of our customers are looking for, car tyre prices, only to find that we can compete with our top internet competitors.   

Insurance !

Importantly, it is wise to know that bald tyres invalidate insurance. Also if you are stopped by police for bald tyres you will eventually be fined and be penalized with three point s per bald tyre. Incredibly, this could mean 12 points for all 4 bald tyres (should you have any).

caravan and motorhome batteries

Caravan Tyre Problems-Christmas holiday season time again to check your tyres?

Caravan Tyre Problems

Caravan Tyre Problems; Information about your Caravan Tyres

Caravan Tyre Problems start with your tyres that must be inflated, checked and adjusted and only when the tyres are cold before your road trip heats them up.

In fact, we recommend that the owners of trailers and touring caravans remove the entire set of wheels. thus, and bring them to the garage or auto centre. Hence, they use them and have them checked by a qualified member of the staff. For this reason, this will ensure the complete unit will be verified correctly. Hence, the safest possible outcome for you and your caravan Alleviating any tyre problems

The wheels will be checked for rust and alloy flaking off. The tyres will be removed from the wheels and checked for any internal cuts or other damage. This is very important. Naturally, hidden damage can turn a simple journey into a nightmare scenario. Especially when travelling at sixty miles per hour on a highway. As a result, and due to a tyre failure, losing complete control of the caravan.

Caravan Tyre Problems

The tyre fitter will inspect the tyres for damage on the outside. Of course, to the tread and the side walls. So, check for cuts and cracks and look for signs of caravan tyre problems. Also important is to check the age of the tyre. This can be easily done by an expert fitter. They do become out of date after six years. As a result, and are impacted by ageing in the rim areas.

Cracks start to appear round the rim area. Hence, due to them being stood in the Sun. For long hours during the Sunnier months and in time, the “carbon black”, that is used in the rubber mix of the tyre. Thus, starts to break down. For this reason, and deep cracks begin to form around the rim area and will eventually join up to create a very dangerous hazard.

Caravan Tyre Problems

This is one of the most common causes of tyre failure in motorhomes, and the same rules apply to caravans and trailers. Any with cracks or cuts should be scrapped right away and replaced with a new tyre. Finally, if everything is in good order, the air pressures and valves should be checked to the correct readings for your type of vehicle and trailer. One of the best brands of motorhome tyres is made by Michelin and is made especially for the job with all the correct weight markings.

Another important point is to have the vehicle load index checked. Thus, for the weight that you will be carrying, to make sure that they conform. Hence, your caravan or trailer’s recommended weight carrying capacity Many trailer owners make this mistake and fit the wrong type. Some of the larger, heavier vehicles require more heavy-duty tyres to handle the additional loading; Your tyre dealer will advise you on the correct fitments by recommending you fit reinforced or higher-ply-rated tyres, six or even eight-ply tyres are available.

 Finally, to sum up, you should have your tyres checked by a tyre expert

Try to stick with new tyres if you can afford them. Always load your vehicle and the trailing vehicle evenly. Thus, to give a more even weight distribution across the axle, Make sure that your tyres have the correct load rating. Hence, for the full weight index of your caravan or motor home, it is also necessary to fix yourself up with a spare wheel that has a tyre to match the ones you have on the vehicle. Most Caravan Tyre Problems are common sense, but we still see piles of wood on the side of our roads in the summertime due to blow outs.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-Centre offers car and van servicing and repairs for all makes of vehicles. We also sell Michelin Tyres online from our website, www.pellontyres.co.uk, by using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size. We offer courtesy cars to local motorists who need to go to work and leave their car with us for work. We are also an official MOT testing station.

vans for sale

General Van Tyres- Well known German tyre company Bring Out New “VAN TYRE”

General Van Tyres

Euro Van 2 new tyre from General Van Tyres

General tyres (part of the Continental tyre group) are keeping up in the lucrative van tyre market with a splendid new tyre, the Euro Van 2 tyre. The market for this product is huge, with the massive increase in the modern van market surging ahead.

Tyre manufacturers. Have now to make heavy duty versions of new car tyres. Because of the speed and comfort, that the new vans are capable of doing. Therefore, gone are the days of the smoky old diesel vans. Chugging along, holding the rest of the traffic up. For this, reason, these days vans can out perform, many cars and the tyres need to be of higher speed. Thus and load ratings. To cope with the extra performance that these modern vans can supply. General Van Tyres have taken all this into consideration.

The new General tyres Euro van is no exception. The newly developed tread pattern helps give the tyre higher mileage and better traction giving the tyre excellent handling on dry roads and a more improved braking performance.

General Van Tyres

For better comfort. General have developed the tyre with staggered tread grooves. Thus, on the shoulder reducing the noise. Giving a better comfort level to the driver. Noise reduction is also important for the green credibility of the tyre. In particular. With the new tyre labels coming out soon. Hence, that gives all tyres noise pollution levels. naturally, to help verify how green the tyre is.

As far as van tyres go this General Van Tyres product is one of the best van tyres that I have come across. People think that there is not much difference performance wise in van tyres, but they would be wrong in thinking that. The most important thing is to look at whatever make of tyres that you have on your van. The van tyre market is one of the most neglected of all the tyre markets. Van drivers usually work for other people, and they do not look after their tyres. So having a good brand of Tyres in the first place is critical, because they are going to get abused, running at low and high pressures at high speeds are usually the norm for the van, only coming to garages when the need replacing due to lack of care.

The new General tyres van tyre will cover almost 90% of van tyre sizes

oil and engine warning lights

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems- TPMS systems will be fitted to most makes of cars in the future.

Tyre pressure monitoring systems will be the “Norm” for all cars.

Learner drivers are often reminded to inspect their tyres before driving. We choose to disregard this advise as soon as we acquire our complete driving licence, even though it just takes a few seconds. The effects of this carelessness may be disastrous.

Wheels are among the most brittle components of a car because of their continual touch with the road’s surface. Damage and underinflation may be caused by potholes, sharp objects, poor alignment, or unintentional curb contact. As a result, tyre life is shortened, and performance—particularly braking distance—is significantly impacted. Low pressure not only impairs the driver’s overall control but can also result in blowouts, which are frequently followed by dangerous auto accidents.

In order to improve road user safety, TPMS became required for new cars in the EU in 2014. New TPMS regulations were adopted in the UK a year later. Under this law, a malfunctioning or inoperative TPMS sensor automatically fails a MOT, regardless of the state of the vehicle.

Many car models now have electric tyre pressure monitoring systems. They warn the driver when a tyre is deflating or flat. Thus, through a warning light on the car’s dashboard Check this link for further information

http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Tires/Tires+Rating/TPMS

These devices are excellent and save you money in the long run. The system ensures that the tyres are properly inflated for the driver. Thus, you will find that they will wear much better. Therefore, many cars on our roads are driving with tyres that are very much under pressure, which causes them to wear badly and the car not to handle correctly in cornering and braking.

A partially inflated tyre is also more prone to picking up a nail or other object and causing a puncture or even a blowout. Yours, on the other hand, may be over-inflated, causing the vehicle to roll around while driving and causing premature tyre wear. picked up with a wireless

Tyre Pressure Monitoring System fitted to your car.

Correctly inflated tyres Hence, it will also save you money on your fuel bill. Thus, it is called “rolling resistance.” Because when your wheels are correct. Then you can save as much as 25% on your fuel bills. So any gadget such as a Tyre Pressure Monitors a tyre monitoring device is well worth it.

So, since this article was fist written then TPMS systems have become the norm. Importantly most car models are now fitted with TPMS systems.

Monitoring systems can save your life

To sum this up. The system also ensures that you get better mileage out of your tyres and the vehicle uses less fuel and is, therefore, more economical to run.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tyresure-Tyre-Pressure-Monitoring-Systems-For-Cars,-Trucks-and-Buses&id=2498053

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems

BMW Runflat tyres-“How they Work” they really are a great safety feature.

BMW Runflat tyres  are now a common feature on today’s modern cars. This advice is given by Pellon tyres of Halifax West Yorkshire.

Higher safety levels with BMW Runflat tyres

Here at Pellon tyres we sell all types of car tyres. Of course, including the BMW Runflat tyres. Thus, found on many of today’s BMW and Mini cars. The usual thing that happens when confronted with having to buy

replacement runflat tyres. of course, is the moaning customer complaining about the cost. This is from people who have bought second or third hand cars. Accordingly, such as BMW minis or older BMW’s and Mercedes saloons.

I suppose you can’t really blame them in these days of recession. Of course, the idea of BMW Runflat tyres was to give the car added safety features. Because, that’s what these tyres do. So it’s understandable that the price of the tyre is more expensive. Because the tyre has more materials in during their manufacture. As a result, with research and development costs to recover.

The runflat tyres have special side walls that are made to take the weight or your can when driven on in a deflated state. (IN OTHER WORDS IF YOU HAVE A PUNCTURE, THE TYRE WILL NOT TEAR UP AND ALLOWS YOU TO GET HOME AT A LOWER SPEED).

If you have a puncture this will sometimes be detected by a tyre deflation warning light.(TPMS) Some drivers are not even aware that they have a puncture, only noticing later that the tyre “looks flat”.

BMW Runflat tyres

If you have a flat tyre do not travel long distances or at high speeds. You can check the correct speed from your local tyre dealer or tyre manufacturers, the usual limit is 50mph but check this out for yourself, check for the speed and distance, then you can travel home safely with the flat tyre. Check your runflat tyres regularly

It is important to check all tyres on a regular basis. Thus, preferably at least every week. This is especially important with runflat tyres. If you don’t have a TPMS system you will not notice that the tyre may be flat or at best have low pressure. When run on, “under inflated” tyres may cause the “inner tyre” to be damaged without detection. But this will be detected with regular pressure checks.

To sum up the BMW Runflat tyres are a great invention. But, I can foresee that all cars will have this safety feature in the future. You must expect to pay more for your runflat tyres because you are getting much more for your money and check your pressures at a regular interval at all times, remember you don’t have a spare wheel.

Kumho tyres offer an excellent runflat tyre.

Pellon Tyre and Autocentre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. We also offer tyres online from our website for BMW Runflat tyres Prices. 

Hankook Tyres-launches 4 HP

General 4×4 tyres- a “Great tyre” at a “Great price” from Pellon Tyres in Halifax UK

General 4×4 tyres (Grabber HP 4×4 tyres)

General Tyres have always been a favourite of Pellon tyres, one of Yorkshires leading 4×4 tyre centres. The feedback from their trade and retail customers have helped General 4×4 tyres in producing a class-leading 4×4 tyre such as the legendary XP2000.

The end result of harnessing all the attributes from their past products. Thus using the latest technology brings you these new high performance road tyres. These products are perfect for the SUV ,owner.  Who wishes to have the best performance for their vehicle also gaining themselves exceptional value for money.

Both the HP (High Performance) and UHP (Ultra High Performance) tyres offer fantastic levels of grip. Also road holding and steering response. They are also exceptionally quiet on the highway. Once again these General 4×4 tyres are a very good mid-range tyre. They are highly recommended by Pellon tyres in Halifax West Yorkshire.

General tyres(Grabber UHP 4×4 tyres)

  1. General  tyres have used the XP2000 to help develop the Grabber UHP. Therefore General tyre has always been very well respected by the trade and retail consumers alike.
  2. General 4×4 tyres are well known for producing top class, pure-road 4×4 tyres such as the legendary XP2000. The end result of putting all the attributes of past products and using the latest technology bringing you these new high performance road tyres.
  3. Specially suited and perfect for the SUV, owner who wishes to enhance the performance of their vehicle and gain exceptional value for money. Both the HP (High Performance) and UHP (Ultra High Performance) tyres offer fantastic levels of grip, road holding and steering response. They are also very quiet on the highways and motorways. These tyres are not off-road 4×4 tyres, but road tyres with off road advantages. This tyre is not in the economy tyre range but comes highly recommended by Pellon tyres in Halifax West Yorkshire.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

caravan and motorhome batteries

Check Your caravan Tyres-This includes Motorhome tyres- before your journey

Check Your caravan Tyres

Check Your CARAVAN TYRES

Tyre experts recommend that owners of any trailed vehicles should remove the complete wheel or wheels .Then take them to their favorite garage or auto centre. Then have them checked by a professional member of the team. It is important that the wheels  are given a thorough inspection, this will ensure the safest possible outcome. So Check Your CARAVAN and MOTORHOME TYRES . The most common thing found on caravan tyres is sidewall cracking. This usually only comes to light when the tyre is removed. We can flex the sidewall with the tyre removed from the wheel, and this will show the extent of the cracking. This problem is due to the affect of ultra-violet light acting on the carbon black. This is in the make up of the tyre when the caravan is parked, and is more common on Old Michelin tyres.     

This information also applies to motor-homes.

The wheels will be checked for corrosion. Then the tyres will be removed from the wheels and checked for internal cuts and damage. This is most important as unseen damage can become a nightmare scenario. Especially, when going down a motorway at sixty mile per hour and losing complete control due to tyre failure.

The tyre dealer will then Check Your vehicles tyres regularly, the outside of the for damage to the tread area and the sidewalls for cuts and cracks. Also important is to check the age of the tyre, this can be easily done by an expert fitter. Tyres do become out of date after six years and are affected by aging in the sidewalls.

Check Your CARAVAN TYRES As stated above cracks start to form around the rim area due to the caravan wheels been stood in the Sun for long hours. Especially, during the Summer months. And eventually the carbon black, that is used in the manufacture of the caravan  tyres, starts to break down. Small but deep cracks start to form around the rim area. This will eventually join up to create a very dangerous hazard. Indeed this is one of the most common cause for tyre blowouts on caravans and trailers. Any caravan tyres with cracks and cuts should be scrapped and replaced with a new tyre. Finally if everything is OK the pressures and tyre valves should be checked to the correct loading for your vehicle and trailer.

Another important point is to have the vehicle loading checked on your caravan tyres,

to make sure that the wheel set up conforms to your caravan or trailers recommended weight carrying capacity. Some of the larger heavier vehicle require more heavy duty tyres to carry the extra loading, your tyre dealer will advise you on the correct fitments by advising you fit either re-enforced or larger ply rated ones.
Check Your CARAVAN TYRES pressures, which should always be checked and adjusted when the pressures are cold before every journey. If in doubt replace with new and correct  caravan tyres.

2020 Update

At the present time then the caravan/motorhome market has hit the roof. Henceforth, so has the tyre market for these types of vehicle. So, it is even more important to fit the correct tyres on these vehicles. of course the main consideration is the weight that these vehicles will carry! Especially when loaded up ready for the holidays.

Most drivers of these vehicles are responsible and do buy the correct tyres. Indeed tyre companies now make special tyres for these vehicles. Michelin tyres are a good example. Hence offering the Michelin Agilis Camping tyre range.

Heres a great Email that a kind customer about this subject-

Dear Mr. Roberts

I recently came across a blog which appears to be headed by you.  The content was of great interest to me. So, for a large number of years, have had a 1988 Ford Transit Mk III AutoSleeper motorhome. Which, I had bought it to try and improve on the lack of guts of an earlier Mk II Transit and to avoid the types of construction which led to continual water leaks! I therefore pulled this Mk III Transit to pieces, using hands far more competent than myself, and fitted a 2.9 EFi V6 Ford engine with all ancillaries plus heavy duty clutch and gearbox. Importantly, I then fitted a sub-frame with front axle, rear axle, running gear and anti roll bars etc.  derived from a later heavy duty Transit and added adjustable dampers.

I needed to do quite a lot of other modifications to get the vehicle the way I wanted it. I thus have a wonderful high performance motorhome which, due to the massive increase in weight low down, it has a centre of gravity which should be below floor level or very near.  Thus, a very stable motorhome to drive at high speed to and from Ireland and on winding roads between times. In particular, I had researched tyres for the vehicle which has the 15” 6 stud wheels off the later Transit,  I remind with a single wheel rear axle, not double.  I looked at bullion vans and similar on the same set up and found that Michelin Agilis was the choice. I therefore fitted a set of Michelin Agilis 81’s, as they were at that time.

They were made in France.

I enquired of Technical Dept. at Michelin of the pressures I should run at and gave the weighbridge weights for my vehicle fully laden.  Particularly emphasizing that it was single rear wheel axle set up.  They assured me, particularly the rear tyres, should run at 42psi. So,  I questioned this but assurance was given again. Needless to say, with that pressure in the rear tyres, they looked as thought they had a puncture and would be unsafe to drive on!  The bullion vans were running 62psi minimum on the rear and I therefore put similar pressure in my rear tyres to put the matter right.  This achieved transformation. I therefore enjoyed my family trips to the West of Ireland and back many times and found the journeys comparatively relaxing compared with the trips in the previous Transit.

An MOT inspector commented that the vehicle was a delight to drive and asserted that it felt more like a high performance car than a motorhome.  He further added that most people merely stuffed a more powerful engine into a vehicle and did little more, but I had created a completely new vehicle by altering the specification so that everything gelled together to create something that  might have come out of the factory. I only had two problems with the tyres:  the first not really with the tyre, was that I suffered a burst tyre valve (fortunately when the vehicle was stationary).  I did write to the motoring press.  They seemed to treat me as a crank and were unwilling to make the public aware of the dangers.

 I fitted steel valves and solved the problem.

I noted in the motoring press, after about 3 years, an increasing number of letters. Advising motorhome owners who had gone down the motorway on their side or roof through a blowout. That they should fit steel valves when running high pressure!

The other problem I had, on a trip via Galloway:  I woke up one morning on campsite. So, to find that one rear tyre appeared very soft.  I went to the local tyre distributor! And estimated that I would receive my pension book before they got to attend to me!  I therefore put some air in the tyre and monitored it.  It held pressure perfectly.  When I got home, however, the mechanic who helps me. Indicated that one rear tyre had been cut deeply in the groove of the tread (almost as though with a Stanley knife).  He agreed with me however that it appeared to be tyre failure rather than sabotage.  I merely fitted a replacement to match the others.

Shortly afterwards, the tread was getting low on two of the tyres. I was advised to fit a later Michelin Agilis (Green X) ! Which I think was the early camping tyre, country of origin unknown.  A pair of these  were fitted to the rear. It was noticeable that the tyres seemed to have more of a balloon effect. Especially, in the side walls ! Also that they had no kerbing blocks in the side walls which possibly made the side walls more flexible.

I lost the precision straight line stability of the steering but worse found that the vehicle suffered from dreadful tramlining on the inside lane of motorways which I put down to the mix of tyres. There was no undue wear in the steering or suspension, the weight had been maintained as normal, as also the tyre pressures.

The vehicle then came out of use for a few years due to various family bereavements etc.

 Firstly, I am now in need of getting the vehicle back in trim and propose to replace all tyres. My inclination is to consider fitting a set of latest Michelin Agilis 3 which appear to be very similar in design to my original tyres and have side walls which will be the nearest match from a behavioral point of view.

Secondly, I am wary of the Michelin Agilis camping tyres referred to above, just in case they perpetuate the problem mentioned above, but also in view of the fact that motorhome owners (when I read their forums) seem to have had many problems with these particular tyres. I have always been a very safety conscious person and I am not prepared to take any risks which, for a vehicle like mine, means that I consider the tyres the most important part of the vehicle. I annex an image of the vehicle from which you will that it has a close coupled chassis design which has a large overhang at the rear.

The revised plating shown on the attached and the weighbridge weights where the vehicle was fully laden are shown on this scribbled note attached.  The actual travelling weights should normally be slightly less. The vehicle is capable of 112mph but is fitted with a governor on the back of the gearbox to limit the speed to approximately 89mph. So, I have previously been told, however, that the first statistic is the one that governs the tyre spec.

I hope you do not find this letter too long.

I could supply a lot more information, if needed, and hope that you will be able to give me some feedback of your views as to the direction in which I should go.  You might be interested to know. That I have regularly seen people with front wheel drive motorhomes. Being towed off grass campsites (weight in the back, drive on the front).  On one occasion in very wet weather, I awoke in the morning to find my wheel rims level with the turf.  I started and warmed the engine thoroughly then, despite leaving some horrific ruts for quite a long distance. I crawled the vehicle out without spinning a wheel!

The only downside to the vehicle is the petrol consumption!

Yours sincerely,

Mark Fitzgerald-Hart

ORNHAMS HOLDINGS

Ornhams Hall – Boroughbridge – York – YO51 9JH