Gyles Brandreth’s bears come out of hibernation as hall partly reopens
THEY HAVE been in a longerthan-expected hibernation since last winter, but the 1,000 or so teddy bears that make up the Gyles Brandreth collection at a North Yorkshire country house will finally re-emerge tomorrow.
Newby Hall, the 18th century pile beside the River Ure, south of Ripon, has been their den since 2016 when the author and broadcaster handed them over on permanent loan.
They include original puppets and models used on The Muppet Show and in the Paddington films and TV series, as well as soft toys that formerly belonged to Tony Blair, Barbara Cartland and others.
“They are all being Hoovered and spruced up as we speak,” said Stuart Gill, Newby Hall’s commercial director.
The 40 acres of gardens which form part of the attraction opened four weeks ago, some two months later than planned, and this weekend will see the reopening of the buildings that house the bear collection, restaurant and a separate, permanent collection of 65 dolls houses. The outdoor miniature railway will open next Wednesday.
The house itself, built by Sir Christopher Wren and one of England’s finest examples of Robert Adam interior architecture, will open shortly, after social distancing “challenges” are resolved, Mr Gill said.
The teddy bears are Newby’s most popular attraction, with around half the annual tally of 140,000 visitors looking at it.
“It’s one of those things that draws people of all ages, and of
Stuart Gill, Newby Hall’s commercial director, on the hall’s collection of bears. course kids love to go round and round and round,” Mr Gill said.
Mr Brandreth had previously displayed his collection at his own museum in Stratford-onAvon but offered them to Newby after visiting the house for a BBC filming session.
Among the soft toys he amassed during decades of collecting was the original Sooty glove puppet, purchased in Blackpool in the 1950s by the Guiseley entertainer Harry Corbett and then used on TV.
Mr Brandreth also donated to Newby an early Fozzie Bear model given to him by the late Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.
They are all being Hoovered and spruced up as we speak.