Interview - Malcolm Hanson

Name:	Malcolm Hanson
Age:	50
Job:	Skipton Personality, Tourist Guide
Date of interview:	2 Sept 2002

Do you live in Skipton?
Yes. I've lived here for 2 years now. I was born and brought up in Denholme, but then travelled around a lot. I visited Skipton as a kid, and loved it. At the age I'm at now, I decided I needed to settle down, and wanted to come back to the North of England, but Denholme area is just too industrial for my tastes. Skipton seemed like the perfect place.

Family here?
No. I have no family in Skipton.

What school did you go to?
Denholme Primary and Bingley County Secondary School.

Do you have a favourite pub in Skipton?
Either the Woolly Sheep or the Black Horse. The Woolly Sheep because there used to be a brilliant bench seat at the window onto the High Street, and that was a great place to sit and watch the world go by. Sadly that's changed now, but it's still a favourite pub of mine. The Black Horse for the terrace at the back, overlooking the canal.

What changes have you seen in the town over the years?
In the two years I've been here and involved with tourism here, I've seen very positive changes. I do the entertainment for the Medieval Festival, and because it did so well last year, there's more money allocated for it this year. The same with the first Waterways Festival in Skipton that we had this year, I'm involved in that too, and that went very well. I've also just been offered the job of running the entertain ment for the switching-on of the Skipton Christmas lights. I know it's a cliche, but Skipton is a happening town, and I'm very positive about the future. All the things I'm involved in here seem to be booming.

	When I moved here to Skipton I went to the Job Centre on the first day. As I arrived they'd just a minute earlier put up a card with 'Wanted: Tourist Guide' and that was it...

Describe your job in 5 words
Stimulating, rewarding, exciting, encouraging, ambitous.

Do you love your job?
100% adore it. I'm a historian, a tourist guide, a personality, an after dinner speaker, a writer and I make personal appearances - I promote Skipton.

How long have you been doing it?
Two years.

How did you get into it in the first place?
When I moved here to Skipton I went to the Job Centre on the first day. As I arrived they'd just a minute earlier put up a card with "Wanted: Tourist Guide" and that was it. It was just perfect for me. I met the organisers of the Skipton Millenium Walk, got hold of a copy of the Millenium Book, sat and learned all about the history of the town, and then took a tour group out for the first time. They thought I'd been doing it all my life. Before this, I used to work in the music business - I'm a guitarist, play keyboards, and I'm a singer-songwriter. I played in lots of smaller bands that you'll not know of. I still do occasional concerts - I did one this year for the Mayoresses charity, MIND. In 1985 I became a promoter, and worked abroad, in Europe, organising festivals and such, and concerts in places from large toilets up to stadiums. I did that until 1997 when I realised that it was just time to get out. It's a job for younger people. You suddenly go from being a 'diamond geezer' to being told 'that's pants' and you know it's time to stop.

What's your typical working day like?
Nothing's ever the same. Every day is completely different.It's impossible to give you a typical day's routine. Today's a quiet day, but then tomorrow I have a large tour group to take around town on a Ghost Walk.

Whats the best thing about you job?
Freedom. The job is 100% me. I am the job. I don't rely on anyone, and that means everything runs smoothly - I'm never held up waiting for something from others.

What's the worst thing about your job?
There are days when I don't have appointments, and it feels like I have too much free time. It's nice to get out in the sun when possible, but somethings missing when you're not busy.

What's the most outrageous thing that's happened to you in this job?
I like this. I get paid to talk about strange and funny things, and quite often things that happen to me become part of the story. One time I was booked to give a talk at Bolton Abbey Railway Station, and since it was a nice day and I had time to kill I decided to walk there. I got suitably dressed up and set off. The walk was great, and then just as I was going through the last field before the station I fell flat on my face in a huge pool of slurry. Well, actually, I sank up to my knees in it, and then toppled face forward into it. I had to make my way into the station, undress in the toilet, wash all my clothes in the sink, then give the talk barefoot, in rolled up trusers and a dripping wet shirt. I can't imagine what the people thought.

What do you see happening in the future, in your business?
I see everything expanding, growing, bigger and better. I have more books to write, and am always looking at new angles, new possibilities.

What effect does the internet have on you at the moment?
Suprisingly little really. I use e-mail, and that's about it.

How do you see this changing in the future?
I'll have a website in the future.

Do you have a favourite website?
No.

What are your hobbies? How do you relax?
My job is my hobby! I really enjoy reading, being out in the sun, walking - it's all connected.

What issue is close to your heart?
I used to be very political, I've calmed down a lot now. Watching the news frustrates me - I've opted out of it all now. It's another part of the reason why I came to Skipton.

If we gave you £5 million right now what would you do with it?
Go around the world. Straight off. No question.

Do you have anything you want to plug / publicise?
I have two books, 'Gateway Walks' and 'This Frightful Town' - both about Skipton's history. I'm working on a third: '50 Beautiful Skipton Buildings' and for that I need sponsorship - it's a much larger project. And of course the guided walks I do: The Skipton Experience - there are leaflets in the Tourist Information Centre on this, but briefly: It's a guided walk , a tour of Yorkshire's Gateway to the Dales, with a difference - not at all fuddy-duddy - I always tailor the talk to the interests of the group, whether they are kids, historians, a women's institute group or a lads night out. For enquiries, call 01756 709275 or 07932 982232.