MEMORIES of The Bay Horse in Marygate continued Lorna Harris (neé Grantham) emailed us all the way from New Mexico, after reading our story about plans to convert the former pub into flats and offices, to the sadness of former landlord and landlady Arthur and Eve Briggs.

Mrs Harris wrote: "I grew up in York and now live in New Mexico, USA. As a young girl my best friends were Judith and Malorie Helps, who were nieces of the Briggs - Auntie Evie we all called her.

"When we would go into York shopping for our mothers, we would go by The Bay Horse and Auntie Evie would give us a nice cold glass of lemonade and then we would walk home to Clifton along the riverside.

"I would dearly love to touch base with the Helps girls again."

She added: "I had the pleasure of returning to The Bay Horse in 2001 as a visitor. They were having Viking days in the Museum Gardens and we were able to enjoy a nice pint with all the chaps in their chain mail. What a shame it has had to close."

If Judith or Malorie Helps want to get in touch, we would be happy to pass on your details to Mrs Harris. Meantime, if you've any more memories of The Bay Horse - or indeed any other old York watering holes - then email gavin.aitchison@ycp.co.uk.


News from Iraq

THE Press has been reaching far and wide, making connections right across the world - and now is even being read as far away as Iraq.

An email drops into the Diary's basket from one Faraydoon Rasheed.

He says he is from the Kurdistan region in the northern part of Iraq, works in a local newspaper, and contacted The Press requesting "that we could exchange information between the two newspapers".

It's fair to say our twin regions do not have that much in common, but we are happy to forward to him some of the witty tales we cover in this column day-to-day.

And for anyone who would like to return the favour, check out www.maktoob.com, available in English, to see what is going on in the other side of the world.