A very special day for Malton was the overwhelming verdict on today's visit by the King and Queen Consort.

King Charles III and Camilla visited the town and met some of the town's independent artisan food and drink producers.

The King then went to to speak to representatives from a variety of charities from across Ryedale.

The Royal couple were greated by crowds of people as they arrived by car at the Talbot Food Yard.

Following a short walk-a-about, they toured the yard visiting all six businesses.

They  spent time meeting and speaking with the owners and staff, learning about their individual products and tasting some of their mouth-watering produce.

The six independent producers that Their Majesties visited were: Rare Bird Gin Distillery, Florian Poirot, Groovy Moo Gelato, Food 2 Remember, Bluebird Bakery and Roost Espresso Bar.

Former York based fire-fighter, Matt Stewart, was the first Talbot Yard producer that His Majesty The King spoke to during his visit to the Grade II listed stable block where he was introduced to ‘Florence’, the 300 litre copper still with a luminous dome shape, reminiscent of the Duomo that influenced her name. The famous gins distilled on the premises in ‘Florence’ include a London Dry Gin that has just been awarded a Bronze Medal by the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Matt said: “It was such an honour to meet His Majesty The King this afternoon, and to showcase all of the hard work and passion that goes into running our distillery here in Talbot Yard. Malton is such a special place for food and drink creations and we are so grateful that Their Royal Majesties took some time out of their incredibly busy schedules to visit our wonderful town and try some of our delights.”

Owner of Groovy Moo Gelato said it had been a day people in Malton would always remember.

"The royal couple were just like any normal couple calling in for a gelato on a Wednesday afternoon. They were both so nice and normal and shock everyone's hands. Camilla also had a mango ice-cream which apparently is one of her favourites."

Jo Ropner, Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, said this was the first time a monarch had visited Malton.

"It is a fantastic day for Malton and the whole of Ryedale. We must never underestimate the value of a royal visit and the powerful message that potrays. It really puts Malton up there in the headlines and will help encourage people to come here and visit for themselves."

The King also met  with charities and organisations at York House including Ryedale Folk Museum, the Camphill Village Trust, Encephalitis Society Ryedale Charities Together and Ryedale Remakes.

Ryedale Charities Together was formed in 2000. The partnership is a group of local charities who deliver a diverse range of essential services to people in need.

Leissa Burniston from Norton-based Next Steps said they offer a unique one-stop service where people were able to access a range of services.

"Unlike many other charites we work together to deliver the services we offer," she added.

Sue Jefferson one of the founders of Circular Malton,  shared information about their initiative aiming to create Yorkshire’s first circular market town, through working closely with local businesses by reusing, refurbing and reducing waste and consumption wherever possible. 

Sue said: "It has been a freat day where people hae really been able to connect with others across the whole of Ryedale.

"Today we had over 170 years of experience brought together and working together - I really think we have done Malton, Norton and the wider aera proud."

Tom Naylor-Leyland, Director of Visit Malton, said: “It is an absolute privilege for the town to have hosted Their Majesties The King and Queen Consort in Malton’s Talbot Yard this afternoon. We as a town are so proud of our locally produced food and drink credentials; over the last decade we have really built an incredibly close-knit community of independent, artisan producers, who have a passion for creating delicious products from an abundance of superb, local ingredients. We do hope that The King and Queen Consort enjoyed their very first visit to Yorkshire’s Food Capital!”