Hand Made Man with Patrick Grant

Patrick Grant is coming to the Royal Hall on Monday 22 March 2027, for a talk he's calling Hand Made Man. Most of us know him as the host of The Great British Sewing Bee, and that's where he starts the evening, taking the audience behind the scenes of the Sewing Bee workroom and through Savile Row to look at what it means to craft and be creative today.

He draws on stories from his time on television, sharing the triumphs and the last-minute disasters that come with making things that last. From there, he turns to the bigger picture: our relationship with clothing. He puts out some stark numbers — around 100 billion garments produced every year, a third of them never worn, and the equivalent of a bin lorry full of clothes burned or buried every second. He frames it as a personal, economic and quietly radical point about what gets lost when price becomes the only measure of value. There's a chance to ask him questions during the night, too.

The venue is the Royal Hall, a Grade II* listed Edwardian theatre built in 1903 by architect Frank Matcham as a multi-purpose entertainment space for the rich and famous visitors to Harrogate's spa, and described as the jewel in Harrogate's crown. It's part of the Harrogate Convention Centre on Ripon Road.

Tickets are £32 to £87, with the top price for a box that seats two. The talk starts at 7:30pm, and it's recommended for ages 14 and over, with under-16s needing to be accompanied by an adult.