Gilbert & Sullivan bring Harrogate a £1m boost

ONE of the UK’s biggest annual theatre festivals is moving to Harrogate next year in a move which is expected bring thousands of visitors and a potential boost of over £1m to local businesses.
By Joanne Ginley
Published 19th Jun 2013, 17:11 BST
||
|

Organisers of the 21st International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival signed the contract yesterday which will bring the three-week spectacle to Yorkshire in 2014, with an option to extend the deal.

Simon Kent, director of Harrogate International Centre (HIC) and The Royal Hall, said: “It’s hard to overstate just how fantastic this announcement is, not just for Harrogate but for the whole district.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We will be welcoming visitors from as far away as America and Australia, so it’s fantastic we are able to offer them venues such as Harrogate Theatre and the recently renovated Royal Hall – the perfect setting for Gilbert & Sullivan’s lavish operas.”

In a joint statement, Wallace Sampson, chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, and council leader Coun Anthony Alton, said: “This is a massive boost to the Harrogate district as a premier destination and is an excellent recognition of what the district has to offer, not just in Harrogate town but right across the district.”

The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, which will run in Harrogate from August 2 to 28 next year, may also feature performances in other towns across the district. It is moving to the town from its current home in Buxton, Derbyshire.

Related topics:HarrogateOrganisersYorkshire