Why Yorkshire and Lancashire must join forces to support £9bn sector - Guy Hindley

In the wake of Covid-19, like many other businesses, we were forced to completely rethink our business strategy.
Yorkshire is a respected global centre for the tourism industry.Yorkshire is a respected global centre for the tourism industry.
Yorkshire is a respected global centre for the tourism industry.

Faced with a season of lost income from the cancellation of weddings and other indoor events, we knew our plans would have to be radical, but at the same time we couldn’t sit still and watch our industry crumble.

We took a huge risk in developing the UK’s first socially-distanced festival, which we launched in July soon after the Government had updated its social-distancing guidelines for outdoor spaces for groups of up to six people.

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It has been an incredible learning experience for our entire team. We’ve created 100 temporary jobs in the hospitality and events sectors, and built an escape where guests can relax, enjoy quality time with friends and family, and create new memories together after the highs and lows these past months have given us all.

An aerial view of Bolton Priory in the Yorkshire Dales.An aerial view of Bolton Priory in the Yorkshire Dales.
An aerial view of Bolton Priory in the Yorkshire Dales.

What has struck me most throughout this process is the excitement and enthusiasm that people have shown for rediscovering parts of the UK closer to their home.

I believe there’s a real opportunity for the rural counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire to join forces; working together to make the most of the growing staycation market and attract more visitors to boost the local economies that are at risk of collapse.

According to Google, searches for holidays in Yorkshire and Lancashire increased by 285 per cent and 207 per cent respectively in July. The tourism industry is worth £9bn to the Yorkshire economy alone and pre-Covid was employing almost 225,000 people.

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Being located on the border of the York-shire Dales and Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, we’ve always considered the estate as part of both counties. To make the festival happen, we have been working in partnership with local tourism boards, Ribble Valley Borough Council and other operators, who have supported us in pivoting operations to capitalise on this unique opportunity. And we don’t want to stop there.

Cultural events, from festivals to outdoor theatre and concerts, play a huge part in our emotional wellbeing and enrich us in many ways.

They also provide us with opportunities to attract visitors to rural areas for more than just the stunning landscapes, in turn generating revenue along the leisure supply chain for hotels, holiday parks, restaurants, pubs and other attractions.

The events sector is worth £100bn and employs up to one million people across the UK, yet the recent Red Alert campaign has highlighted the difficulties faced by highly-skilled professionals as they call for more meaningful support from Government in the form of grants, rather than loans.

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We’re completely behind the campaign and are acutely aware that while we’ve created jobs, these are only temporary. What we want to see is more proactive support from the local bodies that can help us spread the message that we’re open for business and allow us to continue operating socially-distanced events into the autumn and winter seasons.

Events and hospitality industries were the first hit and are among the last to recover. It’s imperative that this sector remains at the forefront of Government thinking, allowing devolved local management in more rural communities that have shown how quickly they’ve been able to pivot operations and businesses.

One of the lessons we must take from this pandemic, is our ability to adapt and innovate. In order for our rural counties to make the most of the opportunities that have been presented, we must come together to find ways of attracting visitors to our regions once the summer staycation season is over.

Guy Hindley - Owner of Gisburne Park Estate

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