Jobs hope in Harewood House plan

The Harewood House Trust has signed a partnership agreement with Logistik, the Leeds-based design and communications company, to expand the stately home's retail, leisure and hospitality services. Dirk Mischendahl, the managing director of Logistik, told the Yorkshire Post that he planned to work with the trust to provide new attractions aimed at families, while ensuring that Harewood's heritage was respected.

He added: "It's a jewel in Yorkshire's crown. We want to make it a part of the community.

"We will be developing the retail aspects, the facilities for the kids, and the cultural aspect. It's already an educational trust. We will be looking about how we develop that further. We want to make it very much a family orientated and educational venue."

The areas of investment included a garden centre and improved children's facilities, Mr Mischendahl added. "We're looking at having a (model) dinosaur in one of the walled gardens... We want it to be a centre of excellence for sustainability within event management."

He added: "If you look at what we are creating, which is the retail product brand, which is around the food and the produce of local co-operative farmers..that could produce anything up to 100 jobs very quickly."