Minster's historic gem opens up for business...

The medieval Chapter House has remained a hidden gem for generations of visitors throughout the last 700 years, tucked away off to the side of the Five Sisters Window in the cathedral's North Transept.

But senior clergy at the Minster are now hoping to open up the Chapter House to a whole new audience by hiring it out for corporate hospitality and fine dining events.

It is the first time that businesses will be given the chance to use part of the cathedral to entertain clients and hold major launches and it is seen as a key means of generating much needed cash for the Minster's huge running costs.

The Chapter House will be available for hire for drinks receptions for up to 250 guests for 450, while an evening dining event for up to 130 guests will cost 3,000 – although the catering bills will be extra.

The exquisitely crafted room took more than a quarter of a century to build before it was completed in 1286 and is still used today as a meeting place by senior clergy.

A marketing drive is now targeting some of York's main employers, including the city council, York University and firms such as Nestle and Aviva.

While the initial focus will be companies within the city itself and the Yorkshire region, the Minster's staff are hopeful that the offer of hiring out the Chapter House will attract interest from both across Britain and overseas clients.

One of the cathedral's events co-ordinators, Naomi Richards, said: "It really is a unique opportunity to have the chance to hire out a room in what is one of the most famous buildings in Britain.

"The Chapter House itself boasts some of the Minster's finest carvings and has a stunning vaulted ceiling – there aren't any other venues quite like it.

"It will of course open up a new revenue stream for the Minster, but it is also about an element of civic pride. We really do hope that businesses in the city will use the Chapter House as an example of what the city has to offer to their clients.

"York is a city that we should all be proud of, and the Minster is very much the centrepiece of this civic pride."

The Dean and Chapter of York, which is charged with overseeing the upkeep of the Minster, has had to look towards establishing new sources of income to cope with the vast cost of maintaining the iconic building.

Senior officials warned last week that they were facing a tough financial position throughout this year as they contend with the after-shock of the recession.

The Minster's latest accounts have revealed that it has weathered the economic slump better than had initially been feared, but a stark warning has been issued that there is no room for complacency.

The cathedral's bank balances are expected to experience a "significant deficit" during 2010 as the effects of the worst recession in the post-war period continue to be felt.

Major expenditure throughout the last nine months of 2009 has included 440,000 to support the Minster's music programme and 1.9m on the building's upkeep.

Work is also continuing on the multi-million-pound restoration of the East Front, which is backed by the Yorkshire Post and has presented one of the greatest financial challenges in recent years.

The Chapter House is initially due to be hired out for up to 10 major events each year, although events co-ordinators have stressed that it will not be available throughout December because of commitments leading up to Christmas.

The corporate hire programme will be officially launched at an event at York Minster on Thursday, May 6.

More information on hiring the venue is available from the Minster's events co-ordinators by calling 0844 939 0015 or e-mailing [email protected].