Pulling power

HISTORIC and symbolic cities, like York, have always been a magnet for tourists – and the latest data for VisitBritain shows a welcome surge in visitors to industrial towns across the country.

By The Newsroom

Published 6th Jul 2010, 23:59 BST

Updated 6th Jul 2010, 23:59 BST

These locations are recognising the value of their heritage, both in terms of helping residents to understand the past but also because tourism is now such an integral part of the regional economy here in Yorkshire.

It makes it even more perverse, therefore, that English Heritage now want to list Sheffield's unremarkable Castle Market building, a move that could delay regeneration and prevent planners opening up the site of Sheffield Castle to visitors.

Given that English Heritage blocked the Market's listed status application 15 years ago, it seems perplexing that it wants to give special status to an uninspiring concrete building rather than making the remains of Sheffield Castle, a site of significant historical interest, more accessible to the public.