Discover why you should consider holding your next event in the beautiful county of Yorkshire.
As the largest county in the UK, Yorkshire is known for its rolling hills and beautiful scenery. Containing the East coast, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors, Yorkshire’s landscape is utterly unparalleled and will steal the breath of every delegate, whether they’re seeing it for the first time or hundredth. Yorkshire holds over 800 conservation areas with its borders, so there’s no better place to offer an escape into nature to break up the conferencing monotony.
While Yorkshire’s nature is beyond compare, the county is by no means limited to acres of fields and national parks. It’s also home to some of the UK’s most popular metropolises. From the ancient, cobbled streets of York to the crisp lines of the rejuvenated Leeds city centre, there’s plenty to recommend Yorkshire’s cities. Hull offers easy access for international delegates and was the UK’s capital of culture in 2017, while Sheffield is an up-and-coming eco destination with lots to offer.
However, the smaller cities and towns shouldn’t be discounted as great event destinations, many with superb landmarks.
Bradford recently became the world’s first UNESCO City of Film, and cinematically inclined event organisers might consider its status as the home of the National Media Museum. Yorkshire Sculpture Park sits just outside Wakefield and is ideal for large exhibitions. A small city that makes a big impact, Ripon is filled with historical sights contrasted by modern amenities. With Ripon Racecourse and Conference Centre and the famous Fountains Abbey just outside the city, Ripon has plenty of attractions to wow with. For some unrivalled sporting hospitality, the county offers some of the best stadia and golf courses in the country.
Yorkshire is also home to several expansive and versatile event venues which hold thousands of events every year. The Yorkshire Event Centre sits just outside of the beautiful town of Harrogate and offers event organisers a massive 6,270 sq. metres of versatile event space across two halls. While being a popular museum destination, the Royal Armouries in Leeds city centre also functions as a popular conference and exhibition venue, with 10 different spaces of various sizes available. The venue will even host the Conference & Hospitality Show in May this year. While York Conferences on the University of York campus offers over 200 different meeting rooms for hire and can hold 1190 delegates in its central hall.
Themed venues are aplenty. You can look to Yorkshire Wildlife Park; flexible, accessible spaces that are ideal for hosting informal BBQs to black tie dinners in close proximity to some of the world’s most incredible wildlife, and Magna in Rotherham has 4000 sq. metres of event space set in a former industrial steelworks.
Of course, Yorkshire also boast some of the best team building opportunities in the country. From water sports on the mesmeric east coast to walking and scrambling in the Yorkshire Dales, there’s plenty to get your team active and bonding in some unforgettable scenery.