Launch event to set out plans to promote the best of Beverley

A new organisation dedicated to promoting all that is great about Beverley is to be launched next month.

Destination Beverley will be launched at an invitation-only event attended by representatives of key organisations and influential figures in the town and wider region.

The event, on Thursday, March 23, at East Riding College at Beverley’s Flemingate centre, will bring together a wide range of organisations who can contribute to the town’s development as a visitor destination.

The launch will feature keynote speeches by Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, and Rick Bailey, Chief Executive of Daniel Thwaites Plc, the company redeveloping the Beverley Arms Hotel.

Since his appointment as Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire in 2008, Sir Gary has raised the profile of Yorkshire at a regional, national and international level, including by leading the team that brought the Grand Depart of the Tour de France to Yorkshire in 2014.

The event, which generated £102m in economic benefit, has been followed by Yorkshire’s very own international stage race, the Tour de Yorkshire, which featured a stage start in Beverley last year. Sir Gary was knighted in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to tourism.

Rick Bailey has been Chief Executive of hospitality company Daniel Thwaites since 2011, having originally joined the business in 2002 as a non-executive director. Founded in 1807, Thwaites owns over 280 pubs and a brewery as well as a chain of hotels and spas.

Last year Thwaites purchased the Beverley Arms Hotel in North Bar Within and subsequently revealed plans for a complete refurbishment of the property ahead of it re-opening as part of its Inns of Character estate. Last December Thwaites was granted planning permission for a £6m redevelopment of the site, breathing new life into the landmark hotel and creating 60 new jobs.

Sally Iggulden, Chair of Destination Beverley and Chief Executive of Beverley Racecourse, said: “We’re looking forward to setting out what Destination Beverley is all about and how we plan to work with other organisations to promote all the great things Beverley has to offer and support the town’s development as a visitor destination.

“We’re also delighted Sir Gary and Rick Bailey have agreed to speak and give their views on Beverley from a tourism and investment perspective. Their input is sure to be both informative and inspiring.”

Destination Beverley is an independent organisation dedicated to promoting all that is great about Beverley to drive visits, footfall and spend in the town, as well as supporting initiatives that enhance the visitor experience.

Destination Beverley’s Board is made up of representatives of the town’s leading attractions, Beverley Racecourse and Beverley Minster, as well as the Flemingate centre, traders and individuals with relevant skills and a passion for the town.

Picture: Welcome to Yorkshire.