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3:14 PM 16th September 2020
lifestyle

Screen Yorkshire Steps Up To Support Region’s Visitor Economy

 
A new and exciting initiative designed to encourage tourists to visit to a rapidly growing number of Yorkshire locations showcased in hugely successful TV and film series is launched by Screen Yorkshire.

The new “Filmed in Yorkshire” website is being launched to help boost the Yorkshire tourist trade in the wake of Covid-19 and the nationwide lockdown.

It will detail where visitors can find some of the beautiful and dramatic locations used in high-profile TV series like All Creatures Great and Small, Gentleman Jack and Victoria, which are open to the public.

News of the website coincides with record-breaking ratings for the first two weeks of the new-look All Creatures Great and Small on Channel 5. Set in the glorious Yorkshire Dales, the drama is based on James Herriot’s beloved stories, filmed in the region and part-financed by Screen Yorkshire.

Visitors to the new website will be able to explore filming locations through a navigational map, photographs and production information, which highlights destinations such as the historic village of Grassington, which plays a central role as Darrowby village in All Creatures Great and Small. Other natural beauty spots and historic landmarks in the surrounding valleys and Dales that play supporting roles in the drama include Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and Bolton Abbey, all of which were part of bringing Herriot’s charming 1930s world to life.

Other recent productions featured on the new website alongside their filming locations include; Gentleman Jack, The English Game, Downton Abbey, Victoria and Peaky Blinders. Screen Yorkshire will be developing the website further in the next few weeks, adding more historic productions, as well as highlighting upcoming TV and cinema releases. The site will cover both drama and factual productions, where locations are open to the public. Screen Yorkshire will also develop a new screen tourism app next year to work alongside the website, and a suite of other screen-related materials.

Sally Joynson, chief executive at Screen Yorkshire says:
‘’We’ve had to move fast to get this new site up and running, but there’s never been a more important time to drive new business to the region. We want to do our bit to help Yorkshire’s visitor economy and where better to start than with some of the fantastic locations which appear on our screens and are open to the public.

Screen tourism is big business. On-screen locations are frequently cited as an important driver influencing choice of destination. Productions filmed in Yorkshire appear on screens in both the UK and across the world, and although domestic and international travel opportunities are limited at the moment, we hope this new site will lay the foundations for more visitors in the months and years ahead.’’

Kate Midgley from Grassington Chamber of Trade says:
“Grassington was delighted to be chosen to be the new Darrowby and the filming of All Creatures Great and Small brought much excitement to the village. Grassington like many other towns and villages has seen a drop in footfall over the last few years, and businesses have been affected, more so with the impact of Covid 19. Therefore, the launch of All Creatures Great and Small and this website is perfectly timed to showcase our beautiful village and the surrounding area and encourage visitors to discover it for themselves”.

As part of its new screen tourism strategy, Screen Yorkshire is also linking up with Welcome to Yorkshire, who will provide click-through information on www.yorkshire.com about things to do and places to stay around the filming locations featured on the new website.

Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive James Mason said:
“I am delighted that we are partnering with Screen Yorkshire to celebrate and promote tourism. As I have said from day one, Welcome to Yorkshire’s role should be to collaborate with agencies such as Screen Yorkshire that hold the real expertise in a particular field and amplify the excellent work they do on a national and international scale.

"Visitor numbers to Yorkshire increased rapidly pre-COVID-19, following the success of hit shows such as ‘Gentleman Jack’ ‘Victoria’ and ‘Downton Abbey’ spectacularly showcasing wonderful heritage buildings and stunning scenery. It’s no surprise that after seeing Yorkshire on screen, people then want to experience its beauty and drama first hand.

"This new website offers TV and film fans from across the world the opportunity to find out more about where their favourite onscreen show was set and take a brilliant break in breathtaking Yorkshire.”

The value of filming activity to Yorkshire and the Humber is substantial with budgets for high-end TV dramas and feature films averaging between £10m and £20m per project. Recent productions filmed in the region with Screen Yorkshire’s support include: All Creatures Great and Small, The Duke, Gentleman Jack, The English Game, Downton Abbey, Ali & Ava, Peaky Blinders, Ackley Bridge, Emmerdale, Last Tango In Halifax, Victoria and Official Secrets.

Screen Yorkshire has been supported by the BFI’s National Cluster Growth Fund using National Lottery funding to support the development and growth of the Yorkshire screen sector.