How this long-lost York hotel – with familiar name

Ian Tempest looks at the early roots of York’s tourism industry, and how this long-lost hotel -with familiar name – became York’s hottest tourist spot

RECENT Make It York’s statistics show that York attracted nine million visitors in 2023, spending £1.8bn and creating more than 16,000 fulltime equivalent jobs.

This huge industry is now so important to York’s economy and jobs – but investment in York a long time ago (even before the coming of the railways) became the foundation for this growth.

Many features developed in York around 300 years ago to move the city on as a destination for visitors.

Though many had come before as pilgrims to visit the Minster, after 1700 there were far more opportunities for the well-to-do in particular…