There’s so much more to Yorkshire than just its big cities – try something a little different for your next event!
You really do get the best of both worlds in Yorkshire, not only is it renowned for its beautiful countryside, but it also has a plethora of rapidly developing cities which are increasingly competing with their southern counterparts for corporate events.
As the largest county in the UK, it offers a huge variety of landscapes that you simply won’t get anywhere else in the world. From the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors to the dramatic beauty of its coast, the region is rich in character and filled with ideal locations to motivate and inspire delegates. Yorkshire’s biggest cities are unbeatable – Leeds, York, and Sheffield are all excellent hubs – but what about the rest of the region?
Last year’s UK City of Culture, Bradford, is also the world’s first UNESCO City of Film. Home to the National Science and Media Museum, Cartwright Hall, St George’s Hall, the Alhambra Theatre, and many more, there’s bound to be a venue that’s perfectly suited to your event! The city’s latest addition, Bradford Live, has been expertly restored in the art deco style building and reopened last year. The auditorium boasts over 3,500 seats with a big stage, the Gaumont Room hosts 300 delegates seated, and there are three other spaces with capacities ranging from 40 to 500.
Up in North Yorkshire, the famous UNESCO-listed Fountains Abbey is just on the outskirts of beautiful Ripon where the town’s racecourse and conference centre also offers plenty to wow delegates with.
Yorkshire’s coastline is a captivating blend of rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, and charming seaside towns that create a mosaic of natural beauty and cultural heritage. Scarborough Spa is a Grade II-listed building that offers a variety of spaces including Sun Court (well-known for its iconic checkerboard floor) that can host up to 500.
The iconic land of dry-stone walls, high hills, and picture postcard villages – the Yorkshire Dales is an evocative and romantic location, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll see it’s not one single landscape but a collection of many. Host an event here and you’ll enjoy the fresh air, wide open spaces, unique character, and vastly changing landscapes. Swinton Estate hosts holistic and wellbeing-focused team building activities and business retreats to give your delegates the ultimate chance to switch off and recharge in the beautiful countryside. If you’re looking to raise some heart rates with some more exhilarating team building ideas, The Coniston Hotel offers a thrilling off-road Land Rover experience, clay pigeon shooting, and dragon boat racing.
How about a venue that’s a bit out of the ordinary? Yorkshire Wildlife Park can host meetings, conferences, team building, and corporate hospitality events surrounded by the unique sights and sounds of amazing animals. If under the sea is more your bag, The Deep aquarium over in Hull provides an exciting backdrop for a variety of events. There’s also Yorkshire Sculpture Park which sits just outside of Wakefield and is ideal for large exhibitions due to its setting of 500 acres of historic parkland with world-class art installations at every turn.
Memorable events don’t just happen in Yorkshire’s biggest cities; they’re woven into the fabric of the entire region. Star Team Building Rec Stretching across 70 hectares of land boasting picturesque lakes and woodland, North Yorkshire Water Park is the perfect location for any team building event – offering a healthy dose of fresh air and entertainment, allowing teams to escape their daily routine and fully immerse themselves in a day of adventure.
Alongside pre-made packages, you can create your own bespoke option that suits your business needs entirely, with the helpful team on hand from your very first enquiry. Home to the largest inflatable aquapark in North England, get hearts racing and teams smiling with ‘Wipeout’ and ‘Warrior’, come together and enjoy a group kayak across the lake, unleash creativity and collaboration and get raft building, and so much more!
If you want to stay dry, don’t worry! There are plenty of land-based activities – ziplining, axe throwing, orienteering, puzzle rooms, and bushcraft just to name a few – that the whole team can enjoy, followed by some freshly roasted coffee and seasonal treats at the on-site café!