Make It York explains how heritage and innovation combine to create an unbeatable destination for events in the city.
A meeting place for over 2,000 years, York is one of England’s finest and most beautiful historic cities, always reinventing itself while never forgetting its past. Cobbled medieval streets and iconic buildings tell the stories of its people and history.
Creativity
York is the UK’s first and only UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts and as one of 12 UNESCO Creative Cities in the UK, is part of a network of global cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor in sustainable urban development. The city is a hotbed of creative talent and digital innovation; the creative industries represent the fastest growing area of the York economy, making it an ideal destination for the sector. With a plethora of art galleries, museums, and unique creative spaces such as SPARK:York or many of the historic buildings, creativity is front of mind to help you find a unique venue that will leave a lasting impression.
Innovation
York St John University and University of York are regularly voted as two of the best places to get a creative degree, as well as being in the centre of a unique circular bioeconomy innovation cluster. The city’s knowledge-driven economy is among the strongest in the UK with a solid reputation for research, development, innovation, and academic excellence. Both universities provide a series of amazing on-campus venues for a wide range of events from conferences to speeches to networking events.
Accessibility
The city sits at the heart of the UK’s largest rail cluster and is home to leading rail companies and innovative sub-sector specialists. Outside of London, no other city can match York for its rail connections and efficiency. With 140 direct rail connections and travel from London taking less than two hours, it’s a well-connected city that’s easily accessible from across the UK.
Providing an ever-popular destination for visitors and an inspiring backdrop for business events with its large galleries and spacious halls, York is home to the National Railway Museum, one of the world’s leading railway museums. Following a recent transformation, its historic Station Hall reopened in September 2025 after significant refurbishment alongside ongoing enhancements across the site.
Leisure time
Away from the meetings, York has so much to offer. Delegates can walk across the walled city centre within 20 minutes, with iconic landmarks and popular award-winning attractions dotted in between. Come face to face with Vikings at the JORVIK Viking Centre or explore York Minster, one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals.
Fancy getting out and about? There are a wide range of walking tours that offer delegates a great way to explore. Enjoy a private tour and learn the history of attractions and buildings while exploring the narrow streets and snickelways with The York Tour Guide or learn the spooky and darker side of Europe’s most haunted city on The Original Ghost Walk of York.
There are over 500 four and five-star bedrooms within a few minutes from the train station, including The Grand, The Milner, and Malmaison which all offer exceptional meeting spaces. In addition, you’ll also find Hilton York, Radisson York, and DoubleTree by Hilton within a short distance thanks to the city’s compact size.
When it comes to food and drink, there are plenty of fantastic restaurants, bars, pubs, and cafes within the city walls for delegates to truly make the most of their time, with many food-based activities for engaging team building sessions. York’s chocolate heritage is highlighted through York
Chocolate Story’s experiences which are available for private group bookings. Why not try one of the exclusive masterclasses with one of the expert chocolatiers and learn the tricks of the trade for yourself?
York Distillery, the home of York Gin, is also available for group bookings of gin tasting sessions or get hands-on and take a lesson at the Gin School to distil your every own bottle.
Make It York
Planning your event in York has never been easier! Use our convenient venue search tool to discover the perfect location for your next event. Plus, our event planner’s toolkit is packed with valuable resources to streamline your conference communications and help your delegates make the most of their visit to the city.