East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Welcome to Yorkshire have both congratulated Hull on its successful City of Culture 2017 bid.
Councillor Stephen Parnaby, OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“I am delighted Hull has been awarded City of Culture for 2017 and I would like to wish them every success, which is well deserved. A fantastic achievement.”
“Obviously we need to work closely with Hull, in particular with Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, to maximise the benefits and to ensure visitors to the city also get to see what the East Riding has to offer too.”
A panel chaired by Phil Redmond declared Hull winners beating off competition from Dundee, Leicester and Swansea Bay.
Phil Redmond said that the panel was “particularly impressed with Hull’s evidence of community and creative engagement, their links to the private sector and their focus on legacy, including a commitment to enhance funding beyond 2017”.
Stephen Parnaby added;
“This is a great opportunity to put Hull on the map and the East Riding can only benefit from that.”
Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity was also delighted with decision, he said:
“This is a momentous day for Hull and the whole of Yorkshire. The bid team and whole city’s passion and determination to win this status has been matched only by the diverse and thriving cultural scene currently flowing through Hull.”
“This is just a start of an exciting journey and with the county’s main port and link to Europe in the city, we hope it will provide a real boost to tourism during the coming years.”
The winning city benefit from real economic benefits such as an increase in investment and a rise in visitor numbers. A public party will now be held before Christmas to celebrate being named city of culture.
