Visits to historic sites in Yorkshire double in four years

Its history has become a huge commercial asset, with the number of sightseers making day trips to signature buildings almost doubling in just four years, according to a report.

The so-called heritage economy is now worth nearly £2bn a year to the region, and extends beyond tourism to the regeneration of old sites for new housing and workplaces.

The annual audit from Historic England, the government body whose umbrella encompasses beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops, reveals that tourists made 20m day trips to heritage sites in the county in 2016, compared to 11m in 2012.

Domestic and international visitors to old buildings, monuments and attractions spent £880m during the most recent year for which figures are available, the organisation said.

The audit also reveals that the conversion of pre-First World War properties created 2,210 new homes in Yorkshire between 2012 and 2018, taking the total to 524,020.

Developments of old sites in Halifax and Leeds are among those to have generated new wealth, Historic England said.

Trevor Mitchell, the organisation’s regional planning director, said Yorkshire’s history was among its most valuable assets.

“The significant rise in the number of people making heritage-related day visits in the region is good news. We have rich heritage for people to enjoy,” he said.

“These figures show the value that heritage brings to the region. But it’s not just about money. Heritage has a number of social benefits – it can help to create a sense of identity and belonging for communities.”

Nationally, the value of the heritage sector increased by more than a third between 2011 and 2016, and is now worth £29bn – around two per cent of all the country’s goods and services.