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Yorkshire venues start new chapter under merger

Two venues in Yorkshire, England – The Pavilions of Harrogate and the Yorkshire Event Centre - have merged to become the Great Yorkshire Events Centre.

The collaboration between the two venues, both based on the Great Yorkshire Showground, will help their owner – registered charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society – market them as one venue.

The merger to become the Great Yorkshire Events Centre means the venue will be able to host large meetings and events.  The location also offers 340 acres of green space for outdoor events and parking for over 2,000 cars.

Richard Moorhouse, events director, said: “Bringing the event brands together allows us to market the Great Yorkshire Events Centre as one destination that can cover all events for up to 50,000 people whether that’s an exhibition or a conference, meetings to dinners, awards to product launches, wedding and remembrances.”

To support the merger of the two venues, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society has also undergone a rebrand.

Allister Nixon, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said the refresh is a nod to the tradition and heritage of the Society, while giving a contemporary feel and stronger connection between all parts of the commercial businesses, its flagship event the Great Yorkshire Show and the charity.

 “The rebrand will link the businesses and the charity closer together, so that clients know that when they book with us, they can fulfil their corporate responsibility and are contributing to a greater good as all profits from our events funds the work of the Society.”

Looking forward to 2025, there are plans to build on the Showground’s commitment to ESG.

The work, which is part of a sustainable long-term vision for the Showground, will measure its current biodiversity and carbon capture capacity, as well as its potential to enhance these further.