08/04/2011

Tourism Chiefs in York have been celebrating the news this week that the city has scooped the top spot in a national independent poll to find out the nation's favourite small city.  Beating competition from Bath, Chester, Durham and Cambridge, amongst others, Rough Guides, the travel guide publishers, revealed the news this week after commissioning an independent poll conducted by YouGov.  History, stunning architecture, friendly people and the general feel of the city were listed as the things the British public liked the most about York. 

York was chosen from over two hundred British small cities and towns. Whitby came 7th in the top ten favourites, making Yorkshire the only county to appear on the list more than once.  John Yeomans, Chairman of Visit York, the city's official tourism agency, said, ‘This is fantastic news for York and all who work in the city's tourism sector.  This independent poll demonstrates the passion and love that the great British public has for York.  We believe that no other city of its size offers such diversity of culture, world class visitor attractions, superb shops and fabulous restaurants, all set amidst stunning architecture and we know our visitors agree with us.'

The city's tourism agency is celebrating this week and will be spreading the news far and wide and already has plans to maximise the benefits for its marketing campaigns.  York is home to the world famous Minster; the largest gothic cathedral in northern Europe, the National Railway Museum and the ever popular Jorvik Viking Centre.   This accolade also comes hot on the heels of a European Excellence Award, collected in Prague last year and the Best UK City award in the Telegraph Travel Awards.  The full top ten list of favourite British small cities and towns is as follows:

1 York

2 Bath

3 Brighton

4 Chester

5 St Ives

6 Durham

7 Whitby

8 Blackpool

9 Keswick

10 Stratford Upon Avon

10 Cambridge

 

According to the author of the first Rough Guide to Yorkshire, Jos Simon, ‘Yorkshire's countryside and coast can compete with anywhere in Britain for beauty, its cities with any in the UK for shopping, dining and clubbing. Its hotels and racecourses, its museums and art galleries and its writers and artists need bend the knee for quality to no other region. And as for pubs and breweries, Yorkshire is world famous for them and York can lay claim to being the jewel in the Yorkshire crown.'

A spokesperson from the Rough Guides added, ‘When people think of British cities it's natural to think of London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Liverpool and the like, but our smaller cities and towns have an awful lot to offer. This list showcases the best of them across the country.'  ENDS