Columnist

Tour De France gets a great big Yorkshire welcome

It’s been a busy time for Cedar Court Hotels. It has been hard to avoid; Yorkshire is everywhere you look at the moment – from TV coverage to ads in magazines highlighting the attractions of “God’s Own Country” – so it is hardly surprising that the region’s largest independent collection of hotels has been in the thick of it.

Of course, most of the interest has surrounded the arrival of the world’s most famous cycle race, the Tour de France, to the North. It was quite a coup for Yorkshire, especially when facing stiff competition from Edinburgh, Florence and Barcelona, but few could argue that it did an exceptional job – and looked fantastic on the television coverage.

Cedar Court Hotel, Harrogate – one of the company’s four 4-star hotels – were given the honour of hosting three Tour de France teams. As the only hotel in the town to be looking after race competitors, attention was very much on the venue and it rose to the challenge wonderfully. GM Simon Cotton even became a local celebrity appearing in various press publications, completing a series of radio interviews and appearing on the BBC’s Look North. Internationally acclaimed fashion designer, Jeff Banks, even dropped by to see what was going on. More importantly the teams – Orica Greenedge, Team Katusha and COFIDIS – all commented on how they had been made to feel welcome and praised the hotel’s staff and superb facilities.

A few miles away in Cedar Court’s Huddersfield/Halifax hotel, Omega Pharma Quick-Step and their popular, but often controversial, rider Mark Cavendish were also enjoying Yorkshire hospitality – though sadly for Cavendish he was to leave the region in disappointing circumstances. However before he left, he signed a Grand Depart jersey for the hotel staff which is now proudly displayed in the foyer for all to see. It is sure to be a hit with the many visitors who stay as part of a cycling break – especially those following in the cycling tracks of the Tour.

Of course, once big events move on it can often be the case that things go a little bit flat, but not in Yorkshire. The Great Yorkshire Show kept the spotlight on Harrogate, and once again Cedar Court was a part of the action – this time lycra clad cyclists were replaced with royalty as the Countless of Wessex stopped by for light refreshments before heading to the showground.

But you don’t have to be a sporting star or royalty to enjoy Yorkshire. This is a big county, with big things on offer – not to mention big conference spaces and a big Yorkshire welcome!

Cedar Court have hotels in Leeds/Bradford, Harrogate, Huddersfield/Halifax and Wakefield so whatever you want from your stay in Yorkshire, they’ve got it covered.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Cedar Court Hotels .