Flood “double whammy” hitting Yorkshire businesses

TOURISM body Welcome to Yorkshire is attempting to prevent a “double whammy” hitting Yorkshire businesses.

The organisation said that the floods were the first wave affecting the county, but following close on its heels was the media coverage of the floods, which it said is putting off potential visitors to Yorkshire in droves.

It said that the “vast majority” of Yorkshire businesses remained unaffected by the floods, but despite this, they were seeing diminished visitor numbers across the board.

The tourism industry in Yorkshire is worth an estimated £7bn. According to the Association of British Insurers, the bill for damage caused by the floods will reach £1.3bn, with £24m in emergency payments already handed out.

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “People across the county have already shown fantastic community spirit and come together to help those who have been hit the hardest . Now we can all play our part to help prevent a flooding double whammy.

“We are calling on everyone to make a special effort to visit Yorkshire businesses; perhaps visiting your local high street , having a night away in a B&B or taking a trip to one of our county’s great attractions.

“Supporting businesses directly affected by flooding will help them get back on their feet and supporting other businesses will help them bounce back from the wider impacts of flooding.”

W2Y is encouraging Twitter users to use the #YorkshireWelcome hashtag to show their support.