The Bowes Museum is great – but it's certainly not in Yorkshire

A TOURISM body has been criticised after publishing a guide to Yorkshire’s great buildings and then putting The Bowes Museum on the front cover.

Tourism group Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and Gardens not only put The Bowes Museum on the front page of its brochure Great Days Out – A Collection Of Yorkshire’s Finest Attractions, but it has a feature on Raby Castle too.

Bemused people in Teesdale are wondering if the tourist group knows anything about geography.

Barnard Castle resident Frank Hull said: “It is wrong, surely they have their own buildings in Yorkshire, leave Teesdale alone.

“I am not against anyone putting The Bowes Museum on the front page of their brochure because it is a beautiful building, but surely they have their own beautiful buildings. So I can’t see why they want to use The Bowes Museum.”

The chairman of Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and Gardens, Sir Thomas Ingilby defended the move saying it was important for tourism and the local economy.

He added: “Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and Gardens is a marketing consortium that highlights the many fantastic historic and cultural attractions that visitors to our region can enjoy.

“The Bowes Museum and Raby Castle aren’t in Yorkshire – that much is obvious from their addresses – but both are close enough to the boundary to be highly attractive and accessible to tens of thousands of holiday makers who visit Yorkshire each year.

“Promoting these two great attractions in this way helps them by steering more tourism their way, helps the tourists to enjoy their holiday more and, most importantly, helps the economy of the wider region.”

Mr Hull remained unconvinced by the tourism group’s argument.

He said: “I would agree if it was still the old border at the river, then it would be close to Yorkshire. But it isn’t. Raby Castle is even further away.

“I think someone has to do their homework really. Yes, you can get one thing wrong, but two?”