Ed Young, the Conservative Candidate for York Central, has today called for York to be considered as a future home for the broadcaster, Channel 4.
In April, the Government launched a consultation into the regional impact of Channel 4. Today, Ed welcomed the consultation and backed York to host the broadcaster in the future.
Speaking after meeting Karen Bradley, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, in York yesterday, Ed said:
“As a Yorkshireman, my first priority is to make sure Channel 4 comes to Yorkshire. There are some great Yorkshire cities bidding to host Channel 4 – and I want to make sure that York is high on the list.
“York would be an ideal location. We’re just two hours from London and in easy reach of the north-east, Scotland and Manchester. With the development that’s planned behind York Railway Station, we have an excellent site which could be a convenient base.
“We’ve already got some great digital, media and creative businesses based in our city. Now we need to encourage a big player to come to York and make York its home, so we can help create good new jobs and wealth for everyone here.
Following her visit to York, Karen Bradley said:
“We’ve launched a consultation into what Channel 4’s contribution should be to the regions outside of London. A company that’s publicly owned shouldn’t have fewer than 30 of its 800 employees outside of London if it is going to make a true contribution to the whole country.
“Now obviously, this consultation is about what Channel 4’s contribution should be to the regions rather than just where it should be based, but Ed and all the Conservative Candidates in and around York have been really quick off the mark to put York forward and say that York would be a great place for Channel 4 to relocate.
“I look forward to seeing what comes out of the consultation and what the Channel 4 Board have to say.”
The bid to back York as a base for the broadcaster was strongly endorsed by other local Conservatives this morning. Julian Sturdy, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for York Outer, said:
“The prospect of Channel 4 relocating to York is an incredibly exciting opportunity for the city, and Ed is absolutely right to make this a priority.
“Ed has my full backing in championing what would be such a great project for York, and I look forward to working with him on it. It is this drive and tenacity, in the interest of York Central residents, that would make Ed such a strong local MP.”
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Thirsk & Malton, also endorsed the bid, saying:
“I think it’s really important that all the local candidates get together to help back York’s bid. It would be great to have a strong group of Conservative MPs for North Yorkshire flying the flag for the city and working together to drive more inward investment to the region.”
David Carr, Leader of York City Council added:
“Culture and the arts are woven into the very fabric of York and almost every period of artistic endeavour is represented here. We value our city's long history, but we are also very focused on the future, and we would be proud to give Channel 4 a fitting home in York.'
The invitation to Channel 4 to consider York as a new home comes as businesses in York look to capitalise on the digital growth and development in the city over the last few years.
Mark Fordyce, the Managing Director of York Data Services in York’s Science Park, also welcomed the bid, saying:
“As the UK’s first Gigabit City, with one of the largest choices of fibre networks in the north, York is uniquely positioned to welcome Channel 4 to a city that is truly connected to the rest of the world – something our rapidly growing digital and media sectors are taking full advantage of, making York the perfect northern home for Channel 4”