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07

Nov 2023

Last Updated: 07/11/2023
Community
Community

Ripon hornblower ‘calls the watch’ in London for first time in 1,000-year history

by Flora Grafton

| 07 Nov, 2023
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ripon-hornblower-allison-clark-blows-the-horn-for-yorkshire-at-the-world-travel-market-credit-james-glossop

Ripon’s hornblower “called the watch” over the River Thames last night for the first time in its 1,000-year history.

Allison Clark, who became the city’s first female hornblower in 2017, represented the north's smallest city on City Cruises’ flagship vessel, Erasmus, as part of the World Travel Market Event - a travel and tourism trade show which takes place at Excel London.

The special dispensation was agreed by Ripon City Council, and the event was jointly hosted by North Yorkshire Council, Visit York, Visit Leeds and Herriot Country Tourism.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for the visitor economy, Cllr Derek Bastiman, said:

“The visitor economy is a major contributor to North Yorkshire’s economy, bringing in more than £1.5 billion a year and attracting over 33 million visitors from domestic visits alone to the county.
“I am extremely proud of our heritage and having a hornblower from our area sound the horn over the River Thames for the first time in over a thousand years is quite the honour.”


Allison Clark calls the watch last night. Pic: James Glossop.



Representatives from each local board were invited as part of the All Aboard For Yorkshire initiative, which aimed to showcase the culture and beauty on offer across York and North Yorkshire.

Ms Clark added:

“Along with my three hornblower colleagues, I must have one of the longest-standing, unaltered job descriptions in the world.
“I never imagined when I took the role that I would be on the Thames next to the Tower of London announcing that North Yorkshire is ‘at large’ in London!”


Gemma Rio, head of tourism at North Yorkshire Council, also said the council is “on a mission to broadcast to the global travel industry, to look, and book, ‘up north’”.

North Yorkshire was represented at the World Travel Market by North Yorkshire Council, Herriot Country Tourism and Visit York as part of the UK Inbound stand. 



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