Encouraging Tourists to the Site

"An estimated 10.9million day

trip visitors came to Leeds in

2006, generating £513million

for the sector"

Leeds Economy Handbook 2008

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Encouragement of tourism and leisure is a key aspect to the Granary Wharf site especially without the 2nd Train Station entrance, as people tend to visit this area just for business. Creating a desire for people to go there would benefit the site, as Royal Armouries has with Clarence Dock.

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Leeds Tourism generates £832million a year and employs over 14,000 people12. In 2006, the Yorkshire region generated £513million from an estimated 10.9million day trip visitors. Many of the day trip visitors arrive by train, it is estimated that in 2007, 17.357 million people used the Station. A second entrance would be a prime location for people to visit a museum or attraction. New tourist attractions to Leeds in 2008 included the Yorkshire Planetarium at Harewood House, Crime and Punishment Tours at the Town Hall and the opening of the City Museum.

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The 2008 Leeds Economy Handbook documents that with the hotels that are on site and in planning there are an estimated 1910 new bed spaces proposed, bringing the total up to 5,299 bed spaces.

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Currently there are 23 hotels in the city centre and the new 14 hotels proposed appear to be excessive.

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City Inn hotel, on the Granary Wharf site is a 333 bedroom hotel, the site does not require a hotel this large on the site, as the Hilton hotel, 133 bedrooms and Discovery Inn, 80 rooms are minutes away. A smaller hotel of 150 rooms would be appropriate for the site, making more public space or a less domineering building. Accommodating a hotel on the site is necessary for giving people another need or desire to visit the site all year round.