A new events director has been announced to head up the events and conferencing venues at the Great Yorkshire Showground, in Harrogate.

The new role has been created to oversee both the Yorkshire Event Centre and Pavilions of Harrogate, which are both based on the 250-acre showground. The sister venues can host a range of events from weddings to large-scale conferences and exhibitions.

Richard Moorhouse has been promoted to the role after being the venue manager of the Yorkshire Event Centre (YEC) for the last 12 years.

Moorhouse said: “We have had a hugely successful year at the YEC which has included hosting the launch of Fully Charged North and the Great Holiday Home Show in addition to our established events calendar. The Pavilions of Harrogate will host over 350 events by the end of the year and already, bookings for 2024 are looking really strong. It is a privilege to lead such a fantastic, passionate team and I am looking forward to building on successful foundations to create more business opportunities while retaining our regular events and taking the venues to the next level.”

Moorhouse has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry and previously held operational roles at the Freedom Centre, Hull and in hospitality at Doncaster Racecourse.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) family of businesses includes Fodder, Yorkshire Event Centre, Pavilions of Harrogate and the Harrogate Caravan Park as well as events Great Yorkshire Show and Springtime Live.