May 23 2006
Tomlinsons Antiques becomes Yorkshire’s latest tourist attraction
Yorkshire Tourist Board Chairman, Judith Donovan CBE, today officially launched Tomlinsons Antiques as the region’s newest quality assured visitor attraction.
Tomlinsons has been awarded the prestigious quality rose by the English Tourist Board making it one of 600 quality-assessed visitor attractions across England. It was awarded the status following a successful assessment on its status as a tourist destination, based on its ability to provide a fascinating day out as well as excellent customer care and facilities.
The enormous warehouse between Wetherby and York houses Europe’s largest antiques company, with thousands of fascinating items displayed in a stunning environment. Until now, it has been one of the area’s best-kept secrets, largely because of its rural location.
Antiques are brought to life through room sets allowing visitors to walk through a Georgian bedroom, Edwardian parlour or Art Deco living room. But unlike a museum, the furniture on show can be bought and taken home.
For those keen to learn more about furniture design through the ages, the company’s experts are on hand to guide visitors through the eras and explain how Edwardian furniture design evolved into the Arts and Crafts movement.
Tomlinsons craftsmen, who are permanently on site to restore furniture, can also provide behind the scenes knowledge about furniture restoration, giving unique insights into the likes of French polishing, spraying, desk leathering and the art of gilding.
Judith Donovan CBE, says: “As the chairman of the region’s tourist board I am an ardent supporter of all things Yorkshire and responsible for helping generate sustainable business for our tourism industry.
”Tomlinsons is a unique business based in the heart of Yorkshire that attracts customers not only from south of England but also Europe and the rest of the world. Being awarded the quality rose is a testament to the company’s success and will have a positive effect on the local economy as well as the region’s tourist industry.”
Sarah Worrall, sales director at Tomlinsons adds:”We’re thrilled to have been awarded with quality assured tourism status. It’s a tremendous recognition of how far Tomlinsons has come since starting out as a small-scale antiques shop over twenty-five years ago.
“Not only are we now Europe’s largest antiques warehouse but we’ve also been named ‘one of the great days out in Yorkshire’ by Sir Thomas Ingilby, the Chairman of Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and Gardens. Our offer of a social history lesson combined with the fact you can take a piece of history home with you is very unique and one which we are hoping will attract plenty of visitors.”
For more details on Tomlinsons visit www.antique-furniture.co.uk
For further details please contact Stefanie Riese-McCartney on 0113 290 4270 or email stefanier@jdapr.co.uk
Notes to editors and picture desks
Tomlinsons has been established for over 25 years, and is now the leading British supplier of antique furniture to the UK and overseas trade.
The company offers antique and traditional furnishings to traders and the public.
More than 2,000 items are brought into the warehouse each month and 5,000 items are in stock at any one time.
Images of Tomlinsons fine furniture are available from Stefanie Riese-McCartney on 0113 290 4270 or email stefanier@jdapr.co.uk.
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