Yorkshire’s screen success should come as no surprise

It is no surprise that Yorkshire has established itself as a major UK production centre in recent years. The region is in a unique position in that it not only has great filming locations that few other places in the world can offer but it also has the skills and expertise to be able to facilitate major film and TV productions.

The region’s starring role when it comes to productions can only be a good thing. Not only is it proving to be an economic boon, places like Grassington and Halifax have seen tourists visit from all parts of the world following the success of shows such as All Creatures Great and Small and Gentleman Jack. But there is a wider impact at a grassroots level as well.

Seeing productions on their doorstep will only inspire more young people to pursue careers in film and television production. It shows young people that there is more to productions than just what people end up seeing on the screen. More importantly, it makes them realise that these opportunities are accessible. As the Mayor's Script Diversity Programme shows, it can be a useful lever for boosting social mobility.

It is important for policymakers to connect young people with the opportunities that exist in the region.

That is not to say that the industry is not challenged. Like a lot of other sectors, productions are facing competition from online content.

But as Caroline Cooper Charles, chief executive of Screen Yorkshire, says, it is about evolution and it doesn’t mean that the skills and expertise that are present in this region are redundant.

Yorkshire’s screen success is about more than just skills and the economy. It is about the pride that the people who live in this great region have for Yorkshire.