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Economic Development

New owner of Welcome to Yorkshire website wants to save Tour de Yorkshire

Manchester-based firm Silicon Dales has acquired Yorkshire.com following Welcome to Yorkshire's collapse into administration

Team Sky riders talk with Team Dimension Data's Mark Cavendish (centre) in the Men's Race during day one of the Tour de Yorkshire in 2018(Image: PA)

The businessman behind the firm that has bought the Yorkshire.com website says he wants to save the Tour de Yorkshire 2023, and promote the county to global visitors.

Robin Scott's eCommerce firm, Silicon Dales Ltd, has acquired the website and other assets including the rights to run the cycling event from the administrators of the failed tourism body, which collapsed following a string of damaging claims about bullying and misspending which led councils to withdraw its funding.

Now, Mr Scott says Silicon Dales will relaunch Yorkshire.com and focus on marketing Yorkshire as a holiday destination to overseas tourists.

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He says exact plans are yet to be confirmed but his first challenge is "attempting to speak with all interested parties in order to try to save the Tour de Yorkshire 2023."

Mr Scott said: "The clock is ticking on that very fast, and I can't promise success, but we will pull out all the stops to make a deal happen for that fantastic cycling event."

It has not been revealed how much was paid for the assets, but it has been reported the Yorkshire.com website domain alone attracted a prior bid of £20,000. The Yorkshire Leaders’ Board of council leaders and the county’s two metro mayors were thought to be considering buying some of the assets in a recent auction.

Mr Scott said: "Originally, we'd come in very late to this deal, as we saw the domains had been listed for auction, but when we learned the opportunity was still there to get the websites and content, we moved very quickly to try to save the memory of the fantastic 2014 Grand Depart, as well attempting to preserve the legacy Tour de Yorkshire event.