Can 'Hockney Country' build on painter's legacy?

Tourism bosses are hoping David Hockney's famed association with East Yorkshire can draw more people to the area.

The Wolds countryside was given international acclaim when the artist, who died earlier this month, chose it as the subject of some of his paintings.

Councillor Nick Coultish, vice chairman of Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY), described the artist as "one of our region's most famous ambassadors".

He said: "His international exhibitions have created opportunities for us to showcase East Yorkshire alongside his work and raise awareness about our destination to new audiences that might not have considered holidaying in East Yorkshire before."

Hockney was born in Bradford and spent time living in Bridlington, where his sister and mother lived.

He was inspired by the region's landscapes.

His Bigger Trees Near Warter painting in 2007 was one of his most recognisable paintings of the Yorkshire Wolds, measuring 40ft by 15ft (12m by 5m) across a grid of 50 individual canvases.

Coultish said VHEY would continue to build on the artist's legacy when encouraging people to visit the region, including highlighting the David Hockney cycling trail, and supporting exhibitions of his work.

"Hockney and his significance to the region is about showing that while we're often modest about how beautiful where we live is, it is as beautiful as some of the most beautiful places in the world," he said.

One business that has benefitted from Hockney's association with East Yorkshire is The Wolds Inn, in Huggate.

As a youngster, Hockney spent several summers working the fields in the village, which Inn owner Vicky Knocker said must have "stuck" with him as he returned to paint the local landscape in his later years.

She said "the majority" of people who are staying at the pub were walkers and cyclists taking on the Wolds Way and Way of the Roses, but guests did mention Hockney.

Knocker said: "We had three guests in last night who all talked about David Hockney, the views on their travels on their bikes were relevant to the pictures that he'd painted in this area."

She also said legend had it a young Hockney first experienced getting drunk at the pub.

She said: "Rumour has it, I think it was 1952, as a young child, he worked on the farms just outside of Huggate. And the Wolds Inn was his first pub experience where he got a little tipsy."

When discussing numbers of visitors to the region, where tourism spending recently reached £1bn for the first time, Coultish said "there's no reason" why visitor numbers could not continue to increase.

He said: "We have a capacity to grow. We have some brilliant people who work in hotels, restaurants, visitor attractions in the area that are happy to see more people come and visit the area."

Knocker was more cautious in her attitude towards attracting more visitors.

She added: "I think the villagers themselves like it to be fairly quiet and peaceful.

"Bank holidays are extremely busy, there are cars parked everywhere by people going on walks. I think David Hockney definitely put Huggate on the map.

"Business-wise, yeah, I'd love everybody to come to Huggate, but in the same breath, It's nice, it's peaceful, it's quiet and it's a bit precious."

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