Gary Verity

Sir Gary Keith Verity, DL (born July 1964) is a British businessman and sheep farmer. He was Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire from 2008 until he resigned in March 2019.

Sir Gary Verity DL
Verity in 2014
Chief Executive Officer of Welcome to Yorkshire
In office October 2008 – March 2019
Personal details
Born	Gary Keith Verity July 1964 (age 60) Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Awards	Knight Bachelor (2015) National Order of Merit, France (2017)

Welcome to Yorkshire

From October 2008 to March 2019, Verity was Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire. He led the successful campaign for the Grand Départ of the 2014 Tour de France to be held in Yorkshire.^[1][2]

On 22 March 2019, Verity resigned from his post with Welcome To Yorkshire citing health reasons.^[3] He also admitted that he had "made errors of judgement regarding his expenses".^[4][5] He voluntarily offered to repay the incorrectly claimed expenses.^[6] He was also accused of unacceptable behaviour and bullying, with the former head of communications Dee Marshall suggesting that he had "really hurt people".^[6] Allegations were made concerning his behaviour in 2014 and 2016: he was issued with a final written warning and required to attend "behavioural management counselling".^[7]

Honours

In July 2014, Verity was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of York.^[8] In the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, it was announced that he had been appointed a Knight Bachelor "for services to Tourism and the Tour De France Grand Depart 2014".^[9] In April 2017, he was made a Chevalier (knight) of the National Order of Merit by the President of France in recognition of his role in bringing the Grand Départ of the Tour de France to Yorkshire in 2014 and for creating its spiritual successor, the Tour de Yorkshire.^[10]

In May 2018, Verity was made a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) to the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire.^[11]

In January 2022, it was reported that the Government’s Forfeiture Committee is considering stripping Verity of his knighthood.^[12]

Personal life

Verity was born and raised in Leeds, and attended Leeds Grammar School.^[13] An affinity with the Yorkshire Dales led him to buying a sheep farm in Coverdale. He has an 18 year old daughter, Lily (born 2003) with his late wife, Helen.^[14]

References

1. "Sir Gary Verity". Heritage Lottery Fund. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
2. "Arise Sir Gary as knighthood completes a landmark year of personal celebration". The Yorkshire Post. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
3. "Tourism chief quits after expenses probe". BBC News. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
4. "Yorkshire tourism boss quits after expenses probe". BBC News. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
5. "Sir Gary Verity Quits Welcome to Yorkshire". Yorkshire Coast Radio. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
6. "Tourism boss's behaviour 'unacceptable'". BBC News. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
7. Laycock, Mike (27 March 2019). "Sir Gary Verity was given final written warning, tourism organisation reveals". York Press. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
8. "University of York honours 16 for their contribution to society". University of York. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
9. "No. 61256". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 2015. p. B2.
10. "Tour de Yorkshire Director is given top French honour". ITV News. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
11. "No. 62287". The London Gazette. 15 May 2018. p. 8724.
12. Burn, Chris (7 January 2022). "Forfeiture Committee to consider whether to revoke Sir Gary Verity's knighthood". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
13. Mitchinson, James, ed. (1 August 2018). "Sir Gary Verity DL". The Yorkshire Post. Inspiring Yorkshire. p. 49. ISSN 0963-1496.
14. Hunter, Jan (26 October 2018). "Wild About Wider Yorkshire". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 43–2018. p. 37. ISSN 2516-5348.