Hull woos Londoners with 5,000 pots of chip spice

The Hull volunteers are in London as part of Yorkshire Day

Volunteers carrying 5,000 pots of chip spice have travelled from Hull to London to promote tourism in East Yorkshire.

They took a Hull Trains service to the capital later to mark Yorkshire Day.

"American" chip spice – a blend of paprika, tomato powder, onion and garlic – is a culinary favourite in Hull, having originated in the city in the 1970s.

The ambassadors also handed out white roses and postcards as they attempted to persuade people to visit the region.

Chip spice is a Hull institution

Abi Bell, a co-ordinator for HEY! Volunteering, who has worked on the "takeover" alongside Hull Trains and Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, said it was a chance for the volunteers to "shout about" the area.

Dressed in the "scandalous blue" outfits that became familiar during Hull's reign as UK City of Culture 2017, they will visit locations including Camden Town and Regent's Park to encourage people to enter a competition to win a short break to East Yorkshire.

Volunteers handed out white roses to mark Yorkshire Day

Volunteer Mary Fox described Hull as a "hidden gem that nobody talks about" until they arrive and "think wow, that's really good".

Fellow ambassador David Elgey said he would be telling people in the capital about Hull's "beautifully preserved Old Town".

In recent years, numerous films and TV dramas have been shot in the Old Town and Mr Elgey added: "Because it's so well preserved, it's a Victorian scene without filmmakers doing anything to it."

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