YORK stands more than a ghost of a chance of attracting conferences - and the proof will be seen in London tonight.

Mark Graham, of The Original Ghost Walk of York will entertain 70 of Britain's conference leaders with scary tales about the ancient capital at a dinner organised for them by the York-based Yorkshire Tourist Board.

The gathering, which takes place 140 ft above the Thames within the walkways of London's Tower Bridge, is a chance for Yorkshire conference partners to discuss what they have to offer with potential clients, mainly from London and the South East.

An informal Yorkshire-themed dinner follows during which the partners swap tables between courses to maximise contact, with Mr Graham raising their spirits over coffee. All the guests will be given the latest copies of the Yorkshire Conference & Venue Guide 2001, recently launched at Doncaster.

The promotional push comes at a good time for York which, earlier this month, was named Britain's best holiday destination outside London in Thomas Cook's 2001 Travel Awards.

David Andrews, chief executive of the board said: "Yorkshire has a five per cent share of the market. We must ensure the county makes a strong impact on the conference market to both maintain our existing share and expand it."