THE Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has celebrated its 110th anniversary at the same hotel where it was founded.

The Yorkshire Land and Property Defence Association – fore runner of the CLA – held its first meeting at The Station Hotel, York – recently restored and re-named and The Principal York Hotel.

From that point, the organisation began to lobby MPs on topical agricultural issues. The following year it joined forces with the newly established Central Land Association in London, creating an influential industry body that is today the association known as the CLA.

Speaking on Thursday of last week (26), Dorothy Fairburn, CLA Director North, said: "Over the past century, the organisation has grown from a small regional lobbying group into one of the country’s most active and influential rural economy campaigners, representing more than 30,000 members involved in more than 250 different types of businesses.

"CLA members own and manage more than 50 per cent of rural land in England and Wales. I am delighted to be able to mark this historic occasion with members of the families that have helped shape our agricultural heritage in the CLA’s birthplace of York.

"Despite all the changes over this period, the CLA has remained steadfast in amplifying the voice of rural landowners and farmers, and will continue to do so in future."

The great grandfather of Lord Middleton, current President of the CLA’s Yorkshire Branch, was a founding committee member and Lord Wenlock, the great grandfather of past Yorkshire chairman Charles Forbes Adam, chaired the third meeting in May 1907.

Lord Middleton said: "As Lord Harewood, who chaired the first meeting of the CLA said '...there was never a time during his lifetime, and he was born in the famous Corn Law year, when agriculture in this country so greatly required united organisation to put pressure on Parliament.'

"The CLA is as relevant today as it was then, especially with regard to Brexit and its implications for landowners and farmers."

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