New chairman elected for BHA

Mr Osborn's previous position, vice-chairman, has been taken over by Christopher Davy, proprietor of the Rose and Crown Hotel, Romaldkirk, Co Durham, who was previously chairman of the BHA's northern committee. Osborn commented on his new role: "The hospitality industry faces the toughest period of trading in a generation and the BHA needs to continue to support the 200,000 businesses throughout the UK that are affected by the current recession." "Tourism is currently going through a long period of investment, in which over 200 new hotels have opened every year since 1992 and we must try to ensure that this £5bn annual investment is maintained, despite the recession. We will continue to argue the industry's case in Whitehall and elsewhere for the tourism industry to be taken more seriously by government."