Issue 77 Summer 2019 £2.75
Premier League’s power in boosting tourism revealed NEW research from VisitBritain shows the power of the Premier League in driving inbound tourism amongst overseas football fans, with more than three-quarters of those surveyed intending to visit the UK during the next two years. Chinese football fans surveyed showed the greatest intention with 92 per cent intending to visit the UK within the next two years followed by India, 85 per cent and the US, 80 per cent. VisitBritain’s ‘International Football Research’ also found that the Premier League had a greater pull for tourists than the top leagues in other countries. Two-thirds, 66 per cent, of those who had travelled to watch a football match in the UK saw a Premier League match, making it the most popular. This compared to 39 per cent who had watched a top league match when they had travelled to watch football outside of the UK. The research, carried out across Brazil, China, India, Norway, Sweden and the US, targeted football fans and also what VisitBritain terms as ‘buzzseekers,’ a segment of travellers who like action and excitement on their holidays, to understand the role that football plays in driving immediacy to visit Britain. The results echo additional research by VisitBritain into ‘dream activities’ for potential visitors across 17 international markets which showed that watching a Premier League game live was a dream activity for one in four, with a similar proportion keen to watch a Premier League football match in a pub with locals. VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: “This research cements the huge pull that Premier League football has in attracting international tourists to Britain with people keen to visit the clubs of their sporting heroes, not only experiencing the excitement and atmosphere of a match but associated visitor attractions and destinations. “It demonstrates the Premier League’s potential in driving regional tourism by encouraging visitors to explore different parts of Britain, and football’s effectiveness in driving growth across the low and shoulder seasons, supporting local
“We benefit from having hugely popular clubs and players who attract people to our competition and to the UK.”
economies.” Premier League interim chief executive Richard Masters added: “Our aim is to put on the best possible football competition and to engage fans and communities both locally and globally. “We benefit from having hugely popular clubs and players who attract people to our competition and to the UK. “We put a lot of effort into connecting with our international fans, and that will again be highlighted this summer when four of our clubs visit Nanjing and Shanghai in China for the Asia Trophy. “Nothing quite beats the excitement of a match day, being inside a full Premier League ground and seeing a match in the flesh, so it’s very encouraging to hear that so many international visitors want to experience football in this country.” Manchester United was the top team followed with 70 per cent of Premier League followers in the markets surveyed supporting them. Liverpool was second with 66 per cent and Chelsea third with 62 per cent. International football fans who followed the Premier League followed on average six teams, demonstrating the opportunity and importance of football in driving regional tourism. VisitBritain has encouraged visitors from all over the world to travel to Britain and enjoy a football match with its Football is GREAT campaign, as part of its drive to get tourists out exploring more of the nations and regions. Latest available research by VisitBritain showed that football is the number one sporting draw for international tourists to the UK with more than 800,000 international visitors going to a football match annually, spending £684million during their time in the country.
The UK’s biggest lantern festival returns to Longleat for 2019. Hundreds of breathtaking, illuminated lanterns, set in over 30 acres of splendid ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds, will transform the Estate as darkness falls. This year the Festival of Light presents Myths and Legends. Longleat is inviting you to join them on a thrilling odyssey, discovering epic stories from around the world. From the gods and magical beings of ancient Greece, to heroic tales of British folklore with the legendary Kraken, a colossal sea monster lurking in the depths of Longleat’s Half Mile Lake, ready to engulf any ship that sails too close … filled with astonishing creatures, magnificent scenery and stunning structures; don’t miss the most amazing mythical adventure of them all.
First steel cut on new Lake Windermere boat
WINDERMERE Lake Cruises has signed a contract to make a multimillion pound investment in a new 300-seat boat to add to its famous existing fleet. MV ‘Swift’ is expected to be in service from the mid 2020 season, making it the largest craft to be ‘launched’ onto Windermere for more than 80 years. The new vessel has been designed to operate in all seasons, 364 days a year and will increase the quality of the visitors’ experience thanks to 21stcentury quality, comfort and accessibility. Like Windermere Lake Cruises’ existing flagship ‘steamers’ MV Swan and MV Teal, the new vessel will boast three decks but will be slightly shorter in length to enable it to access smaller jetties to help support other businesses in the area. The first cutting of the steel has taken place, with construction expected to be complete in approximately 17 months. Chairman of Windermere Lake Cruises, Bill Bewley, said: “We
are ranked by Visit England as one of the top 10 ‘paid for’ visitor attractions in the country and we are always striving to improve the visitor experience, hence the decision to invest in a new vessel. “It’s not only an opportunity to ensure our passengers continue to enjoy comfortable journeys with us but will also help visitors experience the full 10.5-mile length of the lake, its surrounding countryside and attractions. Without having to rely on their cars to accomplish that, it forms an important part of the sustainable transport network. “We also wanted to make other existing stop-off points along the lake more accessible to our passengers. ‘Swift’ has therefore been designed to easily access piers such as private jetties at hotels including Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, which until now have been unable to accommodate our larger vessels.” The vessel is being built by Netherlands-based company Damen following the signing of the contract with the boat-builder in March.
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Streamlined ticketing service for Illuminations Switch-On A NEW, streamlined ticketing service is being introduced for Blackpool’s biggest night of the year – the Illuminations Switch-On concert. VisitBlackpool has announced that the traditional free wristbands will be replaced with a secure e-ticketing system and also revealed that there will once again be a limited number of guaranteed Golden Circle tickets available for the star-studded event on the Tower Festival Headland on August 30. As in previous years, people are invited to go into a ballot to win up to four of the 20,000 free tickets available for the concert, with half of the tickets reserved for local residents. This year’s concert will include headline performances by Brit Award-winners Busted, multi-talented singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt, and Sigma, the British drum and bass DJ and record production duo, who have twice topped the UK singles charts. Britain’s top dance group, Diversity, and Club MTV DJs R3wire & Varski will also join the line-up, along with a celebrity Switch-On star yet to be revealed. The introduction of the e-ticketing system in association with ticketing company, Skiddle, will allow for instant, guaranteed ticket issuing, where people can either print their ticket or download it to the Skiddle
app on their phone, preventing thirdparty selling sites from profiteering from the free balloted element of the event. Councillor Gillian Campbell, deputy leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Skiddle once again for this iconic event to bring a much more streamlined and secure ticketing system to the biggest night in our tourism calendar. “The demand for Switch-On tickets gets greater every year and on the back of that unprecedented demand, we have created an additional
enclosure without compromising the number of free tickets allocated to visitors and residents. This will enable people to guarantee a brilliant Switch-On experience at low cost.” Last year, VisitBlackpool introduced a special Golden Circle offer with a limited number of people enjoying a close-up view of the show in a guaranteed access, exclusive section at the front of the arena. The Golden Circle will return to the Switch-On party for 2019, for £10 per person. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Attraction announces late night openings to meet demand LIVERPOOL’S newest tourist attraction, RLB360, has announced it will be opening later into the evenings to meet visitor demand. The Royal Liver Building tour unlocked the iconic waterfront building to the public for the first time and has proved hugely popular, receiving more than 14,000 visitors since opening in April. Chris Devaney, operations manager for RLB360, said: “Feedback from visitors has been extremely positive, with interest from across the globe and tickets sold months in advance. “Due to this high demand we’re often unable to meet booking requests at short notice so we’ve taken the decision to open up late night slots during the summer months. “We hope this gives more people the chance to experience the history and breathtaking 360° views of the city and River Mersey offered from the top of the Royal Liver Building.” Late night openings at RLB360 will take place Thursday to Sunday, with the evening tours running to the end of August. Tickets are available to book online now for slots at 4.30pm and 5pm, with later times becoming available once previous tours are full. Alexandra Bower, events manager at RLB360, added: “We’re looking forward to giving people even more options to visit RLB360 this summer.
A new free summer guide for York has been published by Visit York to entice visitors to the city over the summer months and help people make the most of all that’s going on. 30,000 copies of the 30-page colourful guide have appeared at information centres all across Yorkshire, in hotel receptions, at visitor attractions and are also available on park and ride services into York.
Contacts EDITORIAL Judith Halkerston group editor jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Dominic Musgrave production editor dm@scriptmedia.co.uk
PRODUCTION Stewart Holt – studio manager – sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Ben Thornley – graphic designer bt@scriptmedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Tony Barry sales and marketing director 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia.co.uk CIRCULATION Kelly Tarff 01226 734695 kt@scriptmedia.co.uk Web: www.destination.uk.com
“In particular, the warmer sunlight of the early evening should mean visitors’ photographs of the views from the top of our tower will look even more stunning. “Initially, our summer late night openings will only be available Thursday to Sunday, with the option to open up more days if needed.” RLB360 visitors enjoy a 70-minute guided tour, taking them from the
lower ground floor visitor centre up to the 10th floor to learn about the building’s past and enjoy views across the River Mersey, then gradually climbing the Riverside Tower to the Clock Room to experience an immersive audio-visual experience, before reaching the 15th floor and panoramic Liver Bird’s eye views.
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As the trend for glamping and staying in alternative, unusual accommodation shows no sign of slowing down, Dominic Musgrave and his family spent a weekend away from the hustle and bustle in a shepherd’s hut in the beautiful Lancashire countryside.
One of the shepherd’s huts at Samlesbury Hall (left) and the stunning medieval house itself (right).
Samlesbury Hall is the perfect place to get away from it all
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BASED just a few minutes drive from Blackburn and Preston, Samlesbury Hall on the edge of the stunning Ribble Valley is the perfect place to get away from it all. The striking stately home is a wonderful half-timbered black and white medieval house that was built in 1325. In the grounds, in an area known as The Hamlet, sit 28 colourful shepherd’s huts, some of which are dog-friendly, that provide quirky, rustic and snug accommodation that will long live in the memory. These en-suite cabins are surprisingly roomy and sleep four with comfortable beds complete with two double bunks in European oak and memory foam mattresses, spacious showers and electricity to keep your mobile phone charged. Tea and coffee making facilities are also provided. The huts are well heated and lit, including a camping lantern to add a further rural touch to your stay (and to light for a moonlit walk). I visited with my wife Emma and two children – 11-year-old Beth and eight-year-old Joseph – whose main worry leading up the trip was how they were going to live without a TV for the weekend. That concern was soon forgotten as the grounds gave them plenty of places to explore and have fun. We arrived on the Friday evening and, once unpacked, enjoyed a glass or two of the complimentary Prosecco on the picnic table outside of our hut in the evening sunshine. We were also provided with a barbecue to cook our own meal, but decided instead to wander down to the nearby Mezzo Italian restaurant that had been recommended to us in the guest information. The food, drink and service was second to none. As it was Father’s Day a couple of days later I was treated to scallops
with a garlic crumb for starters. I followed this up with delicious salmon ravioli in a cream and tomato sauce. After a good night’s sleep we headed to the hall’s restaurant to be served breakfast to set us up for the day. The full English breakfast (£7.95) consisted of the hall’s very own free range fried hen’s egg, delicious bacon, sausage, roast tomato, hash brown, field mushrooms, beans, toast and butter. Dinner and drinks are also served at the hall but as it is a popular venue for weddings, especially at weekends, these were unavailable on the Friday and Saturday of our stay, which we had been advised of beforehand. The breakfast was the perfect start to an action-packed day 30 minutes away on the coast at Lytham St Anne’s – a place I’ve fond memories of from going there as a child that hasn’t changed a great deal over the years. St Anne’s is probably the perfect English coastal town. It’s clean, well kept and offers plenty to do in all weathers.
Thankfully we were lucky to visit on a rare dry June day and, following a short walk around the town centre and a stop-off for a drink, we headed on to the seafront and the pier. Like the majority of children my two love the 2p machines, and the amusements here didn’t disappoint. While I’m no expert of arcade games, I can honestly say that I have never seen so many different variations in one place. From there it was a walk down the promenade for a game of pitchand-putt before an ice-cream and a game of cricket on the beach. Beth also enjoyed a ride on a donkey. And that wasn’t the end of the seaside traditions as we then enjoyed fish, chips and mushy peas washed down with a cup of tea at the much recommended Seafarers Restaurant. I don’t know why but fish and chips taste so much better at the coast. Exhausted after a full day we headed back to the huts and, with any thoughts of the TV being long forgotten, sat around the firepit with a glass of wine watching the sun go down while the children enjoyed
toasting the marshmallows that had kindly been provided before they went off exploring again. After another fantastic night’s sleep and refreshing shower we again enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast in the hall’s restaurant – I opted for smoked salmon and scrambled egg on two slices of white bloomer toast (£6.95), which was absolutely delicious. After saying goodbye to our wonderful home for the weekend one last time and packing up the car we then decided to have a stroll around the hall and grounds, which were open to the public. For children there’s a good sized adventure playground complete with a pirate ship and miniature version of the hall itself and, as well as the main hall, visitors can also discover more about bees at the bee and heritage centre. One last treat for the kids before we headed off was a visit to Dotties’s Wafflery – England’s first – for a sweet waffle smothered in icecream, chocolate treats and sauce. Again the staff were very friendly and welcoming. There was genuine sadness from the four of us as we drive away – so much so that we have already booked to return during the October half-term holidays. On our way home we took a detour and stopped off at nearby Clitheroe – a vibrant market town that boasts its own castle. As we were walking down from the castle we could hear live music and came across the fantastic Holmes Mill – a former textiles mill that has been transformed to offer a food hall, beer hall, cafe, gelateria and hotel. The live band and the Bowland Brewery double decker bus to celebrate Father’s Day rounded off the perfect weekend.
For more information visit www.samlesburyhall.co.uk
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Scone Palace’s warm welcome a hit with VisitScotland SCONE Palace, the crowning place of Scottish Kings, has retained its five-star status as one of Scotland’s top visitor attractions following an audit by VisitScotland. This is the first audit since the implementation of VisitScotland’s revised grading scheme which places more focus on visitors’ needs and expectations as well as the needs and ambitions of the tourism sector. The Palace achieved consistently high scores during the audit at the end of April. In particular, the venue was praised by VisitScotland for offering ‘a genuine welcome’ upon arrival and the guide staff for being ‘friendly and knowledgeable’. The excellent customer experience continued in the coffee shop and gift shop with staff being described as ‘helpful, courteous and amiable’. VisitScotland also highlighted Scone Palace’s ongoing decoration and maintenance work including new lighting, flooring and décor in the
retail outlets. VisitScotland awarded the Palace membership of Taste Our Best again, a quality assurance scheme which ensures that visitors always receive the very best quality, seasonal local
produce and receive information on where the food has come from. Stephen Brannigan, head of palace and events at Scone Palace, said: “We pride ourselves on offering all of our visitors a memorable experience
when they come to Scone Palace and it is wonderful for our team to have received such glowing feedback from VisitScotland. “Earlier this year we invested in staff training with a particular focus on customer care and Disability Equality Training, so it is great to see the positive impact of training come to fruition.” VisitScotland’s audit comes at the beginning of a busy summer period for Scone Palace. The events team are getting ready for Paws at the Palace. Organised in partnership with Dog Friendly Perthshire, the event will feature doggy fun and games, parades of different breeds, agility classes and some four-legged demonstrations for dogs and their owners to enjoy. The all-day event on June 30 will also include food stalls, cool-down areas for dogs, and a host of stall holders selling doggy gear and gifts.
Haven launches new Certificate of Excellence for Crystal Maze LIVE pod accommodation
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HOLIDAY operator Haven has expanded its accommodation offering to include new boutique twobedroom pods, which are available for guests to book now at Rockley Park in Poole. Well-known for its caravan accommodation, Haven’s new pods are a contemporary take on the traditional caravan. A stay in one of these sees families of up to six guests benefit from guaranteed outdoor decking, a spacious lounge and a raised mezzanine floor which is home to a double bedroom – a unique feature to the pod. Other features include a 32” TV in the lounge, open plan kitchen and a guaranteed parking spot. Offering the perfect location for family holidays, guests will have full access to all of Rockley Park’s entertainment and facilities including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, direct access to a sandy beach,
multi-sports court, spa and various dining venues. The new pitch development is also just a short walk to the Ham Common Nature Reserve and Hamworthy Lake in Poole. The pods are just one of the accommodation types available across Haven parks throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Guests can also choose from holiday homes of all grades, luxury lodges, modern chalets and even glamping options such as yurts and super tents. This new addition to Haven is being trialled at Rockley Park Holiday Park, with a view to rolling it out across more of Haven’s 36 coastal holiday parks in the future. A four-night break at Haven’s Rockley Park in Poole starts from £171 per family. This price is based on a family of up to four sharing pod accommodation when arriving on September 30.
THE Crystal Maze LIVE Experience’s London and Manchester mazes have both been recognised with a TripAdvisor 2019 Certificate of Excellence, based on the consistently great reviews earned on the world’s largest travel site. Based on the hit TV classic, the experience lasts approximately 75 minutes, caters for players 13 years and over, and sees teams of up to eight dash through the maze’s incredibly themed Medieval, Aztec, Industrial and Futuristic adventure zones. Guided by an eccentric Maze Master, the aim is for players to win as many crystals as possible by completing various challenges. Each crystal won means more time in the iconic dome, where the goal is to catch enough golden tickets to bag a spot on the coveted leader board! Tom Lionetti-Maguire, co-Founder and director of The Crystal Maze
LIVE Experience, said: “Only a small percentage of businesses achieve this recognition from TripAdvisor, so to receive such great reviews and be recognised like this is fantastic. “From the get-go, our aim has always been to make people laugh, encourage them to forget all about the world outside and to bring groups together, so to have achieved this and so much more in such a short space of time is a dream.” Set up by production company, Little Lion Entertainment, as an immersive, interactive theatre experience, The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience opened in London in March 2016 and in Manchester in April 2017 having been successfully crowdfunded via IndieGoGo. This year the experiences’ Islington-based attraction made a huge move to the heart of London’s West End in the Trocadero.
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Snowdon Mountain Railway launches smartphone app SNOWDON Mountain Railway has launched its own mobile phone app, enhancing the experience of its traditional steam and diesel train journeys through the latest interactive digital technology. Visitors to the North Wales heritage attraction can download the app for free and use it to learn more about the history of the 123-year old railway, while discovering various points of interest as they travel from Llanberis to the summit of Wales’ highest peak. Staff at Snowdon have been working on the application for the past 12 months, adding Welsh and English voice commentary, facts about each station on the mountain and even interactive 360° views. Carrie Probin, marketing manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway, said: “Our new app allows people around the world to learn more about the railway and its history, while also adding a new dimension for those travelling with us. “App users visiting Snowdon will be able to enjoy an interactive journey with access to hidden content unlocked by Bluetooth beacons along the route. “From Llanberis all the way to the summit, passengers can learn about each station and the surrounding landscape, listen to the audio commentary, reveal ‘then and now’ photos, plus details about nearby points of interest. “We’ve tried to get all the team involved, including asking local girl Janice Humphreys from Llanberis, who works in our ticket office, to show off her wonderful North Wales
Alison Reid, Dalmahoy front of house manager, opens the doors to the new-look hotel.
Janice Humphreys from the railway’s ticket office, who voices the new app, and Carrie Probin, the railway’s marketing manager. accent and provide the voiceover for the app. “And, if at the summit the weather isn’t at its best, passengers can use the app to show them 360° views from the top on a beautiful clear day.” The Snowdon Mountain Railway app was created by Welsh firm Locly, which has designed Android and iOS apps for visitor destinations across the world including Cadw Welsh Castles, Cardiff’s Millennium Centre and for the City of Perth in Australia. The app is currently available in Welsh and English language versions, with other languages to follow, and can be downloaded directly from Apple or Google app stores to compatible smartphones and tablets.
Jonathan Hinkles of Loganair and Glyn Jones, CEO of Stobart Aviation.
New flights take to the skies TWO new air routes between London Southend Airport and Scotland have celebrated their inaugural departures, including the first ever direct service to Stornoway. Scottish airline Loganair has launched three non-stop flights every weekday to Glasgow, alongside a selection of weekend services – operated by its fleet of Embraer 145 regional jet aircraft. As well as an early morning ‘redeye’ service, the schedule has been
designed to enable a full working day in Glasgow before an evening trip home. It has also introduced six onestop same plane flights per week to the Outer Hebridean Airport of Stornoway, which include a short a 30-minute stopover in Glasgow during which customers can remain on the aircraft – connecting London and the Western Isles in less than three hours.
Dalmahoy hotel unveils major refurbishment
DALMAHOY Hotel & Country Club, a leading historic hotel built in 1725, has unlocked the doors to newlymodernised rooms after undergoing a £2m revamp, with help from Mary, Queen of Scots’ previously unseen keys. The hotel refurbishment has helped shine a light on historic keys which played a part in Mary, Queen of Scots’ temporary prison break from Loch Leven Castle in 1568. The keys belong to the 22nd Earl of Morton, who lives on the Dalmahoy estate, and marked the first time the s keys have been seen in public since the end of the 18th century. It is said the Earl’s ancestors helped play a part in Mary, Queen of Scots’ prison break; the keys were discovered and returned to the 16th Earl of Morton on the Dalmahoy estate in 1791, where they remain to this day. The Earl has allowed the keys to be photographed so guests and visitors can view them for the first time. Unveiling the modernisation at the independently-branded hotel, Alistair Kinchin, general manager of Dalmahoy said: “It’s very apt that Mary, Queen of Scots’ keys are officially unlocking the doors to our
restyled hotel – a refurbishment which carefully blends modernity, whilst helping us celebrate the building’s incredible past. “We’re excited to welcome our guests to the new-look Dalmahoy today, which marks almost three years since we began operating as an independent property. We’ve received really positive feedback from our guests so far.” Located within one of Scotland’s most prestigious estates, Dalmahoy is one of the country’s few true leisure resorts with an array of dining options, two 18-hole golf courses, swimming pool and nature walks all on site. The recent three-month refurbishment project, led by Scottish design firm 10 Design, owned by Liz McNeill, is part of a two-year major upgrade of the resort, which comes with minimal guest disruption. Other 2019 developments include a recently-refurbished driving range, a children’s play area planned for later in the year, and a new CHP unit (combined heat and power) that will allow the hotel to reduce its energy consumption and lower its carbon footprint.
Museum announces deal THE British Motor Museum has signed an exclusive deal with three of the Midland’s leading and premier South Asian caterers to help develop, drive and manage South Asian private events. The British Motor Museum caters for a variety of private and corporate events including conferences, weddings, dinners and meetings for both large-scale functions to smaller more intimate gatherings. The three caterers will be working closely with the Museum for Asian weddings and event requirements for up to 540 guests.
Lisa Locke, bookings manager at the British Motor Museum, said: “The British Motor Museum is a unique and modern setting for a wedding reception, with the added benefit of guests being able to visit the Museum on the day as part of the experience. “Asian clientele can expect a seamless, efficient, five-star experience from our team and our three exclusive partners – from the initial enquiry, through to their special day, we will look after them every step of the way.”
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