Issue 60 Winter 2014 £2.75

£10m pledgewelcomed byorganisationsBy Josh Timlin

TOURISM bodies have welcomed afunding boost to develop a new strat-egy to capitalise on the north ofEngland’s successful events in 2014.

VisitEngland and VisitBritain havebacked the government’s £10millionpledge, which has come from itsRegional Growth Fund (RGF).

Previous RGF funding sawVisitEngland secure £19.8m toimplement a three-year ‘GrowingTourism Locally’ project back in2012. To date this has generated£527m in additional tourism spendand has also created 9,800 extrajobs.

James Berresford, chief executiveof VisitEngland, said: “We will beworking closely with our sponsordepartment DCMS, our local part-ners and the private sector to deviseand implement the strategy tolaunch next year.

“VisitEngland is committed to sup-porting all areas of the country toensure that the country's entiretourism thrives. We will continue towork closely with partners through-out the country to build on the suc-cess of recent activity.”

Public opinion and awareness ofthe destination rocketed afterYorkshire hosted the biggest GrandDepart in the history of the Tour de

France in July.A post-Tour study, carried out by

ResearchBods, showed that a quar-ter of the country now wants to visitthe north having seen its beauty ontelevision across the world.

Yorkshire has recorded itsstrongest half-year performancesince 2008, with the Tour de Franceeffects still to be fully seen. FromJanuary to June, the county wel-comed 607,000 international visi-tors – already an uplift of seven percent even before the Tour visitorsare counted. The amount spent dur-ing the six-month period was£225m.

Sally Balcombe, chief executive atVisitBritain, added: “We welcomethe announcement of £10millionfrom the Regional Growth Fund tosupport the development of acoordinated tourism strategy topromote the north of England.

“We stand ready to use our globalnetwork and links with internationalcustomers and travel trade to be adelivery partner.

“This money will enable northerntourist destinations to build on theirrecent success. Visitors spent 16per cent more in the north in 2013than in the previous year, so weencourage more international visi-tors to explore and enjoy all thatthis region has to offer.”

SWEET lovers can now spendthe night surrounded by theirfavourite nostalgic treats fol-lowing the launch of Gulliver'sWarrington Hotel’s first everSwizzels Sweetie Suite.

Gulliver's has been workingwith Swizzels on a number ofspecial projects designed toenhance families' theme parkexperience – and the SweetieSuite is the latest project tobe unveiled to the public.

Jam-packed with confec-tionery-themed touches, thesuite includes exclusiveSwizzels printed wallpaper,Love Hearts bedspread andcushions, pastel draping andcurtains, with plenty of extrasurprises for families whocheck in for a weekend.

Gulliver’s Warrington resortmanager Mel Burrows-Carrsaid: “What could be sweeterthan a cosy family night insurrounded by everyone'sfavourite treats from Swizzels?

“It’s the perfect setting toexplore our theme park,SplashZone, Nerf Zone andBurtonwood Heritage Centre.Plenty to keep the whole fam-ily entertained.”

This summer, Gulliver's Hotelreceived the Trip AdvisorCertificate of Excellenceaward for outstanding travellerreviews and a consistent 4/5rating on the website.

Fraser Suites Glasgow’s birthday cele-brations are in full swing as they cele-brate a decade of luxury, style andservice. Since opening, the venue hasseen a number of major changesincluding an extensive seven figurerefurbishment programme, unveiled in2013. Regional general managerHeather McNamee said: “It’s hard tobelieve Fraser Suites Glasgow hasbeen here for 10 years. We’ve reallymade our mark on our Merchant Citysurroundings, and over the last decadethe team has gone from strength tostrength creating a venue that is syn-onymous with luxury, quality and style.”

New suiteis a treatfor sweetlovers

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EDITORIALJudith Halkerston group editor 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.ukChristina Eccles reporter 01226 734463ce@scriptmedia.co.ukJosh Timlin reporter 01226 734715Olivia Taylor reporter ot@scriptmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTIONStewart Holt – studio manager –sth@scriptmedia.co.ukLaura Blackburn – graphic designerlb@scriptmedia.co.ukScott Firth – graphic designersf@scriptmedia.co.uk

ADVERTISINGTony Barrysales and marketing director01226 734605

CIRCULATIONKelly Tarff01226 734695 kt@scriptmedia.co.ukWeb: www.destination.uk.com

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Contacts

By Josh Timlin

CELEBRITY chefs such as JamesMartin, Andrew Pern and AntonioCarluccio are not the only ones in theknow about the beauty andgastronomic paradise of NorthYorkshire.

Now an exciting new tourismcampaign promoting York as theperfect touring base has beenlaunched as part of a partnershipspearheaded by Visit York, RyedaleDistrict Council and the HowardianHills. This new initiative willencourage anyone considering ashort break in York to book a two-centre stay in York and Ryedale.

In addition to York’s world classattractions, shops and restaurants,Visit York’s ‘Beyond York’ marketingcampaign will promote the stunningscenery in the Howardian Hills,nearby historic market towns such asHelmsley, Malton, Pickering andNorth Yorkshire’s traditional villages,as well as the area’s wealth ofcountry pubs, attractions, qualityaccommodation and local festivals.

Ryedale – which already attractsfive million visitors annually – has topattractions including Flamingo Land,the North Yorkshire Moors Railwayand Castle Howard. The area alsoboasts two Michelin star restaurants– the Star Inn at Harome and Black

Swan at Oldstead.Campaign tactics will include

feature pages on Visit York's websitewith itinerary ideas for how to getaround North Yorkshire, driver guidingand a new proactive social mediacampaign using #yorkandbeyond.

The two-pronged campaign will alsoencourage visitors to Ryedale toinclude a day in York as part of theircountryside stay.

Kate McMullen, head of Visit York,said: "Once visitors arrive into Yorkthey often tell us two or three days isjust not enough time to seeeverything.

“Castle Howard, for example, isoften on their list of places to visitand Yorkshire’s gastronomy is gainingworld-wide attention.

“This new promotion will help us toraise awareness of the breathtakingscenery right on our doorstep,building on the legacy of the Tour deFrance and encouraging our visitorsto stay longer and explore more.”

Coun Linda Cowling, leader ofRyedale District Council, added: “Weare excited to join with Visit Yorkand the Howardian Hills on this newproject.

“Ryedale is a perfect touring baseto explore the surrounding landscapeand its tranquil scenerycomplements the splendour of Yorkperfectly.”

Tourism campaignlaunched in York

Visit Scotland has appointedCharlie Smith as director ofmarketing to take forward thepromotion of Scotlanddomestically and internationally.He comes to the nationaltourism organisation following15 successful years workingacross marketing, sales andproduct management for largebusinesses such as BT, Orange,Vodafone, the Royal Bank ofScotland and most recently OVOEnergy. He said: “There are fewopportunities that give you thechance to work in your homecity and market your homeland– not many brands or productscan top that for me.”

MAJOR redevelopments are currentlyunderway at the Wedgwood estate,as the 240 acre site is transformedand a new world class visitorexperience called the World ofWedgwood is created.

The new World of Wedgwood,opening in April 2015, will offer areinvented interactive factory tour,creative studios, inspiring flagshipconcept store, stylish Wedgwoodtearooms, and a restaurantchampioning locally sourcedproduce.

All of these elements will be fully

integrated with the world-classWedgwood Museum.

In addition there will be children’splay areas, woodland walks and aprogramme of activities and eventson offer, as well as incentives andfacilities for groups and, of course,plenty of free coach parking.

The current Wedgwood VisitorCentre will close to customers fromDecember 24 through until April2015.

Contact Julie Gibson on 01782282694 or visit www.wedgwood-visitorcentre.com

The ultimate Wedgwoodexperience – over 250years in the making

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Shaun the Sheep is moving to a new attraction in Land’s End.

Kids’ favouritesset to appear atnew attractionBy Josh Timlin

POPULAR children’s favourites suchas Shaun the Sheep and Wallaceand Gromit are moving to a newtourist attraction in Land’s End.

A joint venture has been agreedbetween Aardman Animations andHeritage Great Britain to create the£500,000 tourist attraction at theCornish landmark.

The ‘Shaun the Sheep Experience’,presented by Aardman, will see thefamous Land’s End signpostrebranded ‘Lamb’s End’ with originalsets, models and characters fromthe BAFTA award-winningproduction.

Visitors will be able to immersethemselves in Mossy Bottom Farm,discover the sheer mayhem of theNaughty Pig’s Sty and try to cureShirley the Sheep’s hiccups.

There will also be an opportunityfor people to star in a real Shaunthe Sheep scene using green screentechnology and to meet othercharacters from the Aardman familyincluding Wallace and Gromit andMorph.

Allan Leech, CEO of Heritage GreatBritain, said: “We are absolutelythrilled to be bringing a world classattraction to Land’s End and to workwith the legendary Aardman studio.

“The plans look stunning and weare confident the experience willbecome a must-visit attraction fortourists to the landmark site.

“We have a track record of runningsuccessful tourist attractions fromJohn O’Groats and Land’s End toSnowdon Mountain Railway in NorthWales and Lightwater Valley inYorkshire.”

David Sproxton CBE, co-founder ofAardman, added: “The increasingpopularity and success of brandedattractions makes this partnership anatural fit for both parties.

“With more than half a millionvisitors to Land’s End every year, werecognise that there is anopportunity to help deliver a uniqueattraction to such a famouslandmark.”

The new attraction is due to openin February 2015, following therelease of Shaun the Sheep TheMovie.

THE Cranleigh Boutique has beenannounced as the winner in theBest Use of Facebook category atthe 2014 UK Social Media Awards,held at the Emirates Stadium inLondon.

The winners in all 18 categorieswere unveiled at the gala ceremony,held to celebrate the very best insocial media communications acrossthe UK and recognising thecompanies and individuals leadingthe way through their innovation andcreativity.

Owner Stephen Hargreaves said:“We are still in disbelief at havingwon this award, particularly againstmassive corporations such as Aldiand Evian.

“At the end of the day, we are asmall family run hotel in the LakeDistrict, so to be able to competeand win at this level is reallyfantastic.

“It also demonstrates the strengthof Cumbrian business and we aredelighted to be able to represent thecounty in such a way.”

Hotel wins Facebook award

Instagram’s big namesenjoy Isle of Man tripTOP users of a popular social mediasite visited the Isle of Man for aweekend of photography.

Following on from the success ofthe inaugural Isle of Man Instagramget together in July 2013, some ofthe site's biggest users havereturned for a second time tophotograph its wildlife, panoramas,towns and people in all their glory.

With just under 1.5 millionfollowers between them, FinnBeales, Jiri Siftar, Dan Rubin andAdrienne Pitts are four of the mostinfluential personalities onInstagram.

The photographers spent two daysexploring the island from countrysideto coastline, posting a selection ofstunning images to document theirjourney. Between them, theirpictures received over 205,000 likesand a total of 1,630 comments.

The Isle of Man InstaMeet is atourism initiative from theDepartment of EconomicDevelopment (DED) to promote theisland directly to consumers throughsocial media. The fourphotographers uploaded theirimages using #isleofman, meaninganyone searching the hashtag willcome across the inspirationalimages easily.

Dan said: “I was part of last year’sIsle of Man InstaMeet and couldn’twait to return to the island for asecond year running. It is aphotographer’s delight with hugevarieties of landscape, stunningseaside vistas and eye-catchingtownscapes packed into a small andeasily accessible area.”

To see the images from the tripvisit instagram.com and search for#isleofman.

William the chapel cat – a familiar face to thousands of visitors toRosslyn Chapel in Midlothian – has accepted a five-starVisitScotland award on behalf of the world-famous attraction.The historic chapel, which featured in the bestselling book andblockbuster film version of The Da Vinci Code, has become the fifthrecipient of the award, following the completion of a £9mconservation project. Director of Rosslyn Chapel Trust Ian Gardnersaid: “This is fantastic recognition for the many years of hard workthat have gone into making Rosslyn Chapel an amazing place tovisit.”

THE Spa Hotel at Ribby Hall Villagehas received the go-ahead for its£500,000 expansion plans.

Carole Pilling, senioraccommodation manager at themulti-award-winning destinationconfirmed that after recentlyreceiving planning permission, initialground works to extend the spa andenhance its offering have nowcommenced.

The hotel, which scooped the ‘bestluxury experience’ gong at theprestigious Tourism Awards last year,has recently been crowned asLancashire's best hotel.

Although it will remain openthroughout its transformation, theresort – which opened in 2011 – will

overhaul its dining, spa and wellnessfacilities thanks to the investment.

Phase one of the transformationwill include the building of an all-new dining facility called TheOrangery, which will be open to dayvisitors, overnight guests and alsolocal diners, hosting up to 60 at anyone time.

Carole said: “It is important thatwe continue to enhance what wealready offer to our very loyal anddedicated clientele.

“We never want to rest on ourlaurels and feel very fortunate to beable to provide better diningfacilities including all-new menus,improved spa and relaxation areasand a dedicated wellness centre.”

Green light for hotel’smajor expansion plans

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2015 promises to be a memorableyear at the Houses of Parliament.

In addition to the General Electionin May, two significant anniversarieson the theme of ‘Parliament in theMaking’ are being commemorated;800 years since the sealing ofMagna Carta (1215) and 750 yearssince Simon de Montfort’s firstparliament (1265).

Medieval Westminster Hall will hosta colourful large banner exhibition

between 20 January and lateNovember 2015.

Nine artists have beencommissioned to create 18 bannersmarking an eventful 800 yearhistory. Parliament now offers moreopening dates than ever and severaltour combinations.

In addition to the establishedopening in the summer and everySaturday, tours will run on mostweekdays in the February half term

week and then at Easter andthroughout April during theDissolution period in the run-up tothe General Election.

Visitors can take one of the award-winning guided tours or have theflexibility of an audio tour. Both toursinclude the Royal Gallery, LordsChamber, Central Lobby, CommonsChamber, St Stephen’s Hall as wellas Westminster Hall.

Afternoon Tea in one of the

riverside rooms of the House ofCommons is the perfect way to relaxafterwards.

The tempting seasonal menucombines traditional with a moderntwist.

Bookings can be made directly withParliament’s in-house bookingsteam. In a year of anniversaries2015 is the perfect time to discover(or rediscover) the Houses ofParliament.

2015: A big year at the Houses of ParliamentPicture credit: VisitEngland courtesy of UK ParliamentPicture credit: VisitEngland courtesy of UK Parliament

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GROUP buyers looking to discoverHampshire are being offered theopportunity to sample what thecounty has to offer groups first-handon an overnight familiarisation(Friday 13 - Saturday 14 February)run in conjunction with TourismSouth East’s Beautiful South GroupTravel Fair being hosted at TheAgeas Bowl.

Just £55 per person, theinformative Friday itinerary includesa guided walk through Sir HaroldHiller’s beautiful Winter Gardenbrought alive by over 650 plantspecies. After a light lunch theafternoon will be spent at The

Museum of Army Flying with a tastertour showcasing the best of aviationhistory, as well as a visit to TheGreat Hall, home to King Arthur'sRound Table, in the heart ofWinchester City.

The evening will follow with a twocourse dinner and a falconry showfilled with a stunning array ofresident birds of prey at the HawkConservancy Trust near Andover.

Guests will then stay overnight atthe four-star Holiday Inn Winchesteron a B&B basis and can take fulladvantage of the hotel facilities andamenities.

Saturday’s itinerary begins with a

visit to The Ageas Bowl, BeautifulSouth Group Travel Fair; anopportunity for buyers to speak torepresentatives from over 50attractions and destinations face toface about their individualrequirements and gather leaflets,guides and brochures ready for their2015/2016 itinerary planningsessions.

After the fair, guests will head tothe Royal Navy Submarine Museumin Gosport where ex submarinerguides will lead them around theHMS Alliance and retell stories fromtheir adventures under the sea.

The final stop on the familiarisation

trip will be 170 meters high in theviewing gallery of Spinnaker Tower inPortsmouth.

Visitors will enjoy panoramic viewsacross the city and the Solent,before getting their feet firmly backon the ground and enjoying tea andcake in the Waterside Cafe.

To book a place priced at £55 perperson (£25 single supplement)contact the TSE Group Travel Teamon 02380 625516.

The weekend is supported by VisitHampshire with Coach Travelcourtesy of Lucketts Travel. For morevisit www.visitsoutheastengland.com/grouptravelfairs.

Buyers weekend to coincide withBeautiful South Group Travel Fair

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Copse of Betula utilis var. jacquemontii at Anglesey Abbey,Cambridgeshire. ©National Trust Images/MMGI/Marianne Majerus

Snowdrops and witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia) in the WinterGarden at Dunham Massey, Cheshire.

©National Trust Images/Jonathan Buckley

Discover a winterwonderland withthe National TrustONE of the best things about winteris venturing outdoors on a crispwinter’s day to explore frostylandscapes and discover winterwildlife.

From exotic colour to spectacularlandscapes that seem to look theirbest with a sprinkle of seasonalfrost, the National Trust cares forsome great places worth exploringduring the cold winter months.

Spend time with your group, seethings from a new perspective andmake sure you get a winter warmerand a tasty treat at one of our cafesafter a refreshing walk.

The Winter Garden at AngleseyAbbey in Cambridgeshire bursts withlife at this time of year.

Designed specifically with plantsthat give winter colour andfragrance, it is a beautiful sight tobe enjoyed by winter visitors.

There are plenty of scenic delightsto discover with statues andcolumns scattered across theatmospheric grounds that look extraspecial in the frost and snow.

On the winding walk discover brightyellow and red dogwoods and thepolished bark of the Tibetan Cherry.

Enjoy the scent of winter flowering

honeysuckle floating in the breezeand look out for the HimalayanSilver Grove, with their slender whitetrunks.

Just after New Year make sure youlook out for the displays ofthousands of snowdrops that dotover the landscape.

The Dunham Massey winter gardenis the largest of its kind in the UKand is a great place to explore withyour group.

The seven-acre garden is home toover 700 different plant species anda further 1,600 shrubs providingplenty of distractions from the cold –from striking white-stemmed silverbirches and bright dogwood barks tocolourful berries and flowers.

During the First World War, thisGeorgian house, set in a magnificentdeer-park, was transformed into aStamford Military Hospital, becominga sanctuary from the trenches foralmost 300 soldiers.

The gardens became a relaxingplace to spend time outdoorsrecuperating.

In February, look out for thousandsof snowdrops which carpet thegarden and the striking colours ofthe blue winter iris.

Bold new brand andidentity for showTHE Best of Britain and Irelandshow has revealed a bold newbrand and visual identity, followingits recent purchase by eventorganiser DiversifiedCommunications UK.

The new branding will feature onall marketing collateral for bothexhibitor and visitor campaigns, aswell as the event’s redesignedwebsite.

It will also be reflected in thepresentation on the exhibition floor,which will include the same colourscheme and bold branding.

Also new to the 2015 event willbe the launch of an international

hosted buyer programme, which willbring key buyers from countriessuch as France, Germany, Italy andthe US to the show.

Head of design at DiversifiedCommunications UK, Roger Denyer,said: “With ambitious plans to growthe show, we felt that the brandingof Best of Britain and Irelandneeded to closer reflect the ever-changing British and Irish domestictourism and meetings markets.

“The event is more than justanother b2b trade show, it's anaspirational and dynamic show –the annual focal event for theindustry to meet and do business.”

Salisbury among world’sbest cities in 2015VISIT Wiltshire has revealed thatSalisbury is one of the top cities inthe world for travellers next year,according to Lonely Planet’s Best inTravel 2015.

The yearbook predicts the world’shottest trends, destinations andexperiences for the year ahead,highlighting the top 10 countries,cities and regions to visit in 2015.

Salisbury features seventh on thecity list, above Vienna and Toronto,while Washington, DC takes topspot.

VisitWiltshire’s CEO David Andrews

said: “We are delighted LonelyPlanet has recognised Salisbury asone of the Top 10 Cities in theWorld to visit.

“We are extremely proud ofSalisbury’s history and heritage suchas Salisbury Cathedral and MagnaCarta, as well as our arts andculture, shopping, food and drinkand nightlife.

“Salisbury is also a great base forvisitors to experience popularattractions further afield such asStonehenge, Avebury and our WhiteHorses.”

Salisbury Cathedral

CORONATION Street the Tour will stayopen for a magical Christmas andbeyond into 2015, operatorContinuum Leading Attractions hasannounced.

The tour, at the soap’s old QuayStreet site will be transformed into awinter wonderland for the festiveseason, complete with snow coveredroof tops, a stunning Christmas treeon the cobbles, Christmas carolsand other festive treats andsurprises.

In 2015, there will also be somenew additions, both in the studioexhibition – with set elementsbrought over from CoronationStreet’s new home in Media City –

and out on the Street itself, withareas opened up to the public forthe first time.

Chief executive of ContinuumLeading Attractions Juliana Delaneysaid: “I am thrilled to announce wehave been able to extend theopening of the attraction.

“The feedback we have received sofar has been phenomenal and I’mso pleased those who have yet toexperience the tour will now havethe chance to.

“The extension paves the way forus to make some exciting changesto the attraction and give past andpresent visitors a chance to seesomething new.”

Soap tour to be extended

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POPULAR with visitors of all ages,Cadbury World is the perfectdestination for a day out with adifference.

Based in the historic village ofBournville just outside BirminghamCity Centre, visitors can uncover aworld of chocolate delights, explorethe magic and making of Cadburychocolate and learn about thehistory of the Cadbury brand throughthe attraction’s fourteen zones.

There’s so much for visitors to seeand do; from hearing about thefascinating story of Cadburychocolate and meeting the infamousdrumming gorilla to experiencing thefeeling of diving into a pot of meltedCadbury Dairy Milk chocolate in theattraction’s brand new ‘4DChocolate Adventure’ zone.

Featuring a 4D cinema, visitors

can experience what it’s like to ridethe Crunchie Rollercoaster and taketo the skies in a Cadbury Creme Eggairship piloted by the CaramelBunny.

Elsewhere in the attraction, guestscan travel back over 1,000 yearswith a visit to the Aztec Jungle zoneto discover the origins of the cocoabean, before jumping on board themagical Cadabra ride.

Visitors also have the chance towalk through a full scale replica ofBull Street where John Cadburyopened his first shop in 1824.

With lots more on offer, includingthe World’s Biggest Cadbury Shop,as well as the Cadbury Café andAfrican Adventure play area,Cadbury World is the perfectdestination for a chocolate-themedday trip.

Enjoy a chocolate adventureon a visit to Cadbury World

The Busby Hotelre-opens in EastRenfrewshireBy Josh Timlin

ONE of Scotland's most historichotels has re-opened after a £2.5million restoration.

The Busby Hotel, in EastRenfrewshire, is the sixth property tojoin the expanding portfolio offamily-owned and operatedManorview Hotel and Leisure Group.

The 29-bedroom property,complete with bar, restaurant andtwo function suites, has undergonea complete transformation to thehighest standard over the last tenmonths.

The Busby is already making asignificant contribution to the localeconomy, employing of 70 peopleand the acquiring the services of anumber of Scottish-based suppliers.

The hotel is also one of the firsthotels in the central belt of Scotlandto be ‘WorldHost Accredited’, aninternationally recognised customerservice training programme which allfront-of-house team members havesuccessfully undertaken.

The stylish decor and state-of-the-art equipment throughout, whichincludes the likes of Bose soundsystems and Porcelanosa bathroomsuites, look set to make The Busby

Hotel a top destination venue.Carters, the 140-cover bar and

restaurant, serves up a relaxed andinformal dining experience, offeringa menu of freshly prepared dishesusing the best local produce.

Steve Graham, managing directorof Manorview Hotel and LeisureGroup, said: “The Busby is our mostambitious project to date. Whilepast developments have undergonephased refurbishment, this is thefirst time we have completelyrenovated the entire property at thesame time.

“It has been a huge taskundertaken over the past tenmonths to get the project in on timeand budget, but we are thrilled withthe results.

“The Busby was one of Glasgow’smost iconic hotels and we haveworked hard to put the heart backinto this hotel.

“Attention to detail is paramount,with every element of the hotelconsidered to ensure the higheststandards have been met. We arelooking forward to welcoming ourcustomers and the hotel reclaimingits title as one of EastRenfrewshire’s most popularvenues.”

Woburn Safari Park has announced the birth of a baby elephant tothe park’s 20-year-old Asian elephant, Damini. After a 22-monthpregnancy, the long awaited female calf was welcomed into theworld by her mother and father, 20-year-old Raja.

ICONIC London attraction The Viewfrom The Shard was named LondonCultural Attraction of the Year at thefifth annual London LifestyleAwards.

The viewing platform at the top ofWestern Europe’s tallest buildinggained the most public votes for thecategory sponsored by Gulf Air,beating finalists The London Eye,Victoria and Albert Museum and

London Zoo.Marketing director Anna Domingo

said: “We are delighted to havereceived this award, especially as itis chosen by Londoners.

“Our team continue to worktirelessly to offer premium, excitingand innovative experiences from ourunique perspective 800ft above thecity, and have lots more planned for2015.”

Viewing platform wins award

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By David Thomas – October 25

To the Victoria Palace Theatre for aspecial performance of Billy Elliot TheMusical, which was streamed livearound the UK (and around theworld).

The screening topped the UKand Ireland cinema box office – afirst for an ‘event cinema’ release –and there were more than a fewlive-streaming eyes, my ownincluded, as Liam Mower (who tookthe lead on the show’s First Nightback in 2005) returned to play theadult ‘Older Billy’ and 25 currentand former Billy Elliots took to thestage for an electrifying Billy Elliot“mash-up” finale.

I will NEVER forget the way Liam’sarms rippled like wings in the SwanLake scene.

Then, a couple of Sundays later, tothe Lyceum Theatre for the 15thanniversary production of theLondon production of Disney’s TheLion King, the same week it wasannounced that globally the showhad generated MORE box office

earnings than ANY other productionin any medium, EVER, withworldwide takings of $6.2billion(Avatar, the highest grossing filmever, has only taken $2.8billion).

Watching the rapt expressions onthe faces of the audience, it waseasy to imagine the show playing foranother 15 years, or 50, andentrancing theatregoers for manygenerations to come.

But don’t think for one momentthat that it is only the establishedmusicals that are currently drawingvast audiences, as a quick flick frommy diary will show:

20th October – First night of TheScottsboro Boys at the GarrickTheatre, and five star reviews allround for this daring and disturbingmusical from John Kander and FredEbb, the writers of Cabaret andChicago.

21st October – First night ofNeville’s Island at the Duke Of York’sTheatre. Written by Tim Firth(Calendar Girls) and starring fourtop-of-the-tree comic actors: AdrianEdmondson, Neil Morissey, Miles

Jupp and Robert Webb.23rd October – First night of

Memphis The Musical at theShaftesbury Theatre.

Here established ‘experts in a greatnight out’ Killian Donnelly (The

Commitments) and Beverley Knight(The Bodyguard) have been castopposite each other in a sublimeshowbiz chemistry experimentto produce 24-carat-musical-theatre-gold that grabs hold of youfrom the very first note andNEVER lets you go.

And the coming fortnight sees twonew major musicals opening in theWest End: Sunny Afternoon, a newmusical about The Kinks, opening atthe Harold Pinter Theatre, and MadeIn Dagenham, starring GemmaArterton, opening at the AdelphiTheatre.

So the race is on to see how manynew shows will join Billy Elliot TheMusical and Disney’s The Lion Kingin the West End’s Pantheon of hits?

What shows will last the test oftime? What electrifying momentswill send the shivers up the spineand be indelibly etched in thememory of generations of theatregoers to come?

And which will dazzle for a twinklingof an eye, then vanish into thedarkness.

David Thomas with one of the25 Billys, Bradley Perret.

News from around the theatres ...

JAM-packed with hits from start tofinish, Beautiful – The Carole KingMusical tells the amazing real-lifestory of one of the greatestsongwriters of all time and arrives hotfrom Broadway where it is the toastof the town.

It opens at London’s AldwychTheatre in February 2015 and shortbreak operator SuperBreak haspackages on sale that includeovernight accommodation and ticketsto see the show.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musicalis the untold story of her journey fromschool girl to superstar; from herrelationship with husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, theirclose friendship and playful rivalry

with fellow song-writing duo BarryMann and Cynthia Weil, to herremarkable rise to stardom.

Along the way, she became one ofthe most successful solo acts inmusic history, and wrote thesoundtrack to a generation.

Actress and singer-songwriter KatieBrayben will play the title role ofCarole King. She is currently playingPrincess Diana in King Charles III atthe Wyndham’s Theatre. GlynisBarber returns to the West End stageto play Genie Klein, Carole King’smother. On television she is bestknown for playing Harriet Makepeacein Dempsey and Makepeace.

Multi award-winning Carole Kingfought her way into the record

industry as a teenager and sold herfirst hit, Will You Love Me Tomorrow,when she was just seventeen.

By the time she was 20 she waswriting number ones for the biggestacts in rock ‘n’ roll, including TheDrifters, The Shirelles, Aretha Franklinand The Monkees.

In a first for a femalesinger/songwriter, King’s albumTapestry won all three of the 1971key Grammy Awards—record, songand album of the year. The sameyear King also won the Grammy forBest Female Vocalist.

With more than 25 million recordssold, Tapestry remained the best-selling album by a female artist for aquarter of a century.

More than 400 of her compositionshave been recorded by over 1,000artists, resulting in 100 hit singlesand six Grammy awards.

Graham Balmforth, national salesmanager at SuperBreak commented:“We are all really excited about thearrival of this show. Carole King is amusic legend and I’m sure the showwill be a huge hit with all types ofcustomers.”

Prices lead in at £137.50ppincluding one night at the three starPresident Hotel on a b/b basis with atop priced ticket to the show.

For more information onSuperBreak visit

www.superbreak.com/agents

Beautiful – The Carole KingMusical – comes to London

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The show opens at the New Alexandra Theatre on May 5.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrelsset for national tourTHE Ambassador Theatre Group andJerry Mitchell Productions haveannounced a national tour of thecritically acclaimed Dirty RottenScoundrels; opening at the NewAlexandra Theatre Birmingham onMay 5 2015.

The show opened in the West Endin March this year and is based onthe legendary 1988 film starringactors Michael Caine and SteveMartin.

Tony Award winning director andchoreographer Jerry Mitchell said: “Iam thrilled that Dirty RottenScoundrels, our very first show fromJerry Mitchell Productions, will betaking to the road in the UK.

“I have no doubt that every city wevisit will take this hilarious show totheir hearts and will laugh and enjoythis musical as much as a quarter ofa million people who have alreadyseen it so far have done.”

Operator increases mid-priceWest End ticket offeringSUPERBREAK has been increasingthe number of theatre breaks it hason offer featuring mid-price ticketsfor leading West End shows.

SuperBreak’s head of theatre andevents, David Thomas, said: “Werecognise that our clients reallyappreciate being able to choosefrom a variety of breaks, and thatgood second price or third priceseats, packaged with a great value

hotel, can be a very popular option– often because it allows them totake more theatre breaks and seemore shows every year.

“For example, a London TheatreBreak to see Cameron Mackintosh’shighly acclaimed new production ofMiss Saigon, including second pricetickets and one night at the threestar President Hotel, on a b/b basis,would start from £119.50 each.”

Following her sell-out run at the Adelphi Theatre in London's WestEnd, three-time Brit nominee and X-Factor winner Alexandra Burkewill star in the leading role of Rachel Marron in the hit musical TheBodyguard, coming to His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen.The production will be staged at the theatre for two weeks fromMarch 17 and Alexandra will play the role at all eveningperformances. At the matinee performances, the role will be playedby Pop Idol star Zoe Birkett.

Ray Quinn set to star in70th anniversary showHOLIDAY on Ice is returning to theUK for one week only with its 70thanniversary show Platinum,featuring Dancing on Ice All Starwinner Ray Quinn.

Running from January 6 to 11 atThe Brighton Centre only,Platinum is a tribute to 70 yearsof Holiday on Ice, taking theaudience through the history offigure skating.

Ray said: “I'm so thrilled to be apart of Holiday on Ice Platinum.

“It is the 70th year celebrationshow, so extra special. Holiday onIce is such an all-time familyfavourite and for me to be backon the ice is really exciting.

“The show is going to bring somuch together from past,traditional shows to the morecontemporary, present day, it’sgoing to be amazing – I genuinelycan’t wait.” Ray Quinn

ATG wins Green AppleEnvironment Silver AMBASSADOR Theatre Group hasbeen awarded a Green AppleEnvironment Silver Award forLeisure and Travel Green Practicesin a special presentation ceremonyheld at The House of Commons.

ATG won the prize for its ongoingProject Blackout initiative; whichidentifies overnight energy wasteissues and associated costsinvolved and engages with senior

management, venue staff and ATG’sGreen Ambassadors to implementsimple switch off solutions.

At the ceremony, ATG alsoprovided over 650 specially printedOyster Card Wallets containingdetails of the Project Blackoutprocess for the delegate goodybags, so that other companiescould share the award-winningconcept.

A Christmas production of the Wind in the Willows is running at theVaudeville Theatre until January 17 2015. With a cast including AlanTitchmarsh as the narrator, the well-loved story is brought to lifethrough song, music, dance and puppetry.

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THE South West Group Travel Show2015 is re-vamping its programmeof free coach transfer servicesoffered to visitors attending theshow.

This year 17 pickup locations areavailable across the South West andsouthern England travelling to thefree admission show at The WinterGardens in Weston-super-Mare.

The complimentary coach servicenow includes a stop at a selectedvisitor attraction on the returnjourney as well, so you canexperience even more group productduring this great day out!

The newest Dorset-based coachwill start pickups in Bournemouth,stopping in Poole and Dorchester enroute to the show. On the returnjourney passengers will enjoy aguided tour of Glastonbury Abbeybefore being dropped off.

The Bristol-based coach will pickup at three locations within the citybefore travelling to The WinterGardens and include a behind thescenes tour of the city’s M-Shed onthe return journey.

The coach transfer service startingin Torquay will also pick up inNewton Abbot, Exeter, Cullomptonand Taunton. A tour of HestercombeGarden is included on the returnjourney.

The service starting in Cheltenhamwill also pick up in Gloucester as ittravels down to the show.

A free tour of BBC Bristol will take

place on the return leg of thejourney.

The Swindon transfer coach willpick up in Chippenham and Bathand includes free admission into theRoman Baths to break up thejourney home.

All four coaches are scheduled toarrive at The South West Showaround 10.30am with homeboundjourneys departing The WinterGardens at approximately 2.00pmensuring time to explore theselected attractions as well.

Pre-booking essentialAlthough the coach travel is free, itis essential to pre-book a seat. Fullinformation including locations, pick-up times and a booking form can befound online atwww.southwestgroupshow.com orcall 02380 625516.

For group organisers making theirown way to The South West GroupTravel Show there are stillopportunities to extend your visit tothe show.

Visitors are invited to visit theSeaQuarium in Weston-super-Mare,Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset andBristol Zoo Gardens.

You will need to collect youradmission tickets from theparticipating stands at the show.

For find more information aboutthe show or to pre-register for fasttrack entry visitwww.southwestgroupshow.com

Attraction visit includedwith coach transfers

Discover fresh group travelideas at Excursions™ 2015DISCOVER fresh ideas for groupdays out and short breaks atExcursions™, the UK’s premier one-day group travel show, which will beheld at Alexandra Palace, NorthLondon on Saturday, January 242015 (10am-4pm).

Excursions™ 2015 promises to bea great resource for group travelorganisers and itinerary planners.

Around 300 attractions,destinations, accommodationproviders, theatre booking agenciesand tour and transport operatorsfrom the UK, Ireland and mainlandEurope will all be showcased underone roof.

Free coach transfersThe show’s programme of free coachtransfer services for visitors includesover 55 pick-up points across theSouth East and East Anglia as well asto the north and west of London.

There’s also a service calling at sixcentral London main line railwaystations.

Although the coach travel is free, itis essential to pre-book a seat.Information including locations, pick-up times and a booking form can befound at www.excursions.org.uk orcall 0845 557 7725.

Excursions™ 2015 highlightsWith several anniversaries in 2015,including 800 years since the signingof the Magna Carta (Latin for GreatCharter) and 200 since the Battle ofWaterloo, many exhibitors will bestaging special events andexhibitions.

Salisbury Cathedral, home to oneof four original copies of the MagnaCarta, will be opening an excitingnew interactive exhibition in itsCloisters and Chapter House tocelebrate the 800th anniversary ofits signing on June 15, 2015. Theexhibition will highlight the role ofthe Magna Carta in establishing therights and freedoms that we enjoytoday.

Kent is also home to a 1300 copykept in the historic market town ofFaversham, while Canterbury is oneof five charter towns associated withthe granting of the Magna Carta.

The Battle of Waterloo, 18th June1815, was the final engagement inthe Napoleonic Wars when victorymade a hero of the Duke ofWellington. A new permanentexhibition will open at his formerhome, now owned by EnglishHeritage, Walmer Castle & Gardensin Kent, where he lived for 23 years

until his death in 1852. Other exhibitors showcasing

something new at Excursions™include the Compton Verney artgallery in Warwickshire. Its 2015programme begins with an exhibitionof paintings and drawings by Italianmaster Canaletto from when hevisited London.

Portsmouth’s 170m high SpinnakerTower will be marking 10 years sinceits opening with a series of specialevents and offers, while first timeexhibitor, the National Museum of

the Royal Navy, will be unveilingexciting plans for groups to boardthe soon-to-be refurbished HMSM33. One of the UK’s mostsignificant ships from the First WorldWar, it now lies in dry dock atPortsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Excursions™ is co-organised byTourism South East and GTOmagazine, in partnership withLondon & Partners and VisitEngland.

To pre-register for free entry visitwww.excursions.org.uk or call 02380625516 to request a form.

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VISITORS to Excursions™ 2015 willhave the opportunity to sample someof the group travel experiences onoffer from exhibitors as well asdiscover fresh ideas for days out andovernight trips.

Winchester Science Centre, LeedsCastle, Melton Mowbray, ShepherdNeame and BBC Tours are among anumber of stand holders bringingtheir product to the one day show atAlexandra Palace, North London onSaturday, 24th January (10am-4pm).

Winchester Science Centre andPlanetarium will be providing an out-of-space experience in their six-metre mobile planetarium where

group buyers can sample a 360° fulldome adventure into space. Eachshow will seat 25 adults with ticketsavailable from their stand on a firstcome first served basis. Speak tothe staff and discover how thehands-on science and technologycentre offers special deals for adultgroups including weekday afternoonplanetarium shows (in their 17mdome) with cream teas in the caféand a variety of evening events,lectures and shows.

Visitors to Excursions™ 2015 canalso meet falconer Mark Brattle fromLeeds Castle and his birds of preyon their stand. Mark will share his25 years of knowledge and talk

about the wide range of falconryexperiences on offer at the Kentcastle including hawk walks, hands-on flying with owls and birds of preyand becoming a falconer for the day.

BBC Tours will also be offeringvisitors a chance to step inside theexciting world of broadcasting andsee how BBC radio drama is made.Using their Radio Drama Kit visitorscan have a go at producing theirown radio play, complete with musicand sound effects.

Talk to the BBC’s Tours team atthe show about how, on a visit,groups can peek behind the scenesof the dynamic live broadcastinghub, and hear what goes on at the

beating heart of the BBC.

Taste and VisitMelton Mowbray will once again bebringing along samples of theirfamous pork pie, local Leicestershirecheese and real ale to taste andtempt group organisers to book theirpopular gourmet short breakpackage, while Shepherd Neame willbe giving visitors a sneak preview oftheir tutored tasting tours. The Kent brewery will be offeringsamples of its Spitfire Premium, apopular Kentish Ale, and WhitstableBay Blonde, a contemporary lagerdistinguished by its unique hopcharacters.

Sample group ‘Experiences’ at Excursions™ 2015

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How the meetings, conference andevent industry is ‘beating the drum’for Britain’s business tourismBy John Gallery FTS

WHEN the meetings and eventsindustry fell off the cliff in 2009/10it was the end of this sector forsome observers.

Certainly the end as we knew it.No more fancy parties, the slashingof travel and entertainment budgets,meetings held in offices rather thanvenues and generally a moratoriumon meetings in person unlessabsolutely essential for manyorganisations.

Fortunately, the downturn was notthe end of the meetings and eventsindustry.

It may be slimmer, fitter andperhaps more hungry now, butbusiness tourism is making newnews that means it has a big part toplay in Britain’s recovery.

Procurement PainA proliferation of procurementsystems means decision-makingabout choosing where to hold ameeting or event has often beenhalf-decided before an event takesplace because procurement onlyallows those venues on its list to beused. Fair enough if there aresimple and regular meetings orevents and it can save the companymoney, but it is not always thecheapest or most obvious venuesthat make a meeting, conference orlive event a success.

Choosing venues and ensuring theysuit the type of event being held canbe much better handled byprofessionals who know the ins andouts of the sector and who candeliver more productive andinspirational outcomes becausesome of these things cannot befound on a spreadsheet!

More Hybrid Meetings andEventsThe rise in the use of online tools,especially social media, has heraldeda change in how people interact. The increased use of Skype,Facetime, GotoMeetings and othervisual and audio tools means lessneed for physical face-to-faceinteraction.

Meetings organisers now askpeople to keep their smart phones

on at meetings so that they cancommunicate the proceedings asthey happen (and it tells delegates’peers that they are there!) and formany there is growth in Hybridmeetings whereby some delegatesattend in person and others joinremotely, creating a new dynamic inthe communication process. (Ourown Tourism Society events aremore and more Hybrid events –‘Prospects’ on 20th January 2015will be streamed to Leeds, Cumbriaand the West Country whilst themain event is taking place inLondon).

Bore No MoreSporting events, music festivals,exhibitions and other forms of eventactivity is growing massively and thecreative industries aligning more andmore with the meetings and eventssector. Creativity is at the core of thisshift. Let’s be honest, who wants toattend boring meetings? Bringing newideas and engaging more with theindividuals at events is essential in aworld that has information overload.

Major events making a hugedifference in attitudesThe shift probably began with the2012 London Olympics when theperformances both at the openingand closing ceremonies and on thetrack and field helped to secureLondon and Britain’s place as aWorld Class event industry performer.

Whilst major sporting events andfestivals generate massive worldwidePR opportunities, internationalconventions and business eventsplay an equally important part in

generating revenue, jobs andgrowth. Liverpool is one examplewhere investment in the eventsindustry is reaping huge rewards forthe city and region. Liverpool’sdevelopment as an internationaldestination for major conventionsand smaller events has transformedits image; it has generated anadditional £24m economic impactand as a result of the policydecision to become a conventioncity, hotel occupancy and achievedrate has increased exponentially.

Government RecognitionThe Business Visits and EventsPartnership (BVEP) has been activelyengaged in gaining recognition for theindustry in government throughvarious channels and initiatives,notably the recent National EventsMonth in October (#NEMO) whichincluded presentations with theTourism Minister and other politicalfigures.

BVEP recently launched its ‘EventsCan Win for Britain’ manifesto inanticipation of the next generalelection that includes “10 Reasons

Why Meetings and Events AreImportant to Britain”. The first ofwhich is that Britain’s event industryis worth over £39billion to theeconomy through direct visitorspend, accounting for 35% of theUK visitor economy. Another fact,Reason 7, states that inboundbusiness visits to Britain equate to23.5% of all visits and at £4.4billion, 24.4% of all overseas spend.

The document can be downloadedat www.businessvisitsandeventspartnership.com/

The aim is to get the manifestointo the hands of as many MPs andprospective candidates as possibleso that the industry might beincluded in ALL party manifestos.

If you can ask your MP to read themanifesto you will be doing thecampaign a great favour. It’s animportant part of the TourismIndustry and needs to berecognised. Thanks in advance!� John Gallery is a Tourism SocietyBoard member; director, GreatPotential Business TourismConsultancy; chair of research,BVEP.

John Gallery FTS

Hybrid events boostattendance.Picture credit: Rawpixel

– Fotolia.com

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