edwg/93/19 · 2019-10-23 · buckingham tourism strategy 4 tourism supports over 19,000 jobs...
TRANSCRIPT
EDWG/93/19
2 Buckingham Tourism Strategy
This tourism plan is our action plan for delivering a quality visitor experience in Buckingham
and the surrounding area. It covers the period from January 2019 to December 2022 and is
designed to be a working document that can be added to as the town identifies new
opportunities for development. Buckingham will develop its tourism potential and strengthen
its identity by working towards a clear vision for the future.
This plan has been developed due to the Buckingham Economic Development Working
Group identifying a need for a coherent and long-term tourism strategy. Continuing the work
of Destination Buckingham, local surveys have been completed and visits made to
equivalent neighbouring towns. The information gathered has been reviewed against
national good practice and recommendations made.
Our Vision for Buckingham
1 Buckingham will be known for heritage and will work with well-known, local attractions such as Stowe to develop a joint brand.
2 Buckingham will have national recognition as the ideal base to explore the surrounding area which includes Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. Visitors will enjoy the central location of the town and good transport links to attractions across the south east.
3 Visitors will access a range of information on the rich and varied history and heritage of the town through the TIC, which will be publicised and developed into the main visitor hub for the area.
4 Buckingham will develop a national reputation for outstanding walking and cycling. It will be cited as an example of best practice in the way the town provides for the needs of these visitors.
To achieve this vision, the following strategic objectives have been identified:
a. Better promote and enable visitors to enjoy the natural and built heritage in and
around Buckingham.
b. Encourage and support and collaboration between local organisations and
business.
c. Strengthen Buckingham’s identity and profile as an attractive visitor destination.
d. Encourage existing visitors to the area to stay longer and spend more in the town,
attract higher spending holiday makers and broaden the visitor market.
e. Establish Buckingham as a year round destination, encouraging short breaks
throughout the year.
f. Improve our online offering as a town.
g. Increase visitor satisfaction levels which will encourage repeat visits and
recommendations.
h. Work with partner agencies to develop the sustainable tourism sector.
i. Strengthen and expand the existing walking and cycling infrastructure including
access and route guidance.
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Our Tourism Plan
By strengthening Buckingham’s offer and investing to broaden its appeal we will attract
higher-spending visitors and make Buckingham’s visitor economy more profitable and
sustainable for the future.
Despite being one of the few towns that is close to both Silverstone and Stowe, Buckingham
recognises that it could do more to fulfil its great potential as a tourism destination.
Silverstone attracts thousands of visitors each year but only a small proportion of these
make the short journey to Buckingham. Buckingham’s tourism offer is currently focused on
the retired market and more could be done to encourage visitors from a wider demographic.
Buckingham will modernise its tourism offer whilst maintaining its charm and independent
nature.
Background
The growing importance of tourism within market towns is evident. The visitor economy has
become and will continue to be an important economic sector. Our tourism sector employs a
high proportion of local people and contributes a significant part of the local economy.
Recent research from Visit Buckinghamshire estimates the impact of tourism in
Buckinghamshire as:
4 Buckingham Tourism Strategy
Tourism supports over 19,000 jobs locally
2,300 enterprises
Buckinghamshire welcomes circa 15.5 million visitors per year
These visitors currently spend £486 million
Source Visit Britain 2013-2015 – Three year averages (includes Milton Keynes).
We do not have similar statistics for Buckingham alone but the potential is clear.
Buckingham has a diverse array of shopping, dining, heritage and accommodation to
facilitate a high number of tourists. Buckingham currently supports five hotels as well as a
number of smaller accommodation providers.
Tourism not only supports business, jobs and suppliers but it is particularly significant in
market towns where:
Visitors help to support local heritage, culture and community services.
Tourism is a reason to conserve special buildings, historic sites and beautiful
landscapes.
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Turning the Vision into Reality
Buckingham will be known for heritage and will work with well-known, local attractions such as Stowe to develop a joint brand.
Promotion and development of attractions within Buckingham. We have great
attractions (The Old Gaol, Chantry Chapel, the St. Peter and St. Paul Church). The
town should build on these strengths and better promote the attractions and activities
in and around the town; which could entice visitors to stay for longer. In addition,
Buckingham should develop new attractions and activities that are aimed under-
represented demographics such as young families.
Buckingham should actively promote itself as a Georgian town with heritage and
history. The Old Gaol is the most prominent heritage location in Buckingham and the
many imposing Georgian buildings are a very attractive feature of the town centre. A
“blue plaque” type scheme would be a huge draw for people interested in British
history as well as aspirational families and school groups. Guided tours, themed
heritage trails and ghost walks would all draw new people into the town.
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Buckingham will have national recognition as the ideal base to explore the surrounding area which includes Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. Visitors will enjoy the central location of the town and good transport links to attractions across the south east.
Promotion of Buckingham as a base to visit the surrounding area. Buckingham is
central to a number of National Trust properties, sporting venues, beautiful
countryside and much more. Becoming the base to these attractions will encourage
visitors to stay in the town for longer and spend money in shops and restaurants.
Co-ordinated promotion of the town as a destination for independent shops and
dining. Investment should be made in guides such as a foodie’s trail, shopping and
restaurant guide (all of which could be online to avoid printing costs). Buckingham
should not be afraid to work with and promote our businesses.
Enhance the beauty of the town. Buckingham has a strong historic character with
many of the buildings in the town retaining a number of original features. Good
maintenance of these historic properties is vital to sustain Buckingham’s
attractiveness as a place to visit. Additional investment should be made to further
improve the appearance of the town. The planting of bright welcoming displays on
the main roundabouts and the commission of public art in the parks and other public
spaces should be considered.
Reach new markets. Buckingham currently attracts the retired visitor, but is not
reaching its potential in either the upmarket visitor or family demographic.
Buckingham needs to improve its offering in order to attract these new markets.
Visitors will access a range of information on the rich and varied history and heritage of the town through the TIC, which will be publicised and developed into the main visitor hub for the area.
Improve the online offering. A new visitor website should be the first priority. It must
be mobile compatible, professional and updated regularly with engaging content.
Social media can also be used to develop our brand, encourage people to visit the
town and promote events (Not just Town Council events; all events taking place in
the town). We should work with Love Buckingham in this as what we are trying to
achieve is very similar to the work they are already doing.
Rebrand the town and TIC - move away from a local government style branding and
market to people looking for a visitor destination. Look to places like Olney and
Marlow for inspiration. Create a specific marketable product that appeals to visitors
and use it to directly promote businesses in the town.
Marketing and promotion. Investment must be made to market and promote the
town. Development of our online presence is a priority. Buckingham should develop
a strong and exciting independent brand of its own, but should not be afraid to work
with broader organisations such as Visit Buckinghamshire to ensure that Buckingham
is included in their literature and online promotion.
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Work with our University. Buckingham should improve its offer and marketing to
students and their families. Many students have family members visit them
especially around graduation. The Town should target them and encourage them to
stay for longer.
Better engage with our local businesses. Look for opportunities to work together and
encourage businesses to take responsibility for their self-promotion.
Fairtrade and sustainability. Buckingham should continue to highlight its commitment
to Fairtrade. Buckingham should commit to the 12 aims for Sustainable Tourism.
Buckingham will develop a national reputation for outstanding walking and cycling. It will be cited as an example of best practice in the way the town provides for the needs of these visitors.
Promotion of Buckingham as a walking and cycling destination. Much more should
be made of Buckingham’s walking and cycling potential. There is a need for better
promotion and marketing of the large number of routes and trails that are accessible
from the town.
New routes should be developed that connect the town with other local attractions
such as Stowe. Walkers and cyclists should also be made aware of other attractions
and activities available to them
Information such as - Where is dog friendly? Who welcomes muddy walkers? Which
venues have safe bike storage? Should be gathered and promoted.
Transport and signs. Tourism related signage and advertising in the town could be
greatly improved. For example, clearer and more plentiful signage to the Old Gaol,
Chantry Chapel, toilets and other amenities. We need to be part of the discussion
around parking provision and congestion and make sure that the needs of tourists
are considered in the Town Plan. In addition, we should encourage visitors to use
more public transport, walk or cycle therefore reducing the number of cars.
Buckingham should work with national organisations such as Walkers/Cyclists
Welcome, Cycling UK, the Ramblers and Sustrans to improve our offer.
Make best use of our green spaces. Buckingham has some fantastic and well-
maintained outdoor spaces. There should be greater investment to enhance and
promote them.
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The 12 Aims for Sustainable Tourism
UNEP and the UNWTO have identified 12 aims for sustainable tourism.
Economic Viability.
To ensure the viability and competitiveness of tourism destinations and enterprises, so that
they are able to continue to prosper and deliver benefits in the long term.
Local Prosperity
To maximise the contribution of tourism to the prosperity of the host destination, including the
proportion of visitor spending that is retained locally.
Employment Quality
To strengthen the number and quality of local jobs created and supported by tourism,
including the level of pay, conditions of service and availability to all without discrimination by
gender, race, disability or in other ways.
Social Equity
To seek a widespread distribution of economic and social benefits from tourism throughout
the recipient community, including improving opportunities, income and services available to
the poor.
Visitor Fulfilment
To provide a safe, satisfying and fulfilling experience for visitors, available to all without
discrimination by gender, race, disability or in other ways.
Local Control
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To engage and empower local communities in planning and decision making about the
management and future development of tourism in their area, in consultation with other
stakeholders.
Community Wellbeing
To maintain and strengthen the quality of life in local communities, including social structures
and access to resources, amenities and life support systems, avoiding any form of social
degradation or exploitation.
Cultural Richness
To respect and enhance the historic heritage, authentic culture, traditions and distinctiveness
of host communities.
Physical Integrity
To maintain and enhance the quality of landscapes, both urban and rural, and avoid the
physical and visual degradation of the environment.
Biological Diversity
To support the conservation of natural areas, habitats and wildlife, and minimise damage to
them.
Resource Efficiency
To minimise the use of scarce and non-renewable resources in the development and
operation of tourism facilities and services.
Environmental Purity
To minimise the pollution of air, water and land and generation of waste by tourism
enterprises and visitors.
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Research
Detailed research has been undertaken. A Visitor survey and Business survey was
conducted to gather information, this is not included due to privacy reasons, but where
consulted when writing this strategy. Committee members also visited and assessed four
other nearby similar towns to see what we could learn from them.
Buckingham
SWOT analysis of Buckingham’s Tourism Offer
Strengths
Stowe within walking distance
Silverstone, Bletchley park, museums, Claydon house, Stoke Bruerne, Oxford,
Waddesdon Manor, Sulgrave Manor, Blenheim Palace, the Cotswolds, Stratford
upon-Avon, Warwick Castle and much more, all within an hour’s drive of the town.
Good transport links
Variety of shops
Leisure centre and good sporting facilitates (tennis at Chandos, Swan Pool)
Parks
Walking. And cycling opportunities
Cheap parking
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Architecture and appearance of the town
Strong heritage
Independent shops. Hidden Quarter, Cornwell Meadow, Market hill.
Proximately to major city’s (Oxford, Northampton, London)
local history (Old Gaol museum, chantry chapel, old town)
Tourist information centre
Accommodation
Dining
Access able
Weaknesses
No train station
No buses to local attractions
Sunday shops and TIC opening times
Taxi services
Lack for attractions for young families
Poor marketing of the town (outside of the town)
Parking problems
Traffic
Signage to attractions and toilets
Develop the market.
Online presence – confused, not mobile compatible.
Lacks focus. Speak with one voice.
Opportunities
Build identity
Heritage and history tours.
Attract Young families and couples.
Walking and cycling
Improved town website and social media presence
Orientation visits for local accommodation providers and attractions.
Information boards in and around town.
Better communications between organizations involved in local tourism.
Joint working/networking meetings between tourism related organizations
Future development and promotion of the market
Better town marketing.
Blue plaque scheme
Public art installations
Activity holiday? Country walks
Coach companies, stop off for lunch.
Better information boards on all major gateways to the town
Eco tourism, and encourage business to be as environmentally friendly as possible
(Fairtrade and plastic free Buckingham)
Local food and drink trails
Local themed heritage trails
Local nature trails
Children’s park trails
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Walks connecting Stowe and Buckingham
Better promote the parks
Tourist aimed events
Bus from Buckingham to Stowe? Bart bus. Other buses connecting attractions.
National trust tour, heritage tour, village tours etc.
Rebrand the TIC, reduce Town Council branding, and develop a destination brand
that will attract a higher spending visitor and be more inviting. Sell more attraction
tickets and create itinerary. Sell group tickets.
Online calendar of all attractions within a 10-mile radius on Buckingham’s website.
Promotion of Buckingham
Buckingham visitors guide
A guide to send to other TICs in the country
A better, more professional website, which is not town council branded
A consolidation of visitor guides for the surrounding attractions
Emphasis on the close proximity of Stowe and Silverstone.
More emphasis on Buckingham as a country market town, close to the beautiful
countryside of Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.
Appearance of the Town
Better signage for visitors. Maps, shopping, toilets etc.
Brand the town, promote gifts from Buckingham,
Public art (perhaps otters)
More frequent buses (perhaps connecting local attractions to the town)
Develop the ambiance of the town (e.g. historic Georgian town. For example, bath
but smaller)
Floral decorations on roundabouts and on the roads into town.
Parking infrastructure improvements
Fill vacant shops with pop ups
Threats
Growth of the town. How to keep a developing town feeling like a traditional market
town? Or develop as a bigger, more diverse place.
Rents and rates
Resources (people time, and financial restrictions)
Confusion over the identity of the town – small market town, or growing destination.
Increased competition for visitors, what is unique in Buckingham? How to promote
the town?
Cooperation of business within the town.
Traffic build up as the town expands
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Town Audit
The town audit of Buckingham was undertaken in February 2019 and covered a range of
services and facilities that visitors look for and appreciate. The audit looked to help the town
understand its current offer and identify any issues, gaps or potential areas for further
development.
Accommodation
The audit revealed that there are 5 large accommodation providers within Buckingham (4x
hotels and 1x Inn) and over 20 in the Buckingham area. Many more beds are provided by
B&Bs and guest houses. The other major providers of accommodation in Buckinghamshire
are camping and caravanning sites some of which only open for Silverstone events.
Buckingham has a very high standard of accommodation and no concerns have been found
with the range and number of places to stay.
Accommodation In Buckingham
Number No. of bed spaces, units or pitches
Hotels 4 152
Guesthouses/B&Bs 1 1
Inns/pubs with accommodation 1 19
Air B&B 18 26
Campsites 0 0
Total 24 198
Accommodation around Buckingham
Number No. of bed spaces, units or pitches
Hotels 3 117
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Guesthouses/B&Bs 5 16
Self-catering 4 39
Air B&B 38 63
Campsites (Including temporary sites)
17 N/A
Total Further research needed
Attractions
Buckingham has a number of attractions in and around the town. Many of the attractions are
linked to the history of the area (e.g. Stowe, the Old Gaol, Chantry Chapel, Bletchley Park,
Waddesdon Manor) or the natural beauty/scenery of the area. We also have the sporting
heritage of Silverstone and a large number of food related attractions (Boycott Farm, Open
Air Food, Waddesdon farmers market etc.) Buckingham would benefit from a greater variety
of attractions in the middle of the town to bring people into the centre.
Events
Buckingham has a number of events throughout the year, mostly aimed at the residents. A
wider event once a year aimed at the visitor market could be beneficial, walking festivals,
history festivals, guided tours or carnivals could bring people form further afield. Arts and
crafts are also a big draw for tourists. Buckingham has a high number of talented artists and
crafters. The Literary Festival, Summer Festival, BAFA art trail etc. already attract a high
number of people. These events should be much better promoted both to bring in people in
from outside Buckingham and to encourage event visitors to spend more time (and therefore
money) in the town.
Shopping
Local independent shopping is very good in Buckingham and should be marketed as such. A
more cohesive marketing approach to the shopping would be beneficial and more
coordinated opening times could encourage people to shop more. A big draw for people
from large cities is the quaint market town attraction. The markets could be updated to
attract more people to use them. Local products should be pushed and local merchandise
should be produced to encourage spending.
Only a small percentage of shops are open on a Sunday or in the evening (5pm-7pm). A
push to change closing day to Monday and open most shops and attractions on a Sunday
will encourage more weekend visitors. A monthly Sunday shopping day should be
considered in the first instance. All shops opening and closing at similar times would also
be beneficial as well as perhaps a monthly late night shopping evening.
Dining
Dining in Buckingham is of a high standard and is very diverse. Unlike many town centres
Buckingham is not dominated by “chain” pubs and restaurants. This is a fantastic
opportunity and is currently under-promoted. Investment should be made to market the town
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as a foodie destination. Options such as a foodie walk, a booklet of all local eating
establishments and better joined up marketing and promotions should be considered.
Traffic and Parking
Almost every response to the visitor’s survey mentioned traffic problems. Business owners
have also expressed concerns that the traffic in the centre of town has a negative impact on
the tourist experience and acts as a barrier, discouraging visitors from venturing too far from
the car park. This is a complicated issue and not something that can easily be fixed. It is
essential that the tourism industry and town centre economy are prime considerations in the
formulation of the Town Plan.
In the shorter term encouraging visitors to walk, cycle or use public transport will help
prevent traffic worsening.
None of the visitors surveyed specifically mentioned the cost of parking as an issue. The
main town centre carpark is very poorly signposted and not obvious to those passing
through.
Website and Online Offering
Buckingham’s online tourism presence is poor and disjointed. The tourism website is not mobile compatible and requires a complete rebuild. IMPACT, the company that designed the website in 2013 advise that the website is likely to break if we try to update it. It was decided at the time commissioning to not make it mobile compatible. This needs to be fixed as the modern tourist expects to be able to access clear and useful information instantly on their phone.
The website also crashes as after the initial few months from launch there has never been a maintenance arrangement for the site, unlike the town council website which launched in 2015. This means that there are several out of date plugins operating and without any overhauls being done the functionality of the site is creaking and likely to fail. It is recommended to upgrade the site to a fully updated WordPress based CMS which would make it possible to properly edit the content and create feature such as the events calendar our partners have asked for.
Inspiration for the website can be taken from the high-quality sites of Olney, Oxford, Bath and Burford.
Presentation
The presentation of the town is generally good and the town has a pleasant and friendly atmosphere. Greater investment in the planting on the roundabouts at the perimeter of the town would make the town more welcoming. The parks are clean and tidy and are an important attraction. A separate plan is currently being created for the future of Bourton Park and the needs of tourism should be included as part of that plan. The parks would also benefit from an increased online presence as well as an increase in features, art and events.
The bus station should be updated with a map of the town and attractive signage to the TIC and other attractions. The toilets and car parks are generally received well by visitors with the only complaint generally being that the signs to the toilets at the Waitrose carpark aren’t very clear.
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Working with Others
Joint working between Buckingham, surrounding villages and attractions is very important.
The main areas for collaboration include:
Outdoor activities – walking, cycling and nature based tourism
History and heritage
Food and drink
Arts, culture and events
Business support and training
Destination marketing and promotion
Buckingham TIC and Buckingham town council can play a key role in facilitating this joint
working partnership and incentives to bring more tourism not only to Buckingham, but to the
surrounding area. Networking groups have already meet once, and will be vital in the
development of tourism.
Organizations that Buckingham should be involved with include:
Local Coach companies
Local attractions
#Lovebuckingham
Visit Buckinghamshire and the Chilterns
Hiya Bucks
Visit Britain
Visit England
Tourism management institute
Stowe House and Gardens
Claydon House
Bucks County Museum
Silverstone
Sustrans
Cycling UK
The Ramblers
Future Target Markets
Currently Buckingham is attracting visitors that enjoy heritage attractions, the natural
environment and local sporting events, people tend to stay in the area for just a few
days at most, or are ‘just passing through’ there is a lot to do in the surrounding area,
and could quite easily fill a week if the visitors have cars. As a result, the town should
concentrate their efforts on trying to get their existing visitors to spend more time in
the area.
As well as the existing visitors, more could be done to attract new custom, typically
Buckingham attracts retired people, for just a weekend, the town needs to attract
families that may want a longer break. Improve our offering to visiting children, or
younger people wanting more active breaks. Walking, biking, horse riding,
orienteering geo caching could attract younger people. An app for the town could
also be a big draw.
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A longer term focus could be to attract a more cosmopolitan visitor. Higher spending visitors,
after luxury and new experiences. Inspiration for this could come from other historic towns
such as Bath, Chester, York or closer to our size Olney. Shopping, dining and high standard
accommodation is important to this target market, as well as a welcoming, clean and inviting
environment.
Audits of Other Towns
Other towns have been visited to determine what Buckingham is currently doing well, and
the areas that we could improve on. The towns where chosen because of the size, distance
to Buckingham and whether they have a market. Stony Stratford, Thame. Olney and
Towcester where the chosen four. The towns where judged using 5 categories-
Presentation
Vitality
Service provision
Visitor attractions
Gripes.
Stony Stratford Thame Olney Towcester
Presentation Cleanliness, Tidiness, attractive aspects etc.
-Fairly clean, tidy and attractive -Good, well maintained wide pavements’ -Multi use recycling waste bins
-Clean and attractive, except for some rubbish heaps awaiting collection -multi-use recycling bins -some tatty shops
- looked after and tidy. No litter but few waste bins -its history is prevalent. Clearly a market town with the market square being the hub of the town. -compact and flat -high number of independent shops (plus some chains)
- entering from south side on A5 it appeared untidy with traffic issues (large vehicles unable to pass each other) needs a by-pass. -some scruffy buildings on entering town, some empty shops and not very inviting.
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-some older buildings sympathetically regenerated. Has seen recent investment -old and modern blend well
-overall clean and tidy -not many waste bins All buildings on high street where older, no mix of old and new
Vitality Number of people about, welcome feel Etc.
-Not busy -Welcoming, but seemed to be locals/shoppers rather than visitors/browsers. -2xsmall markets – 6 stalls in main market and 5 in the smaller country style market. -one way and speed-restricted spine road slowed overall pace and made in welcoming and safer.
-large and busy vibrant market signposted with flags, including as large and busy fruit and stall -most shops grouped around large square - no flowers around town, despite the provision for hanging baskets -seems economically healthy, but appeared to be few visitors.
-Town felt relatively busy -Market square car park and surrounding streets well used -shops quiet but cafes busy -Market seems to attract older people who shop early and rarely stay -the wide pavements and variety of little alleys to explore may have given a false impression of the number of people -seemed a good place to visit/shop. Gave the impression of being a thriving town with a reasonably affluent population/visitors -friendly atmosphere -one shop owner felt that the increase of food/coffee places brought people to the town, another felt that the discouraged shoppers.
- Not many people about at 9.30am although it did pick up during the day (shops opens t 10am) -Friendly locals, everyone welcoming And happy to chat. -The road was very busy with a lot of heavy lorries and buses
Service provision Range of shops, car parking, public toilet provision etc.
-Good main car park, six other smaller car parks (all ticketless and free) reserved business parking, and ample on-street parking -Reasonable range of shops (only 5 vacant that we could see) and banks etc. many independent. -Attractive arcades -Several different restaurants. -Public toilets a bit out of the way
-Plenty of car parking, (on and off street) with clear signage. -Public toilets (not well signposted) by cattle market car park -Good range of shops, including three supermarkets plus other chains in the larger premises which also had own parking at rear. -Very few vacant shops. -Not many coffee shops -No out of town shops
-Few shops, but good mix -Later opening (9.30am-10pm) - Parking in the main square and all along the high street, plus several other sign-posted carparks, free at certain times. -It seems on event days (pancake days, rugby) the town becomes gridlocked, preventing shoppers from coming in as there is nowhere to park. -Most shops are independent, very few chains -Thursday market is in the main square which reduces marking -Few closed premises -Most of the properties were owned by four main landlords who controlled rent.
- Few crossings made it quite dangerous for pedestrians, pushchairs and mobility. -Free parking near town for two hours -No evidence of public toilets -Good mix of cafes, antiques, dress shops etc., mostly independent - two banks and supermarkets in centre of town - Several side alleys to explore with some interesting shops but not well sign posted. _no central as market, monthly farmers market though -New development behind the town centre with library, council offices and coffee shop -There is a dozen empty shops plus more new development shops that need filling. -No Traders association -Rent reported to be high.
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Visitor attractions Places to visit, information provision, maps, signage etc.
-Excellent schematic maps at several locations, showing car parks, shops, amenities, attractions, historical buildings, town and river walks. -Leaflet dispensers at some larger information boards at various locations -Historical information boards adjacent to signature buildings, with red plaques on key buildings - Well signposted but market signage could be more prominent.
- Poor location maps in cattle market ca park and town centre - \No stand out features and no evidence of things to do - Several trails and festivals (details from TIC)
- Signposting could be improved - Many notice boards sponsored by various groups - Visitor information indicates several small alleys to explore but these were disappointing, often just one or two shops or cafes. - Several notice boards along the side of the market square but much of the information seemed out of date (the town council board had a few faded notices on parking, recycling and best kept village) - We found a small park area hidden away behind the shops and although the rugby/football field and tennis courts nearby seemed to be little green space. -Online tourist information promotes the town’s history but it is not obvious what to look for. -A fixed painted sign promotes the pancake race with the date -The Cowper and newton museum and gardens on market square had leaflets and volunteers promoting it, but there is a lack of directional signage
- Little signage apart from brown sign to museum - Museum very good, well presented and some tourist information also available. Very knowledgeable about town. - Town trail £1.00 and some other leaflets free - The Bury mount beside the forum had been nicely landscaped, but there is no interpretation board about it (this information is available in the museum though. -As Towcester lays claim to be one of the oldest continually in habited settlements in the county much more could be made of its history and the museum better publicised by the town.
Gripes (If any)
The many steps, narrow entries to back lots, stairs to upper offices could prevent difficulties for the mobility impaired
No pedestrian footway in car park
-No trader’s association -Fast roads with few crossings could be hazardous -We were told that a. many of the older traditional shops had closed and cafes and hairdressers had moved in. b. footfall had dropped off considerably except to cafes and restaurants c. no council support for traders
- Poor signage - lacking flowers and other features that could make it look more inviting - We were told that a. there is very little support from council. the town council do their best but there is no support from district or county b. parking is an issue c. Annual food festival on racecourse in June not advertised in town at all.
What can we take from these visits?
- Multi use recycling bins
- Pedestrianisation of the town centre
- Attract more market stalls, or group the stalls more tightly to make it look better.
- Matching gazebos, flags, signs and other decorative features for the market.
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- One off special markets. For example, a cheese market.
- Improve the cleanliness of bus stop, and promoting features of the town from there.
- Additional signage to the toilets
- Additional town maps, towards the Villiers end of town.
- Notice board outside Old Gaol giving annual dates of biggest event
- Promote the Old |Gaol better
- Improve signage in general
- Improve pedestrian access in the car park
- Improve parking, introduce free parking bays
- Advertise outside of the town, including at Bicester village, Stowe, on bus stops and
backs of buses
Buckingham Town \Visit
Presentation Cleanliness, Tidiness, attractive aspects etc.
Vitality Number of people about, welcome feel Etc.
Service provision Range of shops, car parking, public toilet provision etc.
Visitor attractions Places to visit, information provision, maps, signage etc.
Gripes (If any)
21 Buckingham Tourism Strategy
Actions
Priority Time-scale
Delivery
Lead Funding Related Objective
Website. The current visitor website is old and no longer works correctly. It should be updated to a WordPress based CMS which can be updated with appealing content and will work with mobile devices. The website will be branded as a tourism website not a council website. This will free it to actively promote businesses and events in the town.
High Short term
2 TC TBD f
Budget for advertising outside of the town in magazines and promotion websites.
High Short term
1 TC TBD c
Silverstone. Creating
events that coincide with
Silverstone events, but
does not clash with
High Medium term
2 TC TBD d
22 Buckingham Tourism Strategy
them. Bring more of the
visitors into the town
during these times.
Improve the signposting of the toilets. Many visitors struggle to find the toilets with the current signage
High Quick win
1 TC TBD g
Promote local attractions more. Vinyl stickers around the town asking if they have visited the Gaol or the Chantry Chapel.
High Quick win
1 TC TBD g
Networking. The next meeting for the networking group is currently being organised. The group will improve Buckingham’s tourism by encouraging joint ventures and promoting best practice.
Medium Quick win
1 TC N/A b
Food and drink. A ‘foodies trail’ has been proposed by #LoveBuckingham. Food and drink tourism is very fashionable and can be used to encourage people to spend more money in the town.
Medium Quick win
4 #love buckingh
am
TBD d
Advertising. A guide is to be made to appeal to people outside of the town. Advertising could be done at places such as Bicester village, Stowe and Milton Keynes. Bus stops, buses and roads leading into Buckingham could all have advertising on them.
Medium Short term
1 TC TBD c
Recycling bins. During the town visits it was noticed that other towns had better recycling facilities. Being known as eco-friendly could encourage people to visit.
Medium Short term
2 TC TBD h
23 Buckingham Tourism Strategy
Parking charges. Make parking free for 1 hour in parts of the Cornwell Meadow carpark
Medium Short term
2 AVDC TBD g
A large central sign for one or a few of the town council events. In Olney there was a hand printed sign that is a good draw for the main local event of the year. getting a local artist to create the sign might encourage engagement with the community.
Medium Quick win
2 TC TBD c
Coach tours to
Buckingham. Contact
local and national
company’s and
encourage them to visit
Buckingham on their way
to bigger attractions for
lunch.
Medium Short term
2 TC TBD e
Additional town maps. More town maps should be added near Villiers, bridge street/well street and the second entrance to Cornwells Meadow.
Medium Quick win
1 TC TBD g
Improve the cleanliness of the bus stop it is the first impression for a lot of visitors to the town.
Low Quick win
1 TC TBD g
Update the market. Gather the market stalls together and add signage. Improve the appearance with matching tents and tables. One off special market events, for example cheese market or clothes market could help to draw people in.
Low Quick Win
1 TC TBD d
Pedestrianisation of the town centre or more crossings. A crossing at Morton Road near to Prezzos would be very beneficial. Having a pedestrian zone in the centre of
Low Long term
4 TC TBD g
24 Buckingham Tourism Strategy
town could attract more people to the shops. One-way system around castle street, bristle hill and school lane could help with this. A zebra crossing from Cornwell Meadow bridge to the other side of the road would help. With access to the shopping.
Priority:
High
Medium
Low
Timescale:
Quick win - Less than 12 months
Short Term 1 – 2 years
Medium Term 2 – 5 years
Long Term Over 5 years
Delivery:
1 We can deliver locally
2 We can deliver with partners
3 Business Investment Opportunity
4 needs outside lead